Chapter 5

Inside a small boat heading toward Monster Island.

The servant from the Imperial Palace was much kinder than Count and Countess Rheinfeld.

After all, he believed Ariena was Melissa.

Even when Ariena tried to say, I’m Tunteuni—no, I’m Ariena…

“Cough, cough…!”

Her heart throbbed as though one side of it were being seared by fire, leaving her unable to say a single word.

The servant from the Imperial Palace explained Ariena’s responsibilities in a fairly polite manner.

“You know that you were betrothed to His Highness, Prince Kyle, while you were still in the womb, don’t you? One of the conditions of your engagement was that the two of you would begin living together once you turned five.”

People had been talking about brides and engagements, but Ariena had never really understood what those words meant.

So she cautiously raised her hand and asked,

“Um, what is a betwothal?”

“It’s a promise to get married in the future.”

At that moment, a conversation between Mommy and Daddy popped into Ariena’s mind.

Most of their conversation had been rather vague, but a few words had stuck firmly in her memory.

“You’re going to cry when our daughter gets married at this rate, aren’t you?”

“Please don’t say that. I might actually die.”

If Tunteuni gets married, Daddy will die?!

Five-year-old Ariena had suddenly found herself caught in an enormous dilemma.

Perhaps he thought the little girl simply couldn’t understand, because the servant let out a short sigh.

“Well, for now, you can think of him as a friend. Or perhaps a family member.”

Ariena nodded enthusiastically.

By the time their conversation ended, the man had brought Ariena to the shore of Monster Island. He wiped his face with both hands and pointed in a particular direction.

“Go that way. That’s where the mansion of His Highness, Prince Kyle, is located. The residents of Monster Island have called it the Monster Mansion for a long time. …I sincerely hope you arrive safely. Good luck.”

With those words, the servant departed.

Ariena craned her neck so far back that it nearly tilted off her shoulders as she gazed up at Monster Island, which was covered in dense, towering trees.

Well, I did make it to the island.

But what am I supposed to do now? Do I really have to live as the prince’s bride?

If that was the case, she would have to keep it a secret from Daddy.

Daddy must never die!

She nodded firmly, but her determination lasted only a moment before another problem arose.

She was supposed to defeat a monster and make a wish, but how was she supposed to find a monster?

Ariena tilted her head in confusion.

And they said I would get an ability when I came to Monster Island!

Yet now that she had arrived, her status window remained silent.

Ariena waved her hand at the empty air.

“What am I supposed to do now?”

What am I supposed to do now?

Only an echo answered her sadly.

Then, all of a sudden—

Ding!

Words appeared before her eyes.

“Wooooah!”

[※ Adjustments for children completed (100/100)]

[※ Curious about how to defeat a monster and make a wish? The answer is to become friends with Prince Kyle!]

“Become fwiends with Pwince Ky-wile?”

[Prince Kyle is super, super strong. If you get His Highness on Tunteuni’s side, you might be able to defeat the monsters in no time?!]

Ariena promptly raised her hand toward the sparkling words.

“Th-then, what’s Tunteuni’s ability?”

At her question, the words changed with a whoosh!

[Tunteuni’s ability has just awakened! Hold out your hand!]

Ariena obediently held out her hand.

And then—

“But nothing happened!”

No sooner had she finished speaking than a tiny pair of glasses dropped into her palm.

They were adorable children’s glasses with round, bright-yellow frames.

“Gasp!”

[Now, try putting on the glasses!]

Ariena quickly put them on.

Perhaps because her face was so tiny, the glasses sat a little crookedly on her nose.

Then the bright-yellow frames gradually turned transparent.

“Gasp! Whewe did they go?”

Ariena felt around the bridge of her nose.

Her fingertips touched the round frames. They hadn’t disappeared—they had simply become invisible.

[These are special glasses that only Tunteuni can wear!]

Ariena looked around through the glasses.

The trees, stones, and grass all looked exactly the same as before.

“What is this? Nothing’s diffewent! It all looks the same!”

The only thing that had changed was the slight weight resting on her tiny nose!

[You’ll soon discover what these glasses can show you.]

With those final words, the sparkling text disappeared.

Glasses… I don’t really know what they’re for yet.

Ariena blinked several times before clenching both fists tightly.

First, let’s go to the monster prince’s mansion! And Tunteuni isn’t scared at all! Not even a little!

It was okay if the road to Mommy and Daddy was a little dark.

Because at the end of that road, Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother would be waiting with bright smiles on their faces.

A little while later.

The distance between Monster Island’s shore and the mansion wasn’t very great, so Ariena arrived safely at the Monster Mansion.

The tallest mansion on the island rose before her eyes.

Snow had piled up on the pointed towers at its summit, making the mansion look like a lonely castle left behind in the middle of winter.

Whoooosh!

A gust of wind swept past Ariena, bringing with it a bitter, piercing cold.

But Ariena didn’t even feel the chill.

Her mind was completely occupied with going inside, becoming friends with the prince, and defeating the monsters!

“Excuuuse me! Is anybody hewe?”

Knock, knock.

Ariena carefully knocked on the mansion’s door.

Click.

The door swung open.

Ariena’s eyes rolled around in surprise.

That’s strange.

She had been sure the door wouldn’t open at all, yet it had swung open as soon as she gave it the slightest push.

Can I go inside?

Her hesitation lasted only a moment. The atmosphere of the castle, visible through the narrow opening, immediately piqued her curiosity.

Despite its name, the Monster Mansion didn’t look like a mess inside. In fact, it was so well maintained that it seemed as though someone had been waiting for a visitor to arrive.

And so Ariena hurriedly stepped inside.

This house is so big. Whoever lives here all alone must be suuuuper lonely.

Ariena murmured under her breath.

“Excuuuse me? I’m hewe!”

She began tiptoeing down the hallway, following the footprints someone had left on the carpet.

The footprints led toward a staircase.

Ariena followed them all the way to the mansion’s top floor.

The tower opened up like a small rooftop terrace, with nothing blocking the view in any direction. However, apart from the railing surrounding its edges, there was absolutely nothing there.

The floor was completely bare, and the only sound was the wind whistling as it swept past.

The footprints end here. But why isn’t there anything? Where is the prince?

Ariena tilted her head and looked around once more.

Just then, a door burst open with a deafening noise.

BANG!

At the same time, a sharp metallic screech rang out, and someone came running toward her with quick, pattering footsteps.

“Intruder! You’re just in ti—”

The person was a little boy who looked about eight years old, with black hair and blue eyes. He was also holding a weapon that looked absolutely terrifying.

He’s so angry! It’s like he has a bunch of sharp horns sticking out of his head!

Ariena froze solid at the sight of the boy.

At that moment, the boy thrust one hand forward.

“Hmph! I’ll have to eliminate you first.”

E-eliminate?

Ariena’s eyes widened.

Tunteuni, I forgot something!

I’m a scaredy-cat…

Her mother’s gentle voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

“Why is our daughter so timid? She’s always hiding somewhere.”

Even as she remembered those comforting words, her heart pounded as though it were about to burst.

Is he going to hurt Tunteuni with that weapon?