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Chapter 11
“Do I look like someone who would covet something so trivial?”
“…”
Rubellin only pursed her lips without answering. It was practically the same as admitting it, making Calix stare at her in disbelief.
“Ru-Rubellin… let’s stop folding paper.”
Before his temper exploded, I quickly hid the stack of colored paper beneath the table.
Rubellin looked at the fallen sheets with obvious regret.
“Mommy… frog?”
“I’ll make lots of them for you next time.”
After comforting her, I clapped my hands to change the atmosphere.
Clap!
“Alright! Now I’ll tell you a fairy tale, Rubellin!”
Holding her yellow paper frog, Rubellin’s eyes sparkled.
“Okay! Fairy tale!”
Recalling the summary of Cinderella I had prepared yesterday, I began.
“Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived a young woman named Cinderella.”
“Mhm! Mhm!”
Rubellin nodded enthusiastically, listening with full attention.
Seeing her reaction, I became even more excited and exaggerated my storytelling.
“Cinderella lost her parents when she was young. She lived with her stepmother and stepsisters, who constantly mistreated her. Even though they treated her cruelly, she never blamed anyone. She was a very kind person.”
“They’re mean to her. Why’s she nice? Is she stupid?”
Rubellin blinked innocently.
For a moment, I was speechless.
“…I-It’s just her nature. Anyway! Although Cinderella was alone, she wasn’t lonely. The mice became her friends and talked with her.”
“Talking to mice? She’s obviously crazy.”
…Huh?
Did I hear that correctly?
Someone had just shattered the innocence of my fairy tale.
I slowly turned toward the voice.
Calix was leaning against the sofa’s armrest with his chin resting on one hand, looking down at me arrogantly.
“What are you looking at?”
“…”
I immediately lowered my eyes.
Seriously… what am I supposed to do about that personality of his?
“So then, Mommy?”
Rubellin tugged at my sleeve impatiently.
Ignoring the icy stare burning into me, I continued.
“Then one day! Cinderella heard that there would be a royal ball. She made herself a beautiful dress so she could attend. But her stepmother and stepsisters ruined it. Just when she thought she couldn’t go to the ball, a fairy appeared before her!”
Rubellin’s eyes grew wide.
“A fairy?”
“That’s right! A fairy!”
Now was my chance!
It was finally time to teach Rubellin that beings called fairies existed—not just demons.
“The fairy gave Cinderella a pumpkin carriage, a beautiful dress, and a pair of glass slippers. But she told her that she had to return before midnight, or the magic would wear off—”
“Why?”
“Huh?”
I blinked blankly.
Why?
Was there something strange about that?
No matter how I thought about it, it was simply a fairy tale meant to inspire wonder.
“Why do you ask, Rubellin?”
“Mevern said if someone helps you without asking for anything, you should be suspicious!”
Rubellin answered confidently, listing her reasons one by one.
…I knew it.
Our completely different educational philosophies were causing problems.
Standing beside us, Mevern nodded proudly.
As expected of Princess Rubellin! You remembered!
His face practically said that.
This wouldn’t do.
I gently held Rubellin’s shoulders so we were facing each other.
“Rubellin, the fairy helped Cinderella because she felt sorry for her.”
Rubellin immediately shook her head.
“Why? You’re not supposed to accept help that easily! I don’t like fairies! If someone helps you for free, they must be hiding something.”
“The fairy was simply being kind.”
“I don’t like Cinderella either! Why is she nice to people who bully her?”
“Cinderella forgave them because she had compassion and understanding.”
Even after explaining again and again, Rubellin only frowned harder.
“I don’t like either of them! I’d rather like a demon who asks for your heart in exchange for granting your wish!”
So…
Compared to invisible kindness, she trusted clear and honest self-interest more.
Unable to argue against her firm conviction, I simply blinked.
Then Rubellin suddenly stood up with a surprisingly dignified expression.
“Rubellin?”
“Mommy! When I grow up…”
She puffed out her chest proudly.
“I’m gonna be a villain!”
I gasped.
My whole body froze.
For a moment, my mind went completely blank.
I wasn’t the only one who was shocked.
Mevern, Rinel, Ken—everyone in the office fell completely silent.
Even Mevern, who had been praising Rubellin nonstop until now, had turned pale.
A villain?
If someone interpreted those childish words too seriously, they could even be considered treason.
If Calix and Rubellin had a close relationship, it wouldn’t have been such a problem.
But those two…
Panicking, I tugged gently on the hem of Rubellin’s dress.
“R-Rubellin… sit down first, okay?”
“No!”
She shook her head vigorously, placed both hands on her hips, and puffed out her chest.
This time, she clearly had no intention of backing down.
“I…”
She took a deep breath from her belly and shouted proudly.
“I’M A BUTT!”
“…”
Calix slowly lowered the arm that had been supporting his chin.
“…A butt?”
A dead silence swept through the classroom.
