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CHAPTER 00
Prologue
“Dyoah-yeo! (I like it!)”
Just having turned four years old, Roelin reached out her tiny, adorable hand toward a teacup adorned with flower patterns.
At that moment, instinctively, my delicate arm reached out toward her.
Splash—
“El! Are you okay? That tea’s fresh—must be hot!”
As the scalding tea splashed onto the back of my hand, the spirit Lismaya shouted—only audible to me.
Of course, I couldn’t respond. Everyone enjoying the children’s gathering had turned their eyes to me.
“Huuuh! El, gantyaha? (El, are you okay?)”
Seeing Roelin’s eyes well up with tears, I simply nodded as if it were nothing.
Strangely, even though I was the one who got burned, Roelin looked like she was in more pain, so I felt I had to say I was fine.
“Of course. More importantly, is Her Highness the princess unharmed?”
As I knelt and checked Roelin all over, Duke Zeros Helin, standing beside her, grabbed my hand with a barely visible frown.
“El, if you keep using your body like this, I won’t be able to keep our promise.”
Looking at Zeros Helin’s silver hair, which resembled a sharp crescent moon, I found myself speechless.
Lowering his head, Zeros gently held my swollen, reddened hand and brought it to his lips.
Hiiik?! No way. That’s definitely crossing a line.
Startled, I tried to pull my hand away from Zeros’s small hands. But he just puckered his lips and blew softly on my injury.
“….”
I thought he was going to kiss it, and got shocked for no reason. Haha. He’s just a kid after all.
With a devastated face that looked like the world had ended, Zeros’s pouty expression was just as adorable as Roelin’s. I felt proud—he was finally learning to express his emotions.
Maybe that’s why.
Suddenly, the second prince, who had been holding his sword hilt at an angle, strode toward me.
“Your Highness?”
Startled, I looked up and called out to Rekanon. Then, the prince pushed Zeros’s arm away with the hilt of his sword.
“El, how are you going to survive without me? Who blocks hot tea with their hand, idiot? Let me see it.”
As the furious Rekanon reached for me, Roelin opened her short arms wide and stepped in front of me.
“Our El is not a dummy!”
“Rin, be more careful. El’s your interpreter, not your bodyguard. She’s going to be a crown princess someday.”
I turned my head slightly in disbelief at Rekanon’s shameless remark, only to see the Crown Prince, who had been sitting upright across from me, frown and rub his ear.
“Hmm. El is indeed competent.”
…Me? All of a sudden? What exactly am I good at, Your Highness?
“A lovable interpreter like Rin’s should not hold back their body.”
Roelin looked flustered and opened her mouth slightly as she stared at her brother, Refainon. He, completely unfazed, gave me a small smile.
“Dyoh, mooshun jiseul hayogoh! (What are you up to again?!)”
Being only four years old, there was no way Roelin could stop the Crown Prince. He passed her easily, took my hand, and tilted his head.
“Oh dear, your hand’s really wet.”
Refainon murmured softly as he pulled a handkerchief from his chest and gently wiped my damp hand. Then he bit his lip slightly. Slowly straightening his posture, he looked behind me.
“El went as far as to sacrifice herself as the princess’s interpreter. What were the rest of you doing while she was getting injured?”
Glancing toward the Royal Guards, I found my mouth frozen, unable to speak.
“To think you just stood by, doing nothing, despite holding the sword of the royal family. Tsk. For your inaction, you will be punished.”
You’re going to punish them all of a sudden?
“Your Highness, this was my own mistake. If punishment is necessary, I’ll receive it in their place.”
I quickly tried to stop Refainon. He smiled knowingly and nodded.
“If that’s what El wishes, then it would be best for her to take their punishment instead.”
Wait—how did the conversation suddenly change to that?! Am I getting punished now?
“El, from now on, don’t ever get hurt again. This is a punishment I’m giving you—so remember it well.”
Excuse me? Who gives punishments like this?
Just then, Lubelion, dressed in the white uniform symbolizing the Holy Knights, parted his red lips.
“Your Highness, would this not be considered abuse of authority?”
Lubelion’s hair, resembling the crimson twilight, fluttered softly in the wind. Refainon nodded.
“Is that so? Then, Marquess of Eastern—what would you have done?”
Lubelion, the Holy Knight, blushed and stared straight at me.
When our eyes met, I didn’t look away. Instead, I gazed quietly into his scarlet eyes.
Caught off guard, Lubelion quickly looked away and answered.
“If it were me, I would’ve done this. El, may I hold your hand for a moment?”
I extended it without thinking, and he took it and used divine power. In an instant, the pain eased. Sadly, the red mark didn’t disappear.
Looking disappointed, Lubelion’s eyes darkened.
“Thank you, Marquess.”
I hurriedly expressed my gratitude and glanced at his expression. Calmly watching me, Lubelion pulled out five vials of holy water from his pocket.
“El, it’s possible your delicate hand may scar. You should apply this holy water daily.”
Normally, I would have said it’s just a minor burn—but the holy water Lubelion gave me wasn’t something even high-ranking nobles could easily get.
If I save it up, it’ll definitely be worth a fortune!
“I would never dare refuse your kindness, Marquess. I’ll use it with great care.”
Just as I gratefully accepted the holy water—
Snap!
Suddenly, there was a thump from above, and with his jet-black hair glinting, Grand Duke Kylis Obern dropped from the sky.
Hiiik!
Startled, I backed away from the Marquess of Eastern, and Kylis furrowed his brow at me.
“What is going on here?”
Of all people, the Grand Duke directed his icy question straight at me.
His crimson eyes looked like they’d turn me to ashes at any moment, so I reluctantly opened my mouth.
“It’s nothing serious. Everything’s been resolved.”
Wanting to end this quickly, I smiled calmly and looked around. Roelin let out a tiny sigh of relief, and Rekanon couldn’t take his eyes off my hand.
“I see.”
Kylis then passed by me with seeming indifference.
Or so I thought.
He suddenly stopped beside me and grabbed my injured hand firmly.
“Hiiik. Your Grace?”
He gazed coldly at my reddened hand with a grim look.
“If it’s nothing serious, then why does your hand look like this?”
It was a burn mark even Lubelion’s divine power couldn’t fix. Knowing it was beyond repair, I didn’t want to complain any further and hesitated to answer.
“…”
“I don’t like it.”
Kylis stared fiercely at my injured hand and muttered something under his breath.
Suddenly, everything flashed white. A divine light brighter than before surged through—and the burn mark disappeared entirely.
“Your Grace, what… what just happened to my hand…?”
“Shh.”
Kylis leaned down and whispered so only I could hear.
“This is our little secret.”
Then, a cascade of radiant light rained from the sky—and in an instant, the world went dark.
