IBYSRHML | Chapter 50

Episode 50

“Lilliana . Didn’t you want to see the circus? You told your sister last time that you wanted to see the fire show.”

“Yeah. I do want to see it. But I’ll get to see it someday. Lilliana  is six years old now.”

“Our youngest sister-in-law is such a cool kid. You’ll become a real hero when you grow up.”

“Huh?”

When I looked up, I saw Marius smiling with a moved expression.

I thought he would hate it because I drew a line…

“Your brother-in-law, um… wants to watch the circus and get close to Edgar again. Then I want to sincerely apologize to him and promise not to act that way anymore. Just like Alice and Lilliana .”

“L-like us?”

“Yeah. So I hope Lilliana  can help persuade Edgar. If he says no, then that’s fine, but I still want to try.”

“Okay. I’ll ask him once. But don’t get your hopes up. I’m on Edgar’s side, you know? Not Pupu’s.”

“Lilliana . Thank you for being such a good friend to Edgar.”

A friend is a friend—what’s a good friend supposed to be?

I couldn’t make any sense of what he was saying, so I decided to focus on the chocolate cake Marius handed me, saying I did well.

Today, even my eldest sister didn’t stop me from having snacks.

When I told Edgar about Marius’s suggestion in the morning, his eyes grew wide.

“The circus?”

“Yeah! The circus! Doesn’t it sound fun?”

“Well, yeah…”

He trailed off, seemingly hesitant about going with Marius.

I didn’t want Edgar to force himself because of me, so I quickly added something else.

“If not the circus, we could learn to make cookies from my second sister. If you put lots of chocolate inside, they’ll be really sweet.”

Not wanting to pressure him, I rubbed my face against a cookie on Edgar’s bed and distracted myself.

It was a bit disappointing to miss the circus, but there were plenty of other fun things to do.

We hadn’t even finished exploring the imperial garden yet. We didn’t even see the pond.

So the circus wasn’t absolutely necessary.

“I’ll tell Pupu we’re not going. So don’t worry, Edgar.”

N/ She called Marius pupu, why? because when she tried to call him brother in law, in korean first sound is pu then she repeated it (pupu)

“No. Let’s go.”

“Huh? I thought you didn’t want to?”

Edgar stared straight at me and then suddenly raised the corners of his lips.

“I’m curious about the circus too.”

“But you don’t like Pupu.”

“It’s uncomfortable, but I can handle it for a day. And you want to see it too—the fire-breathing clown guy.”

“W-well, that’s true. You’re not going just because of me, right?”

“I told you earlier. I… I want to see the circus too!”

If he wants to see it, he should just say so—why’s he blushing?

I jumped up and went to tell Marius the news.

And so, the three of us went to see the circus.

“Hurry up! Hurry! Pupu, you’re not walking slowly on purpose, right? Huh? Let’s go already!”

I pulled Marius with all my strength, but no way a restless adult would let himself be dragged.

I shook his tightly held hand vigorously, and he let out a small laugh.

“Did you really want to see the circus that badly?”

“Yeah! I want to see the clown on the unicycle and eat delicious food.”

For today, Marius had left his attendants behind and even disguised himself as a commoner.

Uncle Max and Leopold said it was dangerous and insisted on coming too, but Marius refused.

He seemed to think we could only get closer to Edgar if it was just the three of us.

‘But they’re so awkward together.’

Marius joked endlessly with me, but with Edgar, he didn’t know what to do.

Edgar, for his part, was clearly uncomfortable with his cousin.

If I weren’t here, the mood would’ve been a total mess.

“Isn’t there anything you want to see, Edgar?”

“I’m not sure.”

“There’s fun stuff besides the circus too. At night, the imperial palace wizards are going to do fireworks. It’s spring festival season, you know.”

“That sounds fun.”

Edgar responded half-heartedly and clammed up.

Hah. I guess it’s time for me to step in.

“I want to see them! Fireworks! Edgar, you’re going to watch the fireworks with me, right? Huh?”

“Are you a kid? Falling for that.”

“I’m six, so I am still a kid! You’re short too. We’re watching them, okay? No backing out. And Pupu, if you don’t show us the fireworks, that’s not okay either. Got it?”

I don’t need Marius’s permission. If I decided we’re watching them, then we are.

I opened my eyes wide to show I wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Puhaha. Marius burst out laughing and nodded.

“Alright. The firework show starts at 7 today, so let’s definitely watch it then.”

Holding Marius’s hand tightly, we entered past the gates of the circus park and were met with a fantastic sight.

A musician playing the violin while riding a unicycle, tumbling clowns, acrobats practicing tightrope walking.

“Edgar, look at that guy! He’s breathing fire with his mouth!”

“Whoa! A somersault! I’ve never done one before!”

“Whoa! They’re giving out candy over there! Edgar, let’s go get some too!”

I kept shouting in awe.

Was the circus park a fairy kingdom straight out of a storybook?

It was so amazing, fun, and dazzling.

“Let’s go see that too.”

Marius grabbed our hands and led us to where a crowd had gathered.

The problem was, there were too many people to see what was happening.

“I can’t see a thing. Can you, Edgar?”

“Me neither.”

Even tiptoeing didn’t help.

Seeing this, Marius lifted me up.

“Can you see now?”

“Yeah! I can see! They’re juggling!”

“Juggling?”

Edgar rolled his eyes, as if he wanted to see the juggling after hearing my excitement.

He clearly wanted Marius to lift him too but felt too awkward to ask.

Aha. So I have to help again?

“Put me down now. It’s scary being up here.”

“Then it’s Edgar’s turn now.”

Marius reached out to lift Edgar.

But Edgar stepped back.

“I think I’m okay.”

“Nope. If you want to practice juggling with me later, you have to watch.”

When I insisted, Marius hoisted Edgar up onto his shoulders.

“Uh…”

It must’ve been awkward having Marius, not Leopold, give him a shoulder ride—Edgar stiffened.

Marius spoke softly.

“Edgar. Can you see?”

“Uh… yeah. I mean, yes.”

“You’re not heavy at all, so watch as much as you want. Alright?”

“No, please put me down. I saw enough.”

“You don’t want to see more?”

“No. I saw it all. It was fun enough.”

Back on the ground, Edgar’s face turned faintly red.

He looked embarrassed and shy, so I took his hand.

After watching the show under the tent and the fireworks, the day would be perfect.

Just thinking about it made my chest swell with excitement, and I hugged Marius’s leg tightly.

“Pupu. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For bringing me to such a cool place. You’re the best, Pupu.”

As I rubbed my cheek on his leg, he looked a little flustered but gently patted my head.

“I’ll bring you again next time. Are you two thirsty? Let’s get some water. We’ve been walking for three hours—you’ll collapse at this rate.”

“I want the grilled sausage over there too. Edgar?”

“Me too… grilled sausage…”

While we filled our bellies with sausages and drinks, Marius tended to us at our side.

He seemed tired from looking after us alone—his under eyes had darkened a little.

That’s strange. He works all day at the palace and seems fine.

Turns out Marius isn’t as physically strong as I thought?

“Edgar. Isn’t this fun? Aren’t you glad you came today?”

“Yeah. Well… a little.”

He tried to act indifferent to my question, but the slight curl of his lips showed he was really enjoying it.

Marius, seeing that, smiled as if all his fatigue melted away.

His smile was so bright I wanted to tell Edgar to look at him—it showed just how much Marius had been worrying.

“If you’re done eating, let’s go in now. We need to hurry to get front row seats.”

“Mm. But I want to go to the bathroom.”

“Uh, uh…?”

Marius, who had been sitting on a bench, jerked awkwardly.

That’s right. Marius, who had never raised a little girl, hadn’t expected a situation where he’d have to take her to the bathroom.

I shook an empty water bottle and said again.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Th-then let’s go. We have to, right.”

Marius had no choice but to take Edgar and me to the public restroom.

In front of the women’s restroom, he asked me several times.

“Are you really okay? If it’s hard to go alone, I’ll ask one of the ladies to help.”

“Pffft. Do you think I’m a baby? Pupu, just wait here outside.”

“Alright. But if there’s any trouble, you have to say so. Got it?”

“Got it, got it.”

I left Marius and Edgar outside and went into the bathroom.

My sisters treated me like a little kid, but six years old is grown up.

I went by myself and even washed my hands thoroughly.

I had to stand on tiptoe to reach the sink, but that wasn’t a problem.

When I came back out, Marius and Edgar, who were supposed to be waiting, were nowhere to be seen.

Did they go to the restroom?

I waited in front of the women’s restroom for them.

Then, a little further away, I saw blonde hair glinting.

An adult and a child. It was definitely Marius and Edgar.

‘Why are they waiting over there?’

Were they embarrassed to stand in front of the women’s restroom?

I quickly ran after them. But they didn’t stop and walked into the crowd.

“Pupu! Edgar!”

I screamed for them at the top of my lungs, but it was no use.

They were walking so fast, I couldn’t catch up.

I dashed after them, breathless, and grabbed the boy’s shoulder.

“Edgar!”

The boy turned his head.

“Huh?”

It should’ve been Marius and Edgar, but it wasn’t.

I stepped back and looked around.

I had chased them blindly, and now I didn’t remember where the bathroom was.

And since the circus performance was about to begin, the place was packed, and I couldn’t see anything.

“Wh-what do I do.”

I lost Marius.