Chapter 21

"Wait over there, Noah."

Noah, who tried to shield Claudia from behind, turned back as if he had something to say. When she urged him with her gaze to listen, Noah reluctantly nodded.

"…Understood, Princess."

The children's guards and attendants were lined up in front of the hedge surrounding the garden. For a nine-year-old Noah to be among such adults might have made him seem odd to the children.

Soon, a boy approached and glared at Claudia.

"Hey, you over there, the one without magic."

This boy had golden hair that flicked up at the ends and garnet-red eyes. He was about ten years old, with a striking appearance that would likely draw attention from many. Despite his youth, he had well-defined features, and his slightly upturned eyes gave him a strong-willed look.

"You're not really our sister, are you?"

"Sister?"

She tilted her head in feigned confusion, but in truth, she already knew from the quality of his magic.

(This is one of the prince brothers.)

Claudia recalled Karlheinz's explanation.

"Princess Claudia has two older brothers and one older sister."

"Few, huh. What are their names and their magic specialties?"

"The eldest brother is Prince Wilhelm, who is ten years old. He is very active, and although his control of magic is still rough, he is expected to grow into a powerful figure."

So, this golden-haired boy must be the future king, Wilhelm.

"It's impossible for someone in this royal family to have no magic. A weakling like you being a princess? Ha, that's a joke!"

"…"

"Father ordered me to attend this tea party. Otherwise, who would willingly talk to you?"

"……"

"Besides, we wouldn't even know who your father is—Hey, why are you staring at my face like that?!"

Claudia pointed at Wilhelm with her small finger and smiled adorably.

"…Prince Wilhelm?"

"!?"

Wilhelm, eyes wide, took a step back. But his ears were clearly red.

"…Don't call me 'Prince'! You have no right to!"

"But you are my big brother, aren't you?"

While maintaining an innocent act, Claudia approached Wilhelm.

"Prince Wilhelm, the strongest big brother of Claudia, right?"

"Th…That's not—"

"…Not?"

This time, she looked dejected and slumped her shoulders.

"Prince Wilhelm isn't strong, is he?"

"…Strong, of course! I am the crown prince of this country!"

"But you won't protect weak Claudia, will you?"

"…!!"

With tears in her eyes, Claudia looked at Wilhelm with a genuinely sad expression.

"Prince Wilhelm, you don't like Claudia, do you? You bully little Claudia…?"

"Th…That's—"

Wilhelm's expression wavered, torn by internal conflict.

(Excluding outsiders is a sign of strong justice. Let's see what he does.)

As Claudia observed, help for Wilhelm arrived.

"What are you doing, brother?"

"Ehrenfried!"

The boy who approached with a bewildered look had silky golden hair cut into a childishly round shape. He held a thick book in his hand.

"The second brother, Prince Ehrenfried, is nine years old. He has an excellent intellect and has already developed several new spells, but his maturity makes it hard for him to fit in, so he usually stays in the library."

This boy was Ehrenfried, the second brother. His eyes were aquamarine blue, and he possessed a calm and composed magical nature. Ehrenfried looked down at Claudia with a cold gaze.

"I told you not to bother with her. If you pay attention to her, she might get the wrong idea that she's accepted by the royal family."

"Who would accept a magicless person like her!"

"Then it's fine, right? …Understood, magicless one. Normally, you shouldn't even be allowed to speak to us."

Claudia looked up at Ehrenfried straight. She called him just as she did with Wilhelm.

"Prince Ehrenfried!"

Despite Claudia's beaming smile, Ehrenfried's expression didn't change.

"I won't fall for that. I'm not as simple as my brother."

"Who's simple?"

"Prince Ehrenfried, listen, listen…"

Claudia stretched and pointed at Ehrenfried's hand.

"Ahem!"

"!!"

Ehrenfried's eyes widened in surprise.

"Ahem, Claudia loves it too! I read it until the lion part."

"That's impossible. This is a myth. There are no illustrations, and a child like you couldn't read it."

(You're a child too, you know.)

Claudia chuckled inwardly and looked at Ehrenfried.

"It starts with a big dragon. Boom!"

"…"

"Then, the magician is very strong! He becomes friends with the dragon and goes on an adventure together!"

"…"

"But, as Prince Ehrenfried said, it was a bit difficult…"

She slumped her shoulders again and looked down.

"Claudia could only understand up to the lion part."

"…What? That's the most interesting part of the myth!"

"Really…?"

Claudia looked up with curious eyes, but soon her face turned to one of sadness as she spoke to her second brother.

"But… Claudia can't read it alone…"

"…!"

Ehrenfried furrowed his brow. Wilhelm glanced at his younger brother. But Ehrenfried, who probably had no one to talk about books with, said:

"…Well, I could read it with you later…!!"

"Prince Ehrenfried, really!?"

"Hey, Ehrenfried, what are you doing!!"

"Because…!! At least, it's more meaningful for me than being forced to read my brother's textbooks!!"

"What!?"

The surrounding children watched the brothers' argument in confusion. The children from the royal family and noble houses couldn't stop the two princes from arguing.

(Ah, that was fun! I could have ignored them, but it would be troublesome to have them as enemies.)

Claudia waved at Noah, who was a few meters away. Noah, standing as a servant, had a bewildered expression, as if sympathizing with the mocked brothers.

But at that moment.

(…Oh!)

"!"

Claudia and Noah simultaneously sensed something.

(Someone is trying to harm me. …But)

Claudia deliberately chose to do nothing.

Of course, because a small, magicless Claudia should be "helpless" here.

It should have been fine, but she was surprised when Noah jumped in front of her.

"…!"

A dull thud sounded. Noah's clothes were stained with mud, and droplets fell onto the grass. The adult guards were wide-eyed at the sight.

"Noah!"