Father, I Won’t Do Anything

“I’m sorry, but could I ask for just one blanket? I need something to cover myself while sleeping.”

“What? You’re going to sleep here? This isn’t a place suitable for people to sleep, especially for a young lady like you.”

“It’s alright. I’m tougher than I look.”

“But still…”

The maid flustered as she tried to dissuade Jaina. Even though she hadn’t been told Jaina was the Tower Lord’s daughter, and she knew the Magic Tower’s people disliked meddling, she was very proactive. She seemed like a kind-hearted person.

Jaina was grateful for her heart, but shook her head again.

“It’s really okay. Above all, sir Mikael wanted this place, didn’t he?”

“But…”

When Mikael was mentioned, the maid couldn’t continue and hesitated.

Even as she handed over the blanket, she still looked like she wanted to dissuade her, but Jaina waved her hand saying it was fine and closed the door.

Jaina truly had no dissatisfaction with this room. Rather, she wanted to praise Mikael for wisely choosing the location.

As he said, if he had rashly assigned her a room in the central tower in the current situation, it would have gotten on Diamid’s nerves.

And right now, Jaina had no time to pay attention to things like the room’s condition. Because she was so deeply moved by the current situation.

‘It’s my first time having my own room since I was born.’

Both in her previous life and this life, Jaina was always treated as worthless. A private room was a luxury she couldn’t even dream of.

‘It’s too late today, so it would be rude to the surroundings if I make loud noises. Let’s borrow cleaning tools tomorrow and clean the cobwebs in the corner and accumulated dust.’

Plop.

Lying down, the blanket that was just big enough for one adult to cover was quite large for her tiny body.

‘It ended up coming out.’

Woosh, as the tension released, a large tail wriggled out.

Other parts were fine, but perhaps because the tail was a body part humans didn’t have, it would pop out like this from time to time whenever she relaxed.

“Haa.”

Through the window, the long shadows cast by the trees in the garden she saw in the library earlier could be seen.

‘I’m glad I obediently came to the Magic Tower.’

She felt much more at ease than when she was living as if present yet absent in the dragon village. There were also many things she could enjoy.

‘How nice would it be if every day could be like today.’

Although it was spring, the nights were still chilly.

Jaina vacantly gazed at the shadows swaying in various shapes from the wind, then curled up her small body.

* * *

And the next morning, Jaina encountered Mikael when she came to the dining hall.

He grinned and propped his chin in front of Jaina.

With her keen ears inherited from dragon blood, she could hear the surrounding magicians whispering.

They were surprised that Mikael, who always sustained himself with potions and such, came to the dining hall following yesterday.

“Did you sleep well last night, shorty?”

Eyes that didn’t even glance at the food in front of him and only stared straight at her.

No matter how you looked at it, he seemed to have come to meet Jaina, not to eat.

“Yes.”

As Jaina answered while diligently tearing bread with her small hands, Mikael pulled his body closer.

“I heard later that it’s a small storage room servants used. Is it okay? Do the long tree branches look like ghosts by any chance? But that might actually be the case. Magicians also whisper whenever they pass by there.”

Jaina recalled the scene from last night of the garden trees swaying beyond the window.

It certainly could be scary for a young child to stay alone in that desolate and cold room.

But he was barking up the wrong tree.

Jaina opened her mouth while looking at Mikael, who was gazing at her with an expectant face.

“That room yesterday was…”

As she put bread in her mouth and lifted her head indifferently, Jaina’s eyes caught sight of someone.

It was Moben.

He, who had practically been chased out of the library yesterday, was staring intently at Mikael and her.

‘He had asked what my relationship with Mikael was.’

It wasn’t with good intentions, but Mikael comes in handy at times.

Then shall I make use of him?

Although Jaina’s eyes met Moben’s for a brief moment, she naturally averted her gaze as if not noticing it.

“It was a nice room. I like trees. If it was consideration, then thank you.”

“You… Aren’t you scared of ghosts either?”

“Living people are scarier than dead people.”

Jaina retorted, recalling a saying she often heard in Korea.

“You’re really… Beyond a little adult, you’re bizarre…”

Jaina fidgeted her small hands under the table.

“And it was my first time having my own room too.”

Mikael’s expression turned strange upon hearing those words.

“What? First time? No matter how you put it, you’re a dragon, so wouldn’t your residence have at least a room or two?”

“I know, right.”

Mikael’s gaze grew doubtful as if recalling something, then he soon muttered to himself, ‘Whatever.’

“I don’t know. The weirdest thing is your personality. Don’t tell me all dragons are like you?”

“Let me ask you one thing too. Are all pureblooded humans like you, sir Mikael?”

“What did you say? Like sir Mikael?”

Mikael furrowed his brows and elongated his words. Then, Jaina asked back with an innocent face as if she knew nothing.

“Ah. If the way I addressed you was unpleasant, I’ll correct it. Then are all pureblooded humans like that side?”

“That side?!”

Mikael jumped up, seemingly displeased by Jaina’s way of addressing him.

“Why am I ‘that side’ to you? Impudent kid!”

“Then how should I call you? I can’t call you big brother either.”

“That’s…!”

Mikael, who tried to refute, shut his mouth as if lost for words.

Yesterday he had twisted Jaina’s birth like that. Even if she didn’t mean it as a blood-related brother, he was simply at a loss for words.

‘Huh…?’

When Mikael hesitated unlike her expectation that he would get angry right away, Jaina looked at him with a puzzled face.

The two, who were staring intently at each other’s faces like that, didn’t even notice someone approaching from the side.

Even if they had been concentrating, the result wouldn’t have changed though.

“Oh my. Having a lively fun time chattering? Can’t you include me too?”

A woman who naturally broke through the sound-blocking barrier Mikael, who disliked noise, had set up.

She spoke as if she were an old woman, but her smooth and white face looked young enough to be in her twenties.

Only her hair was white, softly waving like silver threads as it caught the light. Jaina could vaguely realize that it originally indicated her age.

“Well, that guy is stupid and loud every day. Is that why I’m more interested in the new child?”

The Emerald Hilvenzia.

She soon turned her head towards Jaina, her green eyes twinkling.

“I thought you only ate my cooking deliciously for one day yesterday, but that wasn’t the case. You ate a lot today too.”

Her gaze momentarily touched the empty plate where the bread had been placed until just now.

“Hello. You’re that child who is said to be the Tower Lord’s daughter?”

“Since you already know well, I have nothing more to say.”

Hilvenzia smiled, gently curving her eyes.

“I really like dragons. Do you happen to know that dragon blood was mixed into the first potion?”

“I also know that the holy sword in the temple was made from dragon bone.”

“A smart child, I see.”

Hilvenzia covered her mouth with a languid gesture. Her eyes curved alluringly once more.

“And gutsy too.”

Hilvenzia reached out and stroked Jaina’s round head.

“I’m not very popular with young children. But it seems you’re not afraid of me?”

The long nails precariously grazing her scalp could be felt.

Jaina looked up at Hilvenzia intently. Without avoiding her gaze.

“Am I supposed to be afraid?”

“Well, I wonder?”

The hand that had been stroking her hair came down and headed towards Jaina’s eyes.

“Blue eyes… The same color as the Tower Lord’s eyes. A really pretty color. I don’t know if other parts are similar though. But even if not…”

Soon Hilvenzia caressed Jaina’s white cheek. Her tiny face was completely grasped in Hilvenzia’s hand.

“I’m quite interested in you.”

“Hey, old hag.”

“Don’t butt in, Mikael. I’m in the middle of a conversation right now.”

Hilvenzia spoke in a low voice. The smile had disappeared from her face as she replied to Mikael.

“You were just playing with this child anyway, weren’t you? In contrast, I have quite an important matter, so will you step aside now?”

“What’s with this old hag telling me to get away from this shorty? Do you even know her? Have you ever talked to her before?”

Mikael’s handsome face distorted fiercely.

When Mikael didn’t back down easily, a light of surprise briefly flashed across Hilvenzia’s face before vanishing.

“Don’t butt in? That’s my line. I was talking with this shorty first, so why is the old hag butting in?”

A murderous aura slowly spread from Mikael’s surroundings. The bodies of the magicians in the dining hall stiffened at that overwhelming magical power.

Since the Magic Tower was a gathering of highly skilled individuals, the tension between them was immense.

People who thought getting badly hurt or dying was better than having their pride hurt.

‘How did I end up getting caught in a fight…’

Jaina felt troubled. The timing wasn’t good. Of all times, Hilvenzia approached when Mikael was here.

“What the old hag is trying to do with the shorty is obviously going to be vicious.”

“And what you were trying to do to this child was something else, I suppose?”

“At least I don’t see her as an ingredient.”

“Ingredient, hm.”

Hilvenzia laughed softly at those words.

“Ashrid, that’s what was written in the letter your relative sent, right? Your hair seems quite useful too, but unfortunately it’s very short.”

“Old hag!”

“Please call me Jaina. That’s my real name given by my mother, not my relatives.”

While Jaina, the person in question, quietly answered, the force emanating from Mikael grew increasingly rough.

However, Hilvenzia was still at ease. No, she had an even more intrigued expression.

As she shielded Jaina with one hand, the magical power that had seemed to oppress the surroundings was no longer felt.