🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter – 06
“Hahaha. What a cute young lady.”
“This birthday is special. I prepared a prince for Pola as a birthday surprise. Sir Radius, could you tell Pola that there exists a fairy prince who loves her dearly?”
Suzanna said with a playful wink.
“Isn’t Pola’s prince supposed to arrive today?”
Radius replied slyly, making Suzanna laugh.
“If I had known you were coming, Sir Radius, I would’ve asked you to play the role of the prince.”
“Oh dear, that wouldn’t do. I’m far too old to be a prince compared to Miss Pola.”
“Oh my, you’re so funny!”
Jack was his usual reserved self, but he couldn’t stop smiling at his adorable daughter. He stayed by her side the whole time, while Suzanna introduced Radius to the other guests.
Everyone seemed interested in Radius, but he only had eyes for the birthday girl, Pola.
After the candles were blown out, guests began handing Pola their gifts. Radius presented her with a huge teddy bear, which made her beam with delight.
When the gift-opening time came to an end, soap bubbles suddenly poured in from one side of the room.
“The event company prepared that.”
“Oh?”
Suzanna whispered quietly to Radius and a few other adults so that Pola wouldn’t hear.
“Huh?”
Pola giggled as the bubbles floated into the room, chasing and popping them with joy.
Then, a song began to play.
♪ No trial can ever stop me.
Across mountains and seas,
I go to meet you,
My princess.
I’ve waited so long
To finally see you. ♪
“The lyrics are a bit cheesy, but the singing’s good,” thought Radius.
A blond boy with a clear, bright voice slowly appeared, his cape fluttering as he stepped forward to greet Pola.
“Nice to meet you, princess. I am a prince from the Fairy Kingdom.”
Pola stood there, slightly open-mouthed in astonishment. The boy snapped his fingers near her ear — snap! — and a rose appeared as if by magic.
“For the beautiful princess.”
Pola was completely enchanted by the little rose and the “prince” before her.
“How did you come here, Your Highness?”
“I rode a swan all the way from the Fairy Land.”
Radius was impressed.
The “prince” answered Pola’s questions smoothly and naturally. Occasionally, he brushed aside a strand of her hair, listened to her piano playing with admiration, and clapped for her performance.
He wasn’t tall by Radius’s standards, but taller than Pola, so she had to step on his shoes while they danced.
A bright smile never left her face. When they spun, the prince held Pola’s waist and twirled her gently in the air.
She looked genuinely happy.
“I didn’t know there were event companies like this. Must be a recent trend. If this existed before, my uncle would’ve definitely hired them for Lux or Anima’s birthdays.”
Before long, the other guests began chatting and drinking, leaving the children to play. But Radius couldn’t take his eyes off Pola and the “prince.”
“Isn’t he incredible? His acting?”
Suzanna whispered to Radius.
“Yes, I’m amazed.”
“He’s actually a musical actor. Originally, I only asked him to sing, but when he heard it was for a child’s birthday, he suggested this kind of fairy-tale performance.”
Soon, Pola led the prince to her room, proudly showing off her treasure box.
Curious, Radius and Suzanna followed quietly, watching through the slightly open door.
“I’m thinking of hiring him again next year. Pola’s so happy.”
“Yes, that would be wonderful. If I had a daughter, I’d definitely do the same.”
Radius said it sincerely.
As the sun began to set and dusk filled the sky, the prince spoke.
“Oh dear, it’s time for me to go.”
“What? Already?”
Pola grabbed the edge of his cape, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Such a princess doesn’t cry. We’ll meet again, you know.”
“Really?”
“Of course. When night falls, I must fight the spirits of darkness — so that Princess Pola can sleep peacefully.”
The prince kissed Pola’s cheek, bowed gracefully, and leapt out the window.
Pola gasped and ran to look outside, and Radius did the same, startled.
“He—he’s a real prince! He disappeared!”
Pola tugged at her mother’s clothes in awe, but Radius noticed something else — the branches below were swaying.
The lower window was open too, right beneath Pola’s room. It seemed the “prince” had jumped down through there.
“Wow, amazing. Really impressive,” he said, smiling at Pola. Then, as she looked out the window, he turned to Suzanna and asked quietly,
“What’s that room downstairs?”
“Oh, the utility room.”
“Mind if I take a look?”
“Of course not. But please wait by the door first, alright?”
“Hmm?”
“The actor’s probably changing clothes.”
Suzanna winked, guessing that Radius wanted to meet the performer.
“Pola, shall we put the prince’s rose in a vase?”
She gently diverted Pola’s attention.
Radius made sure Pola was occupied before heading downstairs.
There weren’t many people around the utility room — just servants carrying trays or walking quietly by.
He stood before the door, waiting.
“Haah. I wonder what kind of person they are under the costume.”
For some reason, he felt oddly expectant.
The doorknob rattled, and a woman with black hair and a neat dress stepped out, holding a large bag.
“Oh?”
For a moment, Radius thought it was someone else — but then he realized. The face was the same as the fairy prince’s.
“Yes? Can I help you?”
Her voice was soft, distinctly feminine — different from the prince’s tone.
“That… your performance with Pola was very impressive. Would it be possible to arrange something like that elsewhere?”
Radius asked smoothly, as if he might hire her for another event.
“Shh.”
The woman pressed a finger to her lips and leaned closer.
“My true identity is a secret. You’ll keep it for Princess Pola’s sake, won’t you?”
Up close, she was strikingly beautiful — her blue eyes vivid and bright. It was hard to tell which hair color was real, the black she had now or the blond she wore earlier.
“Of course. The fairy prince has long since vanished into the night.”
Radius smiled.
“Ahem, your performance was so memorable that I was hoping to get the prince’s contact information.”
“Of course. I do a few different things, so I can’t always promise to be available, but here — let me give you my card.”
She pulled out a small card, clearly used to such encounters.
“If you write to the address there, with the role and the event date, I’ll send a reply.”
Radius glanced at the name on the card — Wilhelmina Martínez — and committed it to memory before looking up again.
“Where have I heard that name before?”
When she played the prince, he had thought she was a young boy — but now she looked entirely feminine.
Suddenly, a memory struck him — a witch from a play.
“You said you do other work… are you perhaps a musical actress? Did you once play the witch?”
“Huh?”
Mina looked startled.
