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The celebration’s first day had ended.
This was because the young princess didn’t seem able to focus on the festivities yet. Much too many things happened in a party where a child was the main character.
“Did you have fun today, Princess?”
“Yeaahh…”
Of course, it wasn’t truly because of Siervian’s inability to focus. She was just busy looking at this place and that place because she lost track of the thief for just a moment.
“Now then, please say ‘hooray!’ for me and raise your arms.”
“Hooray…”
The party ended while she was reading the status windows of everyone who passed by her. The emperor was closely watching how she was acting, and because of this, he sent her back early in case she was feeling sick.
“Now, hold your nose please.”
“Okayy.”
Of course, it was also true that she was tired from walking around in this body she couldn’t quite control yet.
Even after Ellie gave her a bath, dressed her and tucked her into bed, Siervian couldn’t fall asleep just yet.
‘Why is there a thief in the imperial palace?’
Inside the dark bedroom, Siervian was still puzzled.
It was a huge matter that a thief had entered the imperial palace. If someone had an unclear background, they wouldn’t be able to enter the palace so easily.
It was so strange because Siervian couldn’t remember anything about this even though it’s a big deal.
‘I’m sure nothing like this happened.’
She had never heard of a time when the imperial palace had been infiltrated by a thief.
Even if it wasn’t announced to the public, rumors would at least come and go within the palace.
‘Maybe… I’ll remember…’
Anyway, her fatigue was catching up to her. As she drifted off to sleep, she tried to think about the good things that happened today which she would treasure.
But then, it was at that moment that she recalled a memory, as though lightning had struck her.
‘Treasure… Treasure?!’
Her drowsiness suddenly vanished and Siervian sat up in a hurry. Both of her hands were clenched into fists over her blanket.
‘The burglary of the imperial palace’s treasure room, was it around this time?’
The treasure room was where all the rarest riches of the imperial family were stored, and it was located deep within the place.
Not only were there strict guards, but even magical defenses.
Even so, when Siervian was young, this imperial treasure room had been raided.
‘What was stolen again?’
Siervian surprisingly recalled the event right away, but she couldn’t remember what the stolen item was.
Either she didn’t hear what it was, or the stolen item wasn’t of that much importance.
Anyway, Siervian still thought that this case should be prevented.
‘Father will be attacked by the aristocrats with this later!’
When she was about fourteen years old, there was an incident that caused the imperial palace’s defenses to be raised.
However, the aristocrats hated it whenever the emperor’s authority was strengthened, so they nitpicked and attacked him ferociously. To be exact, the aristocrats tried to fill in positions with the people they recommended, who were not under the direct command of the emperor.
‘I don’t know much, but I heard that he needed to work really hard..’
It was a great jab at the emperor that he couldn’t even prevent the robbery of the palace’s most guarded area. This incident became a political leverage that was bound to be used as ammunition.
‘I’ll prevent it this time.’
Balling her small hands into fists, Siervian made this vow.
All while hoping that her father won’t need to suffer later.
* * *
On the second day of festivities, the age group of the guests was lower than the previous day.
The offspring of each noble family crossed the threshold of the imperial palace. They were attending an imperial family member’s birthday party now, but later in the future, they would be the ones leading the empire.
“Siervian is the main character of the party, so come sit here.”
“Yees.”
Birthday parties originally had the objective of naturally building friendships.
So, neither the emperor nor the empress had attended the event today. The crown prince, of course, was now with the highest authority.
[ Damian Erveldote ]
Thoughts: There’s no one close to Siervian’s age here, and only those allied with the Duchy attended. Mother, again…
Siervian wasn’t thinking deeply, but the moment she read his thoughts, only then did she realize that the composition of the young ladies and young lords who had come was strange.
She thought that it was only natural to be unfamiliar because she couldn’t get close to people of her own age before.
[ Damian Erveldote ]
Thoughts: It’s Siervian’s party, but this is too much. I have to protect her.
Siervian wasn’t bullied as much as she thought she’d be.
Because her older brother stuck close to her from start to finish and took very good care of her.
‘Brother has been this smart since he was young.’
Siervian was inwardly an adult, but the more she saw her older brother, the more she was surprised at how smart he really was.
She admired him for a while, but Siervian’s expression soon crumpled as she was reminded of the trouble ahead.
She was certainly grateful for the crown prince’s consideration—but right now, there was a thief for her to catch.
‘I didn’t even know you existed yesterday!’
Glancing sideways, Damian thought that Siervian was bored judging by her expression. So, he quickly gestured to the servant next to him.
The attendant hastily moved to find someone.
It was not long after that Karmen, who ran from the other side of the room, stepped forward.
“…I greet… the Imperial Princess.”
Siervian’s eyes widened as she saw Karmen.
Anyone could tell that he was forced to come to this party.
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Favorability: 90,436
Thoughts: You’re really… the Princess. I can’t act like I know you.
Karmen’s favorability had risen that much in the meantime, but his thoughts were full of dismay.
Of course, Siervian also didn’t think that they’d meet again, but strangely, she couldn’t compel herself to pretend she didn’t know him.
“Siervian, this is my fellow apprentice who’s under the tutelage of the Tower Lord, and his name is—”
“Karmen!”
“Huh? Siervian, you know Karmen?”
“……”
Siervian nodded enthusiastically.
Karmen averted his eyes, but his favorability was steadily rising, betraying his honest feelings.
“Last twime, Sebian got lost and Karmen helped.”
“Is that so?”
As if withholding the rest as their secret, Siervian deliberately winked at Karmen.
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Favorability: +100
Thoughts: Crazy. You became even cuter since the last time we met? I really, really didn’t want to come to the party because this punk Damian… Well, I guess it’s a good thing that I came in the end.
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
Unexpectedly, Karmen seemed to have a deeper friendship with the crown prince.
Although he spoke with the proper honorifics, his uniquely grumbling tone remained the same.
[ Damian Erveldote ]
Thoughts: This is good. There’s no one else who can help Siervian at this party anyway. Karmen is a good guy, so he’ll be of great help to Siervian in the future.
It was only a party for young kids, but the crown prince seemed to have many thoughts.
Siervian could understand where he’s coming from, since she herself had lived as an imperial family member. She just felt sorry for her older brother because he was struggling even in this kind of event.
“You both be good friends.”
“Sure, I guess…”
“Okay!”
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Favorability: +100
And the same was true of Karmen, who kept being conscious about his supposedly unbefitting status in this position.
Agonizing over this, Siervian picked up a couple of macarons in front of her and handed one each to the two of them.
[ Damian Erveldote ]
Thoughts: Siervian gave up her macarons…! I knew it, I’ll need to write about today in my magic tome to commemorate this day!
No, uh, you don’t need to go that far though.
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Thoughts: Urk, what is this? It’s so sweet. Do all nobles live on sweets like this?
Unfortunately, however, Karmen wasn’t thrilled about the macaron.
Feeling sad for him, Siervian especially gave him one more macaron.
“Th… ank you.”
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Favorability: +100
Siervian saw his favorability rising, so it was clear that he still liked it even though his thoughts didn’t point that way.
Siervian nodded proudly.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, congratulations on this day.”
At that time, a greasy looking young man approached them.
“…The person you should congratulate is someone else, Young Count.”
The crown prince retorted quickly at the misguided greeting.
He was a count’s son, his household being a distant relative of the duchy.
“To the Princess, huh. She’s still young, so even if I give her my greetings…”
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Thoughts: This son of a… Wanna die?
As Karmen stood next to the other kid, his eyebrow quickly twitched.
Seeing Karmen’s brutal thoughts, it was to the point that Siervian pulled on his sleeve unknowingly.
Perhaps it caught the young lord’s eye, but his pointed gaze turned towards Siervian’s hand, and then to her face.
“I can’t believe that even a lowborn is attending a party like this, so for His Majesty to value the Princess to this ex—”
“Young Lord Garske.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
He was talking nonstop as much as he could, until the crown prince’s razor-sharp tone cut him off.
Startled by the crown prince’s reaction, the young lord quickly bowed his head. Still, only towards the crown prince.
“How dare you be insolent right in front of a member of the Imperial Family, yet try to be forgiven.”
“Y-Your Highness…”
His father, the count, had also mentioned this and that, so the young lord naturally heard rumors of the imperial princess. Even if the empress acted like she cared about the princess, the real story was different.
So naturally, he thought the crown prince was only putting up pretenses, pretending to care for the princess even though he actually thought she was annoying.
“Additionally, you insulted my friend.”
As Damian said this, a strong flow of mana engulfed the young lord. It was how imperial family members who had strong magic power pressured people.
Although he was still young, the crown prince’s superiority resembled the emperor’s.
“What are you waiting for? Guards!”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Take him away at once. I shall confront the Count about this great insult soon.”
“Y-Your Highness, it was a mistake! Your Highness!”
Even until the end, that bastard didn’t apologize to either the princess or to Karmen. Outraged by this fact, the crown prince’s sharp gaze looked around the garden.
It would be troublesome if his mother would hear about this, but he was confident enough about covering this up as much as he could.
“I’m sorry, Siervian.”
“No! He’s the bad guy!”
In fact, Siervian was entirely fine. She was already used to people looking down on her.
However, she didn’t like it when Karmen was insulted.
So, as she huffed and puffed, she honestly said her thoughts.
“Karmen talks weird but Karmen’s good! Sebi is angry!”
“That’s right. Karmen has a bad personality, but he’s a good guy. I’ll scold that jerk a lot.”
“…What are you two talking about.”