Who Made Me a Princess-Chapter 137: Cheeks as Soft as Mochi

I stopped popping bubbles and turned to tease Lucas. But, it wasn’t teenage Lucas that caught my eye.

“Ha, no matter how cute I am, don’t fall for me too deeply. Being popular is tiring.”

As he looked at my gaping mouth, Lucas, who had morphed into a ten-year-old child, chimed in. But his haughty attitude and the unpleasant act of tossing his hair back, which normally would have been annoying,

could hardly be described as that.

This, this is the purest mini version! Little Lucas’ cuteness, which I had forgotten about, hit me like a truck.

Heh heh, look at his tiny face! The small gestures that make me want to bite him! Mini Lucas was violently exuding cuteness.

But what struck me even more than his cuteness was an academic curiosity I needed to sate.

“Can I change my physical appearance like you?”

“You?”

While looking at my sparkling eyes Lucas held his chin in thought. Small fingers peeked out from his sleeve. Ugh, even something like that doesn’t have to be this cute!

“Let’s see, if it’s you…”

I watched with excitement as he scanned me up and down. But the words that followed let my expectations down.

“It might be possible when you’re a hundred.”

A hundred? Did you say one hundred years old? I’d be old enough to die today or tomorrow, but it’d only be possible by then!

Ugh, but with Lucas’ personality, even if it had killed him, he would have been straightforward with me if it seemed impossible.

So, couldn’t it be said that being able to perform it at one hundred proved my magical talent even a little? Still, I could feel my eyes welling up with tears…

“When did you start being able to do that?”

“You really wanna know?”

Lucas looked at me with a ridiculous expression. It was as if his eyes were saying, ‘Are you comparing me to yourself now?’ or ‘You’ll only feel frustrated when you hear it’.

Ugh! I sprawled out on the sofa. A hundred years old, one hundred years old! Unless I’ve gone senile, it feels weird to be a grandmother parading around as a kid.

I give up, I give up! Come to think of it, Lucas, Jennette, and Ijekiel were all so cute when they were younger. Naturally I was cute too, hehe.

“It was really weird.”

Then I recalled Jennette during the last tea party. It’d taken her longer than expected to return but she continued to smile after that.

But was it my imagination that her expression didn’t match how she really felt?

“Weird? What was?”

My gaze shifted back to Lucas, who seemed to be questioning what I was saying to myself. Still in the appearance of a child, he cocked his head to the side.

I stared at Lucas’ face and moved my eager hands at the speed of light. Yes! You’re squishy mochi cheeks that made my heart race are mine!

TL/n: Mochi = Japanese rice cakes. They’re squishy, soft and semi-sweet (usually lightly coated in rice flour or cornstarch to prevent them from being sticky). I really want mochi now…

“Wow, they’re so soft and squishy!”

I tugged Lucas’ cheeks, which I had been aiming for, from both sides. In my hands, his cheeks stretched like glutinous rice cakes.

Unprepared for my sneak attack, Lucas scowled at me with his face in my hands.

“Ey, wha uur yoo doon?”

TL/n: Lucas translator (courtesy of Akiko): Hey, What are you doing?”

“What in the world did you eat to have these soft cheeks? This can’t be real!”

Of course, I didn’t care and continued to play with his cheeks mercilessly.

When else would I get the chance to touch Mini Lucas’ soft cheeks effortlessly if it wasn’t now?

“Le go ile aim aski naicly.”

TL/n: Lucas translator(Akiko): Let go while I’m asking nicely. (Yes, I pinched my cheeks to get this accurate translation for you all. Now, excuse me while I go ice my cheeks. Hahah (●´∀｀●) )

“Oh my, my hand must have gotten stuck to your cheek! It won’t come off!”

Your cheeks are like drugs! Oh, you scary punk! You have me addicted with just one touch!

It would be an insult to these soft mochi cheeks if I took my hands off just because I was told to! Isn’t mini Lucas, who’s talking so silly with his cheeks pulled, adorable?

“Thtop it. Naut gnna lit guh?”

TL/n: Lucas translator(Akiko): Stop it. Not gonna let go?

“Soooft… ack!”

Then, all of a sudden, mini Lucas grew into adult Lucas.

“Didn’t I say to let go while I’m still being nice?”

His low pitched voice rang in my ears. The moment my eyes met with his red eyes I jumped and hastily removed my hands from Lucas’ cheeks.

“Oh, why aren’t you touching them like you were?”

“I, I don’t need it! They’re not like mochi anymore!”

“You can’t tell till you touch them.”

“I know even if I don’t feel them!”

“Pervert.”

WHAT!

At Lucas’ remarks I grew furious and began to punch the grown up Lucas.

“I TOLD YOU! NOT TO SUDDENLY! TRANSFORM LIKE THIS!”

“Hey, you started it.”

“SHUT UP!”

You want to repeat the crime that surprised me?! AGH, take this and this!

Lucas protested as if it were funny but I hit him for a while after that until Lucas, who had noticed my weakness, cheaply transformed back into the mini version.

୨・┈・・┈・୨✿ Chapter 14.5 Each Person’s Changing Heart ✿୧・┈・・┈・୧

“Are you having a drink at this hour?”

“Not for me, but for Father.”

Late in the evening, Jennette had come out of her room for some water and found Ijekiel grabbing a bottle from the cabinet.

Gin Cognac that had been aged for 299 years. It was a strong brandy with a high alcohol content that Roger Alpheus loved.

TL/c: Now that’s one aged brandy. Holy moly.

“He must be in a good mood today.”

“He has his ups and downs.”

After Jennette’s tea party was held successfully, Duke Alpheus hadn’t made another appearance, but seemed to be in a good mood.

Duchess Alpheus had been very concerned about Jennette’s tea party, which she had insisted on organizing on her own, but she had trusted her husband’s words that everything had gone well, and she felt relieved.

However, after the tea party, Jennette was immersed in a subtle mood that could not be easily expressed in words. It was becoming a regular occurrence after she would meet with Princess Athanasia, and now Ijekiel would even look out the window during the entire carriage ride on their way back with a vague look.

“I want to drink too.”

“You’re still too young to drink.”

Jennette looked at Ijekiel as he walked holding the bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other.

Then Ijekiel’s arm, which had his shirt sleeve rolled up to his elbow, caught her attention.

“Good night, Jennette.”

Her eyes were drawn to his left arm, which had been wounded two years ago because of her. Ijekiel’s arm had healed to the point that there was no longer any scar, but Jennette was still mindful of where the old scar had been, as if there were traces left that only she could see.

“I’m going shopping for a new dress tomorrow. Will you come with me?”

Jennette turned her back and spoke half-heartedly to him. Ijekiel stopped in his tracks when he heard her soft voice.

He slowly looked back at her and gave her his usual answer.

“If you want.”

“You don’t want to?”

It was unexpected for Jennette to ask back in this situation. Seeing Ijekiel pause for a moment, she smiled in response.

“Thank you. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

She turned around, holding her smile, as if nothing had happened. But with her back towards Ijekiel, Jennette’s face became clouded.

‘You always say that. As if you wouldn’t give me a single moment of your time if I didn’t ask.’

The sound of footsteps that had been stopped for a while began to move away again soon after. Jennette returned her gaze, but there was no one there. She silently stared at the empty space before slowly walking away.

‘If you want.’

When I was young, I believed these words were what you call ‘kindness’.

Yes… There was a time when I mistook that cruelty for kindness.

୨・┈・・┈・୨✿୧・┈・・┈・୧

“Please excuse me.”

After excusing herself, she stepped away from Princess Athanasia’s tea party. The sound of footsteps was barely audible because of the soft grass.

The nausea subsided as I moved further away from the flower garden, which was in full bloom. But, for some reason, the more her stomach eased, the faster her heart began to churn unconsciously.

Jennette was perplexed as to why she was doing this.

Oh, it’s strange. The tea party is fun, the conversation with the other young ladies is fun, and the Princess whom I like is there, so why do I want to get away from there so much?

“Hmm. Miss Margarita and Lord Ijekiel are like brother and sister, right?”

TL/n: She is recalling exact quotes said by the ladies at Athy’s tea party from chapter 135 and chapter 136.

The sound of footsteps resonated in her ears as she stepped out of the grassy garden.

Jennette remembered Princess Athanasia’s fifteenth birthday ball two years ago at the Emerald Palace.

Ijekiel had refused to attend due to the arm injury, but she had thought it was best not to attend the ball that day as well

She had no idea why. She wished to see the Princess, but she also wanted to avoid seeing her again.

She was aware that her mind was contradictory, but she had no idea where it started.

It felt like the Princess Athanasia she would meet that day wouldn’t be the same Princess as the one who had watched fireworks with her. And for some reason, she had the same thoughts at the tea party just now.

“Why hasn’t Lord Ijekiel gotten engaged?”

“Isn’t there someone he likes?”

Yes, she knows. It’s a stupid idea. There is only one Princess in the world and she will always be one of her favorite people in the world.

However, at some point, whenever Jennette saw Princess Athanasia blooming brighter by the day, she felt chased by something unknown.

“But, I heard that Lord Ijekiel was seen with another woman in a dessert cafe that day?”

“You also didn’t know about it, Miss Margarita?”

For no apparent reason, she grew irritable. She didn’t want anyone to see her in this state.

“Yes… No matter how close we are, I can’t possibly know everything there is to know about him.”

Jennette walked aimlessly through the Emerald Palace, avoiding the gazes of the attendants. She eventually realized she had been roaming for far too long.

As she checked her surroundings, an unfamiliar landscape came into view. Flowers shone bright purple in the sunlight, creating a very different atmosphere from the Emerald Palace garden.

I must have taken the wrong path. Where am I?

Jennette was flustered on the inside. It was strange that she hadn’t met a single attendant on the way here, and it was even stranger that she was able to wander aimlessly until now.

Shwaa.

TL/n: The sound of a strong breeze of wind.

But in the very next moment, Jennette finally realized why the strange situation came to be.

“Who are you?”

Gold hair fluttered in the wind in front of her. Brilliant jewel eyes that emitted a dazzling light pierced her face. Oh, yes. I came here to meet this person.