62. Mabel, You Can’t Do This To Me!
“Good mowning!”
I greeted him happily and held Aiden’s hand and shook it.
‘They said when you come in contact with me, the restrain loosens.’
Life is about give and take. Because Aiden helped me, I will help Aiden too! It couldn’t be better than having the same interest. Of course, we have the common goal to destroy Devlin, but so far, I’ve been getting a lot of help from Aiden.
I thought Aiden would like it too, but his expression wasn’t bright for some reason.
‘Huh… you don’t like it?’
Aiden’s gaze was directed toward our hands.
“You don’t like it?”
“I don’t dislike it, but.”
“Then it’s fine. Let’s go!”
Today was the day I decided to play with my animal friends after a long time. Kitty said that they wanted to see me.
I took Aiden’s hand and walked toward the garden. Again, I saw Lissandro watching us from a distance.
“You don’t need to be worried about Sir Javier. I’m going to go to the tea party and sneak out information.”
“Yes.”
“But don’t expect too much. It’ll be my firth time, so I might not be able to do it.”
“…yes.”
“What about the investigation of the stone?”
“……”
“Aiden?”
I didn’t hear an answer, and when I looked up, Aiden’s expression was somewhat vague. His gaze was still directed our hands, still holding each other.
‘Gasp, is it because of the rule?’
Dad’s order of ‘No Contact With The Emperor’ was still in effect.
‘The exception is for escorts and my direct maids.’
Or was it not good to hold it for too long? It was when I thought for a moment and let go of his hand.
Tak. Aiden grabbed my hand again.
‘So he didnt dislike it.’
I was almost a bit sad, what a relief. With a smile of relief, we walked to the garden.
I saw the animal friends waiting for me in the distance.
“Evewyone!”
With a happy heart, I dragged Aiden along, but suddenly stopped. And I looked around.
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing.”
I think someone was looking at me, was it an illusion?
***
A change of emotions when you see an unbelievable and ridiculous scene.
The first was despair.
“Mabel, Mabel…”
Esteban saw Mabel toddle with Aiden while holding hands without hesitation. Without knowing how he felt, Mabel smiled brightly at Aiden and chatted cutely.
‘Why are you smiling.’
The second change of emotion was anger.
The anger was directed at Aiden, not Mabel.
If the Emperor takes your hand, you should politely refuse. Why is he holding on so tightly?
“I’ve been too relaxed.”
He knew Aiden and Mabel had become close, but he left it alone because it was more dangerous to separate them.
‘But do you really need to stick together like that?’
Three years had passed already since Mabel asked for Aiden to be her bodyguard. As Oscar said, some sanctions seemed to be necessary.
But for a while.
The next stage was resignation.
“Yes. Rather than this Dad, a fresh guy would be better…”
Esteban, staring at the children with sad eyes from a distance, suddenly made eye contact with Aiden, who turned his head.
It was then.
‘What… is he pulling right now?’
With an expressionless face, Aiden grabbed Mabel’s hand that he was about to let go of. Then, he turned his head and walked leisurely alongside Mabel.
“That brat…!”
The final stage of emotional change was once again anger.
***
Peek…
Beyond the slightly open door, I could feel the light sky blue eyes staring at me.
Gustav, who looked through the documents busily, pretending he didn’t see, eventually raised his head.
As soon as his eyes met with them, Mabel grinned.
“I have a requesth, Gustav.”
Ahh. Gustav’s heart melted away.
‘I can’t do everything.’
Every time this happened, he understood the stand-in-Emperor’s heart, and listened to everything Mabel said.
However, he couldn’t lose his reason as an aide. Gustav coughed and spoke grimly.
“You have to say it’s an order, not a request, Your Majesty.”
“Is thwat so?”
“Yes. Because you are the Emperor.”
Mabel looked sullen and muttered “okay…”
Gustav wanted to kill himself for making Mabel sullen.
In the meantime, Mabel walked up and stood in front of Gustav, looking up at him. His appearance was reflected in her blue eyes.
Mabel stretched out two fingers.
“I have two.”
Gustav was surprised at heart.
‘You already know the number two, a genius.’
She was at the age to know the number two, but Gustav didn’t care.
“What is it?”
“One ith about my education.”
“Education?”
“Ung. I can’t stay knowing nothing fowever.”
Gustav was thrilled.
How admirable it is to say that those who would bring peace and prosperity to the Empire, will receive education of their own will.
‘As expected of the Empire’s hope…’
Whether Gustav was touched or not, Mabel said what she had to say.
“The other is about the collection of faiwy tale books piled up in my personal warehouse.”
Esteban, who had previously said that he would give Mabel all the children’s book in the world, kept his promise. In fact, children’s books from all over the continent were collected and given to Mabel as a gift.
“Gustav knows too, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
He was the one who made the list of books, so he couldn’t have not known. He cursed inside so much from having to make a list of all the fairy tale books from all over the world.
“Other than those, the warehouse is already full. How about donating everything, Gustav?”
“Donate… the intentions are good, but his Majesty will be sad. Is that okay?”
“In the first place, it’s Daddy’s fault because I can’t use it all.”
Gustav nodded at Mabel’s snappy theorem.
“You are right.”
Esteban’s gifts to Mabel were too much in quality and quantity.
It was enough to fill all the rooms of the detached palace, which was given to Mabel when she was a princess, with gifts other than nature.
(T/N: The forest, peninsula, etc.)
Items ranged from the dresses she received as a baby to all kinds of trinkets and rare magical items from all around the world. Even the legendary magic sword that God dwelt in had descended.
“I don’t need baby clothes anymore.”
“That is also right.”
“There are clothes I haven’t wore even once. It’s wasteful. I also can’t read all the books myself, I want to share them.”
Mabel’s earnest wish to donate was fully communicated to Gustav.
Gustav thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Then, we will handle it as a donation to the orphanage.”
“Ung!”
Hearing Mabel’s pure and bright answer, Gustav felt rotten. Probably because as soon as he heard about Mabel’s donation plan, an insidious plan came to mind.
“Your Majesty.”
Mabel tilted her head at Gustav’s serious voice.
“What?”
“If Your Majesty permits it, may I put up Your Majesty’s treasured possessions up for auction within the nobles? I think it would be meaningful to use some of the proceeds to donate together.”
On the surface, it was an auction with very good intentions, so Mabel nodded happily.
“Okay.”
What would be good to put out as treasured items? There were so many expensive things that she lost her desire for materialistic things, which was another big problem.
“I will speak to His Majesty about Your Majesty’s education.”
“Ung. Ah’ll leave it to you.”
After solving both problems, Mabel left the office with light steps. Seeing Mabel out the door, Gustav laughed slyly.
‘It’s been a while for a quick buck.’
***
“Wasn’t it supposed to be a modest auction…?”
As soon as I set foot in the full-fledged auction house, I was taken aback. The eyes of the people who had come in advance were waiting, their eyes focused on me at once. When everyone got up from their seats, I sighed and took a step back. Most of them were familiar faces. All the nobility of the parliament and many of the nobles I saw during the Founding Banquet, were there.
But…
‘Why is Daddy mixed in there too?’
He was mixed in so naturally you wouldn’t notice. My dad, who was sitting in the front row, smiled and waved at me.
Why is the scale of the auction so large?
I glanced at Gustav who had come with me, and he avoided my gaze.
“Gustav…”
“Haha, everyone is waiting. Take a seat on your throne, Your Majesty!”
Gustav smiled and turned around. I sighed deeply and waddled over to the throne.
‘The proceeds will be donated anyway.’
Rather, it was the items put up for auction that was the problem. Had I known that it was an auction to be held with such a large amount of people in a large hall, I would have brought more appropriate items.
“Everyone, please take your seats.”
At my command, everyone took their seats. When a servant appeared with a tray cart, Gustav, who was in charge of the auction, stepped forward proudly.
“I would like to welcome everyone attending the auction of Her Majesty’s treasured possessions today. I am informing you in advance that the proceeds of this auction will be donated to orphanage.”
The auction began after Gustav’s explanation.
“Then, the first auction item is-.���
He approached the tray cart and removed the cloth covering it.
“Her Majesty’s cat doll!”
“Heuk.”
I covered my face with both hands. I was so embarrassed that I wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
‘I really thought it was going to be a modest auction.’
I didn’t know to put myself, thinking that all these people were looking at my old cat doll. Unlike me, who was in despair, Gustav was excited.
“This doll is a doll that Her Majesty has been playing with since she was two years old. It’s very precious. Now, the starting bid starts with one gold.”
‘How is that doll worth one gold?’
Even if I had no sense of money, I knew that the price was outrageous. But what was even more absurd was what happened after that.
“10 gold!”
“10 gold has been placed!”
“100 gold!”
“500 gold!”
“1,000 gold!”
The price started skyrocketing. I gaped. Soon, the highest price was called out.
“10,000 gold.”
The one who ended the insanely skyrocketing price was… it was Daddy.
Gustav also frowned for a bit and then came back to his senses.
“10,000 gold. Is there more? 5, 4, 3, 2….successful bid.”
In the midst of the silence, Dad walked out leisurely, went back and sat down, with the old cat doll in his arms.
The auction continued.
“This is a picture of the Imperial Garden Her Majesty drew.”
“Euk.”
This time, I shuddered with shame.
“50,000 gold.”
“A successful bid!”
My dad was succumbed to the auction. After that, my dad started bidding for all of my cherished items. At first, the people who were silent, began to spit out more and more dissatisfaction.
“I-I think this is too much!”
“T-that’s right! We would also like to participate in the auction.”
Daddy raised his eyes fiercely at the cries of the people.
“What?”
“Hiik!”
Watching the scene, I sighed continuously.
‘I’m at home, but I want to go home…’
To do that, I had no choice but to end this damn auction. I jumped off the throne and stepped out in front of the crowd.
“Your Majesty!”
The vassals looked at me while crying as if it were unfair. It was like little children telling to their teacher. I pulled Daddy’s hem, who was standing proudly.
“Daddy.”
“Yes, Mabel.”
“I think Dad bought enough.”
“…Mabel!”
“You’re banned.”
“You can’t do this!”
After ignoring my mournful clinging of dad, I returned to the throne and sat down. The vassal’s expressions were much brighter.
The longer we went on, the more complicated my mind became.
‘Just what the hell is that?’
Even if everyone was blinded by power, it was too much. Even if they flattered me like this, I would never give them any convenience.
The servant brought out a tray cart. Gustav quickly rolled up the cloth.
“This is the last item for the day. A gemstone bracelet Her Majesty made with her nanny, Countess Alieli!”
“Damn it, a bracelet!”
Daddy looked at the bracelet and gnashed his teeth. It looked like he had to get his hands on the bracelet to relieve his irritation.
‘Since Daddy isn’t participating, the price will be stable.’
I watched the auction with somewhat of a relaxed mind. The auction resumed.
“1,000 gold!”
“5,000 gold!”
“10,000 gold!”
“80,000 gold!”
With the same prices as before, I was at a loss for words.
‘As expected, there’s no answer for this country.’
…I realized that today as well.