Chapter 06
“Ugh—!”
Serina started rummaging through her drawer, searching hard for something.
Lacus and Helia stared at her blankly.
“Found it!”
Serina pulled out a small light-pink cloth and a blanket with blue checks on a yellow background.
Then she spread them out so there was distance between the two of them.
“This is our house, and this is the doghouse!”
She pointed cheerfully with her finger.
“Huh? Helia doesn’t live with us?”
“Yeah! Her Highness isn’t a puppy, she’s a dog! Dogs are bigger than puppies! So she’d want a bigger place where she can run around, right?”
When Lacus looked confused, Serina made a face like it was obvious.
“Um… Serina, it’s just pretend play. Don’t we need to be that detailed? And dogs are happier living with people.”
Since Helia was a princess playing a dog role, separating spaces felt a bit too much to him.
‘But then what was the point of making her a dog in the first place? And if I really had a dog or puppy, I’d raise it inside the house! Who do you think I’m doing this for!’
Lacus’s constant interference was starting to annoy Serina—even though she loved her brother.
So she decided to ask the person involved directly.
“……Do you think so too, Princess Helia?”
“Serina!”
Serina asked timidly, and Lacus called out nervously while watching Helia’s reaction.
A brief silence passed.
“……Well, I’m not a real dog, so I don’t know for sure. But I think it depends on the dog. Even if the house is separate, as long as it’s the yard, wouldn’t that be fine?”
Helia’s answer was closer to agreement.
“Right? It’s fine, right? Being apart doesn’t mean there’s no affection. Everyone needs their own time too!”
Serina seized the moment and spoke passionately, finally venting her frustration at Lacus.
“Even the princess playing the dog isn’t complaining, so why are you scolding me? You even promised to play with me today! Just listen to me today, okay…?”
“Alright, alright. I’m sorry. Let’s do it your way, Serina.”
“Hmph. Really? I can do whatever I want?”
“Of course. When have I ever lied to you?”
Never. I know better than anyone you’ve never lied to me. That’s why I’m even more annoyed.
Serina sighed at her clueless brother.
‘Wait… if I think about it, this wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t included the princess in the first place.’
Her anger slowly rose again.
‘I didn’t plan to do this, but… he deserves punishment!’
Dogs should act like dogs. Babies should act like babies.
Serina hurried to the drawer again and pulled out a beige bonnet and bib she had used as a baby.
“…Huh? Serina, why are you suddenly—”
“Wear these and play. Babies need these, right?”
“Do I really have to? Can we skip it today?”
“What…? Were you lying earlier? You said you never lie to me…”
With teary eyes, Serina shook the bonnet and bib in her hands.
Lacus looked completely stunned, as if he couldn’t believe what was happening.
Then, hesitantly, he put them on.
Though the outfit didn’t match his age, it didn’t look strange. In fact, it suited him surprisingly well.
His soft silver hair, teal eyes, and neat puppy-like features made him look gentle and cute.
“Wow! Oppa, you’re really cute! You look like a real baby!”
“I-I guess… that’s good…”
Her mature brother now looked like an actual baby! She’d always wanted to see this—teasing him while also getting revenge felt great.
Serina giggled as she teased him.
“Okay! Now we officially begin! Please go to your own houses!”
After confirming they were seated, Serina immediately started the roleplay.
“Baby, are you hungry?”
Lacus hesitated, unsure if he should answer.
Worried about upsetting her again, he just nodded.
“Here’s the milk our baby loves~”
Serina laid Lacus down and pretended to feed him formula. Lacus awkwardly pretended to drink.
“Good boy. You’re eating well. Is it yummy~?”
Serina smiled mischievously, then turned toward the wall and pretended to panic.
“Oh my, it’s already this late? The doggy must be waiting. Our baby is good, so you can wait quietly, right~?”
Happy about the brief freedom, Lacus nodded eagerly.
Serina then stood up and walked toward Helia.
‘By now, her pride should be completely crushed, right?’
Serina checked Helia’s expression.
It looked calm.
‘She’s not angry yet… she’s more patient than I thought.’
‘But can she really endure more?’
Serina laughed slyly to herself.
“It’s walk time! Excited, right? Where should we go today~?”
Clapping brightly, Serina held out her hand.
Suddenly, Helia lay down and took Serina’s hand.
‘…What?’
Is she really playing along? Or is this some kind of counterattack I don’t know?
Caught off guard, Serina was flustered—but she quickly composed herself and continued.
“Woof-woof, let’s just walk around the yard once or twice today. Woof-woof, do you like walks that much?”
She deliberately added ‘woof-woof’ before every sentence to provoke Helia.
But Helia didn’t react at all. She simply followed Serina’s movements.
Only Lacus, watching, was turning pale.
They finished one lap around the room and were about to start the second when—
Creeeak—
The door opened.
“Kids, are you playing nicely with the princess—? Oh my goodness…”
It was Serina’s mother, Aura.
Aura covered her mouth, unable to believe what she was seeing.
‘…Huh?’
Why is Mom here…?
Serina froze, her mouth opening and closing uselessly.
‘I’m doomed.’
Why does nothing ever go the way I want?
Giving up, Serina shut her eyes tightly, ready to be scolded.
Lacus quickly looked around.
He was lying on the floor wearing a bonnet and bib.
And Princess Helia looked like she was being dragged around like a dog.
Even though it was all done to play along with Serina—
It was a complete disaster. No one would see this as normal pretend play.
‘I have to stop Mom before she explodes.’
Lacus hurriedly spoke to Aura.
“Mother! Please don’t misunderstand! It’s just normal pretend play! Everyone agreed to it!”
“Oh… is that so? But why is Princess Helia like this?”
Lacus froze, unable to think of an explanation.
“It was dog acting. I chose the role myself and got too immersed. I’m sorry for surprising you.”
Thankfully, Helia spoke up immediately.
“…I see. You don’t need to apologize.”
Aura still didn’t fully understand, but she let it go, thinking it was children’s play.
‘Thank you, Helia.’
Lacus signaled to her with his eyes.
After Aura left, Lacus let out a sigh of relief and patted the stiff Serina.
“Now you understand, right? You shouldn’t assign dog roles anymore. Not to the princess—or anyone.”
Serina slowly nodded.
Only then did she properly look around at the aftermath.
‘Pretend play is scarier than I thought. I should never do this again.’
‘What is this?!’
Serina kept trying to carry out her plan, but Aura unintentionally interfered every time.
She managed a few attempts, but she didn’t even leave a scratch—so it couldn’t be called a success.
“In the end, I failed to separate them… and how do I bully her without malice? How did the villainess in the novel do it? I really, really don’t know…”
Serina glared at the innocent novel.
Suddenly, she remembered the villainess cutting off the heroine’s carefully grown hair to torment her.
‘…But cutting hair that someone worked so hard to grow feels too cruel, doesn’t it?’
She thought of Helia’s hair, which reached almost to her waist.
Growing it that long must have taken enormous effort and time—Serina knew that well.
Holding her own hair, Serina agonized.
‘Still… my goal is to become a villainess worse than the “little villainess.”’
Cheap tricks won’t work.
Alright. I’ll close my eyes and do it just this once!
She clenched her fists and made up her mind.
Then she suddenly jumped.
“Oh! Right! I’ll suggest playing hairdresser! But… real scissors would be too obvious. What should I do?”
She groaned again.
“Hmm… did I have scissors in my room?”
As she searched, she found a boat-shaped toy she had carefully kept.
When she was little, she used to take it into the bath with her duck toy.
It looked like a real boat but didn’t float.
“Oh! Toys! I’ll ask for toy scissors! I can cut hair with my magic!”
Having found the solution, Serina ran out.
Just then, Merrily was walking down the hallway.
“Merrily!”
“Yes, Lady Serina. Do you need something?”
“I want toy scissors!”
“Toy scissors? What will you use them for?”
“I want to play hairdresser with the princess. Real scissors are dangerous.”
“I see. Then I’ll request them from a toy craftsman.”
“Okay! Thank you, Merrily!”
Serina smiled brightly and went back to her room, throwing herself onto the bed.
“No strange intentions, no danger—just play! Even if hair gets cut, it’ll look like an accident. I hope the toy is finished soon!”
Thinking about hairdresser play, Serina laughed quietly and slyly.
