I Became the Black Swan Mother of the White Swan Princess

“Whoever it is, the moment I catch them, I’ll make them regret they were ever alive.”

“Before we consider that!”

“…….”

Again, Rashid yelled first, but his expression grew more complicated over time. As for the things that had kidnapped the princess, he was planning to end them with his own hands without needing his brothers’ involvement.

Without needing to borrow a sword either, only with these two hands.

But now, for some reason, the things that he’d considered obvious were beginning to bother him, and he really didn’t know why.

Like he’d actually been cursed or something.

As he attempted to think up the source to this, Rashid fisted the hair that he’d been meaning to sweep away.

“You guys….”

“….”

“No, Tenon. Peyton.”

When the names of the tense princes were called, they assumed even more rigid postures. Seeing that, Rashid slowly went past them.

“Why are you doing that? I haven’t said anything yet.”

“Th-that’s because you called us by name like that, and….”

“And?”

At the weighty pressure to tell the truth, Tenon hung his head low.

“It feels like I’ve committed a capital offense.”

“So you don’t like it?”

“Of, of course. Calling us ‘you’ or ‘that’ is a hundred times better; if you call us by name, it feels like I will have to offer up my neck immediately afterwards.”

“…..Hmm.”

As expected.

How could she be correct.

Resting his arm on the window sill, Rashid’s smile regained its composure.

Though it wasn’t certain whether he was glad to know her words weren’t all true or because of some other reason, this newfound composure did not last long either.

“……”

His gaze as he looked outside the window he was leaning on became more complicated than before. If Catherine had put a curse on him, that would be a problem, but even if she hadn’t, he wouldn’t be very pleased.

“……really, what is she planning to do.”

***

[Okaay, when you’re looking for food in the lake, you need to put your head into the water, right?]

[Yees!]

As soon as Teacher Darren ended his demonstration, all the new students put their heads into the water.

Splish splash.

Even though the sound of water splashing could be heard from all over, Haniel only winced, as if she was afraid.

[Reina, what are you doing there? Aren’t you going to do it?]

[Mmm?]

[Leave her alone, Mack. She even drowned in the lake last time. What kind of swan sinks instead of swimming?]

[Oohh, right. That happened, huh?]

[……no. That’s not it.]

***

Looking at the insistent ducks surrounding her, Haniel’s beak could only shake.

No, you’re wrong, if I stay still like this I can float on the water.

There was a lot she wanted to say, but it was true that fear flared up inside her when she looked into the deep blue water.

[Look at that, I told you she can’t! A swan who can’t swim!]

[……sniff.]

In the end, tears rushed to her eyes first, but she didn’t want to show it to anybody. Haniel tried to withdraw with a tearful face, but the children had already surrounded her in a circle.

[….Mo-Mommyy.]

[What are you kids doing?]

After bypassing the children and easily approaching her, Darren gave them a stern look.

Oops.

The children made quick escapes in case they might be scolded, and only after that did the tears just barely hanging onto her eyes fall one by one.

[Reina, are you alright?]

[Hueh. Yees.]

[…..]

Apart from her mother, only Teacher Darren treated her this kindly. Blinking, Haniel began nodding her head as soon as she saw him.

[I can swim! Ish chwoo!]*

*Baby talk translated: I can swim! It’s true!

[Really?]

[Yesh. My mommy said I’m good at it! She said I can do my wings lie, lie dis.]

*Like, like this.

[Oh, I see.]

That’s good.

With a smile, Darren slowly led Haniel out of the water. Though she hadn’t even shaken off the water on her body properly yet, as soon as the subject of her mother came up, Haniel began to babble excitedly about things nobody had asked about.

[Mommy said, mommy said she’sh gonna bwing me home!]

[You really like your mommy, don’t you, Reina?]

[Yeesh. My mommy ish the best!]