On the day of the martial arts tournament, I sat in my highchair in my chick-like dress.
“My dear, you are eating so well again today.”
“You don’t grumble at all, my dear, and you’re all modest and gentle!”
“She is Master Damien’s sister for sure.”
“And the darling is Lady Laurentia’s sister!”
The maids fed me baby food, commenting on my resemblance to my sister and brother.
“Still can’t eat on your own?
Two weeks earlier, I’d tried and ended up with a mess.
My cow muscles…….
So naturally, I had no intention of doing it today.
There was no way I was going to ruin a dress that the designer had put so much effort into and that my mum had spent twice as much on.
Then, the door opened.
Is it my brother or…….
A few days earlier, my brother had told me something with a serious face.
‘I really want to be Anastasia’s partner for her first outing…….’
The only problem was that my sister Laurencia was hiding her face.
She laughed at my brother, but then she said something a little more subtle.
‘I, I want to partner with Sasha!’
My brother just laughed in embarrassment.
They may be babies, but they’re peacocks, so I figured they’d have some manners.
In the end, it wasn’t him who entered the room, but the ‘or’.
“Hello, baby.”
Mikhail Leventis was truly a man of his word.
He had indeed returned from the Grand Duchy after a month.
“You’re back?”
“Yes.”
The maids scrambled for the baby food bowl at Mikhail’s entrance.
“I’m not going to try to feed her…. today.”
Mikhail scratched his cheek with an embarrassed expression at their reaction.
After learning the proper way to play with babies from my brother, Mikhail had once curiously tried to feed me.
Needless to say the food went as much into my collar as into my mouth.
The results were even more disastrous than when I had tried to feed myself with my undeveloped muscles.
After that, Mikhail failed again and again, showering me with the food.
‘Nothing is spilled when the maids feed me…….’
I was such a good eater that I didn’t need a bib.
No wonder the maids were wary of Mikhail; they didn’t want him to ruin my beautiful dress.
‘Come to think of it, he’s all dressed up today, too.’
His hair, which was usually somewhat haphazardly combed by hand, was quite neat today.
His hair was so good that it looked like he had styled it even if he just brushed it haphazardly.
Underneath his dark navy blue jacket, he wore a shirt that was a shade lighter while a ribbon was tied around his neck.
It was a change from the usual shirt or tunic he wore to go to class with my brother. Which meant that Mikhail looked quite like the little gentleman today.
He waited patiently for me to finish my food, and for the maids to clean my mouth before approaching.
“Hmm, hmm, ” he coughed, looking with a somewhat amused expression before bending down on one knee in front of me and holding out his hand.
“Will you allow me to escort you today, youngest princess?”
The maids let out shocked gasps at Mikhail’s unchildlike grace.
For some reason, I thought I saw the same look in his eyes when the other maid was talking about the handkerchiefs they wanted to give to the knights, but I must have seen it wrong.
* * *
The space where the tournament would take place was that far.
It was only a short carriage ride and about thirty minutes to get off and go inside.
I had hoped to walk the rest of the way on my own feet once I got off the carriage, but…….
“The stairs are hard to walk on, aren’t they? Let me carry you.”
“Child, it’s steep.”
I made my intentions clear to Mikhail that I didn’t want help.
Especially his……!
“You can walk? Your legs must be hurting.”
“Ouch.”
“It’s okay. I’m okay, I’ve already said no.”
“Shaya!”
I refused once again.
Mikhail Leventis, who’s a pro at understanding my ramblings, just brushed off what I wanted.
“You gotta have some guts if you can’t even hold her like this!”
I mean, couldn’t I just let my escort, who was okay with hugging me from the side, handle it instead?
“I’m supposed to be looking after the youngest princess today, Damian.”
But Mikhail’s sense of duty was totally useless.
Should I blame my brother… Should I blame him?
But I just couldn’t.
I knew that if I left my sister in Mikhail’s care, something bad would happen for sure.
“I guess it’s better if I take the hit.”
For my sister’s sake, I’d accept everything.
Anyway, I arrived at the venue safely, except for some minor discomforts.
* * *
The ground thumped.
When my sister and I were told that now was the time to give flowers to the winner, cheers erupted among the knights.
“Youngest lady, we will definitely get your flowers!”
“Well, the prize is ours, Miss Lara!”
“Hmmm, hmmm. Don’t worry, we’ll take it and give it to you, Master!”
But of course, the embarrassing ego battle was a bonus.
Then…
“Lara, let’s go! Cheer up!”
My sister said, bouncing around the knights.
“I know you’ll not go back on your word. I hope you’ll not betray my trust,” my brother said with a murderous smile…….
“Me, too?”
Do they know that I’m just a nine-month-old baby?
Although I was almost 10 months old, If I were to try talking, only a bunch of gibberish would come out of my mouth.
While I was wondering what to do, Mikhail whispered to me:
“Don’t worry, baby, I’ll tell everyone.”
No, that wasn’t the problem.
As I was thinking about the morale of my knights, I realized that not only were my knights watching me, but they were also watching Mikhail’s mouth.
Phew, I can’t help it.
If he wishes it so.
“My lady-“
“You all listened to the youngest princess, didn’t you? Win long.”
“Yes, youngest princess, I will do my best!” The knights shouted, their faces full of pride, wondering what was so delightful about those words.
I thought that would be the end of it.
However…
“Will you say a word for me too?”
“Huh?”
“Because I will be participating too.”
What?
You are?
You’re going to jump in the middle of all those magnificent, big knights?
Of course, I knew from the last kidnapping that Mikhail’s skills were better than those of his peers, or even the apprentice knight.
‘Still, there’s a big difference in strength and size.’
My first thought was that he’d get hurt.
I might have looked down on Mikhail a little, but I didn’t want him to get hurt.
He was only a six-year-old kid.
But then Mikhail lowered himself to his knees, looked at me, and said again, with an almost patronizing look on his face:
“Aren’t you going to cheer for me? I need you to cheer me on so I can win at least one fight.”
After hearing his words, I involuntarily let out a sigh.
“There goes the little baby again.”
‘I told you not to call him little!’
He still needed to grow up; he’s not tall enough.
Mikhail took my chubby hand in his and shook it gently.
“Yes, baby, just say one word.”
“Dyayi ma.”
“Don’t get hurt, not win?”
“Ooh,” I nodded.
It’s probably best if you don’t get hurt, and they don’t pay me to win, oh, they do pay me. It’s not like Mikhail had a cool prize waiting for him if he won this dumb contest anyway.
“I gotta step up my game to impress the kid. It’s just Damian who keeps saying I’m cool.”
“What?”
Is she really taking what I said to heart the other day?
“-My dad, Mariah.”
I copied my sister’s words, making Damien pout.
Then, Mikhail beside me asked eagerly, “Am I not cool? I dueled the Duke today and even landed a punch.”
Obviously, I had to say it wasn’t cool. What daughter would say it’s cool for her dad to get hit?
Maybe I could have said it in my past lives, but not this one.
“Fine, I’ll come back unscathed. It’s just a kid.”
“Huh?”
“If I win, once, you gotta admit I’m cool.”
I acted clueless and turned my back on him like babies do when they lose interest.
Mikhail chuckled at my response, saying, “The princess is playing dumb again.”
Damn, this guy is oddly perceptive.
I was so shocked by Mikhail entering the tournament that I thought nothing else would surprise me today. I was prepared for some minor injuries or blood. Everyone was using non-lethal weapons, so no one would get seriously hurt. With kids in the audience, it felt more like a wrestling match.
“Win, win, win, winner team lala!”
While my sister was all hyped up, I watched the competition somewhat apathetically. I even nodded off a bit, until…
“Laurentia, Anastasia!”
My father’s voice, which I hadn’t heard all day, echoed from the competition area…?
“Your flowers are meant for Dad!”
What? No, dad…
I looked at the man acting so childishly and felt sorry for him. It was literally a grown man fighting with kids…
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