The Reason I Keep Avoiding My Childhood Friend

uld ask me that! It was me who got hit!”

I got angry and stomped hard at the little child who didn’t seem to hear me even when I shouted out loud.
But when I was so angry and shouted so she would notice me, the little child ignored me.
Usually, people would have noticed me, but it’s like I was treated as someone who doesn’t exist.
The little child was really unexpected.
I don’t think she had any regrets.

Meanwhile, Grandfather returned.

“The Grand Duke said he would meet you.”

I was shocked by Grandfather’s words.
Did Father allow her to meet? Why…..
When I asked to meet him, he said no.
I felt embarrassed.
An indescribable feeling filled my throat.

The office room that I was not allowed to enter opened.
Inside were Commander Hertman, Bayern, Roel, and Father.
The table was full of papers, he was currently busy with work,

The moment I saw Father’s face, I was scared and overwhelmed, so I shut my mouth tightly.
Even though it was not snowing, my father’s cold eyes pierced through me.
It wasn’t my fault, but I felt like I was being scolded.

“I heard an absurd report a while ago.
Is it true?”

Father’s heavy voice was harder than usual.
I wanted to shout that he was right, thinking that my father would be on my side.
And at that moment, I knew I had made a mistake.
Father’s eyes, when he saw me, were cold.
He seemed to be questioning whether I was being hit by a child smaller than me.

Those eyes made me even more pitiful and sad.
The back of my hands and cheeks hurt, but Father didn’t notice.
He doesn’t even ask me if I was okay.
I lowered my head as I thought I was about to cry.
It was fine, though.
I won’t cry.
I would be the Grand Duke in the future.
I won’t be a crybaby.

I clenched my teeth and struggled not to shed tears.
Anyway, I didn’t expect it.
I wasn’t hurt.
My father listened quietly to the little child’s explanation while I was holding out so I wouldn’t cry.

“Well, let alone the situation.
Now that you’ve admitted it, you know your crime, right?”

“It’s a joke between young children, couldn’t you just move on like that?”

“It was only my son who was right to say it was a joke.”

The moment Father said ‘my son’, my ears perked up and almost made a sound.
Didn’t he hate me? Was he still on my side? I felt weird and my toes were twitching.
I endured the tingles on my back.
I should not meddle in Father’s conversation.
So, I just kept quiet.

“Aren’t you going to ask me why I hit him?”

But the little child was surprisingly bold and talked back to Father.
She shouldn’t do that.
She’ll get in trouble with Father.
It’s scary when he was angry.

But surprisingly, Father listened to the little child’s bold words without getting angry.
It was a different attitude from the way he hated when I was talking long.