CHAPTER 13
I froze.
He was pointing at the light blue collar on my dress, and I puffed up my cheeks in protest.
“It’s not a bib. It’s a collar. It’s supposed to represent the sky. The dress is the flower, and the socks are grass, but Jenda said to call them snow-covered grass because we didn’t have any green ones.”
“…Right. Then why are your shoes all black?”
Ugh. Uncle really doesn’t get it.
He has no sense of fashion at all.
I ignored his scrunched-up face and focused on explaining.
“Uncle, you really don’t know? It’s dirt. You need dirt for flowers and grass to grow.”
“Then is your hair a rain cloud?”
“……”
I stopped in my tracks, totally shocked.
…How could he say something that mean?
“Go back and tell Jenda to dress you properly.”
Properly? But I look so pretty!
I stomped my foot angrily.
“I-I’m wearing this! Jenda said I could wear what I want if I brought my handkerchief and carried my bag properly.”
“Fine. Do whatever you want.”
Even though he said that, Uncle didn’t look interested at all. He just motioned for me to come closer with his finger.
“Uncle, did you see the gift I gave you yesterday?”
“Think I did?”
“Huh? I asked Reto to leave it on your desk. You didn’t see it?”
“Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t.”
I panicked, worried that it had been lost before I even showed him.
“You have to go look later, okay? I told Reto to put it right in the middle of your desk! It’s a square box with blue, purple, and yellow colors!”
“I’ll think about it.”
His tone was annoying, but today Uncle looked really cool.
His clothes were kind of like the uniform Mom used to wear to work, but with more fancy stuff on it.
As I got closer, Uncle hung something around my neck.
“Uncle, what’s this?”
I looked up at him, eyes wide.
He had given me a necklace before our trip to the palace.
But the necklace was weird.
It was a long, flat gold plate, about the size of both my palms, and it had something written on it.
[Cassel de Reguyer]
It wasn’t even my name.
“…This is your name, Uncle.”
And why is it so big?
I just stood there, confused, while Uncle tapped the necklace with a finger, looking satisfied.
“Anyone in the Empire with half a brain will know my name.”
“……”
“Don’t go running around like a wild puppy just because you’re wearing that. If anyone messes with you, show them this. Don’t make trouble.”
I held the flat pendant and looked back and forth between it and Uncle.
This is totally like a dog tag…
“Uncle.”
“What.”
“…This is embarrassing.”
I’m not a dog, so why do I have to wear something like this?
I went to all the trouble of dressing up pretty, and now this shiny gold necklace was going to be all anyone saw.
“You’re always making a mess and bothering people.”
“I won’t cause trouble. So can I take it off?”
“No.”
“Ughhh.”
“Go to your room and finish getting ready. We’re leaving soon.”
“I’m already ready.”
“Then go with Gerard to the carriage and wait there.”
“…I really have to wear this?”
Seriously?
I don’t wanna.
I dressed up so nicely, and now this?
I tried to argue, but Uncle said if I took it off, he’d make me wear something even bigger on my back, so I just shut my mouth.
Still, a necklace is better than a gold turtle!
So, with no other choice, I wore the giant gold necklace and headed to the carriage.
It clanked and jangled as I walked.
Jenda and everyone else looked at me like I was the only thing in the world to see.
Jenda helped me into the carriage and said she’d follow later so I could have fun talking with Uncle.
I wanted her to ride with me, but I guess she was scared of riding with Uncle.
Soon, Uncle climbed in, and the carriage began to move.
It slowly rolled out of the garden, then sped up once it reached the road.
Fresh green leaves flew by us quickly.
The sun was high, and even though the windows were closed, it felt like I could smell sunshine and grass.
I reached out to the window, trying to catch the fluffy white clouds following us.
“Uncle, do you work at the palace like Mom did?”
“No.”
“But Mom went there every day.”
“She was the Chancellor.”
I suddenly got curious.
What happened to Mom’s job now that she’s gone?
“Then who does Mom’s work now?”
“The old man’s filling in for now.”
I turned my head quickly from the window.
“Grandpa?”
“Yeah.”
Isn’t Grandpa really busy then?
He used to play with me whenever I asked.
I remember sometimes he wasn’t home when I woke up, but he always showed up when I looked for him.
Maybe Grandpa works even faster than Mom.
“Then will I see Grandpa today too?”
“Probably.”
Hearing that made me wish the carriage would go even faster.
