“Hiccup.”
I hadn’t expected Lina to shout so loudly; it caught me entirely off guard. I wasn’t exactly scared, but the sudden shock triggered a rhythmic, involuntary spasm.
“Hiccup! Hiccup!”
My body jolted with every reflex. Lina quickly scooped me into her arms, her hand firm but gentle against my back.
“Are you alright, my Young Lady? That gave you quite a start, didn’t it?”
“Hmph. Look at how she coddles someone of such lowly birth.”
“Watch your tongue, Matilda. Even as Angela’s governess, I won’t let it slide a third time.”
*Ugh, why won’t these hiccups stop?*
The Spirit Kings were furiously projecting shimmering letters into the air, and Lina stood stiff, her nostrils flared. I needed to compose myself—I couldn’t reconcile while bouncing like a rubber ball! I covered my mouth with both hands, anxious.
“Matilda, you know.”
“Yes, my precious Young Lady Angela?”
“That brat. She has the same hair as me. I hate it. Tell her to take it down.”
*Huh?*
“Hurry now. I am the only one allowed to wear this style today.”
“……?”
I stared at Angela, my eyes wide. I honestly wondered if she was delusional, but she remained cold and adamant.
*‘I already apologized twice for bumping into her. I even tried to brush the dust off her dress.’*
Angela and Matilda had rejected every overture. Why, then, should I be the one to undo my hair? Lina had worked so hard on this style this morning.
“You heard her? The generous Young Lady says she will let this slide if you undo those crude pigtails. Do it at once.”
[The Fire Spirit King ‘■■■■■’ bellows that there is no such thing as being forced to submit.]
[The Earth Spirit King ‘■’ advocates for you, insisting our baby looks adorable in pigtails.]
[The Emotion Spirit King ‘■■■’ advises you not to lose this battle of pride.]
*The Emotion Spirit King! It’s been a while!*
I was soothing my frazzled nerves, reading the floating text, when the Water Spirit King appeared.
[The Water Spirit King ‘■■■■’ warns that if you yield here, Lina will be forced to yield, and the Admiral will end up yielding as well.]
*I hate that even more!*
With the guidance of the Spirit Kings clear in my mind, I set my resolve. I would never let them strip me of my pigtails.
“No.”
Still tucked in Lina’s arms, I whipped my head away.
“I won’t. I’m keeping my pigtails. Hmph.”
[The Earth Spirit King ‘■’ cheers, “That’s it! Well done!”]
[All Spirit Kings present are monitoring the situation.]
See? I had Lina and the spirits on my side. I wasn’t scared at all.
“Matilda, she won’t listen. What do I do…?”
“It’s because she hasn’t been raised properly, Young Lady Angela. Don’t pay her any mind.”
Matilda consoled the girl, casting a sidelong, poisonous smirk at me.
*‘Oh? Lina is trembling.’*
Her face had turned bright crimson. *Oh no. She must be furious.*
I took a deep breath, trying to summon every ounce of maturity I possessed.
“My teacher is Cedric.”
“Yes?”
“Teacher taught me well. I learned very, very well.”
I wasn’t uneducated. My teacher in the Carrot Class had been excellent, too.
“Could it be… are you already receiving instruction from the successor’s Education Hall?”
Matilda’s voice trembled. Now, it was Lina’s turn to steady herself.
“That’s right. Our Young Lady Shuperti even has private audiences with the Head of House. I hear Young Lady Angela can’t even get close to him. Is that still the case?”
Lina looked remarkably smug. Watching Matilda seethe while Angela hovered on the verge of tears, I tilted my head.
“Then, is Angela not an Awakener?”
“……!”
“Aha, she isn’t……. Chu is sorry.”
It was great to be an Awakener—you always had a partner.
*‘Ah, now that I think about it, I’ve never seen Angela in class!’*
Matilda was just a governess, right? Did kids who weren’t Awakeners go to separate classes?
“Matilda, my clothes are dirty and my hair is ruined because of her. I don’t want to go see Grandfather. I want to go to my room.”
Angela clutched at Matilda’s skirt, sobbing. As the governess hurried to soothe her, Lina brushed past them with a huff, like a passing gust of wind.
***
My dress today was sky blue, embroidered with floating jellyfish—I loved it. My hairpins were jellyfish, too!
“Where is older brother Elzen?”
“Elzen cannot attend the family dinner because he is ill. The energy of other Awakeners accelerates his condition.”
“Aha.”
I wanted to see the pretty brother again. I’d visited the library a few times since we first met, but I’d never caught a glimpse of him. I thought I might see him today.
“Then where is older brother Mical?”
“Mical is still on his way back. He couldn’t make it.”
“Hing.”
Two brothers, and I couldn’t see either of them! I felt a little sad.
“Crab.”
“Yes?”
As I felt my spirits dampen, the Admiral called out to me.
“Look here.”
“……?”
The Admiral had been clearing his throat, keeping his hands behind his back for a while now. He seemed like he was hiding something.
*‘Oh, is it a snack for Chu?’*
But dinner was soon. As I stared at him, he fidgeted, looking uncharacteristically awkward.
“I have prepared a gift.”
“Chu’s gift?!”
“Yes. I don’t know if you will like it, but… I heard you didn’t have a doll.”
Now that I thought about it, I didn’t have a comfort doll. I had comfort food, sure. Even at the daycare, when the other kids dragged their stuffed animals around, I hadn’t been interested.
*‘But… maybe it would be nice to have one!’*
It felt like it would be special to have something that was only mine. I beamed with anticipation.
“What kind of doll is it?”
“A seal.”
“A seal!”
I’d never seen one in person, but I knew what they were from my animal encyclopedia. I was so excited I started bouncing on my toes.
“Here.”
“A pink seal!”
The doll was impossibly soft and fluffy. I hugged it tight, my face glowing.
“It even smells good! It’s the best!”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes! It’s the best!”
The Admiral’s lips twitched upward at the corners.
“I see. Then let us go to dinner. You may bring that with you.”
“Ehehe!”
It was wonderful listening to the music box lullaby when I slept yesterday, and now I even had a doll. My chest felt like it was stuffed with rattling candies. I skipped along, buzzing with excitement.
“I heard you ran into Angela today.”
“Uh-huh.”
“You did well. From now on, don’t apologize easily or bow your head to anyone. If they talk about your birth, tell them your father is the Admiral of Pashayen.”
“Shout… that loud?”
I scratched my cheek, giggling. Truth be told, until the Admiral mentioned her, I had completely forgotten Angela existed.
*‘That’s right. There was a girl like that.’*
[The Water Spirit King ‘■■■■’ mumbles, “My precious baby, it’s good to be thick-skinned, but…,” and trails off.]
[The Fire Spirit King ‘■■■■■’ insists, “It’s fine to forget things that aren’t important.”]
As the shimmering letters vanished, my vision cleared.
“Navy Admiral, Diegon Pashayen and Shuperti Pashayen have arrived!”
The servant standing before the massive doors bellowed, and the wood swung wide.
I couldn’t help but let a bit of drool fall.
“Wow… I think this is heaven.”
“Indeed. A comment worthy of a glutton. Eat plenty and enjoy.”
The long dining table was packed so tightly with food there wasn’t an inch of space left. There were many people there, too, but I barely registered them.
“Welcome, Fourth Daughter.”
“Hey.”
“Father.”
“Now, since we’ve all arrived, let us begin the meal.”
At Grandfather’s words, I took my seat next to the Admiral.
A moment later, I lifted my head, pulled by a gaze that was staring at me with unrelenting intensity.