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Chapter : 12 Because She’s Cute (2)
Several days passed.
Ian and Leon did not come back.
‘Well, I guess 7-year-old boys wouldn’t come all the way to play with a 3-year-old girl.’
I also got along well with Mina, but when I was young, I wanted to play with friends more than with my younger sibling.
What a pity. I thought I might finally be making friends.
I was going to tell them not to become knights and just be my friends instead, but the twins never gave me the chance.
‘I’m not a public corporation or anything, I can’t offer job security.’
Why are they trying to become knights anyway?
At first, it sounded like they were being forced by Uncle Lloyd, but later it almost seemed like they wanted it themselves.
‘Wait, is this like a big company? A ducal family could be considered a conglomerate, I guess?’
During my daily walk in the garden, Uncle Lloyd proudly talked about how the twins had become even more motivated in their training after meeting me.
Do they not want to do it, or do they want to do it…?
And why…?
“Ad-der… I don’t really get it…”
“…Shana? What did you say?”
Maria tilted her head as I muttered to myself.
“Haah…”
Children’s psychology is really…
“No… it’s nothing…”
“You said you were hungry?”
“Do I look like a glutton to you?”
I had only eaten a short while ago. And yet my stomach growled.
I fell silent for a moment.
“I’m not a glutton. It’s just mealtime.”
“Yes, it is mealtime. It’s natural to be hungry.”
A child’s body got hungry often. Such inefficient design.
‘Is it because moving the body takes so much effort?’
I’d probably need to grow more before I could move properly. My body was still too small and weak, so I couldn’t control my strength and ended up using everything at once.
Eat a lot, sleep a lot, and… well, use the bathroom a lot.
That’s the duty of a child. At three years old, I’m a kid. Not a baby!
My day was extremely simple.
Wake up, eat breakfast, digest while reading picture books with Ella. Scribble on paper or play with blocks. My finger muscles weren’t developed enough yet, so I still needed practice.
“Shana… you really speak very well…”
Squeak!
My hand holding the pencil stretched out against my will.
I tried to hold it properly with my index finger and thumb like an adult, but my fingers wouldn’t obey, so I had to grip it like a fist. And then—drag.
Squeak!
“This is very artistic line work. Amazing, Shana.”
“You’re also very strong. Strong enough to tear paper…!”
“….”
Maria and Ella clapped in admiration.
Don’t admire it so sincerely… I’d rather you mock me…
‘Is this not praise education but praise torture?’
Instead of feeling happy, I felt embarrassed…
Around noon, I ate lunch and went for a walk in the garden with Maria. After walking around the mansion and greeting people for about an hour, time passed quickly.
After washing up and taking a nap, it was dinner time.
Eat, move, talk, play, sleep.
‘Such an animal-like routine…’
Maybe because my life had become so structured and simple, I spent the day without any serious worries. Mentally, it was actually very satisfying.
Everything was provided so I could just eat, sleep, and learn. What an amazing thing, a rich environment.
It wasn’t like I was unhappy before.
After my younger sister Mina was born, my mother became ill, and we had to move from place to place under different caretakers.
Most people were kind, but unfamiliar environments naturally make people shrink. Still, my father always loved us and did his best, so it was bearable.
If Mina hadn’t been so cute, maybe I would’ve grown up pretty twisted.
‘I kind of wanted a twin younger brother.’
They would’ve been fun to tease, so I wanted to be close to them. But I only had a younger sister…
“Shana, it’s time to eat!”
Ella came in smiling brightly, pushing a tray. A delicious smell drifted in.
“Kyaa!”
“You’re that happy?”
“Yay! I’m hungry!”
“Our Shana eats so well without being picky. She’s such a good child. My son refuses to eat and is so difficult…”
Bailey said.
“Eat! You need strength!”
You need strength to move around! This body without muscles is too hard to deal with! You need to eat well and exercise and build strong muscles!
In front of me was soup at a child-friendly temperature, soft bread, unseasoned meat, and fruit.
Ella tried to hand me a fork, but I proudly refused.
“I’ll do it myself!”
“Shana… so independent… so brave…”
I didn’t hear that. I didn’t.
I grabbed the small child-sized fork. At least it wasn’t chopsticks. Poking things was something I could do.
‘They say chopsticks are good for brain development…’
Is that why Koreans are smart? They’re also good for fine motor skills…
Thinking pointless thoughts, I stabbed the meat and brought it to my mouth.
“Shana, you’re amazing!”
“I love seeing Shana eat so well!”
I can’t hear you. I didn’t hear anything…
Still, I could feel my face burning red without even looking in a mirror. Please, could they stay quiet just during meals? I feel like I’m going to choke…
As I was chewing the meat while receiving Maria, Ella, and Bailey’s enthusiastic praise—
Maybe if I sprinkle salt… I’d be happier…
Children’s meals had no seasoning, so everything tasted bland. It was just pure ingredients fighting for survival.
‘Pepper… salt… I miss them…’
I don’t even need mala hotpot… just salt, please…
When can I eat properly seasoned food again?
Maybe my growth stopped because everything I eat is unseasoned food.
While I was chewing through the overly healthy-tasting meal, it happened.
“Quite a noisy meal time.”
Ella and Maria immediately stood up and blocked the space in front of me.
Unlike their usual relaxed smiles, they moved quickly, almost like trained agents.
Then that voice—
“It’s been a while. You’ve grown quite a bit.”
“Blond kid!”
“….”
Wait. Did I say that out loud?
“Who… are you talking to…”
“Your Highness, please calm down.”
“Dad!”
When Raven and my father appeared together, Ella and Maria quickly changed their demeanor and stepped behind me.
What the— they really are like bodyguards.
“Shana, are you finished eating?”
“Yes! All done!”
I proudly showed my empty plate.
Me, Shana Perry Wentworth.
A three-year-old who does not pick at food.
I even eat vegetables.
Well, everything tastes equally bland anyway.
“You’ve done well. Good girl, Shana.”
“Hehe.”
My father gently patted my head.
It was nothing special. I couldn’t hide my proud expression. I guess I really am becoming an adult… or rather, a proper child.
“But Shana, you seem to remember His Highness Raven?”
“Yes! Of course! He saved me!”
“…But Shana had only just been born at that time…”
Eh.
I looked up at my father in surprise. His face, darkened by the backlight, was hard to read.
“I did think you were clever, but…”
“Ah… haha…”
I didn’t know what to say.
Thinking about it, it was strange. People don’t usually expect a baby to understand everything or remember everything…
Uh oh.
Am I screwed?
“How long are you going to leave me out of this, Duke?”
“Oh my. My apologies, I forgot.”
My father smiled, but it was obvious he wasn’t sorry at all. Raven didn’t seem to care either.
“If you’re sorry, then you should let the adults leave.”
“….”
“The kids will play among themselves.”
Am I seeing things? Their smiling faces look similar.
My father shook his head and sighed. Feeling uneasy, I quickly grabbed his sleeve.
“Shana? Do you not want to play with His Highness?”
“N-no…”
That’s not it.
“It’s just… remembering…”
“Ah.”
My father’s eyes widened slightly as he realized my concern. He patted my head.
“My daughter is far more special than I thought.”
“S-sorry…”
“You don’t need to apologize for something you did not do, Shana. I was just surprised that you might be…”
He paused.
“…remember unnecessary things.”
Ah.
The kidnapping?
‘Before I woke up in the snowy field, I don’t remember anything, so that part is fine.’
But how do I say that?
“Duke, did you really forget me?”
“Ahaha.”
“….”
“In my eyes, there’s only my daughter. Sorry about that.”
“….”
You’re being a little too honest, Father…
Raven and I were now in the garden.
‘Even though the adults said kids would play together…’
We kept some distance, but Ella and Maria were still visible. The guards Raven brought were also with them.
‘He grew up well. Whose kid is he anyway?’
He’s still ridiculously good-looking.
I looked at Raven, standing straight with neat hair and expensive clothing. He looked far more mature than a child should.
He really does look like royalty.
“What should we play?”
“With you?”
“You said you wanted to play with me. That’s why you came, right?”
“No.”
He tilted his head.
“Then why did you come?”
“To check if what I picked up was growing well.”
“….”
“Looks like you’re growing fine… Your healing ability has been exposed, right? The Duke’s overprotectiveness confirms it.”
“…What are you…”
“You’re not ‘what.’ I told you my name.”
I started to wonder if Raven also had a second life like me.
“I don’t know.”
“You got caught remembering things, didn’t you? You called me blond kid. And you’re a blond kid too, younger than me.”
“…hmph.”
I pouted and kicked the air.
I was irritated, worried my father might think something strange about me, and I was taking it out on Raven.
Even though it was clearly my mistake for calling him “blond kid.”
My father had patted my head…
But what if he’s still thinking something’s off?
Ugh, I hate everything. I jumped down from the bench.
Plop!
“Hey, where are you going?”
“I’m not ‘hey’!”
“Then what are you? You didn’t tell me your name.”
I walked deeper into the garden, making little plop-plop sounds. Raven followed lazily behind me, smiling slightly.
Plop plop plop.
Even if I hurried, I couldn’t outrun him. Curse this leg-length difference.
‘Picking on a kid in elementary school… how low can I go…’
Peak self-loathing right now.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“I said I’m not ‘hey’!”
“Then what are you? Tell me your name so I can call you properly.”
“Don’t follow me! Who said you could— huh?”
I stopped.
A puppy.
