TFPHS 03

Chapter – 03

At this point… if I didn’t apologize to this kind princess, I’d be more than just someone bad at Imperial—I’d be a complete human disaster, right?

Then even the Crown Prince wouldn’t pity me…

After running the numbers in my head, I reluctantly put on a troubled expression and apologized.

“Sorry, Princess. I’ve studied Imperial for a long time, but I rarely get to actually use it…”

“That’s completely fine! But it was so cute! That was the most adorable greeting I’ve ever heard!”

…Wait, what? How can someone grow up this positively?

The nobles who had been staring at me in disbelief now turned their attention toward this side again.

Everyone was silently hoping someone would step in and dampen this innocent girl’s generosity—but then, a young man with striking red eyes suddenly knelt before me.

“Nice to meet you, Your Highness of Bristol. I am Samuel, the son of Duke Hübner. In Imperial, I am called So-gong, but whatever you wish to call me is fine.”

Oh no… this isn’t good.

Aside from the Crown Prince, the Hübner heir has the highest rank here…

“…Pleased to meet you, So-gong.”

I couldn’t help but smile and extend a hand to Samuel.

As he placed the back of my hand to his lips for a second hand-kiss in my life, I tried to endure the ticklish sensation. Even the nobles who had been looking for faults in me slowly started to gather around.

Whoa!

Despite my wish to be like a scarecrow chasing sparrows, the Hübner heir’s effect was overwhelmingly strong.

The many nobles who were indecisive immediately chose to stand behind him.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Nicole, the son of Count Giles, Your Highness.”

“I am Trevor, the son of Count Cherwell. I have a feeling this spring at the Royal Palace will be very delightful, thanks to Your Highness. Haha.”

Nooo, you precious sons of noble families… Please, can’t you enjoy yourselves without involving me?

I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m in trouble here!

―Thud.

After the banquet ended, I finally entered a lavish guest room and collapsed, letting my knees give out.

I yanked off my cruel shoes that had tortured my poor feet twice and threw them across the room with all my strength.

―Click!

One of the shoes accidentally hit a fairy who had been dozing under the curtain. Pure coincidence. Maybe.

“Ouch!”

Startled, Clementine opened her emerald eyes wide and emerged from behind the curtain, rubbing her forehead.

She had a bump on her porcelain-like forehead, but who cares?

No one should be fooled by this angelic-looking, mischievous fairy.

Even though she looked like the most innocent and fragile child, this tiny creature was the “assistant” explicitly stated in the contract by my insane client.

The villain’s subordinate shouted at my indifferent face.

“Hey! Act like a proper princess!”

What? Why would I have to?

It’s just the two of us here, and being born into a wealthy family, I can’t even wear the same pair of shoes twice.

“My feet hurt like crazy! I’m more suited to being a maid than a princess!”

I sulked, but the tiny fairy clenched her fists at her hips and shouted even louder.

“Who doesn’t know that? It’s Your Highness’ will, so your suitability doesn’t matter!”

Annoyingly accurate.

Rule 1 of the Problem-Solver Guild: The client is king.

And this king brought along Milijent too, so I had no choice but to comply.

There was a reason why my client had given me such a costly status.

It had to be a rank that allowed me access both to the Crown Prince’s chambers and the royal hunt.

Being a chamber maid might have been the easiest way to enter his room.

But attending the hunt was different. The hunt was a festival exclusively for invited nobles; no hired help could follow.

Yet making me an average noble would make the ladies of the court underestimate me. So the client gave me the highest rank instead.

Being a foreigner meant no one would recognize me, which made it even easier.

Still, the thought of a client who would casually grant me such a lofty rank was terrifying.

Being able to use the princess status meant that the client was at least higher than the royal family of Bristol.

Anyone above the Bristol royals would be the ruling class of an empire or a great power…

I stopped thinking as soon as I reached that terrifying conclusion and glared at Clementine.

“By the way… why have you suddenly become so quiet?”

Clementine flinched at my remark and trembled, pretending not to care as she clenched her tiny fists again.

“What, why, what! Does the great fairy Clementine have to use honorifics for a mere human like you?”

“Huh?”

Seeing her brimming with pride like she did at first reminded me of where I was.

This was the Royal Palace.

The home of the emperor, who possesses eternal control over the Mage Tower.

The magical control barriers created by the first head of the Mage Tower are permanently active, and only the emperor can deactivate them.

In short, I, Mage A, was temporarily rendered almost powerless.

I instinctively curled my ten fingers and gritted my teeth.

“This tiny fairy… Just wait until this assignment ends and we leave the palace—you’re dead.”

“Hmph! I’ll speak after we leave!”

The insolent fairy flushed pink with delight.

I had been a bit angry when Clementine first appeared as an assistant.

The contract didn’t say I had to obey or treat her well, after all.

So I had once forced her to stand on her hands and briefly pushed her out of the third-floor window.

Of course, before hitting the ground, she reappeared on the third floor—fairies can teleport.

But here in the palace, that ability was useless.

Anyway, after that day, Clementine changed her arrogant attitude, turning somewhat timid.

Even though she trembled like a child, she was actually at least a hundred years old… Anyway, she was just a subordinate of a villain who kidnaps and threatens innocent imperial citizens.

Yet watching her regain her boldness, I could think of only one thing:

Ah, I’m doomed.

Being perpetually single, I couldn’t even flirt with the Crown Prince. At the banquet, I accidentally drew attention to myself!

Could I survive a month of pretending to be a princess and complete a mission I barely understand?

Could it be that I’ll never leave the Royal Palace and won’t even get to discipline Clementine?

At roughly the same time, Kalision arrived at the Crown Prince’s palace and closed the office door.

―Click.

The gentle curve of his lips stiffened into a straight line as the door closed.

The sparkle in his amethyst eyes vanished as if it had never been there.

His face, which had been bright all day like sunshine, turned frighteningly cold, yet those around him seemed unfazed.

His bodyguard and secretary, Marin, simply stepped forward to take his robe.

“Thank you for your hard work today, Your Highness.”

Kalision unbuttoned the top button of his shirt with his left hand and muttered as if to himself:

“A successor who has never appeared in public due to lying in bed for so many years…”

Marin listened carefully with a serious expression, saying nothing.

“How sick must he have been to not even properly learn the language of the suzerain? Yet he seems to be in decent health.”

Marin finally smiled and spoke.

“Weren’t you pretending not to hear?”