chapter 1
chapter 1
“What are you doing here?”
“Ah… it’s already been three years.”
Lucia leaned back into the garden chair and looked up at the blue sky. It was a clear day without a single cloud. It had already been three years since she possessed this strange world, and she was now eight years old.
‘Still, being the son of a grand duke… that’s a pretty successful possession, right?’
Lucia muttered to herself as if it were someone else’s story. The memories of being a twenty-year-old in the modern world were gradually fading.
Platinum blonde hair, golden eyes, and the soft baby fat still lingering on the face of an eight-year-old young princess.
At first, it was confusing, but now he was adapting quite well in his own way.
Lucia slowly lowered his gaze. In the mansion garden, colorful flowers were in full bloom, a massive oak tree cast a cool shade, and the stone fountain echoed endlessly with the sound of flowing water.
If there was a romantic moment in this world, it was times like this.
‘The air is nice… it really is pretty.’
He swung his short legs lightly as she sank into thought. Today was the day of a friendly visit from the imperial family, so the mansion had been bustling since morning.
The maids hurried back and forth, and the grand duke and his wife adjusted Lucia’s clothes three times, repeatedly urging him to behave since the imperial family would be staying for a few days.
Pushed by his parents’ earnest requests, he had escaped to the garden… but wasn’t I already pretty well-behaved? Just as he was about to close his eyes with that idle thought—
Rustle—
Lucia’s half-closed eyes stopped. The sound wasn’t coming from the mansion, but from the bushes in the garden.
‘What is that? A cat? Or a dog??’
He turned his head toward the sound and froze.
It was a girl who looked about her age.
Her orange hair swayed in the wind, and a ruby hair ornament hung half-loose on her head. A few leaves clung awkwardly to the hem of her splendid dress.
But—
‘She looks like a pretty doll.’
Lucia thought to himself without realizing it. The girl’s slightly upturned red eyes were fixed on Lucia. Her cheeks were plump, and her bright red lips resembled a flower bud.
At the same time he thought the girl was cute, he also felt that her gaze was unusual.
The girl spoke first.
“What are you doing here?”
It was informal speech.
As if it were only natural.
Lucia looked at the girl for a moment.
A stranger, alone.
Imperial embroidery on her dress.
Ah…
Lucia slowly stood up and bowed.
“I was enjoying the sunlight, Your Highness.”
The girl’s eyes trembled slightly. It seemed she hadn’t expected to be recognized so quickly.
“…You knew it was me?”
“The embroidery on your dress bears the imperial crest.”
Lucia answered calmly. The girl looked her up and down.
A platinum-haired young Duke sitting alone absentmindedly.
“You’re the young Duke of Castiya?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you alone?”
“Um… I like quiet places.”
‘That’s a good enough excuse.’
Lucia shamelessly concluded and observed the princess’s reaction. The girl stared at him for a while, then silently walked over and sat beside him.
“I came looking for a quiet place too.”
It seemed she had run away because her attendants were noisy. Lucia sat down again. For a while, the two watched the flower petals scattering in the wind without saying a word.
‘She’s quieter than I expected. At that age, shouldn’t she be running around and making noise?’
While Lucia was thinking that, it was the princess who spoke first.
“What’s your name?”
“Lucia Castiya.”
“…I’m Rosaria. Rosaria Cesare.”
Rosaria answered briefly and looked back at the garden. When Lucia glanced at her, the tips of her ears were slightly red.
Soon, hurried footsteps came from the mansion.
“Your Highness! Where are you, Your Highness!!”
It was the attendants.
Rosaria’s delicate brows furrowed deeply.
She stood up and looked down at Lucia.
“Will you be here tomorrow too?”
“I’m not sure.”
Rosaria seemed like she wanted to say something more, but she shut her mouth and walked toward the attendants. Watching her orange hair sway as she left, Lucia looked back up at the sky.
Will you be here tomorrow…?
I probably will. It’s not like I have anything else to do.
The next day
Lucia was sitting on the garden chair again.
In the exact same place, in the exact same position as yesterday.
Rustle—
‘She came again…?’
At the sound, Lucia muttered inwardly. Rosaria appeared from between the bushes, hesitating briefly as if she realized she’d been caught.
Then, like yesterday, she sat beside him.
Without saying anything.
Lucia didn’t say anything either.
The two sat side by side, looking at the flower garden. The sound of the fountain echoed like music.
It wasn’t bad.
Rosaria didn’t say anything when she left either.
She simply got up and went.
She came again the next day.
And then she returned to the imperial palace.
A few weeks passed.
One day, as soon as Rosaria sat beside him, Lucia spoke.
“How do you keep coming here, Your Highness?”
“I just insist.”
So she came by insisting… Lucia glanced at Rosaria briefly, then looked back at the garden. There wasn’t much to say.
“Have you learned magic, Lucia?”
It was sudden.
Lucia looked at Rosaria for a moment.
“A little. What about you, Your Highness?”
“I’ve learned a lot. I can draw magic circles and cast incantations.”
‘…A genius.’
At Rosaria’s calm answer, Lucia nodded slightly and turned his face toward the garden.
“What kind of magic?”
“Fire. My teacher said the more beautiful the magic circle is, the stronger it becomes.”
No matter how he thought about it, it was absurd.
In this world, strangely enough, aesthetic magic theory prevailed. The more elegant and refined the usage, the stronger the magic—logic that made no sense from a modern perspective.
“Then are ugly magic circles weak?”
Rosaria looked at Lucia as if it were an unexpected question.
“…I guess so?”
“Why?”
“Why? That’s just how it is.”
Lucia nodded vaguely and let it pass. He concluded that the nobles’ obsession with appearances had seeped even into magic.
Then Rosaria stared at Lucia and asked.
“How old are you?”
“I’m eight.”
Rosaria’s body paused for a moment.
“I’m eight too.”
Lucia looked at Rosaria.
Rosaria looked at Lucia.
They were the same age.
For some reason, Lucia had thought Rosaria was a year older because she was taller and carried herself confidently.
“What’s with that look?”
“I just didn’t know we were the same age.”
“…Is that so strange?”
It wasn’t strange, just unexpected…
Perhaps her pride was hurt, Rosaria quickly turned her head away. The tips of her ears were red.
A few months passed.
One day, Lucia was lying carelessly on the garden grass, looking at the sky. Rosaria came and sat beside him, then looked down at him.
“Why are you lying down?”
“It’s comfortable.”
“It’s not dignified.”
“You can just sit, Your Highness.”
Rosaria looked at Lucia for a moment, then quietly lay down beside him, carefully arranging the folds of her dress with her small hands.
The two lay side by side, looking at the sky.
The clouds drifted very slowly.
“That cloud looks like a sheep.”
Lucia murmured, and Rosaria looked in the same direction.
“…It looks like a cat.”
“It’s a sheep.”
“It’s a cat.”
Lucia looked at Rosaria.
Rosaria looked at Lucia.
‘Is she being stubborn right now?’
Lucia let out a quiet laugh. Rosaria looked at him as if asking why she was laughing, but Lucia simply looked back at the sky.
“Fine, it’s a cat.”
After a moment, Rosaria muttered softly.
“…It kind of looks like a sheep too.”
Lucia didn’t say anything.
She just smiled faintly.
After about another month, Lucia speaking informally was clearly a mistake.
“Rosaria, look at that.”
He had been watching a butterfly rise from a white flower, and the words just slipped out. Lucia froze as he realized it too late.
‘Ah… I spoke casually.’
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
“Just keep speaking comfortably.”
Rosaria cut him off without even looking at him, watching only the fluttering butterfly.
The tips of Rosaria’s ears were red again.
Lucia glanced at her briefly, then looked back at the butterfly.
“…Alright.”
That was it.
From that day on, they spoke informally.
A little over a year passed.
Now ten years old, the two sat in the garden reading a magic textbook together, with Rosaria leaning close to Lucia as she looked at the pages.
“Look at this magic circle. This one is really difficult.”
“Yeah, I see.”
“Can you do this, Lucia?”
“No.”
“I can.”
What is this? Is she trying to brag…?
Thinking that, Lucia turned the page.
“Yeah, you’re good.”
It was praise, but so indifferent that Rosaria looked at him.
“…That’s it??”
“What?”
“Nothing else? Like saying it’s amazing…?”
Lucia looked at Rosaria.
“It’s amazing, really.”
“…Forget it.”
Rosaria turned her head slightly.
For some reason, her ears were red. Lucia now knew that was simply Rosaria’s habit.
The sun began to set.
That meant it was time for Rosaria to leave. But she didn’t get up. Instead, she gently leaned against Lucia’s shoulder.
Lucia looked at her.
“Aren’t you going home?”
“Just a little longer…”
Lucia didn’t say anything and let her be.
Feeling Rosaria’s breathing become steady, Lucia looked back down at the textbook.
When they turned eleven, one thing had changed—their height.
Lucia had grown to be a head taller than Rosaria.
One day, Lucia was standing with a textbook when Rosaria came and stood beside him. Then she silently looked up at Lucia.
Lucia lowered his head.
“What?”
“…Nothing.”
Rosaria turned her head away, her ears reddening even more. Lucia thought her habits were remarkably consistent and looked at her before opening the book again.
‘What’s with her all of a sudden?’
After a while, when Lucia lifted his eyes from the book, Rosaria was looking up at him again. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away.
‘Could it be because I got taller…?’
On His way back, Rosaria finally couldn’t hold it in and spoke.
“Lucia.”
“Yeah.”
“…When did you get so tall?”
Lucia looked at her.
“I just grew?”
Rosaria moved her lips as if to say something but ended up saying nothing, walking away with her orange hair swaying. Watching her back, Lucia muttered.
“Is she already going through puberty?”
**
It was early winter when they turned twelve.
Now accustomed to slipping away from the adults, Rosaria quietly opened Lucia’s door and tiptoed inside.
He's asleep…”
She pulled a chair over with a small whisper and sat beside the bed, gazing down at Lucia’s sleeping face.
Brilliant platinum hair scattered over the pillow. Unlike his usual indifferent expression, his face was relaxed in sleep. With her arms crossed, Rosaria stared as if engraving the sight into her memory.
His hair was like that the first time I saw him too…
Her memories naturally drifted back to their first meeting.
Days confined by the title of princess, surrounded by dresses and jewelry. The garden of the grand duke’s estate she had fled to escape the boring conversations of adults.
When she pushed herself into the bushes to avoid her attendants, she saw that boy’s hair beyond them.
The moment that child, who had been staring blankly at the sky, turned and discovered her—
Her heart had beaten a little faster.
Maybe that was why… she had spoken her first words a bit more bluntly.
“What are you doing here?”