Chapter 22
The maid assigned to Lor, Angelina, carefully combed through Lor’s hair.
The golden strands fell smoothly along the comb’s teeth.
Lor giggled at the ticklish feeling and wiggled slightly.
“Young Lady, if you move like that, your neatly combed hair will get messy.”
When Angelina spoke gently, Lor obediently nodded her head.
But soon enough, her little body began to squirm again, and a faint smile tugged at Angelina’s lips.
Soothing the restless girl with practiced ease, Angelina styled her hair with skillful hands.
Her golden locks were braided into two pigtails, then curled up neatly, forming two round golden mounds atop her head!
With tiny pearl pins carefully fastened in place, it looked as though snow had fallen on golden hills.
“Hehe.”
Lor beamed at her reflection in the mirror. Her missing front tooth showed plainly when she smiled, but even that was adorable.
“Does it make you that happy?”
“Yes! Because today Sa-chons are coming! Lor counted every single night and day waiting for it!”
Angelina, who had often seen Lor using her little fingers to count down the days, answered warmly. She knew just how happy Lor was right now, and seeing her master’s bright smile made her smile as well.
When her hair was finished, other maids stepped forward with a pale pink silk dress.
The fabric shimmered faintly, delicately adorned with lace and tiny pearls.
The maids gently lifted Lor’s arms to slip the dress onto her.
Still not quite used to such trailing dresses, Lor fidgeted awkwardly. But when she caught sight of herself in the mirror, her eyes went wide.
Wow! So pretty!
Each time the sunlight hit, the fabric shimmered brilliantly, with the pearls sparkling atop it. Lor looked just like a little forest fairy.
Excited by her reflection, Lor spun around and even hopped about like a rabbit, making Angelina laugh softly.
“Young Lady, it’s dangerous to jump like that.”
“Mmm!”
After Angelina calmly explained that she could get hurt and should move carefully, Lor finally stopped.
“And besides, you might startle the Crown Prince and His Highness when they see you.”
“Ah!”
Lor clapped her hands.
She mustn’t scare her cousins when meeting them for the first time!
“I’ll be on my best behavior!”
“You’re so good, Young Lady.”
With her lips pressed shut—hmph!—Lor clasped her hands neatly in front of her.
But inside, her heart was a whirlwind of thoughts.
What games should we play? I’m so excited!
In her imagination, she’d already finished playing hide-and-seek, doll games, and even watched the fountains together with her cousins.
Clenching her fists, Lor whispered as if making a vow:
“I’m going to be friends with my cousins!”
Angelina, pleased by the sight, smiled and nodded.
Truly, this was “remarkable progress” compared to when she had first met the young lady.
The memory of that day came vividly to Angelina’s mind.
“Young Lady, I am Chief Maid Angelina.”
Angelina had bowed slightly in greeting.
“Hello!”
Lor chirped brightly, like a little bird.
So many pretty sisters here! I should greet them nicely!
Her face full of joy and her lively voice were utterly adorable.
But Angelina was startled by Lor’s cheerful greeting.
To address me so formally in front of His Grace the Grand Duke…!
Alkaid, however, had simply been pleased by his daughter’s sweet voice.
Here, in the Grand Duke’s mansion, the young lady—being the daughter of the Grand Duke—was not expected to speak formally to anyone except her father. Even more so in his presence.
Without meaning to, Angelina had committed a breach of etiquette and grew flustered.
“Chief Maid Angelina? That sounds strange.”
The young lady was asking a question—that meant she needed a maid’s explanation.
Regaining her composure quickly, Angelina answered:
“Chief Maid is my position, and my name is Angelina.”
“I know what a job is! But chief maid?”
Struggling with unfamiliar terms, Lor tilted her head, so Alkaid explained as well:
“Chief Maid means she’s the leader of the maids.”
“Ah-ha!”
Lor clapped her hands, mystery solved.
“Young Lady, as the Grand Duke’s daughter, you mustn’t use formal speech to a maid like me. And calling me ‘sister’ is, of course, not allowed.”
Lor tilted her head again at Angelina’s careful explanation.
Why can’t I call the sisters ‘sister’?
The truth was, Lor still didn’t understand the concept of “social rank.”
No matter how much they tried to explain, Lor stuck to her polite tone and excessive titles, as was her habit.
But thanks to Angelina’s repeated, patient corrections, Lor had now learned to behave properly—just like today.
Phew…
It had only been a few days, but to Angelina, it felt much longer.
Looking at Lor again with softened eyes, Angelina thought she had never looked cuter.
At that moment, a maid rushed in.
“His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Prince have arrived at the Grand Duke’s residence.”
Lor’s eyes sparkled.
Following the maid, Lor arrived at the drawing room.
“Lor.”
Alkaid rose from the sofa when he saw her.
Whenever Father stood up, it usually meant—“Up we go!”—as he lifted her high into the air!
Lor ran toward him and stretched out her little arms.
“…?”
But this time, Father didn’t pick her up!
Lor tilted her head.
Why won’t Daddy hug me?
While she puzzled over it, Alkaid himself had fallen deep into thought.
Those small golden buns on her head, those green eyes sparkling in the sunlight, the soft round cheeks, and that refreshing smile…
Today, Lor was like a fairy incarnate.
What is this feeling?
It made him want to break through walls, and at the same time, it melted all his tension away.
His daughter was always lovely, but today she was impossibly cute, radiant, dazzling.
He stared in a daze, until Lor puffed up her cheeks and raised her arms again.
“Hug—me—please!”
Snapped out of his trance, Alkaid finally moved.
He bent down and lifted her into his arms, where she wriggled to settle comfortably against his chest.
Even in his daze, one thing was clear—he could never take his eyes off the dimples that appeared whenever his daughter laughed.
And today, Lor’s cuteness had multiplied several times over.
It was obvious the maids had worked especially hard.
According to Giselle, the most skilled attendants in the castle had been assigned to Lor’s maid team, and they had clearly displayed their talents today.
“…I’ll have to reward the maids.”
“Haha.”
Giselle chuckled behind him, only to avert her gaze when Alkaid’s cool eyes turned on her. Still, her lips quirked.
His eyes are dripping with honey… What a hopeless daughter-con.
She adored her nieces and nephews too, but not to that extent. Not even her sister and brother-in-law acted this way.
Just then, Lor raised one little arm and asked:
“But! When princes come, shouldn’t we go greet them at the gate?”
That’s how it happened in the fairy tales, after all!
Alkaid gently pushed down the little arm waving in the air and smirked.
“Go to such trouble for those little brats? They should be grateful enough that I let them come here at all.”
Lor, not quite understanding, tilted her head. Giselle quietly added an explanation.
“Young Lady, normally, yes—it would be like in the fairy tales. But His Grace the Grand Duke is… well, His Grace. He’s royalty too, so…”
Scratching her neck awkwardly, Giselle finally ended simply:
“It just means they’re close enough that it’s fine.”
“Ah-ha!”
So Daddy and her cousins were already close!
That was wonderful to hear, since Lor had already been planning to become friends with them. Her heart thumped with excitement.
“His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Prince are entering.”
Just then, the butler’s voice rang from outside the drawing room.
The doors opened, and two black-haired boys stepped inside.
“Uncle!”
