CH 40

Russphe couldn’t speak easily again.

The sight suddenly reminded me of what Mom once said.

[No matter how precious a person is to you, sometimes there are secrets you want to hide, Aika.]

[Why?]

[It could be a dangerous secret. Maybe you have to protect someone important to you?]

[Why?]

[Our ‘why’ princess. Don’t do that, and when that happens, you have to pretend you don’t know. Understand?]

[Whyyyy?]

[Princess! Mom is speaking, but will you keep doing this?]

[Kyaha! It tickles!]

A secret to protect a loved one.

Instead of listening to Russphe, I raised my right hand and covered my lips with my index finger.

“You don’t have to tell me! I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Really?”

“Yep. It’s a secret Russphe told me, so I’ll keep it. I will never tell anyone, not even Uncle. It’s a promise between Russphe and I.”

Then, Russphe’s expression brightened a lot.

Instead, he said he would tell me later, so I replied with a nod.

“Miss! Where are youㅡ?”

I heard Zenda’s voice.

“Gasp, we have to go. I’m here, Zenda!”

I grabbed Russphe’s hand and quickly ran to where Zenda was.

Thankfully, Zenda couldn’t figure out that I had dropped my pouch in the lake.

Because Russphe took it out! So I didn’t even get scolded.

I whispered as we followed Zenda, holding his hand.

“Then do you secretly use it?”

“Yes, sometimes.”

“How do you do that?”

“I’m learning little by little from books. By drawing or memorizing magic circles…”

“Ooooh, that’s so cool.”

“N-Not that cooll.”

“No, it’s very cool. you have to be careful not to get caught.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Hm?”

“If Aika is in danger, I can use it… anytime. For you.”

Saying that, Russphe’s eyes looked strangely firm.

“Thanks. Can you show me later?”

“Later?”

“Yep. When Russphe uses magic.”

“Ah, I’ll practice and show it to Aika.”

After knowing Russphe’s secret, I wanted to share my secret too.

But this is a secret from Mom.

“Russphe, should I tell you a secret too?”

“Aika’s secret?”

“Yes.”

And I opened my mouth, saying, “Ahㅡ” and showed it to Russphe.

“I have a wiggling front tooth here. Actually, even a lower tooth is a bit strange.”

“…”

“Actually, Zenda knows that the front tooth is shaking, but only you know that the lower tooth is strange. Zenda said we had to pull this out later. But I didn’t tell me about the lower tooth yet because I didn’t want to pull it out. It’s an absolute secret!”

Then, Russphe’s face subtly changed.

Seeing my determined expression, Russphe nodded and smiled.

“I will keep it a secret.”

“What do you two talk about so much fun?”

I raised my head and saw Zenda looking at us behind me.

“Gasp. About… when we were playing in the garden earlier!”

I quickly found an excuse and smiled bashfully.

Beside me Russphe also nodded.

“Did you have that much fun?”

“Yep! Very, very much.”

Zenda took us to a room and brought us water to wash our hands with.

“Now, since we have to eat dinner a little later, wash your hands thoroughly and play in your room.”

“Yeeees.”

“Yes.”

“You answer well.”

While Zenda was gone, we made eye contact and smiled like we had promised.

“Then, is it as difficult as before when using magic?”

“Ah… I wrote that too hastily. If I write it little by little, it’s fine.”

“I see. I thought magic was only used by magicians in children’s books! I will make sure to keep it a secret.”

Russphe just smiled.

In fact, I heard it was very difficult to meet magicians.

Mom said that there were only three people in the Imperial Palace, and that they were dispatched from a place called the Magic Tower, and that even His Imperial Majesty the Emperor was having a hard time.

Magicians are very rare and have wonderful abilities, so they’re treated with great respect, they said.

But to think that Russphe is such a cool magician.

I don’t know why Russphe hides such a wonderful fact, but I decided to wait a little longer for him to tell me someday.

Before dinner, we also drew and played while lying on the carpet.

Russphe and I lay down on our backs, and I saw Uncle standing upside down with his arms crossed, leaning his long body crookedly against the door.

“Uncle!”

I jumped up and ran to Uncle.

“You’re here.”

“When did you come?”

“Three thousand years ago.”

“Lie! Uncle, Russphe is here to play.”

“Hello, Marquis Leguier.”

Russphe from behind me greeted Uncle softly.

Uncle stared at Russphe and raised the corners of his lips.

Then, with a rough hand, he tousled Russphe’s hair as he pleased.

“Mmhm. You’re Gentleman Peanut today. Is this parting the latest fashion?”

“Uncle, don’t bother Russphe.”

“I didn’t do anything, though. Go have fun and don’t be like your uncle and grow up. Peanuts, what about meal.”

I grabbed one of Uncle’s legs and stretched out.

“I’m having dinner. Uncle, let’s eat too! Grandma Sophie said she cooked something delicious. Zenda told me we just need to wait a bit.”

“Uncle is busy.”

“Then you don’t eat dinner? Russphe will eat it too!”

“Uncle is all grown up so I don’t have to eat. You two short legs, play without making trouble.”

“Where are you going Uncle?”

“Go back to work. Don’t leave the vegetables out for dinner.”

“Ugh. Even Uncle doesn’t eat!”

I liked Uncle until just now, but suddenly I hated him.

Uncle held my nose so it wouldn’t hurt and shook it.

“If it’s unfair, grow up. I’ll be back soon, so just play. I came to watch because I was wondering if you made any trouble.”

Even so, Uncle’s large hand landed on my forehead briefly.

Like checking my temperature.

“Mmm. You have to come quickly, Uncle!”

Then, just like he did with Russphe, he messed up my hair and left.

“Ugh, really.”

I tidied up my hair and stood by the door, watching Uncle walk away.

I thought he came home after finishing his work, but I guess he has to go out again.

Anyway, adults are too busy.

“Now, shall we go to dinner?”

Zenda came not long after Uncle left.

“Zenda! Uncle came a while ago.”

“I was actually on my way to greet him. Now, shall we go?”

Zenda held out her hands.

I took Zenda’s left hand and Russphe’s right hand and headed towards the dining room.

“Oooh~ Our cream princess and prince are here.”

Grandma Sophie came out with a silver dome and said.

These were the words she said to us, who were fighting the Cream War earlier.

Grandma Sophie opened the circular dome and a large roast chicken came out.

“Whoaa! I will eat well!”

Even though I ate snacks earlier, as soon as I saw the dinner table, my belly rumbled.

I hadn’t been that hungry until recently, which was surprising.

Me and Russphe brought a large piece of chicken Grandma Sophie had spread to our plates in our mouth.

“Delicious!”

But as the small cubes of carrots and vegetables piled up on the edges, I broke out in a cold sweat.

There seemed to be an unusually large amount of vegetables today.

Although I really want to eat only chicken, Grandma Sophie said that it’s delicious to eat evenly, and she kept piling up a mountain of vegetables next to it.

I wonder if Uncle knew in advance that there would be a lot of vegetables today!

Looking for opportunities not to eat, I picked out only the meat and stuffed it into my mouth.

“Miss, you should eat evenly.”

“I-I’m going to eat it later!”

Zenda turned her eyes and looked at me suspiciously.

I subtly hid carrots and broccoli under the crispy chicken skin that I hadn’t eaten yet.

I ate little by little, but as I got fuller, the vegetables kept piling up on my plate.

I was getting more and more anxious.

Alright, I’m going to eat all the meat deliciously and kill the veggies in one shot.

It was then.

Russphe, who was watching my plate, suddenly pecked my carrots and broccoli with a fork.

Then he put it in his mouth.

“Russ…”

I was startled and tried to call out to Russphe, but Zenda turned around again and I closed my mouth.

“Yes? Miss, did you call me?”

“I-I didn’t!”

Zenda turned around to tidy up the dishes.

I opened my eyes wide and looked back and forth between Russphe and Zenda.

What is happening now?

“Aika, you don’t like this either?”