I got a bit of a scolding.
They said I shouldn’t talk with a fork in my mouth while an adult is speaking. I already knew that, but just a moment ago, it felt like I was possessed by something.
‘But really, what is all this?’
After the meal, when I returned to my room, the sparkling letters appeared even more than before.
[The Emotion Spirit King ‘■■■’ suggests you do a hip dance.]
[The Water Spirit King ‘■■■■’ suggests you do a cute face poke.]
[The Emotion Spirit King and the Water Spirit King are bickering, each begging you to show their suggestion first. Sigh……. ´ㅅ`]
Ah, I drooled.
I had been watching with my mouth hanging open, and I hurriedly wiped the corner of my mouth with my sleeve.
[The Water Spirit King ‘■■■■’ puts on a stern expression.]
[That’s not good, little one. You must use a handkerchief.]
Oh, I thought they wouldn’t notice since they were busy fighting with the Emotion Spirit King! Feeling embarrassed, I gave a silly grin.
‘Anyway, one thing is certain.’
These Spirit Kings think I’m cute, just like the teachers in Carrot Class and Scribble Class! The teachers were always like that, fighting over me, too.
“Yuppi, are you thewe?”
[Did you call, Participant!]
When I tried whispering to it, a slightly different colored sparkling letter popped up. If the Spirit Kings’ letters were glittering gold, Yuppi’s were more of an orange color. So, I could tell them apart not just by their tone, but by their color, too.
“Just now… um, what is the Beloved of the Kings?”
It was a word that had just flashed by, but like a smart kid, I had remembered it.
[Ah, the Beloved of the Kings refers to the clowns… no, the pastime peanuts… no, wait… of the eight great Spirit Kings who compose this world.]
[The Water Spirit King ‘■■■■’ smacks Yuppi on the head.]
[The Fire Spirit King ‘■■■■■’ shows his displeasure, telling him to choose his words carefully.]
[The Earth Spirit King ‘■’ clicks his tongue.]
[…Ah, the weak and pitiful Yuppi feels wronged. (ㅇ︿ㅇ)]
Oh no. Poor Yuppi, it seems like he’s being picked on. I rolled my eyes and waited for a moment.
[Ahem, anyway, it means the Kings adore you very much and will love you like their own niece until your lifespan ends.]
“I see. Then that’s a good thing!”
I like being adored!
[The Emotion Spirit King ‘■■■’ makes a fuss, saying how cute you are and telling everyone to look at your smiling face.]
[The Water Spirit King ‘■■■■’ brags that my precious little baby is like a strawberry mochi.]
[The Earth Spirit King ‘■’ says that a pure life form is always lovely to behold.]
I don’t know why this is happening to me all of a sudden, but having more friends and teachers is always good. Since I wasn’t the type to be easily surprised, I just accepted this situation naturally.
It was then.
[Main Quest Triggered!]
[Title Acquisition: Beloved of the Kings]
[Once all the Spirit Kings enter the childcare variety show , you will obtain the title. ♪(´ε｀*) Boop!]
[Let’s try hard to be cute and adorable to woo the Spirit Kings!]
[If you become the Beloved of the Kings, the Admiral and the Head of House will all be happy, too.]
“If I become the Beloved, will the adults be happy?”
[Of course! It has actually only happened once a very long time ago, in the days closest to the beginning of time. It’s a story from before human history was erased… a story everyone has forgotten. So, to the current humanity, you would be considered the first, Participant!]
Hmm, there were too many letters, so I didn’t understand a word of it. Just as I nodded, pretending I understood, Lina brought the cookie dough.
“Young Lady, shall we play with the dough?”
“Uh-huh.”
“If you do it with this, I’ll spread it out on this tray for you.”
Soon, Lina brought a small desk for a baby, similar to the one we used at daycare. She knelt beside me and helped me with various things, and as I got focused on mixing the dough, I forgot about what had just happened.
“Oh my, you got some dough on your nose. Let me wipe it off for you.”
It was the moment Lina stood up.
☆Reward☆
[Magic Sugar of the Orca (60g)]
*This sugar cannot be used alone.*
*If you eat a dish containing this sugar, the piled-up fatigue from overtime work will vanish completely.*
*Pop!*
A bottle with an Orca head on the lid appeared before my eyes.
‘The reward for feeding the Admiral beans earlier!’
Holding the bottle that was floating mid-air, I stared intently at the cookie dough.
‘Should I be careful and pour just a little bit?’
…I thought, and the moment I tilted it.
*Whoosh!*
All the colorful sugar spilled out.
Oh no, what a waste!
* * *
One way or another, the cookies were baked well. I followed Lina down to the kitchen and waited eagerly in front of the large oven for the cookies to finish. I don’t know how hard it was with my mouth watering, but since I got to eat plenty of other snacks, I was able to wait patiently.
‘Oh my, to be this small……. You don’t eat much, do you?’
The kitchen staff, who had said that when they first saw me, now had their eyes wide open. Because I had been eating non-stop! Even now, I was holding the strawberry candy that Hans the chef had given me.
*Nom!* Delicious.
“Oh, ho-ho, you little glutton. The cookies are all cooled now; how should I prepare them for you?”
“Please put them in a bag.”
“Should I put them all in one bag?”
“Uh-huh, thank you!”
I placed both hands on my tummy and bowed, and my head bonked the floor. As soon as I did, I heard gasps from everywhere.
“Oh, oh my… I have no regrets left in this world…….”
“Get a hold of yourself, Chef! If you die here, you won’t be able to see that cuteness anymore!”
“T-that’s right. I have to live to see it.”
I’ve actually received a lot of compliments about being cute. Still, hearing it again is always nice. Grinning, I hugged the bag of cookies Hans had given me tightly. Even though they had cooled, they were still warm, so it felt good.
“Oh, right. This is the chocolate pen you asked for. What do you intend to use this for?”
“I’m going to draw eyes with it.”
The cookies I made were shaped like teddy bears. I’m going to draw round, round eyes with the white chocolate pen Hans gave me! As soon as I said that, Hans grabbed his chest and gasped again.
“C-cute……! Please come visit again, Young Lady!”
“Okay!”
“If the other Young Masters and Young Ladies would just eat as well as you do……. *Sigh.*”
Waving my hand at Hans, I hurried back to my room. I have to give these to the teacher before class starts tomorrow! Running along holding Lina’s hand, a question suddenly popped into my head.
Lina is Lina, the Admiral is Diegon, and I am Chuu.
‘But what is the teacher’s name?’
* * *
Cedric Hungerford.
He was the best among the aides of the Head of the Pashayen family, known for his competence. It was said that all information flowing into the Pashayen family must pass through his hands. He was that busy; overtime was a given, and there were no such things as days off.
He was always tired, always irritable, and even sensitive by nature.
That Cedric ended up taking on the job of teaching the young Pashayens… entirely because of the children’s temperaments. The current young Pashayens wouldn’t listen to a word anyone said! They were stubborn, mean, and already acting authoritative at such a young age. Every teacher who came was driven away, falling ill from the stress.
In the end, the Head of House sent a teacher ‘directly from the Head of House’ whom the young Pashayens would have no choice but to listen to. That was Cedric.
Cedric, who had suddenly been saddled with extra work, was in no mood to teach. He already had a mountain of work to do!
“…They say the mission entrusted to Young Master Micard this time has been successfully concluded. I checked it again, and it was finished cleanly. The spies planted by Bellarion have all been executed.”
“Hmm. Issue the order to return.”
“Yes.”
The sun was warm, but the atmosphere was cold and stern. The Head of House’s office, a place of no mercy. Even for his own children, this space was one they could not dare to enter easily; in fact, it was a place feared by everyone who bore the name Pashayen.
The Head of the Pashayen Family did not see people as people. He only saw the abilities they possessed. In other words, their “usefulness.” He would place them on the judgment seat and judge them accordingly. Before Galizad, everyone had to prove their worth, and most people were already withered by that very expectation.
“Now that I think about it, how is Diegon’s second son doing these days?”