The next day, Estelle woke up without any memories of yesterday except her fight with Dwayne until she saw Nicolaus and Camilla holding William.
"It rained heavily again yesterday"
Vivian calmly said.
"I did it again?"
She asked and her older sister's silence means yes. She heavily sighed because she knew that if she is in that state, it means she made a big trouble.
"But don't worry, that filthy Chili-Pepper royal allowed us to stay in the Imperial Palace"
Vivian excitedly replied as she handed a slice of chocolate cake at her sister.
"Huh? Even after the trouble I made?"
She confusingly asked as she accepts the piece of cake.
"Yeah, but there is one ultimate condition"
She happily replied.
"What condition? This is yummy"
She casually asked.
"You must be the Crown Prince's bodyguard"
When Estelle heard what her sister just have said, she coughed because she got choked. Vivian immediately handed over a glass of water and Estelle gulped down the water.
"Y-You like tormenting me, don't you?"
Estelle replied with glum on her face.
"Of course not!"
Vivian nonchalantly answered as she stand up.
"Good luck, my dear sister"
She said as she swiftly left the room while waving her hand.
"Good luck your foot!"
Estelle shouted and throw the pillows at the door. She ruffled her shoulder length wavy silver hair.
"Why me?!"
She thought and stomped her feet and messed up her hair.
"I'm tired"
She said with no energy while looking at the piece of chocolate cake at the table.
At the study room, Estelle just stood beside Crown Prince who is currently being tutored by a reknowned scholar who is already in his mid-fifties. Despite his age, he exudes extraordinary intelligence. He alreadyhave the basic knowledge on politics, economics, and even financial tactics. In the afternoon, he will get a special lesson from his father, the Emperor himself.
"Father!"
William excitedly said as he run towards Nicolaus. He happily carried his son. When he and Estelle made eye contact, they are just remained awkward and silent.
"How's your lessons?"
Nicolaus gently asked and the Crown Prince beamed with a smile.
"Enjoyed!"
He excitedly replied and Nicolaus patted and ruffled his head.
Estelle just waited in the corner of the training ground while Nicolaus and William are sparring using wooden swords. They look like they were playing but Nicolaus is already teaching some combat skills to his son.
"Bodygwuard~!"
William run so adorably while holding his small wooden sword as he aimed for her. Nicolaus got some important matters that he need to attend quickly so he left for awhile.
"Pfft!"
She cannot hold her laughter because of how adorably cute this little royal is. She let out a wooden sword from behind her which she carry all the time because back in the islands, many kids wants to sparr with her out of nowhere just like William is doing right now.
"Oops!"
She was able to make a defense from the little Crown Prince's attack with no sweat while squatting in the corner. Her wooden sword gently touched his little forehead.
"Admit defeat, 'lil one"
William is on the verge of crying but he tried to hold it in.
"Hey, do not supress it. Cry if you want, you are still a kid"
She said because she was concerned that a three-year old kid is trying to hold such pain.
"No! Mother said a man should not cry!"
The Crown Prince replied still trying to hold back his tears.
"Yeah, yeah. But you are not yet a man, you are a kid. So, cry if you are sad or disappointed. Smile and laugh if you are happy and delighted. And play as much as you like. You will not be forever be a kid, so you should act what kids should act. Do you understand?"
Estelle gently said as she ruffled his hair and the little royal started to burst out to tears and wailed.
"Here you go"
She said as she carried the little prince and cradled him to comfort him.
Nicolaus actually saw the part where Estelle swiftly defended the attack that she just taught his son up to now where she is cradling him.
"You"
He hurriedly walk towards Estelle who was startled on his sudden arrival. He just stared at her which makes her nervous and guarded.
"Father!!!"
William called him and gestured that he wanted him to carry him. Nicolaus immediately carried his wailing son.
"You sure know how to make kids cry"
Nicolaus said.
"I also know how to make adults cry"
Estelle sarcastically replied.
"The defense that you did just awhile ago is a hidden technique of the Monteverdes. How did you know my master's techniques?"
He asked because of how suspicious that she know such thing despite Emperor Henry having only him as his one and only student.
"Aside from our witchcraft and monstrous strength, Posse of the Unseen has great intelligent force and I am one of them"
She casually replied and shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh! He stopped"
She nonchalantly said while clapping when she noticed William stopped crying.
"Now, I will leave him to you"
She said and escaped.
"Such a terrible liar"
Nicolaus thought as he did not remove his sight on Estelle who ran so fast.
When she entered her room, she flopped her whole body and heavily sighed.
"That was too close, he almost caught me lying..."
She mumbled and then she tighten her lips.
The next day, they had the same routine except for the special lesson with the Emperor. The routine make Estelle bored to the point that she just loitered around the study room reading some novels until snacks will arrive. Since the royal tutor is strict and openly show his disrespect to her, he won't even allow her to eat lunch and snacks.
"Are you that hungry?"
Vivian asked when she saw how fast her sister ate their dinner.
"Starved!"
Estelle replied while munching her food.
"Are they treating you bad?"
She asked.
"No. It's just that they served too little because the Crown Prince is on a diet and so as we"
She replied and shrugged her shoulders.
"Here. You can have my desserts too"
She said to the younger and she happily accepted it.
For one month, Estelle survived the boring routine of the Crown Prince. She only got excited when the little royal is having special lesson with the Emperor once every week because she can also freely practice her combat skills while waiting for them to finish. As usual, William always launched an attack that he just learnt from his father and used it to her and always got defeated by her.
"Why do you always carry a wooden sword?"
Nicolaus asked when they decided to have a break. William on one hand, is currently sleeping while carrying by Estelle because she made him cry again after he defeated her.
"Ah. This? Because I must teach the youngsters in our island. It's my responsibility"
She replied.
"Your responsibility, huh?"
Nicolaus commented.
"There are only seven adults that remained in the island, including me and my sister. The remaining fifty were still children and babies"
She said with a hint of sadness on her tone.
"Is it because of the war last year?"
He curiously asked.
"Yeah. And it is all my fault"
She depressingly said.
"How come it is your fault? You are not the one who instigated the war"
Nicolaus replied and got shocked on his remarks. He never comforted anyone except Camilla and his son, but those words naturally came from his mouth, as if he must do it.