Chapter 595: Bodyguard Of The Princess
Most of Charlotte’s requests, in the beginning, were innocent enough.
She wanted a new stuffed animal to add to her ever-growing collection.
Or she wanted to sit on Yelena’s lap while she worked and demand to be told stories about the old days.
Childish things. Minor things. The kind of requests that made her mothers and aunts smile and shake their heads and say, "Oh, Charlotte." in that fond, exasperated tone that meant they were already giving in.
And in a way, it was rather cute. Watching this tiny, vibrant girl boss around the most powerful beings in existence was both amusing and endearing.
But by the time she turned six years old, her requests had begun to shift.
They were no longer merely childish.
They were becoming dangerous.
—
The amusement park incident was the first real warning sign.
It was a beautiful summer day—the kind of day that seemed designed specifically for family outings.
The Battle Angels had decided to take all the children out for a day of fun.
Charlotte, naturally, had been ecstatic. She had dragged Mika by the hand from ride to ride, her energy seemingly inexhaustible.
The carousel. The teacups. The gentle kiddie coaster that went around in slow, predictable circles.
Each ride was met with squeals of delight and demands to go again.
But eventually, Charlotte grew bored.
"That one." She announced, pointing toward the far end of the park. "I want to go on that one!"
The family turned to look at what she was indicating.
It was the park’s premier attraction, a massive roller coaster that towered against the sky like a steel serpent. Its track twisted through multiple loops and corkscrews, climbing to heights that made the clouds seem close enough to touch.
The ride operator, a young man in a blue uniform, looked at her with a polite smile.
"I’m sorry, little miss, but you’re not tall enough for that ride. You need to be at least this high—" He indicated a mark on a measuring pole. "—to ride."
Charlotte looked at the mark. Then looked at herself. She was at least a full head shorter than the requirement.
"That’s stupid!" She declared.
"I’m sorry, but it’s for safety."
"I don’t care about safety. I want to go on the ride."
The operator opened his mouth to refuse again.
But then he paused. His eyes glazed over for just a moment. And then he said, "Actually...you know what? I think I can make an exception for you."
"Great!" Charlotte beamed.
Mika, who had been standing nearby, immediately stepped forward.
"Wait, hold on. She’s too short. It’s dangerous."
"It’ll be fine." The operator said, his voice distant, as if he were in a trance. "I’ll make sure she’s secure."
"No, this is—" Mika turned to Yelena, who was standing a few feet away, watching the exchange.
"Yelena, tell her she can’t go on that ride."
Yelena frowned. "Charlotte, perhaps we should try one of the other—"
"Please, Mama?" Charlotte turned to her mother, her eyes wide and pleading. "I really, really want to go on it. I’ll be so careful. I promise."
Yelena opened her mouth to refuse. The words were right there, formed and ready.
But something was different now.
Charlotte’s blessing had grown stronger over the years—a SSS-class blessing inherited from a mother who also possessed SSS-class blessing.
Its rate of growth was exponential, its influence deepening with every passing month.
By the age of six, the passive control Charlotte exerted over her family had reached a level that was genuinely concerning.
"I..." Yelena heard herself say. "I suppose...if she’s very careful..."
"What?!" Mika shouted. "Are you serious?! She’s going to fall off!"
"She won’t fall off. I’ll make sure she’s safe." The operator repeated.
"You can’t even think straight right now! He’s clearly being—"
"Mika." Yelena’s voice was firm. "It’s fine. Let her have her fun."
Mika stared at Yelena in disbelief. He knew what was happening. He had seen it happen countless times before.
But no matter how many times he witnessed it, he was still baffled by how easily everyone gave in to Charlotte.
And so, seeing that his small voice could not make a difference, Mika made a decision.
"Fine." He said through gritted teeth. "I’m going with her."
Charlotte’s face lit up. "Really?! You’ll come with me?!"
"Someone has to make sure you don’t fall out and break your neck."
"That’s so romantic!"
"It’s not romantic. It’s damage control."
The ride operator strapped them into the roller coaster car, and Mika immediately wrapped his arms around Charlotte, holding her tight against him.
"You’re squeezing me." Charlotte said, giggling.
"I’m keeping you alive."
"You’re so dramatic."
The roller coaster lurched forward, beginning its ascent up the massive incline.
Mika’s knuckles were white as he gripped the safety bar and Charlotte simultaneously. Charlotte, on the other hand, was bouncing with excitement.
"This is going to be so fun!"
"...We’re going to die."
"We’re not going to die!"
"That’s what everyone says before they die."
The roller coaster reached the peak. For a moment, they hung there, suspended in the air, the entire park spread out below them like a miniature city.
Then they dropped.
Charlotte screamed—not in fear, but in pure, unadulterated joy. Her arms shot up into the air as the wind whipped through her hair, her laughter echoing through the loops and twists of the track.
Mika, meanwhile, was holding on for dear life, his eyes squeezed shut, muttering every protective spell he knew under his breath.
When the ride finally came to a stop, Charlotte was grinning from ear to ear. "Again! Again!"
"Absolutely not." Mika said, his voice flat. "One near-death experience per day is my limit."
"That wasn’t near-death! That was fun!"
"For you, maybe. I think I lost ten years off my life."
But Charlotte just laughed and ran off toward the next attraction. And Mika, watching her go, felt the cold weight of dread settle in his stomach.
This was getting worse.
—
The car incident happened a few weeks later.
Charlotte had been watching racing programs on television—bright, colorful cars zipping around tracks at impossible speeds, their drivers cheered on by roaring crowds.
She had watched for hours, her eyes wide with fascination, her small hands gripping the edges of the couch.
"I want to drive!" She announced.
Fauna looked up from her medical journal. "When you’re older, sweetheart. Driving is very dangerous."
"But I want to drive now."
"Charlotte—"
"Please?" The eyes. The lip. The full arsenal. "Just around the property? I’ll go really slow. I promise."
Mika, who had been reading in the corner, looked up sharply.
"No. Absolutely not. You’re six years old. You can’t even reach the pedals."
"I’ll use a booster seat!"
"That’s not how cars work!"
But Fauna, the one who could never bear to see her children unhappy, was already wavering.
The influence pressed against her mind, whispering that it would be fine, that Charlotte was a responsible girl, that nothing bad would happen.
"I...I suppose we could try." She said slowly. "Just for a little while. On the private road in the estate."
"FAUNA!" Mika’s voice cracked with incredulity. "She doesn’t know how to drive! She’s going to crash into a tree!"
"It’s just on the private roads." Fauna heard herself say. "There’s no traffic. No other cars. What’s the worst that could happen?"
"She could drive into a tree. She could drive into the house. She could flip the car over. She could—"
But Fauna was already leading Charlotte toward the garage.
And Mika, furious and terrified had no choice but to climb into the passenger seat, his hands positioned to grab the wheel at a moment’s notice.
Charlotte could barely see over the dashboard. Her feet dangled inches above the pedals. She had to use a stack of cushions just to reach the steering wheel.
But her smile was radiant, her confidence absolute.
"Ready?" She asked.
"No." Mika said.
"Here we go!"
The car lurched forward.
Charlotte squealed with laughter. Fauna watched from the driveway, her expression distant and slightly troubled, as if some part of her knew this was wrong but couldn’t quite articulate why.
"Charlotte, brake! BRAKE!"
"I don’t know which one that is!"
"THE LEFT PEDAL!"
"This one?"
"THAT’S THE ACCELERATOR!"
The car shot forward. Mika wrestled with the wheel, steering them away from trees and fences and the ornamental pond that Charlotte seemed magnetically drawn to.
His heart was pounding. His palms were sweating.
And Charlotte, oblivious to the chaos she was causing, just kept laughing.
"This is so much fun! Mika, you’re the best driving instructor ever!"
"I’m not an instructor! I’m a hostage!"
After what felt like an eternity—but was probably only about ten minutes—Mika managed to guide the car to a shuddering halt.
He sat there for a moment, breathing heavily, his hands still clenched around the steering wheel.
"Never again." He said.
"Can we go again tomorrow?"
"NEVER. AGAIN."
—
The solo excursions were even worse.
"I want to go to the market." Charlotte announced one morning. "By myself."
Every Battle Angel in the room immediately answered similarly.
"Absolutely not." Yelena said. "It’s far too dangerous."
"Out of the question." Nadia agreed.
"Not until you’re much older." Fauna added.
"The answer is no, missie." The Maiden of War declared.
"Definitely not." The Maiden of Fate concluded.
It was perhaps the most unified response they had ever given to one of Charlotte’s requests.
But it was only natural. She was the daughter of the most famous beings in existence.
The outside world was full of dangers—kidnappers, assassins, fanatics who would do anything to get close to the Battle Angels through their children.
Charlotte looked at them all. Then she smiled.
"Please?"
—
An hour later, Charlotte was strolling through the market, a small purse clutched in her hands, her eyes bright with excitement.
"You don’t have to follow me, you know." She said, glancing over her shoulder at the dark-haired boy who was trailing approximately ten feet behind her.
"Yes, I do." Mika irritably replied.
"I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"
"Last week you almost fell into the zoo enclosure."
"Three days ago you nearly drowned when you decided to take the boat out on your own."
"Yesterday you tried to adopt a stray dog that turned out to be a raccoon."
"It was a very cute raccoon."
"Charlotte."
"Mika." She stopped walking and turned to face him, her hands on her hips. "I appreciate that you’re worried about me. I really do. But I’m not a baby anymore. I can handle a simple trip to the market."
Mika just looked at her. Then he looked at the shadows gathering in the alley to their left.
Then he looked back at Charlotte.
"Stay here." He said.
"What? Why—"
But Mika was already moving. He disappeared into the alley, and Charlotte heard the sounds of a brief, violent scuffle.
A man’s voice, raised in shock and pain. The thud of a body hitting the ground. And then Mika emerged, dusting off his hands.
"What was that?" Charlotte demanded.
"There was a man in that alley with a knife and a bag of chloroform. He’s dead—I means, he’s unconscious now."
"A...what?"
"He was waiting for you. He knew you’d be coming this way." Mika’s expression was calm, almost bored. "This is why you don’t go out alone, Charlotte. Because there are people in this world who would love to kidnap the daughter of a Battle Angel and hold her for ransom. Or worse."
But Charlotte wasn’t scared like Mika wanted her to be.
Instead, she looked up at Mika like he was her idol.
"That’s so cool, Mika!"
"It was necessary."
"You’re like my personal knight!"
"I’m your personal babysitter, and I hate every second of it."
"You love me."
"...Unfortunately."
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