BDBM | Chapter 6

Choux cream was delicious. So much so that Tenev could ignore the scrutinizing gaze of her father.

Inside the golden-brown crust, much like Renard’s hair, was a cream that matched the color of Tenev’s own hair.

‘Is it more like a liquid?’

It was studded with something resembling sesame powder, not bean paste nor honey, yet subtly sweet and continuously tempting. The large choux cream still had plenty left even after Tenev took a big bite.

As Tenev stared at the cream oozing out from the cut, she couldn’t hold back her curiosity.

“What is this cold thing?”

“Has my daughter… never even tasted ‘cream’ before?”

“Kurimi?”

“Cream.”

“K-ream.”

“Yes, it’s called custard cream.”

Cream, huh?

It took a moment to understand why there was another word in front of it.

‘It seems there are quite a few types of this cream.’

She liked how it wrapped her tongue with a heavy yet light sweetness.

Renard watched his ‘daughter’, who sounded like an adult despite her lisp, gobbling down the choux cream like a real child.

“…Seems like you really liked it. Guess our dessert tastes match.”

It was odd that Ivyor’s daughter seemed unfamiliar with choux cream or even cream itself.

Ivyor was a woman who wouldn’t bother with anything less than luxury, in food and in clothing alike. Even though it had been more than ten years, the lavish scent of Ivyor and the desserts she provided were still vivid in his memory.

‘And yet her daughter has never even tasted such things.’

Hmm.

Ivyor had come all this way, presumably because she cherished her daughter, but it seemed that might not be the case.

Renard glanced at Estram, who stood behind Tenev like a guardian statue.

‘The reports will probably come in… but I can get the details from the general later.’

He remembered how the senior priests had all paid close attention to Tenev. They all seemed eager to serve in the successor’s entourage. It would be troublesome if the nine archbishops got too involved.

Thinking of the priests’ factions, Renard soon realized he was getting ahead of himself.

The entourage would only be formed after the successor was confirmed and had received Posacré’s castle.

So there was no need to be too serious about it now.

“You eat really well.” Renard casually praised her before popping the last piece of choux cream into his mouth.

‘My… my choux cream!’

It was a pity to see it diminishing, but she was happy to eat more since there was another one. But he’s taking it? Is he truly the Holy King?!

Tenev’s body trembled slightly, and Renard sharply rebuked her. “Shouldn’t you leave at least one for your father, my daughter?”

“…I apologize.” It was a fair point, so Tenev meekly bowed her head.

It’s natural to look after family. The problem was that it had been too long since she had a family.

But it still felt slightly unfair.

‘If this were the Central Plains, you should be serving me, you young thing!’

In the Central Plains, she had been a respected senior and elder!

Until now, the generals and priests had pampered her, calling her Agi-nim, Agi-nim, and she had only thought it inconvenient because her body had become smaller.

But now that a superior like the Holy King had appeared, the reality of her difficulty hit hard.

‘Such is my fate.’

Tenev glanced down at her small hands.

In contrast, Renard looked pleased with himself.

‘She doesn’t put up unnecessary resistance. She’ll be easy to manage.’

A new plate was immediately placed in Renard’s hands.

Unlike the large one Tenev had been eating, this plate was filled with bite-sized choux pastries. Renard popped a small pastry into her small mouth.

“…!” Her golden eyes widened.

‘They can make them this small!’

The cream that burst in her mouth tasted different from before. The subtle hint of strawberry was almost too good to swallow.

Tenev revised her thoughts.

‘So what if a superior has appeared?’

As long as he keeps offering such delicious things.

‘There’s no bad guy who gives tasty treats to a child.’

It wasn’t as if he was trying to kidnap her; he was just trying to get along with his new ‘daughter’.

In Tenev’s memories, it had been the same.

Renard wasn’t an incredibly affectionate father. He hadn’t been particularly close to Tenev.

‘But that was partly because the Tenev of that time was too passive.’

Yet, Renard had protected Tenev to the end.

It was hard to see it as merely because of the oracle that designated the child.

His reign was ending, and even when a more capable candidate for the Holy King appeared, Renard had not withdrawn his support for Tenev.

‘A ruler with loyalty is a precious human indeed.’

Tenev swallowed her choux cream and beamed at Renard.

Her golden eyes narrowed with joy, and her previously sullen face brightened as if lit from within.

Seeing her face, Renard repeated his earlier thought.

‘She does seem a bit cute?’

It was strange. He felt she was quite lacking, but why did he think this? One of Renard’s eyebrows slightly furrowed.

“…Until the pledge ceremony, you will stay in this palace. The priests here will help with basic things, but you won’t have a dedicated training priest for a while.”

“Yes.”

“Once you’re officially a successor, you’ll have your own palace and dedicated training priest. Independence isn’t that far off, so don’t feel too claustrophobic.”

“Yes…” Tenev tilted her head slightly.

‘Does he think I’ll feel claustrophobic? It’s weirder to raise a child separately.’

Her master had raised Jin Danye right beside her. That’s why she had naturally taken Yeohwan with her…

‘Ah!’

Could it be that Yeohwan hated that since he was young? Is that why he betrayed her?

“Is there something my daughter is dissatisfied with?”

Oh no.

Thinking of Yeohwan made her fists tremble.

Tenev quickly placed her hands on her knees and shook her head.

“No, it’s just too short.”

“What’s too short?”

“Living with my father. But I won’t throw a fit. Instead.”

“…Instead?”

“I’d like to get closer to my father during this time.”

“…Er, cough.” Renard turned his head and coughed.

Wanting to get closer?

He had never even had a child, let alone a sibling, to hear such words from a young child.

It felt like he had been punched in the chest.

“…Well, that would be nice, but my daughter will be busier than me starting tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“To prepare for the pledge ceremony, you need to study.”

Ah, studying.

What’s the big deal about that?

After all, the study needed for the pledge ceremony wasn’t about application but memorization.

“I will study hard.” Tenev nodded nonchalantly.

“Then I’ll start studying from tomorrow, so I’ll go now.”

“Y-yes.” Renard responded absentmindedly.

Aren’t all kids supposed to dislike studying? He was embarrassed by his failed attempt to tease her, but whatever his reaction, Tenev hopped down from her chair.

She bowed slightly and then trotted away, with Estram following closely behind.

“…Does she even know where her room is to walk away so confidently?”

As if she had always lived here, there was no hesitation in her steps.

But that couldn’t be.

As Renard suppressed his astonishment and gestured, one of the training priests quickly followed Tenev.

“Really… she’s no ordinary child.”

She had seemed extraordinary from her first appearance. But seeing her messily eating the choux cream, he had let his guard down. Did she take this opportunity to surprise him?

“…She said she wanted to get closer.” Renard muttered to himself, unaware, and then suddenly started flipping through documents as if he hadn’t said anything.

The corners of the mouth of the standing training priest chief trembled.

Tenev had only walked a few steps when she turned back, sensing Estram’s footsteps.

“Why did you follow me?”

“To accompany Agi-nim.”

“I thought you were going to report to my father.”

“I will make a report. If His Majesty has any questions, he will call me separately.”

“I see.”

As Tenev reached out her arms, Estram naturally picked her up. His usually stern lips softened slightly.

Even though they hadn’t been together long, she were already too accustomed to Estram’s ‘accompaniment’.

Soon, the Holy King’s training priest chased after them.

Tenev leaned comfortably in Estram’s arms until they reached her room and just as he was about to bid farewell, Tenev beat him to it.

“Do not come here starting from tomorrow, Estram.”