Baby Princess Through the Status Window - Chapter 131
Translator and Editor: Nana and Tea
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Chapter 131
Noting that the name ‘Harmin’ was missing from the table of contents, Siervian quickly flipped through the book, only glancing at the pictures. She was surprised by the similarity between the name and the illustrations.
‘Harmin? Karmin? Is this a coincidence?’
Confused, Siervian alternated between the pictures and the text. She shouldn’t jump to conclusions so quickly. She knew that there were countless words in the world where a single letter could change the meaning. For example, the herb called Atamcho, which was a fever reducer, was completely different from Atam, another plant.
Nevertheless, Siervian couldn’t readily calm down.
‘If it’s Karmin, it must be the herb I found in the documents from the granary region!’
Trembling, Siervian barely restrained herself and glanced at Tanka.
Unable to contain her curiosity, she turned to Tanka and asked, “…Tanka, do you know what this is?”
She was concerned that Tanka might have noticed something and worried that information about Harmin could put him in danger.
“Of course.”
“…!”
Siervian tensed immediately at Tanka’s prompt response. Somehow, it seemed that Tanka might be well acquainted with the appearance of Harmin.
‘No, Harmin is not allowed to leave the Duke’s territory, not even a single seed… How does he know?’
However, contrary to these concerns, Tanka’s response was unexpected.
“Karmin is also known as the Wrath of the Gods.”
“Teacher, the Wrath of the Gods?”
“…The Wrath of the Gods?”
The two children stared wide-eyed as Tanka nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. Then, he began reciting the contents of the books he used to read while idling about during his days as a librarian.
“In ancient times, it was said that when the mana gods cleansed themselves of impurities, the remnants fell to the ground and transformed into seeds. These seeds, upon sprouting, became the Karmin herb.”
“Wow…”
“That means the mana gods were huge, right?”
Angel, quick to grasp the essence of the story, let her imagination soar.
“Yes. It was said that they were so huge that lying down would span from one end of this continent to the other.”
“Wow…”
Though mature in years, Siervian couldn’t help but express awe. While she had accumulated knowledge about the history of magic and empires, stories about mana gods were rare and unfamiliar to her.
“Once, there was a god who crouched down because the sound of the waves crashing against the western coast was too deafening. Due to that, he struck the land with tremendous force.”
“The sound of waves?”
As Tanka continued the story, the two children became enthralled, their eyes fixed on him. Tanka even incorporated gestures to enhance his storytelling, his hand striking the table to emulate the wrath of a god.
“During that cataclysmic event, the most wicked of things that had beseeched the gods were cast down to the ground. Hence, people began to believe that any place where Karmin grew was a location where the gods had expressed their anger.”
He explained that when Karmin sprouted, people would pluck and burn it, performing rituals to appease the gods’ wrath. Tanka depicted the scene as if paying homage to someone, continuing to hold the children’s undivided attention captive.
“How could bad things stick to gods? They’re gods, right?”
“Yeah, and why did the god get angry at the sound of waves? Are the waves really that loud?”
“Um… well…”
Tanka found himself in a difficult predicament. These were complex questions that couldn’t be easily explained with the limited knowledge he had acquired from storybooks. If he were alone, he might have woven an elaborate tale, even if it contained some fabrications. However, standing before him was the princess of the empire, and he felt compelled to be truthful.
[Tanka Mallo]
Mood: Embarrassment
Thought: I only know this much, what should I do?
Observing Tanka’s struggle, Siervian understood his dilemma as he began searching for a way to satisfy the children without deceiving them.
“Well, the gods are quite mysterious, and sometimes it’s difficult for us to understand them!”
“Indeed, Your Highness.”
“But I’m curious…”
Angel was disappointed but willing to accept the limitations and took a step back, her curiosity still apparent. Siervian noticed her determination to seek more information about the gods.
‘But what is a god, really?’
Siervian had initially questioned why bad things would stick to a god and now found herself pondering the concept. In truth, it was impossible to know the truth of these stories. For the people of this continent, the notion of gods was distant and intangible, existing purely as a belief.
“Can I take this with me?”
Siervian quickly dismissed the fleeting thought and closed the book she had opened. She intended to go to the imperial palace and continue reading it there. Even Tanka, with his vast knowledge, didn’t know what Harmin leaf looked like.
‘But what if he realizes that it resembles Harmin leaf?’
“Uh, sure,” Tanka responded to her request to take the book. He looked at her with a solemn expression, his gaze shifting to the book in question.
“I bought it for you with the imperial funds.”
“….”
Siervian was taken aback by his serious tone. It seemed to be an answer to her unspoken question. But why did he mention it with such gravity?
“It was quite expensive.”
[Tanka Mallo]
Thought: Normally, we buy it first and later reimburse it with the imperial funds…
If it was discovered that I used the mercenary guild’s funds in advance, what should I do? Marco might think the princess directly ordered it.
It became clear that the book was so costly that Tanka had used mercenary guild funds to purchase it while pretending that he had already received authorization from the princess.
He had deceived Marco by making it seem like Siervian had personally instructed the purchase.
“…Hmm, you did well,” Siervian praised Tanka, recognizing that there was no other choice in this situation. She brushed aside her worries, appreciating his quick thinking.
It was time to bid farewell to autumn as winter swiftly approached, and with it, the troubles of the Empire deepened on their own. Within the palace, ominous disputes continued to erupt on a daily basis. Although direct conflicts had yet to arise, reports of daily skirmishes at the border added to the growing tension.
‘They’re preventing the investigation of the Duke.’
Siervian had suspicions about Harmin tea as well. However, the nobles perceived the Emperor’s investigation order as an attack on the entire nobility. While Siervian believed initiating the investigation would inevitably uncover suspicious elements, the restlessness in the hearts of the nobles made it necessary to wait for sufficient justification.
‘We must wait. We need overwhelming justification to begin.’
Otherwise, it would be seen as suppression, and any evidence that might be revealed later could also be questioned.
Her brother was exhausted taking care of the matter. Lately, Siervian had been sending him magic messages frequently to offer support.
‘What if the Duke destroys the evidence?’
It was a secret that was too significant to simply carry outside and dispose of; they had to hold onto it.
“Can you really go alone?”
Surrounded by such chaos, Siervian visited the imperial treasury today.
“Yes!”
At the entrance, her father anxiously scrutinized Siervian. But soon, upon seeing his courageous daughter, he cautiously stroked her head.
“Alright. There’s no danger of getting lost. Just make sure to send a message when you return to your palace.”
“Yes, Dad. Don’t worry.”
It was a rare occasion when she asked her father to let her enter the treasure vault alone. Even if he had offered to go together, her father had been too busy lately to accompany her. It was a pity, but her father managed to spare some time and escorted her to the entrance of the treasure vault.
He seemed visibly worried that she might get lost in this vast place all by herself, even though it was an enchanted place where she couldn’t possibly get lost.
“Okay, go and come back safely.”
Her father didn’t insist on her not touching or taking anything from inside. It seemed a bit strange, and when she looked up, she could see more than she had imagined.
[Alderuan Elverdotte]
Thought: Maybe I should give her all the treasures she brings out as gifts.
I should have at least brought her a magic backpack.
“Is something wrong?”
“Hmm, nothing.”
Each and every item inside the treasure vault was a priceless treasure of the empire, with most of them being part of the imperial treasury.
‘What if I absentmindedly pick up a mana stone or something?’
Just as she was having a careless thought, her father spoke as if he could read her mind.
“The First Emperor’s mana stone is inside.”
Nodding her head, Siervian was about to assure him that she wouldn’t touch it. But her father spoke faster.
“If you infuse mana inside, it’s dangerous, so you must bring it out and play with it outside.”
“…I won’t touch it.”
“Hmm.”
[Alderuan Elverdotte]
Mood: Regret
Caught by Siervian’s firm determination, her father was overtaken by a feeling of regret. It couldn’t be ruled out that he also wanted to play with the mana stone together with her.
“I’ll be back!”
“Okay.”
At this rate, she might end up bringing out a real mana stone. Feeling a sense of urgency, Siervian hugged her father once and then headed toward the entrance of the treasure vault.
The bright eyes of the blue wolf, which she hadn’t seen in a long time, sparkled, and Siervian was soon able to enter the treasure vault.
‘It’s still the same as before.’
Although it had been several years since she last entered this place, the time inside the preserved treasure vault remained frozen. Since there hadn’t been any newly added treasures recently, it was highly likely that it had not changed at all since Siervian’s last visit.
“Huh?”
Thinking that way as she entered, after a few minutes, Siervian had to change her opinion when she saw a magnificent display case added to the entrance of the treasure vault.
And finally, as she looked at the familiar item inside, she couldn’t hide her astonished expression.
‘No, this is…!’
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