Chapter 24

Brann found Brynn carrying a bunch of scrolls and books. A letter fell from the pile of papers she was holding.

“Here.”

Before the letter could reach the ground, Brann picked it up and put it back in place.

There weren’t words like ‘Do you need help?’.

It was because he knew from countless experiences that doing that was useless.

“What documents are those?”

“It’s data on how to raise an ordinary child. I will never let the princess fall ill ever again.”

A gleam was present within Brynn’s eyes.

“I asked old women or nannies that were reputed for raising children to gather and talk about childcare, and then write down the common denominator and send it over.”

Brann recalled the power of the Sol family that was mobilised.

The old women that were called into the castle probably made it rather crowded.

And what Brynn was holding was data that was prepared by screening in that manner.

“Is there a need to do this much?”

Brynn snorted at Brann’s words and replied.

“What if a child falls from a tree?”

“I’ll keep an eye on them. If I try to catch them, I’ll break my arm. It’s because Takar children are heavier than other children and have stronger bones. They wouldn’t get hurt even if they fell.”

After he finished, Brann said, “Ah,” and shut his mouth.

The Sol family serves Takar. As such, their parenting knowledge was geared towards Takar.

“Wait, this is such an extreme example…”

“To what extent is it being extreme? I grew up listening to the same class, ‘When the imperial family is flinging things about, how do you face it without getting hurt?’“

“Oh, I’ve also used that many times.”

Avoiding it would only invoke more anger, so he would face it skillfully, but he’d used the method to face it without getting hurt on Atil several times.

“But does this make sense? She had a stomach ache after drinking a cold drink. A cold drink.”

Brynn growled.

“This is a disgrace to the Sol family, no, in the name of Brynn Sol, unforgivable.”

She was careless.

She bit her lip. Brann also nodded in agreement.

He’d also heard that he had an upset stomach from consuming a cold drink.

When Atil and Pi heard about it, they were surprised, and so was he.

This wasn’t to say that children of blueblood families didn’t get upset stomachs.

But it only occurs when they’re poisoned by something undetected, and not because too many cold drinks were consumed.

‘I heard there are some lower-ranked aristocrats that are like that.’

“There’s another astonishing fact. Normally, children would experience boiling fever for no reason.”

“Fever?”

Once again, Brann was shocked.

Don’t fevers only appear in the case of severe illness?

“Yes, due to teething fever. Anyways, there’s something like that and much more.”

“For no reason?”

“Yes.”

“That’s… very scary.”

“Right?”

Brynn then glanced at Brann and said,

“By the way, could you take half of this?”

“With pleasure.”

A sudden gust of wind blew past, and Brann happily took half of the pile of documents away.

Then, he saw Brynn straighten her shoulders.

His glistening eyes were affixed onto the brooch that she wore around her neck.

It was a silver brooch.

It was a silver coin that sparkled with an odd allure.

The outer rim was decorated with gold and it was fixed in the middle of the ribbon.

Although they walked side by side, his eyes remained on the brooch.

So she’d asked him to take half of her documents as she wanted to brag about this. He couldn’t help but lament.

“Where did you get that brooch?”

“The princess gave it to me as a present.”

Brynn smiled and spoke triumphantly.

“It’s pretty, right?”

“That doesn’t seem to be ordinary silver. How did you process it?”

“It’s a secret.”

Brynn turned around with a grin.

“Now then, return my papers back to me.”

“Since I’ve made a promise, I’ll listen till the end anyways.”

“There’s no need for that. I have two arms and so do you.”

“No—”

“Hurry up.”

Brann put the pile he’d taken onto Brynn’s pile.

“Of course.”

With a light bend of her knees, Brynn straightened up and disappeared with frequent steps. Her steps were light, perhaps because she’d bragged about the silver to him.

“Oh… The children of the family will turn hostile when they see it.”

Even his greed was invoked, so what of the other children?

“Should I request it from the princess?”

Princess Lilica might give him one with a smile, but then he’d have to deal with that enormous glare of Brynn’s.

Additionally, she wasn’t the master he served, so it would be rather difficult to mention such a request.

He scratched his cheek and turned away to appease his regret.

* * *

These days, Lilica has only been eating food that’s good for digestion.

Just as she was gradually getting sick of the food, she shouted hurrah at the custard pudding that her mother brought as a snack.

Ludia watched the appearance of Lilica happily mumbling while eating the pudding.

She wondered, what was in her baby’s mouth that’s making her so happy.

“But Mother, you look so beautiful in your outfit today.”

“Huhu,” Ludia laughed at Lilica’s words.

“I’m going to the grand theatre in a little while.”

“A grand theatre?”

“Yes, it’s a theatre for plays and operas.”

“Are you going with His Majesty?”

“No, Mom is going alone today. It would be nice to go with Lilica next time.”

After the current one was burned down and a new grand theatre was built.

After swallowing down the last words, Ludia kissed Lilica’s round head.

“Then Mom will get going now.”

“I’ll see you off.”

Lilica put down the pudding and got up from her seat.

“I’m completely better now. I’m really strong, so I don’t have to stay in the room anymore.”

Ludia laughed at Lilica’s eager appeal.

It seems that Brynn tends to overprotect her these days.

“Okay. Then, shall we walk to the carriage together?”

“Yes!”

“Change into something comfortable.”

Ludia looked at Brynn and pushed Lilica’s back slightly. Lilica happily followed Brynn, even leaving behind the pudding that she was eating.

It’s been a long time since she went out.

She changed her clothes and put on new silver button boots.

The sound of her new shoes’ heels was rather airy, so she liked it. It was also good to walk in the palace holding hands with my mother.

Her mother looked really, really beautiful, after dressing to go to the theatre today.

‘When I become an adult, I’ll wear the same clothes as Mother.’

The small, slightly slanted hat on top of gold hair was also breathtakingly pretty.

Lilica tightened her grip on her hand. She felt proud that such a beautiful person was her mother.

The carriage was already ready, and Altheos was unexpectedly waiting beside it.

Ludia asked in surprise.

“Are you going with me? No, you’re definitely not dressed like it at all. You’re not going to the grand theatre with me in that outfit, are you?”

“Of course not. I’m just here to see my lovely wife off despite being busy with work.”

He grinned. Ludia was also smiling.

The role of a close emperor and empress was also an important factor in her acting.

“It makes me uneasy to send off such a beautiful wife to go outside.”

He reached out and fiddled with her emerald earrings. Ludia smiled faintly.

“I’ll always come back to your side.”

‘Wow.’

Lilica exclaimed.

She was aware that they had a contractual relationship. So something like this was also a part of the contract.

How should she describe it?

His Majesty had only caressed her mother gently, and her cheeks turned red for some reason.

When she looked around, the surrounding servants also had the same look on their faces.

“I know, but still, you always…”

His Majesty’s voice became lower and smaller, and he approached her mother’s ear closely and whispered something, causing her to blush and burst into laughter.

Her mother’s hand gripped His Majesty’s arm gently.

Altheos let go of his wife with a smile and said.

“You’ll be late to the grand theatre if you delay further. Tell me if the performance was fun when you return.”

“Of course I will.”

“Then, Lily, would you like to send your mother off with me?”

Altheos reached out and Lilica quickly grabbed his hand.

A hand was held by her mother, and the other by His Majesty.

It was her first time that both of her hands were being held like this.

Her mother bent down and spoke to Lilica.

“I’ll be back.”

“Please have a pleasant journey. Take care.”

“I’ll bring along the talisman that Lily has given me, so don’t worry.”

With a smile, her mother was escorted into the carriage by His Majesty.

When the door of the carriage closed and she’d seen her mother off, His Majesty lifted her up all of a sudden.

“I heard you were sick?”

Lilica nodded in response to Altheos’ question. He looked at Lilica seriously.

Lilica said quickly.

“I’m fine now. I was just having an upset stomach.”

“Yes, but still.”

He smirked.

“Shouldn’t you make a strong talisman?”

“!”

Lilica had an epiphany. Her eyes widened.

“I saw the talisman that you gave to Ludia… I heard that you made it yourself, right?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“That’s…”

Lilica hesitated for a moment. Altheos waited patiently.

She didn’t know if she could tell Altheos about magic.

As she was hesitating, Altheos began to walk lightly. Startled, Lilica grabbed his shoulder.

“All of you, don’t follow me.”

With those words, all the attendants and knights that were following after them stopped. But Lauv took another step closer.

“Your Majesty.”

He called for Altheos in a low voice.

Altheos smiled ferociously—Lilica couldn’t figure out how this was possible— and said.

“Why? Lauv Wolfe, do you want to run around on all fours and bark?”

Lauv’s expression hardened. Lilica shouted because she knew that things were heading south.

“Lauv, wait!”

“……”

“……”

An odd silence filled the air. Lilica quick-wittedly noticed the atmosphere and spoke embarrassedly.

“No, I only meant to tell you to wait a minute…… Why… Did I say something weird?”

“No, but perhaps you can do ‘sit’ or ‘hand’.”

Lilica’s expression turned blank at Altheos’s words.

She has never kept a pet dog before, so she couldn’t understand what that metaphor was referring to.

A pack of wild dogs that wandered around the slums was just an object of fear.

So she took those words as it was.

“Why would I make Lauv do that? No, I can let him sit down.”

But what’s with ‘hand’?

As she was thinking about that, Altheos laughed and continued to walk again. Lilica looked backwards and said.

“I’ll be back soon.”

She even waved her hand to reassure him. Lauv, who stood there in a daze, quickly turned into a dot.

Altheos went straight towards the Sky Palace.

After a while, Altheos arrived in a deserted garden and said.

“Look.”

He pointed towards the roses that were in the garden. Lilica’s gaze also turned in that direction.

“Wow!”

The petals that were on the floor rose into the air and fell down like snow.

It was a literal ‘storm of petals’. Lilica asked surprisedly.

“Are you a wizard?”

Altheos laughed.

“It’s similar. It’s the power of the dragon clan.”

“I thought that was to freeze things?”

“That’s also possible.”

When he opened his palm, a snow crystal appeared from within and it disappeared when he waved his hand.

He asked again.

“So, how did you make the talisman?”

“Well—”

The magical sight caused Lilica’s heart to open widely.

She recounted how she discovered a magic book in detail.

“Hmm.”

Altheos remained silent after listening to her story.

Lilica looked at the silent emperor and asked.

“Erm, that’s real magic, isn’t it?”

Although the gold coins sparkled, whether they were effective as talismans was yet to be seen.

Aroused from his silence, Altheos smiled and nodded.

“That’s right.”

“As expected.”

Lilica nodded with conviction. Altheos’s expression turned serious. He spoke.

“But that magic book seems to be dangerous. It’s better to return it back to where it came from.”

“Dangerous?”

“The idea of moving people’s hearts with magic in itself.”

“Ah…”

There certainly was a lot of such content. On second thought, it was right of him to say that it was dangerous.

“I see.”

“And just because there’s a magic book doesn’t mean everyone can use magic. You’re special.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Lilica’s eyes widened. She’d never thought that she had a special ability.

“As such, from now onwards, it’s better to keep it a secret that you made a talisman. It isn’t good for people to know about magic.”

“Yes. Oh, but Brynn already knows I found a magic book.”

“Brynn Sol…… a Sol should be fine.”

He nodded. Altheos fell silent for a moment and let out a long sigh.

“Why did it have to be now? Why is it you?”

“What do you mean?”

“The reason for the wizard’s reappearance.”

It seemed like he was muttering to himself, but when she asked a question, a reply came back steadily. Lilica also fell into contemplation when she heard his response.

He chuckled.

“Right, I’m also standing here like this.”

After a moment of consideration, Altheos said.

“I’ll teach you magic.”

“Your Majesty will?”

“Yes, let’s have classes once a week.”

“Really?”

Altheos nodded and continued.

“Originally, Princesses would also receive a fief.”

“I see.”

While those words appeared randomly, it had nothing to do with her, so Lilica just nodded.

Since Atil had his own fief, princesses could also have fiefs.

Rather, her heart leaped at the words ‘magic class’.

“Well, about the class—”

Altheos spoke, cutting off Lilica’s words.

“That’s great.”

Once again, Altheos jumped towards a conclusion. He then set her down and said.

“Be careful on your way back.”

“Yes, yes.”

The bewildered Lilica nodded and turned around. After checking the way, she asked.

“Your Majesty, this is the right way…… I…”

When she turned around, there wasn’t anyone around.

Flustered, Lilica realised that His Majesty must have used magic to disappear.

‘I can walk the entire way back. I’m a wizard.’

Lilica bravely began walking down the path between the rose bushes.

* * *