My Beloved Daughter
Stanley’s Point of View
I have a five-year-old daughter.
Having two older sons, I may have raised her a bit too leniently.
Even at her young age, she throws tantrums if she isn’t the center of attention, and she’s incredibly picky, refusing to eat any vegetables.
This daughter of mine was judged to have the Null attribute at her baptism.
Honestly, I was shocked.
I am of the Fire attribute and have the skills to back it up, having served as the Vice-captain of a Monster Hunting Corps until I inherited my title.
My wife, Margaret, is similar. As a Wind attribute, she served as the deputy head of the Magician Division until we married.
Our two older children also possess elemental attributes.
Our eldest, Noel, has the same Fire attribute as me. Even at his age, he demonstrates considerable control, and if he continues at this pace, he’ll likely be able to join the Magician Division as he hopes.
Our second son, Gene, shares his mother’s Wind attribute. Though he’s still working on control, he diligently practices swordsmanship daily under the guidance of both me and our butler, Gray.
So, the judgment of the Null attribute was truly a shock.
However, after her judgment, Joan fainted, and it was then that I realized she was more shocked by the result than I was. Knowing her, she must have overestimated herself.
When she wakes, she’ll surely throw a fit.
What should I do…?
The next day, shortly after noon, my daughter woke up.
Without any anger or tears, she apologized for worrying us, even smiling in a way I had never seen before.
It seemed she still hadn’t recovered from the shock.
At dinnertime, Joan arrived late as usual.
What was unusual, though, was that she apologized for being late, performing a graceful curtsey.
I hid my surprise and invited her to take her seat.
The meal proceeded as usual: soup, salad, main course, and bread. But tonight, there were more vegetables than usual. Normally, Joan would make a fuss about it. I just want a quiet dinner, but…
Tonight was different.
Before she even began eating, Joan said, "Itadakimasu." I’m not sure what she meant by that…
And then, to my astonishment, this girl who normally despises vegetables ate without a single complaint. She didn’t finish everything, but this was a drastic improvement from before.
As we moved to the living room after the meal, I noticed Joan speaking with Gray. Fearing she was complaining about the food, I checked with Gray, only to find that she had asked him to apologize to the cooks on her behalf for not finishing her meal.
What has happened to my daughter?
Did she hit her head and change?
Once she was settled in the living room, I decided it was time to bring up the topic of her baptism.
But suddenly, Joan dropped to the floor, pleading for us to let her stay in the house, even if it meant working as a maid.
Even if she’s of the Null attribute, she’s still my beloved daughter. Why has she come to feel this way?
Exhausted from crying after everyone’s attempts to comfort her, she eventually fell asleep on my lap.
I carried her to her room and tucked her into bed.
As moonlight streamed in, I stroked her head.
I need to think carefully about how I can ensure she lives without hardship… so that her smile never fades.
“Goodnight. Sweet dreams.”
I left her room and headed to the living room.
We need to discuss what lies ahead.
What do you think about this chapter?
