ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!
Chapter 236: Hidden Dreams ( 236 )

Chapter 236: Hidden Dreams ( 236 )

Hansim gave Gikan’s shoulder a gentle pat, a smirk still on his face.

"So... where is that bulky, muscle-headed friend of yours? Hmm?"

He looked around the guild hall.

"I was expecting him to make a loud entrance by now."

Gikan sighed heavily, already massaging his temple.

"Ugh... don’t ask."

Hansim raised an eyebrow.

Gikan muttered.

"That brawl-obsessed, thick-headed Braham is probably training with ten adventurers at once, or passed out drunk, or arguing with a weaponsmith about making his axe bigger. Again."

Hansim chuckled softly, like a man watching two fools fight over a stick.

"Still obsessed with fighters, I see."

"He’s convinced every guild problem can be solved with either a punch or a drinking contest."

"Has he tried both at the same time?"

Gikan looked tired.

"Don’t tempt fate."

Hansim’s grin widened slightly, and with a smooth, practiced motion, he poked Gikan in the ribs.

"So..." he drawled, almost singing.

"Looks like you and the guild owe me a favor again, huh?"

Gikan’s eye twitched.

He groaned, as if he’d been through this too many times.

"Ugh... don’t start."

Hansim’s smirk never faded.

"Start? I never stopped."

"Every damn time."

"You call it meddling. I call it problem-solving."

"You call it favors. I call it results."

Gikan rubbed his forehead.

"I hate you."

Hansim dusted off his gloves with one graceful motion.

He turned toward the exit, standing tall and perfect.

"Well... I’ll be going now, Gikan."

Gikan waved him off without looking up from his desk.

"Yeah, yeah... just don’t break anyone on the way out."

Hansim smiled faintly as he walked away, but inside, his thoughts were burning.

I can’t wait...

To walk back into the Gurman manor...

Gather every arrogant butler who thinks yelling at orphans counts as diplomacy...

He clenched his fist once, imagining the slap.

Then raise this palm right here—

And say...

"This is what we call professional."

"This is the best among the best."

"And this—"

"—is how it should be done."

His smile grew sharper.

How dare those young fools think they can replace me as head butler. Heh~

In the beastkin kingdom, inside the royal palace, in Princess Ellyn’s chamber.

The afternoon sun shone softly through the silk curtains of her room.

Ellyn lay sprawled across her large bed, her small figure dressed in comfortable royal loungewear. Her fluffy tail lazily swayed over the edge, tapping the air with boredom.

Nearby, sitting perfectly upright like a trained warrior, Mrs. Faria flipped through a thick, leather-bound book.

"Faria..." Ellyn muttered, her voice slow and purposeful.

"Hmm?"

Ellyn rolled onto her back, her tail flicking annoyedly.

"I’m bored."

"If you’re bored, Princess, why not read something?" Faria offered calmly, not looking away from her book.

Ellyn puffed out her cheeks.

"Mou~ I’m not a kid anymore!"

Faria nodded without blinking.

"Yes, yes... and yet here you are, looking like a child."

Ellyn sat up, eyes narrowing.

"That’s because I have to. You know it helps me move around freely."

"Yes. It also helps you avoid your royal duties and eat three times as much pudding without anyone questioning it."

Ellyn’s ears twitched.

"...That’s unrelated."

Faria finally looked over the top of her book, raising one brow.

"Is it?"

Ellyn flopped back onto the bed with a huff.

"Tch. You’re no fun."

"I’m your guard, not your jester."

Ellyn’s tail flicked again, then she smirked.

"Hazuki wouldn’t treat me like a child."

Faria’s expression stayed calm, but she slowly flipped a page, pausing briefly.

"...Hazuki is reckless. Immature. Rude. And completely unsuitable for you."

Ellyn giggled softly.

"And yet... I like him."

Ellyn rolled onto her side, hugging her pillow close as her golden tail lazily flopped behind her.

"I wonder what Uncle’s doing right now~" she whispered, a dreamy smile on her lips.

Faria raised an eyebrow, still reading her book.

"Princess..."

"Hmm?"

"You still call him ’Uncle’?"

Ellyn grinned, her nose partly hidden in the pillow.

"Yes~ I call him that."

She gave a sly look.

"Besides, he doesn’t know I’m almost an adult already, right?"

She giggled, muffling it into the sheets.

Faria finally lowered her book, her eyes sharp.

"I wonder how he’d react if he found out your true identity..."

Ellyn sat up quickly, eyes wide.

"No!! You must never tell him!!"

Faria smiled, slow and knowing.

"Oh~?"

Ellyn pointed at her, cheeks puffed with panic.

"I’m serious, Faria! If he finds out I’m the princess, I swear—he’ll pack his things and leave—"

"He doesn’t have much."

"—Exactly!" Ellyn threw her arms in the air.

"He’ll stuff two shirts in a bag and run into the mountains! Gone! No more grilled meat! No more head pats! Just... poof!"

Faria chuckled softly, enjoying the moment.

"So dramatic."

Ellyn flopped back onto the bed, face down this time.

"I don’t want him to run away..." she mumbled into the pillow.

Faria’s expression softened a little.

"Then maybe... don’t hide forever."

Ellyn didn’t say anything.

Her tail curled slowly around her legs.

She muttered something barely audible—almost a whisper.

"...maybe someday."

Resting her chin on the pillow, her tail flicked rhythmically.

Her voice dropped to a dreamy, mischievous whisper.

"When the time is right..."

She smiled, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Ehehe~ I’m sure Uncle can’t wait~"

Faria raised an eyebrow over her book.

"Wait for what, exactly~?" she asked in that innocent tone.

Ellyn puffed her cheeks and kicked her feet.

"M...married~!" she giggled happily.

Faria smirked without looking up.

"Oh? Is it him who can’t wait... or is it you~?"

Ellyn blinked once.

Then she rolled dramatically across the bed and hugged a pillow tight.

"Hmm? Of course it’s him! Didn’t you see his reaction when he saw my grown-up version?"

She made a kissing motion with her lips.

"He was like, ’Muah muah~’ asking for kisses everywhere~"

Faria flipped a page, unmoved.

"Yes, yes. And you two did end up kissing each other."

Ellyn turned even redder.

"That was important! It was to pass a skill! A sacred skill!!"

"Mhm. Sacred. Sure. And it’s definitely not a coincidence how long that last kiss lasted."

"Fariaaa!"

"I’m just saying. There was a lot of ’muah’."

Ellyn buried her face in the pillow, her tail flailing like a caught kitten.

( End Of Chapter )