PAMF 10

Chapter 10

Acting Playful?

And the dining room fell into a cold silence.

The remaining maids, who had stayed to serve, pretended not to hear anything and stood quietly.

“Hmm, look at this one.”

I stared at Sasha, who had suddenly called me “noona.”

“Acting all playful, huh?”

She wiped off her childlike smile and made a face like someone who had seen something they weren’t supposed to see.

This was my first time meeting that little one, yet as soon as Jeff left the dining room, she casually called me “noona.” It was strange. I had no idea why she was acting this way.

“Noona?”

Even more bewildering, Sasha called me “noona” again. This time, she tilted her head slightly and smiled faintly.

“By the look of her, she seems older than me… and she calls me noona?”

Her wide smile somehow made her look mischievous.

“Why are you acting so familiar? I’m seeing you for the first time.”

I frowned inwardly, keeping a wary eye on Sasha.

“Well, His Majesty instructed me to be close to Your Highness.”

Despite my cold response, Sasha remained polite and graceful. For a moment, it felt as if a golden light shone around the child and then faded.

“I don’t recall being told to do that.”

I remembered Jeff warning Sasha earlier and found her behavior even more puzzling.

“Are you good at studying?”

She suddenly asked, resting her chin on her hand.

“I am endlessly lacking compared to Your Highness, but I have studied many disciplines to be of service to you.”

She had shifted from casual speech to respectful honorifics, addressing me as royalty with all the etiquette of a noble.

“What is she…?”

She had changed the way she addressed me from “noona” to “Your Highness” again.

“First she said ‘noona,’ and now it’s ‘Your Highness’…”

Why was she doing this? My mind filled with question marks.

“Also… I feel like I’ve met her somewhere before.”

I lost all interest in finishing my meal, placed my fists on my lap, and stared at her. Despite my suspicious gaze, Sasha maintained her smile, which made the situation feel even stranger.

“Clearly a little kid… so she couldn’t have met me when I was emperor.”

Sasha seemed only slightly older than the princess. At most, she might be the same age as Carlyle or just a year older. That meant she wasn’t even born when I was emperor.

“Why do I feel like this?”

It made me even more confused.

“Oh, right. Dad always called you by your name…”

I shifted my posture and changed the topic.

“What family are you from?”

I felt I needed to know more about Sasha.

“My family is Vladimir.”

She stated her lineage without a hint of hesitation.

“The Vladimir family… a historic house that produced countless scholars.”

I was secretly impressed that Sasha was from the Vladimir family.

“Highborn, and proud among the so-called blue-bloods.”

But… did that family have red hair? If my memory was correct, most Vladimirs had brown hair.

“I see. So what will you do while you’re being educated?”

“Probably study together, Your Highness Princess.”

Watching Sasha smile as she spoke, I guessed Jeff’s intentions.

“Flour’s children are just playmates, and this one is meant to be close for political reasons?”

Early education might be common, but teaching national history already?

“Jeff isn’t completely crazy after all.”

I couldn’t help but smile, feeling a sense of pride.

“Earlier, His Majesty mentioned Flour’s children. What kind of children are they?”

Sasha asked again shortly after.

“They’re probably done eating and resting now. I’ll introduce them to you.”

I had no idea how noisy it would get with Flour taking an interest in the children. Still, having one more to help calm them when they got unruly was a plus.

“Bring Carlyle and… hmm, Ronowe and Beris to the garden.”

“Yes, Your Highness Princess.”

I gestured to the standing maids to come closer and issued my command.

“Let’s go to the garden.”

I got down from my chair and suggested to Sasha that we head straight to the garden. The meal was over, and there was no reason to stay in the dining room.

“Yes, Your Highness Princess.”

Sasha followed with a gentle smile.

The garden where we were to meet everyone was magnificent, befitting a palace.

At the center was a small pond with an arched bridge crossing over it. Around the garden, lavish rose bushes and decorations enhanced its beauty.

The meeting spot for the little ones was a glass-roofed pavilion at the pond’s edge, surrounded by flower beds and fountains, making it a very picturesque location.

“Kyaa~!”

Ronowe and Beris ran around as soon as they arrived, while Carlyle sat in the pavilion with books stacked beside him, engrossed in reading.

I watched from a distance, walking side by side with Sasha.

“Princess!”

“It’s the Princess!”

Ronowe, having seen me first, ran to hug me, and soon Carlyle followed, walking behind Beris.

Everyone looked delighted to see me again.

“This is Ronowe, Beris, and Carlyle.”

I introduced them, glancing at Carlyle and Sasha as they faced each other.

“These are my companions. They’re from the Flour family.”

“Nice to meet you!”

The Flour siblings smiled brightly at Sasha.

“I’m Ronowe Masha Flour!”

Ronowe lifted her dress elegantly and greeted cutely.

“I’m Carlyle Fascinelli Bergamot.”

Beris, shy, hid behind Ronowe, while Carlyle placed a hand on his chest and bowed formally.

“I’m Sasha Dave Vladimir from the Vladimir family, here to assist Your Highness in her studies.”

Sasha introduced herself with a bright smile.

“Princess! We’re playing hide-and-seek!”

“Let’s play!”

The Flour siblings immediately ran to me, eager to play.

“Let’s continue hide-and-seek, big brother.”

Not satisfied with clinging to me alone, Beris asked Carlyle to join the game as well.

“All right.”

Seeing their eager request, Carlyle agreed.

“You’ll play too, won’t you, Princess?”

Meanwhile, Ronowe’s eyes sparkled as she asked me to join the hide-and-seek. I hesitated.

“Do I have to be ‘it’ again?”

Beris, about to start the game, pouted, saying he was tired of being ‘it.’

“I’ll be ‘it’ first then.”

Sasha offered to be ‘it’ instead of Beris.

“Start!”

At once, the Flour siblings shouted that the game had begun and hurriedly hid.

‘I didn’t agree to this…’

How did it end up like this? I was confused but decided to play along and hide.

I searched for a place and hid behind a large bush.

Worried someone might follow, I peeked around, but fortunately, no one did.

“Phew…”

Just as I breathed a sigh of relief…

“Shh.”

“!”

Carlyle, who I didn’t know was hiding in the same spot, came close and pressed a finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet.

“Are you all right?”

“Y-yeah.”

Seeing Carlyle quietly ask, I thought,

‘He startled me.’

I nearly shouted.

“Let’s hide together. Sasha won’t come this far.”

“Okay.”

I sat down, hoping the game would end soon.

“Princess.”

“Huh?”

Carlyle whispered unexpectedly.

“If it’s about studying, I can help. I’ll learn and teach you.”

I was taken aback.

‘What is he talking about all of a sudden?’

Why was he suddenly talking about studies? I thought carefully.

“Oh, maybe he likes teaching children.”

Considering Ronowe and Beris loved running around, it wasn’t unlikely.

‘Looks like Carlyle is helping the little ones with their studies.’

I rested my chin on my hand and smiled.

‘Good boy…’

I nodded in approval.

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Feeling proud, I smiled as brightly as I could.

“Ahhh~! I got caught!”

From afar, I heard the rustling and Ronowe’s voice.

“Haha, I found you!”

“Tch~.”

Sasha, acting as ‘it,’ laughed joyfully, but Ronowe was unhappy about being caught.

“Beris, you’re next!”

Having been caught first, Ronowe dragged Beris out from his hiding spot.

“Noona, that’s unfair!”

“What’s unfair!”

The Flour siblings grumbled briefly, while Sasha intentionally spoke loudly so they could hear.

“Then the remaining ones… are Princess and Carlyle. Where could they be hiding?”

I tried to stay as still as possible.

But my legs hurt, and I accidentally shifted, making a rustling sound.

‘Don’t come, don’t come!’

Soon, I heard footsteps approaching and tensed up.

Ironically, I had hoped the game would end quickly, but now that I was about to be caught, my mind changed. I pressed my hands over my lips to avoid making any sound.

I kept glancing behind the bush.

“Could they be here…?”

Just as Sasha came very close…

Snap!

I grabbed Carlyle’s wrist and bolted, just before we were about to be caught.

“P-Princess?”

Carlyle looked at me, bewildered by my sudden action.

“We can’t get caught like this!”

I responded urgently, moving as fast as I could.

“Run!”

I shouted loudly at the end.