~Chapter 17~
Life is like that — once you find one answer, a new question always pops up.
After finding a clue from my diary on how to send little Shiz back, it didn’t take long before I ran into a new problem.
It was the upcoming research presentation at the royal palace.
“Ah, life…”
I sighed as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
There were dark circles under my eyes, and my skin looked dry and rough.
I looked completely worn out, but my heart was at ease.
It was because I had finished preparing all the materials for my presentation.
All I had to do now was speak well when I got there…
“You’re going to the royal palace?”
Shiz was the problem.
“I want to go too! I want to meet princes and princesses!”
Hearing the word “prince” instantly put me in a bad mood again.
Taking Shiz to where that guy was would be like handing a fish over to a cat.
“Sorry, but you can’t.”
I shook my head firmly as Shiz jumped up and down.
“If you catch anyone’s eye, we’ll be in big trouble. Especially since there are at least two people in the palace who are dying to bite me the moment they see me.”
Shiz narrowed her eyes.
“…Unnie, you don’t have any friends, do you?”
“What? I— I do have friends!”
“But it seems like you only have enemies. You’re always warning me to be careful of this person or that.”
“Well, that’s…”
I struggled to think of how to explain it, but then I realized… I didn’t really have anyone I could honestly call a friend.
“I was just too busy studying to meet a lot of people.”
“Hmm.”
Even after my explanation, Shiz still looked suspicious.
This sharp little kid.
Sure, I was busy studying, but honestly…
“Who would approach someone who fought with the Duke of Willovis’s only son every single day?”
By the time I was about to graduate from the academy, people were practically avoiding me.
“Wait… I really don’t have any friends, huh?”
I tried to shake off the sudden sadness and said firmly:
“Anyway, you really can’t go this time. You couldn’t even pull off pretending to be my luggage last time, remember?”
Yeah, even Shiz had to understand this.
“Aww, so you’re leaving me behind?”
“Yes.”
“Then I have no choice… I’ll just have to play ‘by myself’ at home.”
Something about the way she said it sounded fishy.
When I looked up, Shiz was smiling way too sweetly.
This kid…
“What are you planning to do while I’m gone?”
At that, Shiz proudly stuck up her pinky finger.
“I’m gonna build a new hideout in the wardrobe!”
That didn’t sound too bad — but then she spread out all her fingers and started listing things off:
“I’ll build towers with forks and spoons, slide down the railings, practice jumping on the bed, race in the hallways, collect pretty stones from the garden, and fill the bathtub with water this deep and play mermaid princess!”
“Those are all things I told you NOT to do!”
I pointed to the list posted on the wall of the mansion —
A list of “things Shiz is not allowed to do” that I personally wrote for her.
- Don’t leave through the front gate.
- Don’t climb the trees in the garden.
- Don’t draw on sleeping people’s faces.
- Don’t pick up random pretty things and bring them home.
- Don’t bring home random animals just because they’re cute.
By the way, our amazing Shiz had already tried every single thing on that list before…
“Hehe.”
“Don’t act proud! Because of you, I have to play housekeeper when I wasn’t even meant to!”
Right then, a white cat appeared and brushed against Shiz’s leg.
“Aw, did you sleep well, kitty?”
Of course, the cat wasn’t mine — it was a stray Shiz had brought in from behind the mansion not long ago.
Actually, it didn’t even seem like a real stray.
Its fur was clean, and it was way too comfortable around people — it was clear it already had an owner somewhere.
Just thinking about having to find its home gave me a headache.
“Hey, are you listening? Can you at least promise me you’ll behave?”
“Muahaha! I refuse to behave!”
No matter how much I pleaded, Shiz just giggled and hugged the cat tightly.
Seriously, what am I going to do with this troublemaker?
“Please, Shiz. I can promise you pretty much anything else, but you really, REALLY can’t go to the palace. It’s not a place just anyone can enter.”
“Hmph, am I ‘just anyone’ to you?”
Shiz looked like she was about to cry.
I tried hard to convince the little girl.
“Important royals are living in the palace, right? They have scary guards standing watch because they can’t let bad people sneak in and cause trouble.”
“But I’m a good kid.”
“I know you’re a good kid, but other people don’t know that. Did you know? If you get caught doing something wrong there, you might end up in a creepy underground prison.”
“Gasp!”
“You don’t want to be a prisoner when you grow up, right?”
“No…”
Oh?
It looked like she was finally starting to understand.
I blinked pitifully and pleaded with her.
“So, let’s just stay out of trouble and spend half a day alone, okay? You won’t really be alone — the kitty will be with you! Before I leave, I’ll even buy you some fun toys, dolls, and puzzles.”
“…”
“Okay? Promise.”
I held out my pinky.
Shiz pouted and hesitated for a moment, but finally hooked her tiny pinky with mine.
I stamped our thumbs together firmly and smiled in relief.
“You promised, right?”
“Yeah.”
For some reason, I felt really touched.
It seemed like she had grown up a little.
‘I should bring her back some desserts when I come home.’
That thought turned out to be completely wrong — I realized it on the very day I arrived at the palace gate.
It was a bright, sunny morning.
‘We definitely promised!’
I swallowed the scream that was about to burst out of me.
“Is something wrong?”
One of the palace guards, who had been standing watch, walked over when he saw me frozen stiff.
“A-Ah! It’s nothing! Haha, I just thought I forgot something.”
I quickly moved toward the side entrance, where entry was permitted.
The guards, who recognized me, casually checked my pass.
Even in that short moment, cold sweat poured down my back.
“Is that your research material?”
One of the guards suddenly asked, pointing at the large bag slung over my back. I forced a smile, trying not to look nervous.
“Yes.”
Luckily, most research documents were confidential, so the guards rarely opened bags to check them thoroughly.
After checking, the guard handed my pass back and stepped aside.
I walked naturally into the palace side entrance.
“You may go in.”
“Th-thank you…”
I replied to the guard while adjusting the bag that kept slipping off my shoulder.
I hurried forward — when suddenly, I heard a small voice from inside the bag.
“…Sis, are you mad?”
“You knew I’d be mad, so why did you hide in the bag?”
“But… I really wanted to see the prince and princess…”
“…”
“I-I’m sorry…”
I could feel her little body squirming behind me.
I was about to lose my mind.
Shiz, who was supposed to be staying quietly at home, had snuck into my research bag!
“You should’ve used your acting skills like this when I asked you to pretend to be a bag!”
“I-I thought you’d find me right away, sis! I didn’t think I’d make it this far!”
“Then you should have told me before we even got to the palace!”
This bag was originally meant to carry lots of heavy academic books, so I had enchanted it to be extra lightweight.
But still — I never imagined Shiz would actually hide inside it.
‘When did she even get in there? I’m sure I saw her sleeping in bed this morning!’
I retraced my memory carefully — but now I realized, what I saw wasn’t Shiz herself. It was just a pile of blankets.
She must have stuffed pillows under them to fake being asleep and sneaked into my bag.
I had been completely tricked by her ridiculous little scheme.
