Chapter 54: The Princess and the Pudding

Why have you arrived so late? You haven’t, by any chance, slept until midday again, have you?

The Woman, resplendent in her gown, cast a helpless gaze upon the girl before her, her only daughter, who seemed utterly devoid of any princess-like demeanor, perpetually yearning to escape outdoors.

“How could that be? I was diligently studying magic, you see, hehe.”

Bai Yu clasped her hands behind her back, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

She had long mastered the art of charming her Mother with adorable expressions, a maneuver that, for her, was almost effortlessly simple.

“Is that truly so? Ah, well, never mind. Do hurry and board the carriage.”

The Woman shook her head, then turned and, with the assistance of a maid, ascended into the waiting carriage.

Bai Yu, too, climbed in after her.

She did not even inquire about the destination of the banquet, merely understanding it was hosted by a renowned Duke, a figure rumored to have been a meritorious founder during the empire’s inception.

The precise details remained unknown to Bai Yu; her sole desire was for the banquet to conclude as swiftly as possible.

Alternatively, she might furtively slip away to amuse herself, for surely, amidst such a throng of guests, her absence would scarcely be noted.

Her Mother would undoubtedly be preoccupied with tedious conversations with the nobles, subjects Bai Yu found utterly detestable, and would likely pay her no mind.

Seated within the carriage, Bai Yu propped her small hand against her cheek, her gaze fixed upon the fleeting scenery beyond the window.

It was the heart of autumn, and the windmills spun ceaselessly in the distance, their hypnotic motion causing a slight dizziness to flicker in her eyes.

The Duke’s domain lay a considerable distance from the Imperial City, prompting one to ponder what caliber of meritorious service could compel the Queen herself to make such a journey.

Just as Bai Yu began to feel the lull of drowsiness, the carriage at last drew to a stop, the sky having already deepened into the hues of evening.

Bai Yu descended from the carriage, trailing her Mother, and observed the assembled commoners and nobility who had gathered to receive them, offering their most reverent salutations.

Bai Yu’s gaze drifted, settling upon a noblewoman who, appearing to be of an age similar to her Mother, watched their arrival.

She surmised this dignified figure must be the Duke.

Bai Yu followed her Mother across the crimson carpet, the surrounding populace cheering their arrival.

As Bai Yu surveyed the crowd, she noted that every single person, without exception—from the elderly to the young—was female.

Males simply did not exist in this place, yet this observation did not elicit any particular strangeness within her.

A faint sense of bewilderment stirred within Bai Yu.

When had the notion of ‘male’ first entered her thoughts? Had not this world always been comprised of but a single gender?

It seemed as though she had never encountered such a term since the day of her birth.

Yet, in some inexplicable way, Bai Yu harbored a nebulous feeling that she had, in a previous existence, been connected to that very word.

It must merely be a delusion, she decided.

Bai Yu dismissed the thought, for such an inconsequential matter would not be permitted to disrupt her enjoyment.

Upon entering the grand banquet hall, she found herself unable to refuse her Mother’s insistence on introducing her to a multitude of guests, predominantly elderly women.

After offering a perfunctory greeting, Bai Yu swiftly disengaged, having no further desire for interaction.

‘How utterly tedious_…’

Bai Yu didn’t merely muse the thought to herself; it was a considerable while before she finally managed to extricate herself from her Mother’s presence.

Immediately, a flurry of young ladies converged upon her, all daughters of various influential noble houses, each vying to draw closer to Bai Yu, eager to cultivate a connection.

Upon witnessing this, Bai Yu was instantly seized by a premonition of ill fortune! She harbored no desire to squander her time on these individuals, and so, fabricating a hasty excuse to use the lavatory, she made her swift escape.

Some time later, once she was certain no one had discovered her absence, Bai Yu furtively made her way to the dessert station.

Upon seeing the array of puddings presented, Bai Yu promptly took one and commenced eating.

Back in the Imperial Palace, her Mother invariably constrained her with an assortment of so-called ‘princessly’ etiquettes, resulting in a severe restriction on her pudding intake.

But now, things were different.

‘Hmph hmph.’

Bai Yu indulged in a somewhat brazen, silent laugh; she was determined to sample every single variety of pudding!

‘Mmm~ delectable.’

Bai Yu scooped the pudding into her mouth, spoonful after spoonful, a blissful smile illuminating her features.

At this very moment, she was ensconced beneath a table, a strategic move to prevent any unwelcome gazes from falling upon her.

Yet, a prominent strand of hair unfailingly betrayed her whereabouts.

Her white hair, a singular, prominent strand, twitched and swayed upon her head, as if performing a delicate, rhythmic dance.

Just as Bai Yu reached for another plate of pudding from the dessert cart, her gaze was drawn to a small, golden figure discernible in the distant, muted glow.

‘?’

A flicker of curiosity stirred within Bai Yu.

Could someone truly be lingering in such an obscure corner? And if so, what purpose could their presence there serve?

Impelled by this burgeoning curiosity, Bai Yu, clutching her pudding, slowly made her way towards the spot.

As Bai Yu drew nearer, she discerned that the figure was, in fact, a petite young girl.

‘Who is this?’

A touch of surprise registered on Bai Yu’s face.

She could not fathom why this child, seemingly of an age similar to her own, would choose to sit in such a secluded spot.

The Golden-haired girl sat huddled in the corner, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, her head completely buried, thus obscuring her face from Bai Yu’s view.

Bai Yu scratched her head, perplexed.

She could not discern the girl’s predicament.

Observing her attire, which clearly bespoke noble lineage, it was evident she was not a commoner’s child who had merely wandered in.

With a sigh of resignation, Bai Yu knelt down.

Regardless of the circumstances, she was a princess, and it was her duty, of course, to show concern for such a seemingly delicate child.

“What troubles you? Has something untoward occurred?”

Bai Yu spoke with a gentle cadence, carefully imitating her Mother’s refined tone.

To her astonishment, however, the Golden-haired girl offered not the slightest acknowledgment.

‘…………’

‘Oh, very well, then. So this is how you intend to proceed, is it?’

Witnessing such blatant disregard, Bai Yu resolved that she must, by all means, impart a lesson to this ill-mannered child.

She leaned in, then furtively slipped her small hand through a gap in the girl’s huddled form and began to tickle her.

‘Ah!’

The stratagem proved instantly effective; the Golden-haired girl abruptly lifted her head, her face flushed and her breath coming in short gasps, as she cast a resentful gaze upon Bai Yu.

She uttered not a single word, however, merely fixing Bai Yu with an unwavering stare.

‘Hmph? Still glaring at me? It is your own lack of manners that brought this upon you, hmph!’

Bai Yu rose to her feet, placing her hands on her hips.

Today, she wore her customary small leather shoes, which, combined with her flowing white gown and waist-length silver-white hair, lent her an undeniably commanding presence.

The girl looked up at Bai Yu, utterly speechless, her small mouth forming a pout as tears began to well and trickle from the corners of her eyes.

‘Oh? Please, don’t cry!’

Bai Yu immediately felt a pang of anxiety.

She had merely intended to playfully scold the girl; why was she so delicate, dissolving into tears at the slightest provocation?

Bai Yu knelt before her, and, observing that no one seemed to be paying them any heed, gently used the hem of her gown to dab away the girl’s tears.

“Please, won’t you stop crying? I’ll give you some pudding, alright~”

Bai Yu retrieved a pudding from a nearby plate, then scooped a spoonful and offered it to the corner of the girl’s mouth.

“Here, open wide~”

Bai Yu watched the girl, adopting a manner akin to feeding an infant, an expression that, on her, appeared rather comical.

The girl lifted her gaze to Bai Yu, an unreadable expression on her face, simply perceiving the princess as exceedingly peculiar.

“Why… are you coming close to me?”

The girl whispered, her voice still laced with a lingering tremor of tears.

“Why… Why, because I saw you huddled in this corner, naturally.

Why aren’t you partaking in the feast at the banquet?”

Observing that the girl remained stubbornly silent and unwilling to open her mouth, Bai Yu extended a small hand, gently parted the girl’s lips, and deposited the pudding within.

“When I feed you, you ought to eat properly!”

‘Mmm…’

The girl was taken aback by the unexpected gesture, yet she dutifully consumed the pudding.

“Well? Is it delicious?”

Bai Yu stood, hands on her hips, as though she herself had been the creator of the delectable pudding.