I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit – Chapter 120

Chapter 120

“I don’t dislike being treated like a child.”

A child has a child’s time.

It might be a little strange if I’m still serious about playing with dolls at twenty years old, but I can be serious now.

I can freely try cute and adorable Pucca hairstyles and wear colorful dresses with lots of lace.

I can even act spoiled or have a runny nose, and people will find it cute.

A child has privileges that can only be enjoyed during childhood.

“You don’t dislike being treated like a child?”

“No.”

For some reason, King Valkio seemed a bit confused by my words.

“Were you not upset by my gift?”

“Ah, you mean Libel?”

I took out Libel, which I had carefully kept in my arms.

By the way, Libel is taken from ‘Yuri+Isabel’.

“Libel?”

“I gave it a name.”

“Y-You gave it a name? The Princess? To a doll?”

That’s strange.

Is giving it a name that surprising?

“Yes. Isn’t it a pretty name?”

“I-I suppose so.”

I don’t know why that mister’s eyeballs are rolling around like that.

He looked very confused.

“Anyway, if you’re that sorry, I’ll accept your apology.”

“Th-Thank you. I was truly sorry.”

“Not without showing some sincerity.”

To be honest, I still don’t know what he’s so sorry about.

Although that coachman was startled, I didn’t even feel the sudden stop inside the carriage.

This carriage wasn’t even capable of sudden stops in the first place.

“S-So, that’s how it is, huh? I would appreciate it if you could let me show my sincerity.”

This is really strange.

Why does he seem more at ease now? Shouldn’t he be more uncomfortable in this situation?

He was very confused until a moment ago, but suddenly his eyes cleared up.

Is he the type who likes to give generously?

He gives off the impression of a kind neighborhood uncle, and it seems that impression is real.

“Forgive the coachman.”

“……Huh?”

Uncle Valkio’s eyes widened, as if he hadn’t expected my words.

“Forgive him?”

“His face has turned pale.”

It was probably because of the ‘Are you crazy?’ shout from earlier.

He shouted in surprise, but the target of his shout happened to be the King of Jirdel, so he must be very scared.

“You. It was perfectly natural for you to shout. So don’t be afraid. It’s not even my place to forgive, but since the Princess is telling me to forgive you, I will.”

“Th-Thank you.”

The coachman immediately prostrated himself on the ground and begged for forgiveness once again, but Uncle Valkio personally approached him and helped him up.

Seeing that, it seemed like he really was a kind uncle.

“Is this enough?”

But it’s strange again.

Why does he seem confused again?

I felt like I should ask for something grand.

He is a good uncle, but he’s strange.

“There’s one more thing.”

When I said this, his eyes cleared up again.

“Yes, yes, go ahead.”

Since things have turned out this way, I thought it was a good opportunity.

I glanced at Lieutenant General Armitel standing next to me.

I remembered what I had said before.

“We can also explore ways to cooperate with King Valkio.”

I don’t know for sure, but since he seems to be an uncle who likes to give, I decided to make a suggestion.

“I’m planning to improve the facilities at the Jirdel Base Camp. Can you help?”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Valkio returned to the royal palace and breathed a sigh of relief.

He spoke with his Chief Aide, Gabrizen.

“She didn’t ask for anything too excessive.”

“What did she ask for?”

“It seems like we just need to help with some construction work at the base camp. We’ll take care of the administrative work, provide manpower, and allocate the budget.”

“The budget too?”

“She probably means to donate a portion of the profits from our deal to the Empire.”

Although it hasn’t been fully finalized yet, they will be signing a ‘Transfer Gate Agreement’ with the Princess.

They will also sign a diamond contract as an addendum.

It meant using a portion of the profits generated there for the Empire.

“It’s a very political calculation.”

“But you see,”

Valkio stroked his chin with a hmm.

Meeting the Princess again had shaken his heart a little.

“Could that child really be such a political strategic asset?”

“What do you mean?”

“No matter how I look at it, she just seems like a very lovely child. Ehehehehe!”

Since he added ‘you see’ at the end, it meant he was mimicking a child’s way of speaking.

Of course, the resigned Chief Aide Gabrizen didn’t even bat an eye.

“I understand that Your Majesty feels that way, but look at the situation. You have to look at the situation, not the person.”

“No, she actually said she really liked the gift I gave her. She even gave it a name. Libel.”

“She must have been trying to save face for Your Majesty. Do you still not understand?”

Politics is essentially stabbing someone with a smile.

If you don’t recognize the blade hidden behind the smile, you’ll get stabbed to death.

“In the end, the Imperial Family has secured both its justification and its interests, hasn’t it? While signing a large-scale contract, it will be a contract that demonstrates their power advantage. On top of that, they’ve even secured the noble cause of supporting the soldiers. Are you still going to say that she’s not a political strategic asset?”

“No. That’s true, but……”

“If it’s true, then it’s true. What’s with the ‘but’?”

“I have an amazing eye for people, you know. Peng!”

Valkio, who said ‘my nose is blocked’, pretended to blow his nose with a Peng!, but Gabrizen ignored that as well.

“Anyway, she said she’s going to Calfoa, so let’s adjust the details of the contract until then. I think it’ll be fine to discuss it with Narmore, the person in charge.”

It’s Calfoa, not Pulkyo!

Gabrizen held back his words.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The coachman was moved.

‘They say she’s called the Spring of Alphea……’

He was illiterate and couldn’t read a single line of the newsletter, but he had heard roughly about Princess Isabel.

It was known that she didn’t spare her small body for the sake of the lowest of the low.

In fact, he had eaten ramen yesterday too.

He might not know about the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate, but he knew about ramen.

Very few people who had tasted ramen didn’t know Isabel’s name.

‘To think she’s such a warm person.’

If Isabel hadn’t shown concern for him, he would have been plagued by anxiety for days.

Because the soldiers might come to his house and barge in, shouting, ‘You scoundrel! You know what you did!’

‘She’s such a pure, warm, and beautiful person.’

It was as if the word ‘harmless’ had transformed into a human being.

A smile spread across his face as he thought of Isabel.

The ordinary coachman saw Isabel more accurately than Gabrizen did.

‘I must escort her as comfortably as possible.’

He carefully started to drive the carriage.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Inside the carriage.

Yuri kept looking out the window.

“……ri!”

A voice came from somewhere.

“……ri!”

Yuri was startled.

“Yes, yes, Your Highness. I apologize. I was lost in thought for a moment……”

“What were you thinking so hard about? I don’t know how many times I called you.”

“I apologize.”

Yuri bowed her head.

Isabel smiled brightly.

“No, it’s okay. I just wanted to talk to Yuri.”

Armitel, who had been sitting quietly, intervened.

“We’ll be arriving at a field where we can rest soon. Since the weather is nice, let’s sit down and rest for a bit. The horses will need to rest as well.”

“Okay.”

They arrived at the field.

It was a vast and green field, with the horizon visible, and white butterflies were fluttering around.

“I’ll rest in the carriage.”

Armitel, noticing that Isabel wanted to talk to Yuri, deliberately excused herself.

There was a stream nearby, so the horses quenched their thirst, and Isabel took off her shoes and socks and dipped her feet in the water.

“Yuri, let’s dip our feet in together.”

The weather was wonderful.

The water in the stream wasn’t too cold and was just the right amount of cool.

“Come on.”

Isabel pulled Yuri’s arm.

Yuri hesitated for a moment, then dipped her feet in the water.

“It’s cool and nice, right?”

“……Yes.”

A gentle breeze blew.

Some time passed.

“Now tell me.”

“Yes?”

“Tell me what kind of feelings you’re having right now.”

“My feelings?”

“You’ve been thinking about something since before we left. Your face is full of worry and anxiety.”

“No, it’s not.”

Yuri waved her hands vigorously.

She was so tense that she almost fell over.

Isabel giggled.

“No, it is. It’s obvious that something’s wrong. It’s okay. It’s okay, so be honest.”

“Honestly, nothing’s wrong.”

Yuri lowered her head for no reason.

Her face was faintly reflected in the rippling stream.

The water was so clear that the pebbles inside were clearly visible.

“Something’s wrong. Whisper it to me. Whisper, whisper.”

Isabel sat close to Yuri.

She cupped her hand around her ear, leaned in slightly, and urged her.

“Come on, whisper, whisper.”

“…… ……”

Yuri remained silent for a while, then opened her mouth.

“Really, really, nothing’s wrong.”

Isabel pouted her lips slightly and then stood up.

“I think I need to punish Yuri severely.”

She put her hands on her hips in a dignified manner.

Of course, her expression was still a bright smile.

“……Huh?”

But Isabel couldn’t continue her playful act.

Yuri was crying.