Father, I Won’t Do Anything

Jaina headed to the library in the Magic Tower with brisk steps.

The library was located underground, but due to the tower’s structure, it received ample sunlight. Thanks to this, a lovely garden adorned the library’s entrance.

‘It could be called a landmark of the Magic Tower.’

Jaina excitedly gave a running commentary as they walked.

“Even someone as small as me can freely take out books.”

Jaina proudly showcased an unknown light from the library taking out a book for her.

“That’s quite remarkable.”

Outwardly, Seiden smiled, but inwardly, he couldn’t hide his disquiet.

“So how much time do you spend in the library?”

“Hmm, there are many days when I’m here from morning until I fall asleep.”

At those words, Seiden’s expression stiffened.

He looked around the surroundings.

Of course, this was an excellent library that would be unmatched anywhere else, but beyond its beauty, a bleak and oppressive atmosphere permeated the entire place.

As the Magic Tower selected only the elite among the elite for training, exams, assignments, experiments, and research were incessant. The magicians had to compete with each other to survive in the Magic Tower.

That was why a taut tension always hung in the air of the library.

Seiden’s gaze fell as he observed the magicians’ sunken eyes, trembling hands, and cracked, if not outright split, lips one by one.

‘In a place like this, a magician might even try to use Jaina as an experimental subject.’

It wouldn’t be surprising if someone died here at any moment.

And even if people did die, these people would likely just keep reading their books without batting an eye, only thinking of their own futures.

‘That damned obsession with truth, power, and rationality.’

No matter how much Jaina enjoyed reading, constantly being exposed to such an environment couldn’t be good.

‘Can those magicians who know nothing but research really be trusted?’

With a cold, detached gaze, Seiden surveyed the library.

‘To spend not just a couple of hours, but the entire day here… Doesn’t she have anyone to look after her? This is practically neglect.’

Unaware that Seiden was pondering with a grave expression, Jaina was thinking about the next place to show him.

Lost in thought, Jaina was asked casually by Seiden:

“I heard you used to live in a warehouse?”

“Did you hear that from Princess Elia? It’s true. But later on, the warehouse was remodeled with magic, so it wasn’t too inconvenient. In fact, it became a cozy, nice place.”

Jaina added that although called a warehouse, it wasn’t really one.

But that didn’t erase the fact that she had lived breathing musty air.

‘That damn Diamid.’

As Seiden inwardly cursed Diamid vehemently, a cat’s meow came from somewhere.

“Meow.”

“Ah, Izren.”

Like a true summoner, Seiden immediately recognized that the cat before him was no ordinary feline.

Puff!

Since there was no one in the hallway, Izren immediately transformed into human form.

“Hello, Jaina.”

“Lord Seiden, this is my guardian knight, Izren. Izren, this is Lord Seiden, an old comrade of my mother.”

A guardian knight, meaning he spent a lot of time with Jaina.

“I’ll step away for a bit.”

Taking advantage of Jaina’s absence to the restroom, Seiden spoke to Izren.

“I’m curious if Jaina is doing well, what do you think? Has she ever been treated unfairly?”

“Unfairly…”

Izren’s expression turned serious.

“The harpsichord tutor hit Jaina. But Jaina did nothing wrong.”

“What?”

“But Jaina told me not to say anything.”

Seiden’s face hardened as he heard how Jaina had endured the violence alone, afraid the harpsichord tutor might not return if she spoke up.

And when Jaina showed him the monster flower garden as the final destination, he couldn’t hide his shock.

“Aren’t they cute?”

The ‘cute’ monster flowers towered over Jaina several times over, their lengths so great that even Seiden, a full-grown man, had to crane his neck all the way back to see their ends…

“…Just how many meters tall are these?”

“I’m not really sure either.”

Seiden was rendered speechless watching the monster flowers thrash about, seeming to reach for the sky.

Chirp-chirp-

‘Well, at least there are normal living creatures in a place where people live. Let the sound of birds bring peace to my mi-‘

“Aaahh!”

But at that moment, one of the monster flowers swallowed a bird flying by in a single gulp.

Jaina covered her mouth, letting out a low exclamation.

“Oh my, the bird got eaten.”

“…Aren’t you at all disturbed?”

“It’s the way of nature.”

“No, such monster flowers don’t exist in nature.”

This wouldn’t do.

This really wouldn’t do.

At this rate, her upbringing would be ruined!

Seiden’s face hardened.

And so, as soon as Diamid came looking for him, Seiden shouted:

“I’m taking that child as my adopted daughter!”

* * *

Diamid was on his way back after being out on business. He had been puzzled to hear that Seiden had visited the Magic Tower after such a long time.

But then.

“I’m taking that child as my adopted daughter!”

In an instant, Diamid’s mind went blank.

Uncharacteristic of his usual rationality, Diamid could only wordlessly move his lips, unable to say anything. Everything he had learned and studied up until now suddenly felt useless.

‘Take that child away…?’

Before Diamid could say anything, Seiden continued.

“I heard you didn’t even acknowledge Jaina as your daughter for three whole years after she first came to the Magic Tower at age ten.”

“…What are you trying to say?”

“What you’re doing is child abuse. Neglect, in other words. Didn’t you know that indifference is the opposite of love?”

Seiden looked at Diamid with contemptuous eyes.

It was clear that at some point, his old comrade who had only cared about efficiency had even abandoned his own daughter.

‘What if he ends up using her as an experimental subject, or for organ harvesting, leaving her like this…’

To maintain his stance against Diamid’s imposing presence, Seiden’s eyes sharpened once more.

“Even if Bezrice betrayed you, the child is innocent.”

“…By what right do you dare prattle on like that?”

“Bezrice saved my life on the battlefield numerous times. To you, she may be the daughter of an enemy, but to me, she’s the daughter of a benefactor.”

Seiden added as if rubbing salt in the wound.

“Honestly, Diamid, I didn’t expect you to be this much of a scumbag.”

Seiden’s words pierced Diamid’s heart, one by one, because they were all too true.

Diamid was always praised for his sound logic.

He kept a level head in any debate or argument and never lost on the basis of logic.

But in this moment, he found himself unable to say anything at all.

“Why can’t you say anything?”

When Diamid remained tightly lipped, Seiden sneered.

“If you have nothing to say, then I’ll give you a choice. Either send her to me, or send her to someone else.”

“…!”

“To be honest, I’m not prepared to raise a child myself. But at the very least, I can help ensure she grows up under a better guardian than you.”

“…”

Unable to refute Seiden in any way, Diamid left the place.

Instead of returning to his bedroom through spatial teleportation magic as usual, he found himself walking to a nearby garden to clear his head.

But then, Diamid spotted Jaina approaching from the opposite direction.

“…!”

Without realizing it, Diamid hid behind a pillar.

He didn’t know why he was acting this way.

His body had simply moved instinctively.

“Lord Seiden.”

Seemingly unaware of Diamid, Jaina went straight to Seiden.

However, Seiden seemed to have noticed Diamid hiding behind the pillar and glancing this way.

“Yeah, Jaina…”

Even as he conversed with Jaina, for quite some time his gaze didn’t leave the pillar Diamid was hiding behind.

Soon after, Seiden looked into Jaina’s eyes and asked:

“…So, have you thought about my offer to come with me?”

“That’s…”

“To be honest, I’d like you to come with me.”

He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but the conversation kept reaching his ears.

Diamid’s shoulders tensed up.

“As one of the foremost summoners, there’s little I can’t provide if you want something.”

Even to Diamid himself, those words sounded tempting. It seemed better than being treated like baggage in the Magic Tower without any status.

‘I haven’t been able to win Jaina’s heart…’

Lately, Jaina had been avoiding him. It was clear she felt uncomfortable even making eye contact.

But should he still let her stay at the Magic Tower? Was this really a happy place for the child?

“If you wish, I can also help arrange for you to be adopted by someone else. Of course, I’ll be very careful to ensure they’re not some shady character.”

Was he supposed to let Jaina go like this?

‘But I haven’t done anything for her yet… All I’ve done is say cruel words…’

Without realizing it, Diamid hung his head.

If only he could turn back time, how wonderful would that be?

‘Then from the very moment she arrived, I could have embraced her and said she was my daughter…’

It was only natural for Jaina to keep her distance from him.

But, but…

Couldn’t he be given a chance, just a small one, to atone? Couldn’t she allow him to approach her, even a little?

Unable to bear listening to Jaina’s answer, Diamid closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

It was at that moment.

“It’s alright. The Tower Lord has treated me well.”

“What?”

“He even gave me a luxurious room…”

Jaina proceeded to list off to Seiden all the ways the Tower Lord had treated her well.

As she spoke, not a trace of resentment could be seen on Jaina’s face.

“More than anything, he saved my life when I collapsed from the allergy.”

‘Did she… think well of me after all? Even if she doesn’t acknowledge me as her father…?’

Diamid could only gaze at Jaina in a daze.