I Became the Black Swan Mother of the White Swan Princess

I wasn’t sure if he was being obstinate out of pride or if he was ordering me, but he really wasn’t a man easy to deal with.

As I lowered my head wiping away tears that continued to flow freely, Rashid’s expression also grew faint.

“Heup.”

As soon as I was outside, I barely managed to calm myself down with panting breaths.

When I lifted my sleeve to my eyes as tears streamed down regardless of how much I wiped them away, Selene’s sincere concern reached me.

[Ma, Madam.]

“Selene, heummph.”

[Please stop. Nobody’s looking anymore.]

“…..really?”

Lowering my arm, I finally tossed my hair back.

Hoo. The long exhale that came out of my mouth cooled my eyes.

“Wow, we really almost died. Right?”

[Why is it ‘we’? You were the one who started everything, madam…]

“But we’re alive now thanks to my crying act.”

Just in case we might be seen from the window, I tirelessly moved my shoulders up and down, though I wasn’t sure if you’d see that from the inside. Even as she pouted, Selene was eventually unable to say anything, and I pressed at her twitching cheek.

“I hadn’t known, but I think I really do have a talent.”

***

“…..What do you mean, you’re good at that.”

If you’re going to do it, do it properly.

Turning by the window, Rashid held his fingers under his ears. He looked displeased, like he had a headache, and the tightened corners of his mouth did not loosen as he bit the insides of his cheeks.

“Yes, Your Majesty? We couldn’t hear what you said.”

“Never mind.”

Rashid shook his head at Tenon who, as always, was carefully watching his mood.

Peyton had been looking at the open door from his spot, and he opened his mouth to speak with a regrettable tone.

“The Duchess seemed like she was very surprised.”

“I thought so too. Though after being pressured and dragged about by eldest brother, there’s enough reason for her to pour out her tears like that…”

“You guys really…”

You didn’t see that?

Sigh.

An ambiguous glint of satisfaction found its way into Rashid’s eyes as he glanced past his brothers. It wasn’t a bad feeling, knowing that he was the only one who’d recognized the lady’s cunning eyes inside her weeping.

You foolish things.

Moments away from telling his brothers off, he paused again.

“…..”

Because if they asked then why he’d let her go even when he knew, he didn’t have an answer.

“By the way, how did you distinguish the Duchess’s duck, eldest brother?”

“You mean Reina?”

“Oh….. yes.”

Hearing such a soft name that seemed like it would never come out of that mouth of his, the princes either pushed back their hair or rubbed their noses for no reason.

“Yes. Tha…..that one.”

“I am curious as to how different they must’ve been when you held them that Your Majesty was able to realize right away.”

“The one before was much more…..”

As Rashid began answering Tenon, his mouth slowed.

It was an instinctual thing, so he had no idea how to reply, but even with the same frozen bodies, the feeling was somewhat…. Anyhow, it was a feeling that was pretty unrelated to the life he’d led up until now.

But the way things got more complicated the more he thought of it, it seemed like it took after its supposed mother, Catherine.

If he was to think of someone that would be most similar to it from his entire life, then…..

“How is the investigation for Haniel going?”

“Wizards have surrounded the borders and we are continuing to monitor through the magic tower.”

“But isn’t this all in vain if Uncle isn’t here?”

“That’s….”

The brothers hadn’t expected to acknowledge Loam’s abilities in this way, so they momentarily lapsed into silence. They’d have never thought they’d come to realize that he was on this level, enough that nothing could be guaranteed against him without their uncle, the Great Wizard, like this.

“Though I don’t know when his abilities grew to this, he won’t be able to hide forever. Besides, if he’s bringing Haniel along, he’ll have to be greatly restricted as well.”

“And you’re sure he’s bringing her along?”

“…..Your Majesty.”

As Rashid was saying, no matter what Loam did that was worthy of execution, if he really had Haniel with him, they wouldn’t be in such an emergency state as they were now.

Though nobody had said so out loud, the real problem began if Haniel fell to another person’s hands.