Baby Pharmacist Princess

“Pabel?”

Could it be the Pabel I know?

Suddenly, memories from when I was much younger unfolded before me.

A silver-haired boy who had hyperventilation attacks. The one who got slapped by Alexandra. He came to me with an injured arm during the Ammon hunting season.

‘Huh?’

But I haven’t seen him since.

I even forgot about him in my memories.

Now that I hear his name, it finally comes back to me…

Honestly, that’s how little presence Pabel had in my life.

He seemed to have severely injured his arm, but well, after that, I was whisked away to a far-off place.

Since he wasn’t seen around the palace afterward, I completely forgot!

“Don’t touch me! I have rights! The right to be happy!!! Pabel!!!”

Elise, whose arm was being held, stomped her feet and screamed repeatedly.

She might burst a blood vessel in her neck at this rate.

But no one appeared to help Elise.

Just when it seemed she would be dragged out like that—

“Aaaah!”

Elise, who was being pulled along, bit the knight’s hand.

Perhaps because she was still a child and the grip wasn’t too strong, Elise managed to free herself and ran, clutching her skirt.

“Luon, Luon! I’m your sister, aren’t I? Say something!”

Her wide eyes were filled with both fear and hope.

But…

“Gasp!”

“Look, look over there…!”

With each step Elise took, she grew taller.

Elise, who was suddenly sprouting up, soon became an adult, making her clothes embarrassingly short.

As if that wasn’t enough, her shoes were too small and flew off, and her jewelry broke apart.

Her face bulged strangely, and something fell to the floor with a thud.

From the adhesive surface emanated a foul smell—it was part of the face made to resemble mine.

Unaware of her transformation, Elise tried to approach Emperor Liclaz this time.

“She was a child, but now she’s an adult!”

“Oh my gosh, was she pretending to be a child all along? Disgusting!”

Everyone was shocked by Elise’s sudden change.

Elise seemed to realize her partially revealed face and let out a high-pitched, sharp scream.

“No!!! No! Aaaah!”

It was now blatantly clear that Elise was not my twin.

I didn’t know whether the demon she contracted with had been watching and suddenly changed their mind, but… it was advantageous for me.

“Jessica Fever…?”

And then—

“Aren’t you Jessica Fever?”

“What? The daughter of the Fever family? The one who lost contact some time ago?”

“Yes, that’s right. Lady Fever has been borrowing money everywhere since the living expenses stopped coming.”

“Come to think of it, she tried to borrow money from my friend recently…”

Some of the southern nobles called Elise ‘Jessica Fever.’

As family secrets spilled out from behind fans, Elise—or rather, Jessica’s—face turned pale.

It’s over.

Despair shadowed her face.

“Oh dear. That’s unfortunate.”

Luon subtly stepped back from Elise, tilting his head slightly.

But strangely, very strangely, it seemed Luon had anticipated this outcome.

“Aaaaah!!!”

This time, Jessica Fever was grabbed more roughly and couldn’t resist as she was dragged out.

The banquet hall, which had been noisy, fell into sudden silence.

Grandfather slowly opened his mouth.

“Since when did the royal palace become such a circus?”

“……Grandfather. What brings you here unannounced?”

“I came because I have something to say.”

Emperor Liclaz, who had witnessed the entire situation, looked utterly displeased.

But even so, he couldn’t dare to ignore or interrupt the Absolute Emperor, my grandfather.

Grandfather hadn’t sought permission either.

“Over time, even truths that were once obvious become forgotten and distorted. Knowing this, I left things be out of inconvenience, but I couldn’t stand by as such a fake ran rampant, so I came personally.”

“……”

“Did you find the contract I made with the Dragon Lord so trivial?”

The first part was directed at the nobles, the latter at Emperor Liclaz.

As Grandfather’s cold gaze settled on him, Liclaz swallowed hard.

“I shall teach you once more. The true royals always possess the Dragon Heart.”

“……Yes.”

“Without the Dragon Heart, one is not royal. The Dragon Heart is the true dragon’s magic and the proof inherited only by true royalty.”

Grandfather, you’re impressive.

A solemn yet instructive tone that made one agree even more.

The Dragon Heart. And the crimson eyes that are evidence of possessing the Dragon Heart.

Without them, no matter how identical the face, it’s a fake.

It can only be a fake.

A declaration that no royal has ever been born without crimson eyes.

‘But I didn’t expect both the dragon and Grandfather to be delivered together.’

I had paid gems and used the system administrator’s service, but Grandfather came along?

‘It’s suspicious. So blatantly suspicious that it’s like they’re dancing to be noticed.’

Sigh.

I let out a short breath and ran toward Grandfather.

“Grandfather!”

“Cherishe.”

“Grandfather, how did you come here? Did you come because you missed me?”

“Something like that.”

In front of all the southern nobles, Grandfather patted my head.

Elise, who had been exposed as a fake, would have a rather unfortunate life now.

Impersonating royalty carries a heavy punishment.

‘Still, I’m glad I won’t have to show you my dressing room.’

If things had dragged on that much, I might have been sick of it, but fortunately, everything was resolved satisfactorily.

But where is Dad?

* * *

Even though Elise was gone, many questions remained for me.

Having no fond memories of the southern palace, I didn’t want to stay any longer and pleaded to return home immediately.

Dad appeared late, and his demeanor was so grim that I couldn’t bring myself to ask where he had been.

“Sihat, let’s meet there next time.”

“Yes, on the day when the moon is the fullest and most beautiful.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

I was sad to part with Sihat, but this time we had spent the longest time together in years.

I held Sihat’s hand tightly and, reluctant to let go, released it very slowly.

And so, a few hours later.

I could finally fall into a deep sleep, wrapped in my cozy and warm bed and blankets.

‘I’ll solve all the questions that arose tomorrow, tomorrow.’

My whole body felt worn out.

I should hug my doll and sleep for about 12 hours straight.

At last, it was the much-desired rest I had longed for.

* * *

“We lost him.”

“Indeed.”

Vikal had left his daughter in the banquet hall with only Gergys and Idsys and moved elsewhere for a reason.

First, with the Dragon brought by the Dragon Lord and His Majesty the Emperor present in the banquet hall, there was no need to worry.

They could put an end to all controversies.

Instead, what Vikal had to do was capture the demon Pabel.

Now that he knew all the intertwined stories, Vikal finally understood.

Why His Majesty the Emperor had told him to leave the demon be, and why he had made such a decision.

But knowing and accepting are separate matters.

Vikal still thought they should eliminate the demon now.

Because of that demon, Pabel, Cherishe had been put in danger multiple times.

He had tried to hunt him down several times, but each time Pabel eluded him and vanished.

He had vowed to find him this time.

He could sense Pabel’s presence in the southern palace, but after several clashes and pursuits, he ultimately lost him again.

“I told you, didn’t I? His fate is designed so that he cannot be caught.”

“That’s the logic of a defeatist, Your Majesty.”

“What! How dare you speak like that.”

“My thoughts remain unchanged.”

In the brightly lit reception room of the Celestial Palace, illuminated by magic.

Four people were gathered there.

The Dragon Lord, Hiskarilin, who was using someone else’s palace reception room as if it were his own.

The owner of the palace, Raerhod.

And Vikal and Idsys.

“I heard the Pope is going on an overseas tour.”

“Something will happen either during or after his trip.”

If there was the most harmonious relationship among them, it would be between Raerhod and Idsys.

At least they didn’t growl at each other just by seeing each other’s faces, so meaningful conversations could continue.

“Considering everything you’ve said, it’s time for Cheri to fully realize that this place is reality.”

“Indeed.”

“But all who have learned this secret are bound by the same restrictions and cannot tell her that this is reality.”

Idsys rubbed his chin.

He was pondering how to let Cherishe know.

From what he heard, the real reason the empire fell was because of <…>, and the prophet Albertus’s words about bringing a Saintess from another world were with that in mind.

The problem was that no one had predicted that far.

Cherishe now held the strongest card, the Imperial Ministry of Health, so if they prepared from now, they might effectively prevent <…>.

“She’s a smart child; she must be thinking on her own.”

Raerhod chuckled, recalling his granddaughter, who, despite having grown up, he still imagined as a tiny chickpea.

Her shocked face upon seeing her grandfather riding a dragon’s head.

It was so adorable that he wanted to freeze time and keep watching that scene.

“Then, for now, let’s leave that part to Cherishe, and I’ll explain the training operation I’ve devised.”

Idsys’s usually radiant face was now shadowed.

He had thought so much that dark circles formed under his eyes.

Idsys had reached a conclusion.

An operation to handle all monsters most efficiently and with minimal damage.

Everyone believed that this time, the world would be less destroyed because of Idsys’s plan.

Tick-tock.

The clock hanging around Kuron’s neck—the rabbit sitting next to Raerhod—was moving rapidly… faster and faster.

Time was running out.