I, also known as little Hikari, am now one and a half years old.

I’ve gradually started being able to speak, and before I knew it, I could slowly stand and walk.

Thanks to that, I’ve become incomparably more free than before.

I’m super happy, yay!—and that’s the former high school boy inside me getting excited.

Even though Hikari-chan has gained more freedom like that, I currently have one big problem.

That is—Bang, the door swings open with a loud noise, and a large, handsome man appears.

“Otōchama!”

As I desperately call out to my father, his expression changes, his eyes light up, and he starts walking toward me like he’s about to break into a run.

“Ooooh Hikari! It’s your father!”

“Otōchama! Tai!”

He rubs his face against mine with his scratchy beard.

Yes, this is my current problem.

His love is far too heavy. It’s a luxurious problem, but for the soft skin of a one-year-old, it actually hurts a little.

And maybe because he’s my father in this life, I don’t feel any discomfort at all, which is frustrating.

Seriously, it’s actually weird that I’m not bothered at all even though this is basically some unknown old guy doing this to me!

“Otōchama! Did you work hard?”

“Yeah! Your father worked hard, you know?”

This father of mine is completely head over heels for his daughter.

When I was still zero years old, his extreme affection would make him stop working or risk hurting me without realizing it, so Charl had restricted how often he could see me.

But now that those restrictions are gone—“Master…”

Ignoring Charl’s exasperated gaze entirely, the moment he finishes work, he rushes over here without a second thought.

Seriously, what an overdoting parent. I mean, he’s apparently a capable count and good at management, so he’s smart, but still… an idiot.

“Honestly, when you’re not in your study, I can only assume you’re here spoiling Hikari again?”

“Philia! Listen, Philia, Hikari called me ‘Otōchama’—”

“You told me that yesterday.”

“Master—no, Oswald-sama?”

“Ugh, Charl… why are you making that face?”

Philia—that’s my mother’s name in this life, and Oswald is my father’s name.

Just like my mother, it seems my father also has a personal butler, but I haven’t met them yet.

If that person ends up just as obsessed with me as my father… yeah… I’m going to stop thinking about that.

“By the way, I received word from His Majesty the other day.”

Saying that, Oswald takes out a single letter from his pocket that looks ridiculously expensive.

“I wonder what it is, perhaps Her Majesty the Queen’s pregnancy has been confirmed?”

'Ohh…'

Is it really okay to talk about something that delicate in front of a man, even if he’s your husband?

“That’s one of them. Whether it’ll be the fourth prince or the third princess, I’m already looking forward to it.”

'Wait, she was right!?'

So that means three sons and two daughters now.

Her Majesty the Queen is really working hard…

“The other is an invitation to the second princess’s fifth birthday celebration, along with a party to search for potential engagement candidates.”

“Oh my, but our child is a girl?”

'That’s right! Getting engaged at one and a half… and wait, can girls even marry each other? No, but I used to be a guy… huh!?'

I feel like I’m standing at a crossroads in life right now.

'My gender is… which one is it!?'

“You won’t even be considered as a candidate, you know? Well, you might become a candidate for the third prince’s fiancée, but… I won’t give my daughter away!!”

“Honestly…”

Philia looks at Oswald with a slightly exasperated expression, but I’m different.

“Won’t give!”

With strong determination, I repeat the same words as my father.

“Ooooh Hikari! So you want to stay with your father too!”

“Nn!”

While receiving the slightly painful scratch of my doting father’s beard all over again, I steel myself for a far-off future.

Well, I don’t even know how old the third prince is, so seriously… how many years from now is that?