Chapter 81…
“Why are you like this, Duke Berndt?”
Rilkia also blinked in surprise, her eyes widening.
“Me?”
“We’ll prepare a separate room for the Duke of Berndt, of course.”
“Why?”
“?”
Clearus’s eyes immediately filled with hurt.
Even in the royal palace, Clearus’s room was the farthest from Ellie’s room.
Because Babian and Journa lived in the palace permanently, they received rooms right next to Ellie’s.
Since Clearus commuted back and forth, he was pushed to the bottom of the priority list for nearby rooms.
“I’m staying the night today too! Why am I the only one getting a different room?”
He didn’t show it much normally, but all the pent-up frustration inside Clearus burst out over this room arrangement.
“Well, that’s… Duke Berndt is a man, after all.”
“But I’m closest to Her Highness after Madam Lavel!”
He knew men and women were supposed to be separate, but still!
He had met Ellie before anyone else, yet he kept getting pushed back in priority—he absolutely couldn’t stand the feeling.
“Then give Lady Babian and Lady Journa different rooms too!”
Clearus threw a childish fit for the first time in a long while.
His face turned red, his cheeks puffed out.
It looked like he would pop if someone poked him.
If anyone teased him now, he looked ready to burst into tears.
Rilkia, seeing him like this for the first time, was stunned.
The Duke of Berndt… was a kid too…?
It was obvious, yet it hit her as if she’d realized it for the first time.
“We can’t! We don’t have enough rooms, Duke Berndt!”
That was when Babian cut in.
It was a terrible choice.
Especially since the person Clearus was jealous of and resentful toward stepped in directly.
“There are other inns around! You can split rooms however you want!”
“When we’re out traveling like this, they say it’s safer for everyone to stay together!”
Babian had heard that from some adventure story—how traveling together and spending every moment together helped companions learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and grow closer.
So I can’t give up! Not ever!
It was only room assignments, but the kids were deadly serious.
The quiet competition for the king’s favor was no less fierce than that of adults.
“Her Majesty is a girl! She would be so uncomfortable sharing a room with a man like Duke Berndt! Bathing, changing clothes—she wouldn’t be able to sleep properly!”
“…!”
The idea that he could be someone who made Ellie uncomfortable struck Clearus like lightning.
His eyes widened.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t suddenly become a girl.
“Uuugh…”
In the end, Clearus—defeated by Babian—let out a frustrated groan he couldn’t swallow down.
“Alright, alright. Enough for today. Time is passing while you argue. You all need to rest. When the new carriage arrives tomorrow, you can ride together. Would that work?”
“……”
Clearus turned away, sulking.
He knew there was no winning this no matter what he said.
Clearus… oh no…!
Behind him, Ellie could neither speak nor interrupt.
She just worried silently.
Ellie didn’t care much about gender.
She had slept in the same bed as her brother often, and she thought boys and girls could be friends.
If both thought of each other as friends, then they were friends—gender shouldn’t prevent that.
So she never understood Nerendis’ customs, which forbade unmarried men and women from even being alone together.
She followed the rules because she might end up married unintentionally otherwise, but she hated seeing Clearus hurt because of them.
Can’t that law be changed somehow?
She had learned recently in Professor Marundial’s law class that laws could be changed.
Once she studied more, she would change that law first.
Then she would play cards in bed with Clearus too.
It was a pure but dangerous thought from a naive Ellie.
Meanwhile, Clearus was having an even more dangerous thought.
It’s because I’m ranked below Madam Lavel.
If he were the unquestioned, absolute first priority, no one would dare give him a different room.
I have to become her number one…!
He couldn’t live forever being pushed aside.
Clearus’s determination flared.
* * *
“I’ve never seen such a tiny bathroom!”
“Me neither! I thought it was a shoe closet!”
After finishing their baths, Babian and Journa chattered with wide eyes.
“The towels don’t smell like anything! It’s so strange!”
“And they’re not soft—they’re stiff! If I rubbed my face on it, I’d get scratched!”
“The floor isn’t tile—it’s just wood!”
“It even smells like rain!”
They had never experienced such a shabby inn in their entire lives.
It felt like an enormous event.
They felt like runaway royalty fleeing a rebellion, or ladies eloping with a commoner, or nobles disguising themselves as commoners for a secret royal mission.
In short, they were excited out of their minds experiencing something they’d never done before.
“Your Majesty, weren’t you surprised?”
Ellie had washed first and was drying her hair.
Madam Lavel quietly laughed as she pressed a towel over Ellie’s head to help dry it.
It felt like suddenly raising three children instead of one.
She had thought she would spend her life only serving her princess, but being surrounded by these chattering kids was surprisingly lively.
“I wasn’t surprised. The cabin I used to live in with my brother looked similar.”
“Oh, the genius archmage brother from your dream?”
Now, no one didn’t know about Ellie’s “genius archmage brother.”
Even if she spoke openly about him, people just said it was a dream.
It stung a little each time, but at least it was better than no one knowing him at all. At least Luden wouldn’t disappear only inside her mind.
“Yeah. The house I lived in with my brother did everything automatically, but it wasn’t big. It was exactly like this inn. Just cleaner.”
“Wow… amazing! Your Majesty has experienced so much!”
Even if it was a dream.
What mattered in the children’s world was that Ellie, thanks to past experience, did not get surprised easily and remained calm—just like an adult.
Unshakable composure—that was the true elegance only adults had!
Their king was a child like them but not really a child.
She had incredible magic power, was already a ruling monarch commanding her retainers, and had experienced everything, so nothing fazed her.
Babian and Journa’s eyes sparkled.
Our king is so cool…!
“It’s not that special…”
Ellie mumbled shyly and buried her face in Madam Lavel’s embrace.
At that sight, Babian and Journa had another thought:
She’s cute too…!
They were children, but cute was cute.
Ellie’s bravery today had been truly amazing.
She was so impressive they never wanted to leave her side.
Maybe if they stayed beside such a wonderful king, they themselves might become amazing too.
I can’t give up…!
Once Madam Lavel retires, the next in line will be me…!
Clearus would get no space in that competition.
Their eyes clashed fiercely.
The battle to become Ellie’s number one was burning hotter than ever.
“Have you prepared for bed? I’ll do one last safety check.”
Rilkia entered with damp hair.
She checked the guards’ positions outside the window, and searched every corner of the room for traps or devices.
Finally, she nodded and stepped back.
“Yes, it seems safe. But since there was an attack earlier, the guard will be standing watch all night. You can sleep peacefully.”
“Okay!”
“And I’ve sent a messenger to request a new carriage and additional escort reinforcements. They should arrive around lunchtime tomorrow. So you can rest well tonight.”
Lord Sothan’s territory was closer, but there were trust issues.
Even though they had chosen a reasonably trustworthy lord to stay with, the earlier attack made everyone more cautious.
It was safer to wait for the royal carriage and soldiers, even if it took longer. And they all needed a proper rest after such a tiring day.
“Okay. Good night, Rilkia.”
Rilkia smiled and bowed.
“Your Majesty as well. Have a pleasant night.”
But perhaps because the journey had begun in chaos—
It did not become a pleasant night.
* * *
Rumble—BOOM!
A huge sound shook the inn as if a building had collapsed right beside them.
Ellie, who had been fast asleep, snapped her eyes open.
