Chapter 15

"Why don't you just smile?"

"Hmm."

As Nodric clicked his tongue, Enoch cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Your Highness, to be honest, I am not qualified to educate the young lady."

"Hmm, is our child that talented?"

"Yes. In the case of children who show exceptional talent in mathematics, it is common for them to be scouted by the Magic Tower and receive early genius education."

"So I've already contacted the Magic Tower. They said they need to test Lilius's level directly."

Nodric's words made Enoch frown.

"Without even asking Lilius? Without even consulting me?"

"It's just a test of the child's level. Whether or not to join the Magic Tower is Lilius's decision. But if the results are good…."

"…."

"Working at the Magic Tower in the future would also ease your mind."

It wasn't a wrong statement.

In the Pavilion Empire, all high-level ability users had the duty of conscription.

However, the researchers of the Magic Tower were the last to be conscripted.

Unless it was the day of the empire's destruction, with the ground splitting and the sky tearing, they would not be sent to the bloody battlefield.

"For now…."

Enoch rubbed his forehead, deep in thought.

"…I'll ask Lilius. If she really enjoyed studying."

"Do that."

"A real genius! A complete genius! A one-of-a-kind prodigy!"

Lady Lena interjected, giving a thumbs up and making a fuss.

"Hmm. Well… our princess is a bit…."

"Do something about that eager smile. It looks undignified."

Nodric's reprimand made Enoch, who had been grinning, frown and turn around.

"I'll be going now."

Unlike when he came in, full of anger, he left the room with a spring in his step. Nodric watched his son's back with a grimace.

He then sighed and muttered to himself.

"…I wonder why the child turned out like that."

* * *

The children's clothing boutique in the capital.

As soon as the class ended, I was led out by my aunt.

"Wow…."

I kept exclaiming in amazement.

A sky-blue dress made of soft, high-quality fabric. White frills and sparkling jewel decorations….

They say clothes make the woman, and in the mirror, there was a princess.

Hmm. It feels a bit embarrassing to call myself a princess.

"Wow, Lilius. You're really beautiful. You look like a real princess."

Theo, who had approached from behind, stomped his feet, not knowing what to do, and then gently hugged me.

"Cute and beautiful…."

At this, my aunt, who was sitting at a distance with the boutique owner, burst into laughter.

"Theo, is your sister that beautiful?"

"Yes, Mom. She looks like a doll. She's so, so adorable."

Theo's honest words made me a bit embarrassed.

"Hehe, such an angel. It's no wonder your brother finds you beautiful. You always sing about your little sister, don't you?"

"That's right. Yesterday, you were so excited that you didn't even sleep, insisting on going out to play with your sister…."

My aunt started chatting with the owner again.

"Hey, brat! The one you wore earlier is much better."

At that moment, Leon pushed away Theo's arm, which was hugging me, and said brusquely.

The dress Leon was holding was the yellow one we tried on first when we entered the store.

"Big brother, do you think yellow is prettier?"

"Yeah. The one you're wearing now looks too mature. Yellow looks like a chick and is cute."

"Hmm, I don't think so. Sky blue suits Lilius better."

"Theo, are you blind? Yellow is better."

"She's beautiful in anything, but if I have to choose, I prefer sky blue."

"Yellow, I say!"

The two of them bickered so much that I couldn't decide which one to choose.

I liked both of them….

"Um."

As I fiddled with the dress in Leon's hand, I suddenly noticed the price tag.

[1,540,000 Terr]

'What?'

I rubbed my eyes and looked again.

Is it really 1,540,000 Terr?

Considering that one gold coin is worth 100,000 Terr, this dress costs more than fifteen gold coins.

For reference, if Mr. James Brown sells a full load of wood, he earns 50,000 Terr, which is five silver coins.

'The price is insane. It's what my dad would earn in a full month of work without a break.'

I stood there, mouth agape, when my aunt, who had gotten up, was looking at the price tag of another dress on a mannequin.

"Oh."

…It's expensive, isn't it? Even though my aunt said she would buy it, I felt a bit awkward.

"Madam."

"Yes, ma'am."

My aunt called the owner.

"You said it's a new product. What kind of fabric did you use to make it so cheap?"

……?

I was taken aback by the unexpected question.

"No, ma'am. Don't worry. It's the same silk we always use. The price has dropped because the supply has increased recently."

"Oh, I see."

My aunt looked around a few more dresses and then asked with a smile.

"Have you tried them all on?"

"Yes, yes! Aunt!"

I quickly checked the price tag of the sky-blue dress I was wearing.

1,660,000 Terr. At least the yellow dress Leon chose was cheaper.

"Aunt, I want the yellow one…!"

Before I could finish, my aunt was already at the counter with the owner.

"The one she's wearing now fits well. I'll take it and bring her home. Please send the rest after measuring and making them, Madam."

"Yes, ma'am."

What? I was standing there, rooted to the spot, when my aunt called me.

"Lilius, shall we go now? You said you wanted to eat cake, didn't you?"

"Um, Aunt. Aren't we choosing the dress?"

"Hmm?"

My aunt, who had tilted her head, then exclaimed, "Ah," and laughed as if giving up.

"No, it wasn't about choosing. I just thought you wanted to try them on. I've already ordered all the new spring dresses displayed here. We can try the rest when we get home."

"Really?"

There were ten dresses displayed in the store.

If each dress costs around 1,500,000 Terr, how much would ten dresses cost?

"Ah, no. I…."

My aunt, who seemed to understand that I was about to say one dress would be enough, smiled and said,

"You can't just buy one dress."

Two sets of formal wear. Even a commoner who alternated wearing them by washing them thoroughly could never understand such a statement.

I swallowed hard.

'Is this the 'pay for everything from here to here' that I only see on TV?'

A scale beyond imagination.

It seems that the rich can shop for millions without batting an eye when they visit a boutique.

Since she's offering to buy them, I should accept it… I nodded, feeling a bit dazed.

"Thank you, Aunt! I'll wear them well!"

* * *

Squish,

The soft strawberry cream melted on my tongue.

"Ah…."

As I held my cheeks in ecstasy, my aunt and the twin brothers laughed.

"Is it that delicious, Lilius?"

"Mm-hmm. It's the best…."

When Theo wiped the cream from my mouth and asked, I answered with a dreamy look.

The strawberry cake sold at the capital's top dessert shop was a bit expensive, but it was the best.

'Can I really eat all of this?'

The dessert tray had four tiers, and the cakes, macarons, and cookies were calling out, "Eat me!"

"Try this one, Lilius."

"Ooh."

"Brat, try this one too."

"Munch munch."

The brothers kept offering me more, finding it amusing.

My cheeks became chubby.

"Ha ha, so cute. Mom, Lilius looks just like a squirrel."

"She's so beautiful when she eats. But be careful, you might get a stomachache. Eat slowly."

"Yes!"

Macarons, which I could only eat twice a month, were now available to eat as much as I wanted….

'This is heaven.'

I'm glad I came to the capital.

"Oh, is that the Countess Ballerina?"

At that moment, my aunt got up, seeing a carriage outside the store.

Soon, a plump noblewoman got out of the carriage and waved at my aunt through the window.

"Wow. Erica is here too."

"What? Miss!"

What? Leon suddenly stood up, flustered, and hid behind my chair.

"Why, big brother? Are you hiding? It's not even hidden."

"Ah, really annoying…."

Leon, giving up, plopped back into his seat and hugged me.

"Why?"

"Leon doesn't really like Erica. A few days ago, when she came to play, he tried to scare her away with a giant spider, but Erica got hurt, and Mom scolded him."

"Oh!"

I remembered the incident Theo was talking about.

So, I was the victim of that giant spider incident.

I nodded and watched Erica enter the store.

"Wow! That sister looks like a real princess…."

Erica had wavy, honey-colored hair that reached her waist and fresh, leaf-green eyes. She was tall and slender, looking like a beautiful kid model from a magazine.

"Leon!"

Erica, with her cheeks flushed, ran over and then stopped abruptly.

Erica, who had been smiling, suddenly glared at me.

More precisely… at Leon's arm, which was hugging my shoulder.

"Who is this girl, Leon? Who is she?"

?

G-Girl? Yes, I am a girl, but I'm just a seven-year-old baby, Lilius.

The atmosphere suddenly turned into love and war.

'So scary…'

Under Erica's glare, which seemed to burn me, I quietly put down the fork in my mouth and rolled my eyes.

"Who is this girl!"

"What do you want to know for?"

…Why are you saying it in a way that causes a misunderstanding? I stared at Leon with a bewildered expression.