Are all children like this?
Valdwin stroked Laila’s hair, who had fallen asleep in that brief moment. Her pink headband she had on her hair had long since been messed up.
“Lala, you need to wake up.”
But Valdwin’s voice was small, as if he had no intention of waking up Laila. Her plump cheeks would twitch every time Laila licked her lips.
Valdwin put his hand on Laila’s. Even though his hands were smaller than hers, why was she still considered small? Valdwin tilted his head and fiddled with Laila’s hair.
Small, thin and soft….
“Are all human children as small as you?”
Of course, there was no answer to his question, and Valdwin knew how to live safely in this world. Just like what his father did, his true nature wasn’t revealed to others – like a human child, concealing his instinct of his swordsmanship.
He doesn’t have a father to teach him how to mimic humans, so he was pretending to be Laila.
Valdwin put his finger under Laila’s nose, “It’s warm….”
The Lorovante couple were doing their best for Valdwin; they even disguised her as a girl to hide his identity. He decided to remember their efforts and decided in which direction his sword should be pointed.
Sleeping inside Valdwin, the Caliburn rang with a hum. It wants to drink the blood of its enemies right away. Valdwin twisted his lips.
Its murderous intent occasionally wandered through Valdwin’s mind. Magical swords are people who crave for blood. A red energy lingered on Valdwin’s fingertips before fading away. He withdrew his hand from Laila.
“Mmm….”
Laila mumbled as she felt something. Valdwin’s red eyes flashed blood-red and then faded away.
Laila blinked her big golden eyes. “Didi?” A small voice pierced Valdwin’s ear.
“Hmm, Lala. You woke up?” Valdwin asked, with a smile that had suddenly resembled Laila.
“Mmm… I am sleepy. What about mom?”
“They will come to pick you up if you wait here.”
“Ah….”
Laila reached out towards Valdwin.
“Come on, Didi. I’ll give you a hug.”
Even the words you mumble in your sleepy state are pretty.
Valdwin meekly placed himself inside Laila’s arms. She smells like milk mixed with the smell of a baby, and sweetness. Whenever he smelled it, even the living thing that strangely barks inside him seems to subside.
Valdwin laughed bashfully, just like Laila.
“Trust me, Didi. I… am Didi’s supporter. I… know everything….”
I don’t know what on earth you are talking about. She often said things to him he couldn’t understand but maybe because he was still a child. Valdwin leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes.
It was after quite a while when Robelia found the two children sleeping cheek to cheek.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Laila’s eyes twinkled as Robelia and Adolph grabbed the children and put them on the bed.
“Lala?”
“Mom, I am awake.”
Thanks to Laila who opened her eyes while yawning, Robelia had no choice but to stop and sit down.
“Would you like me to read a book?”
“Yes!”
Reading a book before bed with Robelia and Adolph was one of Laila’s favorite things – though no one knows it was because she had never received such affection in her previous life.
“What should we read today?”
Robelia then pulled out one of the books on the other side of Laila’s room.
It was a fairy tale book that combined myth and fairy tale.
“Should we read this?”
“I like it!”
Laila giggled and dug into the duvet. Robelia opened the book and cleared her throat.
“Once upon a time, there lived a wonderful dragon. The dragon’s name was Ragnis… and he had three loyal knights. He also has a good friend.”
Having just woken up, Robelia smiled briefly as she looked at the fast-asleep Laila. She lowered her voice and carefully closed the book after reading three more pages until Laila was completely asleep.
Sleeping children are like angels.
Kissing Laila’s forehead as she breathed, Robelia raised herself. She pulled up the blanket Laila had kicked away, and turned off the lights in the bedroom before she went out.
“Have a nice dream, my daughter.”
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
When I was young, there was something like a barrier through which I always went through when I became close to a friend. That is inviting a friend to our house!
And it was something I had never done before. Of course, I also had friends, but those friends couldn’t overcome the atrocities of my adoptive mother towards me, so we fell apart in the end.
It was only in fairy tales to invite a friend over to do something. But that didn’t mean I was able to go to my friend’s house.
What did she tell me?
[‘You’re going to a friend’s house? Do you have anything to go to that house and humiliate yourself? Not a chance.’]
If I was kicked out of the house at that time, I would never have anywhere to go, so my adoptive mother’s words were the law for me. She used it at her heart’s content. She held me in her clutches and controlled me at will.
For me, this was a huge challenge.
All day long today, I listened to my mother very well. I worked hard and did errands for nothing while I took care of Valdwin without bothering him. And finally, dinner time came.
“Mom, eat this!”
I also put my favorite chicken legs on Mom’s plate.
“What about Dad…?”
“Dad too!”
I gave the rest of the chicken legs to my dad. Seeing the roasted chicken that lost both legs was not disappointing at all.
“Why is our princess like this…?” My mother looked at me suspiciously.
Kindly check it first.
“Mom, I am kind today, right? I listened to you, right?”
“My princess is always kind.”
Oh, I can smell the iron wall. Still, it was worth a try.
“Mom… can I invite Camilla over?”
“Are you talking about Camilla of the Roister’s?” Mom asked with a surprised face.
I nodded my head carefully; my heart was beating fast. It was the excitement and anticipation of doing something I had never been allowed to do before.
“Hmm? Mom! Dad! Please let me invite Camilla ~”
I tried to be as cute as possible.
I had never invited a friend over while living alone in college.
[‘Don’t bring anyone into the house. Don’t show them your vulgar blood.’]
It wasn’t even funny when I think about how many friends of my adoptive mother’s biological children were brought to the house. Anyway, I am quite nervous now.
“Alright. But instead, Lala….”
“Kyaah! Long live, Mom! Long live, Dad, too!”
I raised both my hands as I jumped. It was an act I wasn’t even aware of.
In fact, there were countless reasons why my mother refused to do so.
Camilla was the daughter of Count Roister, whom people shy away from. Being close to them could put my family at a disadvantage, and there was a risk that Valdwin’s identity would be revealed. Leaving behind those restrictions, my mother accepted my hand because I wanted to do it.
“Do you like it that much?”
“Yes! Didi, you also like it, right?”
Quietly eating, Valdwin nodded, “Yes. If Lala likes it then I like it too.” He then bashfully smiled.
Haa~ it’s going so smoothly.
Creating this kind of contact between Camilla and Valdwin, or inviting friends over the house? In fact, the latter was more pleasing to me than the former.
I once thought again: I am so glad I came here. Goodbye to my previous life where I had to pretend while wearing the clothes that clearly didn’t fit me – I am Laila Lorovante.
I buried my head in my mother’s arms, which smelled good.
“I love you, mom!”
“My princess, I love you too.”
I could sell my soul to the devil if that means I won’t lose this affection forever.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
At Count Roister’s House.
“… An invitation arrived for our daughter, honey,” said the Countess in a trembling voice.
Count Roister thoroughly scanned the invitation on Georgia’s hand. It is possible that the young child who invited Camilla had an evil heart.
Count Roister then said this only after seeing the invitation several times, “… It doesn’t seem to have any hidden intentions.”
In a childish handwriting, [‘Camilla, it’s me Laila! Can you come over tomorrow to play if you have time? Mom said she would make cookies and a cake!’] was what written in the letter.
They were worried about Camilla, who had been hurt by the vicious teasing of the other children the other day.
“So, it was Laila… Lorovante, the Young Lady of Lorovante Duchy.”
“Yes. Camilla only talked about her ever since she came back from a party at Duke Lorovante’s House before.”
“Camilla did?”
“Yes, honey. She said she had a good time with Laila.”
“… Well, I’m glad about that….”
“I don’t think you need to worry. You know the Lorovante Family’s nature.”
“Then let’s ask Camilla’s doctor.”
The Countess nodded her head.
“She will definitely like it!”