Leah Throws a Tantrum
“Papa, Leah has something very important to speak to you about!”
At the dining table the next day, I sat at the table with a pleased look. I got serious since Leah was serious. “Leah, is there something important you need me to do?”
“Leah… wants to play together with Papa. It doesn’t matter where we go; Leah just wants to go out together with Papa! Papa hasn’t gone out with Leah in a long time! Ever since we arrived at the imperial capital, Papa hasn’t even had a proper conversation with Leah! Leah is Papa’s daughter, so why does Papa keep neglecting Leah?! Leah didn’t do anything wrong, but Papa keeps neglecting Leah!”
“Ah…”
I felt awkward. I’d usually deny it adamantly, but I couldn’t this time because Leah was right. I had neglected her as of recent primarily due to my workload… and Veirya. Veirya and I had looked forward to our wedding for a long time, which was why I stopped paying so much attention to Leah. I felt that Anna and the maids were around, so she wouldn’t feel neglected, overlooking the fact that I wasn’t an ordinary father to her.
“Sorry, Leah. I admit to giving you the cold shoulder recently, but it doesn’t mean that Papa doesn’t like Leah anymore. Papa has just been too busy, and therefore unable to make time.”
“Lies! Papa is at home everybody! Papa just doesn’t want to bother with Leah!” Leah slammed the table, livid enough to throw a plate in my face.
A maid quickly grabbed Leah’s shoulder to prevent the latter from escalating the situation. Veirya set down her dining utensils and expressed, “Sorry, Leah. I’ve also. Neglected you recently. I thought. Leah would be happy. With so many maids. Sorry, Leah. Let’s go out. For some fun today.”
I had planned to go to the imperial capital to research the colony, but that wasn’t going to fly. If I didn’t give Leah some time for the day, she’d probably go until I died at night with her tentcles.
“Sorry, Leah, Papa admits to neglecting you recently, so Papa shall go out with you today.”
“Hmph!”
Leah’s anger was finally appeased after the two of us apologised. That said, there was the chance that she wasn’t angry and merely using it as an excuse to throw a tantrum. Judging from Veirya’s gaze, she sided with Leah to reprimand me for neglecting her…
As I asked myself where to go with Leah, a maid whispered, “Count Lin, Baron Oaksvid and Duke Alexis are at the door. They did not make an appointment. Did you want to see them?”
“Huh…?”
I would outright reject Oaksvid, but with Alexis in the party, things were different. As a duke, he ranked higher than me. If I refused to see him and was then caught playing around, it’d be considered rude of me. The moment I hesitated, Leah immediately pierced me with her enraged gaze that caused me to shudder.
“Ahem, I promised to spend the day with Leah, so tell Duke Alexis to come back later or tell them to make an appointment for a better time.”
“Understood.”
Angelina, who silently watched me, finally laughed: “It’s hard to maintain a balance, isn’t it? Also, you seem to be progressing quite well ever since coming here. You’re already shaking hands with dukes and whatnot. I see you plan to live here in the future.”
“I didn’t cling to them. They were the ones who approached me; they’re the ones who have a favour to ask of me. I never wanted to be around them, to be honest. To me, they’re just trouble to have around.”
“Oh? Really? You look happy to me. You think about those men more than Veirya at night.”
I froze. Veirya immediately directed her displeased look at me: “True. I. Agree. He’s always. Spacing out recently.”
“Sorry, sorry.”
“Work is crucial, but don’t you work for your family?” Angelina placed her fork and knife down, prompting a maid to clear her table. Angelina then smiled at me: “So, spend today with Leah and Veirya. I’m confident you can handle whoever has an issue with it.”
I narrowed my eyes, thinking, “You’re confident on my behalf? What are you getting at…?”
Leah placed her fork and knife down, too, then bolted upstairs brightly, presumably went to get changed. Anna quickly chased after her.
Veirya also set her utensils down to indicate she was done. I noticed that Veirya looked at the maid’s face. She even touched the girl’s ears, causing her ears to go red. I prayed to myself that Veirya wouldn’t do it again, or the maid might tell people Veirya harassed her. People would think I was the one who harassed a maid, instead. What would I do then? The maids were daughters of noble families, so if word got it, my reputation would be done for.
Veirya didn’t seem to have that level of self-awareness. I couldn’t really tell her off since Veirya had a fondness for anything cute, including Leah, maids and my… That was the only trait she had that was feminine.
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