/
That is certainly something I should do, but as you can see I was in the middle of teaching this child her basic etiquette.]
[Hmm
 then perhaps allow me the chance to speak.]
[You, Sir Darren?]
[After all, it does not suit my Lady’s position to personally direct new students. Though of course, I am sure my best would never live up to how skilled you would do it.]
[
.ahem, you flatter me, Sir Darren.]
Lady Melleo cleared her throat, looking not displeased, and agreed. This was actually the first time in a long while that she hadn’t found fault in what someone had said to her.
[Then please do so. I’ve noted this before, but she is only young—she does possess all the basic qualities she needs.]
[
..I see.]
Sir Darren spread his wings and opened her path out, just like a gentleman.
He was close to being a white swan as a whole, but the slight gray that tinged his delicate figure captured the eyes of everyone around him.
The new students were no exception—when they flocked together and stared at him perhaps enviously, Darren smiled and lowered his head towards one of them in particular.
[You must be Reina.]
[
.Y-yes.]
[My name is Darren. Nice to meet you.]
[

]
Haniel twisted her body, perhaps because she found her second name unfamiliar. But even so, the expectant eyes through which she was staring at him was different from the way she had looked at Lady Melleo.
[What’s wrong? Is there something you’d like to tell me?]
[Are, are the mommies reawy here?]
[Mm?]
Darren lifted his head and twisted his neck to see the parents behind him. Maybe because she couldn’t see through the grass, Haniel bounced on her webbed feet anxiously.
[Is, is my mommy there tew?]
[Your mommy? Um, your mommy is
]
[Not, not my mommy!]
[
..]
No! Not at all!
Correcting herself hastily, Haniel became more urgent.
[Miz Bwack Swan. She’s Miz Bwack Swan
]
[Oh, she’s a black swan.]
[Isshe here? She pwomised to come.]
Lwike this, Lwike this.
Since her pinky finger was not in sight, Haniel attempted to shake her lowermost feather on her wing instead.
My mommy pwomised!
Wanting to find out however she could if Miss Black Swan had come, her small beak didn’t know how to stop.
[Vewy vewy pwetty. So cool! She’s thi-is big and her wings
.]
[Stop lying. You don’t have a mommy!]
[

huh?]
[I heard it all already. You don’t have a mom, so you came with your nanny.]
[No, nooo.]
A baby duck that had been watching began stomping, saying it couldn’t be true. They were all young, but they were still all a fist’s size bigger than Haniel.
As more and more young animals bigger than her gathered around Haniel, curiosity and fear mixed in her eyes.
[
.it’s chrue. She said she’s coming.]
[Liar! Even we know who Miss Black Swan is! She’s a Duchess.]
[My mommy said the Duchess doesn’t have children. And Duchess is a black swan, but you’re not.]
[That, that’s ‘cause.]
“Over heeeere!”
[

]
Even when everyone turned their heads in unison, Haniel’s head turned the fastest among them all.
Way in the distance from the reed forest, the silhouette of someone running towards them with their dress in their hands was, as Haniel had said, more beautiful and more magnificent than anyone else
 as well as louder.
“Babyyy! Mommy’s here!”
***
“I’m so sorry. But I did keep my promise, look.”
Catherine made a shadow over the baby bird’s head with her hands and smiled brightly.
The baby bird, who had been tilting its head in wonder until then, began flailing its wings wildly amidst the other animals. Its action resembled the act of showing off, as if it was boasting proudly.
“

”
But my question is, why must I be here watching this?
Standing behind a tree, Rashid frowned so hard he eventually rubbed his face.
What had he even expected?
From the way she had clung to his arm so desperately, asking to be let go, he had thought some important ceremony was at risk or something.
No, perhaps he was more interested in who she was going to meet.
“Go on ahead, okay? Mommy will be right over there.”
“
..”