Chapter 93

‘Even if he’d hit her, she wouldn’t be this afraid of him.’

Anyways, at this rate I wouldn’t be able to take her.

Tumbling to my side as I placed my palm on my forehead, Haniel also brought her wing up and covered her face.

[Mommyy, lookit this.]

“What is thaat?”

Her small actions of trying to imitate my gestures correctly made my eyes curve up into a smile.

Just like Selene had said, even if I lived for just today, if I could feel this way then I would have no regrets.

[Haniel and Mommy ish same?]

“…….”

But that was me—the future of this beautiful child needed to be bright and promising.

It was okay if she wasn’t the main character.

One day, she would become the most loved young lady in the world, and the day when she would be loved in the body of a human would come as well.

And immediately tomorrow, she needed to receive affection from her strict principal teacher as well.

[Mommyy, Haniel ish going to skool tomorrow too?]

“Mmhm, yes you do. You can’t give up this easily just because it’s hard. What did mommy promise to give you when you get the perfect attendance award?”

[The pwettiest wibbon foweva foweva!]

Good!

In hopes that today, at least, she’ll sleep with a peaceful heart, I gave her my pinky finger as her reliable mother.

“Mommy will go tomorrow and scold Teacher Melleo!”

***

“Ummm, Teeaacher.”

[…..what brings you here again, Duchess?]

Pouting, Lady Melleo had her head turned, her expression dour.

“What do you mean, what brings me here. Goodness, teacher. I of course came because I left my child in your care, but I felt I’ve been too neglectful. Haha.”

I felt I was stooping too low for that to be the case, but what could I do? There was nothing else a school parent could do.

“………And I was also worried you may have gotten hurt from last time.”

[Well, it isn’t something to keep reminiscing about in my life, but as my wing joints were certainly pried open, my bones do ache some.]

“…….”

She was definitely sulking. No medicine would fix her now.

As Lady Melleo pointedly looked down at her bent wing, I modestly gathered my two hands together. I’d thought that I’d only ever stand like this my entire life in front of the emperor, but if it was for our Haniel, there was nothing I couldn’t do.

“I’m sorry. I should have done something then….”

[What fault would be yours, Duchess? You would not have brought him deliberately.]

“……”

[I understand your feelings, so you may return now. I still have classes for the higher grades, so….]

“Oh my, what do you mean? I still haven’t shown you my feelings.”

[Let, let me go. I said, you must let me…. Quaaack!]

As hurried as I was, I grabbed her wing and dragged her behind a tree.

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What’s the point if you leave now!

Only after I confirmed that Haniel couldn’t see us did I go back to imploring her with an agonized look.

“The, the truth is, I have a little something to give you.”

[……What rudeness is this, and you said something to give?]

With her wings close to being twisted now, Lady Melleo openly gave me a sidelong scowl.

I didn’t succumb to that and opened the basket I’d brought with me instead.

“P-please have some of this.”

[What is this?]

What do you mean, what. Your face tells me you already know.

Thrusting her beak out, Lady Melleo sniffed, before her eyes met mine and she returned to her position in a flash.

As I let out an insincere haha, I pointedly brought out the fish jerkies inside the basket one by one.

Not only common carp, the Crucian carp, and freshwater fish, I even had grilled fish fillets I’d bought from a seagull that had come from the ocean. When Selene, who had been acting as lookout, saw all of this, she went into shock.

“These are fish jerkies I dried myself. I tried my best to fit your tastes, but I wonder how you’d feel.”

Who would’ve thought that I’d ever bribe a bird, of all things, in my life?

It may not be money, but at this lake, these were top-class products that even money wouldn’t be able to buy. I mean, this was something that had even gone into that haughty Lania’s mouth, too.

[Why would you give such a thing to me….]

“I thought I left my child in your care and failed to be attentive. There is no other meaning to this, so please don’t feel burdened and….”

[Duchess!]

“…….”

Quack quack.

After roaring unlike how she usually was, Lady Melleo’s eyes filled with contempt. Since she had always observed good manners to me as the Duchess, this was the first time I’d seen her this mad.

[Who do you think I am that you would give such bribes!]

“Th-that wasn’t my intention….”

[My entire life, the only joy that I have had is to watch young girls become proper ladies. And yet why do you insult me in this way?]