Daughter, who do you have in mind that you're already making such a fuss about getting married?
"Lily, come here."
I sat up straight and gestured to Lily.
"This isn't something we should be discussing while sitting on your lap. I'll talk here."
"Oh. Yes."
I couldn't get used to Lily's sudden maturity.
Linel looked at Lily with a look that said, "Just kidding."
He wouldn't tolerate anyone interrupting our night, not even his own children.
My daughter, just shy of her seventh birthday, was facing her father's disapproving gaze with a serious expression.
"Yes, Lily. I guess you wanted to disturb Mom and Dad's sleep to tell us who you want to marry. Who is that?"
Linel asked teasingly.
"You weren't asleep yet,"
Lily retorted.
He and I both flinched.
He cleared his throat, his face stung, and changed the subject.
“Ahem, we can’t sleep, so why are you acting like this?”
“You’re a growing child, how could you be doing this already?”
We held back laughter at Lily’s words.
“...So, do you really want to marry someone?”
“Yes, Mom. And here’s the problem. I think it’s broken.”
Lily tapped her heart with her small fist as she spoke, then sighed as if the ground was about to cave in.
“Does your heart hurt? Are you having trouble breathing?”
Had all that running around the palace strained your heart?
Seeing Lily continue to tap her chest made me feel a twinge of fear.
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Linel looked relieved and asked in a more gentle voice.
“It’s because it's running too fast. It doesn’t always happen.”
“When does your heart start beating?”
I asked. Lily seemed unwilling to reveal the reason yet. She hesitated for a moment, then smiled faintly and said shyly.
“That’s... that’s how it is when you see someone.”
“That’s how it is when you see wyverns. It’s because you want to cause trouble.”
Linel said decisively.
Lily raised her voice, huffing and puffing.
“I’m not Mathias, am I?”
Seeing Lily’s rather serious demeanor, I quickly whispered to Linel in a ventriloquist voice.
“Don’t tease him. You know how your daughter cries for a really long time once she starts, right? Do you want to comfort Lily and go to bed tonight?”
“That won’t do.”
He wiped the teasing expression off and asked seriously again.
“If my daughter’s heart races when she sees someone, I guess she likes them.”
“No. I don’t.”
“No?”
“Yes. It’s love.”
I could feel the conviction in Lily’s tightly clenched hands.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Linel picked up the glass of water on the nightstand and drank, but stumbled.
“Are you okay?”
I quickly patted him on the back and asked.
“Ask your daughter. Is she okay?”
He stared at Lily with a bewildered expression and coughed a few more times.
“Who is it that has won my daughter’s love? Tell me?”
Who is it that is making such a fuss about getting married at this hour of the night?
I asked with a smile and a placating tone. Lily’s lips, which had been tightly shut, began to move.
She was very cautious.
“Yes. Tell me who makes your heart race so much. Maybe I, your father, can help you.”
Bellos’s face looked particularly beautiful today.
Linel seemed slightly taken in by Bellos’s appearance, but then shook his head and frowned again.
“Do you see Lily often?”
He began to glance at Bellos.
"She seems to be very curious about magic. She often comes to my lab."
Judging by the unwavering expression on his face when Lily was mentioned, Bellos seemed unaware.
In short, he was saying our daughter had a crush on him. Linel seemed relieved, his voice softening slightly.
"Don't open the door for her when she comes here again."
"Huh? Why?"
"Isn't Lily bothering you?"
"Lily, come here."
I sat up straight and gestured to Lily.
"This isn't something we should be discussing while sitting on your lap. I'll talk here."
"Oh. Yes."
I couldn't get used to Lily's sudden maturity.
Linel looked at Lily with a look that said, "Just kidding."
He wouldn't tolerate anyone interrupting our night, not even his own children.
My daughter, just shy of her seventh birthday, was facing her father's disapproving gaze with a serious expression.
"Yes, Lily. I guess you wanted to disturb Mom and Dad's sleep to tell us who you want to marry. Who is that?"
Linel asked teasingly.
"You weren't asleep yet,"
Lily retorted.
He and I both flinched.
He cleared his throat, his face stung, and changed the subject.
“Ahem, we can’t sleep, so why are you acting like this?”
“You’re a growing child, how could you be doing this already?”
We held back laughter at Lily’s words.
“...So, do you really want to marry someone?”
“Yes, Mom. And here’s the problem. I think it’s broken.”
Lily tapped her heart with her small fist as she spoke, then sighed as if the ground was about to cave in.
“Does your heart hurt? Are you having trouble breathing?”
Had all that running around the palace strained your heart?
Seeing Lily continue to tap her chest made me feel a twinge of fear.
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Linel looked relieved and asked in a more gentle voice.
“It’s because it's running too fast. It doesn’t always happen.”
“When does your heart start beating?”
I asked. Lily seemed unwilling to reveal the reason yet. She hesitated for a moment, then smiled faintly and said shyly.
“That’s... that’s how it is when you see someone.”
“That’s how it is when you see wyverns. It’s because you want to cause trouble.”
Linel said decisively.
Lily raised her voice, huffing and puffing.
“I’m not Mathias, am I?”
Seeing Lily’s rather serious demeanor, I quickly whispered to Linel in a ventriloquist voice.
“Don’t tease him. You know how your daughter cries for a really long time once she starts, right? Do you want to comfort Lily and go to bed tonight?”
“That won’t do.”
He wiped the teasing expression off and asked seriously again.
“If my daughter’s heart races when she sees someone, I guess she likes them.”
“No. I don’t.”
“No?”
“Yes. It’s love.”
I could feel the conviction in Lily’s tightly clenched hands.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Linel picked up the glass of water on the nightstand and drank, but stumbled.
“Are you okay?”
I quickly patted him on the back and asked.
“Ask your daughter. Is she okay?”
He stared at Lily with a bewildered expression and coughed a few more times.
“Who is it that has won my daughter’s love? Tell me?”
Who is it that is making such a fuss about getting married at this hour of the night?
I asked with a smile and a placating tone. Lily’s lips, which had been tightly shut, began to move.
She was very cautious.
“Yes. Tell me who makes your heart race so much. Maybe I, your father, can help you.”
With Linel joining in, Lily finally confessed to the person who had made her heart race for seven years, the one who had made her feel love.
“The Lord of the Magic Tower.”
“Yes. What did the Lord of the Magic Tower say?”
Linel took it to mean that Lily had consulted Bellos first.
But I understood Lily’s words immediately, my blood pressure rising, and I grabbed the back of my neck.
“Ugh.”
Lily frowned when Linel failed to understand her and continued rambling, and continued speaking.
“The Lord of the Magic Tower.”
“...What do you mean?”
He asked, tilting his head sharply.
“The person I love.”
“...So who is that?”
“Oh, come on, I just told you!”
Lily yelled at Linel in frustration.
“T-t-the person you love is Magic Tower Lord? Magic Tower Lord?!”
His eyes widened as if they were going to pop out, and he asked Lily again.
“Yes. I have someone I love, so I’ll get married.”
His seven-year-old daughter went even further, demanding, No, announcing her marriage after confessing her love.
“Not until dirt gets in my eyes!!”
When Linel threatened, Lily nodded as if she had expected something.
Then, she opened the front pocket of the bag she was carrying, put her hand in, and fumbled with something.
“Moiya and Moni were right. How did they know you’d say that? It was good, I prepared in advance.”
“The Lord of the Magic Tower.”
“Yes. What did the Lord of the Magic Tower say?”
Linel took it to mean that Lily had consulted Bellos first.
But I understood Lily’s words immediately, my blood pressure rising, and I grabbed the back of my neck.
“Ugh.”
Lily frowned when Linel failed to understand her and continued rambling, and continued speaking.
“The Lord of the Magic Tower.”
“...What do you mean?”
He asked, tilting his head sharply.
“The person I love.”
“...So who is that?”
“Oh, come on, I just told you!”
Lily yelled at Linel in frustration.
“T-t-the person you love is Magic Tower Lord? Magic Tower Lord?!”
His eyes widened as if they were going to pop out, and he asked Lily again.
“Yes. I have someone I love, so I’ll get married.”
His seven-year-old daughter went even further, demanding, No, announcing her marriage after confessing her love.
“Not until dirt gets in my eyes!!”
When Linel threatened, Lily nodded as if she had expected something.
Then, she opened the front pocket of the bag she was carrying, put her hand in, and fumbled with something.
“Moiya and Moni were right. How did they know you’d say that? It was good, I prepared in advance.”
She muttered to herself and took her hand out of the bag again.
Lily was clutching something in her hand.
“Lily. What did you take out of your bag? What’s in your fist?”
I had a guess, so I asked calmly.
“Dirt.”
Lily slowly raised her hand, which was holding dirt, towards her target.
Linel and I couldn't sleep at all last night.
Lily finally threw dirt at him, but it didn't get into his eyes because I quickly lifted the blanket over his head.
This resulted in a grateful "As expected, you're the only one who thinks of me," from my husband, and a resentful "You're stopping my marriage, Mom! I'm so disappointed!"
Linel changed his tune, saying, "I wouldn't let dirt get in my eyes!" and Lily was devastated.
Then, clutching a bag full of dirt, she burst into tears and was dragged out of the bedroom by Sharon.
Linel tossed and turned all night, furious.
She was a daughter who only cared about her father until she was six, and he was deeply upset, asking why she had changed so much in a year.
We greeted the morning with a blank expression.
Linel said he had lost his appetite and barely ate breakfast.
Even eating soup feels like chewing dirt, you know?
Honestly, I wasn't that into it, so I listened to his story and finished my meal.
"I guess I should meet him."
"Bellos?"
What would I do if I met him?
If I wasn't careful, we could end up being the only ones laughing.
"How did that bastard Magic Tower Lord boil her to make her say such nonsense?"
"Bellos didn't boil her; it's Lily who does it. You know, Lily likes shiny things."
"Are you saying he's shiny?"
Linel turned his head and muttered, his wife and daughter all looking at him strangely.
"...I don't think so, but even His Majesty acknowledged Bellos's looks."
I hugged his waist and changed the subject, and his anger subsided a little.
However, I didn't cancel my plan to meet Bellos.
Worried, I followed Linel to the main palace.
"Raphael, find out where the Magic Tower Lord is."
He instructed Raphael as soon as we arrived at his office.
“The Lord of the Tower? I saw him in the lobby a little while ago, and I thought he was going for a walk with his sponsors?”
“Really?”
Raphael’s reply made him fall back as he entered his office.
“Your Majesty, don’t ask so directly. Lily might not have confessed yet. She might have changed her mind overnight.”
Children’s minds change several times a day, so she might want to marry someone else today.
“Zelda, don’t stop me.”
He left that one word behind and trudged down the hallway.
I sighed and followed after him.
“Why is he acting like that, Your Majesty?”
Raphael hurried to my side and asked quietly.
I told him about Lily’s absurd confession from last night.
“Girls her age tend to like men who seem more mature than their age.”
I worried that he might be making a big deal out of something trivial by meeting Bellos, and Raphael agreed.
“But why does Her Highness like the Lord of the Magic Tower?”
It’s not like she likes you, though.
The words were on the tip of my tongue, but U held them back.
“Bellos looks like he’s about 20 years old, so Lily, who especially likes shiny things, must have liked him.”
“If that’s the reason, then I don’t understand it even more. Her Highness usually looks at me more than the Lord of the Magic Tower... It’s strange.”
“!”
Raphael’s only flaw was that he was too generous in his assessment of his own appearance.
In any case, it was not enough to keep up with Linel’s angry pace.
Raphael and I inevitably arrived at the greenhouse a few minutes late.
Upon entering, Linel and Bellos stood facing each other, a strange tension emanating from them.
“What brings you here, Your Majesty?”
“I came for a walk, why would I?”
“I guess you came to see how handsome I am?”
Bellos said with a breezy smile.
“What?”
He raised an eyebrow, taken aback.
“I was just saying this because you’ve been staring at my face all this time.”
Bellos laughed, trying to say it was a joke, but Linel couldn’t.
“Are you going to continue living like this? You don’t age at all?”
“You do age. I just don’t age.”
Bellos ran a hand through his bee-colored hair and narrowed his eyes.
Lily was clutching something in her hand.
“Lily. What did you take out of your bag? What’s in your fist?”
I had a guess, so I asked calmly.
“Dirt.”
Lily slowly raised her hand, which was holding dirt, towards her target.
***
Linel and I couldn't sleep at all last night.
Lily finally threw dirt at him, but it didn't get into his eyes because I quickly lifted the blanket over his head.
This resulted in a grateful "As expected, you're the only one who thinks of me," from my husband, and a resentful "You're stopping my marriage, Mom! I'm so disappointed!"
Linel changed his tune, saying, "I wouldn't let dirt get in my eyes!" and Lily was devastated.
Then, clutching a bag full of dirt, she burst into tears and was dragged out of the bedroom by Sharon.
Linel tossed and turned all night, furious.
She was a daughter who only cared about her father until she was six, and he was deeply upset, asking why she had changed so much in a year.
We greeted the morning with a blank expression.
Linel said he had lost his appetite and barely ate breakfast.
Even eating soup feels like chewing dirt, you know?
Honestly, I wasn't that into it, so I listened to his story and finished my meal.
"I guess I should meet him."
"Bellos?"
What would I do if I met him?
If I wasn't careful, we could end up being the only ones laughing.
"How did that bastard Magic Tower Lord boil her to make her say such nonsense?"
"Bellos didn't boil her; it's Lily who does it. You know, Lily likes shiny things."
"Are you saying he's shiny?"
Linel turned his head and muttered, his wife and daughter all looking at him strangely.
"...I don't think so, but even His Majesty acknowledged Bellos's looks."
I hugged his waist and changed the subject, and his anger subsided a little.
However, I didn't cancel my plan to meet Bellos.
Worried, I followed Linel to the main palace.
"Raphael, find out where the Magic Tower Lord is."
He instructed Raphael as soon as we arrived at his office.
“The Lord of the Tower? I saw him in the lobby a little while ago, and I thought he was going for a walk with his sponsors?”
“Really?”
Raphael’s reply made him fall back as he entered his office.
“Your Majesty, don’t ask so directly. Lily might not have confessed yet. She might have changed her mind overnight.”
Children’s minds change several times a day, so she might want to marry someone else today.
“Zelda, don’t stop me.”
He left that one word behind and trudged down the hallway.
I sighed and followed after him.
“Why is he acting like that, Your Majesty?”
Raphael hurried to my side and asked quietly.
I told him about Lily’s absurd confession from last night.
“Girls her age tend to like men who seem more mature than their age.”
I worried that he might be making a big deal out of something trivial by meeting Bellos, and Raphael agreed.
“But why does Her Highness like the Lord of the Magic Tower?”
It’s not like she likes you, though.
The words were on the tip of my tongue, but U held them back.
“Bellos looks like he’s about 20 years old, so Lily, who especially likes shiny things, must have liked him.”
“If that’s the reason, then I don’t understand it even more. Her Highness usually looks at me more than the Lord of the Magic Tower... It’s strange.”
“!”
Raphael’s only flaw was that he was too generous in his assessment of his own appearance.
In any case, it was not enough to keep up with Linel’s angry pace.
***
Raphael and I inevitably arrived at the greenhouse a few minutes late.
Upon entering, Linel and Bellos stood facing each other, a strange tension emanating from them.
“What brings you here, Your Majesty?”
“I came for a walk, why would I?”
“I guess you came to see how handsome I am?”
Bellos said with a breezy smile.
“What?”
He raised an eyebrow, taken aback.
“I was just saying this because you’ve been staring at my face all this time.”
Bellos laughed, trying to say it was a joke, but Linel couldn’t.
“Are you going to continue living like this? You don’t age at all?”
“You do age. I just don’t age.”
Bellos ran a hand through his bee-colored hair and narrowed his eyes.
Bellos’s face looked particularly beautiful today.
Linel seemed slightly taken in by Bellos’s appearance, but then shook his head and frowned again.
“Do you see Lily often?”
He began to glance at Bellos.
"She seems to be very curious about magic. She often comes to my lab."
Judging by the unwavering expression on his face when Lily was mentioned, Bellos seemed unaware.
In short, he was saying our daughter had a crush on him. Linel seemed relieved, his voice softening slightly.
"Don't open the door for her when she comes here again."
"Huh? Why?"
"Isn't Lily bothering you?"
"Not at all? The Princess just sits quietly and quietly leaves."
There was no way Lily would be quiet, but why would she sit quietly in Bellos' lab?
I couldn't imagine.
Was she shy around Bellos?
Linel's brow furrowed.
He was shocked by the fact that his daughter, who was like a fiery calf to him, had become a docile lamb before Bellos.
A chill seemed to radiate from behind Linel.
The atmosphere in the greenhouse suddenly became chilly.
Even the chirping of the canaries stopped.
Bellos gave Linel a strange look, then bowed, saying he would be leaving.
“Is Lily really so well-behaved in front of you? Not even... throwing dirt?”
My poor husband.
His voice trembled, as if he remembered Lily’s misdeeds last night.
“Dirt? Oh, she did throw flower petals.”
Bellos’s words brought back memories of Lily concentrating on putting dirt in her father’s eyes last night.
Linel must have remembered the same thing.
His face slowly turned pale.
“And when she visits the lab, she always brings food and flowers. Hahaha, she's already become a lady. You could marry her off early.”
Bellos smiled and praised Lily, but Linel couldn’t believe it.
He grabbed Bellos’s arm and shouted,
“I’ll introduce you to a young lady from a noble family!”
“...Suddenly?”
There was no way Lily would be quiet, but why would she sit quietly in Bellos' lab?
I couldn't imagine.
Was she shy around Bellos?
Linel's brow furrowed.
He was shocked by the fact that his daughter, who was like a fiery calf to him, had become a docile lamb before Bellos.
A chill seemed to radiate from behind Linel.
The atmosphere in the greenhouse suddenly became chilly.
Even the chirping of the canaries stopped.
Bellos gave Linel a strange look, then bowed, saying he would be leaving.
“Is Lily really so well-behaved in front of you? Not even... throwing dirt?”
My poor husband.
His voice trembled, as if he remembered Lily’s misdeeds last night.
“Dirt? Oh, she did throw flower petals.”
Bellos’s words brought back memories of Lily concentrating on putting dirt in her father’s eyes last night.
Linel must have remembered the same thing.
His face slowly turned pale.
“And when she visits the lab, she always brings food and flowers. Hahaha, she's already become a lady. You could marry her off early.”
Bellos smiled and praised Lily, but Linel couldn’t believe it.
He grabbed Bellos’s arm and shouted,
“I’ll introduce you to a young lady from a noble family!”
“...Suddenly?”
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