Ludwig, who had just returned from inspecting the patrol troops going around the northern part of the kingdom, had arrived at the secret base he often visited since childhood to avoid others’ eyes.

He heard that the empress, who had gained power during his absence, was actively trying to make Prince Edwin, her own son, the next emperor.

He was only seven years old.

Ever since his mother, the queen, passed away four years ago, Crown Prince Ludwig had felt numerous threats to his life.

There were many who didn’t want Ludwig to ascend the throne.

Assassins barging into his room was nothing new, and poison was frequently mixed into his meals so often that he had built a tolerance to most of them.

While he was well aware that the journey to ascend the throne was supposed to be the hardest, hearing it from his father and mother…

But this was too… harsh.

His father didn’t protect him. It was to be expected. If his life was to be lost to petty court intrigues, he wouldn’t be able to rule over the vast continent.

Desperately seeking a place where he could rest, even for a moment, he followed a small path behind the palace to his secret base.

A small cabin that wasn’t there before he left for the northern inspection appeared in sight.

Ludwig’s rubycolored eyes twitched slightly.

He was upset. It felt as though his only sanctuary was stolen by someone unknown.

When he opened the door to the cabin, he saw halffinished orange juice on an expensivelooking table. Jerky and bread were piled up beside it.

“Judging by the amount of food stored here, it doesn’t seem to be a person. Is it a rare hatchling?”

He was annoyed that someone had built a cabin right in his secret base.

So, he generously shared what appeared to be precious food stores with the local deer, birds, and other wildlife.

It was a petty act, but his anger at having his only cherished place stolen was great.

Even after sharing with the animals, he shoved the remaining bread into his mouth without any left over.

Although it was just ordinary bread, he ate quite a lot. Any food without poison was precious to Ludwig.

For the next few days, he came and went from the secret base, but it wasn’t easy to encounter the land thief.

‘Is he here today?’

On a sunny day, when he climbed up to the secret base, he saw cookies scattered along the path to the cabin.

Were these crumbs left as bait…? Surely, unless he’s a fool.

Inside the cabin, a cookie basket with its bottom half eaten away was gently covered with a white cloth, and a beautiful orange juice was placed next to it.

So I’m not going to see the face of the detestable land thief today?

Feeling a strange sense of loss, he ate the remaining cookies and orange juice, dusted off his hands, and headed towards the door, when he heard the sound of footsteps.

As he neared the door, the footsteps didn’t decrease in volume. It seemed like he intended to burst open the door in a fullbody charge.

Ludwig quickly moved to the side of the door.

Bang!

Was it not a hatchling but a wild boar?

However, the entity that kicked open the door and rushed in was neither a hatchling nor a wild boar, but a tiny little girl.

“Eliiii….”

The golden hair of the whimpering child shone bright, holding the sunlight that flowed in from the opened door, as if it itself was the sun.

It was from the back so the face was not visible, but the chubby cheeks, not yet out of baby fat, clearly protruded out.

The Artina family.

Ludwig recognized the identity of the child at a glance.

Judging by the attire, it was certain she was a noble. Among the nobles of this empire, no, even including the commoners, the golden hair that emitted such a bright light was only found in the direct descendants of the Artina family.

Stories about the princess were frequently heard.

Even at such a young age, she was wellbehaved and outstanding in ability. Even her father had said so.

Recalling all the information he had heard about the Artina princess while looking at the back of the child, he could see her protruding cheeks gradually turn bright red.

“Real… really bad!! I’ll catch you and kick your butt!!”

Soon after, a shout that echoed through the shabby house could be heard.

…Butt… wasn’t the princess wellbehaved…? Where did this misinformation come from?

As a crown prince of a single empire, he didn’t want to bicker with a petty young child over a secret base.

So, he tried to let it pass as lightly as possible, but upon hearing the threat of getting his butt kicked, he couldn’t stay quiet.

“Who, me?”

Surprised, the child turned around. Her eyes were a clear blue, like the Orcas Sea, unlike the princes of the Artina family.

Knowing she was wrong but continuing to tease the child, the child stood up trembling, but eventually lowered her stubborn tail.

He wanted to tease her more. It felt quite good to be comfortable with someone without worrying about dignity, assassination, or anything else.

He was thinking of the next topic quickly while placing the shovel behind the tree, when the cheeky chick threw a pinecone and boldly declared war before running away.

He felt a pain in the back of his head. But the laughter that he couldn’t help was already escaping from his mouth.

He felt relieved. The laughterfilled lungs were refreshing.

Ludwig, who had been laughing and giggling for a while at the spot, soon bent over and picked up the pinecone that had been thrown at his head.

Even in the suffocating imperial palace, it seemed like seeing this pinecone could occasionally make him feel better.

“Will we be able to play together again.”

He wanted to talk a bit more. It would have been nice to play a bit more.

His slightly disappointed face was that of a sevenyearold.

He didn’t want to go…. Ludwig fiddled with the pinecone and hesitated before finally sighing and turning his body towards the imperial palace.

As soon as he caught sight of the high palace, his soft amber eyes hardened back to a blood color. His mouth that was forming a line was firmly shut.

The playful child’s face was now covered with the mask of a ruler.

Seven years old. It was an age where it was not lacking for a little ruler, who was driven to the brink, to be indifferent, no, to pretend to be so.

A gap meant immediate death.

Emperor or corpse, on that precarious blade’s edge.

That was exactly where he stood.