“I’m fine...”
“Everyone was surprised when you suddenly left your seat. Please go and talk more.”
“Then shall we do as the little Princess says?”
The noble lady, whose name I don't even know, was worried that her dress might get mud on it, but after repeated invitations, she happily withdrew.
Today's glass greenhouse picnic was an opportunity for my mother, the Crown Princess, to chat with young nobles.
All the direct children of the Privy Council, under the age of fourteen, were gathered together, and loyalty was instilled in them before their heads grew thick.. Should we call it a kind of early education? In any case, it was an event with a largely impure purpose.
At other times, there would be plenty of people around to pay attention to me, but today everyone was busy. Even the nanny told me to please stay still and ran off to clean up after a young master, who had spilled juice.
It was a display of complacency, thinking that since she was inside the palace and the knights guarding her were watching, no major problems would arise for the Princess.
Anyway, it was a good thing for me. There was no one around, so it was a perfect time to ask a secret.
I waved my hand at Laskan, telling him to go away. But he didn't seem to see my gesture and instead came closer and crouched down nearby.
He asked with a low laugh, resting his chin on his arms and knees.
“Are you really going to plant some flowers?”
“No. Are you afraid I’ll do something like that?”
“Then.”
He asked me back in an affectionate voice, but to be honest, I didn't want to see his face at all.
They say that all handsome men are worth their money. The maids' whispers were true. When I looked around today, there were young ladies all around him, and for some reason, the young ladies kept following him around...
When I pouted and didn't answer, Laskan gently snatched the shovel from my hands.
I frowned and raised my head, then suddenly squinted my eyes as if I had been stared at by light.
Yeah, that face was the problem. That crazy look that made you not even get mad when someone took something from you.
“...Give me.”
“I will do it.”
“I can do it too!”
“Of course, Your Highness, you can do it too.”
Somehow, I kept reacting childishly. But he responded flexibly, as if he was not at all offended by my barbed words.
“But lunch is about to start, and you will have limited time to attend.”
“...”
“And one of the qualities of a good ruler is to place the right people in the right positions.”
...He knew me too well. He knew that if he talked about how I was a good ruler or something, I wouldn’t be able to say anything, so he said it on purpose.
Oh, me. Until the beginning of this year, you were at a loss for words with every word I said, but now you have me completely figured out.
As I squinted my eyes, he naturally changed the subject.
“Look. You just did it, right?”
I followed his hand and lowered my head to the ground absentmindedly, and was in pure admiration. In an instant, the ground had been dug three times deeper than the one I had dug in thirty minutes.
I tried to ignore whatever he did, but before I knew it, a gasp came out.
“Awesome! How did you do it?”
“The ground was soft. Now give it to me.”
“What.”
“That’s what you were going to ask.”
“There’s no such thing. I just dug it up because I was bored.”
I pretended not to know and raised my head again. Even if he were Laskan, I couldn't share this with him. This was my secret.
However, the posture of hiding both hands behind my back while pretending to keep a secret was very unnatural.
Laskan must have felt it too, as he stroked my hair as if he found it really cute. Unlike me, who was covered in dirt after only digging a small hole, his hands were clean and free of even a speck of dust.
“You read it in a fairy tale book before and told me about it. You read about putting letters or treasures in a glass bottle and letting them float to the sea, or burying them in the ground and taking them out when you become an adult.”
"...”
“Your Highness, I would like to try it too.”
I pursed my lips in surprise. I did say that, but it was just something I said in passing. I didn't know he would remember such trivial things.
It was ridiculous to pretend not to know since I had already been caught. I hesitated and held out the small basket I had hidden behind my back.
Inside were several glass bottles. Just looking at them made me feel so happy. My cute treasures...
But for some reason, Laskan looked confused.
“...Your Highness, are you going to bury all of this?”
"Yes!"
“Hey, by any chance, would you like some of the custard cream in here too?”
“You’re burying a treasure. Of course!”
I nodded vigorously. Candy, letters, chocolates, taffy, creams, ribbons, caramels... Somehow, most of the treasures seemed to be centered around edibles, but whatever. You asked me what I like.
But Laskan's expression became a little serious. He opened his mouth as if he didn't know how to say this.
“Custard cream spoils if you keep it for too long. You won’t be able to eat it even if you take it out again.”
"...What?"
“The same goes for candy and chocolate.”
This, that, and what you are holding are all the same. About ten glass bottles that had been prepared were being pushed aside one by one.
All the preparations I made by raiding the cupboards since morning were for nothing?
I bit my nails and looked at him with eyes full of betrayal as if he were a scoundrel. But he just gently took my hand and put it down.
“You still haven’t kicked your nail-biting habit. Even His Majesty pointed it out to you last time.”
“But, I can’t ask all of this...”
“...”
“This is all my property...”
“...”
“What if someone steals it?”
As I spoke with a blank expression on my face, as if the world had ended, he let out a low laugh.
“Your Highness’s entire fortune must be much more than this.”
As I widened my eyes at those words, Laskan took a piece of candy out of the glass jar and placed it on my lips. The sensation of it melting on the tip of my tongue was ecstatic.
“When I grow up, I could fill the Princess’s palace with candies like this.”
“Really? You have that much money?”
"Sure."
“But now, if you eat all the carrots that come on a plate, you get one... That’s really expensive. Can I really afford to buy them all?”
“Of course.”
That made me feel a little better. Laskan and I picked out three vials containing letters, beads, and ribbons and carefully buried them in the hole.
To make sure I didn't forget the spot I buried, I also planted some flower seedlings that I had gotten from the gardener in advance. They were my favorite lavender amaryllis.
“Come to think of it, hydrangeas will be blooming soon.”
“I remember. I heard there was a hydrangea garden in the Duke’s residence.”
“We will send you an invitation when the flowers are in full bloom.”
Suddenly, the wind blew. He narrowed his eyes as if the fluttering hair tickled him.
Just as I was about to say something, the commotion suddenly became louder. It seemed like the party was coming to an end. Lunch would follow immediately.
I looked down at my appearance and made a blank expression. I was screwed. The clothes my nanny had worked so hard to put on me since morning were completely covered in dirt.
At this rate, it will be difficult to avoid Countess Modre’s nagging. And once she starts nagging, classes will increase in number...
As if he had read my worries, he called my nanny.
“Tyrell. Prepare Her Royal Highness’s attire.”
He was so good at naturally calling the nanny's name when she returned. The nanny's eyes widened as if she were delighted by the affection.
When did you remember the nanny's name, and why did you do something like that...?
While the nanny hurriedly straightened my clothes, he took out a handkerchief and wiped my hands thoroughly. Then, sarcastically, he bent down and held out his hand.
“Shall we go now?”
It was an excessive amount of etiquette for me, who had just turned five. It was the kind of politeness that only young ladies who had just debuted in high society would receive.
But I smiled and took his hand. This sense of stability, this peace that seemed like it would last forever...
When I woke up, I was shedding tears for some reason. I thought I had dreamed, but as is often the case with dreams, I couldn't remember what it was about from the moment I woke up.
Soon, a throbbing headache set in. My head was ringing like it did the day after a night of heavy drinking, and I felt nauseous.
I had no strength left in my body. I couldn't even open my eyes properly, so it was hard to tell if it was day or night. But it seemed like it was night because the surroundings were dark.
I lay there helpless, and then I tried to raise my body. My whole body was stiff.
As I was fidgeting, I heard an urgent sound from next to me. Strong arms wrapped around me.
"Your Highness."
Laskan. I tried to call his name, but what came out of my mouth was a crackling sound.
Soon, he placed a soft, fluffy cushion on my back. Soon, a warm, wet handkerchief was rubbing my eyes. It was a very careful and delicate touch.
I opened my eyelids little by little, like a young bird opening its eyes. After struggling for a long time, something caught my eye in my blurred vision. He grabbed my hand tightly.
“Can you see me?”
I nodded my head with effort. It was still blurry, but I could now distinguish it.
I wanted to ask what was going on, but when I opened my mouth, all that came out was a muffled sound.
“Uh, uh...”
“You may have difficulty speaking for the time being. Don’t worry, there is no other damage to your vocal cords.”
I recalled my memories in a daze. Oh, right... I collapsed in the banquet hall. I leaned against the cushions and listened to Laskan’s account of the circumstances one by one.
I was exposed to one of the poisonous ingredients for a very long time, and one of the maids who prepared my bath confessed that she had been adding a little bit of Sorem pollen to my bath water, perfume, and tea every day.
“Everyone was surprised when you suddenly left your seat. Please go and talk more.”
“Then shall we do as the little Princess says?”
The noble lady, whose name I don't even know, was worried that her dress might get mud on it, but after repeated invitations, she happily withdrew.
Today's glass greenhouse picnic was an opportunity for my mother, the Crown Princess, to chat with young nobles.
All the direct children of the Privy Council, under the age of fourteen, were gathered together, and loyalty was instilled in them before their heads grew thick.. Should we call it a kind of early education? In any case, it was an event with a largely impure purpose.
At other times, there would be plenty of people around to pay attention to me, but today everyone was busy. Even the nanny told me to please stay still and ran off to clean up after a young master, who had spilled juice.
It was a display of complacency, thinking that since she was inside the palace and the knights guarding her were watching, no major problems would arise for the Princess.
Anyway, it was a good thing for me. There was no one around, so it was a perfect time to ask a secret.
I waved my hand at Laskan, telling him to go away. But he didn't seem to see my gesture and instead came closer and crouched down nearby.
He asked with a low laugh, resting his chin on his arms and knees.
“Are you really going to plant some flowers?”
“No. Are you afraid I’ll do something like that?”
“Then.”
He asked me back in an affectionate voice, but to be honest, I didn't want to see his face at all.
They say that all handsome men are worth their money. The maids' whispers were true. When I looked around today, there were young ladies all around him, and for some reason, the young ladies kept following him around...
When I pouted and didn't answer, Laskan gently snatched the shovel from my hands.
I frowned and raised my head, then suddenly squinted my eyes as if I had been stared at by light.
Yeah, that face was the problem. That crazy look that made you not even get mad when someone took something from you.
“...Give me.”
“I will do it.”
“I can do it too!”
“Of course, Your Highness, you can do it too.”
Somehow, I kept reacting childishly. But he responded flexibly, as if he was not at all offended by my barbed words.
“But lunch is about to start, and you will have limited time to attend.”
“...”
“And one of the qualities of a good ruler is to place the right people in the right positions.”
...He knew me too well. He knew that if he talked about how I was a good ruler or something, I wouldn’t be able to say anything, so he said it on purpose.
Oh, me. Until the beginning of this year, you were at a loss for words with every word I said, but now you have me completely figured out.
As I squinted my eyes, he naturally changed the subject.
“Look. You just did it, right?”
I followed his hand and lowered my head to the ground absentmindedly, and was in pure admiration. In an instant, the ground had been dug three times deeper than the one I had dug in thirty minutes.
I tried to ignore whatever he did, but before I knew it, a gasp came out.
“Awesome! How did you do it?”
“The ground was soft. Now give it to me.”
“What.”
“That’s what you were going to ask.”
“There’s no such thing. I just dug it up because I was bored.”
I pretended not to know and raised my head again. Even if he were Laskan, I couldn't share this with him. This was my secret.
However, the posture of hiding both hands behind my back while pretending to keep a secret was very unnatural.
Laskan must have felt it too, as he stroked my hair as if he found it really cute. Unlike me, who was covered in dirt after only digging a small hole, his hands were clean and free of even a speck of dust.
“You read it in a fairy tale book before and told me about it. You read about putting letters or treasures in a glass bottle and letting them float to the sea, or burying them in the ground and taking them out when you become an adult.”
"...”
“Your Highness, I would like to try it too.”
I pursed my lips in surprise. I did say that, but it was just something I said in passing. I didn't know he would remember such trivial things.
It was ridiculous to pretend not to know since I had already been caught. I hesitated and held out the small basket I had hidden behind my back.
Inside were several glass bottles. Just looking at them made me feel so happy. My cute treasures...
But for some reason, Laskan looked confused.
“...Your Highness, are you going to bury all of this?”
"Yes!"
“Hey, by any chance, would you like some of the custard cream in here too?”
“You’re burying a treasure. Of course!”
I nodded vigorously. Candy, letters, chocolates, taffy, creams, ribbons, caramels... Somehow, most of the treasures seemed to be centered around edibles, but whatever. You asked me what I like.
But Laskan's expression became a little serious. He opened his mouth as if he didn't know how to say this.
“Custard cream spoils if you keep it for too long. You won’t be able to eat it even if you take it out again.”
"...What?"
“The same goes for candy and chocolate.”
This, that, and what you are holding are all the same. About ten glass bottles that had been prepared were being pushed aside one by one.
All the preparations I made by raiding the cupboards since morning were for nothing?
I bit my nails and looked at him with eyes full of betrayal as if he were a scoundrel. But he just gently took my hand and put it down.
“You still haven’t kicked your nail-biting habit. Even His Majesty pointed it out to you last time.”
“But, I can’t ask all of this...”
“...”
“This is all my property...”
“...”
“What if someone steals it?”
As I spoke with a blank expression on my face, as if the world had ended, he let out a low laugh.
“Your Highness’s entire fortune must be much more than this.”
As I widened my eyes at those words, Laskan took a piece of candy out of the glass jar and placed it on my lips. The sensation of it melting on the tip of my tongue was ecstatic.
“When I grow up, I could fill the Princess’s palace with candies like this.”
“Really? You have that much money?”
"Sure."
“But now, if you eat all the carrots that come on a plate, you get one... That’s really expensive. Can I really afford to buy them all?”
“Of course.”
That made me feel a little better. Laskan and I picked out three vials containing letters, beads, and ribbons and carefully buried them in the hole.
To make sure I didn't forget the spot I buried, I also planted some flower seedlings that I had gotten from the gardener in advance. They were my favorite lavender amaryllis.
“Come to think of it, hydrangeas will be blooming soon.”
“I remember. I heard there was a hydrangea garden in the Duke’s residence.”
“We will send you an invitation when the flowers are in full bloom.”
Suddenly, the wind blew. He narrowed his eyes as if the fluttering hair tickled him.
Just as I was about to say something, the commotion suddenly became louder. It seemed like the party was coming to an end. Lunch would follow immediately.
I looked down at my appearance and made a blank expression. I was screwed. The clothes my nanny had worked so hard to put on me since morning were completely covered in dirt.
At this rate, it will be difficult to avoid Countess Modre’s nagging. And once she starts nagging, classes will increase in number...
As if he had read my worries, he called my nanny.
“Tyrell. Prepare Her Royal Highness’s attire.”
He was so good at naturally calling the nanny's name when she returned. The nanny's eyes widened as if she were delighted by the affection.
When did you remember the nanny's name, and why did you do something like that...?
While the nanny hurriedly straightened my clothes, he took out a handkerchief and wiped my hands thoroughly. Then, sarcastically, he bent down and held out his hand.
“Shall we go now?”
It was an excessive amount of etiquette for me, who had just turned five. It was the kind of politeness that only young ladies who had just debuted in high society would receive.
But I smiled and took his hand. This sense of stability, this peace that seemed like it would last forever...
***
When I woke up, I was shedding tears for some reason. I thought I had dreamed, but as is often the case with dreams, I couldn't remember what it was about from the moment I woke up.
Soon, a throbbing headache set in. My head was ringing like it did the day after a night of heavy drinking, and I felt nauseous.
I had no strength left in my body. I couldn't even open my eyes properly, so it was hard to tell if it was day or night. But it seemed like it was night because the surroundings were dark.
I lay there helpless, and then I tried to raise my body. My whole body was stiff.
As I was fidgeting, I heard an urgent sound from next to me. Strong arms wrapped around me.
"Your Highness."
Laskan. I tried to call his name, but what came out of my mouth was a crackling sound.
Soon, he placed a soft, fluffy cushion on my back. Soon, a warm, wet handkerchief was rubbing my eyes. It was a very careful and delicate touch.
I opened my eyelids little by little, like a young bird opening its eyes. After struggling for a long time, something caught my eye in my blurred vision. He grabbed my hand tightly.
“Can you see me?”
I nodded my head with effort. It was still blurry, but I could now distinguish it.
I wanted to ask what was going on, but when I opened my mouth, all that came out was a muffled sound.
“Uh, uh...”
“You may have difficulty speaking for the time being. Don’t worry, there is no other damage to your vocal cords.”
I recalled my memories in a daze. Oh, right... I collapsed in the banquet hall. I leaned against the cushions and listened to Laskan’s account of the circumstances one by one.
I was exposed to one of the poisonous ingredients for a very long time, and one of the maids who prepared my bath confessed that she had been adding a little bit of Sorem pollen to my bath water, perfume, and tea every day.
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