Chapter 44
“…Another piece of iron…?”
When I saw the opened gift, I put on a puzzled expression.
What Sian gave me was nothing but a small lump of iron.
‘Come to think of it, he said he’d give me one every time we met.’
“Are you disappointed?”
“N-No. It’s the first gift you gave me, so I can’t…”
I couldn’t speak.
Sensing that I had failed in managing my expression, I decided to be honest.
“Mm.”
“Can’t you tell if you combine these two?”
“Mm.”
“I think you need to study.”
…Am I being pointed out?
“By the way, do you always have escorts whenever you move?”
“Because I’m a princess.”
I needed to study, he said. I’m still 5 years old, though?
I was getting upset for no reason, so I was just staring at the nasty piece of iron.
Seeing me like that, Sian, who laughed as if he was having fun, changed the topic.
“Are the guards strong enough? Looking at the number of people, I think you need to strengthen it a little.”
“They’re from Vallois.”
“But it’s better to be safe. Next time, add three escorts.”
Quiet.
He glanced around as if seeking some advice, then let out a sigh.
“And why don’t you practice swordsmanship or magic? What if an assassin appears while you’re walking around like butterfingers as usual?”
(based on Google: butterfingers. / (ˈbʌtəˌfɪŋɡəz) / noun. (functioning as singular) informal a person who drops things inadvertently or fails to catch things.)
“…When did I ever…!”
Sian stopped talking at once.
“Ah, I’d rather secretly follow her around.”
Touching his forehead with his hand, he was lost in his own talk.
“Then I should be able to knock out the assassins beforehand. The castle itself is safe, so it’s mainly where Billie is alone…”’
‘… Why does he look like a different person after becoming a servant?’
I waved my palms in front of his face to see whether he went crazy.
“You seem to not know nothing, but the Vallois knights are much stronger than you, you know?”
“Hmm.”
Sian paused for a moment.
Then he made eye contact with me and smiled.
“I’m not sure.”
***
“Little Miss.”
It was then.
I waved my hand without looking at the useless voice that appeared out of nowhere.
“Go away.”
“Yes? But His Grace told him not to stick around you, though”
As Agasa, who had seen us from afar, approached, Sian bowed his head toward him.
He probably thought that since he was now a servant of Vallois, he had to be polite.
It was then.
“…”
Sian, who had been quiet, suddenly became downcast like a frightened puppy.
And then, hesitantly, he hid behind my back!
“?”
I looked up.
Agasa approached at some point and was glaring at Sian as if he would kill him.
“Aga!”
“Why.”
“Why are you doing this to a kid who has done nothing wrong! He said he was going to the annex, so I decided to drop him off!”
I yelled out loud, yet Agasa was not a man to be frightened by such words.
“To think that the Princess is looking after a servant. Are those words, or a fart?”
“What. You said my words were a fart?”
“No. I’m asking if it’s a fart or words.”
“A horse, it’s a horse! Aㅡneeeiiiiighㅡhorse! Is it so hard for you to say something nicely?”
(so hard to be understood but ‘horse’ and ‘word’ are both 말 in korean)
I don’t like it anyway.
As I hid Sian behind my back and fired the flounder eyes, Agasa let out a weary sigh.
“That’s not the problem. Look behind my shoulders.”
He didn’t seem to want to drag things out.
He pointed to his right shoulder, so my eyes naturally went there.
Over the shoulder.
Violet eyes were shining in the window of the main castle far away.
Shiverㅡ
“…Is that Dad?”
“I came by His Grace’s order. If you don’t do me a favor, I will die. Look at those fierce eyes.”
I nodded and only then did I understand Agasa’s determination.
However.
‘Does that mean Dad has been watching me all along?’
…He was preying onto me?!
“…I didn’t even hold his hand like Dad said… … .”
Looking at the watchful eyes shining brightly in the dark, a rebellious spirit was born in my heart.
I had no intention of giving up my only friend.
“…Agasa. Get out of the way.”
“Little Miss.”
I pushed Agasa, who was pleading, away.
And I stood proudly, facing Dad’s gaze.
[I didn’t hold his hand.]
Tinglingㅡ
Let’s send telepathy by giving him the power of all my might.
“…?”
The pupils in the windows on the 7th floor flinched.
He raised one eyebrow as if he was surprised by my attack.
Dad leaned toward the window.
[Stay away, Billie.]
Tinglingㅡ
[Don’t wannaaaaa.]
Tinglingㅡ
[Listen to Daddy.]
“Little Miss?”
“Wait.”
Tinglingㅡ
Tinglingㅡ
Intense eye fight that sparked.
‘…As expected, the head of Vallois.’
I’m not one to back down with the eyes of a 5-year-old.
“… It’s like seeing a lesser black panther and an adult black panther. If the two of you are solving it, can I go alone?”
“No, you follow me. I need to meet him in person.”
As a last resort, I clenched my fists and walked into the castle.
“Yes? Don’t do that, please save me…”
Bang!
Let me appear in the office with a merciless sound announcing the beginning of war.
“Dad.”
Maybe he was waiting for me when he returned to his office desk.
Dad, who was sitting in a lofty posture, slowly opened his eyes.
“Billie.”
“This Agasa won’t be involved.”
Agasa, who followed me, was crushed in a corner.
It was the same with Sian.
“We didn’t even hold hands, yet you tried to drop us. This is ridiculous.”
“You seem to have been protective since that slave became a servant.”
He clasped his hands together and rested them on his chin.
“Is it the dignity of the Princess you said to just take the servant away?”
Fieryㅡ
How can you only say the right things?
I, who flinched, responded.
“If I can’t be kind to servants in order to keep my dignity, why would there be a noblesse oblige?”
“Whoa. You know those words?”
Agasa and Sian, who had been watching, widened their eyes as if they were surprised.
“A noblesse oblige has already been given to that slave.”
“Why is Dad interfering with my generosity?”
I growled and glared at Dad with evil eyes.
“…”
It was then.
The corners of his lips twitched as if it was making a noise.
“?”
After grasping the situation, he seemed to be hastily trying to remain expressionless.
“…That’s why I don’t want to talk directly…”
For some reason, he was holding back a laugh as if my bewildered expression was cute.
Did he change his plans?
The gaze of Dad, who was aiming for the prey, returned to Sian.
“Slave.”
“Ugh. Is there anything like venting on a servant in a noble fight!”
“Whoa. Where else did you learn that word?”
The moment Agasa, who was chewing on the snack in his pocket, reacted, I quickly hid Sian behind my back.
“…”
Poor Sian blinked his innocent eyes in slight surprise.
“Billishia.”
“We didn’t stick around all day, we only walked together for about 10 minutes, you can’t even see that?”
“…Damn it. Agasa.”
The last target of Dad’s anger at my words was Agasa.
“Little Miss. Hide me too.”
“Agasa is bigger than me, so I can’t hide you behind my back.”
“Such discrimination!”
Agasa, who was having fun watching, had to shudder in the end, receiving Dad’s gaze.
Whew. That burn.
“Dad. What if you look at innocent people so terribly just because you can’t communicate with me?”
In the end, I, who defended even Agasa, shouted.
It was then.
As if he had reached his limit, he stood up and frowned.
“…Then my daughter is possessed by a fucking beast…”
“Gasp! Such bad words!”
It was now.
I pretended to be surprised on purpose and opened my mouth exaggeratedly.
“Billie. I’m sorry for being harsh, but…”
“You’re a bad Daddy!”
I screamed out loud and took Sian’s hand and slammed the door shut.
Cursing in front of a 5-year-old?
This was game over.
***
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Pardon?”
“Am I really a bad Daddy?”
The palms of his hands on the desk were dripping with sweat.
Cassis was confused as he watched her daughter walk away…
“I asked. Whether I’m a bad Daddy.”
He asked Agasa, yet the stupid aide couldn’t come up with any answer.
‘Because I’m not good enough to be the best dad.’
First of all, he had to talk to Bilicia.
Cassis, who was trying to follow his daughter, turned his head.
“?”
The slave who had been taken obediently by Billie was looking at Cassis.
And a moving mouth.
[One week. I’ll be sure to protect it.]
Grinㅡ
“?”
The slave smiled like an innocent child, closed the door and disappeared.
“…?”
It was a sight he couldn’t believe when he saw it with his own eyes.
His hand, which was holding the edge of the desk, broke it.
a few days later
A meeting in Vallois was hastily organized.
“F-For some reason, we…”
The vassals entered the meeting room in a bewildered manner.
However, there was something else that made them even more curious.
It was that Cassis didn’t summon all the family heads.
Some vassals exchanged glances with each other without knowing his intentions.
However, it made them even more anxious as they didn’t know each other’s reasons.
“You said you had children.”
It was then that the quiet head of the family announced the start.
The top seat of the long table.
There was a shadow on the face that sat in that heavy seat.
He looked upset.
“Then I’d like to have a tutor recommended.”
“?”
The vassals, who had been waiting for the command of the head of family with serious eyes, paused for a while.
“…Are you talking about the tutor in charge of education?”
“Yeah. Don’t you understand?”
He was already annoyed, but when the vassals questioned him, Cassis showed his anger.
The air froze in the meeting room.
The vassals who swallowed saliva had to answer in order to survive.
“…I recommend Baroness Nisnell. As a baroness, she taught etiquette including parenting, world history, and even simple conversational skills.”
“Professor Arsa is fine too. They say that he’s currently working full-time as a university professor at the Central Academy, but if Your Grace requests it, he will come right away.”
“If it’s focused on swordsmanship, I also recommend Professor Snipe.”
It was only then that Cassis’ face became calm at the continuous recommendation.
“Baroness Nisnell is in charge of parenting and etiquette education?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll ask for her.”
“I understand, Your Grace.”
The meeting ended quickly.
As the vassals left, Cassis, who remained alone, murmured.
“I’d rather get an education.”
“That’s a good idea. If Little Miss also receives etiquette education, she will become a little more noble.”
Agatha, who was listening, nodded as if he agreed.
“What nonsense is that. As a dad, I should receive education first.”
“Pardon me?”
“Shouldn’t I take off the nickname ‘bad daddy’, damn it.”
