The tyrant Wants To Live Honestly Chapter 18

“Happy birthday, Princess!”

 

Clara had been noisy since early morning.

 

It was my birthday, but she seemed even more excited than I was.

 

At breakfast, in honor of my birthday, there were two sunny-side-up eggs placed beside my toast.

 

‘Well… I like this.’

 

Normally I only got one egg—two felt like a luxury. And the perfectly runny yolks, sitting round and glossy, looked almost radiant.

 

It wasn’t like I was poor enough to care that much about one extra egg, but… somehow, little changes like this just made me feel good.

 

Thinking that, I ignored the ketchup squeezed into a heart shape and poked the yolk.

 

Thanks to the two eggs, I had a pretty satisfying meal.

 

The moment I put down my napkin, Clara quickly rushed to my side.

 

“The weather’s so nice today—would you like to go to the beach just outside?”

 

“The weather’s not nice at all.”

 

I glanced out the window. The sky was full of gray clouds.

 

“But it’s your birthday. It’d be nice to go outside and run around.”

 

“Hmm… not really.”

 

I said that, but when I saw Clara’s eyes sparkling with anticipation, I changed my answer.

 

“…Fine. Let’s go.”

 

There’s definitely something going on.

 

If it’s a walk, it’s the same trick my previous nanny used on me.

 

Come to think of it, Stephan hadn’t been around since morning. What exactly were they plotting?

 

It was obvious something was up, but since they seemed to have put in some effort, I decided to go along with it.

 

I put on a light cardigan and went out to the beach in front of the detached palace with Clara.

 

Maybe because of the cloudy weather, the wind from the sea felt cold and salty.

 

The sand looked duller than usual, and the gray sea mirrored the overcast sky.

 

The waves crashed harshly, spraying water—it felt like the end of the world.

 

What a perfect day for a walk.

 

It even suits my birthday.

 

“Oh my! Princess Dorothy! Look at those seashells over there—they’re so pretty!”

 

Clara, that line sounds way too forced.

 

She pointed at the white sand.

 

Usually it sparkled under the sunlight, but today it looked dull and gray.

 

Scattered across it were seashells—remnants of dead creatures.

 

I had no interest in seashells.

 

Honestly, whenever I saw people who liked collecting them, I felt like asking if they’d also pick up human bones—that’s how dry my sensibilities were.

 

But as a well-behaved child, I knew that would offend people, so I didn’t ask.

 

Instead, I obediently followed Clara’s suggestion and picked up shells.

 

*‘Don’t tell me there’s a gift buried under them or something…?’*

 

Even though it was trivial, I felt oddly tense just picking them up.

 

But no matter how many shells I gathered, there was no gift.

 

Not that I was disappointed, but it felt like pointless work, and I was getting annoyed.

 

How long do I have to keep doing this?

 

“Clara.”

 

Holding a handful of shells, I turned around.

 

But Clara—who should have been behind me—was gone.

 

“Clara?”

 

I looked around for her.

 

So this was it. Distract me and then hide somewhere?

 

Just as I was about to feel annoyed at having fallen for something so obvious, something large began approaching me from afar.

 

I took a step back, staring at the strange, massive figure.

 

Wearing a bizarre mask, dressed in an outfit with a brown tail, and waddling toward me—

 

*‘…That’s Stephan.’*

 

Even with the mask and lion costume, that size could only be Stephan, no matter how you looked at it.

 

When did they even make such a ridiculous outfit?

 

I suppressed the twitch in my brow as I looked at him.

 

A suffocating-looking mask, a messy yarn mane, a full-body brown suit, brown gloves, and oversized stuffed shoes made to resemble lion paws.

 

‘Isn’t he hot…?’

 

Even if the weather was cloudy, it wasn’t cool enough to comfortably walk around the beach in such a thick costume.

 

There was only one person who could have made a giant lion suit in Stephan’s size.

 

*‘Clara’s definitely an accomplice. No—she’s the mastermind.’*

 

There was no way Stephan volunteered for this himself.

 

*‘Did they really think I’d fall for something like that? What do they take me for?’*

 

Dressed as a lion, Stephan walked across the sand, stopped in front of me, and lowered his head to stare at me.

 

I didn’t like this childish prank, so I opened my mouth.

 

“Hey, you know—”

 

“…Roar.”

 

I froze at the single “roar” that came out of him before I could say his name.

 

*‘Stephan just said “roar”…?’*

 

That taciturn, stoic knight? It was unbelievable enough that he was wearing that ridiculous costume—but *roar*?

 

“…I am… the brave… lion hero, Leo.”

 

Ah…! Stop, Stephan.

 

Goosebumps spread all over my body.

 

Only then did I realize—he was imitating Leo, the protagonist from the lion hero story I used as a book cover.

 

His performance was so embarrassing I wanted to tell him to stop immediately.

 

But seeing someone as quiet as him wearing that outfit and reciting lines like this… I just couldn’t bring myself to say it.

 

*‘Fine. This counts as a good deed for today. I’m a kind person.’*

 

I don’t know if I’d really become kinder, but the sight of Stephan in that lion costume was so pitiful I felt like I might cry.

 

“Wow… Are you really the lion hero, Leo?”

 

I forced a smile as I asked, and Stephan—no, the lion hero Leo—nodded.

 

A wave of self-loathing hit me. Stephan was probably feeling the same.

 

At the same time, I realized something.

 

The moment I called him “Stephan,” everything would become unbearably awkward.

 

Sometimes, it’s better not to know.

 

“….”

 

In the awkward silence, only the sound of waves crashing filled the air.

 

Say something, Stephan. You started this!

 

“…Roar.”

 

‘Please! Stop! Don’t roar! You are officially banned from roaring!’

 

I got goosebumps and took a step back.

 

Startled, Stephan hurried toward me, waving his hand.

 

“Leo… not scary…”

 

I’m not running away because I’m scared!

 

I kept backing away, but Stephan stubbornly followed after me with long strides.

 

As expected of him—he looked like he wouldn’t retreat until he completed his mission.

 

Only when I reached almost the end of the beach did I realize there was no escaping the Lion Hero’s trap.

 

Fine. Then I’ll face this head-on.

 

“Do you want this?”

 

I held out the seashells I had been carrying.

 

Stephan fumbled for a moment, then extended his gloved hand and accepted them.

 

Even though I had been holding a full handful, they didn’t even fill his large hand.

 

He stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do with them.

 

Watching him, the embarrassment started to fade, and somehow… he even seemed a little cute.

 

“Put them in your pocket.”

 

I pointed at the pouch on the belly of the lion costume.

 

Stephan seemed surprised to discover it and happily stuffed the shells inside.

 

‘Clara… if you were going for realism, you shouldn’t have added a pocket there.’

 

A pouch on a lion’s belly? It’s not a kangaroo.

 

Clara tended to add pockets everywhere for practicality when she sewed—looks like that habit carried over here too.

 

Well… I guess I’ll just pretend not to notice. I’m kind like that.

 

At this point, I had no choice but to take the lead in this whole farce.

 

I continued with another question.

 

“Where’s your deer friend?”

 

Stephan clearly hadn’t expected that. He stuttered like a broken machine before finally answering,

 

“…Home.”

 

That’s supposed to be an answer?!

 

“Did you come to see me today because it’s my birthday?”

 

Right. This was a birthday event.

 

So if I just got a “happy birthday,” that should complete their main objective.

 

Instead of answering, Stephan nodded.

 

No, this is where you say *‘happy birthday’* and leave, Stephan!

 

I stared at him, urging him silently.

 

For someone so quiet, his conversational skills were seriously lacking.

 

If only he had even a fraction of Ethan’s ability.

 

“Aren’t you going to wish me a happy birthday?”

 

Only then did he lift his head quickly and nod.

 

“Princess Dorothea… happy birthday. …Roar.”

 

Stephan said it.

 

Then he bent his large body down and awkwardly patted my shoulder.

 

Seeing how hard he was trying behind that lion mask, I ended up laughing.

 

It was cringeworthy, but… it actually felt kind of nice.

 

Someone going this far for me.

 

“Thank you, Ste—… Lion Hero Leo.”

 

I almost said Stephan, but managed to cover it up.

 

At that, Stephan bent his knees to match my height, then suddenly pulled me into his arms and stood up.

 

“Ah!”

 

I was lifted into the air.

 

Holding me securely with one arm, he began walking along the beach.

 

From his height, I could see much farther—the sea stretched wider, the wind felt stronger, and the ground seemed far below.

 

He carried me all the way to the end of the beach, his footprints left lonely in the white sand.

 

This was the first time I had been this close to him.

 

Who would’ve thought there’d come a day when Stephan would wear a lion costume and say “roar” for my birthday?

 

Or that I would be held in his arms like this.

 

‘…He used to be Ray’s knight.’

 

Thinking back made my emotions stir.

 

When I killed him before, I had mocked him.

 

A man who stood alone, ready to die just to protect Ray—I thought that kind of resolve was foolish.

 

I even thought it suited someone as simple-minded as Stephan.

 

A former mercenary, unsociable… I had looked down on him.

 

But now, Sir Stephan Greenwald seemed different.

 

* * *