***
‘Getting dressed up to go out, having my hair neatly braided into pigtails, and even a chance to enjoy some desserts at the palace?’
Of course, Aiden had joined us midway, but he was a mature kid.
I was sure that there weren’t going to be any problems.
It was going to be a perfect day!
…Or so I thought.
About an hour later on that sunny afternoon…
“I don’t recall inviting anyone other than Lady Blanchet,” said the Second Prince, sitting in front of me, speaking coldly as he looked at Aiden.
I smiled awkwardly, sipping on the hot chocolate in front of me.
‘This is too damn good.
I’d love to get the recipe.
I never manage to get the ratio just right when I make it.’
“I am here as her guardian, instead of Lili’s sister.
She attended the noble meeting along with my uncle, after all.” Aiden responded lightly with a smile.
They were clearly distant cousins, but the atmosphere felt tense, almost like there was a feud in the imperial court.
‘Is this really a conversation that kids my age should be having?’
I was overcome with a serious cognitive dissonance.
‘Please don’t speak so maturely with those chubby cheeks of yours…’
“May I ask how you came to know Lilianne, Your Highness?”
Aiden, or rather the old soul disguising himself as Aiden, asked politely.
‘I don’t think he was ever like this around Joshua or Luca.
Was he just bringing himself down to our level?’
I ultimately chose to give up on thinking and decided to focus on the cookie in front of me.
‘Yeah, you guys do whatever you want.
Whether you fight or not, I won’t care.
I just came here to eat, after all…
I have absolutely no thought of meddling in a lover’s quarrel between little kids.’
“Well, there was something between us,” said the Second Prince, looking at me with a faint smile.
‘Huh?
Wait, we didn’t even talk that much.
Why are you staring at me like someone you knew from long ago?
Why do you look like you’re recalling old memories of me?’
I looked at him blankly and took a bite of the cookie.
Now that I was seeing him in bright daylight, I could tell that the Second Prince looked completely different from Joshua.
He looked around a year or two older than me, with white hair just like Michael’s.
He certainly looked dignified.
Of course, that didn’t mean Joshua was lacking though.
‘Little Josh loves desserts too.
He’s quite the glutton.
Should I have brought him along?
I already brought Aiden with me anyway.
Actually, no.
If that had happened, who knows what kind of trouble he would have caused…’
“I was caught up with other things last time, so I apologize if I was rude to you,” the Second Prince continued in a gentle voice.
Since I remembered how he was last time, it was quite awkward to see him act like that.
‘So, like, he’s still kind of like a rabbit…
but more like one that’s been X-rayed.
It feels like there’s a completely different side hidden behind that cuteness of his…
He’s still too little to call him a muscular rabbit, but he’s like an old soul when he talks.’
The two of them felt more mature than me even though I was supposed to be twenty years old.
I rolled my eyes and awkwardly opened my mouth.
“Oh, not at all.
You weren’t rude.”
‘We haven’t even faced each other that long anyway.’
I answered with a professional smile on my face.
‘…Didn’t he use formal language in his letter?
Why is he speaking informally again?’
Of course, there wasn’t any reason for him not to.
He was a prince, after all.
Even Aiden, who was of higher status than me, spoke formally to him, and moreover, he was so mentally mature…
‘Should I call you an elder, sir?’
“Actually, the reason I called you here…”
“Lili, do you want some more of this?”
“…was to meet you again…”
“Or do you want this, Lili?
Can you reach it?”
…The Second Prince couldn’t stand it anymore as Aiden continued to interrupt and slammed down his teacup, staring at him menacingly.
‘Aiden…
as expected of Michael’s nephew.
He’s openly keeping him in check.
In the end, it looks like he’s still just a kid.’
I sighed and tried to make sense of the situation.
“Aiden, His Highness was speaking.”
“…”
“And to be honest, I only came here to eat dessert.”
‘That’s right.
I didn’t come here to watch your little lover’s quarrel!
You’re still kids, you know!
You’re going to be so embarrassed about this in a few years!’
Honestly, what were they going to do if I told their future wives that both of them liked me so much that they competed over me, and even fought with their fists?
“You can come here and have dessert any time you want.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you just had them delivered to our mansion?”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.
I wouldn’t be able to see you then.”
‘This boy is only like ten years old.
Why does it feel like he’s a man in his thirties trying to make a move on me?’
It was such a mess.
All I wanted was to find the best male lead to be Lia’s husband, but it looked like I had created a reverse harem in the process.
I began reminiscing with a faint smile on my face.
‘This is all because of Cedric.
If he hadn’t brought Joshua along, I wouldn’t have to deal with these brats trying to win me over.
Thinking about it that way… minus 50 points for Cedric Royston!’
“It’ll be troublesome if you keep doing that.”
Either way, now was the perfect time to show how uncomfortable he was making me.
I slightly raised my eyebrows and opened my mouth, making the Second Prince purse his lips.
‘Aiden, don’t smile like that.
You’re the same.’
“Of course, I’m a bit mature, but…”
‘Aiden, you little brat.
Don’t laugh so blatantly.
I’m the one who gets down to Josh and Lu’s level, you know?’
“I’m still eight years old.”
‘Honestly, no eight-year-old should be able to sit quietly enough for a tea party.
Don’t you know that?’
After glancing between Aiden and the Second Prince, I let out a small sigh.
‘What on earth am I even doing between these little old souls?
Are all members of the imperial family like this?
Well, Micheal probably acted the same way ever since he was eight.
Actually, he must have been born the way he is right now, just like Aiden.’
“Anyway…” I continued on.
“I still like desserts.”
‘And so does Julianne.
Honestly, I think I need to clone myself to protect my sister.’
Michael and Allen always tried to grab their chance, and even though Cedric was coming on a bit stronger than before, he still had a long way to go…
On top of that, I felt like I was going crazy because of countless marriage proposals and letters pouring in from lame guys like Robain since the Second Prince’s birthday.
They could’ve never imagined how exhausting it was waking up earlier than Julianne every morning to hide all those letters.
After hiding them, I had to hurry back right away and pretend I was still asleep.
Anyway, because of all that, I wasn’t at all interested in love, and even more so since they were little kids who hadn’t even grown up yet…
Even Romeo and Juliet were six years older than us.
So, they were ten years too early in trying to win my heart.
“Well then…”
The Second Prince, still smiling, spoke up calmly upon hearing my answer.
“What about being friends then?”
“Friends?”
‘That’s the oldest trick in the book.’
I immediately tilted my head.
Besides, I wanted girlfriends more than boyfriends right now…
Dealing with the three troublemakers who were always visiting my mansion was more than enough for me.
‘Just as I thought, looks like our fate ends here…’
“I’ll send an imperial pastry chef over every week.”
“Starting from today, we’re friends, right?
I feel like we could become really close friends.”
I smiled brightly at him as I spoke.
The Second Prince’s eyes widened as he blushed.
‘Looks like he really has fallen for me.”
“Or I can send one over to you, Lili.”
Aiden, who had been listening to our conversation with quite a disgruntled look on his face, handed me the plate of desserts that was just out of my reach and grumbled quietly.
‘Good attitude, bad face.’
I smiled gently at Aiden too.
‘It’s okay, Aiden.
I’m not interested in anyone…
you’re still just kids…’
Either way, I had suddenly become friends with the Second Prince.
‘…I feel like I could tease him too.’
I rolled my eyes at the sudden thought.
Although I shouldn’t, I felt like it could work out.
I should really hold back this mischievousness of mine.
“Well then, Your Highness…”
‘Ah, I don’t know.
I’m living my life twice anyway, it’ll be meaningless if I don’t do what I want!’
“Call me Carlisle.”
“Okay, Carlisle,” I replied cheerfully, then blurted out my main point.
“Since we’re friends now, how about we stop being so formal and speak to each other casually?
You know, to feel closer to each other.”
‘It’s not fair if I’m the only one speaking formally,’ I smiled brightly as I spoke.
Then, Carlisle opened his eyes wide and pursed his lips as if he’d realized something.
“I didn’t even think of that.”
Soon after, he seemed to have come to a conclusion and opened his mouth.
“Of course, that’s fine.
I’d really love to.”
He grinned, radiating pure joy, making him really seem like a baby rabbit this time.
He was like a snow rabbit… a round, small little rabbit…
Seeing him like that, I realized he was still just a child after all.
‘I was just teasing you.
You’ll make me feel bad if you get that happy about it… Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk.’
I closed my eyes and smiled widely.
“Great, then let’s all get along, even with Aiden.”
‘My friends should be your friends.
That’s how it should be.
Besides, you two are cousins, right?
Your first love won’t last long anyway, so it’s better to end things quickly and be friends, right?’
Carlisle and Aiden stared at me as I said that, then silently looked at each other, eventually frowning.
‘They even take after each other in that way.
The power of genetics.
They may look a bit different, but they act the same.’
I nodded my head as I stuffed the remaining cookies into my mouth.
‘Hurray for the imperial pastry chef!’