Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 26

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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 26. Not Exactly My Precious Lover, But What Can I Do for Them Right Now? (3)
“From now on, don’t even think about skipping lessons. Attend them diligently.”
“Eeeeeek!”
“And I’ll renovate part of the Princess Palace and the Study Room.”
Isn’t this a terrible deal for me? Using food as leverage is so petty. People need proper meals to have energy.
But this wasn’t just my problem alone—the meals of all the staff in the Princess Palace were at stake, so I couldn’t afford to be stubborn. The children had mountains of work to do; they needed to eat well. The Princess had her dignity to maintain, bonuses to give during holidays, train fare for those visiting home. Money would flow out in so many directions.
Ugh, I must be insane. I should have just offered a high-grade healing spirit stone. No, wait—but without at least a healing divine stone, I won’t survive the next five years.
“So, fine, I get it, catalog, new items, variety!”
“That useless toy list again?”
Yes, that! It’s not useless at all—those cool, stylish things. Bring them in concentrated quantities. Since the Imperial merchant catalog doesn’t have them, I keep getting lured in by the toys the Chief Chamberlain and Marshmallow give me.
As I nodded vigorously and shouted for new items, Prisoner extended his hand, proposing we negotiate on that point.
“No skipping lessons?”
“Deal!”
I can just sleep during class. What audacious fool would dare wake the noble Kisomalos’s legitimate heir while he rests? I’ll simply adjust my nap time to match the lesson schedule.
I readily agreed, shook Prisoner’s hand, and bumped fists with him.
Thanks to the new budget Prisoner allocated, my diet returned to normal, and without getting distracted by toys, I attended lessons on time and debuted my Princess nap for the first time.
I had no idea then what calamity those words—”I’ll renovate part of the Princess Palace and the Study Room”—would bring upon me.

✦ ✦ ✦
“Noooooooo! Stop! Stop it! My beautiful Princess Palace!”
“You’re the one who agreed to the negotiation yesterday.”
“This is too much!”
No, don’t attach those round things! I like corner guards, but why neon yellow of all colors?! Don’t lay that weird stuff on the floor! Don’t put down that plush world map mat! Prisoner, what do you think interior design is?! There must be a reason for this!
“Rosewood! Rose-wood, I tell you! High-quality furniture crafted with blood and sweat by artisans who supply only the Imperial Family!”
“I’m buying you something better. Share your old things with a friend.”
“What could be better?! I don’t have friends, you lunatic!”
“You will.”
I don’t understand a single word from start to finish!
I clung to Prisoner’s legs, sobbing, but he didn’t seem bothered at all. He walked with practiced ease, attaching corner guards to every edge of the bed and removing all the furniture from the Study Room.
My elegant solid wood furniture. I’d just started breaking them in! Wood gets more beautiful the more you use it! Why are you moving everything?! What do you know about interior design?!
“Bring them here!”
Moreover, Prisoner thoroughly cleaned the Study Room and brought in new furniture that looked absolutely hideous. Every single piece the servants carried in was a sickening mint color. I like mint chocolate, but mint-colored, round furniture?!
“This isn’t furniture. It’s a toy! What could be better about this?!”
“It has antibacterial properties, hypoallergenic, no atopy triggers. Even the mint color is highly preferred by children.”
“I don’t like mint!”
“Maybe I should have gone with pink instead.”
“I hate that even more!”
As I wailed for my rosewood furniture back, Prisoner suddenly lifted me and set me in a chair. Frustratingly, it fit my five-year-old frame perfectly. I hated it, but it was admittedly more comfortable than what I’d used before.
But this isn’t the interior design I wanted! I prefer something stylish, even if it’s a bit inconvenient!
“Good choice with the flower-shaped decorations. We won’t need corner guards.”
“No, this isn’t right. This has to be a dream. This can’t be happening.”
Unwilling to accept reality, I clawed at my head and shrieked, but Choco came rushing over apologizing for being late and deftly fitted protective guards around my elbows and knees. The stitching was crooked enough to look handmade, but the brilliant sheen of the high-quality fabric and the plump padding—things you’d never see in mass-produced goods—only intensified my fury.
“Children tend to fall easily because of their head weight, I’ve heard! With these, Your Highness can fall without worry!”
I really hate you people.
“Indeed, there was a record of you falling before and requiring a healing spirit stone. I see now that I was shortsighted.”
“That’s just how Ende operates. Your Highness need only trust me, someone delicate and refined!”
“It seems the dictionary definition of ‘delicate’ has changed recently.”
“It changed some time ago. The elderly wouldn’t know.”
“I’m twenty-six.”
“Elderly, then.”
“Among the palace staff here, there must be many over twenty-six.”
“…”
As Prisoner pointed to the people around us, Emily and several of the attendants, along with the servants moving luggage and a handful of Imperial Guards, glared at Choco as if ready to kill.
So that initial hesitation was just groundwork for this move. Prisoner is terrifying indeed.
“Choco, you’ve done wrong.”
“The delicate Choco’s mistake is grave.”
“Ugh…! I’m so sorry!”
If this Choco makes another mistake, I’ll cross that river of no return with our household children. The staff of the Princess Palace were all notoriously temperamental—if someone fell out of favor, they’d serve them rock-hard biscuits that could crack your teeth, and no one would bat an eye.
Since Prisoner was my guardian, his cousin Choco was practically my quasi-guardian, which meant I had to mediate here.
“Listen up!”
I ordered Choco to make knee guards like the ones she’d fitted me with—enough for all the Princess Palace staff. I’d been meaning to place a bulk order eventually since these children knelt so often, so I might as well have you make them now.
After I imposed the punishment on Choco and the palace staff accepted it graciously, I heard praise for my wisdom echoing from all directions.
“Truly, Your Highness the Princess! Your benevolence knows no bounds!”
“How wise! There is none in the palace whose virtue rivals Your Highness the Princess!”
“Thank you for sparing us!”
Yes, let’s all get along. We’ll be seeing each other for a long time. Choco will suffer for a few days, but that’s better than having her teeth crack from biting into those rock-hard fried corn snacks every time I visit the Princess Palace.
Having resolved the problem, I asked about something Prisoner had let slip earlier—something I definitely thought I heard him say. I was certain I’d heard the word “friend.”
“Prisoner, what exactly did you mean by friend?”
“Oh, that.”
Prisoner then fluttered his coat and suddenly pulled out a stack of documents from nowhere. What is this? Magic? Where was it hidden? How? What’s the principle behind this?
Fascinated by this mysterious sight, I circled around Prisoner observing him carefully, but I couldn’t find any suspicious mechanism. No, these are relatively thin documents—where could they possibly have been hidden? On his back? Did he have them stuck to his back?
“Following Helbatro’s precedent, I’ve decided to assign you a friend to keep you company in exchange for wages.”
“Ohhhhh.”
“Playing alone too much dulls your social skills.”
“Just because Helbatro played with you doesn’t mean his social skills actually improved.”
“That was a special case for me.”
True, pairing someone with poor social skills with another person with poor social skills wouldn’t create any synergy. Prisoner, you understand yourself far too well. That’s somewhat irritating.
“To avoid the same outcome as with Helbatro, I specifically selected someone young but unusually submissive, good at flattery, and slow to learn—someone who will build up your confidence, Pisha.”
“Prisoner, are you insulting me?”
That’s not a friend—that’s just a young servant! I’d never had a friend before and had been secretly hoping, but my enthusiasm deflated entirely.
Considering my age, I would have preferred to befriend a girl around the same age as the Bridget sisters. But there’s no way people over twenty would genuinely befriend me.
And honestly, what should I call it—growing up together from childhood? A childhood friend? I’ve always harbored a certain romantic notion about that sort of thing. Yes. A friend my own age would be nice. Hehe, a friend. Hmm… When she comes, I’ll have to treat her exceptionally well so she doesn’t get sick of me.

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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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