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The second stormy season was already approaching.
‘It’s already the last night of my birthday party; time flies really quickly.’
The seven-year-old’s birthday party also passed quickly. That’s because Siervian wanted it to be short and simple.
Therefore, the process of inviting other young lords and young ladies would be stopped. Even the Empress did not show her face and the days passed peacefully.
But, just because it was a small party didn’t mean it was boring. Rather, the time spent with her family was warm.
‘I’m so excited, what should I do?’
The party was all over, but Siervian returned to the Palace in excitement.
This was because her father said he would grant her this year’s wish.
But it seemed that the birthday party that went by so quickly was on her mind.
“Princess, it’s time to sleep.”
“Yes!”
She whispered in her father’s ear the wish she desired. Fortunately, her father replied without much consideration.
So thanks to that, Siervian couldn’t sleep so easily.
“Sebi is fine now. Ellie should go and take a rest.”
However, she tried to speak honorably and haughtily because she wanted Ellie to take a break.
Now that she is seven years old, she was able to show a slightly more noble side.
“I shall, Princess.”
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: She is so cute. Since yesterday you’ve been trying to sound like an adult, but I just want to rub those cute red cheeks.
But even with this perfect consideration, Ellie was expressing discourtesy.
“If you’re scared, please call me? Is that all right?”
“Don’t worry, Ellie.”
Siervian nodded proudly as she held the Crown Prince’s gift from last year, the teddy bear.
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: Huheu, how can you hold the doll in such a cute way while speaking in a haughty way? Our Princess sure has a lot of talent.
Recently, Siervian had been very independent, so Ellie helped her with the blanket again and left the room.
‘I want to go there soon. When will father grant my wish?’
It took some time before she could try to fall asleep after containing her excitement.
But suddenly, a white butterfly appeared outside and tapped on her window.
“…!”
Siervian quickly covered her mouth and jumped from her bed and looked at the door to check if someone might come.
After clearing things up, she then carefully opened the window slightly.
‘It’s Karmen!’
The butterfly flew into her room and quickly fluttered over Siervian’s head as if it were welcome there.
But, before her eyes, it broke into a powder that shone brightly.
And it clumped together and soon formed into letters.
〈Tomorrow, number 1, that place〉
The code message soon disappeared without a trace.
Siervian, who had already seen it, smiled bashfully.
She felt like she was in a dream that night.
* * *
The next morning arrived.
As soon as the promised time came, Siervian diligently went outside.
Siervian and Karmen hadn’t seen each other since the Crown Prince introduced them, but they did play together occasionally.
‘Let’s go!’
After Karmen learned magic messaging, they created their own codes.
Karmen thought that Siervian didn’t know many words so used a few words in the letter.
Since he had yet to send a long message, it was set this way.
“Oh my, Princess.”
“I greet your Highness the Imperial Princess.”
“Where are you going in such a hurry?”
As she went to the back of the Palace kitchen, the busy maids smiled as soon as they saw her.
And there was no sign of surprise at the sudden appearance of the Princess.
“Shh, meeting Sebi here is a secret!”
“Yes.”
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The giggling women then pretended to not know Siervian.
The secret place with Karmen is always ‘that place,’ it was their hideout. And ‘number 1’ meant this time in the morning.
“Karmen!”
She first needed to go through the side door in order to get to the hideout under the wisteria flowers.
The maids already knew that Siervian would often go there.
Fortunately, the maids did not follow the sound of the secret, so there will be escorts in the distance.
“You came?”
Karmen belatedly learned that she was a Princess, so he tried to use honorifics at first, but Siervian refused.
Because he was her first precious friend.
“Yes!”
Karmen’s face slightly hardened as Siervian appeared under the gently lifted wisteria.
But he treated Siervian with friendliness.
“…Hmph. Why are you all dressed up today? It’s going to get dirt on it.”
The way he grumbled was still the same.
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Favorability: +100
Thoughts: Why are you getting prettier every time I see you? What are you eating at the Palace? Is there a drug that makes someone so pretty? But the old man said there is no such thing.
Siervian covered her mouth with both hands as she saw his thoughts. She couldn’t stand it without smiling.
But all of a sudden she burst out laughing and Karmen just wondered what happened.
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Thoughts: How can you giggle in a way so lovely? No, this is a hallucination spell.
Then, when their eyes met, Karmen turned his head and leaned against a wisteria on a wall from a distance away.
Siervian naturally went to the spot Karmen had left and sat down.
At some point, this hideout’s spot had been covered with a soft cushion.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why I called you?”
“You called me to play!”
“… Don’t you think I’m too old to play with you?”
Karmen was now 10 years old and growing taller day by day.
And to say he’s too old to play with, Karmen had sent messages very often.
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
Karmen took something from his robe and held it out.
She thought that they would play again today, but surprisingly, something else was going to happen.
“Ah, wah. is it… ”
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Thoughts: Man, I had to pack it up. Damn it, I wrapped it like a hundred times, but it still came out looking like that.
The ring was usually difficult to wrap unless it was put in a ring box.
Repeating it a hundred times. Siervian was surprised by Karmen’s perseverance, and happily accepted the ring.
“A gift!.”
“It’s not that big of a deal.”
As he said that, Karmen dug into the ground with his toe. It was just a habit of him being shy.
But after being flustered for a decent amount of time, he created a hole next to the tree he was leaning against to the extent that the roots could be seen.
“Thank you!”
The ring Siervian felt had a soft weight. It also had a strange vibration, just like the necklace her father gave her.
Siervian was puzzled by the ring and quickly put it on.
The ring was a little big, but it shrank as soon as her index finger entered it.
“Hey, it’s dangerous to put it on so carelessly especially if it’s a stranger who gave it to you.”
“But, Karmen is not a stranger”
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Karmen turned his head away again.
The bright sunlight through the wisteria flowers caught on the ears that were turned to red.
“… But, you really can’t wear what anyone else gives you. We don’t know what kind of magic it might contain.”
“Okaay! Did Karmen make this?”
She thought that it was just an ordinary ring, but it seemed that there was mana in it.
Siervian recently got interested in magic, so she quickly approached and asked Karmen.
“No, don’t come near me, stay away.”
“All right!”
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Thoughts: Oh, another stupid thing to say. I don’t want you to go away.
Ahem Karmen cleared his throat, touched the back of his head, and softly said.
“It’s nothing, I just learned it in class and made it, but you can keep it.”
“Wuah!”
Siervian looked at her new item admiringly.
The ring had a simple shape and a single pattern and looked just like a thin silver band.
Karmen was a little worried but still carefully continued.
“I made it to increase poison resistance. But, don’t be afraid. That was just the topic of the class.”
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Thoughts: I can’t believe such a thing happened. The Imperial family is really dangerous… I can’t. I need to protect you.
Karmen must have heard rumors that she had been seriously ill after taking in poison from the harmin tea.
After a little hesitation, Siervian spoke, but had trouble doing it.
And because Karmen was reliable.
“Will this pwevent tea allergies?”
“… You’re allergic to harmin tea?”
“Yeah, Sebi has it.”
With the unexpected reply, Karmen was lost in thought.
Then he pressed her with a look of a startled face.
“You can’t just say that you have such an allergy.”
As a smart tower lord candidate, Karmen grasped the situation at once.
It was rumored that the Princess got sick after taking in the poison in the tea. But some herbs can fatally damage a person.
“Ah, okey.”
At Karmen’s warning, Siervian quickly nodded. Then she approached closer, lifting her heel.
And as Siervian’s hands touched Karmen’s ears, she whispered carefully.
“Sebi is weally allergic.”
“You, you…”
He suddenly stiffened as Siervian was drawing closer in fear of accidentally hurting her.
It wasn’t until she fell again, and Karmen hurriedly stepped back. The wood she felt on her back was rough.
“Ahem, I’ll keep it a secret.”
“Thank you.”
Karmen rubbed his ears violently and soon fell into trouble like a wizard
“And that, I guess I’ll have to do some research. I’m not sure if the ring could stop it, so you should still be careful. Okay?”
“Yes!”
Siervian nodded vigorously.
If Karmen, the person who will be the Lord of the magic tower in the future, recognized it, it would be very reliable.
Even though there was that necklace from her father, the tea itself could kill her, so it would be better to be careful.
“Oh right, I heard that the Princess is very talented.”
Karmen often heard rumors about the Palace like he just said.
It was a precious time for Siervian, who was sensitive to rumors around her, like mana of drought.
“Hmm, What should Sebi do?”
But this time, some rumors weren’t very good, so Siervian might be getting into trouble.
Then Karmen looked confused.
“Why? Isn’t it a good thing? I told you that the scent of your mana is excellent. You could learn magic well next year.”
Siervian knew that the medicine in the tea was the kind that disrupts mana.
Still, she wouldn’t expect much from it.
“Does Sebi still haf the mana’s scent?”