Chapter 12
The man smiled.
“Heh heh heh.”
He looked to be in his early thirties, but appearances didn’t mean much.
People with abundant mana didn’t age easily.
He had a fairly gentle-looking face.
But the way one corner of his mouth curled upward gave off a different impression.
Isabel wasn’t particularly flustered.
“Who are you?”
“Someone deciding whether or not to adopt you.”
“I already have a dad.”
“Oh? And who might that be?”
“His Majesty the Emperor.”
“…What?”
He hadn’t even considered the possibility that she might be a princess.
She was undeniably cute and adorable—but she didn’t look like a princess at all.
A princess of the Billotian Empire, playing in a flower field, covered in dirt?
“Ahahaha! What a cheeky child.”
Just in case, he glanced around.
Strangely, there was no one nearby.
A perfect environment for a kidnapping.
“…Wait. Come to think of it, she might really be the princess.”
The princess of Billotian.
From the royal family’s perspective, she was likely a troublesome existence.
A royal who couldn’t learn swordsmanship in a swordsmanship empire—she was practically a disgrace.
Otherwise, why would the emperor, who looked down on magic, go as far as hiring Karin to teach her?
“If she really is the princess… that makes it even sadder.”
He looked around again.
“If she’s so unnecessary, it’s no wonder no one’s guarding her.”
“I do have people…”
He smirked.
“Your Highness, come with me.”
“Mister, are you a kidnapper? Are you trying to take me?”
“I’ll make you into a great mage, so don’t be afraid.”
Isabel shook her head.
“I thought you were smart.”
“Oh? You know me?”
“Wilhelm.”
If he could freely walk inside the imperial palace, he had to be part of a visiting delegation.
At the same time, he was a powerful mage who could make Luluka disappear with a mere gesture.
A man whose eyes gleamed greedily upon seeing a magically gifted child.
A bold man who would attempt to kidnap her even if she were the princess.
There weren’t many people who fit all those conditions.
As a reader of the novel, even a quick guess pointed to Wilhelm—and even after thinking it through carefully, the answer was still Wilhelm.
“Oh? I’ve heard much about the great Sir Wilhelm. Thank you for mistaking me for him.”
“You can deny it if you want. But now I know you’re not that smart.”
“What are you talking about?”
Then a voice rang out.
“It means exactly this, my friend.”
A curse nearly slipped out, but it was softened into “friend” in case Isabel heard.
A sharp blade pierced through the man’s chest.
It was Viaton.
Viaton plunged his hand into the man’s shadow and pulled Luluka out.
“Your Highness!”
Luluka hurriedly hugged Isabel tightly, covering her view.
Viaton carefully chose his words so Isabel wouldn’t hear anything too harsh.
“I’ll give you a full-body massage with dirt.”
(In other words, he’d bury him.)
Viaton pulled another sword from a subspace and stabbed it into the man’s shadow.
He was a magic swordsman who wielded both magic and blade.
The sword was engraved with various magical runes, faint green light leaking from them.
The blade embedded in the ground restrained the man’s movements.
“Still don’t get it, my friend?”
“….”
The man didn’t answer.
He seemed afraid that revealing his voice would expose his identity.
“Why do you think there were no guards? Is that thing on your shoulders just for decoration?”
There was no need for many guards.
One was enough.
Viaton realized something.
“Wait… this is just a magical projection?”
The man had been thorough.
This body was fake. There wasn’t even any blood.
Sss—
The man’s body began to fade.
Viaton grinned.
A dangerous gleam flickered in his eyes.
“Attempted kidnapper, my friend.”
“….”
“Don’t relax just because you think there’s no evidence.”
The man remained silent until the end.
“I’m very good at finding evidence.”
Viaton pulled the sword from the man’s chest and licked the blade.
Slick—
The blade gleamed under the moonlight.
His fierce gaze locked onto the fading projection.
“And I don’t leave evidence either.”
The lower half of the projection had already disappeared.
Only the upper body remained.
I’ll find you and kill you.
That’s what he wanted to say—but he softened it again because Isabel was there.
“I’ll find you and get to know you. Let’s become very close.”
Viaton swung his sword.
The projection’s neck was severed, and it scattered into the wind and vanished.
Meanwhile, Isabel already knew Viaton was nearby.
That’s why she remained calm.
But Viaton misunderstood.
“Your Highness… so composed again.”
The princess was terminally ill. That’s why she was always calm and detached.
That thought saddened him.
“What do you mean?”
“Weren’t you scared? He was a bad man.”
“But my teacher was here. Why would I be scared?”
“I arrived late.”
“That’s because you were figuring out his goal and identity first. And I trusted you.”
“Sniff… Your Highness…!”
Deeply moved, Viaton hugged her tightly.
Held in his arms, Isabel tilted her head.
Was he always this easily emotional in the original story?
She didn’t think so.
Pushing that thought aside, she asked:
“Was it really Wilhelm?”
“Who knows.”
“I’ll figure it out. I like making friends.”
Viaton smiled brightly.
Like a refreshing autumn breeze, his smile lifted Isabel’s spirits.
He gently brushed her hair back.
Then Isabel asked innocently:
“But Sir Viaton…”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“What’s the point of speaking nicely if you swing your sword so violently?”
Viaton froze.
He was afraid she might find him scary.
“V-violent? That’s the first I’ve heard of that. I’m a very gentle and kind teacher.”
“Liar.”
It felt like his entire world collapsed.
“…But you were cool. The best.”
His world was restored.
“Wait a second.”
As a thank-you gift, I handed Viaton a yellow flower.
The same kind I gave Luluka.
“For me?”
His fingertips trembled slightly.
“Sniff… I’m touched.”
“This is all I have right now. I’ll give you something better when I grow up.”
“It’s a promise.”
He held out his pinky finger.
“You must give me something nice when you grow up.”
“Promise!”
“Then I’ll write it in my diary. Twenty-five years from today.”
“Mm, in 25 years I won’t be…”
Viaton cut her off.
“Then let’s make it 20.”
Even then, she’d be 24.
She would only live to 21.
“Children who break promises are bad children. Understood?”
“Okay.”
“Promise. You must keep it. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”
“Mm.”
“If you don’t, I’ll hide and cry.”
“Okay.”
Understanding his feelings, Isabel smiled softly.
She was truly grateful.
“Hehe, I’ll go patrol now. I’ve called the knights, so this place will be safe.”
Viaton waved and walked away.
After only a few steps, he disappeared.
Isabel quickly forgot all about meeting Wilhelm.
Being in a child’s body was convenient like that.
If something fun was in front of her, everything else faded away.
“All done!”
“What is that?”
The nanny’s eyes sparkled.
She looked ready to praise.
I proudly said:
“A flower ring!”
“Oh my, it’s so beautiful! I’ve never seen such a lovely ring. How are you so talented?”
As always, the nanny showered her with praise—and as always, Isabel was happy to hear it.
She couldn’t help but smile.
“Your Highness’s smile is what keeps me breathing.”
“Hm?”
That sounded… oddly dramatic.
The nanny’s face turned slightly red.
“O-oh, it’s nothing. Anyway, it’s time to go back inside.”
The third day of the imperial banquet was about to end.
The palace would soon become crowded.
“It’s time.”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to give this to Father.”
“Y-Your Majesty?”
Her father was at the grand banquet hall.
Though called a banquet, it was really politics and diplomacy.
She knew that.
“Don’t worry. Today is a gift-giving day anyway.”
The event should already be in full swing.
They were a bit delayed because of the incident, but there was still time.
“Let’s go!”
Holding the flower ring, she headed toward the grand hall.
The nanny tried to stop her several times.
“It’s okay.”
She was four years old.
Seventeen years left.
“I only have seventeen chances left to give Father presents.”
“…Your Highness.”
“Each one is precious.”
“….”
The nanny finally picked her up.
Then she subtly touched Isabel’s back and underarms.
“That’s strange… I can’t feel any wings.”
“Hm?”
“Huh?”
“Nothing. I thought you said something.”
“…Did I?”
The nanny seemed to have no memory of saying it.
Lately, she’d been acting a bit strange.
“We’ve arrived at the grand hall, angel—no, Your Highness.”
The knights guarding the entrance blocked them.
They didn’t recognize her.
I spoke with authority:
“How dare you! Step aside! I am Isabel!”
“….”
Good. That had presence.
