Chapter 06
Why was it?
Was it because I had entered a novel?
Even when I saw those sparkling eyes that looked like they would burst into tears any moment, honestly, the only thought I had was that he was just handsome.
Maybe he had just woken up, because his black hair was messy, and his golden eyes were still slightly wet. A straight nose, full lips, and a slightly lazy atmosphere……
“Right. He really does deserve to be called the most handsome man in the story.”
Because of that, this unbelievably good-looking man didn’t feel like a father to me.
The father I had before I died… he wasn’t really someone I could even compare properly either, in a different sense.
“Are you confused?”
“……”
“I understand. But……”
“Is Annabella here?”
Instead of me, who couldn’t say anything and just opened and closed my mouth, Xabier tried to continue speaking as if he had prepared for this.
But his words were cut off by a sharp voice I hated.
It was Susan, who had finally come looking for me. She came in angrily and looked quite shocked by the unusual atmosphere in the kitchen.
“What is this? Why is it like this? Why are you crying? And where is Annabella?”
As expected of her impatient personality, Susan didn’t even wait for an answer and pressured the crying maid to tell her where I was.
Ah. It might be better if she didn’t find me.
“Why are you looking for Annabella?”
“That ridiculous girl suddenly brought strawberries last night without being told—oh.”
Susan, who was complaining while answering, stopped when she saw who had asked the question.
Her blank eyes moved between Xabier and me standing in front of him, and she froze.
Someone quietly went up and whispered in her ear.
Susan’s eyes widened so much it looked like they might pop out. It seemed she had been told that I might be Xabier’s daughter.
“No way! She doesn’t even have the royal traits!”
The servant who told her quickly covered her mouth. Xabier’s eyes also narrowed at that.
It was true. The imperial family of this country was born with black hair and golden eyes. As time passed and blood mixed, fewer people were born with both traits.
Declen was unfortunately not born with golden eyes, and because of that he was filled with inferiority.
Luckily, he at least had black hair…
The first emperor of the Etharinta Empire made a pact with a dragon, and his eye color turned golden.
“So I just have ordinary brown hair and brown eyes.”
Maybe Xabier would come to his senses and say, “Huh? Maybe she’s not?” and stand up right away. Then I could treat this as a misunderstanding and go back to living the life I planned.
“I have no doubt that you are my biological daughter, Annabella.”
But what came out of Xabier’s mouth was something unexpected.
What kind of revelation was it that made him believe so blindly?
Xabier gently touched my hand, then seemed to realize something and let out a small “ah.”
“But others may doubt it. So show them proof.”
“Proof…?”
Xabier’s voice became lower, and I already had a guess what he was going to say, so my voice trailed off.
“You have a pocket watch, don’t you?”
When the word pocket watch came out, the quiet room turned cold as if someone had poured ice water over it.
And for the first time, tears filled my eyes. Tears I didn’t even shed when listening to that long apology from a father.
“Y-you’re crying?”
As I lowered my head and only sniffled quietly, Xabier looked flustered and checked my face.
Even though his words and actions usually felt like acting, now they strangely didn’t, which was a little funny—but I quickly frowned again because of the lost pocket watch.
“It’s… gone…”
“What?”
“It’s gone… sob…”
The pocket watch my mother gave me. The only thing she left me. The one she placed in my pocket while looking at me with heartbreaking eyes when we parted.
“Why would you lose that? Where did you lose it?”
“I don’t know… sob… wahhh!”
“Why are you crying after losing it? That’s… think properly!”
My tears wouldn’t stop just thinking about the pocket watch, and Xabier’s impatient tone made me even more annoyed.
Yes. In the original story, that pocket watch was the prince’s token, something Xabier gave to the woman he loved—my mother.
But so what? Right now it was something my mother gave to me. It was our memory.
“Stop crying—”
“I don’t know! Someone stole it!”
My sadness turned into suspicion, and I spoke it out loud.
Before I could finish, Xabier’s cold gaze shifted from me to the people around.
Hic. Sniff. Hup.
Only my crying sounds filled the silence.
Their exchanged looks clearly showed one thing: the thief was among them.
“I didn’t even know I had a daughter in my palace, and now I find out there’s a thief too.”
No. Maybe I did know.
Xabier gave a self-mocking smile and looked at the people again. Even though he supported Declen, the servants usually thought of Xabier as easygoing and carefree.
But he was still a prince. The heir who might carry the blood of the dragon. His gaze carried pressure strong enough to make people lower their heads.
“So. Who stole my daughter’s pocket watch?”
“….”
“If it’s hard to say, raise your hand?”
With a soft smile, Xabier placed his hand on his chest and slowly looked around.
Then he let out a big sigh.
Turning back to me, his eyebrows were lowered.
“Maybe Annabella is mistaken? Maybe no one stole it.”
“No one… st-stole it… I saw it!”
“That sounds very…”
Just like her mother.
It was a very small mutter, only I could hear it.
My mother used to say the same thing about me sometimes.
“That’s why you can’t steal genes,” she would say while smiling brightly and hugging me tightly. Back then, I was just happy.
“My pocket watch…”
“Ah, why are you crying again.”
As I sniffled again, Xabier took out a handkerchief and handed it to me. I took it without refusing, but when I touched it, I flinched. It was obviously extremely expensive.
“Don’t worry. From now on, more things will be yours.”
He whispered as if he knew everything. Even though he couldn’t even find my pocket watch yet.
But somehow, it felt like a guardian speaking, so I relaxed a little and wiped my tears with the handkerchief.
Sniff.
Then I blew my nose too.
Xabier gave a small laugh and asked again.
“How long did you have the pocket watch?”
“I usually keep it in my apron, but I took it off when Your Highness said you wanted strawberries.”
“What? I didn’t say that yesterday. Now that I think about it, didn’t that maid who came in earlier say something about strawberries?”
Susan?
Xabier’s gaze turned to Susan, and she flinched, her shoulders shaking. Her trembling figure for some reason looked a little pitiful.
