Chapter 4
As usual, she was leading a diligent, orderly life.
Eat, sleep…
“Nnngh…!”
And relieve oneself, the tranquil, comfortable life of an infant.
After spending several days in this tiny, helpless form, she had come to a momentous decision.
She would let Lucas become emperor as fate intended, and quietly live off whatever benefits trickled down, savoring the sweet, idle life of a royal freeloader.
‘What a delightful word that is, freeloader.’
Satisfied with her own cleverness, she nodded her heavy head.
In her previous life, she’d read countless books, even those circulated among the commoners. Within those pages, she’d encountered words she’d never once heard in the palace. “freeloader” was one of them. As she recalled, it described a scoundrel who idled about without earning a penny, though over time it had come to refer to anyone without a proper profession. Very well, she would be a freeloader princess.
‘I’ll be a royal freeloader!’
“Ha-cha!”
The thought sparked a new surge of determination within her.
“Our little princess seems quite pleased after finishing her business. Feeling fresh, Your Highness?”
Unaware of the fierce resolve brewing in her tiny charge’s mind, Lenny sniffed the air and spoke cheerfully.
It was baffling to her why the nursemaid insisted on watching over her like this, but what truly pushed the limits of her dignity was this:
“Another healthy one today.”
As always, under the guise of monitoring her health, Lenny would open her diaper and inspect the contents, leaving her shame in tatters.
One day, she vowed, she would repay this mortification in kind.
“There we are, a fresh, soft diaper. Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Abuu!”
Oblivious to the plans of vengeance forming in that tiny head, Lenny removed the soiled diaper and showered her cheeks with noisy kisses. She wriggled in protest, but to no avail.
“Kya-ha-ha! Woo-oo!”
As if in competition, Lucas turned bright red and bore down with a determined expression, only to break into a wide, refreshed smile moments later.
“Sniff sniff… Oh, His Highness too. You two really do everything together.”
“Is that how twins are?”
Sylvia, finding it all rather fascinating, chattered away as she fetched another clean diaper.
“Kya-woo!”
“Bpuu.”
She glanced over at Lucas, clapping his hands together in glee.
‘He imitates everything.’
If she could just get her feet under her, she’d give him a good kick and feel a little better, but trapped in this tiny, useless body, there was little she could do.
When, she wondered, would she finally be able to walk?
She struggled to move her legs, but could only manage to wiggle her toes.
“Ou-woo…”
Trying to see her own wiggling feet, she forced her heavy head up, but all she could see was her own round belly.
Would she even be able to lift her head properly, let alone crawl or walk?
But giving up was not an option.
“Hau.”
She clenched her tiny, powerless fists and renewed her determination to one day get even with Lucas.
“Abuu!”
Mustering every ounce of strength in her tiny frame, she let out a battle cry and suddenly flipped her body over.
“…!”
It was the sheer force of her resolve to get one over on that irritating Lucas that made the impossible possible.
“Ha!”
Slap.
Elated by her success, she flailed her arms, and felt something soft catch in her grasp.
‘What’s this? A doll Lenny left nearby?’
But it was softer than any doll. It felt as though her fingers had been glued to it, clinging with pleasant warmth.
Curious and delighted by the texture, she gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Ou?”
A babble drifted up from her hand.
Until now, she’d assumed Lucas was asleep, having been so quiet.
‘Oh no… could it be…?’
Lucas, offering up his cheek so carelessly, blinked at her in innocent confusion.
Then, tears welled in his eyes, and he began to quiver.
“Hyuu…”
“Hashi.”
Seeing Lucas’s dampening eyes, an involuntary, not-at-all-infant-like sound escaped her lips.
“Your Highness?”
“Oh my!”
Lenny and Sylvia, who’d been chatting nearby, came rushing over at the sound of slapping and her odd babble.
“Your Highness.”
“Wu?”
‘I really didn’t think I’d manage to hit him…’
A cold sweat trickled down her back, worried her deed might be discovered.
“Did… did you just roll over on your own?”
But as usual, Lenny’s complete lack of awareness meant she focused on her having flipped herself over rather than on the scene’s other details.
“Our little princess is so precocious! Only four months old and already rolling over!”
“Hau!”
Seizing the opportunity, she flapped her tiny arms with all her might in response.
“His Highness looks flushed, doesn’t he.”
Sylvia, who had been glancing enviously at her, now scooped up Lucas and examined his reddened cheek.
Though an infant’s grip strength wasn’t much, it seemed Lucas’s white, doughy cheek had turned slightly pink where her hand had landed.
Feeling a pang of guilt, she pretended to practice rolling over again, her body wiggling with effort.
At that moment, her gaze met Lucas’s, who was nestled comfortably in Sylvia’s arms.
“……”
“……”
Just moments ago, his vivid odd-colored eyes had been brimming with tears, yet now they looked perfectly clear, as though nothing had happened.
The sight of those eyes unsettled her for a brief moment.
‘Don’t tell me… could he have memories from a previous life too?’
The very thought made her heart pound so violently it felt like it might burst from her chest, her blood running cold.
“Hehe.”
“Oh dear, Prince, you’re drooling again. Let’s wipe you up, shall we?”
Sylvia quickly took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the drool from Lucas’s mouth.
‘Of course not. A regression, as if.’
Even as Sylvia cleaned him up, Lucas continued to drool like a tiny fountain.
“Are you hungry? Why are you drooling so much?”
“Nyam-nyam.”
“I’ll go fetch some milk right away. Just a moment, please. Lenny, could you watch His Highness for a bit?”
“Sure, go ahead. Bring something for the Princess while you’re at it.”
“Got it.”
Sylvia laid Lucas down gently on the bed and headed to the kitchen.
Lucas, lying there with his mouth agape and drool trickling out, looked every bit the clueless baby.
For a moment, she felt ashamed for having suspected anything sinister.
‘How on earth is a child like that supposed to become emperor? The future looks bleak.’
It was clear from now that her life would be an uphill battle. Might as well start settling her future grievances early.
“Deeeh!”
Prepare yourself for the righteous palm of justice.
Pretending once more to be practicing rolling over, she rolled to Lucas’s side, flailing her arm to slap his cheek.
“Your Highnesses, I’ve brought a new toy for you today!”
Lenny entered, placing a plush doll into each of their tiny arms as they lay there sucking on their fingers.
“I made them myself for you both. Aren’t they cute?”
Lucas seemed quite pleased with his, immediately soaking it in drool.
“Looks like His Highness is fond of his doll. What about you, Princess?”
It was a doll she remembered carrying around as a child in her previous life.
Though its appearance was strange, the soft clump of fur in her hands was surprisingly pleasant to the touch.
“I imagined and made them myself,” Lenny declared, visibly proud.
The doll had a mane like a lion, with its eyes, nose, and mouth clustered close together. Its long, drooping rabbit-like ears gave it a peculiar look, and she’d always assumed it to be a creature from some old legend.
But to think Lenny had created this bizarre thing entirely from her imagination…
She shot a cold, unimpressed glance at both the doll and Lenny in turn.
“Abuuu.”
She thumped the doll’s belly with her palm, meaning for Lenny to take it back.
“Looks like the Princess really loves it too!”
“Daaah!”
Misinterpreting her clear rejection, Lenny beamed and tucked the doll back into her arms.
But the moment Lenny wasn’t looking, she subtly shoved the doll aside.
“Your hands really are consistent,” Sylvia sighed, watching Lenny hand out the dolls.
“Doesn’t it look adorable to you too, Sylvia?” Lenny asked, as if fishing for a compliment.
Sylvia’s face, however, was twisted with barely concealed distaste.
“Do you seriously think Their Highnesses like these things?”
“Of course! I stayed up for a whole week making them, they have to love them!”
Lenny turned expectantly to the two infants.
“……”
“Omomom.”
Lucas was already halfway through drenching his in drool, and she, caught in the act of pushing her doll away, hurriedly grabbed its paw when Lenny’s gaze landed on her.
“…Princess.”
Lenny approached her, looking as though she might burst into tears at any moment.
“Don’t you like it? Is that it?”
“Uwaaabu.”
‘How am I supposed to answer that out loud?’
Sylvia and she exchanged a glance, both silently appraising the unimpressive doll Lenny had so proudly made.
“Kya-oo.”
The only one genuinely pleased with it was Lucas.
“Kkuuung.”
Maybe her brain had shrunk along with her body.
The deeper she tried to think, the hungrier she became, and her eyelids began to grow heavy. It seemed she was gradually giving in to the instincts of an infant.
‘Food first, then plotting.’
“Uwkaa.”
Patting her grumbling belly, she smacked her lips and worked her tiny mouth.
“Princess, are you hungry? I’ll bring your porridge right away.”
Apparently growing more perceptive, Lenny picked up on her gestures and left for the kitchen with a bright smile.
Before long, Lenny returned, propping her against the headboard and presenting a bowl of thick, unidentifiable liquid.
‘What in the world is that color?’
She vaguely recalled someone mentioning they’d be starting her on solids soon, this must be it.
“I put my heart into this for you today, Princess. Now, say ah~”
Having just witnessed the strange creation that was the doll, she couldn’t help but be wary of Lenny’s latest handiwork.
Still, perhaps cooking and crafting were two entirely different skills.
‘Let’s see what your cooking is like.’
“Ah-haap.”
Suppressing a sense of foreboding, she opened her mouth as Lenny brought the spoon to her lips, swallowing it down in one gulp.
“How is it? Isn’t it good?”
Lenny’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked into hers.
“Hicc.”
The moment it touched her tongue, a shudder ran through her entire body.
“Eck.”
The porridge dribbled from her wide-open mouth, her face contorted.
‘What the hell is this taste?’
