Chapter 67: You're not alone.

Kein's POV

"Mm..." I could feel something using my side as a support. Is it morning already? I don't remember what I was doing before drifting off to sleep.

I wonder if Rose ate yet... her chest was so soft.

"Moma..."

Mo...ma?

"Ungh..." I groaned, waking up to the gentle sound of someone breathing and leaning to my side. I wiped my eyes and saw a small blonde figure leaning over to me. It was Vivienne sleeping right next to me with a chair.

"Vivienne?" I blinked, feeling something behind my back. There was a white blanket covering my body and when I looked around my father's study on the table there was cake.

Did she... do all this?

I tried moving carefully in order for her not to wake up, I picked her up from the chair in my arms, I was surprised about her lightweight and it was easy for me to get her up from the nearest couch.

"You're pretty light huh." I muttered out while laying her sleeping figure down. She was sleeping so comfortably and it seems she didn't realize that she was being moved.

I held the blanket that was covering my body before and placed it on top of her. "There we go, I'll come back for you once I talk to my father about some of my leftover work and possibly... the trip for the cure."

Without even thinking my hands reached for her head and I couldn't help but caress her hair for a bit, her head instinctively bumps into my hand as if she wants more of them.

I couldn't stay for too long.

I looked at the table that was beside the couch and saw a cake on a plate that was just sitting there with a fork on the side. It's morning and I know I shouldn't eat something so sweet so early but I can't waste food now can I?historical

I took the fork and stabbed the cake in half, taking a huge chunk of it and eating it in peace before finally finishing it off. "Thank you for the food." I laughed a little not expecting something like this in the morning but I suppose my tastes haven't changed.

I'm alright with anything as long as it's edible. The trauma that I got from Aunt Haren is still there, food scarcity is not easy to get over with.

I left my father's study with the dirty dish in tow. A servant who was not far away saw me carrying a dirty plate. "!!!"

It was a maid who immediately ran up to me and lowered her head.

"Milady- please let me handle that." She offered her hand out to accept the dish and I tilted my head, I know I've been here for years and have servants accompany me all the time- still I couldn't get used to it.

"If its alright with you, I apologize for the trouble." I told her kindly and gave her the dirty dish.

"No need to apologize, milady! Excuse me." she beamingly at me before deciding to leave me be. I think she was particularly happy for some reason- did I miss something when I was not at home?

"Good morning, milady."

"Milady! Good morning."

"A good morning to you, milady."

I walked a bit more and noticed the servants greeting me ever so energetically.

"Good morning?" I replied back to them with a smile and their expression seemed to become better. I noticed a few new people inside the estate. I wonder if my father decided to hire new servants. "Excuse me, do you know where my father is?"

I approached a servant who was dusting a vase and they greeted me with a clumsy curtsy first before answering. "M-Milady! I believe the master is at the art room, he would often be there to paint there when he has the time."

The art room? I haven't been there in a while. It was more like I haven't gotten inspiration to draw anything since Rose decided to leave me, I couldn't look at a canvas properly ever since back then but now things are different.

"Thank you, I'll go and see father now."

"Ah! And um milady-!" she calls out to me looking a bit nervous. I turn back to the maid who lowers her head some more. "Thank you-! For all your service!"

Service?

"Pardon me but what service?" I ask her and she looks up, fixing her posture with a flustered face. It seems that it took a lot of courage for her just to come up to me and talk.

"M-My little brother! He's already been enrolled in the public school program- I wanted to thank you for erm... fighting and pushing education for commoners. It's really amazing." She smiled brightly at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

"It's nothing." I wave my hand, shrugging feeling shy at the words of thanks of this girl. I don't usually get this so I was a bit surprised. "Do your best today, I'm glad your little brother is enrolled. I'll see to it that the school will be a safe space for him to learn and grow. If you'll excuse me I'll find the Baron now."

"Oh! Certainly milady!" She curtsied and continued her work on cleaning.

.-.-.-.-.

I took her advice and I tried finding the art room to where it was, I opened the door letting out a little squeak. The maid was right, father was sitting on a chair, looking over at the easel with a half painted canvas.

"Oh Kein, I see you're awake." he turns to me with a brush in hand and I lean my back over at the entrance door.

"All the paperwork that was on your desk is half finished, father. I see you're painting, when was the last time you painted?" I told him and he laughed.

"It has been a while. I know my skills are not up to par but... seeing that we might have a new addition to the family I wanted to make something for her first day here." (Baron Hills) happily told me while continuing to make his piece.

I shook my head with a smile, walking over behind him.

I inspected his work, it was a drawing of a Pegasus where a small blonde girl was riding on the top of the saddle with silver eyes so I was guessing he painted Vivienne while riding vanilla on a little hill.

Father's art reminded me of how second graders would draw. "I almost didn't see that it was vanilla if you didn't put any wings on it." I told him teasingly and we both laughed a little as I watched for him to continue.

Every brush stroke he did was wiggly, still he seemed to be having fun and I was having fun with him by watching with a smile on my face.

A few moments after he stopped fiddling with his brush, I leaned over to see his face and he had some slight tears in his eyes that made me step back a bit in worry.

It seems that he was done painting his piece, placing down the brush on the side of the easel he holds down the canvas and sighs.

I stared at him a little worried, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Father... are you alright?" I asked him with worried tone, we were just laughing a minute ago-

"The idea of having grandchildren has crossed my mind, you know, I thought of it so much... I planned to spoil them, cuddle them, and buy all the things that they would want in the world." (Baron Hills) gently passes me the canvas and I hold it in my hands, looking over the drawing he made.

"When my late wife died I lost all hope for having any children that would give me what I wanted." He stood up and held me by both of my shoulders and gave me the happiest looking smile I have ever seen father make. "Then you came along and brought me one."

I looked at the canvas and to Father, I know I've already attached myself to the little blonde girl in the study but part of me is afraid.

What if I become a bad parent? What if I'm not enough? What if- I don't... give her the life that she deserves and wants?

I'm not her true biological family... So what if one day her true blood related family knocks to take her away? Would I be able to give her up so easily?

"I... don't know if I'm ready for the responsibility of taking care of a child, father. I'm still trying to fix things with- Rose, and we're doing well but- would adding a children into our life. Will it make it better?" I asked my father, searching for advice on what to do. The fear of being a parent is getting to my skin again. This is not the first time I became a foster parent, so I know what to expect.

Everyone keeps telling me how easy it was to raise a child.

It wasn't.

Father smiles, giving me a reassuring pat on the back. "I don't know as much about parenting as you do, daughter of mine. You came into my life when you're already your own person. You know what to do and what you want so it was a bit easy."

"Father, you didn't find me to be a pain in your back?" I asked him, knowing that I was a pain in his back sometimes.

"At times, if I'm being honest you had your moments and I'm sure I had moments where you found me a pain as well." (Baron Hills)

I looked up at him and tried to remember if there were any memories of Baron Hills being a pain in my back. I shake my head at him, with no memories coming to mind. "You were a great father I admired and respected. I didn't find you to be a pain in my back. Other than the teasing and when you used Rose as a way to distract me when we were practicing..."

"My point exactly." He smiles widely looking down at the canvas and I found myself staring at it as well. "Kein, the little girl you brought home is a joy. Parenting isn't easy and we know that but... what's important is to raise her on what you can. You're not alone, you have me and Alfred to take turns taking care of her."

"Oh!" (Baron Hills) yelped when I tackled him into a hug, I made sure to not drop the canvas while I was hugging him.

Hearing those words made me feel weak and I just wanted to embrace him for everything that he did to me all these years, treating me like I was one of his own.

This man... I love him for being the best father I could ever have and I'm glad I'm not alone.

"You're being a softy today, you mentioned Rose on your travels... you finally met her again? It has been a while and from your stories it seemed you met her through your mission at the Winshern kingdom. How is she?" (Baron Hills) asked happily, he seemed to be joyful that Rose and I met once more.

Rose would often come to our estate once or twice a month, so my father knew of her and I even told him of how she's actually the second princess of [Puronia].

The only people who know that Rose is a princess are Father, Veronica and Lord Vincent.

Maybe... it's not the best time to tell him- that we almost.. made love- and almost gone to fourth base. we're having a moment and I'll just tell him another time- "Father yes. I met her mostly. She's alright talking to me. She told me she is doing well and- wanted to reconnect explaining why she left me two years ago and apologized.."

Which is- the truth.

"I see... well if she wants to reconnect make sure- to keep your heart guarded this time. I don't blame the girl if she wants to woo my handsome daughter once more but if she breaks your heart again I oughta-" before he even says something out of line of wanting to smack the current crown princess of the country-

"F-Father come on!" I almost used the canvas to smack him instead but stopped and I just crossed my arms looking away. "It's getting late- I still need to settle my other duties. How about this canvas- you should be the one to give it to Vivienne." I hand him over his canvas and he takes it.

"I'm sure she'll be happy her grandfather made this for her so early in the morning."

He looks over his drawing and to me, "I truly hope.. she will."