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chapter 10
“Sweet fruit skewers here!”
“Freshly baked bread! Soft, white loaves and crispy, chewy baguettes—get one!”
“In a moment, by Fountain No. 3, the most popular puppet show in the empire, ‘The Invincible Golem, Baal’, will begin! Come watch with the kids!”
This was the very heart of the Millennium Empire.
Though the empire was 980 years old—not quite a full millennium—it was close enough.
Lirian’s eyes widened as she looked at the bustling streets.
There were so many people.
“Brothers and sisters, at sunset, a high-ranking priest will perform a blessing for us.”
“Really, Priest?!”
“Yes, brother. It will take place in front of the main temple, so hear the words of the Morning Star and receive the blessing with your prayers.”
“Did you hear that? There’s a blessing ceremony today.”
“I was disappointed not to see the Dawn Sword again, but at least there’s the blessing ceremony. Let’s go watch.”
The crowd was enormous.
Lirian stared intently at the familiar priest’s robes, then suddenly she was lifted up.
“Lirian, what are you doing leaving Dad behind?”
“Dad, slow!”
“You don’t just hit Dad with facts like that. So, little detective, what do you want to do first? It seems you’ve already seen the Dawn Sword. Looks like His Majesty’s histrionics haven’t changed.”
“Histrionics?”
“It means being petty.”
“The Emperor is petty?”
“Yes.”
Caesar, who casually committed what would have been considered high treason if anyone else had heard, pointed to a certain spot.
Everywhere on the street was densely packed, but one area stood out.
The center of the square.
“See that?”
“Yeah. So many people.”
They could see the crowd swarming like ants and the knights forming a line to keep them from getting too close.
In the very center, guarded by knights, was a lavish glass dome.
Despite the jewels and decorations, the inside was not visible.
“The Dawn Sword is in there.”
“A sword…?”
“It’s a divine relic used by Leonhardt I and a treasure of the royal family.”
Originally, it had been open for anyone to see, but under the current emperor’s reign, most days were restricted.
It made sense—they didn’t want to show the whole empire the now-dimmed Dawn Sword.
And because the sword could not be drawn by anyone, moving it was impossible.
But to disown a child just because they couldn’t overcome it for over ten years on the throne?
It was petty to the point of nausea.
What crime had a newborn child committed?
Caesar’s expression briefly hardened, but seeing Lirian’s soft, plump cheeks, he relaxed.
He could not interfere in another household’s affairs, especially the royal family’s.
Unless he had justification or knew the whereabouts of the crown prince.
He gave a wry smile and kissed her cheek.
“Let’s leave the Dawn Sword and get something tasty to eat first.”
“Okay.”
Lirian glanced once more at the glass dome, then turned to her father.
The two of them moved away from the crowd going toward the sword, beginning their exploration of the capital.
“Sir, can I have a skewer?”
“Oh, what a cute little detective. Want one skewer?”
“No.”
Lirian shook her head vigorously and spread her hands.
“Five? Can you eat all of them?”
She shook her head again and shouted,
“Fifty…!”
“Just give her two.”
Caesar quickly blocked his daughter from bankrupting him.
“Ahaha! Sir, is that you? Your daughter is truly doll-like. And you… wow, really handsome too.”
Lirian struggled with a muffled “Uuuh!” and was finally released.
“I’m going to eat fifty!”
“Fifty sweets is too much for you, little one.”
“I’ll brush my teeth really well, so it’s fine!”
“No, it’s not.”
“Cheh.”
As she pouted, sugar-coated fruit skewers appeared before her.
Lirian’s mood instantly lifted, and she held skewers in both hands, even carrying some for Caesar.
After two bites, she handed the rest to her father.
“Knew it.”
He chuckled as he ate what she left.
This pattern repeated.
At a famous dessert shop, she pressed her face to the window, drooling.
When the door was opened, she boldly shouted,
“Give me everything from here to there…!”
Caesar barely stopped her.
Money wasn’t the issue. He could have bought the entire shop for her, but he had no desire to eat dozens of intensely sweet cookies, macarons, and cakes.
“I want more cakeee!”
“Save room for dinner. You’ll spoil your appetite.”
Caesar carried his daughter out of the shop, knowing she might otherwise collapse on the floor.
They compromised with milk sweetened with honey.
Sitting together by the fountain, they drank—two cups, since Lirian wanted to try both flavors.
Lirian sipped hers, didn’t like it, and quickly swapped with Caesar.
“Dad, you can’t restrict a child’s freedom like this. They’ll grow twisted.”
With a white milk mustache, Lirian said this seriously.
Caesar struggled to keep from laughing, maintaining a stern face as he wiped her mouth.
“Earlier, you said you could eat ten macarons as an adult?”
“…I did!”
“Our daughter is a super-ultra-powerful child, switching between adult and child.”
“Yes.”
“Then now, are you an adult or a child?”
“Adult.”
Lirian sipped her milk with an adult’s expression.
Normally, it would have been very sweet, but today her father limited the honey because she’d eaten so many sweets.
So this is the taste of adulthood.
Caesar struggled to maintain his serious face, knowing that if he laughed, she would be in a wild-cat mode for at least three days.
“So, Lirian, since you’re an adult, you don’t have to watch the puppet show?”
“Child!”
Of course, he failed to convince her and had to coax her after laughing at her stubbornness.
By now, the sun was setting.
“Not doing the Rose puppet show? That troupe will regret this.”
“Princess, you know such words?”
“I’m not a princess. I’m a detective. And detectives are smart.”
Caesar chuckled quietly at his daughter, completely absorbed in detective play.
Lirian watched her father hold her hand firmly, keeping her from getting lost.
Strange.
She noticed how he matched her stride with his long legs, looking back and forth between his feet and her own.
Lirian knew she was a little different from others.
In her previous life, people openly called her a ‘foolish princess,’ so it made sense.
Growing up in Ersioni, no one pointed it out, but the destroyed world was different.
People admired her martial skills but whispered about her strangeness.
It never changed her, though.
She had been aware of her uniqueness and pretended to be mature in her previous life.
But now, she couldn’t.
Why?
She knew the answer: everyone indulged her childishness.
Just like her father, holding her hand and matching her stride.
So she abandoned the forced adult act and reverted to a wild five-year-old within a week of returning.
Spending a day with Caesar reinforced that realization.
This place is truly peaceful.
Being able to act like a child is such a blessing.
Of course, she was different from a normal five-year-old, having lived through war.
Right now, for example.
“Dad, did you see that?”
“Yes. But our princess shouldn’t watch this kind of thing.”
“I can because I’m a detective!”
“Hmm. If I tell you to leave because it’s dangerous, you won’t listen, right?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Seeing her nod matter-of-factly, Caesar sighed.
“…Those kids, just…”
He muttered in a grim voice, glaring at the men before him for letting his daughter see such things.
