/
“Is that important?”
“Of course; whatever the case was, Your Highness must have sought out the princess because Your Highness was worried and curious about her, but….”
“No, well, not to that extent.”
“No! You were!”
“…..”
“You were, but the princess may have been a bit taken aback, not knowing those intentions, so that’s why…”
So that’s why I tried straightening things out.
I only pressed my lips together and nodded at the end. I couldn’t be more thankful that Rashid considered me a ‘very strange woman’ at times like this…
“…..then let’s go with that.”
…seeing how he didn’t say anything despite that personality of his and just vaguely agreed.
“If that makes you feel easier.”
“What importance would I have in this? A person like me doesn’t matter at all, probably, but……”
“Who says?”
“……”
But at times like this, he would barge in mercilessly.
When he strongly narrowed his eyes, like he was telling me to be clear about these things, I went back to my natural position of the herbivore prey.
That position where I respectfully put my two hands together, and emitted the message ‘please let me go’ with my entire body.
‘But Haniel, you did hear what your big brother said, right?’
Anyhow, if this was the start, it wasn’t a bad outcome considering this was her first visit. He had taken off his badge and even his sword with his own hand, and he also didn’t raise his voice or become angry at the tea table either.
He did raise his eyebrows sharply at me, but at the very least, this meant he didn’t show the side of him that would make Haniel habitually cry out ‘Big bwother scawy!’ today.
“Now, do you want to try coming down?”
[…..Mommyy.]
At this chance, I gently tried unlocking my arms that were surrounding Haniel. It wasn’t that I was expecting her to run towards Rashid and hug him at all.
It was that at the very least, she shouldn’t be collapsing in front of her older brother anymore.
“……Hm.”
Rashid also had an expression of great interest, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Knowing that man, his interest was probably ‘I wonder if that thing won’t fall dead?’ but we couldn’t surrender to that.
‘Please, I’m asking please!’
Baby, mommy is watching you.
Even if you don’t go to your brother, at least to somewhere nearby.
[……okey.]
Maybe my desperate hope shone out of my eyes—instead of swooning, Haniel put in her strength in each of her feet. The way even the webbing of her feet were tensing up made for a pretty resolute picture.
‘Yes, you’re doing well!’
When I lifted up her chin to have her moving faster, Haniel’s beak became as sharp as that of a haughty princess.
Tap, one foot!
That’s right. You start with one foot, and that is your first step!
Pumping my hands into fists, I was about to start clapping as encouragement, until….
[Wented. Haniel wented!]
….it ended at exactly the first step.
[Mommy, didju see?]
……
[Haniel wented dis much to Empwo Bwother!]
Didju see? I wented so so so far!
Looking back at what was about 3 centimeters’ distance that she had gone, she scampered back to me and buried her face.
“Mm…..”
Our princess, you had a lot against him, huh.
Now solemn, I pressed my lips like I was supporting my chin with the hand I was preparing to clap with. I was about to pass over this event like nothing much had happened, but this wasn’t something I could end because I alone decided that anymore.
“……”
Slide—Rashid put back the hand that he’d put out without knowing to its original position.
He didn’t say a word about what he would do, that he would hold her in his hands or pet her if she came near, or anything.
No, he wasn’t a man to even expect such things from.
“……”
It was only that his hand, which had come forth more than was necessary, had returned to where it came from. If he hadn’t reached out so far, it would’ve seemed more natural.
To think there would come a day where I actually pitied the Emperor.
Unable to look at him, I slightly tilted my head away from him with my hand still covering my lips.
“You laughing.”
“…..No, of course not. Laughing, how could I. Ahem.”
“You know you’re bad at acting.”
Look at how he talks. No wonder the child freaks out after going one step closer to him.
“I said you can do whatever you want.”
“Cough. No, I really wasn’t. How could I dare….”
“Catherine, you can’t deceive me anyways, so turn your head back and….
“B-baby!”
Popping up, Haniel’s beak made contact first with the hand he’d reached out to turn me around.
Peck—considering that she had just pecked the Emperor spiritedly, her body was shaking to the point of being heartbreaking.
[Dun, dun do that! You can’t do that!]
“…….”