Beguiling the Enemy’s Patriarch - Chapter 118

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 118
The child spoke with remarkable clarity for her age, displaying a precocious maturity.
“Wherever did you learn to speak like that?”
“From my aunt!”
I had no idea who this aunt was, but she’d apparently taught the girl all manner of peculiar things. Auredhian chuckled softly and positioned the child properly upon the swing. Though he set her down with deliberate care, the girl’s eyes widened in surprise.
“…?”
Had she not wanted to swing…? He knew little of what it meant to be a “small child.” Having grown up alone without siblings or cousins his age, he’d never encountered very young children or infants. Consequently, he had no idea how to handle them.
What did one typically do first when faced with a child? Auredhian fell into a moment of serious contemplation. After considerable deliberation, the question that emerged was mercifully brief.
“…What’s your name?”
Yet Brizni remained oblivious to the profound confusion consuming the man before her. Her eyes, holding the clarity of a cloudless sky, crinkled with innocent delight.
“Bri.”
“Bri?”
“Yes!”
Of all the people she’d ever seen, this man was the most beautiful, so Brizni abandoned all caution and giggled with unbridled joy. Auredhian tilted his head uncertainly.
“Are you of the Lebovni Royal Family….”
“Bri is Mommy’s daughter.”
The way she enunciated each word so carefully was endearing. The child naturally extended her arms toward him.
“Hold me!”
“….”
And Auredhian suddenly felt profoundly disoriented. It was a line he’d heard countless times before.
“You want me to hold you?”
“Yes!”
The only resemblance to Yerenika was the crystalline sky-blue eyes distinctive to the Lebovni Royal Family. Yet somehow her words and gestures were unmistakably reminiscent of her. Anything—anything whatsoever—connected to Yerenika, even by the smallest measure, was nearly impossible for Auredhian to refuse.
“A serious condition indeed….”
He laughed ruefully and carefully lifted the child into his arms. Since he had no knowledge of how much strength to apply or the proper technique, his posture was decidedly awkward.
“Hehe.”
The child continued smiling contentedly, seemingly unbothered. Her body was frighteningly small. Small, soft, and warm.
So children are such harmless creatures. Auredhian realized this obvious truth anew and carefully adjusted his hold. His posture was noticeably more natural than before, when it had been painfully obvious he was holding a child for the first time.
“How did you find your way here?”
“Sparkly.”
The child answered obliquely and reached out her hand, grasping and pulling at the silver strands of hair scattered across his forehead. Auredhian reflexively let out a short sound of discomfort.
“Ah.”
“Same color as Lari!”
“…Who?”
Silver hair was a rare color. It was only natural—it was the color of the Belgot Imperial Family. Yet Auredhian quickly recalled another being who possessed that identical shade. Unfortunately, it was not human.
“Ah, that wolf.”
The small wolf cub that Yerenika carried with her constantly. That wolf’s fur was precisely the same color as his hair. His mind worked rapidly. If this young child knew of Yerenika’s wolf….
Auredhian immediately understood who the child was. He gently extracted his hair from the girl’s grasping fingers and spoke.
“So you’re that child. Brizni.”
Her niece—the one who occupied more than half the space in Yerenika’s letters. The red-haired girl who was her sister’s daughter.
“So Brizni….”
What an adorable nickname. Auredhian brushed away the silver strands of hair that had been plucked from his head, his expression troubled. He recalled the letter mentioning that her mischievousness was no laughing matter.
“How did you manage to come all this way alone?”
“I walked really hard!”
“Ah…. I see.”
Of course she walked here with determination. Auredhian had to work hard not to let his bewilderment show on his face. Was this what conversations with children were normally like? He’d never encountered a child this young before, let alone held a conversation with one, so his ignorance was only natural. Still, watching her chatter away so readily was rather fascinating. Her innocent, beaming smile was as beautiful as a cherub’s.
“How old are you?”
“Three years old.”
At three, it seemed she could speak quite clearly. But the child didn’t allow him a moment’s peace. A handful of silver hair was caught again in her delicate, tiny fingers.
“Brizni, I want to swing!”
“A swing…. All right.”
He couldn’t fathom why she wanted to swing yet kept attacking his hair. The mystery only deepened. Were all children this age like this…?
Auredhian set Brizni carefully onto the swing, but the child’s face scrunched up, and she clung tightly to his chest, refusing to let go.
“You said you wanted to swing?”
“No, together!”
Together…? Auredhian took a moment to process what she meant. She didn’t want to swing alone.
“I want to swing on the pretty swing.”
“….”
“Please push me.”
In the end, Auredhian settled lightly onto the swing while holding the child. Brizni nestled diagonally across his lap, her small mouth ceaselessly spilling forth lisping words.
“Push me? You push?”
“Push me higher.”
“Push me higher.”
To someone with no basic knowledge of children, she seemed remarkably clever. Her spirited nature reminded him of Yerenika. In truth, Brizni had been showered with Yerenika’s affection as much as she had spent time with her own parents, so it was only natural they shared similar traits. The child hummed in a cheerful voice.
“Pick flowers from the hill for me. Today pansies. Tomorrow dahlias. The day after….”
She paused, seeming to genuinely ponder the forgotten lyrics, then exclaimed brightly.
“The day after, wildflowers!”
“….”
“Pretty big brother, where did you come from?”
The flow of conversation was utterly impossible to follow. Yet her doll-like, beautiful, and harmless face was more than enough to melt away his wariness. Auredhian let his lips curve upward slightly. That characteristic, languid expression of his was reflected in the child’s sky-blue eyes.
“Pretty big brother…. That sounds like something your aunt taught you.”
“How did you know?”
Why were his bad premonitions never wrong?
“…Just where has she been going around spouting such strange words?”
Auredhian sighed softly, gently stroking the ends of her braided red hair. The young child, who had dared address the empire’s master with such irreverent terms, blinked innocently. Yet her next words struck with surprising sharpness.
“Are you taking my aunt away?”
“Yes.”
And Auredhian’s answer came just as quickly—an immediate response without hesitation. Brizni tilted her head curiously.
“Where to?”
“Belgot.”
Had Auredhian been a more experienced adult when it came to handling children, he would have known better than to answer so readily. Unfortunately, he possessed not the slightest understanding of a child’s curiosity and possessiveness.
“Belgot….”
Brizni repeated the word several times, then pouted her lips. She had no idea where Belgot was. All that remained in the child’s mind was the fact that someone she loved would disappear.
“That won’t work.”
“Why not?”
“Aunt Yerenika said so. That Bri and Lexie and Lari would all live together forever.”
“….”
“Bri is going to live with Aunt. Aunt can’t disappear….”
It seemed he had never made such promises to me, yet he had been perfectly willing to do so with that wolf cub and his young nieces and nephews. Auredhian felt a peculiar sense of deprivation before catching himself—what was he doing, comparing himself to a three-year-old child and a young beast?
“You’ll be able to see your aunt often.”
Yet even as a hollow reassurance, he could not bring himself to promise that Yerenika would remain in Lebovni forever, so he chose his words with careful ambiguity. Immediately, the child’s face brightened.
“Then can I see the pretty big brother often too?”
“…Is it a characteristic of the Lebovni Royal Family to use such awkward titles?”
Had he married only slightly earlier, he would have a daughter of precisely this age. Yet here he was, being called “big brother” by a girl young enough to be his daughter. Auredhian sighed and muttered to himself.
“I must never entrust Yerenika with teaching proper etiquette.”
“Can I see you often?”
“I’ll try my best… Yes. Let’s see each other often.”
Auredhian gave a vague answer, but found himself changing his words before those sparkling sky-blue eyes. They were indeed eyes difficult to refuse outright—eyes that stirred his conscience. Brizni swung her legs excitedly and cried out with delight.
“Yay, you promised!”
“I… suppose I did.”
“What should I call the pretty big brother?”
The conversation had taken yet another unexpected turn. Auredhian looked down at the child’s innocent face and exhaled softly. He could now understand Lebovni’s circumstances without hearing all the tedious details. Just how much honey-sweet affection Yerenika poured upon her niece. Even half of half that amount would be more than enough to drown him.
“What should I call you?”
The doll-like, adorable child grasped both his cheeks and asked again.
“The silver wolf’s name is Lari. What should I call you, big brother?”
“Brizni. First of all, I’m not a big brother….”
“Your Majesty?”
And it was at that very moment that the voice he cherished most dearly reached his ears.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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