As a result of running around tirelessly, Blanche fell asleep as soon as she finished her dinner. In contrast, Melchizedek, who had spent a leisurely and idle day, still had the energy to visit the Empress Dowager after dinner.

“Did you call for me, Your Majesty?”

The Empress Dowager, Lachia Bie Pendleton, greeted her son while tending to a bonsai. Trimming the small potted tree, Lachia opened the conversation with a casual inquiry.

“Yes. How is your brother doing?”

Her inquiry was about the well-being of her eldest son. It was a strange sight to ask the younger son about the elder. However, Melchizedek replied politely.

“Yes, he is very healthy.”

“Good, then there’s nothing more to say. He’s already reached the highest position at the age of twenty. What more could he wish for than good health?”

Melchizedek chose to ignore the awkward question.

“You didn’t call me here just to ask about my brother’s well-being, did you?”

Lachia slightly lifted the corners of her mouth and finally turned her attention to her son.

“You’re in a hurry today, unlike usual.”

“I have to be in bed by 10 p.m. at my age. I need to get to the point of the conversation quickly so I can go to sleep.”

It was a logical excuse. Lachia, not having called her son just to make small talk at this hour, promptly got to the main topic.

“Tell me about this child, Blanche.”

Melchizedek hesitated unusually in his response, as if he was contemplating an already reached conclusion.

“She’s the type to be noticed by adults.”

It was an ambiguous assessment. Not simply labeling her as good or bad, cunning or flattering, but as a child who would catch the eye of adults.

Given that Melchizedek himself was only five years old, it was a particularly cryptic comment.

“Does that mean you don’t like her?”

“No, she’s quite agreeable. It’s the first time I’ve found someone my age with whom I can converse so well.”

Melchizedek continued slowly, tilting his head slightly.

“But her actions strongly suggest she’s been groomed to appeal to adults. Adults get tired of children acting too childishly, but also feel uncomfortable with children who act too grown-up.”

It was now Lachia’s turn to remain silent.

Melchizedek was pointing out the attitude of adults towards him.

Only Liana, among the few family members, saw Melchizedek for who he really was, while other adults found the overly precocious grand duke off-putting.

If Melchizedek weren’t the future emperor, others probably wouldn’t be eager to have their children associate with him.

“Princess Blanche strikes a perfect balance in this regard. She is precocious enough to not be annoying, childlike enough to not be repulsive. She’s endearing enough to be loved, and pitiable enough to not be bothersome.”

It was a hard statement to believe. Such attributes would be understandable in a 23-year-old Blanche, but a 3-year-old?

This wasn’t just about Melchizedek being precocious. Being precocious is one thing, but knowing how to behave to please adults involves not just maturity but also the art of dealing with people, something even real adults struggle with.

“Was she trained that way in the Kingdom of Ramore?”

“If Ramore could train a 3-year-old to be like that, their reputation would need reevaluation.”

“So, it’s her nature?”

“That seems more believable.”

Indeed, it was hard to believe that a small country squeezed between two great powers could afford such thorough training for a hostage. It was easier to assume that Blanche naturally had a charming personality.

“If what you say is true, I might consider making time to see her.”
Though she holds the title of the Empress Dowager, Lachia was still in charge of the palace’s internal affairs. If Blanche were just a lucky young child, Lachia wouldn’t have the leisure to meet her, even if she were the playmate of her second son.

However, Melchizedek’s assessment piqued Lachia’s curiosity, leading her to decide to meet Blanche herself rather than delegating it to a subordinate.

“That’s fine, but give me some time before you call her. She seemed a bit tired from the tea party’s aftermath.”

Lachia smiled benevolently and pushed aside the finished bonsai pot.

Melchizedek took solace in the fact that he had communicated his opinion, even though Lachia didn’t seem to take it into account.

It felt like I had only closed my eyes for a moment, but when I woke up, it was already morning.

“You’re up on time. You seemed very tired yesterday. Why don’t you sleep a little longer? I’ll wake you up in an hour.”

Seeing Tula, it seemed like my usual waking time.

Even though my body had changed, the habit seemed to have carried over. In my previous life as Ibaekryeon, I used to wake up at this hour. Though I needed less sleep and took naps during the day, my sleeping patterns remained.

“No, I’ll take a nap later. Just a light breakfast, please.”

I had no appetite, probably due to lingering fatigue. In the past, I would have just had a jujube tea, but I need to grow now, so that wasn’t an option.