A little later, I said the unspeakable during the late breakfast in Claude’s room.

“I’ll be hanging out somewhere outside tonight.”

Clank.

Claude’s hands which were holding silverware stopped.

“I cannot allow you to.”

I looked at him in subtle irritation as he started to spew the cold aura.

Bruh. What’s wrong with a well-grown teenager trying to go outside? I mean, I knew you weren’t going to let me, but still.

I looked at and told Claude while poking my salad with a fork.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like you and this palace.”

His eyebrows twitched at what I said.

“And Felix, Lili, all the servants and ladies in the palace, the rose gardens, the library you spent countless hours into building, and albeit a little awkward, the Gannett Palace where we’re in.”

Claude didn’t seem to understand why I’m talking about this.

“Everything I love is in this palace, to be honest. I was born in and have lived here all the time.”

“Yes, I will give you whatever you want. So please, stay…”

“Whatever I want?”

“Yes.”

“So that means I can just sit here doing about nothing and just asking you for whatever I want, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“But that’s not I want.”

I faced Claude’s stiffened face and kept talking. I wanted to let Claude know of what I’ve been thinking about during my life outside of the palace and since I got back home.

“I don’t want to tell other people I chose that just because those were all the choices I was given since this palace is all the world I had.”

In other words, I didn’t want to say that I ended up living in this palace because I became Athanasia and therefore inevitably met Claude.

Realistically, the choices I’ve been given in life had been extremely limited. I had to choose between ‘Life’ and ‘Death’ at the start of all this because even though I was born into an extraordinarily affluent royal family, I was destined to be slain by Claude and thus my life depended on whether I had been on his good side or not.

“I also don’t want to lie to myself.”

To me, our relationship always felt like a candle fire before a strong wind. Maybe it was because I already knew the plot of The Lovely Princess that I had always felt uneasy.

That’s why I wanted to change up this broken relationship with the person in front of me. I wanted to build trust, as an actual father-daughter relationship.

“Plus, I can leave this place anytime I wish now.”

Claude twitched as I half-jokingly uttered. It wasn’t just me who was feeling quite uneasy. But at the same time, I wasn’t some fragile glass doll controlled by Claude that had to be contained in order for it not to shatter.

“I don’t need to rely on others anymore, dad. I can do stuff on my own now.”

If I were to live like a bird trapped in a cage, our relationship wouldn’t change even one bit.”

“So I might become a troublesome girl to you, dad. But I’ll always tell you if I’m going outside of the palace beforehand. Then…”

With Claude breathlessly listening, I finished my sentence.

“I’ll always come back.”

Claude’s facial expression abruptly changed.

I watched his face slowly soften up like an iron mask had been lifted. He was looking at me as if he hadn’t heard such things before.

“As long as you wait for me, I won’t suddenly disappear forever.”

Because I wanted to stay here at my will with him.

“Because this is my home, and where you are is where I should return to.”

Claude didn’t understand my anxiety and vice versa. Maybe we’ll never know. But that doesn’t matter.

“So I’ll be back in a moment.”

That’s because he will always be my dad, and I will always be his daughter.

“I promise.”

With a big smile, I reassured Claude who, at the moment, had the weakest face I’ve ever seen.

* * *

“Miss Margarita?”

I went over to meet Jennette in the orange sunset.

“Princess!”

She rushed over to me in both happiness and worry.

“I was worried about you since his majesty lifted the search for you.”

Oh, gosh! I completely forgot about the search! What a relief. I hope the embarrassing video stone’s gonna stop circulating.

“Umm… Things went rather well for us.”

I let out an internal sigh of relief and began to talk triumphantly.

“So I ended up back in the palace.”

Jennette opened her eyes wide in surprise.

Huh. What’s this look supposed to mean?

I moved my lips in the mysterious emotion that lay inside the deep blue eyes. A slight, shadowy tremble could be seen in her eyes like looking at the currents under a deep, dark sea.

“I see.”

But that only lasted for a fraction of a second. I looked at Jennette, smiling while holding my hands in relief.

“How nice. Congratulations!”

She seemed to be genuinely relieved that I returned to the palace. Deception was nowhere to be seen in her innocent face, and I tilted my head.

But what was with the discordance moments ago? Was it all just a feeling? But that was…

I thought to myself for a second then continued to do what I came here to do.

“Then let’s go!”

“Huh? Where?”

She must have forgotten. That’s kinda sad…

“The fireworks! It’s about time.”

Jennette’s eyes gradually opened, then she blushed with delight. Smiling, I left the mansion, holding her hands

The fireworks I saw with her that night were the most beautiful.

“Ta-da!”

After my short outing, I teleported to where Claude was. I could use magic however I wanted now that I asked him countless times to get rid of the anti-magic charm—which he luckily did.

“I’m back!”

He was in his bedroom instead of his office. His eyes were fixed onto me like he was expecting me to show up. I just stood speechless for a minute.

“What were you doing?”

“…”

“Hmm… Let me guess.”

I stroked my lips in a curious fashion and shouted brightly as if I’d come up with an answer.

“You were waiting for your cute, beautiful, and lovely daughter! Correct!”

I thought he would say something along the lines of “Stop with the extravagant bluffing” or “Is there something wrong with you?”, but he still hadn’t said a word.

He finally said something in the awkward silence.

“So you really did come back.”

I hesitated at his low tone then proceeded to answer his comment.

“Of course. I’m a man of my word.”

I then chuckled as I crept towards the couch Claude was sitting on.

“Dad, do you know what cotton candies are?”

“A semifluid state of sugar which centrifugal force has been applied to and wrapped around a stick of…”

Crap! I genuinely thought he wouldn’t know what it was! Since unhealthy food like this wasn’t allowed inside the palace I thought he would say something like “You don’t eat cotton.”

“Bruh…”

“Remember, you’re the one who asked.”

I gave Claude a rather disappointed look. Then he scoffed as if he was expecting that question. Now that’s more like it.

“Here, a present!”

I showed him what I’ve been hiding behind my back.

It’s me, Athy the present-giver! I’m about to give Claude who’s been waiting patiently in the palace while I hung out a cotton candy!

But he looked at the cotton candy with indifference. You—you… How dare you look at the holy cotton candy like that!?

“I don’t give people gifts but you deserve one because you’re my dad. Doesn’t it look tasty? No? No?”

I handed him the cotton candy anyway.

Hehe, Claude with cotton candy. Name a more iconic duo.

[Claude’s pureness has been increased by 1][Claude will regain innocence for the next 30 seconds]

If it were a game, something like this would’ve popped up.

“Did you see the fireworks? It was really pretty. Eh, the view from here’s pretty mediocre anyway.”

I told him, shaking my legs sitting right next to Claude who had a disgusted look on his face.

Ugh… Home sweet home. Anyway, how is this couch so comfy? What’s it even made of? Should I change out the couches in Emerald Palace with these ones? Also, the one I’ve always sat on waiting in Claude’s office was similarly comfy as well.

“Let’s go together next time. I found a killer spot.”

As my next outing partner, Claude, I choose you!

For some reason, he simply stared at me without a word. I took that as a yes and started humming.

A not-too-much-left 14-year-old night passed by once again.

* * *

“I think I’m getting a little bit too nervous…”

Ugh, I think it’s the anxiety-induced stomach cramps.

“Don’t worry, your highness. You just need to wave at them.”

“Correct. All you need to do is show them your face a bit.”

I couldn’t control my anxiety even with Lili and Felix comforting me. It was my first time being in the official public light.

I honestly don’t get why I need to introduce myself in front of the people especially because the Founding Celebration had already ended.