Chapter 47
47
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“Rostel, the Celestial Steeds must be in a bad mood today. Should we come back another time?”
Princess Rostel pouted, tear tracks still visible on her face.
Count Chessware, who had raised three children, must have treated her well, because she was clinging to him, even though she had said she didn't like him.
“Come here.”
Grand Duke Rostel thanked the Count, took the Princess Rostel into his arms, and slowly turned away.
Then, he continued to soothe her.
“I told you, Rostel. It takes a long time to tame a Celestial Steed. They are Magical creatures and very sensitive.”
Princess Rostel stubbornly pursed her lips and didn't even reply.
She looked adorable, but the Grand Duke Rostel couldn't help but point out what had happened earlier.
“Rostel.”
“…Ung?”
When those lovely red eyes looked straight up at him, his will to scold her was reduced by half.
Still, since he had already started, he couldn't stop, so he continued softly.
“About Count Chessware. He's an old friend of mine.”
Sensing that she was about to be scolded, Princess Rostel closed her mouth again.
“Imagine if I treated Hestia, the sub-Marquess, disrespectfully. How would our daughter feel?”
“She’s my subject. Not a friend, so it doesn’t matter.”
The Grand Duke Rostel chuckled at Princess Rostel's immediate answer.
'She was tearfully begging to play with her before, and now she's just a subject?'
The sub-Marquess Hestia would be sad enough to cry if she heard that.
The Grand Duke Rostel still tried to persuade his daughter.
“Our little one will probably become King someday, right?”
“Of course.”
There was no hesitation in Princess Rostel's answer.
It was as firm as saying fire is hot, and the Grand Duke Rostel smiled again.
“But to a King, everyone in this land is a subject.”
Princess Rostel's red eyes rolled around.
She seemed to be listening carefully, so the Grand Duke Rostel continued earnestly.
“If everyone is a subject and you don't have any friends, wouldn't it be lonely?”
The Grand Duke Rostel didn't wait for an answer and added.
“I think I would be lonely. That's why I'm so grateful and happy that someone like the Count is my subject and my friend at the same time.”
Princess Rostel didn't reply.
“What happened earlier was a mistake, my dear. You are still young, so don't worry about being disliked by people for small mistakes.”
The Grand Duke Rostel hesitated over the last words as they walked to Princess Rostel's room, finally adding them just before the door.
“But since he's my friend, would you apologize to the Count next time you see him for what happened today?”
He made an effort to swallow the unspoken words that it would be the same even if he were a servant.
But Princess Rostel's reply was unexpected again.
“Me? You want me to apologize? The Count didn't say his status first! He ignored me because I'm young!”
Princess Rostel was only four years old, although her fifth birthday was approaching.
Considering her age, it was a very clever answer, but the Grand Duke Rostel felt frustrated.
'This isn't a problem that can be solved by talking to a child.'
All of this terrible stubbornness and arrogance was a legacy from his beloved wife.
But the virtues of a King and the virtues of a Princess Rostel are different.
'Even if that Princess Rostel grows up and eventually becomes King.'
The Grand Duke Rostel gave up trying to persuade his daughter and knocked on the door.
—Knock, knock.
The maid Chelsea opened the door hastily as soon as she heard the knock.
“Your Highness, is everything alright?”
As soon as Princess Rostel saw Chelsea, she stretched out her arms and quickly moved into her embrace.
Then, as if she had been very wronged, she burst into tears again.
“The Celestial Steed, hwaaa, got angry, hwaaaa, and didn’t, hwaaa, let me ride……!”
Chelsea looked at the Grand Duke Rostel with a mortified expression.
“I am sorry, Your Highness. I should have gone with her; it was my mistake.”
“It's alright. There are good days and bad days.”
Princess Rostel hugged the maid Chelsea tightly and continued to cry.
'She sometimes secretly kisses my cheek when we part these days…….'
She must have been really upset today, because she didn't even look back at the Grand Duke Rostel.
As he looked at his daughter with regret, Chelsea quickly said.
“Your Highness, you must greet your royal father.”
“Hic…….”
Princess Rostel wiped away her tears with the back of her hand at those words.
As she did so, the bracelet on her wrist slipped out from under her sleeve.
'Tears of Baha……?'
The Grand Duke Rostel tilted his head for a moment, and Princess Rostel said.
“…Bye.”
Only then did the Grand Duke Rostel take his eyes off the bracelet and look down at his daughter with a gentle smile.
“Goodbye, Rostel.”
Then the Tears of Baha disappeared under her sleeve again, out of sight.
'……That can't be.'
The Grand Duke Rostel shook his head slightly.
It was only for a moment, but he didn't seem to feel any Divinity from the Sacred object just now.
'Ibiza must have been making a fuss lately, and I'm just feeling extra sensitive.'
The Grand Duke Rostel thought so and left Princess Rostel's room.
* * *
The last day of Thanksgiving week, which was also the last day of the week without classes.
So many people had come and gone from the Royal Palace and given Gabriella so many gifts that Beatrice was busy organizing them and making a list.
'But the biggest gift is something else.'
That was Gabriella's complete recovery.
It was clear from what she had observed at the Sei Palace the day before.
'Her cough is gone, and her voice is back.'
Her appetite had also improved, and she ate well. When she lifted and hugged her, she seemed to have even more energy than before.
'It's proof that I have Healing Power.'
I repeated the thought I had had several times in the past few days and secretly took out my planner.
I drew a line through 'Save Gabi' on the first line and also drew a line through 'Healing Power Test'.
'I've completed two!'
All that was left was to receive a Divination, get revenge on Rosa, recruit Dad, and protect Yan.
'I'm supposed to receive a Divination when I'm seven, so there's nothing I can do about that right now…….'
Getting revenge on Rosa will take a long time, so I can't draw a line through that yet.
I think I can get Dad on my side.
'But I need to prove my Divinity first to reveal the secret of the twins.'
That's the only way I can reveal my mother's secret Divination.
But just thinking about collecting tears like this and somehow proving my Divinity made my head hurt.
'When will I get Healing Power strong enough to heal a cut on my skin right away?'
I wondered and looked at the last item.
"ㅇ ㅈㅋㄱ"
Yan told me to protect him from Rosa until he was all better.
'He's already all better, isn't he?'
I picked up a pastel to draw a line through 'Protect Yan' and then put it back down.
'Yan is still too small.'
He's growing up so fast these days…….
It would be good to protect Yan until he becomes an adult bird.
I glanced at Yan, and he chirped from the windowsill, half-asleep.
'What are you looking at?'
He probably wants to start a fight with those words, but he can't right now.
I chuckled to myself, thinking that, when I heard a knock.
—Knock, knock.
Beatrice got up and opened the door, and unexpectedly, my father appeared.
“Daaad!”
I was so happy that I stood up and shouted, and my father smiled brightly and opened his arms.
“Are you feeling better, baby?”
Ah, that damn Rosa…….
The news I heard yesterday through my mother and Gabriella was as follows.
“Princess Rosa went to see the Celestial Steed, but for some reason, the Celestial Steed was angry and she couldn't even get close.”
“Princess Rosa was rude to Count Chessware, who is a friend of His Royal Highness the King. Grand Duke Rostel seems a little displeased about it.”
But instead of being displeased, my father is worried that I might be upset.
It was really regrettable, but I pretended not to know anything and went into my father's arms.
“Ung, I got so many presents.”
“Oh my.”
Beatrice chimed in, tactlessly, from the side.
“You haven't even looked at the presents yet?”
Instead of covering Beatrice's mouth, I rubbed my cheek against my father's cheek to distract him.
Sure enough, my father soon burst out laughing.
“Ibiza seems to be in a good mood today, would you like to go see her?”
Then Yan flew over quickly and sat on my shoulder.
'Animals seemed to know the difference between Rosa and me when I was a cat, too…….'
Then is there any reason to meet Ibiza and show the difference between me and Rosa more clearly?
'If Ibiza is only friendly with me and not with Rosa, it will definitely be a problem…….'
I was about to reject my father's offer for that reason, but then I remembered one thing.
“Princess Rosa was rude to Count Chessware, who is a friend of His Royal Highness the King. Grand Duke Rostel seems a little displeased about it.”
Count Chessware is the person who has been in charge of managing the Celestial Steeds for a long time, and he is like my father's right-hand man.
'Rosa, you idiot…….'
She probably did that because she doesn't know how important he is.
She must have thought the Count was a stableman just because he was near the stables?
'Of course, it's not something to be proud of to be rude to a stableman either.'
I had no choice but to nod.
I can't allow Rosa to lose something because of my father.
'Rosa would never apologize first for something like this…….'
Ah, why do I have to apologize for something I didn't even do!