TYHL 199

~Chapter 199~

While the family was busy rolling the mage around and having their fun—

“They look like they’re enjoying themselves. What a relief.”

I flicked the curtains shut and turned away from the window. The last thing I saw was Hazel approaching the mage, her shadow stretching long and dark across the floor.

“Of course they are. We’re welcoming him so warmly.”

When I turned around, Dad was lounging diagonally on the sofa in my room.

“Now that Hazel’s got her hands on him, things should stay quiet until tomorrow.”

The mage showing up at this exact timing was probably meant to ruin my coming-of-age ceremony.

If it gets exposed that the Zebert family’s young lady is actually a mage…

Things would get noisy. Very noisy.

And if it comes out that she’s effectively the Magic King’s seventh child?

That was still a secret very few people knew. Especially now, when we were openly hostile toward the Magic Kingdom, it wasn’t something that could be revealed lightly.

The nobles would never stay quiet.

They’d pin the blame on House Zebert for hiding it, trying to tear down our family—already riding high on influence—regardless of whether it was true or not.

Especially the nobles backing the First Prince.

House Zebert was clearly not on his side. They’d jump at the chance to attack.

Expose the truth, wreck my ceremony, separate me from my family, then approach me—that was probably the plan.

I laughed softly.

Because there was one massive flaw in the Magic King’s thinking.

I don’t think my family would ever abandon me just because our reputation took a hit.

Of course, the Magic King wouldn’t understand that.

To him, children are nothing more than tools.

“Massage!”

I grabbed Dad’s shoulders and kneaded them hard. Whenever affection bubbled up inside me, I had this strange urge to poke and prod him.

“Showing off your strength?” he asked.

“Strong, right?”

“Very.”

Dad chuckled and gestured toward the table.

“But seriously, what are you planning to do with that?”

“Oh, right!”

I hurried over. A large bowl sat on the table, piled high with fresh cucumber slices.

“I totally forgot.”

Tonight was going to be very busy for me.

“As you know, I’m the star tomorrow, so I need to prep a bit…”

Muttering to myself, I slapped cucumber slices onto my face one by one.

Ugh. Cold.

Dad let out a baffled little laugh.

“I’ll finish with a milk wash later. I plan to waste a tiny bit of your fortune tonight, so consider this advance notice.”

“What do you even think our family’s wealth is?”

I half-ignored him as I carefully placed another slice on my cheek, watching myself in the vanity mirror.

“Oh, but Dad—mmph.”

The slice slipped as soon as I opened my mouth.

The tip of the cucumber slid between my lips.

Crunch.

“Hey, this is good.”

“You’re unbelievable. Come here.”

“This is cucumber cucumber.”

Dad crooked his finger. I went over and lay down with a cushion propped against his thigh.

“Just put them on?”

“Yeah. Make sure there are no gaps…”

“Hmmm.”

Muttering that this was his first time doing something like this, Dad carefully placed cucumber slices on my face.

“Ah—cold!”

After a moment’s thought, he rested the slice on the back of his hand to warm it slightly before sticking it on my skin.

“So why did you call me over earlier?”

“Oh. That thing. I was wondering why you’re still holding onto it.”

I glanced at the space beside him. He’d been fiddling with something for a while—the old bundle the mage had brought.

“I wanted to check if anything was tampered with. Since we’re talking about it, what do you think?”

“There aren’t any magical devices on it…”

“But it really is your stuff?”

“Yeah.”

His fingers paused briefly as he set a slice on my forehead, then continued.

“Hm. So these tiny things really are yours…”

I looked up at Dad’s handsome face, round as a full moon above me.

“Your Grace, your eyes are full of greed. You look like a villain.”

He pinched the tip of my nose lightly.

“Your imagination. And stop eating them already. Are you trying to stick them on, or eat them?”

To be fair, I’d been sneaking the slices near my mouth with my tongue for a while now.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

“Why are these so good? So juicy. So refreshing.”

Ah, forget it.

I popped up, sending all the cucumber slices tumbling down.

“If they’re good for me when I stick them on, they must be even better when I eat them, right?”

“I feel like that logic is wrong… but it’s hard to argue with.”

“Alright, Dad! Let’s eat them all!”

We split the remaining cucumbers between us.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

With a full glass of milk down as well, my coming-of-age preparations were officially complete.

Leviathan left Rubian’s bedroom and walked down the corridor.

“And the man?”

Leon, following behind, answered crisply.

“Hazel has taken care of him.”

Meaning he was locked away somewhere discreet and under watch.

“And the imperial side?”

“They don’t seem to have noticed the mages yet.”

The mages who had slipped in through the south had already been captured by Leon.

With the matter of Rubian’s biological father tangled up in this, Leviathan intended to be cautious about informing the imperial family.

“If either side makes a move, report it immediately.”

“Yes. Are you heading to your chambers?”

“Hm…”

Leviathan stared out at the deepening darkness beyond the window, then turned his steps on impulse.

“There’s somewhere I need to stop by. You may retire.”

Leon bowed lightly and departed.

Step. Step.

His measured footsteps stopped before a door deep within the estate.

Inside was a spotless room—essentially a storage space. It was filled with unused baby supplies.

I stocked the townhouse in the capital too, just in case.

Why had this place come to mind now?

I really should整理 this someday…

The eastern room of the northern ducal castle still hadn’t been cleared, thanks to Rubian’s stubborn insistence.

Just as Rubian said…

Maybe some things were fine being left as they were—frozen in time.

A faint smile crossed his face as he walked to the small crib.

On it lay a tiny baby pillow.

“……”

He rummaged through his coat and pulled out the old bundle.

Inside was another baby pillow.

Placed side by side, they were so small it made him laugh.

“Even bread wrapping is bigger than this.”

On impulse, he laid out the clothes Rubian had once worn next to the baby clothes he himself had bought.

Then he paused.

“…They’re too new.”

His gaze shifted between the stiff, untouched clothes and Rubian’s soft, wrinkled ones.

Objects carried time within them.

It was obvious which had been touched by life.

His chest tightened again.

The pristine clothes—never worn, never used—suddenly felt unbearably sad.

And yet, the ones clenched in his hand were Rubian’s old clothes.

As much as he mourned losing his child.

As much as he regretted what he’d missed.

He wondered—

What was Ruby like when she wore these…?

What kind of baby had she been?

How did she cry? How did she smile?

The Rubian he didn’t know. The Rubian before age ten.

The Rubian who slept, woke, and fussed on a pillow no bigger than his palm.

If only I could have held her just once…

At the thought, Leviathan shook his head lightly.

What am I thinking.

She was grown now.

With a quiet chuckle, he began putting everything away.

“Seems I’m more reluctant than I thought.”

Reluctant about her growing up.

About her reaching adulthood and leaving his arms.

Mocking himself for still lingering in that lost time, Leviathan left the room.