Chapter – 05
Leon Olistina, the Third Prince
Hello, this is Hikari-chan.
I got so startled the day before yesterday that I fainted, but yesterday I was full of energy!
I ate a lot, moved around a lot, and apparently, starting at age five, I’ll be having proper lessons with a private tutor.
Finally, I have a chance to learn more about this world in detail!
Also, it seems that the flustered head butler from yesterdayâMuse-sanâis actually Father’s right-hand man, in a position similar to Mother’s Charlotte.
His first impression was like that, but he’s actually a capable person!
—
*Phew…*
I guess that’s enough escapism for now? I’d like to keep it up a little longer, but unfortunately, it’s over.
“Hikari, it’s alright. Father and Mother are both here with you, okay?”
“Okay…”
I was sitting with Mother on the sofa in the reception room, holding her hand, but I was strangely tense.
A few minutes passed.
A *knock knock* sounded at the door, and Father, the King in his outdoor attire, the Queen, and Prince Leon, the third prince, entered.
“Good afternoon, Your Majesty.”
Mother straightened her back and rose, offering a refined curtsy.
“Filia, drop the formality. I’m here today for my son’s sake. We’re both parents of young childrenâlet’s talk casually, shall we?”
“Well then, I’ll take you up on that. Looking forward to today?”
“Likewise.”
Responding to the King’s relaxed tone, Father, Mother, the King, and the Queen all loosened their expressions.
“And you must be Hikari-chan?”
“Yes! Nice to meet you, I’m Hikari!”
I did my best to speak loudly and mimicked Mother’s bow for the Queen.
“Oh, how adorable! Filia, how did you teach her to be so polite? Is this Charlotte’s doing?”
“Neither I nor Charlotte taught her anything, you know? She just imitates me a lot, and before I knew it…”
It seems Mother and the Queen are old friendsâtheir conversation was flowing so naturally.
They even brought up Charlotte, who wasn’t even here.
And thenâ
“Being a Count is so exhausting… I miss the days when I was just a Baron.”
“Honestly, you’ve always been excellent, yet you never want to work, do you? And look at meâI’m the King! And I’m this useless.”
Father and the King were also having a lively conversation of their own.
—
And as for me and Prince Leon, the third prince…
“About the other day… I’m sorry.”
“Um, I’m sorry too.”
“……”
We both apologized, but after that, it was dead silent.
*(Prince Leon is nervous…)*
Well, that makes sense. Right in front of him is a younger girl who fainted at the mere sight of him two days ago.
This is where I, the high schooler on the inside, need to step up.
“Mommy, I wanna go to the garden with Leon-sama!”
“Oh, what a wonderful idea! We’ve been sitting for a while tooâshall we all head out to the garden?”
I knew we had a garden, but I’d never been there before.
One-tenth of me genuinely wanted to see it for the first time, and ninety percent of me wanted to break the ice somehow. I successfully managed to get us all outside.
ïŒ
*(The garden is huge!?)*
This was my first time coming to the garden of our house.
No, seriouslyâit’s massive! It’s about the size of a school field.
You could put up goals and play soccer here!
How do they even maintain this? Do they have a gardener or something?
Why is there such a vast open space with a beautiful fountain and flowers blooming so gorgeously?
“It’s so pretty, isn’t it?”
“Yeah…!”
Ah, that was something beautiful to see.
Wait, no, no! This is where things start! Get it together, me. Get it together, Hikari-chan!
“Um, about the other day… I’m sorry I collapsed.”
First, I properly bowed my head in apology, rather than the half-hearted one from earlier.
“I’m sorry too.”
Leon also bowed his head in apology, and we both raised our heads and smiled at each other.
“May I ask your name again?”
I remembered his given name, Leon, but I’d completely forgotten his family name.
I didn’t want to commit any faux pas regarding the royal family in the future.
“I’m Leon Olistina!”
“Leon Olistina, nice to meet you!”
I did the same curtsy I’d mimicked from Mother earlier and smiled brightly.
“What’s your name?”
“Hikari is…”
I looked straight at Prince Leon and spoke my current nameâ
No, *my* name.
“I’m Hikari Wingart!”
It’s the most important name in the world to me right now!
