"What did you say?" Daniel asked.

Persephone seriously repeated, "You're not as handsome as the prince!"

"You little rascal!" Daniel raised his hand as if to spank her, but it was all in jest.

Persephone couldn't avoid it, and she was lifted up and tickled, laughing uncontrollably.

Sadly, the ice cream cone met its end, falling entirely onto Daniel's coat.

Persephone froze, her empty hand and Daniel's coat catching her eye. Her face turned beet red. After a few moments of silence, she began to cry.

"Sephy, please don't cry!" Daniel had never comforted a child, let alone a preschooler with such a loud voice.

The passersby gave him strange looks, wondering if he was mistreating the little girl.

"Oh, Sephy!" He quickly tried to console her. "Don't cry!"

Persephone pushed his hand away.

"Stop crying!" Daniel raised his voice sternly. "That's enough!"

"Wah-"

"Why cry over something so small? If you want more ice cream, I'll get you another one!"

"You big meanie!" Persephone pounded her fists on him. "You... You tickled me! It's your fault!"

"Brat!"

"You don't have to get me another one. I won't eat it!" The little Hamerton princess had quite a temper. "Even if you buy another one, it won't be the same as before! I don't want it! I don't like it! I-I want the one from before!"

Daniel was taken aback. The one from before?

Even a child understood the idea of something being irreplaceable, something he used to know nothing about.

Daniel fell silent and sat down. His imposing figure appeared somewhat lonely. He couldn't stop thinking about Maisie from moments ago.

Lowering his head, he noticed the ice cream had melted on his coat.

After a while, Persephone finally stopped crying. She was confused. She wondered if her loud crying had scared him. She wiped her tears and hesitated for a moment.

Eventually, she leaned against his side and held his hand. "Granduncle, are you okay?"

Daniel's eyes remained cast down without a word.

"Granduncle, are you sad? Why are you sad?"

Daniel chuckled as he took in Persephone's serious and endearing expression. He pinched her cheek softly and said, "I'm fine."

"Hmm... it was my fault earlier," Persephone murmured. "I shouldn't have said you're not as handsome as the prince. If I hadn't said that, you wouldn't have tickled me, and my ice cream wouldn't have ended up on your clothes."

"Oh, you're quite the analyst."

"Then I'll apologize to you." Persephone looked into his eyes. "My grandpa said that people should admit when they're wrong."

"Is that so?" Daniel smiled. "Your grandpa's good quality of admitting mistakes must be reserved only for your grandma."

Persephone pouted, not quite understanding what he meant.

Daniel patted her head and got ready to take her home.

Persephone suddenly grabbed his hand. "Granduncle, you're just a bit older, but... you're more handsome than the prince!"

Daniel laughed, thinking it was just childish talk. But Persephone continued. "That prince is younger than you! I saw his photo at Ms. Squire's office."

"What did you say?"

Daniel vaguely remembered Linda mentioning that Maisie had a boyfriend and that they would get married soon. She had a normal life now, and he should stop bothering her... He had assumed Linda was lying to him!

He clenched his fists, breathing a little fast.

"Granduncle..." Persephone said carefully, "I want to go home."

"Oh." Daniel reeled back his thoughts and pulled out a napkin to wipe his collar before he picked up Persephone.

"Granduncle, you don't seem very happy."

Daniel forced a smile.

"What's making you unhappy? Tell me. My mom often says that I'm the family's little happiness because I make all my grandpas and grandmas happy!"

"Because for them, you're their most precious person." Daniel spoke softly. "By the way, Sephy, am I good to you?"

"Yes!" Persephone nodded vigorously. "You gave me a huge cotton candy amusement park!"

"Can you do me a favor then?"

Persephone looked at him, her eyes twinkling like stars.

"Well..." She pondered for a moment. "You have to tell me what you want help with before I can tell you!"

"You sly girl!" Daniel was amused once again. "You're really a Hamerton!"

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