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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: A Dire Vision and a Gift
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I felt a sense of detachment as a different scene unfolded before me.
A man was searching for someone.
It was a moonlit night, and his face was contorted with rage. He wore a black fedora.
He had brown hair, the ends of which were spiky and unruly.
And his left hand was wrapped in bandages.
For a moment, a strange light glinted in the man's eyes.
At the same time, my vision shifted abruptly, and a black carriage came into view.
‘Gasp…!’
I was stunned.
It was a carriage I recognized.
The very one my grandfather rode in.
If the crest of the Celledor imperial family was a lion, the Valliat family's was a sword and a wolf.
The Leguire family crest was similar to the Valliat's, but with the addition of a sharp beast's claw marks etched over the sword.
That one has a wolf's mane, so it isn't my uncle's carriage.
‘Grandfather? Not Uncle?’
Grandfather stepped out of the carriage.
In that instant, someone broke through the guards and attacked him.
Fortunately, a knight blocked the attack, but Grandfather's arm was injured, and the knight's face was wounded.
Of all things, another dangerous scene.
The man was belatedly caught and forced to his knees, but the mere fact that it had happened was perilous enough.
Who was this assailant, and why did he attack Grandfather?
These fragmented visions, which appeared while I was awake rather than dreaming, always showed events that would happen on that very day…
It's going to happen tonight!
"Aika."
"…"
My uncle's low voice pierced through my muffled hearing.
It was like hearing a loud noise while my ears were plugged.
When I heard the voice again, my vision began to waver and collapse.
I felt a sense of relief.
I realized the vision was crumbling away.
I don't have to be trapped.
Once it began to collapse, my vision quickly returned to normal.
I blinked, coming to my senses, and saw the serious look on my uncle's face.
"Peanut."
"…?"
"Aika."
"What is it, Uncle?"
I answered casually.
Was it time for the ability to end on its own? Or did my uncle calling my name pull me out?
I suddenly wondered.
"What's with you? What's wrong with your face?"
"What… about it?"
"Why were you suddenly staring into space? Are you sick? Should we stay home?"
Uncle pressed the palm of his hand against my forehead and cheeks as he asked.
His touch was rough, but I was surprised by his kinder-than-usual tone.
But I can't do that!
I promised Ruspe I'd see him after ten nights.
"No!"
I shook my head vigorously.
Still, it was a relief.
My uncle hadn't noticed my secret.
My heart was still pounding, and a tingling sensation ran through my body, making me want to hide somewhere, but I pretended nothing was wrong and stood up.
"Hey, Peanut. Speak up now instead of whining that you're sick later."
His voice had reverted to its usual threatening tone.
"No, I'm not sick. …Uncle, let's hurry to the imperial palace."
*To tell Grandfather.*
I swallowed the rest of my sentence and pulled my uncle to his feet.
* * *
Oh, dear.
There was a problem.
It was definitely the day we were supposed to come to the palace, but I was told that both His Majesty the Emperor and Grandfather were too busy to see me.
Unable to even deliver the bouquet, I could only look at my uncle in dismay.
"What's with that look? You can just ask someone to deliver the bouquet for you."
"I have to see Grandfather in person, not just have it delivered!"
"He's busy, they said."
"But… What about later?"
"I don't know about later. What's wrong, aren't you going to see the white peanut?"
"I am! But I have something important to tell Grandfather… Can I really see him later? You have to promise."
I considered asking my uncle to pass on the message, but I had a feeling he'd only relay half of what I wanted to say.
Just the essential information!
As I clenched my fists and looked up at him, a mumble escaped his lips. "Ugh, so stubborn."
"Fine, just go meet your white peanut."
After a long argument, I finally managed to get a promise from my uncle that he would make sure I could see Grandfather.
Then, at the place my uncle had taken me, I met Ruspe again.
"Ruspe!"
I quickly ran over and stopped in front of him.
"Aika, hello."
"Hi! Have you been well?"
Today, Ruspe was wearing even nicer clothes than last time.
His hair was soft and fluffy like on the first day, and he wore a pristine white shirt with a yellow bow tie.
"Yes, I've been well. And you, Aika?"
"I've been great! Let's have a lot of fun today. This is a present for you!"
I thrust the large bouquet into Ruspe's arms.
Ruspe's eyes widened.
"A present… for me?"
"Yep! Isn't it pretty?"
The flowers the lady at the shop had picked out for me yesterday hadn't withered at all.
Zenda told me it was because she'd sprayed something on them to keep them fresh, but I heard it once and immediately forgot.
While Ruspe handed the bouquet to someone else, my uncle gave me the key.
"Stay where Gerard and Zenda can see you. Just because it's the imperial palace doesn't mean it's completely safe."
My uncle turned away abruptly.
I grabbed his clothes.
"Uncle, where are you going?"
"I have some business to take care of while I'm here."
"If you're late, can I go to the archive first?"
"Do whatever you want."
"Okay! You have to let me see Grandfather, promise?"
"I told you I would."
Then, after giving Gerard some orders, my uncle disappeared.
I tucked the key into the pouch Zenda had made for me.
I should ask Ruspe to go to the archive with me later.
As I was thinking that, Ruspe took a box from his guard and held it out to me.
"Aika, this is for you."
Ruspe's face had turned red.
"For me? A present?"
Ruspe nodded shyly.
I had just handed him a bouquet, but what Ruspe gave me was a beautifully wrapped present, complete with a ribbon.
A yellow box with a yellow ribbon. The box was quite large, too.
My uncle gave me a whole shop as a gift today, and now I'm getting another present!
My ability may have activated on its own, but other than that, it was safe to say this was the best day ever.
"Ruspe, can I open this right now?"
I asked, huffing with excitement.
"Yes, you can."
As soon as Ruspe answered, I propped the box against my stomach, held it firmly with one hand, and untied the ribbon.
Holding the untied ribbon in my mouth, I carefully opened the box.
The moment I did, my jaw dropped, and the ribbon fell to the ground.
"Oh, the ribbon!"
"I'll get it, my lady."
"Thanks, Zenda! Wow, it's a rabbit."
To be precise, they were pink rabbit slippers.
They had round rabbit eyes and soft, floppy ears.
I'd seen plenty of slippers with stuffed animals attached, but I'd never seen slippers that were shaped like animals themselves.
They seemed perfect for wearing in the cold winter.
No! They seemed perfect for wearing in my room right now.
"I've never seen anything like this, Ruspe! They're so pretty!"
Ruspe met my gaze and smiled.
"I'm glad. I saw them at the store and thought you..."
"Hmm?"
"It's nothing. Thanks for my gift, too. The flowers."
Ruspe's cheeks and ears were flushed.
He looks just like a rabbit.
"Okay! Let's go play now."
I entrusted the box with the slippers to Zenda.
Then I took Ruspe's hand.
"Let's go play by that tree over there. The biggest one!"
Ruspe and I sat on a mat that Zenda spread for us under the largest tree in the imperial palace.
While we were happily playing, people who worked at the palace strangely brought us an entire table laden with snacks.
I even recognized someone I'd seen when I met His Majesty the Emperor.
We played drop the handkerchief and drew pictures.
"Ruspe, let's measure our height."
"Our height?"
"Yep, I have to get taller so my uncle will stop calling me Peanut. Turn around and stand here."
Ruspe and I stood back-to-back against the tree.
I stretched my hand up high to gauge the difference in our heights.
"Zenda, measure us now!"
"Yes, you both need to stand still."
"Okay!"
I even held my breath while I waited for Zenda.
"You can step away now."
At her words, I quickly stepped away from the tree and turned around.
Instead of drawing a line on the tree, Zenda was marking the heights with her fingers.
"Is this my height?"
"Yes, my lady. And this is Lord Ruspe's."
"We're almost the same height, right!"
Ruspe met my eyes and smiled bashfully.
"Aika is a little taller."
"Oh, you're right!"
Zenda's finger marking my height was a knuckle higher.
Huh? Then I'm not the smallest one?
So why am I a peanut?
I had to ponder that for a long time.
Come to think of it, my mom was tall too.
Since my uncle is also tall, I figured I must just be a late bloomer.
"Then next time, you can be taller, Ruspe, right?"
"Yeah, you're right."
After measuring our heights, we went back to playing, but someone approached us.
For a moment, I thought it was the turtle-grandpa from the banquet, but thankfully, it wasn't.
It was a man with hair the color of dark green leaves.
His curled mustache stood out.
"To think that a boy destined for a high position is playing so leisurely. I told you never to waste your time."
"Ah… I'm sorry. Today… is my day off."
Ruspe mumbled, his voice trailing off.
Why is Ruspe apologizing?
