Is it because I wore the prettiest clothes? I felt like it was nice to see myself in the mirror. Wouldnât it look like I cared too much? Itâs just, itâs been a while since Iâve seen her, so it may not mean much.
While I was preparing, I was ordered to spend time with the little child over a cup of tea because she would arrive a little early.
âFather told me to spend some time together until dinner time. Sit down.â
I explained that to the little child who greeted me. Her face looks fine, is she okay? Did everything go well? I glanced at the little child to confirm.
âIs Commander Hertman okay at home?â
âEverything is better now.â
I was concerned because Commander Hertman was injured because he was saving Father. But the child looked at me blankly after hearing the question. As if she didnât know she was going to hear these kinds of questions.
âYes, itâs alright. Heâs all better. You donât have to worry.â
âIâm worried. I was a little worried because it happened after saving my father.â
âYes. You were a little concerned.â
âItâs really a little. This much.â
I was already embarrassed, but I felt like the little child was making fun of me, so I deliberately spread my thumb and forefinger apart, emphasizing that I really only care about that much. Then the little child stared at me and my face turned red for nothing.
âItâs real! Hey, why is the tea not coming!â
I was shy and yelled at the maid to bring the tea quickly.
âWhy are you so late? Canât you do it fast?â
The maid begged for forgiveness and her hands shook anxiously. A guest has arrived, so kind of clumsy behavior is this? I was annoyed. If the maid looks like this, itâll be misunderstood by the little child that the people who worked at the Grand Dukeâs residence donât do their jobs properly.
I donât know why the new maid was so clumsy. I fired the maid before because she couldnât work, but this one seemed to be worse. Iâm worried that she might be making a big mistake like this.
Unsurprisingly, the maid poured tea into the teacup and, while trying to add the honey, touched the cup and spilled the tea. I was startled by the heat on the back of my hand.
âWHAT, itâs hot! Are you crazy? Canât you work right?â
A burning sensation spread from the back of my hand, and the maid rubbed the burn with a cloth. When she touches a sore spot, it hurts that I teared up. But when the person who made it this way made it even more painful, anger took over. I couldnât even hear the maid apologize.
âDonât touch it!â
Pushing the maid out, I took out the handkerchief and wiped it carefully. The heat remained, and the back of my hand was hot. Iâve never felt so hurt, I felt like crying because it was a pain I never experienced. But I couldnât cry in front of the little child, so I clenched my teeth.
The little child was looking at me with a distraught look. She seemed surprised by this situation. See, the maid made me look bad in front of the little child.
The more frustrated I got, the more annoyed I became. I was even more annoyed by the maid, who was clinging, begging for forgiveness with a crying face, as if she was not able to work anymore. So I ordered Grandfather to get her out.
âSorry. Please forgive me. Iâm sorry. Iâm sorry. Please, just once!â
âAh! Really, whatâs wrong with you?â
Just as I was about to remove the maid that was holding my pants and hanging on to me, suddenly the little child ran up to me. I was surprised by that alone.
But after that, something even more surprising happened. I must say that my eyes flashed, but I felt a sharp pain in my cheek and my neck swung. I was momentarily stunned. I didnât understand what happened.
Why do my cheeks hurt? Why canât I think? Why am I looking at the floor?
âYoung Master Kirsec!â
I came to my senses only after hearing Grandfatherâs voice. Did I just get slapped in the face now? By that little child? When I said sheâs cute and was going to be nice to her!
âDid you dare hit me?â
The little child looked at me proudly. When I saw that, I felt angry and went crazy. I was trying to be nice, but I was also trying to see why she was avoiding me!
âI canât forgive you! Grandfather! What are you doing? Get her right now and whip her ! Right now! in front of me!â
I donât know, but from a certain moment, I whipped and punished wrongdoers. Itâs not strange to me. When I got angry, Grandfather asked âshould I whip them out?â.
So it was natural for me, and I did it that way. I never thought that it was wrong to punish people with a whip. Of course, I figured it would be okay.
This was the first time I was surprised by the little child.
âStop! If I should be punished, I will take it from the Grand Duke.â
The little child didnât get discouraged in front of the adults at all. And I was surprised that she went to find my Father proudly. It was sad and even funny that the little child was looking for my father, whom I couldnât even meet.
No matter how much Father is invited to dinner, does she think she can meet him right away just because she wanted to meet him? Father is busy. Heâs not just busy, heâs very busy.
I couldnât see him either when I fell from a tree and was seriously injured, or when I lay ill for several days with a terrible fever. When Iâm sick and sad, I canât see him. Even if I ask when heâll come, Father only answers that he was always busy with his duties.
Thereâs no way sheâd be able to meet a father like that.
âCanât you hear me? I must have said that you should kneel before me!â
âToday, the Grand Duke invited me to visit. You know what would happen if I, the invited guest, returned without the Grand Dukeâs knowledge, right?â