CH 40

“Will you write me a letter every day after you’re adopted?”

“Everyday?”

“Then at least once every two days.”

The boy narrowed his eyes as if pleading.

“No, it has to be every day. I mean, I haven’t been away from my sister for even a day.”

Heinrich, who quickly corrected himself, hugged me like a whining little puppy.

‘My good boy.’

I smiled while stroking Heinrich’s fine silver hair.

“Okay. I’ll write you a letter every day!”

“And I’m definitely going to visit Sister’s house once every three days.”

“So often…?!”

This was a little surprising.

Ummm, I could only imagine the expression Gerard would make upon seeing an unidentified chihuahua visiting the Imperial Palace once every three days.

But at the same time that I said the word ‘often’, I watched Heinrich rapidly wither.

“……!”

Oh, it was like poached spinach.

“Okay. Yes. Let’s see each other often!”

I was particularly weak to Heinrich, and I had to accept all of those stupid conditions.

Who wouldn’t be weak towards their favorite?

I wanted to get stars and moons for him, but I was always sorry that I couldn’t get them.

‘My baby, I thought I had raised you a lot. Seeing you being silly, I guess you’re still not grown up…’

I stroked Heinrich’s hair. The silver-haired boy said with a playful smile.

“However, it will take a year for Sister to be adopted? Look at me! I’m so handsome and talented, but I haven’t been adopted for two years.”

“……”

“So, let’s not worry about parting already.”

Hearing that, my heart throbbed.

No, Heinrich…

I actually—

“Well.”

The back of the boy’s small head reached my lap as I was pondering the words I couldn’t bear to say.

Heinrich lay on my lap and bent his pretty eyes.

“Sister, look up. It’s like a willow branch saying ‘hello’.”

After that, I looked up at the sky.

The long willow branches adorned the blue sky and swayed in the wind.

It seemed to be greeting me with its long arms.

“It’s as Heinrich said…”

Then, Heinrich looked up at me and said quietly.

“Let’s go out on my birthday in winter.”

Birthday.

Our birthdays were very special.

Abandoned with an unknown date of birth, we had no choice but to make the day we came to this Forest our birthday.

So Heinrich’s birthday was in the middle of winter when the whole world was dyed white and cold snow fell.

Heinrich was told that he was standing barefoot in front of the door.

Like a child insensitive to the cold.

Sislin’s birthday was in summer.

I was told that the boy who escaped from the slave traders, burning under the scorching sun was neither human nor beast.

My birthday was in spring.

The memory of that day was hazy. The sky was pretty and clear, and the spring sun was warm, but I only remembered crying with tears.

“On my birthday, let’s go out to the winter forest, light a warm bonfire and drink cocoa.”

As he laid out the impossible future, Heinrich buried his head on the fabric around my knees.

His purple eyes that contained winter shone like a dream.

“It’s like being covered by a blanket and watching it snow all day long.”

There was a lot of snow in the forest in winter, so maybe in winter, the whole area would be white, just like the boy said.

I looked at Heinrich quietly.

I couldn’t say anything for a while.

“……”

“Sister?”

I quickly raised the corner of my mouth towards the boy and nodded.

“Yeah, then. Let’s go play on your birthday.”

“Ah, it’s a promise!”

Heinrich smiled mischievously and reached out to find my hand, holding it tightly but gently.

Then he closed his eyes with a smile. As if we had already gone to the happy midwinter of that day.

Without knowing that it was a promise that wouldn’t be fulfilled.

***

After parting with Heinrich at the lake shore. I fell into deep thought.

‘I can’t possibly leave now.’

It was okay for me to leave now.

But I thought the boys would have a hard time.

‘Let’s raise the babies just a little bit more and leave!’

At least until Heinrich’s birthday, I wanted to stay with him.

Besides, the biggest problem was—

‘I like a good father.’

My ideal dad was a good, handsome dad.

Like my good-natured sponsor who smiles with his Indian dimples, like the Marquis Bizet Winston.

However, Gerard, he was ‘just handsome’, among the conditions of my ideal father.

‘Anyway, let’s see if Gerard is a good person…!’

‘It’s a headache.’

—Let’s stop looking.

It was very uncomfortable to adapt to the adoption without knowing the intentions of such a fearsome father.

For a moment, I imagined living as an imperial family member with a lot of money, but of course, that’s wonderful too.

‘Indeed, I’m more of a bakery owner than an imperial family member?’

My future was all about being a peaceful bakery owner, and this was a dream that was strongly supported by Mr. Petesche, Sordi, and Um (the ‘Um’ part I decided to think whatever I wanted).

I stood in the lighted hallway and thought quietly.

“…In that case, I have no choice but to use that method.”

You have to take risks to get what you want.

I made up my mind and asked Madam Mimosa for an interview.

***

“What’s the matter, Annette?”

Annette’s request for an interview came in quite late, but Madam Mimosa immediately accepted it.

Requests for interviews with children who have been decided for adoption were common, and most of them consisted of trivial questions.

What kind of parents were they like and how should one behave after adoption?

Most of them were excited and couldn’t sleep, so they would come to ask questions with enthusiasm.

“Madam Mimosa, I have a suggestion for you.”

Anyway, a suggestion?

She was truly an unexpected child in many ways.

“……”

Madam Mimosa looked quietly at her dignified and clever light-green eyes, put down the glasses she was wearing, and said,

“Tell me.”

The answer that came back was even more shocking.

“Please withdraw the Prince’s application for adoption.”

“……!”

Annette’s eyes shone resolutely.

“I will decline the adoption request.”

Madam Mimosa looked at Annette with a slightly startled expression.

It didn’t seem like a joke.

The child added quickly with alertness, seeming to have read the startled and absurd energy of Madam Mimosa at once.

“I know! The Tree cannot refuse first. Especially an application for adoption by the imperial family. But, is it okay if the Prince withdraws directly?”

“……”

“I will persuade the Prince.”

Has she ever fallen out of bed and injured her head?

Madam Mimosa thought deeply and looked at Annette.

The young girl’s eyes looked very sane.

Then–

‘Is it because of Heinrich and Sislin?’

Maybe that was why she decided not to go for adoption.

‘Because she’s very close with the two of them…’

Still, it was quite surprising that Annette decided to stay here – being adopted was every child’s dream, and her ‘father’ was even the ‘prince’.

Besides, she’s going to convince him herself?

“Annette, from the perspective of the ‘Forest’, there is a loss if a Tree refuses to be adopted.”

“I know.”

“…Besides, could the Prince listen to a little girl like you?”

Annette calmly answered her words.

“Refusal to adopt is a loss to the Forest, but on the contrary, I think the benefit of me staying in ‘Forest’ is greater.”

“……”

“Sislin and Heinrich were such anxious children that they could never be adopted, but I took good care of them by their side that I have come to this day.”

That was true. Irrefutable.

“If I could stay and help the adoption of those two children succeed, wouldn’t it be an advantage?”

Madam Mimosa’s eyes shone with interest.

“As the Madam said, I’m also a pretty popular Tree in the adoption market. Even if it doesn’t go through this time, I will be able to find a good adoption place eventually. And the Prince— “

“……”

“It’s up to me to persuade, so give me a chance. If it fails, I will quietly go to adoption.”

Madam Mimosa felt a sense of déjà vu for a moment.

Her eyes narrowed sharply.

That innocent, bright-eyed 12-year-old kid showed her by doing everything she was meant to do.

She took Sislin out of the dark cave, and helped the boy who was upset by the sight of water to live properly in the Forest.

She even caught the ‘real culprit’ of the theft with only a fountain pen and a small compass.

‘Is it possible this time?’

But Jay, no, Prince Gerard was too big for that little kid to deal with.

Having faced Gerard over all these years, Madam Mimosa had never beaten him for even a single instance.

A person who possessed tremendous enthusiasm and attachment to a desired object or goal.

Cruel and ruthless temper.

If a girl with eyes as soft as a blade of grass dared to fight against him, he was a human being who would cut her off at once.

‘But Annette, Annette.’

She knew very well how strong the wick was inside those delicate eyes. 

‘Something very interesting could happen.’

Watching Annette’s performance soon became a small pleasure for Mimosa.

“All right.”

“……!!!”

Annette’s face brightened at once at Madam Mimosa’s sure answer.

Mimosa silently raised an eyebrow.

She wanted to see The sight of this little girl’s innocent and powerful heart and Gerard’s zeal beyond common sense collide.

Gerard wanted Annette so much, but if Annette eventually gets out of Gerrard’s control… Wouldn’t that be pretty fun too?

“If you persuade the prince, I’ll accept the withdrawal of adoption.”

“Thank you so much, Madam!”

***

I went to my room and immediately wrote a card.

And as soon as the next day dawned, with the permission of Madam Mimosa, the card was delivered to the Imperial Palace.

The recipient was Prince Gerard.

The content was quite provocative. Because this was my winning move.

「Have you lost your cigarette case, Prince?」

‘The response will come tomorrow.’

But, to my surprise, the reply came immediately.

That night.

At dawn, when everyone was asleep.