Father, I Won’t Do Anything

“Don’t tease me.”

“I’m not teasing, I’m simply complimenting your adorableness. I truly made an excellent choice with this outfit.”

The tomato costume was one Hilvenzia had purchased before leaving the store.

‘Had she picked the tomato outfit from the start, I might have discouraged it. But I never had the chance.’

With a faint blush, Jaina lowered her head, wiggling her toes restlessly inside her shoes as the embarrassment lingered.

‘But having already purchased it, not wearing it would be too wasteful.’

Behind her, Hilvenzia nodded in satisfaction.

Though Jaina diligently walked in the red shoes matching her tomato dress, to Hilvenzia’s eyes she seemed to bounce along like a plump tomato.

“Oh my, that kid is too adorable.”

“I’d love to have a cute daughter like her someday.”

Overhearing such comments, Jaina uncharacteristically hunched her shoulders inward.

After spending so much time together, Hilvenzia knew Jaina’s habit of hunching her shoulders whenever feeling embarrassed.

Left to her own devices, Jaina would likely have immediately shed the red outfit if not for Hilvenzia’s presence.

With a faint smile, Hilvenzia remarked to Jaina:

“Shall we head to the cotton candy stall now? It’s been nearly ten hours since they opened.”

However, the seasoned woman had no intention of conceding so easily. Deftly steering the topic elsewhere, Hilvenzia redirected Jaina’s focus.

* * *

“Welcome, welcome!”

The cotton candy stall was filled wall-to-wall with fluffy pastel confections.

Yet despite the exorbitant pricing, the cotton candy supply rapidly dwindled – a testament to its immense popularity.

Hence, Jaina and Hilvenzia found themselves having to wait a short while, though Jaina hardly minded the delay.

‘As expected, the principle differs from Earth’s cotton candy machines. Only the use of sugar seems to be shared.’

Jaina watched the cotton candy production process with bated breath.

“Thank you for the cotton candy, Hilvenzia.”

Jaina softly murmured her gratitude.

Having never visited amusement parks or festivals before, nor tasted cotton candy, she couldn’t conceal her excitement at witnessing the fluffy cloud-like treats being made.

“Here are your cotton candies.”

Just as Hilvenzia had paid and Jaina reached out joyfully to receive hers, an interruption occurred.

“Huh?”

Without queuing, a young boy abruptly blocked Jaina’s path before snatching the cotton candies instead.

“Excuse me, those cotton candies were for this customer…”

“Shut your trap. Tsk, just toss them a few coins.”

“Understood, young master.”

Though the stall owner seemed taken aback, he acquiesced upon the boy’s escort producing money from his pouch – a sum several times the original price.

Observing this, Jaina spoke up firmly.

“Those cotton candies were meant for me.”

“Ebebe. Ebebe.”

However, instead of apologizing, the boy merely stuck out his tongue in further provocation.

‘Not just taking one, but Hilvenzia’s as well…’

When Jaina showed no signs of backing down, the escort knight menacingly growled at her.

“Do you know who this is? This is Albert Newin, son of Count Newin. Back off while you can, kid. Huh?”

It was then that the previously silent Hilvenzia let out a chilling laugh.

“So?”

“S-So? Has this woman gone mad?”

“I must have been living too meekly lately for such insolence to directly provoke me.”

In this world, cotton candy machines relied on magic, requiring far more time to produce compared to Earth’s machinery.

‘And to have that hard-earned wait wasted, only to be met with such brazen rudeness – I cannot simply let this pass.’

Jaina tugged insistently at Hilvenzia’s hand.

“Please don’t kill or subject them to severe torture. Such an offense hardly warrants that much.”

“You’re right, our Jaina is present, so I must restrain myself. Only pleasant sights for her eyes. Ah, what a pity this is.”

Hilvenzia let out an exaggerated sigh of lament.

“Truly, for children of the same age to differ so greatly. Our Jaina is ever so dignified.”

The subject of her remarks, Albert, bristled indignantly with an outraged shout:

“What, what did you say? How dare you insult a Count’s son such as myself! Do you have a death wish, woman!”

As Albert shot his escort a pointed glare, the hulking brute menacingly approached.

Yet unfazed by the imposing man’s threat, Hilvenzia instead leaned in until her face was mere inches from the escort’s nose.

“…!”

Her ethereal silver hair glistened under the shop’s lighting. Her emerald eyes shone with a clear, lustrous jade hue, their corners curved enticingly.

“Now that I look closer, you’re quite…”

Just as the escort’s face began to redden, a disturbance rippled within Hilvenzia’s eyes.

And that was all it took.

“Heh, heheh…”

The escort’s pupils dilated as he held Hilvenzia’s gaze, his expression slackening.

Hilvenzia tilted her head slightly, as if anticipating this very outcome.

“This is no place for you, is it? Off you go, then.”

With eerie, puppet-like motions, he began lumbering towards his young master.

“Wh-what are you doing? Why are you coming towards me, you imbecile!”

Paling as the escort advanced instead of accosting the women, Albert’s earlier bravado vanished.

“Go discipline yourself over there!”

Yet Albert remained oblivious that he would be the one receiving discipline.

Swish!

“Uh?”

First, the two cotton candies Albert had been holding were snatched away and crushed underfoot by the escort.

“You madman!”

But that was merely the start of his misfortune. The true torment began now.

Grasping Albert with the same muscular arm he had used to threaten Jaina and Hilvenzia earlier, the escort lifted him effortlessly with one hand.

Then, with his free hand, he firmly swatted Albert’s backside.

Slam!

Slam!

“Aaarggh! How dare this lowly brute lay hands on me!”

Having unexpectedly found himself on the receiving end of a spanking, Albert’s indignant struggling was only natural.

He thrashed desperately, trying to break free from the restraining grip.

But his resistance was short-lived.

“Aaarggh!”

For the strikes grew increasingly vicious, squarely impacting his buttocks.

With dilated pupils, the escort repeated the same phrase like a programmed robot:

“A young master mustn’t develop such ill behavior so early!”

“Aaarggh!”

“A young master mustn’t develop such ill behavior so early!”

By the time this spectacle had run its course, two fresh cotton candies had been prepared.

“Let’s go, Jaina.”

After collecting the cotton candies from the visibly shaken owner, Hilvenzia made to depart. From behind, Albert’s final defiant screams rang out:

“Who are you people? Aaarggh! What sorcery is this? Aaarggh! I’ll inform my father!”

Albert’s indignant wails faded into the distance, paid no heed by Jaina and Hilvenzia.

‘Hilvenzia seems to have grown much gentler. In the novels, she was portrayed as truly merciless.’

Still grasping Hilvenzia’s hand, Jaina gazed up at her inquisitively.

“But how were you able to control someone simply by making eye contact? What did you do?”

“Not control, merely unleash the baser desires lying dormant within. That young master must have accumulated quite a few misdeeds.”

* * *

The courtyard gardens of the Princess Palace were always breathtakingly beautiful.

After a long absence, Jaina enjoyed tea with Elia amidst the lush rose gardens.

“How have you been faring with Diamid lately?”

“Well…”

Jaina’s words trailed off in response to Elia’s inquiry, unable to find a suitable reply.

While she did seem to be unexpectedly encountering Diamid more frequently after gifting him the topiary and cookies, it was mere coincidence.

“Not much different from before.”

‘Mentioning the concert would only raise unnecessary expectations from the Princess.’

Jaina gave an ambiguous answer.

“Then he has yet to show any interest in debuting you into high society, I presume.”

A hint of concern flickered across Elia’s elegant brows.

“At thirteen, it is customary for noble peers to begin attending social gatherings. No, truthfully you are already somewhat behind.”

“No need to worry. I’m simply not adept at mingling with others.”

“And yet you seem to get along splendidly with the ever-demanding Mikael, and even… the admittedly ill-tempered Hilvenzia Lotien.”

“I was truly fortunate in those regards.”

Jaina tilted her head contemplatively. The hostility, malice, and vicious glares that had plagued her past life.

-You should never have been born!

Lowering her eyes slightly, Jaina reflected.

‘Not that I’d be able to attend my debutante ball at seventeen anyway…’

To her, the precursory social gatherings held little significance.

“Is all your etiquette training to be for naught, then?”

“Well…”

Certainly, Jaina had been diligently studying various subjects, including harpsichord performance. While she enjoyed the learning process, it was by no means in preparation for a societal debut.

As Jaina remained silent, Elia continued:

“You could stand to gain a bit more confidence. It is rare for me to take such a keen interest in a child. If you find social gatherings daunting, why not attend one of the tea parties hosted by my inner circle first?”

“A tea party?”

“Yes, think of it as a casual visit rather than an obligation.”

Thus, upon Elia’s invitation, Jaina found herself riding in an imperial carriage bound for the imperial palace to attend a social event.

Jolting along inside the swaying carriage, Jaina gazed down at her unfamiliar dress hem.

‘For the Princess to personally arrange such thoughtful attire…’

The pale blue dress Elia had commissioned from the palace wardrobe exuded a delicate, spring pastel hue adorned with intricate silver embroidery – undoubtedly a meticulously tailored ensemble.

‘And this carriage is remarkably grand as well…’

Without a formal nobility herself, Jaina was essentially a commoner in this human realm.

Were it not for Diamid and Elia, she would have never learned etiquette, let alone harpsichord.

And to be sent a carriage bearing the imperial crest…

Refusing such courtesies would constitute a grave insult. Moreover, as Elia was her late mother’s former comrade, Jaina obediently acquiesced to her wishes despite feeling daunted by the social event’s prospect.

‘I must cherish such thoughtfulness.’

Jaina’s round eyes shone with solemn resolve.

“We have arrived, miss.”

And as the carriage halted, the door that opened revealed…

“Miss Jaina, it’s been too long.”

Rosian, beaming radiantly under the sunlight, offered his hand to assist her.