Chapter 5 – The World's Greatest Escape Artist

The Fourth Prince was now one year and three months old.

The servants of Phoenix Palace had recently reached an agreement.

No matter what they were doing...

One person must always keep an eye on His Highness.

Always.

It wasn't because he was naughty.

It was because he was... creative.

No one could predict what he would do next.

---

Early that morning, the head maid finished checking the Fourth Prince's clothes before handing him to the Empress.

"Your Majesty, today's lessons with the embroidery mistress begin in half an hour."

The Empress nodded.

"I know."

She looked down at the little boy sitting on her lap.

His black hair had been tied into a tiny bun on top of his head.

He wore a pale blue robe embroidered with little clouds.

His round cheeks made him look harmless.

Too harmless.

The Empress narrowed her eyes slightly.

"...Why are you being so quiet today?"

The little prince blinked innocently.

Then smiled.

A very sweet smile.

The head maid suddenly whispered,

"Your Majesty..."

"I have a bad feeling."

The Empress silently agreed.

Whenever her son became unusually obedient...

Something was about to happen.

---

Halfway through discussing embroidery patterns with the palace mistress...

The Empress instinctively reached toward her lap.

Empty.

She froze.

"..."

She slowly looked around.

The Fourth Prince...

Had disappeared.

The embroidery mistress nearly dropped her teacup.

"Where is His Highness?"

The head maid rushed outside.

"Search the palace!"

Within seconds...

Phoenix Palace became busy.

Servants searched every room.

The garden.

The library.

The small fish pond.

Even under the tables.

Nothing.

The head maid became anxious.

"His Highness has only little legs."

"He couldn't have gone far."

---

Meanwhile...

The Fourth Prince was indeed not far.

He was hiding behind a large flowering bush.

In front of him sat the palace gardener.

An old man with a kind face.

The gardener looked at the tiny prince crouching beside him.

"Your Highness..."

"What are we doing?"

The little prince placed one finger over his lips.

"Shhh."

His pronunciation wasn't perfect yet.

It sounded more like...

"Sss."

The gardener couldn't help smiling.

"Are we hiding?"

The little prince nodded seriously.

Then pointed toward the palace.

He could already hear people calling for him.

The gardener understood.

"So..."

"You sneaked away."

Another serious nod.

The gardener looked conflicted.

Should he report him immediately?

Before he could decide...

The little prince reached into his tiny sleeve.

Then proudly produced...

Half a sesame pastry.

He broke it into two uneven pieces.

One for himself.

One for the gardener.

The old man stared.

"...Sharing?"

The prince nodded.

The gardener accepted the tiny piece with trembling hands.

He had served in the palace for over thirty years.

No prince had ever shared food with him.

The little prince happily took a bite of his own piece.

Life was wonderful.

---

A few moments later...

The head maid finally found them.

"Your Highness!"

She almost burst into tears.

The little prince looked up.

"...Ah."

He had been discovered.

The gardener immediately knelt.

"This old servant failed to report His Highness immediately."

The head maid sighed.

"It wasn't your fault."

She picked up the little prince.

The moment she did...

He wrapped both arms around her neck.

Then gently patted her shoulder.

Pat.

Pat.

Pat.

Almost as if comforting her.

The head maid's expression softened.

"...Your Highness."

"Do you know everyone was worried?"

The little prince blinked.

Then lowered his little head.

"...Sorwy..."

The words came out clumsily.

His first clear apology.

The head maid's heart instantly melted.

"...I..."

"...I can't stay angry."

---

Back inside Phoenix Palace...

The Empress remained seated calmly.

Very calmly.

Which frightened everyone much more than if she had been angry.

The little prince was placed in front of her.

He lowered his head.

The Empress asked,

"Where did you go?"

"...Flowa."

"The flower garden?"

He nodded.

"Why?"

The little prince thought for a long time.

Finally he answered honestly.

"...Play."

"You wanted to play?"

Another nod.

The Empress sighed softly.

"You should have told someone."

He looked down at his tiny shoes.

He knew she was right.

In his previous life, he could run around the neighborhood whenever he wanted.

But this wasn't his old home.

People here would genuinely worry.

Seeing his guilty expression, the Empress's tone softened.

"You are not forbidden from playing."

"But you are still little."

"If you disappear..."

"Mother will be scared."

The little prince slowly looked up.

"...Scawed?"

"Yes."

He walked forward on his short legs.

Stopped in front of her.

Raised both tiny arms.

The Empress immediately understood.

"You want a hug?"

He nodded.

She lifted him into her arms.

The little prince buried his face against her shoulder.

Then gently patted her back...

Exactly the way he had patted the head maid earlier.

Pat.

Pat.

Pat.

The Empress was silent for a moment.

Then she smiled helplessly.

"Are you comforting me now?"

He nodded very seriously.

"...Mama no scawed."

The room fell completely silent.

The palace maids all smiled.

The Empress hugged him a little tighter.

"I won't be scared..."

"...as long as my little troublemaker remembers to come home."

From that day onward, everyone in Phoenix Palace learned another lesson.

If the Fourth Prince ever became unusually quiet...

They should start looking for him immediately.

Because somewhere in the palace, a new adventure had already begun.

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