DAISY

"Father is a pervert, isn't he? He's the kind of pervert who will have any woman regardless of appearance."

"It is true that Lord Dantalion's sexual appetite is somewhat excessive."

"Then why do you treat me as the exception?"

Minister of State Lapis Lazuli rested her chin on her hand and fell into thought.

"Miss Daisy is indeed an adopted daughter, but she is still a daughter. For a father to take his own daughter is taboo."

"Do you think the Minister of State is someone who would care about such a taboo?"

"Not at all."

The answer came without hesitation.

The two of us were at least tacitly agreed on Father's perverted nature.

"Perhaps it is because Miss Daisy is still young?"

"Demon Lord Barbatos appears younger than I am, however."

"True…"

Minister of State Lapis Lazuli's face darkened. It seemed she had been trying to protect Father's honor by any means necessary, but she had apparently come to accept the reality that no matter what means she employed, denying Father's sexual appetite was about as impossible as denying the sun.

The minister let out a small sigh.

"Most likely, Lord Dantalion does not wish to take responsibility for Miss Daisy."

"Responsibility?"

"Lord Dantalion always tries to shoulder responsibility for any woman he has been with, regardless of what form that takes. You need only look at Lady Barbatos to see that. Both of them pretend to be freely pursuing romance, but in truth, they are bound to each other."

I nodded. Honestly, watching the two of them play their little games made me uncomfortable.

"But Miss Daisy. Lord Dantalion already carries the lives of hundreds of thousands on his shoulders. You understand that, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Lord Dantalion's shoulders are already burdened enough. A relationship where you take responsibility for each other only serves to make that already heavy load even heavier. What he needs is the exact opposite."

Lapis Lazuli, the Minister of State, fixed her blue gaze directly on me.

"A relationship where both parties bear no responsibility toward each other, standing freely and equally. That is all. It is only before someone with whom such a relationship exists that Lord Dantalion can be his true self and breathe comfortably."

"……"

I listened to the Minister's words in a daze.

It felt like a bolt of lightning had struck me.

Why hadn't I realized such a simple fact until now? My father was a villain who had slaughtered hundreds of thousands. He was also someone who clearly recognized himself as a villain.

Telling such a villain "I like you" would be nothing more than painful torture. He would berate himself, thinking he wasn't worthy of love, that loving someone like him was nothing but a burden. For him, worldly love was nothing but a lethal poison.

Rather, what my father needed was someone who could straightforwardly acknowledge, "You are evil."

Someone who could proudly declare, "Because you deserve hatred, I will hate you in your place." That was the kind of person he truly needed!

While I was trembling in my moment of revelation, Minister Lapis Lazuli murmured.

"I envy you, Miss Daisy."

"Me…?"

"I have resolved to become Lord Dantalion's companion. Originally, as a half-demon, half-human of low birth and a common merchant, I was by no means a creature worthy of standing beside him. Even now, every day, I desperately strive to be by his side through my own efforts."

The Minister worked like a person obsessed, rising before dawn every day and tending to her duties late into the night. All the documents for the Demon Lord's Castle and the domain were handled by her. I had inwardly admired her for being so capable.

But, no. The Minister did not consider herself capable. She saw herself as a useless woman of merchant origin. That was why she had no choice but to desperately cling to her work…

"That is how I have barely managed to remain at his side. He has graciously bestowed upon me the position of State Minister, a role beyond my station. But you are different."

"……"

"Without any particular effort on your part, you have been recognized as an equal by Lord Dantalion. The position I struggled so painstakingly to earn, Miss Daisy, you claimed without a second thought."

The State Minister's eyes darkened with a dull sheen.

It wasn't jealousy. Rather, it was reproach. She was quietly reproaching—what right do you have to occupy such an exorbitant position?

"Do not become a source of shame to Lord Dantalion."

"……."

"This is my warning. If Lord Dantalion regards you as an exceptional human being, then please demonstrate abilities worthy of that. If that is impossible, then leave Lord Dantalion's side."

Lapis Lazuli, the State Minister, rose from her seat and left the office.

I bowed deeply to see the State Minister off. She had shown me a kindness I could never repay. If the State Minister hadn't given me that advice, I would have misunderstood Father like a clueless fool. Even long after she left the office, I remained bowed……

From that day on, the purpose of my life was set.

I hate Father.

What Father needed was not blind love. Blindness would only tighten the noose around his neck. What he truly desperately needed was a witness and an observer who would look upon him exactly as he was.

Only in that way could I avoid insulting Father's life.

"Father, you truly are a piece of trash."

"That is precisely the kind of scheme Father would come up with. The stench of my decay is so overwhelming that I cannot bear to look."

"Why are you shedding tears? Have you suddenly grown sorry for the citizens of Parisiorum you just massacred? How laughable. If you think such guilt can cleanse your sins, Father, you are sorely mistaken."

I mock.

I sneer.

I faithfully fulfill the role of witness that Father needs.

Each time, Father would erupt in fury, lashing me with a whip or subjecting me to torture. Once the wrath knotted in his chest was released, his mind would stabilize again for several days. This, too, was a role I had assigned to myself.

"Jack……Mother……Ah, I……I……"

Every night as Father drifted off to sleep, he was plagued relentlessly by nightmares.

At times like those, I would lay Father across my lap and sing softly to him. I excelled at everything far beyond what any ordinary person could manage, and that even extended to singing. When I whispered the song slowly, Father would groan for a while before slipping into deep sleep.

I whispered to Father.

"It's all right. You will surely be punished someday."

"……."

"If no one else can do it, I will. There's no need to worry. Just close your eyes now."

I gently stroked Father's forehead as he drifted off to sleep.

Father used to explain that he didn't enjoy sleeping by saying a Demon Lord had no real need for deep rest, but the truth was different. He hated being tormented by nightmares, which was why he only allowed himself to sleep once every four days.

That's right.

If it's love, I'll hand as much of it over to Laura de Farnese as she wants.

Whether it's Barbatos, or Paimon, or Sitri — I'll let them love Father to their hearts' content. Go ahead and lose yourselves in love without even realizing that you'll ultimately be the ones tightening the noose around Father's throat. It would be lovely if you all perished together in blissful harmony.

But not the hatred.

The role of hating Father — I will take that upon myself.

You love Father even after he slaughtered two hundred thousand people, saying "it doesn't matter." You don't even understand how deeply that "it doesn't matter" wounds him. Foolish women. Only I truly understand Father.

Oblivion is evasion.

Comfort is an excuse.

Infatuation is sin.

These infinitely ethical precepts form the very foundation of Father's being. You don't know. You can't understand. No one can fully embrace Father unless they share the same spiritual bloodline as I do.

The problem was that Father was a master of Acting.

If I went about playing my part clumsily, he would see right through me in an instant. So before deceiving Father, I first needed to perfect my own deception. Every dawn, I would rise from bed, stare into the mirror, and whisper to myself.

I hate Father.

Father is scum who can never be forgiven.

I will never forgive such scum.

The result was a success.

"That's why you can't even last four years, you useless fool!"

"How stupid. All you've ever learned is what's in books, and the 'solution' you come up with is nothing short of brainless."

"You hypocrite. Aren't you ashamed to show your face to your own brother!"

I had a talent for Acting. On top of that, right before my eyes stood the most unparalleled actor in history, serving as my model. By watching Father and learning Acting from him, I quickly reached a level where I could deceive even myself.

The more Father spewed his fury at me, the more the torture intensified, the more certain I became that I was successfully performing my "role."

In truth, it wasn't even that difficult.

Father Acted for every single person he met. As for me, I only had to Act for two people—Father and myself. No—Act? That wasn't it. I truly hated Father. It wasn't Acting. I had to make sure I never realized that it was Acting.

"Daisy. Watch this man's end carefully. It is a death that someone of our kind could never meet. Burn it into your memory."

Yes, Father.

I am an actress who takes the stage for one person alone in this world—you, Father.

I Act only for you, and I sing only for you.

This world has offered you nothing but cruelty as its gifts. I know this. And yet you never refused those gifts—you shouldered the burden yourself, calling it your own sin.

Because this world has done nothing for you.

I offer you my very soul, Father.

Though it may bring you no comfort, I will treasure the fact that at least one person who understands you exists in this world.

That is the reason I was born.

My life.

Everything I am.

Dantalion.

My father.

Dantalion.

I truly hate you.

—The first one to notice the crack was probably me.

"Tell me honestly. Did you do it?"

It was when my father collapsed at the Governor-General's residence in Batavia. Laura de Farnese, the Minister of Military Affairs, had unceremoniously cornered me in a corner of the mansion. The Minister's face had turned as ghastly as a demon's. I tilted my head, not understanding what was going on.

"What do you mean, Your Excellency the Minister?"

"I'm talking about my lord. You must have poisoned the medicine being given to him! Otherwise, why hasn't he regained consciousness even after several days!"

What nonsense is this foolish woman spouting?

I was fundamentally incapable of harming my father. The problem was that this was a subjective judgment, which made it all the more troublesome. If I so much as felt, even slightly, 'Ah, this might bring about an undesirable outcome for my father,' I would immediately be unable to carry out that action.

At most, I could throw a pillow at my father. No matter how I thought about it, actions were only permitted in cases where I judged that 'it wouldn't particularly harm my father.'

After all, there was no way I would ever harm my father.

"I believe you are under some sort of misconception. I am my father's handmaiden. More than that, I am a slave bound to his service. What reason or means would I possibly have to harm my father?"

"......"

Laura de Farnese, the Minister of Military Affairs, fixed me with a cold stare from behind her green eyes.

"Those words— you mean them, don't you?"

"If you cannot bring yourself to trust me, then trust my father. My father's stratagems have always been perfect. Do you truly believe he would be so defenseless as to fall victim to a mere handmaiden like me?"

I could only hope that if there was a brain inside that skull of hers, she would actually bother to use it.

The Minister of War was, in all honesty, utterly useless aside from his somewhat impressive appearance and talent for military strategy. Handing a position of responsibility to someone like you would surely ruin a kingdom. Father, what were you thinking?

"Well then, if you'll excuse me, I must go clean Father's bed."

I lightly flicked the Minister of War's arm away.

With that simple gesture, I was able to break out of her encirclement. I gave a slight bow of my head and sidestepped away. I could feel her glare burning into my back until the very end, but I ignored it.

That was the prelude to it all crumbling down.