As I closed my eyes, a sense of comfort surrounded me. What I felt in my breath was Caitel’s presence as he held me. I would usually sleep just because of that, but today felt different. I couldn’t sleep comfortably for some reason, as if I took the wrong medication or something.

  Maybe it’s because I couldn’t sleep right now, but suddenly, I had an urge creeping within me to open the door. I felt like I might see Assisi once I opened the door, and my sudden arrival might surprise him a lot. However, when I opened my eyes, I met with a pair of red eyes right before me.

  “Why aren’t you sleeping?”


  What a surprise! I should ask him the same question, why wasn’t he sleeping yet?

  “I can’t sleep.”


  Upon hearing my answer, Caitel stroked my hair in silence. Of course, my hair got tangled in his hands while he was stroking it since my hair was so long. Then Caitel held my hair in his hand.

  What was my dad doing? Does he also think that my hair was too long? I felt the same way. Since I always had short hair in my previous life, having long hair was so troublesome. However, it was what the nobles wanted, so I could never cut it. Everyone always ignored what I had in mind. Ha, what a dirty world.

  Why wasn’t he sleeping, though? When I looked up at my father, I saw him looking down at me with a subtle smile. What was he smiling for? Was there something funny about me?

  “Oh, I just remembered! Next month is your birthday. What would you like for a present?”


  Caitel smiled again upon hearing my words.

  “Can you give me anything I want?”


  “Sorry… maybe I got carried away.”


  I’ll just shut up and stay quiet…


  As I shut my mouth, Caitel chuckled. What’s so funny? I wanted to punch him, but that would only mean I might never see the morning sun. Thus, I just pulled Caitel’s hair a little. That should hurt.

  “Why aren’t you making use of those knights? I went to all the trouble of preparing them as your gift.”


  What was he talking about?

  “Did you really think I would use those knights?”


  “Yes.”


  “What in the world would I use them for?”


  I was asking him this very seriously. Caitel shut his mouth as if he was thinking deeply about my question. Was he seriously gonna ponder about it?

  However, it seemed that he really treated that question seriously. After a while, he smiled and gave me his answer.

  “Play hide-and-seek?”


  Did he seriously give me an entire band of knights just for that?

  It’s so pathetic… I sighed.

  “Dad.”


  “What?”


  “How did you manage to still have people serving you?”


  “…”


  He was aware that no one wanted to serve him just to play games, right? Who would stick around after such harsh treatment?