I was holding Yurii-sama's right hand and Dia was gripping his left hand as we walked on the maid road.
Dia is the successor to the dukedom and perhaps even the next prime minister. Because of this, he is undergoing training and striving for excellence in his studies. He who is a hardworking person would be someone who excels, be it as an official or a military officer. He is a capable person who is perfect as Yurii-sama's escort. Like this, we can walk around town with peace of mind.
Nevertheless, even if I have held hands with Father and Mother with me in between, for me to be the one holding hands with a child was something new. Even though he was not my own child, I wanted to brag about Yurii-sama, that there was no other child who was as adorable; it's inevitable.
「It's like we're a family」
Quickly turning towards me like the wind, Dia, for an instant, had a surprised expression on his face and then he gently smiled.
「You will be a great mother」
「I wonder…」
That may be so if it was inherited. Both of my parents, as parents, were extremely wonderful to me.
I would like it if there were less quarrels between them.
「Me and Mira's child would definitely be a good child!」
「Maa…Yurii-sama's and my child?」
I unintentionally burst into laughter. In my mind, Yurii-sama was my child, but for Yurii-sama, it was different.
「Yurii-sama will accept me?」
「Yup! Since Mira is a good girl. You're my type. I'll make you happy.」
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!
If we weren't in the middle of town, I would've screamed as loudly as I could. I wonder when it was, when I told father that I would be marry him, he cried, but now, I understand his feelings.
「That's right. If there are no proposals, then you must request it.」
「Until I become an adult, refuse all marriage proposals! Cancel the betrothal with this guy too!」
When he said "this guy", he shook off Dia's hand with all his strength. And then, hugging my waist with both hands while on tiptoes, Yurii-sama lightly laughed. Really. This child was perfect as my child. If you do something this adorable, I might kidnap you.
He tried to pick me up, but it was impossible for him. Dia suddenly lifted up the small Yurii-sama.
「Your Highness, you've worked hard. From now on, let's continue like this.」
「Ara, good for you, Yurii-sama.」
I was sad that we're not holding hands anymore, but the small child who is being carried by the tall Dia would be happy. For me who had a short and chubby father, it was fun when Dia's father carried me. It can't be helped.
It changes the way you see see things considerably.
「…Let me down.」
「Don't be unreasonable. My lover is happily looking at us.」
「…Let me down, you blockhead! What do you mean lover!!」
He doesn't like people treating him like a child. He was hitting him, but if he does that and Dia isn't able to hold onto him properly, that would be bad. The streets of the town is not like the flowerbeds surrounding Swain House.
When I told Yurii-sama that he shouldn't do that, Yurii-sama turned away from me after opening and closing his mouth repeatedly.
「I'm not your lover, DIa. If you still remember Mira when you get older, please come get me, Yurii-sama.」
「Of course! Mira is my Mira.」
Yurii-sama, who quickly cheered up, beckoned me. Moreover, when I went up to him, there was a soft feeling on my cheek. A kiss. I was kissed!
「Are you happy?」
「Yes, Very!」
Adorable! Adorableeeeeeee–! I hugged Yurii-sama as well as Dia who was carrying him and I tried teasing Dia a little.
「Are you jealous? Dia.」
「Yeah…completely.」
「Fufu…it's a privilege only I have.」
Yurii-sama would feel shy even around other guys. That's right. He's jealous.
「That's not it…no, it's fine.」
「You look like you want to say something, Judias Roderick.」
Dia gently smiled at Yurii-sama who snorted. Ara, it was a smile full of displeasure. He only gave me preferential treatment, so he's jealous. He is a sinful prince.
We sat on a public bench, just for a moment before going home. Yurii-sama was tired and fell asleep. The sleeping Yurii-sama who was being carried by Dia was hugging the bag with the stationery inside and a bottle full of milk candy that Dia had bought for him in town. We were sampling food and it seemed like he enjoyed his first time tasting the food of the common people.
「You had to do something troublesome too」
「I don't like the way you said that」
He said this in a cold tone, which was unusual for Dia. I was surprised, but there were probably also days when he was in a bad mood.
「Who this child is, do you truly understand? Mirabell.」
「Yes. A pure, five year old prince.」
「What kind of existence the royal family is, you do not understand.」
As if pitying the ignorant me, Dia's hand caressed my cheek and fixed my hair. How nostalgic. No matter if he was scolding me or comforting me, he always had the same expression on and he always did this. He has done this for as long as I could remember, ever since we were very young.
When he did this, I would feel guilty and I would realized what I did wrong.
「Even if I say that, your House barely has any political power. If this tiny prince said that he wanted you, it would be easy for him to get you.」
「Then, us parting ways a year from now will be postponed. Especially since he is attached to me. It makes me happy.」
「I'm being serious.」
He says this coldly. His eyes too, were bright..
「I want you to be happy. …I, want to be happy.」
「Is it pity? Or is it for atonement? If that's the case, then please stop it. Because you didn't do anything wrong.」
「I am not the kind of person that you think I am.」
Dia took a deep breath.
「It's just, I love you.」
「But that, is the same as the love for one's family, isn't it?」
Dia's father is Dia's only family. As a childhood friend, I would definitely be seen as a younger sister in your eyes. If you say that you see me as a woman,then that is just a misunderstanding.
「You're a stubborn person. No matter what, you won't believe me. …it's fine for now. More importantly, I'm warning you that you shouldn't get closer to His Highness Prince Yuriel than you already are. You must not, for both of you guys' sakes. Your feelings for him are probably maternal.」
Of course, I wouldn't look at a five year old child in that way. For me who doesn't have any siblings, I've never felt like this before and Yurii-sama who gives warmth, I think of him as someone precious.
I think that Yurii-sama is surely searching for his late mother, his ideal family member, in me.
「Even so, what if His Highness wants a relationship with you? Will you accept him? Aah, you probably won't accept him. But that child is royalty. He can disregard your wishes.」
My hand that was stroking Yurii-sama's head was held in place by DIa.
「At first, your wishes being disregarded is so that this child would be satisfied. But eventually, you will feel empty. You're only looking at the small Yurii-sama. For you to see this child as a man, no matter how long it takes, it would never happen.」
Did he take that talk about accepting me seriously? That tiny joke? Perhaps it's because Dia believed that that he was warning me. This was because rather than Yurii-sama being royalty, he was more worried about the fact that Yurii-sama's a child.
「It's not something that's looked down on. If you like His Highness, then you wouldn't want His Highness to be sad. More importantly, this child is, in reality, a small boy.」
「You talk like you know. Did you have troubles with women?」
When I jokingly said this, Dia showed a small painful smile.
「It's as if I'm looking at myself. My strength…even with my family's strength, and using that to bind my important person to myself…until I actually did it, I realize that it was also done in vain.」
He has a habit of speaking sarcastically when self-deprecating.
「Let's return to the dormitory, Dia, since it's getting colder. When it gets cold, it would feel as if your heart will also freeze. If you warm yourself up in your room, your heart will be a little more comfortable.」
「So, My heart seems frozen, huh? I didn't realize.」
When I tried to hug him like when he does it to me, he put my hand on his cheek.
「I'm so immature. I said all that, but in the end, it might just be that I'm jealous. I'm sorry, Mirabell. I have no intention of letting you go.」
I could feel the gaze of Yurii-sama who was in bed. I was sitting at my desk.
「What is Mira doing?」
「I'm studying. Because classes will start the day after tomorrow.」
Now that you mention it….
「What is Yurii-sama studying? Are you still going to class as a first-year student?」
「I'm, not going to be separated from Mira.」
…huh?
「But I'm a seventh-year student?」
「I know. 」
「Which year is Yurii-sama in?」
「Seventh-year. I passed the exam. There's no problem.」
He passed the exam for skipping grades…! Even though, just skipping grades in general was amazing, Yurii-sama was definitely way smarter than I am. I feel a little dizzy.
「I got into the same grade as Mira properly. Since I also calculated the number of mistakes.」
So if he tried his best, he would be able to enter the highest grade level and if he doesn't try, he would skip grades. I, who was conceited due to being the top student of my grade, was embarrassed. I lost to a five year old.
「I am also in the same class as Mira!」
「You're so thorough…」
I'm happy, but it's not like he's becoming independent from his parents because it's just me, but if he was separated from me, I would worry about him. Does Yurii-sama know that the practical classes are taken separately? The practical class for boys is swordsmanship and etiquette class for the girls. The seventh and eighth-year students take these classes together and he would be in the same class as Dia, so I'm sure he'll be ok, but…His Highness Prince Alan would also be there. He would probably have mixed feelings about that.
Or rather, would it be ok to be separated during class? He would be surrounded by older boys that he doesn't know, so wouldn't he be uneasy? Will he get injured when I take my eyes off him? It might be me who is not able to separate from him, not Yurii-sama.
「Ah…headache…」
What if he fell when I take my eyes off him? What if he had a fever? I don't even want to think about it anymore.
「Are you ok?」
「Yes, somehow….Why don't we go to bed? Yurii-sama, please let me in」
「Your legs are getting cold. Be careful. If you get frostbite…」
It wasn't too cold.
「I hate Judias.」
「I see…」
After I turned off the light, Yurii-sama said this. Well, just based on what happened today, their compatibility was the worst.
「However, because he bought some nice things for me today, I'll write him a thank you letter.」
「Ara, how courteous.」
It seems that he was extremely pleased with the milk candy. He carefully put it near his pillow. He used unpleasant words, but when he was being carried, Yurii-sama was looking at the scenery that was different from usual with sparkling eyes. It seems that they don't hate each other even though they say that they don't like the other person. Unexpectedly, it might be as if they were brothers.
「It's because I want to use the stationery that I got from Mira.」
「I'm sure Judias-sama would be delighted too.」
Since that person is also unexpectedly simple.