“Hello! It’s Regina!”
Cedric’s eyes sparkled in response to the bright and cheerful voice.
Everyone around Regina, including him, opened their eyes wide and looked at her.
‘Why is the Princess, who was greeting me so politely just a moment ago...?’
‘She’s so good at speaking for her age.’
‘Could it be...? That demon boy shouldn’t feel embarrassed?’
Everyone had the same thought.
Regina didn’t stop there and picked up a few candies lying nearby and handed them to Cedric.
“Welcome.”
“Oh. Thank, thank you...?”
Cedric held out both hands and accepted them without thinking.
Regina smiled and waved her hands to the demons, bidding them farewell.
Billy and the group left Regina’s presence like that.
But people’s eyes were still focused on them.
Cedric whispered to Billy with a pale face.
“Uh, I...”
“...Yes. Go outside for a moment to catch your breath. If possible, try not to run into anyone.”
“I was wrong. Actually, Mom never said that.”
“I’m sorry.”
Starting with Young Lady Lotus, the children bowed their heads to Cedric with sullen voices.
Cedric, who was silent for a moment, shook his head and said it was okay.
Kenneth and Irene, who were watching the scene, whispered so that the others couldn’t hear.
“Regina’s people skills are really lacking. If it were me or my sister, I would have just laughed at them for being stupid and told them to apologize. Regina didn’t even do that, and she made them apologize sincerely.”
“...That’s why it’s amazing. Who would want to show off their pride in front of a child who looks at them with such affectionate eyes?”
Irene answered and glanced around.
Although they couldn’t be seen here and there in the dark garden, the guards Randall had placed were watching the children without being noticed.
If Regina hadn’t shown up, the guards would have stepped out, and the commotion would have been even bigger.
It wouldn’t be good for either side to make a fuss at a place where the delegation was gathered when they were already having a hard time changing their perception of the demons.
But that wasn’t why Regina stepped out.
"Sister! Outside! Outside!"
Regina seemed to have been watching the outside situation from the moment Cedric left the tent.
And as soon as a group of children followed Cedric, she grabbed Irene and demanded to go outside.
Regardless of political reasons, how could you not love this child who paid such close attention to each and every person around him?
Irene thought so and laughed as if sighing.
Far away, Regina raised her hand among the children who had become cheerful.
“Who wants candy? I brought it!”
“Everyone, get in line, line!”
“Huh? Are you cutting in line? I remember all the faces?”
Regina handed out candy she had grabbed a handful of when she left the tent to the children.
Irene and Kenneth also raised their voices and stood at the end of the line.
“...It seems like we don’t need to step forward, right?”
“I guess so.”
Sylvia and Randall, who had been watching the noisy commotion from afar, laughed quietly.
And then quietly disappeared into the shadows again.
“Haam. Goodbye, sleep...”
Regina, who had been greeting them with a voice that trailed off, tilted her head. Her raspy breathing rang in her ears.
Randall chuckled as he carefully laid Regina down on the bed.
“When you see her like this, she’s exactly her age.”
“That’s right. I was really surprised when Regina defended that demon kid named Cedric earlier.”
And the kids who had been threatening Cedric ended up truly repenting their mistakes.
Regina was only three years old, but she had the power to instinctively draw people’s hearts.
It was an ability that every monarch would want to acquire even if they had to sell their souls.
And on the contrary, this fact aroused Sylvia’s concern.
“...I should have named her Carla as her first name.”
Sylvia, who was cherishing the side profile of her sleeping daughter, suddenly muttered with a calm face.
Regina de Carla Belfort.
‘Regina’ means King in ancient language, and ‘Carla’ means free person.
Whether a King or a wanderer.
Sylvia and Randall named her with two meanings so that she could live the life she wanted.
However, it was complicated because she seemed to follow the meaning contained in her first name, which was more commonly called by people.
Sylvia and Randall planned to pass the throne to someone else if the child did not want it, but the people assumed that Regina would naturally inherit the throne.
Sylvia did not want it to become an invisible shackle for the child.
She knew it was the responsibility of someone who was born and raised as royalty, but it was selfishness that she didn’t want to burden her own child with.
Then Randall faintly smiled and reached out.
He gently patted Sylvia’s shoulder.
“I don’t think she’s the type of child who would be swayed by a name. If you do, you won’t know.”
Sylvia’s eyes widened at those words.
She let out a small laugh but quickly suppressed it when Regina stirred.
The shadow that had been hanging over Sylvia’s face had long since disappeared.
She reached out and fixed Regina’s messy hair.
“...That’s certainly true. I wonder how she’ll grow up.”
“He could become King like this, or he could run away from the castle.”
“It’ll be fun to watch her as she lives.”
Sylvia said that and yawned slightly. Randall, who saw her golden eyes blink slowly, let out a faint laugh and lightly kissed her lips.
“Go to sleep, Ma’am.”
“You too. Sleep well...”
Sylvia buried her face in the pillow and looked at Randall, her eyes widening.
“See you tomorrow.”
Cedric’s eyes sparkled in response to the bright and cheerful voice.
Everyone around Regina, including him, opened their eyes wide and looked at her.
‘Why is the Princess, who was greeting me so politely just a moment ago...?’
‘She’s so good at speaking for her age.’
‘Could it be...? That demon boy shouldn’t feel embarrassed?’
Everyone had the same thought.
Regina didn’t stop there and picked up a few candies lying nearby and handed them to Cedric.
“Welcome.”
“Oh. Thank, thank you...?”
Cedric held out both hands and accepted them without thinking.
Regina smiled and waved her hands to the demons, bidding them farewell.
Billy and the group left Regina’s presence like that.
But people’s eyes were still focused on them.
Cedric whispered to Billy with a pale face.
“Uh, I...”
“...Yes. Go outside for a moment to catch your breath. If possible, try not to run into anyone.”
Although they were the best among the demons in terms of holding back their killing intent, it was still better to prevent any accidents.
Especially when Cedric was so tense.
Billy patted Cedric on the back.
Cedric took advantage of the moment when people’s eyes were focused on Regina, who was laughing, to leave the tent. As
he left the tent, a dark garden greeted him.
Cedric was finally able to exhale properly after sitting on the fountain.
“Haa...”
Rustle.
He exhaled deeply, and a rustling sound echoed from inside his fist.
Cedric lowered his gaze and opened his tightly clenched hands.
Then, he saw a candy wrapped in colorful wrapping paper.
At the same time, Regina’s face, who had been considerate of him for making a mistake without any reason, came to mind.
Cedric became depressed again.
“...Even though she was much younger than me.”
In a way, Cedric and Regina were in the same position as successors to a country.
But apart from that, everything else was different.
Unlike himself, who would always mess things up due to tension whenever something important came up, Regina simply looked peaceful even under the countless gazes. On top of that, she even took care of someone like herself.
It was a feeling he often felt when he saw other demon friends, but today he felt particularly disgusted with himself.
It was when Cedric lowered his head, internally reproaching himself for his own patheticness.
“...Is that it? I thought it went this way.”
“Oh, there it is!”
A sound was heard nearby.
Cedric raised his head in surprise and saw a group of human children approaching him.
‘What...’
Cedric unconsciously got up and took a few steps back.
But soon enough, the human children surrounded him and he had no choice but to stop.
Especially when Cedric was so tense.
Billy patted Cedric on the back.
Cedric took advantage of the moment when people’s eyes were focused on Regina, who was laughing, to leave the tent. As
he left the tent, a dark garden greeted him.
Cedric was finally able to exhale properly after sitting on the fountain.
“Haa...”
Rustle.
He exhaled deeply, and a rustling sound echoed from inside his fist.
Cedric lowered his gaze and opened his tightly clenched hands.
Then, he saw a candy wrapped in colorful wrapping paper.
At the same time, Regina’s face, who had been considerate of him for making a mistake without any reason, came to mind.
Cedric became depressed again.
“...Even though she was much younger than me.”
In a way, Cedric and Regina were in the same position as successors to a country.
But apart from that, everything else was different.
Unlike himself, who would always mess things up due to tension whenever something important came up, Regina simply looked peaceful even under the countless gazes. On top of that, she even took care of someone like herself.
It was a feeling he often felt when he saw other demon friends, but today he felt particularly disgusted with himself.
It was when Cedric lowered his head, internally reproaching himself for his own patheticness.
“...Is that it? I thought it went this way.”
“Oh, there it is!”
A sound was heard nearby.
Cedric raised his head in surprise and saw a group of human children approaching him.
‘What...’
Cedric unconsciously got up and took a few steps back.
But soon enough, the human children surrounded him and he had no choice but to stop.
“Hey.”
Among them, a girl standing in front called out to Cedric in a sharp voice.
The tension that had been barely contained by that blatant hostility grew thick again.
“Who, who are you...?”
“I’ll get straight to the point. Don’t get me wrong.”
“...Yes?”
Cedric blinked in bewilderment.
But as if that was the beginning, soon the other children began to say something too.
“That’s right. The Princess is originally kind to everyone.”
“The Princess just taking care of you because you’re less talented than others, but that doesn’t mean you’re special!”
"We can’t even approach the Princess properly, so how can you stutter!”
“My mom says that demons can’t even control their own instincts properly, so they hurt others? Don’t you do the same?”
Among them, a girl standing in front called out to Cedric in a sharp voice.
The tension that had been barely contained by that blatant hostility grew thick again.
“Who, who are you...?”
“I’ll get straight to the point. Don’t get me wrong.”
“...Yes?”
Cedric blinked in bewilderment.
But as if that was the beginning, soon the other children began to say something too.
“That’s right. The Princess is originally kind to everyone.”
“The Princess just taking care of you because you’re less talented than others, but that doesn’t mean you’re special!”
"We can’t even approach the Princess properly, so how can you stutter!”
“My mom says that demons can’t even control their own instincts properly, so they hurt others? Don’t you do the same?”
Their jealousy of Regina’s kindness to Cedric led to groundless accusations against the demons.
Even though Evelyn bowed her head directly to the people, not all of the demons accepted humans.
Likewise, not everyone in the human world accepted the demons.
Although Sylvia and Randall had made efforts to maintain various exchanges with Kelvetia, it was still nothing compared to the years of hostility with the demons.
In particular, adults who had experienced the cruelty of the demons tried to hide their discomfort with the demons, but weren't children sensitive to the attitudes of adults?
The atmosphere and attitude of the parents who unknowingly felt discomfort with the demons had been completely transmitted to the children's subconscious, resulting in the current situation.
Unable to overcome their jealousy, they did not hesitate to criticize others to belittle them.
However, Cedric, who had been belittling himself just a moment ago, could not bring himself to refute their words.
It was true that he had acted like an idiot because he was lacking, and that Regina had taken care of him because she felt sorry for him.
However, not being able to refute them did not mean that he did not get angry.
As soon as his composure wavered, his vision became blurry and a crude urge to see blood rose up.
Even though Evelyn bowed her head directly to the people, not all of the demons accepted humans.
Likewise, not everyone in the human world accepted the demons.
Although Sylvia and Randall had made efforts to maintain various exchanges with Kelvetia, it was still nothing compared to the years of hostility with the demons.
In particular, adults who had experienced the cruelty of the demons tried to hide their discomfort with the demons, but weren't children sensitive to the attitudes of adults?
The atmosphere and attitude of the parents who unknowingly felt discomfort with the demons had been completely transmitted to the children's subconscious, resulting in the current situation.
Unable to overcome their jealousy, they did not hesitate to criticize others to belittle them.
However, Cedric, who had been belittling himself just a moment ago, could not bring himself to refute their words.
It was true that he had acted like an idiot because he was lacking, and that Regina had taken care of him because she felt sorry for him.
However, not being able to refute them did not mean that he did not get angry.
As soon as his composure wavered, his vision became blurry and a crude urge to see blood rose up.
'No.'
Cedric bit his lip and resisted the urge.
That alone was overwhelming and he could not move from his spot.
Regardless, the children were elated, thinking that Cedric agreed with them when he said nothing.
They closed the distance between them and lifted their chins.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Have you forgotten how to speak?"
He wanted to tell them not to come near him, but his breathing was ragged and his voice could not come out.
The moment Cedric's reason became thin as if it would break at any moment.
“Enough!”
A clear voice rang out through the darkness.
Everyone’s shoulders jumped up, regardless of whether they were human or demon.
The children hurriedly turned their heads toward the voice.
Three people were approaching, their backs turned to the light spreading from the tent.
Among them, the children’s eyes widened as if they were going to roll down when they found the person in Irene’s arms.
“...Princess?”
“Why is the princess here...”
The children murmured at Regina’s appearance and hurriedly straightened their posture.
Meanwhile, Kenneth, who had followed Regina, tilted his head crookedly.
He realized the situation and smiled crookedly.
“Aha. Somehow our Princess kept whining about going outside, and she realized that some bad kids were bullying someone. How smart...!”
“Brother, give it to me. Sister, let me down.”
“Yes.”
Regina pushed Kenneth’s face away from her, who was trying to rub his cheek against hers, and got down on the ground.
As she strode forward, the children backed away hesitantly.
“Uh, Princess ...”
The girl who had been the first to pick on Cedric tried to talk to Regina, but Regina just passed her by.
Then she grabbed Cedric’s hand and worriedly put her face in.
“Are you okay?”
“Huh...!”
Cedric let out the breath he had been holding in his panic.
Since his vision was still blurry, he tried to pull his hand away from Regina’s grasp.
“Uh, Princess. If you come close, it’s dangerous...”
“It’s not dangerous.”
“...Yes?”
“Cedric, it’s not dangerous.”
“...”
“Right?”
The golden eyes were strangely detached.
A clearer and clearer gold than the magic stone that illuminated the tent.
When he met her gaze, his heart gradually calmed down.
Cedric quickly suppressed his instincts without missing that gap.
Then, soon after, his physical condition returned to normal.
“Are you feeling better?”
“...Yes. Thanks to you. Thank you, Princess Regina.”
Cedric smiled gently and nodded.
Only then did Regina let go of his hand and turned to the children.
The children were bowing their heads, crushed by Regina’s ignorance and Irene and Kenneth’s cold stares. Their hearts that had been burning with jealousy had cooled down somewhat, and they realized that they had said something harsh.
However, they were unable to easily open their lips because of their pride, so they just clenched their fists tightly.
“Phew.”
Regina let out a small sigh and quickly walked toward the girl.
Irene and Kenneth took a step back and quietly watched Regina do what she was doing. When the short Regina looked up at the girl, she flinched and shook her shoulders.
Regina smiled faintly when she saw tears welling up in the girl’s eyes.
“Lady Lotus.”
“...”
“Do you have something to say to Cedric?”
It was a tone closer to comforting rather than pressuring.
Tears fell from Young Lady Lotus’s eyes when she heard that voice.
Children are sometimes more cruel because they are children.
However, because they are children, if they realize that they have done something wrong, they will be more distressed by the fact that they have hurt someone.
There is no need to punish a child who already knows their mistake.
That is why Regina simply comforted and pushed them on their backs when they wanted to apologize.
Just like Randall and Sylvia did to Regina.
That was enough for them.
“I, I’m sorry. I was jealous... I did that.”
Cedric bit his lip and resisted the urge.
That alone was overwhelming and he could not move from his spot.
Regardless, the children were elated, thinking that Cedric agreed with them when he said nothing.
They closed the distance between them and lifted their chins.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Have you forgotten how to speak?"
He wanted to tell them not to come near him, but his breathing was ragged and his voice could not come out.
The moment Cedric's reason became thin as if it would break at any moment.
“Enough!”
A clear voice rang out through the darkness.
Everyone’s shoulders jumped up, regardless of whether they were human or demon.
The children hurriedly turned their heads toward the voice.
Three people were approaching, their backs turned to the light spreading from the tent.
Among them, the children’s eyes widened as if they were going to roll down when they found the person in Irene’s arms.
“...Princess?”
“Why is the princess here...”
The children murmured at Regina’s appearance and hurriedly straightened their posture.
Meanwhile, Kenneth, who had followed Regina, tilted his head crookedly.
He realized the situation and smiled crookedly.
“Aha. Somehow our Princess kept whining about going outside, and she realized that some bad kids were bullying someone. How smart...!”
“Brother, give it to me. Sister, let me down.”
“Yes.”
Regina pushed Kenneth’s face away from her, who was trying to rub his cheek against hers, and got down on the ground.
As she strode forward, the children backed away hesitantly.
“Uh, Princess ...”
The girl who had been the first to pick on Cedric tried to talk to Regina, but Regina just passed her by.
Then she grabbed Cedric’s hand and worriedly put her face in.
“Are you okay?”
“Huh...!”
Cedric let out the breath he had been holding in his panic.
Since his vision was still blurry, he tried to pull his hand away from Regina’s grasp.
“Uh, Princess. If you come close, it’s dangerous...”
“It’s not dangerous.”
“...Yes?”
“Cedric, it’s not dangerous.”
“...”
“Right?”
The golden eyes were strangely detached.
A clearer and clearer gold than the magic stone that illuminated the tent.
When he met her gaze, his heart gradually calmed down.
Cedric quickly suppressed his instincts without missing that gap.
Then, soon after, his physical condition returned to normal.
“Are you feeling better?”
“...Yes. Thanks to you. Thank you, Princess Regina.”
Cedric smiled gently and nodded.
Only then did Regina let go of his hand and turned to the children.
The children were bowing their heads, crushed by Regina’s ignorance and Irene and Kenneth’s cold stares. Their hearts that had been burning with jealousy had cooled down somewhat, and they realized that they had said something harsh.
However, they were unable to easily open their lips because of their pride, so they just clenched their fists tightly.
“Phew.”
Regina let out a small sigh and quickly walked toward the girl.
Irene and Kenneth took a step back and quietly watched Regina do what she was doing. When the short Regina looked up at the girl, she flinched and shook her shoulders.
Regina smiled faintly when she saw tears welling up in the girl’s eyes.
“Lady Lotus.”
“...”
“Do you have something to say to Cedric?”
It was a tone closer to comforting rather than pressuring.
Tears fell from Young Lady Lotus’s eyes when she heard that voice.
Children are sometimes more cruel because they are children.
However, because they are children, if they realize that they have done something wrong, they will be more distressed by the fact that they have hurt someone.
There is no need to punish a child who already knows their mistake.
That is why Regina simply comforted and pushed them on their backs when they wanted to apologize.
Just like Randall and Sylvia did to Regina.
That was enough for them.
“I, I’m sorry. I was jealous... I did that.”
“I was wrong. Actually, Mom never said that.”
“I’m sorry.”
Starting with Young Lady Lotus, the children bowed their heads to Cedric with sullen voices.
Cedric, who was silent for a moment, shook his head and said it was okay.
Kenneth and Irene, who were watching the scene, whispered so that the others couldn’t hear.
“Regina’s people skills are really lacking. If it were me or my sister, I would have just laughed at them for being stupid and told them to apologize. Regina didn’t even do that, and she made them apologize sincerely.”
“...That’s why it’s amazing. Who would want to show off their pride in front of a child who looks at them with such affectionate eyes?”
Irene answered and glanced around.
Although they couldn’t be seen here and there in the dark garden, the guards Randall had placed were watching the children without being noticed.
If Regina hadn’t shown up, the guards would have stepped out, and the commotion would have been even bigger.
It wouldn’t be good for either side to make a fuss at a place where the delegation was gathered when they were already having a hard time changing their perception of the demons.
But that wasn’t why Regina stepped out.
"Sister! Outside! Outside!"
Regina seemed to have been watching the outside situation from the moment Cedric left the tent.
And as soon as a group of children followed Cedric, she grabbed Irene and demanded to go outside.
Regardless of political reasons, how could you not love this child who paid such close attention to each and every person around him?
Irene thought so and laughed as if sighing.
Far away, Regina raised her hand among the children who had become cheerful.
“Who wants candy? I brought it!”
“Me!”
“Me too...!”
“Me too...!”
“Everyone, get in line, line!”
“Huh? Are you cutting in line? I remember all the faces?”
Regina handed out candy she had grabbed a handful of when she left the tent to the children.
Irene and Kenneth also raised their voices and stood at the end of the line.
“...It seems like we don’t need to step forward, right?”
“I guess so.”
Sylvia and Randall, who had been watching the noisy commotion from afar, laughed quietly.
And then quietly disappeared into the shadows again.
***
“Haam. Goodbye, sleep...”
Regina, who had been greeting them with a voice that trailed off, tilted her head. Her raspy breathing rang in her ears.
Randall chuckled as he carefully laid Regina down on the bed.
“When you see her like this, she’s exactly her age.”
“That’s right. I was really surprised when Regina defended that demon kid named Cedric earlier.”
And the kids who had been threatening Cedric ended up truly repenting their mistakes.
Regina was only three years old, but she had the power to instinctively draw people’s hearts.
It was an ability that every monarch would want to acquire even if they had to sell their souls.
And on the contrary, this fact aroused Sylvia’s concern.
“...I should have named her Carla as her first name.”
Sylvia, who was cherishing the side profile of her sleeping daughter, suddenly muttered with a calm face.
Regina de Carla Belfort.
‘Regina’ means King in ancient language, and ‘Carla’ means free person.
Whether a King or a wanderer.
Sylvia and Randall named her with two meanings so that she could live the life she wanted.
However, it was complicated because she seemed to follow the meaning contained in her first name, which was more commonly called by people.
Sylvia and Randall planned to pass the throne to someone else if the child did not want it, but the people assumed that Regina would naturally inherit the throne.
Sylvia did not want it to become an invisible shackle for the child.
She knew it was the responsibility of someone who was born and raised as royalty, but it was selfishness that she didn’t want to burden her own child with.
Then Randall faintly smiled and reached out.
He gently patted Sylvia’s shoulder.
“I don’t think she’s the type of child who would be swayed by a name. If you do, you won’t know.”
Sylvia’s eyes widened at those words.
She let out a small laugh but quickly suppressed it when Regina stirred.
The shadow that had been hanging over Sylvia’s face had long since disappeared.
She reached out and fixed Regina’s messy hair.
“...That’s certainly true. I wonder how she’ll grow up.”
“He could become King like this, or he could run away from the castle.”
“It’ll be fun to watch her as she lives.”
Sylvia said that and yawned slightly. Randall, who saw her golden eyes blink slowly, let out a faint laugh and lightly kissed her lips.
“Go to sleep, Ma’am.”
“You too. Sleep well...”
Sylvia buried her face in the pillow and looked at Randall, her eyes widening.
“See you tomorrow.”
- Side Story End -
Comments
Post a Comment