“Hm?”

“It’s so cool. Rere made up her mind!”

“Make up your mind for what?”

“Yeah! Rere will marry Daddy when she grows up!”

Ian’s ruby-colored eyes were moist when he heard Rere’s unexpected announcement.

“Rere…”

“I’m glad I didn’t change my daddy. Daddy is the best!”

For fathers, hearing their daughter express her desire to marry them in the future was more flattering than hearing her say, “I like my daddy the most in the world.”

As if to show his joy, Ian had a smile that I had never seen before.

“R-Really?”

“Yup, yup. Hehe. I thought that you’d lash out at me again like you used to.”

Ian got up from his seat and approached Rere.

“Did you think I’d be like that?”

“Yes, I was afraid that Daddy would get angry sometimes.”

“When do you think Daddy is the scariest?”

“That was when I wanted to stay in Daddy’s room, but then Daddy kicked me out!”

“Did that happen? Then how about we hang out in my office next time?”

At his invitation, Rere’s eyes creased into a half-moon.

“Really? Can I really do that?”

“Of course.”

“Daddy is the best!”

“Okay then, we’ll start by eating together today. I’ll be back after I finish interviewing the maids, so wait for me, okay?”

“Yeah! You know what, Daddy?”

Rere was listening to him and slurred the end of her question.
“If you have anything to say, feel free to say it.”

“Y-You see…Can I draw?”

“Draw?”

“You used to hate it so much. You threw everything away.”

Only then did Ian purse his lips as if he recalled something.

Rere watched his reaction and did the same. Her large, sparkling eyes shook as if showing her uneasiness. She was scared that she might say something she wasn’t supposed to say.

“I was afraid that you’d follow your mother.”

“Huh..?”

“Rere’s mother drew very well. She had been sick since she was young, just like Rere. So Daddy was scared. What if Rere also left my side like her mother?”

His shaking voice revealed his long-suppressed thoughts about Rere.

Before I knew it, Ian’s eyes were filled with tears. Only then did Rere close her mouth, looking bewildered.

“Daddy, don’t worry.”

“Hm?”

“It’s true that Rere is sick, but she’s been feeling better than before. Rere won’t leave Daddy behind!”

“Is that so?”

“Yup! I will live with my mom and Daddy for a long time.”

As she sat sideways in the chair, Rere gave Ian, who was kneeling in front of her, a tight hug.

“I’m not going to leave you behind.”

“Rere.”

“I promise that I will never do anything that makes Daddy and Big Bunny sad. So don’t worry, okay?”

Rere pulled away from him and smiled broadly.

“Thank you, Rere.”

“Yeah!”

“By the way, Rere. Aren’t you curious about your biological mother?”

“Huh! No, I’m not curious! So let’s go and eat. When is the food coming? I’m so hungry.”

The child swung her feet back and forth and knocked the table with a spoon as if trying to avoid talking about her mother.

Only then the maid rushed in, bringing our meal.

“H-Here’s your meal.”

“Yeah, come here quick. Rere is so hungry. I think I’m going to faint.”

“Yes.”

“Haa. Big Bunny. My stomach feels like it might explode. Why am I feeling so hungry these days? You said last time that I was hungry because I grew …but I didn’t grow at all.”

I knew for sure that Rere was eating everything she wanted to eat without restriction, and the amount was more than her usual portion.

“You’re right.”

“What if Rere has a serious issue?”

“No, maybe she will grow up suddenly.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

Unless there was a bottomless pit in her stomach, she’ll grow up in no time.

I stroked Rere’s head with that in mind.

“So don’t worry and eat well.”

“Yes! I believe what Big Bunny said!”

Meanwhile, a lot of food was laid down in front of me.

Rere began to eat as if she couldn’t wait anymore, while Ian and I savored our meals slowly.

However, the food that I normally ate tasted awful today. I wondered if there was a problem with the food, but Ian and Rere were eating casually.

‘Is it because I didn’t get enough sleep?’

I wanted to skip the meal, but it was obvious that the two of them would be worried if I didn’t eat. So I scooped up a few spoonfuls of soup to cleanse my palate.

Soon, the meal was finished.

“Well, then. See you later in the office?”

“Yeah!”

“Instead, don’t complain that the office is no fun, okay?”

“Yeah! Don’t worry about that.”

“Then I’ll think about what to do with Big Bunny.”

“Alright.”

After draining his cup, Ian slowly rose from his seat.

“Then I’ll see you in a little while, my daughter.”

“Yeah!”

“But Ian, are you going to go looking like that?”

“Of course, Rere styled my hair for me, after all.”

“You have powder on your face as well.”

“Ah…! Should I put on lipstick to make me look even more gorgeous?”

“Ah! Daddy!! Rabbit will put it on for you. Hold on.”

Rere ran to the dressing table without any hesitation. Rere only had lotions because she was still young and didn’t need cosmetics, but there was also my lipstick on the dressing table.

The child took the lipstick and put it on Ian’s lips.

“Hehehe, Daddy is so pretty.”

“Really? That’s great.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to look at yourself in the mirror?”

“Yes, because I believe in Rere. Then I’ll go now.”

“Yes! Return quickly! I’ll be right here, too!”

Ian patted Rere’s head lightly and left the room, looking quite ridiculous.

Naturally, everyone passing by was surprised by him to the point I could hear them gasping from inside.

“Well then, Rere will decide what we’ll do in Daddy’s room.”

As if she had forgotten what happened earlier, the child quickly looked around the room.

She was ruminating between coloring books or making origami. She rummaged through her stuff again when she realized that all the activities that popped out her mind were not far from drawing.

Just then, the nanny entered the room.

“Have you finished your meal, madam?”

“Yes, Ian went to handle the maid interview.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Is it okay for you to stay here?”

“Yes, it’s alright. There are a lot of competent maids here, so they’ll take care of this selection without me, and I’ve already discussed and marked the finalists on a list.”

“I see.”

Before I realized, the nanny approached and put a thick ledger in front of me.

“I brought the item you were looking for.”

“Ah! This is it.”

Without hesitation, I opened it and examined it page by page. The first thing I checked was the day when the Crown Prince visited.

In addition, I checked the days we went out and every important day that stuck in my memory.

“How interesting.”

“Did you get the information you wanted?”

I didn’t look at everything, but I did find what I needed to know.

The nanny watched me with a nervous expression, as if she was very curious.

“No, I don’t have solid proof yet.”

“What? T-Then, aren’t you in trouble? What about other information…?”

“No, nanny.”

I gave her my brightest smile.

“If there’s no solid proof, you can tell how freely this person enters and exits the castle. There are only a few people who have such freedom in the duchy.”

She then nodded with a smile.

‘If anything, no news could be leaked that quickly unless a person in a position like a butler did it. Not only information about the duke, they also leaked information about Rere.’

It was time to meet him in person.

But it would be a bad idea to accuse him without solid evidence.

‘What evidence should I bring to get him to confess that he had ratted us out? As expected, there’s only one way.’

Just as I started to have some good ideas, Rere interrupted me.

“Let’s go, Big Bunny.”

“Have you done getting ready?”

“Yap! Yap! I’m going to draw a lot today!”

“Alright. Let’s go.”

I got up from my seat and held Rere’s hand.

“Meow!”

“Meoow!”

The cats, who had been sleeping like logs, quickly came to our feet as we approached the door.

“Are you going, too?”

“Meoww!”

“Meow!”

“By the way, Big Bunny.”

“What?”

“These cats appeared in my dream, you know? And they were talking, too.”

“Really?”

I was about to reassure her that it was common for children to have such dreams, but Rere had a rather grave expression with a crease between her eyebrows.

“Uh-oh. And also my daddy and Big Bunny hugged each other like this!”

At that moment, I had goosebumps all over my body.

Rere reenacted exactly like how Ian and I had hugged each other yesterday.

“The cats said that?”

“Yeah! They said you both hugged each other for a long time!”

“R-Really?”

“Yeah! Hehe. I wish the cats could talk just like in my dream. That’s why I said to the cats this morning, ‘I know you can talk, so talk now,’ but they never speak.”