The next day, I was back in the Prince's chambers right on time to entertain little Prince Elet.
"Puck, why is your face like that?"
He tilted his head, brows furrowed, pointing a small finger at my painted skin.
"I am a jester, my Prince! These patterns were etched onto my face the moment I was born!"
I replied with a foolish grin, blinking exaggeratedly.
"When I was born..."
The Prince paused, glancing at the governess as if searching for a script.
"I was born a Prince."
I wasn't expecting such a blunt answer. I froze for a split second.
*If I were talented enough, I'd be the King's jester by now... and my first tip would have been enough to send back to my sister.*
I opened my mouth to let out a stupid answer.
"A-"
The governess's sudden, sharp throat-clearing cut me off.
"Indeed! My Prince, you are the King's heir. You were born a Prince, and you shall be educated as one,"
her voice was like ice.
"You will be a virtuous Prince... a Crown Prince! If you devote yourself to your duties hard enough, one day you might even be the King who rules this entire nation."
Her condescending gaze met mine for the first time. A shiver ran down my spine. I quickly shifted my eyes back to the boy.
"Or,"
she added, rolling her eyes with a sneer.
"you will be a mere advisor by the King's side."
A cold silence filled the room.
*This is his education?!*
When they said the "youngest prince," I expected someone at least fifteen, but this child was barely five.
To heap this much responsibility on a boy his age... it was too much. Even the grown men I knew were mostly irresponsible brutes!
My eyes narrowed at the thought. A spark of an idea hit me -something for the Prince's "precious education." I laughed like an idiot and plopped down cross-legged on the floor.
"Puck?!"
I hid my mouth behind my hand and let marotte do the talking.
"Did you call me, Buck?"
"Am I not your advisor?"
The tension in the Prince's face softened, almost into curiosity. He crouched down in front of me to watch the show.
"Are you?"
I asked surprised.
Buck feigned shock.
"Don't you ask me before you make any big decisions?"
The governess remained still, her expression unreadable.
"Fine, but you always suggest the wrong decisions, Buck!"
I turned marotte toward the Prince.
"Huh?! Did you hear that, my Prince?"
Prince Elet giggled and nodded.
Holding marotte's face toward the Prince, I turned my own head toward Buck.
"Buck, I told you I was scared of dictator nannies. The ones who made that 'very important' decision were you."
I widened my eyes, implying a secret between me and the puppet. I could hear the governess huffing through her nose.
"Ahem! My Prince, pray do not mind this foolish Puck. Allow me to explain it as a proper advisor would."
I shook Marotte while looking at the Prince. As soon as he heard my words, the little man jumped up, puffing out his chest with pride.
"Of course, Advisor Buck!"
A giggle escaped me as I tried to deepen my voice for the puppet.
I stole a quick glance at the woman. She was weighing the situation, looking back and forth between the Prince and me.
I made my voice tremble as if Buck were overjoyed.
"As the advisor -meaning me- I am the one who truly controls Puck!"
The Prince looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, as if a light had lighted in his head, he looked at the governess.
"Just like Lady Meroli!"
He looked proud of his own deduction. His innocence -or perhaps his unintentional genius- was hilarious.
But Lady Meroli's eyes were flashing with something like anger. My lips ached from suppressed laughter.
"No, my Prince! I am not a teacher; I am an advisor, an 'intellect.' If I were a teacher, I would try to *teach* Puck things, not *rule* her."
The Prince went quiet, sensing the shift in Meroli's expression.
I had tried to tell her indirectly -that she was suffocating him.
*I'm protected by the King, but how much pressure is this child under? Does the King even know?*
I cleared my throat.
"Basically, Puck is just my Marotte."
"You're the real puppet, Buck!"
The Prince tilted his head, spreading his hands wide.
"Ahem, I may be made of wood, but I am far cleverer than this fool, my Prince!"
The Prince laughed.
"But Puck is the one making you talk!"
He chirped, raising his hands again. I shook Marotte as if he were throwing a tantrum.
"But my Prince-!"
I made my voice high and shrill. The Prince was doubled over in laughter.
A strange bitterness, mixed with a sudden heat of anger, surged through me.
*Of course it would end like this. What did I expect?*
He's barely out of swaddling clothes. He's going to laugh at the play, the reactions, not the lecture.
I had never heard such a pure, joyful laugh in my life. It was fascinating... despite him being a 'male,' he was just a child. A bright, clever child.
But before he could finish, the governess loomed over him like a shadow.
Then, a realization hit me.
*Wait. What if he's intentionally blocking out the lectures? What if he understands everything but refuses to listen? If so, am I failing my job? Will I not get paid?!*
The governess's voice made me jump.
"You stupid jester! I will not tolerate you 'educating' the Prince this way-"
Her eyes were bloodshot with fury as she lunged toward me. I scrambled back, throwing my arms up in defense.
Suddenly, the doors slammed open. The noise cut through the room like a blade. The woman turned toward the source and bowed instantly.
"I am sorry- I was just about to kick the jester out!"
A youth, looking barely fifteen, stepped inside.
*The brat from yesterday? Why didn't she announce his title or name?*
"No need."
His voice was thin, like the other men in this palace.
*Is he higher-born?*
His piercing reddish eyes locked onto me immediately.
I felt that same nagging irritation. Being a male was annoying enough, but his tone…
"So, this is the jestress."
His voice was dripping with mockery.
*He saw me yesterday! He's intentionally ignoring me, the little brat.*
"Y-yes,"
the governess's voice wavered.
Prince Elet went silent, watching the two of them with a frown. The air felt heavy, like a smoke that burned your lungs.
"As if we had a desperate need for a fool."
My grip on Marotte tightened. I stood up, forced to smile though my jaw was clenched tight.
As he walked toward us, the embroidery on his blue caftan shimmered in the sunlight.
*The caftan is too big for him! What does his rank matter? Give him a sword and he'd fall over from the weight.*
"I was thinking the same, I was just telling him how poor his teaching is-"
"I heard you, Meroli."
He cut her off in a calm, almost warm tone. Finally, he turned his reddish eyes toward the governess.
I instinctively looked at Prince Elet.
*Is he uncomfortable with this person too?*
*Wait... where did the Prince go?*
I caught my breath. He was slipping away, heading toward the inner room. My heart hammered with unease.
*Who is this guy? How can he make a Prince run away like that? Elet is just a child, surrounded by these merciless vultures...*
"I heard the King found a jestress suitable for the Prince."
The blond youth raised an eyebrow, as if demanding an explanation.
My mouth felt like it was in chains. If I spoke, I'd only humiliate myself further. Meroli filled the silence.
"I am teaching the Prince everything he needs to know without fail."
She cleared her throat, avoiding the boy's eyes.
*So... there is someone the governess fears too.*
The boy looked at the floor for a moment, his golden hair falling over his eyes. He was thinking. He looked up again, calm despite the chaos he'd just caused.
"I will speak with the Prince."
He said it directly to me, without blinking. He didn't even ask for the Prince's permission.
*The disrespect...*
My blood was boiling. My body felt ready to pounce, even if my mind told it to stop.
But I forced myself to look toward the room the Prince had entered.
*I'm not acting like a jester! If I keep this up, I won't get my money or my sister.*
I took a deep breath.
*I'll endure this for her.*
I closed my eyes and gave a deep, theatrical bow.
"Of course, sir. If the most useless servant of the royalty is needed for the Prince's 'education,' he shall vanish from the room at once."
I walked toward the door without raising my head.
"Stupid fool,"
his boyish voice echoed behind me.
***
*Did I act too hastily? I really thought I could handle being a jester.*
I was sitting in the hallway, too wary of the palace gardens where everyone stared. It was the servants' corridor -mostly quiet since everyone was busy working.
I sighed, exhaling my frustrations. My thin clothes offered no protection from the cold floor or the draft leaking through the walls.
*I should just be a jester and know my place. I'm risking my sister's life for these fleeting emotions.*
A male servant appeared at the end of the hall. I watched him approach for a long time. As he got closer, I realized he was looking for me.
I planned to stay put to see if he'd actually come to me, but changed my mind.
"Puck Feste?"
His voice was the typical high-pitched palace tone. I turned back with curiosity I couldn't hide.
"Yes?"
"By order of the **Head Eunuch**, you are summoned to the Southern Palace Royal Treasury to receive your delivery."
*Delivery...? Oh, Grandmother!*
Did she send a letter?
"The Head Eunuch... uh..."
My excitement died down instantly.
*Who is the Head Eunuch? What does he do? If I ask, will they not take me seriously because I'm a jester?*
He was looking at me with weary eyes. Panicked, I dropped the persona entirely.
"Who is the Eunuch? I mean, what it means? I gathered there are a few unimportant ones, and you called the most important one the 'Head'?"
I tried to explain using my hands, but his face twisted into a strange expression.
After a brief silence, he cleared his throat.
"Eunuchs are the male servants who work in the Southern Palace. The Head Eunuch is waiting for you near the Southern Palace Treasury."
After giving me directions, he walked away with that same odd look on his face. I made my way toward the treasury, thinking about the men in this palace.
*The servants here... they don't look like the men I've seen. The men who came to the brothel from the palace were usually strong, with harsh, rough faces.*
Nobody mentioned the Southern Palace or the men here. It's strange...
*Could that blond brat be a eunuch too? If he's just a servant, does that mean my rank is higher than his?*
*Maybe he's something like the Head Eunuch... whatever. As long as he stays away from me, I don't care.*