Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

Chapter 33

I attempted to talk by giving strength to my lips that were about to turn into triangles.

“Does the Lord really think there is a spirit in the bell tower?”

In response, Regen swallowed the cookie with water and said, “I want to believe there is.”

“Then I’ll believe, too.”

‘Am I doing well right now?’

‘If I strengthen our friendship, you’ll stop thinking about running away and tell me when something happens, right?’

‘Right?’

“Phew.”

I had been preparing myself for today.

This was not the first time I had tried to get along with kids.

However, Charlie’s younger sister always liked me, and the children of my distant relatives were always polite because they thought they were inferior to me. They seldom tried to be friendly with me.

I even went to a nursery school sponsored by the Morgana family…

Seven out of ten were scared of me, and two outright avoided me.

Only one person showed me a favor.

“Your Highness.”

He was a very down-to-earth kid and often sent a letter once a month.

His letters always began with “To my healthy patron” and ended with a brief update and his gratefulness.

At first, I thought the nursery school director sent it under the name of a child, but when I looked into it, the kid was famous for his frugality.

It was amazing to have the nickname ‘frugal’ at that age. Anyway, he was a kid who would grow bigger in the future.

Now my mother would receive that letter, and I was curious about what she would think.

“Umm, your Highness?”

‘Whoops.’

“Yes?”

When I returned to the real world urgently and responded, Regen stared at me.

He was looking at me, wondering if my soul was in the right place.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“Uhh…”

‘Hmm?’

I looked at Regen with an innocent expression. There was no such thing as a displaced soul.

Regen swallowed his saliva and asked in a trembling voice, “What did my brother do wrong?”

Oh, I wondered why didn’t you ask.

Regen’s dedicated maid was anxious and looked at me.

Even after Gilbert came to the Grand Duchy, he was being watched by knights.

“E-Everyone was beating around the bush and didn’t tell me anything in detail.”

I put my arms on the table and leaned slightly toward Regen.

“Aedis, did you ask the Grand Duke as well?”

“No….”

Regen shuddered as if he had done something wrong.

‘Let’s see, first of all, I have to answer the question.’

I couldn’t say anything bad, and I need proper purification.

I paid attention to the books Regen had. The bookshelf connected to the desk was quickly swept down.

There were quite a few books neatly arranged, if not as much as the library.

Among them, an unusually colorful one was caught in sight.

I pointed to the 〈Northern Fairy Tale Collection〉, which seemed to be cute. It seemed to be moderately censored and seemed in place in a child’s room.

With one glance, I knew it was full of stories about villains being punished for harassing a prince or princess.

“He did something similar to the villain in that book, so he’s being punished.”

Regen’s face turned a new shade of blue.

“I-I can’t believe it…”

His reaction was more intense than I thought it would be.

Wasn’t that a book of fairy tales?

I glanced at the maid because I thought I had made a mistake.

However, the maid who made eye contact with me quietly glanced away, meaning that it was not too much.

Regen seemed to be more soft-hearted than I thought.

If he was shocked that his brother did something bad like a villain in a children’s fairy tale, he would be even more surprised when he learned the full truth.

Regen bit his lips.

I placed my hand on Regen’s trembling hands on the table.

I felt Regen’s embarrassment, but he didn’t remove his hand.

“Can I ask a question too? Why did you ask me without asking Aedis?”

“….”

Aedis would have been different from the others. He would have explained everything about the truth without making a fuss.

Both Regen and I knew it.

“Is it because you’re scared?”

Regen shook his head.

“My father. I was afraid he would hit my brother…”

In the novel, Regen desperately hid his wounds.

If Gilbert hit him, he would rather rebuke it, saying that Gilbert was angry because he was not enough.

Regen’s rabbit-like eyes were filled with tears. There was a big water drop.

Tears were on the verge of spilling out.

I tried not to sigh and comforted Regen.

“Don’t worry too much. But I’ll try to see if I can try to get him back on his feet.”

If he rolls on dirt for about 30 years, he’ll be more like a person.

“Thank you!”

‘Hmm?’

“Thank you so much, Your Highness!”

Regen’s broad smile was filled with delight.

He held my hand with both hands and waved it as if we were shaking hands.

It was really positive.

How does a pure and bright child change his personality after a month?

We needed to make a lot of happy memories.

Never wake the beast up.

I quietly removed my hand from Regen’s.

“I don’t know if I’ve taken too much of your time.”

“No way. I can take as much time as I can for the sake of Your Highness! I can also guide you to the castle!”

His behavior contrasted with the reaction he had when I first entered the room.

I looked at Regen, who became very active, with warm eyes.

“I’ll get a guide to the castle later. I’m going to go back and have a simple tea time with Aedis. Will the Lord like to come? I know that you have afternoon classes left…”

Regen’s face, who was seriously listening to me, suddenly began to turn pink.

‘His face color seems to change too often. Is he okay?’

I dragged out my words and glanced at the maid again. A woman who appeared to be in her early or mid 20’s made a gesture that it was okay.

I finished my speech while tilting my head.

“…If you have time to spare.”

While exchanging eyes with the maid, Regen, who was jumping with a red face, asked with excitement.

“Oh, can I really go with you?!”

“Of course. I’ll give you a heads-up before class.”

“I’ll change my clothes then!”

‘Huh?’

“You’re still clean enough aren’t you?”

Regardless of whether there was any stain on it, Regen was more determined than ever.

“No! I have to change into my new clothes!”

It felt like seeing an elementary school student who couldn’t sleep once a year on the night before going on a picnic to a very special place.

“Then I’ll wait outside.”

I went out and sent Sarah up first.

It was because I thought that the teatime preparation would take time, but Regen showed up earlier than expected.

I gazed at the eight-year-old boy brushing his hair neatly and oozing a fragrant scent from his body.

His face shone brightly.

“Umm, my Lord?”

“Yes!”

“Did you wear a tie?”

“I’m ready!”

“Aren’t the gold pieces on your shoulder heavy?”

“It-it’s okay!”

Regen, who seemed as though he was ready to go to the imperial palace, responded firmly.

I felt a little betrayed because I felt like he was more enthusiastic than when we first met, but since I was an adult, I decided to endure.

“In the future, I’ll make you meet Aedis as much as you want so you don’t have to dress up like this.”

Regen shook his eyelashes with emotion.

“Your Highness. Oh, I shouldn’t have a runny nose.”

I took Regen who was straightening his face and went up to the room where Aedis was.

The man who had a noble atmosphere like a god with a face like a demon king was showing a somewhat disoriented expression.

“I’m so glad to see you again like this, so I don’t know where to put my body, ma’am.”

He seemed to hide the fact that he ran out of the room to hear Regen’s explanation.

“He’s not hurt, is he?”

“I’m more tender-hearted than you thought.”

Aedis waved his hand as if saying even a passing dog wouldn’t even believe me.

“Regen, come in.”

Regen, who stood behind me, moved his feet with an excited face.

Although he stood in front of the table, he seemed to have no courage to sit next to Aedis.

This was already happy enough, but what…