"What is the meaning of this? Summoning Pani to the palace out of nowhere?"
A young man wearing a feathered blue hat stepped in behind the messenger boy and bowed politely.
His attire—deep blue and exquisitely made—immediately gave off a sense of luxury and refinement.
"My apologies for arriving without notice. But this morning, Her Imperial Highness Princess Tayla expressed her desire to meet the female homunculus in person. That's why I came in such haste."
Kayton and Kahel exchanged glances. Kayton snapped out of it and quickly replied.
"Her Highness wishes to see her—then of course, there is no reason to delay.
Shall we depart immediately?"
"Yes, we have brought a carriage and attendants as well. You'll be escorted with every courtesy."
What is even happening right now?!
My mouth hung open in disbelief.
But before I could even process it, well-dressed men were already entering the room.
Beckey looked completely stunned, unable to close her mouth, while Kahel and Kayton carefully assisted in moving me.
I was whisked away from the room and carried toward a grand carriage,
drawn by white horses.
"M-may I accompany her as well…?"
Kayton asked, his voice slightly trembling.
The young man in blue, now without his feathered hat, responded smoothly.
"Of course. Her Highness wished to meet the great alchemist who created the first female homunculus in a century, along with his apprentices."
"Well, one of my students who helped with her creation is currently on leave,
so I'll just bring this one for now."
The carriage I boarded was easily twice the size of any I'd ridden before.
Beckey, clearly upset that she couldn't come, huffed indignantly and waved with forced enthusiasm.
Inside, the carriage was incredibly smooth.
Compared to the bumpy rides I'd experienced before, this felt more like a luxury car.
So soft. So silent.
Even without cars in this world, social class still manages to flex hard.
Excuse me while I wipe away my poor-girl tears.
I glanced at Kayton and Kahel, who both wore tense expressions, staring silently out the window.
I figured they couldn't exactly whisper about things with a palace servant sitting right there.
The blue-clad attendant, now hatless, stroked his perfectly groomed mustache and chatted pleasantly about the weather, current events, alchemical research, and other safe topics.
Kayton replied curtly and stiffly.
Kahel, being the ever-gracious one, smiled and offered polite responses—
but even he couldn't hide his tension.
Just as the ride began to feel a bit dull, the carriage came to a stop.
The attendant led us into what appeared to be a massive garden.
"This way, please."
Kahel and another servant carried me, and I looked around, surprised—
this was probably my second time visiting the Imperial Palace.
The garden was vast, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Flowers—roses and many others I couldn't name—bloomed everywhere.
Fountains and sculptures dotted the paths.
Honestly… this whole "official palace entrance" feels way more glamorous than when I teleported into that demon guy's room.
"Apologies for not using the main gate. We ask for your understanding."
The attendant, feathered hat back in place, bowed deeply.
Wait. This isn't the main gate?! How massive is this place?!
I mean, it's the palace. I guess it makes sense if it has a dozen gates or more…
We walked down a long path until we arrived at an arched entrance made of milky white marble.
Inside, polished floors of alternating black and white tiles gleamed.
"Her Highness is waiting inside."
We passed through a grand corridor and approached a door flanked by two royal guards.
When the guards saw the attendant, they raised their spears.
The attendant knocked gently.
A woman who looked like a maid opened the door from within.
The marble doors swung wide open—and a girl who'd been playing with a cat in front of the large window stood up, scooped up her dress, and ran out.
"Oh my, welcome, Lord Kayton!Is this really the homunculus?"
A beautiful girl with golden hair and violet-red eyes looked down at me in wonder.
This must be Princess Tayla. She looked around Beckey's age—maybe mid-teens.
Her hair, tied half-up with a ribbon that matched her eyes, flowed in soft golden waves.
Her dress wasn't as flashy as I'd expected, but her necklace pendant and earrings sparkled in a way that told you they had to be extremely expensive.
I offered a shy smile and spoke.
"Ah, hello…"
"Oh my gosh, how adorable! She's the exact size of one of my dolls—and she talks! Eeee!"
"Haha…"
I laughed awkwardly. The princess beamed at me again.
"Come in, come in. I know it must've been a surprise, but I'll make sure you're well treated. Yulia, bring cake and tea at once."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Several maids stepped out, and the doors closed behind them.
I was placed on the table in the center of the room—but a snow-white cat nearby was staring at me aggressively.
It made me a little nervous.
"To tell the truth, my father doesn't know about this. He heard a female homunculus was born a while ago, but there's no way I could wait until the Homunculus Competition."
The princess pulled the cat into her arms as it continued glaring at me like I was its next meal.
Even nestled in her lap, the cat licked its lips and eyed me resentfully.
"It's an honor, Your Highness!"
Kayton bowed deeply. Princess Tayla waved her hand with a playful "huhuhu."
"No need to be so formal. This is just an unofficial visit. Honestly, I've been feeling so lonely and bored lately."
"Oh? Is something the matter?"
Kahel widened his eyes and gave her a concerned look. Watching him made me want to roll mine.
Really, Kahel?
You're gonna give that same warm concern to every girl you meet?
Even ones you've just met like ten seconds ago?
Unsurprisingly, the princess brightened at Kahel's reaction and began chatting away happily.
Kahel's charm truly had no limits. First Beckey, then me… and now even royalty.
"My oldest brother hasn't been spending time with me lately."
The princess stretched out across the long pink sofa.
Come to think of it…
Wasn't that the same sofa design as the one in Demon Man's room?
Except his was black. Hers was bubblegum pink.
"You mean the First Prince?"
"Yes. He used to take me to all sorts of fun places and show me the most interesting things…But now he barely talks to me. I've been so bored lately."
"He must be busy with something important."
"I don't know. He says he's 'observing something fascinating,' but won't tell me what it is. It's infuriating, you know?"
"You must be terribly heartbroken."
Gigolo alert.
Kahel's concerned expression and gentle tone were so extra I could barely hold in my disbelief.
Finally, the princess seemed to remember I was still there. She turned to me with a sweet smile.
"What's your name?"
"Pani."
"Even your name is cute! I'd love to be friends with you… but I suppose that's impossible?"
"Friends…?"
"Yes. If it's possible."
Her eyes sparkled.
Then she suddenly placed the cat on the floor with a little thud.
The cat glared at me for a few more seconds, meowed once, and padded off in another direction—like I wasn't even worth the trouble anymore.
Just then, someone knocked at the door from outside.
"Your Highness, we've brought the cake and refreshments."
"Oh, come on in!"
A luxurious three-tiered tray floated into the room.
There were some pastries I recognized from back in America, and others I'd never seen before.
They all looked delicious, but for me? Total window-shopping.
"Come to think of it—I heard homunculi don't eat. Is that true?"
Princess Tayla picked up a cookie topped with a bright red cherry as she spoke.
"When they're inside the flask, yes. But once they finish growing and are released, they can eat. It varies slightly from case to case. It depends on what they become after maturation."
Kahel answered, and the princess munched her cookie thoughtfully.
"How fascinating. Even if I can't see Pani often right now, once she's fully grown and out of the flask, I want her to promise to be my friend. Can you promise me that, Pani?"
"Ah… yes!"
I replied without hesitation. Not like I had much of a choice.
"Now that I think about it…My big brother doesn't really eat much, either."
She finished her cookie, then spread some butter and orange marmalade on a piece of bread and handed it to Kahel. He accepted it with a grateful smile.
"Maybe that's why no one sides with him in the palace. People bond over food, you know."
"..."
Kayton and Kahel exchanged glances.
They clearly knew something about this mysterious "big brother."
And seriously—what is with this princess?
She's totally in her turbulent teenage phase, just chatting away about anything in front of complete strangers.
"Didn't you used to study with my brother, Sir Kahel?"
Whoa.
Called it.
"Ah—yes, I did."
"What was he like? I doubt he was a quiet, well-behaved student. Hoo hoo!"
Kahel took a bite of the bread she'd prepared for him, then replied calmly.
"Well… He was a quiet one. No one even knew he was an Imperial Prince.
We only found out later. He was so talented, it barely seemed like he needed to study at all."
"You two weren't close?"
"His Highness didn't really speak to anyone. He had a certain… presence.
Like a charisma that made him hard to approach."
"That sounds exactly like him. He's the kind of guy who isolates the world, not the other way around."
"Um, may I ask something?"
I couldn't take it anymore and blurted out the question.
They'd dragged me all the way here, and I didn't even know what they were talking about!
"Oh, Pani! What are you curious about?"
The princess looked at me the way someone looks at a kitten, her eyes sparkling.
"Um…Where did you and Sir Kahel study together with the Imperial Prince?"
"Ah. That was before I became Master Kayton's apprentice. I briefly attended a magic academy operated by the palace. He left before a month had passed."
"Ohhh…"
"Wait a minute—Your Highness, how did you know I once studied with His Imperial Highness?"
Kahel looked genuinely surprised.
"Oh, my brother told me. He said that one of the alchemist team who made the new female homunculus used to study with him."
"I didn't think he'd remember me… How surprising."
Kahel looked sheepish.
"My brother is probably under a lot of pressure right now. My father and mother both want him to settle down and get married. But he doesn't even stay in the palace, so…"
"Settle down…"
Kayton and Kahel both went quiet.
Yeah, I figured—talking too openly about the prince must be risky.
"I just can't imagine him getting married. I've seen plenty of girls who liked him,
but never one he liked back."
"Wouldn't a royal marriage be arranged anyway?" Kahel asked.
The princess tilted her head, not quite agreeing.
At that moment, I decided to ask the question I'd been holding in the whole time.
"So…The boy who won the last Grand Homunculus Competition—does he still live in the palace?"
At that, the princess dropped the cookie she was holding.