Chapter 38
“It’s asleep. I thought it was dead at first too, but it was asleep as if it were dead.”
“Then it’s not sick? Is it okay?”
The treatment room.
I grabbed the trouser leg of the doctor who was about to open the door and asked again.
The bird’s fur was also white, so it looked like a corpse frozen in a freezer.
“I-It’s okay, right?”
As my hands trembled at the terrible sight, the Doctor, who was bending his knees with a surprised look, held my hand tightly.
“I also got the sap for the bird. It had a slight bruise on its wing, so I treated it. Don’t worry.”
“…Really? It’s down like that, though?”
“In a few days, it will be up and running. Who am I? I’m the Chief Doctor of Vallois.”
A sense of relief came suddenly as the Doctor smiled with confidence.
“And, Princess. Vallois never kneels.”
He also grabbed me from his trouser leg and straightened me upright.
“Don’t worry.”
I’m worried.
…But I’m sure the Doctor’s eyes are more accurate than mine.
“Thank you, Uncle Doctor.”
Fortunately, as the Doctor said, the bird head’s condition improved day by day.
The unstable breathing became steady.
Its hardened feathers glimmered as if they had been rubbed with rose oil.
A few days later.
The Guide finally took off the sap for the birds.
Then, it lay down on a special bed made by the servants and was moved to my bedroom.
A few more days laterㅡ
“Dad, do you want to go see the bird with me?”
“Of course.”
“Your Grace. You must not escape while on duty.”
Cassis, who was following me, listened to the aide’s warning.
“Agasa. I am the head of Vallois.”
“Yes. And I saw all of Vallois’ work. For five years.”
Shringㅡ
The madness accumulated from fatigue shone in his eyes as he took off his glasses.
“If Your Grace escapes, I will follow too. But I don’t know what the future holds for Vallois.”
“…”
“When Little Miss becomes an adult, the power of Vallois must be even stronger.”
The moment my name was mentioned, his back flinched as he was about to leave the office.
“…”
Cassis, who had moved his lips for a while, seemed to be trying to take advantage of the family head’s rights.
“Shall we go after work?”
There was a hint of sadness in the question with his tail lowered obediently.
“Sure!”
Nodding at Agasa’s stinging gaze, I brought Dad back to the desk.
And I also walked over and sat down in a special children’s chair.
‘He did a good job.’
In that state, he glanced at Agasa.
“Thank you for taking my advice. Let’s finish work and take a look at bird friend.”
“…Alright.”
“And I will go with you.”
“Why Aga too?”
Agasa raised the corner of his lips as if he was satisfied with the calming of the two Vallois.
“Because I’m curious too.”
The expression on Cassis’ face as he held the pen became disapproving.
Dad seemed to think that his time alone with me was interrupted, but still.
“…”
He seemed to keep his mouth shut because he had no particular reason to refuse.
‘Agasa, you jerk. It seems like you have become the real power of our family.’
Agasa must have learned how to deal with Dad.
It was obvious without looking at the method.
That is to mention ‘Billishia’, my name.
Phew.
Time has changed a lot.
‘It seems like yesterday that I was addressing Dad by calling his name.’
Anyway, my dad.
He’s the best villain in the world, yet how did he end up like this?
‘But Agasa is right.’
I nodded my head at Cassis who was doing his work with his lips pouted.
In fact, Agasa filled the vacancy of the head of household for five years.
It was true that a part of him was cold.
But since that was also for Vallois, I hated to imagine Vallois without Agasa.
‘I’m so glad Agasa is on our side.’
Shiverㅡ
Feeling the importance of a competent person, I vowed never to challenge him again.
“Your Grace. The letters have arrived.”
Another aide, whose name was Prizzle as I heard, nodded his head before leaving the box on the desk and backing off.
The box, which was luxuriously finished with paper, was bigger than my body.
‘…By the way, are all the letters in that box?’
Like a meerkat, I jerked my head to look at the box.
Grin.
Cassis, who had been watching me like that, smiled silently.
“I got a reply to the invitation.”
“Invitation?”
What invitation?
I blinked my eyes at the unfamiliar words.
Seeing my ignorance, the two narrowed their eyes as if they were bewildered.
“Ah. Come to think of it, this must be your first time attending a regular banquet in Vallois.”
“Right.”
Regular banquet?
‘Ah, are they talking about the official banquet hosted by Vallois?’
I had never heard of it in my previous life.
The days when tigers smoked cigarettes.
I heard that once a year, a banquet is held in the Vallois’ castle with the central hall.
However, in my previous life, the head of Vallois wasn’t in a state to hold a banquet.
I also lived in the annex as if I were dead, so I didn’t even go to social gatherings, let alone banquets.
‘That’s why, this is the first time I’ve had a banquet in Vallois.’
I feel like I’m coming back again.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve been like this.’
Excitement swelled like water droplets.
I squeezed my fingers as I struggled to calm my emotions.
“A banquet?”
Twinkle, twinkle.
I have work to do as a princess with a gold spoon!
Let me, full of curiosity, ask for an explanation with shining purple eyes.
“I was mistaken that Little Miss has been here for a long time. So, of course, I thought you would know, but now that I think about it, you haven’t been here for less than a year.”
“So am,”
- Cassis, who was about to agree, frowned.
Dad also had a regular banquet for the first time in five years.
“Agasa. Get Billie’s dress and supplies ready soon.”
“I understand. How much should I budget for?”
He gave the order with his eyes fixed on the paperwork while concentrating to play with me quickly.
“To the level of Vallois.”
***
A few days later.
On the day of Vallois’ regular banquet.
“Kyaa, you’re so cute! Princeeeeess! Aagh!”
Lisa, who had finished putting on my dress, covered her mouth with a fist and suppressed a scream of emotion.
“Hmm.”
Swooshㅡ
I did a final check in front of a full-length mirror.
As I shook the hem of the dress, which had a color similar to Vallois’s unique eye color, a soft light seeped in.
Like the self-made sparkle in the cave.
A brooch of a black panther symbolizing Vallois was draped near the right chest.
Flutterㅡ
As I turned around, the two strands, which were tied together with genuine self-made string, gleamed.
“Hmm. This is good enough for the Princess of Vallois.”
Confidently, I put two cotton fists on my waist.
“I’m Vallois! I can introduce myself like this!!”
Clap, clap, clapㅡ
Satisfied applause from Lisa and the maid sisters.
Thanks to that, I was able to go out with a charismatic Tibetan fox look.
It’s 4 P. M. now.
‘The banquet starts at 5.’
I bravely looked at the third annex where the banquet was being held from the veranda of the central castle.
Quite a few nobles were already present in the hall.
“Billie.”
It was then.
I turned my head to Cassis’ voice.
“…Dad?”
A black uniform that was perfect for his tall and broad physique.
His black hair was pulled straight up and his features were shaved under the forehead, which was clearly exposed.
The purple eyes toward me looked more mysterious today.
‘It’s Vallois.’
It was the word that came to my mind the moment I saw Dad.
‘The Vallois that the people of the Rolls Empire yearn for.’
There was silence for a while.
Same black hair.
Same purple eyes.
Even the strange atmosphere of rebellion.
He was a little taken aback by his resemblance to mine.
But me too.
‘There are times when I’m proud of the fact that I resemble Dad.’
We looked at each other for a while and fell silent.
And then.
“…It’s my daughter.”
“It’s my Dad.”
We smiled at each other with satisfied faces.
“Billie. Come here.”
Excited, I ran as if I was rushed into Dad’s arms.
Fluffㅡ
Thanks to this, his uniform, which had been set up at an angle, was slightly disorganized, yet Cassis didn’t seem to care.
“Little Miss is Your Grace’s mini-me no matter who sees it. It’s nice to see.”
Agasa, formally dressed, followed Cassis.
He glanced toward the veranda and reported.
“The banquet starts at 5, and quite a few nobles are gathered. Since this is the first Vallois banquet to be held in five years, there seem to be many nobles looking forward to it.”
“Vallois will enter at 5:30 as scheduled.”
“I understand. First of all, we will place servants who will serve drinks for waiting guests.”
The later the main character appeared, the more brilliant it was.
He had been away for five years, but that didn’t change the fact that he was the head of Vallois.
That was attested to by the numerous nobles seated in the central hall.
“Billie.”
“Mm?”
“Look over there.”
However.
Sitting on a chair on the veranda, he suddenly sat me on his lap.
“Everything is under you.”
Then he shifted his gaze to the outdoors and leisurely watched the nobles who had gathered before the meeting.
I know, I know.
I wanted to reply so, but I tilted my head because it didn’t seem appropriate for a 5-year-old.
“Really?”
“… It’s actually under you right now.”
Dad, who laughed at my bland reaction, stroked my cheek.
He seemed to think that I, as a child, didn’t understand.
We were on the 7th floor.
And the nobles in the first-floor annex party hall leading to the outdoors.
It was an obvious fact.
Vallois is one of the four most prestigious families, so unless the Emperor appears, there will be no one I will bow my head to.
“Your Grace. I will meet you on my own.”
An hour after that.
“This banquet has been a while. Five years ago was the last banquet.”
“Did they say he officially announced his return?
“Oh my, in that case.”
“I wonder how society will change in the future.”
It was a little after 5 o’clock, but the central hall of Vallois was already overflowing with nobles.
The conversations of the guests were about to break through the closed door.
‘I’m nervous.’
I swallowed my burning saliva and held my Dad’s hand tightly.
“The head of Vallois and the ruler of the West. Cassis Vallois. The direct princess of Vallois, Billishia Valois, is entering.”
After the servant’s shout, the huge double door opened slowly, and the central hall, which had only been seen from a distance, opened up.
When the main characters appeared, all the eyes gathered in the central hall were focused on us.
It was the return of Vallois.
