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Chapter 25
The Emperor and Empress Skipped Duty
“Why them?”
I muttered to myself, not sure why I even said it aloud.
“They’re just ordinary kids.”
I lifted my head and pointed with my index finger at the ragtag bunch, along with Carlyle and Sasha. Ever since Lilith had brought up the matter of stray thoughts, it seemed she had put everyone around me under surveillance.
“I don’t have time to keep talking to you. I’m going ahead.”
Wasn’t that a bit sensitive? I sighed, closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
“Take good care of the military strategy book.”
This time, there was no lingering sentiment.
Without looking back, I took Poppy with me and headed toward the grand glass doors leading to the garden. I could feel Lilith’s gaze on the back of my head, but snakes are naturally inscrutable and sinister, so I didn’t mind.
Step by step.
I descended the glittering marble staircase and walked along the neatly paved stone path. My body was weak, so I couldn’t run recklessly; I walked as fast as I could while scanning my surroundings.
The stones lining the path were exactly as usual, and the grass was well-kept, damp and fresh.
“Your Highness!”
“Come quickly!”
Good grief, it hasn’t even been an hour, yet all this fuss. I clicked my tongue in my mind as I moved. I was used to Lonowe and Berris’ overexcitement, but it still left me dizzy every time I heard it.
‘Where are the maids? It’s just the kids.’
Suddenly, I realized there were no adults around, which struck me as odd.
“Everyone’s gathered now.”
Just as I was about to ask where the maids had gone, a familiar voice made me turn my head. I thought I should check whether both maids had left to run errands.
“Oh!”
But what I saw next left me speechless.
“Someone in a costume!”
“A raccoon and a rabbit came to pick us up!”
The kids had completely fallen for the maids’ clumsy disguises.
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
“We’re maids from the Fairy Kingdom~.”
“We’ll safely escort you to the play area~.”
Meanwhile, Lonowe was jumping with excitement, pointing at the disguised maids and squealing in delight with Berris.
‘Lies!’
I muttered to myself.
‘Those are the very same maids who were serving us just a moment ago.’
Even if their faces were hidden behind masks, their voices hadn’t changed.
‘And they actually fell for it.’
I could understand Lonowe and Berris, but Carlyle and Sasha being so calm was beyond me.
“Well then, shall we set off again~?”
Whether I agreed or not, the maids stayed true to their roles. They kneeled down to meet the kids’ eye level and chatted with them.
“Can you even breathe in there?”
The thought escaped my lips. The masks looked suffocating, narrow, and uncomfortable, and I admired the maids for wearing them while keeping up appearances.
“There must be some air holes somewhere, Your Highness.”
Sasha approached silently and stood by my side while Lonowe stayed glued to Berris, chattering with the maids.
“Perhaps.”
I replied nonchalantly.
“Let’s go~.”
I finally started walking leisurely at the back, matching the kids’ pace. Poppy stayed close to Carlyle instead of wandering alone, probably trying to observe from the middle.
‘Maids really have it tough.’
I thought being a humble servant handling small tasks would be easier. Taking care of children drains your energy and exhausts the mind and body. You can’t show it—you must smile, cater, and entertain.
Just hearing the little ones cry was enough to make me panic, so I never wanted the role.
‘Above all… it’s really troublesome.’
Fleur sang cheerfully while swinging her arms back and forth, shaking her head at her siblings.
“Finally! The Fairy Kingdom!”
“I want that yellow balloon over there~.”
Passing through an archway entwined with rose vines, a balloon paradise unfolded.
‘They decorated an entire section of the garden with balloons? Is this part of their education?’
I alternated my gaze between floating balloons and ones rolling on the ground, astonished.
Poppy tumbled between the ragtag kids among the balloons, and Sasha played with an orange one. I, uninterested in joining the chaos, folded my arms and watched.
“Princess.”
Soon, Carlyle appeared, holding a balloon in his arms.
“To think you can create such a scene with balloons…”
Carlyle’s face glowed with delight and a faint blush.
“It feels like being inside a fairy tale.”
“Really?”
I wasn’t sure it felt that magical, so I gave a vague answer.
‘Even at their most precocious, children have their childish side.’
“Everyone, please pay attention!”
Ah, I was getting bored standing there and was about to grab a balloon when the disguised maids appeared.
“In a moment, the two Fairy Kings will appear~.”
Two kings? I tilted my head, puzzled.
‘Could it be Hecate and Jeff in disguise?’
Maybe not, but the idea that two people would appear made me suspect it could really be them. Imagining the emperor and empress of the empire wearing masks and acting comical was almost embarrassing.
“The two Fairy Kings are arriving.”
And it actually happened.
‘It really is Jeff and Hecate.’
Fortunately, they wore masks covering only their eyes and noses, so I recognized them immediately. Their hair and outfits were familiar too, so there was no confusion.
‘They’re pulling a double act today.’
I thought it was crazy—they had important duties, yet they were doing this.
“Wow, awesome!”
“Are you really the Fairy Kings?”
The innocent kids, full of curiosity, ran over to ask questions, and I clicked my tongue at Lonowe and Berris.
“Yes~ We’re the Fairy Kings!”
“We came to reward the kids who study hard.”
Jeff and Hecate deliberately changed their voices slightly and acted out their roles with exaggerated gestures.
“Rewards?”
“Is it cake?”
Is that all they thought about? I felt deflated.
“Ha ha, unfortunately, it’s not cake.”
Jeff picked up a pink balloon rolling nearby.
“Instead, shall we have fun with this friend?”
His tone was so syrupy. I watched Jeff and Hecate teaching Berris and Carlyle how to blow up balloons, but I didn’t want to join in, so I picked up random balloons, tossed them, or kicked them.
Pssshh-.
Suddenly, a balloon deflated loudly. Carlyle’s surprised face watched the wrinkled balloon float away. Berris looked merely fascinated; their expressions were priceless.
“Your Highness~ Look at me!”
“What… Why is your hair like that?”
Lonowe, who had been playing on his own, suddenly approached. He rubbed a blue balloon on his hair, creating static, and it stuck to his bangs. It was ridiculous.
Why was he so gleeful about this?
“Your Highness, try it too!”
Nope. I backed away.
“I don’t—”
Before I could finish, impatient Lonowe rubbed a spare balloon on my hair with a cheerful expression.
I screamed silently inside and was dragged around while dazed.
At the end, he jumped onto a huge balloon-filled area and slid off, landing on the ground with a loud thud.
“Ouch…”
The impact hurt, and I groaned in pain. Poppy looked at me as if asking why.
“My goodness!”
From afar, Hecate ran over, panic in her expression.
“Are you okay? Does it hurt much?”
Breaking character, she spoke in her normal tone, sweat dripping from her forehead. She seemed truly worried.
“I’m fine. It stings a bit, but it’s manageable.”
I had fallen lightly and wasn’t injured. The pain was there but fading.
“By the way, Fairy King, the more I look, the more you resemble my mom.”
I decided to be straightforward. I subtly reminded Hecate she had forgotten to stay in character.
“Oh… really?”
She looked momentarily startled, then tried to play it off.
Sigh.
It looked awkward and obvious, making me sigh internally.
‘Also… I’m really sleepy.’
Fatigue hit, and I yawned slightly. I hurriedly covered my face to save face, but Hecate had already seen everything.
“You must be tired.”
“Yes, I didn’t take a nap…”
Ah, whatever. I gave up and accepted it.
“What? You didn’t nap today?”
But the reaction came from an unexpected source.
“You absolutely must not overdo it!”
I winced at Jeff’s overreaction. No need to be that intense.
“Dear children, sadly, we have to pause the playtime.”
Jeff acted dramatically, extending a hand forward.
“Your Highness doesn’t look well, so we’ll meet again with even more fun games!”
I was stunned at how they decided that on their own. Fortunately, they took the kids away, which was convenient.
“Bye-bye~.”
We parted ways with the ragtag kids, Carlyle, and Sasha.
“Yes.”
I said the same to Berris, who kept turning back repeatedly to bid farewell. Poppy, clearly thrilled with the balloons, wandered around with one bigger than herself stuck to her head.
‘Finally, some peace.’
I finally exhaled in relief as the kids disappeared. Hecate glanced at me, confused.
‘Time to drop the act.’
I decided to stop pretending I didn’t know the Fairy Kings’ true identities.
“Mom, Dad.”
Ugh, saying those words made me cringe.
They were the very kids whose talents I had discovered and nurtured in my past life. Having watched Jeff and Hecate since childhood, I couldn’t accept them as my parents now.
“Now that everyone’s gone, take off your masks.”
I said it casually, rubbing my eyes. Playing outside had left me itchy from rolling around.
“You can’t fool our daughter.”
Jeff and Hecate immediately returned to normal.
“You were pretending for your friends? How kind you are, Darling!”
If they kept being considerate, they’d be saints.
‘They were just avoiding disturbing the children.’
Let them think whatever they want. I decided not to dwell on it.
“What about work? Did you play instead?”
I changed the topic, asking about the Fairy Kings’ earlier performance.
“Today wasn’t too busy.”
“Yeah! So we could wear masks and act.”
I could see through their flustered excuses.
‘They skipped duties and left it all to the aides!’
I wanted to scold them but held back, being a weak princess.
“I know you’re busy. I’m fine, so don’t force yourself next time.”
Instead, I told them to focus on their duties properly.
Then…
“Darling, don’t say that!”
Jeff suddenly paled.
“Mom and Dad care for the kingdom, but your time with us is equally important.”
Hecate embraced me firmly, tears in her eyes, making me feel guilty.
‘I can’t even say anything.’
I just wanted them to focus on work. I muttered, “Still, don’t overdo it.”
“They’re hardworking parents, and I like that.”
I had raised them that way. My earlier words had a hidden meaning, which they didn’t notice.
“Understood!”
Jeff and Hecate, unaware of the deeper meaning, nodded repeatedly, looking moved.
“Thanks for worrying, our daughter.”
“Before we part, can we stop by the sponsor briefly?”
Hecate’s face relaxed into a smile, and she lifted me with both hands as we passed under the arch. Suddenly, my eye level was higher, startling me.
“Yes, I’ll show you what we made today when we arrive.”
I actually wanted to nap more, but I’d already woken, so I decided to show them. Better to deal with their fuss now than later.
“We drew on stones.”
At the luxurious marble gazebo, I asked a maid to bring the stones with drawings.
“This one is a stone I exchanged with Berris.”
I offered a stone marked with mysterious dots.
“This one is the one I drew of Mom.”
I expected a good reaction, as it was a piece I was proud of.
“You drew me? Amazing!”
As expected, Hecate cheered loudly, grabbing the second stone quickly.
“Can I keep this stone, Mom?”
Hecate’s nose was red, tears of joy in her eyes. I felt proud.
“Of course.”
I responded casually, pretending it was no big deal. Jeff, quiet until now, pointed at his face, whining.
“Dad, remember the one I gave you when Mom wasn’t around?”
I told him it was fair, considering the order.
“That’s true, but…”
Jeff, unable to argue further, glanced at Hecate. He looked envious as she rubbed the stone on her cheek in happiness.
“I’ll draw one for Dad next time.”
I lied kindly, worrying he’d collapse in exhaustion if I didn’t.
“Really? Promise me, Darling.”
He truly believed it. I saw his face light up and thought, “This kid’s too simple.”
“Oh, I want to ask something.”
Before dinner, sipping lukewarm tea in lieu of dessert, I asked,
“Have you enjoyed all the different playtime lessons so far?”
“Hmm… they weren’t bad.”
Jeff and Hecate waited until I finished drinking to ask.
‘A little childish, but not terrible.’
I didn’t hate it, but it was average.
“And recently, I really liked the watermelon cake among the snacks.”
I naturally shifted the topic to desserts, not wanting to dwell on playtime.
“Is there any special dessert? I want to try something different.”
The watermelon cake, decorated with a tiara, was already extravagant. Surely, there must be something even better in the world.
“Hmm… special dessert…”
If it existed, fine; if not, fine. But Jeff and Hecate pondered seriously. Hecate rested her chin on her hand; Jeff clutched his head with both hands.
“Ah!”
Hecate broke the silence first, snapping her fingers, claiming she had found the answer.
“Your Highness, then this is the only choice!”
The two whispered to each other.
