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Chapter 5 – I Became The Youngest Princess Of Asuramasura (4)
I caught a mild cold as if it were part of the procedure.
“On the day of the baptismal rites, a cold breeze of spring came. It must be because it’s your first day going outside, that’s why your body had difficulty adapting.”
The Imperial doctor came to that diagnosis, but on the other hand, he seemed distressed by the fact that he had disappointed his family.
‘Is it harder to catch a cold because it’s a baby’s body?’
Perhaps due to my body not being used to it, so even with a mild fever it’s hard to withstand it, so I kept on crying.
Thankfully, the Imperial family turned upside down.
It was right after the baptismal rites, and various ‘Cecilia’s Overprotection Ideas’ had been postponed, because I got sick as if illness were waiting for me.
Of course, I still mostly had to lie down, but…
“I had only cooled her down during that time, and the fever did not go down.”
“This is Cecil’s Divine Power… No. Even if you have Divine Power, it is not easy for a baby like Cecil to recover her stamina on her own.”
“Baby, it’s alright. You’ll get better soon. This will protect you.”
My older brother Theodore brought the stuffed toy that I had been holding for a long time. Naturally, it was only after Rebecca had finished casting a simple purification with her Divine Power.
“Baby Cecil, let’s swallow this pill with just one mouthful. This is a popular supplement among our trainees.”
“Heuaang..!”
“Eonni¹, it must be too bitter for Cecil.”
“Noonim², how about melting it with this chocolate?”
In the end, Roselia even tried to feed me something that can paralyze a baby’s taste buds.
Having no Divine Power was shocking, but soon after I fell ill and slept, it seemed that my family was also worried about me.
My mother stopped by the nursery room to check on my condition whenever she had time while managing political affairs, and my siblings also split their meal time to come and see me. In particular, Rebecca stayed in my room and tried to keep the fever down.
‘It has been a long time since someone worried about me when I was sick.’
The sad memories of me lying alone after living independently in my past life flashed vaguely.
‘What, even before I became independent, the youngest was always sicker than me, so it was no different from when I was younger.’
Sometimes, when I had a lover, I remembered that they would buy me cold medicine or porridge.
They left when it became an obligation rather than affection, but maybe it was because they needed such affection. I kept having relationships that would fail anyway.
In the end…
‘I’m sick, it reminds me of all sorts of things. It’s all in the past.’
Unknowingly, tears flowed down my cheeks. Thanks to that, it made my eyes feel refreshed.
“Oh dear, Cecil…”
Sad sighs escaped from the mouths of my family watching.
For several days, I slept as much as when I was a newborn and had a chaotic time. It was different from back then in that it was difficult to come to my senses because of the pain even after waking up.
Whenever I woke up, sad memories of my past life stayed with me, and when I fell asleep, the days I fell into darkness were continuously repeated.
It was an unfamiliar place.
A space surrounded by cloth on all sides.
A simple desk and a chair were arranged on one side, while armor and swords were arranged on the other side. It seemed like a barracks
.
‘…What? Is this a dream?’
It was then when I was bewildered at the sudden situation I was in.
“Is the rumor true?”
“What, Sir Erina?”
“Shh, I heard you.”
“It doesn’t matter. Do you want to remain locked up?”
A whisper. There was a voice coming outside of the barracks. One of the people’s voices suddenly rang loudly.
“Hey, are you inside Sir Erina?”
“It’s an order not to let anyone in.”
The voice that responded came right at the entrance of the barracks. The sentry seemed to have answered.
“Look, what did I say?. Lower your voice.”
“Hey, who cares. Does it make sense to have a baby here?”
A voice getting distant.
Ah, then, am I inside the barracks of a knight named Erina?
The dream seemed to be nothing but a dream, but it was amazingly vivid.
Tadak, tadak, I heard the crackling sparks of a bonfire.
“…Heung.”
“Hush my baby…”
Somewhere, there was a sound of a baby whining. I immediately turned my gaze toward it.
It was a quick move that I hadn’t done yet since I was born in Cecilia’s body.
A woman wearing a cotton tunic was lying on the darkest side of the barracks.
‘Then that person must be Sir Erina…’
Her shoulders were visible under the reddish-brown hair tied back, and her muscles were visibly strong. At that sight alone, one could tell at a glance that she was practicing martial arts.
And in her arms, a baby was wrapped in swaddling clothes.
The baby’s skin was as white as flour under his black hair, and he looked particularly white in the arms of the woman basking in the sunlight.
It seemed that the whispers of the men outside the barracks were not wrong.
‘It looks smaller than when I first looked in the mirror.’
The woman’s hand gently stroked the baby’s hair. The baby’s hair was soaked in sweat and easily showed a round forehead.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. You’ll get better soon.”
Her hands rested on the baby’s forehead for a little longer. Soon, the baby’s whining subsided a little.
‘Is it a Divine Power?’
If Sir Erina is a knight of this world, then she must be a holy knight who could use Divine Power.
But, why does this dream feel so alive? I’m not peeking on anyone.
As I was puzzled and thought about waking up from the dream, I could see the baby’s pupils through the eyelids that were lifted gently.
‘It’s a beautiful red color.’
The knight, who I presumed to be his mother, had common blue eyes. Did he receive them from his father’s genes?
Wondering about it, I left the dream.
In the dawn of time, I felt clearer than ever before.
After a full week of suffering, I was determined to be completely recovered. And 15 days later, people who would take care of me began to arrive one after another.
“You Highness, there are the ladies-in-waiting who will be in charge of your Highness starting today. Guys, say hello.”
“Your Highness, it’s an honor! I am Mary Jane, the second daughter of Marquis Granham. I’m thirteen, but I have two younger siblings, so I can play with you well! But you’re really bright…”
“Bright, that’s harsh. Your Highness is like the museum’s little angel statue itself, isn’t it? Your Highness, I am the fifth child of Count Bucain. Although I am the second daughter, I will also be thirteen next month. I’m good at grooming my hair!”
‘What’s up with them?’
And I… I was bewildered by the unexpected likability of others toward me.
Mary Jane with her black hair braided in pigtails, and Patricia with her curly brown hair neatly tied in half.
The two girls were said to be ladies-in-waiting carefully selected by Nanny from among the young children of the branch of the Imperial family. They are cautious because my constitution, which had no Divine Power, was a secret of the Imperial family.
‘It doesn’t matter because they don’t belong to the anti-Imperial family, at the same time, that’s how serious the matter is… even if the original story’s antagonists are all aristocrats 20 years later.’
Sitting on the spacious sofa that was prepared for me to be able to move freely, I got off and approached them.
Then, I held out my right hand with a serious expression.
“Da beutahe.”
My crushing solemnity… I hope it’ll get over soon.
The girls, who never imagined that I had a hurtful opinion, beamed at me and gently grabbed my hand.
“Are you asking for a favor? How can you be so bright? I’m so grateful, Your Highness. I’ll heed to your request!”
“No, I’ll do more! Wow, it is my first time shaking hands.”
Oh, don’t women here shake hands?
I have to learn etiquette quickly, I have to adapt well to this world and to Cecil’s position. While I was occupied thinking about it, the two girls knelt down and leaned toward me. It seemed like they were trying to get a closer look at me.
“You mustn’t make Her Highness too uncomfortable. Her existence is magical.”
“It’s my first time seeing the Imperial’s jewel this up close…”
“The green eyes, it’s really mysterious…”
It was a secret even to the ladies-in-waiting that I had no Divine Power, and was just attributed to me as born with a weak constitution.
‘The priest and the court painters who attended the baptismal rites also took an oath to keep it confidential.’
Since a person full of Divine Power cannot be weak, it was also a secret if this is a secret. Should I say it’s a double secret…
‘Is this a strategy to think that says there will be no bigger secret?’
So, having two dedicated ladies-in-waiting at a rather early age was externally meant as an overprotection of my family as the youngest. No, the fact that they assigned me ladies-in-waiting wasn’t a big deal.
Knock knock.
A knock on the door, and two large young men entered.
Sir Lancel, Sir Brandon.”
“Take over, then we’ll take our leave.”
“Okay, good job.”
It was Lancel and Brandon, who became my exclusive knights under Roselia’s ‘Cecil’s Overprotective Idea’.
They belonged to a platoon under the Order of the Holy Knights, which consisted of a total of eight people. That is, the 4th Imperial Princess escort platoon under the Holy Knights. The platoon, which consisted of four teams, worked in three shifts by pairs. It consisted of young knights that Roselia had been eyeing in advance.
In other words, the whopping eight young potentials of the Holy Knights, assigned for a one-year-old infant who has not yet left the nursery room…
Considering that brother Theodore had only three escorts in total, it was definitely overkill. The Imperial family’s excuse for the youngest princess, how far will it go…
“Your Highness, we’re going to leave now.”
“See you tomorrow night.”
“Everyone, go.”
I waved Cecilia’s little hand towards the young men with solemn expressions, one larger than Nanny. The two young knights’ faces hardened slightly.
‘Yeah, you guys became knights with the dream of clean luck, so how painful must it be to be a doorkeeper of the nursery room?’
Hwoi, hwoi. Hurry up and do personal training. With my heart, I waved my hand.
Mary Jane and Patricia seemed to be a little wary of each other, whether this was their first time knowing each other or not.
But…
“Pattie, tie Her Highness’ hair up with this ribbon today.”
“Doesn’t this dark green go well with the color of Her Highness’ eyes, giving it a sense of unity?”
“No. Red will be the focal point, it gives a complementary contrasting effect.”
“Wow, my Lady, you have a great eye. Then shall I use the same color for the socks?”
As if when they were wary of each other, the two soon became best friends. The problem was the relationship started to crumble again when it came to dressing up Cecilia…
‘Looking at this, after all, even though I don’t have Divine Power, the Imperial family loves me because of my lovely appearance.’
The overwhelming love of the Imperial family and the people around me embarrassed me when I remembered my past life, but it was overall valuable.
It felt cumbersome when Mary Jane and Patricia were making such a fuss, but…
“Big!”
“Just roughly, Your Highness. Do you know how long it’s been since I saw Her Highness?”
“About… two months?”
“…That’s right. Your Highness, you’re seeing it in less than a tenth of your life.”
“Gad gantana! I’m two soon!”
It’s my second birthday soon!
“Yes, yes. Your Highness will be fine, the Crown Princess, Their Majesties, the other Princess, and the Prince will all be fine, but we are not okay.”
“That’s right, Your Highness. Today, I want to dress up Her Highness in a lovely way.”
“Pi.”
They’re using me like playing with dolls anyway. What if Cecilia wasn’t this pretty, huh? Would they still even like me? I used my whole face to show off my dissatisfaction. However, there was no dignity in that expression, which only caused the two girls to laugh.
…I should hurry and grow up soon, really.
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[1] Eonni means older sister, coming from a younger female speaking.
[2] Noonim means older sister, coming from a young male speaking but with a higher honorifics than noona.
(tl/n: I decided to stick with these terms instead of the actual English equivalent to express their relationship more deeply.)
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