/
“Ah, more than that, Bebe, I thought I should tell you too.”
“What?”
“Operation: Save Adele.”
When I heard that, I straightened my back and made eye contact with Dad.
“Did the High Priest come?”
But my dad shook his head heavily when I asked him joyfully.
“Oh
 he’s not coming?”
“Yes, that’s why we’ll work on both sides.”
“From both sides?”
“Tomorrow, I think I’ll go to the Emperor.”
“Tomorrow? That soon?”
I already heard it before, but my heart skipped a beat when I heard I was going to see the Emperor.
“I thought it would be better to do it as soon as possible for Adele.”
“For Mom?”
“While we’re going to see the Emperor, we’re going to kidnap the High Priest from the other side. I posted your registration documents and documents of marriage to Adele, and asked the High Priest to cooperate, but he did not comply, so I will kidnap you.”
Kidnapping or whatever, as long as I could save my mother, I’d be happy to. However, I couldn’t help but be worried that my dad might be in trouble because of me.
“But you said he already requested it but he refused? Doesn’t that mean they know? Who kidnapped him?”
“Well, it doesn’t matter.”
“You don’t care? But
”
My determined dad put his forehead lightly against mine; a firm, warm forehead.
It was like my dad’s arms.
“Bebe, who’s your dad?”
“The Grand Duke?”
“The Grand Duke’s name is called the Grand Duke because I should do anything out loud and openly, so I’m going to do anything outrageous. What happens after that is not your concern. Dad has an idea.”
I only blinked at my father’s unexpected words. Ah. That’s what the Grand Duke means.
“Ah
 I see! Don’t do anything blatantly
”
I said exactly what my dad said. Then my confident father’s face hardened.
“D-Don’t take it seriously, Bebe. Wasn’t it fun?”
“Ah? Were you joking?”
“Yeah, I studied all these things that women liked, but it didn’t work. It was a good joke.”
What a joke. My face stiffened for a moment.
“Who likes it? And who do you want to look good to?”
I pouted my lips and looked at my dad. My dad, who would have talked about it normally, laughed and awkwardly avoided my eyes.
“Knights said that this works. They say so much about how they got their current wife
 but it doesn’t seem to work. No, it didn’t work. Funny guys aren’t that attractive, right?”
“Um,  I like funny guys.”
But I refuted my father’s words head-on.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes! By the way, Dad, you have a nice face.”
I smiled brightly at my dad.
“Do you like my face?”
“Yes! My dad is handsome. You’re cool. You can say weird things with a face like this, so don’t worry.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Oh, isn’t this right? Dad smiled, holding his chin up and down, seemingly satisfied.
“But
?”
“Yes? But?”
“Can’t you do that with any girl? Huh? Don’t say weird things to other women.”
“Other women?”
“Yes. Only talk like that to my mom, understand?”
I said these words, wishing Mom and Dad well, but somehow Dad’s cheeks turned a bit red.
“Why aren’t you answering? You didn’t mean to do that to another woman?”
“Hmm. Bebe, what should I say to your mom?”
“What does my mom like? A funny guy? Should we practice a bit more?”
“Isn’t it the same for your mom? She’ll like fun things.”
“I see. But don’t practice.”
“Practice?”
“L-Let’s go in now. It’s cold.”
It had not been five minutes since he came out, but my dad suddenly turned his body away.
“We haven’t even seen the whole garden yet.”
“Ah, let’s go in today.”
The behavior was strange, but there was nothing I could do in my father’s arms.
Eventually, I went back to the room without taking a proper walk as my dad wanted.
When Cecilia was away for a while at lunch, Sylvie slowly approached me sitting next to the bed.
He looked scruffy as if he went out again today.
“My subordinate.”
“Again, not a subordinate. It’s Bebe!”
“
Huh. Yes, Bebe.”
Then, with a serious look, he climbed onto the bed and made eye contact with me.
“Why? What’s going on? Why are you looking at me like that today?”
“Hmm, do you know how the land cries?”
“Land? All of a sudden?”
“Do you know how to cry?”
I couldn’t even understand what Sylvie was saying, so I shook my head from side to side. Then, Sylvie looked satisfied and nodded.
“It’s muddy.”
As soon as the unexpected words came out of the dog’s mouth, I froze. What did he mean, ‘mud’?
But, not knowing my hardened expression, Sylvie’s eyes lit up.
“It’s fun.”
“
Why did you do this to me?”
“
You said you like funny men.”
“
Funny men. Ha
 Is that the story again? Why are you and Dad like this today?”
“Was it bad? Damn, everyone said it’s funny.”