Chapter 33
“Here, Helliman. Eat what’s in front of you.”
“No! I want that one too!”
Meanwhile, the Third Prince had a plate of plain snacks in front of him that clearly seemed to have the sugar content adjusted.
Perhaps because of that, he was staring at the flashy cakes in front of me with a very greedy look.
“This is a bit… tricky.”
“Since today’s a special day, why not give him a little?”
Whether the Third Prince became overweight or whatever didn’t concern me.
So, without missing the chance, I gladly shared my treats with him.
“Here, pick whatever you want.”
Even Alexia seemed unwilling to completely deny Helliman sugar on a day like today, so she smiled and accepted the situation.
From that moment, the Third Prince’s unstoppable eating frenzy began.
But… isn’t he eating like a man possessed, even though no one is taking the food from him?
Seeing him like this after so long made it seem even more gluttonous.
“Adel, you eat too. Our palace chef’s skills are pretty good.”
Alexia, seemingly accustomed, ignored the Third Prince and offered me some treats as well.
“Mm, tasty.”
I wasn’t particularly fond of sweets, but Margaret stood in a corner of the garden with a pleased look, so I didn’t tell the truth.
Ha, I’m only warm to my own people…
So I just politely complimented the treats and ate them.
“By the way, what happened the other day? You said you caught a drug trafficker at the divine beast nest.”
“Oh, that… It just happened by chance.”
“Is it true that your playroom has two terrifying divine beast specimens?”
“That also just… happened by chance.”
“Did Lord Roxhan catch the divine beasts?”
“One was given by Father.”
“I want to see it too! The divine beast Lord Roxhan caught! Can you show me next time I visit?”
“Sure…”
“By the way, I’ve been curious… Lord Roxhan… you know… Lord Roxhan… Lord Roxhan…”
I gave Alexia a tired look as she fired off a rapid series of questions.
Ha, this kid…
I knew, but she’s really bright and clear-headed.
‘Though only regarding our father.’
It was well known in the palace that Alexia admired our father, Roxhan.
It made sense that even people who didn’t like me in my previous life tolerated me because of him.
Even in my first life, where the First Prince Euclid seemed uneasy around me, Alexia treated me with special courtesy. Her admiration for my father required no further explanation.
Of course, occasionally she gave me looks like, “How can a kid like you be Lord Roxhan’s daughter?”—blatantly obvious—but that was minor.
After some time, Alexia clapped her hands together in a childlike, excited manner.
“Wow, that was really a fun tea party, wasn’t it?”
Sure, for you!
The Third Prince, who had devoured all the treats, seemed a little regretful as he gnawed his fork and glared at his sister.
Alexia… I understand her…
Anyone who isn’t a fan of our father would be strange.
I found it oddly convincing, shrugged my shoulders, and wiped my nose lightly with my hand.
“Oh? Look, it’s Brother Euclid!”
At that moment, the Third Prince suddenly pointed somewhere and shouted.
What, the First Prince is here too?
“Really. He must have come to ride.”
I wondered if Alexia had called him, but judging by her reaction, that wasn’t the case.
“Brother! Brother Euclid!”
Him…?
The Third Prince jumped up and started calling the First Prince loudly.
Honestly, he’s just like the Second Prince, doing things unasked.
The First Prince, riding his horse, seemed to hear the Third Prince’s voice.
He was a bit far away, so his expression wasn’t visible.
But soon, his horse slowed down.
“So you’re all gathered here. Was this tea time?”
The First Prince approached the stairs leading from the lake to the garden.
Like Alexia said, he had probably just come nearby to ride and happened to meet us.
For a moment, it felt like our eyes met.
But then my gaze was interrupted by the Third Prince, who had already stood in front of me.
“I want a ride too! Ask Brother Euclid to let me ride!”
Alexia also stood up.
“Adel, since it’s about time to end the tea party, let’s go down too.”
I wasn’t particularly eager, but I also had no reason to avoid the First Prince, so I walked confidently.
The First Prince also dismounted his horse.
Perhaps because I was the guest, everyone yielded the stairs to me first.
“Princess, I’ll carry you down.”
“I’ll walk!”
I didn’t want to be carried by Margaret in front of these snotty kids—it would hurt my pride.
So I went down the stairs alone.
“Move!”
The arrogant Third Prince, perhaps feeling competitive, shoved Margaret aside as she was about to follow and claimed the second spot.
Bang!
“Ah?!”
But whether intentional or not, as he descended the stairs, the Third Prince’s foot struck my ankle.
I stumbled, lost my balance, and my body tipped forward.
“Aspodel!”
“Princess!”
The First Prince ahead and Margaret, who had been watching me, were the first to notice my danger.
The First Prince, eyes wide, rushed toward me as if in slow motion.
But…
‘What the…?’
Could you really look at me with that expression?
“Ugh!”
Thud!
The next moment, my vision flipped dizzyingly as a groan echoed above me.
At the same time, I felt a dull pain.
“Prince! Princess!”
The suddenness left everyone unable to process the situation immediately.
But soon, I realized someone was underneath me as I fell down the stairs.
Gasping, I lifted my head.
“What… what’s going on?”
Below, I saw the First Prince supporting me, his face strained in pain.
“You… okay?”
You idiot—check yourself first.
The First Prince, sweating coldly, checked on me.
I let out a helpless breath.
“My goodness, is everyone okay?!”
The shocked Second Princess Alexia ran down the stairs.
The Third Prince, Helliman, froze pale.
I glared at him. Surely he kicked me on purpose, but he looked genuinely surprised at how badly I had fallen.
“Squeak!”
“Eeek!”
The ferrets, who had been watching from the stairs, shrieked loudly in panic.
The next moment, they—the ones that had been forcibly restrained—flew through the air.
Thud!
“Ahh!”
Splash!
The Third Prince staggered and fell into the lake after being kicked by Pio and Kino.
“Helliman!”
“Pr-Prince!”
And thus, another victim was added to the tea party.
The beautiful afternoon tea party ended in chaos.
“The physician says there’s no major injury. We’ll call the priest only after assessing the situation today.”
“I see. Adel got hurt catching you from the stairs… Euclid, I’m sorry and thank you.”
“No trouble. Last time, Aspodel helped our Yul, didn’t he?”
We were currently at the First Army and First Prince’s palace.
I had minor bruises from the tea party incident, but the bigger issue was the First Prince.
Because he caught me falling from above, his left wrist was fractured and his right arm broken—serious injuries.
Of course, he also had bruises from the fall.
The Third Prince Helliman, who fell into the lake because of the ferrets, was taken away by the Second Princess Alexia.
Even though he exaggerated the pain, the physician confirmed there was nothing serious.
“Have a little chat together.”
Perhaps sensing the tension between the First Prince and me, the fathers subtly stepped aside.
“……”
“……”
But even alone, silence lingered.
Eventually, the First Prince, who had been watching me warily like the fathers, spoke first.
“I’m fine. Really. Not hurt at all.”
“But your arm is broken.”
“Hmm… but they said once it heals, it’ll be stronger than before.”
Would it have been better if he acted like the Third Prince and complained?
The First Prince’s stoic words only scratched at my nerves.
“Why do useless things like that? Do you expect anyone to thank you?”
Even I knew that was a mean, spiteful thing to say.
Even someone normally pleasant would be irritated hearing that.
“Not really… I’m not doing it to hear you say thank you.”
The First Prince also frowned, staring at me firmly.
The unruly princess’s self-willed life plan.
