Chapter 47 - Thank You For Not Leaving Me Alone
47. Thank You For Not Leaving Me Alone
Esteban had one dilemma. About how Mabel called him. When Mabel first began to speak, she called him “Baba.” So he had no doubt that she would call him “Papa.”
But.
“Rowal Fathe.” (Royal Father.)
It wasn’t Papa but Royal Father.
‘How come she skipped stages?’
Esteban was shocked. However, it was too trivial to talk to others about it, so he didn’t tell anyone and let it be.
There was a time when even Oscar called Esteban Papa, but why was Mabel calling him Royal Father?
Thinking that she was just copying her brother, Oscar, Esteban had secretly called himself “Papa” in front of Mabel in hopes that she would follow along.
He was looking forward to the day when Mabel would call him Papa. But that never happened. He couldn’t force his beloved daughter to call him Papa, so he gave up to some extent.
He did, but.
“…Papa.”
His beloved child, who had been in a coma for a month, as soon as she woke up, called him Papa.
“Is this a dream?”
Esteban clenched his fist and hit himself on the shoulder.
Pak!
It hurt.
It’s not a dream.
***
The news that the Emperor woke up spread quickly in the Imperial Palace. It was the first good news since she lost consciousness. Those, who were so intimidated by the ice cold atmosphere, were finally able to breathe. The doctors showed the most relief by far.
“Congratulations, your life was saved.”
“Haha. It is.”
“I should have congratulatory drinks today!”
The subjects, who had to attend the regular meetings without the Emperor, also brightened up.
“Did you hear the news? The Emperor has finally woken up!”
“What a relief. I was so anxious waiting for her to wake up…”
“I can sleep with my legs stretched out now! Hahaha.” (T/N: He can sleep relaxed now.)
Oscar, who had been wielding a sword expressionlessly all day, dropped his sword at the news that Mabel woke up.
“Mabel…”
He wanted to go see Mabel right away, but he tried to hold it in.
‘I don’t deserve to see Mabel.’
He boasted that he would protect Mabel, but in the end, he couldn’t do anything. It was Mabel who saved the stand-in-Emperor. So he had no confidence to face his little sister.
‘I’m such a pathetic brother.’
Oscar smiled helplessly and lifted his sword. The only thing he could do now was to build up his strength to protect her.
Meanwhile there was another person in the Imperial Palace who was shocked, confused, and scared.
It was the stand-in-Emperor, Esteban.
“The weather is nice today. Don’t you think so?
“What? Yes…”
Upon receiving a sudden question, Gustav looked up at the gloomy sky with confusion.
‘If the stand-in-Emperor says the weather is nice, the weather is nice.’
And at that moment, it started to rain.
‘…if, if you like rain then the weather is nice!’
Esteban, who didn’t even know that Gustav was making all sorts of reasonings in his head, took a light and cheerful step. He finished all his work so he was going to have a good time with Mabel.
It was when they pa.s.sed the corridor. Esteban called Gustav with a soft voice.
“Gustav.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Actually, Mabel called me Papa.”
“Ahh, yes.”
Only then did Gustav understand why Esteban was feeling as if he was going to fly away.
‘She’s been calling him Royal Father until now.’
Esteban stood still. Then he spoke with a serious expression.
“So about that… I’m worried about something.”
“What is it?”
Gustav’s expression also subsided. He didn’t feel good since he was so serious.
‘Is it about the Holy Kingdom?’
The condition of having a priest from Abelardo to help Mabel wake up sent was to officially recognize ‘Winter’ in her name.
Esteban agreed without hesitation. Gustav nodded.
“As I thought, it would have been better to think more about the decision with the Holy Kingdom.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Yes?”
“We can just wipe out Abelardo. I only pretended to accept the condition.”
“…what?”
‘I think I just heard something amazing.’
Esteban expressed his worries in a strange tone while Gustav was in shock.
“I can’t choose. Would the Sinolia Peninsula be better, or the Pelichiat Winter Palace?”
“…no way.”
“Yeah. About Mabel’s present.”
“……”
Gustav was speechless. He gave all kinds of villas and even a duchy, and now he’s even considering peninsulas and palaces.
He answered roughly with a feeling of indifference.
“You should give both.”
“Right? As I thought, that would be best, right?”
“……”
Gustav felt his arms and legs get weaker.
***
It didn’t feel real that I had been asleep for more than a month since the day of the attack.
‘Did my hair grow? I think I’m also a little taller…’
But, what was more important than the change in my appearance was the change in my divine power.
I don’t remember the situation from that time that well, but I roughly knew that I healed the stand-in-Emperor with my divine power.
That was the trigger, and it seemed that the divine power that had been expanded became at a level where I could feel it myself.
“Hm. Ah thwink ith a wot.” (Hm. I think it’s a lot.)
The exact amount will have to be evaluated with the kitty. But I think I’ll need to think about the healing power that came out suddenly.
“Euuu!”
With my head filled with complicated and confusing thoughts, I curled up and struggled in pain.
I’ve been hiding my ability to communicate with natural beings, and now I suddenly showed my ability to heal! All the efforts to look like a baby without any ability ended in vain.
‘Of course,I did save the stand-in-Emperor…’
Even if the same situation was repeated or I went back in time, I would have done the same thing. My choice remained the same.
I lied down and stretched out my arms and legs.
“Wha dwo ah dwo now?” (What do I do now?)
The second life I was given.
Until now, I was only focused on turning a blind eye to reality.
I was buried in the wounds of the past and treated my new family as strangers, pretending not to see the sincerity of their feelings, so I made every effort not to be deeply involved.
But now I know.
‘Yoon Gyeo-Ul is gone now.’
Yoon Gyeo-Ul is dead. Now, I am Mabel.
The father who abused and neglected me is gone now. Instead, the stand-in-Emperor and Oscar who love me unconditionally are here.
‘I don’t want to think about leaving anymore.’
Now I wanted to live a normal life with a real family.
But there’s one big problem…
“The thwone.” (The throne.)
It was ridiculous to think that I, without any knowledge or training, was taking over the throne. My belief in my abolition remained.
“Hm. Hmmm…”
When I was thinking about the future, I heard signs of movement outside the door.
When I saw the door open, the face of the stand-in-Emperor appeared.
“Rowal!….Pa.”
I habitually called him Royal Father, but I rushed to change it to Papa.
Then Gustav, who was following the stand-in-Emperor, copied my words.
“Rowalpa?”
‘…pretend to ignore that.’
Usually, when the stand-in-Emperor saw me, he laughed in vain, but today, he came with his arms wide open and a wide smile.
“The world’s most loveliest and cutest Mabel. Did you sleep well?”
‘The modifier is quite long…’
I nodded awkwardly.
“Uung…”
The stand-in-Emperor lifted me up and patted my head gently.
“You respond well. Mabel, you must be the best responding baby in the world. Yes, that’s right.”
“Uung?”
‘I think the state of his silly comments are worse from a month ago.’
I tried to reason it that it’s been a month and pulled his hem.
“Even the little fingers that pull my hem are so cute. The world’s cutest fingers-.”
The stand-in-Emperor was cut off.
“Papa.”
“……!”
The stand-in-Emperor’s eyes widened. I was surprised by his reaction.
‘Does he not like being called Papa?’
Come to think of it, when I first woke up and called him Papa, the reaction wasn’t good. He suddenly slapped himself on the shoulder and left.
I called the stand-in-Emperor as I originally did.
“Rowal Fawthe?”
“Mabel. Papa. It’s Papa.”
“P-papa.”
“Yes. It’s Papa.”
It wasn’t a surprise face because of dislike but because he liked it. I realized that I was mistaken when I saw his moved expression.
‘…I see it now. That you care about me.’
It used to be a burden, but now it’s excessive.
I never received love, so I didn’t know how to repay it. So to the stand-in-Emperor, no. I hugged my dad’s neck.
Then his body went stiff.
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“…Mabel?”
“Thw.a.n.k you for nurthing me.” (Thank you for nursing me.)
Thank you for taking good care of me when I caught a cold.
Thank you for not leaving me alone when I was sick.
I’m sorry for being such a bad daughter.
I was talking about the summer when I got sick for the first time but my Dad seemed to be thinking about this time when I collapsed.
“Why are you thanking me? I just did what I obviously should have.”
“Ith not obviouth.” (It’s not obvious.)
“How can such a young one already know how to give thanks. Why are you so kind, Mabel?”
“Hehe…”
If you find out what I’ve done, you won’t say I’m nice.
I was debating for a very short time whether I would still be a good daughter, but I decided not to.
‘He’ll just say whatever I do is okay.’
And there were two obstacles to clean up in order to lead my second life comfortably.
“Papa, you knwow.” (Papa, you know.)
“Yes.”
“Abewardo pwiests are hewe, wight? Tell them two come hewe.” (Abelardo priests are here, right? Tell them to come here.)
Dad’s eyes got bigger. He looked at me with the ‘how did you know?’ face.
‘I heard from the mice.’
Through them, I could roughly grasp the situation after I lost consciousness.
Since I didn’t wake up for a month, the Ermano Empire sent an official letter requesting for the dispatch of priests from the Holy Kingdom of Abelardo, which Abelardo accepted.
And as soon as they came, my condition improved and I woke up in less than a day later.
‘…that’s the gist.’
I absorbedly water and the overflow of the holy power was induced. This situation is probably what Abelardo wants.
There was only one thing Abelardo asked for in return for waking me up.
Acknowledge the holy name ‘Winter.’
It may sound like just adding an extra name in my middle name, but it isn’t. The intention is to put me, the Emperor of Ermano, and the imperial family under the influence of G.o.d.
When I didn’t wake up, Dad accepted the condition and let brought Abelardo’s priests into the Imperial Palace.
‘I can’t let you do that.’
Her father, who had a stiff expression, sighed softly and nodded.
“I was going to call them anyway because I want your condition examined one more time.”
“Ung. Tell thwem to cwom now.” (Ung. Tell them to come now.)
“Okay, Gustav.”
Gustav, who was ordered by Father, left the bedroom immediately.
Soon after, a gray-haired grandpa entered the bedroom. Like last time, a sense of rumbling was felt.
“I greet the two Majesty’s. I am Clement, an elder of Abelardo, the Holy Kingdom.”
“Hewwo. Gwanpa Cwement.” (h.e.l.lo. Grandpa Clement.)
“Haha. I’m relieved to see you healthy. How are you feeling?”
“Gwood.”
“May I take a look?”
“Ung.”
The elder Clement, stood in front of me and raised his head close to my forehead. After a while, a white warm light came to his hand.
“The powerful divine power that was running wild has calmed down a lot. But we don’t know when it will explode again, so it’s not good to use the healing ability.”
“Okway.”
How can I reach my goal if I used the healing ability twice?
I wasn’t going to use it until my body grew and my power was stabilized.
You must know the condition of my body now, it’s time to get to the point.
“Gwanpa Cwemen. Ah have a quethion.” (Grandpa Clement. I have a question.)
“What is it?”
“You thaid in Abewado that you wanted Winte in ma nwame.” (You said in Abelardo that you wanted Winter in my name.)
My father, who had been watching silently, was about to say something because of the sensitive topic. I shook my head and had my gaze straight forward.
‘Trust me.’
As I smiled with a ‘hehe’ and pretended to be naive, Elder Clement gave a kind smile back.
“That’s right. Your Majesty is the only ‘seed of G.o.d’ on the continent that the oracle has given.’
“Ith G.o.d’th sweed weally that good?” (Is G.o.d’s seed really that good?)
“Of course.”
“How good ith it?”
“It can be said that it represents all of G.o.ds followers.”
“Wow! Tho ah’m stwongest after G.o.d?” (Wow! So I’m strongest after G.o.d?)
“What? Haha, that’s about it.”
Elder Clement smiled at me as if I were cute.
‘Got him.’
“Thwen Yewium ith mine?” (Then Yelium is mine?)
“…pardon?”
I put my hand out and demanded confidently.
“Gimme.”
Yelium. A relic symbolizing Abelardo’s supreme authority.
Elder Clement was greatly fl.u.s.tered to see me confidently demand the key to the ventricle and a token of G.o.d’s presence.
He smiled and refused euphemistically.
“That is the King’s…”
“Gimme. Ith mine.” (Gimme. It’s mine.)
But I stayed stubborn.
‘It’s a baby’s privilege to be stubborn.’
If you want me under Abelardo’s influence, shouldn’t you pay an equivalent price?
“Retuwn whath mine!” (Return what’s mine!)