Well, I was fortunate to know how maids looked and acted because I saw them work for me. Ah, of course, the grace that my body held came out naturally.

  Shortly after, the little prince came into the dining room. Once I saw him, I felt enchanted.

  ‘Oh my, so cute.’


  “Had a nice bath?”


  “Yes.”


  “Please sit and have dinner.”


  ‘Ahaha, cute!!’


  I wanted to run straight for him and stretch his cheeks, bite him, and hug him, but unfortunately, I was a maid who wasn’t supposed to act like it.

  Woah! I was a maid!

  He was so cute, though.

  Oh, if I could guarantee that I would have a son like that, I would marry the first person I could get.

  Apart from the fact that my dad was a child, the feeling inside me was different. No matter how much I looked at him, he was cute, and everything he did was forgiven because he was cute.

  Oh, cute! How could he look like that?

  He was so adorable.

  Ha, dad’s childhood. It was totally different from my imagination. I thought he would have been some ugly, messed up kid, but he was cuter than the twins.

  It was in our blood, after all! He was a beauty since birth!

  What to do?! I wanted to bite him!

  He even ate delicately. Maybe he felt my constant staring; dad turned to the other side to eat.

  Oh my god.’


  “.……”


  He didn’t say anything, but it seemed like something was going on……

  Ah.

  My dad was right in front of me, but I couldn’t call him dad. Why!

  Tears formed.

  Luckily, the meal was being had in silence, and there wasn’t much noise.

  “I can’t sleep.”


  Somehow, after cleaning up and moving, I was assigned a maid’s room, but the problem came afterward; it was a dream, so I couldn’t sleep. I wasn’t even tired. It didn’t even feel like I had worked.

  “.…… it would be suspicious if I went out.”


  I couldn’t sleep, but I couldn’t leave the room either.

  I ended up wearing my robe lightly around my body and wandered around Caitel’s small palace. If someone caught me, I would say that I was searching for the bathroom.

  In such a quiet palace, only the sounds of my steps rang.

  “Wah, so small.”


  It wasn’t like I saw everything, but one wouldn’t need to scour the whole place to see how tiny it was.

  I thought I would get tired by walking around, but it didn’t help much.

  Although the palace was small, it was like a bloody maze; if I didn’t know the way, I would have been lost.

  Luckily, there was a trick to it, and I returned to my room with nothing to do.

  Later, the palace would turn to ashes with its people burning with it.

  I already knew the ending. A strange mood dominated me. I thought it would be unrealistic in a dream, but the passing of time felt more natural here. Everything was confusing as I wasn’t sure what to do here. Was that why one could get stuck in a dream? I could live although I couldn’t sleep.

  Was it because I knew I was dreaming?

  Still, dad was so cute earlier.

  I felt glad about the reckless thing I did now. If I hadn’t done it, I would have never had the chance to see my dad in his childhood.

  As I kept on remembering it, I felt attached to the young Caitel. Although he hadn’t displayed any emotion nor spoke anything, just looking at him fascinated me.

  Did he have some magic power that captured my attention?

  Time kept passing, and my heart began to flutter; I didn’t want to leave Caitel like that. Most of all, I had come to a point where I didn’t want to miss even a single glance at him.

  I couldn’t do it, aww.

  If this version of my dad wasn’t the real one, I would have to find the real Caitel, who was still stuck in this dream.

  I couldn’t leave the place although I had other tasks to do. I would be stuck with my little dad.

  ‘Such a rewarding task!’


  Now I knew what the maids felt, always watching me from the side with grins.

  “But this is hell.”


  Although I knew this was a dream, it felt strangely realistic, making me feel bitter.

  What? My dad’s version in this dream differed from what I thought, so I couldn’t figure out what to do. It was a shame. Dad’s childhood, no one told me about this scene properly.

  Not just words, not the words, but seeing it touched my heart more.

  He grew up in such an atmosphere.

  I knew now why dad hated the Imperial Palace.

  “If I grew up in a place like that, I would have been hurt forever.”


  Those were blatant words.

  However, it was the truth.

  Except for Caitel’s little palace, everything seemed strange. Balls and parties were held here, and it never closes; nobles were free to enter this place and party. The atmosphere went beyond the level of freedom to seeking simple pleasure and enjoyment. To be honest, all the people seemed addicted to something; they looked filthy.

  It was hard to get used to such a horrible place.

  At first glance, while passing from a distance, Podere Palace seemed busy. Even in my memory, it was always crowded. Solay Palace was bustling too.

  Now that I had come to think of it, Emperor Ivan owned Solay Palace.

  I wasn’t sure if it was the right opportunity to see my grandmother and grandfather. Even if I just saw their shadows in dad’s memory, I was still curious since I never saw them.

  Strangely, the little Caitel didn’t go to see them even once.

  “Even if it is a dream, it’s so harsh for him.”


  The situation felt odder since I would continuously bump into my dad during my childhood.

  A five-year-old kid, whom no one was interested in except for his maids and attendants, was a prince! I was Caitel’s only child; he showed love and interest in me all the time.

  The nearby palaces were busy with city people and nobles, but Caitel’s small court was silent.

  No, it was okay for the nobles to do that, but his mom and dad had to see him, right? He was only five years old, and he needed his parents’ love while growing up.

  I felt angry for some reason. The little prince quietly read books and kept to himself until an accident took him down.

  “Does the prince want to go to the garden?”


  If there was anything I could do, then it was garden walks. Of course, it was something I liked, but even young Caitel seemed to like it.

  He went to the garden every day.

  At my sudden question, my dad looked into my eyes.

  ‘.…… sorry. I won’t ask again.’


  “No.”


  I didn’t think he would bother responding!

  “Then, why do you keep coming here?”


  It was shocking how gently he answered me.

  He spoke so gently that I asked another question without realizing it, but my young Caitel sighed as if he was tired.

  Was I bothering him?

  “Because it’s better here.”


  I thought he would ignore me, but he answered again. My dad was so kind.

  It wasn’t like there was much to say, but whenever he spoke, he did so softly. Strange, but it made me curious.

  Innocent Caitel. Probably why he was so cute!

  What did he mean it was better in the garden?

  I didn’t understand his answer. I tried to think, but before I could, Caitel already turned away. He was going into the palace.

  I knew that the garden was the right place to sneak off to, but I knew that he was groaning in the silent woods.

  Raising a child in such an environment was like opening the gates of hell. It was something unfamiliar to me!

  Fortunately, I didn’t have to go through it, but it seemed like one scene was enough to exhaust me.

  Ha, damn humans.

  “There is a ball tonight.”


  When I returned to the palace, the waiting maids spoke.

  The word ball darkened Caitel’s expression.

  Did he hate it?

  He wasn’t someone who liked noisy places, so it made sense.

  The maid started to prepare.

  The speed and skill of the woman who was helping were admirable, and it was done.

  ‘Oh my god!’


  My dad in little clothes was one thing, but dressed so grandly was different. It was like he was representing some minor nobleman. It was so cute!

  Ah, photo! Take a picture! Picture!

  “What are you doing? Go.”


  “Huh? Yes.”


  He was so cute.

  After all, he was looking good. We arrived at the palace after walking. I thought we would have to wait, but we could enter once we arrived. Usually, as a maid, I would have to wait outside, but we could enter as his guardian since the prince was young.

  The ball was so grand.

  What kind of ball was that?

  It was noisy, and it was difficult to make out what people were saying.

  “Come here.”


  Once Caitel entered the hall, he moved into a corner. I was shocked to see him pull up a chair beside the curtains.

  What was he there for?

  Attendance? Was he there to show his presence?

  “Can I bring you something to drink?”


  “No.”


  Less than 10 minutes passed since the ball started.

  I was feeling stuck. I couldn’t figure out what he was doing or what I was doing; what intensified my curiosity was how nobody cared about the little Caitel. It wasn’t like they were ignoring him.

  Almost like they were dealing with strange people.

  I had a bad feeling about it.

  “Sit down.”


  “No, it’s okay.”


  While I was in thoughts, I ended up answering without using titles.

  Ugh!

  For a moment, I was scared, but fortunately, Caitel didn’t seem to care.

  Ah, I could feel my life span shortening.

  I was almost in trouble since I spoke like I used to with my dad.

  I looked outside by pulling the curtain a little. Caitel held his chin and looked in the room. What a relaxed attitude. Well, he didn’t seem angry with my actions, so I kept looking outside.

  What was it? There were so many disgusting people out there. I was wondering where they all came from.

  “Are nobles interesting?”


  “No.”


  “Then, why are you staring so hard?”


  Was he that bored? He kept asking me questions.

  I didn’t hate it, but it was annoying since I was busy looking at other people. I had no other reason. I just wanted to understand what was going on.

  “Just like that. Everyone moved like you aren’t here…… prince.”


  I was drifting into this comforting conversation like I used to with my dad. Thus, I had to belatedly add ‘prince’ at the end. Fortunately, he wasn’t upset with my mistakes.

  “It’s easy to stay away from a man they don’t want. I know that”
……

  was this how five-year-old usually speak?

  As if he had already given up on everything, Caitel turned his head away with a pained expression. I was so sorry for what I said.

  Ha, what now? I felt something strange within me again.