Nothing was certain just yet, but she’d know what I meant once the evidence was revealed.

‘You greet me so warmly each time we meet with such an innocent face. I had no idea how cunning you are behind the scenes.’

Now that I think about it, that person was perfect for that kind of job.

I didn’t know when it started, but…

‘I was told that most of the employees including the old butler were replaced.’

Since then, the family has been filled with new people.

The Emperor might be attaching ‘that person’ close to the duke, who wasn’t in his right mind at that time.

‘But…it can’t have been from back then. There’s no way the Emperor was already wary of the duke that early…’

I got goosebumps for a moment.

My speculations always proved true, after all.

Because of this, my steps got busier as I headed to my room.

I should ask Ian and satisfy my curiosity about this matter.

“Let’s go back now.”

Regardless, it was something that would only become clear after the evidence was out. So my priority now was to return to Rere and Ian.

I briefly looked at the nanny’s retreating back before heading to the room.

* * *

“Daddy, you’re cute.”

While I entered the room carefully in case Rere would wake up, the maids were giving something to Rere with a conflicted expression.

Rere was doing something in bed like someone who was admiring an art.

The child was so absorbed that she didn’t notice that I came in.

“Rere, what are you doing?”

The child jumped out of the bed as soon as I called her.

“Oh? Huh??”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Oh, that scared me. It’s just you, Big Bunny.”

“Huh? Can’t I come?”

“No. I thought Daddy woke up.”

Then Rere climbed into the bed again.

“What were you doing?”

I asked with a chuckle because Rere was acting differently from usual.

“Ah…?”

“What do you think? Daddy is pretty, right?”

“H-How can you do this to your daddy…but he’s indeed pretty.”

I smiled without realizing it.

While I was out for a moment, Rere had gathered his hair neatly and tied it into pigtails.

Not only that, she even used my jewelry to adorn him. Seeing him sleeping wearing a fancy necklace….

“He looks like a sleeping beauty.”

“That’s right!”

“Ah, right. This also looks pretty, right?”

I naturally sat on the bed. Meanwhile, Rere put the most lovely and colorful pin in his hair.

“He looks like a princess. As expected, Daddy takes after Rere.”

“Hm? How is that so? Shouldn’t it be Rere who is taking after Daddy?”

“Yeah! Because Rere is prettier than Daddy! That’s why Daddy takes after Rere!”

Rere puffed out her chest with both hands on her waist and looked more confident than ever.

“What do you think? You guys also feel the same, right?”

“P-Pardon?”

“Say that I’m pretty. I’m pretty!”

“Yes. Very pretty indeed. Speaking of which, will this be okay? I don’t think His Grace will be too happy with this….”

May expressed her opinion in a hushed tone. Of course, Rere wasn’t the type to let that slide.

“What did you say?! Are you saying that I’m doing something wrong?”

“No, it’s not like that…His Grace is quite sensitive, that’s why….”

“Hmm…you’re right. Daddy doesn’t like things like this.”

Rere took her opinion into consideration, and with pursed lips she looked at Ian worriedly.

“He’s not going to like it.”

Then,

Ian had been soundly asleep until just a moment before, but the commotion around him caused him to slowly open his eyes.

“Uhm…is it morning already?”

“Uh..um..”

“Rere, are you up already?”

“I-I didn’t sleep much today.”

“I guess I was the last to wake up.”

Ian awkwardly raised his hand to scratch his head.

“D-Daddy?”

“Hm?”

“O-Oh, nothing.”

As soon as Ian stopped scratching his head, Rere smiled awkwardly.

“What’s going on?”

“N-Nothing.”

“Is there something that you cannot say?”

Ian looked at her with concern.

“Nope, it’s nothing. Hehe.”

“Just to be sure. You can tell me anything you want, okay?”

“I used to wish my daddy to be this sweet, but now I think I miss my old daddy a little bit.”

“…Y-Your old daddy?”

“Yeah! They said that if someone suddenly changes, it means they don’t have many days left to live. I don’t want my daddy to die. I hope he lives with Rere for a long time…”

Ian looked at the sulking child and rose from his seat to rub her head.

“Don’t worry, Rere. Daddy will live a long life.”

“But…”

“But I can act like my old self if our Rere is worried. So you must listen to Daddy, okay?”

“…Huh?”

He smiled affectionately, but then purposely hardened his expression whenever Rere looked at him.

“Anyway, I’m running late right now. I need to oversee the maid selection process today.”

“Daddy, are you going there…? Do you really have to go…?”

“You don’t want me to go?”

“Yeah! I hope I can eat and play with you.”

Of course, Rere didn’t actually want to play with her daddy. She just didn’t want anyone to see the duke after she decorated him prettily.

Rere made a determined expression as if she didn’t want to get caught and swung the duke’s hand back and forth.

“Hmmm?”

“Hmm. Well then, shall we eat first?”

“Daddy is the best!”

“Alright. But I’ll wash up first in my room…”

“No, no, don’t do that. I’m so hungry. Why don’t the three of us eat in Rere’s room?”

The duke’s expression seemed a little stiff in response to Rere’s unusual behavior.

“What’s going on? You’re not letting me leave this room?”

“Uh…well, I just want you here with me.”

“My daughter is acting weird.”

“Uh…yeah, I-Is that so?”

Rere stared at me with a look that screamed ‘Should I tell him?’ So I approached the sullen child and held her in my arms.

Rere whispered close in my ear.

“Big Bunny. I’m sure Daddy will hate me.”

“Why? Is it because he dislikes things like this?”

“No. It’s not like that, I just don’t want to be hated by Daddy.”

“Even if you tell him, I don’t think he’ll hate you, though?”

“No, I’m sure he’ll hate me. D-Don’t tell him, okay?”

Rere shook her head with a sullen expression.

“Okay. Let’s put Daddy to sleep and get rid of everything.”

“Okay!”

Rere finally looked at Ian with a big smile.

“Daddy! Then let’s eat inside.”

“What are you two talking about? I feel a little left out, you know?”

“No need to be. Because we’re talking about you, Ian.”

“Talking about me?”

While he was perplexed, I walked over to the long table and sat down on the chair.

“Then, will you prepare the meal?”

“Yes!”

At my instruction, the maids left one by one. Rere grinned broadly, possibly feeling happy that Ian stayed inside.

“Let us eat together. Eat, eat.”

“But I didn’t see the nanny. I’m supposed to discuss the interview for the new maids today with her.”

“Oh, about that. I choose a maid separately.”

“You?”

“Yes. Is that alright?”

“Of course. We’re looking for a maid to serve you. So you’re free to choose more than one if you want.”

He alternately looked at me and Rere with a face filled with warmth.

“Thank you. Ah, and I have something to ask you.”

“What?”

“By any chance, did new people move in after you fired the old butler and everyone in the family?”

“I think so?”

“Have you carefully looked into them?”

“I think I did…but I’m not sure, either.”

He tapped the table with a slightly embarrassed face.

“Why are you asking?”

“By any chance, are there people who are replaced often?”

“The maids were replaced often.”

“Among them, who hasn’t been replaced until now?”

“Rere’s nanny, the chef and the coachman?”

I’ve finally found the person who told the emperor everything there is to know about this family.

“Why do you want to know?”

“I’ll tell you when everything is clear.”

“Well, if that’s what Leona says. I understand.”

At that time, Rere suddenly interrupted our conversation.

“By the way, when will you fall asleep again? Hmm? Don’t you want to close your eyes?”

“I don’t know?”

“Why aren’t you sleepy? Why don’t you take another nap before the food comes?”

“You’re acting strange today. It’s the first time you’re telling me to sleep like this.”

“Huh, huh?”

“Don’t tell me…”

“Don’t tell me?”

When he blurred the end of his words, Rere opened her eyes so wide that I worried they might pop out.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Daddy. Noo, it’s definitely not because I made you prettier.”

“You want to sleep with Daddy…?”

They were talking at the same time. As a result, Rere and Ian looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

“D-Daddy. Did you think it was because I was sleepy?”

“Uh…that’s what I thought. I thought that you wanted to sleep with Daddy….but what do you mean by making me prettier?”

Then Ian got up and headed to the dressing table.

“Da-Daddy…!”

It was so sudden that Rere couldn’t hold him back.

“Hoo…”

“D-Daddy, that’s…”

“I can’t believe you did this, Rere.”

After checking his appearance, he smiled and approached Rere.

“I’m sorry. I think Daddy is…too pretty…”

“I like it.”

“Huh?”

“This is the first time Rere has done something like this on me so I like it.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. I can keep this appearance for the whole day.”

After he said that, Rere’s face slowly changed as if she had received a big present.

“D-Daddy…!”