I Became the Abandoned Daughter of an Underworld Boss

She spoke while staring blankly at the dried paint near the canvas.

“Will you draw me?”

“… what?”

It was a comment that made him flinch.

Asil Litus, who had once painted and displayed portraits without her desire or permission.

Alice burst into laughter as she saw him freeze at her words.

“Haha, just kidding. I can’t imagine you holding a brush to draw someone. Knowing your personality, you’d break the brush saying it’s too troublesome.”

“……”

“You used to say that anything that moved was suspicious and that anything precious that didn’t move was yours. You treated everyone you met in Dark Town similarly.”

Did she still remember those childish words?

Alice averted her gaze from the canvas and spoke.

“Let’s go out. I want to see around here before it gets any later.”

“…… okay.”

Even though she wasn’t the master, Alice found the stairs leading to the third floor.

After bringing Yuriana down, the protective magic had been reinstalled.

Of course, Alice would see the cloud-like obstacles as well.

With wide eyes, she asked.

“My goodness, Asil. What’s that?”

“That is…”

“Does passing through that lead to some heavenly place? Amazing! It’s wonderful, I want to try using it too!”

Asil denied in a somewhat stiff tone.

“It’s not like that. It’s a barrier spell to prevent thieves from approaching.”

“Thieves?”

“Yes. There are troublesome areas in Dark House, so access is blocked. There’s nothing dangerous.”

Alice shrugged.

“Then, I want to go see it too. Take me there!”

Such an easily spoken demand.

It was quite an unreasonable request.

Up there… wasn’t the reason for their separation, everything contained there?

He remembered the time when an alarm connected to that barrier spell went off.

He had rushed over, only to find his cute little daughter squirming around.

“……”

“Asil?”

Just like before, Alice grabbed his sleeve and lightly shook it.

“Come on, please?”

A complicated look passed through Asil’s eyes.

Was all this the result of his past actions?

Finally, he and Alice dismantled the cloud-like spell and stepped onto the third floor.

Creak-

The hinges made an unpleasant sound as the door inside revealed its scene to them.

Alice began to exclaim with her lips parted even before the door was fully open, only to be cut off mid-sentence.

“Whoa… oh…?”

“……”

Asil couldn’t even think about looking at Alice’s expression.

His daughter, Yuriana, had also paused at this spot when she first entered.

Why was she surprised? Was it because the frame was so large? It was understandable, given her small body.

But Alice’s reaction was significantly slower than Yuriana’s.

“…… Alice?”

When he carefully called out, Alice belatedly turned to look at Asil.

With a rather flustered expression.

“Oh… yes, inside is really spacious, just like it looked from outside.”

“…… yeah.”

“Is it okay to look around?”

She asked in a gentle tone, as if she had never been flustered.

“Feel free.”

Alice’s steps secretly wandered through the room, decorated just for her.

Even with the portrait removed, the place was still luxurious.

There was a large bed fit for a grand noble, a gold-trimmed dresser, a dressing room, a display case filled with jewelry, and even a small indoor garden.

“……”

Asil remembered that her portrait was still somewhere in this room.

Where, you asked?

It was still placed inside the wall connected to the escape route leading underground.

He hadn’t checked it after putting it there.

‘Is it fortunate… it’s better for neither Yuriana nor Alice to see the end of my farce.’

As they finished looking around and left, Alice spoke cheerfully, as if talking about someone else’s business.

“It was truly beautiful. I think it’s better than the main house!”

“Really?”

He responded rather indifferently.

Since the space was so large, there was still a distance to the door leading outside.

As they passed by the bed, Alice impulsively asked.

“Asil, tell me honestly.”

“What?”

“Is this… the place? The prison you said you made for me?”

It was an unexpected question, but he replied frankly without any intention of hiding.

What good would it do to deny the truth?

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you get rid of it? You know, Asil. I…”

Whoosh!

The next moment, Alice’s body was laid on the bed like a feather.

The sheet she felt beneath her back was softer than that of a queen’s bedroom.

How could something from Dark Town be better than the things used in the royal palace?

Asil had been that obsessed with Alice.

He would do anything, as long as she didn’t run to another man. He would even give her his heart!

He slowly leaned over towards her, the one he had laid down.

“…!!!”

Alice, feeling a threat to her purity, closed her eyes, but Asil raised his upper body and said the next moment:

“In my life, you’ll never exist again, Alice.”

“… what?”

Before she could open her eyes, Asil’s resolve poured into her ears.

“Don’t ever come here again. Not to this room, not to Dark House, not to Dark Town. You don’t belong here.”

“A… Asil?”

“This kind of meeting isn’t good for anyone. If you want to discuss more with Harun or the Emperor of the Reef Empire, solve it by talking to your husband. That’s the right thing to do.”

Aidan Nea, someone who had always been an obstacle in Asil’s heart. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he was the king protecting his homeland.

“But…!”

Asil quickly blocked Alice’s rebuttal.

“If it’s not something that can be decided today, it will be the same no matter how many times we meet here again. That’s a polite refusal from the emperor.”

“Asil!”

“Please leave, Alice. From my life, from Dark House, from my mind, forever…”

Alice had a look of disbelief at Asil’s cold expulsion.

They returned to the main building without exchanging a word.

And Asil was exactly right.

After Harun’s nap, he still didn’t give Alice a definite schedule.

His attendants were busy insisting that it was time to return to the empire.

Instead, the emperor left these words:

“I hope there will be an opportunity to convey news through special channels soon.”

“I’ll be waiting, Your Majesty.”

It was an obvious trick. The passive trade Asil had mentioned in their private meeting.

Alice, thoroughly mistaken, returned to the palace with a somewhat confused expression.

She hadn’t expected Asil to forcibly expel her from Dark Town.

And the time for Harun and Karas to leave was approaching.

The fact that those two had secretly left the empire for such a long time was a surprising miracle.

“…”

“Everything is ready, let’s go.”

“How do you feel, nephew?”

“… it was a special outing. Thank you for giving me an unexpected experience.”

“Is that so.”

Unlike their arrival, the departure magic circle was prepared in one corner of the Dark House’s Garden.

Karas, with a resigned expression, walked over.

It was then.

“Wait! Please wait!”

“Huh… huh!”

Karas saw Levina running towards them, holding something small.

What she was holding was Yuriana with her eyes blinking open!

He thought it wouldn’t be possible for her to make a last-minute farewell as she was woken up from her nap, but she had woken up after all?

Levina, panting, stood in front of them.

“Hello, huff. The young lady woke up halfway, so I quickly brought her out. Please forgive her messy hair… phew.”

Harun smiled at Asil.

“Even a short reunion can be joyful. Isn’t that right?”

“… say goodbye, Yuriana. They’re about to leave.”

Asil had a strangely relieved expression, but Karas didn’t notice.

The boy, with a dazed look, was busy looking at Yuriana, who was still half-asleep.

One side of her face was red from being pressed, and her thin silver hair was flat on her forehead, but what did that matter? It made her even cuter. This look, and that look.

Yuriana… had woken up to see him.

“Meow?”

Lulu, following his master out, meowed.

Karas came to his senses and reached out his hand.

“Yuriana, take care.”

“Mm… you too, Sir Karas.”

“Really, take care. Goodbye.”

Hearing the kind, low farewell, Yuriana felt a strong inner impulse.

She understood. She naturally knew Harun’s position of becoming an emperor and asserting his legitimacy. After all, she knew all four of them.

But…

She also wanted to be there for Karas. Since she wasn’t the gentle heroine, she would do what she could with the courage she had.

Her heart moved in an instant.

Yuriana took a step closer and hugged Karas, giving him a warm farewell.

“…!!!”

Karas’s face turned beet red as he was suddenly embraced.

‘Asil, calm down. My daughter is only six years old; she can’t distinguish right from wrong. Yes… how could she know that the empire folks are cunning!’

Even though he avoided a kiss, he hadn’t thought of a hug!

Asil, trying not to get angry, looked away and feigned ignorance.

Harun was delighted inside. However, seeing Asil’s grim expression from the corner of his eye, he just smiled without provoking further.

Levina tried to stop them.

“Ah, Miss! That’s enough. The guests really have to go now.”

“Okay.”

The boy’s body she hugged emitted a faint scent.

As expected from someone from a wealthy country, Yuriana thought, as she slowly let go.