“Whoa!”
The model horse moved as smoothly as if it were running on glass.
It rolled down the hallway without stopping, dodging obstacles on its own.
“Dad, it moves on its own!”
“The wheels are enchanted with magic.”
“Wow, it’s amazing! Faster! Faster!”
I jumped up and down with excitement, then suddenly felt embarrassed.
‘I’m being overly excited like a child.’
Where’s the adult in me?
‘…such a shame.’
My dad, who had been slowly following behind me, stopped walking when he saw my embarrassed back.
“…Is this not enough?”
He muttered quietly, and then led me somewhere else.
He took me to my medicine lab.
“?!”
But when I opened the door, I thought I was in a new room.
The lab’s equipment had been replaced with the latest technology.
‘I was still using the same things I used to make Asta’s medicine!’
There were also a lot of instruments that I hadn’t asked for because they were expensive.
“Where did you get this? Wow, look at this! I’ve been wanting this too!”
Excited, I hopped around the lab like a rabbit.
Dad’s mouth curled up in satisfaction.
“It seems you like it.”
“Yes!”
I ran to Dad and hugged his legs tightly.
“Thank you, Dad!”
“This is not a big deal, and we’re not done yet.”
“Huh?”
Dad scooped me up in a quick hug and walked over to the window.
When he opened it, I could see construction happening behind the mansion.
“Dad, there’s a lot of construction going on over there.”
“Aren’t you curious about what they’re building?”
I nodded, and Dad smirked.
“They’re building a new library.”
My eyes widened.
We already had a large library in the mansion.
‘But you’re building another?’
The size of the new library seemed enormous at first glance.
“The new library will make the Imperial Library look tacky and ugly.”
Dad said in a confident voice.
‘Why is Dad talking about the Imperial Library all of a sudden?’
“The one at our home will be better than the palace.”
I looked at him in disbelief.
‘He’s not actually jealous, is he?’
That’s unlikely.
***
“So, if we tweak this magic formula a little bit, the effect will be amplified…”
I cupped my cheeks and gazed at Miss Richter with fascination.
She, now a professor at the Academy, was passionately giving a lecture.
Her lectures were more advanced than Professor Frank’s, yet much easier to understand.
“Who among the students would like to try casting the spell based on this formula?”
As Richter asked, hands shot up from the students.
It was something I could never imagine happening back when Ulrich was around.
Jacob was the only one who remained still with a disgruntled look on his face.
“As everyone is interested, we’ll do it one by one. Wait for your turn to come.”
‘This is how a class should be.’
Dad would be disappointed to hear that I still liked the academy.
‘Besides, now Brantley was coming.’
Soon, Miss Richter was planning to introduce Brantley to the Emperor.
‘Miss Richter said she’s got a trick up her sleeve. I wonder what is it?’
In any case, once the Emperor meets Brantley, that was a success in itself.
The talent-hungry Emperor will soon realise Brantley’s worth and admit him. Duke Eisen’s interference will be in vain.
I couldn’t help but laugh, imagining Duke Eisen and Jacob’s reaction.
At the academy, the Professors taught us a wide range of knowledge, from general subjects like history, maths, and geography to magic.
Among them, I liked learning magic the most.
I stood up from my seat with a sense of regret.
“Do we have to go home already? Sigh..”
Kathrine, who was sitting next to me, seemed to share the same sentiment.
“I agree. I’d like to stay with Professor Richter a little longer. Why don’t you come with me to her office?”
“What are you talking about?”
Kathrine snapped back.
“It wasn’t meant for me?”
This wasn’t the first time something similar happened, so I smiled and brushed it off.
“Sorry. I thought you were talking to me.”
“I was. But I didn’t say it was Professor Richter, I was regretful to part with you.”
“Huh?”
“Idiot!”
Kathrine said and stormed out.
“She’s too shy.”
I thought to myself that I should introduce her to Brantley, when he starts attending the Academy.
Humming a tune, I left the classroom, but someone blocked my way.
“Is the Lady busy?”
It was Professor Munich.
I wondered what was wrong with his usually blunt demeanor. What did he want from me? Why was he staring at me with those laser like eyes? Did I do something wrong?
It was the kind of presence that forced one to make amends.
“I’m sorry….”
“Take this.”
I apologized even though I did nothing wrong. But I saw Professor Munich extending his hand.
There were two lemon candies.
“!”
“Eat it.”
Someone as indifferent as Professor Munich suddenly offering me candies?!
Trembling, I looked at him.
“Did you perhaps…poison it…?”
“What?”
Professor Munich shook his head in disbelief.
Then he casually chewed on one of the candies.
“They’re very tasty lemon candies.”
“……”
“There were so many that it was difficult to dispose of them, so I decided to give them to you instead.”
Ah! So that’s why you wanted to give them to me!
Only then did I feel relieved, and I reached out my hand.
But at that moment, Professor Munich suddenly hid the candies behind his back.
“?”
When I reached out my hand again, he did the same thing, hiding the candies.
I stare at him, gauging what was he trying to do. Professor Munich raised the corner of his mouth like a mischievous adult.
“If you follow me, I’ll give them to you.”
It was an oddly ominous proposition.
The lemon candies in front of me looked irresistibly tempting.
But I was more curious regarding the reason behind his odd behaviour.
I furrowed my brow and thought seriously.
“It’s funny how your little head can be so troubled.”
I heard Professor Munich mutter in a low voice.
I pretended not to hear, and asked seriously,
“By any chance…”
“Speak.”
“…Are you kidnapping me?”
Professor Munich was visibly embarrassed, as he hadn’t expected me to ask such a question.
Didn’t he think through his suspicious act?
‘I might be seven, but I can tell when something is fishy.’
Instead of explaining, Professor Munich offered a bargain.
“Follow me, and I’ll give you two.”
“…….”
“Three. Any more than that is non-negotiable. Too much candy rots your teeth.”
“Okay! Three, are you sure?”
Finally, Professor Munich breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he smiled wryly, as if assuring himself that I was just a kid after all.
I held out my hand to the cynical Professor Munich.
***
“Let’s go hand in hand!”
Professor Munich looked down in bewilderment at the tiny hand, which was spread like a maple leaf, waiting to take his.
Because the Academy was so strict, no student dared to approach a Professor first.
Ulrich used to pester him to look good, but even he hadn’t gotten this intimate.
‘Why is she doing this?’
When Professor Munich hesitated, Hanelope reached out and took his hand first.
Even just holding Professor Munich’s index and middle fingers, her small hand was full.
“Let’s go!”
Hanelope commanded. Professor Munich took the child’s hand and start walking, similiar to a parent and child.
‘What on Earth…’
Professor Munich felt terribly embarrassed, but he didn’t dislike the feel of the small, warm hand holding his.
‘So that’s why Prince Hart carries his daughter every day.’
Professor Munich looked down at Hanelope with a small hint of possessiveness.
As if sensing his gaze, Hanelope looked up.
“Professor, if I go with you, can I see the Emperor?”
“What?”
“Professor Munich always goes to the Emperor.”
How did she know? Maybe she instinctively sensed danger.
Professor Munich was on his way to ‘deliver’ Hanelope to the Emperor.
‘Was she scared to meet the Emperor?’
This was a given. How bossy the Emperor acted whenever he met this child!
‘Most children are intimidated by the Emperor’s aura, but the Princess was composed.’
But if she were to meet the Emperor, I don’t think she’d want to….
“I want to see His Majesty!”
Was there something wrong with the Princess… ?
Professor Munich could not hide his bewilderment.
This little one wanted to see the Emperor, a man that even a full-grown adult could barely handle?
“Are you going to see His Majesty too?”
Hanelope has been tested by the Emperor several times. She even boldly called him a “bad Emperor”. And yet she still wanted to meet him.
‘This is certainly not normal. That’s a Reinhardt, alright.’
I wonder if that’s the Reinhardt way of showing affection?
The Emperor has only one direct grandchild, Hanelope.
But anyone with even a drop of royal blood in their veins considered themselves a distant grandchild of the Emperor, and wanted to meet him. The hoped their child would become the next Emperor.
Of course, the Emperor said that he wanted to choose his successor by merit, not by blood.
So if there was a child who stood out from the crowd, he might actually become the heir.
But all of them were just as greedy as their parents, and equally rotten.
‘Their presumptuous behavior was due to the Emperor’s estrangement from Prince Hart and his neglect of Prince Patrick.’
When Prince Hart came of age, the Emperor did not appoint him a crown prince.
So everyone looked in disbelief, but after the falling out between the Emperor and the Prince, there were those who blatantly sought the crown.
The Fork family was one of them.
Although, now they are in a hopeless condition.
‘And all thanks to Princess Hanelope.’
Professor Munich glanced at Hanerope, who couldn’t hide her excitement.
‘This child was not lying when she said she wanted to see the Emperor.’
The other children also pretend to like the Emperor, but it’s only visible flattery.
When they turn around, they either let out a stifled sigh, or burst into tears in their parents’ arms.
‘I’ve never seen a child so eager to see His Majesty.’
Honestly, even as one of the Emperor’s closest confidants, he had never wanted to see the Emperor this excitedly.
‘Is it because she’s the Princess’s paternal grandfather that she has no resistance to His Majesty the Emperor….’
Is it okay to use a child who expresses such an innocent liking for the Emperor for his own purposes?
“Whoa!”
The model horse moved as smoothly as if it were running on glass.
It rolled down the hallway without stopping, dodging obstacles on its own.
“Dad, it moves on its own!”
“The wheels are enchanted with magic.”
“Wow, it’s amazing! Faster! Faster!”
I jumped up and down with excitement, then suddenly felt embarrassed.
‘I’m being overly excited like a child.’
Where’s the adult in me?
‘…such a shame.’
My dad, who had been slowly following behind me, stopped walking when he saw my embarrassed back.
“…Is this not enough?”
He muttered quietly, and then led me somewhere else.
He took me to my medicine lab.
“?!”
But when I opened the door, I thought I was in a new room.
The lab’s equipment had been replaced with the latest technology.
‘I was still using the same things I used to make Asta’s medicine!’
There were also a lot of instruments that I hadn’t asked for because they were expensive.
“Where did you get this? Wow, look at this! I’ve been wanting this too!”
Excited, I hopped around the lab like a rabbit.
Dad’s mouth curled up in satisfaction.
“It seems you like it.”
“Yes!”
I ran to Dad and hugged his legs tightly.
“Thank you, Dad!”
“This is not a big deal, and we’re not done yet.”
“Huh?”
Dad scooped me up in a quick hug and walked over to the window.
When he opened it, I could see construction happening behind the mansion.
“Dad, there’s a lot of construction going on over there.”
“Aren’t you curious about what they’re building?”
I nodded, and Dad smirked.
“They’re building a new library.”
My eyes widened.
We already had a large library in the mansion.
‘But you’re building another?’
The size of the new library seemed enormous at first glance.
“The new library will make the Imperial Library look tacky and ugly.”
Dad said in a confident voice.
‘Why is Dad talking about the Imperial Library all of a sudden?’
“The one at our home will be better than the palace.”
I looked at him in disbelief.
‘He’s not actually jealous, is he?’
That’s unlikely.
***
“So, if we tweak this magic formula a little bit, the effect will be amplified…”
I cupped my cheeks and gazed at Miss Richter with fascination.
She, now a professor at the Academy, was passionately giving a lecture.
Her lectures were more advanced than Professor Frank’s, yet much easier to understand.
“Who among the students would like to try casting the spell based on this formula?”
As Richter asked, hands shot up from the students.
It was something I could never imagine happening back when Ulrich was around.
Jacob was the only one who remained still with a disgruntled look on his face.
“As everyone is interested, we’ll do it one by one. Wait for your turn to come.”
‘This is how a class should be.’
Dad would be disappointed to hear that I still liked the academy.
‘Besides, now Brantley was coming.’
Soon, Miss Richter was planning to introduce Brantley to the Emperor.
‘Miss Richter said she’s got a trick up her sleeve. I wonder what is it?’
In any case, once the Emperor meets Brantley, that was a success in itself.
The talent-hungry Emperor will soon realise Brantley’s worth and admit him. Duke Eisen’s interference will be in vain.
I couldn’t help but laugh, imagining Duke Eisen and Jacob’s reaction.
At the academy, the Professors taught us a wide range of knowledge, from general subjects like history, maths, and geography to magic.
Among them, I liked learning magic the most.
I stood up from my seat with a sense of regret.
“Do we have to go home already? Sigh..”
Kathrine, who was sitting next to me, seemed to share the same sentiment.
“I agree. I’d like to stay with Professor Richter a little longer. Why don’t you come with me to her office?”
“What are you talking about?”
Kathrine snapped back.
“It wasn’t meant for me?”
This wasn’t the first time something similar happened, so I smiled and brushed it off.
“Sorry. I thought you were talking to me.”
“I was. But I didn’t say it was Professor Richter, I was regretful to part with you.”
“Huh?”
“Idiot!”
Kathrine said and stormed out.
“She’s too shy.”
I thought to myself that I should introduce her to Brantley, when he starts attending the Academy.
Humming a tune, I left the classroom, but someone blocked my way.
“Is the Lady busy?”
It was Professor Munich.
I wondered what was wrong with his usually blunt demeanor. What did he want from me? Why was he staring at me with those laser like eyes? Did I do something wrong?
It was the kind of presence that forced one to make amends.
“I’m sorry….”
“Take this.”
I apologized even though I did nothing wrong. But I saw Professor Munich extending his hand.
There were two lemon candies.
“!”
“Eat it.”
Someone as indifferent as Professor Munich suddenly offering me candies?!
Trembling, I looked at him.
“Did you perhaps…poison it…?”
“What?”
Professor Munich shook his head in disbelief.
Then he casually chewed on one of the candies.
“They’re very tasty lemon candies.”
“……”
“There were so many that it was difficult to dispose of them, so I decided to give them to you instead.”
Ah! So that’s why you wanted to give them to me!
Only then did I feel relieved, and I reached out my hand.
But at that moment, Professor Munich suddenly hid the candies behind his back.
“?”
When I reached out my hand again, he did the same thing, hiding the candies.
I stare at him, gauging what was he trying to do. Professor Munich raised the corner of his mouth like a mischievous adult.
“If you follow me, I’ll give them to you.”
It was an oddly ominous proposition.
The lemon candies in front of me looked irresistibly tempting.
But I was more curious regarding the reason behind his odd behaviour.
I furrowed my brow and thought seriously.
“It’s funny how your little head can be so troubled.”
I heard Professor Munich mutter in a low voice.
I pretended not to hear, and asked seriously,
“By any chance…”
“Speak.”
“…Are you kidnapping me?”
Professor Munich was visibly embarrassed, as he hadn’t expected me to ask such a question.
Didn’t he think through his suspicious act?
‘I might be seven, but I can tell when something is fishy.’
Instead of explaining, Professor Munich offered a bargain.
“Follow me, and I’ll give you two.”
“…….”
“Three. Any more than that is non-negotiable. Too much candy rots your teeth.”
“Okay! Three, are you sure?”
Finally, Professor Munich breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he smiled wryly, as if assuring himself that I was just a kid after all.
I held out my hand to the cynical Professor Munich.
***
“Let’s go hand in hand!”
Professor Munich looked down in bewilderment at the tiny hand, which was spread like a maple leaf, waiting to take his.
Because the Academy was so strict, no student dared to approach a Professor first.
Ulrich used to pester him to look good, but even he hadn’t gotten this intimate.
‘Why is she doing this?’
When Professor Munich hesitated, Hanelope reached out and took his hand first.
Even just holding Professor Munich’s index and middle fingers, her small hand was full.
“Let’s go!”
Hanelope commanded. Professor Munich took the child’s hand and start walking, similiar to a parent and child.
‘What on Earth…’
Professor Munich felt terribly embarrassed, but he didn’t dislike the feel of the small, warm hand holding his.
‘So that’s why Prince Hart carries his daughter every day.’
Professor Munich looked down at Hanelope with a small hint of possessiveness.
As if sensing his gaze, Hanelope looked up.
“Professor, if I go with you, can I see the Emperor?”
“What?”
“Professor Munich always goes to the Emperor.”
How did she know? Maybe she instinctively sensed danger.
Professor Munich was on his way to ‘deliver’ Hanelope to the Emperor.
‘Was she scared to meet the Emperor?’
This was a given. How bossy the Emperor acted whenever he met this child!
‘Most children are intimidated by the Emperor’s aura, but the Princess was composed.’
But if she were to meet the Emperor, I don’t think she’d want to….
“I want to see His Majesty!”
Was there something wrong with the Princess… ?
Professor Munich could not hide his bewilderment.
This little one wanted to see the Emperor, a man that even a full-grown adult could barely handle?
“Are you going to see His Majesty too?”
Hanelope has been tested by the Emperor several times. She even boldly called him a “bad Emperor”. And yet she still wanted to meet him.
‘This is certainly not normal. That’s a Reinhardt, alright.’
I wonder if that’s the Reinhardt way of showing affection?
The Emperor has only one direct grandchild, Hanelope.
But anyone with even a drop of royal blood in their veins considered themselves a distant grandchild of the Emperor, and wanted to meet him. The hoped their child would become the next Emperor.
Of course, the Emperor said that he wanted to choose his successor by merit, not by blood.
So if there was a child who stood out from the crowd, he might actually become the heir.
But all of them were just as greedy as their parents, and equally rotten.
‘Their presumptuous behavior was due to the Emperor’s estrangement from Prince Hart and his neglect of Prince Patrick.’
When Prince Hart came of age, the Emperor did not appoint him a crown prince.
So everyone looked in disbelief, but after the falling out between the Emperor and the Prince, there were those who blatantly sought the crown.
The Fork family was one of them.
Although, now they are in a hopeless condition.
‘And all thanks to Princess Hanelope.’
Professor Munich glanced at Hanerope, who couldn’t hide her excitement.
‘This child was not lying when she said she wanted to see the Emperor.’
The other children also pretend to like the Emperor, but it’s only visible flattery.
When they turn around, they either let out a stifled sigh, or burst into tears in their parents’ arms.
‘I’ve never seen a child so eager to see His Majesty.’
Honestly, even as one of the Emperor’s closest confidants, he had never wanted to see the Emperor this excitedly.
‘Is it because she’s the Princess’s paternal grandfather that she has no resistance to His Majesty the Emperor….’
Is it okay to use a child who expresses such an innocent liking for the Emperor for his own purposes?
