"Thank you very much!"

As soon as he entered the room and sat down, the couple bowed their heads deeply in gratitude.

"Please, raise your heads. I am just glad I was able to save your daughter."

Even though they must have wanted to confirm their daughter’s safety as soon as possible, Qiong Xing felt a little guilty seeing them bow like that.

"She is alright now. She is just sleeping because she cried herself out."

"We truly appreciate it. We never expected something like this to happen..."

If they were nobles, kidnapping for ransom might have been a possibility, but no one could have predicted an incident like this.

Because Qiong Xing had arrived in time, the worst had been avoided, but this experience would likely make them even more cautious in the future.

"Please do not tell your daughter about what happened this time."

"Eh?"

Depending on her condition, bringing it up again might cause the fear to resurface.

"Of course, it is important to be careful from now on, but please do not bring it up unless she herself wants to talk about it."

"But..."

He was not saying to simply forget it.

If she herself wanted to talk about it, that would be fine.

However, given how frightened she had been, it would likely be difficult for her to return to normal so quickly. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Instead of treating her like she is fragile and pitiful, please reassure her that everything is already alright."

"......Reassure her..."

Seeing the parents’ anxious expressions, Qiong Xing gently tightened his hold on Lian who was sitting on his lap.

"She might cry again out of fear. If that happens, please, Mother, hold her like this. Tell her that you will always be by her side."

The mother who is still in tears nodded.

Qiong Xing then turned his gaze to the father.

"Father, please stroke her back and tell her that everything is fine now. Tell her that you will drive away anything that scares her."

"Yes, we will. We promise."

"Because you are the ones who have loved her and raised her with care until now, she can believe your words."

Rather than keeping a cautious distance as if she were something fragile, the reassurance that they would stay by her side no matter what would give her strength.

No matter how much the body’s wounds could be healed, emotional wounds could only be healed by the person herself.

But support could still be given.

"If even that becomes difficult, please just listen to her. It is alright. Nothing truly terrible has happened. She may feel anxious about her future, but there is nothing here that will harm her right now."

She would not be insulted as tainted or looked down upon.

"Yes."

"Thank you very much."

As the couple bowed deeply, Qiong Xing also returned a respectful bow.

"I am the one who should apologize for speaking so presumptuously. As a parent with a child myself, I sincerely hope your daughter recovers quickly."

After guiding the worried couple to the room, Qiong Xing quietly took his leave.

"Just who exactly are you?"

Hm?

As soon as he returned to the room, he was suddenly asked that and wondered what was going on.

"I am just an ordinary, normal person."

"You only recently became a parent, and yet you can say things like that so easily."

Hmm.

What should he say to that.

It was true that his mental age was not that of a young man.

"To put it bluntly, Katarina is grateful too. Still, Lian’s magic is amazing."

Perhaps pleased by the praise, Lian puffed out her chest proudly.

It was a classic case of a doting parent, but she was so adorable.

"So cute."

"Dangerously cute."

At this point, it was more like doting grandparent behavior.

"I am slowly teaching her. Though she herself is not aware of it."

He was not formally teaching magic as structured lessons.

Rather, he showed her how things used in daily life could become magic if done a certain way.

Things like lifting her up high, or "pain pain go away," and similar small acts.

"She is going to have quite a future ahead of her."

"The old man said the same thing too. Though she still does not like him."

Since that incident, whenever they met, she would remain wary and refuse to approach him.

"Serves him right."

"Exactly. Good riddance."

Katarina and the others showed no intention of offering any comfort, seemingly enjoying the sight of the old man’s dejected state.

Qiong Xing had tried to mediate as well, but after hearing the story and seeing how excited the old man became, it seemed to have only increased Lian’s sense of caution toward him.

On the other hand, she had become very attached to Naz as she happily playing with him every time they met.

"By the way, the prime minister told me to come to the castle next time..."

"And?"

"It seems the one who needs me is the captain... Am I going to get scolded or something?"

He did not think he had done anything in particular, but it was also possible that he had done something without realizing it.

He would not know until he went there, but he wanted to be prepared just in case.

"The captain? You mean that muscle brained idiot?"

So they did know him.

Even so, calling the captain of the country’s army a muscle brained idiot was rather harsh.

"I think it is him. He also said he is not good with meetings or paperwork."

Even the vice captain had warned him, so it was probably correct.

"That idiot has business with you? What did he mess up this time?"

Since he himself had no awareness of any issues, he could not really say.

"Honestly, knowing that idiot, it is probably nothing that serious."

This was bad.

Because Qiong Xing had forgotten to ask his name earlier, the man had now effectively become "the idiot."