âAta-a-â
Just as I was dressed up for the party, Caitel was dressed up for his birthday too. A coat he usually never wore, a badge, and a uniform were simply perfect and flawless. Well, heâd always been perfect for his looks.
âWhy are you staring at me like that?â
I guess he felt strange looking at me dressed up.
âHowever, Dad, your eyes are making me a little uncomfortable. Will you be considerate me and stop staring?â
However, the reaction from Caitel must have excited Serira. Serira did what she would never do.
âIsnât the princess so pretty today?â
Caitelâs eyes go straight to Serira. I was a little nervous. There were some unwritten rules in this palace, although it wasnât necessarily a law-set issue, one of them was one should never ask Caitel first.
âUgh, Mom, why did you do that!â
Daddy, killing my nanny on his birthday wouldnât happen, did it? Right? Could I trust you?
Maybe my faith worked, Caitel turned to me again without saying anything. I grabbed him by the collar and smiled.
âOh, nice daddy. How nice.â
âShe is pretty.â
Oh, really?
I was a little dazed by his praise because I didnât expect to hear it.
Really? Not like I looked like a monster or something, but I looked pretty? Really?!
âIâll see you later, then.â
âYes, Your Majesty.â
Whatâs going on with him?
I was a little thrilled. It was my fatherâs birthday, so I guess he was normal after a while.
Hereâs your toast! Sob, sob. I was so happy. I had lived to see this day.
Caitel entered the connecting bridge, which led directly to the palace of Lunare. At the same time, Dranste, who popped out of nowhere, pretended to know me.
âHello, my princess.â
âWhatâs he saying? Get out of here.â
âOh, you are so mean.â
The attendants in the back were briefly agitated, but that was all. As if it was familiar, they avoided my gaze and kept on their job.
Why! Look at that! Why was nobody asking questions! Itâs weird. Heâs weird!
In the meantime, I held my hand on Caitelâs shoulder. I glared at Dranste, and at the same time, the eyes of Caitel directed our way.
âTake your handâ¦â
âOkay, okay! I will not get close to her!â
Perhaps because he had suffered before, Dransteâs actions were swift and quick.
Why did he touch me when he would run away like this?
I didnât understand him at all. I clicked my tongue. He smiled a little when he saw me. It was a very dry smile, a sort of habit.
âItâs already your birthday. Time flies.â
âYou didnât even come last year and you talk a lot.â
Still, it was fun to listen to the conversations between the two. It seemed like Dranste was getting scolded by Caitel, but it was a little different when I was listening to their conversation. Caitelâs tone was different than usual. Thereâs something looser, something moreâ¦â¦.
Yes, something felt sharper.
âDonât you feel happy? Why is your face so-â
Dranste was Dransthe, but my dadâs my dad, too. I still didnât understand my dad, Caitel. Dranste laughed. His smile seemed cooler than usual.
âBut itâs your birthday. Be a little more pleased.â
Kaitel glanced at Dranste, of course, his steps were not at all slowed down. However, the look was a little different. I could see the face of Caitel, which somehow seemed to have been torn down.
âBirthdayâ¦â
The tone of the word birthday was bitter, and it felt a little strange.
I looked up at him. The hard-to-speak feeling weighed down on my chest. I wasnât the type to wait so long for my birthday. However, I was happy enough when it was my birthday. Of course, itâs the day I was born. Everyone blessed me. Soâ¦
Now Caitel was different. Having had his birthday, he was neither happy nor having fun. That was what it revealed
âWell.â
â¦Lonesome.
At the moment something was emotional inside me. Something got stuck in my throat.
Whatâs this feeling?
It was a bit embarrassingly intense, it was.
Iâm used to that empty look. Smiling but also not smiling, the empty smile was now somewhat used to it.
However, I donât know what this feeling was. What was it called?
âWould I ever be blessed to be born?â
Under the still-sinking voice, I quietly clasped his collar in my hand and looked up carefully. His eyes were still cool. Itâs sad.
âIf you consider the life Iâve killed with this hands and the weight of the country and blood Iâve shed, no one in this palace will be able to celebrate.â
âTsk tsk.â
I could hear a âtskâ sound behind me, but I could not reproach my father with any words. He was saying the right thing.
Right, who could celebrate his birthday among all the people who were here? Some of them must have trampled on their country, others who had lost their parents.
Caitel was never a beloved Emperor. Who would celebrate the birth of a tyrant? He was right. Therefore, I felt even sadder.
âEven I am cursing today, who are truly celebrating? Isnât that right, my daughter?â
Kaitel laughed. The sour smile was a little pitiful today.
I pouted my mouth.
I couldnât hate this bad guy, the bastard, even if I tried to hate him.
Even though I hated him like this, he made me fold my mind up. Itâs been setup since I recognized him as my father. What could I do? Heâs my dad.
However, I can celebrate my own birthday.
Iâm sorry for him who couldnât and felt pity for him. At the same time, I felt sad. I left this guy as my dad.
At that moment, the gate of Lunare Palace opened.
The gate was directly connected to the imperial palace, so it was a hall where it arrived as soon as it was opened. It seemed like the party had just begun, and the faces I had never seen before looked up in surprise.
Caitel broke into the position without any agitation, as always, expressionless. Thatâs when the real party begins.
âWelcome to all of you who have gathered together for my birthday. Letâs all drink and enjoy todayâs party.â
I could see a lot of people bowing their heads at that word.
I frowned my face.
I had a headache.
There was a sudden sense of rejection of the unfamiliar place. Iâd rather be stuck somewhere. Maybe he felt me struggling in his arms, Caitel looked down at me with an expressionless look.
âDaddy, Iâm afraid your daughter is going to die. Let go of me.â
Whether the prayer worked or not, Caitel puts me on the throne.
Oh, I felt good sitting on the kingâs chair, but could I sit here? Is that right?
âSit quietly.â
Smiling little, he walked away. Fortunately, the throne was inside, so I could breathe.
Oh, I hated the party.
I didnât know, but there were a lot of people. Like, a lot.
It was more than what I had I thought, and in the number of people, I realized how big my fatherâs empire was. Caitel seemed to be greeted only by those who had quite a bit of power, but that number was still quite large. In the meantime, Ferdel was busy enjoying socializing.
The more I saw him, the more amazing he was.
âUh.â
I wanted to go home now, really. However, I remembered Seriraâs words that I have to stay for at least an hour.
Itâs screwed. The world was rotten. Why was this chair so hard?
I was not comfortable in a dress, and I was uncomfortable in a chair too. Was Caitel always sitting on a chair like this?
âMy father, is your butt okay?â
Iâd die of hip pain.
The seat was so uncomfortable, I wiggled my body and my clothes slipped. The body flowed under the chair.
Oh, Iâm not in a chair, but under it.
Huh? No! My chair!
Whatâs wrong with this filthy chair thatâs slipping because thereâs no cushion?
My dad told me to sit quietly. When I looked up, the chair was too high.
I was so screwed.
I reached out and grab the chair and gave strength to the leg.
I had to go up! I had to go up!
âOh.â
âOh my!â
âHuh?â
All of a sudden, there was a small burst of exclamations everywhere. Did they get something to see?
I tried to get up to the chair somehow. I would go up to the chair and see what they were watching. However, why couldnât I even stand up?
No, we had to go up. I had to go up!
âPrincess!â
âOh, my God!â
âYou stopped!â
Whatâs wrong with them?
Holding the chair, I was about to lean up, and peopleâs eyes quickly turned on me.
Huh? What did I do?
I think I did something, but I didnât know. Whatâs this reaction? I was just gathering my lips in embarrassment, but I was a little scared because of my familiar sharp gaze.
I turned head, and there was Caitel. He had a somewhat unusual look on his face. A little surprised?
However, what surprised you? What, daddy.
Did I borrow money from you without my knowledge? I didnât borrow anything.
âPapa!â
I didnât know.
I was his lovely daughter, and I didnât know whatâs going on, but he was not going to kill me. Would he? I called him with my arms wide open.
Come on, come and hug me. Turn that eyes around.
However, I was a fool. Normally, I sat down and opened my arms, but now I was standing. Holding the chair.
When I let go of the chair I was leaning on, my body tilts back.
Oh, my God!
My bodyâs going over! Dad, come and do something!