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The child’s clear black eyes, staring at her, shook.
Fletta came closer to Cezanne. Now, the combed black hair looked well-groomed and neat. Even the black eyes, which symbolized the energy of darkness, looked fine.
‘Do you really want me to pet you?’
Cezanne stretched out her hand awkwardly. Fletta just stared at Cezanne silently. She stroked Fletta’s soft, fine hair once.
At that moment, a bright smile crossed Fletta’s face.
Cezanne looked down at Fletta, unaware that she was also smiling lightly.
“Huh? You just smiled. The princess looks so pretty when you smile!”
“Yes?”
“Really. I’ve never seen anyone so pretty. Just like the stars in the sky.”
“Really? Thank you.”
“And…”
“Yes?”
Fletta hesitated for a while before talking with her lips.
“You’re the best person I’ve ever known.”
At those words, Cezanne’s expression hardened for a moment.
She was never a good person. She was actually one of the imperial families who tried to send Fletta out of the Imperial Palace, and she even pretended not to know in the past.
“I am not that good of a person.”
At Cezanne’s words, Fletta immediately grew pale and said, “I… made a mistake.”
“Is that a speaking habit?”
She wondered how much has she been subjected to abuse that an apology comes straight out of her mouth.
Seeing Cezanne’s stiffened expression, Fletta shook her head.
“N, No…”
Cezanne was a little angry. Of course, she wasn’t angry at Fletta, but at the person who made Fletta like this.
“That’s not a good way to talk, because you’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Oh…”
“I’m tired, so I’m going to rest.”
“Yes.”
Fletta followed Cezanne, who was turning around, but soon stopped.
Her face, which had brightened at the arrival of the princess, quickly turned gloomy.
Fletta was somehow sullen because she thought Cezanne found her annoying. But the end of her gaze was still directed at Cezanne. She was standing with a puppy-like face as if asking her to take a look at her…
Unlike Fletta, Cezanne has yet to open her heart wide.
Until that evening, Fletta and Cezanne were in the same palace, but they spent time separately.
Fletta walked around with cautious steps, roaming her curious eyes here and there, while Cezanne was stuck in her study, reading the books she needed to prepare for class.
Every time she went out to the drawing room, Fletta followed Cezanne, so she couldn’t help but pay attention.
But Cezanne ignored it and continued to read. Before she knew it, Fletta was dozing off on the sofa.
Seeing this, Cezanne wondered if she should buy a toy for the child to play with. But for now, she decided to withdraw her attention a little.
She still didn’t know how she felt. The thought— if she treats Fletta well, she won’t summon Basilisk— was actually a complacency.
Nevertheless, the child kept appearing before her eyes. Cezanne brought the rabbit doll that she used to play with as a child next to Fletta, who was dozing off.
Cezanne, who lied in the bathtub while receiving Mel’s massage, seemed to be slowly relieving her fatigue.
“You seem to have a lump around your shoulders, would you like me to massage a little more?”
“No need, this much is fine, but give me a cup of tea. I want to take a break.”
“Yes, Princess.”
A cup of warm tea and the relaxing half-body bath drove away the fatigue.
How long did she rest in the bathtub?
Cezanne inadvertently recalled the wounds that had filled the child’s body.
Wounds that were hard to even imagine how painful it must have been. As soon as she saw it, her heart sank.
‘She must be sleeping by now.’
After changing clothes, Cezanne headed to Fletta’s room.
‘I have to heal Fletta’s wounds while she’s sleeping.’
But as soon as she opened the door, Fletta was crying while hugging the doll tightly.
“…can I come in?”
It was funny to ask for consent when she already opened the door without permission.
Fletta roughly wiped the tears from her big eyes and nodded.
Cezanne, who thought it was natural for a child to cry because they were in an unfamiliar environment, sat side by side on the bed next to Fletta.
“You cried.”
“……”
As her big eyes turned to Cezanne, she gave her a look that said it was okay. Fletta was a child who was conscious of crying. Usually, children don’t cry when they see someone’s eyes.
She felt kind of saddened by the sight. Still, it would be better to talk to her now since she has already made up her mind.
Cezanne spoke, pointing cautiously at Fletta’s back.
“I saw you were hurt last time. Can I see your back for a second?”
It’s not perfect, but she learned a simple healing magic in magic class.
At that time, the burn on the back was the worst.
Fletta seemed ashamed, but she quietly rolled up her pajamas and showed her back.
Cezanne felt like her heart was being crushed again by the wounds left on her tender skin.
“I’ll treat you. Tell me if it hurts.”
“Yes.”
Cezanne caressed Fletta on the back and put her palms on her back.
“Heal!”
A warm light emanating from the palm of her hand spread over Fletta’s wounds.
Fletta felt a pleasant warmth, and her eyes widened with a curious face.
The wounds on her back slowly healed up. She also healed the other parts, and now only a small wound remains.
“How is it? Does it hurt?”
The child shook her head.
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“Okay, good night.”
Fletta grabbed Cezanne’s hem when she was about to stand up after giving her treatment.
“What’s wrong?”
Fletta hesitated, but her lips did not open. She couldn’t speak.
She had nightmares because she was scared of Mrs. Milla. Even Princess Vivian was scary.
“I, It’s nothing.”
When Fletta closed her lips again, Cezanne patted her head and spoke.
“You should say what you want to say.”
“…I had a scary dream.”
“That’s why you were crying?”
Fletta nodded, shrugging her shoulders.
Cezanne thought about it for a moment, then walked back to the bed and spoke.
“…there. If you’re scared, would you like to sleep with me tonight?”
“R, Really?”
Only then did the little child’s face instantly brighten up. She didn’t expect her to like it this much.
Cezanne lied down with her back turned towards Fletta, feeling quite awkward to sleep with someone. She glanced behind her and saw that Fletta had closed her eyes with a face full of warmth and happiness.
Then she pulled the blanket up to her neck and murmured.
“The princess smells really good. I feel good.”
“Really?”
“Yes… I always felt like I was alone in the dark, but not anymore.”
“I see. Yes, you’re not alone anymore.”
Cezanne turned around. She patted the little child on the shoulder when she saw her black eyes.
“Now it will be brightened with light. I will make it happen.”
Was it because Cezanne’s sweet voice sounded like a lullaby?
Fletta was able to sleep without nightmares that night.
Only the soft, gentle breathing filled Fletta’s room.
The next morning, Cezanne stared silently at Fletta, who hugged her tightly at the back.
‘What shall I do for you? Yes, I’ll heal you, so that the darkness of the basilisk won’t awaken. Fletta, I’ll protect you and keep you safe.’
Cezanne vowed as she gently brushed Fletta’s soft cheek.
* * *
A few days later.
On a fresh morning, Cezanne, who had two glasses of milk tea, opened her mouth.
“Mel.”
“Yes, Princess.”
“It’s about Fletta. She has been wearing the same clothes all the time. It’s bothering me somehow.”
Treating Fletta that day and sleeping together was a cozy and warm experience for Cezanne.
Cezanne couldn’t forget the breath of the little child who was wriggling and sleeping quietly.
She also thought she would like Fletta.
In addition, Mel also realized that Cezanne has been talking quite a lot about Fletta recently.
“Shall I bring the princess’s childhood dress?”
“No, I want to buy a new one for Fletta.”
After saying that, Cezanne spoke again as if she had made up her mind.
“I’ll have to choose some clothes right away.”
“I will contact Count Violet right away and have him enter the Imperial Palace.”
“Yes. If possible…”
“Yes.”
“…I hope it’s a very cute dress.”
Cezanne said with a somewhat excited face.
Cezanne, who said those words, was so unfamiliar and new that Mel was stunned for a moment.
It was because the princess, who said those words, looked rather cute.
“…Yes, I will tell him to prepare cute and lovely clothes, Princess.”
“Yes.”
“If there’s anything else the princess needs, I’ll ask for it together.”
“I’m fine. Oh, Fletta’s shoes and hair ornaments. Well, would a hat be better than a headdress?”
“Headdresses are better indoors.”
“Hmm, I also think so. But you’ll also need a hat to go out.”
Seeing Cezanne contemplating very seriously, Mel could not hold back his laughter and chuckled.
“Somehow, today, the princess seems to look just like the Empress?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s nothing. I’ll prepare it right away.”
Cezanne tilted her head as she watched Mel’s back disappear.
That day, Cezanne looked through the catalog of children’s dresses that Violet brought, and ordered them to bring all of the clothes.
Fletta, who didn’t even have a decent dress, needed a lot of clothes.
“That yellow dress is so cute.”
“This sky blue dress, too.”
“These are all Fletta’s clothes. Try them all on.”
The maids became busy with Cezanne’s continuous orders, and Fletta was dragged around with a distraught face.
They were high-end clothes that she had never worn in her life.
The soft touch felt like it was wrapped around her body as soon as it touched her body.
“The colors are so pretty…. The color of the sky, the color of the leaves, the color of the brick, the color of the rose, the color of the lemon just like the princess’s hair color.”
Cezanne was also pleased to see Fletta looking at the children’s dresses in various colors with curious eyes.
It was fortunate that Fletta liked it. Although Cezanne was usually too lazy to choose her own clothes, it was so much fun to choose Fletta’s clothes.
So whenever she found cute clothes, she put them on Fletta. That’s why there were so many dresses that she brought this time. There seemed to be well over 30.
Sitting sluggishly on the sofa, Cezanne rose as Fletta wore a blue dress.
Only then did her green eyes open, and a satisfied smile settled on her lips.