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While the Spirit King was admonishing the spirits, the humans were in an uproar.
The mother, who had been bathing, rushed over with her hair still wet and hugged the sleeping Luria tightly, bursting into tears.
The older brother and sister, who had been in another room, hurried in a panic to join them.
A healer, who was also a physician, was summoned. Once it was confirmed that Luria, the nanny, and the puppy were all entirely unharmed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The captured bandits were taken to the dungeons for interrogation, and an investigation into their background and motives began. Efforts were also underway to identify their entry point and address any weaknesses in the security.
That night, several hours after the attack.
Luria’s father, Graf, sat deep in thought in his study.
“…There’s no other explanation but that Luria used magic.”
Both Leonardo and the nanny should have been injured, yet they were unharmed.
The healer suggested it was blood splatter from the bandits, but upon examining the bandits’ injuries, it was clear something else had occurred.
Graf recalled the miraculous event that had happened to Amalia, his wife, shortly after giving birth.
“Perhaps Luria is a truly special child…”
Feeling the need to see Luria, Graf made his way to her room.
The door to Luria’s room was open, and inside, his wife Amalia, along with Gilberto and Lydia, were present.
His wife and children appeared to be playing with Leonardo, who had woken up, around the sleeping Luria. Graf chose not to enter the room, instead quietly observing from the doorway.
“Leonardo, come here.”
“…”
“Leonardo doesn’t come when called. Leonardo, here’s a treat.”
“Woof!”
Leonardo, who had ignored Gilberto’s call, dashed over when Lydia showed him a piece of dried meat.
“…Daa-oo…”
Just then, Luria murmured in her sleep.
“Haha!”
Leonardo, who had been running toward the dried meat, abruptly turned around and bounded toward Luria.
He leapt onto Luria’s bed, sniffed her curiously, and then, seemingly satisfied, hopped down and ran back to Lydia for the dried meat.
“Leonardo always rushes to Luria whenever she mutters in her sleep,” Lydia remarked with a chuckle.
“…I think I’ve figured it out,” Gilberto murmured.
“What is it, big brother?”
“Just watch. Daa-oo, come here.”
“Woof?”
When Gilberto called, Leonardo abandoned the dried meat and approached him.
“I knew it.”
“What does this mean?”
Amalia, who had been watching her children closely, tilted her head curiously.
Even as a mother of three, she was as beautiful as ever.
“Mother, Leonardo thinks his name is Daa-oo.”
“Is that so? Daa-oo, come here.”
“Woof, woof!”
Daa-oo cheerfully ran over to Amalia. Watching this, Lydia called out again.
“Daa-oo, come here!”
“Woof, woof!”
“Maybe it’s not Daa-oo, but Daa-oo without the extra sound?”
“Is that right? Daa-oo!”
“Woof, woof, woof!”
Every time he was called “Daa-oo,” his tail wagged so enthusiastically it seemed like it might fall off, and he eagerly ran toward the caller.
“Leonardo, come here.”
“…”
“So, that’s how it is. Oh, my, dear, what are you doing over there?”
Graf, who had been concealing his presence and watching from the shadows, was discovered by Amalia.
Realizing he’d been caught, Graf stepped into the room and firmly closed the door behind him.
“Oh, I was just enjoying watching the children playing together.”
“Then why not come in and watch them up close?”
“You’re right.”
Gilberto excitedly spoke to Graf.
“Father! It seems Leonardo thinks his name is Daa-oo.”
“Well spotted, Gilberto.”
Graf praised his son and ruffled his hair.
“Daa-oo.”
“Woof?”
“You did well protecting Luria. Thank you.”
“Woof!”
“I’m counting on you from now on, too.”
“Woof!”
Daa-oo puffed out his chest proudly and wagged his tail high.
Afterward, Graf turned to his wife and children with a serious expression.
“I have something important to discuss about Luria.”
“Yes.”
Amalia and the children gave him their full attention.
“Luria’s red hair and eyes make her stand out. Particularly because she’s a daughter of our family, which once gave rise to the infamous Calamity Witch.”
“Yes.”
“That’s why you must never speak about what happened to Luria or what kind of child she is to outsiders.”
Talking about the attack, mentioning Amalia’s curse, or revealing Luria’s peculiarities might lead someone to notice her uniqueness.
That uniqueness would likely not be seen in a positive light.
It wouldn’t be surprising if someone accused her of being a reincarnation of the Calamity Witch.
In fact, even the archbishop of the One God’s Church had demanded she be entrusted to the Church.
“But, Father, even small things?”
“Yes. It would be difficult for you to discern what’s safe to share and what isn’t.”
“But—”
“It’s not because you and Lydia are young, Gilberto. It’s because we don’t know who’s behind the attack.”
“A political decision, then, Father?”
For some reason, Lydia’s eyes sparkled.
“Exactly. Even I don’t have a full grasp of the situation. We don’t know where our enemies might be. It’s best not to let any information slip.”
“Understood.”
“You’re both good children.”
Graf embraced Gilberto and Lydia.
Then he approached the bed to look at Luria’s sleeping face.
She had such a sweet, innocent expression.
Surely, Luria was a child loved by the gods.
She was so adorable; how could the gods not love her?
Even the curse that had tormented Amalia disappeared the moment Luria was held.
Perhaps it was the gods’ reward for bringing such a precious child into the world.
He knew he was being overly doting as a parent, but he couldn’t think otherwise.
“Daa… fugu…”
Even Luria’s sleep-talking was adorable.
She moved her little arms and legs in her sleep, her gestures irresistibly cute.
Watching her, Graf murmured as if to himself,
“Almost as if…”
“Almost as if Luria is an angel?”
Amalia smiled softly.
“Ah, yes, that’s right.”
Graf, too, thought of Luria as adorable.
He even entertained the thought that she might be an angel.
But what he truly meant to say was different.
Right after the incident, Daa-oo’s fur had been covered in blood, yet he was unharmed.
It was as though a powerful healing magic had cured him completely.
Such extraordinary healing magic was beyond anyone’s capability.
Even the nation’s most renowned healer couldn’t perform such a feat.
Typically, severe injuries required minutes, hours, or even days to heal through gradual treatment.
Yet this had happened in an instant.
“Perhaps Luria is a child chosen by the gods—or loved by the spirits.”
“Indeed.”
Graf embraced his beloved wife.
He resolved in his heart that Luria’s extraordinary abilities must remain a secret.
