ODFEN 09

Chapter 9…

 The Reason She Calls Me Mom

Fortunately, with Calix’s permission, I was allowed to stay in Rubellin’s bedroom. I narrowed my eyes slightly and rubbed my chin.

Wait—me, a commoner, staying in an imperial princess’s bedroom? That’s quite the jackpot. I felt a sudden sense of upward mobility. Now that I think about it, leaving later might feel a bit regretful.

Lost in thought, Rinel approached me.

“Please change into this.”

I absentmindedly accepted the outfit Rinel handed me. It was a pink frilly pajama that reached down to the shins.

“Mom!”

I turned toward the voice and saw Rubellin wearing pajamas identical to the ones in her hand. Judging by the servants standing behind her wearing robes, it seemed she had already been changed earlier.

“Please rest.”

After Rinel and the servants finished tidying the bed, they bowed and left. I went into the dressing room at the bedroom’s edge to change clothes. As I stepped out with the outfit draped over my arm, I came face-to-face with Rubellin, who was sitting on the tapestry with her legs stretched out.

“Rubellin, how do I look?”

“……”

Rubellin opened her mouth slightly and blinked. Is… is it bad? In the awkward silence, I fiddled with the soft pajamas.

“Rubellin, if you don’t like it, I’ll change—”

“Mom, it’s the best!”

Rubellin jumped up and bounced around excitedly. I’m glad Calix’s magic was protecting the room—otherwise, the floor might have collapsed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah!”

At her energetic reaction, I scratched the back of my neck in embarrassment. Rubellin alternated her gaze between her pajamas and mine, then blinked. It seemed she had just realized they were the same.

“They’re the same!”

Excited, she ran toward me with her arms wide open. Ugh, it felt like I’d been punched in the solar plexus.

“Mom, I like you!”

She buried her head against my abdomen and nuzzled affectionately. Watching her made the pain disappear in an instant.

“Thank you, Rubellin.”

I exhaled slowly and kept patting her head. I needed to do this at least to make it easier to leave later. At the same time, contrary to my resolve, I felt uneasy. I needed to correct her perception that I was her mother, but I couldn’t bring myself to say something as cold as, “I’m not your mom.”

If she grabbed my clothes with that adorable face and begged me not to go, I would definitely hesitate. I might even get persuaded by her cuteness instead of convincing her otherwise. After hesitating, I carefully opened my mouth. I needed to understand why she thought I was her mother.

“Rubellin, why do you think I’m your mom? Because I helped you?”

Rubellin suddenly lifted her head. She looked at me as if asking why I was asking something so obvious.

“Because you’re my mom!”

I tilted my head, confused. Rubellin grabbed my pinky finger and led me somewhere. There, a small bookshelf filled with fairy tale books stood. She pulled out a book from the far right and opened it, showing me a page.

It depicted a sick child lying weakly in bed. The child’s mother was holding and comforting them, stroking their head and singing a lullaby, which led to the child recovering.

“Meberun said so. Moms protect babies.”

“…So that’s why I’m your mom?”

“Yes. Mom carried Rubellin, ran, protected me, and comforted me when I was sick.”

“Rubellin…”

Tears welled up in my eyes for a moment.

I had thought helping her was just a small act of kindness, but to her, my kindness was anything but small. For someone like Rubellin, who had to keep distance from others, someone who treated her without prejudice must have been truly special.

What should I do? I couldn’t bring myself to insist that I wasn’t her mother anymore.

“Mom, are you crying?”

“No, I’m not crying.”

Sniffling, I noticed a random book and quickly changed the subject.

“What’s this?”

“I like this! It’s fun!”

For a moment, I doubted my eyes.

“‘111 Rituals to Understand Demons’…?”

Demons? The black aura I felt made me hesitant to even open it.

“…You shouldn’t read things like this, Rubellin.”

Where did she even get something like this? Maybe the author of this book is the cause of world destruction. I quickly hid the book behind others.

“Come here, Mom!”

Rubellin grabbed my pinky finger and pulled me toward the bed. She climbed up step by step, as if scaling a mountain, and looked very proud upon reaching the top.

“Mom, this.”

She opened a drawer in the nightstand and took out a pink sheet of colored paper.

“Colored paper?”

“Yes!”

She nodded vigorously, then looked around cautiously.

“Why are you acting—”

“Shh.”

She covered my mouth with her tiny finger and whispered.

“I’m supposed to do it secretly. They’ll take it away if they see it.”

“Take it away? Who?”

Who would take colored paper from a child? Rubellin frowned, then made a circle with her fingers around her eye like glasses.

“Meberun instructor?”

“Oh.”

At the mention of the instructor, I suddenly remembered something important. Classes were starting tomorrow.

Origami didn’t seem like a bad idea. In my previous life, confined to the hospital, I had learned random things through my phone—how to fold paper airplanes that fly far, jumping frogs, clay play, and more. I never imagined it would come in handy like this.

Especially origami, which is good for developing a child’s coordination and brain activity.

Originally, it was supposed to be strength control training, but while I’m here, I might as well let Rubellin experience a proper childhood education.

I waved the colored paper in front of her.

“Rubellin, want to try origami tomorrow?”

Her face lit up.

“Yes!”

I smiled warmly and patted her head.

“Best day ever, Rubellin!”

“Really?”

Rubellin counted on her fingers.

“Meeting Mom! Being patted on the head! And… um…”

Her eyes rolled as she tried to think, then she jumped into my arms.

“Everything’s good!”

Ugh, so cute! I hugged her tightly with all my strength.

“Ugh!”

Rubellin tapped my arm, struggling to breathe. I shook her gently side to side and then let go.

“Phew!”

Released, she exhaled as if coming up from underwater, placing a hand on her chest.

“Sorry.”

I fixed her hair, frowning slightly in apology.

“It’s okay!”

She shook her head vigorously and blew air to move her hair out of her face. I brushed away the stray strands and smiled.

“Shall we sleep now?”

“Yes!”

I lifted her up under the arms and placed her on the bed, then pulled the blanket up to her chest.

“Sleep!”

Rubellin patted the spot next to her. Is it really okay for someone like me to lie in the same bed as a princess?

After a moment of hesitation, I thought, “Oh well,” and lay down beside her.

Wow… expensive things really are nice. The softness of the cushion and blanket—so much softer than microfiber.

Rubellin smiled back at me, not knowing why. I lay on my side and gently patted her chest.

“Sleep, sleep, our little one.”

Almost instinctively humming, I noticed Rubellin suddenly open her eyes wide.

Maybe I disturbed her?

“Sorry, I’ll be quiet.”

“Sing!”

“You want me to keep singing?”

“Yes!”

Her eyes sparkled.

Ah, right. One of Rubellin’s wishes was a lullaby.

As I resumed humming and patting her chest, she closed her eyes tightly. So tightly that her eyelashes disappeared beneath her eyelids.

After a while, steady breathing filled the room. My hand gradually grew tired.

When is she going to sleep?

As I waited, Rubellin suddenly mumbled in her sleep:

“Demon… thank you…”

“…?”

I froze mid-yawn, my mouth hanging open.

Demon again?

I glanced at the bookshelf.

What on earth was written in that “111 Rituals to Understand Demons” book?

Could it be… a spell?

“Mmm…”

Unlike me, frozen in shock, Rubellin kicked the blanket and scratched her neck in her sleep.

“….”

I carefully covered her again.

“Before I leave, I should at least teach Rubellin about angels and fairies.”

So they can fulfill their proper role in children’s dreams and imagination.

With that resolve, I soon fell into a deep sleep.

“Ugh.”

This place was the dressing room next to Rubellin’s bedroom. I rubbed my sore shoulder while waiting for her to finish getting ready.

Ever since I was possessed, sleeping on a wooden plank with a thin mat, then suddenly sleeping in a luxurious bed—my body hadn’t adjusted.

After all, money is something you only truly appreciate after experiencing it.

A lace canopy bed, soft pajamas… things I had never experienced before.

Click.

The curtain opened, and Rubellin appeared.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

Dressed up, she walked toward me in small steps. She wore a fancy pink dress and a red hairpin that matched her eyes perfectly.

Just as I smiled and tapped her hairpin, my arms were suddenly grabbed.

Wait—what?

Two servants approached with determined expressions and threw their robes aside into the air.

“What are you doing?”

Ranel approached and bowed.

“By order of Her Highness. Please forgive us.”

“W-wait—?!”

Before I could stop them, my feet were lifted off the ground.

How are these servants so strong?

“Mom, see you later!”

Rubellin waved and smiled as I was dragged away to the dressing room.

Apparently, this was the aftermath of the pajamas from yesterday.

How many times am I going to get dragged around like this?

Under Ranel’s direction, the makeover began.

As I walked toward the training room, I kept glancing down at my outfit.

A frilly dress matching Rubellin’s, along with a red hairpin… I couldn’t get used to this overly flashy appearance.

I swallowed nervously and moved like a robot.

Sensing my stiffness, Rubellin tilted her head.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Rubellin.”

Though both Rubellin and Ranel looked puzzled, I had no choice.

We soon arrived at the training room. A well-built man standing guard at the door approached.

Who is that?

After squinting slightly, I recognized him.

The man stepped forward quickly, bowed to Rubellin, then turned to me.

“I am Ken, deputy commander of the Imperial Guard responsible for Her Highness’s protection.”

“….”

I stared at Ken with a dull expression.

So he just abandoned me yesterday, huh.

And he turned a kidnapper into an instructor just like that?

Silence stretched between us. Ken wiped the sweat forming on his forehead with the back of his hand and forced an awkward smile.

I’ll let him live this time.

I let out a small sigh and responded.

“My name is Lucina. Thanks to someone, I’ve become a temporary instructor since yesterday.”

“Yes… I look forward to working with you.”

Ken smiled awkwardly at the pointed remark. Though his formal tone felt unfamiliar compared to before, I didn’t correct him.

Consider it a small revenge.

“Mom! Let’s go!”

Pulled by Rubellin’s energy, I was dragged forward while letting out an “uhh—” sound.