Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 66

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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 66. There Are As Many Ways to Commit Fraud As There Are Twinkling Stars in the Night Sky, and Now That I Think About It, How Romantic (8)
My real father listens to everything I say. I giggled with delight, but the grandmothers and grandfathers with stars on their rank insignia looked distinctly unamused.
“However, Your Majesty, doesn’t this have little connection to the Imperial Kingdom?”
True enough—the Kisomalos Army bore the mark of a ram with impressively large horns. The navy was practically nonexistent, so it had no symbol at all. Perhaps I should bring forth a different symbol instead of a ram?
“What about the golden Hercules beetle?”
“Ooh.”
“That would be acceptable.”
“Your Highness’s insight is remarkable.”
It works, as expected. Our nation receives protection not from an ordinary ram, but from a golden ram, after all. I shrugged my shoulders and commanded them to praise me further. And at that moment, the Secretary Chief of the Emperor’s office found his way to the Military Ministry conference room.
“Your Majesty, an urgent dispatch.”
“I’ll go now.”
Father, don’t leave me in that old spirit woman’s den—I’ll come with you to listen too, I signaled by stretching my arms wide, and Prisoner naturally scooped me up and moved to his feet.
Upon entering one of the many conference rooms within the Military Ministry, the Secretary Chief withdrew a telegram.
“The Lorowi delegation has arrived at the Townhouse. They wish to hold a homecoming banquet and hope that Your Majesty and Your Highness will attend.”
“So she’s finally come.”
Ugh! My maternal grandmother is still staying in her capital? That woman doesn’t particularly like me, so I don’t particularly like her either. I made it abundantly clear that I didn’t want to see her, but Prisoner didn’t tell me I wouldn’t have to meet that woman.
“It wouldn’t look proper for me to attend. I’ll hold a banquet at the Imperial Palace instead—it would be better for the Marquis to visit us.”
Prisoner, you’re not afraid of that war-loving old woman and you’re making her lose face in a battle of wills. But this was the correct protocol according to Imperial etiquette. Just as I’ve learned many things from Prisoner, he’s learned things from me as well.
“I shall convey your wishes accordingly.”
As the Secretary Chief bowed respectfully and departed, Father the Emperor bumped his forehead gently against mine. He must have been bothered by my continued duck-like expression.
“Does the Princess dislike her grandmother?”
“Not particularly—I don’t feel strongly either way.”
If I had to be precise, I’d say she makes me uncomfortable. I’ve never met her, so I don’t know much about her. Most of all, I have no idea how to treat her.
“I’ve seen that woman before.”
“What kind of person is she?”
Is she like my aunt? Or does she resemble my mother? Or is she like the Chief Attendant Grandmother—just an ordinary nagging old woman? I asked various questions with a hint of anticipation, but Prisoner’s expression grew increasingly troubled, and his lips twisted strangely.
“That woman was….”
“Grandmother was…?”
“…insane.”
Why is everyone around me insane? My head throbbed, so I squeezed my eyes shut, and Prisoner made every effort to ease my anxiety.
“I can’t even say in jest that she’s a decent person. You, Pisha, can continue hiding behind me. I’ll prepare an excuse for you to slip away.”
She’s so insane that even running away mid-meeting would be forgiven? Fear seized me first, and I began comparing the mad people around me.
“Is her personality worse than the Chief Attendant’s?”
“The Chief Attendant is rather kind.”
“Yikes!”
If a nagging old woman counts as kind, just how twisted is her personality?
“Is she stranger than Shirley?”
“At least she has manners. She doesn’t treat the Emperor like filth, after all.”
“Oh my!”
Grandmother treated Helbatro like something dirty? Well, of course my real father is a filthy man, but still!
“Do I really have to attend the banquet?”
“If you don’t meet her, she’ll go to the Princess Palace and request a private audience.”
“Why?”
“Because the reason she returned from war in the first place was to get her foot in the door of the Air Force establishment. When she heard that Princess Vishnabel proposed the Air Force idea, she said she absolutely wanted to meet you.”
“Why did you tell her that!”
“I couldn’t very well lie about it.”
Well, that’s true! Everyone in the Imperial Palace knows I proposed the Air Force! But couldn’t you have at least given me time to mentally prepare myself?
I threw a fit, and Prisoner simply shrugged, accepting his fate.
“Put me down! I’ll walk on my own!”
“Are you sulking?”
“I am not sulking!”
“You’re definitely sulking.”
“No, seriously, I’m not sulking!”
I kicked Prisoner’s shin hard and bolted out of the Military Ministry. Dad’s such an idiot. I hate meeting Grandmother this much, and he won’t even let me off the hook with just words. It’s not like I’d abandon my duties as Princess, and I know full well I’ll have to go eventually anyway.
“You fool! May you go bald!”
I spat out a relatively refined curse and ran toward the Princess Palace. As I ran, I found myself imagining Prisoner going bald, and it was hilarious. My legs gave out and I collapsed on the ground laughing, only to be rescued by a passing cargo cart that carried me all the way to the Princess Palace.
I kept giggling to myself for a while because of that image of a bald Prisoner.

✦ ✦ ✦
I prayed every night to Kisomalos, begging him to prevent the Chamberlain’s return banquet from happening, but time flowed mercilessly, and the day of the banquet arrived.
Though it was a small-scale party held within the Imperial Palace, all the key figures from the Military Ministry gathered because of Lorowi’s prestige, and Aelset, one of the Three Great Noble Families of the Empire, also attended.
I dressed up prettily with my friends and cast the skill of hiding in the darkness that Croa had taught me, breathing carefully and deliberately.
“We’re not the main players, so that’s one thing, but surely Your Majesty can’t keep doing this, can you?”
“I know.”
“Well then, I won’t say anything more.”
Everyone has their own circumstances. Croa, understanding this, didn’t pry into my deeper troubles and simply comforted me. What an unnecessarily kind friend. Be careful—living like that, you might end up becoming someone’s devoted follower.
“The former Marquis of Lorowi has arrived!”
Whoosh, whoosh. So I’m finally going to meet her. By the way, where’s Aunt? She’s supposed to protect me! Did Maternal Grandmother come alone?!
“Ugh, that useless Aunt, getting all scared of Grandmother!”
“Shh. If you still want to remain hidden, please be quiet.”
While we were playing invisible in the Banquet Hall, my Maternal Grandmother boldly crossed the threshold and entered. People couldn’t close their mouths when they saw her. The overwhelming pressure emanating from her very presence was extraordinary, but there was something that made everyone’s jaws drop in shock.
The former Marquis of Lorowi was dressed in mourning clothes.
In a black dress and black veil, her red hair neatly pinned up, she looked like someone attending a funeral.
“Well, that’s quite a shocking entrance.”
Dad, you really have no fear! Of course, it’s Imperial Palace etiquette for a superior to speak first, but the way Father faced her with nothing but bewilderment seemed remarkable. How does one live to develop such audacity? Could it be related to being called a hiker named Endera on his first campaign? Did he lose his fear of everything after nearly dying back then?
“My child has not even been dead for ten years. It is only natural to wear mourning clothes at a public gathering.”
“This is a celebration welcoming your return.”
“What does that matter?”
“You were running around half-naked on the battlefield, and now you’re worried about propriety.”
Even as Grandmother glared at Prisoner as if to kill him, he remained composed. Father really is remarkable. What will he do if he dies like this? If Grandmother uses her divine power, this entire banquet hall will be destroyed instantly.
“Is that business about the Air Force true? I simply cannot fathom that child conceiving of such a thing on her own.”
“Why not ask her directly?”
The Prisoner finished speaking and pointed at me with a sharp gesture. I had distinctly hidden myself in the curtain’s shadow alongside Croa! How on earth did this father notice me?
“Oh dear.”
My Maternal Grandmother approached me with heavy footsteps, her brow glistening with cold sweat, yet she cradled my cheek in her palm as though nothing were amiss.
It was frigid. Her hand possessed an almost unbearable chill. I could scarcely imagine her wielding explosive divine power with such a hand. Had the Havilland Family Head’s hand been this cold, I would have understood.
That cold, desiccated hand felt like touching a corpse.
“You killed my daughter, and yet you live on so contentedly.”
My Maternal Grandmother’s eyes widened in a perfect circle. Yet there was no smile upon her face.

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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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