Chapter 62. Real Wish (2)
Arsene looked a little embarrassed.
“Aow!”
“Nyan!”
Lucy, with her pure white tail stretched out towards the sky and slightly bent at the end, and Anne, with her rich gray tail like a duster, stretched out towards her back, were in front of Arsene.
“The Crown Prince, who was briefly a corps commander and then vice-corps commander, will suddenly return to being a prince one day, is not here.”
Of course, it wasn’t just a day or two that the two cats were in front of Arsene, so he wasn’t embarrassed because of that.
“So what I’m saying is, can you please step aside for a moment?”
Lucy calls out to Arsene while majestically placing her front paw on the papers. Arsene made a difficult request while watching Anne climb up on the pile of documents next to her and imitate Lucy.
“Miang!”
It seems like he probably doesn’t like it.
Arsene, who had been staring at the two cats for a while, unable to do anything, said,
“Ew!”
I sneezed loudly.
Allergies to cats are creeping up.
It wasn’t severe enough to cause a reaction to flying fur, but if he wasn’t feeling well or was close to the cat for too long, his eyes would swell and he would sneeze.
Arsene, who unconsciously rubbed his eyes, opened his mouth to ask the two cats on the desk again, but then sneezed again. It looks like his condition isn’t very good as he flew from a warm place to a cold place all at once. My allergies were worse than usual. Even if you use clean magic to remove the fur, it is of no use. There are two fluffy furballs right in front of me, but it can’t be of any use, right?
Anyway, on a day like this, the silent, personable, and unfriendly crown prince, who would silently walk over, pick up two cats, and then walk away, is rarely needed. There is no such thing as a day like this. After processing some urgent documents, I went to dinner with Lemain. And then it doesn’t come back for a long time.
“I don’t want to interrupt your fun, but I need to look at that document quickly. So, if you just step aside for a moment, I can quickly… ugh!”
“Meong!”
“Nyan!”
I’m not going.
Not only did she not go, but even Lucy fell face down on the papers. Arsene, who was in tears, opened the office door wide and moved to get some fresh air outside the window. And then the savior appeared.
“Lucy Anne. Yes, yes, she’s kind… Oh, she’s so pretty.”
One cat per arm.
The person who strode into the open office, deftly holding the two cats’ buttocks and holding them, walked a long way toward Plantz’s desk. Then he took out salt-free beef jerky from his pocket, handed it to him one by one, and returned.
Meanwhile, Arsene, who had made an ice block and was rubbing it over his bloodshot eyes, opened his mouth to the person who offered him a helping hand.
“Buy me a drink later.”
“You said you would quit drinking for a while and practice.”
“Just because you quit drinking doesn’t mean you can’t buy it, right?”
Although he seems to be a huge drinker after quitting drinking, Arsene’s drinking limit is still three beers. Because I haven’t reached the 6th circle yet.
Anyway, Arsene suddenly appeared and was a great help. He expressed his deep gratitude to Needlen, a pink-haired wizard who eats things with salt in them. Needlen glanced over Arsene’s desk, ignoring his thanks, and used clean magic to remove all the cat hair on the desk. And we each shared half of the stack of documents.
“Why are you picking that up?”
“I want to help you.”
“Have you done your work?”
“I haven’t been anywhere. I can help you enough, Vice Commander.”
“Then let’s buy an expensive drink later.”
“A person who doesn’t even have a salary keeps saying they’ll buy you something.”
“No, I got paid.”
“Yes. 3 florins. Congratulations.”
It seems like the news about Arsene’s turbulent salary has already spread.
“Don’t spend it on unnecessary things, but save it. Isn’t it a salary that may disappear at any time?”
Arsene’s salary was less than half of the lowest amount paid to those working in the royal palace. However, the reason the wizards and knights of Wilhelm Hall made fun of Arsene was not because his salary was low. Needlen did not forget that when his younger brother first started the cafe, he earned less than 1 florin a month. So, it would have been correct to say that the reason I was saying this to Arsene was because I knew very well why Arsene’s salary had disappeared.
“It’s okay. Now you won’t have to drink alcohol and drink alcohol in front of the corps commander.”
“Instead, if Prince Calian tells you to destroy something, wouldn’t you do it?”
“Isn’t that a natural thing? It doesn’t matter if my salary is reduced because of it.”
“If your Majesty or the Corps Commander told you to destroy something, would you do it?”
“If it’s worth breaking, I’ll break it. If not, I won’t break it.”
“Are you just doing what Prince Calian tells you to do?”
“That’s right. That’s what it says.”
“Anyway, you’re amazing.”
“Our prince is amazing.”
Needlen chuckled and made a hushed sound.
I thought that the blue-haired wizard was probably the only person who was so proud of being someone else’s darling.
“Meow…”
Lucy, who had already climbed onto Plantz’s desk, let her tail hang underneath the desk and waved gently.
It seems that the tail was also interesting.
Anne, who was standing up on both feet and wagging her front paws as if trying to catch Lucy’s tail under the desk, stepped on a gap in the engraved pattern on the desk and jumped up.
– Tuk!
As Anne stood up on the desk, something caught on her back foot.
A nameplate, a pen and ink, a notepad, a pile of documents, and a small watch. It is something that stands out especially on a large desk with no other decorations.
A large conch shell.
The thing that the Balkan crew had given as a gift to Plantz, who had encountered the sea for the first time, got caught on Anne’s back foot, was pushed under the desk, and fell to the floor.
Needlen quickly blew up the conch shell without damaging it and stood up. And I picked it up from where it was safely placed on the floor. Then there was the sound of dry sand rolling inside.
“It looks like there was sand in it.”
When I first gave it to it, it didn’t make that sound because it wasn’t completely dry, but it looks like the water has dried and the sand attached to the shell has come off.
As Needlen spoke in a mutter, magical power gathered at the tips of his hands. It looked like he was about to remove what was inside and throw it away, so Arsene quickly stopped him.
“No. Leave it alone.”
“The intention is to lift the sand and remove it.”
“Our prince tried to remove the sand some time ago, but the crown prince, the deputy commander, told us to leave it alone.”
“Sand?”
“That’s right.”
Arsene answered as if he didn’t want to explain in detail and returned to his seat. And he said while flipping through a piece of paper.
“… They said it was given to you by you.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So don’t touch it and just put it on.”
Needlen heard those words and shook the conch shell in his hand a few times. The sound of rolling sand continues. Needlen, who had been listening to the sound that must have been annoying to his ears every time he tried to listen to it, soon nodded.
“Okay. I’ll just leave it at that.”
He had a calm smile on his lips.
* * *
I quite like cats, but they don’t follow me very well.
The kids really liked it, but they were very scared. Postscript In the first place, Kalian did not come to meet the child.
He likes cats a lot and follows them around very well.
I’ve never dealt with children before, so I don’t know what children are like. I never thought I would come here in person to meet that child.
Because children are different from cats and because we are people who have never interacted with children without social interaction.
“You said you wanted to meet me, right?”
“that’s right.”
“Then why aren’t you going?”
I couldn’t move any further towards the child who was facing Demirea with a wooden sword in the training hall in the distance. Neither of us could go.
Instead, Jan, Reric, and one of the knights from the mansion went first to Demirea to announce their arrival at the mansion. Calian, who only got off his horse and stopped without going any closer to the training ground, spoke again to Planz, who did not respond.
“If you meet that child, you will have to see it alone.”
“why.”
“Did you want to watch it too?”
“I heard you like kids.”
“That’s about people of Yan and Hina’s age.”
Why are Jan and Hina kids?
He’s older than you.
for a moment. Then what on earth do you see me as normally? Is that why you speak informally so often?
Plantz, who had been holding back many questions, turned his gaze to Demirea, who was looking in this direction after realizing that the crown prince and prince had arrived sooner than expected, and answered.
“If you don’t know, my brother will tell you.”
“Is there a different way to deal with children? It’s not something I should tell you. Besides, that child is probably more scared of me than his brother.”
“Why…”
Plantz, who had thought that the person who would be less scared of the children was Calian, who was always smiling, closed his mouth. It might not have happened in any other case, but it might have been different for the child standing in front of me.
Because Calian said he saw Evan fighting swords. I said I saw exactly where the sword in Evan’s hand went through.
“okay.”
“So why don’t you go first. I’ll be talking to Siona.”
“okay.”
“Kids just.”
Demirea, who had already come closer, and Calian, who saw the child following her while holding her hand, continued speaking.
“You just need to look at each other at the same eye level.”
“okay.”
“Don’t speak briefly.”
“okay.”
“Don’t open your eyes so fiercely and look down. The baby will cry. Instead of putting cat fur on it, you should smile like me all the time so it doesn’t get scared. Be pretty and smile.”
“… barking.”
Calian, who barked without missing the gap, smiled brightly as I said. Then, after bowing briefly to Planz, he followed the Duke’s butler into the mansion first. This means walking away before the child comes closer and can see you properly.
Plantz, with his irritated face gone, turned his head again. The child was seen stopping when he noticed Planz standing far away. Demirea, who was holding the child’s hand, stopped together. After exchanging a few words with the child, he handed the child’s hand to a servant nearby.
Soon the child, holding the servant’s hand, entered the mansion.
I had never talked to or said hello to Plants separately.
What did they talk about?
Did he say he didn’t want to meet him? Did I say it was scary? Was he reluctant?
Demirea came and stood in front of Plantz, who was quietly thinking. Then, after giving a light bow, he opened his mouth.
“Because the clothes aren’t pretty.”
It’s not that I don’t want to meet you.
It’s not because I’m scared or reluctant.
“He said he would come wearing the new clothes he bought.”
I told her that I wanted to change into pretty clothes and come back.
When I saw my dusty clothes, I was worried that they might hate me for being dirty. Just as he was worried that the crown prince’s flawless attire might be scary to the child.
“…… okay.”
“Let’s go in together. I’ll take you inside.”
Plantz nodded and entered the mansion following the path Calian had taken first.
* * *
Siona was not there.
Not only that, Slayman and Serie were not there either
. I was injured. So we all went to Shurinz a few days ago. His Highness allowed us to use the royal villa.’
The Surinz estate is famous for its hot springs. Lemaine, who found out that
Siona, who had been going through a hard time while Calian and Allan were away, was injured by Slayman, gave him the villa in Shurinz. It was said to be a courtesy to the Duke’s wife, who was said to be starting to feel a little achy every now and then. Rather, it was probably a special favor given to Siona, the sword master.
‘His Highness didn’t say anything like that during dinner.’
‘There’s no need to tell me.’
‘Well, you probably didn’t even think that I would come here to meet Siona. You might have thought that my brother would come to meet that child.’
‘yes.’
‘You managed to open the door even though Lord Siegfried wasn’t there. I thought the engagement would be broken off as soon as I came, Demirea.’
‘I was thinking about saying that now.’
‘Oh my… I don’t want to break off the engagement with my fiancé already. Can’t you just look at it once?’
‘Prince, you are of no help to me. You are not keeping any of your promises.’
‘Instead, it makes you happy to see it next to you.’
‘There is nothing to be happy about.’
What’s the point of smiling brightly?
Let alone the kids, it doesn’t work for
the fiancé either. My younger brother, who was trying not to break off the engagement, ended up going out again to spar just now. It may not be completely better, but that’s why Demirea Planz wasn’t too worried about Calian since it wasn’t something he couldn’t take with his sword. Instead, Yan, who heard the news about the sparring belatedly because he was enjoying the joy of being reunited with ‘dog Yan’, turned pale and hurried to where the two had gone. I followed.
Thanks to this, the parlor had become very quiet. When the tea with dried oranges and strawberries was half empty.
– Knock.
There was a small knock on the door, as if they had been preparing for a long time.
When Plantz nodded, he was standing behind him. Relic walked over and opened the door.
The child who had left the servant behind and knocked on the door walked carefully along with Reric and stood next to him. The white lace at the end of the bright yellow dress moved prettily with his small steps. Plantz’s light green eyes looked at the child
. I headed towards him.
The portrait inside the locket that was still hanging around my neck. A child of similar age to Planz inside it.
“Greetings to you, Crown Prince. “My name is Lillie Brissen.”
Lillie, a young child, bowed with her small hands together and bowed in an awkward way of speaking. Planz, who had been looking at Lillie for a while, paused for a moment, exhaled, and opened his mouth.
“……Planz.”
Something I had never said before since I was born. I
had been called that name my whole life, but when I tried to say it out loud, he told me my name, which was completely unfamiliar to me. I left off my middle name and my grand last name and just gave it my first name. I just told him.
I don’t know if he knew the intention.
Lillie smiled slightly and nodded. Then, as Plantz pointed, he sat across from me. They
didn’t look alike as I thought.
They were much smaller than I thought.
Lillie . Planz, who was looking at me, closed his eyes for a moment and opened them.
He had nothing more to say.
He forgot what on earth he came to talk about and why he had to follow Calian all the way here to check. If he had known this would happen, he would have just gone down the 5th floor hallway. I suggested waiting for Randel to come out or going up to the terrace of Randel’s room. I think I would have more to say with him.
“I like it here. I like Demirea.”
But Riri spoke first.
After hearing the story, Plantz’s face hardened slightly.
“… Ah.”
And then he remembered what he had forgotten all along.
Even the cat hair on his clothes. The child’s eye level was too low to see. No matter how smart he was, he wasn’t old enough to notice it at first glance. – Just look at him at the
same eye level.
Plantz, who had finally remembered what his younger brother said, opened his mouth. I opened it.
“No… no.”
– Don’t be short on words.
I finally realized.
I changed into pretty clothes not to show Plantz a good side of me, but because I was afraid he would hate me even more if I was wearing dusty clothes. Still, I was afraid that I would hate the reluctant child even more. I was afraid that would happen.
“I didn’t come here to make you get out of here.”
Considering how Evan treated Plants, even if he was a child who didn’t know much about the world, there was definitely something he saw and heard. He treated Plants like that, but did he think it would be different just because he was Plants? It’s obvious that Plants didn’t think of Evan very favorably either. Now I know that he thought that Plants wouldn’t be happy to accept the child that Evan raised. So much
. He came hastily.
“I came because I was worried. How are you? “I was worried.”
No,
I should have come to you a long time ago.
I knew better than anyone how it felt to think that everyone in the world would hate me. Demirea said she was treating me well, so I was confident that I would grow up well on my own.
“ I don’t hate you.”
I said it all without saying it was annoying or hiding the true meaning behind other words. It showed me something that couldn’t be shown with just a cat’s fur. The
words that Plantz needed the most. Someday
. Something that someone should have said to Plants,
but wasn’t said.
“It’s not because I hate you. It’s okay.”
Lillie looked up at Plants. The
green eyes, full of fresh green, looked at the light green eyes that had only just begun to bloom for a long time.
“I’m glad…”
And then she quietly whispered.
It’s too late . I am finally relieved to have heard the unexpected words. I have finally shaken off the fear I had been holding on to so much.
