I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 43

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Isabel knows why Tesleron was ostracized by the Mirotell Magic Federation.
If they found out, my life would likely become exhausting.
‘I need to downplay myself and keep it hidden.’
But I couldn’t lie either.
“I have no intention of enrolling in the Magic Tower.”
“Why would you think that? Isn’t it a waste of such talent and ability?”
Isabel shook her head.
“I was just lucky. It was a problem I’d solved once before.”
“Even with luck, it would be impossible to place first in the Olympiad without fundamental skill.”
“I don’t have any desire to become a grand mage.”
It wasn’t a fitting statement for a Princess.
Since I couldn’t train with a sword, it would have been more appropriate for a Princess to say I would do my best in magic to honor the Imperial Family’s name.
But Isabel had one very powerful weapon.
“I understand that to become as skilled as the excellent mages of the Mirotell Magic Federation, one must dedicate themselves to studying and effort for a very long time.”
Isabel showed her wrist.
Narbidal’s mark.
Sand continued to flow through the hourglass.
Isabel is six years old.
I’ve lived more than a quarter of my life, and accordingly, about a quarter of the sand had accumulated.
“As you know, I don’t have that kind of time.”
….
“So I want to learn and study small, joyful magic.”
Magic in this world is specialized for war and destruction.
That wasn’t what Isabel wanted.
“What kind of magic would be small and joyful?”
“I want to create stones that produce cool breezes in summer. My friend gets very hot easily. And I want to make ice-cold mango smoothies in summer that make your head tingle, and share them with everyone. I also want to create a magical device that transforms peaches into peach jelly in an instant.”
“…Pardon?”
“In winter, I want to try making heated floor panels that gently emit warm air.”
Silence hung in the air.
No aspiring mage in the world had ever expressed such ambitions before.
And certainly, the youngest first-place winner of the 19th Olympiad had never spoken of such trivial hopes.
‘If these things were widely distributed, wouldn’t they be a wonderful gift to this world?’
In the end, what Isabel desired and what Tesleron had dreamed of were similar.
The only difference was how they were packaged.
“An off-topic question, but what are your plans for the prize money?”
At those words, Isabel broke into a bright smile without realizing it.
‘Hehehehe, 10 million Ludens!’
10 million Ludens in the world.
To make a rough comparison, 10 million Ludens felt similar to 10 million won in South Korean currency.
‘I’m going to be rich!’
At six years old, Isabel received a massive sum of ten million Ludens, and without realizing it, she became delighted.
These ten million Ludens would become the seed money to launch her skyrocketing rocket.
“Well, I intend to donate it.”
To be precise, it was an investment.
But I didn’t mention that part.
“A donation?”
“Yes. I want to help those who have dreams and passion but lack the means.”
That skyrocketing rocket—or rather, that person’s name was Narmore.
I didn’t mention that either.
Isabel found herself smiling happily again without meaning to.
“…What made you think of such a thing?”
“I simply want to become a gift to someone as well.”
Isabel thought of Serna and Ron.
Family members I had never known before.
I vowed to leave them gifts as well.
Wealth that the Rosild Duchy could not ignore.
‘Of course, if that happens, the Imperial Family’s power and influence will become excessively great and the original setting will collapse, but that’s not my concern!’
Yuli wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.
“Your Highness, you truly have a warm heart. I never imagined you would harbor such compassion for those in poverty whom you’ve never met. It’s truly moving.”
…Wait?
Now that I thought about it, countless journalists were looking at me with similar expressions.
“I’ve never seen anyone smile so happily while speaking of charity.”
“Neither have I.”
“I will record and spread word of your wish to leave gifts for the poor before departing.”
Clap clap clap.
Someone started applauding first.
The journalists tucked their pens and notepads into their chests and applauded.
Among them were citizens of the Vilotian Empire.
“Long live the Vilotian Empire’s Fifth Princess, Isabel! Long live!”
…No. Wait a moment.
Isabel was greatly flustered.
‘I never asked for anything like this.’
The cheers grew louder and louder.
“Long live!”
Please, stop. I’m embarrassed, so please stop.
‘I want attention but I don’t want attention!’
As they continued cheering so enthusiastically, Isabel’s face turned bright red.
Someone placed a hand over their heart and spoke with sincere conviction.
“As a citizen of the Vilotian Empire, I feel profound pride. Thank you for allowing me to feel such self-respect, Your Highness.”
This was Princess Isabel’s official first public appearance.
* * *
Returning to the Imperial Palace, I exhaled a deep sigh.
Luluka, my midwife, came running toward me with joy.
“I saw the news, Princess!”
“…Yes.”
The newspaper featured enormous photographs of several journalists shouting in celebration on its front page.
It contained countless articles praising me.
‘Is this a newspaper or a gossip column…?’
My face burned so hot I couldn’t bear to read the article headlines.
But Luluka seemed unaffected.
She read from one of the pieces.
“We have witnessed sunlight.”
“…”
“Her warmth itself was a gift.”
“P-please stop…!”
“Look at this. It’s interviews from numerous emotion mages across the continent.”
This world was home to emotion mages of every conceivable variety.
Among them were technicians who specialized in analyzing expressions.
Luluka read the interviews from these emotion mages aloud.
“I have never witnessed such a sincere smile. Seeing such a genuinely happy laugh, even I could not help but smile in return. Princess Isabel’s smile is, without question, a treasure of one in ten billion. A heart that knows compassion for those in hardship, a sunlit smile born from that warm heart—it is surely a blessing upon all the empire’s people. How could anyone in this world smile with such purity? My heart has, this day, been dyed by the Princess’s smile into the hue of a peach blossom.”
“That’s… not what it was…”
Luluka gently embraced me.
In truth, there was only one thing that mattered to Luluka.
“I am most delighted that you are happy, Princess. Thank you for smiling so joyfully.”
The newspaper in Luluka’s hands contained a photograph of me smiling with genuine happiness.
It was the photo taken when I thought of the ten million Ruden prize money.
“A princess who smiles like sunlight is a gift to me.”
“…”
That wasn’t a sunlit smile—it was a capitalist smile.
I couldn’t bring myself to say that aloud.
Because the happiness Luluka felt was genuine, no matter what.
‘Well, it doesn’t really matter anyway.’
I embraced Luluka in return.
I truly loved the warmth of her body.
Some time passed.
After dinner, Luluka spoke.
“By the way, Princess, will Yuri be alright?”
“Yuri? Why would you ask about Yuri?”
“Look here…”
Luluka pointed to a photograph.
Yuri was gazing at me with a smile on her face.
Anyone could see she was happy.
“Did you really clip every single newspaper article in the world?”
“Yes, this one contains a strand of your hair, and this one has a piece of your sock.”
She had meticulously collected every trivial thing related to me.
It would be no exaggeration to say she had gathered every newspaper published across the entire continent.
“Fortunately, since there’s a budget allocated for things related to you, I was able to do this. Ahem, anyway, look at this. If you see the photograph from this angle….”
I shifted my gaze toward the photograph Luluka was pointing at.
“That’s Reina, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
“Her expression looks quite unpleasant.”
“It seems Miss Reina is angry.”
“I see….”
Her expression was clearly venomous.
It appeared that Reina disapproved of Yuri.
An ominous thought flashed through my mind.
“Luluka. Find out what happened to Yuri.”
Luluka was able to learn about Yuri’s circumstances without much difficulty.
This was because Yuri had come directly to the capital of Villorian.
The Yuri she discovered looked like nothing less than a beggar.
One of the guards stationed at the city gate of the capital’s outer wall thrust his spear forward.
“How dare you come to this place!”
“Please. Let me see the Princess.”
Yuri was on her knees, begging.
The guard was extremely irritated.
Ever since articles about me had plastered the newspapers, there had been far too many like her.
More than five hundred people a day came seeking to beg from me.
The guard duties at the outer wall of the capital had become paralyzed.
The guard’s expression darkened considerably.
‘Why don’t they just present their identification and ask to enter normally? Why do these beggars keep coming to find Princess Isabel every single day?’
He spoke while exercising maximum patience.
“Get lost.”
The guard barely restrained himself from speaking harshly.
He was already as on edge as he could possibly be.
“If you cling to me one more time, I will truly use force.”
“Wait!”
Luluka rushed forward.
She hastily presented her identification badge to the guard.
“I am Luluka, who serves Princess Isabel.”
Today, she was already the three hundred twentieth person to present an identification badge.
The fifty-first midwife claiming to serve Princess Isabel had already arrived.
“Again! Again?! There must be three thousand midwives for the Princess in this world!”
Why would someone claiming to be the Princess’s midwife come all the way to the outer walls of the capital?
What nonsense was this?
The guard, whose patience had long since worn thin, shouted without even properly examining her credentials.
“Get out of here!”
“The Princess ordered me to be brought to her. I am Luluka, the Princess’s midwife. Please verify my credentials.”
Luluka helped Yuri to her feet and attempted to lead her through the outer gate.
The day happened to be extraordinarily hot.
“Now look what’s happening!”
He, who had been suffering from excessive duties for days, could endure no longer.
Already pushed to the edge of irritability, he finally snapped.
“I’m charging you with obstruction of official duties!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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