Chapter 42

The large chandelier glistened.

And…

“Oh my, princess. Have you finally come to the capital city?”

[Princess = the Duchess, fl’s mother, the king is her brother]

“How long has it been, do you know how much I missed you?”

“I sent you invitations last year and even the year before!”

One person and another person.

I found out that my mother is a very popular person.

* * *

It was already the new year.

I finally turned three, and I’ve come to the royal ball with my family.

Perhaps, it’s because my mother is popular.

“Where have you been hiding your cute babies all this time?”

“Young Master Damian has grown up to be mature in no time, it’s really a shame that I can’t see the growth of these babies.”

“Oh my, how cute. May I touch your cheek, my lady? You look exactly like the Princess when she was a child!”

As soon as we entered the venue, my sister, my brother and I received a lot of attention as well.

‘My cheek, what if it really wears out?’

In fact, not many people touched it, but for some reason, there were people who looked at it with eyes full of desire as though they wanted to take a bite.

‘It feels more friendly than I thought….?’

To be honest, I thought the nobility would be a problem because my Mother spoke words full of concern before coming to the capital, and my father often frowned.

‘There are a lot of times when you have a lot of enemies if you’re a member of the duchy.’

Contrary to my expectations, the nobles seemed to welcome my parents with vigour.

I don’t know if it was sincere or not, but at least on the surface, I could see that they were trying to somehow build a good relationship.

‘In addition, it’s amazing that everyone calls my mother ‘Princess’, not ‘Duchess’.’

Of course, since my mother was the only one who received a title from the late king, there was no reason not to be called a Princess.

However, when a sibling ascends to the throne, it is common for other successors to lie low.

‘It was like that in other places.’

Well, the standards might be strange because I’ve been staying in horrendously trashy places.

If I had to match those standards, even if I had grabbed my sister or brother by the collar, I would’ve had to  compete with them 10 times already.

‘And my parents usually had a lot of insignificant worries.’

Above all, they were kind people who called in ten different doctors and priests because I didn’t cry like normal infants.

They might have been overreacting even more because children were present.

“It’s because the children are still young. Initially, I was planning to visit in a few more years.”

“What a sad thing to say, Princess.”

“I’m most put upon just hearing this, to think that I almost didn’t see the children who resemble the Princess and the Duke for much longer.”

In fact, both Mother and Father were skillfully dealing with the approaching nobles.

There were smiles hanging on their faces.

Although it looked more like a smile of pretense.

‘It didn’t feel unpleasant or uncomfortable.’

It felt like they were used to it.

It was still slightly fascinating though.

‘Of course, we’re the children of a Duchy, but we’re still children.’

How should I say it, it seemed that the nobles strangely treated us three siblings more than our status, it was on the level of the royal family.

‘Perhaps……’

Suddenly a thought came to mind.

‘It’s because they don’t know that the royal couple is pregnant?’

It was a very uncomfortable idea.

‘It was a natural guess if it was somewhere else, because it was such places. But this place.’

I remembered the faces of my family members and the people of the Duchy over the past 10 months.

They were all peaceful and warm people, who are incomparable to my other lives.

‘….. It’s probably nothing.’

It was also a little wish.

It was good timing that a voice rang out to announce the royal couple’s appearance, just then.

“Mediator between magic and holy power, Master of Parsian His Majesty King Luxius and Her Majesty the Queen are entering.”

When I saw the appearance of those who appeared with grand titles, I frowned without realizing it.

“Everyone came, ahem. Of course, it’s a day everyone has to come to.”

The King cleared his throat, saying, “Ahem.”

And the queen standing by his side, was slightly pushing her waist, her belly sticking out.

With one hand on it so that the swollen stomach could be emphasized further.

“Today is the day when everyone in Parsian should pay their respects!”

The King spoke with a joyful and proud face.

As if mocking my previous thoughts, these two are very familiar to people with cruel air around them.

* * *

The hall quickly became quiet at the King’s declaration.

In particular, the reaction of the nobles near my family was spectacular.

There were some who did not change their attitude but,

‘Wow, they really are cheap.’

Some of those who were busy reciting sweet words to my mother and father’s ears hesitantly widened their distance.

And the one who showed an even more disgusting reaction, was none other than King Luxius.

‘I mean, is it okay for a king to be so expressive?’

Showing that kind of pleased emotion is simple enough, but how is he alive?

He was like that. Somehow, King Luxius was smiling, as if he won, as he watched the nobles beside my parents distance themselves.

‘Wow, the King is a person incapable beyond my imagination.’

…..Why did Mother yield the throne to such a person?

It’s not like she wouldn’t be able to marry father because she was the Queen.

‘Choco’s information about this kind of person is a waste.’

Even if you can see what’s revealed on the outside, it’s not easy to see a person’s heart.

The nobles were unable to open their mouths even though the King had made a declaration.

The King’s face, which had a smile filled with a sense of accomplishment, gradually hardened at that reaction.

‘You have to announce the pregnancy first.’

Even if he had the same capabilities as the king of a ruined country just before its collapse, the king was the king.

Also, there wasn’t even news about a child for over a decade.

‘Even if they can clearly see that you look like you’ll have a child, how can they congratulate you that hastily?’

Who knows? There’s also a possibility that the Queen has a serious disease.

There’s also the possibility that only her belly became plumper just because she gained weight.

Of course, the Queen was as skinny as the King’s heart, so there was no possibility of that.

“Ahem!”

However, the king coughed one more time, as if he wanted the nobles themselves to feed him.

[*as in give a reaction themselves]

The sound of a soft sigh came from my side.

The corners of my mother’s mouth were slightly tilted as if she had seen something she couldn’t bear to see, and my father looked like he wanted to his palm his face right away.

And the nobles, who had been busy stepping away, were now looking at my parents as if asking them to make a decision.

‘Am I witnessing a satirical comedy play instead of the Royal ball?’

I didn’t know the King would be this severe.

Still, I imagined someone with a more suitable personality befitting of being my mother’s half elder brother.

‘It’s a waste of the eyebrows that very slightly resemble my mother.’

I don’t think such handsome eyebrows should exist in the king?

Not having a choice, my father stepped forward as if he was taking the lead.

“It seems that Your Highnesses finally have a baby.”

“That’s right! As expected of the Duke of Endeblanc, no one understands this joy as much as you!”

Then he raised his chin as if saying to worship him quickly.

Several of the aristocrats who did not change their attitudes even after the appearance of the king couple struggled to hold back their laughter.

As for my father.

“I offer my congratulations, Your highness!”

As if he wanted to get rid of something annoying quickly, he lowered his body on the spot and gave a congratulatory greeting.

Starting from that, the nobles lowered their bodies one after another and congratulated the king.

“It is such a joyous occasion! The kingdom of Parshan can be at ease now.”

“Congratulations!”

And here, I was able to learn one more thing about the king’s pettiness.

He was happy to see the nobles bowing one after another, but occasionally, he would glare fiercely whenever he saw the young children standing blankly.

Of course, the nobles hurriedly lowered their children’s bodies as soon as they saw those eyes.

So on the contrary, I was staring at the king obviously, while absentmindedly blinking my eyes only.

‘Let’s see you make a fuss to a mere three-year-old.’

That way it’ll be him who will be pathetic.

At first, the king who was gesturing towards me gradually darkened his expression.

They say that couples resemble each other, in particular, the queen’s twisted feelings could be seen.

Then the queen whispered to Luxius as if she had remembered something interesting.

‘I wonder what nonsense are those set of destructions talking about.’

[tn: specifically, she refers to them as “the roots of a country’s ruin” could be a reference to her past lives]

I wasn’t very worried about anything.

Because in other places, kids like that usually couldn’t last within a few hours, let alone a day, and disappeared.

“Hm, hm. Everyone stand up. I will be uncomfortable if you act this formal.”

The King, who said something he didn’t mean, suddenly smiled and beckoned me.

“Come here, the Queen says your cousin wishes to be greeted.”

All eyes  focused on me.

I’m getting ample attention today.

I’m not interested in this kind of attention though.

When I looked at my mother for a moment, her eyebrows drooping as though she was reluctant, she nodded.

I didn’t see much concern on her face.

‘I know what my parents were worried about.’

So they were worried that it would get annoying.

I took my mother’s hand and moved towards the king.

Somehow, the King hesitated for a moment, but soon patted the Queen on the shoulder as though permitting her to speak her mind.

The Queen, showing her benevolent appearance, spoke to me.

“My lady.”

“Hm?”

I answered informally like a child.

The Queen’s nose twitched as she frowned then she went back to imitating a gentle expression.

“I’m going to give you a very honorable role.”

The moment the Queen said that, my mother’s grip on my hand tightened.

However, the Queen, oblivious, opened her mouth as if she was giving something very precious.

“Be your cousin’s companion!”

[Companion – formal playmate/study partner]

The inside of the hall was frozen once more at the proposal that was to clearly humiliate me.

And the one who gave off the coldest energy was none other than my mother who was holding my hand.