friend chapter 22

Are the other officers doing alright?

I was particularly worried about Edward. I hoped he wasn’t making any of the children cry. Just in case, I looked for him. He was surrounded by children in a corner. As I approached, I was met with a surprising sight. Edward was reading them a story. I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was mistaken.

It was real.

“…Purple Dripper said, ‘Hello, Goo. Where are we going now?’”

It was even a storybook I knew well: Purple Dripper’s Sewer Adventure. I loved it before I regained my memories of my past life. I remember telling my mom, “I want to be like Purple Dripper when I grow up,” every time she read it to me. Though I didn’t actually want to become a purple, poisonous substance….

“Your Highness, why do Purple Dripper and Goo have the same voice?”

Because it’s the same person doing both voices.

“……Well. I’m not sure.”

Liar.

“It’s confusing because their voices are the same.”

“I’m confused too!”

“Me too!”

The children all raised their hands. Edward looked distinctly flustered. Oh ho. I had stumbled upon an unexpected weakness. This was getting interesting. I stealthily summoned my recorder. Fortunately, Edward hadn’t noticed me yet. I was hidden behind a pillar.

“Ha….” Edward ran a hand through his hair, looking troubled. Ooh, was he about to get angry?

“Goo replied, ‘We’re going to the ocean through the sewer. I heard a mermaid princess lives there.’”

Then, something amazing happened. Edward started differentiating between Purple Dripper and Goo’s voices. Goo’s voice was much higher than Purple Dripper’s. Watching Edward practically chirp, I knew this was gold.

This is jackpot.

Finally, I had something to tease Edward about!

“Does a mermaid princess really live in the ocean?”

“…Yes.”

“Wow, really?”

“Yes. I’ve seen her.”

“Wow~ I want to go to the ocean too.”

As hope blossomed on the children’s faces, despair descended upon Edward’s. Oh dear, how tragic.

“Purple Dripper felt sad. ‘But I was born to make people sick. The mermaid princess will hate me if I go to the ocean.’”

This time, he lowered his voice dramatically. Apparently, Purple Dripper was a deep-voiced man.

“Goo felt sorry for her. ‘No, Purple Dripper. You’re…’”

“Pfft.”

Oops. I couldn’t hold back my laughter. The drastic voice changes were just too funny.

“…Is someone there?”

All the children’s eyes turned towards me. There was no hiding now. I walked out with a smirk, recorder in hand. I pressed the button, and it clicked, signaling that the recording was complete.

“What did you just do?”

“I’m a big fan of yours, Edward. I wanted to listen to this every night before I go to sleep. Is that a problem?”

I put on my best innocent act. I’d never seen Edward so flustered. It felt amazing. Exhilarating.

“Ha…. You really are…”

“So, I can keep it? Yay, I’m so happy!”

I put the recorder back into my subspace and sat down among the children. I wanted to listen too. This was premium entertainment. A storytelling session by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince. Priceless. Edward seemed displeased, but he continued the story without further protest. It wasn’t until he closed the book that I finally learned why he had started reading to them in the first place.

“The children seemed intimidated by me.”

We gave the children a break and stepped out into the orphanage hallway. A breeze drifted in through the open window. Edward brushed a stray strand of hair from my face.

“It seems the director gave them quite the lecture before we arrived.”

“Telling them to behave for His Highness?”

“Yes. I’m not sure what she told them about me, but… they were clearly terrified.”

She probably told them he was a scary prince. That was his usual image, after all. A ruthless crown prince who showed no mercy, even to children. I had believed it too. That’s why what I’d witnessed today felt so strange. Edward, flustered by a group of small children. Maybe it was the afternoon sunlight streaming through the curtains, but the scene felt oddly heartwarming.