"...Ah."
So, was that why he sneaked in after dinner and was loitering around?
Since she had returned to her childhood, she thought she should do all the things she hadn't been able to do to her heart's content, so she remembered saying that she wanted to sleep holding hands.
Roselyn nodded.
"Please put me to sleep like this often."
I subtly added this, hoping that the original Roselyn would do it even if she returned, rather than me.
"Otherwise, I’d grow up believing my father hated me my whole life, run away from home, and end up killing myself."
"...How can you say such things to your parents?"
"No matter how I look at it, it seems like you're just going to hide back in that shabby basement room. Stop the self-pity. There are far more pitiful people than your father..."
Roselyn yawned softly and closed her hazy eyes.
She could clearly feel that she was sleeping more, whether it was because her body was in worse condition than when she was an adult, or because she had become younger.
Soon, Roselyn Bellion's breathing spread evenly.
As she gazed blankly at the chest rising and falling regularly, Cherty carefully placed his hand on the child's heart.
Thump thump thump.
I could feel a small but fiercely beating heart on my palm.
'You're alive.'
His child is alive. Not dead yet. Even if he touches them, even if he holds their hand, they will not die.
"...Have you ever regretted me being born?'
"... What?"
"It's nothing special; I just wanted to ask. If I hadn't been here, Father might have been able to live happily with Mother."
Cherty Bellion is not a fool either. So, it’s not that he didn’t know what kind of answer the child wanted.
"I can't regret it..."
Her death was his fault in the first place, so it was not the child's fault. Perhaps it is also his fault that the child was born so weak.
Roselyn's mother did not take medicine even after being poisoned by Cherty Bellion's venom because the antidote contained ingredients that were harmful to the fetus.
Cherty Bellion conducted research but lacked time.
She chose the child.
Due to the detoxification being postponed for a day or two like that, Roselyn was born, and she died.
Cherty Bellion tried his best to slow down the progression of the poison, but it was impossible with her inexperienced control.
So, Roselyn might have already been poisoned while still in the fetal stage.
It means that it might be entirely his fault that Roselyn was born so weak and is suffering from a fever.
"There's no way I could regret it. Just your coming was a blessing to me..."
Cherty Bellion whispered in a small voice, as if being sucked into somewhere.
When he first heard the news that the child was coming, he was so happy and worried that he couldn't sleep at night.
"Are you okay with me being your father? Have you ever resented me being your father...?"
He tightly closed his trembling lips.
It is a story that Roselyn, who is asleep, won't be able to hear anyway.
He knew it, but even so, he couldn't take back the words that had leaked out.
It was only after darkness fell that Cherty Bellion could be a little more honest.
He spoke his true feelings only when no one was listening.
His life was one where he couldn't be honest even if he wanted to, and he never had a problem with that.
Nevertheless, Cherty Bellion liked the affection the child gave him.
He never imagined that the words "I love you" or "I like you" would come out of the child's mouth.
That’s understandable, since he never really gave any decent love.
He made the child lonely out of his single-minded determination not to kill her.
"...I love you too, my dear."
He conveyed his honest feelings, albeit belatedly.
It was just as he brushed Roselyn's hair back and was about to quietly get up and leave the room.
Roselyn opened her eyes wide.
"..."
"..."
Two wide-eyed eyes met in the air.
Cherty Bellion's indifferent face began to flush little by little. Roselyn let out a deep sigh.
"I didn't know it would be this hard to hear my father's true feelings."
"...Can't you use a cuter way of speaking that suits your age?"
'It's tricky.'
Roselyn narrowed her eyes as if to say, "Why are you expecting such a thing?"
“Daaaaad.”
Startled. Cherty Bellion, who had been rubbing his flushed face in embarrassment, froze and looked at Roselyn.
"...What?"
However, he paused when he met those indifferent and dry eyes, which were different from her cute tone of voice.
It was because it sounded like a doll made of a block of wood was talking.
"I have resented you."
Pop.
Everything became quiet.
"I've also thought how nice it would be if I had a dad as humorous as that..."
Cherty Bellion bowed his head with trembling eyes.
"There were times when I wished I had a dad who was family-oriented and took me on picnics often..."
As Roselyn continued speaking, Cherty Bellion's fingertips trembled slightly.
"There were times when I wished I had a dad who would hug me often and tell me he loved me..."
"..."
"Sometimes I've even thought it would be nice if you were a dad who reads fairy tales to me..."
Cherty Bellion now hung his head, trembling, unable to even open his mouth properly.
"I..."
"It's not over yet."
Roselyn grabbed the hem of Cherty's clothes as he tried to turn around.
"Still..."
"Still......?"
Cherty Bellion bit his lip tightly.
"Yes. I was hoping for someone who knows how to dress up a little more, someone not gloomy... at least someone like Marquis Garen Wilbreed..."
"You'd better just say you don't like me."
Cherty Bellion muttered softly, looking as if he were about to run out of the room at any moment.
"But what can I do? You are my dad."
Roselyn smiled innocently.
"So please hold my hand often, come visit me often like this, and come out from the underground too. I'm lonely, Dad."
Roselyn extended her two arms and spread them to the sides. After some hesitation, Cherty Bellion held the child in his arms and answered.
"...Alright. I'll do that."
"Anyway, the one I like is my dad."
"...Yeah, thanks. But why are you talking like that again?"
"You asked me to use a cute tone appropriate for my age."
She didn't mean to make the mother round with that dry, brittle expression.
"That's not it."
"Yes."
Roselyn smiled faintly, even while thinking how picky she was.
***
"Nice to meet you. My name is Arma Dianitas, Lady Bellion."
"I am Roselyn Bellion. Your Highness, the Third Prince."
Today, perhaps the last day of this world, Roselyn came to the Imperial Castle.
"I heard you have very poor health. Are you feeling a bit better today?"
“As you can see.”
It was a decent fall day.
However, Roselyn's appearance was a bit ridiculous.
A thick cape and shawl over a winter dress, and on top of that, earmuffs said to have come from some country.
From a distance, she looked like a snowman.
Roselyn gave Arma high marks for not smiling as soon as he saw her.
"I'm a little sorry to say this, but you're cute."
"Yes."
Roselyn nodded indifferently.
'In the past, perhaps because I was so busy for over a month, we used to meet after the sun had set.'
This time, perhaps because she woke up immediately, the meeting schedule was faster than expected.
'Come to think of it, it is said that the Second Prince gets attacked by assassins around this time of year.'
Roselyn saw a boy who was much smaller, younger, and cuter than she remembered.
The boy, who must have been about nine years old by now, was not as timid as she remembered and was looking her straight in the eye more than she had expected.
'Ah. Since I was praised, should I praise you back?'
Roselyn scanned Arma from top to bottom.
"Your Highness, the Third Prince is cute, too."
"... Yes?"
"I said you're cute. But more importantly, it's stifling. Can't we go for a walk?"
"Oh, of course! Please come this way."
The eyes of the boy, who was escorting her with quite perfect etiquette despite his young age, were quite clear.
"It's a relief that it's not gloomy."
"Yes...?"
"My father is gloomy, so I wanted my future husband to be a bit gloomy as well."
"Uh, uh.."
Roselyn paused at the sight of Arma swaying violently and mouthing his lips.
'Come to think of it, I haven't gotten engaged yet.'
Roselyn hurriedly opened her mouth to cover up the situation.
"Ah. I'm not talking about the Prince; I'm talking about my ideal type. My future husband."
"...Ah. My future husband."
At Roselyn's words, Arma Dianitas paused, then slowly nodded with a somewhat reluctant expression.
"First, I will show you the greenhouse garden. It is warm there, so you may take off a little of that coat."
"Thank you."
Roselyn followed Arma to the greenhouse garden.
'Come to think of it, I always had to go out dressed like this when I was little.'
Roselyn always had to wear such extravagant clothes when going out.
Come to think of it, all of that would have been interesting.
'Was today the last day?'
As expected, things might return to normal tonight.
Because tomorrow is the day she regains consciousness for the first time in a month.
"Arma Dianitas?"
It was the moment she had just stepped into the garden.
Puck-!
As soon as a bizarre, mechanical-sounding voice was heard, her body was thrown backward.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment