episode_0008

childhood (3)

“Sister Isabella~ Marie~ What’s going on here? Didn’t you have a magic class today?”

“Hehehe, my sister and I came to have lunch with my brother”

“This is the sandwich we made. I worked hard to make it, so give it a try~”

“Wow, thank you! I’m still hungry, but I’ll eat well~”

Yuno looked forward to it and opened the lid of the basket they brought. However, the sandwiches that the princesses had made with their precious hands were completely ruined when they ran in, so Isabella and Marie’s faces instantly turned into tears.

“Ugh, the sandwich I made for you oppa broke”

“This…it’s all because of Mari…I said to go slowly…ugh…ugh”

Yuno was embarrassed by her older sister and younger brother who were crying just because of a sandwich, but she held them in her arms and comforted them.

“Sister, thank you, Mary. It’s a little broken, but it tastes better than any food to me. This is a sandwich made by my sister and Marie. How could it not be delicious”

“Black..Really? Are you going to eat it even though it’s broken like this?”

“Don’t force yourself to eat it, Yuno… Ask the maids to make it again…”

Juno devoured his sandwich before Isabella finished speaking. In any case, there was no food to choose from, and Yuno’s body, which had just gone through a lot of training, was suffering from lack of nutrition, so Yuno ate the entire broken sandwich without leaving a single piece of bread behind.

“Hmm!! it’s good. It was very delicious. I think it’s especially delicious because my sister and Marie made it”

As Yuno praised them, a blush appeared on Isabella and Marie’s cheeks. When the two saw their beloved younger brother and older brother Yuno eating delicious food, they even skipped class and felt rewarded for their hard work all morning.

“Hehehe, I’m glad. I don’t think it was difficult at all because my brother enjoyed it”

“Ah! But I ate it all, so my sister and Marie have nothing to eat. Sorry. I was so hungry that I ate it all without thinking”

“It’s okay, oppa. I’m full just from the delicious food you ate. Hehehe”

Isabella and Marie were so thankful and loving that Yuno ate the sandwich they had destroyed. Moreover, his older sister, Isabella, wanted to do even more for this lovely younger brother.

“Yuno, then would you like me to make you a lunch box every day? If you enjoy it, I’m fine…”

At that time, the maid interrupted Isabella. Although it was a major act of disrespect to interrupt the princess, she had no qualms as she was the most senior of the maids who had been by the empress’ side for a long time.

“Her Royal Highness! I’m saying no. Didn’t you promise us that you would only do this once, and let us pass on something that wasn’t possible today?”

“Oh my… Madeleine. Please close your eyes. You know that I get good evaluations for all my classes, right?”

“Jeong: If so, please get permission from the Empress. If you do that, I’ll skip it”

Isabella pouted her lips because there was no way that was possible. Her mother, Empress Yuria, was very strict when it came to her children’s education, so she even occasionally observed their classes.

“Pee~ There’s no need for social dancing or social conversation skills during morning classes… I’m not going to get married because I’m going to live with my mom, Yuno, and Mari for the rest of my life”

“Your Majesty… What kind of big deal are you talking about? If His Majesty the Emperor finds out, he will be honored”

When the princesses reached their age, it was common for them to enter into an arranged marriage with the royal family of another country or to marry the descendants of a great noble family. However, Isabella and Marie did not want to live that kind of life, and requested Empress Yuria to learn magic and elemental arts, respectively.

Empress Yuria also wanted her daughters to live a different life than herself, so she actively supported this and found good teachers for them.

Because the talent of the two princesses was extraordinary, each of them had broken through the basic level and was learning the beginner level. They were even thinking of leaving the imperial palace when they became adults and mastered intermediate magic and intermediate elemental magic.

“If my father finds out, of course he will. They are already thinking about which country they should sell us to to make a profit”

“You can’t say things like that!!”

The head maid looked around, worried that someone might hear her, but luckily no one heard her, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Sleep~ Madeleine. Don’t be too angry. Sister, Marie. Is it only today? Thank you for making me a sandwich, but I can’t miss class because my mom will worry”

When Yuno thought the story was taking a strange turn, he intervened appropriately and cut off the conversation.

“…. Chiit. I said it was delicious… okay. But from today onwards, are you going to eat dinner with us?”

“That’s right, oppa. Do you have to come?”

These days, Yuno often used the excuse of training to eat dinner at the knights’ cafeteria, so they took this opportunity to try to get a promise from Yuno. Although it was pressure from her older sister and younger sister, who were not scared at all, Yuno smiled and answered that she understood.

“So, I heard that the third princess is coming from the Kingdom of Leon today?”

“Yes, that’s right. So they said that Viscount Speyer was coming with an escort. There will be a welcome ceremony later, so my sister and Marie must come in”

“But you’re coming here as a hostage, so why bother holding a welcome ceremony?”

“The purpose is invitation and study abroad. A princess from another country is coming to save the empire, so you can’t just say welcome, right?”

“Well… Then, we will have dinner at the welcoming ceremony tonight. Are you excited for our Yuno? I heard that the third princess of the Kingdom of Leon is so pretty. You’re the same age as Yuno, right?”

“Sister! Mari will have to hold her brother’s hand tightly because he might be possessed by that princess!!”

“Yes, Mari… You must protect Yuno because she is still young and could be fooled just by looking at her face!! Since you are holding my right hand, you are holding your left hand”

Yuno had to sigh because her older sister and younger sister were especially irritable today. After lunch, Isabella and Marie headed back to the empress’ palace with tears in their eyes due to their class schedule, and Yuno resumed training again.

As the sun was setting, Yuno, who had finished training and was smiling as she felt her muscles becoming stronger, received a message telling her to come to the main palace. After returning to his palace and quickly washing up, Yuno was attended to by servants, changed into clean clothes, got on a carriage, and headed to the main palace where the emperor resided.

When we arrived at the main palace and entered the Emperor Hall, the official residence where the emperor conducted business, many ministers and members of the royal family had already arrived. Yuno went next to his brothers who were already lined up and bowed to them.

Then Crown Prince Prinz, who saw Yuno greeting her, spoke first.

“It’s a little late, Yuno”

“Sorry, brother. Because I exercised too much, it took some time to wash up”

“Physical training is good, but from now on, do it in moderation on the days when official royal events are scheduled and get into the habit of arriving in advance”

“Yes, I understand”

The crown prince, who had been treating Yuno harshly for a while, relaxed his frozen face and smiled, stroking Yuno’s head.

“Hehe, is your training going well these days? Because I am weak, sometimes I envy your young stamina”

“Brother, I hope you will get well soon. Aren’t many doctors making excellent elixirs for your health every day”

“Those elixirs don’t improve your stamina. ha ha ha. Still, I have no worries because I have such great brothers”

Prinz hugged Yuno and Heinrich’s shoulders and smiled, but Prince Heinrich frowned. And when Yuno left the room for a while after being called by Yuria, Heinrich openly verbally abused his older brother.

“Why is your brother so pretty that you treat him so well? After all, it’s just the rebirth of a lowly concubine”

“Heinrich!! Although she is not our biological mother, she is definitely the empress of the Balkan Empire! Refrain from speaking! And Yuno is also our brother born to the Empress!”

“Sheesh, I can’t accept a mother who is younger than me”

Heinrich’s voice reached even Juno. The emperor had not yet arrived, so it was a noisy reception by several nobles, but Juno frowned because Heinrich’s voice was clearly heard in Juno’s ears, whose hearing was at the human limit.

‘Chet, the 2nd prince’s personality is really dirty… It’s impossible for him to become prime minister under his rule. Wouldn’t that actually lead to a rebellion later? ‘I hope you’ll loosen your guard a little bit for me.’

The 2nd Prince Heinrich was 31 years old, 5 years older than the current Empress Yuria, and the Crown Prince was 33 years old. Heinrich usually did not treat Juno, Isabella, and Marie as royal family members, so Juno was annoyed, but he decided to do so. Because of his rough personality, Heinrich did not get along well with his older brother, the Crown Prince, and his younger sister, 1st Princess Diane.

“His Majesty the Emperor enters”

No fuss for a while. When the emperor appeared, the palace became quiet. Along with him, Prime Minister Marquis Marc ascended the podium located below the throne and announced the start of the cabinet meeting.

“Hmm~ It’s been a while since I’ve attended a cabinet meeting. okay. You said Jim must attend today, right? Today’s… Oh my! The third prince also attended? Are you that old already? Time flies so fast hahaha”

When Yuno heard the emperor mention him, he put his fist to his chest and bowed slightly to show his respect.

“Yes, yes, I heard you are studying hard these days. Is your training already comparable to that of the Imperial Guard Knights?”

“Your words are excessive. your majesty. Now I can barely keep up with the trainees’ training”

Yuno did not want to stand out, so he lowered himself to the emperor and spoke to him. However, the emperor, who had already received a detailed report on Juno’s physical abilities from Count Liechtenauer, smiled and said…

“Hehe, I already saw and heard everything from the Commander of the Knights of the Guard. The third prince is working so hard, I think he should give him a reward. The prince said that he will start practicing mana in a little while, so I will give him a fragment of the dragon heart that was passed down to the imperial family”

“Your Majesty! That is an excessive reward!!”

When Prince Heinrich stood up and opposed it, several nobles also started to shout and public opinion began to divide.

“Hmm… Even though the Third Prince has excellent physical abilities… wouldn’t it be too early to award him a Dragon Heart?”

“That’s because His Highness Prince Lee and you are civil servants and don’t know anything about training. How helpful are the mana stones or mana grass that you eat when you just start practicing!!”

“But in reality, the Third Prince has no achievements worthy of a reward, right?”

“No~ Are you alto beggars who barely make a living through mercenary business because our empire has no money? Or are they still Mexican mixed breeds who make a living by hunting? Why is it so difficult to invest that much in a prince with a promising future”

“When did I tell you not to invest? There aren’t many Dragon Hearts in the empire, so shouldn’t we use them in times of emergency?”

“This is why I talk to the desk biters… It’s not a heart taken from a freshly dead dragon, it’s a piece that has been rotting in a treasure trove for decades!! It’s not as great a treasure as you think!! Moreover, as time passes, your mana will continue to disperse! It’s better to just give it to the prince!”

Bang bang bang!!!

“Quiet, quiet!! It’s time to go!! Refrain from speaking!!”

In the end, the commotion caused by Yuno’s award quieted down only after the Prime Minister started banging on the podium and shouting. When the hall became quiet, the smiling emperor opened his mouth again.

“Okay, I roughly understand your opinions. Since everyone seems to have split opinions, I will leave the decision to the crown prince. Prinz. What do you think?”

At the emperor’s words, the eyes of the ministers focused on the prince’s mouth. Then the crown prince stood up with a gentle smile and spoke.

“I think of course we can give Yuno that level of reward. It is said that my younger brother is training hard with the goal of becoming a knight who will protect the safety of our imperial family, and as an older brother, I think I can provide sufficient support in that regard”

“Well said. Don’t your brothers each have outstanding talents in their fields? If you three brothers unite as one, the empire will become even more powerful in the future, and in your era, Prinz, you may be able to destroy that Tesseito”

“Indeed, what your Majesty said is correct. The Crown Prince, His Highness Prinz, is well-versed in human relations, politics, and administration, and the Second Prince, Heinrich, has a firm grip on the economy, so if the Third Prince, Juno, takes charge of the military sector, the Empire will have no worries”

When Marquis García, the emperor’s secretary and closest confidant, flattered him, the royal court became noisy again as his ministers expressed sympathy, and the emperor’s smile grew even brighter as he imagined the three brothers uniting as one to lead the empire.

“I think what you said is wrong. Marquis Garcia”

However, the friendly atmosphere of the royal palace was shattered by Yuno’s words. Then Marquis Garcia spoke to Juno in a trembling voice.

“Sa…His Highness the Third Prince. What do you mean by that? Your Majesty…”

“That’s right. I have no intention of taking charge of the military field. Being in charge of the empire’s military means wielding the greatest power in the empire! That is the domain of my brother, who will ascend to the throne in the future, and I, a mere subject, should not overstep it”

“But now, Your Majesty, you will receive the Dragon Heart… Then, like Count Liechtenauer, you will be able to become the best swordsman of the Empire in the future…”

“There is no law that says you can lead an army well just because you have good military power. In fact, doesn’t Count Liechtenauer, the current Imperial Swordsman, only serve as the head of the Knights of the Guard? Likewise, the reason I train my body is solely to protect my family, as my name suggests. So, please refrain from telling me to take military power”

Of course, the scope of Yuno’s family was a bit narrow, but the Emperor and Prince Prinz, who did not know that, seemed to be moved. That’s why a loud laugh immediately burst out of the emperor’s mouth.

“Hahaha, yes, what the Third Prince said is indeed correct. The emperor is the only person who holds military power in the empire, and from now on, the crown prince must take over that position. Hahahaha”

“I am devastated, Your Majesty”

“But there are some things the Third Prince still doesn’t know. The emperor’s workload is not so small that he has to take care of every single thing, including the affairs of the military. To run this big empire, you have to deal with a lot of things every day. In that case, you may not yet know how helpful each trusted relative and confidant is. Therefore, the third prince should work hard to improve his military skills and assist the crown prince. Do you understand?

“Yes, I understand, Your Majesty!”

“Now that we’ve mentioned it, let’s add a military studies class to the third prince’s education starting tomorrow. Do you understand, Empress?”

“We will take such action, Your Majesty.

“And Prince Lee should learn to care for his family from his younger brother! When your younger brother receives a small reward, do you think you can use it by being the older brother and giving it to him in a small way?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty!”

Yuno answered that he understood the solemn command of the emperor, but when classes were added for no reason, he grumbled inwardly.

The Crown Prince smiled benevolently as he looked at his younger brother, who said he understood what he was saying but had his mouth sticking out, and Heinrich held a grudge on the inside, but smiled leisurely on the outside.

‘Whew~ I have more things to study for no reason, but since I said this, the older brothers won’t keep me in check for no reason, right? Brother Prinz was always good to me… Brother Heinrich also had a good expression, which seems to have resolved some of the misunderstandings.’

Heinrich’s hatred for his brothers deepened, but Juno, who had little social experience even in his previous life, had no way of knowing what Heinrich was up to.

*Third princess of the Balkan Empire and Juno’s younger sister. Illustration by Marie Erika Windrage von Balkan.