“Why do you like Lurdello?”

“Uh… I just do. Sure, sometimes he’s not so pretty, but I still like him. He’s my second favorite person.”

“You’d still like Lurdello even if he said he doesn’t like you?”

At that, Shasha slightly lifted her head from my embrace to meet my eyes.

“Uh… it’s always been that way. It’s okay if not everyone likes me… it was just a bit shocking this time… I like Lurdello.”

Shasha finally spoke, her voice tinged with bitterness.

I stroked Shasha’s head and shifted my gaze towards the door.

“No need to worry, Lurdello.”

“Huh? Sister?”

Startled by my sudden words, Shasha looked confused, while Lurdello hesitantly entered the room. Shasha gasped upon belatedly noticing Lurdello.

“Now’s your chance. Lurdello, speak up.”

“Sister… I’m… scared…”

Both were afraid. Afraid that the other would hate them. That fear led them to choose silence. The lingering bitterness and hatred would only grow, ruining a good relationship.

‘If I hadn’t brought Lurdello here, if Shasha hadn’t confessed her feelings.’

The hearts of the children would have twisted, and things could never have been the same.

So I smiled.

“Lurdello has something to say.”

Having set the stage, Lurdello stood hesitantly. I lightly touched his shoulder.

Lurdello, who had been looking at me, finally lowered his gaze to look at Shasha. His expression turned quite serious, as if realizing there was no more time to waste.

“Um… Shasha…”

Lurdello’s trembling voice. Shasha’s anxious eyes. She seemed like she wanted to run away, fearing what she didn’t want to hear.

However, perhaps because I was there, Shasha seemed to suppress her anxiety. The trembling of the child’s hands confirmed it.

“I’m sorry!”

Perhaps unable to put it off any longer, Lurdello almost shouted his apology. Shasha’s body flinched.

“Um… sorry.”

Lurdello shook his head, as if noticing her reaction.

“No, it’s okay…”

“I’m really sorry if I scared you… I needed the courage to start it like that…”

Lurdello’s eyes met mine.

It looked like he was asking what to do next. I nodded at Lurdello slowly. You’re doing well. Just continue like this. My expression conveyed this.

Finally, Lurdello spoke again.

“I’m sorry. I don’t dislike Shasha.”

“Ah…”

“I was… jealous.”

“Jealous?”

Lurdello bowed his head, seemingly embarrassed, then clenched his fists. His actions and expressions were resolute now.

“I… like… Shasha!”

“I like Lurdello too!”

As always, Shasha expressed her feelings freely.

“Uh…?”

Perhaps Lurdello was startled by this. He hesitated. Though their feelings of affection seemed different, Lurdello looked pleased nonetheless.

“So… is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I was jealous because you seemed to like him more than me.”

“Who?”

“The guy from Matop…”

Shasha nodded as she looked at Lurdello.

“Ah, Mel!”

“See? You call him by a nickname, but me…”

“Pig is more of a nickname.”

Shasha pouted.

“Really?”

“Yes.”
“Ah… I see.”

“If the crown prince wishes, you may call me Ruedell…”

“No! I like pig! Call me pig!”

“Yes! Shasha also likes being called bunny by pig!”

Only then did smiles fully form on the children’s faces.

I hugged both children at the same time.

“Even if you both fight, let’s not say hurtful things to each other, okay?”

“Yes!”

“So, bunny. Does that mean you like me more than him?”

“Yes! Correct!”

Watching Shasha nod her head, Ruedell had a delighted expression.

“Going forward… you only have to like me?”

“That’s not allowed!”

“Why not!”

“Because my sister is the best to me! Pig comes next!”

“Good! To be honest, I have someone I like more.”

At that, Shasha wore a serious expression.

“Who…?”

“A secret! I’ll tell just Shasha later. He’s really… amazing! I want to tell Shasha!”

Ruedell stared at me intently as if warning me to stay out, then quickly turned her head away. Ah, this is a bit upsetting.

Even though I had reconciled the two today, what’s with this now?

“I also want to know.”

“It’s not allowed!”

“Pig said it’s a secret, sister. Secrets should be kept!”

Ah, between Shasha’s secret bag and who Ruedell likes most, I was gradually getting upset, feeling that secrets I knew nothing about were slowly accumulating.

Raising kids turns out to be rather useless…
But if the children were happy, what did it matter if it made their relationship stronger?

“Rudelo probably only likes the emperor or… his own mother anyway.”

It was so obvious that I nodded as if agreeing.

“Ah! And Shasha, this.”

In the meantime, Rudelo handed the doll he had been holding to Shasha.

“Ah…! My doll! I was worried about leaving it alone outside.”

“Do you like the doll that much?”

“Yes!”

It was the first gift from the maid who adored Shasha the most.

‘I should find out more about that maid.’

A child’s anxiety is always deeply hidden. The thoughts that the people around could become unhappy because of them. That’s why I wanted to get rid of it from the start.

I wanted to correct all the manipulations the parents had made.