The Mind-Reading Mate: Why Is the Lycan King So Obsessed With Me?!-Chapter 491: I’m His Daughter! (II)

The moment Lazarus heard Primrose’s words, he lifted his head with great effort and gave her a weak smile. "Yes... yes, I’m your father," he said softly. "Just... just stay strong. After this, I’ll take you—"

"Shut up!" a holy soldier shouted as he kicked Lazarus in the stomach. "You’re not allowed to speak unless the Cardinal tells you to!"

"Stop it! Stop it! Don’t hurt him!" Primrose screamed with all her strength. Inside her, she felt burning rage begin to consume her soul.

If the mysterious man she had met at the manor really was the Cardinal, then Primrose swore in her heart that she would kill him on the spot if they ever met again.

SLAP!

Primrose stopped struggling when the Cardinal slapped her cheek so hard that she fell to the ground. She held her cheek, which was burning with pain. Her knees scraped against the hard ground, leaving deep marks.

"YOU BASTARD!" Lazarus roared.

Ignoring the pain in his leg, he tried to crawl toward her, but a soldier cruelly kicked his wounded calf. Then, another soldier stepped on his head, pressing him into the dirt

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as tightly as he could. His eyes stared sharply at the Cardinal. "Don’t touch her!"

The Cardinal calmly took off his gloves and walked toward Primrose. "She is my daughter," he said coldly. "I have the right to discipline her however I want."

He didn’t even try to hide his cruelty anymore. "A naughty child like her deserves punishment."

"I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you if you touch her!" Lazarus struggled wildly.

He tried his best to break free.

His hands scratched at the ground again and again, until his fingers were torn and bleeding, but he still didn’t stop.

He wanted to reach Rose, hug her again, and take her away to their dream house. He just wanted to live peacefully with his daughter near the farm.

He just wanted to hold her in his arms again, even if it was only once.

"First lesson," the Cardinal said coldly. He grabbed Primrose’s hand and pulled her up from the ground. "Never disobey your father."

The little girl’s body trembled in fear, but even so, she still gathered a bit of courage and shouted, "YOU’RE NOT MY FATH—"

SLAP!

The Cardinal slapped her face again, this time even harder than before, until her nose started bleeding.

"Second lesson." He grabbed her hair and forced her to look at Lazarus. "You must speak politely to your father."

He deliberately emphasized the word "father," because he wanted her to remember that Lazarus was not her father, but only a stranger who had kidnapped her.

"And the third lesson..." The Cardinal bent down so he could whisper beside her ear. "Every path you choose will always have consequences. Remember, whether those consequences are good or bad, they happen because you chose them."

"This is your fault, Rose," he said coldly.

Soon after, the Cardinal stood up straight and looked at the holy soldiers. "Behead him."

Primrose’s eyes widened. "No... NO! NO! NO!" She pulled at the Cardinal’s hand, trying to break free, but no matter how hard she struggled, she failed.

"DON’T HURT HIM! DON’T HURT HIM!"

"FATHER, I WANT TO BE WITH YOU!" Tears filled Primrose’s eyes and streamed down her cheeks. "Please... please... don’t hurt my father! Don’t hurt him!"

The Cardinal often said that her only purpose in life was to serve the Gods once she grew up. He said that becoming a Saintess was a rare golden opportunity.

He said that as long as she became a perfect Saintess, the Gods would build her a beautiful palace in heaven.

But at that moment, she didn’t want any of it.

"ROSIE, DON’T LOOK!" Lazarus shouted with all his strength as a soldier grabbed his head and forced him to kneel on the ground.

"CLOSE YOUR EYES! PLEASE, CLOSE YOUR EYES!"

If she had to go through all this torment just to step into heaven after she died, then she didn’t want heaven.

"I’m sorry! I’m sorry!" Lazarus’s lips trembled, not because he was afraid to die, but because he was afraid this terrible scene would be burned into Primrose’s mind forever.

"I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise..."

If losing her father was the cost of going to heaven, then she would rather go to hell.

Even if the fire melted her skin and turned her bones into ashes, as long as she could hold Lazarus a little longer, she would accept it.

"You monster!" Lazarus shouted at the Cardinal. "Don’t let her see this!"

But the Cardinal only replied calmly, "If she doesn’t face the consequences of her actions, how will she ever learn from them?"

"No! Please, no!" Primrose turned toward the Cardinal. "I promise I’ll be good! I won’t run away again! F-Father, I promise I’ll do anything you ask of me."

She fell to her knees in front of the Cardinal, tears covering her face. "I promise I’ll endure all the trials given by the Gods so I can become a perfect Saintess."

"Please..." She begged again and again. "Just... let him go."

"Rosie, don’t beg him!" Lazarus shouted with all his strength. "You didn’t do anything wrong! You’re a good kid!

YOU’RE MY GOOD DAUGHTER!"

His voice was full of love, full of pain, and full of desperation.

Primrose was about to turn toward Lazarus, but the Cardinal grabbed her chin and forced her to face him. He lifted her head so their eyes met.

"Finally, you’ve come to your senses," he said softly, almost kindly. "I forgive you, my child."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "But a consequence doesn’t disappear just because you say sorry."

Primrose turned her head back toward Lazarus, and at that exact moment, a holy soldier swung his sword at his neck. Within seconds, the blade cut through Lazarus’s neck.

His head fell onto the ground, and blood burst out.

"NO!! NO!!" Primrose screamed.

The Cardinal finally released his grip, allowing Primrose to run toward Lazarus. She stumbled and fell to the ground, right in front of his severed head.

"No... Father... I’m sorry..." She cried so hard that she could barely see. Her whole body shook. "I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... This is all my fault..."

Her chest hurt, and her heart felt broken into pieces.

She never wanted heaven.

She never wanted to be called "Saintess."

She only wanted him, but in this lifetime, she and Lazarus were never meant to be father and daughter.

Primrose crawled forward on trembling hands and wrapped her arms around his head, holding it close to her chest as if she could still protect him.

"I’m sorry... I’m sorry..." she whispered again and again.

"Your Majesty," Leofric finally stepped toward her with a heavy heart. "It’s time for you to wake up."