This time, the story is told from the perspective of Duke Rosenschwert (the father).

The duke usually speaks harshly, but when it comes to his daughter, he seems utterly soft.

* * *

Was it because, for her birthday, I received a large dog from an acquaintance and showed it to her and when the dog barked, she got startled, fell over and hit her head?

If she had lost her memory or become dull-witted, I could have understood that.

But she hadn’t lost any memories at all.

If anything, her memory had become astonishingly sharp and her academic performance improved so dramatically it was hard to believe it was the same child.

Up to that point, I could still say she had changed in a good direction.

However, this is where the real problem began.

She suddenly started saying things like she wanted to become a boy.

I couldn’t understand it at all.

She cut off her beautiful hair so bluntly, dyed it black-brown and even changed her eyes—once like a shining lake’s surface—into a dull brown.

Even her clothes.

Even though I always prepared the cutest outfits for her, she somehow began wearing Ferdinand’s hand-me-downs.

And on top of that, she preferred only dark-colored clothing.

My… my adorable angel, Christina, has been broken!!

So that she would never be an embarrassment anywhere, we started her lady’s education—normally begun at age six—from the age of three.

Honestly, she wasn’t a child who learned quickly.

But whenever Adeline (Christina’s mother) or I praised her, she would smile so happily and always worked incredibly hard at her lady’s education.

She was a bit willful, but she is a duke’s daughter.

A certain degree of selfishness is allowed for her position.

And even then, her selfishness was only things like not liking certain clothes or bedding—truly trivial matters.

Our family has such vast wealth that we could never exhaust it and our connections and authority are wide, deep and strong—second only to the royal family.

Those kinds of whims don’t even count as selfishness, honestly.

She has never once complained about disliking a servant or the food.

In other words, she never says anything that would trouble us.

When I even asked the servants entrusted with her care to be honest—saying I wouldn’t punish them—about what they really thought of her, they said, “She does make requests, but they’re all childlike and cute ones. It’s rather heartwarming.”

I had expected reports of being difficult, abusive language, causing harm when no one was watching, or even violence.

But everyone smiled and said, “That would never happen.”

They told me, “She may be willful, but she’s very considerate and extremely kind.”

Yes.

That’s right.

She is gentle, honest, sincere and truly a good child.

I believed she would grow up straight and true.

And yet… why?

Even now, she comes to my office and asks to learn swordsmanship and martial arts.

“I’ll never slack off! Even if it’s strict, I won’t run away! Please, Father, let me receive training in swordsmanship and martial arts!!”

From her brown eyes—almost hidden by her overly long black-brown bangs—I could feel her sincerity.

She clenched her small hands tightly and pleaded desperately.

Seeing her like that made my heart clench without thinking.

No matter how she looks, Christina is still adorable.

My Christina, the cutest child in the world.

If this is her wish, I want to grant anything she desires.

But…

“Chris, you’re a girl.”

“I want to become a boy!!”

“Why?”

“I want to become a boy, become an adventurer and travel all over the world!”

The eyes barely visible through her bangs were those of a small child speaking of dreams.

They sparkled brightly as she spoke happily.

“Someday, I want to go to faraway lands and see scenery I’ve never seen before!”

Papa doesn’t want you going to faraway lands like that, Christina.

You used to say you’d marry Papa when you grew up and stay together forever.

Since she started her education, calling us Papa and Mama was forbidden by her tutor, so now she properly calls us Father and Mother.

But honestly, no matter how old she gets, I want her to call me Papa forever.

Still, if she doesn’t learn the common sense and manners of a lady, she’ll be looked down on and mocked as an adult.

As her parent, to protect her future, I thought we should educate her as early as possible so she could become a true lady, respectable anywhere.

That’s what I believed.

But lately, I regret it just a little.

Maybe we were too strict and her desire to escape grew stronger, leading her to say things like this.

“Chris, if you want to go abroad, Father will take you.”

“I want to go by my own strength!”

“No, that’s dange—”

“I want to become strong and go on my own feet!!”

She was so earnest that I finally gave in and promised to let Chris be taught by the same instructor as Ferdinand.

Mr. Günther is the captain of the First Division of the Royal Knight Order.

He wouldn’t teach her improperly.

If he taught her only basic self-defense, she would surely be satisfied.

I once thought that way too…

* * *

One day, after being summoned by His Majesty and going to the castle, I received an unexpected proposal.

His Majesty suggested that Christina become the fiancée of Prince Alex.

Generally speaking, refusing a proposal from the royal family is not permitted.

He did say there were other candidates.

If Christina truly hated it, another could be chosen…

But in essence, it meant: you don’t want Prince Alex taken by a rival, do you?

After all, His Majesty wants very much for Christina and Prince Alex to be together.

Currently, the country has three factions: the King’s faction, the Prince Regent’s faction and the Noble faction.

Prince Alex is the child of the Queen.

However, the Second Queen—the mother of Prince Leonard, the second prince—comes from a higher-ranking family.

Because of that, some nobles insist Prince Leonard should be Crown Prince.

On top of that, rumors circulate that the Prince Regent himself is aiming for the throne.

That’s why His Majesty wants to formally install Prince Alex as Crown Prince as soon as possible and attach the Rosenschwert Ducal House as his powerful backing.

Especially because the Rosenschwert family belongs to no faction and is neutral.

But the problem is… the current Chris isn’t suited to be a future queen—or even a princess consort.

My head hurts…

Adeline actually wants to take cute Chris around and show her off, but because of her current state, she doesn’t even want to take her out of the house.

She stopped bringing her to social tea gatherings altogether.

At dinner that day, I told the family about the proposal.

As expected, Adeline strongly opposed it.

She hates the idea of letting Chris out in her current condition.

She won’t even take her shopping, after all.

Chris herself said the engagement was absolutely impossible.

Thinking it wrong to hide things, I honestly reported Chris’s situation to His Majesty.

Unexpectedly, His Majesty said he wanted to meet Chris.

And not just that—he wanted to meet her as she is, dressed in male clothing.

I was so shocked my eyes nearly popped out.

But I thought if he saw her state, the engagement would surely be canceled.

So I took Chris to the castle.

And yet… after the audience, the engagement was not canceled!!

Why?!

Instead, His Majesty showed strong interest and said:

“At this young age, one who possesses such firm will and can express their own opinions so clearly is rare. You are far more admirable than you think. Rosenschwert, you should be proud of your child.”

I was so sorry toward Prince Alex that I was depressed for quite a while after returning.

Adeline even scolded me, saying, “Pull yourself together!”

I really did try to refuse…

But His Majesty wouldn’t listen—what could I do?!

* * *

When Christina turned seven, following national custom, she attended the debut gathering where all royalty and nobility participate.

Normally she wears male clothing, but for this day alone, perhaps knowing Adeline had prepared everything for half a year, she dressed up obediently.

Ah… how beautiful my daughter is!!

She truly is the most beautiful girl in the world!!

When she grows up, she will undoubtedly become the most beautiful woman alive.

At the debut gathering, greetings to the royal family begin with our Rosenschwert Ducal House, the highest-ranking.

Normally I escort Adeline, but since this day’s star was Christina, I escorted her before the royal family.

I was nervous whether she could greet them properly.

But the result was perfect.

No—beyond perfect!!

With a faint, almost nonexistent smile and a beautiful curtsy, Christina looked like a young goddess descended to earth.

There could be nothing more beautiful!!

His Majesty and the other royals were all entranced by her beauty.

I secretly clenched my fist in triumph.

Even Prince Alex—who always wears a pasted-on smile—was momentarily dazed by Christina.

After the debut ended safely, I felt relieved.

But at the same time, I worried that someone foolish might target such a beautiful child.

So, without telling her, I assigned guards to Christina.

And then I learned a shocking truth.

Christina was secretly sneaking out of the house!!

I want to question her directly, but I’m afraid she’d really run away if I said the wrong thing.

When I asked the guards what she was doing, they said she always shook them off midway.

Useless guards!! Fired!!

But when I asked Mr. Günther, the result was the same.

He also lost her every time.

What on earth is going on?!

I decided not to fire them and instead strictly ordered them to protect her properly.

He even said he would act as a shield and die in her place if needed.

Then, a tea party invitation from Prince Alex—mentioned casually at the debut—actually arrived.

Unfortunately, that day Adeline and I would be in our territory for work.

No matter how fast we returned, we wouldn’t reach the capital residence until evening.

I entrusted Christina to Sebastian and Marie, but everyone spoils her too much.

And my bad feeling came true.

Christina attended the tea party dressed as a boy!!

Ah, it’s over… she’ll surely be punished for disrespect…

But the next morning, a document arrived from His Majesty.

The contents were the complete opposite.

Christina would be the official fiancée.

Not a fiancée candidate.

She was confirmed as the fiancée.

Other candidates would be kept secret and treated as before.

Later, His Majesty explained it was all to protect Christina.

“She is far more intelligent than we think. If she knew there were other candidates, she would surely run away. That must be avoided. Both Alex and I want Christina to join the royal family.”

Apparently, Prince Alex had taken a great liking to her.

What happened at that tea party?

At least she wasn’t punished.

But this future doesn’t seem to match what Chris wants.

I felt uneasy, wondering if she might someday disappear somewhere.

And then something unexpected happened again.

While enjoying tea together on a rare day off, Chris said she knew Prince Alex had other fiancée candidates.

Apparently, he told her himself during their tea party.

Even so, he said he wouldn’t nullify the engagement.

Chris frowned and said, “This is troubling. How can I make him understand? I cannot become a fiancée…”

Well played, Prince Alex.

After that, invitations from Prince Alex arrived once a month without fail.

Chris always attended them in male attire.

What they talk about is extremely interesting to me.

But when I ask, she just tilts her head cutely and says, “Nothing unusual at all.”

To protect this adorable angel, I want to cooperate with His Majesty and push the marriage forward quickly!!

And then—like smashing my feelings with a spiked club—a report arrived.

Mr. Günther wished to resign as Christina’s instructor.

At first, I thought there was nothing left to teach.

But that wasn’t it.

He said, “There is nothing more I can teach Lady Christina.”

He told me she mastered self-defense completely within four months.

Then why didn’t you report it then?!

But he said her talent was so overwhelming that he kept teaching more.

As an instructor, I understand that feeling.

Seeing a student absorb knowledge so quickly is joyful.

Mr. Günther said it would be a waste to stop now and proposed introducing a new instructor—

Mr. Gustav, Vice Commander of the Royal Knight Order.

I was so shocked I nearly toppled over.

But thinking of crushing my daughter’s potential for our convenience hurt my conscience deeply.

So I accepted.

Laugh and call me a doting fool if you want.

No matter what anyone says, I want to be Christina’s greatest ally.

I still don’t understand many of her actions.

But I want to grant her wishes as much as possible.

* * *

Father already loved his daughter excessively and with Chris’s charm added on top of that, he’s not stopping her runaway behavior at all—in fact, he’s helping her (lol).

And so Chris continues to run wild even more…