Chapter 58
58
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“Wow, the cactus is really…”
Big.
‘And the thorns are thick…’
I heard that this huge cactus was a gift from Ikan a while ago.
“Isn’t it big? That’s probably why the flowers are so big too. The cactus flower is bigger than our baby’s face.”
Fortunately, Father seemed to be in a better mood than before, but I couldn’t care less about the flower.
‘Ugh, is this some kind of self-harm show…?’
I was planning to stab my palm with the cactus thorns, and it was obvious that tears would stream down my face from the pain.
‘Good thing Yan isn’t here.’
Just then, Father put me down on the floor.
“Okay, shall we get down and take a look around?”
My mind was busy plotting to stab my palm with the terrifying thorns, but I pretended to look around as Father said.
But my gaze quickly returned to the cactus thorns.
‘They’re really thick, even looking at them again…’
But hesitating wouldn’t make it hurt less.
‘Let’s get this over with.’
After steeling myself, I pushed my palm towards the cactus.
It should have reached by now, but instead of the pain I had braced for, I only felt a warm sensation.
‘Huh…?’
I cautiously opened the eyes I had tightly shut in fear.
My small palm was touching the back of Father’s hand instead of the cactus thorns.
‘What’s going on?’
While I was bewildered, unable to grasp the situation, Father said,
“…My clever baby seems to be missing one important fact.”
Wait, did Father block my hand just now?
So he prevented me from getting stabbed?
That won’t do!
‘Could it be that Father got stabbed instead of me?’
While I was frantically rolling my eyes, Father’s voice continued.
“Baby, if there’s something you want to tell Daddy,”
Can you take your hand off mine first before saying that?
I was too busy looking at his hand, which was right next to the thorns, but Father continued to speak.
“Just say it.”
…What?
Foolishly, I didn’t understand what Father was saying until then.
So I blinked my eyes and asked,
“Say…?”
What on earth does that mean?
I wasn’t trying to say something, but to show my Healing Power…
But Father nodded.
“Yes. Just say it. Don’t hurt your small, precious hands.”
As I blankly looked up at him, he continued in a coaxing voice.
“There’s no need for that. The power that Ea promised long ago is yours to receive.”
‘Mine to receive’?
My past life was an endless wait for a response that only I didn’t receive.
‘Pretending to be okay, cheering on my chosen sister, and yet praying just in case on so many nights…’
In those futile times, I thought I was the only one waiting for God…
‘Mine to receive…?’
Perhaps that wait wasn’t just mine alone.
Father, who believes in me so much, must have been waiting too.
‘And perhaps God too…’
Might have been waiting for when I, the fool, would realize myself.
‘…That’s strange.’
I haven’t even stabbed my palm yet, so there’s no pain anywhere.
Suddenly, tears are falling.
“Rostel…?”
As I cried without even making a sound, Father’s strong arms pulled me into a hug.
“Why are you crying, baby? Did Daddy say something too scary?”
Father was flustered and tried to soothe me, but my crying finally turned into sobs.
“You don’t want to say it? Huh? Do you still want to keep it a secret?”
In Father’s arms, I finally cried like a real four-year-old.
I shook my tear-stained face.
“Say, I wiww…”
Then, I spoke those dreamlike words once more.
“Daddy, I have…”
Even though he said I just had to say it, my already short pronunciation was slurred with sobs.
“Like Mommy, hic… I have Healing Power.”
Father finally smiled with a lighter expression.
“Congratulations, baby.”
Congratulations?
That’s it…?
“Daddy’s happy because you’re happy.”
I, who had been afraid that Father would abandon us and return to Nigel, truly felt pathetic.
How much Father loves me, and what kind of hurt I had inflicted on such a father, became so clear.
“Daddy, sowwy. I did wong… I, I…”
Father wiped away my tears with one hand and said,
“Just don’t do it again. Showing your ability by cutting yourself is only for the ceremony.”
Then, he took my hand, which had almost been hurt, and kissed the back of it.
Father’s hand, which had blocked me earlier, was hidden from my sight the whole time.
I slowly reached out one hand and took Father’s hand.
‘But Father probably doesn’t know.’
Then, I endlessly stroked Father’s wounded palm with my tearful hand.
‘How happy I am to be able to heal Father’s wound.’
The wound healed, but Father didn’t seem particularly amazed and simply said,
“Thank you, baby.”
His gaze was only as tender as when looking at an apple tree bearing its first fruit.
The warmth of our clasped hands was comforting.
* * *
When I returned to the main palace, I ran into Mother in front of my room.
“Where have you two been, just the two of you?”
It was after I had shown Father my Divinity without permission.
I needed time to explain to Mother separately, but there was no way to stop Father.
“You know too, don’t you?”
Father asked directly, then lowered himself to Mother’s level and whispered.
“That our daughter has Divinity.”
Mother’s eyes widened.
Father added before Mother could even answer,
“Do you want to keep it a secret until the ceremony? Surely you weren’t going to do that to me too, were you?”
Mother smiled beautifully.
“Of course not. A secret can’t be maintained if only I keep it.”
There was an edge to Mother’s words, but I, like a four-year-old, cleanly ignored them.
Then, I deliberately said proudly,
“Daddy was gonna get pwicked by the cactus, but I…”
“Shh.”
Mother bent down in front of me and raised her index finger to her lips.
“Mommy thought our baby could keep a secret, but I guess not? You’re still too young to keep a secret. Right?”
“No!”
I quickly denied it.
“Can keep a secret. Not a baby!”
Then, I followed Mother and put my finger on my lips.
Mother chuckled and stood up, then said to Father,
“Oh, the Chamberlain was looking for you. I’ll talk to our daughter a bit longer and then go.”
Father winked at me and stepped back.
I tightly closed my eyes and opened them again without Mother noticing.
‘Get thicker, face…!’
While I was making that futile wish again, Mother entered my room first.
“Your Highness.”
Beatrice quickly stood up and greeted her, and Mother smiled gently.
“I have a difficult request for you, Tris.”
“Please, anything.”
I was just as surprised as Beatrice and looked at Mother.
‘Father’s gone, so I thought it was my turn to be scolded, but…’
But Mother only opened her mouth towards the bowing Beatrice.
“I believe you know that Ms. Propie, Chelsea’s replacement, worked for the first time yesterday.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“But on her way out of the palace, she lost her footing and injured her leg.”
I was listening with tension, thinking it was real, but then I felt deflated.
‘Dakota is Rosa’s maid, who also worked as Chelsea’s replacement before.’
It seemed that Mother would continue to call Beatrice instead of Dakota while Sei Palace was under construction.
‘Why? Where is Rosa?’
Beatrice, unaware of the twin Princess’s complicated circumstances, widened her eyes.
“Oh my, was she badly hurt?”
“It seems she won’t be able to walk for a while, so it will be difficult for her to work.”
Beatrice rolled her eyes, looking flustered.
Mother kindly asked such Beatrice.
“So, would you be able to come every day for the time being?”
Beatrice paused for a moment, as if surprised, but soon regained her senses and answered.
“Of course. Please call me anytime you need me, Your Highness.”
* * *
Soon, Beatrice went to the Chamberlain to adjust her work schedule.
‘Now it’s really my turn.’
Yan was nowhere to be seen today, probably off investigating something again, and I had to face Mother alone.
In the room where only the two of us remained, Mother’s face was already full of worry.
“Baby, I’m going to tell you something important now.”
I vaguely thought it would be a time for scolding, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
“From today, you will not go to Sei Palace for a while. Today, tomorrow, and the day after, you are the Princess.”
My jaw dropped and my eyes widened.
‘When I heard that Beatrice would continue to work, I had a feeling, but…’
Mother lowered her voice even further.
“It seems that Father is suspicious of Sei Palace. I’m sorry to Rosa, but there’s no other way for the time being.”
“…Then, is Sister in Sei Palace?”
Mother nodded with a dark expression.
Oh dear…
‘Rosa’s going to be really angry, isn’t she?’
Is this a good thing?
It was difficult to judge rashly.
Of course, it’s fortunate that it’s Rosa and not me who’s trapped in Sei Palace.
‘But a cornered rat will bite a cat…’
And Rosa, as I know her, is the most venomous rat in the world.