The Princess is Evil Chapter 7

The Princess is Evil Chapter 7

“Haam”

The warm sunlight made me yawn naturally. Moreover, the material of the sofa was too soft. In the southern mountains, this kind of soft material doesn't exist. Lynn said that this was called velvet. I tried lying both on my left and on my right side. No matter what, the texture that touched my skin was soft, making me feel better.

'I thought that this isn't the time to be lazy but my body is that of a three year old. It is faithful to instinct.'

I buried my head in the fluffy velvet.

'I'm not lazy… I can't help it because Cage is in the room…'

It was not just an excuse. Cage stays by my side all day, whether I'm going to the bathroom or not. In this situation, Cage would notice immediately that I was training my mana so I had no choice but to lie down like this.

'Should I reveal that I'm a mage?'

I think it's still better for me to hide that I'm a witch. I'm only three years old but I can use third circle magic. This has never happened throughout the history of this continent. Revealing it would mean that more assassins will come. I would be in a more dangerous situation.

'At least I have to hide it until this body can handle its potential of mana.'

Until then,

“Hawoong.”

Let's rest. I yawned and stretched. My chubby arm was pulled.

“Wow.”

It was Cage who had grabbed my arm and started prodding at it with her finger.

“Muya. Why?”

Cage blinked a couple of seconds as my words registered.

“… I was absent minded.”

Cage stepped back again. Occasionally, Cage would grasp me like this as she prodded my chubby arms. I wanted to know why so I asked her why but she never gave a clear answer. I don't think it was because she felt my mana so I wasn't too bothered by it though.

“Ooh. I'm tired.”

I yawned again and stretched out on the sofa. I felt like I was close to sleep. My eyes started to close. Let's just take a nap…

“Hey, rabbit.”

Mr. Why don't you just let me sleep for a while? I frown and raise my eyes.

“You should be glad that your older brother came to say hello. What is that look for?”

Nikil has been coming to see me constantly these past few years. A day is too long for him to wait. He is already ten years old. I can't figure out why this guy keeps coming to see me despite the fact that he is supposed to do his best in fighting for succession.

“I'm tired.”

I said, looking up at him whilst I was puffing my cheeks. His eyes widened.

“How? Where did you learn such a cute expression?”

He then pinched my cheeks. I wanted to push him away but I'm only three years old. Still too weak to do much. I'm also tired of madly thinking I'm a witch.

“Princess.”

Cage blocked Nikil's hand. I thought that she had saved me but instead,

“You have to wash your hands first.”

Such a traitor.

“I've washed them before I came so I'm clean.”

Nikil exclaimed as he pinched my cheeks and leaned over me.

“You're so soft. No matter where I pinch, the skin stretches all the time.”

“Be careful or you'll hurt her.”

“I'm not hurting her and if I do, I can just heal her. I have the power of the sun.”

Nikil pinched both my cheeks again.

“Isn't that right Leona? I won't hurt you at all.”

His smiling was so pretty it was uncomfortable.

'I don't believe you.'

I already know that all humans are wicked. I pulled at Nikil's hand to get it away.

“Why are you looking at me like this?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you smiling?”

“Why? Well of course…”

Nikil spoke in a daze.

“It's because I like you.”

What?

“I really love you.”

“Hey! Me too! I love Leona the most.”

“No, I love her more.”

“You brat! Don't get in the way.”

Nikil and Cage started fighting like usual. I couldn't say anything because I remembered something from a while back. Something that I don't want to remember.

Three hundred years ago, when I was still a human, a man came to me. He was a wandering alchemist named Jean.

“Are you alone?”

I was an orphan living in the slums and destined to die. I was completely starved when, for the first time, someone asked me if I would like something to eat. The adult was warm towards me and he gave me bread and milk. I had never been taught to be wary of others so, rather than being wary of his kindness, I counted on him. I was only five years old.

“You don't have a name?”

Obviously I didn't.

“I can't call you kid forever. Let me give you a name. How about Alena? It suits you. You're small but you're a child that doesn't crumble.”

So I took Alena as my first name. I felt like my empty heart had been filled with warmth. When I agreed, Jean smiled brightly and stroked my head.

'That is love. You love me,' is what I thought so I loved him. At the time I believed in the word love. I took his hand and followed him to the tower where he lived. What was waiting for me there?

“Please help me!”

“Please, please…”

A girl who wasn't in glass tubes was lying on a cold iron bed, suffering and pleading with Jean.

“Oh, she's still not dead. So useless, this waste should be taken away.”

He spit out these cruel words with a brutal face.

“Alena, listen to me.”

His words that followed were shocking. He was a man who wanted to inject the powers of a demon into humans to make weapons of mass destruction. But humans are fragile. Young kids even more so. The children continued to die. Hundreds of them died through his experiments but he did not give up.

“I saw the potential in you. Your glowing red eyes and hair… This clearly means that you will be powerful. Don't you think that original demons had this look? This will work. Don't you want to try?”

I should have refused but I didn't. It was because I was more afraid of being abandoned by him. I'm afraid that he will look at me with the same eyes that he uses to look at the other children.

“You love me, right?”

”I love you, Alena.”

So I endured. Even if the blood of a monster, that was infused into my body, made my skin rot. Even if the invading mana of a demon made it hard for me to breathe. I put up with it. But eventually it became clear that the experiments failed.

“It seems to be useless.”

Why? I thought you loved me? Didn't you always say so.

“Damn it. It's so hard to find someone. I can't believe that I have to start over!”

It's a lie. It has to be. I needed to leave. I felt something breaking in my head before everything went black. When I awoke, the tower had collapsed and all the humans were dead. Now, even the girl who taught me to write and Jean were dead. Everyone here was dead in the remains of the tower. I looked down at my unfamiliar hands. I was eight but they weren't the hands of an eight year old. My entire face and body had turned into that of an adult's. Jean's experiment was successful.

“If the experiment succeeds, I will call you a witch.”

This makes me the only witch in the world. My powers were special but what was the use of it? The words of humans who loved me were false. There are no humans who really love me. I ran away. I avoided them and their 'I love you's.' Just like that, I spent 300 years alone.

“Rabbit?”

“Princess?”

Ah. I thought too long. I saw two faces peering closely at me.

“Are you ok? You're sweating.”

“Maybe she's cold.”

“Your face probably shocked her.”

“Your face is scarier.”

They growled again and started arguing. Hearing them makes my head hurt more so I pull Nikil's arm.

“My head hurts, shut up.”

“Ah, ok.”

Nikil closes his mouth and steps back but his eyes were still twinkling. I saw him laughing behind his hand which covered his mouth. I don't understand. I just cursed you so why are you happy?

“You guys.”

I raised my body with all my power to stand on two short legs.

“You don't need to worry because I'm hurt. It's ok to just ignore it. I don't need love.”

I'm really not going to believe humans again. Nikil and Cage look at me with a blank face and then hurriedly turn to whisper amongst each other.

“Leona's mother is dead…?”

“Yes… there's only Lynn…”

“She only lives with a maid?”

“That's right.”

I didn't want to hear more so I sat down. The effort I spent made me sweaty. Once they have finished discussing, Nikil comes over to me with a soft cloth to wipe it.

“There is one thing I can promise.”

He said whilst wiping my forehead and cheeks. His hand felt even more gentle than the cloth.

“I will always be next to you as your brother.”

“Me too. I will always be next to you as your sword.”

“Please move.”

Nikil pushed Cage to the side to look me in the eyes.

“Even if I become the emperor, I will never kill you. I will never let anyone touch you!”

He smiled and pressed my cheeks between his hands.

“Alright? Let's promise.”

“Me too! I want to make a promise with the princess as well.”

Nikil shook his head and leaned towards me.

“There are two people who will always love you. In time there will be even more.”

I closed my eyes tightly. I didn't want to see it. I didn't want to hear it. Humans are all the same. They always betray, lie and hurt me.

“Rabbit, don't make that expression. You're not going to believe me? I really love you.”

These humans.

“I love you rabbit.”

“I love you too.”

Somehow, my cheeks grew hot. But I don't believe them. I never will.

Chapter end