Chapter 19
19
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It seemed Rosa had heard something from Mother.
—Peep.
Yan's short cry seemed to convey a meaning.
'No way!'
Or something like that.
Beatrice offered another spoonful of soup and continued.
"How about leaving an egg yolk by the window? So Peep-peep can come and visit sometimes..."
—Peep!
Yan cried out more discontentedly.
It was clear this time that he was protesting being called 'Peep-peep.'
Meeting Father was the priority, but I couldn't help but speak up.
"Hey Tritz. Is the name Peep-peep a little weird?"
"Pardon?"
Beatrice asked back, seemingly taken aback by the sudden question.
"No? You named him Peep-peep because he peeps, right?"
—Peeeeep!
Yan flapped his wings, crying out fiercely.
I glared at him subtly, careful not to make it too obvious.
"Yeah, but... it's kinda not good. From now on, how about we call him 'Yan'?"
"'Yan'? Why all of a sudden?"
Beatrice would be bewildered.
'To suddenly change the name of a bird that has to be released.'
But unable to think of an excuse, I replied carelessly.
"I dunno, he just kinda... looks like a 'Yan'."
"Pardon...?"
Beatrice's expression crumpled for once, but thankfully, I was four years old.
'Whether a four-year-old princess changes a bird's name to 'Yan' or 'Yak' is her business.'
Beatrice quickly hid her expression and forced a smile as she replied.
"Well... 'Yan' is fine too."
Then, returning to the main topic, she affirmed.
"Peep... no, Yan can do well in the garden. He's much better now, so he'll get completely better soon and fly away. Then he'll come to visit us here too."
—Peep.
'Don't make me laugh.'
That's probably what Yan was saying.
After finishing a bowl of pumpkin soup for a snack, I asked Beatrice.
"Tritz, can you go to the teacher and borrow a book?"
"A book?"
I drew a large square shape with both hands.
"This big, and it has a picture of a red bird."
After a while, Beatrice appeared, hugging a heavy book, and asked uncertainly.
"Is this the right book, Your Highness? I told the teacher that Your Highness wanted to see a picture of a red bird."
"Yeah, that's it."
I recognized the book on the bed at once and nodded.
Then Beatrice began to turn the pages.
"You're looking for a picture of a red bird, right?"
The book was thick, but there were very few pictures.
"Here it is!"
Beatrice quickly found the picture of the red bird, and then she found a picture of the red bird as a baby.
Beatrice's eyes widened as she looked at the picture.
"Wow, he looks just like Squeaky, doesn't he?"
Did it really look that much alike to anyone?
"Not Squeaky, Yan."
I corrected her and closed the book for now.
"Where's Daddy?"
Asked out of the blue, Beatrice blinked in confusion.
"His Majesty the King? It seems His Majesty is still meeting with the investigators and the servants..."
Then it seemed okay to wait a little longer.
'Father will ask me something before he finishes the investigation.'
I'm not a speechless baby, so there's no way he'd investigate everyone else and leave out the person involved.
So I quietly nodded to Beatrice.
* * *
My hunch was right.
As the sun began to set in the west, there was a knock, and Father appeared.
"Rostel, are you feeling any better...?"
Yes, I'd be even better if Father hadn't been badgering innocent palace staff all day.
I grumbled inwardly and nodded.
"Yeah, Daddy..."
Then I reached out my hand, pretending to be pitiful.
He approached with his usual moved expression and grabbed my hand.
Father fiddled with my hand for a long time with his large hands, then said carefully.
"Rostel, recently... that is, yesterday or today. Have you eaten anything that tasted strange or had a peculiar smell?"
When I stared at him, he quickly added.
"Of course, I've asked other people too, but I was wondering if anything might have occurred to you later."
"Nope..."
I answered, rolling my eyes.
Father pulled up a chair and sat closer.
"Then did you see anyone you didn't know in the palace, or did you receive anything new as a gift?"
When I slowly shook my head, the full-fledged interrogation began.
"Honey, you remember greeting Mommy in the morning, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Who was there then?"
I almost sighed, but I answered truthfully.
"Marquis Hestia."
"You remember well, honey."
Father smiled for a moment, seemingly impressed, but the smile was so fleeting that it disappeared as soon as I noticed it.
Father quickly asked again.
"The Marquess brought gifts, didn't he? Did you see them too?"
The reason Father was asking was all too obvious.
'Father suspects the Marquess.'
Of course, Marquis Hestia isn't on very friendly terms with Father.
Before Father married Mother, the Marquess was the strongest candidate for the King's consort.
'But I know the Marquess's future.'
Unlike Father, who ultimately didn't trust him, the Marquess is loyal to this country until the day he dies.
'Gray, who becomes the Marquess after his death, would even turn the family inside out and offer it to Rosa.'
But I couldn't not nod.
Questions followed relentlessly.
"Did you smell anything unusual there, or did you feel bad when you saw them?"
Father would be suspicious and uncomfortable with the Marquess showing poison to his young daughter.
But the poisons were sealed, and they didn't harm me in any way.
'If Father gets rid of them this time, Rosa won't be able to get the poisonous herb either, so it'll be beneficial to me.'
In the life I'd already lived once, the conflict between Marquis Hestia and Father had never benefited anyone.
Therefore, I shouldn't create new problems by causing new accidents that didn't exist back then.
'I haven't been reborn, I've only returned to the past...'
Maybe a war will break out in this life too.
The more that happens, the more this country needs Hestia.
After steeling myself, I grabbed Father's hand tightly and looked up at him.
"Daddy."
My pronunciation became even stranger due to my nervousness.
Perhaps because of that, Father flinched for a moment, then asked a beat later.
"Yeah? Do you have something to say to Daddy?"
"Yeah, I didn't... see it very well. I just... when I saw the Marquess, I thought I wanted to see Gray."
"...Gray? Are you talking about Hestia Vice-Marquess?"
I blinked innocently and quickly nodded.
"Gray said he'd be my vassal. He was worried about me. He was worried about the cat scratching me too..."
"...Is that so?"
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to squeeze out even a single tear that wouldn't come, then opened them wide.
"But I'm sick, so can't he come to play anymore?"
Unfortunately, no tears flowed, but it seemed to be enough to fluster Father.
Father let out a soft sigh and asked back.
"That child was worried about you? He's going to be your vassal?"
"Yeah. He was suuuper worried. He looked at me here for a long, long time, even though it doesn't hurt. He said that's why he brought the gifts."
I rolled up my sleeves and exaggeratedly praised Gray.
I wonder if my desire to somehow defend Hestia was conveyed, Father asked again.
"...You didn't see the things the Marquess brought very well?"
"That's..."
I glanced at him slightly and answered.
"They weren't very fun... I'll look at them better next time."
At my seemingly repentant tone, Father finally smiled.
"I'm not scolding you, Rostel. I was thinking about whether they might have had a bad influence on you."
"...But the Marquess is Mommy's vassal, right?"
When I asked with wide eyes, Father stroked my hair.
"Yes, he's a vassal. A good vassal. I was worried... maybe I'm being sensitive."
I didn't miss the opportunity and grabbed Father's other hand as well.
"Can't Gray and Bitori come anymore? Can't we play together?"
Father finally shook his head.
"You can play. Those children will be your good friends and vassals. Right?"
"Yeah!"
I smiled brightly and shook Father's hands.
The large hands, which wouldn't move even a little with my strength, shook well in the direction I intended.
"Honey, are you really not in pain anymore?"
"Yeah, not at all!"
"Okay, that's a relief."
Father's smile continued.
In that moment, I recalled the grand goal I had briefly forgotten in the face of the immediate crisis.
'Recruit Daddy!'
So I let go of those large hands and stretched out my arms.
"Hug me!"
