When the last day of this year comes, Hyazelki would be 6 years old. Yeah, she’s only six years old.
So she thought it would be okay to run away in this situation.
Tap.Tap!
“Oh, My Lady!”
Albert was heard calling for her in a hurry, but Hyazelki ran toward the castle with all her might.
Even if she ran away anyway, she will soon return to the castle, so it will be useless.
Still, Hyazelki thought it would be best to avoid it for now.
Because it wasn’t a great atmosphere in the prison-like room.
Moreover, Albert’s expression was so fierce that it was even scarier than Kael’s own expression.
After jumping into the castle, Hyazelki quickly ran into her room.
Yuri, who was preparing cookies and tea in the room, opened the door and welcomed her as she jumped in.
“Oh, welcome Miss. I was just about to pick you up.”
She did run away.
‘Yuri… I feel like I’ve been peeking at something unbelievable…… Will it be okay?’
Instead of saying the word out of her mouth, Hyazelki ran and hugged Yuri.
“Miss?”
‘What if I’m hated, what if I can’t stay here anymore, what if I can’t live with everyone?’
‘I’ve already adjusted to the life in this castle.’
The thought of living alone again apart from them made her mood turn dark.
As she was worried with such a down face, she felt Yuri’s soft touch.
The fragrant of the golden baked cookies brushed the tip of her nose, as Yuri’s hand gently swept her back.
So Hyazelki felt more at ease.
‘…oh, it smells delicious.’
Even though she was distracted by the sweet scent, Yuri looked at the child with an anxious face, wondering what might have happened.
Kael and Albert should have returned to the castle by now, but Hyazelki was bothered and anxious for them not showing up.
It would be difficult if they appeared, but she was also anxious because they still did not appear.
“Did something happen?”
“No.”
When asked by Yuri, who was stroking her head, Hyazelki replied immediately. It was rather suspicious because it was an overly quick answer.
As Yuri squinted her eyes, Hyazelki turned her head and avoided her gaze.
Knock, knock.
Then, they heard a knock on the door.
Turning her head, Hyazelki was relieved and troubled at the same time to think that it might be Kael and Albert.
She stared at the slowly opening door with a complex face.
“Are you here? My Lady….”
Hyazelki found Albert stepping inside, and closed her mouth while trying to say something.
She wanted to apologize for sneaking after them, but her face was still white.
So the child quickly hid behind Yuri.
“Miss?”
Albert’s face turned whiter in response.
“Miss…… for a moment…….”
Albert’s outstretched fingertips trembled.
‘What if I can’t even say sorry and I can’t live in this castle anymore?’
A prickly voice rose in her heart. For a moment, voices from the past passed by her ears.
‘How many times do I have to tell you to understand? Do you want to be kicked out of this house?’
‘We don’t have time for you. We’re busy!’
Hiazelky, who flinched her shoulders, curled up tightly holding Yuri’s skirt.
She looked as if he were trembling with fear.
Seeing the reaction, Albert dropped his hand helplessly.
“Hey, this is…… What am I supposed to do about this?….”
The butler touched his forehead with a tired look.
Yuri, who became more confused and couldn’t grasp the situation, asked Albert with a questioning face.
“What’s the matter? What’s wrong with you?….”
“……what happens in the judgement room…… she must have seen it.”
“What?”
Yuri opened her mouth wide and looked back at Hyazelki, who was hanging on her leg.
‘Oh, I shouldn’t have seen it.… Am I going to be kicked out?….’
The worry about not being able to stay here any longer, rose again. Hyazelki was about to cry.
Tears welled up in the eyes of the child who grabbed Yuri’s skirt.
Surprised, Yuri hurriedly knelt on one knee, lowered her posture, and held Hyazelki in her arms.
“It’s all right, Miss.”
The child dug into Yuri’s arms even more with the pat on the back.
“……Then the Master…….”
“I think he’s very shocked too. He didn’t come this way but went to the study. I’m here to see how Miss is doing.….”
Hyazelki, who was in Yuri’s arms, looked up with a surprised face.
‘He is unhappy?’
Hyazelki was worried that she might be hated. Maybe he would be angry.
But when Albert said he was very sad, she got confused.
Hiazelky, who blinked her big bell-like eyes a couple of times, soon plucked up courage and escaped from Yuri’s arms.
The butler, who found her coming to him, quickly lowered his posture like Yuri and adjusted his eye level with the child.
“Miss, you must have been very surprised, but that was…….”
Albert, who opened his mouth to explain the situation earlier, finally blurred the end of his words.
He had no idea how to explain it to the soon-to-be six-year-old.
“So…”
“Did Papa go to the study?”
“Yes? Oh, yes. Master has gone to the study.”
“Why?”
“It’s…”
“Does Papa hate me now?”
“What?”
Looking at Hyazelki dropping her eyebrows and crying, the butler waved his hands urgently.
“No, no, never!”
“Then?”
“He, My lady…… My lord, you’re afraid, you are afraid…… right?
Albert wanted to cover his mouth, for spitting out the questions over and over again for fear of the answer he knew would return even if he didn’t ask.