I Refuse This Life, Your Highness! - Chapter 117

The necklace around his neck, a precious gift from Leia was something the children adored. It was a unique item, split into two matching pieces, with Mior possessing the other half. Selling it was out of the question. Aside from the necklace, he hadn’t worn any other accessories.

“What about buttons?”

“Buttons?”

“I read about it in a book. They take buttons and sell them to jewelers.”

It was a good idea. Lairn immediately set about removing a button from his jacket. The stitching was so firm that it took quite a bit of effort. Mior followed suit, prying off a cuff button. With their bounty in hand, they headed toward the jewelry store. After wandering through the market for a while, they finally found one…

“Doesn’t look like we can do this, huh?”

“Yeah, doesn’t seem likely…”

The twins whispered to each other. The jewelry store was massive, its entrance guarded by stern-faced security. The idea of two children walking in and offering buttons for sale seemed suspicious, if not outright absurd. After some thought, Lairn suggested,

“What if we say it’s to buy a present for our parents?”

“Good idea. They’ll think we’re being thoughtful.”

“Hello there, little lord and lady. What brings you to the jewelry store?”

Startled by the unexpected voice, the twins jumped. They turned to see a kind-looking woman smiling down at them.

“Who are you? Wait, what are you doing here?”

“I work at this jewelry store. I noticed you standing outside and thought you might need help.”

“…Really?”

“Why would I lie about that?”

Lairn and Mior exchanged glances. She seemed kind, and she was a woman—why would she lie? With their suspicions slightly eased, Mior stepped forward, holding out the buttons.

“We want to sell these. We need the money to buy a present for our parents. It’s their birthday today—both of them! We wanted to get them something nice, so we came out to sell these. They don’t know we’re buying a gift, but we got their permission to come out… sort of.”

The woman listened to Mior’s explanation and clapped her hands in admiration.

“How sweet! I wish my children were as thoughtful.”

“You have children?”

“Yes, twins, just like you. They’re lovely.”

With this revelation, the children’s wariness completely dissipated. They eagerly handed over the buttons they’d worked so hard to remove.

“Now, now,” the woman said with a chuckle, “you can’t just hand them over like this. You need to know their value, compare prices at other places, and then decide.”

“…We already did that. This store seemed like the best option.”

“That’s true—we are known for fair prices. Wait here for a moment.”

The woman took the buttons inside the store. When she returned, she handed each of them a silk pouch. The pouches were sealed with intricate knots and wax, ensuring the money inside couldn’t easily be tampered with. The twins’ trust in her grew even further.

“These are beautifully crafted buttons, so I gave you a little extra. Have you decided what to buy for your parents yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Take your time exploring the market—you’re bound to find something perfect. And if you need anything else, like jewelry, come back anytime.”

With a warm smile, she bid them farewell. The children nodded and turned away, clutching their silk pouches tightly.

“Wow, that was lucky, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah! Let’s go.”

They wandered through the bustling market, buying street food they’d never tried before, playing with new toys, and enjoying themselves. An hour passed in this carefree fashion.

“Oh, hello again!”

The same woman appeared, waving at them with a market basket in hand. Inside were potatoes and onions—she was clearly in the middle of grocery shopping.

“It’s about time to prepare dinner for my kids. Have you enjoyed your exploring?”

“Not yet,” Mior replied.

“We still want to see more!” Lairn added.

“Is that so? Well then, how about I show you a great place?”

The twins looked at each other.

“A great place?”

“Yes, just down that alley there’s a shop selling antique items. I’m sure you’ll find something your parents will love.”

Antiques! Their mother loved quaint, charming items. Surely, they’d find the perfect gift there. Completely forgetting that they’d snuck out without permission, the excited twins eagerly followed the woman.

But as they walked, something began to feel off. She’d said it was just a short walk down the alley, but her pace quickened, and they found themselves walking for much longer than expected. The twins exchanged uneasy glances. Just as they were silently asking each other if this seemed strange, the woman stopped and spoke.

“Here’s some advice for you…”

The alley was now shrouded in shadows cast by the surrounding buildings. There were no antique shops, nor even homes—just a secluded, eerie street. Suddenly feeling anxious, the twins instinctively clasped hands. The woman smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Never follow a stranger so carelessly.”

Behind her, several men emerged from the shadows, their faces menacing.

“…!”

Panicked, the twins spun around, only to find more threatening figures blocking their path. They began to whimper, tears welling up. At that moment, a short scream came from behind them, followed by the sound of clashing steel.

When they turned back, a man in a cloak stood between them and the strangers. His long, golden hair was tied up, swaying lightly as he moved.

“Who—who are you?!”

The woman pulled out a dagger, trying to ready herself, but the cloaked man was faster. With a swift motion, his thin blade disarmed her and pressed against her throat. She froze, trembling.

“Kneel and back away,” he commanded coldly.

The alley was soon filled with the sounds of clashing swords and cries, but it all ended in moments. The twins glanced around nervously, noticing familiar guards in uniforms subduing the remaining assailants. The cloaked man turned to face them—it was their mother.

Later, at the castle:

“Who came up with the plan?”

“I did.”

“No, I did.”

The twins looked at each other. Yuraine sighed, burying her face in her hands. The Grand Duke scowled and cut in.

“Who found the map first?”

“…I did,” Lairn admitted, raising his hand.

“And who suggested going out after finding it?”

“I said it first,” Mior interjected.

“No, I did!”

“Regardless of who spoke first, you’re both equally in trouble.”

“…”

“…”

The twins fell silent. A moment later, they tried a new approach.

“Lairn mentioned it first, but I insisted on going out. He even tried to stop me, but I kept pushing…”

“That’s not true! Mior—”

“Quiet, both of you,” Yuraine interrupted, crossing her arms. Her face was unusually stern. She stared at their messy hair, still damp and tangled from their escapade.

“What if the map had been wrong? What if the waterway led somewhere dangerous?”

“But it matched the latest map exactly.”

“It might not have been a lake connected to the waterway. It could have been a fast-moving river, or the lake might have been farther away than you thought. If that had been the case, you wouldn’t be standing here now.”

It wasn’t meant to scare them—it was the truth. The map the children had seen was quite old. The waterway itself had been untouched for decades, and it was only now being considered for redevelopment. Moreover, though it wasn’t visible in the dark, there were smaller paths branching off to other lakes or rivers. If the children had deviated even slightly, they might never have made it back. The thought sent a chill down Yuraine’s spine.

“And what happened as soon as you went out?”

Fortunately, they had been monitoring the children’s movements in the market, so things hadn’t spiraled out of control. But the memory clearly terrified the twins, their faces turning pale in an instant.

“It seems you have far too much energy. Let’s take care of that.”

The twins exchanged nervous glances, their faces filled with dread. While Yuraine was usually gentle with them, she was unyielding when it came to disciplining misbehavior. And today, Isis was there as well. It was clear that after their mother was done, their father’s turn would come.

“First, write ten pages of reflection. Then, starting today, spend a week copying The History of Monsters.”

“What? But that book is over a thousand pages long!”

“And it’s full of hard and scary words!”

“Well, you’ll have to face those things one day. Better to prepare early. Argue any further, and I’ll double it.”

The twins wisely chose silence. Yuraine finished her lecture, and Isis’s gaze grew even sterner. While he was usually more lenient with the children than Yuraine, once he got angry, he was intimidating enough to make them tear up.

“As your mother said, you clearly have too much energy, which is why you keep getting into trouble. We’ll need to find another way to tire you out.”

“W-what do you mean…?”

“I was planning to wait a bit longer since you’re still young, but starting tomorrow, you’ll begin physical training with Sir Lairn. I’ll oversee it myself whenever I’m in the castle.”

The twins’ faces turned ashen. They were no strangers to Sir Lairn’s grueling training regimens, having often watched him train soldiers in the practice grounds. The thought of enduring that themselves—under their father’s supervision, no less—was terrifying.

Yuraine hesitated briefly but ultimately agreed. The children were old enough to begin learning to wield wooden swords, especially if they aspired to become knights. She had refrained from pushing them too hard, wanting to give them some freedom, but any more leeway, and they would undoubtedly get into more trouble. This was necessary.

“Well? Answer me.”

“Yes…”

“Yes, sir…”

Defeated, the twins trudged back to their rooms to begin their reflections. Shortly after, Sir Lairn entered, looking as downcast as the children. He blamed himself for failing to properly supervise them and seemed genuinely distressed.

“I’m sorry, Your Grace, Your Majesty.”

“No need, Sir Lairn. I doubt I could have done much better myself.”

Who could have predicted that the children would sneak out through a drainage hole while playing hide-and-seek? While they were known troublemakers, this level of audacity was surprising even for them. Their plan to escape through the waterway to the lake was not something ordinary kids could have pulled off. Yuraine glanced at Isis. Perhaps if he had been there, the outcome might have been different. He would have pretended to close his eyes but kept a watchful gaze on them.

As punishment, Lairn was tasked with overseeing the twins’ physical training. He seemed oddly enthusiastic about it, eagerly promising to do his best. Yuraine could already imagine the children running back in tears and sighed deeply.

After Lairn left, the couple was finally alone. Isis let out a short sigh.

“We’re raising little troublemakers, aren’t we? Who do you think they take after? Could it be that you were mischievous as a child, Your Grace?”

Yuraine raised an eyebrow.

“Are you saying they take after me?”

“Well, you did sneak out and cause your fair share of headaches.”

That much was true. Back then, her sense of danger was… lacking. Or perhaps she had simply been detached from reality. “It might be risky, but it’s better than dying” was the extent of her thinking. Knowing Isis had already lost her six times by then, she could imagine how worried he must have been.

“I suppose you’re right. Should I call you ‘Father’ and let you raise me now?”

She looked up at him with playful eyes. Isis chuckled softly.

“I’ll pass on that. My apologies for even suggesting it.”

Yuraine laughed as well. Just then, the sound of the children’s voices drifted in through the window. The couple moved to the window to see the twins jumping around energetically, despite having just been reprimanded.

“Let’s try asking her to reduce it to eight pages!”

“No, we should ask to change the book instead!”

“Mother and Father won’t agree to that!”

“What do we do? I can’t handle this!”

They were openly plotting their next move within earshot. Yuraine shook her head in exasperation. Isis, meanwhile, looked at them with an affectionate gaze before leaning down to kiss Yuraine.

Despite the scare earlier, peace had returned. The children would undoubtedly give them many more heart-stopping moments in the future, but that was fine. As long as they grew up healthy and happy, that was all that mattered.

The warm glow of the evening sun bathed them in its light. Yuraine held Isis close, feeling content in the present and hopeful for the long future ahead.

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