/
As soon as we entered the boundaries of the winter palace, Haniel’s expression darkened rapidly, like she had a rain cloud that was only over her head.
The flapping wings that had risen up when saying Teacher Darren’s name fell flat, and her two webbed feet that had been rolling excitedly were gathered properly and stretched out to the side.
“B-baby. What are you going to do if you’re already like this!”
[
..Mommyy.]
“That’s it. For now, let’s go back home first and—”
“Go back where?”
“

”
Rashid, returning from the Pavilion, approached us suddenly.
Since when were you outside!
As I hadn’t sensed anyone nearby, I was pretty surprised.
“Leaving as soon as you came?”
“
.Your, Your Highness.”
As hurried as I was, I tried to greet him properly, but it was unsatisfactory since I had Haniel in my arms. When I stood there unable to do anything with an already frozen child in my arms, Rashid shook his head first.
“Never mind, that kind of thing.”
“But
.”
Even without Haniel here, I already had complicated feelings in my heart about confronting him. Maybe because I was still a bit stuck on what happened that time he’d come to the villa, it wasn’t easy to face Rashid.
“
What, what might you be asking of me? As I’ve said countless times before, there’s nothing more to squeeze out from me.”
“I did not ask you to do anything.”
“

”
“I will be the one doing something.”
Just how diligently was he planning to squeeze something out of me?
Contrary to how nervous I was, feeling like I was already being juiced, Rashid leisurely left us, as if he was going to make a declaration of war.
How fiercely did he turn and walk that I wondered who in the world it was that had touched my cheek.
‘That’s how starved I must’ve been.’
To be blunt, it wasn’t like we’d kissed, or even hugged; all that he’d done was lightly put his hand on my cheek.
Since I had become a widow the moment I opened my eyes to this second life, it was probable that I had this kind of side effect. I had seen many a side character who deluded themselves over something like this and got mixed up, ruining their lives in the end.
“
.and what’s wrong with you?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
Anyhow, what was with that man seeming so okay.
Of course, I hadn’t thought that he would explain what happened that day, but Rashid was extremely calm.
As if he had lived like this his entire life, the way he stood there with his hands in his silver coat pockets just oozed off ease from his entire body.
Though that in itself was irritating too.
“
..Catherine.”
“Oh. Ye-es. This child over here is my real child. You saw her last time, but
.”
“I know.”
“

”
“Reina.”
The short call of her name made my heart drop with a thud.
He hadn’t even called my name, so why would I

I tried my best to focus solely on Haniel without being conscious of him anymore, but I wasn’t sure why I was so senselessly acting like this.
“
.Didn’t you say she was Reina before?”
“Oh, yes. You’re right!”
So continuous repetition was the way to go, even if you were blind and deaf.
Unexpectedly moved, I nodded my head.
I kind of knew this man now, and the fact that he had remembered the name of a bird was at par with the achievement of knocking down a few well-sized countries.
I hastily tickled Haniel’s neck to convince her to look at her own brother.
“Isn’t that right, Reina?”
[No. Not Haniel. Not Reina too. Mommy’s daughter. I’m foweva mommy’s daughter.]
“
.Oh, oh my.”
Haniel had become frozen solid into a robot the moment she’d faced Rashid, and she entered a state of unconditional negativity.
Perhaps because she thought we’d come so I could return her to her brother, she only shook her head denying everything automatically.
[No. No. Not Haniel. I’m mommy’s daughter!]
“
..This is, I mean, no. What’s happening now, child?”
Even Rashid, who hadn’t been interfering until now, approached with an expression that showed how strange he found this situation. That only made Haniel whip her head into harder shakes, but as a spectator he seemed to find this funny.
“I thought you said her guard’s gone down completely; did something happen on your way here?”
“Well, about that
.”
It’s ‘cause we came to your house, thank you very much.
Swallowing a lump in my throat, I wrapped up Haniel’s head into the palm of my hand gently. Thinking that it might be better for her if she couldn’t see him, I was using it as a temporary solution, but I did not expect the side effect that it would produce.
“I can’t see her.”
As much as he couldn’t see Haniel, he took one step forward towards us.
Even just the sound of her brother’s footsteps made our princess’s eyelids tremble, squeezed shut as they were.
“And what’s the problem now?”
[Mo-mommy. Empwer bwother, sword, sword is scawy!]
Haniel panted as she felt the ringing of the sword that even I hadn’t recognized.
As she had the body of an animal, she may have been more sensitive to sound, but certainly Rashid’s sword was threatening as it towered much bigger than the size of a child.
[When bwother takes out sword, scawy! Eyes hurt! Huehh.]
“
.Your Highness, if, if you could
”
“What?”
Unlike us mother and daughter, now deadly pale, Rashid looked down on his own body, clueless.
At this rate, this will be the death of this child.