Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 17

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

Chapter 17. If You’re Not Going to Date a Hundred Lovers, Don’t Go Around Calling Yourself a Tyrant (5)
After concluding our conversation, we relocated to the spacious Veranda in the adjacent room. Flames erupted from various corners of the Imperial Palace—a scene of absolute chaos and pandemonium.
So our Prisoner was having breakfast while watching this blood-soaked spectacle. My dear Prisoner certainly had an iron stomach.
Though I couldn’t quite match his composure, I had my own peculiar constitution. As I sat down and grasped the silver utensils with grace, elegantly slicing the steamed fish, my Aunt gasped in shock and seized me by the scruff of my neck.
“Pisha.”
“Hm?”
“Why are you eating so normally right now?”
“What are you talking about? Just eat your meal.”
Chattering during meals and grabbing people by the neck—that wasn’t proper etiquette.
As I looked at my Aunt with pity and clicked my tongue disapprovingly, she tore at her hair in distress.
“Those Lorowi people are always so noisy.”
“Aunt, don’t let it show you’re from Lorowi. It’s embarrassing.”
“Chiron, be honest with me. Did you commit adultery with my sister?”
What was this Aunt saying, how mortifying.
Kazelnu Lorowi stared intently at my face, then alternated her gaze between me and Prisoner, ranting hysterically about how our cruel remarks were identical if we hadn’t committed adultery. It was simply absurd.
Looking at us, there wasn’t a single resemblance, yet she could say such things.
“I have a unilateral announcement to make.”
“What?”
So Prisoner had decided to ignore his Aunt. Truly wise.
“I’m changing Pisha’s education supervisor. Having Lorowi nearby won’t do.”
“Eeeek!”
Either way, my Aunt was weak against me—skipping lessons and running away had been absolutely blissful.
“Hey! Who do you think you are, changing Pisha’s education supervisor on your own!”
“The Emperor of this nation and Pisha’s official father.”
“Stop spouting such righteous nonsense!”
My Aunt was so embarrassed she wanted to cry. Choco was laughing herself silly outside, clutching her belly.
Unable to lift my head, I mumbled a question about who the new teacher would be, and Prisoner spouted absolute madness.
“The Chief Chamberlain who was the Emperor’s education supervisor showed remarkable enthusiasm.”
The Chief Chamberlain—wasn’t that the Grandmother who manages all the Palace Attendants of the Imperial Palace? Absolutely not!
“No.”
“I’ve already considered all the candidates, and she said she could start lessons tomorrow.”
“No!”
I don’t want it! I hate that Grandmother!
I wanted to protest eloquently: ‘Prisoner, you saw it yourself! You heard that Grandmother curse me as a vicious woman! She made such a mess of the Emperor’s education, so how could she possibly teach me well?’ But my tongue froze, and I could only express my refusal with fierce determination.
“Nooooooo!”
“At my suggestion, I’ve added Imperial Studies, Economics, and Philosophy to your curriculum.”
“…?”
What nonsense is this? Why would a five-year-old need such things?
My Aunt was equally flabbergasted, asking Prisoner if he’d lost his mind, and kindly informed him that I hadn’t even finished learning all my letters yet.
Regardless, Prisoner elegantly sipped his post-meal black tea, then mocked Pisha—who was half-filled with Lorowi blood—as being equally thick-headed.
“A child who can’t even read letters—how on earth did you manage to read ‘Martin’s Republic Discourse’?”
“….”
“And you actually understand the content. The fact that you cursed me for locking you in Prison is proof of that.”
Oh no! I’d run my mouth thinking I’d never see this bastard again!
In that instant, the blood drained from my fingertips and cold sweat streamed down my back.
This won’t do. If I just sit here quietly, I’ll end up studying hard again.
If Head Attendant Grandmother takes over, she won’t let me slack off either. Of course, I’d find a way to escape as I always do, but it would cost me considerable effort.
That old woman was no pushover. Skipping classes and running away wouldn’t be easy either.
I squeezed my eyes shut and made my decision.
That’s it. There’s no other choice.
I’ll pretend to be an idiot.
I can definitely pull off acting stupid!
“Marteen? Publik… what? What’s that thing? Pisha never read any book thingy before?”
“It’s too late to play dumb.”
“Butterfly! Butterfly! Pretty butterfly! Butterfly! Daddy, catch the butterfly please!”
“I have morning assembly, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Butterfly! Daddy, please catch the butterfly! Hey, you brat! Did wax get in your ears! Listen to what I’m saying!”
“Lorowi is banned from entering the Princess Palace for one week.”
No, this can’t be happening… This bastard is really going through with it.
This Prisoner is actually going to throw royal studies, economics, and philosophy at me and leave!
Seized by panic, I quickly threw myself down in front of the Prisoner. And I wailed.
“Waaahhhhh! Don’t wanna study! Don’t wanna! Pisha won’t take lessons! Catch the butterfly pleeeease!”
Then Prisoner gracefully stepped over me and walked toward the Audience Chamber. I scrambled to my feet with tears streaming down my face and clung to his legs.
“No! No, don’t go! Don’t wanna study! Won’t do it!”
This heartless bastard dragged me along regardless of whether I was clinging to his ankles, my body scraping across the carpet. I repositioned myself and wrapped my arms tightly around his thighs and calves.
“Prisonerrrr! Daddyyyy! Waaahhh! Don’t make me study! Waaahhh! I don’t wanna! Ahhhhh!”
Prisoner entered the Audience Chamber with me still dangling from him. The ministers were flustered by my wails echoing throughout the chamber. I sprawled out in front of the throne and continued crying.
“Today is the day I conduct my first official duties as Emperor. Then, let us begin.”
“Waaahhhhh! Catch the butterfly pleeeease! Don’t wanna study!”
“If there is nothing to report, I shall attend to personal matters.”
When Prisoner completely ignored me, the ministers one by one averted their eyes from my wailing and reported the matters brought up from each ministry.
Only when Head Attendant Grandmother took her turn to speak did I finally cry myself to sleep.

✦ ✦ ✦
Drrring, drrring.
I was snoring when I suddenly became aware of the fact that I was snoring. With a startled gasp, I jolted awake. Glancing around, I found myself in my own bed, in my own room.
“Meoooow! Meoooooow!”
In the end, I never heard Prisoner retract his lesson proposal. Frustrated and disheartened, I thrashed about in my blankets and rolled around dramatically, when a familiar man standing among Emily and the attendants presented me with a glass box.
“Your Highness! His Majesty instructed me to give you this upon your awakening!”
He was one of the newly appointed Imperial Guards assigned to the Princess Palace.
“Huh?”
What is this? Punishment followed by appeasement? Lessons given, then gifts to soothe me?
Inside the glass box lay soil, stones, and carefully cultivated plants—a miniature diorama of a garden. It was quite beautiful, actually…
“Oh…”
A butterfly.
Wait? Did he actually catch a butterfly just because I asked for one?
“Prisoner—no, Father had some personal business to attend to, apparently.”
“Yes. After the morning assembly, he immediately visited the Imperial Palace Greenhouse. He said that would be the only place butterflies could be found this season.”
“Oh my, oh my.”
Why is this Prisoner being so affectionate?
Oh my, oh my. Does he really think this will make me forgive him?
I asked for a butterfly, and he caught one. Oh my! He must be insane, truly.
“Hmph, hehehmph.”
“His Majesty wished me to convey that the Princess was delighted!”
“When was I ever pleased!”
Hmph, I never said I was happy about it.
Such lies won’t work on Prisoner. Just tell him I appreciated the effort, hehehmph.
“Emily! Bring me colored paper and a pen!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
I selected the most expensive gold glitter paper I owned and wrote a simple message on it.
-I’m grateful for the butterfly. Now, please excuse me from lessons.
Having written my request concisely, I blew on the ink to dry it, then folded the paper.
He probably thought I was an idiot who couldn’t even fold a fan. Well, I can fold not just fans, but butterflies and frogs too!
To demonstrate this, I folded a butterfly and even a frog as a bonus, then entrusted them to the Imperial Guard.
“Give these to His Majesty for me.”
“Yes! I shall deliver them at once!”
With Prisoner being the new Emperor and the Palace still in disarray, I couldn’t exactly summon him whenever I pleased.
After I sent the Imperial Guard away, Emily asked if she should place the glass box beside my bed.
Of course, I shook my head. The attendants posed the foolish question that since it was a gift from His Majesty and the butterfly was beautiful, wouldn’t it be nice to keep it close and admire it? I answered honestly.
“Up close, it’s… creepy.”
Ugh… I hate insects.
A butterfly is still an insect, after all, and up close you can see all the insect-like details. Butterflies are most beautiful when viewed from a distance.
I gave instructions to feed it and observe it for a few days before releasing it into the Greenhouse, then put on my coat.
I’ll go cycling according to the schedule I set this morning.

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