DON’T REMEMBER ME

~ 3.22 ~

Translator: Lioness

Haven’s eyes watched the multicolored ribbons on Flitta’s head, which seemed to be messing with his eyes. He cast the head maid a look, that she noticed and responded quickly.

“The princess wanted to wear a lot of ribbons.”

“Hmm…”

He let out a meaningless sigh. At that time, hearing the head maid’s words, Flitta’s face turned pale in an instant. It was probably because she thought her father would judge her impulsiveness. She pulled the hem of Rosé’s skirt, and she felt that her courage has deflated.

“Grand Duke…”

Rosé held Flitta’s hand and opened her mouth. She did what Flitta wanted because she didn’t want her child to grow up to always be scared around her surroundings. Even to the smallest trivial things, Rosé wanted Flitta to make her own choices. Rosé wanted to let Flitta feel that she could express what she likes.

“Your Highness, how about reconsidering the decision of the Princess’s exclusive maid? What she has been doing is not sufficient to repay what Your Highness has bestowed to her. However, to insult the honor of Guinters for being so vulgar and arrogant about the Princess’s taste, is not acceptable.”

At that moment, the nanny stepped forward with a triumphant expression and cut off Rosé’s words. Haven was about to sit down when he heard that and became indecisive right after. At the same time, the butler and the head maid frowned slightly.

However, Haven continued to immediately approach the table with a nonchalant face as if nothing had happened. Then the butler also quickly changed his expression and stood by to serve his meal.

“Yo, Your Highness?”

The nanny’s expression turned ashamed with the return of Haven’s lack of response. She was again about to say something when the head maid, opened her mouth and shook her head at the nanny. The nanny finally zipped her mouth, feeling that she was treated unfairly.

“Sit down, Princess.”

The head maid took her eyes off the nanny and opened her mouth to the young princess. Flitta shuddered at her, looking at the nanny wearily, sitting down at her seat.

The moment Rosé tried to speak in a low voice to comfort the child, Haven’s nonchalant voice was heard first.

“Guinters’ honor…”

His voice sounded like a mock, but there was no way he would ridicule his own family. Furthermore, his family is the Imperial Family in this country, so that can’t be. Everyone thought the same except Haven.

“If the honor you’re talking about worth a few ribbons, I’d rather not have it.”

“…!”

And it was not an illusion. They could read the sarcasm in their Master’s voice. Upon realizing her mistake, the nanny contemplated excuses hastily.

“Your Highness, I… I didn’t mean to insult Guinters!”

As her voice resonated, Haven frowned. With that, the head maid hurriedly grabbed the nanny away.

“Stop it. Why are you making a fuss?”

“Bu, but…”

“Are you going to say something again that His Highness didn’t even complain about? Even after creating this fuss?”

The head maid asked sharply, lowering her voice so that no one inside the room would be able to hear her. The nanny’s body trembled, and she felt so embarrassed. The butler, who was watching her, clicked his tongue.

“Princess.”

The head maid shifted her gaze from the nanny to Flitta and politely called her. Flitta was frozen, so Rosé slightly tapped her shoulder, waking Flitta’s senses up. She realized she have stopped approaching the table.

Rosé followed behind her and pulled Flitta’s chair away. She helped Flitta sit comfortably.

Haven and Flitta sat down on their respective seats and their food was served neatly on the table. The pea soup was first placed in front of Flitta.

“Hnng…”

Rosé stood behind Flitta and smiled when she heard the child make a small noise, whimpering. Then she leaned over and whispered softly in Flitta’s ears.

“Did I tell you about the Pea Fairy yesterday?”

“Uh, but, Rosé….”

Flitta slightly pouted, holding her spoon in her small hand, and looked back at Rosé as if she didn’t want that. Rosé then smiled at her and whispered in a quitter voice than earlier.

“If you don’t eat the soup, the Pea Fairy will be very sad. She must have woken up early in the morning and made soup for the princess.”

“Hnng.”

Flitta let out a short whimpering sound, then grabbed her spoon tightly and ate her soup.

Over the past week, she has been somewhat aware of the child’s appetite. She noticed that even though Flitta was not that picky, she is rather a picky eater. Flitta said that one thing she hates is peas.

That’s why Rosé tried to fix her Flitta’s unbalanced eating habits. But of course, Rosé was not forcing the child. After all, Flitta is a Princess.

She did it because no one should ever be forced to do so. It was because no matter how young she was, she should know how to judge and decide on her own.

That was why Rosé chose telling a story to convince Flitta, which might arouse her interest. And through that, Flitta decided that she wanted to balanced her diet on her own.

Did the child understand Rosé’s heart?

The child continued to scoop up her pea soup even as her cheeks puffed out. Rosé saw that Flitta had finished third of her soup, and gazed at her warmly, belatedly straightening her back.

“…!”

As soon as Rosé raised her head, she made eye contact with Haven, who was looking at me. She instantly froze on her spot.

How long have he been watching?

His blue eyes were fixated on her, and for her, it was not just a casual glance, but an intense fixation of attention.

He didn’t care that Rosé was flustered and didn’t know what to do.

Despite the fact that the butler, the head maid, and even the nanny felt something strange and were perplexed.

“… The Pea Fairy.”

After a while of silence, he opened his mouth and blurted those words. The words that came out were unexpected which made the rest, excluding Rosé baffled.

Rosé felt her face heat up at the ‘pea fairy’ that came out of Haven’s mouth. She thought that she whispered it in a low voice, but it seemed that Haven heard it so well.

But he said nothing more afterward. He just ate quietly.

Nonetheless, Rosé kept her blushing face down until Flitta finished eating her breakfast.

* * *

“…. Pfftt.”

Haven let out a small laugh while reviewing the report. The butler who was standing right next to him, and was pouring tea was startled. The wind whistled and the teapot swayed, making the tea on the desk.

“Ah! I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“It’s fine.”

Haven brushed off the butler’s hasty apology, then returned to what he was doing. The butler finished pouring the tea and glanced carefully at Haven.

“… Why, do you have anything to say to me?”

Haven’s blue eyes, which were fixed on the paperwork, turned to the butler. It was a cold gaze, no, to be more precise, it was different than usual. However, the butler didn’t care and smiled, and then he said something out of the blue.

“The princess’s face has brightened a lot.”

“….”

Haven’s eyebrows narrowed while looking at the butler, he seemed to be confused. The butler smiled and continued.

“Just judging how she looks early this morning. Haha, how surprised I was to see the Princess in that appearance…”

Haven listened to the butler with a nonchalant expression and lifted the teacup in front of him. The faint scent of tea passed through his nose. Was that why? His expression, which had always been stiff, relaxed a little.

A light breeze came in through the open window. His undisturbed, neatly combed hair swayed on his forehead.

He took a sip of his tea and cast his gaze out his window. Even though it was broad daylight, the sky was dark. The clouds approaching from afar were black, as if they were driving rain at any time.

Tak.

And as if to prove Haven’s prediction correct, raindrops fell on the windowsill right after.

“Oh my, it looks like it’s about to rain.”

The butler stopped talking, looked out the window, and hurriedly moved to close the window.

“Leave it, Yanik.”

But just as the butler was about to close the window, Haven opened his mouth to stop him. Then he put down his teacup, got up, and went to the window. As his loyal butler approached his master, he hurriedly stepped aside.

Haven stood where the butler stood aside, staring out the window. He thought it was only raindrops that was falling, but soon, the raindrops became thicker.

Shhwaaa.

Soon after, the rain started pouring heavily. Haven watched silently as the gardeners and servants outside ran to and fro to get shelter from the rain. Until then, his blue eyes had been calm and unwavering.

“…”

However, the moment a woman entered his vision, the atmosphere in Haven suddenly changed. To the point that even the butler, who was standing a couple of steps away from him, flinched.

She was that woman.

She is his child’s exclusive maid.

He narrowed his brows when he saw Rosé staggering with basket full of laundry in her hands. Notwithstanding everyone took shelter from the rain, it felt funny that she was along carrying the large basket.

“…Tsk.”

Contrary to what he thought was funny, Haven’s expression became colder. He looked down at the woman with her arms full of a basket that seemed to be heavier than her own body, and clicked his tongue.

“…. Your Highness?”

After reading Haven’s disapproval gaze, the butler cautiously poked his head out the window with a puzzled expression. However, the butler’s question was not resolved. In the meantime, Rosé’s figure had disappeared into the building.

“…?”

Leaving behind the confused butler, Haven returned to his seat. He picked up the paper he put aside.

The blue eyes that were scanning the type on the paper were twisted. He madly threw away the papers, then opened his mouth to the butler.

“Who is in charge of the division of duties among the maids?”