Chapter 42
Your Highness?”
“Uh….”
-Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you should walk around in sloppy clothes. Make sure you carry the dignity of a crown prince.
-I’ve already contacted the costume room to prepare the clothes you’ll wear, so go and pick them up.
‘So that’s why my mother, who usually hates going out, suddenly allowed me to travel…?’
It was hard to discern her exact intention—after all, she was the same person who constantly nagged me for overdoing my makeup—but at least it didn’t seem like she thought badly of me.
Rozian smiled brightly and continued.
“Jaina, it’s a bit late, but is there anything you’d like as a birthday present?”
“Oh, it’s fine. The cloak you gave me last time is more than enough. There’s nothing special I want.”
“Really? You really aren’t greedy at all, Jaina. I’ll have to think of a gift you’ll like. But for now, try this.”
Rozian plopped a straw hat onto Jaina’s head.
“Jaina, your skin is fair, so you need to be careful in the sun.”
“But Your Highness, your skin is pretty fair too…”
The two argued playfully about who should wear a straw hat, but eventually agreed to play under the parasol and ran toward the sand.
“Wow.”
Jaina recalled playing in the sand on rainy days at the playground and scooped the wet sand with her tiny hands.
Across from her, Rozian gathered sand in his hands and brushed it in front of her.
“You just need to pat it lightly with your hands.”
“Like this?”
Mikael watched the two happily playing with a sullen expression.
“Hah, what’s fun about that?”
Before him stood a sandcastle much taller than he was. It had been magically constructed, sturdy and detailed.
“Even after making it this big, what’s wrong with it?”
As soon as Jaina mentioned the sandcastle, Mikael used magic to sweep up the sand in an instant. He recreated it perfectly, from the spire and entrance ladder to the palisade and walls, resembling a real castle.
Yet unexpectedly, Jaina’s reaction was indifferent. She stared at the castle for a while before silently turning her head.
“Big brother… really…”
Rozian, too, shook his head with a look of boredom, though it wasn’t really his concern.
“What? Something wrong?”
Slightly annoyed, Mikael asked,
“No.”
“That can’t be true.”
Both replied negatively and slowly began building a new sandcastle.
“What’s fun about toddling around like that?”
Wouldn’t using magic to make a solid sandcastle be much more fun and impressive?
Mikael placed his hands on his waist, comparing the two castles. No matter how he looked at it, his magical creation was grander, more precise, and sturdier.
“Kids don’t appreciate the greatness of magic. Do they think a mage who can make this in an instant is common?”
He turned his head grumpily back toward Jaina.
“Wow!”
The two kids had somehow made a tunnel through a precarious sandcastle, peeking at each other through it.
Mikael found their mischievous antics infuriating. But regardless, the kids soon found a new source of amusement.
“Shall we feed those seagulls over there?”
Jaina and Rozian started tossing food to the flock, one piece at a time.
“Caw!”
The seagulls charged at them threateningly, their eyes almost wild.
‘This is nothing like in movies or dramas.’
In films, if you hand them a snack, couples laugh and act tender. But here, the gulls weren’t waiting—they were diving as if to hunt.
‘We could get hurt if we’re not careful.’
Jaina steeled herself.
“If you don’t behave, you won’t get any food.”
Her low warning was enough. The fierce presence of a dragon-born girl terrified the gulls.
Rozian, unaware, laughed as the gulls blinked innocently.
“Wow, they’re suddenly calm? They must understand Jaina.”
The frenzied gulls started waddling obediently at Jaina’s gestures. Once they realized there was no more food, they flew back to the sea.
“They’re really cute.”
Watching them float gracefully on the water brought a smile to their faces.
“Jaina, look at that gull. Its face is black.”
“Wow, that’s amazing.”
Not all seagulls looked the same. Some were pure white from head to toe; others had gray mixed in.
‘Wait, is that a pigeon?’
Jaina and Rozian sat side by side, enjoying the gulls’ antics.
“Oh?”
One gull broke from the flock and looked toward Jaina and Rozian.
“It’s like it wants us to follow it?”
It ran a bit, looked back, then looked forward again.
“Shall we follow? Though I doubt it intended that.”
Giggling, they followed the gull.
After walking a bit, they arrived at a cave.
“Amazing. I didn’t know this island had something like this.”
The gull had vanished.
“This doesn’t seem like a place humans should enter.”
“Uh, wait a moment.”
A sign stood before the cave: “Only the brave shall see hope in darkness and gain light…”
“Seems like a tourist spot?”
“Then it should be okay to go in, right?”
Without fear, they stepped into the darkness.
“I’ll make some light with magic.”
Creating light instead of a lantern was a simple spell anyone could do.
“You’re reliable, Jaina. I can count on you.”
Rozian gave a thumbs-up, impressed, and Jaina smiled shyly.
Splash.
“Oh, seems like there’s water pooled here.”
“Come to think of it, it probably rained yesterday.”
The cave floor was uneven. Jaina carefully stepped over the rocks but lost her balance on a protruding stone.
“Gotta be careful.”
Rozian grabbed her just in time, preventing her from falling forward.
Whoosh—
The cave seemed deeper than expected. The wind echoed eerily.
“Jaina, aren’t you scared?”
“I’m fine.”
Flap!
A bat flew past with a loud sound. Rozian widened his eyes but then smiled.
“I feel safe with you here, Jaina.”
It felt like a horror experience, but being together was comforting.
Emerging from the dark cave, they found a field full of blooming yellow flowers.
“Wow.”
“Did this island really have a flower field?”
The unknown yellow flowers stood out vividly against the sky. Jaina’s heart swelled; summer felt alive.
“I packed some raspberry scones, croissants, crackers… and other things in the pocket dimension.”
“Can I eat too?”
“Of course. Who do you think I packed them for?”
Jaina took a big bite of a sandwich stuffed with fresh ham, cheese, and lettuce.
Swoosh—
Sitting leisurely in the flower field, they watched the yellow petals ripple in the wind. The breeze under the bright sun felt refreshing. This was nature’s own garden.
“Jaina, let’s make this our secret hideout.”
Rozian whispered with sparkling eyes.
“A secret garden just for the two of us… where Mikael won’t know.”
And at that moment—
“Whose secret garden?”
A familiar voice startled them. Rozian turned in shock. Mikael stood there, smiling cheerfully.
“Do you guys have fun without me?”
“Oh, when did you get here?”
“Just now. I used teleportation magic.”
“You followed us?”
Rozian frowned as if annoyed, and Mikael smirked.
“Hah, do you think I followed you? I found this place first, you know.”
“What…?”
Rozian looked bewildered, while Mikael, secretly mimicking a seagull’s call, approached Jaina.
“Could it be magic…”
“Believe it or not.”
Grinning at Rozian, Mikael spoke to Jaina, who was admiring the flowers with sparkling eyes.
“Hey, little one. You really like flowers. I could tell when you made me that bouquet.”
“Jaina made you a bouquet?”
“Yes, you probably didn’t get one though.”
Mikael chuckled as he looked at Jaina, her eyes shining as she gazed at the flowers.
