Pr: Helen
The food here was always new and delicious. In particular, he could not find words to describe the dessert, which can only be enjoyed after finishing the meal. Jurgen said with a smile on his face as Rayan’s cheeks swelled, savoring the sweet taste that made the tip of his tongue tingle.
“Gunner would be happy to see you eating this happily.”
“Gunner?”
“Ah, it’s the chef’s name. He likes making desserts, but His Majesty hates sweets, so he hadn’t had time to make them.”
Rayan tilted his head, wondering, didn’t Erich like sweets? He used to eat well when they were in Arhen. Rayan would often offer him a bite, saying that it tasted good, that he should try it too. Each time, Erich ate it without much hesitation.
“He definitely liked it…”
“Yes? I didn’t hear very well.”
“I was talking to myself.”
He didn’t know why, but he had to keep it a secret if Erich was going to pretend that he didn’t like it in front of other people. But even so, wouldn’t it be okay to give it to him secretly?
“If you’ve finished eating, shall we leave?”
Rayan was conflicted as he looked at the tart that was left over with his serious eyes. As he thought Rayan had finished eating, Jurgen instructed the servant standing behind him to clear the table. Rayan pursed his lips as he watched the tart being removed in front of him, but it was already too late.
In the end, Rayan prepared to go outside, led by Jurgen. When he came to his senses after his skillful dressing, he had already put on something similar to Erich’s clothes instead of the bedclothes he was wearing. As if that wasn’t enough, a thick cloak was draped over his shoulders.
“I heard that you’re sensitive to the cold.”
“How do you know everything about me?”
When in human form, his body temperature did not feel heat, but he was easily exposed to cold. It was a fact he hadn’t realized until he’d been here, having been used to the Arhen climate all his life. There was nothing Jurgen didn’t know about himself. His appetite, for example, and even this.
When he finally couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked, he vaguely gave the answer with a smile like he always did.
“Then, let us leave.”
In the end, he got no answer. As he left the cozy bedroom, cold air passed by his cheek. It was warm in the bedroom, so he thought it would be warm outside, but Rayan grabbed his cloak because it was unexpectedly cold.
“If it’s cold, should we go back in?”
“It’s okay.”
Jurgen looked him over with great care. The servants around them made strange faces, but when he looked at them, they straightened up and looked away, as if they had never been gawking.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Rayan just rolled his eyes around slightly.
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He was about to pass through the corridor and go down the stairs when he heard a sound.
“…Ha. Your Highness Marielle.”
Marielle? Rayan tilted his head forward slightly at the sound of a familiar name.
“Your Majesty is probably attending to business at the main palace.”
“I know. I’ll wait here.”
The voice that chirped like a bird was even more familiar. Jurgen also seemed to have caught Marielle’s voice and stopped. He briefly said, “Wait a moment,” and his expression seemed to be inwardly perplexed.
Nevertheless, the footsteps were steadily getting closer to him. Rayan, who was standing in front of the curved stairs, looked at the cute pink front nose and tilted his head slightly. Marielle blinked her round eyes and pointed at him.
“Her Royal Highness.”
“… Uh- uh!”
Marielle, who easily ignored even Jurgen’s greeting, had her gaze fixed on Rayan, never looking away. Her mouth was twitching to call out “fairy”.
“Your Highness?”
“Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
Marielle, who did not flinch despite Jurgen’s words or the words of the woman standing behind her, ran over and stood in front of Rayan, as if she had belatedly woken up from a dream.
“Fairy. Why are you here?”
For a moment, Jurgen and the woman exchanged glances, wondering what was this situation and how did those two know each other. And what was it about a fairy? However, it was a pointless stare-down because neither of them knew the answer, only questions.
Rayan was as perplexed as she was. He thought of Erich scolding Marielle with his cold eyes, asking if it was him who lured her away. He hesitated, wondering what would happen if he thought that way again.
“No way, did brother catch you?”
“Hm?”
“That’s why he closed the door to Reneé Palace, so he could have you for himself, isn’t it!”
While he was wondering what to do, Marielle asked herself questions and came to her own conclusions. There was no room for Rayan or the people around him to intervene.
“Stingy.”
“Your Highness. Come here. This nanny doesn’t understand a thing.”
“Whatever!”
The sight of a child who hadn’t even lost her baby cheeks clenching her fists and getting angry was more cute than scary. Even Marielle’s nanny didn’t look restless.
After sulking to herself for a while, Marielle grabbed Rayan’s hand and went to a place far away from the crowd. When they tried to catch up, she even waved her hand to tell them not to come and she backed Rayan into a corner. In spite of that, the little girl barely reached his waist and he didn’t feel like he was being pushed around at all.
Marielle, who turned around to check whether they were following her, glanced at those who were standing at a distance and looking in this direction. She then raised her tiptoes. Rayan sensed the child’s intentions and lowered his body. If Erich got angry, so be it. As expected, Rayan couldn’t be unkind to this child who was somewhat similar to Erich.
“Fairy, can you stay here? You have to live in the lake.”
Marielle whispered. Rayan couldn’t help but laugh because although his identity was still wrong, she got the essence right.
“Marielle. I told you. I am human.”
Lies. If her eyes could say words, Marielle was definitely saying that to him.
“And I, um, am human, but if I were really a fairy, shouldn’t I not reveal my identity?”
“Ah.”
She couldn’t keep calling him a fairy, so Rayan crudely made up some words, and the child nodded her head with a serious expression. “Okay.” The answer that followed was even resolute.
“Your Highness.”
As Marielle’s momentum faded, the woman watching behind her did not miss the opportunity and interrupted their conversation.
“His Majesty is not here, so you have to go.”
“…”
“Your Highness Marielle.”
“No. I want to stay here. The fairy… I mean, um, anyway, I’ll stay here.”
In her stubbornness, she held Rayan’s hand tightly although it didn’t feel like he was being caught because her hand was half as big as his.
“Right?”
Her eyes shone fiercely, as if telling Rayan to answer accordingly. Even though he knew that Erich would dislike it, Rayan was overwhelmed by her spirit and had no choice but to vaguely agree.
“You were on your way out, right? Let’s go out. I’ll show you around.”
Marielle seemed satisfied with Rayan’s answer and smiled brightly as she went ahead. Her hair, tied with a red ribbon, swayed gently. Rayan looked at the accessory that looked like fins and followed her.
***
On the surface, it was quite a bizarre scene to see the emperor’s unofficial paramour and his only little sister playing together. There was that, but it was even more strange when one considers Princess Marielle’s personality of being picky about people.
The princess’s nanny seemed completely unable to understand the situation, and Jurgen the same. How on earth could Rayan, who had only recently come to Djerba from Arhen, and whose movements had been unremarkable except for when he stayed in Orb and visited the VIP palace, know the princess? Moreover, it seemed that the princess really followed and liked Rayan.
“… What on earth is going on?”
Jurgen was wondering if he should stop them as he watched the two of them busy making a snowman by putting snow together, even though their earlobes and even noses were red from the cold. Just then, he heard a chilling voice coming right next to him, making him suck in a deep breath.
It was the emperor.
He quickly bowed his head. Judging by the way the light floated through his body like dust, it was clear that he had traveled through space after the meeting.
“Your Majesty. Well…”
“Their faces are red from the cold. Are you just going to leave them like that?”
Before Jurgen could quickly chime in, the emperor became irritated. However, the point at which the emperor got irritated was a bit strange, so as soon as he raised his head slightly, he lightly snapped his fingers.
Snap- At the same time, Rayan was engulfed in light and disappeared.
Princess Marielle, who was concentrating on building her snowman with her cheeks stained similar to or even more red than Rayan’s, blinked her eyes at the spot where Rayan had been and then looked around as if looking for him. Her gaze immediately landed on the emperor, and as if she had guessed the situation, she raised her eyebrows high. It didn’t look particularly threatening.
“Marielle.”
Erhart called her name and approached the upset child.
“What on earth were you doing out here?”
“I was playing with the fairy.”
She glared at him calmly, as though she was implicitly adding that she was playing until a certain somebody sent the other person away. Perhaps this child was the only one in the palace who could look at him like this. Rather than reprimanding her somewhat regressive behavior, Erhart echoed Marielle’s words.
“… Fairy? Who? Are you talking about him?”
He had ignored it the last time he heard it from Marielle’s nanny, but it was so strange that he couldn’t let it go this time.
Ah.”
When he asked about it, Marielle let out a short exclamation. The child, showing subtle embarrassment, pursed her lips as if she would not say anything more.
“You’re already ten years old and you still believe in fictional existences.”
And Erhart knew just how to shake off her seemingly determined expression.
Ahhh, I finally caught up with the translation.
Thank you so much for your work, I really appreciate it. I love this story. 🩷
Thx for the ch ٩(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )و