“Mommy!” 

Muriel, who had been playing with Mirabella’s dolls, ran to her mother. Rigen watched as the child’s face lit up with a huge smile. The woman scooped her daughter into her arms and lifted her up before planting kisses on her cheeks and eyelids. 

As she held her daughter, sharing the joy of their reunion, a tall man appeared in the distance and walked towards them. Mirabella was the first to notice him and stood up, folding her hands neatly in front of her. 

“Is that Uncle Theo?” 

“Uh…” 

The man hesitated, scratching his head as he looked at Mirabella, who was staring at him with an expression of certainty. Despite her confident demeanour, the man seemed at a loss for words, his discomfort obvious. 

“Are you Mirabel-ah, I mean, Princess Mirabella?”

His face looked as if he might cry at any moment. Although he was smiling, his reddened, slightly moist eyes betrayed his emotions. Mirabella, on the other hand, was all smiles. She lifted the hem of her bright pink satin gown slightly and gave a perfect courtly bow. Her etiquette was impeccable.

Perhaps because the dinner was a formal banquet, more care had gone into her appearance than at lunchtime. Mirabella wore a tiara befitting a princess and an emerald necklace, making her look more beautiful than ever.

“Of course I’m Mirabella!”

She raised her voice at the man who had asked so awkwardly. She flashed her pearly white teeth and beamed brightly. 

Rigen glanced sideways at his father. As always, Atlion’s expression was unreadable, but he didn’t seem to mind his daughter’s joy.

“It’s been a while, Theo.”

Swan, who had been sitting next to Atlion, rose and walked over to Theo. Her face was lit with a kind smile, so similar to Mirabella’s. 

The only ones who sat still, looking unimpressed, were Klaus, Rigen and Atlion himself. 

Klaus wore the same expression of disinterest as when he first saw Muriel. After briefly commenting that Muriel’s mother, Celia, was “pretty because she looks like Murica”, he busied himself fiddling with his toy soldier. 

The toy soldier was one of the twins’ most treasured possessions, a gift from their father when they were just over a hundred days old. 

“Muriel must be pretty, she takes after Lady Dianton.”

Rigen muttered, glancing at Klaus who was still playing with the soldier. Klaus gave him a sideways glance before replying dismissively, “What does it matter?” He seemed completely uninterested in the meeting. 

Perhaps it was because he had noticed the subtle tension in their father’s face. After all, Klaus loved Atlion deeply and depended on him. Of course, Rigen felt the same, but Klaus was especially attuned to their father’s moods. 

“Come here, boys, and greet our guests.” 

Klaus rose slowly and made his way to the others. Rigen followed, his steps reluctant but obedient. Mirabella had repeatedly insisted that they be polite, and so they bowed with appropriate decorum. If they failed to do so, Mirabella would see to it that they regretted it. 

“So much time has passed, the last time I saw the princes they were still in Her Majesty’s womb. Her belly hadn’t even begun to show…”

There was a deep nostalgia in his wistful face. Rigen watched him in silence. He was undeniably handsome – not as much as her father, but still striking. His features, passed down to Muriel, were sharp and refined.

“And to think that Princess Mirabella, whom I always thought of as a little child, has grown so much…” 

Theo smiled slightly, his voice warm. 

“And you, Uncle Theo, married and had a beautiful child.”

“That’s true.”

Theo replied, scratching his head awkwardly. Watching him, Mirabella turned her gaze to her father, who was staring intently at Atlion, as if waiting for something. 

“Do as you wish.”

With his permission, Mirabella turned her attention back to Theodor, her expression filled with determination. 

“Can I hug you, uncle? Like we used to?”

Theo looked a little surprised at her request, but soon smiled softly. 

“Of course. Always…” 

Before he could finish his sentence, Mirabella ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. Theo looked down at her with warm eyes and hugged her gently. Time was truly extraordinary – this once small and fragile child had grown into a lovely young lady. 

Theo smiled tenderly as he looked at the girl, who lifted her head to meet his gaze. Mirabella beamed before running back to her father and giving him a hug. Atlion held his daughter even tighter than Theo had and planted a kiss on her cheek. Mirabella giggled and returned the gesture, kissing her father’s cheek in return. 

Theo watched father and daughter with a small smile on his face.

—

The dinner prepared by the Emperor was lavish and sumptuous. Instead of Celia, it was Muriel who sat on Theo’s lap. He carefully cut pieces of meat and fed them to his daughter, watching her nibble with obvious affection. 

Swan occasionally asked if she should call a maid to help with the child, but Theo refused each time. 

It had been a long time since Theo had last seen his daughter. Running a small trade caravan in Dale, Theo had been working with a group of merchants in one of Solerium’s port cities. Since last year, he had been busy concluding these deals, leaving little time for his wife and child.

Even this visit to Solam, which he had hoped to make as a family, had ended with the three of them arriving separately due to his commitments. 

“Daddy, ah.”

Muriel said, holding up a small piece of meat on her tiny fork and offering it to Theo. 

Theo, beaming, leaned forward and ate the piece, smiling warmly at his daughter. 

She was so precious to him. As a child conceived after two miscarriages, Muriel was even more precious. She was more precious than anything in his life and he was deeply grateful that she had come into it. As he stroked his daughter’s soft cheek, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

“She really does take after you and Celia.”

“She really takes after you and Celia.”

Theo nodded in agreement. Muriel was indeed a perfect blend of himself and his wife. With pale green eyes inherited from Celia – eyes even paler than Swan’s – Muriel’s eyes shimmered like delicate spring leaves when the light caught them just right. 

“That’s true. She’s very beautiful, just like Lady Dianton. And Daddy likes Muriel too – he even helped her to sleep earlier.”

Theo looked at the Emperor. Atlion’s face was as unyielding and stern as ever. Though young and handsome, there was still an icy sharpness in his cold eyes, untarnished by time. It was surprising to hear a man like him lulling a child to sleep. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Atlion didn’t answer, maintaining his stoic demeanour. Instead, the prince sitting next to him – the one with the single blue eye – spoke. 

“Murica cried a lot. It was because of Rigen.”

Theo looked down at his daughter when he heard that she had cried, a small smile forming on his lips. Tears from a child weren’t unusual. But the mere mention of it made one of the princes bristle and glare at his brother. 

“It’s all right. She’s just a baby, so she cries and laughs a lot. I’d appreciate it if Your Highnesses could be understanding.”

At his words, the prince named Rigen seemed to calm down, though his sharp gaze at his brother betrayed lingering irritation. Eventually his attention returned to Theo’s daughter. Theo noticed and glanced at the prince, who had been quietly watching Muriel since he arrived for dinner.

Only eight years old, Rigen still struggled to hide his expression or subtly direct his gaze. Even when Theo looked in his direction, the prince would only look away for a moment before turning back to Muriel. It seemed that the absence of such a small child in the palace had piqued his interest.

Theo addressed the lord directly. 

“Your Highness Rigen, would you show my daughter around the palace? That is, if it’s all right with you.”

Rigen, who had been stealing glances at Muriel, blushed at the unexpected question. He looked to his father for permission. Atlion nodded slightly and gave his permission. Rigen stood up and walked over to Theo.

“What if she starts to cry while we’re outside?”

“Then give her something sweet.”

The prince nodded, a gleam of joy in his eyes. Theo watched as the young prince carefully lifted his daughter into his arms. The awkward way he held her was almost amusing – like a child carrying another child. Slowly, the prince began to walk away, the small figure of Muriel nestled in his arms.

Theo turned his attention back to the table. Suddenly, the Emperor, who had been quietly watching his son disappear, spoke.

“It seems my prince has taken a liking to Dianton’s daughter.”

“She’s only a baby, so she must look charming in His Highness’ eyes.”

“My son does not like babies.”

Theo chuckled slightly, unsure how to respond. Atlion spoke again, his tone unwavering.

“No, I mean it – he really seems to like her.”

“They’re still young…”

“My son takes after me. Once he bites, he never lets go.”

Theo was speechless. The Emperor was quite serious.

***

Rigen carried the child to the palace balcony. All the way, Muriel remained remarkably quiet. He looked down at the silent child in his arms. Her long eyelashes were as delicate as a doll’s. He felt the urge to touch her, but resisted for fear it would make her cry. Instead, he just watched her.

He showed her the palace gardens, bathed in the soft glow of the evening light. Muriel clung to his shoulder, her small hands gripping tightly.

He remembered his father’s words: “If it’s someone you like, even a commoner becomes special.” His father had also said that “if you liked someone, you had to tell them. Otherwise, it didn’t count.” 

Rigen pressed his lips together, hesitated, then parted them. 

“Muriel.”

The child in his arms turned her head towards him. He lowered her gently to the ground. Muriel blinked up at him, her green eyes wide with curiosity. Dressed in a pale blue gown for the evening banquet, she looked like an angel descended from heaven.

Rigen knelt before her on one knee, holding out a lace-trimmed brooch and a sweet in the shape of a rose. 

“It’s yours.”

Without a word, Muriel took the gift. Her face remained expressionless as she examined the rose-shaped sweet, turning it in her small hands. Then she popped it into her mouth. A smile spread across her face. 

Rigen couldn’t help but smile back, mirroring hers. 

“I like you.”

“Okay.”

“I hope you like me too.” 

“Okay, I like you.”

Muriel replied, her tone light as she fiddled with the ribbon. She looked up at him, her small voice sincere but modest. 

Rigen felt a slight sense of anticlimax, staring at Muriel as she rolled the candy in her mouth and played with the ribbon. Just as he began to straighten up from his kneeling position, Muriel leaned forward and pressed her lips against his cheek. 

“I like you.”

Rigen froze for a moment, then smiled back, a lightness in his heart. 

***End***