Celebrity Lady - Chapter 181

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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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Celebrity Lady
Side Story, Episode 23
* * *
On a spring day when life stirred anew, in the Imperial Palace of the Deccard Empire.
“Maaaango!”
—Mew.
“Mango!!”
—Meow.
Four years old this year.
Prince Daniel and Princess Juliet roamed the Imperial Palace Garden in spring, their favorite game a spirited game of tag with the tricolored cat. The twin children never tired of it.
And as always, Wishit sat perched on a thick branch of a flowering tree, his stubby little legs dangling as he watched the children scamper about.
He loved appearing before the children in person and meeting with them. When it was only Rubetria, he would often reveal his true form and say, “I am your godfather,” while ceaselessly shaking a rattle.
But once the children began speaking, it became difficult. The Spirit King’s true self could not be allowed to inspire idle chatter from young lips.
That didn’t mean Wishit avoided appearing before the children, though. Rather, he would transform and meet with them. Conversing with children whose speech had developed was quite enjoyable, after all.
Why, just as he had long ago—in the form of Rubetria’s red-haired younger brother with golden eyes.
Appearing that way and saying, “I’m your uncle,” posed no problems. The children already had two genuine red-haired uncles, and the moment they saw any adult man, they’d cry out “Uncle, uncle!” as a matter of course. Who cared which uncle this one was?
By the same logic, there were many aunts. Any adult woman was an aunt. There was Sera Vigo, an actress close to Rubetria; Siena Tristin, her secretary; Becky Whitman, the seamstress.
So the most familiar face to the children was “the red-haired uncle,” but Wishit would sometimes appear in whatever form suited the moment.
“Waaah!”
…Right at times like this.
Seeing Juliet tumble forward right before him, Wishit frowned and whipped his head about. Two nursemaids were stationed nearby, but they were too busy gossiping to notice.
‘Neglect of duty. You two are finished.’
Having resolved to report them to his employer, Wishit snapped his fingers with a decisive motion. He became a nursemaid of the Imperial Palace—a common sight in an apron uniform, an “aunt.”
“Are you all right?”
Wishit quickly lifted Juliet before she could cry. Her knee was scraped slightly, and her round cheeks trembled as though tears might spill any moment.
“Now, now. Don’t cry.”
……
Juliet pressed her lips together with a soft sound. Her eyes, brimming with tears, fixed upon Wishit’s face.
“Today, stop bothering Mango and go to your room to read a book instead. Go tell one of the aunts over there that your knee hurts, and then you can go in. Understood?”
Wishit inserted his hand into the apron’s pocket and rummaged about. Something emerged. Juliet’s eyes widened at the sight.
“Cat-shaped jelly…”
A cat-shaped jelly—Juliet’s favorite, though both her mother and father insisted she could only have one cup per week, saying she’d get sick if she ate too many.
Seeing Juliet’s eyes sparkle, Wishit smiled softly and lined up five cat-shaped jellies across his palm: red, yellow, pink, green, and blue.
“Mm-mm. Pick just one.”
Juliet reached out thoughtlessly, then hesitated with a start. After a moment, she said, “The pink one…” Wishit popped the pink cat jelly into her mouth.
She chewed it down so nicely. Adorable.
Wishit gestured toward Daniel, who remained intent on catching Mango’s tail.
“Now, go tell your brother to stop playing and come inside. Tell him your knee hurts, and be sure to say it.”
“Yes!”
Juliet nodded vigorously and waved goodbye to Wishit.
“Thank you, Uncle. Bye-bye!”
“All right.”
As Juliet grew distant, Wishit watched her go and smiled before standing.
Then he froze.
‘Uncle?’
Startled, he lifted a hand and touched various parts of his face.
What’s this? He was properly transformed—in a “female adult” state?
“Why…am I an uncle?”
* * *
<Atelier Ruby> Underground Studio.
Six state-of-the-art recording magical tools, developed through the endless generosity of Magus Tower Master Shane, whirred ceaselessly.
And in the center of the studio stood two child models striking poses.
A boy in charming checkered suspender pants. And a little girl in a coordinating pleated skirt.
Oh, how adorable! Two baby angels dressed in the latest collection from <Blanc Bebe>, an children’s brand line aimed at the autumn season!
Who gave birth to these beautiful children? Me, of course!
“Daniel! Look up here just a tiny bit more, please! No, no—don’t look at Mommy!”
I waved my hands energetically to manage my four-year-old son’s wandering gaze. The seasoned staff captured each fleeting moment without missing a beat.
If someone observed me, they might click their tongues at how I exploited my own children as business commodities…
But a model is a model, and if we didn’t record the precious beauty of these magnificent beings in this way, it would be a loss to the nation.
So I was performing a patriotic duty, you might say.
“Cut! Thank you for your work! Take a brief rest, then we’ll move to the next segment!”
The chief director overseeing our <Blanc Bebe> photo shoot announced this. The children immediately rushed toward me.
Watching them approach, I couldn’t help but be taken aback, as always.
“Mommyyyy!”
“Yes, my dears.”
Daniel van Rashmach Deccard.
I gave birth to my husband.
…That’s a joke—or rather, it’s as though I birthed Lark instead. As he grows, I see not a trace of myself in him, which stings a little, but never mind. Because:
“I’m tired. Give me something.”
Our princess, primly folding her arms and twisting about her body.
Juliet van Rashmach Deccard.
My daughter, I bore through asexual reproduction…
“Tired? Seriously?”
My daughter, whom I’d produced as though through parthenogenesis, had inherited not merely appearance but something far more remarkable.
Her personality—her very character was a perfect copy of mine.
What I mean by that:
“If you’re truly exhausted, you’re welcome to stop.”
……
Juliet narrowed her eyes and glanced at me sideways. This reaction meant she wasn’t genuinely tired but rather was attempting to negotiate for something in exchange for the photo shoot. If I actually told her to stop, she’d burst into tears.
“One cat jelly.”
Of course. I retrieved a cat-shaped jelly from my bag. The child grinned.
My daughter resembled me exactly. She returned blows twofold and never accepted a losing bargain—she possessed the mercantile spirit of someone who zealously looked after her own rice bowl. To put it kindly, she knew how to secure her livelihood; to put it harshly, she was rather greedy…
“I want one too, please.”
Daniel held out a delicate maple-leaf-colored hand toward his sister, who was chewing her jelly.
But Juliet shook her head firmly, clutching the container. Once something reached her hands, she never shared it—not with her older brother, not with her father, not with her mother. Not once in her life.
“Sigh.”
I pulled out another jelly container for my disappointed son.
Ah, I really shouldn’t be feeding them so much sugar.
* * *
“Sweethearts~ Mommy has to go back out, so let’s get cleaned up quickly~”
Time is gold. Every moment must be carefully portioned and spent. After finishing the shoot, I rushed home.
In the room, as always, stood Wishit in the guise of a Diolus family nobleman with red hair and golden eyes. The twins chirped “Uncle, uncle!” and ran to embrace him.
<Rubetria. Something strange happened this morning.>
<What was it?>
<I appeared before Juliet disguised as a female nursemaid, and the child called me uncle.>
<So what?>
I sat at my vanity and was hastily removing my earrings and bracelets when I paused and turned around.
<Isn’t she supposed to call you aunt?>
<Exactly. Do you think…she recognized me?>
I looked at Juliet, nestled in Wishit’s arms with a jelly container clutched firmly in her hand, her lips working as she chewed.
<The child doesn’t know anything. She probably just said uncle on a whim.>
<Now tell her I’m traveling somewhere. Say I won’t be visiting often. My hair’s gotten too noticeable.>
Wishit said this. He loved appearing before the children and playing with them, but that time was drawing to a close.
When the children were newborns babbling in their cradles, it was fine to appear in the form of the golden-haired Spirit King, blinking in and out. Even now, while still young, it was fine since they regarded the red-haired Wishit as merely one uncle among many.
But as they grew older, the children would sense something amiss. As Wishit said, it was time to slowly bid the uncle farewell.
“Hmm.”
Inevitable as it was, there was something wistful about it. Juliet adored Wishit so.
Among the things Juliet loved most were Mango the cat, cat-shaped jellies, and.
“Give me one, uncle.”
Wishit.
“Mm-hm.”
Without hesitation, Juliet popped a single cat jelly into his mouth.
What neither Father nor Mother would give…

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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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