Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The Crown Prince resembled the Emperor very much. When she faced that gaze, Siervian regretted it without realizing it.

He was on his way back from swordsmanship training, and sweat had formed on his forehead.

She remembered his cold treatment when they were in front of the Empress last time. If she had seen him first, then she would have avoided him at once.

“Hello…”

But there was no choice but to greet him because their eyes met. She intended to excuse herself right away if her greeting wasn’t returned.

But an answer suddenly came back.

“Thanks.”

The Crown Prince’s reply was so out of place.

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Favorability: +100

Mood: Very excited

The only thing she mentioned was a greeting, but his answer was strange. Flustered, she forgot how discouraged she was just now and asked him.

“Huh?”

“…I was mean to you back then, so I thought you won’t say hello.”

“……”

As expected, what she thought at first was right. He knew that he was mean to her…!

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fwine…”

Did something bad happen to him that day?

In fact, she wasn’t fine with it, but she answered politely. She could just avoid him in the future. They didn’t have to meet each other anyway.

“Can I meet you later?”

As Siervian was about to leave, the Crown Prince urgently asked.

Come to think of it, on the day they ran into each other at the Empress’ Palace, there was something strange about his status window. It was almost like he came to the Empress’ Palace in a hurry just to find her on purpose.

‘What does that mean?’

She felt uncomfortable. Siervian nodded as a way to avoid him for now.

In her previous life, the Crown Prince never visited her for any personal business.

“Thank you, Siervian.”

However, as she nodded appropriately, he smiled brightly at her.

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Favorability: +100

Thoughts: My kind younger sister.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the status window.

He thought of her as a younger sister.

“Oh, you’re about to go this way, right?”

“Yees.”

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Favorability: +100

When she replied politely, the Crown Prince smiled again. It shocked her because he could only imagine him having the same stoic expression as their father.

“See you later.”

Her older brother, who was suddenly acting strangely, was so unrecognizable. So Siervian nodded quickly and hurried away.

However, she overlooked the fact that it would take a while for her to pass by her brother because her legs were so short.

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Thoughts: Now that authority over the budget has been shifted, everything should be fine.

Thanks to that, she was able to see another strange status window.

Did something happen between her brother and the Empress?

As she took a quiet stroll at a deserted place, the shock seemed to disappear a little. And it unexpectedly helped her organize her thoughts for what’s to come in the future.

‘I want to prevent what’s going to happen, so I have to become independent once I become an adult.’

Her brother was made for his position as Crown Prince. He had excellent magic abilities and he was very intelligent—truly suited for the Imperial Family. In addition, according to the ‘Emperor’s Pledge’, he was the first in the line of succession.

In many ways, the throne was never hers. Siervian knew this more than probably everyone else.

‘But it doesn’t make sense that I was accused of treason.’

Anyway, that was what happened. Just because a small incident was prevented didn’t mean that even the ‘treason’ would disappear.

Moreover, she didn’t even know how she was framed as a traitor.

That’s why she was going to lay low to change this fate. She wouldn’t forget her place, even when she was being shown a little bit of favor now.

‘I know. I should hide that I’m a princess and get a job, right?’

At the sudden thought, Siervian thought of different places with a new perspective.

The Imperial Palace was not a place where just anyone could enter. But on the other hand, it was also a place where all supplies and talents gathered. She should look around here and think carefully about what she’ll do in the future.

‘I’ll save as much money as I can.’

And just like that, she forgot that she was supposed to meet the Crown Prince.

Until he visited the Princess’ Palace the very next day.

“Who?”

“His Highness the Crown Prince has come to visit. Now, Princess, three cheers!”

“Three cheers.”

Siervian lifted both of her arms just as Jane asked. Jane was changing her clothes on behalf of Ellie, who went to the Emperor’s Palace for a while to meet the grand chamberlain.

Surprised to hear who the visitor was, Siervian was tempted to ask the same question again.

[ Jane Millas ]

Favorability: 8,900

Thoughts: You still have to eat a lot more, our Princess.

It’s only been a few days since Jane met Siervian, but her favorability had increased tremendously.

In fact, Siervian couldn’t say anything to her at first, but when she saw that Jane liked her, she realized that Jane seemed to be an affectionate person. It’s probably because the Princess’ Palace compensated its employees handsomely.

But seriously, was he really here?

“Umm.”

“What is it, Princess?”

“Nothwing.”

She knew that they had agreed to meet yesterday, but she didn’t know that he meant that he would come the next day. They never even met like this in her previous life.

After getting ready, she went down to the drawing room and saw that Damian was really there.

“Ah, Siervian. Sorry. I know I should have sent word in advance…”

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Favorability: +100

Thoughts: You’re really really cute today, too.

When Siervian had entered the room, the Crown Prince, who had been sitting with a straight posture, rose to his feet. She was holding the lady-in-waiting’s hand tightly, looking closely because she saw the word ‘cute’.

‘It’s the same gaze that always looked at me. Extremely cold.’

Even in her previous life, her older brother would always stare at Siervian like this.

But when she saw his thoughts, she could easily misunderstand him. Was he like this as well back then?

‘But why did you come here?’

In any case, because she was flustered, her body became frightened.

In the first place, she had never been able to use the drawing room in her palace before. Because the space itself was unfamiliar, Siervian quietly hid behind Jane’s skirt.

“…What I brought might melt.”

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Thoughts: It’ll be great if you like it. Hex said you’d like it.

The Crown Prince was also taken aback when he saw that Siervian looked at him with a wary expression. The more he looked at her with a different expression, Siervian seemed to be more flustered.

“It’s a present.”

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Thoughts: What should I do. I guess you’re scared of me.

However, when Siervian saw what was in Damian’s hand, her grip on Jane’s clothes loosened.

“I asked them to make it especially delicious. …I heard that you like this.”

What he had was a slice of cake. It was also the same cake that had a snow-like cream on top. Her father had made an ice sugar fork for her then, and she remembered how delicious it was.

Recently, Ellie and the Emperor hadn’t been giving her snacks that were too sweet. They both thought that they should prioritize nutrition first.

She was okay with it, too, because she noticed that it wasn’t as difficult to walk further anymore.

“Cake…”

The food they gave her was still so scrumptious, so it didn’t matter to her. That was, until she was faced with this cake.

‘I guess I’m still craving for something sweet.’

Carefully stepping out from behind Jane’s skirt, she was still keeping her guard up from afar. However, the single step she took alone brightened up the Crown Prince’s face.

He placed the cake he had gently on the table in front of an empty armchair. Then, he went to the other seat cautiously and sat down, as though not to startle Siervian.

“Here.”

As a dignified Imperial Princess, Siervian couldn’t possibly run towards a cake just now.

So she asked her brother with the most haughty tone as she could muster.

“Will you also gwive me a fwork?”

“…Okay. I’ll make one.”

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Thoughts: I’m glad I learned magic for this.

‘No, you shouldn’t feel rewarded for learning magic because of this. You’re the Crown Prince.’

With these thoughts in mind, Siervian carefully walked towards the cake. The closer she got, the more she could see the top of the cold snow-like cake. She also remembered how the sweet cream melted into her mouth.

‘Huh? When did I sit down?’

When she came back to her senses, she was already sitting in front of him. A very faint laugh could be heard from a short distance.

[ Jane Millas ]

Thoughts: How cute. I should tell Ellie to give you more sweets.

She felt a bit indignant because of the small chuckle, but as she saw Jane’s thoughts, she stayed still because she agreed with her.

“…I’m different from Father, so it’ll take a while.”

“Okay!”

“But I’ll work harder so that I can make your fork faster.”

“Okayy.”

It’s strange to see that the Crown Prince was motivated to learn magic more adeptly for this reason, but Siervian nodded enthusiastically anyway.

The Prince, who smiled brightly, began to concentrate.

‘Whoa…’

Unlike the Emperor, Damian conjured a group of bright lights that hovered around the sugar water subtly and for a longer time.

As she felt a cold sensation over her skin gradually, the sugar water rose into the air. Even though his speed was slower, the Crown Prince didn’t seem to be struggling with the spell.

‘It’s pretty.’

The sugar water gradually stuck to the thin metal bar to form a fork. She thought it was done now, but suddenly, the lights hovered over the cake.

“Wooow…!”

The sugar water floated over the cake and was formed into shapes this time. There was a cute little house, a white bunny, and a few other animal sculptures over the snowy field.

They took longer to form than the fork, but Siervian couldn’t take her eyes off for even a moment.

“So pwetty!”

“Phew… You can eat the small sculptures, too. But they’ll be a little colder.”

“No way!”

It would be ridiculous to put the cute little bunny in her mouth. When she shook her head in objection, the Crown Prince looked troubled.

“Ah, then it might be hard for you to eat the cake…”

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Favorability: +100

Thoughts: How can you be so cute?

She had been wondering why her brother was acting so oddly, but then something was more urgent to her now. She couldn’t imagine eating the bunny, but now, she wouldn’t be able to eat the cake either.

When she immediately became tearful, the Crown Prince was greatly flustered.

“S-Sorry. The cake, no, the bunny…”

[ Damian Erveldote ]

Thoughts: Oh no, oh no. What do I do. Please don’t cry.

At that time, Jane, who had been standing at the side quietly, approached the two children.