Tears flowed sorrowfully from the child's ruby-red eyes. He sniffled and asked me.
“Mother, it’s you, isn’t it? I missed you.”
The child's words, "Mother," came through clearly even amidst his sobs. Judging by the way his bright red eyes stared straight at me, I knew he was speaking to me.
I was dumbfounded by the shocking words.
“What? Mother? That’s going to be a big problem...”
My voice, now filled with bewilderment, cracked and disjointed. I stood there, frozen in place, like a frozen tree.
Noah, standing next to me, silently scanned the child's face and mine. The child, sobbing, hugged my leg even tighter. With his immaculate attire in luxurious silk and clean hands, he looked like the son of a precious family. His soft hair smelled like sweet cookies.
I felt sorry for the kitten, who was meowing sadly as if it had just reunited with its mother after a long time, but I was also worried.
If I'm suspected of spending the night with the lieutenant colonel and am even suspected of being the mother of a child, then I might not only not have a secret affair, but I might be pushed far away and really end up like that.
A huge distrust builds up due to a drop in trust that hits rock bottom, and this could ultimately lead to a breakup!
I tried to keep my composure and spoke in a firm tone.
“What are you talking about? I’m not your mother.”
“You said you’d always protect me. That’s why you came back?”
Although his speech was a bit tongue-tied, it sounded even more sad because he spoke so bluntly for a child.
Noah approached me with a saintly expression and gently touched my shoulder.
“I understand. Let’s raise him well together.”
Perhaps it was a look that went beyond acceptance and resignation, a look that suggested he was giving up even understanding. I stared at Noah with a bewildered expression, then turned my head and squeezed the child's soft cheek, clinging to my leg like a koala.
“How old are you? And what is your mother’s name?”
“Six years old. Mother’s name is Elizabeth.”
"You look seven years old. I'm Diana, not your mother. Where's your nanny?"
“That’s right.”
“No.”
“Since you came down from the sky secretly, it’s not okay if you get caught, right?”
There's no such thing as a fantasy setting, kid. Just say I came from another world. In the midst of our heated argument, Noah approached and lifted the child into his arms.
“I’m going to be your new dad. Please take good care of me.”
The child's red eyes, floating in the air and looking at Noah, were filled with confusion and shock.
"No. My father is just too busy to see me. I don't need a stepfather."
“You have to accept reality. The world doesn't always go your way.”
Noah's life advice made the child burst into tears. He sobbed and flailed his arms and legs, but Noah wouldn't let him go.
He looked around, holding the child, then smiled playfully. It was the smile of a new father trying to win over his stepson's heart.
"Hmm. You look like me. You have a loud voice, so you could be a politician someday. Or you could become a physicist, which was my dream."
“There’s no way I would have given birth to a six-year-old.”
With a serious expression, I picked up the crying child. He was heavier than I'd expected, considering Noah had carried it lightly, so I quickly put him down and asked again.
“What is your name?”
“Daniel Jean Hessen. Have you forgotten my name?”
The name itself exudes the feeling of being the offspring of a high-ranking nobleman. Perhaps even a royal lineage.
“Ah, you’re the son of the Duke of Hessen? You’re a Prince.”
Noah smiled and bent down to meet Daniel's gaze. Daniel nodded, wiping away the dewy tears forming in his eyes.
“I was a Duke too. Still, won’t you acknowledge me as your new father?”
“I don’t like it. My father is busy, but he’s still my father.”
“I’ll buy you a car.”
“There are a lot at home.”
"I'm talking about real cars. How about showing you around the car company?"
His ruby-red eyes were etched with an expression of deep concern. Noah's words must have been powerful enough to make him agonize over which father to choose.
From a distance, the voice of the Marchioness of Wales was heard, along with the urgent clatter of shoes.
“Young Master! I was surprised when you disappeared!”
The Marchioness looked back and forth between Daniel and us, who were sobbing and whimpering, to assess the situation.
“That’s why you keep calling me mother...”
As I made an excuse, embarrassed by the sight of an innocent child being made to cry, the Marchioness's face sank sadly.
“Excuse me. It seems Young Master has misunderstood.”
“Is this a mistake?”
"Lady Diana bears a striking resemblance to the girlish Duchess of Hessen. I've been thinking about it for a while now, but I haven't specifically mentioned who it is."
The Marchioness sighed, came closer to me, and whispered softly.
"The Duchess passed away from illness last year. It's a shame, considering she was only twenty-five. Both the Duke and the Prince are still struggling."
“I see. That’s too bad.”
"The Duke of Hessen is currently in shock and unable to care for his surroundings, so I've been looking after the Prince. He's decided to stay at the palace under Her Majesty's care from today onward. I left him to play with my son during the tea party, and what's going on?"
A boy of about nine, holding a rubber ball, rushed forward and stood before the marchioness. Judging by his amber eyes and the terrified expression on his face, fearing being scolded, he was undoubtedly her son.
"Clad! I told you to take good care of the Prince! What on earth did the nanny do?"
“I’m sorry, Mom. He suddenly disappeared while we were playing ball.”
The boy named Clad hung his head, a look of resentment on his face. Daniel approached the Marchioness, took her hand, and looked up at her with moist, watery eyes.
“It’s my fault. Don’t scold my brother and nanny.”
"Oh, my dear Prince. Isn't that the Duchess? Did you miss her so much?"
"Yes. I miss her so much. I haven't seen her since my mother got sick. I didn't even get to see her off before she went to heaven."
Daniel, who had barely managed to swallow his tears, twitched his lips dangerously, then covered his eyes with his sleeve and began sobbing. The sight of a child who had lost his mother at such a young age was heartbreaking.
“I miss the Duchess too. She was a kind and good person.”
The eyes of the Marchioness, who was embracing the little Prince, also turned red.
“I thought my mother came to see me.”
Beneath her wet eyelashes, the child's red eyes turned to me. Her pouty mouth and swollen cheeks were quite adorable. She looked like a rabbit now. I smiled kindly and bent down to meet her gaze.
“Do they look alike?”
“Isn’t that true?”
“I’m sorry, but no. Their names and ages are different.”
Daniel rubbed the back of his head, still in disbelief.
“Prince, we must go and greet the Queen. I have also prepared a cake of your choice.”
The Marchioness of Wales spoke soothingly and lifted Daniel into her arms. "Mothers raising children are strong. Amazing."
Daniel buried his face in her arms and didn't look up. The Marchioness gave a brief greeting, took the hand of her son, named Clad, and hurried away.
After the chaotic situation ended, Noah and I stood still, watching them disappear. Feeling a pang of doubt, I turned to Noah and asked him cautiously.
“...You know that’s not true, right?”
“I know. You look so similar that it’s easy to mistake you.”
"Are they my relatives? I don't think the Admiral and Celine are my family. They don't look like me at all. I'm sure I was picked up."
“The Duchess is a member of the Duke of Yorkshire. She is related to the Queen.”
“Then there’s no chance that we’re related by blood.”
Noah smiled at my words.
I recalled the red, wet eyes of a child, longing for his mother and crying sadly. A bitter taste filled my mouth as I realized I had never once missed my deceased parents.
Because I don't have any good memories that make me miss them, and they never loved me.
It's a beautiful Saturday morning. Since I usually wake up around lunchtime, I shouldn't have been aware of the weather.
Early one weekend morning, a palace maid knocked on the door, waking me from my deep slumber. Noah, as befitting a former soldier, was up early, washed, and neatly dressed, reading the newspaper.
As befitting my lazy nature, I still couldn't get out of bed. Noah, who had been chatting with the maid in the reception room, returned to the bedroom and gently shook me, who was still covered in a down comforter.
“Princess, wake up. The naughty little boy is here again.”
"... Yes?"
“Prince of Hessen.”
It seems that Prince Daniel did not give up and came back again.
I jumped up, brushed my teeth, washed my face with cold water, roughly fixed my hair, and changed my clothes. I draped a cashmere shawl over my shoulders and walked briskly to the reception room.
The Prince, wearing a children's suit and with his hair pulled back, looked like a little gentleman, sitting upright on the sofa and looking up at me.
“What brings you here, Prince?”
I smiled awkwardly, my eyes swollen from sleep. Daniel, who had bounced off the sofa, assumed an escorting stance.
“I have somewhere to go with you today.”
“Where are we?”
I was planning on just staying in my room today and doing nothing.
"I want you to come to the square with me. We can go to the park and have a meal together. I'll treat you."
At Daniel's words, Noah, who was standing behind the sofa, furrowed his eyebrows slightly.
"Is this a date request? Even if you're a kid, that's not allowed."
Despite Noah's objections, Daniel pretended not to hear and waited for my response. I gave him a troubled expression.
“Princess, let me say this again: I am not the Duchess. I am a completely different person.”
"I know now. But what can I do if I still want to go with you? You're right, I asked you out on a date."
I don't know what the psychology is, but I think Noah is similar to him in that he keeps pushing until he gets it right. It's also kind of pitiful. Noah shook his head and folded his arms.
“You’re asking a lady out on a date wrong, Prince Hessen.”
“How do I do it?”
"You wouldn't ask a woman who's already engaged out on a date, would you? That's basic, isn't it?"
“You’re not married yet.”
“I was planning to do it today. Come eat and go.”
Daniel's small lips turned into a pout, as if he had thought that he was not the type of person to argue with from the beginning.
"Then let's decide by dueling. I read in the book that the winner has to listen to what they say, right? If I win, I will cancel your wedding today. And you have to buy me a car."
"Yes, how do you want to deal with this? I won't tolerate it, so come at me with all your heart. The first one to cry loses."
Why are you suddenly fighting with me?
It's a funny situation where two men with an age gap of nearly 20 years are bickering. Adults should know how to give in, but this is a big deal.
"Stop!"
I quickly intervened between the two and began to mediate. If it were Noah, he might have made the Prince cry and expressed his regret to the Duke of Hessen.
“Then, shall we go together?”
Daniel shook his head and bit his lip at my suggestion.
“I hate that guy. He’s so rude.”
"I hate you too. I'll only buy a car for the eldest son of the Marquis of Wales. On the condition that you never get a ride."
“Brother Clad will give me a ride, too. He’s a good guy.”
I feel like my brain is regressing as I watch the two men's childish bickering.
I couldn't bring myself to refuse the young one's request, and a pang of regret welled up in my heart. Truthfully, I have a weakness for pretty things. With my head pressed against my forehead, I finally approached the Prince, who was on the verge of tears, and whispered quietly in his ear.
"The three of us will go. We'll teach that rude guy the meaning of gentlemanly manners. How about that?"
"I will. I will show you what gentlemanlyness is like for a Hessen man."
The young Prince made a solemn expression. What is it? It's kind of cute. Did he have a cute sub-boyfriend? I giggled softly and looked at Noah.
“Noah, let’s go together. How about it?”
"No, I do not want."
“Then, Prince and I will go together.”
“It won’t work. Why won’t you choose me?”
Noah, who had been asking how that could be, picked up his coat with a helpless expression. It was a gesture of dissatisfaction, but an expression of willingness to go along.
"Prince, would you please wait in the reception room? I will get ready quickly and come out."
“Yes, I’ll wait, so take your time, Diana.”
Daniel, sitting upright on the sofa, smiled with a mature expression. After quickly getting ready, I headed to the square with the two men to go on a strange date.
“Mother, it’s you, isn’t it? I missed you.”
The child's words, "Mother," came through clearly even amidst his sobs. Judging by the way his bright red eyes stared straight at me, I knew he was speaking to me.
I was dumbfounded by the shocking words.
“What? Mother? That’s going to be a big problem...”
My voice, now filled with bewilderment, cracked and disjointed. I stood there, frozen in place, like a frozen tree.
Noah, standing next to me, silently scanned the child's face and mine. The child, sobbing, hugged my leg even tighter. With his immaculate attire in luxurious silk and clean hands, he looked like the son of a precious family. His soft hair smelled like sweet cookies.
I felt sorry for the kitten, who was meowing sadly as if it had just reunited with its mother after a long time, but I was also worried.
If I'm suspected of spending the night with the lieutenant colonel and am even suspected of being the mother of a child, then I might not only not have a secret affair, but I might be pushed far away and really end up like that.
A huge distrust builds up due to a drop in trust that hits rock bottom, and this could ultimately lead to a breakup!
I tried to keep my composure and spoke in a firm tone.
“What are you talking about? I’m not your mother.”
“You said you’d always protect me. That’s why you came back?”
Although his speech was a bit tongue-tied, it sounded even more sad because he spoke so bluntly for a child.
Noah approached me with a saintly expression and gently touched my shoulder.
“I understand. Let’s raise him well together.”
Perhaps it was a look that went beyond acceptance and resignation, a look that suggested he was giving up even understanding. I stared at Noah with a bewildered expression, then turned my head and squeezed the child's soft cheek, clinging to my leg like a koala.
“How old are you? And what is your mother’s name?”
“Six years old. Mother’s name is Elizabeth.”
"You look seven years old. I'm Diana, not your mother. Where's your nanny?"
“That’s right.”
“No.”
“Since you came down from the sky secretly, it’s not okay if you get caught, right?”
There's no such thing as a fantasy setting, kid. Just say I came from another world. In the midst of our heated argument, Noah approached and lifted the child into his arms.
“I’m going to be your new dad. Please take good care of me.”
The child's red eyes, floating in the air and looking at Noah, were filled with confusion and shock.
"No. My father is just too busy to see me. I don't need a stepfather."
“You have to accept reality. The world doesn't always go your way.”
Noah's life advice made the child burst into tears. He sobbed and flailed his arms and legs, but Noah wouldn't let him go.
He looked around, holding the child, then smiled playfully. It was the smile of a new father trying to win over his stepson's heart.
"Hmm. You look like me. You have a loud voice, so you could be a politician someday. Or you could become a physicist, which was my dream."
“There’s no way I would have given birth to a six-year-old.”
With a serious expression, I picked up the crying child. He was heavier than I'd expected, considering Noah had carried it lightly, so I quickly put him down and asked again.
“What is your name?”
“Daniel Jean Hessen. Have you forgotten my name?”
The name itself exudes the feeling of being the offspring of a high-ranking nobleman. Perhaps even a royal lineage.
“Ah, you’re the son of the Duke of Hessen? You’re a Prince.”
Noah smiled and bent down to meet Daniel's gaze. Daniel nodded, wiping away the dewy tears forming in his eyes.
“I was a Duke too. Still, won’t you acknowledge me as your new father?”
“I don’t like it. My father is busy, but he’s still my father.”
“I’ll buy you a car.”
“There are a lot at home.”
"I'm talking about real cars. How about showing you around the car company?"
His ruby-red eyes were etched with an expression of deep concern. Noah's words must have been powerful enough to make him agonize over which father to choose.
From a distance, the voice of the Marchioness of Wales was heard, along with the urgent clatter of shoes.
“Young Master! I was surprised when you disappeared!”
The Marchioness looked back and forth between Daniel and us, who were sobbing and whimpering, to assess the situation.
“That’s why you keep calling me mother...”
As I made an excuse, embarrassed by the sight of an innocent child being made to cry, the Marchioness's face sank sadly.
“Excuse me. It seems Young Master has misunderstood.”
“Is this a mistake?”
"Lady Diana bears a striking resemblance to the girlish Duchess of Hessen. I've been thinking about it for a while now, but I haven't specifically mentioned who it is."
The Marchioness sighed, came closer to me, and whispered softly.
"The Duchess passed away from illness last year. It's a shame, considering she was only twenty-five. Both the Duke and the Prince are still struggling."
“I see. That’s too bad.”
"The Duke of Hessen is currently in shock and unable to care for his surroundings, so I've been looking after the Prince. He's decided to stay at the palace under Her Majesty's care from today onward. I left him to play with my son during the tea party, and what's going on?"
A boy of about nine, holding a rubber ball, rushed forward and stood before the marchioness. Judging by his amber eyes and the terrified expression on his face, fearing being scolded, he was undoubtedly her son.
"Clad! I told you to take good care of the Prince! What on earth did the nanny do?"
“I’m sorry, Mom. He suddenly disappeared while we were playing ball.”
The boy named Clad hung his head, a look of resentment on his face. Daniel approached the Marchioness, took her hand, and looked up at her with moist, watery eyes.
“It’s my fault. Don’t scold my brother and nanny.”
"Oh, my dear Prince. Isn't that the Duchess? Did you miss her so much?"
"Yes. I miss her so much. I haven't seen her since my mother got sick. I didn't even get to see her off before she went to heaven."
Daniel, who had barely managed to swallow his tears, twitched his lips dangerously, then covered his eyes with his sleeve and began sobbing. The sight of a child who had lost his mother at such a young age was heartbreaking.
“I miss the Duchess too. She was a kind and good person.”
The eyes of the Marchioness, who was embracing the little Prince, also turned red.
“I thought my mother came to see me.”
Beneath her wet eyelashes, the child's red eyes turned to me. Her pouty mouth and swollen cheeks were quite adorable. She looked like a rabbit now. I smiled kindly and bent down to meet her gaze.
“Do they look alike?”
“Isn’t that true?”
“I’m sorry, but no. Their names and ages are different.”
Daniel rubbed the back of his head, still in disbelief.
“Prince, we must go and greet the Queen. I have also prepared a cake of your choice.”
The Marchioness of Wales spoke soothingly and lifted Daniel into her arms. "Mothers raising children are strong. Amazing."
Daniel buried his face in her arms and didn't look up. The Marchioness gave a brief greeting, took the hand of her son, named Clad, and hurried away.
After the chaotic situation ended, Noah and I stood still, watching them disappear. Feeling a pang of doubt, I turned to Noah and asked him cautiously.
“...You know that’s not true, right?”
“I know. You look so similar that it’s easy to mistake you.”
"Are they my relatives? I don't think the Admiral and Celine are my family. They don't look like me at all. I'm sure I was picked up."
“The Duchess is a member of the Duke of Yorkshire. She is related to the Queen.”
“Then there’s no chance that we’re related by blood.”
Noah smiled at my words.
I recalled the red, wet eyes of a child, longing for his mother and crying sadly. A bitter taste filled my mouth as I realized I had never once missed my deceased parents.
Because I don't have any good memories that make me miss them, and they never loved me.
***
It's a beautiful Saturday morning. Since I usually wake up around lunchtime, I shouldn't have been aware of the weather.
Early one weekend morning, a palace maid knocked on the door, waking me from my deep slumber. Noah, as befitting a former soldier, was up early, washed, and neatly dressed, reading the newspaper.
As befitting my lazy nature, I still couldn't get out of bed. Noah, who had been chatting with the maid in the reception room, returned to the bedroom and gently shook me, who was still covered in a down comforter.
“Princess, wake up. The naughty little boy is here again.”
"... Yes?"
“Prince of Hessen.”
It seems that Prince Daniel did not give up and came back again.
I jumped up, brushed my teeth, washed my face with cold water, roughly fixed my hair, and changed my clothes. I draped a cashmere shawl over my shoulders and walked briskly to the reception room.
The Prince, wearing a children's suit and with his hair pulled back, looked like a little gentleman, sitting upright on the sofa and looking up at me.
“What brings you here, Prince?”
I smiled awkwardly, my eyes swollen from sleep. Daniel, who had bounced off the sofa, assumed an escorting stance.
“I have somewhere to go with you today.”
“Where are we?”
I was planning on just staying in my room today and doing nothing.
"I want you to come to the square with me. We can go to the park and have a meal together. I'll treat you."
At Daniel's words, Noah, who was standing behind the sofa, furrowed his eyebrows slightly.
"Is this a date request? Even if you're a kid, that's not allowed."
Despite Noah's objections, Daniel pretended not to hear and waited for my response. I gave him a troubled expression.
“Princess, let me say this again: I am not the Duchess. I am a completely different person.”
"I know now. But what can I do if I still want to go with you? You're right, I asked you out on a date."
I don't know what the psychology is, but I think Noah is similar to him in that he keeps pushing until he gets it right. It's also kind of pitiful. Noah shook his head and folded his arms.
“You’re asking a lady out on a date wrong, Prince Hessen.”
“How do I do it?”
"You wouldn't ask a woman who's already engaged out on a date, would you? That's basic, isn't it?"
“You’re not married yet.”
“I was planning to do it today. Come eat and go.”
Daniel's small lips turned into a pout, as if he had thought that he was not the type of person to argue with from the beginning.
"Then let's decide by dueling. I read in the book that the winner has to listen to what they say, right? If I win, I will cancel your wedding today. And you have to buy me a car."
"Yes, how do you want to deal with this? I won't tolerate it, so come at me with all your heart. The first one to cry loses."
Why are you suddenly fighting with me?
It's a funny situation where two men with an age gap of nearly 20 years are bickering. Adults should know how to give in, but this is a big deal.
"Stop!"
I quickly intervened between the two and began to mediate. If it were Noah, he might have made the Prince cry and expressed his regret to the Duke of Hessen.
“Then, shall we go together?”
Daniel shook his head and bit his lip at my suggestion.
“I hate that guy. He’s so rude.”
"I hate you too. I'll only buy a car for the eldest son of the Marquis of Wales. On the condition that you never get a ride."
“Brother Clad will give me a ride, too. He’s a good guy.”
I feel like my brain is regressing as I watch the two men's childish bickering.
I couldn't bring myself to refuse the young one's request, and a pang of regret welled up in my heart. Truthfully, I have a weakness for pretty things. With my head pressed against my forehead, I finally approached the Prince, who was on the verge of tears, and whispered quietly in his ear.
"The three of us will go. We'll teach that rude guy the meaning of gentlemanly manners. How about that?"
"I will. I will show you what gentlemanlyness is like for a Hessen man."
The young Prince made a solemn expression. What is it? It's kind of cute. Did he have a cute sub-boyfriend? I giggled softly and looked at Noah.
“Noah, let’s go together. How about it?”
"No, I do not want."
“Then, Prince and I will go together.”
“It won’t work. Why won’t you choose me?”
Noah, who had been asking how that could be, picked up his coat with a helpless expression. It was a gesture of dissatisfaction, but an expression of willingness to go along.
"Prince, would you please wait in the reception room? I will get ready quickly and come out."
“Yes, I’ll wait, so take your time, Diana.”
Daniel, sitting upright on the sofa, smiled with a mature expression. After quickly getting ready, I headed to the square with the two men to go on a strange date.
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