I Became the Abandoned Daughter of an Underworld Boss

I was careless.’

Asil asked again.

“Are you really not going to go in?”

“Yes. Levina said she would buy something, so I went out to take a look around and then came back up. There was something on the stairs, but it felt odd to step on, so I moved to the side.”

“…… I see.”

“I’m going now.”

She quietly walked out, and Asil closed the door without a word.

Yuriana recalled what had originally been in the empty frame.

‘Speaking of Alice’s portrait, she never actually sat for it, right? Asil… had a talent for drawing? Whether he did it himself or hired an artist, the portrait turned out in illustration style, so I remember.’

Alice’s beautiful smile, surrounded by white lilies and purple statice.

There had never been a moment when Asil painted a portrait, or when he gave Alice flowers.

That was the job of Aidan and Heidel.

The Crown Prince Aidan gave a bouquet of roses as a symbol of love after vanquishing a doppelganger, and Heidel placed a hyacinth in Alice’s hair, a flower loved by elves.

For reference, Alice’s portrait was drawn by Heidel as a sketch, and it appeared on the main screen.

‘Asil… did he want to live that kind of life when Alice came here? Trying to do what everyone else did?’

Where did the missing portrait go?

Did Asil burn it in despair?

Surely, he wouldn’t have torn it up. It must’ve been stashed away somewhere.

Maybe it was somewhere in Alice’s room, where I closed the door.

If nobody ever went in there, dust would accumulate on the portrait.

I wanted to comfort Asil, but my lips wouldn’t cooperate.

As a six-year-old without memories, saying Alice’s name so freely was dangerous.

‘… I have to stay alive first.’

“Would you like to eat together?”

Asil’s suggestion broke her melancholic thoughts.

“Huh? With me?”

“Who else is here?”

Yuriana quickly forgot everything else at Asil’s light suggestion.

Asil’s kindness was unexpected.

Wasn’t he typically quite gloomy?

This was a huge breakthrough in their relationship.

“Really?”

“Don’t make me speak twice. Let’s go down.”

So, Yuriana took Asil’s hand, and they went down from the third floor to the first.

She didn’t notice the cloud-like magic that had faded away on the stairs when she tried to go up.

It was her first time using the dining room in the first wing.

‘It’s quite spacious.’

She glanced around at the long table she had only briefly observed.

Asil sat at the head, and Yuriana took the left side as she began to eat.

Nom, nom.

Delicious.

The parmesan-coated bacon was savory and salty, the perfect appetizer.

Yuriana was busy stuffing her face with sprouts when Asil suddenly spoke.

“Make sure to take Rupedos with you when you go out.”

Of all times to mention it, when my mouth was full!

Yuriana chewed and swallowed before asking.

“Who?”

“… Rupedos, your cat. Now that it’s not coming back to me, it’s your cat.”

So, her cat’s real name was Rupedos?

She’d still be calling him Lulu, though.

Yuriana carelessly forgot Lulu’s real name.

“Yes.”

Asil looked at his frail daughter.

‘Hm.’

Recalling his conversation with Leticia, whom he had killed, there was no way she was brainwashed.

Asil was immune to negative magic.

There was no way she had been tricked, either. Besides, Yuriana went up alone to the third floor and came out unharmed.

She was his daughter no matter how he looked at her.

The magic she had seen resembled the same cloud magic on the banister.

Perhaps Asil placed it to keep out potential intruders.

The magic was a hereditary talent passed down to Asil; escaping from it with scrolls would be impossible.

Asil was suddenly seized by a strong impulse.

Should he ask her? About Yuriana’s real mother? About whom took care of her all these years, if she truly didn’t know her own mother?

Did it make sense that she forgot everything except for the fact that she was his daughter?

Would she break down in fear if he pressed her on it?

If he investigated who raised her, the truth would likely come to light.

But he couldn’t bring himself to ask her.

It would be easy to scold her, but doing so could destroy their tenuous bond.

‘What should I do?’

“Boss, Miss Yuriana, please eat. Here, please try this peach pie. It’s been cooled to just the right temperature. It’s in season, so it’s delicious.”

Just then, the head chef Paul brought over a delectable dessert.

“Whoa!”

A flaky, buttery pastry filled with sweet fruit.

Yuriana eagerly devoured the peach pie, seemingly not noticing her full stomach.

When she swallowed the last bite, their eyes met.

‘Hm…?’

“You. You said you don’t remember anything before collapsing in this alley.”

Asil used the softest tone he could manage. Whether it had any effect, he couldn’t say.

Yuriana nodded vigorously at the delicious pie corner.

“Yes. I don’t know.”

“Understood.”

Asil’s cool eyes swept over Yuriana, who resembled him too much.

… it was a low possibility, but what if Yuriana was a doppelgänger?

‘Doppelgängers can’t perfectly replicate their originals. If they can detach parts and use them, it wouldn’t be a demon but in a divine realm, right? Hm… if that happens, would I have to harm this child?’

In Dark Town, someone dying and disappearing was no big deal.

For example, before Leticia and Sheldon, many had been expelled in that manner.

Asil didn’t suddenly become wary of Yuriana just because she entered Alice’s room.

As a boss of Dark Town, he acted just as calmly today as yesterday.

“Are you done eating?”

“Yes.”

Asil finished his meal and spoke to Yuriana, who was drinking water.

“I have somewhere to go. Follow me.”

Pitter-patter.

Tap, tap.

“… ”

He listened quietly to the footsteps obediently following behind him. If he didn’t listen carefully, the sound would be so faint that it was almost inaudible.

Tiny, cute pair of shoes.

That sound might never be heard again depending on the outcome later.

Asil’s expression became even more indifferent.

After leaving the annex and entering the main house, he pointed to the empty room next to the study.

“This way.”

“Yes!”

Did she know her own fate, this child?

‘Not like me.’

Asil pushed aside useless thoughts and picked up the black cloth covering the table.

A considerably large hand mirror eventually reflected the chubby Yuriana.

“Whoa, a mirror.”

Would she really change? Into the appearance of a hideous monster?

When the mirror of origins reflected an object, its true form immediately returned or at least its shape was visible in the mirror.

However, Yuriana’s form was far from the wavy black object characteristic of a doppelgänger.

She was just a small girl who resembled him.

“Ha…”

Although he asked her to come along, Asil suddenly sighed long while looking into the mirror.

Yuriana blinked her eyes in bewilderment, not knowing what was going on.

“Yes? What’s wrong?”

When she asked him carefully, Asil clicked his tongue.

“That’s enough. Do you remember the way we came?”

“Yes…”

“Rest a little and then go back. If you don’t know the way, ask anyone around here.”

Without even properly closing the door, he suddenly left. Leaving behind his six-year-old daughter.

What was really going on…?

Yuriana stood dumbfounded for a moment, then approached the mirror he had placed down.

‘Oh?’

That was the moment.

Even though she didn’t call it, the album window popped up, and a yellow light flickered from the corner. Something seemed unusual.

‘S… surely? Could this be it?’

Perhaps due to being full, it was too late to notice.

{{Mirror of Origins (★★★★★): A mysterious mirror that shows the true appearance of those transformed by magic, curses, or shapeshifting. Rare collectible 2/12}}

“Whoa…!”

The Mirror of Origins belonged to Asil, and it was an item that could only be obtained when entering his route.

However, in the true happy ending route, Asil refused to give it up and it was the doppelgänger who won the battle.

Huh? What if it was not the true happy ending route?

Of course, in Asil’s route, he was the owner of the mirror, and in Heidel’s route, he ended up giving away the list of dark elves hiding in Dark Town.

In the Aidan route, it was bought with money… as expected of the Crown Prince!

‘Phew… hehehe. Now there are no more doppelgangers in the kingdom, but you’d never knew. Wouldn’t it be okay?”

Secretly.

Yuriana, who successfully copied the mirror of the origin, came back with a happy heart and fell asleep.

Even today, she did a good thing, and it was good.

She didn’t steal the treasure Asil prepared for Alice.

‘Hehehe.’

Yuriana, who thought she had kept the last conscience(?), laughed while she was sleeping.

Late at night, Levina, who came back just in time, didn’t know she almost fainted when she knew what happened during the day. Because Yuriana was asleep!

* * *

Nea Royal Palace.

“…!”

Aidan, who had safely ended the day and fell asleep, suddenly opened his eyes.

Next to him was his wife, the lovely Alice, who was also the queen of this country. She had fallen asleep, preserving her life.

Alice was here. Not beside anyone else, but by his side.

“Uh…”

Sleeping lightly, Alice’s appearance was beautiful.

A slightly lighter blonde hair than that, and emerald eyes that didn’t seem to close under the eyelids.

He would see it tomorrow morning.

Everything had been resolved well.

His father’s unjust events and the conspiracy of his stepmother Amira were revealed, and the only existence that taught him love… Alice.