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Chapter 8
“Yukar.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At the sudden voice, Yukar lowered his head even deeper.
“Even if she is called a witch, do not be swayed by it. Do not worry me over such things.”
What was that supposed to mean? With his head still bowed, Yukar blinked.
“Who could possibly kill me.”
Bang—.
The door shut.
By the time Yukar raised his head, Kalix was already gone without a trace.
“……”
Yukar stood there, stunned.
“Is there even anyone in the world worried about Your Majesty…?”
He had only tried to subtly include concern for the princess……
Yukar’s voice echoed uselessly through the empty archive room. After some time, he finally came to his senses and frowned.
“I was talking about the princess!”
Yukar shouted loudly, and his glasses slipped down his nose. Tilting them back up at an angle, he let out a long sigh.
After the brief conflict without bloodshed, I wrote a temporary contract.
My job was to stay close to Ruvellin as a caretaker, and to conduct two hours of strength-control training every morning.
I signed the clauses after reading them, but now that I think about it, I probably signed them in a panic under Kalix’s intimidation. I should have checked for hidden clauses.
More than anything, I didn’t even have a copy of the contract, so it felt like I had been cheated blind.
“Submit a daily performance report.”
That was Kalix’s final cold command before I finally escaped his office, only to be dragged straight to the training room for handover.
There, I had to sit through explanations about Ruvellin’s information and lessons under the sharp gaze of an educator named Mevern, whom I had seen in the emperor’s office.
Mevern was in charge of the princess’s education, but everything he listed was far more impossible than possible.
“Praise must be restrained.” “Attend classes with enthusiasm.” “Do not make eye contact with the princess too often.” “Do not allow physical contact.” “Always carry a strength-control protective outfit that can be worn at any time,” and so on.
Finally, Mevern tapped the last point on the board with his wooden stick.
Now he was lecturing about the qualifications of educators.
“Therefore, only those who graduated from the prestigious Imperial Academy of historical renown are appointed as the princess’s tutors. As for me, with my excellent education and broad knowledge, I am bla bla la la—”
Yawn.
I covered my mouth and opened it wide behind my hand. Mevern, finishing his passionate speech, turned toward me.
“Do you understand?”
“Y-yes?”
I startled, lowering my hand quickly after yawning. Mevern narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“Were you listening?”
“I was listening!”
“Really?”
“Of course!”
He let it slide with a reluctant expression.
To be honest, Mevern’s briefing was meaningless to me. Once the “Ruvellin filter” wore off, he would probably be removed as a tutor anyway.
I yawned again, tears welling in my eyes as I stared at the green chalkboard. The writing on it blurred.
Mevern picked up an eraser and began wiping the board. Finally, I felt relieved. Ah, it’s over now.
As I stood up from the sofa in relief, his voice suddenly stopped me.
“Now, next!”
Next? I looked up in shock. The golden round clock hanging above the board was still moving steadily.
Oh no. He had been talking for two hours already!
Mevern seemed like the type who felt joy in sharing knowledge. The faint smile on his face proved it. Anyone who listened to his endless lectures probably already ran away.
“Now, let’s move on—”
“Mevern!”
I raised my hand quickly and cut him off.
“I have a question.”
His slightly displeased expression immediately brightened at the word “question.” He quickly sat down on the opposite sofa.
“What is it? Ask anything!”
What should I ask? I quickly searched my mind to stop the lecture. There were many things I was curious about in the palace, but I needed something related to Ruvellin.
Something I wondered about…… ah, right.
A question flashed in my mind, and I quickly spoke.
“Why was the princess staying in our village?”
It had been strange since I hugged Ruvellin in the back area.
Mevern snorted proudly.
“To show the princess the scenery outside the palace, of course. Academic knowledge has limits, so it was to let her feel the peaceful atmosphere of the empire.”
I slowly touched my chin, thinking.
That can’t be right. In the original story, Ruvellin was not allowed to leave the imperial palace.
Mevern seemed to read my thoughts and snapped his fingers.
“Lady Lucina. His Majesty pushed through reforms by persuading the ministers to change the imperial education law.”
“Law?”
“Yes. The rule that members of the royal family must not leave the palace until they can properly control their abilities.”
Huh? That’s different from the original. I frowned in confusion.
Unlike me, Mevern looked up at the ceiling with an ecstatic expression.
“Ah, I will never forget that day.”
“That day?”
“The day the princess’s outing caused fear, and ministers opposed it, claiming she could threaten the citizens. His Majesty placed a sword at the neck of a minister and said: ‘Do you truly wish to know what threat is?’ Kuuuh, it was an honor to witness that!”
……That’s impressive… isn’t it?
Mevern suddenly grew somber, his eyes lowering.
“But we could not simply rejoice. Due to claims that it caused public anxiety, the law was quietly amended. This is only speculation, but I believe His Majesty acted this way because of his own childhood.”
“His childhood?”
“Being someone with unprecedented magical power, his upbringing could not have been easy.”
Though Mevern seemed to avoid details, to me—who knew the original story—his words felt vivid. Kalix had also lived confined his whole life.
I scratched my cheek.
Seeing all this, it doesn’t seem like he hates Ruvellin……
While I was lost in thought, Mevern suddenly stood up from the sofa and walked to the board.
“Now, let us continue the lecture.”
“Huh?”
My mind went blank. I tried to sneak in a question, but it started again.
Mevern picked up chalk and smiled brightly.
“Now! Having explained qualifications, next is the philosophy of past educators.”
“……”
“Look here. The educator who wrote ‘My Child Can Enter the Imperial Academy?!’—lalalala—”
I stared blankly at Mevern’s energetic voice.
I left the training room like a dried fish scorched under the sun.
That talkative monster…… ugh.
Holding my forehead, I groaned. Three straight hours of his lecture had given me a headache I didn’t even have before.
“Unma!”
Ruvellin ran toward me, her cotton-candy-like hair swaying, and jumped into my arms. I almost fell backward from her impact. Even with strength control, a child’s energy was still overwhelming.
I gently patted her hair.
“Did you wait long?”
“Yes!”
Ruvellin lifted her head and smiled brightly.
The candy in her mouth made her look like a squirrel hiding nuts in its cheeks. Or maybe, with those red eyes, a rabbit would be more fitting. I tapped her puffed cheek.
So she really waited for me even though it took a long time.
I turned my head—the sky outside was already dark.
“You must be tired, Your Highness.”
“Mm-m!”
Ruvellin shook her head quickly.
“You’re not tired?”
“No! Not that!”
She shook her head even more strongly.
“Your Highness?”
Ruvellin puffed up her cheeks like a blowfish. What was she unhappy about?
“Na-me!”
“Name?”
Does she want me to call her name? But…… I glanced toward the training room. Am I going to get in trouble for saying the princess’s name?
“Na-me!”
After a brief hesitation, I gave in to her urging.
“Yes, Lady Ruvellin.”
But that still didn’t satisfy her. She shook her head again.
“Th-then… Ruvellin?”
“Yay!”
Only then did she smile with satisfaction.
I sighed after passing the long test. Is this really okay?
At that moment, a neatly dressed elderly woman who had been waiting stepped forward and bowed.
“Greetings, Lady Lucina. I am Rinel, the head maid.”
Head maid? I looked at her white hair and quickly bowed.
“I’m Lucina.”
After returning the greeting, Rinel straightened up and turned away without expression.
“Then I will guide you to your accommodation. Please follow me.”
The polite greeting ended more quickly than I expected.
I scratched my head and stood up. Is cold behavior a requirement of the imperial palace?
Is Ruvellin really okay here? Even though I already decided to leave, I still found myself worrying about her.
Not hearing my footsteps, Rinel turned back sharply.
“Lady Lucina, this way—”
“Unna! You sleep with me!”
Ruvellin blocked my way with her arms spread wide. Rinel bowed her head in difficulty.
“Apologies, but His Majesty ordered a separate room—”
“Nooo! I clearly said I sleep with Unma!”
I opened my eyes wide in surprise. Such strong words from a princess.
Rinel also looked startled.
“To express such strong will……”
Ruvellin refused to move, arms still stretched out. In the silence, the sound of her candy rolling against her teeth could be heard.
slurp.
The candy was too big for her mouth, and she sucked in drool slipping from the corner of her lips.
Cute……
I held my aching heart and looked down at her round head like a chestnut.
Her dignity was slightly cracked, but it didn’t matter. It was fine because she was cute. A big candy could do that. Yes, absolutely.
After a silent standoff, Rinel sighed lightly and turned away.
“I will report this to His Majesty first.”
Only after she disappeared down the hallway did Ruvellin relax. She placed her hands on her hips proudly.
“Unma, I was cool!”
“Yes, you were cool.”
No, that’s not it.
“You’re cool, Ruvellin.”
I patted her head, hoping she would grow up confidently and proudly in the future.
Mevern’s warning that “praise should be restrained” came to mind—but I quickly pushed it away.
At least while I am here, I want to give Ruvellin all the praise she deserves.
