– Mmm?
– Do not pretend ignorance … you just questioned the lineage of an imperial princess, and the king and queen accordingly. The game you’re playing here is no longer…
Violet’s demeanor had not lost hostility, but she had become calm and cold, denoting the true seriousness of the case.
For his part, Bran moved closer to Quin, separating her from Lehm while his forehead wrinkled in genuine concern. Why would someone in their right mind so actively seek their own destruction?
Damn bastard … if you want to die do it when you’re alone …
– M-Mr. Lehm …
Airy was heading back toward the area when she heard those words, and immediately her complexion turned white as paper. When she could come to her senses, she advanced to intercede between herself and the princess.
– He’s confused! She is Princess Tiana, the daughter of the king and queen. Even if it’s a mistake, it’s not right … that … it’s not right. Quick … you must apologize … – looking nervously towards Tiana – The princess is a great person … she will understand … Isn’t that so?
Lehm calmly looked at his friendly defender, and nodded generously in response, causing some tension to leave Airy’s body.
– Mmm … maybe it was an improper act … – he conceded, looking at Tiana next – My mistake … I shouldn’t have mentioned it.
– Mention it?!
Violet’s expression was bathed in disbelief at this “apology.”
– What do you want? – Tiana finally spoke with a serious expression – I refuse to believe that you are ignorant of the consequences, and yet you insist on false accusations against me and my parents. Why do you do it?
She clearly was wasting his last drop of patience in crafting that question.
– False accusations? – with curious expression – Strange … Aren’t they the famous couple of fire and ice?
– Do you need to ask? The alliance with Sátura brought my mother as the new queen. Even a child knows it … you don’t want to be confused now …
– Certainly … something confuses me. The blood of an ice queen … without a trace of her heritage?
– ………!
The princess opened her mouth to reply, but fell into a surprising daze, as if those words had a strange and unexpected effect, causing Violet to take her place.
– Silly stuff! She has chosen to cultivate her paternal heritage since she was little, but that does not mean that it is the only affinity. You can’t even verify that accusation.
– I do not lack methods, but … Only affinity? – He smiled with a hint of irony – With your elemental affinity … Can’t you really say it? Rather… weren’t you put in charge of her for that in the first place? – he declared, as stating something that should be evident.
– That’s…
Copying the princess’s reaction, those words seemed to touch some kind of sensitive fiber in her and she was unable to replicate, despite the visible attempts. Instead, he turned to Tiana with a complicated expression.
While both women showed signs of a passing daze, Quin had been comfortably held by her brother as she continued to sample delicacies without much concern. But, in the last few moments her attention had been actively awakened, with her little ear moving like radar picking up something important.
– Mmmmmm … teacher … – she asked thoughtfully.
– Mmm?
– So … Are you saying that she lacks a part to be a princess? …
Lehm winced at that question.
– It is a way of seeing it…
– Hehe … I knew it! … – She smiled with a certain boastful tone, as if everything was going to be alright in the world.
– ………
Bran was the only one on the sidelines, whose silent expression showed insight and confusion at the same time.
This is serious?
Even more confused was Violet’s complexion. As an imperial governess and her personal tutor, she had noticed some strange details. It was impossible not to do it after so long, but unconsciously she had been ignoring them.
However, Lehm had sensed it … in just a few minutes.
Who the hell …?
This was not something that could be known or deduced, much less mentioned with such certainty at the cost of enormous consequences. If there was someone with such confidence in his observation technique, he would have to be at the level of an…
– ………
Her mind locked for an instant as she realized what she had just thought. She then turned to Lehm, but this time instead of hostility, there was great bewilderment. He was a young man with white clothes and silver hair, but at that moment he looked like a dark and indefinite hole that had sat in front of them.
– How?
It was Tiana who cut the silence, and her voice felt heavy, as if she were having trouble saying those words.
– Mmm?
Lehm turned to her, with the same calmness he had shown from the first moment.
– How is … the method to check it?
– ………
Violet turned to her, but this time the aftershocks did not come out. For his part, Lehm seemed to find some satisfaction in these words, and stood up as he placed his hands behind his usual posture of a young sage and gave them a serene smile.
– Is that a request?
–
–
The way back was quite quiet, only adorned with passing murmurs coming from Bran’s back, where a copper-haired girl slept peacefully after falling exhausted with her full stomach.
He had remained silent while his brow was wrinkled in a thoughtful expression, although it was difficult to interpret what he was thinking. Beside him walked his annoying tenant with a serene smile to which he did not speak a word on the way, and who did not wait for a word to be addressed to him.
With the night preparing for her arrival, little Quin was deposited in her new bed, and as she rolled to find a position she was observed by two young but deep brown eyes.
– Uffffff …
What happens to the world?
He knew to be someone who had everything, and also someone who lost everything. And in this peaceful new life he had something that he had not possessed before, and that he could not afford to lose.
Until then he trusted himself to forge a future despite difficulties. However, in just a few days the landscape around him had become vague and diffuse. And one of the main culprits rested placidly a few meters away in the main room.
Was that pain in the ass really a young foreign erudite?
– I don’t see you…
Quin’s murmurs finally pulled him out of his musing, taking one last look at her and leaving the room. Although she was sleeping peacefully now, he knew that when she woke up she would be full of energy.
And it was not far from reality.
Darkness gave way to morning light, and the lively sounds returned to the old house.
~ Tap Tap Tap
– ~Teee … achhhh … errrrr …~
With a scampering finished in an artistic leap, two radiant sapphire eyes stood in front of the serene reader. Today he was occupied by a somewhat less extensive and more decorated material.
– This little girl is ready for rewards …
– Tasks … – he clarified without looking away.
– That … that … – she nodded, scratching her head.
– Mmm …
After a few last glances, he finally closed his book and stood up, taking a serious stance.
– All right.
– Yey. Will you teach me a super technique? How about using the word weapon?
– This will be your task … – extending his hand.
The little girl looked at the book that rested there and bowed her head. On its cover she could read: “The elementary for little girls.”
– Yeah?
– When you can explain its foundations for yourself, you will get a reward.
– Mmmmmm… OK! – She agreed taking it, although clearly it was not what she expected – Wait a moment … I’ll be back soon.
– Moment? – He smiled, amused by her confidence – More than a moment … maybe I should wait a year.
– Weeeeeeeeeeeee? Isn’t that a lot a lot? – She claimed, looking again at the book while narrowing her eyes a little – Teacher … Are you being cruel to this little girl?
– A task according to its recipient. If there is effort, the reward will be the same. You will get a great gift at the end of the road …
– Great gift! You never say big … – her shrewd blue eyes lit up with stars again – Will I be able to choose?
– Naturally …
– Whatever is?
– Whatever is in my hands … – he declared calmly.
– Yey! – She jumped into place, very excited – So … I want … I want … A complete princess!
– ………
