A gleeful smile wrapped around the nanny's lips for she found Oscar's mannerisms adorable and delightfully pleasing.
"If you go outside full of sweat in this cold weather, you'll get sick. You can always come with us next time. Don't push yourself too much, Your Highness."
"…..But… it's the first time Mabel's going out. I can't miss that."
Oscar smiled brightly and held my hand.
"This'll be her first memory outside. I want to experience it with her. I'm her older brother, after all."
Something strange washed over me hearing Oscar say 'older brother' so glaringly obvious. I did not know how to react. I had never considered the emperor and Oscar as a family, let alone expect their love. I was not sure how to act… I was unsure. I do not know how to deal with them. But I know I could not be cold towards them.
Consequently, Xavier rushed inside with the pram that glimmered with radiance. I'm sure it's materials were made out of broken-down national treasures. I would only use the pram for a few years… was there a need to hang jewels and ornaments onto it? And I did hear from the attendants that magic had been cast onto the pram, causing my jaw to droop.
The nanny picked me up and gently placed me in the pram as if it was nothing. After pushing out the roof of the baby stroller to stop the wintry wind and covering me with a blanket, the nanny was satisfied.
'So… so hot…'
"Now then, shall we go?"
Equipped with a weapon of clothes and blanket, the nanny strode out of the room and into the hallway that was much wider than I imagined. Was it wide because I was only an infant, or was the palace itself too colossal?
"Mabel, is the hallway that interesting to you?"
"Auuw…"
Looking around in reverie, I was surprised by Oscar's sudden question.
'If I'm being honest, yes, though I was just a bit curious.'
I did not have any memory of the palace but the bedroom I slept in for weeks, after all.
"Fun, is it not?"
"Abuba…" (Nope.)
"I knew you'd like it."
'Fine. Think however you like…'
And before I knew it, I had finally stepped foot outside and a huge wave of cold wintry wind hit me. I did not realize the severity of the coldness outside as magic controlled the palace's temperature (apparently).
"Auu!" (It's cold.)
I take back what I said earlier. It's freezing!
"It looks like Her Highness is freezing."
Xavier looked worried.
Oscar immediately took off his outerwear and put it on my body.
"…?"
I stared at him in bewilderment that I had not realized Xavier following suit. He too pulled off his outerwear and placed it on top of Oscar's clothes. Lalima did the same. Even the nanny!
'I… I can't see…'
"Abubah…" (I can't see…)
"You're warm now? That's good."
Oscar's warm voice managed to break through the mountains of clothes piled atop me.
Though I felt warm… to go on a stroll without seeing the scenery seemed to defeat the purpose of my first experience. I was confused.
And then, the pram stopped.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Where's Mabel?"
"She's in the pram."
A large hand quickly pulled aside the outerwear piled one after another. That hand lifted me up. The outerwears covering me fell onto the ground. The emperor did not care.
"Have fun outside and come back safely, Mabel."
His blue eyes locked onto me as he sent me a sweet smile. I stared at him dumbfounded and unsure how to react. Fortunately, he put me back into the pram. I did not expect he would take off his own outerwear.
"…..Your Majesty…?!"
The emperor's aide who followed him from behind bellowed in shock as he prostrated over. But the emperor paid him no mind as he covered me with his pure black outerwear.
"Have fun, Mabel."
He patted my head before walking in the opposite direction, his silhouette disappearing each second.
Lalima, who did not dare speak, carefully opened her mouth.
"Madam, madam, isn't His Majesty's clothing made out of magic materials?"
"That's right… it's made out of rare and precious materials. I didn't think he'd bestow it to her like that."
'Bestow…? Didn't he just whimsically throw it away and left?'
I looked at the clothes covering me and studied it. The black clothing had golden linings and was not thick by any means. Despite it, I did not feel any chills at all and was much warmer.
Meanwhile, the four others picked up their own outerwear that had fallen from the ground.
Wait… it could not be that he was jealous that others had placed their outerwear on me and immediately threw theirs away and used his own, right…?
'Well, it certainly is warm…'