‘Why is she acting like that?’

I opened the curtain and examined Blanche, who was huddled up. Apart from shivering heavily, she didn’t seem to be injured.

“This is……”

There were two gems in front of Blanche’s paws.

‘What she just spit out……’

One was the ruby that Blanche had swallowed earlier, and the other was…

A topaz shimmering with golden light.

“Baby, did you spit these out?”

“Whine……”

‘She succeeded in shapeshifting and spit out the gems!’

Now Blanche was safe. She wouldn’t die like it was written in Yenited’s medical journal.

“Blanche, you did so well, oh my, our baby……”

As the anxiety that had been tightening my heart loosened, the emotions I had been holding back welled up.

“Whine!”

Blanche tapped my shoulder with her front paw.

“Blanche, thank you……”

I hugged Blanche comfortably, letting go of all the worries I had until now.

“……Why. This color of all things.”

Jade’s expression darkened as he came over and picked up the two gems.

“Jade……? Is there a problem?”

“Larien, do you remember the boy we met on the ship?”

“The boy……”

The imperial prince of the Estupe Empire who gave Blanche a telescope with a red rose engraved on it.

‘His name was Richard.’

Richard’s eyes were the same golden color as this topaz.

‘The color of the gem spit out is the same as the companion’s eyes……’

Could it be that Blanche’s companion is Richard?

I realized why he disliked that the gem Blanche spit out was a golden topaz.

‘Jade must have thought of Richard too.’

I didn’t particularly mind. Richard was still young, and he wasn’t the psychotic crown prince of Estupe.

‘It’s nice that he’s energetic and lively.’

Then the ruby’s red light flashed strongly and disappeared.

Compared to the topaz still shimmering with golden light, the ruby’s color was faded.

“Jade, this……”

“Yes. I can’t feel Father’s energy. It must have disappeared.”

Jade clutched the ruby in his hand with a somewhat bitter expression.

“Larien. You should always keep the gem on you, so make it into an accessory.”

I pondered what kind of accessory to make with this topaz for Blanche.

‘Earrings? No, Blanche is still young and hasn’t pierced her ears. A brooch like Jade’s might get lost, so a necklace would be good.’

Blanche escaped from my arms and bared her teeth at Jade.

“Grr!”

She threatened him while making a quite wolf-like growl.

“How cute, no, Blanche, why, why are you doing that?”

While I found Blanche’s behavior adorable, it was strange that she was wary of Jade.

“Blanche, you shouldn’t do that.”

“Whine, whine!”

I couldn’t understand what she was saying in her wolf form.

Jade’s expression hardened for some reason and he didn’t continue speaking.

“Jade, what on earth did Blanche say to make you like that?”

“……”

He seemed to have understood what Blanche was saying.

“Blanche, why don’t you try undoing the shapeshifting for now?”

Blanche shook her head and looked dejected.

“You don’t know how to turn back into a human?”

“Whine……”

Jade, who had been watching from the side, muttered in a low voice.

“……Like this, try focusing on the thought of pulling in your ears and tail.”

“Whine……!”

As Blanche exerted herself as Jade said, she turned back into a human.

“……I hate the marquis! Go away!”

And she pushed Jade away while shouting.

‘A child who liked Jade so much……’

So this is why she was shocked earlier.

“Blanche, what’s wrong? Hm?”

“Shu Shu hates him! I really, truly, absolutely hate the marquis!”

Really, truly, absolutely.

Blanche glared at Jade, using every emphatic expression she knew.

‘What should I do about this.’

Jade smiled wryly with a bewildered face.

“After all I did to get the gem.”

“Hmph! Marquis, go away!”

I recalled what Blanche had said earlier.

‘She must have misunderstood that he dislikes her.’

What should I do about this?

“Blanche, that’s not it.”

“Shu Shu only needs Mama! I never had, uh, a papa anyway……”

Blanche’s eyes welled up with tears as she spoke, seeming upset.

“You think I like this? I don’t like you either.”

Instead of comforting her, Jade provoked Blanche.

‘My head hurts, what is he doing arguing with a child?’

I held my throbbing head and glared at Jade.

“Jade, go out for a moment. I’ll bring Blanche out when she calms down.”

“……Alright.”

I sent Jade out first and sat on the bed, patting the space next to me.

“Blanche, come here.”

“Shu Shu didn’t do anything wrong! The marquis said he hated Shu Shu first!”

“I’m not going to scold you.”

After glancing around cautiously, Blanche fidgeted with her fingers before running over.

I picked Blanche up, sat her on the bed, and placed my hand on her heart.

“Blanche. Remember when Mama asked if it was beating well here? If you hadn’t spit out the gem earlier……”

“Mm……”

“Your heart wouldn’t beat properly and it would be dangerous, but the marquis helped our baby spit out the gem. So you wouldn’t be in more pain.”

Blanche blinked her round eyes and tilted her head.

“He was……worried about Shu Shu? But the marquis hates Shu Shu. That’s why he frowned earlier……”

“Hate you? No. Of course he was worried. Um, well. The marquis was just too surprised.”

“Why was he surprised?”

“Actually, Mama lied to the marquis. He absolutely doesn’t hate you or is angry at you. How much do you think the marquis worried about you?”

Blanche still didn’t seem to believe it and crossed her arms.

“Mama, Shu Shu is all grown up now, you don’t have to comfort me with lies.”

“It’s true. If the marquis really hated you, would he have given you piggyback rides and played ball with you at the Ice Festival?”

“……Then, the marquis really doesn’t hate Shu Shu? He’s not disappointed?”

Blanche’s voice lost its strength. Somehow, as if she still couldn’t be sure.

‘I guess I’ll have to let them spend time alone together to become closer.’

I patted Blanche’s cheek.

“Of course, Blanche.”

“Shu Shu said mean things to the marquis earlier. I said I hated him and told him to go away….. What if the marquis got hurt?”

“You can apologize and say you’re sorry for the misunderstanding!”

I tickled Blanche and then hugged her tightly.

Blanche burst out laughing and brought over crayons and drawing paper.

“Blanche, what are you doing?”

“Shu Shu is too shy to apologize directly, so I’m drawing an apple to apologize with a picture.”

Blanche lay on her stomach on the carpet and drew an apple with a red crayon.

“An apple?”

“When you apologize and give an apple picture, it feels more sincere!”

I turned my head to hide my laughter at her quirky creativity.

‘It’s not easy to have the courage to admit your mistakes and apologize instead of avoiding it, she’s better than me as an adult.’

I covered Blanche with a blanket and went outside.

Jade was leaning against the wall in the hallway.

“Jade, are you alright?”

I shook Jade gently, with a smile on my lips.

Jade slowly spoke after coming to his senses.

“……Why does she hate me?”

I shouldn’t say anything when she’s drawing a picture to apologize.

“Stay for dinner. Go to the dining room first. I’ll bring Blanche.”

“……Alright.”

Jade’s steps were heavy as he headed down to the dining room.

A little while later, Blanche came out of the room and confidently held out the drawing paper.

“Blanche, are you done?”

“Yep. How is it?”

“It’s a very nice apple. You drew it well.”

“Where’s the marquis?”

“He’s in the dining room. Let’s go quickly.”

I held Blanche’s hand and went down to the dining room.

A delicious dinner feast was being laid out on the table.

Blanche approached Jade, hiding the drawing paper behind her back.

He was resting his chin on his hand, poking at the salad with his fork.

“Jade, Blanche has something to say to you.”

“Something to say?”

While pretending not to care, Jade glanced at Blanche out of the corner of his eye.

“An apology……?”

“Shu Shu drew it. To give to the marquis.”

“Didn’t you say you hated me?”

“No. Shu Shu doesn’t hate the marquis.”

Jade didn’t accept Blanche’s apology and sipped his wine.

‘If a child goes this far, he should just pretend to accept it.’

When he wasn’t looking, Blanche untied the sky-blue ribbon in her hair.

‘What is Blanche doing now?’

Plop.

“Marquis, tie Shu Shu’s hair please!”

Blanche held out the sky-blue ribbon to Jade.

‘I wondered why she suddenly did that.’

I secretly smiled, realizing she was deliberately trying to get closer to him.

“I’ve never done it before. Ask your mother to do it.”

“Then you can try it now!”

Jade hesitated before taking the sky-blue ribbon and sitting Blanche on his knee.

“Marquis, braid Shu Shu’s hair like this.”

Blanche demonstrated by clumsily braiding her hair.

Jade listened intently and awkwardly grasped her hair.

“That’s not it! Mama does it well……”

“Getting upset like that proves you’re my daughter. I’ll do it again.”

He divided Blanche’s hair in half and braided it quite neatly.

He was frowning in concentration.

“Why are you staring so intently, Larien?”

“W-when did I stare?”

I quickly averted my gaze.

“Your mother always stares, and when asked why she’s looking, she denies it.”

Jade whispered in a low, playful tone.

“Jade, don’t say unnecessary things to Blanche…… Mary?”

“Young lady! An invitation has arrived from the imperial palace!”

Mary rushed into the dining room and handed over the invitation.