"Little Troublemaker"

Prince Vaelion sat at his desk, deep in study for his upcoming exam. The quiet of his study chamber was perfect—until it wasn’t. 

Suddenly, loud clapping, cheering, and bursts of laughter echoed through the hall outside his door. His brow twitched. 

"What now?"

The noise refused to die down, completely shattering his concentration. Sighing, he slammed his book shut and marched toward the door to investigate. 

--- 

(Outside the Study Room) 

As soon as Vaelion stepped into the corridor, he was met with a bizarre sight. 

A group of palace maids and guards stood in a loose circle, clapping and laughing. At the center of their attention was none other than Zenny—the tiny, annoying whirlwind of chaos. 

Zenny twirled and flipped with practiced ease, performing tricks and playful magic, his bright grin never fading. 

Vaelion's eye twitched. He took a deep breath, then let his voice cut through the commotion like a blade. 

"So, all of you have time to slack off instead of working?" 

The laughter ceased instantly. 

The guards and maids straightened up, stiff as boards. "Apologies, Your Highness!" they stammered before scattering like startled birds, rushing back to their duties. 

Now, only Zenny remained, blinking in confusion. He turned to see Vaelion standing there, arms crossed, looking distinctly *not* amused. 

Zenny, ever unfazed, beamed. "Ouh! Hi, Princy! What brings yah here?" He tilted his head playfully. "Ooooh, wait! Do you wanna see some of my magic tricks?" 

Vaelion pinched the bridge of his nose. "Haven't we agreed that you wouldn’t cause trouble for me?" he asked, voice edged with frustration. "Do you *even* realize what you're doing inside the castle?" 

"Umm… something fun?" Zenny grinned. 

Vaelion's irritation deepened. "Well, your ‘fun’ is ruining my study time. The castle is not a carnival. If you want to play that badly, go outside." 

Zenny pouted. "You know I can't do that, right? My job is to stay close to you and report your activities to the king." 

Vaelion scoffed. "Oh? Because from what I’m seeing, you’re doing a horrible job. You know I could tell my father about this and have you thrown out of the palace?" 

Zenny’s eyes widened in panic. "W-wait! You wouldn’t do that, right?!" He clutched Vaelion’s sleeve, looking up at him with the most pitiful expression—wide teary eyes, quivering lips, the very picture of a helpless little hamster begging a big, scary cat for mercy. 

Vaelion tried to keep a straight face. He really did. 

But the way Zenny practically radiated desperation was too much. 

He let out an amused chuckle. 

"Alright, fine. I’ll let this one slide," he said with a smirk. "But no more distractions—understood?" 

Zenny perked up immediately, nodding rapidly. "Got it, Princy!" 

Vaelion sighed. "Just follow me to my study room—and behave this time." 

Zenny grinned and skipped after him like a happy puppy. 

--- 

(Inside the Study Room)

For a brief moment, all was peaceful. 

Vaelion was focused on his studies, while Zenny sat nearby, seemingly obedient. 

That peace lasted a grand total of ten minutes. 

Zenny started shifting restlessly. His fingers drummed against the table. Then he stood, wandered around, poked at bookshelves—until finally, he tripped over his own feet and crashed straight into a neatly stacked pile of books. 

The books tumbled to the floor in a chaotic mess. 

Vaelion turned slowly, his expression darkening. 

"…Zenny." 

Zenny gulped. "Uh-oh." 

"You. Annoying. Little. Pest." 

And just like that, the chase was on. 

Zenny dashed across the room, narrowly dodging the prince’s grasp as Vaelion lunged after him. "I said I was sorryyy!" Zenny whined, barely avoiding the prince’s grip. 

Eventually, the prince caught him and—using his magic—suspended him mid-air, leaving Zenny dangling helplessly. 

Zenny groaned. "Ugh, Princy! This is cruel and unusual punishment!" 

Vaelion smirked, satisfied. "Maybe now you’ll learn to sit still." 

--- 

(A Moment of Understanding) 

After some time, Zenny finally settled down beside Vaelion, watching him study with surprising curiosity. 

"You actually find this interesting?" Vaelion asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Zenny nodded. "Kinda! I mean, I dunno much about this stuff, so it’s cool to learn." 

For a moment, Vaelion hesitated. Then, with an exasperated sigh, he began explaining—going over the principles of magic, the proper ways to harness power, and the dos and don’ts of spellcasting. 

Zenny listened intently, eyes shining with interest. For once, he wasn’t being a nuisance. 

Vaelion found himself… enjoying it. 

It was nice to have someone actually listen to him for a change. 

After a while, curiosity got the better of him. "Zenny… you’re pretty untrained in magic, but you still use it instinctively. How did you learn?"

Zenny’s cheerful expression faltered slightly. "Well… I never went to school."

Vaelion blinked. "You didn’t?"

Zenny shook his head. "My family died in an accident when I was little. My mom was the one who taught me the little tricks I know. After she was gone, I just… figured things out on my own." His voice was quiet now, lacking its usual playful lilt.

A strange ache settled in Vaelion’s chest.

"I… didn’t know," he admitted.

Zenny forced a smile. "It’s fine, really! I mean, I’ve gotten over it. Gotta accept I’m on my own now, right?"

Vaelion frowned. "You're not alone."

Zenny blinked at him.

"You live in the castle now," Vaelion continued. "You’re with me now."

Zenny’s lips trembled, and before Vaelion could react, tears welled up in his eyes.

"H-hey, why are you crying?" Vaelion asked, taken aback.

Zenny wiped his tears, smiling. "It’s nothing. I’m just… happy to be here."

Vaelion sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Then, an idea struck him.

"Since you never got a proper education in magic… how about I enroll you in the Academy of Magic?"

Zenny’s eyes widened. "Wait… WHAT?"

"It’s the school I attend," Vaelion explained. "You need to learn how to control your magic properly. And don’t worry—I’ll look out for you."

Zenny gasped. "Re-really?! I get to go to school?!"

Vaelion nodded. "Of course. You need to learn to use your powers properly. If you’re going to be by my side, I refuse to let you be weak."

Zenny was practically vibrating with excitement. "OHMYGOSH, I'M GONNA BE A STUDENT!!!" He threw his arms up in joy, jumping around the room like an excited rabbit.

Vaelion chuckled, shaking his head. "I already regret this decision."

Zenny just laughed, his happiness infectious.

And so, the day ended with laughter and warmth—the prince and his fool, bound by an unspoken understanding.

To be continued…

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