Baby Pharmacist Princess

Bathtub.

A space roomy enough for a child but too cramped for a tall, grown boy to lie down comfortably.

Pabel sat in it, filling it to the brim with water. He had scattered flower petals, gold flakes, and an array of bubbles, immersing himself in water so hot it could scald skin. But he wasn’t trying to enjoy a proper bath.

He was still wearing his clothes.

He was simply too irritated to bear it any longer.

What is irritation?

If we delve into such philosophical musings, it’s ultimately a state of dissatisfaction.

And once it crosses a certain line, the act of expressing it only breeds more annoyance.

So Pabel curled up like a wounded animal.

He pondered how to turn this boredom into pleasure.

“Alexandra has lost her charm, and Elise ended up like that.”

Still, the ending was amusing.

From the start, when Pabel crafted Elise’s face, he designed it so that half of it could be revealed whenever he wished.

That’s why he used a milder adhesive, not the highly toxic one that would tear off skin.

So that Jessica’s real face could surface.

The reason was simple.

He thought it would be entertaining to reveal that Elise was actually Jessica Fever while she was blissfully living as “Elise.”

“Sigh.”

But that fun ended sooner than he expected.

In his long life, he rarely felt this bored.

So Pabel was troubled.

“Since Alexandra ended up like that, I can’t go back to the northern Castalia palace.”

Until now, whenever he sensed Vikal’s presence, Pabel swiftly avoided him.

As long as he stayed by Alexandra’s side, who rarely crossed paths with Vikal, he was fine.

“But now, I have no shield.”

What should he do?

With his freedom of movement restricted, Pabel began to miss Alexandra.

He should have taken better care to prevent her from going berserk.

“I hoped to have fun provoking Cherishe using Elise.”

Who would have thought Raerhod would appear leading a dragon?

That was beyond Pabel’s expectations.

And Pabel doesn’t appreciate unexpected events.

“I need… I need something thrilling.”

If not, I might just drown myself here.

Pabel felt a sense of crisis.

Demons are truly hopeless creatures.

Humans curse and hate demons, but Pabel felt it was unfair.

Don’t humans also act greedily?

They hunt and eat animals when hungry, and when that became tedious, they started raising livestock.

Demons are the same.

It’s just that their food isn’t meat or plants but pleasure.

But essentially, it’s the same.

If they don’t eat, they die.

If they aren’t entertained, they perish.

What’s the difference?

So Pabel always had to wander in search of enjoyment.

Just like all other demons.

Some demons might be content just playing chess, but not Pabel.

Unfortunately, he only found joy when playing with real people like dolls.

“Sigh. I was supposed to start the war a bit later.”

He had made a pact with Liclaz simply because it seemed fun.

Liclaz agreed to offer his firstborn as a sacrifice, and Pabel accepted.

Thus, a half-baked contract was formed.

A one-sided deal where the beneficiary and the sacrifice were different.

Among the many complicated terms, one was that Pabel had to wait until the South Castalia Empire was fully prepared.

They aimed for when Alexandra turned 19 or 20.

Initially, Pabel agreed.

“But… but now…”

Breaking it seems more fun.

Even if it’s an unfair contract, a contract is a contract.

If he breaks it, Pabel would suffer consequences.

But the boredom he felt now was suffocating; he wanted to do it even if it meant getting hurt.

Splash.

Watching the pouring water with a dazed look, Pabel realized the hand he had outside the tub was getting colder.

Ah, slowly… slowly dying.

“I need to find a solution right now.”

Breaking the contract is too risky…

“The Pope.”

With his head tilted back, gazing at the foolish painting on the ceiling, Pabel muttered.

“Yes, there’s the Pope.”

According to information from the Holy See that reached Liclaz, the Pope was going on an overseas tour.

“If I prevent him from going?”

Or kill him during the trip?

Feeling a sudden spark of interest, a fiery heat surged through Pabel’s body.

Plunge.

Fully submerged in water, Pabel trembled with delight.

Yes, that’s it.

“Let’s kill the Pope.”

And make Cherishe despair.

As he planned, energy returned to him.

Pabel sprang up from the tub, no longer the lifeless figure from moments ago.

His silver hair was wet and clung to him.

With each step, water dripped from his body, leaving traces on the floor.

But Pabel had no intention of wiping it off or drying himself.

He was wholly engrossed in the most intriguing idea that had just come to him.

“Should I send out a Valek? Or maybe an ogre?”

His appetite was whetted.

Pabel lightly licked the water trickling down his fingers.

He tasted the gold flakes floating in the liquid.

It tasted exactly like his current mood.

* * *

About two weeks after all those events.

I had eaten well and slept soundly, fully regaining my energy.

In the meantime, I lost count of how many times I laughed and cried while listening to Dad’s recorded message in the diamond he left me.

Now, I was ready to start moving again.

“Myerden! Are they all made?”

“Yes, the quantity you requested. But what are you planning to use them for…?”

“Shh. It’s a secret, as always.”

“Well, I’ll do whatever you ask.”

I had ordered a massive—truly enormous—quantity of jelly vitamins from Myerden.

And they had to be stored in crystal bottles so pretty you’d want them the moment you saw them.

It’s common knowledge that dragons, like crows, love shiny things.

At least to me.

“Koskani!”

“You called?”

“Could you take these to the shop?”

“Understood! Hehe.”

Having Koskani was fantastic because I didn’t have to spend gems going back and forth to Dragon Street.

And I could sell much more than before.

“Today is the day when the moon is fullest and most beautiful.”

In other words, it’s the full moon.

The day I promised to meet Sihat!

“No, I don’t like that.”

“Then how about this ribbon? It has a sapphire in the center; isn’t it stylish?”

“Um. No. I don’t like the color.”

After taking care of some tasks and returning to my room, I began choosing from various dresses laid out.

To stroll around Dragon Street, I needed to pick a dress that’s considered indoor wear by palace standards but suitable for going out by outside standards.

So I had to sleep in it.

Ever since I was little, I insisted on wearing pretty dresses to bed instead of pajamas, so everyone was used to it now.

“Phew, I’m nervous.”

Somehow.

I had forgotten because of the Elise incident, but thinking back, Sihat had confessed to me!

And this was the first time we’d meet since then.

I couldn’t help but feel my heart pounding.

My heart was beating so fast that I had to secretly sigh multiple times.

“These days, our Princess keeps sighing.”

“Did I?”

“Do you have someone special in mind? Many young gentlemen talked to you during the cruise trip.”

Oh, right.

I suppose Sophia could see it that way.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, but I thought of vaguely nodding.

That way, she wouldn’t ask further.

“I want to visit the garden.”

“Would you like to? The sun is strong in spring, so you should wear a hat.”

“Yes, yes.”

After returning from the trip, the cold snaps had gone, and now flowers were in full bloom even in the northern Castalia palace.

You can’t imagine how beautiful the first greeting of spring is.

Gergys and Idsys were too busy to go flower viewing with me now, but I wanted to see them even if I was alone.

“The spring breeze is gently blowing.”

The scent of plum blossoms carried on the soft breeze was so refreshing.

As soon as I smelled it, I thought, “Yes. This is spring,” and my expectations for the warm season soared.

Here, because spring arrives the latest due to our location, I remember looking at the plum trees during the first greeting of spring every year.

When will the buds open? When will they bloom?

I used to watch on tiptoe, my nose turning red from the cold.

Each year, as I grew a bit taller, I no longer needed to stand on tiptoe.

Even if my Dragon Heart is weak, I’m still of royal blood, so I’m slightly taller than other kids my age.

“Should I bring some plum branches to Sihat?”

Strolling among the deep pink flowers, I murmured unconsciously.

I wanted to bring spring to Sihat too.

If I did, he’d probably say that to him, I am spring itself.

“Oh my. I’ve come to expect such answers naturally.”

I held my still-soft cheeks and squeezed my eyes shut.

I guess my ignorance about romance is partly because of Sihat.

Honestly, I’ve been hearing such words since I was four.

To me, Sihat is, how should I put it?

He’s just someone who’s always been by my side.

Like how sprouts push through the soil in spring, the sun gets hot in summer, fruits ripen in autumn, and snow falls in winter.

He was that naturally close to a truth.

I hadn’t realized that this truth was rooted in my heart.

I hadn’t grasped what it meant that Sihat loving me as naturally as breathing.

“Though I might not love him yet…”

Still, I like him.

I whispered so, looking up at the path filled with plum blossoms.

That I like him.

Sihat, that is.

So now I needed to be sure.

Whether this place is really a game, or if it’s reality somewhere.

The answer was almost clear, but I needed certainty.