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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Heaven is Next to You
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“S-sorry…”
I apologized in a tiny voice and carefully pushed myself up.
Chessier got up with me.
“…Are you hurt?”
“N-no… Are you?”
“I’m fine.”
The atmosphere turned strange in an instant.
A kiss… on the lips… with a boy who isn’t my dad. I…
I snuck a glance at Chessier, who looked more than a little embarrassed. He avoided my eyes, saying nothing.
I felt wronged.
Was this my fault?
“It’s because you kept avoiding me! This flower, this!”
I pointed to the flower that Chessier was still clutching tightly, even in the middle of the disaster scene.
“Didn’t you buy this for me?”
“…I did.”
“Then give it to me!”
Chessier, who had been hesitating while tracing his lips, handed me the flower.
A single stalk with many small, purple petals blooming like fairy wings.
My heart instantly melted.
“It’s so pretty. What kind of flower is it?”
“…Aristata.”
“W-what did you say? This is an Aristata?”
I was stunned.
A scene from the original novel flashed through my mind like lightning.
「On a certain day in May, a bouquet of Aristata would always be placed in the vase on Enoch Rubinstein’s office desk.
“Does that flower have some special meaning?”
On the fourth year of seeing the Aristata without fail, Chessier asked, suddenly curious.
“Today is my daughter’s birthday.”
“…Ah.”
“The Aristata is her birth flower.”」
That heart-wrenching scene where my heart broke for the protagonist, Enoch Rubinstein, as he missed his daughter.
When I read it, I didn’t know the exact date since it just said ‘a certain day in May’…
‘So the day of the Aristata was May 19th.’
My birth flower.
My heart ached anew.
Chessier really knew how to move a girl’s heart…
“Thank you so much… This is my favorite gift I’ve ever received.”
Chessier stared at me intently.
The awkwardness had vanished. Worried he might run away again, I quickly clung to his arm.
“Let’s go together. Huh? And sing me the birthday song.”
* * *
A small birthday party was set up in the dining hall.
I looked at each of my family members sitting around the circular table, singing to me.
My grandfather, who had been reluctant to come, complaining about the way we were celebrating…
My aunt, who looked a hundred times prettier now that her worries had vanished after Theo’s recovery…
My twin brothers, who had used the power of capital to gift me a custom-made Princess Lala dress and tiara…
And Chessier, and…
“Princess, time to blow out the candles!”
My beloved dad.
“Okay!”
Clutching the Aristata from Chessier, I took a deep breath and blew out the seven candles on the cake.
“Wooow! Happy birthday, our princess!”
“Happy birthday, Lilis.”
“Happy birthday, kiddo!”
“Happy birthday, Lilis! Don’t cry, why are you crying?”
“*Sniffle*, thank you, everywun…”
*Thud!*
*Clang—!*
Just then, my grandfather and aunt placed something on the table at the same time.
Then they glared at each other grimly.
‘W-what’s going on?’
Under my grandfather’s large hand was a single, rolled-up piece of paper.
What my aunt had placed down was a blue velvet jewelry box.
“You first.”
At my grandfather’s words, my aunt opened the box.
A brilliant light poured out!
It was so blinding I had to raise an arm to shield my eyes.
“Oh, my…”
I thought it was some kind of blinding spell, but no, it was a massive diamond reflecting the light.
A diamond that looked to be at least 100 carats sat in the center. Draped around it were countless large and small teardrop-shaped diamonds…
It was a three-tiered chain necklace!
It looked like something you’d find in a museum, displayed with a plaque that read, ‘An Over-the-Top Luxury of Medieval Royalty.’
“Goodness. How is the princess supposed to wear that now, sister? Her neck will snap.”
Dad shook his head as he cut the cake.
“It’s 100 carats, Lilis.”
“I-it looks like it…”
“I was going to order something you could wear now, but that would mean fewer jewels and the designs were so limited. Keep it, and wear it to your debutante ball. Everyone will be so envious of you.”
No matter how I looked at it, it wasn't a suitable gift for a seven-year-old.
But I couldn’t disappoint my aunt, who was watching my reaction expectantly, so I accepted the jewelry box with hazy eyes.
“Thank you, Auntie! It’s so, so pretty! I’ll treasure it and wear it when I’m bigger!”
“Huhu, of course.”
At this point, I was becoming afraid of my grandfather’s gift.
Though it was just a single, humble-looking piece of paper, I was sure its contents would be anything but humble…
‘Please don’t let it be a land deed.’
“It’s a land deed.”
Oh, dear God. My grandfather mercilessly crushed my hopes.
“I purchased the land along the Parman River in the east, and it came out to about 100 acres.”
“Wow, the land by the Parman River must be incredibly expensive.”
Dad shook his head again as he distributed slices of cake onto everyone’s plates.
This… this was a bit much.
I broke out in a cold sweat and waved my hands.
“Grandpa, this is a little…”
“It’s the perfect place for horse riding. The capital is too cramped, after all. Wouldn’t it be nice to go there with Chessier from time to time?”
What? My ears perked up.
I glanced at Chessier, who looked just as surprised as I was. His ears turned slightly red, and he quickly lowered his head.
‘A playground of well over a hundred thousand square meters where Zephyr, Chessier, and I can run around freely?’
*Gulp.*
I swallowed hard.
My vision blurred.
Am I really going to become a third-generation heiress corrupted by capitalism?
“T-thank you, Grandpa. I-I can win first place in the equestrian competition next year, too!”
In the end, I compromised with my greed…
“By the way, Chessier, don’t you have a gift for Lilis?”
Leon asked as he popped a strawberry from the cake into his mouth.
I quickly held up the Aristata flower.
“He gave me this flower!”
“Huh. Is that it?”
Leon, you idiot! You’re so dense.
“For me, this is enough…”
“Here.”
“…Huh?”
A box was suddenly held out in front of me.
Chessier was avoiding my gaze, looking embarrassed.
“Hurry up and open it!”
Theo urged.
I carefully opened the box.
Inside…
“Ah…”
Was a cute, bunny-shaped coin purse.
And the ‘Princess Lala Magic Wand’!
“Pahaha! Kiddo, you’ve collected the full Princess Lala set from head to toe!”
“Wow, our princess is so lucky.”
How did he buy the magic wand? It must have been more expensive than the Princess Lala shoes.
With trembling hands, I took out the gifts.
As I did, a small card that had been underneath fell out.
[Happy Birthday.]
A short birthday message.
It was nothing special, but the tip of my nose tingled.
“Thank you, Chessier…”
And as I sniffled and casually flipped the card over…
Small letters caught my eye.
[Thank you.
Being next to you feels like heaven.]
“Oh…”
“What’s wrong, princess? You look so moved. What did Chessier write in the letter?”
“Nothing!”
I clutched the card tightly and took deep breaths.
*Being next to you feels like heaven.*
The moment I saw that single line, written with such care as if he’d pondered over it, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.
It was more moving than a hundred words.
“Wuuu…”
“P-princess?”
“Waaaaah.”
In the end, I burst into tears.
* * *
“*Sniffle*.”
“Seriously, you’re really not going to tell Dad what was written?”
“Nope. I won’t. It’s for my eyes only.”
“Tsk.”
After crying for a long time, my eyes were puffy and swollen. As the sun began to set, I went outside, holding my dad’s hand.
He said he had an amazing present to show me and led me to a secluded corner of the garden.
“W-woooow…?”
I was completely amazed.
Hanging securely from a thick tree branch was…
A swing!
“Ahahaha! This is what you wanted, right, princess?”
“Oh, my gosh!”
Stomping my feet with the magic wand from Chessier in my hand, I scurried over to the swing and sat down.
“No way!”
When we lived in Zenon, our front yard was too small, and there were no trees to hang a swing from.
I was so jealous of the swing in our neighbor Jimmy’s yard.
I used to go over to his house every day to ask to play on it, but the selfish Jimmy would only let me ride it for exactly five minutes, saying it was his.
I remember crying because it was so unfair and sad…
“Do you like it?”
“Yes! Yes! I love it so, so much!”
It was twice as big as Jimmy’s swing; there was plenty of room even with Dad sitting next to me.
“Hehehe. Thank you, Dad. You’re really, really the best.”
“Kisses, then.”
I kissed my dad’s right cheek, then his left, about ten times in a row before saying:
“Push me!”
“Alright.”
Since my feet couldn’t reach the ground yet, Dad pushed the swing for me.
“Woooow!”
The cool evening spring breeze gently rustled through my hair.
“Princess.”
“Yeah!”
“Are you happy?”
I turned to look at my dad.
Seeing his smiling face, I answered cheerfully.
“I’m so happy!”
“Ahaha.”
The original novel hadn’t even started yet.
There was still a long way to go before everyone could be truly happy.
I couldn’t guarantee how the terrifying original story would change now that I had survived and was by my dad’s side.
But in this moment, I was purely and simply happy.
“Dad is happy that you’re happy, princess. My princess, I’ll make sure you’re happy every single day from now on.”
“…Yeah, hehe. Me too.”
Darn it. I feel like I’m going to cry at the drop of a hat.
Am I a tear-vending machine?
“I’ll make you happy too, Dad…”
Suddenly, I noticed small letters carved into the swing’s armrest.
“Dad…”
Ah… why would Dad write something like this? I’m really going to cry.
*Sniffle*. Holding back my tears, I threw myself into my dad’s arms.
“…I’ll make you happy too, Dad. Just trust me.”
“Pahaha, Dad is already so happy just seeing my princess grow up healthy and strong.”
“Okay, I’ll try. I’m sleepy now, so let’s go to bed.”
“Sleepy? All of a sudden?”
“Yeah.”
Dad lifted me into his arms. I secretly wiped the tear that had trickled down onto his shoulder.
I’ve cried a lot today.
I shouldn’t cry anymore.
[My everything, my world.
No matter how rough the winds may blow,
Dad will protect you.]
