The Villainous Noble Lady, who looks like a Young Girl, is in the Arms of the Fearsomely Cute Crown Prince - Chapter 11

The location for my meetings with Prince Etgar was set in the study adjacent to the Crown Prince’s office, located at the far end of the second floor of the imperial palace.

The study—likely doubling as a conference room—featured a long mahogany table with three blue velvet chairs on either side. The walls were lined with bookshelves, enclosing the room in an atmosphere of quiet sophistication.

A large floor-to-ceiling window led to a balcony, where a small table set allowed for tea while overlooking the rear gardens.

In one corner of the room, a plush couch and a circular café table suggested that the space could also serve as a resting area.

◆

I arrived at the study well before Prince Etgar’s scheduled visit.

Prince Folkharte’s collection of books rivaled that of an actual library. From academic tomes to magic texts, every title I glanced at filled me with excitement.

“Incredible! Have you read all of these?”

During a break from his duties, Prince Folkharte had come to check on me. Leaning against a shelf, he observed my fascination and let out a quiet, self-deprecating chuckle.

“Yes. Since I often meet with foreign dignitaries here, it serves as a form of deterrence.”

“Is there one you’d recommend?”

“Hmm. The second shelf from the top, the book on the far right.”

“A magic tome? If that interests you, the introductory texts are over here.”

Retrieving a thick, black leather-bound book with one hand, he effortlessly lifted me with the other.

“Hyah!?”

In a seamless motion, he moved to the couch and settled in, placing me on his lap.

“W-Wait, um—”

Ignoring my flustered reaction, he encircled me with his arms and began flipping through the book, his breath lightly brushing the top of my head.

“It’s easier to explain if we go through it together.”

“Won’t your legs get tired?”

“They won’t. Mihel, tea.”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

Mihel, Prince Folkharte’s personal attendant, was a twenty-five-year-old count. With his warm brown hair and amber eyes, he had a gentle demeanor. I’d heard he had recently become a father to a baby boy.

Apparently, the reason Prince Folkharte had chosen him as his personal aide was “because he lacks ambition.”

The other candidates had been far too aggressive in their pursuit of status.

I understood that reasoning all too well.

Soon, the gentle aroma of tea leaves filled the air.

“Oh, it’s herbal tea?”

“Yes. Mihel brews it on his own whenever I get too irritated.”

“Oh my! Ahaha!”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Mihel responded with a small smile, raising his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug.

It was a silent but clear message—You see what I have to deal with?

That only made me laugh even more.

“This lavender was freshly harvested from the courtyard and carefully dried.”

Unlike Enzo’s efficient, no-nonsense brewing style, Mihel’s movements carried an elegance that made the act itself seem refined.

Both were beautiful in their own way.

“Indeed, it’s quite effective for stress relief.”

“You’re knowledgeable about tea as well?”

“Yes. I love it.”

“Tell me your favorite kinds. I’ll have them imported.”

I blinked in surprise and instinctively turned to look at him.

Up close, his aquamarine eyes shimmered in the dim light.

I caught a subtle scent—a mix of citrus and florals from his cologne, mingling with the lingering lavender from his tea.

(Too close!)

My heart suddenly pounded against my ribs, my cheeks growing hot.

I quickly turned forward again, trying to suppress my reaction.

But the more I focused on it, the more aware I became of his strong arms around me, the firm support of his legs, and the warmth radiating from his body.

I needed to regain control.

“Ria?”

“Th-Thank you very much! Ah, um, this magic—what does it do?”

I had to distract myself—quickly.

Prince Folkharte tilted his head slightly at my sudden change in topic but began explaining, tracing the words with his finger as he spoke.

His explanations were clear and easy to understand.

As expected, he was incredibly intelligent.

“Ughhh~! This is too precious!!”

From behind me, I could hear Enzo writhing in agony, likely squirming with barely contained excitement.

Mihel, however, only regarded him with the look of a man who had long since resigned himself to dealing with lost causes.

◆

“The empire is vast.”

To avoid disrupting Prince Folkharte’s paperwork in the adjacent office, Prince Etgar and I sat together on the study’s couch.

Between us lay a book on the geography of the empire.

When I requested something easy to understand for a seven-year-old, Prince Folkharte had selected a large, illustrated book.

“It may not be entirely accurate, but it should provide a broad understanding.”

Indeed, the book was filled with detailed yet accessible maps.

By learning about the land’s features, I could better understand where people came from.

By understanding the climate and local industries, I could have meaningful conversations with people from various regions.

Prince Folkharte had clearly grasped my intentions and chosen accordingly.

“Which part is your country, Ria?”

“Hmm, around here, I think.”

I pointed to a spot beyond the empire’s eastern territories, tracing the empty air beyond the borders.

Prince Etgar studied my finger, then glanced at his own hand.

“If the imperial capital is here, then…”

He had never left the capital before.

However, he understood that even nearby towns took days to reach on horseback or by carriage.

Seeing the vast expanse of the empire illustrated before him, he finally grasped the scale of its lands.

His brows furrowed slightly.

“That’s… really far.”

“Yes. And compared to the empire, my country is very small.”

“You came all this way alone?”

“Yes, I did.”

“…I see.”

Prince Etgar fell silent, staring at the map.

It was the first time he truly seemed to acknowledge the distance I had traveled.

Prince Etgar bit his lower lip again.

What was he struggling with this time?

“Ria, you’re really amazing.”

“Amazing?”

“When I was four, I clung to my mother and my nanny all the time.”

I swallowed the words that’s completely normal.

“Aren’t you lonely?”

When asked so directly, I found myself at a loss for words.

No matter how I looked back on it, I had never truly had a place in that country.

I had lived through multiple life-threatening situations, surviving only by desperately maneuvering around them.

Just as Enzo had once said, I could almost view my past as though it belonged to someone else—”an unavoidable villain doomed to die.”

If I had to put it into words, the fact that I wasn’t lonely… was what made me feel lonely.

“I suppose not… since I have His Highness.”

I said it because I believed it was the most appropriate response.

But it was also the truth.

The cold-eyed prince who had taken me in was, at his core, not cold at all.

“Hey, Ria.”

“Yes?”

“I’m here too.”

From beside me, a small hand gripped mine tightly.

The warmth of a child’s skin radiated through the contact.

“I’m here too, okay?”

As our eyes met, he repeated himself as if to emphasize his words.

It was a stark contrast to his initial attitude.

Wondering if I had overcorrected his education, I glanced toward Enzo—only to find him trembling, overcome with emotion.

What a completely useless bodyguard.

I decided to ignore him.

“Thank you, Prince Gar.”

As soon as I smiled at him, his cheeks turned bright red.

At the same time, the face of Prince Folkharte—who had just stepped out of his office—visibly paled.

“Your Highness, are you on break?”

I asked out of concern, but instead of answering, he strode toward me with a low growl.

“Let go of her hand.”

“It’s fine, just for a little bit!”

Prince Etgar puffed his cheeks in protest.

But Prince Folkharte, undeterred, muttered, “A little? Not at all,” before lifting me into his arms without giving either of us a chance to object.

“Ah!”

Before I knew it, the floor was far below me, and I was at eye level with the towering prince.

My widened field of vision caught sight of something intriguing—

“Ah! That!”

On the side table beside his desk was an impressive stack of tea canisters, their labels proudly displayed.

“Ria. I had them sourced from every region.”

“Amazing! Your Highness!”

Overcome with excitement, I instinctively hugged his face, pressing my cheek against his.

The moment I felt the direct warmth of his skin, I flinched and hurriedly pulled away.

“Fuh. What, is my reward already over?”

“R-Reward?”

“You can hug me more if you want.”

“Oh, enough!”

“Haha.”

His close-proximity laughter, rich and velvety, sent my embarrassment spiraling.

In retaliation, I began lightly punching his shoulder to cover up my flustered state.

And then—

My hand suddenly erupted in flames.

“—!?”

“Ria!”

Prince Folkharte immediately extinguished it with his ice magic, preventing any real harm.

But I stood there in stunned silence.

And in my mind, I heard the calm voice of the Time Witch, Castehelmi:

“If you’re going to start over from the age of four, then naturally, you may awaken to entirely new abilities as well.”