At my declaration, the pleased smile on Empress Isabel’s face froze.
Prince Luciano, lifting his head in apparent surprise, came into view as well.
Everyone seemed flustered, gasping in shock. In the distance, I could see my parents on the verge of fainting.
The atmosphere had turned icy cold, a chill that seeped into my very bones.
But I pretended to know nothing of it, flashing a bright, innocent smile.
‘They say I’m clueless because I’m young—what are they going to do about it?’
“Um, so, might I learn the name of our adorable little lady?”
As if her expression had never hardened, Empress Isabel was smiling again.
It looked so benevolent that it was almost frightening. She truly wasn’t someone to underestimate.
“I’m Espin Samuel. Count Benjamin Samuel is my father.”
Empress Isabel let out a peculiar sound of admiration and glanced once toward my parents.
I wondered if she was shooting them a warning glare, something like, ‘You raised your child to be this naive?’
Seeing my parents’ faces drain of color under her gaze, I felt a twinge of guilt.
“So, you’re the daughter of Count Samuel. Pleased to meet you, Espin. How old are you this year?”
“It’s an honor to meet you as well. I’m eight years old.”
“Eight—still so young. That must be why you’re so kind and brave.”
Empress Isabel’s voice alone was utterly gentle.
But the meaning laced within it was surely, ‘What you’ve just chosen is foolish and shortsighted.’
Feeling Prince Luciano’s blatant stare fixed on me, I smiled back with pure cheer.
“Thank you for the compliment.”
At my beaming demeanor, Empress Isabel’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.
Her gaze seemed to say, ‘What’s with this oblivious one?’
Then, as if deciding, ‘Ah, she’s just dull because she’s young,’ she added a bit more.
“Everyone else is staying quiet, yet here you are, stepping up to be the friend of our lonely Prince Luciano—how remarkable. You must be exceptionally kind, being so young.”
Everyone else is keeping silent, so you should too.
Why do you think the prince is lonely?
There’s a reason for it all.
That was the intent I sensed in her words. So, I exclaimed brightly,
“Yes! I am pretty exceptionally kind.”
At my beaming response, as if I hadn’t understood a single word, Empress Isabel stiffened.
Ignoring my father’s horrified expression and Prince Luciano’s unnaturally steady gaze—not at all childlike—I smiled even wider.
Children aren’t entirely clueless.
They may not make perfectly calculated judgments like adults.
But they instinctively sense whether someone’s reaction is positive or negative.
That’s why the other children had distanced themselves from Prince Luciano, following the adults’ lead.
The children of noble families are even shrewder. Especially when it comes to gauging the moods of those higher in status—it’s something they’re equipped with from a young age.
So, someone as oblivious as me must have been a first for Empress Isabel.
Her patience seemed to reach its limit; the corners of her mouth trembled.
“Hm, so Espin wants to become Prince Luciano’s friend?”
“Yes. I just said that a moment ago.”
I ignored the signal to deny it even now.
Instead, I widened my eyes innocently, as if I couldn’t fathom what the problem was.
After glaring at me with a murderous look for a moment, Empress Isabel glanced at Prince Luciano and rephrased her question.
“Why does Espin want to be Prince Luciano’s friend?”
Because this is inside a novel, I’m the possessed protagonist, and Prince Luciano is a future candidate for my man.
…I couldn’t say that, so I closed my mouth.
Somehow reading my hesitation, Empress Isabel smiled loosely.
“You stepped forward to be Prince Luciano’s friend, so there must be a reason. Is it pity?”
“Pardon?”
“Is our kind Espin offering to be his friend because poor Prince Luciano has none, and you feel sorry for him?”
The words were so blunt that I was momentarily speechless.
There were two intentions behind Empress Isabel using such overt language.
First, to warn me to see Prince Luciano’s situation and face reality.
Second, to make Prince Luciano distrust me.
Glancing at Prince Luciano, I saw his red eyes had cooled to an icy calm.
I hadn’t said a word, yet he was glaring as if I’d admitted to pitying him—it was absurd.
The alienation tactic had worked perfectly.
More than anything, it was hilarious how, with so many people here, no one dared speak up, all too busy watching Empress Isabel’s cues.
“That’s a strange thing to say, Your Majesty.”
“What’s strange about it?”
Empress Isabel, who had been observing Prince Luciano, sounded gentle again, convinced her ploy had succeeded.
“I was taught to get along with kids my age. But does making friends need a reason? Didn’t everyone else learn that?”
I tilted my head as if genuinely perplexed.
Then, I slowly met the adults’ eyes one by one.
‘You adults should be ashamed of yourselves.’
The intent was to make them feel guilty for ganging up to ostracize a single child, and it hit home.
They all looked disconcerted, averting their gazes.
“I’m not a baby anymore—I’m an eight-year-old big sister, so I’ll get along with everyone!”
I added it cheerfully, so it wouldn’t feel like a lecture.
Even so, the nobles weren’t entirely thoughtless; they bowed their heads as if ashamed.
Empress Isabel glared at me sharply.
Feeling the weight of it, I shifted my gaze slightly—and locked eyes with Prince Luciano.
He was sending me an odd look.
In that moment, I realized.
This had become the trigger for Prince Luciano to notice me.
Everything had gone according to my plan, and I felt a swell of pride.
‘At this rate, I’ll become Prince Luciano’s childhood friend, right?’
That would fulfill the childhood friend cliché for the male lead in a romance possession novel.
Just like that, one step closer—Prince Luciano was nearer to becoming my man.
“So, Espin is insisting on becoming friends with Prince Luciano?”
Empress Isabel’s voice turned snide, her patience apparently snapping.
She seemed too emotionally stirred to realize her mistake.
The other adults stirred with embarrassment.
Yet, the nobles’ inability to even think of stopping Empress Isabel made me sick.
I couldn’t show it, though, so I widened my eyes in feigned surprise.
“Your Majesty, that question is even stranger!”
“…What’s strange about it?”
Only then did she seem to recall her loss of composure, clearing her throat to steady her voice.
“Well, earlier you said you were worried because Prince Luciano is alone. You asked if anyone would be his friend. So I stepped up, but that last question makes it sound like you’re uncomfortable with me becoming his friend.”
“That’s…”
A sense of ‘oh no’ emanated from Empress Isabel as she realized her slip too late.
Before her confusion could fade, I pressed the attack.
“Of course, Your Majesty wouldn’t oppose Prince Luciano making a friend.”
“O-of course not.”
“Then, what’s the reason? Ah, is it because I’m lacking?”
“What?”
“Is the child of a count too inadequate to be the prince’s friend?”
As I said the last part, I squeezed my eyes hard to force out tears.
Bursting into tears right then would seem contrived.
The key was just enough to make my eyes brim, like water about to spill.
With glistening eyes, I crafted the image of a heartbroken child.
“Um…”
“Oh dear…”
“It looks like bullying…”
An awkward atmosphere spread among the nobles.
As someone had hinted, it appeared as if Empress Isabel was persecuting an innocent child.
She must have sensed it too.
As her glare sharpened, I quickly buried my face in my hands and let out a sorrowful voice.
“I’m sorry—I’m so lacking and clueless. A mere count’s child doesn’t know when to butt in or stay out!”
Adding fake sobs—”hic, hic”—the nobles’ murmurs grew louder. Empress Isabel had no choice but to wrap this up.
“That’s not what I meant. Espin must have misunderstood. Of course you can spend time with Prince Luciano.”
“Really? So you’re saying I qualify to be Prince Luciano’s friend?”
At her placating words, I lifted my head abruptly, my voice bright with delight.
Seeing not a single tear on my face, Empress Isabel’s expression twisted.
A collective ‘huh?’ seemed to dawn on everyone.
But I ignored it, smiling innocently and pressing for an answer.
“Your Majesty, I can be friends with Prince Luciano, right?”
There was no way she could say no now.
“…Of course. Espin, please get along well with Prince Luciano.”
“Yes! I absolutely will!”
I responded fervently to Empress Isabel’s reluctant words.
She gripped her fan so tightly that it trembled.
I jumped up and stood before Prince Luciano.
“Prince Luciano, like Her Majesty said, let’s get along!”
Prince Luciano stared at my smiling face.
It felt a bit off, the way he looked at me like some curiosity, but I kept smiling.
In the end, he nodded slowly.
‘This must be the protagonist buff!’
Things were going so smoothly—it was exhilarating.
I felt triumphant. Now, all I had to do was stick to his side like glue and wait for him to fall for me.
With the protagonist buff, he’d fall for me eventually.
Yes, up until that point, I firmly believed I’d become Prince Luciano’s childhood friend.
