chapter 09

What’s going on? Why are there so many people at the Princess’s Palace today?

The hallway outside the room where the art lessons were held was packed with servants.

Looking awkward, I peered through the crowd until I finally spotted Nora.

“Oh, you’re here.”

Nora slipped out from the sea of people, dusted off her wrinkled dress, and greeted me with a bright smile.

“Did something happen?”

How on earth had the corridor become this crowded?

“Well…”

She answered immediately, as if she’d been waiting for someone to ask. Her eyes were practically filled with hearts.

“Her Highness tried a new hairstyle today, and she’s just so, so, so adorable!”

“…Excuse me?”

Had I heard that correctly?

So all these people were gathered here… because of that?

“Ahh… I’ve discovered another great truth in life today.”

Ignoring my bewilderment, Nora clasped her hands together and swooned dramatically.

“I need to live a long life if only so I can witness every new hairstyle Her Highness comes up with.”

“R-Right…”

“I swear, everyone who works at the Princess’s Palace is blessed! We get to see this before even His Majesty does!”

Before I could even ask, So… when can today’s lesson actually begin? I was forced to listen to Nora gush endlessly.

Just as I started wondering if my ears were about to start bleeding—

“All right, everyone, back to work. Stop tiring out the Princess.”

Grace finally appeared.

Lady Grace…!

I looked at her with the gratitude of someone seeing a savior. She practically seemed to glow.

The moment her firm voice rang out, the crowd parted like the Red Sea, opening a path to the classroom.

Smiling awkwardly beside an overjoyed Nora, I walked inside.

“Good morning, Your Highne—”

I froze mid-greeting.

I hadn’t expected the “special hairstyle” to be…

…twin pigtails.

“Come in already. It was noisy outside, wasn’t it?”

“…Yes. Though… you look absolutely lovely today.”

The compliment slipped out automatically.

No one had forced me to say it—it just felt like I had to.

I couldn’t understand why Shuni had suddenly decided to wear pigtails. Just the other day she’d been sighing about how everyone treated her like a child.

“Really?”

Shuni proudly flicked her soft pink hair over her shoulder.

“Yes. Really.”

I nodded with all the determination of someone whose life depended on agreeing.

“Hehe. Then all the effort was worth it.”

Unable to hide her satisfaction, Shuni hummed happily as she took out her painting supplies.

Today she was starting a brand-new painting.

After listening to her explanation, I sketched out the basic composition for her.

“Lena, what do you think? Doesn’t this part look a little awkward?”

She crossed her arms and held the canvas closer.

Startled for a moment by the sudden closeness, I carefully examined the painting.

“It looks good. You did well.”

“Really?”

She lifted her head toward me, and her twin pigtails bounced lightly.

Every time they bobbed, Nora slammed both hands against the wall as though she couldn’t contain herself.

Even I thought it looked adorable, so I could only imagine how Nora felt.

Before I knew it, the lesson had come to an end.

“Goodbye, Your Highness. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As someone who believed in leaving work exactly on time, I sprang to my feet the instant the clock struck the end of the lesson.

Right. Time to go home…

The problem was that the end of class coincided perfectly with the servants’ lunch break.

“Our adorable Princess Shushu!”

The moment I stepped outside, I found servants who had apparently skipped lunch just to admire Shuni’s new hairstyle.

There are even more of them than before…

Had the news already spread to the other palaces?

“I mean… what’s the big deal about tying my hair up…?”

Even Shuni looked horrified when she saw the crowd waiting outside.

Repeating, “Excuse me… pardon me… sorry,” over and over, I barely managed to squeeze through the sea of people.

Oh, right. Before I head back to the Marquis’s estate…

The moment I finally escaped the Princess’s Palace, I went looking for Theo.

Because of what we’d talked about yesterday.

Yesterday I’d vaguely asked the Marquis and Marchioness whether it would be okay if I kept a pet.

“Of course, my daughter. As long as you’re able to care for it properly, you’re welcome to.”

“But…”

“I didn’t raise you to be an irresponsible child.”

Looking into the Marquis’s eyes as he said those words, I could vaguely understand what he was thinking.

If having a pet could help his beloved daughter forget about the stalker tormenting her…

Then he was willing to allow anything.

“No, I…”

To be honest…

I’d secretly hoped they’d refuse.

No matter how pitifully that monster looked at me, if they opposed it, I wouldn’t be able to bring it home.

But now that they’d given me permission…

I felt like I should at least see it one more time.

I really don’t want to get involved in anything else…

After asking around among the servants, I finally found Theo.

Just like yesterday, Harry stood beside him while Theo inspected the magical barrier.

The atmosphere seemed unusually serious.

Unsure how to interrupt, I settled for an awkward cough instead of a greeting.

Theo turned toward me and immediately smiled.

“Hi, Lena. Here because of the monster?”

“Mm.”

When I nodded, Theo gave Harry a quick glance.

Unlike yesterday, Harry didn’t complain and simply headed toward the detached palace.

…I almost felt sorry for him.

“So? Thinking of keeping it?”

“I… want to see it one more time before deciding.”

“I don’t know. The more you see its awful personality, the less you’ll want to keep it.”

Theo tilted his head teasingly.

Silence settled between us.

“…Um.”

Theo looked perfectly comfortable.

I, on the other hand, felt like I could hardly breathe.

After all, I’d only met him a few days ago.

Being alone together like this still felt awkward.

“So… how did you get to know Madam Dorsha?”

Trying to break the silence, I changed the subject.

“She was one of my clients at the Magic Tower.”

“A client?”

What kind of request would she make?

When I looked at him curiously, Theo answered as casually as if it were nothing.

“A missing person case. She wanted to catch her cheating husband in the act.”

“…Oh.”

I suddenly felt like I’d just heard something I absolutely wasn’t supposed to know.

What was an affair doing in what was supposed to be a sweet, healing childcare story?

Just as the awkwardness threatened to become even worse thanks to someone else’s family drama, Theo smoothly changed the subject.

“So, how’s working at the Princess’s Palace? You’ve always wanted to become a court painter.”

“It’s… fine.”

Even though I knew he’d helped me become Shuni’s art instructor out of kindness, I couldn’t fake a more enthusiastic reaction.

All I’d wanted was a quiet transmigration life that had nothing to do with the original story.

Theo remained calm despite my lukewarm answer.

“I’m glad nothing’s happened. I was worried our Lena might meet some dangerous people and have a hard time in the terrifying Imperial Palace.”

For some reason, he sounded like he was talking to an innocent child.

Seriously… what does he think I am?

Crossing my arms, I puffed out my chest.

“You don’t know as much about me as you think. I’m quick to read the room and I adapt anywhere.”

Theo blinked in genuine surprise before laughing softly.

“Oh?”

“And I’m perfectly capable of being cold and indifferent.”

For example…

Standing there expressionless no matter what someone says.

A useful skill I’d developed from dealing with people like Millon.

“It doesn’t look that way.”

Theo smiled teasingly.

I’d worked hard to survive for over a month after transmigrating.

I refused to let the very person who’d sent me to the Imperial Palace treat me like some naïve girl destined to get dragged into political schemes.

“I’m serious.”

“I love you, Lena.”

“…?”

“See? Your face turned red immediately.”

“…Wow.”

What…

What did he just say?

I stood there blankly before finally stammering,

“T-That’s… of course…”

Then I hesitated.

Theo looked so completely unconcerned that I started doubting myself.

…Am I the weird one?

Was that really something people could just say so casually?

“As a friend, of course.”

“…I know.”

His clarification made me breathe a silent sigh of relief.

I patted my burning cheeks with both hands.

They were hot.

Just then, I heard the familiar sound of fluttering wings.

Harry had already returned.

By now, I was used to the monster immediately calming down the moment it saw me.

“Kuuung…”

Its gleaming golden eyes focused solely on me.

“…Um… ahem…”

No matter how many times I saw that gaze, I still couldn’t get used to it.

“So… my parents said it’d be okay if I kept you. But…”

“But?”

“…”

If anyone could look into those pitiful eyes and still say no…

Please.

Step forward and teach me how.

“It’s okay if you refuse.”

Theo’s voice was gentle, trying to ease the pressure.

“I’m with the Department of Magical Beast Protection. It has nothing to do with me.”

Even then, I hesitated for a long moment before blurting out an excuse that barely made sense.

“I-I’ve just never raised a magical beast before. If it were… something like a cat…”

At that very moment, the magical beast suddenly looked as if it had realized something.

Then—

It burst into light.