The hand stroking the tree didn’t carry affection—it carried calculation: How many swings would it take?
The few remaining traces of his wife were at risk of being erased.
And by their own daughter, no less!
“Where did you get that axe, Bel! It’s dangerous, put it down! Now!”
“The palace.”
“Sigh, are you not going to listen to your dad? Huh? Are you threatening me right now?”
“Yup. The palace.”
“No matter how much you say that, some things are just a no! Do you know how careful one has to be in the royal palace? When you’re a bit older, I’ll take you. Okay?”
Dane had thought she would cave as soon as he brought up the cherry tree, but she held firm.
‘She’s not giving in as easily as I thought.’
Sananet had proposed two strategies:
One, threaten him with something he cherished. The other…
Just moments ago, Abel had been holding the axe confidently. Now her shoulders slumped, her face a picture of sorrow.
“…But the other kids were bragging.”
“Huh?”
“They said they got to see the palace as soon as they turned ten.”
An age-old, universal tactic.
If parents say, “So-and-so’s kid did this,” then children retort, “All the other kids have it!”
‘Sorry, Dad. I don’t mean to be unfilial, but this is a great step toward a higher kind of filial piety!’
Firm in her resolve, Abel fluttered her lashes pathetically.
“Can’t you do it for me? I’m ten now too—can’t I go to the palace? Really?”
“Well, Bel… It’s just that…”
“Is it because… we’re a different class than the others?”
“…Who told you that?”
His resolute eyes wavered slightly.
Abel purposely left her sentence hanging and just pouted.
Sananet, unable to watch his sister’s calculated cuteness, turned his head—but even that looked suspicious to their father.
After a moment of silence, Dane let out a deep sigh and nodded.
“Sigh… Fine. Alright.”
“Really?!”
“Really. I’ll take you on the next day off. But—you have to stay right next to me and behave, got it?”
“Promise!”
Making a promise she had no intention of keeping, Abel threw her arms around her father affectionately.
“You… are you an assassin?”
Neither of them knew that just days later, they’d have the worst first encounter.
“You’ll stay right by Dad’s side, right?”
“Yup.”
“Even if you don’t know someone, greet them politely.”
“Okay.”
“No running around like at home.”
“I got it already!”
Abel nodded along, brushing off her father’s seventeenth reminder.
“Don’t you trust me, Dad?”
“…No.”
Dane couldn’t lie to his daughter and looked away.
Her round eyes grew even wider.
Tch. He knows me too well.
Dane Delafion’s cautious nature was completely justified.
Abel had no intention of listening to a single word of his advice.
“You’ll really behave, right Bel?”
“Yes, yes.”
Jumping down from her father’s knee, Abel twirled once on the spot and flashed a bright smile.
“Aren’t I cute?”
The pink pigtails Dane had been holding bounced cheerfully.
“Of course—you’re my daughter.”
“This cuteness will save the world!”
“R-right. Let’s go.”
Dane didn’t quite like her overly confident tone, but Abel generously let it slide.
‘I mean it, though.’
Who would believe it?
That every step she took now held the fate of her family and the peace of the kingdom.
‘Shouldn’t someone be giving me a medal or something?’
Feeling proud of her mission, Abel marched toward the palace.
“The royal palace is very big. We can’t go anywhere near where the royal family stays. Got it?”
“Dad, how old do you think I am? I know that much.”
Afraid she might dash off, Dane held her hand tightly as he explained the layout.
Abel only half-listened, looking for a chance to escape.
“Next, we’ll go to the training grounds where the knights train…”
“Sir Delafion? Isn’t today your day off?”
A cheerful voice rang out from behind.
Juggling the chaos of watching his daughter and playing tour guide, Dane smiled and nodded.
“Oh, my daughter wanted to see the palace.”
“Wow, I remember seeing her when she was tiny. She’s already ten?”
A man of similar stature to Dane bent down and met Abel’s eyes.
“Hello. I’m Sante, I work with Sir Delafion.”
“Hello, I’m Abel Delafion,” she said politely.
Her pink pigtails spilled over her shoulders with a bow.
Sante, a knight whose intimidating appearance often made children cry, was deeply moved.
“As expected of Sir Delafion’s daughter. She really is different.”
“Well, she’s… a bit special.”
Dane’s chest puffed with pride.
He began recounting how even her first cries were special. As he spoke, he loosened his grip on her hand…
‘Perfect.’
Judging by the opening, this would be at least a 20-minute story.
Hoping the knight would humor her dad for a long time, Abel quietly began to back away.
Very slowly.
Sneakily.
Discreetly.
‘Dad, this is all part of a bigger plan—for your sake.’
If you want to fool a sharp-eyed knight, you have to be a clever kid.
Once she was far enough, Abel lifted her head.
“Hmph. Now where am I?”
Time to find the future villain!
She had high hopes, but Abel barely remembered most of the original story.
‘Who remembers every detail of a novel from a past life?’
Even the major plot points were fuzzy—how could she recall where the villain lived as a child?
“Yeah, no way I’d know that.”
Still, her squishy face showed no hint of panic.
Her little feet fluttered like butterfly wings.
Why?
Because no one could ignore such an adorable child.
“Milady? Are you lost?”
Just like that—
Someone fell for it.
“Are you here alone? Is someone with you…?”
A woman in knight’s uniform bent down to her level.
Her sharp black eyes quickly turned to concern.
“I, uh… was just looking around nearby, and got lost.”
“If you tell me your name, I can help find who you came with.”
“No! I couldn’t possibly trouble you. I just need to get back the way I came. Could you point me to the front gate?”
Abel shook her head quickly, eyes wide.
‘No way I’m going back now, not after coming all this way.’
Intimidated by her urgency, the knight obediently pointed in one direction.
“Thank you, ma’am!”
Abel bowed politely—then, as soon as the knight turned away, ran full speed in the opposite direction.
The first prince may one day grow up to become a villain who purges all obstacles…
But for now, he was just a royal child who had fallen out of favor.
‘He’s probably about my age.’
If a king wanted to get rid of an eyesore of an illegitimate child, where would he send them?
‘Obviously.’
A remote corner of the palace.
A secluded, unused annex.
‘If I’m wrong, I’ll eat my entire web novel resume.’
Confident in her secondhand experience from her past life, Abel joyfully kept running.
Luckily, previous monarchs had gradually sold off palace land, so the area was smaller than it used to be.
“…Am I doomed?”
Still, even that was enormous for a child whose stride was half that of an adult.
‘At this rate, I’ll never get there.’
Abel, who believed that using your body saved your brain from work, only realized the seriousness when her dress became damp with sweat.
She had to find the future villain.
Her plan might be flimsy as a dry leaf—but nothing changes if you don’t try.
“Huff…”
Wandering aimlessly, she found herself surrounded by pale green foliage.
“Where is this place now?”
A soft spring breeze blew through.
The sky was crystal clear.
A perfect day to change your destiny.
With the old-fashioned architecture obstructing her view, she couldn’t get her bearings.
Abel confidently rolled up her lacy sleeves.
‘I’m not turning back now.’
She hadn’t come this far—betraying her father, no less (for the greater good, of course)—just to give up.
To slay the dragon, you have to go to its lair…
“To see far, you’ve got to climb high!”
Tap!
Tap!
Tap!
