Who Made Me a Princess

“Dad, I have a wish.”

But the fairy unnie I saw in the dream last night was extremely pretty.

“It’s something only you can do.”

However, I knew there were some secrets you never wanted to share, so I pretended I didn’t know.

“This can be my early birthday present. Will you do it for me?”

As I saw my reflection in his eyes reflecting the green grass, I made a huge smile.

***

“So. This must be that rumored bird brain.”

Here was someone else in a bad mood.

“What do you mean, bird brain!”

I shouted at Lucas who came into my bedroom that night with a frown. That’s the only thing you have to say looking at this pretty bird? I mean, I was a bit uneasy that it was from Ezekiel since it meant he saw me that day, but the bird didn’t do anything wrong.

“Tsk. It’s only a blue bird. It should be at least a falcon to be of use.”

Lucas just clicked his tongue crouching down on the floor in front of the bird cage.

This guy was so emotionless. How could he say that after looking at this cute bird?

“It can be a messenger bird if raised well!”

“Messenger bird my ass. Looks like it would get eaten up right away if it meets a carnivore.”

Heuk, don’t say that to my bird! Small animals are precious!

Lucas was still as rude as ever. But today instead of scolding him today, I just pouted and spoke.

“So are you really going today?”

“Why, should I not go?”

Lucas turned to look at me. He was wearing clothes similar to when we left the Palace.

“No, I’m gonna sleep now so go now.”

He wasn’t going to stay if I said not to anyway.

I icily responded to him because I was a little angry. I didn’t want him to go right now. But Lucas was gonna go no matter what I said anyway to be the magician of the century, like he said.

“Does it take long to find the World Tree?”

I learned that every 500 years, it produced fruits. And the purity of the fruits were so extreme that it could make up for all the magic power you needed.

“Well, I know its approximate location so I can find it.”

Maybe it was a good thing he was replenishing his magic power with something else now, instead of threatening to eat Blackie.

I thought it was just a fantasy when I first heard about it, but now I thought if magic water lotuses can exist, why wouldn’t that exist?

“You should’ve left earlier then, why are you leaving now? What if all the fruits fall?”

It wasn’t 5 years or 50 years, it was 500 years, and he was taking a big risk leaving this late! He wasn’t gonna target Blackie when he came back, right?

But Lucas looked at me with a strange look for a while. What? Why are you looking at me? He wasn’t reading my thoughts about Blackie, was he? When he looked away and spoke, I felt weird about what he said.

“I don’t know why I did that. It’s not like there’s a lot of time so I should’ve left earlier.”

Why was he agreeing with me so easily?

“Well, even if I’m late, I suppose I’ll still find something to eat.”

I knew how frustrated he was about lacking magic, so I was worried about his disappointment if he didn’t find it. Even if he said he would still eat something.

“It’ll be okay. You said you already know where it is? If you teleport there, you won’t be late.”

Even if he did say it was hard to use magic in the territory of the world tree.

“You said most people can’t go there even if they would die for it. So no one will pick the fruits. Come back quick.”

But I had grown used to him, so I was sad he was leaving. I thought I would be relieved if he left.

“Alright. I’ll have to get going now.”

Lucas smirked hearing my words and held his hand out to me. When I felt the warmth on my forehead, I realized Lucas was fixing my magic for the last time before he left. Ha, he was still really detailed in some areas..

“If there’s useless magic piled up, I’m gonna eat Blackie when I come back.”

What?

“So if possible, don’t play with Blackie and play with that bird brain. That’s the only reason why I’m not getting rid of it.”

Wait, why was he threatening Blackie? And since when did he decide what to do with my bird?

“You….”

“I’m off.”

But before I could finish, Lucas disappeared.

“Huh.”

This guy, he didn’t even let me finish before he left!

I dejectedly waved my hand where Lucas used to be. My forehead where his finger touched was cold.

Was I not going to see him for a while since he said it took some time to get to the World Tree?

I hoped it all went as he planned. I guess it was bye for now.

Thinking those thoughts, sleep didn’t come to me easily that night.

***

Two weeks had already passed since Lucas left. Lucas’s empty spot was bigger than I thought. Everytime I heard something on my window, I thought it was Lucas.

“Seems like you’re lonely because he’s gone.”

“Well, he’ll be back soon after he collects all his experiment materials.”

Most people thought Lucas left for his magic research. I clicked my tongue thinking he had made up a good excuse for himself. Huh. Should I be happy he didn’t decide to adjust people’s memories instead?

“But I’m also your friend, and I’m here with you, right? See, I brought books to study with you. Let’s go in.”

I wasn’t trying to show it, but Felix and Lili realized I was lonely and tried to cheer me up. And Felix was burning up with the passion to study and tried to take me to the study room. Sob. But I didn’t wanna study right now.

Bark!

At that moment, a soft ball of fur with a pair of golden eyes came into my sight.

“Is Blackie done eating?”

I talked to Blackie like he was a baby.

“Felix, I want to go in later.”

“Today, too?”

Lucas said I should play with the bird instead, but I couldn’t let him out since he might escape. The bird that I named Bluie was cute, but got boring after a while. So after Lucas left, I started playing with Blackie more.

“I’ll play with Blackie a bit more, hm?”

But the detailed Lucas strictly told Lili and Felix that I couldn’t play with Blackie, so they were hesitating.

I looked at them with puppy dog eyes, and eventually they gave up and let me play with Blackie.

It was probably fine anyway, since nothing happened. And when Lucas got back, he could fix my magic again.

“You have to come right in.”

“I’ll be next to the princess, so don’t worry.”

“Thanks again, Sir Robane.”

I squinted my eyes at Lili and Felix, who were acting like a newlywed couple. What if they actually got married?

“Felix, you can go too.”

“No, it’s fine. Since the magician is gone now, I have to stay right by your side since I’m also your friend.”

O, Oh, is that right? You seemed to have put some extra force into your words.

“Blackie, let’s go with Felix over there.”

“��!” [Sound that Blackie makes]

Well, there was nothing I could do except for including Felix in the walk. I stroked Blackie, who was rubbing my legs.

“Princess, let’s go.”

I didn’t know then.

How much I would regret not listening to Lucas’s words.

Everything that happened after that was all because of my foolishness.

***

“Hello, it’s been a while. I trust you’ve all been well?”

I invited people to the Emerald Palace for the first time in forever. Of course, they were all ladies, and there weren’t any gentlemen.

Oh well. Claude wasn’t going to let me hang out with guys over his dead body.