Chapter 16 - Baba Hwate!

“Is she hungry?”

Xavier lifted me up and hugged me. I struggled and grumbled.

“Heung…….”

“Yesterday you cried all day, and today you’re angry……why?”

Lalima scratched her cheek as if she was in trouble. I saw two adults looking troubled with their faces full of frowns.

‘……What am I doing right now? I’m not even a real baby.’

Sometimes I was surprised to see myself act like such a baby.

I hesitated and handed them a sincere apology.

“Sowwy. I wath wong.” (Sorry. I was wrong.)

It was not mature at all to vent one’s anger in a harsh place.

To crown me the throne was the Emperor’s madness, it had nothing to do with them.

They were the poor people who had to be stripped down by their boss.

Let’s reflect…..

“Just now, what did her Highness say……?”

“Ah. What. I thought I was dreaming, but you heard it too?”

For those who were in a flurry, I buried my face in Xavier’s shoulder.

I was so angry, but there was nowhere to vent this anger.

‘What do I do?’

I think it’s better to go to the person in charge and solve it, right?

In conclusion, I pulled on Xavier’s clothes.

“Oh, what’s wrong?”

I wasn’t able to speak properly without mincing my words.

I had to ask to take me to the Emperor, but I couldn’t say Emperor.

I am faced with an unexpected and enormous crisis.

I closed my eyes tight and muttered.

“……Ba.”

“Ba?”

“Oong. Baba.”

Xavier tilted his head with a puzzled look, but Lalima understood immediately.

“Baba, isn’t it Dad? I think she’s talking about his Majesty!”

“Baba…… I think it’s more Bob than Dad.”

Then Xavier began to make a misunderstanding. I grabbed Xavier’s hair, shaking his head.

“Baba.”

“Look. She’s saying it’s not Bob.”

Lalima raised her head and took me away.

“You want to see his Majesty, don’t you? I’ll take you there.”

“She hasn’t eaten yet though?”

“She can come back and eat.”

As Lalima headed for the door, Xavier followed with a worried look.

“You’ll be scolded by Madame for acting however you like.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Lalima left Xavier and headed straight to the Emperor’s place.

But there was no one when we arrived at the Emperor’s room.

“His Majesty is at the dining hall right now.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Lalima looked at me with a ‘what do we do now?’ look on her face. I clenched my teeth and swallowed my anger.

You said you’d turn me into the Emperor, and you’re eating?

‘I won’t forgive you.’

I pulled Lalima’s arm.

“Yes, your Highness.”

“Wak!” (Walk!)

“You want to walk?”

“Oong.”

After practicing, I was able to walk around quite a bit. In fact, it was possible to run, even though only a little bit.

I waddled to the dining hall holding Lalima’s hand.

I almost fell down a few times, but Lalima held me well, so no such mishaps occurred.

But something was wrong. As I turned my head, the shadow disappeared with the sound of footsteps.

I thought it was Lissandro, but it was highly unlikely because Lissandro did not make the sound of footsteps.

I pointed back, pulling Lalima’s hand.

“Twere.” (There.)

“Is something over there?”

“Oong.”

Lalima put my hand down and approached the corridor.

Lalima, who checked the back, suddenly pointed a finger.

“What are you doing there right now?!”

As expected, there was someone there. I walked carelessly with my fingers in my mouth.

There were six maids and servants there.

“Ahaha.”

“We just……”

“We heard the Princess came out.”

I just blinked at the people making excuses one by one.

Are you saying that you came here because you wanted to see me?

I didn’t understand, so I stared at the maids. Then everyone made a fuss and gathered around me.

“Your Highness, you’re so cute!”

“It’s great that you’re already walking, your highness. It’s so cute when you waddle……”

“How is your cheek so plump?”

“Hey, hey! Look at her hands? So small and dainty.”

Ahhh!

No one touched me, but I was distracted by all the people who surrounded me and spoke.

I hesitated and grabbed Lalima’s skirt.

“Baba……”

I have to go find the Emperor as soon as possible. What it the meal is over because of this delay and the roads cross?

Lalima, who glared at the people with a serious look, took my hadn’t.1

“STOOOP!”

“?!”

Lalima’s loud voice took the people by surprise.

In the meantime, Lalima took me away.

And then she cried out.

“The Princess is my best friend! So don’t pretend to be close!”

“……?”

‘Um, Lalima?”

I was dumbfounded and looked at Lalima, but she had a proud look on her face.

“Let’s go, your Highness!”

And she left with dignity.

As expected, she was still young, so she seemed immature.

Lalima was 17 last year, so she must be 18 now.

She was still in her late teens, so she deserved to be immature.

But if I think she’s more immature than Oscar, am I being mean……

I arrived at the dining hall before I knew it. There was the smell of delicious food.

Although I am eating baby food, I have never seen a proper meal because they are still being chopped up.

‘Must be good.”

Thinking of samgyeopsal and gopchang, I hurriedly shook my head and stepped into the dining hall.

Perhaps because it was the end of the meal, the Emperor was drinking water.

‘Good, stay there and watch.’

“Baba!”

I began to run, calling the Emperor.

‘This is to gain the momentum to hit harder.’

When I reach the front of the Emperor, I’ll raise my fists high-

“Mabel!”

“?!”

The Emperor gave me a big hug. I was thrown into the air in a daze.

“Are you here because you miss your father?”

‘No, wait. This isn’t it!’

I slapped the Emperor on the shoulder with my fist in embarrassment. But it was my hand that hurt, not the Emperor.

“I can’t believe you came running, calling your father so desperately. I’m so moved, Mabel……”

“……”

It was ruined.

With a disastrous misunderstanding, my revenge ended in a failure.

“Webenge……” (Revenge……)

I murmured melancholy. All I got was blood and wounds. The hand that hit the Emperor was in much pain.

The Emperor sat on the chair again and sat me on his lap.

Then he ordered the servant who was waiting.

“Bring Ice cream.”

‘……ice cream?’

I raised my head at the word that flashed through my ears.

As the months went by, the nanny gave me snacks, and ice cream was one of them.

But saying I might catch a cold, I was only able to have one or two bites, it was always a shame.

‘Must be good, the ice cream……’

It was not long before the ice cream came out. It was chocolate ice cream that looked so sweet and soft.

The Emperor scooped the ice cream with a small spoon. My eyes followed the spoon like I was possessed.

‘Must be nice, being an adult.’

You can eat as much ice cream as you want.

I stared at the spoon with eyes full of envy.

“Mabel. Ah.”

“……ah?”

A cold thing popped into my mouth. As I kept my mouth open, the Emperor closed my mouth with his other hand.

The sweet ice cream melted in my mouth.

‘Ah……it’s sweet……’

I was afraid that it melted too quickly, but it was really soft and sweet. I looked back at the Emperor with shining eyes.

“Is it good?”

“Oong.”

“Do you want to eat more?”

“Oong.”

The Emperor put ice cream in my mouth once again. The ice cream I had after a long time was so delicious that I was amazed.

‘Is this what happiness is?’

The Emperor diligently moved the spoon whenever the ice cream disappeared from my mouth.

All the ice cream in the small bowl disappeared.

“Here, this is the last one.”

I took the spoon in my mouth. It was sad that it was the last one, but it was good to eat a lot.

A moment later, when the sweetness and coldness in my mouth was completely gone, I came to my senses.

‘Ah, right.’

I came to get my revenge, but I lost my purpose because I was possessed by the ice cream.

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a meal with Mabel from now on.”

The Emperor who talked, had a huge misunderstanding.

No, it can’t go on like this. The Emperor is a mad man trying to make me the Emperor!

I had to express my opinion before it was too late. I banged the table! And cried out a hailstorm.

“hwate!” (Hate!)

“What do you hate-.”

“Baba, hwate!” (Papa, hate!)

“!”

1

The Emperor opened his two eyes wide. I felt as if he had been shocked.

I thought it was too much after getting ice cream, but I quickly changed my mind.

‘hmph.’

I struggled down from his knee.

And then, I ran.

***

Clink……

The spoon in Esteban’s hand fell helplessly and rolled loudly on the floor.

“……Gustav.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“What did I hear just now?”

“……”

Gustav couldn’t answer. If he answered wrongly, he was convinced that he would end up being unemployed.

Esteban’s complexion was blurry.

Gustav picked up the dropped spoon and slipped away. The spark was a no-no.

“Mabel…… It can’t be, Mabel.”

As if drinking alcohol, Esteban, who gulped the cold water, rose from his seat.

His face was like he had lost his country.

‘What are you going to do……?’

Gustav chased Esteban with anxious eyes.

He left the dining hall without erasing his devastated face.

Although he wanted to pretend he didn’t know, Gustav hurriedly followed suit, fearing that his Majesty would run into an accident.

Esteban was outside of no other than Mabel’s bedroom.

Lissandro, who was escorting outside the door spoke.

“I greet the Emperor.”

“What about Mabel?”

“She is inside.”

Esteban’s tense mouth loosened again. He felt good thinking about seeing Mabel again.

Chubby, soft, and fair cheeks.

A small hand that makes you doubt that she can pick anything up.

A lovely baby who struggles to walk with anything on her arms and legs.

‘Yes. I’m sure I heard wrong. There’s no way Mabel hates me.’

Mabel was a docile child who didn’t care about people.

The only exception was Lissandro, who was right in front of him, but Esteban thought it had nothing to do with him.

‘Mabel is my daughter.’

Esteban opened the door with a much lighter heart.

And-.

“Euaaaaaaaaang!”

As soon as she saw him, Mabel, who hated him, burst into tears.

“……Mab….el?”

“Euaaaang! Go!!”

A child who doesn’t cry often, cries when she sees him. An not just crying, it was sobbing.

At that time, Esteban’s feelings were beyond describable.

Flustered, difficulty, sadness, grief.

In an instant, a great deal of emotion passed by.

Esteban came a few steps closer and stretched his arms to Mabel, who was pouring out tears with big eyes.

The idea was to hug and soothe her.

“Mab-.”

“Go awa! Euaaang!” (Go away! Euaaang!)

However, Esteban was rejected before he could touch her.

The nanny, who ran past the frozen Esteban, stretched her hand out to Mabel and patted her back in her arms.

“It’s okay, Princess.”

Esteban was shocked again.

‘You didn’t even let me touch you.’ (T/N: This broke my heart, ngl)

But you let the nanny without any hesitation.

A sense of betrayal struck him.

But he wasn’t the only one who was shocked.

“Your Highness, you don’t need to be afraid at all. Look, it’s your father, the Emperor.”

The nanny turned Mabel’s body towards Esteban, tenderly and affectionately.

The ice blue tear-stained pupils looked at him.

Staaare-.

The look in the eyes encouraged Esteban.

“Yes, Mabel. It’s father.”

“Baba……”

Mabel followed Esteban’s words quietly.

Every time she opened her mouth, her cheeks were so lovely that he wanted to bite them.

“You must’ve had a scary dream. It’s alright, Mabel. Because your father is here-.”

Mabel cut off the friendly Esteban without mercy, with a sulky face.

“Hwate.” (Hate.)

“Uh?”

“Hwate.” (Hate.)

“What do you hate that much?”

At the question, Mable snorted with a ‘hmph.’

It was a perfect snort, even though it was natural for her not to know what snorting was.

When Esteban was surprised by the fact, Mabel threw a bombshell.

“Baba hate. Embewor hate. Go!” (Papa hate. Emperor hate. Go!)

It was a long time since the crying stopped.

The voice of the baby was firm and heartless.2

‘So I didn’t hear wrong……!’

Kung-

Esteban could hardly accept what he had heard. The back of his head was tingling as ig someone had hit his head with a blunt instrument.

‘Is it already puberty……?’4

It was Mabel’s counterattack.