"Sir Damian, there's something I'd like to ask your advice on."
After chatting for a bit, Lillie finally calmed down. She hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Calling it 'asking advice' makes it sound way too serious. Please, go ahead, Miss Lillie."
Damian was still playing with Nebby. This little thing really was too adorable.
"It's like this… I have a friend."
Obviously, Lillie still found it hard to say it outright, so she resorted to the classic "I have a friend."
Damian chuckled softly, but he didn't poke through the girl's thin veil of pride.
"She used to have a perfect family. Her father was considerate, her mother was gentle, and her big brother doted on her a lot."
Lillie lowered her head, her feet swinging unconsciously as her memories drifted back.
Back then, she'd been so happy.
"But then, after an accident, her dad vanished. And from that moment on, her gentle mother slowly started to change."
"She stopped caring about how her children felt, grew cold, stopped thinking about what they wanted. She became terrifyingly strict."
Lillie's voice grew smaller and smaller. Yes—this was how she felt now.
She was scared of Lusamine. Afraid of her. She didn't even dare to see her.
Because she knew—her mom had changed. Turned into a stranger.
"And now she wants to do something extremely dangerous. Her kids finally couldn't take it anymore and ran away from that cold, empty mansion."
"Sir Damian… do you think that was the right thing to do?"
Right now, Lillie was lost. She didn't know if running away from Aether Paradise with Nebby had been the right choice.
"Family drama, huh." Damian pretended to mull it over.
"Whether that was right or wrong is actually pretty hard for an outsider to judge. How about this, Miss Lillie—I'll ask you a question."
Damian thought for a bit, then replied.
"Does your friend think her mom still loves her?"
Lillie froze at that, then slowly realized something bitter—she didn't know…
"I… she doesn't know. She doesn't know if her mother still loves her."
Her voice grew softer and sadder, and her eyes began to sting and redden.
How tragic was that? They were family, bound by the closest blood ties—and yet she didn't even know whether Lusamine loved her or not.
"Then it's already pretty serious."
Damian let out a quiet sigh as he looked at the hurting, struggling Lillie.
Lusamine really was a sinful woman.
Such an adorable Lillie, and she'd managed to push her into becoming this gloomy, depressive girl.
Whatever. He'd just "train" Lusamine properly again tonight. Have her in a black camisole, black stockings, maybe twin tails, and make her call him Daddy.
What could he do? Damian just really, really doted on his "baby girl."
"How should I put this, Miss Lillie… personally, I don't think running away is a good solution."
But he'd come to find Lillie today to help untie the knot in her heart.
Lillie still had her head down, quietly wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. She didn't dare look up, afraid he'd see how pathetic she looked right now.
But Damian's words were sinking deep into her ears.
"No matter what, the bonds between family—between blood—don't break that easily. Let me tell you a story. When I was very young, my mom passed away. And ten years ago, my kid brother vanished too."
Damian's voice stayed calm and even.
"…?" Lillie's whole body jolted. She hadn't expected that this bright, sunny, cheerful Damian would turn out to be from a single-parent family too.
"But my father never gave up on searching for my brother. Even now, after ten whole years, he still hasn't."
Damian sighed a little.
He'd crossed over to this world, but calling it a "rebirth" might be more accurate—after all, he'd literally been born into this world, into his mom's belly.
When he was three, his mother in this life had already passed away. When he was six, his little brother Silver vanished.
Knowing the story like he did, Damian had a decent guess who had kidnapped Silver. But even if he knew, so what?
Tell Giovanni? Ask Giovanni to go to that old monster and demand his son back?
Sure, he could. Giovanni might be ambitious and cold-blooded, but his love for his children ran deep and true. He'd risk his life for them without a second thought.
But telling Giovanni the truth would just be sending him to his death.
Because that old monster in Johto was simply too strong. Up until now, he stood at an unprecedented peak as a Trainer in this world.
Well… unless there'd once been some little freak named Akari back in Hisui.
"I'm sorry. I made you bring up painful memories." Lillie apologized, guilt-ridden.
"No, it's fine. All that's long since in the past. Neither my father nor I are trapped by those ugly memories anymore."
Damian smiled.
"What I want you to understand, Miss Lillie, is that even after ten years with not a single clue about my brother's whereabouts, my father still hasn't given up. That's the kind of deep feeling family bonds can create."
His warm, gentle voice was soft and comforting, making the blonde girl's gaze turn a little hazy.
Sir Damian's father must be an incredibly outstanding man, full of responsibility, she thought.
Sir Damian and Sir Damian's father were both so strong and so amazing.
That's what Lillie felt in her heart.
"Of course, my situation doesn't represent everyone's. But I believe that if you're truly family, then no matter what conflicts you have, they can be resolved."
"Let me ask another question, Miss Lillie—has your friend ever had an open, honest talk with her mother?"
"Talk…?" Lillie blinked.
"Yes. A completely honest conversation—laying all her thoughts and feelings bare, telling her mother exactly how she feels."
"I… haven't…"
Lillie bit her lip. Talking frankly with Lusamine, saying what was truly in her heart…
She'd never even considered it. Her own personality was on the shy side—not exactly introverted, but definitely not outgoing.
"A lack of communication is one of the biggest reasons why so many families end up with serious conflicts."
Damian hit on one of the core problems in Lillie's home with pinpoint accuracy.
Lusamine had, indeed, become twisted and sick over the years, but Lillie and Gladion's inaction had also pushed Lusamine further along that path of "evolution."
After all, Lusamine did love Lillie and Gladion—though that love now looked more like overbearing possessiveness and a need to control everything.
Of course, Lillie couldn't really be blamed for Lusamine's change.
Back then, Lillie and Gladion had just been kids. Lillie was shy and leaning introverted, while Gladion was quiet and taciturn.
Expecting them to pour their hearts out to Lusamine? Without some massive external pressure, that was never going to happen.
"So that's how it is…" Lillie muttered, suddenly understanding. She bit down on her lip in self-reproach.
"Have you figured things out a little, Miss Lillie? If you need help, I can lend a hand—for someone as adorable as you."
"Eh?" Lillie's eyes widened, big and round.
"After all, Miss Lillie is really bad at hiding her feelings. Everything's written all over your face. That 'friend' is you, right, Miss Lillie?"
Damian spoke with a squinting smile, watching the girl's cheeks flush pink all over again.
"If you need help, just ask. I'm actually a pretty strong Trainer, you know."