For as long as eight months after the children were born, the two always asked that question once a day. These two……should quit asking me that. Why couldn’t they treat the children as independent beings? Were babies made just by adding a mom and dad then pressing a mix button? Wasn’t it possible that they didn’t take after either of you?

  “I think I answered that before.”


  “I want to hear your answer again.”


  I couldn’t help but sigh, looking at the eyes of Silvia. Seriously, who’s the grown-up, and who’s the child here?

  “Valtorte looks like Ferdel, and Sansevastian looks like Silvia.”


  “Do you mean to say that Sanse is prettier?”


  “They’re twins, though.”


  As I answered, Silvia smiled brightly. Hey, godmother shouldn’t be smiling like that.

  “Sil! Sanse is crying suddenly!”


  “Then you should lay him down.”


  When Ferdel put down Sanse, the nanny changed his diapers. Ferdel and I looked at it in the same pose. Oh, wow. What an expert. Was that what a professional touch was?

  “So when is Assisi coming?”


  “I don’t know. I think he will never come.”


  At Ferdel’s unpleasant answer, Silvia frowned and fumed at Assisi.

  “His cousin gave birth, and he won’t come to visit! How cold!”


  “If you put it that way, Caitel is your cousin too. And he’s cold.”


  Huh? What did he say?

  “Assisi is your cousin?”


  Their eyes turned to me on my innocent question. I tilted my head little.

  “Oh, you didn’t know.”


  Yeah. I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything. So I explained it quickly. I could see Ferdel’s funny face in my eyes.

  “Princess, do you know this? Princess and Silvia were also related.”


  “Heh?”


  What? Silvia and I were also related? Grabbing my shoulder while pointing to Silvia, Ferdel explained kindly.

  “Silvia is the daughter of your grand-aunt.”


  A grand aunt. That did not sound close to me at all, but it was quite surprising. Really? A relative? Oh, my! I never thought I’d get to meet a relative in my whole life.

  “Really?”


  “Yes, I’m shy to say so, but his highness and I are relatives.”


  How come she never mentioned it? Well, I didn’t want to pretend like I was close to Caitel too. Even so, if I were related to the Emperor, I’d sell his name and con everyone. That would probably get me killed though.

  Leaving me in my thought, Ferdel and Silvia continued their conversation about Assisi.

  “Assisi will probably visit the children when they’re about 15 years old, maybe?”


  “His problem is that he thinks children cry because of him, that idiot!”


  “Dear, that’s not how you should talk about an older cousin. My angel wouldn’t do this!”


  “Be quiet!”


  Assisi is her cousin, and so is Caitel. Thus, the bloody Emperor and the black knight were her cousins, and the iron chancellor was her husband. Her mother was a princess, and her father a count. She’s from a noble family, and she was a beauty! Wow, I’d have to say this lady had selfish tendencies.