Baby Pharmacist Princess

“Wowww!”

One week later.

I pressed my nose against the glass of the airship window, staring down in awe. A city I had never seen before stretched out below me, with the shimmering emerald sea, and dolphins leaping in the distance. Everything was so perfect that I couldn’t stop gasping in wonder.

“Tsk, that Myerden. I told him to keep it a secret, and yet he just gave it all away!” Gergys muttered in frustration.

“Well, Myerden is my person after all,” I shot back, unfazed by Gergys’ grumbling. I was just happy to have found out where my birthday party would be held.

‘I’m so relieved I could tell Sihat,’ I thought to myself.

As I had expected, no one had sent Sihat an invitation to the party. Typical. Every year it was the same thing.

‘Honestly, Dad and my brothers never change.’

They could at least recognize Sihat as my friend by now. With that thought, I turned to Dad, smiling.

“Dad, can we go swimming?”

“Swimming, huh?”

“I want to swim in the sea with you.”

“The sea can be dangerous… but I’ll find a way.”

“Dad, you’re the best!”

What could possibly go wrong? Lately, everything had been so peaceful. No more unexpected penalties popping up, no crazy quests threatening me with a game over if I didn’t complete them. It was almost eerily quiet.

‘No, wait. I mustn’t say that out loud,’ I quickly tapped my mouth with my fingers. If I said it, the system would somehow pick up on it, cackle, and say, “You’ve triggered a flag! Muahaha!” before throwing something at me.

I need to stay quiet.

“We have 15 types of jelly vitamin samples,” Myerden announced, looking exhausted.

“You worked hard, Myerden.”

“Hah… I’m feeling dizzy. I’ll leave the tasting session preparations to the other staff and… go take a nap.”

Just before we set off, a staggering Myerden handed me the jelly vitamin samples. The beautiful crystal jars were filled with colorful jellies, and they were being loaded onto another airship for transport. The health department staff attending the party were in charge of the tasting session preparations, eager to join the cruise.

‘Everything’s in good hands,’ I thought as I gazed at the grand cruise ship and the sparkling sea ahead, clutching my chest in excitement. It was a cruise!

—

“Wow, it’s huge.”

The ship where my birthday party would be held wasn’t just any ship—it was a massive, luxurious cruise liner. In the royal family, the 11th birthday was a very special occasion. I had underestimated how grand this celebration would be.

There was even a landing area for airships on the ship itself! Holding Dad’s hand, I confidently walked off the airship, my steps bursting with excitement. Dad smiled, clearly amused by my enthusiasm.

But then, I noticed something strange on the deck railing.

“Dad… what is that?” I pointed in confusion.

“It’s a banner,” Dad replied matter-of-factly.

The banners read:

“World’s Best Princess, My Daughter Cherishe.”

“I love you more than anything, Cherishe.”

“Welcome to Cherishe Kingdom and Cherishe Cruise.”

“My Sweetie, the Prettiest of All.”

“The Unrivaled, Most Powerful Princess Cherishe!”

Dad was completely serious.

“Apparently, it’s a trend among wealthy families to hang banners like these when they celebrate birthdays. So, I thought I’d do the same, but on the cruise,” Dad explained.

Oh, no. I didn’t need to look in a mirror to know my face was as red as a tomato.

“Father, look at our little chick. Isn’t it clear that these banners are over the top?” Gergys chimed in, for once, actually making a good point. I shot him a grateful glance, as if he had suddenly become my savior.

“You should’ve added a portrait too! One that moves!” Gergys added, much to my horror.

“But then the whole world would see Cherishe’s face,” Dad replied seriously.

“Oh, come on! Everyone already knows what she looks like—it’s a birthday party!”

No, no, absolutely not. Listening to Gergys’ ridiculous suggestions made my head spin. Maybe it was better to just let Dad have his way.

“Princess, shall we start getting you ready?” Sophia asked sweetly. “There are so many beautiful dresses prepared just for today.”

Hanna, Shami, and Sophia had all arrived on an earlier airship, and everyone was staying on the cruise for eight days and seven nights. That meant I needed sixteen dresses—one for each morning and night!

“For the day, we’ve prepared comfortable dresses, perfect for boat rides and performances,” Hanna explained. “There’s even an artificial lake on the top deck, surrounded by a magical forest—it’s so beautiful!”

With sparkling eyes, the trio of maids seemed determined to dress me up as perfectly as possible.

Sophia handed me a beige dress adorned with white frills and green ribbons, along with a matching hat and lace parasol. Once I slipped on thin gloves, the outfit was complete. It was the perfect look for a day out on the water.

“You look stunning,” Sophia said admiringly.

“Of course! Our Princess is the best—undeniably!” Shami added enthusiastically.

Wait. Could Shami be the one responsible for that “undeniably the best” banner?

“By the way, are all these dresses made by South Castalia designers?” I asked, suddenly curious.

“How did you know? Yes, they are!”

It wasn’t hard to figure out. Everything had been perfectly prepared as if waiting for me, even though I didn’t know about the cruise until just now. It would’ve been more convenient to commission local designers than to transport clothes from the north.

‘Still, Dad’s sense of grandeur seems to be growing bigger by the day. What if he decides to hold my next birthday party on the moon?’ I wondered briefly.

“The dresses you’ll be wearing for this party were all made at the atelier of Lady Vincent, who dominates South Castalia’s social scene. Even the Empress wears only clothes from her atelier,” Sophia explained.

Lady Vincent. I had heard of her before. She was a strict, formidable woman.

“The same Lady Vincent who used to be a fencing master before switching to tailoring when she could no longer wield a sword?” I asked, impressed.

“That’s right! She was a fencing champion in her youth,” Shami confirmed. “Even the Empress is said to be cautious around her. If you upset her, you might find yourself banned from the social scene for quite some time.”

“Wow, how did Dad know about Lady Vincent’s famous atelier?” I marveled.

Sometimes I almost forgot this was a game world, but moments like this—where game knowledge popped up—reminded me. In the game, Lady Vincent was someone who could be easily befriended if you were nice to her granddaughter.

“When it comes to social trends, Your Highness is always in the know,” Hanna said with a proud smile.

“He’s read every catalog and lookbook in the social scene—just for women’s fashion!” Shami declared dramatically.

“Wait, what?!”

No wonder Dad had always looked so flustered whenever I’d walk into his study unexpectedly.

“Oh! Almost forgot! The crown you’ll wear tonight for the party is here too. His Highness prepared it for you,” Sophia said, quickly changing the subject and presenting me with a large velvet box.

Inside was… breathtaking.

“Wow, it’s gorgeous,” I breathed, completely in awe.

The crown was made of platinum, with an enormous diamond in the center that matched the color of my eyes. The intricate craftsmanship had even engraved a plum blossom within the gem itself. I had never seen anything like it.

Wearing the crown before the hat, I turned to the others, lifting my chin.

“How do I look?”

“Absolutely magnificent, Your Highness! No one could compare!” Shami exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.

“Thanks, Shami. You always know how to boost my confidence.”

“Thirty minutes from now, the Undines chosen for the party will come to greet you and express their gratitude,” Sophia reminded me as she carefully placed the crown back in its box.

“Great, I’ll get to meet them in advance.”

“Yes, I hope you’ll make lots of new friends, Princess,” Sophia said with a warm smile.

‘Oh, right. I’ve been so focused on the jelly vitamins that I completely forgot about the Undines. How should I act? Should I be dignified? Or just friendly?’

There were seven Undines in total: Blair, Shainen, Naiola, Lucia, Eponine, Rosemary, and Olivia. I’d met one or two of them briefly at other parties, but most were strangers. I felt a bit nervous, especially about Shainen Bachman, who was older than me and moved in very different circles.

Sophia’s words snapped me out of my thoughts. “If you add this medal, you’ll be absolutely perfect.”

I smiled as I looked at the medal pinned to my chest. It was the first one I had ever received, for developing a special type of bandage. Although the health department had received many more awards since, I cherished this one.

As I ran my fingers over the medal, there was a knock on the door.

‘Could it be the Undines already?’ I thought.

“Come in,” I said, trying to sound composed.

But the person who entered wasn’t an Undine.

He had striking black hair, rich, deep-colored lips, and an air of quiet dignity. His robes rustled softly as he walked, his

expression calm and serene. But when he saw me, his face lit up with a warm smile.

I knew that face anywhere.

“Sihat!” I cried.