Dad Came Back from a Deserted Island Chapter 16

The ground collapsed, too.

The sky and earth that Ron, Mary, and Peter had once destroyed—and Jean had barely managed to rebuild—were shattered all over again.

Seeing Vivian stare at it in shock and disbelief, Kiki hurriedly tried to reassure her.

[I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you’ve got it all wrong, Vivian!]

“You… abandoned me…”

[Abandoned you?! That’s not it!]

“You be… betrayed—”

[Ah! I said that’s not it!]

This was what had actually happened.

The previous afternoon.

“Young lady! Now that you’ve finished eating, why don’t you come play with me… Ah!”

Anne had tried to approach Vivian warmly in an effort to become friends, but Vivian had merely shaken her head several times before going out into the garden.

She wasn’t openly hostile, but her refusal to let Anne get close made the woman sigh.

Jean watched the scene with concern.

“I suppose the young lady doesn’t like me…”

Anne looked heartbroken at being rejected by such a lovely little princess, and Jean cautiously explained.

“As I mentioned in my letter, Vivian… experienced quite a few unpleasant things with the previous servants. She wasn’t originally this wary of people.”

“I know, of course. Honestly! How could those horrible people mistreat someone as small and precious as her? They’re paying for what they did now, right?”

“Yes. They’re both rotting in prison.”

Since Vivian’s tragic death had never happened in this timeline, there was no basis for imposing any further punishment. If House Lambert had been more than a noble family in name, things might have been different.

Jean clenched his fist so tightly that the veins on his hand stood out.

Anne was watching Vivian’s retreating back with a wistful look when she suddenly clapped her hands.

“Oh! What if we do this?”

Children loved fun things, especially things they weren’t normally allowed to do.

And if they could do something fun behind their parents’ backs, they loved it even more.

Anne suggested that while Jean was away, she could let Vivian do things she normally wasn’t allowed to do under the guise of a secret adventure. Surely that would help Vivian open up to her.

“Hmm. Do you think it’ll work?”

“I’ve never met a child who didn’t fall for this!”

It was surprisingly convincing.

Jean still remembered how happy he had been as a child whenever he secretly ate extra snacks without his parents knowing.

There was only one person—or rather, one being—whose permission they needed before putting the plan into action.

“His Divine Beastship. His Divine Beastship.”

Late that night, someone’s voice woke Kiki, who was fast asleep in Vivian’s arms.

“Mmm?”

Jean couldn’t understand Kiki’s words without Vivian there, but simple communication through nodding and shaking its head was enough.

“There’s something I’d like to discuss without Vivian knowing. Could you come outside for a moment?”

“Kiiing.”

Kiki rubbed its sleepy eyes before quietly slipping out of Vivian’s arms.

The moment Jean offered a snack as a bribe, its half-closed eyes flew open.

“Kyah-kyah.”

Jean couldn’t understand what Kiki was saying, but its satisfied tone put him somewhat at ease.

“As you know, His Divine Beastship, Vivian hasn’t been willing to get close to our new nanny. I was thinking that perhaps the two of them could spend some time together and become more familiar with each other.”

Jean explained that he would be going out the next day and wanted Kiki not to be too wary if Anne approached Vivian.

Kiki barely seemed to listen as it continued eating its snack, so Jean patiently explained everything.

“If you show Vivian that you trust Anne first, I think she’ll feel more at ease too.”

Hearing the concern in Jean’s voice, Kiki finally lifted its gaze from the snack and glanced at him.

Then it nodded once.

That alone made Jean’s face brighten like a flower.

[Your daddy asked this body for a favor! He begged me to spend time with this woman so you could become friends with her!]

“D-Daddy did?”

[Yes! Vivian, humans may betray you, but this body never will! How could I abandon the one who freed me from my egg and let me see the light of the world?]

Really?

[Hey!]

“Eeeek!”

When Vivian hesitated and tilted her head instead of immediately believing Kiki, it shrieked.

Anne screamed at the same time.

From Anne’s perspective, she couldn’t understand Kiki’s words and only saw the monkey gripping her shoulder with its toes, squeaking furiously before suddenly shrieking.

Anne trembled like a leaf.

“Y-Young lady! Kiki… no, His Divine Beastship seems angry! I-I’m so scared! Please tell me he’s never hurt anyone…!”

“Kiki! She understands. Come here. You’re scaring her!”

[Hmph. What a timid human. How could anyone be frightened by this adorable appearance? Of course, this body’s majesty cannot possibly be concealed by such an exterior!]

“Just come here already!”

Kiki haughtily climbed back onto Vivian’s shoulder, and Anne collapsed onto the floor.

“Haa… gasp, gasp. I was really scared, young lady.”

Even though Anne was drenched in cold sweat, she still smiled at Vivian, and the girl’s towering wariness began to soften.

Vivian cautiously approached and wiped the sweat from Anne’s face with her sleeve.

Anne desperately swallowed the squeal that almost escaped her.

What an unbelievably kind little lady!

She couldn’t possibly scare Vivian away now that the girl had finally approached her first.

Anne performed a little dance of joy inside her head before standing up and straightening her rumpled skirt.

“……It didn’t go exactly according to plan, but I can’t give up here. Young lady, would you like to go somewhere with me without telling Mr. Lambert?”

“Without telling Daddy?”

“Yes! You weren’t allowed to go outside alone because it was dangerous, right? But with an adult like me accompanying you, you can go anywhere! I’ll braid flowers into your hair, teach you how to play a grass flute, and…”

“And…?”

Even though there was no one around, Anne lowered her voice conspiratorially.

Vivian whispered too.

“And when we come home, we’ll eat lots of candy!”

“Candy…!”

Jean wanted to give Vivian everything she asked for, but he limited her sweets to three a day because he didn’t want her teeth to rot.

“Then Daddy will scold me.”

Her face clearly showed how tempted she was, even as her cheeks trembled with the effort to resist.

She’s so cute I could bite her.

Anne silently thought the dangerous thought before answering casually.

“We can keep it a secret! Of course, if I think your teeth are in danger, I’ll stop you. So you can eat without worrying!”

This had already been agreed upon with Jean.

Afterward, Anne would make sure Vivian brushed her teeth thoroughly.

Vivian’s reaction needed no explanation.

It was explosive.

“Then shall we go, young lady? If we want to do everything before Mr. Lambert returns, we’ll have to hurry!”

“Yes! Yes!”

Vivian’s cheeks flushed with excitement.

[Hmph. Looks like this body wasn’t needed at all.]

After making that haughty remark, Kiki glanced over Anne from Vivian’s shoulder.

As a divine beast, Kiki could instinctively sense negative emotions in humans, yet it sensed none from Anne.

That was why Kiki had willingly agreed to Jean’s request.

[Take good care of me and my Vivian, human.]

“Eek. Young lady, Kiki is staring at me so intensely.”

Anne had become a little afraid of Kiki, but the divine beast naturally didn’t care.

Vivian spent the entire day enjoying everything Anne had promised, and after playing so enthusiastically, she fell sound asleep before Jean even returned.

Anne completely won Vivian over by skillfully playing ten popular children’s songs on a grass flute.