Chapter 40

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Regarding the parts that have been published in book form, I have intentionally left the typos, omissions, and additions as they are, thinking that they might serve as reference material for future readers.

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Generally, it is said that the older you get, the shorter a day feels.

This is because as you grow, the accumulated experiences increase, and there is less stimulation in daily life.

However, even for a child like me, a day can be incredibly short. After all, there's so much to do.

For example, I research with the head chef to be able to eat delicious food, remake old clothes with Elise, watch Gensan teach Regulus swordsmanship, turn the soil in the vegetable garden, get eggs from the chickens in the yard with Josef, and learn my studies from Mr. Romanov.

I think it's true that time flies when you're having a fulfilling day.

Before I knew it, it was already the morning of the day we were invited to the National Theater by Maria.

That said, the National Theater's performance starts in the evening.

Mr. Romanov will use magic to take us to Mr. Viktor's house in the capital with a "whoosh!"

So in the morning, I still take Regulus to the princess.

In my waist pouch, there are ice desserts as souvenirs for Mr. Viktor and Maria, and a hair accessory to give to the princess. I also plan to give Maria a small hair accessory made from the same fabric.

The inner garden changes gradually, following the changing seasons.

The wild roses that were blooming when I first met the princess have now shed their flowers to prepare for the next bloom, and now the lilies of the valley are proudly displaying their vibrant purple, and the osmanthus is starting to bud.

Well, isn't our garden quite lacking in uniformity?

Gensan doesn't seem like the type to cultivate such irregular and scattered flowers.

"That's not the case. These flowers are merely appearing here to seek my attention; the gardener has nothing to do with it."

Wow, you scared me!

I managed not to scream, but I shuddered when suddenly addressed.

Regulus, who had been gently touching the portulacas and laughing at the swaying flowers, bowed his head.

"Good morning, Princess!"

"Good morning...!"

"Indeed, a grand occasion."

Oh, I'm late.

By the way, it seems like Regulus's way of speaking is getting closer to that of an adult again?

I hope he's not forcing himself. Maybe he still needs playmates of his own age.

As I was thinking this, the princess narrowed her eyes.

She pointed at my waist pouch with her thin silk fan.

"Do you have an offering for me? Don't be shy, show it to me."

"Ah, yes."

Encouraged, I took out the peony hair accessory made with pinching techniques, and Regulus was signaled to bring it to the princess.

I handed it to him, and he respectfully placed it in the princess's hand.

"Hmm... a peony."

"Yes, I thought the princess would like a peony."

"You called it the 'peerless flower' when we first met. Am I peerless to you?"

"To me, you are."

I don't know about everyone else.

But I have never met anyone more beautiful than the princess, so to me, she is peerless.

Her plump, lustrous lips curved slightly.

She examined the hairpin in her hand, then inserted it into her hair, giving me a cool, sidelong glance.

"I like it. I will grant you the honor of adorning my hair."

"Thank you very much."

"However, there still seems to be a small hair accessory in your waist pouch?"

"Ah, this is..."

I explained the circumstances of meeting Maria and being invited to the National Theater to the princess.

"Hmm, so you're giving her a hair accessory as a token of gratitude..."

"Yes."

Without hesitation, I said this, and the princess twisted her lips into a mischievous crescent moon, hiding her mouth behind her thin silk fan.

Tilting her head at the inquisitive gaze, the princess spoke.

"Do you admire this Maria?"

"Huh?"

"Do you want to marry her or something like that?"

"No, no, of course not. Maria is a young woman. She must already have a fiancé. Even if she didn't, I doubt any parent would betroth a five-year-old to a young woman."

If they did, it would be called a political marriage.

Besides, even if the age difference was the other way around.

Regulus noticed my eyebrows knitting together and reached out to smooth the wrinkles between them. He seemed to be trying to smooth them out.

Still, it's a bit much to be asked about romance at five years old.

Isn't it common sense that men should be kind to women?

Besides,

"Princess, I want to be kind to women because I am proud to be among your retainers."

"Hmm, what is your heart?"

"There was a phrase in my previous life called 'a flower that understands words.' It comes from an old story that praised women as 'flowers that understand human words.' If women are flowers, then I, as one of the princess's retainers, am a servant of all the flowers in the world. It is only natural for me, as one of the princess's retainers, to treat them with respect."

"Hmm, a human woman as one of my retainers."

The princess's eyes widened.

She blinked a few times, then started to laugh, her voice like rolling bells.

"Hehehe... delightful! If women are flowers, then they are indeed my retainers. So you are being kind to them!"

"There is also the saying 'man is a thinking reed.'"

"What? Your world has such poetic ways of speaking about humans. I like it."

"Thank you very much."

Does the princess have a low threshold for laughter?

I didn't think I said anything particularly funny, but it seems to have hit a nerve, and the princess continued to laugh like rolling bells.

She wiped away the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes with her delicate fingertips.

"Indeed. If humans are reeds and women are flowers, then you are right; they are my retainers. From now on, I will be a bit more lenient with humans."

"Ah... yes, a great honor."

"A great honor indeed."

Oh, Regulus's way of speaking has reverted to that of a chick.

"A chick is a step forward and a step back."

Exactly.

Nodding at the princess's words, Regulus pouted.

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