Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 149

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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 149. Go on a Date When Demons Appear Between Incidents (2)
The long-awaited date had arrived. Croa looked dashing despite his gloomy expression, but when Shirley mentioned that he should enjoy this exclusive one-on-one outing since she was graciously stepping aside, the boy instantly perked up.
“Let’s go, Pisha! Outings without Shirley are quite rare!”
He’s so delighted that Shirley isn’t coming. In reality, we’re going out under the watchful eye of countless Imperial Guards and Attendants anyway. But this too is the fate of the Imperial Family. Croa will become King of Media eventually, so it’s good for him to grow accustomed to crowds.
“Oh, wait a moment. These inline skates are a bit tight.”
Did my feet grow? If my feet grew, then I must have grown taller too. My physical development seems better than before the regression. Is it because Father stationed a nutritionist at the Princess Palace to ensure balanced meals? I play around a lot and exercise frequently, so I might be growing faster than before.
Sometimes I wonder if my development before the regression was abnormal, and this might be my normal growth rate. Back then, my stepfather would drink and make a ruckus at night, so I couldn’t sleep properly.
“Emily! Order 220mm inline skates in advance! And roller wheels too!”
“Yes, Your Highness! I’ll contact the inline skate craftsman right away!”
It’s fun to ride around in these, but strangely they haven’t become popular among the common people. Is it because the only well-maintained roads are for carriages? Maybe I should allocate some budget to the Park Walking Path. A Children’s Park would be nice too.
I decided to propose this at the next regular Parliament session and had Emily record my rough notes. Since I was already bringing up the matter, I mentioned several companies interested in this field and suggested they provide investment and advertising boards. Croa’s expression gradually grew more resentful.
Hmm, I shouldn’t say let’s go have fun and then just work the whole time. I quickly got into the carriage and headed toward the Royal Botanical Garden.
The largest botanical garden in the country was packed with people as if it weren’t closed today. They were all security personnel. Father would probably add all their field duty expenses to the Princess Palace’s debt again. Ha, at this point there are so many debts that I can only laugh.
“Going out alone with Pisha is quite rare, isn’t it?”
You’re also bound by royal blood, I see. Do you treat all these guards and Attendants as if they don’t exist? This boy has quite thick nerves too. Though that’s better than wearing a resentful expression.
“Pisha! Your Highness! Before you go in, please wear this!”
What is that? Handcuffs? The cord is longer than typical handcuffs though… Why did Choco bring handcuffs? Am I a criminal or something, wearing a silver bracelet?
“Why are you making me wear something so inconvenient?”
“It’s to prevent you from getting lost.”
“Ah…”
I have no argument against this point—I’ve caused so much trouble that I can’t protest. I’ve gotten lost before and gone missing too. They must have decided that linking me and Croa together would prevent any chance of us getting separated.
“Still, in a place with designated entrances and exits, this seems unnecessary.”
“It’s better to be prepared for any contingency.”
If Croa accepted it, then I had no real objection either.
When Croa and I extended our arms, Choco snapped a couple’s silver bracelet onto us. But this is surprisingly light for handcuffs. Is it children’s size? Do handcuffs come in children’s sizes?
“Then I’ll cheer you on from where I can’t be seen.”
“Very well.”
Good, you do have some sense after all. I’ll give you points for not thinking to tag along between us.
I jingled the bracelet as I entered the botanical garden. As the largest in the country, it was impressively spacious. The ceiling was extremely high and entirely made of glass domes. I understand that’s necessary for temperature control, but what extravagance!
Who suggested building this? Was it Grandmother? Anyway, it cost so much that it received public criticism at the time, but this certainly deserved the backlash.
“This is a date—hold hands and such!”
“I said I’d cheer from where I can’t be seen!”
“I didn’t say I’d cheer silently!”
Tsk, that Choco—being from the Chiron Family, she absolutely refuses to lose an argument. Anyway, she wasn’t wrong, so Croa and I held hands and strolled around making rustling sounds. The interior was warm, so there were many tropical plants. There were strange trees and flowers I’d only seen in books.
“Wow! Pisha, look at that! It’s a Rafflesia, a Rafflesia!”
“Wow! That’s the flower that smells like a corpse!”
It’s quite large! Isn’t it bigger than me? I called over the Emilys to bring cameras and posed with Croa. In the end, all that remains are photographs. I should take plenty of pictures.
“It certainly does have a foul odor. Is that what a decomposing corpse smells like?”
“Yes, it definitely smells like a decomposing corpse.”
How do you know what a decomposing corpse smells like? Feeling slightly frightened, I quickly moved away from Croa, and the boy laughed sheepishly before recounting that old unfortunate story from his past.
“Before I settled on the elephant’s foot, I used to curse with animal corpses. But the overseers found it bothersome and wouldn’t clean them up for me….”
“Say no more.”
“Yes.”
“Try your best to forget unhappy pasts.”
“I am making the effort.”
Right, don’t dwell on unpleasant memories. I’ll create plenty of good ones for you instead. I spoke with confidence and led Croa to the next section. The Rafflesia was kept in a separate room, probably because of its smell—staying longer would surely make the odor cling to my clothes.
“This agave plant… it’s from the asparagus family? How fascinating.”
“Huh, so if we ate it, would it taste like asparagus?”
“Who knows? Oh, I’ve heard they make liquor from its sap. Tequila, they call it.”
“Oh, tequila is made from this?!”
Wow! That’s so cool! Croa and I walked around hand in hand like we were on a school field trip, reading the explanatory plaques at each display. We’d look at trees, read the descriptions, and exclaim “Wow!”, then look at flowers, read more, and cry out “Ooh!”—and from somewhere, as if someone’s patience had snapped, scattered “Ugh!” sounds erupted sporadically.
There were quite a few of them, and I could even hear Choco’s voice among them. Why were these people so exasperated watching someone else’s date?
“Pisha! Pisha! There’s a wetland and pond here too!”
“Wow! So Grandmother really did have money to burn during her reign!”
They’d actually constructed a wetland indoors. That era saw active conquest campaigns, and our nation was at its peak, but seeing such evidence right before my eyes made me feel genuine wonder. What on earth had Helbatro done to squander this wealthy nation so quickly? I could run the country better than him even if I just sat a neighborhood dog in charge.
“Wow! A duck family!”
Look at them waddling in a line! It looks like the yellow ones are the ducklings and the parents are protecting them as they walk.
Croa and I went closer to the duck family, making squeaking and quacking sounds. But somehow, the parent ducks looked rather vicious.
Honk!
“Do ducks honk like that?”
“Are those even ducks? They seem awfully large for ducks.”
Right? The ducks didn’t seem to spread their wings or threaten us? I started backing away slowly, and perhaps sensing we were leaving, the parent ducks shrieked and came flapping toward us.
Honk squawk!
“Ahhhhh! Those aren’t ducks! They’re geese, geese!”
Geese bite people! Run! I grabbed Croa’s hand and screamed as we bolted away. The geese were incredibly fast. They chased us even as we rolled on inline skates, pecking at us relentlessly.
“Ahhhhhhh!”
“Pisha, watch the curve! Be careful with the curve!”
I can’t turn curves as stylishly as you do, you idiot!
I was flailing trying to turn on inline skates when I noticed a pond directly in our path. I thought I was about to fall in, but the handcuff chain suddenly yanked me, and I watched Croa plunge into the pond with a splash instead of me.
“Croa! Croa, are you alright!”
“I’m fine! Blub blub!”
Hey! Why did you fall in instead of me! Now the geese are only attacking me!
“Ow! It hurts! It hurts so much! The goose’s beak hurts!”
The pair of geese kept pecking at me and it was agony, I needed to fish Croa out of the pond, and I was half-crying as I pulled the handcuff chain. When I put strength into it, Croa got dragged up, but he yelled that it was actually hindering his swimming and to stop pulling.
“Hahahaha! Are you alright, Pisha!”
“Not alright at all, you idiot!”
This dopamine-addicted fool enjoyed every bit of it and only now climbed out! When I got angry, Choco took off her coat and fluttered it to drive the geese away, and the guards who’d been lying in wait pulled Croa out of the pond.
Croa wrung the water from his hair, looking bewildered for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter with tears streaming down his face.
“Hahaha, this is certainly a memory I won’t forget.”
Did he catch this from Choco? Why is he treating me like entertainment?

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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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