The Beloved Youngest Daughter of a Noble Family

Chapter 7: The Little Princess, a Magical Prodigy

“Enter.”

With this brief command, the massive, magic-powered stone doors trembled and swung open. 

The only light in the grand chamber, with its long red carpet, filtered through the stained glass windows in thin rays of sunlight.

Walter watched dust motes dance in the beams of light as he walked confidently toward the throne.

“I have returned after completing the task you assigned at the Rose Palace, my Lord. All entrances and exits to the palace have been closed, and the troops are in position.”

“It took you quite a while for such a simple task. Perhaps you were distracted by the joy of meeting an old colleague.”

“…No, my Lord.”

“You must not have much leisure time these days, Walter. How are the preparations for the expedition progressing?”

The expedition was a large-scale battle against the overflowing monsters in the “Border,” a vast area situated on the border between the Empire and the Kingdom. It was a recurring event, held every few years.

It was an important operation, involving not only the royal knights but also the offspring of influential families, and led personally by the Lord.

“Preparations are proceeding smoothly. However, the outpost near the Border has reported signs of an imminent monster surge.”

“Sooner than expected.”

“According to regular reports, the frequency of monster appearances has been steadily increasing. I believe this is connected.”

Bladi tapped the armrest of the throne, lost in thought.

The monsters typically appeared in large numbers in the Border region approximately once every ten years.

The expeditions were usually timed around these occurrences, but recently, the intervals had shortened to about once every six years.

‘I have a bad feeling about this.’

Of course, even if the timing was accelerated, the Kingdom’s military might could handle it, but he couldn’t shake the unease in his heart.

The monster overflow itself was akin to a natural disaster, beyond his control.

“This time, we must thoroughly purge the Border region. Ensure all preparations are complete.”

“I will make meticulous preparations to guarantee the expedition’s success.”

“I will also take Wilhelm on this expedition. As the eldest of the three, it would be beneficial for him to gain firsthand experience early on. Send him the expedition notice at an appropriate time.”

“Wilhelm-nim… you mean?”

Walter was inwardly taken aback and raised his head involuntarily.

By human standards, Wilhelm was only twelve years old. Even as the Lord’s firstborn, he was far too young to be sent into battle.

‘It seemed like you had no interest in Wilhelm-nim at all. What has changed your mind?’

Walter knew his lord, whom he had served for centuries, better than anyone.

Or so he believed.

Recent events had defied his expectations.

‘What are you thinking?’

From the sudden lockdown of the Rose Palace to the order for Prince Wilhelm to join the expedition.

He even entertained the notion that all of this might be a ploy to shield the Rose Palace from external threats.

Though his rational mind dismissed the idea, he couldn’t shake the instinctive feeling.

‘Or maybe it’s simply about providing equal opportunities.’

His master, Lord Bladi, was a stern monarch and an egalitarian.

He chose individuals based solely on their capabilities, and if they met the requirements, he actively appointed even lower-ranking vampires to positions of power. 

The high-ranking pureblood nobles may not have welcomed Bladi’s actions, but they didn’t dare openly oppose him either.

Unlike humans, who were prone to betrayal and rebellion when dissatisfied, their clan had a long history of unwavering loyalty.

Considering his temperament, Bladi might have recognized Princess Bella’s potential and decided to give her a chance to prove herself.

By closing off the Rose Palace, he could feign indifference towards Bella while discreetly increasing her security. And by taking Wilhelm on a long expedition, he could appease the noble factions that supported the firstborn prince.

By the time Bladi returned, the adorable little princess would be old enough to protect herself.

“Your report has been received. You may leave now. Focus on your duties and avoid unnecessary distractions.”

“As the Lord commands.”

Walter executed a knightly salute, tapping his left chest twice.

Before departing the audience chamber, he took one last look at his master, the most powerful and beautiful being in the world.

Bladi, reclining on the ancient throne with his eyes gently closed, resembled a meticulously crafted statue.

He exuded an aura of absolute stillness and serenity, as if untouched by doubt or worry.

However, whether his inner thoughts were as tranquil remained a mystery.

☆☆☆

Exactly one month after the lockdown of the Rose Palace.

Rumors reached my ears that Father had personally led the army on a large-scale monster extermination expedition.

Sione, who hadn’t received any information from Walter, the appointed commander of the expedition, was livid.

“Don’t worry too much. Your best friend and longtime colleague, this very Walter, will do his best to help you,” he had said.

Despite his confident assurances, he had left on a lengthy expedition with Father, leaving her to deal with the lockdown. It was no wonder she felt resentful.

For Sione, Walter represented the only hope of lifting the confinement.

‘But this isn’t entirely a bad thing for me.’

Though our daily lives were now confined, with outside visits completely cut off and even those within the palace strictly restricted from leaving, there was a silver lining.

In exchange for limited movement, we gained increased security.

By preventing suspicious individuals from approaching, we could avoid unwanted attention on the Rose Palace.

Sione, initially furious, seemed to gradually come to terms with the situation. We soon adapted to a life akin to living on an isolated island.

And about half a year later, I began to exhibit signs of a significant transformation.

My baby body had grown into that of a two or three-year-old, and I had started to speak.

But that wasn’t all.

The ability I had yearned for was finally awakening.

“Sione! Look at this!”

Whoosh.

Sione, who happened to be entering the room with snacks, was astonished to see a fireball blazing in mid-air.

She looked back and forth between me, grinning confidently with puffed cheeks, and the dancing flames, then stumbled and pressed her hand to her forehead.

“Oh my goodness. Bella-nim! When did you learn flame magic?”

“Hmm? I don’t know either.”

My fingertips had tingled, so I spread them out, and poof, a fireball appeared.

And from that moment on, I could control fire at will.

“I can make it even bigger!”

Excitedly, I manipulated the fireball, making it dance and swirl like a miniature fireworks display. Sione’s face paled further. 

“F-First! Put out the fire, and then let’s talk!” Sione exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly.

“Okay,” I replied nonchalantly, withdrawing my magic and causing the flames to vanish with a soft pop.

A moment later, after regaining her composure while listening to my explanation, Sione asked, as if seeking confirmation, “So, to summarize, you woke up today and discovered you could use magic?”

“Yes,” I replied, “It just came naturally.”

“Without any training in magic formulas, mana manipulation, or even basic mathematics and geometry, it just… appeared, as if out of thin air?”

“Yes. I think I might be a genius,” I declared with a hint of childish pride, stuffing my mouth with another cookie.

The cookies Sione had so ambitiously baked may have looked like ordinary chocolate chip cookies on the outside, but they were, in fact, special mana cookies designed to strengthen the magical energy within the body.

Sione watched me devour the cookies, crumbs scattering across my face, then sighed and gently wiped my mouth with a handkerchief.

“I always knew Bella-nim was an extraordinary child,” she mused, “but… I never imagined she would awaken to magic so effortlessly. To be able to summon magic instinctively without any training… It’s not even like spirit magic…”

“Hmm? Spirit? Are you talking about this?”

With a flick of my cookie-crumb-covered finger, a palm-sized spirit materialized in a flash of white light.

The spirit, adorned in a flowing blue dress, fluttered its wings and danced through the air, playfully snatching up the stray cookie crumbs. Sione, who had witnessed the entire spectacle, paled visibly, her strength seemingly draining away.

“Oh my goodness. A mage handling a spirit… Am I dreaming?”

It had only been a few weeks since I’d discovered my ability to summon spirits.

Or rather, to be more precise, it would be more accurate to say that they had simply started appearing around me.

At first, I’d assumed the cookies I left on the table were disappearing mysteriously. But it turned out the culprits were these mischievous spirits.

“This isn’t a dream, it’s real. See, he’s saying so too,” I giggled, pointing to the wind spirit, who was particularly playful among the spirits I could summon. He poked Sione’s cheek and laughed mischievously.

Sione, seemingly in a state of shock, only regained her composure after the spirit vanished.

“Now I understand how Bella-nim can use magic without any instruction,” she said slowly. 

“According to ancient records, those who can manipulate both magic and spirits naturally acquire magic as easily as breathing.”

“Hmm, I see,” I replied, though the concept was still a bit abstract for me.

The flow of mana felt both similar and different when handling spirits compared to using magic.

It was like borrowing power from an external source.

Even I didn’t fully comprehend it, so it was challenging to articulate, but I could vaguely grasp Sione’s explanation.

“Currently, on this continent, Bella-nim is likely the only one capable of wielding both magic and spirit arts. Mana and spirit energy are fundamentally different and tend to repel each other.”

“Hmm… that’s a bit too complicated for me,” I admitted.

“I’ll explain it to you gradually in the future,” Sione assured me. “But for now, it’s crucial to keep your ability to summon spirits a secret, Bella-nim. Especially avoid summoning them when others are around.”

“Aww, but they’re so pretty. I wanted to show them off to the maids…” I pouted, thinking of Rosa, Roy, and Ronia, the three maids who had come from the same orphanage.

After a moment of hesitation, Sione divulged a secret I hadn’t known.

“Actually, Bella-nim’s mother wasn’t a vampire, but a fairy. So, Bella-nim is half-vampire, half-fairy.”

What?! 

My mouth dropped open as I learned this unexpected secret about my birth.

‘Someone of the Lord’s status taking a consort from another race? There must have been significant opposition.’

Father had been married twice before meeting my mother, but they were both political marriages born out of necessity.

In fact, the mothers of Wilhelm and Luca, who were leading figures in the family, didn’t have titles like concubine or consort, nor were they obligated to fulfill the duties of the Lord’s wife.

Their marriages were purely based on mutual needs and choices.

But the only official queen of the Chepesh Kingdom, the consort, was different.

It was a position that commanded equal treatment to the Lord, the ruler of the race, and even allowed for the exercise of royal authority on behalf of the Lord during his long periods of dormancy.

Entrusting such an important position to another race must have been a deeply controversial decision.

“Only a few nobles, besides myself and Walter, are aware of this fact. Even those who know tend to keep it quiet.”

“Hmm.”

“If it becomes known that Bella-nim has fairy blood and can summon spirits, it could have dire consequences. It’s best to keep it hidden until you’re older…”

Understanding her concerns, I nodded and replied, “I understand. I’ll do that.”

My firm tone, indicating no need for further explanation, brought a sigh of relief from Sione.

It seemed she was worried I might be hurt after learning about my mother.

“From now on, I’ll teach you magic, Bella-nim. Handling mana is different from spirit magic; it puts a considerable strain on the body. It might be a bit early, but let’s consider it advanced education for a gifted child.”

“Wow, Sione will be my magic teacher?”

“Yes. Is that alright with you?”

“Yes! I’m so happy!!”

I jumped up and down in excitement, beaming with joy.

The best teacher in the Chepesh Kingdom? There was no reason to refuse!

Thus began my magical education, and I acquired new skills at an astonishing pace.

I quickly mastered basic everyday magic typically used by lower-level mages, along with some fairly advanced attack spells. However, Sione strongly recommended I focus on training ice-type mana first.

“Handling cold mana is also one of the Lord’s specialties. I suggest you learn this type of magic first, Bella-nim.”

“Why? Fire magic is big and impressive.”

“Flames burn and leave traces, whereas ice melts away, leaving no evidence. Depending on how it’s used, ice magic can immobilize enemies or serve as a subtle threat.”

Aha.

So, it’s smart magic—useful for both self-defense and eliminating evidence.

‘Plus, it can be surprisingly lethal.’

Indeed, few methods were as effective for quiet and clean assassinations as ice magic.

You could shape it into sharp projectiles, like swords or arrows, and then simply let it melt away.

Sione seemed to think such explanations were unnecessary for a young child, but I, who could grasp complex concepts quickly, wasn’t one to miss such details.

So, as I focused on learning ice-based magic, I also found time for fun. I built snowmen with the soldiers and had snowball fights with the maids whenever I got bored.

Of course, the fact that the snow was magically conjured by me for practice remained a secret between Sione and me.

There was no advantage to rumors of my magical abilities spreading prematurely.

‘These days are so much fun.’

I was steadily growing stronger in my ability to wield mana, and I was basking in the attention and love of those within the palace. Every moment was filled with joy and contentment.

If happiness existed in this world, this was surely it – a dreamlike existence.

I learned the simple pleasures of sharing hot chocolate on a cold day, its sweetness warming me to the core, and the cozy comfort of a fur hat and scarf wrapped around me by caring hands. 

One morning, during my magic lesson with Sione, as I waited for her in my room as usual, I stumbled upon a perplexing passage in the book I was reading.

‘I’ll ask her about this, and perhaps I’ll even go visit her myself today.’

After all, despite my status, there was no reason I couldn’t take the initiative to see my teacher.

Struggling to carry the hefty tome, far larger than myself, I nearly reached Sione’s room when a strange pain, unlike anything I’d ever experienced, suddenly washed over me.

‘What’s happening to my body…?’

Thump, thump.

My heart pounded at an alarming rate, and the blood vessels throughout my body seemed to constrict.

‘I’m dizzy. I can’t… breathe…’

Overcome by a sudden wave of vertigo, I stumbled and collapsed onto the floor with a thud.

In my fading consciousness, only two sensations remained clear: the cold hardness of the brick floor against my cheek and the piercing scream of someone who had discovered me.

Then, everything went black.