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“The two of you seemed to be in the middle of a great dispute.”
“Your Majesty, though I am unsure as to why you came this far, but as a noble I regret that you saw me like this. In case you might be misunderstanding, please allow me to explain…”
“Misunderstand?”
The Emperor’s voice was quite cold.
“What is it you say I misunderstand?”
“That is… I worry Your Majesty might think differently of the situation in which I and my mother were raising our voices.”
“Do you mean when you were yelling at the Duchess to give that to you as soon as possible?”
“……”
“Or is it about how you interrogated her as if you were trying to catch someone attempting to run away?”
The more he sounded out possibilities with a brutal smile, the more Lania’s face paled.
“Th-that is untrue, Your Majesty! Let me explain.”
“How so?”
“As I have said before, my mother is not quite whole in her body and heart, but she keeps trying to picnic out very far. Inevitably, I was worried. I only meant that I would accompany her and hold her bag for her.”
“…..”
Right, mother?
Her eyes were filled with pitiful affection as she looked at me. She had even pulled out a handkerchief in no time, and she shined with filial piety unparalleled by anything else in this world, dabbing at her dry eyes.
“I told her she can’t go very far with that body, but she is very stubborn.”
“Hmm, so you’re saying it is different from what I saw.”
Saying so indifferently, the Emperor’s eyes as it looked at me turned meaningful.
T/N: could also mean ‘turned significant’ or ‘suspicious’
“Then the Duchess can speak for herself.”
“M-me?”
“Whether coming out this far was truly for an outing as she said, or if you had a ‘different reason.’”
“…..”
What, what the heck.
When the Emperor and Lania both turned to me, my heart shrunk instinctively.
How should I say, I felt like both the grim reaper and Thanos was beckoning to me at the same time.
Whoever I chose, I would end up in a pit of fire in hell for sure.
“Duchess.”
“Mother!”
“Well, of course…”
And I never thought I would ever be saying this with my own mouth, but ‘even so, at the very least, if I can’t die and I can’t help’ but choose one of them, it would be…
“What my eldest daughter says is correct.”
I quickly attached myself to Lania’s side.
As impatient as I was, I wasn’t so foolish to enter the lion’s den in order to avoid the fox.
“I felt so stuffy staying only in the house for so long, so I only came out with the princess* on an outing. Isn’t that right, my daughter?”
“Oh, um, yes, of course.”
The pale-faced Lania became abruptly relieved and regained her smile.
So you want to live after all, huh.
Not bothering to hide her thinly veiled satisfaction, she stealthily pulled on my arm.
“Mother. You said it was the perfect weather to have a picnic today. But you must have been too excited, securely preparing like this.”
“I understand. Stop pestering me, dear. I’ll give it to you now.”
“…..”
That didn’t mean that I would be choosing the wicked fox, however.
Here, do take it quickly.
I gently gave my basket to Lania.
“I was going to give it to you anyway; you didn’t have to go that far. This daughter of mine must have been so very hungry.”
“…..what? What do you mean.”
“What do you mean, what? Even though you know it already.”
Am I crazy? To join hands with Lania?
Lania was frozen, not yet understanding the situation, so I helpfully opened the basket for her.
Click, the iron moved, and the contents of the bag she was so curious about was finally revealed.
“I especially prepared this with what my eldest daughter loves.”
“Wh-what is this!”
“Don’t act all surprised now… Oh I see, you must be embarrassed because His Excellency* is here.”
Oh dear! I slowly looked up at him then, as if I had finally come to this realization.
I shrugged towards the Emperor, who was narrowing his eyes with an unreadable expression.
“Please be understanding, Your Majesty. The princess* must have felt ashamed after pestering me for something as small as some snacks.”
“….then those are.”
“Ye-es, as you can see, my eldest daughter simply goes crazy over these.”
From inside the open basket, I took out and handed over the feed I had made myself. It was made with the best ingredients to give to my Haniel, so I could guarantee that it could capture the taste buds of whoever it could be.
“Quick, eat up. You wanted this so badly.”
Whoever, that is, as long as they weren’t human.
“…..m-mother. This kind of thing, I don’t…”
“What’s wrong? Even though I prepared all of what you love just for you.”
Dried fish jerky among other bird feed were spread out like a feast.
Lania, who had just shut her mouth entirely, began breathing more and more roughly.
“No. I’m fine, really.”
“It hasn’t even been that long since you were pestering me for it. Ohh, is it because whatever a stepmother like me prepares will never be satisfactory?”
If you’re not going to use that handkerchief, let me borrow that for a while.