chapter 20

"Papa, Atti missed you!"

However, this place here is where reality is set for me. Lying and acting cute to look good in front of Claude. Now that I accept it myself, I am saddddd.

But even if I'm sad or lonely, I won't cry!

"Ah!"

Stopping in track of running on the grass field, I stood in front of Claude. After letting out a sound of realization, I bowed.

"Thank you for inviting Atti to a tea party."

When I bowed the way I was learning nowadays, I was able to hear Felix let out a small pfft behind Claude.

Yeah, I look cute when I act like an adult, right? Of course, I will be intensely cuter than other days today. I purposely chose and wore the cutest clothes I had, and practiced with a mirror on how to look cuter.

Today's concept is a kid acting like an adult, but in reality, a little lady who is still not too familiar of manners. I had to look just a little unfamiliar that to look cute, not too unfamiliar that makes me look annoying and such.

Fortunately, my plan seemed to work. The maids were glancing at me bravely in front of Claude except for Felix who can just look at me if he wants to.

Me with the white dress that looked big and fluffy with a lot of frill obviously looked like an angel. Of course, I at the moment was a little baby angel instead if glorious graceful beautiful and elegant angel... Kuhuckkkk!

(Kuhuckkk: The sound of people getting stabbed by a knife but as for Atti, exaggerating.)

Claude's reaction was to just lift an eyebrow but did this guy ever gave me a reaction I wanted?

"Felix."

From Claude's call, Felix gave a short answer and picked me up. I was able to get on the chair successfully with Felix's help. That was because I was still extremely short to get on the chair by myself.

We humans are indeed animals of getting-used-to-quickly seeing that these actions were now familiar to me.

Now being face to face across the table, I smiled brightly and cutely as possible and spoke.

"Good morning, papa!"

It is 10 A.M. at the moment. It was usually in the afternoon when I have tea time with Claude when I met him, but it suddenly changed to morning about a month ago.

Speaking of month ago, that was around when I sang a lullaby for him. I don't know what was he thinking. Eh, well was he ever the one I was able to predict? Nah.

Anyways starting then on I was greeting him with 'Good Morning Papa', and when I say that, he would just stare at me for a while.

Or course there weren't any 'Good morning to you too', not like I've expected it at all, but still. I was being stubborn.

"Yesterday night, papa was in my dream!"

"Dream, huh."

"Atti and papa and Lilly and Felix all rode on a broom together and picked stars and moon and played together!"

"A meaningless dog dream."

(Words with dog in front of it is a bad word, not a too good word. Swearing??)

(E/N: when you cannot swear in front of your daughter, Claude is such a cutie LMAO)

(E/N=Editor note)

Hoho. Look at how you pick your words. Beautiful. I didn't flinch and just smiled at Claude.

"I played on the cloud and played fluffy game with papa. It was really really fun!"

Claude seemed to think that I was just blabbering stuffs and kept on listening with no replies. But it's okay. I don't get what I'm saying myself! Eeek, I don't wanna keep this going now. Let's just eat some cake.

But I happened to see one sister maid staring at me wide eyed stopping in track from preparing food on a plate for the tea party.

In the emperor palace, no maids or knights were seen but when we were to have a feast or a tea party like this, workers of the palace would come and prepare it for us.

This sister maid here was familiar as she prepared like this for a several times, but didn't seem to see me talk like this to Claude before. On the other hand, a sister maid named Betheran was being Betheran, able to get hold of herself fast and left.

Claude looked very calm today too. But I get a question whenever I see him like this. Perhaps he has sleeping disorders? He was sleeping when I went in his room for the feast, too....

The atmosphere was calmer probably because it was morning. Or is it just him having sleeping disorders?

What if you just didn't call me over. Or just call me on the afternoon like before. Why do you get 'Good mornings' everyday so early when you don't need to?

"Papa, is that delicious?"

Set that aside, Claude was drinking the same tea again. He must like that tea because he always drinks it when he has tea party with me. He stopped in his movement from my unexpected question.

"I'm not drinking it from taste."

Examining he sipping the tea for a little, I shouted.

"Atti wants to drink the same thing as papa!"

Being able to get closer to Claude during the past month... is not what had happened, but just that my nerves got bigger so I was able to speak somewhat like this without much hardships.

It was already an Okay if he would leave me alive just from my stubborn and aggressiveness.

"The tea will be a little too strong for princess to enjoy."

Claude set the tea cup down and stared at me. Then Felix spoke instead of him. But I didn't simply just nod, but pouted my cheeks big and shook my head.

"I will eat, the same thing!"

Felix's face turned pale. Even though I love sweets, my tongue is dying from eating too much sweets. So, I will drink that tea Claude is drinking, too!

"Grant it. There's no reason to not give if she wants to."

Gratefully, Claude didn't stop me. A sister maid standing far away from us came right away and poured me the tea.

I, once again did as how my education teacher taught me and smelled the scent first, holding the tea cup very elegantly. 

I could feel Felix trying not to laugh at me again. However, concern was shown on his face after I sipped the tea once.

Exactly! It's a waste of worrying.

"Atti also likes it!"

I smiled brightly after detaching my lip from the tea cup.

I saw Claude drink it often and thought that the scent was totally my style. Now that I tried it, OMG it is good.

My mouth that had been used to the sweetness did not refuse the tea that was bitter in the right amount. But the taste was a bit unique and strong.

"It's like a flower blooming in Atti's mouth!"

Hun? But what's up with the reactions to my words?

"Seems like you enjoy it."

Felix who seemed knocked out regained is mentality and commented.

Claude must have thought I would have spat it out right away. If he didn't, what is that frown for? But everyone froze from my comment. Why are they acting like this?

"It's Lipeh tea that his highness enjoys."

Ahh, so it's called Lipeh. So, Claude alone drank this delicious thing the whole time?

But my interest was set on the topic Felix mentioned next.

"Ms. Diana also favored it a lot."

He was looking at me with a sad smile as if he was imagining something he missed.

"Like a flower blooming in my mouth.... She said it, too."

I was interested hearing to Felix's words. It was true that topic of Atanasia's mother, Diana was rare to hear.

Searching for the words, I tilted my head a little and asked like a kid who knows nothing.

"So, mom and me spoke the same words?"

"Yes."

He was smiling gently as if he was thinking of Diana.

"It's because of Ms. Diana that his majesty had tried this tea in the first place. Lipeh tea's main ingredient comes from Saodonna. Ah, they also had a tea party together her...."

"I do not have memories of anything like it."

However, Felix's sentences were cut from an icy cold voice. Claude wasn't frozen shocked like a moment ago but sure looked cold, emotionless and cruel.

"You babble lots of nonsense today. Its noisy. Leave."

Felix left without any words even from the sudden order.

On the other hand, I was just staring at Claude without satisfaction.

What's up with this bast*rd. Are you saying that you don't even want to listen of it because you think of it as a past that had come and left him? So just that women who he fell in love with, just by an accident one night, you made me. Bast*rd. Really a doggy bast*rd.

When you can't even throw that..... that women's portrait.

My mood went downhill. Even though Diana was not my real mother.

But I smiled again from the sudden twist of Claude's gaze on me. Ha, praise my great survival ability.

"Milk would be nicer as tea is a little too much for a little kid."

"Hehe. Atti also likes milk."

I felt like I shouldn't say no to this so I smiled and agreed with him.

* * *

I was currently learning basic manners from the teacher Claude had sent.

She was Elois the countess, a famous professional. But she didn't know kids well and since I was 5, younger than 8 when kids usually start studying, she went easy and I only had to listen to her words.

But the countess seemed surprised and shocked from how well I follow without errors and do what she told me to do.

Looks like she came expecting naughty dirty crying little 5 years old girl, but I am different!

Hey, I only learned basic noble manners. When you think about it, it is already surprising for a 5 years-old to just sit still and pay attention.