Nyx started off in a fury but soon gave up and returned to the most interesting topic.
"So, are you two dating?"
Navia was at a loss.
She felt as if everything that needed to be said had been said, but they hadn't defined their relationship yet.
"We've confirmed that we like each other."
"What? Then all that's left is marriage."
Nyx was quite radical.
Navia, with a panicked look, waved her hands dismissively.
"Marriage? It's too early for that."
"If you're not planning to live with your father forever, there's no need to rush. Even though the world has changed a lot, a meeting between nobles is tantamount to marriage, isn't it?"
Originally, she had planned to spend her life with Lark. But now, that seemed uncertain.
'I used to be sick of marriage.'
However, marriage to Creed seemed different from a typical marriage.
'I will become the Duke of Eseled.'
But she had no intention of asking Creed to give up being the Grand Duke of Eiles.
'I'll become Eiles, and Creed will be Eseled.'
Though there had been no such case before, Navia had been the key contributor to Monica's victory in the throne dispute.
If she wanted, Monica would have to amend the law for her devoted subject.
'What would it be like to marry Creed?'
Waking up in the same bed, confirming their love for each other, and having children who resembled both of them.
She had a strange premonition that such a fairy-tale-like life might be possible.
Nyx watched Navia's expression change peculiarly and smiled slyly.
- Do you like that?
"What?"
Navia, feeling like her heart was exposed, startled and looked at Nyx.
- Your expression looks very happy.
Of course, she was happy. There had been many troubles, but it was the day her father woke up.
'Nyx is probably talking about Creed.'
Navia thought of Creed.
She felt a strange turmoil in her heart due to unfamiliar feelings.
She gently placed her hand over her thumping heart. Was this love?
- You're always smiling whenever we talk about Creed, aren't you?
"Me…?"
Navia unknowingly stroked her mouth. Was I smiling? I wasn't even aware of it.
- For a noble, marriage is a very important social matter, right? Then, if you're going to marry, meet a young and handsome man who will listen to you.
Navia shook her head with an expression that said, 'you're hopeless.'
"Really... Is it okay for a deity to be so materialistic?"
- Even a deity has eyes. Wouldn't young and handsome be preferable?
Navia awkwardly nodded.
Honestly, even by the high aesthetic standards set by Lark and Erkin, Creed was exceptional.
It wasn't just because of his appearance, but the sense of security when standing next to him, the solid embrace, his stone-like arms, and his masculine hands with prominent tendons...
'What am I thinking?'
Navia felt hot again and had to fan herself with her hand.
- Oh, enjoy it while you can.
Nyx laughed heartily again, teasing Navia.
Navia sighed lightly and then laughed.
'I'm talking about love.'
It was something to be seen in a long life.
Nyx, sitting on the dressing table, began to say her goodbyes.
- I should go now.
"Already?"
Navia couldn't hide her disappointment and grabbed Nyx's hand.
Nyx patted her hand like a grandmother saying goodbye to her granddaughter.
"I'll miss you."
- I'll miss you too. To converse and connect so well with such a lovely avatar, I'm indeed a fortunate god.
"I'm the lucky one!"
Nyx smiled gently and patted Navia's hand. Then, at some point, she stopped moving. She had left.
"Goodbyes are always lonely."
Navia hugged a doll. It was already dawn, and fatigue was setting in.
Yet, Navia wandered around the room without sleeping.
Then, the awaited knock came.
Knock, knock.
"Dad…?"
Lark, realizing that Navia hadn't slept because of the light from the window, had finished his work and came to her room.
Navia smiled brightly and rushed to the door, flinging it open.
"Dad!"
"Why are you still awake?"
Lark tousled Navia's hair and chided her.
"I can't sleep."
In truth, she was quite sleepy, but she lied boldly.
Lark pinched her cheek gently, telling her not to lie, and entered the room.
He had let his hair down long, which Navia hadn't seen in a while, so it was a fresh sentiment for her.
"It's like seeing Dad for the first time."
Lark chuckled.
"Are you saying I still look young and handsome?"
"No, I mean your hair is long."
"Getting bashful, are you?"
Navia wasn't embarrassed in the least; she had merely stated a fact, so she was slightly bewildered.
'That's right, Dad was always like this.'
Lark Eseled was always shamelessly unparalleled in this regard.
Navia deeply felt anew the return of her father at this peculiar moment. Therefore, she tightly hugged Lark, thinking of all the effort and hardships he must have endured to return here.
"You've had a hard time, Dad."
Lark smiled maturely and hugged her back.
"You're the prettier one."
It was a plain, unadorned statement, but it was so characteristic of Lark.
Navia chuckled softly and then lifted her head to ask, "What about that god who parasitized Prince Ares? Did you handle it well?"
"Yes, don't worry."
"Is the incarnation contract over? Is everything, including the regression and the rift, finished?"
"Yep, it's completely over."
"But what was that golden light?"
Lark found it slightly amusing to see his daughter showering him with questions.
"Why are you so curious? I've heard that five-year-olds always ask 'why' for everything. Was our daughter five?"
As Navia promptly shut her mouth, Lark grasped his lips as if he understood.
"Forbid that expression. It's the one before you start nagging your dad."
"What kind of expression is that?"
"That's exactly what you were doing just now!"
So childish...
Navia shook her head disapprovingly.
Suddenly, Lark grabbed Navia's hand, spun her around, and asked, "Wasn’t today your debut performance?"
Navia shrugged her shoulders, seemingly unaware that the topic had shifted.
"Yes. It turned out to be the most flamboyant debut party in the world, but I think it was quite successful."
After all, her father had returned, and she was acquiring everything she wanted. Wasn't this a remarkably successful debut?
Lark laughed wryly and suddenly asked, "Who did you dance with?"
"With Creed."
"Just once?"
"Yes. After that, this incident happened."
Lark grinned as if it was a good thing and snapped his fingers.
Snap!
Suddenly, the pajamas Navia was wearing sparkled like a dress made of diamonds. Her white angora slippers also glittered like the dress.
It seemed that no debutante's dress could be more special than her pajamas at the moment.
"Wow... Dad, you look like a fairy grandmother from a fairy tale."
Hearing his daughter's innocent exclamation, Lark chuckled and teased her, "Have you ever seen such a cool and handsome grandmother?"
He then summoned something else.
Click-clack, click-clack.
Lark wound the spring of the music box diligently, and once the music began to flow, he placed it on the console table.
Then, with an elegant gesture, he extended his hand to Navia.
"Would you care to dance with me, miss?"
Navia recalled the conversation she had with Creed at the ball.
'Was it about that time when we danced to the music box? Does father remember that too?'
"Do you remember when I was young, dancing to the music box with Creed, Dad?"
Lark twisted the corner of his mouth upward in response.
"Of course. You refused to dance with me because our heights didn't match."
Ah, was it because they had been awkward since then that he chose this moment, using the debutante ball as an excuse to dance to the music box? Cesare approached them at that moment, twirling around them just like in their childhood, dancing.
Navia, with a slight chuckle, took Lark's hand.
It wasn't a ballroom, nor was it a grand orchestral piece, but moving in her pajamas and slippers, sparkling like jewels, she felt like the star of a special party.
Suddenly, Navia was struck by the thought that she might have forgotten something important.
It seemed like there was a question she hadn’t received an answer to…
'Ah, the golden aura!'
"Dad, so what was that golden light about?"
Lark let out a sigh.
'I bet if I say it's a trace of accumulated divinity, she'll ask how it was accumulated.'
Then, if his daughter asked, he couldn't lie, so he would have to unfold a story of great hardship.
He didn't want to burden his daughter with such a cursed tale and make her feel guilty.
"Hmm. That? Just think of it as a new power I've acquired."
Navia had long realized that he was deliberately avoiding telling her the story of his struggles for her sake.
"I actually heard all about it from Nyx."
"That scammer."
Lark frowned deeply.
"Nyx, he's bad news. Don’t get too close to her."
He spoke like a father lecturing his child not to associate with bad friends. The problem was, the 'bad friend' he referred to was her own deity.
"Hmm... Is that possible?"
Navia laughed awkwardly.
Lark went on to boast about his great deeds, with an attitude of letting things be as they may.
"Wow, so Dad is the strongest?"
"Yes. Dad was stronger than most gods even when he was an incarnation."
Navia was constantly amazed, thinking that a regressor really is different in many ways.
Then, Lark, without a hint of modesty, proudly said that everything he does is just like that.
The music box stopped playing.
Lark, still holding his daughter's hand, lifted her up and, as if dancing, took her to the bed.
Navia burst into laughter, feeling like a little girl giggling at her father's playful antics.
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