Chapter 31
The Prince Died and Starts Over From the Beginning!
This world was straight out of a third-rate romance novel. It wasn’t the world I came from.
That’s why I had always believed there needed to be a firm line drawn between me and the characters in this story.
Only then could I safely return to my place whenever I wished.
But at least for today, I resented myself for never having looked into the original Hariela’s backstory.
“Anna.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“Do you remember the Third Prince’s full name?”
“Of course. It’s His Highness Sapphirus Detemir, isn’t it?”
“…Right.”
Judging by how easily Anna recalled it, there didn’t seem to be any strange spell cast on the Third Prince’s name.
This was clearly my issue—or perhaps Hariela’s.
What on earth? Was this just a quirk to show Hariela’s personality, that she doesn’t care about anyone except the young duke?
While Anna helped me change clothes, I kept mulling over this incomprehensible phenomenon.
But no matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t figure anything out.
In the end, I headed to the Third Prince’s chambers without any new insight.
“…What, empty again.”
Once more, there were no attendants in sight.
“Where are they all slacking off now…?”
How could adults be so irresponsible—leaving a sick child alone like this?
The empire was doomed.
Clicking my tongue, I once again entered someone else’s room without permission.
As expected, the prince’s condition hadn’t changed. He was still fast asleep, his face pale with illness.
“Your Highness? …Your Highness?”
I called softly, just in case—but all I heard in response was the faint sound of his breathing.
He was deeply asleep.
I dragged a chair over to his bedside and sat down.
There wasn’t much for a visitor to do in front of a sleeping patient.
Feeling awkward, I absentmindedly reached out to touch his forehead.
“Still burning up.”
It was as hot as lava.
To think Count Lurupel wanted to go through with an engagement ceremony while the boy was like this—how cruel could he be?
“Ah! Maybe I should put a wet cloth on him?”
I couldn’t just sit there doing nothing. I needed to at least try to bring his fever down.
I looked around, but there wasn’t even a basin of water, let alone a clean towel.
What do his attendants even do? Do they just collect their salaries and vanish?
I sighed and rummaged through my pockets.
“Well, I’ll just use my handkerchief, I guess…”
If you don’t have a pheasant, use a chicken—as the saying goes.
I pulled out my handkerchief.
There was a water jug that looked like it had been left for him to drink from. Perfect.
I soaked the handkerchief and laid it across his forehead.
Drops of water began rolling down his delicate face.
“…This doesn’t look right.”
I’d never nursed anyone before, so even something simple felt clumsy.
But hey—everyone’s first attempt is full of mistakes.
At least I was doing something.
Even as water dripped from the handkerchief, soaking his pillow, the prince slept soundly.
I watched his adorable face for a long moment.
“So this little guy’s name was… what again?”
S-something. I couldn’t even remember while staring right at him.
After a few failed attempts to recall, I gave up and reached for a book sitting nearby.
Mother Duck Loves Her Baby Duck.
“This book again…”
Even while ill, he was committed to maintaining that innocent public image.
Seeing him try so hard, I almost wanted to cheer him on.
“Well, might as well read it.”
At my age, I didn’t care for children’s books, but sitting still was too boring, so I opened it.
It was mostly pictures, not much text—about a mother duck and her baby who ate, played, and slept together by a small lake.
To a jaded city adult like me, it didn’t evoke much emotion.
As I flipped the pages lazily, I glanced at the prince.
Golden hair, round cheeks, a tiny beak-like mouth…
He looked exactly like the baby duck.
Staring at him, I murmured softly,
“…He must be lonely, huh?”
Even though I’d been stuck in this world for quite a while now, I still felt that dull loneliness sometimes.
If I felt that way as an adult, how could an eight-year-old not?
Especially when there was no one in this empire he could really rely on.
Just look at Count Lurupel—he’d doted on the prince one day and turned cold the next.
The boy’s position was like a flower growing on the edge of a cliff—always at risk.
It’s sad, sure… but what can I do?
That’s the fate of a supporting male character.
They’re supposed to be tragic, so the story feels more poignant.
Still, they say pain makes people grow.
He’d suffer now, but someday he’d become stronger, inside and out.
Yes—though he’s small and fragile now, after a few growing pains he’ll—
“Eh?”
—grow up, I was about to think, when suddenly… he did.
“Ehh?!”
I shot to my feet, rubbing my eyes.
But no—he was really taller.
No joke, the prince looked like someone had stretched him vertically.
Frantically, I pulled back his blanket.
He was wearing pajamas so short they barely reached his wrists and ankles.
Even the laziest servant should know their master’s size…
“I mean, yes, people grow through hardship, but not like this…”
I stood frozen, staring at him in disbelief.
As if sensing my gaze, the prince stirred and slowly opened his eyes.
“…Hari?”
“…What?”
“Hari…”
He suddenly started calling me by someone else’s nickname.
Maybe he was feverish or half-dreaming—but he was definitely not in his right mind.
Then, like a tiny chick, he burrowed straight into my arms.
“Your Highness?! Hey!”
He clung to me tightly. His damp hair brushed against my neck, tickling me.
He felt heavier than I expected—more like a parrot than a sparrow.
“Could you—please—let go? That tickles!”
“Hari…”
“I said it tickles!”
That was how I discovered I’m very sensitive around my neck.
Bad timing.
The more he nuzzled, the more my nose tingled until—
“Achoo!”
With a loud sneeze, I toppled backward—chair and all.
“Ow…”
I must’ve hit the back of my head. It stung.
“What a mess… Wait—Your Highness! Are you okay?”
Somehow, he’d stayed in my arms through it all.
Actually, he was on top of me—like a strawberry on a cake.
“L-Lurupel?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Why are you here…?”
“That’s what I want to ask you, Your Highness.”
Realizing what had happened, the “strawberry prince” scrambled off me, his pale ankles showing clearly now.
He had definitely grown taller—within minutes.
“I-I’ve made a fool of myself again…”
He rubbed his face in embarrassment, flustered.
But that wasn’t the main issue here.
“Um, Your Highness.”
“I apologize, Lady Lurupel, I didn’t mean to cause you harm—no, I should’ve helped you up first! I was rude again…”
“Never mind that.”
His clumsiness was nothing new. He was a kid; mistakes were expected.
I wasn’t petty enough to hold a grudge.
What bothered me was something else entirely.
“Doesn’t your ankle feel… exposed?”
Still lying on the floor, I asked.
The prince blinked, then quickly checked his ankles.
Looking closely, even his face seemed slimmer.
Unbelievable as it was—he had really grown.
Not to a giant’s size, but from looking like a five-year-old, he now actually looked his age—eight.
Still, wasn’t that strange enough?
“Why did I…”
The prince looked completely bewildered, staring into the mirror in confusion.
Standing there, lost in thought, he didn’t move for a long while—
and I decided to wait quietly until he was ready to speak.
