Father, I Won’t Do Anything

“Miss Jaina. The ladies spoke highly of an entertaining play. Would you like to see it together?”

“I’ve never seen a play before.”

“Excellent. Today’s play is one I’d recommend for newcomers.”

Nod nod.

What could be so amusing that had him eagerly sparkling his eyes?

Jaina was lending an ear to every single word from Rosian.

‘It’s just idle chatter, yet he acts so entertained.’

Perhaps due to frequently indulging the ladies, Rosian seemed skilled at gauging others’ interests and making recommendations.

The disgruntled Mikael curled his lips askew.

“Why do you keep nodding your head like an idiot? Even a broken doll would be prettier than you.”

Though an offhand remark, Mikael soon regretted it.

‘Ah, was that too much?’

He had been mindful of his conduct around Jaina recently.

Public discourse like with the Tower Lord would be simple enough, but he struggled with personal conversations before Jaina.

“Hey, about what I just said…”

Mikael tried to correct his previous statement, but Rosian spoke first, meeting his gaze.

“Why do you always speak so crassly to Miss Jaina, brother? Can’t you be more polite?”

“What?”

“Miss Jaina’s appearance wasn’t at all weird just now.”

In an instant, a bitter sense of grievance welled up inside Mikael.

‘How dare he… tell me what to do?’

In truth, Mikael was more irked by others commenting on his interactions with Jaina than Rosian’s brashness itself.

“What business is it of yours how I speak to her?”

Silently glaring at Rosian, Mikael nearly allowed his mana to flare in response as a powerful magician… until Jaina grabbed Rosian’s forearm beside him, immediately deflating his intent.

‘I suppose shorty still sees me as her cousin brother over that imperial brat.’

Just as Mikael was dismissing the imperial grandson so casually…

“Are you alright, Your Highness?”

…He was stunned.

Jaina’s concern was not for him, but for Rosian.

‘You’re taking that brat’s side right in front of me?’

He let out a derisive chuckle.

“You’re actually worried about a guy like…?”

“Why wouldn’t she be?”

Rosian pointedly replied in Jaina’s stead, instantly irking Mikael.

“How can you not bite your tongue at all?”

“How can you not speak politely at all? You just raised your voice again, sounding angry.”

Yet part of him felt unsettled.

‘My words were rather harsh, admittedly…’

Furrowing his brow, Mikael ruffled his hair.

He secretly shot Rosian a severe glare – a warning.

‘Why does that imperial brat keep visiting the Magic Tower so often?’

Traveling from the imperial palace to the Magic Tower required gating – quite a distance and effort, yet he came frequently.

‘It’s all because of that damned aunt of his, constantly permitting his training leaves.’

So what if he’s an imperial grandson?

He lacked motivation in everything, preferring to laze about, skipping training to visit markets or fraternize with ladies-in-waiting instead.

As Mikael contemplated disparaging Rosian further, he soon chuckled dismissively.

‘Not even worth being wary of, that brat.’

While his mastered aunt Princess Elia commanded some respect, Mikael felt no affinity for this meddlesome so-called cousin.

‘He’ll only become more pathetic with age, lacking even youth as a shield.’

A prodigious genius from a young age, Mikael had entered the Magic Tower as its youngest magician, breaking numerous records in research and mana metrics.

He didn’t like Rosian, who was arrogant and had nothing but the status of his parents.

‘I understand aunt’s intent for him to be inspired by the Magic Tower’s magicians, but this kid shows no promise, does he?’

Even now, instead of observing the magicians, he was grinning giddily at encountering a girl.

Last time, he had even draped a cloak bearing the imperial crest over her so casually.

No matter how much that brat claimed to have helped her.

‘And now he’s piquing shorty’s curiosity again.’

“Brother, could you teleport us to the theater?”

Undaunted by his glares, Rosian just beamed brightly.

‘Tsk, a brat so used to being scolded by his mother that this is nothing to him.’

-Doesn’t Jaina also need friends her age?

If it weren’t for those words, Mikael would have made any excuse to prevent this brat’s visits.

Gnashing his teeth, Mikael channeled his mana aggressively.

* * *

Seeing her first play was quite intriguing for Jaina.

In truth, she hadn’t held high expectations.

If not in this world, she had experienced dramas and movies back on Earth.

Ultimately, it would just be acting, whether through a medium or live.

Yet the play possessed a distinct charm beyond filmed performances.

‘If His Highness hadn’t suggested it, I may have never known this joy.’

The powerful energy emanating from the stage.

The immediate connection between actors and audience.

“Could someone like me love His Highness?”

“It is I who am unworthy of you.”

Listening to their lines, Jaina realized something.

‘A commoner girl and a Prince – a popular trope, even if it’s not on the Earth.’

The storyline wasn’t unfamiliar, similar to Earth’s Cinderella.

“Wouldn’t you like to become the play’s female lead, Miss Jaina?”

Rosian asked her impression with a bowed head, his lingering smile suggesting he knew her answer – essentially asking, ‘Don’t you wish to marry a prince?’

Without hesitation, Jaina promptly replied:

“Not particularly.”

Taken aback by her unhesitating refusal, Rosian’s expression froze.

‘I didn’t expect her to reject it so readily.’

He raised his head with a placating smile, but his discomfiture was evident.

‘Then again, I didn’t expect an immediate affirmation either.’

Jaina gazed ahead with an aloof demeanor, not meeting his eyes nor turning away, leaving him disconcerted yet allowing for possibilities.

‘It could be bashfulness, or her concealing sincerity.’

All the ladies he encountered vied for the princess consort position, motivated by affection or family duty.

But Jaina’s indifferent, almost cold attitude was perplexing.

No matter how much he had pondered since their previous encounter, this girl eluded his understanding.

‘There doesn’t seem to be any particular reason for Miss Jaina to differ so greatly.’

He was absolutely not stung by her blunt rejection. Absolutely not.

In a tone gentler than usual, Rosian asked:

“Don’t you desire a handsome, powerful, wealthy man?”

Standing beside them, Mikael noticed Rosian’s subtly twitching facial muscles and couldn’t stifle his laughter.

“Pfft. Pffahaha!”

Though his ears reddened at the mocking laughter behind him, Rosian didn’t back down.

For once, he was unusually solemn.

Was he not the son of one hailed as a hero beyond the Empire, the Emperor’s own grandson?

Rosian was destined to potentially inherit the throne one day.

The power and wealth deemed paramount by others overflowed within him.

Yet why did Jaina curtly refuse him with such nonchalance?

“I have a firm ideal type.”

At Jaina’s response, Rosian’s eyes narrowed briefly.

Mikael guffawed even louder than before.

“Ahahah, so you have an ideal type!”

“That’s… right.”

Indignation was steadily rising within Rosian.

Other ladies her age would blush upon seeing him, and while the older ones didn’t show it, they all found him utterly adorable. Yet this girl claimed to have a firm ideal type.

Just what kind of man did she prefer to reject him so?

“So what kind of man is your ideal?”

The previously mocking Mikael chimed in boastfully:

“This one isn’t into ‘strong’ men, is she?”

For a moment, Rosian failed to maintain his composure.

With a furrowed brow, he silently glared at Mikael.

Yet regardless of Rosian’s state, Mikael appeared highly amused.

Undeterred by the glaring, he continued speaking.

“Of all places, some brat infatuated with living in the ‘Magic Tower’ must have caught your eye.”

“I’m not so infatuated.”

“Ah, is that so? Then could you even deflect a single spell of mine?”

Mikael reached out and caressed Jaina’s head, carefully, delicately, as if utterly smitten.

“This kid can probably deflect a few of my spells. Though at my advanced age, it’s quite pathetic.”

“That’s…”

As Jaina tried to speak up, Mikael pinched her cheek to silence her.

‘After all, a dragon’s scales can deflect any attack…’

Comparing dragons and humans was rather childish in itself.

Jaina inwardly sighed. Mikael frequently – no, constantly – acted childishly.

Yet unexpectedly, Rosian immediately reacted, his expression hardening as if his pride had been wounded.

A far cry from his previous composed demeanor, smiling wryly as he stated his case despite Mikael’s taunts.

‘It seems physical prowess is Rosian’s weakness after all.’

As Mikael had stated, Rosian possessed much.

The era when the Demon King terrorized the continent with fear was long past.

Unless driven by a grand cause like ‘revenge of his mother’, the wealthy and powerful imperial grandson had no reason to take action.

“So, what kind of person is Miss Jaina’s ideal type?”

His tone was slightly subdued, likely due to his soured mood.

“A handsome, powerful, wealthy ‘strong’ man like her cousin brother whom she sees daily, I presume? Am I wrong?”

Mikael snickered derisively.

“Bloodlines are truly terrifying. Who would have thought the son of Princess Elia herself would end up like this?”

At those words, Rosian’s face crumpled in displeasure.