Chapter 3.1
7 years later.
“El!”
“Eli!”
“Where on earth did you go! Our lovely sister!”
“I definitely saw her go in here.”
‘This is so annoying I could die!’
Elena hid in a tree again today. Perhaps no one could even imagine it.
That a princess of a country would know how to climb trees. Elena, trying to avoid her five brothers who couldn’t leave her alone for even a single day, climbed as high as possible into a tree and sat on a branch in what was essentially her hiding place.
‘At seventeen, they should be old enough to graduate from obsessing over their sister! Especially the eldest brother, who is the Crown Prince! Ugh! I’m really sick of this now! If only I could get married…’
Elena found it truly exasperating that her father had already chosen Azel, the son of the prime minister and her childhood friend, as her future husband-to-be, even though she was only seven years old.
“Sigh… Being loved too much can also become a poison.”
As she shook her head, she sensed someone’s presence beneath the tree.
‘N-no way. Did they come all the way here? My scaredy-cat brothers shouldn’t be able to come here.’
The quintuplets were extremely fearful. Elena had lied to her brothers, telling them that this dense forest was crawling with venomous snakes and insects that could kill with just one bite. Her brothers, who believed this lie completely and wouldn’t even glance in this direction, absolutely should not come here.
Otherwise, she would have no more hiding places left in this palace.
“Princess.”
“Ah! Azel!”
“What if you fall? Please come down right away.”
“It’s not like this is my first time climbing a tree—eek!”
“Princess!”
As Elena slipped and rapidly descended from the tree, she tightly shut her eyes.
Thud-!
“Huh? That didn’t hurt at all… Azel! Are you okay?!”
“Would you please get off my stomach first?”
“S-sorry!”
Elena quickly stood up, firmly grasped Azel’s hand to help him up, and brushed off the dirt from his clothes.
“From now on, climbing trees is forbidden. Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to tell the Queen.”
“Tsk! So you want me to suffer from my brothers! It’s so annoying! I just want to read a book in peace.”
“Well, the Crown Prince and the princes are indeed serious about this, but I’ll try talking to His Majesty.”
“Thank you, Azel. You always go through so much trouble because of me.”
“Not at all.”
Azel, who smiled slightly with a shrug of his shoulders, was mature despite being the same age.
“Honestly, don’t I annoy you?”
“Pardon? Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“Well, you were just born in the same year as me, that’s all. And becoming my future husband wasn’t something you wanted. It was your father’s decision.”
“….”
“Azel?”
When Azel’s expression, which was usually smiling when they met, strangely stiffened, Elena tilted her head and asked what was wrong.
“I…”
“Princess! What are you doing there! Come out right away!”
“Lulu. I’ll be right out. Azel, what were you saying?”
“Nothing. You should go now.”
“Okay! Let’s have snacks together later.”
Azel just nodded, and once Elena disappeared from his sight, he placed his hand on his chest.
“I want to grow up quickly and become your husband. Elena. I love you too much.”
The intense dark brown eyes of the seven-year-old boy, born between a rabbit mother and a father from the dog clan, who was a canine therianthrope like his father, flashed intensely.
***
“W-what is all this?!”
As soon as Elena entered her room, she asked Lulu, who was standing beside her, about the mountain of gift packages piled up before her eyes.
“As you can see, these are gifts for you, Princess. Your birthday is coming soon.”
“Ah, hahaha. Is it just my imagination that they’re increasing every year?”
“No. You’ll probably receive even more gifts on your birthday.”
“What?”
“You may not know this, Princess, but your portraits are being sold at extremely high prices in foreign countries.”
‘My portrait rights! Who’s protecting them!’
As Elena fumed, she noticed Lulu looking at the tower of gifts with very envious eyes.
“Just once, even just once, I’d like to receive gifts piled up like a mountain, just like you, Princess.”
“Then…”
Elena was about to tell her to take any gift she liked, but closed her mouth. For the sake of Lulu’s pride.
“Then, I’ll give you tons of gifts on your birthday, Lulu!”
“Just hearing you say that makes me very grateful, Princess.”
“Hmm… Then! Shall I set you up with the man you want?”
“A-are you serious?! Princess!”
“Of course! In this kingdom, one word from me can create laws that didn’t exist before.”
It was true. In the Kingdom of Harus, the youngest princess, Elena Harus, was essentially the law.
From her father the King, to her five twin brothers who fanatically adored their younger sister, to the nobles and citizens who supported the youngest princess.
Elena displayed an almost deity-level crazy presence in this kingdom.
“But Princess… no matter how much I want it, if the other person doesn’t want me… I want to be a happy and loved wife.”
“Hmm… Then, we can connect you naturally. As lovers, I mean.”
“I’m already twenty-seven… people around me call me an old maid, and my parents have given up on me!”
Although Elena was starting to get irritated, she grabbed the skirt of her precious lady-in-waiting, who had been by her side for nearly 7 years and spoke confidently.
“I’ll take responsibility, Lulu. You’re my only lady-in-waiting.”
“Princess~ You’re so cool!”
As Lulu gave her two thumbs up, Elena straightened her back, raised her nose high, and asked.
“So, is there a man you like?”
“W-well… the Captain of the First Knight Division!”
“….”
“Princess?”
“Lulu. Don’t you have low standards? What’s good about that furball! Besides! That guy is a bear therianthrope! A bear! A rabbit and a bear! What is this!”
Elena shook her head involuntarily at the mere thought, while Lulu clenched both hands and spoke.
“Love knows no boundaries between species! Besides, your childhood friend Azel is a canine therianthrope born between a rabbit and a dog!”
“Ahem… B-but still. A rabbit and a bear. The difference is too great.”
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