At that moment, the outside became extremely noisy. It seemed that people from the Edmund Kingdom had come looking for their princess. The princess’s face turned pale, and she tried to stand up, but I had already anticipated that.
Taang! I slammed the table.
“Sit down.”
“I-I’m going!”
“I told you to sit down.”
My voice was so cold that I even found it unfamiliar. I put away my cheerful smile and stared expressionlessly at the princess. I had dealt with disobedient brats while teaching art, and it seemed effective to act sternly.
Threats? It doesn’t work when they have a rich family. Teaching intentions? Useless when a student is already plotting to be superior to you. Overpowering. Overpowering is crucial.
I approached the princess with cold eyes. The princess was obscured by my shadow, and outside, it soon became quiet. Honestly, I didn’t like doing this to such an extent, but this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.
The prince seems not to be a painting wizard, so this might be the only chance to get information. I directed my fourth question at the princess, who was whimpering.
“Can you see your lifespan?”
It was something Rawiya mentioned. I have several, but some of them are gone. I wanted to know if the princess knew that too. The princess, as if petrified, explained, swallowing dry saliva.
“Yeah, see, it’s not exactly seen. It is felt.”
Does she mean she can feel how much it’s diminished, or is she born knowing her lifespan in the first place?
Suppressing questions asking for more detail, I glared at the princess with my eyes, implying to elaborate more on her answer. My goal is not to consume more questions, but to hear more stories. It’s so villainous, but so what? Didn’t I possess the villainess no. 4?
“… … I actually have a short lifespan. I only have five. So I can’t use my power recklessly.”
“You only have five, jeez. That’s too bad.”
This isn’t a question, it’s an answer.
After the whip, there should be a carrot. I smiled, relaxing my expression. Then I reached out and gently patted the princess’s shoulder. Of course, I released the chick, which snuggled back into her arms.
“Dad wanted me to live all five. So, I shouldn’t use too much power, but still, my body is more precious than yours!”
Ah, I see why she grew up this way.
I don’t know how many years five represents, but I don’t think it’s a year per one. Five or ten? Even if it’s ten, she’ll only live to be fifty.
A father who loves his daughter dearly would let her do whatever she wants to do before then.
Thinking like that, it becomes understandable why the child grows up differently. It’s better to live not knowing, but if you already know when you’ll die…
‘That’s kind of scary.’
I patted the princess on the shoulder, much more sincerely than before. I don’t know if it’s any consolation, but I feel sorry for you.
I gave birth to a child, and that child might die before me. Just imagining it is terrifying. However, it doesn’t mean I’ll raise her to be rude to others. But I can understand the king’s feelings.
‘But why don’t I know?’
If you know it instinctively like that, I think I should know too. Is it something that can’t be used by a transmigrator?
I frowned and pondered as I tried to bring out the last question I had been saving.
Lacius also asked them this last question.
I put the question on my tongue, keeping in mind that the princess might have a seizure.
“Do you know what paradise is?”
As soon as I’m done, the princess shakes her head, and I’m worried she’s going to start a fit, but she doesn’t look like that at all. I even touched the nape of her neck to make sure she was okay, but there was no sweat on my fingertips.
“Paradise? What is that?”
“Don’t you know?”
“Yeah, I don’t know. I’ve told you everything, so hurry up and let me go!”
The princess frowning and stamping her feet didn’t seem to be lying. I looked at the princess once more with a suspicious look, but I couldn’t find anything suspicious about her.
“Your Highness the Princess!”
“Let Her Highness go!”
“Archduke Schweiden! This could turn into a diplomatic problem!”
Just then, new footsteps gathered outside the door. It seemed like reinforcements from the Kingdom of Edmund.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Putting aside my various doubts and uneasiness, I stood up. Then I opened the door wide.
“Your Highness!”
But I didn’t say I would send her away. I just said let’s go out.
With my hand on the princess’s shoulder, I looked around the chaos in the front yard.
Hey, not only one or two. All of them have come here without me having to look for them.
‘Great.’
It was exactly what I was hoping for.
I raised my voice and drew a smile on my face.
“Oh my, noble ladies are enjoying a pleasant conversation, and… what’s this commotion about?”
The people who were protesting with a buzz paused for a moment, perhaps surprised by my calmness. I looked at Lacius standing in front of them and smiled. It just means I got what I wanted. But before I continued, I caught a glimpse of the princess out of the corner of my eye, and her reaction was a little odd.
‘Did she just cower?’
She was supposed to be excited since her side came, so why is she acting like this?
The momentum from earlier disappeared, and the princess bowed her head deeply. Then she gently grabbed the hem of my clothes, her hand trembling slightly.
‘… … ?’
Is she not the ignorant type who received too much love but rather the opposite? Living while being ignored and not understanding the ways of the world?
Moreover, there was something to support this hypothesis. The position of the prince who had been so arrogant earlier. He’s powerless in his own country, and his position is pitifully side-lined.
Standing in the center are men in long robes. The robes were made of a shiny, glossy material that made them look like wizards. I pressed the princess’s shoulders firmly to tell her not to go out and raised my chin proudly.
“Who are you?”
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