‘Is this... could it be?’
Like a first love.
So I glanced up at Dad.
He was frowning with all his might.
‘Guess it’s not that.’
Then sothing ca to mind.
‘Ah... I heard the princess once clung to Dad.’
I’d heard there was a princess who jumped from the second floor because of him.
Could that princess be this forr princess?
I looked around to check.
Everyone else was laughing and joking, but here there was a clear will to pretend not to know.
‘So, this is the forr princess.’
Still, that look of utter exasperation was a bit much.
I gently grabbed Dad’s sleeve and shook it slightly.
When I looked at him with worried eyes, he finally relaxed his expression.
Seeing that, the forr princess looked surprised and stared at .
“Ah.”
Then she covered her mouth with trembling eyes and hunched her shoulders.
‘I get why she’s on the verge of tears seeing Dad, but why at ?’
Just as I thought she might start crying, Queen Ocellia stepped forward.
She frowned deeply, showing no effort to hide her discomfort.
“If you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to attend the luncheon.”
It was a warning: don’t cause trouble by coming.
“...No. I will attend.”
Though she said that, the forr princess’s gaze never left Dad.
The luncheon began.
One by one, plates were placed on the table, and soon a lavish feast filled the table before us.
Balzac looked like he wanted to leave even before picking up his spoon.
“Every ti guests co, there’s a luncheon, a dinner... Can’t we stop eating together? Are we really estranged relatives?”
Balzac grumbled in a low voice, and Joshua frowned.
“Behave yourself. The forr princess is watching.”
“She’s only looking at Dad, not us.”
“...Anyway.”
That was really the case.
I poked at my salad with a fork and glanced at the forr princess.
The aunts were whispering on both sides, but even the dog seed uninterested.
She was just staring intently at Dad.
‘Such a desperate look.’
Even Dad, who stayed silent despite the heartfelt gaze, seed admirable.
Rishimund asked Dad,
“When will you return to your domain?”
“Imdiately.”
“I’ll prepare the blessing cast.”
Judging by Rishimund’s offer to prepare the blessing cast, it seed the forr princess’s gaze was burdenso even to him.
Dad nodded.
“Teleport as soon as we leave the dining room.”
He seed ready to abandon the carriage and leave.
Rishimund looked puzzled.
“You’ll get caught by the barrier.”
“I’ll dismantle or break it.”
The three brothers smirked.
They seed entertained by Dad’s irritation.
Balzac chuckled.
“Should we tell him to stop?”
“We’ve told him dozens of tis.”
Rishimund lowered his voice.
“Have you thought about protesting to the royal palace?”
“We’ve exchanged complaints four tis.”
Joshua lowered his gaze, pretending not to speak to Dad.
“Shouldn’t we firmly put them in their place so they don’t cling anymore?”
“Jumping from the bedroom—”
Dad covered both my ears and continued.
But I could read his lips.
“She jumped from the bedroom on the second floor.”
“Hmm, no dignity there.”
My brothers shook their heads.
The twins were popular, and Rishimund had heard so serious complaints, but the chaos caused by the forr princess seed awful.
Balzac shrugged.
“Just think of it as fate now and humor her by eting... Just kidding, Father.”
He laughed but quickly changed the subject when he saw Dad’s fierce glare.
‘Better get out of here fast.’
Dad was so fed up.
‘Sothing bad will happen.’
But Dad’s wish was not granted.
Just as the luncheon ended and we were about to leave,
“You’re Erilot?”
The forr princess spoke to with a distant look.
It was natural our family was blocked from leaving the hallway.
I smiled awkwardly and said,
“Yes, Your Highness. It’s an honor to et you. I am Erilot Astra.”
“I see. So you’re...”
The forr princess, forgetting decorum, bent her knees and looked up at .
Anyone would think she had found a lost daughter.
Queen Ocellia shut her eyes tight watching the forr princess.
Well, if I was surprised, imagine how the rest of the royal family felt.
‘Even Prince Salvatore looked baffled.’
Queen Ocellia sighed deeply and spoke to the forr princess.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes, sister.”
“Wasn’t the journey tiring?”
It sounded like a polite way to tell her to go rest in her room.
Everyone understood the aning except the forr princess, who shook her head with a wistful expression.
“No, I’m fine.”
‘She’s a formidable rival.’
Is she oblivious or just pretending not to notice?
Either way, Queen Ocellia seed unable to handle that pure mind.
After biting her lip for a mont, Queen Ocellia forced herself to speak calmly.
“We must prepare for the Harvest Festival.”
“I’m fine.”
“I need to inform the Empress Dowager that you arrived safely.”
“That can wait until night.”
I just rolled my eyes and watched their verbal sparring.
Then Dad stepped forward.
“I must return to my domain now.”
“Already...?”
“Yes.”
“Must be a lot of work...”
“Yes.”
“Not even a mont to spare...?”
“Yes.”
Dad’s firm barrier made the forr princess’s eyebrows lower in disappointnt.
Slowly rising, she asked ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the aunts nearby.
“Then, what is Miss Erilot’s schedule?”
The aunts glanced at each other. One, the wife of Uncle Balderic, replied.
“We haven’t heard anything else. It’s a resting period now... right, Erilot?”
I hesitated, not sure what to say.
The forr princess imdiately clapped her hands joyfully.
“Then will you be my companion?”
Even oblivious Balzac stared at her in disbelief.
Who acts like that?
She didn’t ask Dad but the aunts about my schedule for an obvious reason.
If it were Dad, he’d firmly say I’m busy.
So it seed she wasn’t completely clueless.
‘The aunts said I have no plans, so she can’t refuse.’
Dad’s eyebrows twitched.
He looked about to explode.
Too many people were around to let him lose it.
The retainers, the second generation, even the royal court servants.
The forr princess was the emperor’s full sister.
No way to disgrace the beloved sibling.
And this was a very important ti for Dad.
I quickly answered,
“It would be an honor to be your companion!”
“Oh my, how delightful.”
Unlike the joyful forr princess, Dad frowned.
“Eri─”
If Dad refused now, those stubborn uncles and aunts would seize the chance and pry in.
Claiming it’s rude to the royals and whatnot.
I couldn’t let that happen, so I quickly said,
“We’re going to the Empress Dowager’s tea salon in winter. I want to hear more palace stories before then!”
“....”
Dad knew how much I was looking forward to the tea salon, so he no longer opposed it.
The forr princess was thrilled.
She shyly said to Dad,
“I’ll make sure she returns before it’s late.”
Dad glanced at , eyes shining, then sighed softly.
“...Please.”
The forr princess looked surprised to hear that.
Apparently, she’d never heard those words before.
Well, when I was three, Dad was a sharp-edged man.
He must have been even sharper when he t the forr princess long before.
Yet now, he couldn’t say a word in front of his daughter — quite remarkable.
The forr princess blushed.
She answered shyly, “...Yes.”
Of course, just because that happened doesn’t an I was truly the forr princess’s only companion.
Aunts, great-aunts, even three-year-old girls were all crowded around.
“I heard you really like horseback riding. I have a splendid thoroughbred you might like—”
“What kind of tea do you prefer?”
“My husband is at the royal palace...”
Everyone was desperate to win favor.
‘No choice.’
This is a very important ti.
Count Talos, who was supposed to enter the central tower, disappeared.
‘So now there’s an open seat in the central tower.’
Everyone would be aiming for that spot.
‘The emperor decides entry into the central tower. But the forr princess is the current emperor’s favored sister.’
So they think she can be the emperor’s gateway.
The emperor dislikes Queen Ocellia ddling in politics, so he wouldn’t ask her.
‘This is their chance!’ Opportunists sward.
I understand why Uncle Grimy was congratulated when appointed foreign ambassador.
‘They shove Uncle Grimy into a place like that so they can go for the central tower.’
All their actions ultimately aid to gain the Duke Astra title.
When I thought of all this, Loreina, the eldest daughter of Uncle Balderic, smiled brightly.
“Your Highness, my father bought a boat for water play this ti. The river views from the boat are wonderful.”
“I see.”
“If you like, how about a boat ride?”
Despite Loreina’s friendliness, the forr princess looked indifferent.
Then, as if a good idea struck, she looked directly at .
“Alright! How about Erilot?”
“Yes?”
“Do you like boat rides?”
“Ah... yes.”
I answered with a faint forced smile.
The forr princess smiled brightly and turned to Loreina.
“I’ll lend the boat. It’ll be a lot of fun if you go with Erilot.”
Asking to borrow the boat basically ant Loreina wouldn’t be going.
Loreina’s expression twisted horribly for a mont.
‘Why is she looking at like that? I didn’t say anything!’
The invitation to ride was from the other side, but she ignored the speaker and just wanted the boat.
Naturally, it was rude.
But Loreina soon hid her trembling lips.
Her fist shook under the table.
“If you want, of course.”
“That’s great, Erilot, isn’t it?”
‘I don’t want to!’
The social scene here is like a magic box.
Put in a cloth, and a dove cos out.
[They went out alone. → The forr princess and Daymond’s daughter are that close? → Could the forr princess be marrying Daymond!?]
—aning rumors can blow up without context.
And above all,
‘Grandpa mustn’t hear this.’
The aunts, great-aunts, even the three-year-olds all used the forr princess as a stepping stone to power.
‘Completely wrong thinking.’
No matter how well you get into the central tower by pleasing the royals,
Would Grandpa happily choose you as heir?
She’s not even the emperor, just his sister.
I clicked my tongue in frustration.
‘Anyway, no boat ride.’
With that thought, I lowered my eyebrows sharply.
The forr princess did the sa, but that was actually my specialty.
I said regretfully to her,
“Sorry, Your Highness.”
“...What?”
“I’m not feeling well.”
I put on a dry cough and an exaggerated performance.
The forr princess said, “Oh my,” and reached out to .
She gently stroked my cheek, looking deeply pained.
“A cold in this season? It’s because you have no caring mother... right?”
“No, it’s not like that—”
“Let do this. I’ll often stop by the Astra domain and take care of you.”
“What?”
“You can consider your mother.”
She laughed softly, and I almost froze.
‘What is this forr princess saying?’
I always thought her mind was blank like a sketchbook, but I didn’t expect it to be this empty.
‘What on earth is she saying in front of everyone?’
Anyone listening might think she’s Dad’s lover.
The atmosphere got awkward.
The aunts whispered among themselves, and the three-year-olds stared wide-eyed at .
Still, the forr princess smiled without a care.
She handed various desserts and spoke in a very sweet voice.
“I think you’re very cute, Erilot. Of course, partly because you’re his daughter—”
‘She’s saying that outright?’
I was too dumbfounded to respond, and the forr princess looked at with a tender gaze like she was looking at Dad.
“I felt it the mont I saw you.”
“....”
“If he had a child with , it would be exactly a child like you.”
“....”
“You look just like him, but your personality resembles mine, Erilot.”
I realized,
‘Even with reincarnation and regression, I thought I’d be immune to ntal damage...’
I was far from it.
I was still an immature child.
The world was vast, filled with crazy people, and countless maddening things.
The situation was so absurd my head throbbed.
“You can call mother.”
Then the forr princess covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
In the end, I was left with my mouth wide open.
‘Wow...’
No need to worry about Queen Ocellia.
The final boss was right here.
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