The Oracle of the Villainous Baby - Chapter 107

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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 107
I had successfully defeated the wicked villains threatening Ho-Mung.
With a proud heart, Bunny turned her head and gazed at Shalone, her chest thrust forward with satisfaction.
“So, Shalone. Is Bunny pretty?”
“….”
After a long silence, Shalone finally spoke.
“…No. I’ll pick out your clothes again, so would you take off these and wash off the makeup? I’m a bit embarrassed.”
Boom!
A massive stone fell down upon Bunny’s head once more.
“Whimper….”
Bunny’s face crumpled into tears.
It was the most shocking thing that had happened all day.
* * *
“The children aren’t coming out, Father.”
“Hmm.”
At Allen’s words, I pulled out my pocket watch and checked the time, my brow furrowing. No matter how I thought about it, sending only Shalone and Bunny troubled me, so I’d already been waiting in front of the shop for thirty minutes after they finished shopping.
When I inquired about the situation inside, I was told they were still shopping.
I supposed it was fortunate they were enjoying themselves, but….
Not being able to see them made me uneasy.
Whenever they were out of sight, they either got caught up in incidents, created incidents, or caused trouble.
“You two could have looked around more. Are you sure you’re alright…?”
Leaning against the carriage, I spoke in my usual languid tone, and Kalbad, who had been standing beside me, let out a snort and shrugged his shoulders with an indifferent expression.
“There wasn’t much to see anyway.”
“For someone saying that, you bought the most.”
“Th… That’s only because I’m so tall that I couldn’t find clothes that fit, so I had to buy new ones?!”
“Right, I’m sure that’s it.”
Allen glanced at Kalbad and chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.
At Allen’s indifferent and nonchalant attitude, Kalbad’s cheeks twitched as if he were upset.
“I’m serious?!”
“I understand.”
“So you should show some respect for your brother…!”
Ding—.
As Kalbad shouted with his fists clenched, the firmly closed door opened with a sound.
All three of their gazes turned toward the shop door at once.
“Huh? Daddy!!”
The moment the door opened, Bunny appeared and spotted me, her eyes widening as she spread both arms wide and came running, clinging to my legs like a monkey.
Whether when she was young or now, I couldn’t understand why she loved hanging from my legs so much.
“Bunny, did you enjoy shopping?”
“Yes! Bunny became super rich with clothes. All for free.”
“Yeah. Bunny, you’ve become incredibly rich in clothes. And it was completely free.”
Bunny flashed a thumbs-up with a mischievous grin, and Kiriel’s expression crumpled slightly.
“Free? What do you mean…?”
“I bought it for you. Don’t worry—I paid the shop properly, Prince Kiriel.”
At the sudden voice, he lifted his head, and a woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat came into view.
Kiriel Yudia narrowed his eyes and bowed slightly, and Allen and Kalbad standing beside him followed suit with awkward bows.
“It has been a long time, Your Majesty the Empress.”
At Kiriel Yudia’s greeting, the Empress Rosalind smiled faintly and waved her hand lightly.
“Enough of that. We’ll soon be in-laws—I don’t want such formal greetings.”
At Rosalind’s words, Kiriel’s movements froze.
He lifted his head, unable to fully hide his discomfort, and the Empress was grinning mischievously.
“…They’re still children. It’s rather early to speak of such things.”
“By the way, your expression has become quite rich since we last met. You used to look like a lifeless doll.”
“I’ve had more reasons to frown.”
“And more reasons to smile.”
The Empress nodded lightly in agreement with Kiriel’s words and added her own.
Kiriel fell silent.
After all, the Empress herself had changed considerably since giving birth to the Crown Prince.
“The child is quite honest and adorable.”
The Empress gently stroked Bunny’s head as she clung to Kiriel’s leg.
At the touch of her most beloved person, Bunny’s cheeks flushed a rosy pink.
“At this age, we could set the betrothal date quite soon.”
“That’s precisely why it should wait until the child reaches adulthood…”
“It’s only a betrothal, after all. Don’t make it so complicated. I simply want to stake my claim early.”
“Stake your claim…?”
Kiriel pressed his forehead as if troubled.
“Well, it’s just nice to have what feels like a cute daughter.”
Though she is a bit of a troublemaker.
The Empress added softly under her breath.
Kiriel looked down at Bunny with a knowing expression, and she, who had been tilting her head back, burst into a bright smile.
In truth, she had wandered around this vast boutique countless times without tiring, bouncing about so much that even the Empress eventually gave up following her.
“Papa, Bunny put on makeup earlier. I wore a red dress with all those frilly layers and looked like a real grown-up, but Shalone said it looked weird and made me take it off.”
Bunny pointed at Shalone, who was emerging from the shop with an exhausted expression, and spoke.
‘She’s trying to make me look bad…!’
Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Shalone froze in shock, her mouth falling open.
“That’s not what—!”
Just as Shalone, thinking Bunny was tattling on her, hurried to defend herself—
“Then it would have looked strange.”
Kiriel took one look at Shalone, who had emerged looking utterly drained, and answered matter-of-factly.
Shalone stopped, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Kiriel. In contrast, Bunny’s mouth fell open, her eyes filled with astonishment as she looked at him.
“No, that’s not it! Roel’s mom said I looked pretty!”
When Kiriel saw the Empress, she simply smiled in silence.
It was clear she was casting the spell ‘I shall say nothing.’
“There exists something in this world called a white lie, Bunny.”
At Kiriel’s words, spoken with infinite tenderness, Bunny’s head tilted to one side.
“A white lie…?”
“Yes.”
A white lie…?
“Then is there a black lie too?”
“There is.”
While Bunny’s eyes spun in confusion at the meaning of his words, Kiriel swiftly lifted the child from his legs and placed her in the carriage.
“Are you alright, Shalone?”
“…Yes.”
To play the role of a good older sister, she should naturally have said she was fine, but even as an empty courtesy, the words wouldn’t come out.
Shalone, whose lips had been trembling, finally managed to speak.
“…No.”
“I thought so. You worked hard. Thank you.”
“Still, you’ve got backbone. You endured being in the same building with her for hours without giving up.”
Kalbad rubbed beneath his nose and patted Shalone’s shoulder.
“Well, you’re a bit lacking compared to me, your eldest brother, but you did splendidly.”
Shalone glanced at Kalbad once, then forced a smile and nodded.
She didn’t even want to respond. She simply wanted to rest with all her heart.
Removing all her clothes, persuading her when she stubbornly refused, wiping away her makeup, and stopping her every time she tried to pick something strange to wear—how exhausting it all had been….
“In any case, I’ll send someone soon regarding the betrothal ceremony. The Imperial Court and the Duke’s House have been discussing this for so long… it wouldn’t be proper to both of us to simply leave it as is.”
“I shall leave the choice to Bunny.”
“That doesn’t seem to be a concern.”
The Empress smiled and descended from the carriage once more, squatting before Bunny, who stood beside Kiriel, and meeting her gaze, she stroked her head as she spoke.
“You said you wanted to make a promise to marry Roel, didn’t you? Isn’t that right, Bunny?”
“Yes! Roel, I put my spit on you so other children won’t steal you away.”
So she had learned something strange again after all.
Kiriel regarded the Empress, who had already made her move, with displeasure, then slowly nodded.
“If you send someone, we shall discuss it.”
“Roel always talks about Bunny so much. I can see why. The child is adorable.”
“I am aware.”
At Kiriel’s firm reply, the Empress paused, then burst into laughter and nodded.
“It was a rare outing, but I’m quite satisfied. It was good to come. Let’s see each other again soon.”
“…Please go inside.”
“Kiriel Yudia with four children—it’s something I could never have imagined before. I’m relieved to see you’ve changed for the better.”
At the Empress’s words, Kiriel paused for a moment, then bowed once with an expressionless face.
Then he simply picked up Bunny and placed her in the carriage.
“Let’s go now.”
‘Ho-Mung really is such a softie.’
The moment we boarded the carriage, Shalone, who had been nodding off drowsily, finally surrendered to sleep entirely, her forehead resting against the carriage wall.
“Oh, she’s asleep.”
Kalbad remarked.
Allen, watching Shalone’s exhausted face sink into slumber, silently reached out and gently drew her head to rest against his shoulder.
“Is Shalone sleeping?”
“Yes, she must have been tired.”
Bunny, who had been gazing at Shalone, nodded and then slowly climbed onto Kiriel’s lap, burrowing into his embrace before closing her eyes.
“Bunny wants to sleep too.”
Exhaustion was washing over me.
Bunny, adding this softly, gradually closed her eyes.
“They sleep so soundly.”
Kalbad chuckled and added a comment.
It was an utterly peaceful moment.

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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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