Chapter Twenty: If There's Money Involved, I'll Take the Job Myself

Five days later, the annual New Year celebration began.

The streets of Twin Moon City were packed with crowds; elves from every corner of the kingdom gathered here, eager to catch their first glimpse of the young prince.

“The prince was born almost eleven years ago, and this is his first public appearance.”
“What does he look like, I wonder?”
“He must be incredibly adorable—otherwise, why would the Night Elf Queen be so taken with him?”
“But I heard the prince's whole body is blue-green?”
“That’s impossible! Must be a rumor.”

As evening drew near, the elves waited with bated breath for their prince to appear, yet chaos reigned in the palace.

“Where is the young lord?”
“It’s time to go—where on earth has he run off to?”

The maids searched everywhere, frantic and helpless. Linley had vanished; more accurately, he had hidden himself well ahead of time.

“Hmph! That woman thinks I’ll obediently play along—she couldn’t be more mistaken,” Linley muttered, hiding in the restroom and listening to the commotion outside. “They want to parade me as a mascot without even asking my opinion. If I just stay hidden, nobody will ever find me.”

The leopard followed close behind. “Master, are you sure they won’t find you if you hide in the ladies’ restroom?”

It had grown accustomed to calling the boy ‘master’—such a dangerous habit.

“Of course,” Linley raised his eyebrows, “everyone knows I’m a staunchly masculine fellow. Who’d imagine I’d hide in the women’s restroom?”

No sooner had he spoken than a group of maids appeared at the door.

“Did anyone check the ladies’ restroom?”
“No.”
“Hurry, take a look! The young lord, that pseudo-masculine boy, might just be hiding inside.”

The leopard looked at Linley; Linley’s expression turned solemn as he produced a new rune.

“Don’t worry. I’ve been preparing this rune since I began training—it’s quite perfected now.” Linley smiled confidently. “It’s a teleportation rune, modified from teleportation magic. I call it ‘Grand Shift of Heaven and Earth’—it can send me anywhere I wish.”

“Oh?” The leopard eyed him skeptically.

“You don’t believe me?” Linley said, a bit annoyed. “I’ll show you—watch this! Grand Shift of Heaven and Earth!”

With a ‘bang,’ a white mist flashed before the leopard’s eyes, and Linley vanished.

The leopard blinked in astonishment. “He actually did it!”

Heavens! The sun must be rising in the west—his rune actually worked! Wait—did he forget to bring me along?

“There it is!” The restroom door burst open, and the maids surged in, staring at the leopard in surprise.

“Aren’t you the prince’s leopard? What are you doing in the ladies’ restroom?”

“…I’m a female leopard. I came to use the restroom.”

The maids nodded in understanding. No wonder she was the young lord’s pet—she could even use the restroom herself!

“Do you know where the young lord is…”

They were about to ask when a hubbub sounded outside.

“I found the young lord!”
“He’s hiding behind the ladies’ restroom!”

Behind the restroom, the leopard turned to look at the wall—so that was just across from here! He’d bragged so much, yet ended up teleporting only a wall’s width away.

In the glow of sunset, a group of maids carried a tightly bound Linley toward the dressing room at a run.

“Mmmph!” Linley struggled in protest, finally spitting out the cloth gag. “What’s going on? This can’t be right! How did my Grand Shift of Heaven and Earth fail?”

“Teleportation is a very advanced spell—it drains immense magical power,” the earring snickered. “Even palace wizards seldom use it lightly. Your Grand Shift is little more than a blink spell.”

Linley was carried into the dressing room, scowling as maids tried outfits on him—the mascot costume, a rabbit suit, which made him look entirely like a rabbit.

“So cute, young lord!”

The maids cried in delight, reaching to remove his mask.

“Not a chance!” Linley suddenly leapt up, tearing off the rabbit ears in indignation. Wearing this, his masculine dignity vanished without a trace—he’d be laughed to death if he went out like this. Now that the costume was ruined, let’s see how they make him go out.

“Darling, do you dislike that outfit?” The Queen entered the room, smiling. “I have other costumes.”

Behind her, several maids carried armfuls of clothes—perhaps thirty or forty kinds! Linley’s face fell immediately; his mother was far too thorough.

“…Fine.” Linley seemed to surrender. “Could I at least have one with a fierce aura? Cute things don’t suit me!”

“Fierce…” Winnie glanced at the gentle female leopard at his feet, her eyes lighting up. “Let’s try the leopard!”

She took the leopard costume from a maid and dressed Linley herself. But the moment Linley saw the little leopard in the mirror, he protested.

“It’s still not fierce!”

“But it is very cute.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind. Linley turned to see the female leopard hastily covering her mouth.

What was happening? She felt uneasy. Oh no—why did she find the little leopard outfit so appealing? Had she spent so long as a leopard that her tastes had changed?

No, no… The leopard quickly looked away, unwilling to see more, lest she never regain her original self.

“Mother, stop teasing me…” Linley frowned at the mirror. “If I wear this to the celebration, everyone will call me Little Leopard. Do you want me to be a mascot forever?”

Determined not to ruin his masculine image—his future reputation was at stake—Linley resorted to his ultimate trick: his body began to change color at a visible rate, soon reverting to that strange blue-green creature.

“You…” Winnie was dumbfounded.

Linley was delighted. “Mother, you didn’t know I could do this, did you? If I go out like this, everyone will say I’m a blue-green monster.”

That would be much fiercer than a leopard!

Winnie’s face turned pale. Unless she covered Linley from head to toe, letting him appear now would ruin not only his own image but the royal family’s as well. How could the royal child look so unusual?

“Forget it. If you’re unwilling, you don’t have to go…” Winnie gazed at Linley for a long while, sighing helplessly. “But since your mother rarely comes home, you must sing a song for me.”

Linley's eyes sparkled. “Is that all?”

“Yes, that’s all.” Winnie nodded.

She gave up so easily that Linley felt strange—he still had tricks left! But since he didn’t have to attend the celebration, he feared no further punishment, and quickly took off the leopard costume.

“I won’t remove my mask.”

“Fine, whatever you want.” Winnie picked Linley up and carried him to the garden.

“You’ll sing there.”

Linley saw that a small stage had been built in the garden, with many wizards casting spells nearby and strange machines scattered around, beams of light focused on the stage.

“Why is there a stage?” Linley felt something was off.

“I guessed you might be stubborn, so I arranged a small celebration in the palace. Did you forget today is your birthday?” Winnie set him down. “Go on, sing your song, and I’ll increase your allowance.”

“Alright!” Linley headed for the stage. Strange—wasn't his birthday half a month away? Even his mother could mix up the date?

No matter—if there’s money, he’d do it!

At that moment, throughout the streets of Twin Moon City, countless projection stones lit up.