Chapter: 777
The Crown Princess’s curiosity button was pressed.
“Sibling?”
“Yeah! My younger sibling!”
Today, just like any other day, the Crown Princess came to play at the mansion. Maybe because she had just been at the palace, Manor and Mine were right next to her, ears perked up.
As the Crown Princess pet those two little rabbits, she tilted her head at Pedi’s words.
“Is it a sibling too?”
“Yep!”
“But what’s the difference between a normal sibling and that?”
At that, Pedi seemed to ponder deeply.
Instead of answering, I just smiled at the waiting game, letting Pedi sort through her thoughts. Honestly, I had explained the difference between a regular sibling and a cousin several times, but for little Pedi, telling them apart seemed tricky.
“Isn’t a sibling just a sibling?”
To be honest, what do kids even care about whether it’s a cousin or a sixth cousin? If they’re younger, it’s all the same in their eyes—just another sibling.
“Ah! If you don’t live in the same house, that makes them a cousin!”
“Then you and Pedi are cousins too?”
“Is that so?”
“A cousin is a child of your uncle, not your dad! So for the Crown Princess, the child of Marquis Idrid would be a cousin, right?”
I nudged the narrative, subtly correcting him from Ferdinand Krasius to Ferdinand Livnoman.
It’s important to let the kids think for themselves, but if they don’t come up with an answer, I have to step in. Can’t let them get the wrong idea.
“Child of the uncle?”
Then the Crown Princess’s eyes started sparkling at my correction.
“That’s right! My cousin is going to show me how to be a sibling!”
“Congratulations, Your Highness. You’ll soon meet your cousin too.”
“Wow! Awesome!”
With the word “cousin,” the Crown Princess burst into a giggle.
Yeah, I hope she cherishes and takes care of the cousin that will be born in a few months. Considering how rare the Livnoman bloodline is becoming, Ainter’s child will soon be a pillar of our distant branch. It’s vital for the royal family and the Empire that a good relationship is fostered with the Crown Princess.
But considering her character, I believe they’ll get along just fine. Unless the cousin betrays the Crown Princess first, she wouldn’t abandon her cousin either.
“If only all three sons turned out perfectly.”
While the smiling Crown Princess was a sight, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
The Emperor’s children included the Emperor himself, Ainter, and the late Dorgos. With those three trying to have kids, Dorgos was gone. For the prosperity of Livnoman, the Emperor and Ainter must work hard. If the royal line is severed, the nation would be in trouble.
The good news is the Empress is currently pregnant with her third child, and Shati’s delivery is just a few months away. At least, there shouldn’t be any problems for the dynasty in the next 2-3 generations.
“Hey!”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Then I want to go see Pedi’s cousin!”
“Huh?”
“If he’s Pedi’s little brother! I want to see him too!”
If Erich heard this, he’d be either moved or horrified—it’s an awkward request. But it was such a pure and innocent request that I couldn’t refuse it outright.
“Your Highness, unfortunately, Pedi’s baby cousin is still fast asleep after just being born. He’s not ready to meet you yet.”
However, though I couldn’t bluntly say no, this issue couldn’t be simply accepted either. Forcing an outsider into the room of a new mother and baby isn’t the best idea. No matter how much the Crown Princess asks, a no is still a no.
“Aww… really?”
“Your Highness, please understand with a sister’s heart. Pedi’s cousin would also want to meet you when he’s awake.”
Just a little sprinkle of flattery, and the Crown Princess’s previously sulky face lit up bright as day.
“Yay! I’m a sister!”
Then she shrugged her shoulders; the word “sister” seemed to trigger a sense of pride in her.
It felt similar to seeing a faction leader brimming with confidence, but in this case, it was a cute little twist since the “underlings” were her siblings and the “leader” was her big sister.
“Indeed, Your Highness is a dependable sister. Even Mine and Mane seem impressed by your charming self.”
“Re-really?”
– Tiyuuuuuu!
– Tiiin!
Then, Manor and Mine nuzzled up to the Crown Princess’s body.
So satisfying. Those guys really know how to read the room. Even if they’re akin to Titi from the animal farm, they’re not falling short in any aspect.
‘Maybe saying they’re on a human level is a stretch?’
Considering they acted like punks toward intermediate spirits before, calling them fully human is a bit iffy. But still, they’re definitely among the top tier of beasts.
‘Now that I think about it, where did the spirits go?’
Specifically, the middle-tier spirits who took on animal forms hadn’t appeared.
For some reason, it seems the unfamiliar setting of the Crown Princess makes them hesitant to come along, especially given how Manor and Mine acted up last time.
‘But since the Crown Princess has the Wind Spirit King’s blessing, she should warm up to them soon.’
Thankfully, the Crown Princess was indeed blessed by the Wind Spirit King. For the spirits, it’s only natural to feel at ease around her; she’ll adjust faster than the average human would.
Plus, Manor and Mine only caused a ruckus on the first day they settled in; since then, they’ve been quietly adapting. Let’s just say it’s still an adjustment period.
“By the way, hey!”
“Yes, Your Highness. What is it?”
“I found something amazing in the garden!”
With that, the Crown Princess lifted her cape to reveal a green dog, a green snake, and a green sparrow hidden underneath.
“Look! They’re following me! Isn’t it amazing?”
“Oh.”
Seeing the colors, I couldn’t help but chuckle—it seemed like those spirits had moved past the adaptation stage.
*
Today, after a fun-filled time at Edu’s house, the Crown Princess returned home.
Edu’s home might be bigger than ours, but all the fun stuff was at Edu’s! While we had dad, mom, grandpa, and Carolus, along with some animals, Edu had sparkles, talking animals, and even dolls! Plus, more siblings! There were even bunny friends born recently!
So when it comes to playing, Edu’s place is definitely better! I wish our homes could merge!
“Should tell dad about it!”
Once I get home, I’ll tell dad! Since he’s the Emperor, he can do all sorts of things for us!
If Edu lived with us, and all the siblings and talking animals hung out together, wouldn’t that be fun? Oh! And the dolls and sparkles…?
“Uwoong?”
“Your Highness?”
As the maid and I were on our way home, I spotted something curious.
“Lady Maid, Lady Maid.”
“Yes, what do you need?”
“What’s that over there?”
When I pointed at the intriguing thing, the maid smiled a little.
“Ah, that’s a circus! Sometimes they perform impromptu shows on the streets, and it seems they’re about to start one now.”
“Circus?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
It was my first time hearing that! Sounds interesting!
“Should I tell them to stop the carriage for a bit?”
“Uh… No! We have to go home first! Mom’s waiting!”
“Yes, understood.”
It’s interesting, but Mom is more important! If we stop, she’ll get worried!
Once we reached home, Mom scooped me up in a hug.
Good thing we came straight back! Mom’s embrace feels warm and nice!
“Did you have fun today?”
“Yep! I played with Pedi and the siblings and even the animals! Oh, and I also played with the colorful sparkles too!”
“Really? That sounds fun.”
“Next time, I’ll be able to meet Pedi’s cousin too!”
“Hehe, that sounds exciting too.”
Mom smiled at me warmly, pulling me even tighter in her embrace.
Mom’s hugs… so nice… no matter how amazing the circus is, it can’t compare to Mom…
‘Right.’
About the circus. I was going to ask Mom about it, but almost forgot!
“Mom, Mom!”
“What is it, my daughter?”
“What’s a circus?”
“Uh?”
“I saw it while going back with the maid! It looked interesting, but I just wanted to come back to you!”
Mom’s eyes widened a bit at my words.
Mom’s so pretty! Her eyes are always big, but when they widen, they become even prettier!
“You thought of me and came back early?”
“Yep! I promised to come back to you soon! The promise with you is the most important!”
“I didn’t expect my five-year-old to think of me like this. How wonderful.”
This time, Mom patted my head affectionately.
“Well then, are you curious about the circus? Let me explain what it is—”
*
Late at night, the Emperor sent a hurried message.
I had left my communication crystal in the room while I was washing up, and by the time I got back, they called me five times. Thanks to that, I almost had to shower again from cold sweat as soon as I returned.
– Minister!
And upon receiving the sixth call, I was met with the half-panicked face of the Emperor.
What now, what’s going on? If the Emperor was that startled, it must be some kind of disaster.
– Th-The Crown Princess! The Crown Princess is throwing a tantrum saying she wants to see the capital!
“Excuse me?”
My anxious heart instantly calmed at his next words. Was this guy really just calling at midnight to talk about such a trivial matter?
“Why would she—”
– The Crown Princess is bright and kind for her age, but she’s still five! What if she runs into an accident while wandering around the capital?
“The Imperial Guard and the capital security are going to be sad if they hear that.”
Those two have been working hard for the safety of the capital.
However, while nagging the Emperor, a part of me could understand his worries. A young child taking the whole city as their playground? It’s natural for a dad to be worried.
“However, Your Majesty, how did you find out that she’s interested in the capital? I must admit it’s embarrassing, but I’ve provided more than enough recreation for her until now.”
– That’s…
At my question, the Emperor paused for a moment, then continued.
– The Crown Princess saw a circus while returning to the palace.
He said this a little sheepishly.
“A circus?”
That didn’t particularly strike me as anything special, causing me to tilt my head.
It’s just a typical form of entertainment. What’s the big deal?
– The Crown Princess has never seen a circus before, so she asked the Empress what it was. The issue is the Empress apparently went into detail about the circus, as well as cultural practices of the people.
After hearing this, I understood.
I can’t help it; the Crown Princess’s curiosity got fueled up when she learned about folk culture, so it’s completely natural for her to show interest in the capital.
“Then, what can be done? I suppose I’ll have to show her around the capital.”
With a resigned sigh, I spoke.
The Crown Princess is interested in something? Without a solid reason to refuse, there’s no way to stop it. Plus, you can’t use reasons like “you’re too young, it’s dangerous” to deter her.
So, what can I do? It’s time to initiate a tour of the capital with thorough escorting!
– Minister.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
– If we attach guards keeping an eye out for her safety, how is she going to enjoy and savor the local culture?
“Ah.”
– Won’t she be able to enjoy herself fully with half measures of the capital tour if she’s being guarded?
However, under the Emperor’s continued provocations, I fell silent.
That’s right. If we have guards, everyone will try to watch the Crown Princess’s every move, inhibiting her from truly enjoying the rich culture and festivities of the capital.
‘What to do about this…’
But at the same time, I can’t just let the guards go undisciplined!
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