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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: An Imperial Invitation
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***
Leaving the kid he'd been looking after for the past few days felt wrong, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't also relieved.
*She's just a kid. She'll be so busy with her snacks that she'll quickly forget I was ever here.*
“U-Uncle! Ah!”
But a loud thud from behind made Cassel, who was heading to the carriage, stop and turn around.
His face hardened.
Aika, who had fallen at the bottom of the stairs, picked herself up.
She seemed fine, dusting off her clothes before lowering her head and standing perfectly still.
When she lifted her head again, he expected her to burst out in anger, but that wasn't it.
“*Hic, sob, sniffle…*”
Cassel quietly drew in a breath.
Aika was looking at him, desperately holding back her sobs as tears streamed down her face.
Her eyes, so similar to his own, almost seemed to be glaring at him.
He needed to leave this place as soon as possible, but his feet felt as if they were shackled to the ground.
“Why are you crying?”
*What is there to cry about?*
And yet, Aika stood there stock-still, one of her knees scraped, her small fists clenched as tears fell endlessly.
It was like a faucet had been turned on.
The teardrops fell so relentlessly that he wondered if she might get dehydrated.
He’d rather she chattered away nonstop like she usually did.
Cassel's throat felt raw as he swallowed hard.
“I asked, why are you crying?”
“...*Hic*, because, *sob*, Uncle… Uncle aban… *sob*… doned me.”
“Who abandoned you?”
“*Sob*, Un… *hic*… cle did.”
Aika’s face crumpled once more.
Fresh tears began to fall.
Cassel just stood there, frozen, watching her.
“……”
“...*Hic*.”
The two of them stood there for a long while, the distance between them unchanged.
The sound of water from the garden fountain endlessly cut through the space between them.
“To hell with it.”
Muttering in resignation, Cassel strode over and swept the child into his arms.
A startled Aika struggled, pushing against him, but her feeble strength was barely noticeable.
“You damnable cur! Where do you think you’re going after making the child cry!”
The Duke of Valliat came rushing out, roaring in anger. He had come in such a hurry that he didn’t even have his cane.
Cassel, with Aika tucked under his arm, paused on his way to the carriage and half-turned.
“I’m going to raise a child. May you live a long and healthy life.”
Then, leaving the Duke of Valliat standing there, he climbed into the carriage and slammed the door shut.
“Hey, you low-born bastard! Put my grandchild down and leave!”
The Duke of Valliat’s furious voice followed the carriage.
***
*Sniffle, snuffle.*
The inside of the carriage was filled with the sound of Aika’s sniffling.
Her face was a wet mess—her eyes were red, her nose was red, her lips were red.
She cried so pitifully, like a baby rabbit caught in a downpour.
Cassel wasn’t comfortable either, receiving Aika’s resentful glare in the cramped space.
He couldn't bear to see her like that, so he'd brought her back, but the future looked bleak.
Cassel was about to turn his gaze to the window when the carriage jolted over a stone.
Aika, being so light, was briefly lifted into the air, her small body teetering.
Cassel, who had been watching silently, slipped his arms under Aika’s armpits, lifted her onto his lap, and wrapped his arm around her like a seatbelt.
Aika flinched in surprise and squirmed.
“Don’t…”
“Sit still.”
At his words, Aika, now nestled in Cassel’s arms, immediately went still.
But her hiccups caused the back of her little head to bob up and down.
*What’s with the strawberry smell?*
Cassel frowned.
Aika was practically radiating the sweet scent of strawberries, as if she had devoured all the strawberry desserts by herself.
The coachman, oblivious to the uncomfortable atmosphere inside, drove the carriage while singing a cheerful song, loud enough to be heard within.
***
Not long after we returned home, it was time for dinner.
My eyes were puffy and swollen, but I was safely back at Uncle’s house.
And before we got out of the carriage, Uncle even apologized to me.
“I was wrong, so stop crying.”
It was only one sentence, though.
Hmph. I’ll forgive him just this once. Even grown-ups can make mistakes.
“The swelling has gone down a bit. Does it still sting?”
Zenda removed the cool towel she’d been using to soothe my eyes.
“Nope, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“My lady.”
“Yeah?”
“...I am so sorry.”
Zenda bowed her head.
She told me she had known that Uncle was planning to send me to my grandfather’s.
She was sorry for not telling me sooner and for not being able to stop him.
“It’s okay. Because I beat Uncle!”
I beamed, despite my swollen eyes.
“My lady.”
Zenda looked at me, her own eyes welling up with tears.
“Zenda, you know what?”
I lowered my gaze slightly and gently rubbed my stomach.
“Yes, my lady.”
Zenda’s expression grew a little serious.
“I’m hungry.”
Even though I’d eaten a ton of snacks at Grandfather’s house, I was hungry again now that I was home.
And I felt like if I didn’t say something now, Zenda would stay sad.
Zenda’s eyes widened. She put the towel down and quickly stood up.
“Oh, your meal. My lady, I’ll prepare it for you right away!”
“Thank you!”
Zenda asked me to wait just a moment before bustling out of the room.
I waited for her, thinking of all the foods I wanted to eat.
*Click.*
“Zenda…!”
At the sound of the door opening, I whipped my head around.
But the person who brought the meal wasn’t Zenda, it was Uncle.
My happy expression, which had been ready to welcome food, instantly turned wary.
Uncle placed a tray laden with delicious food on the table and strode toward me.
I tried to escape to the center of the bed to get away from him, but he grabbed my clothes and I was dragged right back.
He’s so ridiculously strong!
“Done crying?”
“……”
Instead of answering, I pouted, and Uncle flicked my forehead with his finger.
“If you’re annoyed, go ahead and hit me.”
“...Hmph.”
He wouldn’t understand unless it happened to him.
Even if Uncle tapped me lightly, his strength and weight were considerable! And he was so rough!
It was a shame there wasn't another person just like him to flick his forehead.
As I rubbed my forehead and puffed out my cheeks, Uncle straightened up.
“Eat. Don’t come whining to me later that you’re hungry.”
And then he started to stride out of the room again.
I was about to call out to him in disbelief when Zenda came in.
“My lady, just a moment. I’ll set the table for you.”
With lightning-fast hands, Zenda transformed the tabletop into a delicious-looking spread.
I waited for her to tuck a large napkin into my collar before sitting down at the chair, where an envelope lay right next to my plate.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, I believe the master left it. Your name is written on it. Would you like to look at it after your meal?”
Listening to Zenda, I picked up the envelope and immediately recognized it.
It was the letter addressed to me that had been sticking out from the pile of letters on Uncle’s desk a few days ago.
The seal bearing the imperial crest was still intact.
“Can I look at this first?”
“Of course. Shall I open it for you?”
“I want to do it!”
Zenda only helped me with the seal, which was difficult for me to break.
Inside was a card, much thicker than the envelope.
I read it, one letter at a time, but couldn’t finish before I looked up at Zenda with wide eyes.
“His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Yes?”
“He wants me to come play!”
“He, he does?”
“Here!”
I held the card out to Zenda.
Zenda’s eyes, after reading the same card I had, became as wide as a startled rabbit’s.
“My goodness. It’s true! It’s an invitation to the imperial palace for you, my lady. I’ve heard that the master is also a close friend of His Majesty the Emperor…”
“My mom was his friend, too. Oh, but Uncle.”
I frowned mid-sentence.
If I ask Uncle to go with me, he’ll probably tell me not to cling to him like a nuisance.
Or to not bother him. He probably wouldn't even let me ride in the carriage.
“Zenda.”
“Yes?”
“Is it far from here to the imperial palace?”
Zenda propped her chin on her index finger and thought for a moment.
“I believe it takes about thirty minutes to an hour by carriage. I’ve never been to the imperial palace myself, but that’s what I’ve heard.”
“Oh…”
I couldn’t hide my disappointment.
Then I have to get Uncle’s permission, no matter what, right?
