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Chapter – 07
The face of the royal tutor looked strangely familiar.
After thinking about it, Shaylin realized why — he was the kind of person who spent more time flattering Relina than actually teaching.
Crossing her arms, Shaylin narrowed her eyes into a cold, straight glare.
The tutor trembled violently, as if he had come face-to-face with the god of death himself when her already intimidating expression turned icy.
Shaylin’s voice pierced through him.
“Your arrogance reaches the heavens.”
“P-Princess…”
“Why are you silent now? Go on and list my shortcomings again, just like before, without holding anything back.”
After all, correcting one’s flaws was also the duty of royalty.
Her voice was calm yet cold as a raging snowstorm, urging him to answer.
But the royal tutor’s lips refused to move.
Naturally so.
The moment gossip spoken behind someone’s back became words said directly to their face, one could no longer guarantee the safety of one’s neck.
The tutor collapsed to the floor, trembling as he lowered his head.
“P-Please forgive me, Princess. I-I was wrong…”
“Wrong about what?”
“…As a royal tutor… I failed to remain neutral and recklessly imposed my narrow-minded views on a young student…”
“So you knew that, and yet you still spoke carelessly. You are unfit to be a teacher. I shall discuss this matter with Father.”
“P-Princess!”
Before he could say anything more, Shaylin dismissed him.
Because now, she wanted to spend some pleasant time with her younger sister.
As though she had already forgotten the tutor existed, Shaylin smiled and extended a hand toward Relina.
“Studying hasn’t been too difficult for you, has it?”
“Huh? W-Well…”
“Come inside. I came because I wanted to have tea with you.”
“A-Ah, yes.”
Shaylin personally closed the door behind them.
Still dazed, Relina sat across from her.
She already knew Shaylin’s feelings toward her had changed from negative to positive.
But even then, Shaylin only looked at her with affectionate eyes and never crossed a certain distance.
And for some reason, lately there had also been guilt in her sister’s gaze.
As if she kept asking:
“Do I even deserve to approach you?”
So why had her sister suddenly come to see her today?
It all felt unfamiliar.
Someone who likes me, but finds it difficult to get close to me.
And…
Until she cried in the dining hall, she had seemed like someone wrapped in invisible thorns, grieving alone.
Relina’s eyes moved busily.
They were not ordinary sisters, so until she understood Shaylin’s intentions clearly, she found it difficult to openly welcome her.
Meanwhile, unaware of Relina’s thoughts, Shaylin remained silent.
How exactly do people become close?
Erant had simply been a special case.
Shaylin was not someone who had ever approached others first.
As the strongest candidate for the next ruler, people had always approached her without her needing to do anything.
So she had absolutely no idea how to fix this awkward sisterly relationship!
Damn it. What do kids these days even like?
Since there was a noticeable age gap between them, she had no clue what interested children.
If it had been her previous life — where she had unwillingly become a trendsetter — she could’ve picked up something useful.
But in this life, she had lived like a recluse stranded on a deserted island, to the point where she didn’t even know the current interests of noble society anymore…!
I was practically middle-aged before I died. And I never even had children!
She sighed inwardly.
If she’d known this would happen, she should have studied beforehand.
But regret couldn’t turn back time.
Shaylin suddenly stood up.
“Relina. Go prepare to head outside.”
“Huh?”
“Let’s go look around the marketplace together.”
A marketplace? Suddenly?
Relina couldn’t keep up with Shaylin’s impulsive train of thought.
“We can hide the guards among the pedestrians, so you don’t need to worry about safety.”
“B-But…”
“Doesn’t studying all the time make your head hurt?”
To Relina, studying was enjoyable — not difficult or exhausting.
“Not really…”
“Still, I believe it’s also the duty of royalty to experience the knowledge found in books firsthand.”
“But the maids said outside is dangerous…”
“I’ll be there with you as your guardian, so what could possibly be dangerous? Besides, there will be plenty of guards.”
To continue insisting it was dangerous would practically be the same as doubting the guards’ abilities.
“Umm…”
Relina hesitated.
Her belief that royalty shouldn’t move about carelessly clashed fiercely with her curiosity about the outside world.
Still, she couldn’t deny Shaylin’s words tempted her.
In the end, curiosity won.
Relina wanted to go outside too.
The thought of experiencing a world she had only ever read about in books gradually filled her heart with excitement.
“I-I want to go too! I want to go, Sister!”
“Then let’s meet at the main gate in one hour.”
The plan had formed suddenly, but it was exciting.
Smiling brightly, Relina replied,
“Okay! See you later, Sister!”
A short while later, the two of them rode out of the palace in a carriage.
Relina’s maids expressed concern over the sudden outing, but Shaylin firmly dismissed them.
“How long do you intend to keep the child wrapped up and sheltered? I believe Relina also needs to see the wider world.”
In the end, the maids had no choice but to assist the princesses’ incognito excursion.
And so, after various complications, the First Knight Order joined the outing.
Their primary duty was protecting the royal family, so they followed behind the two princesses in disguise.
Relina swung her legs excitedly while gazing out the carriage window.
Seeing her sister so happy, Shaylin let out a soft laugh before turning her own eyes outside.
The neatly lined trees planted by palace gardeners gradually disappeared into the distance.
In their place appeared the raw, unpolished reality of ordinary life — something never seen within the palace.
Wild grass grew unevenly.
The unpaved roads were rough beneath the carriage wheels.
People dressed carelessly hurried busily through the streets.
It was a familiar and precious sight.
“Cheap, cheap! Freshly caught fish for only one silver!”
“You won’t find fruit fresher than ours anywhere else!”
The lively voices of the citizens filled the air.
Shaylin still remembered it clearly.
The screams and cries these same people had made when the Devouring covered the continent.
To her, their current voices sounded more beautiful than an orchestra.
Beautiful enough that she could listen to them all day with her eyes closed.
“Everyone looks so happy.”
“Father is a wise ruler, so naturally the people can afford to live comfortably.”
“Do you think we’ll be able to protect that happiness?”
“……”
Shaylin had failed.
That was why she hoped Relina would fulfill that role instead.
“I don’t know which of us will become ruler, but we’ll both need to work very hard.”
“…Yes. We’ll need to work hard, little sister.”
“You too, Sister.”
“Is that so?”
As Shaylin awkwardly trailed off, the carriage came to a stop.
The two princesses pulled robes over their heads.
Their vision became narrow and uncomfortable, but it couldn’t be helped.
Their hair colors were rare even among nobles.
Someone observant might recognize who they were.
Neither sister wanted people to fear them because of their identities.
“Where would you like to go?”
“Umm… I’m not sure.”
“Then may I recommend somewhere?”
Since everything seemed equally interesting to Relina anyway, Shaylin took her sister’s hand and led her somewhere.
Relina kept staring at their tightly clasped hands as they walked.
It was as though Shaylin never intended to let go.
The unconscious affection in her sister’s gesture made Relina’s heart flutter.
It felt awkward and unfamiliar…
But she didn’t dislike it.
Before she realized it, Relina’s face was filled with smiles as well.
After walking for some time, Shaylin muttered awkwardly,
“Oh dear. It’s already crowded.”
The farther they walked, the more people there were.
Relina, who had been focused only on their joined hands, finally looked up.
They had arrived at a plaza.
But it looked completely different from the scenes she had heard described by the maids.
There was no grand marble fountain.
Instead, there was a large stage, and people sat in rows before it, eating and chatting.
Nearby, several promoters loudly handed out papers.
“Today only! A performance of The Girl Destined to Become a Hero!”
“If you miss this chance, you won’t be able to see the play again for a long time! Don’t miss it!”
“A play?”
“It’s a performance that’s very popular among the commoners these days.”
“Can we… watch it too?”
“Of course. I brought you here because I wanted us to watch it together.”
“Then let’s watch it together!”
Surrounded by the bustling crowd, Relina became visibly excited, her voice rising with enthusiasm.
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
