CHAPTER 76……………………………………….
I didn’t know he would like it this much.
“Hehe.”
I awkwardly burst into a smile along with him.
Is a little flower ring really something to smile that beautifully about?
Somehow, just watching him made my conscience twinge. It almost made my heart ache…
I should get him something nicer next time.
“Hey, Fer.”
Since things had come to this, I figured I’d ask about his preferences, and I opened my mouth to speak.
“Turn around.”
But Fer suddenly grabbed both my shoulders and spun me around in place.
My eyes widened.
He just suddenly turned me? Why? What’s—
“Cici?”
Almost at the same time, Mom opened the bedroom door and came in.
“What are you doing up and not sleeping?”
“M-Mom!”
I flapped my lips in shock.
Wow, seriously.
I thought my heart was going to leap out of my mouth…!
“Is something outside?”
Mom strode over to me and asked.
I quickly fixed my expression, pretending nothing was wrong.
Fer surely disappeared on his own already.
Now it was time for me to clean this up.
“Nooo, I just… couldn’t sleep, so I was trying to look at the stars.”
“Star-gazing?”
Mom frowned as she looked out the window.
“I can’t see any stars…”
“Mm, right.”
I grinned foolishly and quietly slid the window shut.
“So I’m just gonna sleep.”
Mom narrowed her eyes, looking suspicious.
“…You’re not hiding anything from me, right, Cici?”
I am, a lot.
But I can’t tell you…
“Hehe, yeah.”
I gave a half-hearted reply and slipped under my blanket.
Mom stared down at me for a moment, then let out a long sigh.
“Mom trusts her daughter.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Her words pricked at my conscience, but what could I do?
There truly isn’t a single thing I can tell her.
‘Dear god, please allow me to be a righteous little liar again today.’
I placed my hands neatly on my chest and gave Mom a polite goodnight.
“I’ll really sleep now, Mom. Good night, love you!”
“…Alright, Mom loves you too.”
Only then did Mom drop her suspicion and kiss my forehead.
I waited a good while after she left the room before slowly lifting my eyelashes.
“Fer?”
As expected, there was no answer.
Well, he wouldn’t have waited this long.
‘This is really inconvenient.’
Mom would probably like Fer a lot if she saw him.
Dads… might be a bit too early for that.
Anyway, he said he’d find a way to come see me openly.
‘I wonder how he’ll do it?’
I closed my eyes again and let my imagination soar.
Spreading my wings of imagination, off to dreamland!
A few days later.
“It’s so hot!”
It’s really summer now!
I flopped down under the shade of a tree and wiped my forehead with my hand.
Up ahead, Dad Derek was practicing archery.
Good thing there’s a shaded resting area like this.
As expected of the imperial palace—the training grounds are amazing!
If not for this, I’d be stuck out in the blazing sun like Dad…
“Pii!”
Yeppi also seemed unable to handle the heat, sprawled on the grass like melted mochi.
He was still only recently born, but he’d already grown to twice his previous size.
‘Dad Kyle even started calling him a pigling.’
Well… he does look a little pig-like.
“But it’s fine because you’re cute.”
“Pii?”
“Yeah yeah, chubby is better than skinny.”
I stroked Yeppi’s fluffy fur and let out a long, hot sigh.
This summer feels hotter than last year.
Is it because the capital is farther south than home?
‘To think we’d still be here once summer came.’
I already knew it would be a long battle, but even I want to go home. The dads must want it even more.
I rolled over and watched Dad shoot his bow.
Time for a brief update:
Bertolt was ultimately sentenced to death, and it seems the execution happened recently.
Why “seems”?
‘Because Mom and the dads absolutely never mentioned it in front of me!’
Not only that.
Even the palace staff went silent whenever I walked by.
I’m sure this was my grandfather’s doing.
He probably didn’t want words like “execution” or “hanging” entering the ears of a growing child.
Anyway, because of all this, Mom and the dads told me nothing.
On the day of the execution, they even stayed by my side the entire time to play dolls with me.
‘But how could I not know?’
On the day Dad Harzen seemed especially grim,
a new scroll appeared for the first time in a while.
The key figure of Side Story Chapter 1 has been completely removed.
Calculating its influence on the future of the side story…
Influence on the future of the side story…
At this rate, it’d be nice if it said, “The original plot is now completely derailed, so we can’t follow it anymore~”
‘Yeah, as if.’
If I knew nothing, maybe I could dream of some fairytale happy ending.
But I already know.
I know there might be someone out there besides me who knows how this world ends.
And that they want the world to be destroyed.
‘Because of them, the original plot will probably keep trying to move forward.’
But I’m not nearly as scared now.
Because I know I have a strong support team behind me!
“Right, Yeppi?”
“Pii?”
Yeppi tilted his head, not understanding the sudden question.
I chuckled and lifted him with both hands, placing him on my stomach.
Anyway, things are peaceful for now, and that’s nice.
Grandpa and Dad Harzen’s relationship is improving smoothly, the Empress Grandma is almost fully recovered,
Dad Kyle… aside from being tormented by the palace researchers, seems to be adjusting surprisingly well.
And Dad Derek is always with me like usual.
‘ Grandma Margo did return to the ducal territory though.’
After the session ended, Grandma said she had something to retrieve and left for the duchy.
And she didn’t forget to say this:
<You’ll definitely like it.>
It meant only one thing:
Grandma Margo was planning to make the long trip back to the palace again just for my birthday present.
That’s terrifying.
Why is everyone doing so much for their granddaughter…!
Of course, I already got the answer.
<You’ll be my only grandchild for my entire life, so of course I want to dote on you. I heard they don’t plan on having more children either.>
So they dropped the “no siblings for you” announcement just like that… No, that’s not the point.
Grandpa also nodded along with the same sentiment.
For me, it was nothing but pressure.
Their only grandchild!
I have to do well!
“Ah! I shouldn’t just be lying here.”
I sprang up.
For Grandpa and Grandma Margo!
And for Mom’s long life too!
I can’t just lounge around like this!
‘Training! Only training!’
I can’t get soft just because things are peaceful!
I must hone my body and mind!
Like Dad Derek!
“Dad, Dad!”
I dashed over to Dad Derek, who was aiming his bow.
