The Little Demon King is Too Bothered by Her Brave Dads - Chapter 90

“Kid!”

“Miss Tati, please slow down a bit!”

“Tatiana, you’ll fall if you run like that!”

Lakius, who had been staring blankly at their receding figures, put his hand to his forehead and let out a long sigh.

“Haah……”

……He hadn’t intended to tell Tatiana so suddenly like this.

Recalling those slightly trembling sky-blue eyes,

His heart felt heavy as if a boulder was tied to it.

***

That evening.

I shut myself in my bedroom, feeling depressed.

‘I didn’t know Lakius…… would go to Carlo.’

In the past, I would have thought it better to send Lakius to Carlo.

As befitting the male protagonist, Lakius would achieve numerous merits and establish his position as a capable prince.

Also, there was a calculation that Lakius needed to acquire a stable position to be able to help me in various ways later.

But.

“I don’t like it now, I don’t!”

Unable to bear the frustrating feelings, I grabbed the pillowcase tightly.

Lakius was my precious friend.

Even if Lakius was the male protagonist who survived until the end in the original story and grasped all happiness, still.

“I don’t want to send him to a dangerous place!”

Thump, thump!

I beat the pillow furiously, filled with anger.

“Lakius, you idiot, fool!!!”

Even that wasn’t enough to vent my anger, and just as I was about to shout again, panting,

Tock, tock.

A faint sound of something tapping on the glass window caught my ear.

‘……What on earth is this sound?’

I got up groggily from my seat and trudged towards the window.

And I discovered an unexpected person.

“Laki?!”

Lakius was standing alone in the garden, where unmelted snow was still piled up here and there.

It seems he had been throwing snowballs.

On the glass of my window, there were traces of snowballs that had hit it.

As soon as our eyes met, Lakius smiled brightly.

“Hello, Tati.”

“……”

Seeing that nonchalant smile, I felt a surge of emotion again.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the imperial palace at this hour?”

When I asked in a somewhat sharp voice,

“Of course, I came because I wanted to see you.”

Lakius replied shamelessly.

“……”

I felt at a loss for words.

“Th-then you could have just asked to meet me. Why throw snowballs from outside……”

“Well, if I had come normally, you probably wouldn’t have even looked at my face.”

Lakius shrugged his shoulders proudly.

“You would have probably locked your door for at least a week if even my name was mentioned, right?”

“……”

Why does he keep leaving me speechless?

But I couldn’t leave Lakius standing in the cold garden forever, so.

“F-fine, come inside.”

I replied primly.

Then Lakius’ eyes lit up brightly, and

He suddenly clung to the large tree planted next to my room’s window.

‘Huh? Wasn’t he supposed to come in through the front door?’

I panicked and clung to the window frame.

“D-dangerous!”

But as if mocking my concern, Lakius instantly climbed to the top of the tree.

I reflexively reached out my hand.

“My goodness, what are you doing? Come over quickly!”

In my mind, I was worried that Lakius might slip and fall, but.

“Wow, you’re even holding out your hand?”

Lakius smiled brightly and quickly grasped my hand.

Then he leaped into my room.

‘……Honestly, he probably could have managed without holding my hand.’

Thinking that, I glanced down at my hand still held by Lakius.

Even though he had safely landed in the room, Lakius was still firmly holding my hand.

“Can you let go of my hand?”

When I shook my captured hand primly, Lakius looked disappointed.

“Can’t I hold it just a little longer?”

“No.”

I quickly pulled my hand away.

Lakius stared at his empty hand wistfully for a moment, then clenched his fist tightly.

‘What’s with him?’

As I was puzzled, I narrowed my eyes.

“More importantly, did you walk around getting hit by snow?”

“Huh?”

“Your hair is all wet. How many times have I told you you’ll catch a cold like this?”

The snow that had accumulated on his head had melted, making his golden hair glisten with moisture.

I sighed and picked up a dry towel.

“Come here and sit down.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Lakius obediently sat down.

I started vigorously drying his wet hair with the towel.

But then.

A subdued voice was heard.

“Tati, I heard you were sick at the duchy.”

Under the drooping towel, red eyes full of worry scrutinized my face.

He looked just like a puppy caught in the rain……

“How are you now? Are you okay?”

And as I met that gaze.

Bonk!

I was so exasperated that I gave Lakius a light knock on the head.

“Hey, is this the time for you to worry about me?”

“Ow, Tati.”

Lakius looked up at me with an exaggeratedly pitiful expression.

But I replied coldly.

“I hit you so it would hurt.”

“You’re so mean.”

“The mean one isn’t me, it’s you.”

I pressed down on Lakius’ head with the towel, full of anger.

“At just fifteen years old, you’re saying you’ll act as a lord in Carlo? Do you even know where Carlo is located?”

Ah, I didn’t mean to raise my voice.

When I came to my senses, I was already scolding Lakius harshly……

“Carlo is at the frontline bordering the demon realm! You’re so reckless to say you’ll go there!”

About 7 years ago, when I had just made the three heroes my dads.

We passed through the Carolingian territory while entering the empire.

Unlike other glittering territories, I remember it being quite underdeveloped.

Probably even then, they were regularly receiving supplies provided by the old Grand Duke Orleans.

Yet if it was still in that state……

‘Moreover, the Lintz Merchant Group has completely disbanded now.’

With the liaison in charge of trade gone, it will be even more difficult to receive support for the time being.

Of course, the problem could be solved by establishing a new trading group, but.

How much will a mere fifteen-year-old prince struggle until he can establish a new trading group?

It’s truly one hardship after another.

‘Is there any need to voluntarily go through such hardships?’

With that meaning, I glared at Lakius.

Then Lakius met my gaze, fluttering his butterfly-like eyelashes beautifully.

“……Are you angry?”

Perhaps normally I would have fallen for that pretty boy act, but.

My mood was so low right now that I nodded firmly.

“Yes, I’m angry.”

Then Lakius gave a bitter smile.

“I’m sorry.”

He whispered with a sigh, rubbing his cheek against my hand.

“But please don’t be too angry.”

It was a crumbling voice as if he might collapse at any moment.

“Even if the whole world hates me, I don’t want……”

“……”

“I don’t want you to hate me.”

Seeing the dejected Lakius, I felt quite uncomfortable.

In the end, I let out a long sigh that welled up from deep in my chest.

“Haaah……”

Right, what can I do about what’s already been done?

Since it’s come to this, it might be better to cheer Lakius on so he can do well.

I asked in a subdued voice.

“So, have you thought about how you’re going to govern the direct territory?”

Then Lakius looked up at me with sparkling eyes, like a puppy following its owner.

“Tati, are you not angry anymore?”

“That depends on what you say.”

However, if he was really going to Carlo without any plan……

I just smiled menacingly without saying anything more.

“Ah, about that!”

Lakius stiffened his shoulders and hurriedly opened his mouth.

“First, I’m planning to establish a new main trading group that can supply resources regularly.”

“A trading group?”

“Yes. But we can’t rely solely on trading groups, so in the long term, we need to create a system for stable food supply.”

“Do you have any specific plans in mind?”

“Well, Carlo is in the northernmost part of the empire, so the weather is quite cool. First, I’m going to look for crops that adapt well to cold weather and have high yields compared to cultivation areas. And……”

It seems Lakius had been seriously thinking about this direct territory issue in his own way.

Various ideas for revitalizing Carlo flowed out one after another.

Even to my eyes, unfamiliar with territory management, quite a few ideas seemed realistic.

After listening to his story for a while, I asked mischievously.

“Are you that excited?”

“Huh? About what?”

Lakius, who had been talking passionately, suddenly came to his senses and looked at me.

“About going to Carlo.”

I shrugged my shoulders proudly.

“Isn’t Carlo very far from the capital? We won’t be able to see each other often now, right?”

“Uh, Tati?”

“What if we end up completely forgetting each other’s faces?”

Then Lakius answered firmly.

“No, I…