I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit – Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Dailtha recalled the princess’s greeting.

‘My name is Isabel, I’m 5 years old, and I’m the princess. Pleased to meet you, Sir Dailtha.’

She didn’t say Chief Attendant Dailtha, but Sir Dailtha.

Isabel continued, with a cute smile.

“I heard you saved Father 10 years ago at the ‘Hill of the Sick’?”

“You know about that?”

“I heard that at the time, Sir Dailtha, you threw yourself into danger for Father, cut down 37 enemies alone, and received the Silver Star Medal. And I also heard that Sir Dailtha refused the award ceremony for Father’s honor.”

Dailtha did refuse the grand award ceremony.

Because Dailtha didn’t want even the slightest blemish on the Emperor’s reputation, who was the strongest in the empire.

She hid the fact that she helped the Emperor as much as possible.

“I merely treated Sir Dailtha with the respect you deserve.”

Ron noticed one peculiar thing.

‘Her pronunciation is very accurate. When she was talking to me, her pronunciation was a bit tangled.’

It meant that Isabel was very nervous right now.

‘Why am I happy?’

He felt good thinking that Isabel was treating him a little more comfortably.

Dailtha was silent for a moment before speaking.

“That was a very long time ago, before Your Highness was even born.”

“I believe that honor doesn’t fade with time. As a princess, I want to respect Sir Dailtha’s dedication.”

Before Dailtha could reply, Isabel continued.

“But this is Arena Palace, and Sir Dailtha’s current position is Chief Attendant, so from now on, I will treat you as Chief Attendant. Please take care of me from today onwards, Chief Attendant Dailtha-nim.”

“……”

Dailtha was speechless.

‘This is shocking.’

The image of the princess she had vaguely imagined and the actual princess were very different.

The princess she saw in person had a very princess-like dignity and was mature for a 5-year-old.

Excessively so.

‘I did think the rumors surrounding the princess were nonsense, but……’

In fact, there were more bad rumors than good ones about the princess.

That she’s a half-baked royal who can’t properly learn Bilotian swordsmanship.

That she did something absurd like sleeping during the Selection Ceremony.

That she appeared in a shabby state at the Sun Banquet a year ago and was ridiculed.

That the Imperial Family, to cover up the situation, chose the princess’s flower ring as the best gift, and that caused quite a bit of trouble for the Imperial Family as well.

That’s why the princess is hated by the Emperor.

That’s why they gave her a magic teacher, which could be considered an insult to the princess of the Sword Empire.

Those were the usual rumors surrounding the princess.

For now, she changed the subject.

“It would be best to keep it a secret that His Majesty personally escorted you.”

“Do as the Chief Attendant wishes.”

Dailtha immediately recognized the Emperor’s gaze towards the princess.

The Emperor was looking at the princess with a different gaze than he did towards the other princes.

‘That will become His Majesty’s weakness.’

The princess wouldn’t be able to possess the martial power to protect herself.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be good if it became known that the princess was favored by the Emperor.

“I believe there is a state council meeting today.”

“I know.”

Ron nodded lightly.

“I entrust my daughter to you.”

“Don’t worry.”

He didn’t say princess, but daughter.

Ron entrusted Isabel to Dailtha and turned his back.

Even as he walked away, he wanted to look back several times, but he held back.

Because he also fully understood Dailtha’s words.

‘I am overly fond of my daughter.’

He learned new things.

Isabel might not be able to become a great swordswoman of Bilotian, but she was a child who needed to have a bigger number than anyone else.

No, she was a child he wanted to give a bigger number to than anyone else.

‘I shouldn’t show it too much.’

That would be poison to Isabel. So he just walked away without looking back.

Isabel also recognized and understood that fact to some extent.

She waved her hand towards her father’s retreating back.

“You have to be tired again!”

It just slipped out again.

“I love you!”

Ron’s body flinched, but he soon moved away.

* * *

Dailtha, walking ahead, asked.

“It seems Your Highness understands.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Isabel smiled brightly, holding a book under her arm.

“You’re worried about envy and jealousy, right? And you’re worried that I might become Father’s weakness.”

“……Sir Karin’s boasting wasn’t empty words, I see.”

“Teacher Karin boasted?”

The Karin that Isabel knew was very stingy with compliments.

She always maintained her final boss-like attitude, and Isabel was a little afraid when dealing with Karin.

Because she didn’t know when she would reveal her true colors.

‘Wha, what did Karin say?’

Every word from the final boss is a death flag, a kidnapping flag.

She had to be careful with every word.

Even a small word could be foreshadowing, and often it would come back as something big later.

“No, it’s nothing.”

But at that moment, a voice came from above.

“Oh, there you are, my rival!”

The voice was imbued with mana, and it echoed throughout Arena Palace.

Thud!

Something fell down with the sound.

Dailtha adjusted her glasses and said sternly.

“4th Prince Michael. Didn’t I tell you repeatedly not to jump down from the 8th floor?”

Curly blonde hair. Mischievous amber eyes.

The uniform, which must have been neatly ironed in the morning, was already wrinkled here and there, and his pants were stained with something unknown.

It seemed he had spilled some kind of colored juice.

He said proudly.

“It was the 9th floor.”

“Whether it’s the 8th or the 9th floor, you shouldn’t jump down.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s unbecoming of a prince.”

“Sir Lancer said as long as you’re good with a sword, that’s all that matters.”

Lancer was Chief Attendant Dailtha’s husband and one of the princes’ swordsmanship instructors.

“I’m planning to assassinate him today.”

“Wow, I want to watch!”

“……”

“Can I watch?”

“No.”

Isabel couldn’t help but smile.

‘4th Prince Michael and Chief Attendant Dailtha were like oil and water, right?’

To be precise, Michael was like oil to Dailtha’s water.

Dailtha must be fuming inside, and Michael would surely be clueless as ever.

Because he would be clueless.

Isabel stepped forward.

“Brother. You’re still cute today.”

“You know me?”

“Yes, I saw you at the Selection Ceremony.”

“You remember that?”

“Yes, I remember what you said then.”

Michael narrowed his eyes.

Suspicion, which he couldn’t hide, was rising from his expression.

“What did I say?”

At that time, Michael had said this.

‘Brother, aren’t I cuter?’

‘But I’m cuter.’

So, the ‘rival’ he just mentioned meant that he considered Isabel as a competitor in cuteness.

Anyway, Dailtha seemed to be a little intrigued by Isabel’s claim that she remembered that time.

She adjusted her glasses and asked Michael.

“Did you really say that?”

“Hmm……”

Michael’s amber eyes carefully observed Isabel before he spoke.

“Be honest. You’re lying, aren’t you?”

“No, Brother definitely said that.”

“Bring me proof.”

“I don’t have any proof.”

“Why are you so shameless when you don’t even have proof?”

“Because I didn’t lie.”

“If you didn’t lie, can you be this shameless?”

“Because I didn’t lie, I can be this shameless.”

Dailtha carefully observed their conversation.

‘With that kind of conversation…… Prince Michael will start being unreasonable.’

But then, something absurd happened.

Michael nodded his head, a rare sight.

“Well, that’s true.”

Dailtha was startled.

It was the first time she had seen Michael admit something so readily.

But Isabel continued.

“Brother, be honest with me.”

“What?”

“Honestly, you don’t remember what you said, do you?”

“Huh?”

“You’re not thinking, are you?”

“Huh?”

“Because you’re not thinking, right?”

“Huh?”

Michael was genuinely surprised.

“How did you know?”

“You looked like someone who didn’t remember.”

“You’re really smart.”

“Then it’s Brother’s turn to apologize.”

“Eh? What did I do wrong?”

“You accused me of being a liar. I was very upset.”

Dailtha was now certain.

‘That kind of conversation won’t work on that stubborn child.’

As expected.

Michael was frowning slightly.

He was scratching near his lips with his index finger, and that look was definitely the look of someone about to be unreasonable.

“I learned that only strong people can admit their mistakes.”

Michael flinched.

“Brother is very strong, right?”

“W-Well, yeah.”

“Apologize.”

Dailtha thought Michael would never apologize.

But reality was different.

“I’m sorry, I apologize.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Huh? You’re not going to nitpick?”

“Nitpick? Why?”

“Sir Lancer said if you apologize carelessly, you’ll get nitpicked.”

“Uh-huh, no. I’m really glad you apologized.”

Isabel smiled brightly at Michael.

Her smile was very pure.

It couldn’t be helped.

Because Michael was a character Isabel had adored since her days as a reader.

“Brother is exactly as I imagined.”

“You mean I’m cool?”

“Yeah, you’re cool.”

More cute than cool, though.

She didn’t say that and just smiled.

Michael was pleased.

“Ehahahaha! From now on, if I make a mistake, point it out.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

He patted his chest confidently.

“I’ll apologize to my heart’s content.”

Dailtha couldn’t help but be impressed.

What should she say? Isabel was like sunshine.

‘That works?’

It felt like small changes would begin to happen now that the princess had entered Arena Palace.