Baby Pharmacist Princess

How delightful!

Seeing me, Sihat first checked that I was unharmed and then breathed a sigh of relief.

“Shuya, thank goodness. Nothing happened, right?”

“Yes. Where did you go?”

“It’s a secret. But I can tell you this: a surprise guest will be arriving soon.”

Who could that be?

Could it be Grandfather?

But lately, Grandfather’s health hasn’t been good, so he avoids traveling far unless necessary. He couldn’t attend my birthday party for that reason. While he’s not bedridden, it’s best for him to stay put due to changes in his body.

‘Well, I’ll find out if I wait.’

With Sihat and Gergys by my side, we drew a lot of attention, but no one dared to approach us casually.

Sitting on a high chair by the dessert table, I swung my legs back and forth. When will Elise arrive?

“Wait, didn’t Princess Cherishe just enter?”

“Then who is that?”

“No, their hair and eye colors are different. That one looks plain, and the real princess is beautiful.”

“But their faces are the same.”

“Come on, they don’t look alike at all!”

Ah, here it comes. I can hear them.

To give her a taste of her own medicine, I decided to act as kind and gentle as possible. First, take a deep breath—I really want to tell her to give me back my face while pulling her hair out!

“Oh, Cherishe! I’m so scared.”

Well, that’s a blood-pressure-raising opener.

I turned to Elise and gave her a bright smile.

“Hello, Elise.”

“Uh… hi?”

Just as I thought.

Today, Elise was wearing a sky-blue dress. She always wore shades of blue, so I expected it.

Elise glanced over my sky-blue dress, crafted by the Grand Duchess Vincent, and then looked down at her own. The difference was clear.

The fabric’s texture, the number of pleats, the elegant way the material was gathered, the sheen of the satin ribbon, and even the number and quality of jewels used—all were worlds apart.

‘And our Elise isn’t so dull as to not notice that.’

If the colors were different, it might be less obvious. But with the same color, children’s dresses tend to look similar since options are limited. Little girls can’t wear deep-cut backs or tight mermaid styles, so the full, flared designs are what’s left.

‘So the comparison is bound to be striking.’

After greeting her, I smiled without saying anything more.

Unable to withstand the gazes from people around us, Elise, who had been stealing glances at me, finally spoke first.

“Your dress is pretty.”

“Isn’t it? Thanks. Dad bought it for me.”

“Oh, I see. Our Dad doesn’t have money to buy things like that…”

Don’t lump ‘our Dad’ into this, missy. My Dad is Prince Vikal and no one else.

I decided to block Elise’s attempt to gain sympathy by acting pitiful and drawing the nobles’ attention with the term ‘our Dad.’

By doing this:

“If you like this dress, should I give it to you?”

“!”

Elise’s face flushed red. Whether from shame or embarrassment—or both—I didn’t give her time to respond.

With a bright smile, I continued.

“Sisters can share clothes! I’ve always wanted to do that!”

Innocently, without a hint of malice.

As I exclaimed with a pure and clear smile, some ladies around us said, ‘Oh my,’ looking pleased. They were mostly lower-ranked nobles who didn’t fully grasp the royal family’s dynamics. They assumed Elise was truly a twin princess because I referred to her as ‘sister.’

On the other hand, higher-ranked nobles who were well-versed in the current royal lineage quickly opened their fans. It was a sign they didn’t want to get involved and risk any backlash later. After all, they’d never seen or heard of Elise before.

Elise had suddenly appeared at the banquet, pretending to be a princess, making them uneasy about the situation.

“N-no, it’s okay. I’m fine with this.”

“Then after the banquet, I’ll take you to my dressing room!”

“Really?”

“Yes. I have plenty of dresses I’ve only worn once. Feel free to choose whatever you like.”

At my generous offer, Elise clenched her skirt tightly and lowered her head.

It seems she knows how humiliating it is to receive someone’s hand-me-downs.

‘Which raises a question.’

How does she know that accepting used clothes is embarrassing?

‘Didn’t she claim to have lived among commoners?’

Among commoners, it’s normal for younger siblings to wear hand-me-downs or to receive outgrown clothes from neighbors. There’s nothing strange or shameful about it.

Feeling embarrassed about such things only happens in noble society.

But Elise was behaving like a child who had grown up in aristocratic circles.

‘Very suspicious and questionable.’

What is her true identity?

‘When will Dad arrive? I want to tell him what I’ve figured out.’

I picked up a cream-filled éclair and popped it into my mouth.

As I lost interest in Elise, Sihat and Gergys naturally turned away as well. The nobles remained curious about who Elise was, but there was no stage set for her.

* * *

Elise was deeply flustered.

What on earth is happening?

‘You said you’d come early, Luon!’

If not Luon, then at least the South Emperor should have appeared.

‘Why is no one coming and leaving me alone here?’

The crowd can be cold. They approach when they think you’re interesting but distance themselves if not.

Elise quickly assessed the situation and understood her position.

‘This is an expensive dress, but compared to Cherishe’s… it’s nothing.’

Same face, but why?

Why couldn’t I wear a dress like that?

Elise bit her lip. Knowing people were watching, she couldn’t help feeling anxious and nervous.

Luon was supposed to come and help—then she’d draw attention.

Her original goal was to step forward as Cherishe’s twin sister and receive all the attention. Then, become Prince Vikal’s adopted daughter and live a luxurious life as a princess!

Pabel had promised to make that happen.

But people weren’t interested in counterfeits, even if they had the same face.

This was not the scenario Elise had envisioned.

‘What should I do? What can I do?’

The best would have been to enter with Luon or the Emperor. She had subtly hinted at wanting that, but Luon had laughed and flatly refused.

“Why is someone lowly like you acting so arrogant?”

With that, Elise couldn’t push the matter further, leading to this situation.

‘Oh, I want to cry.’

After living as Jessica Fever and making a contract with Pabel, she suddenly became younger and prettier. She had plenty of maids and enjoyed a life of comfort and luxury.

Naturally, Elise became obsessed with indulgence and ignored learning. No tutor tried to teach her the dignity befitting a princess, and she didn’t request it either.

She had sold her soul in the contract, feeling entitled to openly enjoy this life. She didn’t think she needed to do anything troublesome or difficult.

Perhaps that’s why she forgot how to handle such situations in high society.

Truthfully, she had never learned how to deal with these common occurrences at social gatherings.

First, her parents were insignificant nobles who were never invited to banquets. Because of her unremarkable upbringing, she never learned these social graces.

Second, Princess Alexandra was so domineering that while Elise had bullied others alongside her, she’d never been on the receiving end.

Now that Elise found herself being ‘attacked,’ she was deeply shaken.

Even if she wanted to cry, no one would pay attention.

If she’d at least started a scene, people might have found it entertaining.

But apart from sharing the ‘same face,’ there was nothing intriguing, so even those who were curious began to look away. There was no official or grand introduction, either.

“Marriage proposal!”

Desperate for attention, Elise blurted out.

Searching for something provocative, this is what she shouted.

“Your Holiness! I wanted to say this. Please use your marriage right on me!”

Her voice rang out loud and clear.

She felt the crowd’s attention snap back to her.

‘Good, this is working.’

While serving as Alexandra’s maid, Elise had overheard about the Pope’s marriage right. Alexandra had wished the princess would lose everything and live like a monk.

So Elise wasn’t actually trying to marry the Pope. She just wanted to draw attention.

Besides, she hadn’t been officially recognized as a princess yet. Asking him to use his marriage right was unlikely to succeed, serving as a safety net.

‘Since I’m not an official princess, I don’t have to worry about actually marrying the Pope.’

Mentioning the ‘marriage right’ was a declaration that she was on the same level as Cherishe—a sign she’d soon become an official princess.

“……!”

But the next moment, Elise felt a chill run down her spine.

Was it from Cherishe? No, perhaps from the Pope.

Maybe both.

“Sorry, but I’m not interested in marriage.”

As the murmurs among the nobles died down, the Pope spoke slowly and clearly.

“I’ve loved someone since I was young. So I must decline.”

He didn’t even include the polite ‘I’m sorry’ that one might expect.

A blunt, almost rude refusal.

Scattered laughter echoed around her.

Elise understood what those mocking laughs meant.

‘Someone like you?’

For an official princess, being forced to marry the Pope was seen as a pitiful fate, but for someone not even recognized as a princess to mention it was absurd.

‘Who said I actually wanted to marry the Pope?’

Angered by the scorn, Elise was about to step back when—

“The one and only light! His Majesty the Emperor, the sun of the empire, and the little sun, Prince Luon, are entering!”

At last, her long-awaited allies had arrived.