How to Be a Dark Hero’s Daughter

“Here is a report on Young Lady Lee. Lived in the slums of Seton, homeless. Ties only with children like her from the slums. Never caught the eye of a guard, never seen stealing. She lived by begging. Healthy. She hasn’t been in contact with any organization. Organized crime and pickpockets in the area have long been cleared out. There were only beggars left.”

Collen was sitting in a chair.

He showed no enthusiasm for hearing Zion’s speech. Instead, he waved his hand in his direction.

“Shoes,” Collen said.

Zion approached, knelt down and untied his laces on his shoes.

“So there is nothing suspicious about her.”

“Yes.”

Zion was silent for a moment, and then quietly opened his mouth.

“Have you decided to adopt her because of that flower?”

“Oh yeah. The red flower I’ve been looking for for a long time. And she brought it to me.”

“…”

“It will lead me to the one who killed my mother.”

This was the only clue.

A bizarre red flower, it didn’t even have a name. Duke could not find one, even turning the whole country upside down.

“Do you think this flower is related to ‘him’?”

“Right.”

Collen has dealt with villains since childhood. Most were easy to catch and ended up poorly. There is only one killer who was stubborn and remained elusive all this time.

“This flower has always been found at the scene of strange murders. But the police couldn’t move one step in that direction. Me as well.”

“…Yes.”

Such a flower lay on the spot where Collen’s mother died.

The flower was also found on several other cases that Collen later encountered.

Collen continued to confront the unknown.

“He’s watching me,” Collen whispered.

“Do you think Lady Lee will be his new target?”

“Perhaps he wasn’t going to kill this child. And this flower is just a warning. Or maybe she’s his spy. In any case, I will keep it and wait for answers.”

“She’s just a little kid…”

“She’s cute, but… don’t be bewitched, Shion.
You’re too weak to children and animals.”

“What about Master Jade?”

“Leave it. Let him have a friend. Anyway, the chimera he raised died.”

“Yes,” Zion nodded, “But I don’t think a nine-year-old girl can be a spy.”

Collen frowned and spoke.

“I told you leave it be. By the way, did she say her name is Lee?”

“It would be nice if you could give me a proper name.”

“I’ll think about it,” Collen said, looking down at the butler.
“It would be nice to have a name that suits her.”

Collen smiled involuntarily.

“What do they say in the royal family?”

“If you’re going to kill someone, please do it secretly at night.”

“…I guess so.
It was too much for you to beat someone to death in broad daylight.

“Thanks to you, I haven’t eaten in a long time.”

“In theory, you only need to eat once a year, right?”

“The more you eat, the more you want. That is how justice tastes,” Collen said this while still sitting in his chair. Zion knew he was joking.

Some movement appeared under the chair.

“It’s a pity. I think I skimped on sleeping pills.”

A man tied in a sack was floundering under Collen’s chair.

He was found guilty of killing 30 people and then dismembering them. He was caught just this morning.

It was fresh catch.
Collen whispered.

“Bring me my hunting gloves.”

Zion smiled graciously and brought him gloves. Collen put them on and stood up.

Soon there was the sound of something breaking.

* * *

[Mom, when I grow up big, I also want to catch bad people. Will I be able to catch bad people.]

I had a dream again.

‘But why don’t I remember ?’

It was a thought I had as soon as I woke up in the morning.
Sunlight came in through a large window.

‘This is a dream? Whenever I open my eyes in the morning, I doubt the reality of what is happening.’

Now I was wearing the shirt that Jade had worn as a child. There were no clothes that fit me here, so I’m borrowing his pajamas.

I gently pinched my cheeks.

“It’s not a dream either.”

I’m in a luxurious room.

Soft tissue touches my body.

It was no longer the shabby blanket with which I used to hide on the street.

I rubbed my eyes and looked in the mirror.

Soft hair. Clean skin. I smell good. I never knew before that cleanliness can be so pleasant.

I opened the door and flew out like a fly.

Breakfast time was busy. Zion found me among the stream of servants carrying plates and was surprised.

“Lady, perhaps we need to send maids to you?”

“Uh… uh?”

“You got up so early. Duke and his sister are not yet here.”

“I’m sorry. But I always get up early.”

A smile came to Zion’s lips.

“An aristocrat shouldn’t wear pajamas outside their rooms. Please return to the room, I’ll send to you maids.”

“Yes!”

“Should I escort you back to your room?”

“No.”

I shook my head hastily. This struck me as a little odd.

I ran away and ran back to my room. Soon the maids entered. They dressed me and braided my hair.

Now I was wearing a brown dress with hearts and a brown ribbon all the way down. My hair was tied in two ponytails.

“Okay, that’s all. Now I ask you to go to breakfast.”

Collen was not at breakfast again today. Did he go to kill someone else?

I ate alone with Jade every morning.

‘Does Duke even live in this house?’

I haven’t seen Collen since the day I was adopted.

“Would you like some milk tea?”

“…Yes.”

“Add sugar like yesterday?” Asked Zion. I nodded.
“Today’s tea came straight from the Rakhine Kingdom. If the young lady want…”

“Yes, thank you.”

He gracefully poured the tea.

 ‘Sweet, how sweet…’

Pancakes, ham and eggs for breakfast.

Within a few days my cheeks become plump.

Now it seemed that I could never return to life on the street.

“You must eat more.”

“Yes, yes.”

Jade watched me eat like watching an animal. I don’t understand his intentions, and I still feel that I am the subject of an experiment.

“Duke… again didn’t come for breakfast.”

“Ah, my father is always busy like that.
He owns land in the province, so it seems he went there to inspect it.”

At those words, my back stiffened.

‘Property Inspection’ is an excuse that Collen often used when going out to work.

So what about Jade? If Jade is free…

I looked at him.
Jade saw my confusion and flashed a smile.

“Sorry, I think I’ll have to leave you today. I have meeting. After that, I have to stop by the academy,” said Jade.
I nodded.

I was already happy that I had a delicious meal in the morning. The start of the day was so beautiful.

“Is it so delicious?”

Jade reached out and wiped my lips. My cheeks turned red.

“It would be better to learn some etiquette.”

“…I will.”

I nodded slightly. I was going to learn everything that would be useful to me in the future.

Jade still seems weird, but we exchange a few lines every morning.

This is the only thing that has changed in the past few days.

Jade rang the bell. Soon a servant came.

“Now I have one last thing.”

“Uh…”

The servant was holding a balloon. My eyes widened. Wow, this is a balloon!

“Will you give it to me?”

“Yes, you can tie it in your room…”

“I can take it with me anywhere!”

This was the first time I received a gift. Beautiful golden balloon. My eyes twinkled involuntarily.

“Isn’t a balloon a gift for a special day…?”

In fact, if Jade weren’t around, I would have jumped in place by now. I was so excited.

In the kingdom, balloons were quite expensive. I once played with rich children on the day of the festival and I knew it.

What should I do when I am grateful? What should I say?

“I didn’t expect you to like it this much.
I just found a new, unused balloon that auntie Marianne gave me when I was little and inflated it with a pump.”

“I’m so happy. I’ve never received anything like this. But what if it bursts?”

“Then you can buy a new one.”

Lying in a hospital ward, I always had to wait for days for friends or parents. Sometimes my dad would bring me balloons when I couldn’t go outside. When I thought about it, my eyes started to water.

“Do you like the balloon so much that you’re ready to burst into tears?”

“Oh, uh. Yes.”

I couldn’t even speak of my past memories, I just nodded.
Jade looked at me curiously.

“You are very strange.
Why do you do such a thing?”

Still, the tone was friendly.
I smiled a little.