Hidden past

Chapter 54

Chapter 54

I only had thoughts of finishing the meal quickly so they’d leave. Halfway through the bottle, I let go of the n****e and breathed. Meanwhile, the emperor stood next to the nanny before I noticed and reached out his hand to her.

"?"

The nanny’s eyes blinked.

The emperor looked at me.

"Give her to me."

’Huh...? Huh...?’

The tip of the baby bottle that was half inside my mouth popped out. All I could do was stare with my mouth half-open at this crazy situation, trying to understand what was happening.

Before I was able to comprehend what had occurred, the emperor quickly sat on the chair and embraced me in his arms.

"Here, Mabel. Papa will feed you."

"Uehh..."

’.....I don’t need you to...!’

I tried to push my head back as far as I could, try as I might, but my actions bore no fruition. I could not get away from him. Meanwhile, he pushed the baby bottle on my parted lips.

"Nngh!"

....I could not win against a strong adult and so I abandoned all hopes and sucked on the n****e instead.

"There you go. Eat nicely."

’Sob... why am I a baby...’

A sense of foreboding despair came over me at my inability to express my displeasure.

The gaze of the emperor’s loving and affectionate eyes... eyes with hearts... burdened me. It burdened me so, therefore, I shut my eyes tight.

"Looks like you’re nearly finished

As I had sucked the bottle with all my mighty strength, my mouth was chock-full of the milk. When I slowly opened my eyes...

"Ppftt!"

I spat out the milk.

’Wh-why is your face so close to me?!’

No one in their right mind would stay calm when a man, an emperor nonetheless, would stick his face so close to another.

"Oh...! Are you all right, Your Majesty?!"

The nanny hurried over and handed the emperor a handkerchief. On the other hand, the emperor smiled warmly.

"It’s fine. The milk Mabel spits out is holy water."

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

’.....What did I just hear him say?’

I could not believe what I was hearing nor did I know how to react.

Instead of wiping the stains off his face, he opted to clean my mouth as I stared at him wide-eyed, my breath taken away. Only after he finished his duty did he wipe off the stain on his face.

"In any case, I’m happy my Mabel is eating well."

As he smiled, his cheeks turned a rosy color as flowers bloomed and the surrounding air sparkled. Was this the handsome man effect...?

"....."

He rubbed my cheeks softly before lifting me and patting my back. I was caught in his grasp and I stared at the nanny with pleading eyes.

’.....Please, someone, save me...!’

But the nanny looked at us lovingly, her head tilted slightly and palms pressed against her cheek. She loved the view the father and daughter laid.

Oscar stood on the sidelines and became the backup in this drama. A look of jealousy crossed his face as he looked at the emperor. He clenched his fist and moved a step forward.

"Your Majesty."

"What?"

"Could I hold her... no, nevermind... you won’t let me..."

"It’s good that you know."

The king smiled slightly, coddling me over and over again while Oscar stared with jealous eyes.

I felt like my whole world was spinning. Can... can everyone stop paying attention to me? I’m sure God does not exist. If he did, he’d not ignore my poor current situation.

I pleaded and begged with large eyes that they stop, but each attempt to do so was futile. Their infatuation towards me grew worse.

There was not a day that the king and Oscar did not visit me. Each morning and night, the king would visit me without fail while Oscar snuck in at random times. It seemed that the king did not allow Oscar to see me without permission, so I’m sure he’d sneak in whenever the opportunity presented itself as much as possible.

"Ugh."

Their visits grew tiresome at times. I wish they would stop. I prayed and prayed knowing it won’t be answered.

Above me, the baby mobile spun around slowly. I was disinterested at first, finding it unexciting at first, but I grew to like it over time. I think the servants said that it was made out of materials from the palace treasures... yes... treasures...

The king exclaimed that beautiful things would help me grow to be healthy. And so he threw the treasures away and had it broken down. And broken down it was. The baby mobile shone and sparkled brightly as if it was made out of precious metal.

"Ubehbeh" (He’s absolutely crazy...)

I glanced to the side. The nanny was there concentrating on her knits while her two other attendants were busy having small fights over nothing.

"Lalima, did you hear? Did you hear about the egg that Divine Beast of the North Forest laid? They said it hatched. On top of that, it was on the day Her Highness was born!"

"What are you saying? Wasn’t this news made false? You’re just talking nonsense again."

"If you don’t believe me, go out there and see for yourself. The place was chaotic! The king had even sent knights there and all! And what hatched was a cat. Its fur was golden-colored!"

"How would a cat have golden fur? In any case, you’re too gullible. You know how harsh this world is, right? How can you survive at this rate?"

".....It’s true..."

While Lalima and Xavier conversed, I licked my lips.

’A divine beast’s eggs huh... sounds delicious. I want boiled eggs.’

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

Before I could dive in their conversation, the topic of their conversation changed again. I could not keep up, so I stared a the ceiling without a thought. The baby mobile worth more than my whole body spun slowly in circles.

’All right.’

While they did not pay attention to me, I wiggled and tried to move my body as much as I could. I turned my head this way and that way while I wiggled my fingers as well. Thanks to my discreet practice, they did not notice my moving. I was able to do things like stretch out my hand or grabbing a toy easily. It was not too hard for me to put two hands up as if I was cheering either.

’.....Perhaps I’ll try to do something a bit more difficult today!’

Lifting my own head up by the neck, of course! It was a hurdle that needed to be cleared so I could turn my head to the side without much difficulties.

"Mmphh!"

I put as much power into my neck as much as I could, but all I could do was lift it before I expended all my energy.

"Mmphh!"

With newfound determination, I tried one more time, but the result was the same.

’Nngh! How long will it take me to grow up?! I can’t speak nor can I walk!’

I tried to kick my legs into the air to relieve my stress, but I failed to even do such basic action.

In that moment...

"Mabel."

I suddenly heard a voice. I stopped trashing around and looked towards the direction of the voice it came from.

"It looks like you weren’t sleeping. Hehe, that’s good."

Oscar, who snuck in today as well, was covered in mud, dirt, and grime as he peeked over the cradle. Meanwhile, the nanny quickly tossed her knitting aside and dashed towards Oscar.

"Your Highness, your shouldn’t touch Her Highness with those grubby hands of yours!"

’G-grubby hands...’

He’s a royal member. Was this allowed? But it seemed like Oscar did not mind the nanny’s words much.

"Ah..."

Oscar looked back and forth between his grubby hands and my face before scratching his cheek.

"Nanny, can I use the bathroom for a bit? I’m sure you understand as well that I’m in no position to go back to my room to wash myself."

"What if His Majesty figures out that you’re here?"

"I’m sure he already knows I’m here."

The nanny was not able to reply right away. Oscar was right, after all. Oscar laughedly slightly, satisfied that his point came across, walking to the bathroom thereafter.

I lied down quietly, watching the mobile above as I tried my best to not look like I’ve had a marathon exercise.

"Oh my."

As the nanny organized my cradle, she suddenly put her hand on my forehead.

"Why do you have so much cold sweat on your forehead?"

.....No, it’s not cold sweat... just sweat.

’No way. Did she find out that I was trying to exercise?’

"Oh my! Has Her Highness developed a cold?! Lalima, Lalima!"

At her urgent call, Lalima quickly came to her side.

"What’s the problem?"

"Call the doctor. Her Highness is having cold sweats."

"Uwaa!" (That’s not it!)

The nanny wiped my face with a worried look, but the more she did so, the more sweats stuck to her hand.

Regret suddenly washed over me.

"Nanny, why are yelling so loudly?"

Oscar finished his bathe faster than expected and walked towards me while drying his wet hair with a towel.

"What is it... is Mabel in pain?"

: Mabel is Sick?

: Mabel is Sick?

: Mabel is Sick?

"What is it? .....Is Mabel in pain?

"She suddenly started sweating a lot. I called for the doctor.

"Mabel!"

Oscar quickly tossed his towel aside and ran to the cradle, looking at me wide-eyed.

"Please don’t be in pain, Mabel..."

"Ababu..." (I’m not in pain.)

".....Look at her weak replies... she’s in a lot of pain, nanny..."

"....."

I don’t know what to say. They’ll freely interpret what they hear to their liking, don’t they?

Oscar looked down with empathetic eyes and patted my head.

’Sigh... fine. Think whatever you want.’

I gave up and turned my head. Oscar’s reaction grew stronger.

"Mabel...! No, Mabel! Don’t lose consciousness!"

"Your Highness, please wait a little bit longer! The doctor will be here soon...!"

"Waaah..."