Hidden past

Chapter 53

Chapter 53

The Great Ermano Empire was located in the far east. On the day that Mabel was born, a lightning struck above the palace. This matter was known to all. Even Esteban, who held Queen Sianna’s hand tightly during her labor, heard the sounds of lightning.

Though the servants collectively said nothing was wrong with the princess and all was well, Esteban was not happy.

Two weeks had passed since Sianna’s tragic death. She could not handle the pain of childbirth due to her weak constitution. Her passing away was a shock and caused him grief, and so, Mabel , his lovely daughter that looked similar to his wife, became a special existence.

Mabel was Sianna’s last gift for him.

Esteban’s expression was sharp and fierce. It looked ready to penetrate through the letters the priest sent him.

In the end, he ripped it apart.

"Ah..."

His aide, who watched Estaban at the side, groaned painfully and covered his face with his two hands.

Estaban turned his head and looked at the aide, his words cold and piercing.

"Tell them that we decline and have no thoughts of reconsideration."

"Yes, of course...."

Esteban planned to ignore the priests’s pleas completely, but he wasn’t sure how long he would be able to last. He’s sure the holy capital would send their requests constantly until he gave in.

The priests argued that since The Great Ermano Empire had Oscar, the first prince, there would be little chance for Mabel to hold the throne and become queen. Therefore, it was acceptable that she be raised in the holy capital instead.

In any case, he needed to find a way to stop the holy capital’s ongoing persistence to snatch his daughter away from him.

The priests be damned!

Esteban was ripping another letter from the priests when he felt a presence lurking behind the door. He looked up and made an eye gesture at the servant nearby.

The servant quickly opened the door.

"Ah...!"

A soft cry could be heard.

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

A single cry was heard from the other side, surprised at the door suddenly opening.

"Oscar."

Esteban’s low toned voice caused Oscar to turn his head and avoid eye contact. There was only one person who dares to lurk around the king’s office door. He was the Great Ermano Empire’s first prince, Oscar Alle Ermano.

Oscar sighed at his misfortune. Since he was caught, he loosened his back and walked inside with confidence.

"Your Majesty, when will you give me permission?"

Though the young boy was merely six years old, Oscar held a calm and mature tone. His silver hair, similar to his father, reflected against the sunshine and glimmered; his emerald green eyes, a trait inherited from his mother the queen, sparkled.

Esteban looked at Oscar with dull eyes compared to when he looked at Mabel... oh that sweet Mabel.

Permission, huh.

The permission Oscar sought for was the permission to see Mabel.

Though it was not difficult to allow someone to see a month old child, Esteban declined at that very moment.

"You may not."

"Why? You said, definitely said that you’ll allow me to see her a month later."

"Because you’ll get too excited holding her, Oscar. And what happens if you drop Mabel?"

"Ugh..."

Esteban’s declination was not without reason. Oscar had once dropped Esteban’s treasured art piece into mangled pieces.

Oscar was saddened.

’I guess I can’t see her today as well... even though I had trouble sleeping from the excitement knowing exactly a month had passed since her birth... uwuu...’

He had even concluded his sword training practice early for this very moment, but it was to no avail.

Staring at Oscar, who looked like an abandoned wet puppy out in the raid, Esteban ripped the final letter sent from the holy capital and stood up.

"I guess there’s no helping it. Alright, follow me, Oscar."

Oscar’s face lightened up like the blazing sun at Esteban’s words.

Esteban smiled, ruffled his son’s hair roughly, and stepped out of the office. It was time to see Mabel anyways. Might as well use this opportunity to show Mabel her elder blood-related brother.

’Though she won’t remember anything since she’s too young.’

***

Who said the life of an infant was easy?

Those were careless words thrown by folks who don’t remember their experience as an infant... since humans easily forget!

My body itched badly from a need to move. I could not lie down to the side, nor could I lie face down, so it felt like I was training my body to withstand the yearning to move. The only thing I could do, in the end, was lie down in the cradle and stare at the nanny and maids busying themselves with work.

’Ahh... I’m so bored...’

Staring absentmindedly, the nanny smiled and came over.

"Your Highness, it’s time for your meal."

"Nngh..."

The only thing I was glad for was that I was not drinking milk straight from the nanny’s breast... that would leave scars in my heart.

The nanny checked the temperature of the liquid inside the baby bottle, then flared at the maid who prepared the milk powder.

"Lalima, it’s way too hot!"

"Ah, I’m sorry! I’ll prepare it again!"

The maid, Lalima, hurried out of the door to prepare a new baby milk. The nanny stared at Lalima’s back and let out a long sigh before turning around to the next attendant, Xavier, who stood next to her.

"She keeps making mistakes every time and it stresses me out. I wonder if she’ll be able to find someone worthy of her at this rate..."

"It didn’t seem like Lalima had any thoughts about marriage!"

"Then there’s no helping it. I guess you’ll just have to marry Lalima, Xavier."

"Wha?! Why do you say that, ma’am?"

As Xavier recoiled in shock, the nanny laughed.

I could tell that those people had an intimate bond from their interactions with each other alone.

The nanny placed in charge of my upbringing was Madam Lupe. I vaguely remember hearing that she used to be mother’s personal maid while she was still alive.

Nanny also took care of Lalima due to an acquaintance’s plea, and the attendant next to her, Xavier, was her cousin.

It was fun and pleasing to listen in on their conversation. They seemed to know each other well. It was especially interesting when Lalima and Xavier fought over petty things like a couple of children and only to stick together closely, apologizing and looking like a romantic couple.

"Yawn..."

Looking at the ceiling boredly, a sudden sleepiness came over me. The mobile hanging from the ceiling spun in circles blurrily.

’Maybe she’s squeezing the milk out of a cow or something...’

My eyelids felt way too heavy.

Nod...

My head nodded off to the side.

Soon as I entrusted myself to comfort, sleepiness overcame me and I...

"How’s Mabel?

I heard a familiar voice and suddenly, I was wide awake, but I regretted my decision thereafter.

"You were nodding off a little bit, weren’t you? Ah, you cute little thing."

I locked eyes with the man who was my father.

’Sob... I should have just pretended to sleep.’

As I made an annoyed expression by blinking my two eyes, the nanny hurried over.

"Oh my, she shouldn’t be sleeping right now. It’s still not time for her meal."

"Meal?"

The man stared right back at me. His gaze was too burdensome that I slowly turned my head to avoid his staring... but... in that familiar space I expected to be empty was a face that I was seeing for the first time. It was a young boy who had on a glowing smile as he stared at me.

"Your Majesty, the baby is looking at me...!"

The boy tried his best to hide his set of overflowing emotion that was hard to disguise when his two cheeks glowed glimmered a bright red.

I creased my eyes slightly as our eyes met, staring and studying his face meticulously. I had some vague idea of who he was based on the information I had heard from the nanny and her two attendants.

’So... that boy who has a different mother is my elder brother?’

Oscar Alle Ermano... I’m sure that was his name, and even more certain after learning that he had similar facial features and hair color as his father.

The young boy’s green emerald eyes sparkled, his eyes locked onto me.

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

: Dad and Brother Are Strange

"Don’t be fooled, Oscar. Her eyesight hasn’t developed fully yet. She’s not looking at you."

His confidence soared through the roof, shocking me even. I was speechless.

’You once said that it looked like I was looking at you, like our eyes met!’

His demeanor and mannerisms towards me was... different compared to Oscar. I wonder why he calls me "My Mabel" yet acts cold to his own son. Oscar’s reaction confused me too. He was not fazed from his father’s harsh words and stared only at me.

"So cute..."

"Uhk..."

I wanted to say something, tried to say something, but I could not. Despite my foolhardy determination, I failed. I had no teeth and all I could muster was a soft coo.

"Uhk? Perhaps... older brother? Your Majesty, Mabel just called me older brother...!"

"Stop speculating, Oscar."

He snapped coldly before donning a soft, loving smile.

"I’m sure she was trying to say, ’Oh father...’"

"....."

You’re both wrong. I wanted them to stay quiet. They were too loud and noisy...

’Someone get them away from me!’

I stared at the nanny with pleading eyes.

"Oh my, it seems that Her Highness is hungry. Lalima, is it ready?"

The nanny, who craned her head at me looking at her, suddenly exclaimed.

"It’s all done!"

My effortless plea failed to reach her.

’To think even you would let me down, nanny.’

The nanny held my despaired and drooping body into her arms. She thought it amusing to wiggle bells around my face. Yes, nanny, amusing indeed.

The emperor and Oscar kept their eyes glued onto me and made sure not a moment was missed.

Their gaze burdened me. Why are they like this?

Meanwhile, the nanny planted the baby bottle on my lips. I sucked on the bottle n****e energetically.

"It looks like Her Highness was famished."

’.....That’s not it...’