Chapter 26 - Unbaptized Black Beast

By the next morning, the fever quickly dropped, and after a nap, my condition improved.

It was said that the cold medicine I took was a special medicine with magical power, and thanks to lying down in the room and resting, my condition went well immediately.

Henriette, who heard I had a cold, changed the climate of the whole estate yesterday, so it wasn't cold to open the windows for ventilation.

"I'll ask you one more time. How do you want to call me now?"

"The, the Duke…"

"Nope."

"—Oh, father…"

"And that."

Henriette's attitude has changed slightly.

I think 'Be happy today as well' was shocking enough but hearing 'My dearest daughter in the world', yesterday I totally stiffened.

Now he has something to ask me. It was also the most difficult thing for me.

Perhaps it was Ennys' request.

She said that the role of parents in healing a child's traumatized mind is very important.

Next to me, the maids were watching me with faces saying, "You can do it!" Eventually, I swallowed my dry saliva and spoke out.

Yeah, it's something to get used to anyway.

"…da, daddy."

I finally said it.

I don't think I've said "dad" since I grew up in my previous life. Maybe that's why I'm so shy now.

Looking at Henriette, he was smiling much softer than usual.

Everyone around me, was astonished.

"Yes, my daughter."

I thought Henriette had a very cold impression, but seeing his smiling face like that, it didn't seem like it.

"What do you want to have today?"

Instead of answering, I just smiled.

Anyway, these days, me, a seven-year-old kid already has everything I can have, so I couldn't think of anything that I wanted.

But there was a complaint right now.

It's all good, but why do I have to say "Dad" now, where everyone is gathered in the conference room?…

"Oh, my Lady, you finally…"

"Congratulations!"

'Dad, is that something to be happy about?'

The same goes for Henriette, and so does the people in the conference room. I let out a sigh with a tired face.

The meeting was only then able to proceed.

In fact, I thought there was nothing more to talk about, but some of the forces of Count Semond were still not arrested.

Especially the Marquis Alpeir, who carried out the organization. Currently, the Marquis Alpeir was a wanted criminal.

But there's not much left to do now.

Actually, I didn't have to come here today, but now that I think about it, Henriette just wanted to show people that I called him "Dad."

I was bored because I was stuck in my room almost all day yesterday because of a cold. Anyway, I drank juice while watching the people's meetings.

"Let's call it a day. Let's do it in our own time."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"As you wish."

Soon after the meeting was over, people stood up.

I also left the conference room with Henriette. People are now ready to return to their territories or the Capital.

Looking at the momentum of today's meeting, the Marquis Alpeir is really going to be hunted. I expressed the regret in my heart for a person I have never seen but I don't feel sorry.

"See you next time, Lady Rossette."

People said goodbyes to me, too. I answered brightly to them, because I am now very familiar with their faces, and I would like to see them again next time.

Turning around, Henriette reached out to me.

"Let's go now."

"Yes!"

As I did on my way to the conference room, I took Henriette's hand and headed to my room.

Maybe because I was very short, Henriette's waist are bent. Nevertheless, he didn't seem to mind.

It's because the people who follow are dumbfounded.

Suddenly, I looked out of the window, and the colors of summer were in full bloom. The surging air was filled with the scent of lukewarm grass without a single chill.

The melted land was quickly recovered overnight, so there was no major problem.

Henriette sent his subordinates to each village to take care of the situation, and the work related to the destruction of the ecosystem, which everyone was worried about, is being sorted out step by step.

"Then I'll call you back at dinner."

Henriette was bowing down even after he took me to the front of the room.

This was all thanks to Ennys' advice. Eye contact when talking to a child is a must as much as possible.

Well, this was more comfortable because Henriette was too tall for me to look up.

By the way, just because I've caught a cold that'll probably heal in a day, you've melted the whole land by acting that there was an ecosystem disturbance? Isn't he too caring for me these days?

I'm embarrassed, and grateful.

"Well, Dad."

Henriette, who was about to straighten out, looked at me when I called him awkwardly.

"Please lower your body a little more."

Henriette folded his knee.

It was fun for Henriette to do as I said, so I almost laughed a little. I stepped closer to him, kissed him slightly on the cheek and whispered.

"Dad. Thank you for keeping me from getting cold."

After I did it, I became very shy and hid behind Peina.

This is all because of adults in this castle. I wasn't good at this at all, but I'm the doing this now because everyone's giving me a lot of courage and confidence.

Peina was seen holding back her laughter.

While everyone else was guarding the silence, Henriette, who creaked up and raised himself, answered with a surprised look.

"…yes."

Then he just turned around. Oh, no big response. You don't like it that much?

But soon there was a thud as Henriette moved away from the hallway and the aide screamed.

"Ah! Master!… His Excellency has fallen!"

"He, he's holding his heart…!"

Oops…The effect must have been too strong.

I sighed, thinking I'd seal the kiss for the time being.

***

After healing time with Ennys, who came later, I had to stay in the room again.

I've recovered from my cold and it's completely summer outside, but the maids asked me to refrain from playing outside for a while just in case.

However, it was frustrating to ask a child who had to run around to stay calm in the room.

Eventually, I dissuaded the maids from following me and came out to the hallway alone for a walk.

I don't have to go out of the castle, I just have to walk in and out of the hallway and snoop around the balcony.

"Wow, the weather is nice."

Besides, how much magic does it take to get this hot sun?

I originally hated summer, but the whole time I looked at the white snow field, I was so glad to see the green grass and the shining sun.

The temperature inside the castle has always been stable under Henriette's spell, so it's not too hot.

Later, Peina said she would make mango sherbet for dessert, so I decided to stay a little longer on the balcony.

"Oh, it's melted all the way to the mountain. Wow."

Looking straight over the railing on the balcony, I saw the edge of the Emeralds, the largest mountain peak on the estate.

Even the mountain of ice, which was originally colored with white, was covered with dense leaves in summer.

"Oh, butterfly!"

Then a butterfly fluttered in front of my eyes.

When the black wings were touched by sunlight, red grains of light were seen splashing.

It was like the butterfly I saw before. I held the balcony railing with one hand and held out the other hand straight to the butterfly.

"Come here, butterfly!"

The butterfly fluttered, almost touching, and repeatedly fell on my fingertips, but will then fly slightly farther away.

For some reason, I felt a little uncomfortable, so I stepped out more toward the front of the railing, and for a moment, the base of my feet slipped straight.

"Uh, ah!"

I lost my balance of gravity. My body leaned downward, and I fall under the railing.

"Argh!"

The chilling sound of the wind swept across my falling face. My heart was about to burst out of my mouth.

I closed my eyes reflexively and screamed, and suddenly I felt something like a big embrace tightly wrapped around my body.

It was not long before I heard footsteps gently stepping on the floor.

I was still clinging to his arms, curled up in horror, and a familiar voice fell over my head.

"Are you all right?"

Then I opened my eyes and looked up at him.

I thought it was big, but what I saw in front of me was a boy who seemed to be very short in height difference.

It's also someone I know. The black eyes with a pint of red narrowed awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, I was only going to play a little, but I made it dangerous. Are you hurt?"

It's Kian.

He kept asking anxiously, and before I knew it, he was sitting on his knees, putting me down in front of him, looking at my condition.

Kian's eyes rolled hurriedly around, folding his knees toward me, who was sitting with a puzzled face.

I wasn't hurt, of course. I was just a little surprised.

"I, is it you who saved my life?"

"Yeah, you fell because of me."

"I, I was falling, and you meant it was… Brother, are you the butterfly?"

Kian's head tilted at an angle. He looked me in the eye for a moment and seemed to think of something, then smiled slightly.

"Yes, like I said, I was just going to play a little bit. Even if I didn't mean to, I'm sorry to put you in danger."

Where on earth should I begin to question?

Normally a person can't be a butterfly, but I don't think so this time.

That's suspicious. I'm sure he's not human.

"…tell me the truth."

"Well, what should I say?"

"You're not a human, are you?"

Let's make this pretty boy suddenly show his true colors and scream vigorously when he opens his mouth, saying, "Yes, I'm actually a thousand-year-old monster!"

Then wouldn't Henriette come and do something for me? There are servants inside the castle, and knights are waiting right around the corner.

Looking at him with a nervous face, Kian was also looking at me without blinking, with his face slanted like just now.

Somehow I got a little scared, so I rushed out.

"I, I told you to be honest. I'll never talk to a liar again."

"Ah... That's difficult."

The meek tone that didn't suit a boy his age felt particularly odd today.

Kian laughed low, and soon broached.

"I'm a fairy."

…Are you belittling me because I'm a child? I replied with a sullen face.

"Lie."

"I'm telling you. Haven't you heard of fairies living in the forest of Albendell on this estate?"

"I know, but fairies don't look like you."

As far as I know, fairies are the kind of things that fly with wings on their backs, small creatures, with shining light.

Kian was a boy as pretty as a fairy, but there was a chill and insidious atmosphere somewhere.

Then, he sat with his knees folded and put his chin on his hand and smiled.

"Fairy doesn't mean they all have the same kind. For example, a neckless knight. When they get close to the lake, there are things that are mesmerizing and in the form of horses, and dangerous things that replace a sleeping child with a fairy child."

"…Oh, what about you?"

"At the very least I'm not dangerous for you."

Kian grinned, saying so.

At this point, I wondered if he was teasing me.

Well, I've never seen a fairy since I was born in this world. I decided to take his word for it.

"Well, I'll take that for you."

"…You don't believe me, do you?"

"Half."

"Oh, my God."

Kian giggled as he uttered that he was disappointed.

I stared at him, brushed off my skirt and stood up. Kian looked at me with his chin in his hands, and asked with his head facing me.

"Are you not going to say thank you this time?

What kind of shamelessness is that? I glanced at him. Now I don't want to call him brother.

"Kian has put me in danger. So please don't do it again."

"Well, even if I saved you?"

Judging from the way you speak, you must be really not human.

He looked at my face and started laughing again. At this point, I was in a bad mood and turned around.

"I'm leaving. Hmph."

"Are you angry?"

Kian followed me when I stood up and started walking. Looking back at him a little bit, I was still a little annoyed by his grinning.

So I just decided not to look any more.

Walking forward again, I stopped back after a few steps.

"Don't do that and let's go. I'll show you something fun."

Obviously I was heading towards the castle, but out of the blue, a glass greenhouse appeared in front of me.