âOh,â
Huh?
I lifted my head, and I saw a blue eye looking at me. Thereâs another one here! I got up right away. Without thinking, I grabbed the ball and stepped back. She covered her mouth with surprise. Oh, what should I do now? I didnât have any strength left to run away anymore!
ââ¦â
My lips were tight with a frown, and there was a subtle silence.
I didnât like this. Where should I go to find the garden again? I was thirsty. My lips felt as if they were drying up. At that moment, the woman pointed to something. Huh? I took a step backward despite her little action. What did she do to me?
âGo that way.â
Ah?
The pale blue-haired woman said that and just walked away.
Huh? I was left there in my lonesome, so I felt a little dazed and hugged the ball in my arms.
What was it? There was some tension between us; was it just my own illusion? Anyway, I went in the direction she told me. What if she told me the wrong way?
Well, Iâm glad thereâs no dangerous place in this palace.
All the worries I had were really useless worries. Itâs right there, the garden. Looking up at the tree right in front of my eyes, I felt a sense of skepticism about myself. Oh, I couldnât believe I doubted someone I just met. I was rotten, too.
âPrincess!â
I guess Elene was looking for me everywhere. When she saw me, she ran up to me.
âWhere have you been!â
I pointed out where I just came out.
âHarem.â
âAre you hurt? Did anything happen to you?â
âNo.â
Calming her down, I handed my ball over to Elene. I think I would miss it if I held it. Elene got the ball from me, and she hastened me.
âNow, hurry on. Letâs go find Lady Serira.â
âOkay!â
I donât want to go back, but Serira was looking for me.
Entering the Palace of Solay and heading straight to my room, I could hear the voice of the mastermind who kicked out me from my room.
âNo! Go away!â
Heâs still being like that.
âGraecito!â
Serira tried to soothe Graecito, but somehow, Graecito was more defiant as Serira tried to calm him down. What did he have to hate so much?
Still, she looked more like a mother when she tried to soothe her child. I remembered when my mom scolded me when I was young. However, was Serira so sweet to me because I was a princess? No, itâs because I was such a good child, right? Right?
âSerira-â
When I called her, Serira turned her head. I smiled back at her when she smiled brightly at me.
âOh, princess, youâre back! Come, have a seat. Itâs time for your snack.â
âYes!â
Sitting safely on my chair with the help of Elene, I looked at the delicious snack today. Oh, dessert was the best. Maybe my taste changed because of my body, but still, all the food here was so delicious. While I ate my cookies, the commotion in front of me had subsided. Did they stop fighting because I was here? He had a keen eye for me. Yeah, well, I wasnât too happy either way.
âYou should try this too, Cito.â
Still, I wasnât young enough to deal with a kid like this. The little boy, who had been silent after my suggestion, turned his head. He didnât like what I did. Still, I was satisfied that scuffle had stopped. Serira sighed in relief as she looked at Graecito, who sat quietly in front of me.
âHowâs Baron Brave?â
âThe doctor said it was okay.â
âYou must be very worried.â
âIâm fine.â
I looked at Graecito while biting a cookie in my mouth. When our eyes met, Graecito turned his head. Heâs being so restless⦠I understand he felt uncomfortable staying with his mother after his grandmother suddenly fell sick.
However, it was the same for Serira too. She was holding back her desire to run to her mother, and even Graecito was adding to her frustration. At least I should be the good kid. Solidifying the idea, I ate up a piece of apple pie in front of me.
âYou should eat this, tooâ
Gracito gazed at me eating the apple pie.
Huh? Why did he look at me? Was I so pretty? I knew I was pretty, though. However, I was not pretty enough for him to lose his temper when he was about to eat something.
Uh, uhâ¦This was a little too much, damn it.
âNo! I wonât!â
âGraecito!â
He hit Seriraâs hand and the apple pie almost flew away at the moment. Hey!
I loved Seriraâs education policy, wherein she would never punish anyone, but sometimes, I thought it was necessary. I frowned on their scuffle that had started again. The two of them would have another war, right? My head started to hurt again. Well, I should help her.
âIf you wonât eat it, then I will.â
âP, Princess.â
I picked up a bowl of apple pie Graecito said he wouldnât eat and brought it right to me. The platter tugged loudly into the room. However, the moment I put the plate in front of me and held the fork, Graecito took it again.
âGive it to me!â
He picked up the fork right away and started eating the apple pie. I put down the fork with a sigh.
Tsk. I knew you would eat it in the end.