The Two Babies Changing the Original Story Chapter 23

“A–absolutely not.”

Cleus denied it on reflex.

His flustered heart spit out a lie.

“…It’s not?”

Ellie’s expression fell openly, unmistakably disappointed.

She thought—maybe—they had grown closer. Maybe he had finally warmed up to her.
But… it seemed they were still far from that.

“Ah… you didn’t like that I came to visit.”

And she had good reasons to think so.

Ellie drooped even more.

She wanted to get along. But every time she tried to do something, it turned into a mistake. It was disheartening. She didn’t feel like doing anything anymore.

There had been a time she tried to help her brother by organizing his study.

But far from organizing, she created pure chaos.

Books scattered everywhere, papers soaked in mop water, research results ruined beyond saving.

Her brother had been very upset, but Ellie’s heart had been just as hurt.

It took her a long time to step into his study again after that.

…And it felt like the same thing would now happen with Cleus.

“Ah, no! I don’t dislike it!”

“But you don’t like it either…”

Ellie still didn’t perk up.

Cleus felt awful watching her shrink like that. He wanted to show her—somehow—that he really was fine.

“N-no, I do like it!”

“…You like it?”

“I—I…”

His enthusiasm jumped ahead of him.

He had actually said “I like it.”

He covered his mouth, but it was too late—those words had already ignited something in his chest.

The heat of the admission spread through him.

Cleus’s face slowly turned bright red.

“Since… since you’re here, I—I’ll show you around the house!”

He shot to his feet, unable to withstand the rising heat.

The air in the sitting room felt suffocating; he wanted to dash outside.

“A house tour?”

“Yes! There is much to see in the Berndt ducal estate. There’s the training grounds, the rose garden, peacocks…”

“Peacocks!”

He was just blurting out whatever came to mind, but one of them happened to hit Ellie’s taste perfectly.

“There are also peacocks, and rabbits, and foxes!”

As Ellie grew excited, Cleus became excited too, eagerly listing off all the animals they kept.

“Rabbits!”

“…Do you not like foxes?”

“I’ve seen lots of foxes.”

“…?”

Where had the princess seen foxes?

They didn’t keep dangerous animals in the palace. He’d never heard of that.

It was odd, but Cleus decided not to think too hard about it.

“Shall we go see the rabbits and peacocks then?”

“Yes!”

Cleus extended his hand to escort her.

Ellie blinked at the hand held out to her.

No one had ever offered her an escort so elegantly before.

Marquis Simon would help her in and out of the carriage—but he was an old man, so she never thought much of it.

But Cleus was… cool.

A brilliant, shining duke offering his hand to her.

Just like the princesses in storybooks!

And now it was happening in real life.

Ellie’s heart swelled and thumped wildly.

She carefully placed her hand in Cleus’s. He helped her to her feet, then guided her hand to rest on his arm.

Cleus walked beside her.

Ellie wiggled her fingers lightly on his arm.

He doesn’t totally hate me… right?

Maybe Cleus was simply a polite boy, kind to everyone.

But surely he wouldn’t bother giving a house tour or offering an escort to someone he truly disliked.

He hated me so much at first!

He wouldn’t even look her in the eye. He would cut her off mid-sentence, saying resentful, bitter things.

Compared to that, this was an enormous improvement.

They weren’t close friends yet, but Ellie felt more than satisfied with this small closeness.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

“This is the rabbit enclosure.”

“Uh…, uh….”

Ellie froze.

Rabbits.

There were rabbits in the forest too. But she didn’t see them often.

They were fast and timid, never approaching people.

Peeking from afar as they nibbled on grass was the only chance she ever got to observe them.

She wanted to touch one up close, but unlike foxes, rabbits were hard to befriend.

Foxes weren’t timid.

At first, they wavered from a distance, but once they got used to her face, they would inch closer.

Whenever she shared food, they would suddenly act familiar and rub their bodies against her.

And once they grew even closer, they would sneak into her house, curl up beside her while she napped, and sleep together.

So she didn’t particularly miss foxes. She had seen and touched them plenty.

But rabbits—smaller than foxes, round and fluffy—she had never touched one.

That was why she had been so excited at the mention of rabbits.

“Ra…bbit.”

“Yes, these are rabbits raised at the House of Duke Berndt. Since the knights eat a lot of meat, we only raise the large ‘Raddle’ breed.”

“Ra…bbit?”

How is that a rabbit?

Ellie’s face crumpled as she stared at the terrifying lumps of fur filling an enclosure the size of a training field.

The rabbits—called Raddles—were bigger than Ellie’s whole body.

If one compared torso size alone, they were even larger than an adult man.

Meaning—

Not cute at all.

“S-Scary!”

Ellie stepped back from the rabbit enclosure, nearly in tears.

“Your Highness!”

Rilkiea’s eyes flared the moment she saw Ellie’s terrified face.

How dare anything frighten their princess!

The murderous aura rolling off Rilkiea made it seem like she’d cut Cleus down on the spot.

Cleus, facing that look, panicked.

He only brought her here because she said she wanted to see rabbits….

“They’re not dangerous. They won’t hurt Your Highness.”

Cleus tried to explain, but Ellie was already too frightened.

“Too big! It’s scary!”

The rabbits whipped their heads toward Ellie’s voice.

Dozens of red eyes, each the size of a man’s fist, all fixed on her.

“Kyaa!”

Ellie screamed.

Cleus immediately stepped in front of her.

You insolent rabbits! Do you know who you are glaring at?!

Rilkia rushed in as well, trying to scoop Ellie up.

But before she could, Ellie clung tightly to Cleus’s waist.

“!”

The sudden contact startled Cleus. But he could not push away the frightened princess.

Thankfully, rabbits did not bark or make loud noises.

“……!”

Rilkiea bit her lip, withdrawn and frustrated.

Our princess is clinging to the Duke Berndt boy instead of me…!

But it was the princess’s choice.

She had to quietly return to her assigned position.

Back in her guard post, Marquis Simon patted her shoulder sympathetically, and Madam Laval cast a sorrowful glance.

We understand.

Their tiny princess, not even fully grown, was already pulling away from them as if she had become an adult.
It hurt all three of them.

Unaware of their feelings, Ellie stayed curled up, clinging to Cleus’s waist.

During that time, Cleus barely breathed.

After a long while, Ellie timidly lifted her head.

The rabbits were still staring at her with curious eyes.

“Hik.”

Cleus looked at the rabbits too.

They were just the usual rabbits. Big, yes, but not scary at all.

“It’s all right.”

“But… they’re so big…”

“They’re big, but they don’t bite.”

“They don’t bite?”

“No.”

Encouraged by his words, Ellie cautiously glanced at the rabbits again.

They were huge, yes—but they were calmly staying in place, just as Cleus said.

Looking more closely, though not cute, their fur looked incredibly soft. Like spring fluff floating in the air—light and silky.

I want to touch them.

Just then, Cleus spoke beside her.

“You may touch them.”

“!”

How did he know? Could Cleus read thoughts?

Ellie stared at Cleus with wide, amazed eyes.

Perhaps interpreting that as permission-seeking, Cleus gently led her closer to the enclosure.

Standing beside him, it wasn’t as scary as before.

The rabbits just stared back. They didn’t move.

“You touch them like this.”

Cleus slipped his hand through the bars and stroked the rabbit’s rump.

The rabbit twitched its nose once, but otherwise accepted the touch without complaint. It didn’t seem annoyed.

In fact, it wiggled its rump, nudging toward his hand.

Ellie copied him, reaching a hand through the bars.

“Waaah!”

The velvety fur filled her hand.

She grasped it lightly, then smoothed it, kneading the rabbit’s backside with delight.

“…….”

But Cleus couldn’t focus on the rabbit anymore.

With only his eyes, he secretly glanced at Ellie’s profile.

“It’s so cute! And soft!”

Ellie’s eyes sparkled.

She leaned closer to get a better look at the fur, her face almost pressing against the bars, her hair falling forward.

Sunlight caught her hair, making it shimmer.

It looks so soft….

Softer and prettier than the rabbit’s fur.

He wanted to touch it.

“!”

Cleus nearly jumped when he realized what he was thinking.

I—I wanted to touch the princess…?!

His etiquette tutor had repeatedly warned him to be extremely careful with physical contact, especially with women.

What if someone noticed his thoughts?

His heart pounded violently, his face turning crimson.

Worried his feelings might be exposed, he cautiously glanced at the adults—
but thankfully, no one seemed aware.

Cleus let out a silent breath of relief.

His desire to brush Princess Ellia’s soft, pink hair…

…would remain a secret forever.