The Empire’s Only Princess - Chapter 46

At the end of February, the last breath of winter, there was still a chill.

 

“Princess, you’re going to be late!”

 

At Melissa’s urging, I grabbed the hem of the dress and ran. Fortunately, Nanuk was just getting on the carriage.

 

“Brother!”

 

“Rosiane?”

 

At my shout, Nanuk stopped walking and approached me. I caught my breath for a moment and handed over the gift I prepared all night.

 

“What is this?”

 

“It’s a present.”

 

Nanuk turned around the small box I gave him as if he were looking at an unknown object.

 

I nodded badly to him when he asked if he could open it.

 

“Rosiane, this is…………..”

 

“It’s a fountain pen with an engraving of my brother’s name, which I did myself.”

 

“Oh no……. I don’t want to go to the academy.”

 

I felt a little embarrassed at the moved expression of Nanuk, so I meaninglessly tapped the floor with my shoe.

 

At that appearance of mine, Nanuk leaned down to make eye contact with me and patted me on the head. I was a little disappointed to think that I won’t feel this touch for a while.

 

“Brother is also 17 now. On top of that, if you are a noble of the Empire, graduating from the Academy is a must. You have to go and be well, okay?”

 

If he leaves for the Imperial Artard Academy today, it will probably be hard to see him for a while. Perhaps because I knew that fact, my eyes were slightly trembling.

 

“Thank you. Rosiane too, be well.”

 

“Your Highness the Prince, you have to leave now.”

 

When the servant spoke in a cautious tone, Nanuk checked the time and clicked his tongue once.

 

“Then.”

 

He kissed my forehead briefly and got into the carriage. I waved my hands until the carriage became small and out of sight.

 

“Rosiane!”

 

I was about to slowly head to my palace when Eryte, who popped out from behind, grabbed my shoulder.

 

“Brother! I told you not to treat Rosiane roughly like that, didn’t I?”

 

Bernique, who was standing next to him, grabbed his wrist and took it off.

 

“Ha, if you grab sister’s shoulder with that unsophisticated strength, she may get bruised.”

 

Before I knew it, Leav was also standing next to Bernique.

 

“Let’s just eat.”

 

Even dad? I looked at them with puzzled eyes, wondering what was going on.

 

“Since when have you been here?”

 

“Since the beginning.”

 

“Did you say goodbye to brother Nanuk?”

 

“We finished it simply before you came.”

 

I see. I was also worried that Nanuk would be disappointed because I thought they weren’t coming.

 

On the way to breakfast, I talked to Bernique. The topic was about the new humanities teacher.

 

“Please, it would be nice if it’s someone who doesn’t make me sleepy like sleeping pills.”

 

“Don’t worry, Rosiane. Then I’ll kick them out.”

 

Arriving at the restaurant and talking as we had a light breakfast, looking at the empty seat of Nanuk, it seemed somewhat lonely.

As I was quietly looking at the empty seat, Eryte shouted.

 

“Rosiane! Look at this!”

 

Then he grabbed his ear and pulled it while making a funny face.

 

As I stared at his sudden action with a blank look, Eryte scratched his head as if he was embarrassed.

 

“I mean, you didn’t look good so……..”

 

“Me?”

 

I was indeed a bit sad, but was it that obvious?

 

As I slightly tilted my head, Eryte smiled broadly, showing his teeth. It was a smile that clearly revealed the appearance of a naughty boy.

 

“Anyway, cheer up! I’ll catch you something really cool in the upcoming hunting contest!”

 

The hunting contest.

 

At those words, my mood dropped even more. Because according to the content of the novel, the ‘fake Rosiane’ appears in the hunting contest of the year 737.

 

“……..That, I can’t not go there, right?”

 

The hunting contest is a festival of nobles. In early March, when the buds are sprouting, it is customary to hunt, cook, and share meals at the prepared hunting ground while wishing for a harvest and good fortune in the future.

 

The Imperial family must catch their first prey on the first day of the three-day hunting contest and play the role of announcing the start.

 

I did not go in the meantime due to the influence of overprotection, but unfortunately, from this year on, I will also be attending.

 

“What are you talking about!! You’ve been practicing archery so hard, but what do you mean by you’re not going anymore?!”

 

Of course, his words are right. I’ve been practicing hard since two months ago. Nevertheless, I really don’t want to go.

 

“You don’t have to go, if you don’t want to, Rosiane.”

Bernique patted me on the shoulder.

 

“That’s right, Sister. What’s so good about such barbaric events?”

 

Leav, who had a sip of juice, helped.

 

“What do you mean barbaric? Hunting is very important! Do you think the meat on the table fell from the sky?”

 

Leav, who looked up and down at the fuming Eryte, sighed with a look, saying, “What would you know?”

 

“Is there a reason why you don’t want to go?”

 

Dad, who had been silent until now, asked.

 

‘I’m afraid everyone’s heart will be stolen by the fake Rosiane’, I can’t tell you that truth so I said slowly.

 

“It’s just…….. I don’t think I’ll be feeling well that day.”

 

“What kind of bullsh— Argh!”

 

Finally, as soon as Eryte, who was full of anger, was about to say something that was only used in the back alleys, Dad’s finger flick came down quickly.

 

“That’s right, it’s b•llsh*t.”

 

When I nodded and sympathized with Eryte’s words, it was my family who was rather flustered.

 

“Of course I should go, what can I do.”

 

Even though I don’t really want to see myself shoot an arrow to kill an animal, or see others’ killing it off first because of my moment of weakness.

 

We ended the meal in an ambiguous atmosphere, and I returned to Hecatheon Palace with Bernique for the humanities class that followed.

 

“Princess, the humanities teacher has arrived.”

 

The servant informed me of the visit and I moved to the prepared place. When the door opened, the new teacher who arrived, got up from his seat and greeted me in a perfectly graceful appearance.

 

“I see the Glory of the Empire.”

 

I saw at a glance; a friendly face I haven’t seen in a long time since the New Year’s Banquet, and pink hair like soft cotton candy.

 

The sides of Bernique’s mouth slightly twitched the moment he faced the long eyelashes and shaded scarlet eyes.

 

The new humanities teacher was Young Master Simad de Vanitas.

 

* * *

 

So, if I didn’t hear it wrong……..

 

“Young Master is saying that for a useless reason of being my humanities teacher, you threw away a good opportunity to be praised?”

 

“That’s not true. It’s a very valuable opportunity.”

 

I let out a deep sigh at Young Master Vanitas, who gently lowered his eyes and smiled. To think that the price for revealing Nadan’s identity is only being my teacher.

 

“I didn’t know Young Master was a person with so much time like this.”

 

Bernique said with a beaming smile. Young Master Vanitas’ relaxed gaze turned to Bernique.

 

“It’s not that big of a deal if it’s for Her Highness.”

 

It was as if an invisible spark was burning with a crackling sound.

 

“Let’s just have a class.”

 

To stop the delicate atmosphere, I took Bernique’s hand and led him to the sofa.

 

What good would it do to exhaust yourself emotionally. What are you even going to do with a mere 15-year-old.

 

“First, let me introduce myself again. As of today, I’m Simad de Vanitas, who will be your ‘teacher’ in humanities.”

 

He especially emphasized the word ‘teacher’. As if Bernique felt it too, the corner of his smiling mouth was trembling slightly.

“Humanities is the study of the essence of human nature. It is divided into several fields, and my specialty is literature, art history, music history, and history—.”

 

“Why don’t you just say all the fields?”

 

Bernique said, interrupting Young Master Vanitas.

 

“Yes, then I’ll correct it. (I specialize) in every field.”

 

Young Master Vanitas, who smiled refreshingly, somehow looked annoying. It may be more so because those words are true.

 

“The history of the development of humanities is…”

 

[tn— humanities is a subject here btw.]

 

What I felt in the hour-long class was that Young Master Vanitas had a knack for teaching. Because at the very least, he avoided the title of ‘sleeping pills’.

 

He clapped once to lighten the mood.

 

“Today is the first day, so let’s stop here and for the next class, let’s read Wilcanto Spear’s classic play [Jamiche].”

 

Wilcanto Spear was a prominent figure five hundred years ago, who mainly wrote tragic contents.

 

Among the many plays he wrote, [Jamiche] was so famous that even the people of the Empire have heard it at least once, so I had also read it.

 

“Then, I’ll see you next week.”

 

“Yes, see you next week.”

 

After Bernique and I left the room, we headed towards different paths to take our respective classes.

 

Leav, who had been taking the class together with me, had a different progress, so from this year onwards, we would be taking it separately, so today as well, it was only me and Timofey in the magic class.

 

“I see the Glory of the Empire.”

 

“I already told you not to mind the grand greetings.”

Saying that, I sat across from him.

 

I felt a little strange whenever I took magic classes these days. When meditating, the area around my lower abdomen seems to be ticklish and cool, which was very uncomfortable.

 

Unlike other classes, Timofey’s class was conducted in a very comfortable atmosphere. Today as well, I had a refreshment time and had just started meditating.

 

“…….Huh?

 

I opened my eyes wide and looked down at my body. Then, I tilted my head for a moment and closed my eyes again.

 

“Hm?”

 

Then I opened my eyes again, looked at my body, and looked at Timofey.

 

“Just now, this is……”

 

“Hohoho. Congratulations, Your Highness.”

 

Starting from the part where something was clumped up near the lower abdomen, I felt something flowing through each blood vessel in my body. It was the mana I wanted so much.

 

Then I won’t die. Fine hope wrapped around my whole body.

 

If you can’t control the overflowing mana, or even if you do, there is a very small chance that it will go crazy and you will die before the age of 12.

 

As seen in the novel, it is a known fact that the princes do not die and safely become adults, however because of Rosiane’s future disappearing after the age of five, there was a burden in the corner of their heart.

 

“What a relief……”

 

“Hohoho, you felt the mana gathering in your lower abdomen, right? You always have to pay attention to this so that it doesn’t scatter.”

 

I nodded and gently stroked my stomach.

 

Just like how I know that I have organs in my body, but I was never really conscious of them, will there ever be a day when I won’t be mindful about this mana?

 

“Then, how about you stop meditating and try something else for today?”

“Okay, I’d like that.”

 

It was hard to stay still and meditate, but to do something else, it is very welcome.

 

At my approval, Timofey took off his purple hat and put it on a small tea table in front of the balcony entrance.

 

“You can use mana to touch this hat. Depending on what happens to this hat, the contents of the class will also vary. Hoho.”

 

“I just felt it though, will it be possible?”

 

“Of course. Hohoho. There’s no need to be hasty, think of slowly sending out your mana like a thread being pulled out.”

 

“Alright, I understand.”

 

Okay so, like pulling out a thread slowly, towards the hat on that tea table……

 

CRAAASH—! 

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

At that moment, I and Timofey lost what to say and watched the balcony collapse.

 

In the middle of the gray dust, were the ripped pieces of what used to be Timofey’s hat, that descended like fluttering flower petals.

 

Cool air came in from the open outside.

 

 

 

[tn— Hello! I will be taking a short break from translating to do my school work. I won’t be able to accept any ko-fi for the rest of October as well, but rest assured that regular updates will be back shortly. Thank you for your support!]