Chapter 5

“You know, Cal.”

“Yeah?”

“I think Cai is a super shy friend.”

Callisto was reminded of his proud son, who was always confident wherever he went and naturally became the center of any group, but he couldn’t bring himself to say a word.

What part of Caius made her think he was shy?

“Don’t worry about it, though. Lili will put in extra effort!”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.”

“No need to thank me! Lili feels sorry, too. It’s Lili’s first time dealing with a baby-baby, so I was a bit clumsy. My theory is flawless, though.”

Ailien muttered with her short arms crossed tightly across her chest. Watching her, Peril had to turn his head away just to hold back his laughter.

‘Callisto has a baby.’

‘A baby has a baby?!’

‘Yes, a baby had a baby.’

‘A baby-baby!’

‘The baby-baby’s name is Caius.’

When Marlyn used to recall Caius, her face had always been uniquely gentle and warm.

To be completely honest, Ailien found Caius—who acted oddly snobbish—a bit annoying, but as a future hero, she knew she had to endure and guide him.

“There are way too many babies to raise.”

“Pardon? Little Lady?”

“By the way, Peril, why do you keep calling Lili ‘Little Lady’?”

“Because you are our Little Lady…?”

Ailien stared at Peril in dissatisfaction, then her eyes widened as a sudden realization struck her.

The boss of all babies is Lili, so that makes Lili the Little Lady…!

“Lili is the Little Lady, right?”

“Uh, yes. That’s right…”

Unable to keep up with her train of thought, Peril shot another pleading look at Callisto for help. However, Callisto was busy being amazed by how much Ailien occasionally resembled Marlyn. In the past, Marlyn would sometimes mess up a spell she had invented herself, only to murmur, ‘My theory was flawless, though.’

Even more surprisingly, that spell had been a forbidden prophecy magic. Callisto used to dissuade her, telling her he would bring her victory so she didn’t need to go that far.

“Then, which room should be assigned as Little Lady Ailien’s room…?”

“My goodness, my goodness! As long as I can lie down with the sky as my blanket, anywhere is Lili’s space!” Ailien declared bravely, puffing out her chest and balling her hands into firm little fists.

Peril waved his hands to protest, but his mind was racing. Was there a room in Rubenstein Castle suitable for such a young and tiny girl?

Having suffered through the great event known as the War of Humans and Demons, the people of the Kairen Continent had come to prioritize strength and practicality over beauty. The same was true for Rubenstein Castle, so giving this adorable little child just any rough, plain room weighed heavily on his conscience.

Watching Peril stand in deep thought before Ailien, Callisto spoke up casually.

“Give her that room.”

“Pardon? If you mean that room… wait, do you mean that room?!”

“That room! That room!”

Peril’s eyes widened in shock, Callisto offered a faint smile, and Ailien, who knew nothing about it, clapped her hands brightly with a wide grin.

✦ ✦ ✦

In truth, even as he opened the bedroom door, Peril let out a sigh, wondering if this was truly the right thing to do.

Taking a deep breath, Peril inserted the key and unlocked the door that had been shut for a very long time.

“Oooooh-wow!”

Ailien, who had been peeking out from behind Peril’s legs, stood with her mouth agape at the room beyond the doorway.

Pausing on the spot, she looked at the room, then at Grand Duke Callisto, before dropping straight to her knees. Seeing this, Kiki pressed its forehead against the girl’s side, while Didi placed a tiny paw on the back of her hand as if trying to comfort her.

“Little Lady!”

“Ailien!”

Stunned by Ailien’s sudden behavior, Callisto and Peril both bent down in a panic. The child’s tiny body was trembling uncontrollably. She looked just like a frightened, fluffy white puppy.

“Marlyn…”

Callisto felt a sharp pang in his chest at the quiet murmur that slipped from Ailien’s lips after her long silence. She was so small that he felt she could fit right on top of his two hands if she curled up like that.

This was a child who had lived in that tiny log cabin, relying solely on Marlyn. Facing the room where she would spend her future days, perhaps the reality of leaving her past behind had finally set in.

Peril gently stroked Ailien’s back, swallowing a heavy, complicated sigh.

Having made both men utterly anxious in a matter of seconds, Ailien slowly exhaled a rough breath. Then, she raised her head.

In her blue eyes, which brought to mind brilliant blue diamonds, a layer of clear tears glistened.

“Marlynnn, I…”

“Are you alright, Ailien?”

“I, I…”

“…”

“Lili… just hit the jackpot in life…!”

Peril’s hand, which had been gently patting Ailien’s back, came to a dead halt.

“It really pays to live long!”

And with good reason—the room looked as though it had gathered every young girl’s ultimate dream into a single space.

The first thing that caught her eye was a grand canopy bed that looked like a tiny palace. Soft light-pink silk curtains draped gracefully from all four corners, and whenever sunlight touched the bedding, the delicate threads sparkled softly.

On the walls hung tapestries reminiscent of ancient myths, a massive mirror adorned with tiny angel statues, and an assortment of stuffed animals shaped like all kinds of creatures arranged neatly around the room.

“Did you know Lili would get a room like this, Kiki? Didi, did you know?!”

At Ailien’s eager questioning, Kiki raised a paw and licked its fur as if it knew nothing, while Didi hopped up and down on the spot, looking even more overwhelmed with emotion than she was.

“Is this really Lili’s room?”

“…”

“Is it?! Why aren’t you answering?!”

“Little Lady!”

When Callisto simply stared without answering, Ailien grew thoroughly frustrated and grabbed him by his collar, hanging off him. Watching this shocking scene, a panicked Peril rushed in to pull the child back.

“Butler! Callisto isn’t answering!”

“Yes, he was probably just thinking for a moment. He will answer you now. Please spare him, Little Lady!”

Ailien stomped her tiny feet in utter indignation. Peril looked at Callisto with desperate eyes, repeatedly pleading, “Please give an answer, please have mercy on us, Little Lady!”

Only then did Callisto slowly speak up.

“Ah, sorry. Truth is, this is actually my room.”

“Pardon?”

“What?”

Ailien collapsed on the spot with an expression as if her entire world had crumbled. Her posture looked just like the tragic heroine in a grand drama.

“This is Callisto’s room…? Then why did you bring Lili here?”

“Ah, because I wanted to show off.”

“That is way too mean! Lili’s feelings aren’t even on Cal’s philtrum!”

Instinctively touching his philtrum, Callisto lowered his head. He knew that if Ailien caught him smiling right now, the situation would become completely irrecoverable.

How can something be this cute?

She wore an expression of complete, tragic despair over a lazy, half-hearted lie. Even when Caius was little and Callisto played pranks on him, his sharp son had never been easily fooled.

Perhaps that was why her huffing and puffing with small fists balled up looked so immensely adorable.

“Should Cal yield it to you?”

“Yep!”

“Isn’t that answer coming a bit too fast?”

“Since Lili is a guest, Cal should yield it to me! That’s what a good baby does!”

When Callisto told her she could have the room, Ailien bounced up and down in excitement. Seeing her bury her face deeply into the fluffy blanket and kick her feet in sheer joy, Callisto watched her with a warm, satisfied smile before stepping out of the room with Peril.

“What time would you like to have dinner served, Your Grace?”

“A bit later. I will be in the study, so please call Arden for me.”

“Understood. Your Grace… are you truly alright with this?”

“Why wouldn’t I be alright?”

“However…”

“Ah, we will need a personal maid for Ailien. We can look into that gradually. It must be tough for the child to suddenly leave familiar surroundings, after all.”

“That is true. Until then, I will ask Cora to take care of her.”

“That sounds good.”

Leaving Peril behind—who looked as though he still had more to say—Callisto turned around without hesitation. Although he knew what the butler was worried about, he genuinely felt fine.

The room Ailien was currently occupying was a room Callisto and Evangeline had personally decorated together.

Neither of them knew why. Perhaps the happiness they felt while raising Caius had been so profound that they had decorated it with the hopeful thought of having a second child. Having lost an entire year of memories, Callisto could only guess.