Preparations went smoothly after it was decided that the rain ritual would be held.
âThe preparations for the rain ritual are written in Gustavâs tears.â
Because of the unexpected rain ritual, Gustav stayed up for nights and days.
Mabel deeply sympathized with him. On the other hand, she vowed to be deposed.
âMy dream is to become rich and unemployed!â
It is a betrayal of oneâs ability to be Emperor and suffer from work.
I never wanted to be like Gustav and have to work hard.
Although it was the Emperorâs office, Mabel was sitting on Gustavâs seat and alternated looking between the hard working Gustav and the stand-in-Emperor.
âHow am I, Mabel. Papa is working hard.â
Whether he wanted to appear to be a hard worker, he said that line every 10 minutes. I almost got a scab in my ear.
Seeing Gustav glancing at the stand-in-Emperor with anxious eyes, I could see what he usually does.
Mabel gave a sigh.
âPwoor GustabâŠâ (Poor GustavâŠ)
âHm? What did you say, Mabel?â
âI dwidn say anythwing.â (I didnât say anything.)
âSighâŠâ
Thinking it would be nice to read another line in the documents at least when he had time to say that, Mabel ate macarons little by little.
There were six macaroons on the plate.
There were three people in the office, so each had two. Before she knew it, Mabel ate up her two macarons.
âI want to eat more.â
However, eating a lot of desserts was not good for my health, and I could endure it because I would eat again soon. I can endure itâŠ
âLooks deliciousâŠâ
When I was Yoon Gyeo-Ul, I had never eaten as much dessert as I wanted to, like macarons. The price of a macaron can buy you several ramens.
Maybe thatâs why I was especially weak to desserts. If there was a cookie in front of me, my hand would move towards it.
Mabel overheard their conversation, desperately holding back in case she ate someone elseâs macaron.
âI think the attendance list for the rain ritual has been sorted out.â
âWhat did you put Duke Javier in for?â
âBecause he is giving the most support. Other than Duke Javier, others donât look good, so there will definitely be backlash.â
Esteban ungratefully scattered the list and put it down. Just like the perfectionist Gustav, there was no place to modify.
âBut there is one problem that Your Majesty has to decide.â
âWhat is it?â
âWhether to accompany Aiden to the rain ritual.â
âAiden?â
Mabel, who had been keeping her eyes on the macaron, slowly raised her head. Estebanâs mood got bad when he thought about that boy.
He didnât want Mabel to be interested in Aiden.
In fact, he didnât even want to talk about boys close to Mabelâs age, such as Aiden and Enrique.
Esteban looked back at Gustav, looking away from Mabelâs eyes.
âIt would be bad to leave that brat alone.â
âYes. It would be bad.â
They were aware of Mabelâs gaze and kept talking, but they were pointing out Aidenâs âcharacteristics.â
The characteristics that when he was close to Mabel, Devlinâs kingâs, Veron, magic would weaken and calm him down.
On the contrary, it meant that if Mabel left the Imperial Palace for the rain ritual, he might explode.
The remaining troops will not be able to handle a runaway Aiden, as he planned to bring a number of troops to the rain ritual.
Esteban made a decision.
âWe canât leave him here, so weâll go together.â
It was not for Aiden, but for the safety of the Imperial City.
âThe place where the rain ritual is to be held is the altar of the Western Sanctuary. The procession of this scale is expected to take about three or four days to move.â
âIt doesnât matter if itâs any later, so make sure you donât neglect the protection. Above all, Mabelâs safety comes first.â
âYes, Your Majesty.â
Esteban scattered the following documents and pushed the macaron plate in front of Mabel.
He was looking at the rain ritualâs budget and checking if there was anything missing when he suddenly realized that Mabelâs behaviour was strange.
Mabel was only looking at the plate of macarons, not eating them.
âWhatâs wrong, Mabel? Do you dislike macarons?â
Esteban didnât understand what Mabel said. It was the same for Gustav.
âWhat do you mean, Your Majesty? That it isnât Your Majestyâs?â
âThewe are sic, I athe two. Retht ith Gustabâth and Rowal Fawtheâ.â (There are six, I ate two. Rest is Gustavâs and Royal Fatherâs.)
The age at which you can indulge in delicious foods.
But somehow Mabel thought about others before herself.
Esteban himself was never taught how to be considerate of others.
Is her natural disposition similar to her birth mother, Siana? However, Esteban hoped that Mabel wasnât just a nice kid.
âSiana gave up a lot of things to others⊠sometimes even when it was precious to her.â
He didnât want Mabel to make those sacrifices.
âYou can eat all of it. Itâs yours, Mabel.â
âNwo. Rowal Fawthe eat too.â (No. Royal Father eat too.)
âIâm okay. Here, eat it.â
When Esteban picked up the macaron and handed it to Mabel, the child had an uncomfortable look and hesitated without eating. Esteban tasted the hopelessness of the ground being extinguished for a moment.
ââŠyou were never taught to be conscious either.â
Just what is happening?
It wasnât enough to just show Mabel the worldâs most precious and beautiful things.
The child looked at Esteban and Gustav alternatively before cutting off the tip of the macaron.
Her plump cheeks went red from the deliciousness.
Esteban felt a sense of crisis when he saw that. Even if the child was nice, she was too nice.
Suddenly, he was worried about how the gentle and nice Mabel would live in the harsh world.
He was protecting her now, but what if something happens to her?
Esteban grabbed Mabel by the shoulder and faced her.
Then he spoke to her seriously.
âMabel, listen well.â
âUng.â
âMabel, everything you want is yours.â
ââŠâŠ?â
âIf anyone says no, hit them.â
ââŠâŠ?!â
âHit them and take it from them.â
There was nothing in the world that Mabel could not have if she wanted it.
He should have told her earlier, but it was too late. Esteban vowed to tell Mabel everyday from now on.
Mabelâs feelings towards her biological father were devastating.
ââŠj-just what are you teaching a child?â
Esteban asked with an affectionate smile, âOkay, Mabel?â
âAh dwonât know.â (I donât know.)
ââŠwhat?â
âDwonâ hit people. Thath bad.â (Donât hit people. Thatâs bad.)
âBut Mabel, you can do that. No one will be able to disobey.â
âAh dwonât want to. Wha dwo you want me to hurth them?â (I donât want to. Why do you want me to hurt them?)
Mabel looked at Esteban with discontent eyes.
Estebanâs credibility fell sharply. Esteban, who understood the meaning in Mabelâs eyes completely, froze in embarrassment.
âThatâs not what I meant, Mabel. Papa said it out of hope that you will do what you want to do. Do you understand?â
âA wittle.â (A little.)
Still, Mabelâs eyes were filled with distrust, but Esteban was relieved with the improvement in her answer.
Mabel took a bite of a macaron and looked up to Esteban.
âRowal Fawthe. Theweâth someting ah want two do.â (Royal Father. Thereâs something I want to do.)
âWhat is it? Iâll do anything.â
âAh dwonâ want to be Empewor.â (I donât want to be Emperor.)
ââŠâŠâ
Estebanâs eyes wandered roughly. Gustav mourned briefly when he saw the stand-in-Emperor face in a state of an unexpected crisis.
âYouâre already wrong, Your Majesty. You can only be hated.â
Gustavâs inner thoughts became a prophecy.
âLwook, you wied again, didnâ you?â (Look, you lied again, didnât you?)
Hmph. Mabel went down from the sofa and wobbled to the door.
Esteban called Mabel desperately.
âMabelâŠ!â
âWha!â (Why!)
ââŠgo after eating the macarons.â
In a very short moment, Mabel faced a tremendous conflict.
Macarons or pride? Thatâs the problem.
Mabel, who hesitated, crept closer. Esteban smiled softly and tapped to the seat next to him.
But.
ââŠâŠ!â
Mabel took the plate of macarons and left.
Gustav clicked his tongue, seeing the abandoned Esteban.
âRather than that, should Your Majesty be surprised that Her Majesty, who is only two-years-old, can fully understand the concept of division? No one has ever taught her that.â
Still in shock, Esteban replied blankly.
âThat⊠Mabelâs a genius, soâŠâ
ââŠâŠâ
Gustav was speechless.
âI want to go homeâŠâ
***
The procession to the Western Sancuary was unprecedented in history. The guards were especially notable.
âWhat, where⊠are they going to war?â
Lissandro roughly expected it, but he was greatly embarrassed because he did not think it would be to this extent.
It was where the number of people protecting was more than the number of people to protect.
Mabel looked around her surrounding surrounded by soldiers and shook her head.
âJusth lweave it.â (Just leave it.)
âYes, well⊠I donât know what to say to his Majesty.â
Leaving Lissandro behind, who seemed to be smiling, Mabel looked around.
âWhereâs Aiden?â
She clearly heard that Aiden was going with them, but she couldnât see him.
âIâll have to ask.â
How did you know my ability and what was the meaning of the last note. âViscount Targo.â
Without an introduction, a note with âViscount Targoâ was so ridiculous that I sent [ă ], but I didnât know that the note exchanging would be cut off after that.
It was because the mice were so scared that I couldnât sent them.
âIf heâs nearby, I can meet him once.â
It was Mabelâs small hope that Esteban deliberately put Aiden at the end of the procession.
A face appeared among the busy people preparing to depart.
âMabel. What are you doing here?â
âJusth.â (Just.)
Oscar naturally stroked Mabelâs head. Mabel found one thing different from usual in Oscar.
âKnipe!â (Knife!)
âThatâs right. I canât have anything in the Imperial Palace unless Iâm a knight, but Iâm outside now.â
Oscar felt proud when he looked at the knife hanging on his waist.
âIâve been practicing my sword skills, so look forward to it, Mabel.â
It was time for Oscar to boast.
âIt would be better if you didnât have to show off your skills, Your Highness.â
Oscar and Mabel turned their heads at the same time to the voice that suddenly intervened. Indeed, it was a face that I havenât seen in a long time.
âEnwique!â (Enrique!)
âI greet Her Majesty the Emperor. I havenât heard that name in a long time.â
While she hadnât seen him, Enrique, who grew taller, looked down at Mabel with a gentle smile.
âHow have you been, Your Majesty?â
âUng!â
âThere were all sorts reckless that happened, but letâs just move on.â
Enrique had also heard that Mabel had fainted, but he pretended not to know.
âThatâs a relief.â
âBut Enrique, why are you here? I didnât hear you were joining the rain ritualâŠâ
Mabel looked around in surprise after Oscar asked. For a moment, I forgot about the joy and remembered that Enrique was Duke Javierâs son. If Enrique was here, there was a high possibility that Duke Javier was nearby.
âAs I thought.â
As expected, Duke Javier was watching them from nearby. As soon as their eyes met, Mabel smiled reflexively. Oscar tilted his head.
âMabel, why are you smiling.â
âBecauthe theweâth someting to smile about.â (Because thereâs something to smile about.)
Looking around, Oscar became puzzled. All he could see were busy soldiers, and Duke Javier was far away.
They didnât notice it, but everyoneâs eyes were on Mabel and the two handsome boys.
<figure>
Mabel was indescribably cute, and the two boys were also quite handsome. So the three standing together was like a picture.
And the news reached the father.
âWhat? âŠMabel is with a boy?â
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His low voice was dull.
âAnd sheâs smiling. And on top of that, cutely?â