Chapter 8
With wide, round eyes, Lor watched her father giving orders in a stern voice, while the priest was being dragged away like a naughty child who had been caught.
Then—
Hop! Lor leapt up and suddenly clung tightly around Alcade’s leg.
Alcade’s eyes widened. Not only him, but even his attendants froze in surprise, unable to peel the child away.
“…He really is my dad.”
Hehe.
Lor rubbed her cheek lightly against Alcade’s leg.
She had always wondered whenever she saw village children walking hand in hand with their fathers.
‘Why don’t I have a dad?’
Why is it only Grandpa and Mom at my house?
Unable to endure that unknown longing, Lor once asked her mother. But when she saw her mother’s expression at that moment, she never dared to utter the word “dad” again.
Her mother’s face had looked so unbearably sad.
And Lor didn’t want her mother to be sad.
So even though she was curious, she bit her lip and kept silent.
But whenever she went to the village, whenever she saw children holding their fathers’ hands, whenever the kings who cherished their princesses appeared in fairy tales and old stories, her curiosity only grew stronger.
…Where is my dad?
Mom calls me her princess…
In the stories, all the princesses had kings as fathers…
Even if he’s not a king, I still want to see him.
Little by little, that emotion piled up until it occupied a large corner of her small heart.
But now—
‘I have a dad too!’
Lor shouted joyfully in her heart.
[Ah! Lor, don’t forget the most important thing! You have to bring your mom and dad together!]
At that moment, the book beside her rustled frantically, flashing letters.
Oh no…!
Startled, Lor looked up at Alcade with wide eyes.
“Daddy! Please come to my house. Mommy is very sick.”
“What?”
Alcade frowned in surprise and bent down to meet Lor’s gaze.
“My house is—”
Lor explained where she lived, the secluded forest house with her mother and grandfather.
But then—
‘Huh…?’
Did someone turn off the lights? Suddenly the room went pitch black.
“Uh? I feel dizzy…”
The world spun round and round.
Flutter, flutter.
That was the sound of the book’s pages turning.
And then—
Thud.
Lor collapsed and lost consciousness.
Alcade was shocked as the chattering child suddenly went limp. He quickly scooped her up in his arms.
“Lor? Lorvantes…?”
He carefully whispered the name he had heard earlier.
But the little girl remained limp, completely unconscious.
Ah.
For a terrifying moment, Lor looked to Alcade as if she were dead.
The thought that this child had died shattered his heart into pieces.
He held her tightly against his chest.
“…Call a doctor. Now!”
The boy was running endlessly through darkness.
<…! …? …!>
Shouts—or perhaps whispers—echoed chaotically in his mind. He couldn’t hear the words clearly, but the resentment and blame within them were unmistakable.
‘It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it!’
Piercing gazes and pointing fingers struck him like poisoned arrows.
‘I’ve never even seen my mother’s face. Why is it only me…! Even curses fall upon me…!’
Thud.
Against his will, the boy’s legs froze mid-run. His trembling body could no longer move.
He opened his golden eyes wide.
<Found you, Kainel.>
Blink, blink.
Sleepy green eyes fluttered open.
Yaaawn. Lor rubbed her eyes and let out a small yawn.
Still… sleepy….
But the room was too bright, so even with her eyes closed it hurt!
Squinting, Lor glanced around.
This unfamiliar room was far larger than her little room back in the mountain house.
Though it was spacious enough to feel empty or overwhelming, the soft glow of the interior lights made the atmosphere peaceful and calm.
The bed she lay on was also enormous.
A high ceiling, a glittering chandelier, huge paintings decorating the walls—everything was unfamiliar.
It was even grander than the palaces drawn in her mother’s fairy tale books.
The kind of palaces where princesses and princes lived happily ever after…
“Woooow….”
Lor let out a gasp of awe. Her heart raced with excitement, for she had never seen such a beautiful place.
One entire wall was made of glass windows, and outside was the pitch-black night.
But the room was as bright as daytime, and with the moonlight streaming in, Lor didn’t feel scared at all.
[Lor!]
The book suddenly appeared in midair.
[Lor, are you alright?]
“Mm. Book, I’m fine. But… where is this place?”
She reached out to the book. It flapped its pages and floated closer.
[Lor! First, the most important thing! You’re not in pain anywhere, right? You fainted earlier. I need to check your condition.]
“Uh-huh…”
For some reason, the book sounded very strict.
Lor clutched the blanket tightly and nodded. Then, a shimmering light spilled from the book and washed over her.
“Hahahaha!”
The ticklish sensation of the light made Lor burst out laughing, dimples deepening in her cheeks.
The sound of her refreshing laughter made words appear briefly across the book’s pages, only to fade again as if nothing had happened.
Finally, the sparkling dust returned into the book.
[…Thank goodness. There’s nothing wrong. It looks like you just used too much energy, Lor….]
“Book, were you worried about me?”
[Of course! Absolutely. Lor, you mustn’t overexert yourself anymore. I didn’t realize how much it would take out of you. I’m sorry. Also—you asked where we are, right?]
“Yeah! Where am I?”
Lor nodded eagerly.
[After you collapsed, you were moved into this guest room. Duke Alcade was so, so worried about you, but then he suddenly had urgent business and left. Just a moment ago, he was sitting right by your side!]
“Reeally…?”
Daddy?
Right next to me?
Worrying about me?
Lor’s eyes grew wide, and then she rubbed her cheek against the blanket and giggled.
Her little heart tickled so much she could hardly bear it.
It felt like she was floating, like she could soar into the sky!
She was so happy.
So, so, unbelievably happy!
Because, because—
Her mother once said: when you worry about someone, it means you love them.
That must mean Daddy loves me too!
No matter how hard she tried to hold it back, her smile kept breaking through. Joy bubbled in her chest like a balloon inflating.
And so—
Lor blurted out what was on her heart.
“Book, book! Daddy likes me, right…?”
Even though he hadn’t patted her bottom or hugged her tightly, surely he liked her, right?
[Of course! You should’ve seen the look on Duke Alcade’s face when he looked at you!]
“Hehe.”
Lor giggled again at the book’s certain reply. Hugging it tightly, she pressed a kiss against its cover.
Smooch!
[Eek!]
The book flapped in surprise, but Lor only rubbed her cheek against its cover and said brightly:
“Thank you for worrying about me, book! Mommy said that being worried about means something to be grateful for. So I’ll give you a kiss!”
The book fluttered shyly, but nestled comfortably into her arms, as if it liked being held.
Then, as if remembering something, it fluttered up again.
[Lor, your dad sent knights to your house! That means you’ll be able to see your mom soon!]
Before Lor were all sorts of desserts.
A fluffy chiffon cake.
A strawberry cream cake with berries studded all over.
Tiny, colorful macarons small enough for her to eat in one bite.
Crispy, golden egg tarts.
And a variety of puddings with a chewy, refreshing taste….
So many sweets were piled on the table that Lor could never eat them all by herself.
Her eyes sparkled as she stared at them in wonder.
Seeing this, Alcade nodded in satisfaction.
Of course, for Lor, everything right now was overwhelming.
Out of nowhere, Alcade had brought her into the capital, to a famous dessert shop so exclusive you needed a reservation to enter.
Watching Lor’s eyes roll this way and that in amazement, Giselle grinned.
Last night.
“Giselle.”
On her way back, humming after throwing the priest in prison, Giselle was suddenly summoned by Alcade.
Nervously, she hurried to his office.
‘…Why is His Grace calling for me…?’
For now, the priest had been locked up, prevented from committing suicide.
Of course, with just one word from the duke, the house’s torture specialists could wring every useful piece of information from him by tomorrow morning….
But when Giselle arrived, Alcade let out a long, heavy sigh.
