When the little girl lifts her chubby face, her bright yellow eyes stare at him with happiness. With a wide and happy smile, she opens her mouth.
"I found you, papa!"
Not only she lovingly hugs Gian, but the little girl also rubs her chubby face on his thigh. She looks like a cute puppy who finally found her owner. Every time Gian tries to move his legs, the little girl tightens her hold on him.
"Dude, you have an illegitimate daughter?!" Russel exclaimed. "How old is she? Three? Four? Bro... You already have a daughter at a very young age?!"
"..."
"Gracious! Who would have thought that I am more decent than you? At least I am a responsible man."
With a clingy child who does not want to let go of his leg together with this loud and talkative pen, Gian rubs his temple to ease his headache. Gian glance at the pen on his pocket first before his gaze turns to the little girl. Letting out a sigh, he holds the child's arms and removes it from his legs.
"Young master, this child..."
Gian ignores Butler Del and kneeled on one knee so he can make eye contact with the little girl. The moment their eyes met, the little girl shows Gian a huge and happy smile. She wiggles her small body to release herself from Gian's hold and wraps her chubby arms around his neck. She also rubs her face on his neck and let out a soft giggle.
"Papa!"
"Little girl, I am not your father."
"No?"
"No."
"Oh."
"..."
Gently pushing the soft body that is holding him, Gian firmly holds her shoulders and looks at the little girl straight to her eyes again. Gian noticed that the little girl has the same eye color as him. The little girl also has honey-colored eyes though hers possess a lighter shade. She cutely blinks her eyes before laughing in delight.
"Cielo found papa!" The little girl happily chirped.
"Cielo?"
"I am Cielo! I am four!" She said and shows her four chubby fingers to Gian.
"Cielo, where are your parents? Are you lost?"
Gian looks at the little girl he was holding. She looks clean and tidy. The little girl is wearing an expensive-looking matching fluffy pink dress and shoes which makes her more adorable. On her hair tied into two pigtails, there is a red tassel on it that moves every time she tilts her head. This little girl seems like she came from a noble family.
Gian stands up and looks around their surroundings. He is trying to find who looks like they are looking for someone but he cannot see anyone like that. When Gian looks at Butler Del, he immediately understands what his young master wanted to ask. Butler Del slightly bows his head and calls for a knight instructing him to find the little girl's parents. Gian feels the little girl pulling on his sleeves.
"Papa, ouchy legs!" Cielo said before raising her arms indicating that she wanted Gian to pick her up.
"Young master, let me."
Gian shakes his head to Butler Del before lifting the little girl himself. Cielo let out a happy squeal and put her hands on Gian's cheeks. Cielo gently rubs her hand on Gian's face and it seems like she really enjoys doing it.
"Cielo, I am not your papa."
"No?"
"Yes. I am not related to you."
"But you are my papa."
"..."
Nevermind. It seems like this little girl is still cannot comprehend most of his words. Gian knitted his eyebrows thinking who is her parents or guardians. What kind of lunatic are those people letting a little girl like her to wander in this busy marketplace? Are they not afraid that she may encounter danger or she might be kidnapped and sold as a slave?
"You are angry!"
"Hmm?"
"Papa is doing this!"
Then Cielo is frowns trying to imitate Gian's expression. Afterward, she used her chubby fingers to poke his eyebrows. She did not stop doing it until Gian's expression relaxes. Cielo even claps her hands to show how happy she is with her achievement.
"Butler Del, we should continue on walking. We may encounter this child's parents on our way." Gian said as he adjusts his hold on the little girl's body. "Cielo, hold to me so you will not fall."
While walking, Cielo is humming a children's song while watching the lively scenery in the marketplace. Cielo never shows a nervous stance and was completely comfortable in Gian's arms. There are times where she waves her arms to say hello to the old butler behind Gian before continuing her humming. Then all of a sudden, the child fished out the pen from Gian's pocket.
"Hmm?"
Cielo fidgets with the pen she was holding. It seems like the pen piques her curiosity. She scrutinized its design and sometimes slides her chubby fingers on its surface. Cielo let out a voice of surprise when she pushed the clicker and the nib suddenly comes out.
"Hi, little girl!" Russel said that even though he knows the child cannot hear him. "Tch, tch, tch. Poor little thing. How come a cute little girl like you become lost?"
Cielo then tilts her head.
"Nevermind. Gian will surely find your parents. Oh, by the way! I am Russel, your handsome and reliable uncle!" Russel still introduced himself.
"Uncle Russel!"
Not only Russel but also Gian was surprised when they heard what the little girl had said.
"You—"
"Princess Cielo!"
A middle-aged woman suddenly runs towards Gian and steal the little girl from his arms. The woman hugs the small body of that child and buries her head on her shoulder while sobbing loudly.
"Nanny?"
"Princess Cielo, oh god. You make us so worried! I thought... I thought... Thanks the heaven that you are safe!"
The woman continues on sobbing while holding the child as if she regains a treasure that she lost. Cielo was confused about why her nanny is crying. She taps her small hands on her nanny's back just like what she was doing every night to make her sleepy.
"Nanny, don't cry."
"My princess..."
Gian let the woman cry first and did not interfere with their small reunion. Gian ignores the stares of the onlookers on them and instead look at the knight standing behind the woman. The knight is giving him a sharp look which Gian answered by raising his right eyebrow. Is he suspecting him of kidnapping that child?
"Oh!" Cielo suddenly exclaimed. "Nanny, papa is here!"
"Huh?"
When Cielo points her finger towards Gian, the woman follows its direction and turns her head. The watery eyes of that woman suddenly widen in surprise. Gian removes his gaze from that rude knight and turns his attention towards the two. Before the woman utters a word, Gian suddenly speaks.
"Madam, are you the guardian of this little girl?" Gian respectfully asked.
"Huh? Ah, yes!"
The woman quickly stands up straight while her left hand is holding the little girl. She respectfully bows her upper body towards Gian and introduces herself.
"I apologize for my late introduction. You can call me Merina. I am the nanny of Princess Cielo. I also wanted to introduce Princess Cielo. She is His Majesty's second niece. May I also know the name of our princess's savior?"
'His Majesty's second niece? So she is that girl from the news in my past life...'
"I am Marquis Cres Val's second son, Gian Cres Val. And you have mistaken Madam Merina. I did not save the little princess. She only accidentally bumped on me earlier and decided to find her guardian thinking that she was lost."
"You are Marquis Frederick's son?" Madam Merina hesitantly asked.
"That's right, madam." Gian politely said.
"Nanny! Look!" Then the little girl runs towards Gian and holds his fingers. "Cielo found papa!"
"Princess, he is not your papa. His Majesty is currently in the Royal Palace." Madam Merina kindly explained to the little girl and then she looks at Gian. "Please excuse our princess's behavior. She is still young and has not received her proper education yet."
"Do not worry about it, Madam." Gian said. "But if you don't mind, may I know why did the little princess got separated from you?"
"It is because of my negligence, young lord Cres Val. When we are buying the candy for the princess, she suddenly ran towards the crowd and we got separated. It is fortunate that you saw the princess and take good care of her. We are sincerely grateful to you, young lord. And I also want to apologize for inconveniencing you too."
"I see. As I have said, do not worry about it. Just be sure not to lose her again especially in this kind of place. I heard there are people who abduct children and sell them as a slave. Please pay more attention next time."
Gian looks at the little girl before kneeling one knee again in front of her.
"Princess Cielo, always listen to your nanny, okay? Do not make her so worried all the time. You should be a good little princess all the time."
"Oh. Okay, papa!"
"Princess, I am not your father."
Unexpectedly, Gian is very gentle and patient while dealing with this little girl. Merina's eyes are glued towards the young man who saved her princess. Her expression is a little complicated. When Merina lifts her head, she saw an old man standing straight behind his young master. Merina cannot see any expression from his face.
"Princess Cielo, remember what I said. Do not run away again from your nanny and always be a good girl, okay?"
"Okay!"
Gian stands up and gently urges the little girl to go back to her nanny.
"I have to go now, Madam Merina. Please take good care of the princess." Gian said. "Goodbye, little princess."
"Please allow me to say thank you once again for saving our princess. I will never forget your kindness, young lord."
Gian nods his head as an answer. He is about to walk away when the little girl runs towards him again. The little girl eagerly asks Gian to lower his body up to her level. Though confused, Gian still follows the girl. Cielo puts a colorful lollipop that she gets from her small sling bag to Gian's chest pocket together with the pen she was holding up until now.
"Thank you, papa and uncle Russel! Bye-bye!"
Then Cielo runs towards Madam Merina and holds her hand. When Gian comes back to his senses, the three people in front of him are now gone.
"Young master Gian, are you alright?" Butler Del asked when Gian is still not moving.
"...Yes. It was nothing. Let's go."