Playing Role of Father

The day changed quickly, and now it was time for the little princess to rest again. Before bedtime, Aliester had spent the entire day with her. The two maids who had previously brought Magdalene everything she needed had also been present.

Thanks to this, Aliester learned the names of the two maids—Viona and Selina. He discovered their names by acting, pretending to mispronounce them due to exhaustion from work.

Aliester also found out that the head butler who had visited his study to report the princess's condition was named Ryan Kraisser.

More and more memories of the original Aliester resurfaced. It seemed his new body was merging with him perfectly. However, memories alone weren't enough to make him fully play the role of Aliester Hohenzollern.

---

That night, in his chamber, Aliester sat at his desk, jotting down notes about the information he had retrieved from the original Aliester's memories.

"Aliester Hohenzollern, King of the Kingdom of Rumanier. Currently, his palace is located in the capital, Venti."

"Married a noble princess from the neighboring land, Helene Roseberg, and had a beautiful daughter who inherited all the grace and beauty of her mother—Magdalene Hohenzollern."

"He's only 30 years old, and the most unexpected part is… he's a widower. A widower!!"

His expression immediately turned sour, reflecting the misery of his new reality.

"Damn it! I was single, and now I'm trapped in the body of a widowed king with a child! A jobless bachelor like me, suddenly forced to raise a kid?! I can barely take care of myself!"

Scratching his head in frustration, Aliester's handsome face looked utterly depressed.

"I don't know whether to curse my fate or offer my condolences to myself. Haa~"

After sighing, he glanced at his palms, his mind filling with questions.

"But if I think about it, I still don't understand why I ended up in this body. Is the real Aliester still lingering somewhere within these memories, or is he already… gone?"

"And that little girl… Magdalene. According to Aliester's memories, she's only five years old."

"At such a young age, she lost her mother. Being a widower might be tough for Aliester, but the real tragedy is for his daughter, who is still growing up."

"Besides… I remember something. Before this, there was a memory of Aliester searching for Magdalene on a rainy day."

---

Aliester fell silent, recalling the vision that had surfaced when he hugged Magdalene earlier.

In that memory, the original Aliester had walked through the rain, searching for his little princess. He went to a garden with a beautiful glasshouse at its center—Magdalene's favorite place.

When he finally found her, she was crying on a large stone, surrounded by roses. The little girl sobbed and refused to let go of her embrace around the stone.

On that stone, an inscription was carved:

"For the most beloved Queen and the kindest Mother. Rest in peace until heaven holds you forever in its love."

[Helene Roseberg Hohenzollern]

Aliester had approached his daughter and embraced her. The little princess wept in his arms, calling out a name she longed for.

["Mother!! Hic… I want Mother to come home!! Hic… hic…"]

---

Aliester, reliving that memory, grew somber and silent.

"I was right, wasn't I?"

"Magdalene is far too young to be motherless."

"I'm sure she struggles to accept her mother's death. And for Aliester himself… I may have never been married, but I know it must be painful to be a widower and still have to remain strong while leading a kingdom."

"This is tough. Why is my second life filled with such heartbreaking drama?"

"One thing is certain—I have to do something. I don't want that little girl to be sad, especially after she's just recovered from her illness. Tomorrow… I'll try to take her out for a walk."

"It will also be a great chance for me to gather more information."

---

The next morning, with an air of charisma, Aliester stepped out, greeted by his head butler, Ryan.

"Good morning, Your Majesty."

"Good morning, Ryan. I want to wake my little princess myself. Is she still in her room?"

"Pardon?" Ryan looked confused, as if he couldn't comprehend what had gotten into his king. "Did… did Your Majesty just say…?"

"Didn't you hear me? I'll repeat— I want to wake up my little princess, Magdalene. Is she still in her room, or is she already in the dining hall?"

"That…" Ryan looked even more perplexed.

"Never mind, I'll go there myself."

Aliester left the room, with Ryan trailing behind in utter bewilderment.

"Wait, Your Majesty!"

Aliester smiled confidently and spoke to himself in his heart,

"This is a new day. Forgive me, Magdalene. I may not be the real Aliester, but I will do my best to act and be a good father to you."

"Let's play the role of a father for this lonely little girl. I will do my best for myself—and for the real Aliester too."

Aliester walked towards the princess's chamber. As he knocked on the door, he was met with a sudden surprise—a warm hug the moment the door opened.

"Daddy~"

"Good morning, my sweet Magda," Aliester replied, returning the hug. With a warm gaze, he strengthened his resolve.

"Let's begin playing the role of a father from now on!"