~Chapter 69~
Thinking about it made my heart soften again.
I wiped my nose and suddenly heard the doorbell ring.
I thought Philippa, who had gone shopping, was back, but when I looked through the small window, I saw a man wearing a hat holding a box.
“Oh, another package.”
I rubbed my forehead. It looked like something from the Duke’s family or the palace had arrived again. I quickly ran to the door to open it.
“Where’s this from?”
I asked, just seeing the package, but a familiar voice came from above me.
“It’s from the palace.”
I looked up in surprise, and our eyes met. My mouth dropped open.
“That’s a new look for you. Are you that surprised?”
I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I was dreaming, but the situation didn’t change.
“Are you… the Crown Prince?”
“There can’t be two people with this face, can there?”
I must have missed it if he had been holding something in his hand.
‘He’s joking, right? He has to be joking!’
The visitor was the Crown Prince, who should have been at the palace.
He was dressed in plain clothes, and his hair, which wasn’t blonde under the hat, made me not recognize him right away.
I quickly checked my surroundings. Was anyone watching?
Outside the house, I saw a car parked. In the driver’s seat was my assistant, Sabin, who looked very uncomfortable, gripping the steering wheel.
In other words, the crazy Crown Prince had come here with his assistant. I felt like I was losing my mind.
“Who’s there? Who came?”
Just as I was about to lose my mind, Shiz, who didn’t know anything, walked out.
Reyester sighed softly.
“Mom…?”
When Shiz finally looked at the visitor’s face, her expression went completely pale.
***
Shiz’s last memory of Reyester was of his cold face and a few harsh words.
‘You don’t know your place, always climbing up. You didn’t even listen to my warning.’
Shiz was scared of hearing such words from the grown-up Relshiz and was shocked that the fairy she thought was nice could say something so bad.
Now, seeing the rude prince who had come uninvited to the house, Shiz glared at him with angry eyes.
Reyester, receiving a hateful look, smiled sweetly, but Shiz didn’t relax her expression.
Aska had said that they had “made up,” but he had never said that Reyester had “apologized” to Relshiz.
‘If you’ve done something wrong, you should apologize. Even I, a six-year-old, know that.’
He was bad. He was really bad.
The night Shiz came back from the palace, she had cried and made a promise.
‘I won’t make the same mistake again.’
And now, the ‘next time’ was right in front of her.
Shiz could have run away, cried, or gotten angry right then. But this smart child didn’t choose any of those options.
“Hello, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Instead, she greeted him politely and calmly.
Both Reyester and Relshiz were surprised and looked at Shiz in disbelief.
Now, Shiz knew that if she acted recklessly, the grown-up Relshiz would be the one to feel awkward.
“I’m sorry for what happened last time.”
Although Shiz hated and was scared of the Crown Prince who had spoken so harshly to Relshiz, she held her ground.
But she couldn’t hide her expression…
‘He’s going to remember this.’
Reyester realized that Shiz was giving him a face that clearly showed she didn’t like him.
Reyester was shocked because he had thought Shiz would have forgiven him after all the gifts he had sent her.
“Shiz, would you like to go upstairs for a while? Your Highness should come inside too.”
Relshiz stepped in to defuse the situation. Shiz quickly stuck to Relshiz’s side.
“No. I’ll stay with mom.”
She didn’t trust that bad adult and didn’t know what he would say next!
Shiz, who was quick-witted, had already realized that when she stayed close to adults, they would be more careful with their words. She learned that from Felix and the investigators.
So, the three of them—two adults and a child—sat together in the living room.
Shiz, sticking close to Relshiz, glared at Reyester, who sat across from them.
Reyester took off his hat. The moment he did, his hair returned to its original color. Shiz’s eyes widened in surprise at the strange sight.
“I came today to apologize to you.”
“…Apologize?”
“About what happened last time when I scared you.”
Shiz bit her lips and kept quiet. She had already closed her heart.
When Reyester realized that Shiz wasn’t interested in accepting his apology, he smiled awkwardly.
Once kids think of someone as scary, it’s hard to change that perception.
Despite his soft attitude, Shiz’s eyes still showed fear and hesitation when she looked at him.
“Hmm, I wonder what I can do to make the little lady accept my apology.”
Just then, Shiz’s eyes changed.
“…Then promise me. Promise that you won’t say bad things or do bad things to my mom again.”
Relshiz, who had been listening quietly, flinched.
“Shiz?”
“If you promise, I’ll accept your apology.”
Shiz put her chin up, trying to look firm. Reyester seemed deep in thought, without answering at first.
‘Hah, I knew it. He can’t answer.’
Just as Shiz thought that, Reyester suddenly spoke.
“I swear on the honor of the royal family and the Crown Prince’s name.”
Reyester held out his pinky finger to Shiz, and she looked at it, her mouth slightly open.
‘The ring I made for him…’
Reyester wore the wildflower ring she had made for him long ago. It was in perfect condition, never withered.
“I swear that I will never harm Lord Relshiz. I won’t speak badly of her, either.”
“…”
“Will you accept my apology now?”
Reyester asked. After a moment of thinking, Shiz quietly mumbled her answer.
“…If you show it to my mom, then maybe.”
Reyester smiled widely at her answer.
“Okay, I’ll do that.”
It was a sincere smile.
***
“Okay, are you done now? Please leave now.”
I rudely told the Crown Prince to leave. Honestly, if he came here without warning, it was his fault.
“Just like that? We’ve barely made up…”
Reyester looked disappointed. I thought he had lost his mind.
“Then, at least come quietly! What’s with bringing such an eye-catching car here?!”
In the outskirts of the capital, carriages were more common than cars due to the poor roads. So, the shiny new black car parked in front of my house caught the attention of everyone walking by.
In the meantime, Reyester casually responded.
“That car is Sabin’s. If it was mine, tomorrow’s headline would be about my car, not yours.”
“You’re saying this now…?”
I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth.
“Don’t bother Sabin on his way home.”
“Really? He said it’s fine.”
“What about when you go back?”
“Sabin’s taking me back.”
Ah, Sabin… poor guy.
Reyester gave a sad look as if he was trying to get on Shiz’s good side.
“Shiz, should I just leave like this?”
Shiz stepped back a little and grabbed the hem of my clothes, clearly still wary.
“…That hurts.”
Reyester made a truly sad expression.
He’ll have a hard time becoming friends with her.
I know well that once someone dislikes you, it’s hard to change their mind. It’ll be hard for Reyester to get close to Shiz.
Since Sabin was there, I didn’t need to worry about the Crown Prince going back to the palace, so I quickly said goodbye to Reyester.
“Anyway, go back to the palace before anyone sees you. If you stand out, it’ll cause trouble…”
At that moment, just when I thought I was done, “someone else” appeared.
