***
Thud.
I fell straight onto the thick carpet.
For some time now, I had felt a strange confidence that I could stand on my own two feet, but I kept failing.
Darn it! I can do this!
I let go of my hand and wobbled…
Focusing on the center of my body, slowly and carefully…
‘I did it… I did it!’
I stood up! I really stood up!
I’m no longer a four-legged animal. After a year, I’ve finally become a human who walks on two feet!
Thump.
…Though I still fall down pretty quickly.
“Clap!”
Delight’s face, who had rushed over to see my first steps, broke into a huge smile. Unlike Monia and Zaire, he clapped vigorously.
Just because I stood up on two feet. But still, I’m quite proud of myself. Hehe.
Still, it’s just one step.
But it’s a significant improvement. With a bit more practice, I won’t fall down while walking.
I wasn’t the only one happy about my growth.
“Look at my daughter! Isn’t she’s amazing? She’s already started walking, so what’s next she would do?”
I’ve only taken a single step.
Delight was so happy that his whole body shook.
“I’m so excited, I’m almost scared.”
When you keep having expectations like this, it makes me ambitious too.
After starting with one great step forward and a bit more practice, I quickly managed to walk steadily.
It seemed like I would never grow, but time passed diligently and I began to grow rapidly.
Delight wasn’t like this when he was young.
Since becoming a baby, I often recalled the times when I had to raise my troublesome disciple.
Delight had particularly slow growth as a child. He didn’t gain weight well and seemed small and frail.
‘I even worried, thinking I was doing something wrong.’
Luckily, he grew rapidly from around the age of ten, so I didn’t worry too much.
I guess it was my fault for not raising him properly.
Good parenting does seem to make a difference.
I was growing robustly every day. Not to mention, getting chubbier.
Hehe. I feel somewhat proud.
In over two hundred years of living, this is the first time I’ve gained this much weight.
When I was young in my previous life, I starved because I had no money. Even after things improved, I found it bothersome to have regular meals because I was used to starving.
I often skipped meals unless I was very hungry. Plus, I had a small appetite, so I was always skinny.
The only thing I liked consuming was alcohol.
But now, thanks to my annoying disciple constantly feeding me, I’ve become quite plump.
However, I unexpectedly… quite like this state.
If I work a bit harder now… I might even be able to run. If that happens, I’ll be so happy, I’ll faint…
‘What am I thinking right now…!’
I was startled and almost pinched my cheek.
Imagining Delight’s happy face, I wanted to show off.
Though now he’s biologically my father, once a troublesome disciple, will always be a troublesome disciple for me.
Just as I was desperately trying to regain my composure,
“Haha. It feels like I’ve received a birthday gift.”
Delight smiled widely, as if his mouth would tear from happiness.
In fact, the first steps were not the only new change.
I was finally turning one year old!
And Delight was planning a big event to celebrate my birthday.
Delight’s smile suddenly turned down.
“Still, I wanted to carry you in my arms and enter.”
He had planned to hold me at the birthday party, proudly showing off his ‘most adorable, cute, and special child in the world.’
Just imagining it makes me want to hide under the fireplace out of embarrassment.
But that plan was ruined once I started walking.
“It would be more symbolic if the princess could walk in, even if just a little.”
“Is that so.”
His reluctant muttering almost sounded like whining.
“If the princess finds it difficult to walk after entering, it would also make a nice scene if His Majesty picked her up gracefully.”
So please bear with it a little.
Zaire’s true intentions were clearly heard.
“Well, that wouldn’t be bad either.”
Despite his indifferent tone, Delight’s lips were twitching uncontrollably.
A grand banquet was awaiting to celebrate the first birthday of the only princess of the Promian Empire.
Everything was ready to go to the banquet hall.
Although all I did was stay still while Monia dressed me up diligently.
All that was left was to put on my shoes.
“Please try on these shoes!”
Zaire, confidently holding out the shoes he had specially prepared, looked proud of himself.
Monia helped me put on the shoes and let me stand up.
As soon as I took a step,
Boing!
With the second step,
Boing boing!
Every step I took made a bouncing sound.
“Kyyaakh!”
What’s with this creepy sound? It’s so annoying!
“Oh my, what is this? Is the sound coming from the shoes?”
“Haha! It’s so cute!”
“Have shoes like these ever existed?”
But everyone else had the opposite reaction.
Delight looked like he might rush out to buy every kind of noisy shoe he could find, and asked,
“They are not yet available on the market. These are unreleased new products.”
Zaire excitedly began explaining how he obtained these shoes.
“They were developed by a shoemaker who got the idea when his young granddaughter accidentally stepped on a squeaky toy while playing.”
“As expected, inventions born out of love are truly unique.”
‘Stop being unnecessarily impressed by that!’
Delight’s admiration made Zaire’s shoulders straighten even more.
“I found them while looking for something special for the princess’s birthday. I thought it would be nice for her to wear new shoes to commemorate the occasion.”
“That’s a great idea.”
Delight nodded enthusiastically.
Thus, it was decided that I would appear at my first birthday celebration wearing these noisy shoes in front of everyone.
“Well, shall we go then?”
I had no say in this humiliating decision.
***
In the end, I made a grand entrance at the banquet hall, with each step accompanied by a loud boing until Delight picked me up at the entrance.
The applause and laughter from the people every time I took a step were intense.
Ugh, so embarrassing.
“Happy birthday to the princess. She is growing up so well.”
“The sight of the princess entering today is the most impressive I’ve ever seen at any banquet.”
“I’m envious of the shoes the princess is wearing today.”
The nobles who came to greet me and Delight couldn’t stop talking about the shoes.
“It seems the princess is happy with how much effort His Majesty has put into this.”
They were more fascinated by the novelty of the shoes, but also praising Delight for his attention to detail.
I have a feeling about this.
I extended my leg and carefully examined the shoes on my feet.
‘I have a feeling these shoes will become very famous after today.’
The squeaky shoes worn by the princess on her birthday.
While it was an incredibly embarrassing moment for me, it would likely become the talk among the ladies at the banquet, and they would want them for their own children.
I would know if my prediction was correct in a few days after the banquet ended.
Even as I was lost in thought, the greetings continued.
Everyone was trying to win Delight’s favor at the princess’s first birthday celebration that they had only heard rumors about.
Delight’s lips were slightly curled up in a smile.
But that was all.
In fact, he was starting to look a bit bored with the continuous greetings.
His head began to tilt to the side, and the hand patting my back slowed down.
Just as Delight raised his hand to signal that the greetings were over,
“The princess has grown so much already. His Majesty must be very pleased.”
A noblewoman, making a brief courtesy before leaving, gazed at me and said.
Delight responded indifferently, as if hearing something obvious.
“Pleasant news? Just her existence brings me joy, what more could there be?”
“The princess will soon call you ‘dad’ herself, that’s why I said it.”
I was listening half-heartedly to similar greetings when this strange remark caught my ear.
Wait, what did she just say?
