‘Even though the damage is likely minimal right now, why are they so relaxed?’

Recalling the calm expression of Viscountess Sizz, I raised my head abruptly as I felt a finger tapping my forehead. Cahilren tilted his head and looked down at me.

“What are you contemplating that makes you furrow your brows like this?”

“It just seems odd.”

“What is?”

Cahilren asked while draping a shawl over my shoulders.

“It’s Viscountess Sizz. Even though the flooding is undoubtedly causing considerable damage, they seem too at ease. They went so far as to threaten the princess, and the current situation can’t be favorable, but their expressions remain calm. It bothers me.”

Cahilren seemed to share the same thoughts.

“She’s inherently a suspicious person.”

Sweeping his finger across his jaw, he tilted his head.

“I can’t be sure what trick she’s playing, so don’t leave my side, just in case.”

I nodded in agreement with Cahilren’s advice.

When we first set foot in Sizz Territory, I had already considered the situation worse than expected.

Despite Cahilren’s underwater preparations, many residences, including flooded mansions, suffered damage. Refugees who hadn’t managed to escape the territory were now staying in temporary shelters.

Perhaps due to the rumors circulating about Cahilren and me, the people who looked at us were filled with curiosity. Even without words, I could sense their thoughts.

‘That woman is the villain who tormented my sister so much, right?’

‘Don’t look. Haven’t you heard the rumor that she draws a sword just by making eye contact?’

The unmistakable fear in their gazes, directed at me and the cautiousness toward Cahilren, was evident.

Pretending not to notice, I walked through the temporary shelter, and from somewhere, a child suddenly popped out, accidentally colliding with Cahilren’s calf and then bumping backward onto the ground.

The child, seemingly unaware of the situation, blinked round eyes, only to belatedly start whimpering as if in pain.

Turning to console the child, Cahilren raised his head, furrowing his brows while looking down at the child. When the child’s eyes met Cahilren’s, the lips of the child quivered. It seemed on the verge of bursting into tears.

Quickly, I smacked Cahilren’s forearm.

“Ah.”

Cahilren looked at me with an unjust expression. The young, puzzled gaze questioning why I struck him was absurd.

‘Why deliberately scare them even more?’

Though it seemed like a mischievous prank, it wasn’t fair to the child on the receiving end.

Despite the mischievous behavior adding to Cahilren’s notorious reputation, he seemed bewildered by my reproachful look.

‘Why give them more fear on purpose?’

Just as I was thinking that it was only a playful joke, right at the moment when I was about to pick up the child to comfort them, a woman suddenly rushed over. She seemed to be the child’s mother, with a bewildered expression.

“S-Sorry. Your Highness, Lady Vee.”

The woman looked flustered, as if questioning whether the child had somehow offended us.

“It’s okay. Since the child seems startled, please comfort them quickly.”

Seeing that, the woman bowed her head several times in apology.
Watching the crying child in his mother’s arms, I turned away after receiving Cahilren’s escort. When I felt the gaze of the people watching us change slightly, Cahilren whispered in my ear.

“You said you like rough things; now you’re going as far as hitting people?”

“Why do you play such pranks?”

“It’s cute.”

It seemed that the child was cute, so he playfully teased them even more.

“But is now the right time to play around?”

“I can’t just stand idly by when things are not good.”

Cahilren shrugged his shoulders. There was a logic to his words. Brooding in gloominess wouldn’t help in a situation that was already bad. However, Cahilren seemed to forget the stern aura he often emitted. I shook my head disapprovingly.

“But I didn’t know you would find children cute.”

If it were a child, especially a crying one, I would have expected him to detest it, but it was unexpected. When I looked at Cahilren with a surprised expression, he smiled. Then, in a slightly lowered voice, he whispered.

“Our child would be even cuter.”

Wait, what is this man saying in a place like this?

Hearing unexpected words, I smacked down on his forearm, which I had my hand on. Of course, Cahilren didn’t flinch at all. Instead, he only grinned more at my reddened cheek.

Cahilren’s support made the temporary shelter more comfortable.

However, apart from where we revisited, other areas were devastatingly desolate.

The infrastructure that had collapsed due to heavy rain would undoubtedly take a considerable amount of time to recover. When the residents returned to their daily lives after the rain subsided, they would likely be disheartened to see the damage.

On that night, Viscount and Viscountess Sizz prepared a lavish dinner table.

However, the ruined village kept coming to mind, making it impossible to swallow.