"Ughhhh."
After ruthlessly scrubbing away the grime, I felt completely exhausted and limp.
The staff (?) who had swarmed in meticulously finished checking the bedding, securing the windows, and preparing water in case I got thirsty, before swarming out again.
Once more, I blinked and lay on the spacious bed, staring at the ceiling.
Tick, tock. The sound of the clock's second hand echoed.
"Everyone's being kind while pretending not to be... but I don't think they know how to treat children. Right, Theo?"
"......"
"Sleeping together like this is rare, so I'm a bit nervous. Aren't you?"
"Zzz."
"Is it just me then?"
Theo was right next to me and had already fallen asleep.
His greatest strength was his adaptability, which was second to none.
'Well, as long as Theo is at ease, that's all that matters! I'm a mature child who knows the future, after all.'
But is what I'm seeing really the 'future'?
And the sound of turning pages I occasionally hear in my dreams...
Hmm. Well.
'I'm not sure yet.'
Will I find out the secret if I dream this dream a little more?
"For now, I should sleep."
I tucked the toasty little guy in and closed my eyes tightly.
From the start, it was funny to give two little kids a huge bedroom all alone on the fourth floor. It took ages just to climb the stairs because they were so high.
'Come to think of it, they said there haven't been children in the Winterwald mansion for a very long time.'
Treating us like adults might be unavoidable.
'In the first place, good seeds are rare, and I think I heard that when a child is born, a nanny raises them outside before bringing them to the mansion.'
"Phew, anyway, today was a really long day!"
I stretched out my arms and legs, loosening my stiff muscles.
'From tomorrow, I need to seriously think about how to save Elisa Winterwald.'
The parade is next week.
And coinciding with that event, there was a high possibility that the key figures of the ducal family would return.
'Hmm, in my memory... two people come to mind.'
My father's family relations are also information I got from my dreams!
Strangely, the future I saw in my dreams was mostly set in the capital and among noble families.
I wrote transparent letters in the air with my finger.
First, Blaine Winterwald.
'Elisa Winterwald's husband.'
He was a notorious old man, rumored to be rough and ill-tempered. That wasn't information from my dream, but already a well-known fact in this world!
'So, be careful not to get bitten!'
Avoid him if possible!
Next is Jeffrey Winterwald.
He was my father's older brother, so I guess that makes him my uncle?
'He's got, like, two kids around my age...? I think?'
He hadn't appeared much in my dreams, so I wasn't sure what kind of person he was. It was also unclear if he would attend the parade.
'Huh? Come to think of it, Dad wasn't even the firstborn, so how did he become the heir?'
For a moment, a question arose, but I soon brushed it off. There's no law that says the firstborn must become the head of the family, so it's possible.
In any case, there was only one thing I had to do.
'To be quiet and inconspicuous, like I'm not even there!'
I don't want to be a pain in the butt by being nosy.
It was then.
"Huh?"
Pitter-pat, pitter-pat.
The sound of rain lightly hitting the window could be heard.
'Oh no... It's raining.'
I quickly stopped all thoughts, got under the blanket, and tightly closed my eyes.
'I really hate rain.'
But thankfully, as soon as I closed my eyes, sleepiness started to wash over me.
"I should go to sleep quickly."
I have to go to sleep quickly.
...Before I hear it.
"Ririn. Do you want me to make you a... bed?"
Dad in my dream had a face as if the world had collapsed.
'Oh, this is a real dream.'
I thought blankly. Because the 'flipping, flipping, flipping' sound of turning pages that always happened in my future-seeing dreams wasn't there.
"Yeah. I'm going to sleep separately from Dad now!"
"But, but why?"
"Because Jamie from downstairs said he's been sleeping in his own bed since he was five! That's how you become an adult faster! He said my height is so short because I'm still a kid from sleeping with Dad."
"......You little punk."
"Huh? Did Dad just swear?"
"......! No, no. Of course not. But Ririn, sleeping separately would make Dad too lonely. Do you want Dad to be sad?"
"Oh no, that's not it!"
"See?"
He gave me a big, warm hug.
Dad's gentle green eyes softly stroked my face.
"And our little one is scared of thunder, isn't she? If you sleep separately and it thunders, who will hug you?"
"Ah. That's right."
I hugged Dad's neck tightly. I could feel the vibration of his light chuckle.
"When it thunders, Dad has to cover my ears tightly!"
"Of course, my daughter."
"Then I won't be scared of rainy days anymore!"
The young me in the dream smiled brightly.
The current me stared blankly at that scene.
Morning. Calyx's office.
Calyx irritably put down the morning paper.
It was because of a sound that had been subtly irritating him since earlier.
Tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap.
Tap, tap, tap...
"What in the world... is that sound?"
He wondered if it was rain, but the rain from last night had stopped cleanly around dawn.
It had been raining very loudly with thunder and lightning. But now it was bright and sunny; the sun was already up.
"Is it still raining?"
"Well... that's..."
The maid who was bringing in the morning tea smiled awkwardly and tilted her head.
"......"
He glared at the doorway.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.
Tap, tap, tap, thump.
Calyx couldn't take it anymore and jumped up from his seat. Then he flung the door open.
"Ugh!"
As soon as he stepped into the hallway, something small and round bumped into his waist.
Looking down, he saw vibrant green eyes filling his vision.
A second later, Theo, who'd fallen on his butt, scrambled up and ran into Ririn's back, bumping his head.
"Daddy! Good morning!"
Ririn smiled brightly and spoke, then covered her mouth with her hand.
"Oops. Did you hear that?"
"I heard."
Phew. Ririn sighed and crossed something off on a notepad she pulled from her pocket.
Looking at the title, it was written [Times I said 'Daddy' - 3 per day].
"So, what are you doing running around the hallway so early...?"
Calyx tried to ask with a stern face, but paused.
Because the hand tightly gripping his clothes strangely caught his eye.
Or was he imagining that the hand was trembling slightly?
"Oops. Sorry."
Ririn flinched and took her hand away.
Calyx sighed with a slightly softened expression and asked.
"So, what are you doing running around the hallway so early?"
"Working out! We usually run in the yard, but the garden's too far! Anyway, gotta go! One lap left! You can do it, Theo!"
"Hup!"
The child sped away with quick footsteps. When the small figure waddling behind her also came into view, he felt dizzy.
"......Ah, my head."
His lips, which were about to say, 'Get those two out to the garden, now,' stopped for a moment.
'But what's up with that kid?'
The image of Ririn's face lingered in his mind. She looked the same as usual, but somehow, she seemed a little droopy. The image of her looking like wilted spinach popped into his head, and his heart gave a weird thump.
'Didn't she sleep well?'
Or is she hungry?
As soon as the thought reached that point, goosebumps prickled the back of his neck.
"What time is it now?"
Ruska, who'd just gotten to work, came over and said,
"It's just past 9 o'clock."
The secretary tilted his head in confusion, looking at his lord, who seemed somehow anxious.
"Sir? Your hand is shaking. Are you alright?"
"Damn body memory."
He had no idea what, but he knew he had something to do at 9, even if the world was ending.
"Get those squirrels... never mind. Got 'em."
"Hey! What are you doing! I still have laps!"
Just in time, Ririn, who had turned around in the middle of the hallway and was running back, was scooped up by Calyx.
He grabbed the other one, too, as he toddled over, and said coldly,
"Time for breakfast."
