I couldn’t take my eyes off the unbelievable sight.

Over Ronowe’s small body, similar in age to me, red haze was rising wildly, spreading its branches in all directions, and above her head, a dark red thought was taking the form of a demon.

It was shocking.

‘Why is there such a strong thought gathered around that girl?’

I hid behind the pillar again.

‘Wasn’t that something you’d only see in desolate lands?’

As I rummaged through my knowledge, my mind became even more complicated.

‘It seems like strange things keep happening these days, is it just my imagination….’

I wondered if trials were descending because I had lived too peacefully until now. I groaned, holding my head with both hands.

Whoop-.

But I couldn’t hide forever.

So I gathered my courage and looked out again at where the thoughts had been gathered…

“Oh? Your Highness!”

Oh, it’s gone. The ominous thoughts that had been boasting their menacing appearance just moments ago were nowhere to be seen.

“Did you come?”

More importantly, why is she so normal? I approached Ronowe hurriedly, reaching out my hand.

“Did you see anything strange?”

“Something strange? What kind of thing?”

This doesn’t make sense.

Surely, the thought I witnessed was not something to be taken lightly, so I assumed it must have affected Ronowe in some way.

But the innocent eyes of the girl tilting her head showed not a trace of deception. She appeared completely normal.

“Never mind.”

As if nothing had happened from the start, I quickly changed the subject. If I got it wrong and Ronowe clung to it, it would be troublesome to clean up.

“Have you been reading a book all this time?”

Fortunately, it seems the thought had no effect on her. I asked, staring at the book Ronowe was holding tightly to her chest.

“Yes. I wanted to play with Your Highness…”

Then, with a sad look in her eyes, Ronowe hugged the book even tighter.

“I came to play for a while, but I got absorbed in this interesting book.”

A kid who can barely speak properly got absorbed in a book? I’m not sure if this is words or farts.

“You mean the book you’re holding now?”

I maintained an indifferent expression, not erasing the look of suspicion.

“Yes! Would Your Highness like to see it too?”

Then Ronowe handed over the thick book as if showing it off.

‘This is a book on military tactics, isn’t it?’

At a glance, I had guessed it was a book with profound content in an elegant and extraordinary cover, but as I flipped through the pages, I found it was a book on military tactics.

‘This isn’t a book suitable for a little kid like Ronowe.’

Since it’s a book recording the military tactics and strategies of rulers who conquered this world, could it be that some thought was dwelling in there? That might be why Ronowe was momentarily captivated.

“Why did you choose that book?”

But rather than just guessing blindly, I thought it would be better to ask her directly about how she obtained the book.

“Because the cover looked pretty!”

But the answer that came out as soon as I asked was too… simple.

‘Certainly, objects with thoughts dwelling in them bewitch humans. But Ronowe is clearly explaining why she chose the book.’

I felt somewhat deflated, but looking at that reaction, it was certain.

Ronowe definitely wasn’t bewitched by the thought.

If she had been bewitched by the thought, she would have said she didn’t know why she chose the book.

“Oh, I see. But what’s it about?”

Although I hadn’t completely erased my suspicions, separately from that, I was curious about how much she understood while reading the difficult book on military tactics, so I decided to find out.

“Umm…”

Suddenly, Ronowe hugged the book tightly again.

“I don’t know!”

After pondering for a while as if carefully choosing her words, she smiled brightly and said she couldn’t understand a single letter.

‘I thought so. She was just holding it.’

Oh my. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, dripping with sweat. I had thought she might say she found some charm in the book on military tactics, since she was uncharacteristically holed up in the library.

After all, even if she was a bit odd, a child was still a child.

“Sister~ Your Highness~ Where are you~”

“Oh! That’s Berith’s voice!”

He must have finally woken up from his nap. I turned my body towards the direction of the voice.

“I want to stay here longer.”

Ronowe’s eyes welled up with tears, sensing that the time for farewell was not far off.

“You can come with me again later.”

She must have really liked the book on military tactics. I blurted out to Ronowe, who quickly became gloomy after having a bright face just moments ago when hearing her brother’s voice.

“Yes, I’d love to! Your Highness is the best!”

Then Ronowe jumped up and down on the spot, putting the book down on the floor. I thought her change of attitude was too quick, but I let it slide since it was better than her crying loudly.

“I should read that book too.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Meanwhile, I instructed the maid to keep the book on military tactics.

Although Ronowe wasn’t tainted by the thought, I needed to check once more if there really was an evil thought dwelling in the book.

After all, it was right to remove or seal objects with ominous power early when discovered, for the sake of the future.

It wasn’t particularly that I was worried others might be harmed.

“Sister~~ Your Highness~~~”

The quiet imperial library is filled with Berith’s crying. As I walked alongside Ronowe, thinking about how to comfort him again, I felt relieved.

That’s because Carlyle was patting Berith’s head and comforting him, making him stop crying quickly.

“Why are you making such a fuss?”

Feeling tired already, I spoke as usual.

“I opened my eyes in the middle and Your Highness wasn’t there… I was scared!”

But it seemed the sorrow hadn’t completely disappeared, as Berith, seen up close, kept wiping his eyes with both hands and answered while sniffling.

“Your Highness, why did you go out secretly without me and my brother?”

Damn, it wasn’t over. I was flustered by Berith’s sudden behavior.

“Do you hate Berith now?”

Stop, please stop! I was alarmed seeing the kid’s face that looked like he was about to cry again.

“I’m not sleepy anymore! So please don’t abandon me!”

“Alright, I understand.”

It’s not like he’s an ugly duckling or something. I was at a loss, but I had to get through this situation somehow, so I hurriedly answered.

“Your Highness, it’s still a while until lunchtime.”

Just as I was catching my breath after Berith had finally calmed down, the maid who had been waiting quietly moved her lips.

“So, I was wondering if I could prepare another game?”

She added that it would surely be fun, and I nodded, curious about how thoroughly she had prepared to be so confident.

“Is it fun?”

“I’m curious~”

Like brother and sister indeed. The oddballs showed great interest in the maid’s words, listening intently like curiosity kings.

“Well then, shall we go to the playroom first? I’ll quickly prepare and bring the game items.”

Meanwhile, the maid entrusted me and the children to other maids and disappeared in the opposite direction, presumably to gather the game items.

‘It’s probably just fun for kids.’

I had an indifferent look on my face while going to the playroom.

Honestly, the ‘fun’ the maid was talking about was obviously something that would be interesting from a young child’s perspective.

“Ta-da! We’re going to make cookies now.”

“Wow!”

And this prediction of mine was not wrong.

* * *

“If you make this flour dough beautifully, I’ll bake it into cookies for you.”

I thought there was some new cloth suddenly spread on the playroom carpet, but it turned out to be an experience game of making snacks by kneading dough with their own hands.

‘You’re going to make cookies with those kids? Will that even be edible?’

Poppy, Ronowe, and Berith jumped for joy, but my mind was complicated.

Since they’re such unruly children, who knows what they’ll do with the dough, and it’s concerning that they’re willingly offering to bake the results.

In other words, it would be fortunate if we don’t die from eating it.

Squish-

“Sister! This is ba!”

Moreover, these extraordinary children were already having outlandish conversations about the dough.

“It’s like Poppy’s bottom!”

No, even if Poppy is a soft doll, she doesn’t have a bottom with such excellent elasticity that stretches like flour dough.

“It smells like delicious butter!”

I couldn’t understand how they could imagine such things and make such evaluations.

“What are you going to make, brother?”

Meanwhile, unlike me who was keeping my distance, Carlyle approached the children with big strides.

“I’m going to make the most delicious cookie!”

Ronowe shouted at Carlyle with a big grin, and Berith wanted to know what Carlyle would make with the dough.

“No, kids. Don’t just try to make cookies.”

There’s nothing but food in your heads. I wished the children would think of something more creative.

“You can make whatever you want.”

By the way, since they said they were making cookies, the game the maid confidently mentioned would end up being a tactile play.

‘I’ve read in books that it’s good for children’s emotional development, but…’

For some reason, seeing the oddballs kneading the dough with their dirty hands makes me lose my appetite.

‘The thought of eating that later makes me nauseous.’

It may sound cruel, but that was my true feeling. It would be better to ask the chef to make proper cookies.

‘Besides, wheat is a staple food, and they’re using it for such nonsense.’

While some people are starving, they’re playing with food… I really wanted to scold everyone for being so thoughtless.

“Your Highness, please make some too! It’s fun!”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Whew, but I can’t nag like this in a 3-year-old body. I received the dough Ronowe handed me with a sullen face.

“I’m making Poppy!”

After that, how much time had passed?

‘That’s… supposed to be Poppy?’

I was dumbfounded looking at the dough that was barely holding eyes, nose, and mouth on top of it as it dripped down.

“I made Your Highness’s face.”

“Let me see.”

While I was shocked thinking that this wasn’t even art, Carlyle said he made my face, which piqued my interest. I thought Carlyle’s handiwork might be decent since he was the smartest among the three.

But…

‘How is that supposed to be me?’

Carlyle’s dough didn’t drip like Berith’s, but it was impossible to say the result resembled my face at all.

“You… have skills that would make the great sculptor Pygmalion weep.”

Above all, he said he made me, of all things, but it looked worse than a pig pumpkin. I despaired and gave an ambiguous evaluation that sounded like a compliment but wasn’t.

“Thank you!”

No, does he not understand the meaning of ‘skills that would make one weep’? I laughed hollowly inside as I watched Carlyle smile and accept it gladly.

‘I should just focus on my own.’

After returning to my seat and diligently kneading the dough, I glanced at where the children were.

‘It’s nice that these misfits aren’t bothering me, but what a waste of flour.’

Seeing the pile of dough, the thought that had been lingering since the start of the game surfaced.

‘Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to distribute this to the soldiers rather than wasting it like this?’

In any case, whatever the purpose, it was a shame to waste wheat in this way. It was wasteful.

“Oh my, you’ve already finished!”

Just as I was feeling a bit uneasy, the maid appeared with some kind of box.

“Now all that’s left is to bake the cookies.”

The elegant box with a brown background and flower pattern, with holes on both sides covered with cloth, looked like it was hiding something inside at first glance.

“While I bake the cookies, try to guess what’s inside this box by putting your hand in.”

The maid, who said we shouldn’t take out what’s inside the box, kindly said there would be a reward.

“I’ll give a watermelon cake to whoever guesses first!”

I’ll be the first to guess.

I rested my chin on my hand and made a ‘hut’ sound. Just as I was feeling skeptical about the flour play, I thought this level of game would be enough for a change of mood.

“I’ll go first!”

But Berith acted up and rushed in first, then suddenly got startled and hid behind Carlyle’s back.

“There’s a monster in there.”

Why are you acting on your own and making a fuss? I watched with salty eyes as Carlyle stepped up as the second challenger.

Swoosh-

“!”

But even Carlyle, whom I thought would be different, put his hand in the box and stirred it around, then got surprised and fell back on his bottom.

‘They’re all cowards.’

Later, he blushed, probably embarrassed by his behavior from earlier, which made me think he was pathetic.

“Step aside. I’ll check if it’s really a monster.”

I guess I’ll be the winner after all. I told everyone to move back.

“It seems like there’s something dangerous inside, so be careful, Your Highness.”

“Alright.”

Surely they wouldn’t bring something truly dangerous for a children’s game? Thinking it was absurd, I put my hand inside the cloth.

Swish-

‘What is this…’

Based on the sensation touching my skin, I started to deduce what the veiled object was.

‘I feel soft fur and leather. It seems to have some bulk too, is it a large doll?’

Thinking carefully, it felt like a human-like doll toy…

Achoo-!

What was that?

‘It feels like something damp and sticky just wet my hand?’

I quickly pulled my hand out as I saw the box shake violently.

‘Nose, snot?’

As I was shocked at the identity of the liquid, I heard Berith calling for help from behind.

“My head is stuck!”

Damn it, it was you. My mind went blank as I realized what I had been touching just now was Berith.

“I defeated the monster for Your Highness!”

You just wanted to play around and went in there. I sighed inwardly as I watched Berith, who had gotten his head unstuck from the hole in the box.

“I want to do it again!”

“You guys do it yourselves. I’m going to wash my hands.”

Unless I’m crazy, I won’t do it twice. I blurted out in an indifferent tone.

Ah, and I found out later… the identity of the treasure was ridiculously just one sock.

* * *

Knock, knock-

“Come in.”

A short while later. Someone knocked on the door, so I granted permission to enter. It was bound to be a maid.

“Here come the hot~ fresh cookies~”

The maid who appeared, not deviating from expectations, brought a bunch of delicious-looking cookies, among which were some that seemed to be made by me and the children.

“Cookies?”

“Wow~ My cookie!”

‘It seems the chef remade them.’

The problem was, upon closer inspection, they were all cookies that the chef had imitated from the dough we made… but the kids were innocent and thought their own creations had been well-baked.

‘At least we won’t die from eating them.’

Anyway, that’s the most important thing.