5 - Never Let Go of a Black-Haired Dad

The imperial doctors came into the prison, examined my wounds, and wrapped bandages around my feet.

Then, the black bear who had gone out earlier returned and gave me a thumbs up in front of my cell.

"I beat that bastard up too."

"O-oh?"

Who did he beat up?

Could it be Dumbass? Did he beat up Dumbass?

No, and he's still alive? Is there anyone in this empire who can survive after hitting the emperor?

Lorowi, with his shaggy black hair and beard, laughed heartily as if he felt refreshed, then obediently went back into his cell.

At the sight of the bear returning from his walk into his cage, the guards shouted, "Welcome back, Your Excellency!"

What, am I the only one who doesn't know who Lorowi is?

Well, of course, I wasn't very interested in people outside my sphere of life. But I know the profiles of the major nobles!

"By the way, Lorowi."

"Yeah."

"Shave."

"......"

"I thought you were a bear."

"......"

No joke, I really thought a black grizzly bear was walking. The ones that eat salmon in the northern mountains of the empire in the fall.

Even if this is a prison, what's with that appearance?

What's the difference between a human and an animal? No, even animals groom themselves. They clean their fur with their tongues.

It wasn't my place to say, since I hadn't washed my face this morning, but I chattered on with my stiff tongue, and Lorowi tapped the wall to stop me.

"Princess, don't you have anything else to say?"

"Huh?"

"I said I beat him up for you."

"Did I ask you to?"

"......"

See? You have nothing to say, do you?

You went and did something I didn't even ask you to do, so why would I praise you?

More than that, good deeds are supposed to be done without expecting anything in return. If you expect something in return, then it's not a good deed, but a transaction with me.

Why is volunteering volunteering? It's volunteering because you do it without expecting anything in return.

"Stop."

"What is volunteering in the first place?"

"Please stop."

"Do you know the word 'self-satisfaction,' Beomgol? It becomes a considerable driving force in life."

"Princess, I beg you."

"Alright."

I could lecture for another hour, but I'll stop for the sake of your effort in beating up Dumbass.

As soon as I said that, cries of "Thank you for your grace!" rang out from Lorowi and other prisons here and there. It seemed that the other prisoners were also listening to my noble words.

"Well, it's time for the children to sleep. I allow everyone to play quietly."

I skipped a meal and had a bit of a fuss, so I announced that I was going to sleep, and from the next room, Lorowi and others said, "Good night, Your Highness."

They were political prisoners, but they knew how to treat a princess. When I get out later, I should reduce their sentences with my princess privileges.

I said, "Oh, thank you," to them and climbed into bed and covered myself with the blanket.

It was the first time in my life that I had slept on such a hard bed, so when I woke up, my whole body was bruised.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Aaaaaaah!"

Morning came, and I took a spoonful of the food that was served, then kicked the tray again and rolled on the floor.

It was terrible.

How dare they bring me such pig feed to eat?

I was so upset and dumbfounded that I just screamed, and the prisoners in the prison all told me to calm down.

"Prison food is always bad, Your Highness!"

"Please be patient, Your Highness, this is for rehabilitation!"

"The person in charge of serving doesn't season it because he thinks salt is a waste! Please calm down!"

Even if that's the case for you guys, you should give the only direct descendant of the imperial family food that suits her!

I screamed without getting tired until my uvula was shaking, and the prisoners and guards all asked for leniency, and finally the warden came out and said he would bring a new meal.

"Wait. I have more to say."

"Yes, please command, Your Highness."

"Ahem."

No matter how delicious the food is, it's no fun if I eat it alone. Even though we only know each other's voices, we've lived under the same roof, so we should eat the same food.

The head chef's cooking at the princess's palace was so delicious that it was a shame to eat it alone.

"From now on, as long as I am in prison, the princess's palace's head chef shall be in charge of all the food here!"

"Thank you for your grace!"

"We will follow your orders!"

I can handle this much with my authority, even without Dumbass's orders. Even if it gets into Dumbass's ears, he won't care much.

In the first place, he'll be lying down and sleeping at this time.

After that, it seemed that the palace people belonging to me were working hard, and the prison food was filled with the things I usually eat.

People here and there praised me, saying that it had been a long time since they had eaten food with so much salt and pepper, and there were some who shouted "Long live the Princess!" every time they took a spoonful of rice.

"Lorowi, do you have anything to say?"

"Do you know the word 'self-satisfaction,' Princess?"

"Forget it, you ungrateful bastard."

He's using what he learned from me. Lorowi has no manners at all.

I ate the food quickly, drank the antidote that the doctor gave me, and even ate strawberries for dessert.

The strawberries harvested this year are very delicious.

Thinking it was a shame to eat them alone, I reached out through the hole and handed him a strawberry, and Lorowi readily took it and, for once, said thank you.

"It's self-satisfaction."

"You really don't give in, do you?"

My mom and aunt taught me that the direct descendant of the imperial family should never live being defeated.

This was more of a teaching from the Lorowi, my mother's family, than from the Kisomalos family. Lord Lorowi is a bit violent.

"Ah, Lorowi."

"Oh, do you know Lorowi?"

Well, it's weirder not to know, since it's a family that serves the mid-level god Lorowi and has a long history.

I proudly said that my mother was the eldest daughter of Lorowi, and the current head of the family and the second daughter of the family, Kazelnu, was my aunt. Then Lorowi said something calmly and brutally.

"I know. Lorowi is the family that colluded with my uncle and killed my parents."

"Oh......"

I'm sorry. My mother's family is a bit like that.

They never miss an opportunity to kill people or start wars.

More than that, so this was it. It was a family that my mother's family had buried, so the education officer didn't teach me about it. I thought it was strange that I didn't know such a great guy.

"I'm sorry. My aunt's family is, well, a bit violent."

"No. My parents just died because they were weak. You don't have to apologize, Princess."

You're really rude, Lorowi. You shouldn't say that about your deceased parents, no matter what.

Our Dumbass died because he deserved to die, but from what I heard, Lorowi's parents were just victims.

"It was also my parents' fault for taking my uncle's territory."

"Uh-huh......"

"And my uncle, who was my guardian, coveted our family's wealth and handed me over to the imperial family, looking for an opportunity to kill me while sending me to the battlefield. As soon as I came of age, the first thing I did was purge my uncle's family."

"What a mess......"

What kind of family is that? Actually, isn't our family the one that ended cleanly?

We honestly ruined the country and went bankrupt, so it's our own fault, but in that case, the family was ruined mostly because of Lorowi?

That family seemed to need regression more.

"I have enough reason to kill them, but I'm here to reflect."

Ah, so you did have a conscience, Lorowi.

Judging by how long his hair is, covering his entire face, he must have been here for a long time. So he's been reflecting during that time.

No, but he's in his prime, so he should go out and play. What I regret after I died is that I didn't play enough.

His foolishness was so extreme that I almost felt sorry for him.

"Lorowi."

"Yeah?"

"Give me your hand."

I didn't even need to use my power to release him. He can get out as soon as he finishes reflecting.

That's why the guards didn't stop him even though he was going in and out of the prison.

"Kisho, Kiso, Kishomallo. Ah, damn it!"

Ugh, my tongue is stiff and I can't speak!

I deliberately thought about the time when Dumbass hit me, or the day I was torn apart, and raised my blood pressure. My head got hot and my tongue loosened little by little.

"As the direct descendant of the Kisomalos, I command."

"......"

"I forgive your sins."

So hurry up and go out and play, Lorowi. Don't regret it like me.

And if possible, I hope you become a talent that can help the empire and save me from being torn apart.

I drew the symbol of Lord Kisomalos on Lorowi's palm and clapped his hand.

Since I, the second noblest person in the country and the direct descendant of the Kisomalos, have pardoned him, Lorowi doesn't even need to look back on his sins.

From now on, shave well, cut your hair neatly, wash your face well, wash well, wear pretty clothes, and live freely doing everything you want to do.

Then Lorowi clenched his fist and answered my sermon.

"I understand."

"And next time we meet, have some manners."

"I don't accept that offer."

Okay, okay. Go quickly. Make sure to shave. And cut your hair.

I said the same thing over and over again, and Lorowi kicked the prison door open and ran away with his ears covered.