Chapter 27: Papa’s Overprotective Masterpiece

Chapter 27: Papa’s Overprotective Masterpiece The cold winter air nipped at my cheeks, making them pink as I snuggled deeper into the warmth of Papa’s arms. His hold was firm, protective, and oh-so-warm, like a living fortress keeping the cold away. The carriage stood ready at the palace gates, the imperial crest gleaming under the pale morning light. The horses shifted restlessly, their breaths puffing out in misty clouds, almost like they were as anxious as I felt. Snow dusted the ground, a thin, delicate layer that crunched softly with every step of the knights nearby. Everything was so quiet... almost too quiet. I was bundled up in so many blankets that I looked like a tiny, overstuffed dumpling. Nanny had insisted I wouldn’t feel even a whisper of cold, and she was right. The soft wool kept me warm, but it couldn’t stop the chill that settled deep inside... Because... Papa felt different. His expression was calm, perfectly composed like always. That same unreadable look that made grown men tremble. But... I could feel it. Even if his face didn’t show it, even if his posture was as steady as ever— Papa was sad. A strange, heavy feeling clung to him, like a shadow that wouldn’t leave. His arms, though still warm, weren’t holding me as tightly as usual. His heart, which I loved to hear thumping softly when I rested against his chest, seemed... heavier. I peeked up at him, my tiny fingers peeking out from the blanket to lightly touch his jaw. I knew what this meant. Papa is leaving for the western provinces. Papa stood rigid as always, and Grand Duke Regis stood beside him—his ever-serious face locked in that same unreadable mask. But after spending a year in Papa’s care, I could tell. There was tension beneath that calm. Papa’s grip on me was just a little tighter, his thumb brushing over my cheek, his large cloak shielding me from the cold. He doesn’t want to leave me behind, I know. But still... I clutched his shirt tighter with my tiny chubby hands, feeling the smooth fabric bunch up under my fingers. I wasn’t letting go. No way. If I let go... he’s really going to leave. But then, reality smacked me in the face. I know I can’t actually stop him. He’s not just my Papa—he’s the freaking Emperor. I may have the brain of an adult, but I’m currently ONE year old and have the strength of a marshmallow. So I can’t stop him physically or emotionally. Still, my grip tightened, my tiny fingers balling up his shirt like a desperate little koala. I buried my face against his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him—clean, crisp, and warm, like a safe place I didn’t want to lose. Logic screamed from time to time that this was unavoidable. Papa had to go. The western provinces were unstable, and his presence was necessary to maintain order. But... I don’t want him to go. Papa didn’t say anything; he didn’t have to because his eyes spoke everything. His gloved hand brushed over my golden curls in a comforting motion. It should have calmed me, but instead, I felt the finality in it. It’s time for him to leave. But I didn’t feel good. My first life as Reina Suzuki had been lonely. Forgotten. A life where I had no one. And I didn’t want my life as Lavinia Devereux to end up the same way. And I definitely can’t trust my fate here. Because Lavnia’s original fate is to end up being alone, and I don’t want that to happen. What if... what if he changes when he comes back? What if this is the last time he holds me like this? Papa kissed my forehead gently before turning to Theon and my nanny. "You know what you have to do." Theon nodded with his usual easygoing smile. "Don’t worry, Your Majesty. We’ll take good care of our princess." Papa gave a slight nod, and then I felt his hold loosen slightly. No. My grip tightened. "Papa..." I murmured softly, my voice barely audible. Papa froze in mid-step. His crimson eyes flickered down at me, hesitation flashing across his face. I wiggled in mid-air as he hesitated, but then he sighed and—gasp—actually handed me over to Nanny. I blinked up at him, my red eyes glistening with unshed tears. I wasn’t trying to manipulate him—well, not completely—but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Papa..." I reached my tiny hands toward him, my face full of emotion. Papa exhaled and kissed my forehead again. "I will be back soon." And then— He turned his back to me. Wait. He started walking away. Hold on. He got closer to the carriage. W-wait... are you seriously leaving me like this?! He didn’t even glance back. Not even once, and that’s when something inside me shattered. Papa just turned his back on me. Just like that. Without even looking back, I... I don’t like this. I felt my throat tighten, my tiny hands clenching into fists. I didn’t want to cry, but the sight of him walking away, just like that, made something deep inside me feel small and scared. What if he never comes back? What if I end up alone again? My breath caught in my throat. My chest squeezed so tight it hurt. And then— "WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The wail that tore out of my mouth was completely instinctive. Raw. Loud. The kind that could bring an entire empire to its knees. Papa flinched. I saw him flinch. But did he turn around? No. He stiffened like a board, his gloved hands clenching at his sides. For a brief moment, he stood frozen. Thinking. Debating. Considering. And then— The Emperor Cassius stepped into the carriage. The door shut. The wheels started moving. And my cries only grew louder. "WAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Theon sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I knew it was coming." Nanny tried rocking me gently. "Now, now, Princess—" "WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" From the window of the carriage, I swore I saw Papa’s eye twitch. His crimson gaze was sharp, and his fingers visibly curled into fists. Inside the carriage, his jaw clenched as he stared out the window. His fingers tapped once. Twice. But he didn’t look back. Even as the carriage disappeared from view, I kept crying, my tiny heart aching with a feeling I didn’t quite know how to name. But I knew one thing for sure. I hated watching Papa walk away. *** And... that’s how Cassius Devereux, the mighty Emperor of the Elarion Empire, left his one-year-old daughter... all alone. I cried so much that I don’t even remember when I fell asleep. But now? Now, I regret it. Why, you ask? Because when I woke up...I thought I was dreaming. No. Scratch that. I WISHED I was dreaming. My sleepy little eyes blinked open, expecting to see my cute bunnies, my fluffy pillows, and maybe—just maybe—some colorful toys to distract me from the fact that my Papa had left. But instead? PAPA. EVERYWHERE. I blinked once. Still there. I blinked twice. Nope. Still there. I rubbed my eyes, thinking maybe—just maybe—this was some weird sleep-deprived hallucination. But nope. When I opened them again, it was worse. Because... BECAUSE MY NURSERY IS FILLED WITH PAPA’S PICTURES! I mean... seriously. What. The. Hell. I blinked, staring at the walls, trying to process the madness before me. Papa’s face.Papa’s face.Papa’s face in a bigger frame.Papa looking regal.Papa looking slightly less regal but still brooding and scary.Papa with that cold, unreadable expression that probably makes grown men wet their pants. Papa EVERYWHERE. Even the ceiling wasn’t safe! There was a tiny portrait of Papa staring down at me like, "Don’t you dare forget me, little one." I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. This... this wasn’t just a normal princess nursery anymore. Are you freaking kidding me? When Papa told Theon and Nanny, "You know what you have to do," I thought... I THOUGHT... they’d take care of me. Feed me. Bathe me. Sing me lullabies or whatever babies get in fantasy empires. Not this. I mean, WHAT PART OF "TAKE CARE OF HER" TRANSLATED TO "FILL HER NURSERY WITH HER FATHER’S INTENSE GLARING PICTURES LIKE A DAMN SHRINE"?!?!? And... and where are my toys? Every cute stuffed animal?Every colorful wooden block?Every fun little thing that made me forget I was stuck in a medieval empire with zero modern comforts? Gone. I get it. okay? Papa was probably scared that I—his precious little girl—might forget him while he’s away. But... but that DOESN’T MEAN HE HAD TO TURN MY NURSERY INTO A FREAKING GALLERY OF HIMSELF! But this... THIS IS TOO MUCH. I was supposed to have fluffy bunnies and dolls. NOT A PAPA MUSEUM. In their place? Papa’s serious face is judging me from every angle. And then...I let out a tiny, defeated sigh, my little cheeks puffing out in frustration. Hah... Of course. That’s on me. I forgot for a second. My Papa isn’t just any overprotective father. He’s Cassius Freaking Devereux. And he doesn’t just do things halfway. Noooo. He left me with his overwhelming, brooding presence plastered on every inch of my nursery so I wouldn’t dare forget him. And just like that, I realized—I might be Papa’s precious little princess... but I was also the daughter of a man who definitely knows how to overdo things.