“So that’s how it was.”

“He brought him home without consulting me, and Papa is terrible. He told me that Leo would be my playmate. Besides, he wanted me to know that there are children from all walks of life in this world.”

“…”

Rishe somehow understood the reason for Myria’s frustration.

“I told my maidservants about it, and do you know what they said? ‘Your father is awful. If it’s a friend, he should at least be a girl.’ Others also said, ‘I wish he considered your feelings.’ Or something like, ‘How about getting a puppy then?’ They’re not what I meant. What I don’t like is…”

“Because it seems that Leo’s own wishes were not taken into account, right?”

“!!”

Rishe’s guess made Myria’s eyes widen.

“No matter what circumstances Leo was born into, he should live as Leo. He’s neither your playmate nor a teaching tool for you to learn about the world. And yet he was only concerned about you, so you hated it, right?”

“So…”

After a heaving blink, Myria muttered, “Yeah.”

After speaking, she chewed on each word as she continued.

“I really didn’t like it. Why should Leo be taken in for those reasons just because he grew up in an orphanage? He might have had his own reasons for fighting with the other kids. But I couldn’t believe that Papa, who never listened to me before he took Leo in, listened to his opinions.”

“I’d like to agree with your thoughts, Myria-sama. ―― But, you know there are things wrong with you too, don’t you?”

When questioned, the tips of Myria’s brows lowered.

“I guess I never properly explained my feelings to Papa and always felt angry at him…?”

“Yes. Yesterday and today, you haven’t told your father much about your feelings, have you? Why don’t you tell him that this isn’t just an inconsiderate whim, but that you have your own thoughts and circumstances?”

“…”

“You’re so honest with me, so there must be a reason why you don’t do so with your father.”

That said, Myria’s face increasingly turned cloudy.

Nope. I don’t think she’s in the mood to talk about it.

She showed this kind of expression whenever she felt that. Rishe knew this all too well from her experience in her previous life.

So, she gave up listening and picked up a lemon colored ribbon.

“Look, Myria-sama. How about this?”

“Well, it’s lovely!”

Myria let out a cheerful voice when she saw her reflection in the mirror.

Rishe finished her hairstyle, making a ring of hair high on each side and clipping them high.

Like the ears of a small bear, she curled them up on either side. As a finishing treatment, she braided the edges and tied them together at the back of her head with a ribbon. It was a simple yet lovely hairstyle that suited Myria well.

“What’s this? It’s so cute!!”

This was your favorite hairstyle when you were a little girl.

Rishe smiled, reminiscing the old days.

As Myria grew older, she didn’t ask much for it. But for ten-year-old Myria, she found it very satisfying.

“Thank you very much, Rishe-sama! This is perfect for rehearsal!”

“Hahaha, let’s go. Can you greet your father waiting for you in the hallway with a big smile?”

“Huh, that’s no good! It must be an elegant and ladylike greeting, befitting this hairdo!”

Myria ran quickly toward the door with an excited smile. Rishe also followed her, planning on her next move.

I’ve still got a lot of work to do. But I can’t let this opportunity pass me by.