Chapter 426: A New Mother
Qiong Xing smiled at their reaction and, though a little late, had Lian greet them properly as well.
Since she did not remember anything from such an early age, she did not cry, and instead greeted them normally.
Rather than that, the two of them were looking like characters straight out of a picture book of a prince and princess, and Lian’s eyes were sparkling with excitement.
"Did the prince save the princess? Did he defeat the bad guys? Where are the little children?"
Her questions were all mixed together, but she kept pressing Brat eagerly, and Qiong Xing stopped her with a wry smile.
He probably had never been around small children before, as he looked quite flustered by Lian’s barrage of questions.
"Sorry. She got excited because you looked like a prince from her favorite picture book."
"N-no, it’s fine. Um... I was just a little surprised, but she really resembles you, Mother. She’s very cute."
...Qiong Xing was not sure whether this was something to be happy that his daughter resemble him, or whether he should be annoyed about being called cute when he’s a man.
It was complicated.
"Is there a book where a prince looks like your older brother?"
The princess who clearly adored her older brother unexpectedly took interest as well.
"It’s a picture book. Would you like to read it?"
"Yes, please!"
Since it happened to be in his bag, he took it out, and then...
"I’ll read it!"
Lian declared proudly that she would be the one to read it.
Qiong Xing looked up at her, wondering what to do, but the princess smiled and nodded, so he handed the picture book over.
"Brat, why don’t you read along with her?"
"No, actually... um, if it’s alright, I would like to have tea with Mother for the first time in a while. Would that be possible?"
At the unexpected request, Qiong Xing could not help but laugh, but since it would likely take a while before the picture book was finished, they decided to have tea together with Sergei as well.
However...
"I kept you waiting! You haven’t gone home yet, have you!"
With that loud voice, Mr. Paulo came bursting into the room as if he were about to kick the door down.
Just like Sarin and Katarina, people in this world’s older generation were surprisingly energetic, Qiong Xing thought absentmindedly.
"Grandpa! Shh!"
"I-I’m sorry."
The loud entrance that had carried in all his earlier momentum was immediately shut down.
"At least knock before you come in."
"Hmph. I have no need to ask your permission."
Why were these two always so hostile toward each other whenever they met?
"You damn old man—"
"Uncle! Shh!"
"...My apologies."
Sergei was scolded for raising his voice by Lian who had been seriously absorbed in reading the picture book.
Qiong Xing was impressed that she had the courage to scold him, but he was also surprised that Sergei had obediently apologized.
"You can scold him more if he’s being loud in the prime minister’s room, you know?"
"I was the one who invited all of you here. The fault for the noise lies with me."
What an extremely principled way of thinking.
Qiong Xing did not really mind a bit of noise, but Sergei seemed to take full responsibility regardless.
And the same daughter of his was, as expected, a handful in her own way, calmly returning to reading the picture book with the princess as if nothing had happened.
"She’s amazing. As expected of Mother’s child."
Qiong Xing was not sure whether that was praise, or a subtle way of saying "what a bold child."
But judging from his expression, he decided it was probably the former.
It seemed Lian had indeed taken after Qiong Xing quite a bit, and he found himself seriously wondering if that was really okay as he watched her.
Apparently satisfied after getting to read her favorite picture book, Lian happily sipped her tea while munching away at the cookies Qiong Xing had set out as a snack.
The sight made him smile wryly.
"Did you have fun?"
"Yeah!"
Qiong Xing felt a little guilty for making the princess keep Lian company, but seeing his daughter so happy made it worthwhile.
As he gently patted Lian’s head.
"U-Um!"
"Hm? Is something wrong?"
The princess looked at him with an expression as though she had been working up her courage for some time.
Qiong Xing tilted his head in confusion.
"Um... I heard that... that my brother calls you Mother..."
She spoke hesitantly, and for a moment Qiong Xing wondered if she was upset and wanted him to stop allowing such a thing.
"Yes. It is more honor than I deserve, but he told me he wanted to call me that."
While Qiong Xing had been the one to suggest it, it had ultimately been Brat’s own decision to call him that.
"I-I see... Um... then... if that’s the case... may I... also... call you that?"
"Call me what?"
Qiong Xing had been expecting a complaint, so he simply blinked his eyes in confusion.
The princess with her face bright red gathered her courage and spoke.
"C-Could I... call you Mother... as well?"
"..."
The unexpected request left Qiong Xing speechless.
"Is... that not allowed?"
Seeing him fall silent, the princess’s eyes began to well with tears.
Qiong Xing found himself at a loss.
"I don’t mind... but what about Her Majesty the Queen?"
That was the difference.
In Brat’s case, both his father and mother had neglected him, so Qiong Xing had accepted it when he insisted.
But the princess still had a woman she could call Mother, even if she was strict.
Because of that, Qiong Xing had thought there was no need for her to force herself to follow Brat’s example.
"Yes. My mother... no, that woman... only ever wanted a pawn she could control. She never cared about me as her daughter. She only wanted to use me for her own benefit. I’ve realized that more and more lately, and... I’m simply exhausted."