Father, I Won’t Do Anything

Her eyelids felt heavy. Though conscious, her body refused to move.

‘Where am I…?’

Straining to open her eyes, an unfamiliar room came into view.

Judging by the bed she lay upon, someone must have transported her here from the training grounds.

‘What happened…?’

Jaina tried to recall her final memories.

-T-Tower Lord…

She remembered addressing Diamid in a faint voice before slipping into unconsciousness.

The instant she laid eyes on him, an inexplicable sense of relief had washed over her, prompting her guard to drop. After all, she could entrust everything to him.

Realizing this, Jaina’s face flushed. Until recently, she had struggled even to envision him, yet inwardly she had yearned for his arrival, for him to rescue her – a fact that now brought her shame.

As Jaina remained lost in thought, the sound of a door opening reached her ears.

Flustered, she hastily feigned sleep, sensing that revealing her wakefulness would be unwise.

The visitor immediately approached and placed a hand upon her forehead.

A large, warm hand.

“No fever…”

Though the voice was both familiar and unfamiliar, Jaina easily recognized its owner.

As expected, it was Diamid.

Even with her eyes tightly shut, she could sense his unwavering gaze upon her.

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence lingered in the room.

Jaina grew increasingly restless as time passed, realizing she might have to remain bedridden if discovered awake.

‘I should have just revealed myself from the start.’

As she inwardly rued her decision, another person entered the room.

“Such devotion. How much longer do you intend to remain by her side? I didn’t expect you to linger even after identifying the culprit behind the training grounds’ difficulty manipulation.”

“I must witness her awakening with my own eyes. Otherwise, I can’t find peace.”

Jaina startled at Diamid’s soft-spoken response, never imagining such tenderness from him.

“Oh, a poignant predicament indeed. As your former comrade, I should encourage you, but as the headmaster responsible for Student Jaina, I must admit your current state brings me solace.”

“…”

“You still have further to suffer. More anguish awaits. You’re not there yet.”

“I know.”

Jaina found not only Seiden’s blunt manner of speech but also Diamid’s uncharacteristic silence in response quite alien. In the past, he would have erupted in fury, dismissing it as inconsequential. Yet his affirmative tone now held only bitterness.

“Thanks to the additional barriers you’ve erected around the academy, we don’t need to worry about human accomplices manipulated by the dragons infiltrating from here on. But you understand, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You have no official relation to Student Jaina.”

“…”

“This time, due to Rosian’s involvement, Elia, who is aware of the situation, has entrusted this matter to you. But next time, you’ll require justification. If the Tower Lord’s interference in the Empire’s affairs becomes known, it won’t end well.”

Diamid remained silent in response to Seiden’s words, merely brooding.

Jaina longed to witness Diamid’s expression but couldn’t with her eyes closed.

Only after a prolonged silence did Diamid cautiously speak up.

“I’m aware this child hates me. Even coming to the academy caused her great anguish. If her life hadn’t been in danger, I wouldn’t have come.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Letting out a deep sigh, Diamid answered Seiden’s query.

“I ask that you keep my role in her rescue a secret from Jaina. Exhausted as she was, she likely didn’t get a proper look at me, so it should be fine.”

As Diamid rose to leave, Seiden asked in surprise:

“You were adamant about witnessing her awakening, yet you’re departing already?”

“…She fled the Magic Tower to avoid me. How would she feel, waking to see my face?”

“I suppose, but…”

Though hesitant, Seiden couldn’t stop Diamid’s departure.

“Please take good care of Jaina.”

“…I never imagined hearing such words from you.”

With that parting remark, Diamid exited, prompting a deep sigh from the observing Seiden as he prepared to follow suit.

“…”

Realizing this was the opportune moment to reveal her wakefulness, Jaina hastily called out to Seiden.

“Headmaster.”

“Jaina? You’ve regained consciousness?”

“Could you explain what happened after I entered the training grounds?”

After a momentary pause, Seiden briefly recounted how Professor Peyron had conspired with the dragons to manipulate the training grounds’ difficulty and infiltrate draconic soldiers.

Upon finishing, he bowed to Jaina contritely.

“As the headmaster, I must apologize. Even the academy’s vaunted security proved futile against the dragons.”

“No, it’s I who should apologize for causing trouble to the academy and His Highness Rosian…”

Recalling Rosian, Jaina trembled involuntarily.

“His Highness? What became of His Highness?”

“A healing reagent reattached his severed left arm. Student Rosian is unharmed, so you don’t need to worry.”

Relieved by Seiden’s words, Jaina let out a sigh.

“Thank goodness. I’m truly relieved…”

“For the time being, don’t concern yourself with classes. Focus on recuperating, Jaina.”

“I’m alright. I didn’t sustain any major injuries. I can resume attending classes tomorrow without issue.”

“No need to rush. Wouldn’t lazing about in bed hold its own amusement? You’ve exerted yourself enough, so take this chance to recover your strength as well.”

Jaina sensed an underlying meaning in Seiden’s words.

Certainly, having faced mortal peril and overexerted her mana, her physical condition was far from optimal. Yet his insistence on her remaining confined hinted at circumstances she ought not to know.

“Is something happening outside…?”

As Jaina attempted to inquire further, the door opened once more.

“Seiden. It seems the prattle from the sanctuary about Jaina is…”

The newcomer was none other than Diamid.

The instant their gazes met, both froze in place.

Observing their reactions, Seiden sighed in resignation before speaking up.

“Diamid, instead of standing there dazed, why don’t you come in?”

“I…”

“Come now, don’t be like that.”

With a shrug, Seiden ushered Diamid inside and seated him in the chair he had previously occupied.

“Haha, you’ve been incessantly worrying about Jaina, yet now that she’s safely awake, you’re at a loss? Aren’t you relieved?”

“…”

Pursing his lips tightly, Diamid averted his gaze.

Faced with his presence, Jaina found herself equally at a loss. Despite recently yearning for his arrival, for him to rescue her, now that he was here, she felt utterly bewildered, unsure of what to say.

After carefully contemplating her words, Jaina cautiously broached the subject.

“Um… Is something happening outside? And what did the Tower Lord mean by the ‘prattle from the sanctuary’…?”

As Jaina tentatively inquired, Diamid averted his gaze while Seiden deflected the question with an awkward expression.

“…You have quite the keen ears, Jaina…”

Though Seiden attempted to divert the topic, his efforts soon proved futile.

“Yes, yes. In truth, something has occurred outside. I had intended to conceal it for the time being from you, Student Jaina, having just regained consciousness, but…”

“I must know now.”

Yielding to Jaina’s resolute gaze, Seiden finally relented, opening with a troubled expression.

“Currently, the entire Empire is suffering from sudden demonic beast attacks and severe drought.”

Upon hearing those words, Jaina’s eyes immediately darted towards Diamid.

For in the novel , Diamid had committed similar atrocities.

‘But the original story has diverged significantly because of me. This incident couldn’t have been the Tower Lord’s doing.’

Seiden continued his explanation.

“The sanctuary claims these events are occurring due to you, an anomaly not foretold in their prophecies. Utter nonsense, of course. You were facing mortal peril in the training grounds, so how could you be involved with the demonic beasts…?”

From Seiden’s account, Jaina grasped the unfolding situation. This, too, was undoubtedly the dragons’ doing.

Having failed in their initial demonic beast invasion, they had escalated the scale, attacking the entire Empire.

‘With two hoy dragons slain by the Tower Lord, the clan must be taking direct action.’

“The dragons’ doing.”

As Jaina scoffed, Seiden floundered in his response.

“Yes, Diamid said the same. That such outrageous claims could sway humans is merely another draconic ploy.”

“Indeed, the work of Black Night clan.”

The dark attribute magic, capable of clouding reason and sowing seeds of doubt, perpetuating endless strife.

Wielded by none other than Black Night clan, adept in dark magic, the rumors would swiftly gain credence, spreading through the populace as fact.

“As before, Diamid has agreed to deal with the demonic beasts. Though their numbers exceed the previous incident, Diamid should be capable, with Elia’s assistance as well.”

“But that wouldn’t be a fundamental solution, would it?”

Having struck at the crux of the matter, Seiden could only hesitate in silence.

It was then that the taciturn Diamid spoke up.

“Seiden. Could you step out for a moment?”

“Hm? Oh, of course.”

Though Seiden’s departing gaze held a peculiar glint, the two failed to notice, fixated upon each other.

“…”

“…”

For a while, Jaina and Diamid silently regarded the floor.

Unexpectedly, it was Diamid who broke the silence first.

“You collapsed and awoke. Are you uninjured?”

“Yes, just a bit tired, but otherwise fine.”

“…This time, you truly could have died.”

Undoubtedly, had Diamid arrived even slightly later, Jaina and Rosian would no longer draw breath upon this earth.

Jaina nodded solemnly in acknowledgment.

“…Thank you for rescuing me. I nearly missed the chance to express my gratitude.”

Jaina respectfully bowed her head, a flawlessly courteous gesture.

The only discernible difference was the faint blush gracing her features – a detail Diamid seemed to overlook, his expression fraught with turmoil.

“My rescuing you was only natural. There’s no need for such formality.”

Diamid’s offhanded remark pierced Jaina’s heart.

It was then that Jaina, who had been subtly avoiding his gaze, met Diamid’s eyes directly.

“I…”

“Yes, you might consider my words presumptuous. But after this incident, the fear of losing you has only grown stronger. So I implore you.”

Diamid’s trembling eyes bored into Jaina as he continued.

“Allow me to publicly announce you as my daughter, if only on the surface, so our enemies perceive you under my protection. You don’t need to truly regard me as your father. You can continue viewing me as the Tower Lord, but please, at least grant me this much…”