Chapter 76: Operation: Let Me Go Through the Magic Portal

Chapter 76: Operation: Let Me Go Through the Magic Portal "I wanna go through the portal." That’s how it started. A simple declaration, delivered by me. I raised one arm high like a tiny general leading a rebellion, while my loyal companion, the divine tiger Marshi (who totally looked like a fluffy cat), posed beside me like a mythical beast summoned for war. Osric, who was training nearby, froze mid-swing. Ravick, who was yelling at his knights to stop falling during formations, paused mid-bark. And the knights? The ones who pretended not to be watching? They peeked from behind the bushes like guilty squirrels, sighed in unison, and quietly returned to their drills. It was just another Tuesday. Only one person didn’t seem surprised. "That’s my girl," Grandpa Thalein said proudly, puffing up like a peacock in armor. "Tell your papa how the spirit of conquest burns in your noble veins." "I WANNA GO THROUGH THE PORTAL!" I shouted louder, in case the entire capital missed it. Even Marshi joined in. "Meow!!" "That’s right, Marshi," I nodded solemnly. "Let’s go." And just like that, I scooped up my divine tiger-cat, turned on my heel, and charged. "Princess! WAIT!" Ravick yelled behind me, nearly tripping over his own sword. "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" "TO PAPA!" "Wh—No—You shouldn’t run, princess!" he bellowed. "YOU MIGHT FALL!" And then it begins. DAY-01 ROYAL NEGOTIATION BEGINS: Boom! Entrance of Doom I reached Papa’s office in record time—probably broke several toddler speed records—and SLAMMED the door open. BAMMMM. "PAPA!" I yelled, bursting in like a very small hurricane. Papa looked up from his stack of very boring papers. His pen froze midair. His eyes narrowed. There was silence. The kind of silence you get when lightning is thinking about whether or not to strike. Even Theon was puzzled. I strutted forward like a warrior demanding tribute, Marshi still in hand. "Papa, I—" "NO." "...I didn’t even say anything yet!" "No." "But—!" "Still no." "You don’t even know what I was gonna say!" "You yelled it across the entire palace." I blinked. "...Oh." Welp. Plan A: Shock and Awe = Failure. I turned away dramatically, like a fallen hero who had been wronged by the universe."Let’s go, Marshi. He doesn’t believe in us." DAY TWO: THE BRIBERY ATTEMPT Today, I came prepared. Operation: Emotional Manipulation was a go. I shuffled into Papa’s office with something hidden behind my back. Grandpa Thalein was peeking from behind the door, and I wore my sweetest face. The one I use when I want snacks. Or immunity. "Papa?" I sang, sugar in my voice. "I brought you something." Papa looked up from his desk like a man who had just heard thunder in a room with no windows. "...What did you do?" "Nothin’! It’s a gift!" Suspicion level: MAXIMUM. "What kind of gift?" he asked slowly. I revealed the prize with flourish: "Chocolate!" Papa squinted at it. "What kind of chocolate?" "Your favorite kind," I chirped. "The sad dark one." He blinked. Papa stared at the bar. Then at me. Then back at the bar. "...Thank you?" He took it, unwrapped it, cautiously broke off a square—and just as he brought it to his mouth, I leapt into his lap. "NOW can I go to Nivale?" I beamed. "No." "WHYYYYYY!?" "Because it’s dangerous." "But I’m brave!" "It’s surrounded by forest." "I like trees!" "It’s full of wolves." "I LIKE WOLVES!" "They like you too. As snacks." I crossed my arms. "Papa, you’re being petty." "I’m being reasonable." "SIIIIIGH," I declared, the loudest sigh ever sighed. Even Marshi sighed with me. "Papa is a cold man. TOOOO COLD." He ignored me and Theon chuckled. DAY THREE: THE FINAL ACT(Also Known As: The Performance That Shook The Empire) Today... I went for the drama. I climbed onto Papa’s desk. Not beside it. Not in front of it. On. It.Right on top of all those boring things like tax scrolls, diplomatic memos, and something that said "Urgent: Border Trade Crisis." Beneath my tiny feet? The economy. "I will now sing the song of my people," I declared, hands on hips like a true artist ready to suffer for her craft. "Oh no," Theon muttered from the corner. I took a deep breath, summoned every note I had ever heard in my very short life, and began to wail-sing. ???? "LET ME GO THRUUUU THE POOORTAAALLLL—OR I’LL SCREEEEEAM FOREVEEERRRRR~" ???? I’m not saying birds flew out of the trees and crashed into windows, but... Papa looked at me like he was seriously reconsidering his life choices. His pen paused mid-stroke. His jaw clenched. "Lavinia." "Yes, Papa?" I smiled sweetly. "You are not going through the portal." I opened my eyes wider. Activate: Baby Bambi mode. My lower lip quivered. I sniffled dramatically. I even let one single, sparkly tear gather at the corner of my eye for maximum impact. Papa’s eye twitched again. "...But," he muttered, defeated by sheer chaos, "you might be able to visit Nivale in the future. When you’re older." My eyes lit up. "Older, like... ten?" "No." "Eight?" "No." "Six??" "No." "Next week?" Papa didn’t say anything. He calmly opened a drawer, pulled out a piece of candy, and gently shoved it into my mouth like I was some sort of musical emergency alarm. "Mmmmmmph."Bribery successful. For now. Later That Night(Post-Battle Recovery) I lay curled up in my bed, arms around Marshi, who was also recovering from emotional damage. His tail had fluffed during the second verse. "I was so close," I whispered into my pillow. "Next time, I’ll try tears and my handmade cookies at the same time." Just then, the door creaked open. Papa stepped in. His eyes landed on me. And then... he sighed. That long, tired sigh. The one that says, "I have fought and conquered kingdoms, rebels, and nobles, but this toddler will be the end of me." He walked over, now dressed in his soft nighttime shirt instead of the big black cloak of doom. Quietly, he slipped under the covers and scooped me into his arms, the way he always did—like I was the most exhausting treasure he’d ever owned. I nuzzled against his chest. So, warm~~ Okay, it’s not time for that, Lavinia. Let’s convince Papa again. This time with real reason. I looked up at Papa. He was silent. "Papa..." I whispered. He closed his eyes with a soft sigh. "Lavinia, don’t start again." I stayed quiet. Just breathing. Just listening to his heartbeat under my cheek. Then, in a small voice—gentler this time—I said, "I really wanna go..." He didn’t answer, but I could feel him listening. "...Not because of wolves or portals," I murmured. "I just... I wanna see the place that belonged to my birth mother. And where Grandpa lives." His arms tightened around me, just a little. "It’s part of me, right?" I whispered. "I wanna understand it. Even just a little. You always say to know where I come from... and I think Nivale is part of that." The silence that followed wasn’t cold or stern. It felt heavy, like Papa was carrying something invisible. Maybe memories. Finally, he spoke—his voice low and thoughtful. "You shouldn’t have to carry those things yet, Lavinia." "I won’t," I said quickly. "Not all of it. I just... wanna see it." His chest rose slowly with a deep breath. "...You’re too clever for your age." "I get it from you," I said, smiling into his shirt. He grunted. "That’s why I’m the Emperor." I went quiet and looked up at him. Look at him, being all proud of himself. I giggled softly. Then, after a pause, he said it—quietly, like he was handing me a piece of the sun. "...Alright." I blinked. "Really?" "But you’ll come back in one day." "One?" I frowned. "How about five days?" He raised an eyebrow. "One and a half." I slowly raised three fingers. "How about three?" He narrowed his eyes. "Two." "Deal!" I beamed. He pulled the blanket over both of us and muttered, "Two knight groups will go with you. And stay with your grandpa the whole time." "Alright," I nodded and nuzzled closer, whispering, "Thank you, Papa." My heart fluttered in my chest. I was so excited I could barely stay still. This would be my first time going beyond the grand, towering walls of the imperial palace. My first real adventure. And not just anywhere—but to Nivale. The land of ancient forests, silver-tipped mountains, and rivers that glowed with stardust at night. A place where magic danced in the air, where elves walked among flowers that bloomed only under moonlight, and where Grandpa Thalein ruled with his shiny armor and loud laugh. I couldn’t wait to see it all. To breathe in the wild wind of the north. To feel the crunch of magical grass beneath my boots. To maybe—just maybe—ride a deer. As Papa held me close, his warmth was steady and grounding. And just like that, sleep took me—with dreams full of portals, shiny forests, and a kingdom waiting in the middle of the forest.