‘Damn, these pesky kids never get tired.’

I wasn’t pleased to see the three musketeers visiting again. The annoying children were noisily chattering and shouting loud enough to make my skull ring, which I didn’t appreciate at all.

Honestly, the burden of having to play nanny again was stressing me out.

‘At least this one’s reading books like a future general should.’

Meanwhile, Carlyle, true to his role as my future right-hand man, wasn’t squawking like a baby bird begging for food. I quietly sat down next to Carlyle and made a sullen face.

‘You’re so unlike other kids your age, it’s weird.’

Come to think of it, wasn’t Carlyle about 6 years old? That’s certainly an age where kids should be running around wildly, so it’s suspicious.

Of course, he must have his reasons, so I didn’t bother to pry. It’s not like it concerns me anyway, and I don’t need to know right now, nor am I that interested.

‘What kind of fairy tale is he reading with such a serious face?’

I glanced at the side profile of the boy engrossed in his book, thinking that anyone watching would assume he was reading a philosophy text.

‘Cute kid.’

Still, that’s the level needed for someone to be truly useful when they grow up, so I can work them hard later.

Children with potential, like Jeff who was my loyal subject in my past life, are distinctly different from other kids their age. I smirked, feeling satisfied at having discovered someone with knowledge and ability after so long, and looked ahead.

“Eek!”

“Battara!”

And the scene before me instantly cooled my satisfaction. It’s truly chaotic.

‘Noisy brats.’

As I blankly watched the Fleur siblings playing with wooden toy swords, swinging them terribly, I desperately wanted to escape this room.

‘I should play with them a bit and then send them back quickly.’

It’s pointless to try luring them with promises of interesting stories and wearing out my mouth talking. These kids are no help. Though I knew it was impossible since they came as guests of the imperial family, I wanted to tell the children to go away.

‘Ugh, but I can’t just chase them out either.’

Heaven help me. I propped my chin on one hand and sighed.

“Ah!”

Just then, the wooden toy sword that slipped from Berith’s hand came flying with a whoosh and hit me on the forehead.

Thwack!

With such a crisp sound.

“Princess!”

An accident that happened too quickly to avoid.

I felt my vision blur as I was caught up in the sudden incident. My head rang for a few seconds.

“Uh, uugh…”

It hurts. Damn it, it hurts too much!

Among the memories of my past life, I remember feeling like this when a fruit fell from a tree and hit my face while I was sleeping underneath. A similar pain made me furrow my brow.

“Princess, are you alright?”

No. Do you think you could calmly smile and say it doesn’t hurt in this situation? I collapsed to the floor without being able to answer Carlyle.

‘This really hurts.’

Still, for the sake of appearances, I tried to pretend I was fine. But my efforts were in vain as my young body was more sensitive to pain, and the more I tried to endure, the more violently my body trembled.

“I, I have sinned greatly!”

The Fleur siblings were at a loss for what to do. Even at just 3 years old, they seemed to realize the gravity of injuring the empire’s only imperial descendant.

“It’s… it’s okay…”

I answered with difficulty, holding my forehead with both hands. Hoping that a bump wouldn’t form, I rubbed the throbbing area with my palm.

“No! You don’t look okay at all, Princess!”

Meanwhile, Berith, realizing it was his toy that had slipped and hit me, started to sniffle, thinking something terrible would happen. The sensitive child had already prepared to cry, with tears welling up in his eyes.

“Waaaaaah!”

And… it all went wrong.

“Don’t cry, waaaaaah!”

Suddenly, Berith began to cry bitterly along with Ronowe.

“Your Highness! Are you really alright?”

“Yes. I’m fine, so do something about them.”

The handmaidens clamored about bringing ointment, but I waved them off and instructed them to take care of the Fleur children first.

‘Ah, this won’t do. I hate it when kids cry.’

The pain would soon fade, but the siblings showed no signs of stopping their cries despite the handmaidens’ attempts to soothe and comfort them.

“Don’t cry, stop! I’ll… I’ll tell you an interesting story…”

Why are they crying and making such a fuss when I’m the one who’s hurt? I want to lose my temper, but these kids won’t understand anyway, so I don’t know what I’m doing, indulging them for my own comfort.

“In-interesting story?”

Being pure children, they stopped crying immediately. I was relieved that the same tactic worked again and breathed a sigh of relief. If they had shown no interest, I might have collapsed, not knowing what to do, or given up and passed them off to the handmaidens.

After that, as Carlyle, Ronowe, and Berith gathered around me, I cleared my throat.

“Ahem!”

A story about a magnificent figure, not some trivial person.

“It’s about the late Emperor…”

It was a story about me, before I became Darjeeling, when I lived as the Emperor.

“The late Emperor was incredibly skilled with a sword. With one swing, he could defeat ten enemies!”

I explained enthusiastically, using gestures and movements.

Although self-praise was embarrassing, I thought it wasn’t impossible.

After all, I wasn’t bad during my time as Emperor.

“Moreover, his charisma was so overwhelming that everyone would prostrate themselves before him without even fighting properly.”

I was anxious that the children might stage a mini-rebellion in the middle, complaining it wasn’t interesting, but such worries gradually faded as the story progressed.

“Wow…”

This was because, surprisingly, all three showed interest, and encouraged by this, I spoke more confidently.

“When the late Emperor returned from his conquests, the people’s cheers never stopped…”

Suddenly, as I turned my head, the rocking horse that came into view brought back old memories.

“At this time, he would appear majestically on a magnificent horse…”

I quickly mounted the rocking horse and, feeling my heart swell, moved with Carlyle.

“Hehe…”

“?”

Recalling the times when I returned like a victorious general, receiving everyone’s respect, I suddenly felt my mood improving.

“Well~ Everyone was moved~ and cried~”

I mounted the rocking horse to explain from a child’s perspective, but the feeling was strange.

‘Ah, this sensation. It feels like I’m riding my Tommy after so long. Somehow, I feel like I can even hear the sounds vividly…’

As if my heart was whispering to beat more vigorously, I unconsciously moved my body back and forth enthusiastically.

“Vroom, vroom, vroom~”

But the problem was…

“Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop~”

Just as I was thoroughly enjoying myself, someone’s vocal imitation brought me back to reality.

‘What… What is this…’

I see Jeff, looking at me adoringly while enthusiastically mimicking horse sounds with his mouth.

“Your Highness, you’re doing so well!”

“Our Darjeeling, riding so well!”

My mind cooled instantly. It felt like my head had frozen, exposed defenseless in a heavy snowfall.

‘Don’t. Don’t clap!’

As I felt heat rushing to my face, I wanted to quickly get off the rocking horse.

‘Why won’t this thing stop now!’

But it didn’t go as I wished, and in my panic, I rocked my body even more vigorously back and forth.

Creak−

‘Ah.’

And the moment I accidentally let go of the rocking horse’s handle, I flew backwards from the recoil.

Bang!

I hit the back of my head and teared up.

‘This damn body! Nothing goes as I want it to!’

Meanwhile, Jeff says not to make a fuss since all kids grow up falling down.

For some reason, those words made me feel miserable, and I thrashed my limbs about to show my displeasure.

Whoosh−

Then, startled as my body was lifted high.

“Our Darjeeling, did you go boom?”

Ugh, ugh.

‘What is he saying?’

I stared at Jeff with a stiff face.

“Did you fall down? Did it hurt a lot? Daddy will make it all better.”

‘It’s fine. I’m fine, Jeff!’

I thought I was going to die until Jeff put me down.

‘What are you looking at.’

And as I was staring at Jeff with a sullen face, my personal handmaiden approached.

“Your Majesty, these are the drawings the Princess made just before meeting the young masters today.”

The handmaiden showed off the work I had hastily scribbled, smiling proudly.

“That’s my daughter indeed!”

And Jeff, greatly delighted by the drawing the handmaiden showed, lifted me high towards the ceiling.

“Our daughter needs a wider variety of paints to expand her artistic horizons!”

I decided to just let things be. I judged it was better for me to remain dazed than to try to stop Jeff from praising me.

‘Damn it!’

As expected, the affectionate expressions of the dad who hugged me tightly gradually became more intense. I had to remain still, helplessly embraced like a cornered mouse.

“Your Majesty.”

Just as I was wondering how long I would have to endure this, having counted over 200 numbers in my head.

“Speak.”

Jeff, suddenly returning to his emperor persona at the appearance of a minister, spoke solemnly.

“During the war, the lords governing each territory have submitted petitions. The volume is extensive… It seems you should review them promptly.”

“I understand.”

Jeff, nodding his head, put me down on the floor.

“I wish we could spend more time together, but it’s unfortunate.”

Jeff, with a sad expression, patted my head.

“Then daddy will go work and come back~.”

Jeff, grinning, turned his back and majestically swept his cape. As I watched him disappear, I recalled the moment when I entrusted the position of emperor to him.

‘I guess he does work.’

I felt relieved at finally being free.

‘I’m tired…’

Perhaps because the tension had eased, my body felt limp.

“Princess?”

Someone called me, gently poking my cheek.

But without the strength to answer, I fell asleep right there.

And I dreamed of cookies covered in chocolate coming to life and moving around. Although I do enjoy sweet things, it was strange to see it manifest in my subconscious to this extent.

‘How long have I been asleep?’

I was smacking my lips when, just as I regained consciousness, a familiar voice pierced my ears, causing me to open my eyes.

“Look at this. Let’s have a running race!”

“Wow~ Okay!”

Berith gets down on all fours in an animal posture to run.

‘Shining… bottom?’

Am I seeing things? I rubbed my eyes.

‘Surely not.’

A bottom that had nothing before, and it’s not even a firefly. I pinched my cheek as I got down from the sofa.

Fwoosh−.

At that moment, an intense light flashed from the window.

As the light faded, before my eyes stood someone I thought I would never meet again.