The Undead Knight's

The Gift that Ever Lost

I was sucked in by the cute face of the teddy bear. Without me noticing, I was already standing on the floor trying to lift the huge doll off the table.

Furious to see me as overwhelmed, Uncle Gerald with his big hand tried to help take the doll and thrust it slowly towards me. For a moment as the doll approached my arms, I panicked back in fear running off my lap to leave the doll after seeing Uncle Gerald's strange smile.

Dad hugged me trying to calm me down, while Claudia scolded Uncle Gerald a little. Father chuckled and looked amazed to see Claudia scolding a Royal Knight Commander.

Uncle Gerald could only bow silently nodding at Claudia's words.

"Despite having a wife and children, it turns out your illness is still not cured Commander Gerald."

Father said as he picked up the doll that fell on the floor and gave it to me.

"Lily baby, say thank you to Uncle Gerald."

Dad rubbed my hair gently.

"T. .te.thank you Uncle Gelald."

Because I was still a little scared I mispronounced Uncle Gerald.

"Ghuu hack..!"

Uncle Gerald was struck by lightning bleeding from his nose.

"Ughh. Blue eyes, silver hair, and little Liliana's face actually inherited the beauty of the White Rose, Nyoya Esthelle. But. . but my little Sera is no less funny!"

Uncle Gerald excitedly stood clenching his right hand.

Mayor Hensberg smiled to see his comrades in arms had become a father figure who loved his family. It had never occurred to him that he could also have a family when he was serving the kingdom as a member of the British Royal Knight Forces.

Once a week my parents always invite me and my brother to the temple to pray to the Goddess Artemis which is located on the edge of the city on the Moonlight Flower Hill close to the Black Mapple Forest. So the gold engraving on the box was not difficult for me to recognize.

"Dad. . . . Dad. . . . "

With a slight move of my father's clothes, I tried to draw attention from his daydream while pointing towards the box that was on the table.

I stroked my head and looked at the thing I was pointing at. Although somewhat reluctant, the father took the red box and then noticed it up close.

"The golden mistress of the Goddess Artemis who is the emblem of the British Royal Family, then the engraving of the shield and dragon emblem of the White Dragon Guard Clan of the Queen Elizabeth family."

Dad explained to me then looked at Uncle Gerald with a serious face.

"The red box was put down by Queen Elizabeth herself Mayor of Hensberg."

Curious father slowly opened the box which contained a white hairpin decorated with red crystal stone in the middle and there was a fold of paper like a letter.

Compared to the gold and silver engraved luxury box, the hairpin looked worn out full of scratches.

Claudia who was standing beside the father's chair partially covered her face peeling tears after the father looked at the worn object up close.

Commander Gerald could only stare dejectedly at his old friend clasping tightly to the hairpin as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

With both hands Mayor Hensberg hugged his beloved daughter.

Liliana looked panicked at the confusion with the situation.

After quiet Mayor Hensberg took off her arms and told Liliana in a soft voice that the hairpin was her mother's hairpin that went missing 4 years ago when the tragedy happened.