One Day, I Found the Emperor's Niece

“Do I seem to covet that insignificant thing?”

 

“…”

 

Rubelin pursed her lips without answering. Carlix looked amazed at her positivity and consistent behavior.

 

“Lu, Rubelin, let’s stop doing origami.”

 

I hurriedly lowered the wad of colored paper under the table before the shout of disapproval went out. Rubelin stared at the fallen colored paper with regretful eyes.

 

“What about the frog?”

 

“I’ll fold more next time.”

 

He comforted Rubelin and clapped his hands to lighten her mood. 

 

Match-!

 

“Now, I’ll tell you a fairy tale, Rubelin!”

 

Then Rubelin held the yellow frog and her eyes sparkled.

 

“Huh! Fairytale!”

 

I started the story by recalling ‘Cinderella’, which I had summarized the previous day.

 

“Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived a woman named Cinderella.”

 

“Huh! Huh!”

 

Rubelin kept her head down and concentrated. I was excited by her reaction and continued the story exaggeratedly.

 

“Cinderella, who lost her parents early on, was mistreated by her stepmother and older sisters. “She was a good person who did not blame anyone even for their harsh treatment.”

 

“Why are you teasing me when you’re mistreating me? Are you idiot?”

 

Rubelin opened her eyes and asked innocently. I was speechless for a moment.

 

“…Well, it’s an innate personality. Anyway! Although Cinderella was alone, she was not lonely. “Because the mice became her friends and shared stories with her.”

 

“You must be crazy to talk to a rat.”

 

…? Did I hear wrong? I heard a bitter sound that shattered my innocence from somewhere. I stared in the direction from where the voice came from with blurry eyes. Carlix was leaning on the arm of his sofa, resting his chin on his head, looking down at me arrogantly.

 

“What you looking at?”

 

“…”

 

I immediately closed my eyes. Seriously, how could that temperament not work out?

 

“So what?”

 

Rubelin urged, pulling on the hem of her dress. I tried to ignore the sharp stares and continued talking.

 

“Then one day! After hearing that the imperial ball was being held, Cinderella made her own dress to attend the ball! But her dress was ruined due to the scheme of her stepmother and stepsisters. However! A fairy appeared in front of Cinderella, who was unable to go to the ballroom!”

 

Rubelin opened her eyes wide.

 

“A fairy?”

 

“Yes, a fairy!”

 

Now! It was time to tell Rubelin that she was a fairy, not a devil.

 

“The fairy gave Cinderella her pumpkin carriage, her dress, and her glass slippers. Instead, you must return before 12 o’clock when the magic is lifted.”

 

“Why-?”

 

“Huh?”

 

I blinked furiously. Why? Was there anything that might raise questions? Looking back, it was just a story that would stimulate children’s hearts and there were no blind spots anywhere.

 

“Why? Rubelin?”

 

“Maevern is like that. “If someone helps you without conditions, be suspicious!”

 

Rubelin looked at each detail with a rather pessimistic expression. this. The conflicting views on education in the past are the problem here. Maevern came out one step ahead and was amazed. As expected, the princess! You didn’t forget. It was just that kind of expression. It won’t work. I grabbed Rubelin’s shoulder and faced her.

 

“Rubelin, the fairy feels sorry for Cinderella and helps her?”

 

Rubelin shook her head.

 

“Why? It’s okay if you get help carelessly! Fairy! You’re helping me unconditionally. That’s what you have in mind.”

 

“Fairies do favors.”

 

“I want to be Cinderella too! Why are you mistreating me, are you kind?”

 

“Cinderella covered up their mistakes with her tolerance and understanding?”

 

Despite repeated explanations, Rubelin frowned as if he could not understand.

 

“I’m sick of both! I prefer Angma, who asks for your heart in exchange for revealing her favor!”

 

Does this mean that interests with a clear purpose are more trustworthy than good intentions that cannot be confirmed with the naked eye? I couldn’t protest Rubelin’s strong argument and just blinked. Then Rubelin stood up with a rather dignified look on his face.

 

“Rubelin?”

 

“Dude, when I grow up, I’m going to be a badass!”

 

Panting, she swallowed hard and stiffened. In an instant, her mind became a vacuum. It wasn’t just me who was surprised. Everyone in the office, including Maevern, Linell, and Ken, held their breath. Even Maevern, who had been praising her until the end of the war, had turned pale. What a villain. If you overinterpret a child’s outrageous words, there is a possibility of treason. If Carlix and Rubelin’s relationship was good, of course I wouldn’t have worried, but between the two… I angrily pulled on the hem of Rubelin’s dress.

 

“Lu, Rubelin, sit down first, huh?”

 

“Nah!”

 

Rubelin shook her head vigorously, placed her hands on her waist and pushed out her breasts. I followed through with my words as if I could not give in this time.

 

“Naneung!”

 

Rubelin snorted and raised her voice in her dantian. Her bulging stomach grumbled.

 

“It’s just as bad as it sounds!”

 

“…”

 

Carlix lowered his arm to rest on his chin with a mysterious expression.

 

“…hip?”

 

The training room, filled with silence, was so bleak and cold. Look, what an ass! Unlike the absurd people around him, Carlix was very serious. He looked back at Maebern.

 

“Instructor Maevern, what happened?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“How on earth can I educate the princess of the empire so that her future is her ass?”

 

Her stern voice brought her to her senses, and Maevern put down her tray and prostrated herself.

 

“I’m sorry. We will take immediate action for the next training.”

 

Well, what are you going to do? Are you telling me to be a double butt instead of just a butt? Carlix uncrossed his legs and thrust his upper body forward. Rubelin shrank like a turtle and hid behind me.

 

“Say it just once. Not permitted.”

 

Although Carlix was offended by her stern words, Rubelin did not back down. She put her hand on my shoulder and peeked out her eyes.

 

“Sir, sire. I will!”

 

“It is a matter of imperial dignity.”

 

“Nah…!”

 

“No.”

 

“Sir…”

 

Rubelin held the clothespin with both hands, tears streaming down her red eyes. How long has it been since their eyes met?

 

“Damn it!”

 

Rubelin collapsed under the cold gaze of Carlix and rushed into my arms, her teardrops fluttering.

 

“Yeah, it’s okay, it’s okay.”

 

I patted her back with blurry eyes. At this rate, isn’t it just a communication issue that caused Rubelin to become a villain? If communication is not possible, is there any way for the relationship to be restored? Moreover, no one told them that they had misunderstood because they were afraid of Carlix.

 

“Why on earth are you crying?”

 

Carlix’s voice was heard as if he couldn’t understand Rubelin. I sighed at the relationship between the villain and the villain maker… Is it really okay to leave Rubelin like this? No, could she leave in the first place? As she faced the reality she had been ignoring all along, she felt frustrated, as if a heavy stone had been placed on her chest. *** Rubelin’s bedroom in the evening after class was completely over.

 

“Sleep, sleep.”

 

I held Rubelin in her arms and hummed her, following her request to sing her a lullaby. As a hand patted her back, Rubelin smiled softly and snuggled further into her arms. I looked down at her, relying on her soft lighting. The relationship between the two will become further apart in the future. But Carlix doesn’t seem to hate Rubelin, so I think there’s a chance if she just changes her characteristic cold-hearted attitude.

 

“What?”

 

Rubelin lifted her head. Oops, I was so lost in my thoughts that I forgot her lullaby.

 

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

 

Rubelin asked, blinking her eyes as she spoke. I let out a cold laugh.

 

“Nothing.”

 

Rubelin hesitated, wondering how he interpreted my actions of vaguely passing over the subject of the story.

 

“Ass… A fairy and a Cinderella?”

 

Do you think I care about what happened in class today? I sat up and raised my upper body. Then Rubelin stood up hesitantly.

 

“Do you still hate Rubelin?”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Rubelin pursed her lips and rolled her eyes in the air. Eventually, she looked up at me as if she had found her answer.

 

“Cinderella and the fairy are together, right?”

 

“Huh.”

 

“Then I’ll give Rubelin a try too!”

 

“…Because you like me, are you trying to get Rubelin to like it too?”

 

“Huh! Because my mom likes it!”

 

Rubelin nodded her head loudly. Just like when you make a frog, how can you think of it so lovingly?

 

“Cute…”

 

I suppressed her urge to bury her face in my hands and hug Rubelin tightly. Then Rubelin tugged at her sleeve.

 

“But damn, what is hoi?”

 

“Oh, a favor? Say a kind heart without expecting anything in return.”

 

Rubelin tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

 

“Well, for example, lending a hand when someone needs help. Is this something Rubelin’s favorite devil or villain would never do?”

 

She explained and did not forget to inject a gap that denied her villainy. Rubelin pursed her lips and lowered her eyes.

 

“Why?”

 

“If you hold out your hand, Rubelin won’t cover you. Then Hongna.”

 

“You’re scolding me?”

 

Rubelin bit her lip tightly and let go.

 

“If you want to touch Rubelin, you have to wear denim clothes… Everyone turns black when Rubelin touches it…”

 

“Black clothes…”

 

As I was reflecting on Rubelin’s words, I realized that it was as if I had been stabbed in the back of the head by her. Oh, why didn’t I realize that? I was complacent because I don’t usually use magic tools to protect my strength except in special situations. The reason magic tools were not needed was because Rubelin did not approach people first. Unlike Rubelin’s childhood, which was described as lonely in her original work, there were many people around her, so she felt relieved. But Rubelin is a young child who cannot be sure of affection if she is not hugged or coddled. No matter how pretty she loved Rubelin, she couldn’t touch her without wearing protective gloves, and she couldn’t hold her without her protective robe. I’m the only one who can feel her body heat, and if I leave… I sighed softly and lowered her shoulders. As I was about to be consumed by pity and agony, I felt a warmth in my hand.

 

“But the buttocks are different.”

 

Rubelin held both of my defenseless hands and smiled brightly.

 

“You can touch my butt. All you need is an ass.”

 

Her warm body temperature instantly brought tears to my eyes. How much I missed her body heat. How much I missed the feeling of skin touching skin. As she was comforted by her touch, my heart ached as I thought about her fate.

 

“It’s okay, Rubelin.”

 

I held Rubelin in my arms.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

She closed her eyes tightly, and the tears that had formed fell down and wet Rubelin’s shoulders.

 

“Mom, in the future, I will make sure that other people can also hold Rubelin in her arms.”

 

It was not a comfort given impulsively. It is to admit it. From the moment I met Rubelin, my fate changed. He died from Rubelin’s might. Whether she is a future villain or not. I can’t leave this child behind. I can’t ignore the child who returns such great affection for my small favor. I can’t leave this child who says I’m the only one.

 

“Ha.”

 

When I took a deep breath, I felt like my breath, which had been congested all along, was cleared up. As she accepted the future she had stubbornly denied, her heavy heart became as light as a feather. Of course, my thoughts did not change. I don’t think I, a mere citizen, can change the original. But if there is even a slight possibility. If you can return the affection she received from Rubelin, isn’t it something you can try? Even if there are days in the future when her perception of Rubelin changes and she leaves me first.

 

“What?”

 

I hugged her even tighter at the confusion in her Rubelin voice. Let’s give it a try. Let’s become her instructor and try to prevent the destruction of the world and succeed in controlling her superpowers. I thought about reversing her decision. For that to happen, Carlix’s cooperation is essential.

 

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