#14.
‘…No matter how I think about it, this is boring.’
Of course, she had no intention of going out of her way to do something just because she was bored.
But this was so dull that even listening felt like torture.
Veronica pouted her lips and furrowed her brows.
‘Coming here for this field trip was a mistake.’
It was then.
“Alright—Just sitting around must be making you stiff and bored, huh?”
‘Oh?’
It was as if the teacher had read Veronica’s mind.
Clapping his hands together, he recaptured the attention of the drowsy students.
What he placed on the lectern was more than enough to draw every student’s eyes.
“Anyone know what this is?”
“……”
“No one? Well, I suppose none of you have seen it before. It’s not something in the current curriculum.”
‘…I want to raise my hand.’
The moment she saw that yellow glow, memories of her school days began to resurface in Veronica’s mind.
If she remembered correctly, its name was…
‘A magic crystal, wasn’t it?’
“This jewel-like object is called a ‘magic crystal.’”
‘Knew it. My memory is impeccable…’
“As you can see, it’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” several voices responded in unison.
The teacher continued.
“This is a very rare item because it is the scale of an ancient lifeform from long ago.”
“Wow…”
“Normally, it’s not something that can be so easily brought here but… well, anyway.”
As he spoke, the teacher glanced at Veronica and Zion.
‘Well, considering the crown prince is in the class and the princess is visiting, I’m sure that old man gave it to him to use.’
Veronica thought of Headmaster En.
“This scale is precious because it contains a tremendous amount of dormant magic.”
Wearing white cotton gloves, he carefully lifted the scale.
Then, placing it inside a transparent glass case, he handed it to the student in the front row.
“Pass it around for everyone to see.”
“Yes.”
“Make sure you don’t take it out and touch it. Ah, and… the scale reacts to people with strong magic power.”
He glanced around the classroom, shrugged, and added:
“I doubt anyone here has that much power yet.”
“……”
“Don’t be disappointed. Even the headmaster probably couldn’t use it.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Only someone like the high priest or His Majesty the Emperor could truly make use of it.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Anyway, take a look and let’s continue the lesson.”
‘I don’t think we ever did something like this before.’
Maybe it was because she and Zion had attended school in different years.
Veronica stared at the scale that eventually made its way to Zion.
‘If the teacher isn’t lying, then it must be some kind of object that only works when you have a certain amount of magic.’
She glanced at Zion. Predictably, he didn’t seem the least bit interested.
He just took the case, intending to pass it on after a bit without a second thought.
As expected.
‘My brother was never the type to believe in this sort of thing anyway.’
But I’m different.
Veronica leaned forward to get a better look at the case in front of her.
‘Wow… it’s so pretty. I want to touch it…’
She glanced around, then shook her head.
‘If they say not to touch it, I won’t.’
Still, this would make a gorgeous ring.
Like a child gazing at candy, she pressed her hand against the glass case.
Of course, the lock was secure and the glass unyielding.
Satisfied with looking, she was about to push it back toward Zion’s side when—
“…?”
Zion’s expression twisted.
He frowned at the glass case and muttered under his breath.
“Why is this thing suddenly flashing…?”
“Huh?”
Beside him, Lana shot up from her seat.
“This—isn’t it reacting?!”
“…What is?”
“You did it?”
She turned to face Zion directly.
He looked away, mumbling awkwardly.
“H-how should I know?”
“Teacher!”
“…I can’t believe this.”
The teacher pushed through the crowd gathering around Zion. Adjusting his glasses, he peered into the glowing glass case.
“Truly, Your Highness—no, Zion, was this you?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Who else could it be? It was sitting there until you touched it.”
‘Did she just call him “our Zion”?’
“I… suppose so.”
The teacher briefly wondered if there was something going on between Lana and Zion, then quickly dismissed the thought.
“I’m not sure, but it certainly seems to be reacting to you. And….”
He swallowed hard, his expression ecstatic.
“Almost… fully activated…”
“Does that mean Zion is on the same level as the high priest or His Majesty the Emperor?”
“As a public school teacher, it’s not exactly appropriate to say this… but while not yet, I’d say he has the potential to reach that level.”
“Amazing…”
“Really?”
“Wow…”
The classroom erupted in chatter.
‘Hmm.’
Veronica stepped back from the crowd around Zion and crossed her arms.
‘No one even suspects me.’
Which made sense.
After all, she was still not even two years old.
For now, she preferred it this way. Drawing attention wouldn’t benefit her.
Besides, just look—
“Zion, how’d you do it?”
“Was it really you?”
“You’re amazing.”
‘Just as I thought.’
Seeing the other students approach without hesitation, her lips curved in satisfaction.
It had been the same for Arthur and Lana—no one had hated Zion from the start.
All it took was the right opportunity to change how they saw him, and his loneliness could be eased.
Not that it would happen overnight—these things took time.
‘Because there’s baggage to unpack.’
“……”
Meanwhile, Zion kept staring at the glass case amidst the commotion.
Something didn’t add up.
‘Did I really do it?’
He hadn’t touched it.
In fact, he hadn’t even looked at it.
He hadn’t released any magic either.
So why?
‘Well… if not me, then who?’
He decided not to overthink it and responded vaguely to the students.
Veronica watched him with a proud expression.
‘A shame I didn’t get the credit…’
Still, it had been a long time since she’d seen Zion so talkative.
‘Well, this works too.’
It was satisfying enough.
“Veronica.”
“Mm?”
“…Never mind.”
On the way back to the palace, Zion glanced at Veronica in Mary’s arms, her eyes fixed on the evening glow.
Sensing his gaze, Veronica looked back at him.
Bathed in the beautiful sunset light, his already handsome features seemed to shine even more.
Mary looked between the two fondly before asking Veronica:
“Your Highness, how was your day?”
“Mm…”
It had been exhausting—Arthur, Lana, and several others had approached her, and she’d barely been able to rest in the lounge.
And at the end, the crowd around Zion’s seat had made it hard to move.
In short, it was boring and tiring.
That was the truth… but—
‘It wouldn’t be right to say that out loud now.’
“You can tell me slowly if you’d like—”
“Juahjjeo!”
“…Pardon?”
“Juhahjjeo!”
“Um… I’m sorry, but I’m not sure—”
“She said it was good,” Zion muttered flatly, flipping a page.
“Wow, you understood that?”
“…Are you deaf?”
“Ah… ahaha…”
That was all Zion said.
Mary chuckled awkwardly, then suddenly opened the window to speak to the coachman, stopping the carriage.
“I’m sorry, but could you wait here a moment? His Majesty gave me an errand…”
“Mm!”
‘Hurry back, I’m tired.’
My cradle, my blanket, my pillow—
I missed them dearly.
Pouting slightly, Veronica waved lazily at Mary as she got out.
While Mary was away, the dimming sky deepened into a rich indigo.
Veronica gazed out through the magically-treated windows that prevented anyone from seeing inside.
Several commoner children lingered nearby, drawn by the carriage’s splendor, before wandering off.
A few noble youths recognized the imperial carriage and stepped away in awe.
‘Maybe it’s because I rarely left the palace even in my past life…’
The splendor of the Sloran Empire’s capital was fascinating.
Where magic existed, so did danger.
Like a double-edged sword, magic could grant someone the power to decide over another’s life.
Even here, ruled by both the high priest and the emperor, magic-related crimes still happened.
That’s why, generally, any magical city enforced curfews after dark.
‘Still… I guess Mom and Dad really are strong.’
It was about 7 PM—late enough, yet the streets outside still buzzed with a festive atmosphere.
“What are you staring at? Want to go out?”
“Mm?”
“I asked if you want to go out.”
Zion was now repeating himself for the third time, unlike with Mary.
“Are you curious?”
‘I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to go.’
Veronica stared outside.
But—
“I’m fine!”
A bright, adorable smile bloomed on her face.
Zion disliked crowded places.
And in the bustling capital, many people would surely recognize him.
Unlike Veronica, he still had school tomorrow.
“Alright. But if you ever do want to… just say so.”
“Mm?”
“Today isn’t the only day.”
Today isn’t the only day.
Why did those words feel so warm?
Was it because she’d never heard them from his lips before?
Or because it was the brother she’d longed for in her previous life?
Maybe…
Maybe she was finally becoming someone precious to him?
“…Oppa.”
“What.”
“Let’s geh mawwied!”
“…?”
“I wuv you!”
It wasn’t playful flattery—it was genuine.
The Zion who had once been her enemy on a narrow bridge,
The Zion who had been nothing but cold—
He wasn’t exactly warm now, but he truly felt like a brother.
And in a way that she genuinely liked.
“You…” Zion narrowed his eyes.
“Do you even know what marriage means?”
“Mm!”
“I think you’re misunderstanding, that’s not something siblings can—”
“Mm?”
“…Forget it.”
Zion dropped it, pulling Veronica into his lap.
Turning her to face him, he asked:
“Why me?”
‘This is it—time to score some points!’
Throwing her arms around him, Veronica shouted:
“Cuz I wuv you!”
“…Yeah.”
Zion smiled faintly and patted her head.
“Me too.
