Chapter Thirty Two
"Daddy!"
A small, bundled-up shape hurtled toward me, colliding with my legs and clinging on with a grip surprisingly strong for someone so tiny as I looked down, my eyes were greeted by Lily's small, bony figure anchoring herself to me.
She was holding onto me in the exact same way she had the day we first met. Like a chewed chewing gum.
Money bank... I missed you.
[Ping!]
[That little girl is the sweetest thing ever.]
I know. She's my walking money bank. Obviously, she's the sweetest thing ever.
"Baby," I murmured, scooping her up as her tiny, muddy hands immediately went to work. Her small fingers brushed against my cheeks, smearing away the tears I'd put so much effort into producing.
Whaaa... Whaaaa... What are you doing, Lily? Daddy worked really hard to cry and win sympathy.
"Don't cry, Daddy. It makes Lily sad." Lily pecked my cheeks, and my eyes unconsciously softened as I stared into her lively eyes.
Ughhhh... Whatever. My money bank can do whatever she wants.
"Is that... is that really the Duke?"
"He looks so... different."
"He looks too handsome to be that fat monster?"
"What is going on?"
"Why is the girl from Shitty's orphanage calling him Daddy?"
The whispers from the crowd rippled through the freezing air like a low tide as all of their faces twisted in confusion. Someone dropped their bowl while a woman pulled her child behind her skirt.
[Ping!]
[No shame, yet?]
Did I commit genocide?
[Ping!]
[No?]
Then, I don't think there's a reason for me to feel shame.
"I'm sorry, Lily. I troubled you. You recognized me?" I asked, my voice dropping to a gentle murmur I didn't know I was capable of.
What if my loud voice makes my little money bank cry?
"Hehe. Obviously!" Lily giggled, her eyes crinkling with a pure, innocent joy that felt entirely out of place in this frozen wasteland.
"My little Lily is so smart!" I said, letting out a short huff of laughter as my eyes refused to leave the little body wiggling in my arms.
"Daddy, if it alright with you... can me and my friends sign up first for the purige?" My lips curved upwards at her mispronunciation.
"Purige?"
"Ye!" Lily chirped, nodding her head so vigorously as her neck nearly got detached from her body.
"It's porridge, Baby," I chuckled, the word sounding far more endearing coming from her.
"Purige."
"Pfft."
How can a little girl make such big declarations and only mispronounce one word?
Maybe my money bank is a genius and the rest of this world is wrong. Everyone here is dumb anyway. It makes sense. I should pass a law that porridge is now purige.
Is that possible?
Oh! I should also make today a festival. All these dumb people finally got the right pronunciation of porridge. And-
[Ping!]
[Stop, Host. That's not how you raise a child!]
Why not? My money bank deserves the finest things in the world. My gold scanning machine...
[Ping!]
[Host is beyond saving.]
I looked over her shoulder and noticed a small huddle of children standing at the extreme back. They were shivering, their eyes wide and hungry, watching Lily with a mixture of awe and terror probably because she was currently being held by the "Drunkard Monster of the North."
"Of course," I said, my voice dropping the theatrical boom as it softened even more. "In fact, baby, why don't you and your friends lead the way? Vizen!"
"Yes, Your Grace?" Vizen hurried over, his pen tucked behind his ear.
"Children eat first. Fill their bowls to the brim," I commanded. "And Kaelen! Give them the thickest part from the bottom."
Kaelen's expression softened at my statement. "Yes, Master."
Lily tried wiggling out of my arms as I gently put her down, her face beaming with pride. I watched those little bare feet leave small imprints on the snow as she ran back to her friends while the villagers gave her way.
"Huff... puff... See!?" Lily shouted at them while running. "I told you all Daddy is nice now!"
"Is there a boutique in the North, Vizen?" I asked, my gaze shifting from Lily's back to Vizen's smiling wrinkled face.
Why is oldie smiling now???
"There must be one in Baron Vische's territory, Your Grace," Vizen replied, his brow furrowing in confusion at my question as his smile disappeared.
"Invite them to the castle after this."
"But... We don't have money, Your Grace," Vizen whispered, his eyelids blinking as he failed to understand my simple words.
"Just do as I say."
My money bank needs new clothes... I should buy her an entire closet.
"Yes, Your Grace." Vizen stammered at my statement, bowing his head quickly, though his hands shook slightly as he adjusted his glasses.
Crunch. Crunch.
"Your Grace," Hans spoke up as he finally approached me before bowing his head.
"Hans."
"I've brought the citizens for the free meal with their own bowls as per your orders." Hans reported in his voice steady as his eyes darting toward the trembling crowd.
"Good job, Hans."
I muttered as without another word, I stepped past him, completely ignoring the hundreds of trembling, wide-eyed adults. My focus elsewhere.
Crunch. Crunch.
I walked straight in the direction of Lily, the crunch of my boots in the snow the only sound in the silence.
"Oh god! It is the Duke. Look at that hair! When did he get so handsome?"
The murmurs rippled through the crowd like a wave as I could feel their eyes tracing the lines of my face and the way the winter light caught my shimmering golden hair.
"Is that really the drunkard tyrant?"
"Shush... He might hear you. Keep quiet."
"I told you I'd let you meet the hero who saved our grains that day from the bandits. Right?" Lily beamed, her chest puffed out with pride as she gestured toward me with her tiny muddy hands, making me slow my steps as all those tiny eyes turned in my direction.
Too fast, and they'd run. I was once one of them. No one can understand better than me, the fear and stress they must be feeling, seeing a stranger approach.
"Lily... Stop..." one of the kids muttered, his voice trembling as he took a frantic step towards her, intertwining his hand with her small ones. He tried to pull her and leave before I could reach them but Lily refused to budge. "That's the monster Duke everyone talks about. We have to leave. Now, Lily."
"No! It's the hero who saved our grains and beat the bandits that day! He's my daddy! Trust me, Zien!"
"Lily-"
SLAP!
The sound cracked through the cold air like a gunshot.
Lily hit the ground hard as her hand disconnected from her friend's. Her small body skidding across the packed snow as my feet grew roots.
"Stupid brat!"