Chapter 31
I’m not the real Celestia, but Liz is the real Liz.
In Moonflower, she was the one who always followed Celestia, looked after her from beginning to end, and was the only person Celestia trusted and cherished as her closest aide.
She couldn’t reform the villainess Celestia, but Liz was far too kind for me to ever blame her for that.
And well… I’ve already fallen head over heels for her.
“Liz.”
“Yes, Princess.”
With my nose pressed against her, I said,
“Because I like you so much, Liz, you have to stay by my side until I grow up and spoil you. Don’t go anywhere, promise?”
“Of course. Where would I ever go?”
“If Sir Briven told you to come with him, you’d follow right away, wouldn’t you? I feel like you would.”
“That’s… a little tempting. Hehe.”
“What?! That’s so mean! No—wait. I can’t take away Liz’s happiness. In that case, if you go, you have to take me with you too!”
“What are you saying? Your Highness must stay in the palace.”
“Nope. I’ll follow you. It’s fine.”
“Oh dear, Princess. Then I’ll just refuse to go. That solves it.”
Liz probably said that because she doesn’t know yet that I’m a fake princess, but me? I really—truly!—mean it when I say I’d follow her.
As long as Liz allowed me.
“But still, if you ever have to leave me, at least once, ask me if I’ll come with you. Okay?”
“That’ll never happen…. Why would you say something like that, my princess….”
Liz’s eyes looked a little sad.
No good!
We’d just spent such a warm, affectionate moment—now it’s time to switch back to normal!
“Liz, can you do my hair? I need to go ask Father for permission to go out.”
“Yes, Princess. Just a moment.”
Liz carefully brushed out my fluffy curls, tied them into a bun high on my head, and pinned on a ribbon.
“Looks like a honey bun, hehe.”
“So cute, Your Highness.”
“My neck kind of hurts, though.”
“Can’t be helped, I’m afraid.”
Ah, the curse of thick, curly hair….
I stretched my neck side to side, groaning under the weight.
“I’ll be right back with permission, so wait here, okay?”
“Yes. And don’t run, Princess!”
I winked mischievously and dashed out of the room.
“Princess! Careful! Please, don’t run!”
Liz’s scolding voice echoed down the hallway like a plea.
Oops. Too late.
Tap tap, patter patter, thump thump. With this seven-year-old body, even my footsteps sounded light and cheerful.
“Ah! Princess, please watch your step!”
“You’ll trip like that, Your Highness!”
Brushing past anxious attendants and maids, I finally reached Father’s office door—when it hit me.
“Oh wow! I think I really pulled off an image change!”
I still remembered the wary stares back when I’d first arrived in this world, when I headed for the library.
Half suspicion, half curiosity—wondering if I’d truly changed. But now, those gazes brimmed with affection.
“Yes! Let’s keep this up!”
Clenching both fists, I pounded on the office door with all my might.
BAM!!! BAM BAM BAM!!!
“Who dares make such a racket at… Good heavens! Princess!”
It was Sir Ain, Father’s aide, who opened the door. He quickly dropped to one knee.
“What? Tia’s here? Wait—hold on! Let me see those hands. My beloved child, are your little fists all right?”
I was perfectly fine, but Father grabbed my hands and fussed, then barked at Sir Ain.
“Sir Ain! We must replace all the doors at once. If they can break from Tia’s knock, they’re far too weak! No, better yet—see if we can get doors made of cotton. No, scratch that! Remove every door in the palace entirely! Bring me a proposal by tomorrow.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
…What.
You crazy people!
“What are you talking about, Dad?! Sir Ain, no! Cancel, cancel!”
“Not at all, Princess. Please punish me instead. The fact that I didn’t burn down these doors beforehand, when your noble fists could be injured—this is my failure.”
Why the heck are they speaking in honorifics to my fists now?!
“Right, Tia. Daddy should’ve thought of your soft little cotton-ball fists. Whatever the cost, we’ll start replacing—”
“Enough! Quiet!!!”
I clapped my hand over Father’s mouth and glared daggers at Sir Ain.
“I’ll just knock more gently from now on, okay? Don’t you dare replace the doors. Don’t waste money like that! If you’ve got so much, give it to me instead! Sir Ain, dismissed.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Once he left, I removed my hand from Father’s mouth.
“Seriously, Dad, you’re impossible.”
“Are you sure you’re all right, Tia? Should I call the royal physician?”
“I said I’m fine! Look—see?”
I pounded my fists lightly against his chest.
“Feel the fiery punch of this body!”
Mwahaha!
“Ugh… spare me.”
Father collapsed dramatically, hugging me tightly to his chest.
Total doting fool.
*
Father’s knee bounced me up and down like a wild horse.
Ugh.
I nearly threw up, but held it in. If I didn’t, today’s outing would be canceled, and I’d be locked indoors.
“Dad, can I go out for a little bit?”
I asked after soothing my stomach with warm tea. Father glanced at me suspiciously.
“My Tia… what keeps you so busy these days?”
“Well… this and that?”
“Won’t you tell your father?”
“There’s nothing to tell. I’m just playing—like a normal seven-year-old.”
“Hmmm. Already keeping secrets from your dad? That makes me a little sad… I might even cry.”
You already look like you’re crying!
I sighed inwardly. How could I possibly tell him the truth?
That I was going out to earn seed money for my future after leaving the palace? Absolutely not. No way.
“I’m just going to the main street with Liz.”
“That sounds even more suspicious.”
“What?! Suspicious how?! Honestly!”
When I pouted, Father burst into laughter.
“Sir Briven will go with you, and I’ll assign a few knights to shadow you. Understood?”
“Got it.”
“And absolutely no dangerous places. Without you, Tia, I couldn’t live. Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“Already missing my daughter… oh dear, what should I do…”
“Oh, come on!”
His clinginess had no end. Time for my ultimate move.
I planted a big, bold kiss on his cheek.
He was so handsome that—just for a second—my heart skipped a beat.
Ugh. That’s enough of that.
“Tia? Did you just…?”
Ignoring my embarrassment, I struck a confident pose.
“Well? How was that taste of my kiss?”
“Ugh… spare me.”
Clutching his chest, Father collapsed again. Foolish, but… why did he look so lovable?
*
“Count Tolkie!”
“Your Highness! Hohoho, what a joy to see you again!”
I put on my most dignified face and extended my hand. Partners shake hands, after all.
The count looked startled at first, then chuckled warmly and shook it.
“Now then, Count, why don’t you tell me about your proposal?”
“Oh my, how nerve-wracking.”
Despite his words, Count Tolkie explained his business plan with total confidence.
“As Your Highness knows, access to Dearc is difficult, so we’ll begin salt crystal mining in very small amounts. Since you requested secrecy, we’ll use only a minimal workforce.”
“Hmm…”
“Something unclear, Princess?”
What does this old man take me for? I shot him a sharp look and nodded firmly.
“Ah, I see. I should explain more carefully. For children, repetition is key, so—Dearc, you see, is very hard to enter, meaning—”
“Hold it, Count! That nod meant keep going, not dumb it down! I’m not stupid. I’ve changed. I even study all night, you know.”
Right, Liz?
I turned quickly to her, and she nodded at once.
“Oh my, I was mistaken. Forgive me, Princess.”
Hohoho. The count laughed heartily and continued.
Small-scale mining. Distribution centered on the capital. Immediate sale after processing.
Nothing I hadn’t already predicted. Exactly as I thought. Time to surprise him a little.
Unlike in the original story, Dearc was now my private estate, guarded by a handful of royal knights. Not many, but anyone wandering in carelessly might get themselves in trouble….
“Here, Count. I thought you might need these.”
“What are these, Princess?”
“Entry passes. I stamped them with my seal. Make sure the miners carry them.”
“Entry passes?”
“Yep. Otherwise, if they run into the stationed knights, they might get arrested on the spot! I’ll inform the knights too, but the workers must carry these.”
“Goodness gracious! This old man hadn’t thought of that. Our Princess, your thoroughness is remarkable!”
“Of course. I’m dead serious about this. I need a lot of money.”
“Oh ho. Is that so? Hohoho.”
“Yep. So I’m counting on you, Count Tolkie.”
“Rest assured. I’ll make you very, very, very rich.”
With his lips puckered as he promised to make me “veeeery rich,” Count Tolkie looked exactly like a grandfather doting on his granddaughter.
