~Chapter 22~
“Do I look like a princess?”
“Or maybe a prince…?”
Shiz, unsure whether the stranger was a man or a woman, was confused. The person looked very beautiful but was much bigger than Relshiz. The voice was delicate like feathers, making it hard to figure out.
“Or maybe a fairy…?”
“I’ve been told I look like a fairy,” the person smiled, tilting their head.
The golden-haired beauty grinned. “My name is Reyester. And what’s your name, little lady?”
Shiz almost blurted out her name but quickly bit her lip to stop herself. Her face was caught, but she absolutely couldn’t give away her name.
Reyester then made a strict face on purpose.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll call the guards and say there’s an intruder.”
“Shiz! My name is Shiz!”
Shiz reluctantly revealed the truth, squinting her eyes.
Ugh, how sneaky of this adult to threaten me!
Shiz quickly tried to think of a way to escape. Maybe if she ran really fast, she could get away?
But this fairy has really long legs…
Shiz was fast like a squirrel, but still, she was just a little kid. She thought her small legs wouldn’t get her far before being caught.
Just then, Reyester suddenly reached out to Shiz. Startled, Shiz shut her eyes tightly.
“Ah, no…!”
Before Shiz could protest, Reyester gently removed the grass and leaves stuck in her hair.
Shiz opened her eyes wide, surprised, and looked at Reyester.
“You’ve been playing in the garden, haven’t you? The outer palace garden has so many interesting things. Did you have fun?”
“Uh… yeah…”
With the kind touch and voice, Shiz’s tension slowly eased. Reyester even fixed her half-untied hair.
Only a few people knew this, but Reyester was quite kind to children. It was different from the formal politeness he showed to the royal family.
Shiz, having let her hair down, quietly accepted Reyester’s hands.
Reyester skillfully tidied up Shiz’s hair, straightened her clothes, and helped her stand up.
“What’s this on your waist?”
Reyester pointed to the stick attached to Shiz’s belt. Shiz boldly declared,
“It’s the sword of a hero who defeats demons and lions!”
“Hmm, I see.”
It was just an ordinary stick. Reyester covered his mouth, trying to hold back a laugh.
“So, what’s this about demons and lions you’ve been talking about?”
“They’re really bad demons and lions that roam the palace, eating people!”
“Who told you that?”
“Mom… Marga. She said we shouldn’t go around carelessly.”
Aha. Reyester understood the situation and smiled slightly.
She had tricked the little one into not running around. Looks like it wasn’t very effective, though, since she was here.
“Your mom gave you good advice. That’s right, the palace is full of monsters.”
Traitors, informers, swindlers…
People who look like humans but act like beasts.
Reyester swallowed the bad words he was about to say. Innocent Shiz didn’t know any of that and was scared.
“What if mom gets eaten?”
“That would be unfortunate.”
“Ugh…”
Shiz, looking like she was about to cry, suddenly heard Reyester whisper with a playful smile.
“Look, there’s a demon coming!”
“Ahhh!”
Shiz screamed and rushed into Reyester’s arms. Caught off guard, Reyester managed to catch the child, hiding his laughter.
“Where are you? Did you come behind me?”
“A hero who’s this scared? You were acting like you’d fight right away!”
“I-I’m not ready…!”
Reyester finally burst into a clear, genuine laugh. It had been a long time since he laughed like that.
He gently patted Shiz’s trembling back.
The annoying tests, the formalities, all could be momentarily put aside, just for a moment, as he lowered himself to Shiz’s level.
For a moment, he felt a little bit of relief.
“It’s just a joke. There are no demons or lions here. Maybe a cat, but that’s about it. I think some royal families in other countries even keep wild beasts as pets, though.”
Shiz, who had been listening in silence, blinked her big eyes and looked up at him.
“R-Really?”
“Really. The royal family wouldn’t let dangerous monsters roam free. We have important guests coming.”
Hearing there were no monsters, Shiz’s face brightened, but then quickly drooped.
“…Did you trick me?”
Reyester nodded, and Shiz stomped her feet like an angry baby rabbit.
“Hey, liar!”
At that moment, an old memory suddenly resurfaced in Reyester’s mind.
“Brother is a liar!”
Ah, that’s why. Reyester looked down at Shiz with a strange expression.
“…Her voice is a bit similar.”
“Hm?”
“Nothing, just thinking.”
A light curiosity gleamed in his blue eyes.
In order to bring a child who hadn’t yet learned proper etiquette into the palace, the parents’ social status had to be clearly guaranteed.
Because of this, Reyester naturally assumed that Shiz was the child of nobility.
‘I wonder which family she’s from.’
The sky-blue dress Shiz was wearing was simple in design. It wasn’t made of the highest quality material, but it was fine for an active little girl to wear for a day.
As Reyester tried to guess which family she might belong to, he quickly decided to take a more direct approach.
“You came with your mother to the palace, right? Where is she?”
At Reyester’s question, Shiz, who had been grumbling, suddenly became quiet. Her face turned pale, as though he had asked something he shouldn’t have.
“…Oh, wow, how much time has passed?”
Shiz turned her body, creaking like a rusty gear.
“Um, it was nice meeting you, fairy. I need to go now.”
“Suddenly? Where to? Do you know the way?”
“Yes, I’m going to my mom. If she finds out I’m out, she’ll scold me. I won’t get any candy.”
Her parents must be strict. Reyester felt a faint sense of solidarity.
“Your mom will scold you?”
“Yes, so you have to keep this a secret. Don’t tell anyone you saw me, okay?”
The child held out her pinky.
“Come on, hurry, promise.”
“Ah.”
Reyester, caught off guard, linked their pinkies and made a promise. He watched the child turn and leave, still in a daze.
“Goodbye, fairy! Thanks for tying my hair so nicely!”
She seemed to know her way, quickly disappearing from view. It almost felt like she was running away.
Soon, Shiz was out of sight.
Reyester felt an inexplicable sense of regret.
‘Regret, huh.’
He quietly mocked the thought that had crossed his mind.
‘Guess I’m just tired.’
Lately, he had been overly focused on the new queen and his half-sister’s whereabouts.
After staying in the garden for a moment, he turned and slowly walked back toward the inner palace.
It felt slightly cooler now.
Just as he was about to leave the garden, he heard a voice.
“Your Highness!”
A royal aide, who had been waiting not far off, rushed over when he saw Reyester.
“Savin.”
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Your hands and clothes… they’re dirty…”
It was only then that Reyester noticed dirt and grass on his hands and the hem of his pants. It happened while he was playing with Shiz.
Everyone knew that the Crown Prince had a mild obsession with cleanliness.
If something dirty touched his clothes or skin, Reyester became extremely sensitive. Despite trying to overcome it for a long time, it remained a flaw he couldn’t shake.
“…It’s fine.”
Savin, who had quickly pulled out a handkerchief, froze at the crown prince’s words.
“Are you sure? Doesn’t it bother you?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“…I wonder, why is it?”
The crown prince and his aide looked at each other in confusion.
A light spring breeze brushed past them and drifted away.
By the time I finally returned to the laboratory, much more time had passed than I had expected.
I grabbed the doorknob with my pounding heart.
‘Please, let nothing be wrong. Please.’
I unlocked the magic seal and quickly opened the door, but Shiz wasn’t in the chair!
“Haah, haah, Shiz, I’m back…”
I caught my breath and quickly looked around the lab. She must be here, right? She’s gotta be here, right?
