Episode 61
Flora flinched at the sound of Benio's crying and hugged him as she asked.
"Why are you crying, Oppa? Who made Oppa sad? Why are you crying, stop crying."
He shook his head from side to side without saying a word.
"Gasp, you're so hurt!"
Flora looked at Athanas, flustered and not knowing what to do.
"Ah, Dad too!"
Seeing Flora's startled face, which was truly no different from usual, Athanas let out a relieved laugh.
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Flora felt a little regretful at the sight of the two big bears shedding tears of relief over her safety.
'I shouldn't do sothing like this again.'
Although it was a scene necessary for the dramatic performance, it was obvious that if this happened twice, it would give them trendous trauma even without seeing it.
'There probably won't be a reason to do that anymore.'
Now that she had money, there was no need to pretend to be kidnapped.
Of course, even as she thought this, Flora was diligently wiping the tears gathered at the corners of Benio's eyes.
"Stop crying. Okay?"
Despite having a larger build and a sturdy body for his age, Benio looked strangely fragile when he cried.
'It seems like no matter what possesses him, it's firmly possessed.'
Seeing his expression that seed like he wouldn't rest until he was comforted, Flora continued to soothe him.
"I'm not crying."
'At least wipe the tears from your eyes before you say that.'
Of course, since the person who caused those tears was Flora, she swallowed her minor complaints internally.
'Since his heart is this soft, I guess I have to protect him, what else.'
Unaware that Flora was thinking that, Benio gave a faint smile at her delicate, fern-like touch.
'I need to train more so this doesn't happen again.'
Unaware that they were both having similar thoughts, the two siblings turned their heads at the sound of Athanas calling them.
"Now, let's stop and go back ho."
She could feel the tired knights brightening up behind them.
They had defeated the demon and rescued Flora safely, so they probably wanted to go ho happily and rest.
'But this isn't the end yet.'
There was still more good news to co, so she couldn't just let them go.
While being held in Benio's embrace, Flora rummaged around in her chest area and pulled sothing out.
"Ungh, but Dad, I have this."
Athanas's eyes narrowed at the key carved from ice.
"What is this?"
As Athanas took the suspicious-looking key and asked, Flora answered with a bright smile.
"I took it from that demon."
"What?"
"When the demon was distracted, whoosh!"
And as she pretended that she had hidden it inside her body, Athanas and Benio looked back and forth between the key and Flora with bewildered expressions.
Athanas was confused whether he should scold Flora for carelessly stealing soone else's property, or praise her for her boldness in taking sothing from a demon.
Knowing full well, Flora smiled brightly and spoke confidently.
"Teacher Lian said stealing is bad. But this isn't stealing."
She didn't forget to add a plausible reason.
"The demon said if he died, the person who killed him could have this. He gave permission, so it's not stealing. So this is mine and Dad's."
Half for killing the demon, half for bringing the key.
Seeing his daughter brilliantly claiming ownership by distributing rewards based on rit, Athanas blinked his one and only eye.
"But what is this key used for?"
At Benio's innocent question, Flora excitedly raised both hands as if she had been waiting and answered.
"Uuum, ah! The demon said there's a basent here!"
"A basent? Is there a basent in this castle?"
At Athanas's question, one of the knights standing behind him spoke up as a representative.
"We don't know that much yet. We entered the castle and imdiately engaged in battle, so we haven't explored the inside..."
"Ah, that's right. We ca here in a daze."
Athanas nodded his head as if it were natural.
At that mont, a loud sound suddenly ca from sowhere, and the banquet hall began to move.
The knights cautiously moved and approached the area, then shouted with surprised faces.
"It's a staircase leading underground!"
As if pleased that the basent had appeared the mont they spoke, they quickly followed up.
"Shall we explore it right away?"
At the knight's question, Athanas thought for a mont and then shook his head.
"No, we don't know when this castle might collapse, so it's right to leave."
"Ah, no!"
At the unexpected reaction, Flora blurted out.
When everyone's gaze turned to her, she was a little flustered but then shouted with all her might without losing spirit.
"The demon said this castle won't collapse!"
"Did the demon say that?"
At Benio's question, Flora rolled her eyes and answered in a small voice.
"I heard him talking to himself. He thought I was asleep and was just muttering to himself."
'Sorry, Janet. I'm ruining your image like this.'
Flora offered a sincere apology internally while boldly telling a lie outwardly.
Anyway, since Janet was on her side, she would probably say it was okay no matter what lie she told.
"He said this castle is the Demon Forest itself. He said even if he died, it wouldn't disappear. He said if he died, there would be no one to look after . He said I would probably die in this castle."
As Flora spoke while sniffling, Benio hurriedly hugged her and looked at Athanas.
"Father, the Demon Forest has been maintained from a very long ti ago until now. This castle would be the sa. If it has already absorbed the forest's demonic energy, wouldn't it remain intact as long as the forest doesn't disappear?"
At his serious voice, as if trying to persuade him, Athanas also nodded his head just as seriously.
"Certainly... that's a plausible statent. If it were going to disappear easily, it would have collapsed the mont that demon died. Just because the demon disappeared doesn't an all the monsters are gone, so there must be an abundance of demonic energy."
At the two people's unnecessarily serious deanor, Flora sneakily added her opinion.
"And this castle is pretty. I want to have it."
She had added a little selfishness with the intention of suggesting they explore the castle, but an unexpectedly positive answer ca back.
"Alright, let's make this castle yours."
"Really?"
"Didn't Dad say? I'll do anything you want."
The affectionate words spoken while stroking her head were filled with emotion that the child was so lovely he didn't know what to do.
Flora was montarily moved, then suddenly blurted out the first promise from her mory that ca to mind.
"But you still haven't given the vanilla ice cream that doesn't cause cavities."
Ah, is this too much of a mood-breaker?
"Vanilla ice cream that doesn't cause cavities?"
At Benio's question, shock spread across Athanas's face. It seed he had forgotten about it and only just rembered.
Instead of imdiately canceling it, Flora grinned.
"Even if there's no vanilla ice cream, it's okay as long as Dad and Oppa are by my side!"
What's good is good, right?
They had plenty of ti to make cavity-free vanilla ice cream after becoming rich.
At the admirable and lovely answer, smiles blood on the lips of the two Lucifers.
"Well, then we should explore this castle first. Sir Roern, Sir Solta. You two return first and deliver the news of our victory. And bring Isaac and a doctor from the knight order here."
Athanas removed an ornant from his cloak and handed it to them, saying it was a token.
"Isaac will probably figure out the uses of this castle faster than I can."
Athanas said that and reached his hand out to Flora.
"Here, Flora. Now co to your father's arms."
"Father..."
As Benio hugged her even tighter, as if he didn't want her to be taken away, a subtle battle of nerves began.
Flora, who had been quietly watching the situation, spoke to the two knights who hadn't left yet.
"Please call a doctor too. Dad and Oppa are very hurt. They need treatnt."
"No, Flora. This much is okay."
"That's right, Benio is correct. This much is nothing."
At the words of the two Lucifers, Flora smiled sweetly. Then she lightly tapped Benio's arm. As if asking him to let her go.
When Benio took the hint and slightly loosened his grip, Flora quickly escaped his embrace.
"I won't talk to the people who needed treatnt but didn't receive it from the doctor-ssaem."
Saying that, she stretched out one hand to the knight who was relatively unhard.
"Please hold my hand."
"Ah, well."
The knight chosen by Flora was so flustered that his pupils trembled violently as he looked back and forth between the two Lucifer fathers behind him and Flora.
"Won't you hold it? My arm hurts."
When Flora waved her arm with a pouting face, he instinctively grabbed her hand, then forgetting all propriety under the burning gaze he felt with his entire body, he blurted out.
"P-perhaps it would be best to receive treatnt! The Young Lady is very worried! Please, receive treatnt!"
A deep sigh could be heard.
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