Episode 16
I glanced sideways at Rurik and let out a sigh of relief.
‘At least he’s perceptive, thank goodness.’
I could only imagine how my supposed twin must have been treated, left alone in the detached palace during my absence. Just as Crown Prince Hart had persecuted him, it was obvious the other princesses would have bullied the youngest. And it wasn’t just a matter between the princes and princesses.
‘Who do you think the children learn it from?’
The Empress had left the banquet early on the very first day of the victory celebrations, using the excuse of feeling unwell. It seemed even congratulating Rurik on his victory was distasteful to her.
I quickly gestured to Phoebe and asked Cyril,
“Sister, would you care for some almond tea? It might not be the same premium quality as you have in the main palace, but they say it’s fresh almonds roasted and blended with black tea.”
“Almond tea? They drink such things here?”
I answered with a bright smile.
“I don’t know much about it, but Crown Prince Flavi is quite fond of tea. He tends to share with me whenever new teas are imported.”
Cyril hesitated for a moment, seemingly displeased that I received and drank the new tea first, but soon moved on to the next topic.
“Ah, that doll-like Crown Prince? It seems you two are still quite close?”
“Friendship is forever.”
I said, and she listened with a face that mocked my packaging of the Crown Prince’s obvious affection as mere friendship.
‘Still, with Rurik here, there’s a limit to how much she can openly harass me.’
Just then, Phoebe arrived with the tea set. While I was brewing the tea, Cyril, having achieved her purpose for walking all the way to the detached palace, opened her mouth.
“I heard you’re going to Babenberg.”
The answer came, unexpectedly, from Rurik.
“She has decided to accompany me on my way to carry out the Imperial decree. Is that a problem?”
True to his extraordinary presence, Chirila shrank her shoulders slightly under Rurik’s imposing manner.
“A problem? No, it’s just… I’ve never been to Babenberg myself, so I’m envious.”
I realized Cyril had come here intending to beg to be taken to Babenberg as well. But she likely couldn’t bring herself to say the same thing to Rurik.
Rurik responded coldly.
“Foolish talk. It’s already snowing in northern Babenberg. I feel it every time I visit; that place is no fit territory for people to live in.”
His tone was sharp, as if implying that Callisteon, who lived there, wasn’t human either.
Taken aback by this unexpected response, Cyril blinked her brilliant golden eyes and asked,
“Oh my, then I take it you have no intention of marrying Louise off to Babenberg, Second Brother?”
Don’t, please…
Worried that Rurik might show signs of losing his temper again, I anxiously hurried to fill a teacup and handed it to him.
Fortunately, Rurik calmly took a sip of tea and said,
“I am not the one who decides Louise’s marriage prospects.”
Cyril, fearless, asked another question.
“But if His Majesty permits it? Are you not considering Babenberg as a potential match for Louise, Brother?”
I noticed Rurik’s shallow patience was beginning to wear thin, but Cyril seemed oblivious.
However, instead of ignoring her, Rurik answered seriously.
“If my opinion were to carry significant weight, I would be opposed. Babenberg is cold, and too far away.”
The problem was, as he said this, my brother was looking at me, not at Chirilla.
Cyril laughed brightly, her face clearing up.
“I knew it! I thought you’d feel that way, Brother. Actually, I feel the same. Louise is too delicate to go to the north.”
Rurik suddenly turned stern.
“A short trip is fine. I will take good care of her and ensure we return safely, so do not worry.”
Cyril bit her lower lip as if caught off guard.
‘What to do with you…’
No matter how sturdy you are, our brother isn’t going to take you instead of me…
After teatime, Cyril returned to the main palace, albeit with a sullen face.
Finally alone, I took out the diary tucked away in the corner of my desk and opened it.
No matter how much I had fiddled with it before, no new entries had appeared, but I couldn’t just give up. True to my never-give-up nature, I opened the notebook to the second page and brought my fingertip to the embossed pattern.
‘Reveal yourself, please.’
But this time, the moment my finger touched it, writing began to appear.
Charles Year 16, Ninth Month, Fourth Day.
It’s finally appearing!
My heart pounded. With a nervous gaze, I quickly read the second diary entry.
Today was the event for touring the academy with our mentors.
However, my mentor, the Serpent of Babenberg—no, Callisteon Bile Babenberg—only showed me to the dormitories.
He declared that my limbs looked too frail to tour the entire academy at once.
Just reading that far made Callisteon’s shallow trick obvious, and a sigh escaped me.
‘Cal either genuinely thought that, or he made an excuse to postpone the tour so he could meet Louise more often.’
Either option suited Callisteon, but I wasn’t sure if his plan worked. Sure enough, the diary’s owner was furious.
Although I had assumed he wouldn’t respect me, a mere offshoot of the Imperial family, I was still so embarrassed and ashamed I couldn’t lift my head.
For heaven’s sake, a twenty-year-old noblewoman can’t possibly have a body as sturdy as a Sword Master’s!
I waited a while longer, but nothing else appeared, as if the entry had ended there.
‘Poor Callisteon.’
Comparing this to the letter where he mentioned being a ‘senior’, it seemed he had to go through tremendous effort to finally win Louise’s heart. He might not have ever won her romantic feelings, but he at least seemed to have gained her friendship…
‘And then suddenly, Louise became a different woman.’
I carefully flipped through the notebook, which now had only two revealed pages, all the way to the very last page. Given the embossed pattern on each page, more diaries might appear occasionally in the future.
‘But when will I find the time?’
If they appear at this rate of one every two days, it would take years for this notebook to fill up.
‘No, it’s too early to judge.’
So far, only two pages of diary have been revealed. With luck, another entry might appear tomorrow.
‘I hope they all reveal themselves within a year.’
That way, by the time the baby is born, I should be able to identify the father.
I pondered the diary’s magic a bit more.
‘Maybe Len helped?’
Even if he hadn’t, it seemed like getting Len’s help might allow me to check the remaining entries.
‘But what if the diary contains secrets that shouldn’t be shown to anyone?’
Lacking confidence, I placed the diary back in its spot. I needed to gather more information first.
The next day, I woke up at dawn. My curiosity about the diary seemed to have overcome even the drowsiness of early pregnancy.
‘If I don’t wake up before Phoebe arrives, I won’t have a chance to fiddle with the diary.’
I hurried to the desk and took out the hidden notebook. With trembling hands, I opened it and placed my finger on the embossed pattern.
Sure enough…
‘Gasp, it’s appearing!’
Another diary entry began to reveal itself. Steadying my pounding heart, I read on.
Charles Year 16, Ninth Month, Fifth Day.
Today, I was sitting in the dining hall and got a fright.
It’s not yet the season for fireplaces, but with a BANG, the fireplace burst into flames like crazy.
Just as the screams and suspicions of the freshmen filled the large dining hall, something black jumped out of the roaring flames.
Then, that something kicked the ashes in the fireplace in irritation.
“Damn it, XX! Do I have to repeat the second year again?!”
As the freshmen at the entrance began to flee in fear, Callisteon appeared at the dining hall entrance.
“Ren Dafte, who is no longer even a senior. I believe I told you the dining hall fireplace is not for transportation. Even as the Lord of the Magic Tower, you couldn’t memorize that simple rule, which is why you’re repeating a year.”
Then, the flames in the fireplace grew fiercer… and that was the end of our meal.
A diary entry featuring two father candidates at once was incredibly exciting, but it was quite draining on my mental energy to read first thing in the morning.
‘Len… you were quite the problem child, weren’t you?’
Suddenly feeling nauseous, I looked for the medicine box. After taking the potion and grabbing the candy jar, the label made me sigh automatically.
‘Raising a son who takes after Len seems like it would be difficult…’
But still, having the diary was definitely better than not having it. If it weren’t for this, I might have been completely taken in by that large, puppy-like Len’s adorable act.
