Side Story - Side Princess Ii
I was a princess. For the first time, I sneaked out of the castle all by myself. It felt exciting and refreshing, like adding a hint of spice to my usual routine.
But that feeling didn't last long.
It's a common story.
I was so focused on getting out of the castle that I forgot to think about what would come next.
Having freedom means not only leaving but also deciding where to go. It's like choosing your own path, which was completely new to me.
It was a completely new experience for me, who had always followed a set path. It was more challenging than finding a way out of the castle.
Lost and unsure, I found myself wandering into a narrow alley off the main street.
I have experienced passing by in a carriage in a crowded, unknown street before. But this is my first time truly entering a narrow alley where a carriage cannot go.
What I feel inside is more anxiety than anticipation.
The security in the royal capital, Blesstia, is good. At least, that's how it is supposed to be with my father, the king, ruling.
However, there are always places where the king's influence in politics is limited.
The deserted back alleys are a prime example of such a place.
Even though I have only turned off one street, the lively main street has transformed into a gloomy atmosphere.
Realizing that it would be dangerous to stay longer, I tried to leave quickly. But near the entrance to the main street, I spotted familiar figures. I panicked and hid behind a hiding spot to confirm again, and indeed, they were the guards of the royal castle. It seems that they have discovered that I have sneaked out of the castle.
I quickly turned around and headed deeper into the alley. I knew it was dangerous, but I wanted to taste this "freedom" even more.
──And then, I experienced the luckiest and unluckiest day of my life.
The unlucky part was getting tangled up with a men who seemed to have bad intentions.
From the moment I laid eyes on them, it was clear that these men were giving me suspicious looks. I tried to avoid getting involved and passed by them at a distance, but the men forcefully blocked my path right in front of me.
With a wicked smile, the men approached me, and I sternly told them to stop. But they didn't care about my words and continued to close in on me.
If I wanted to, it would be easy to drive these men away. I've received strict education in both academics and martial arts since I was young. Just by looking at them, it's clear that they're an inexperienced amateur. If I were to unleash even a single magic spell, it would be over for them.
However, even though this is a less crowded alley, there are still some people around. If I were to use magic here, there's a high chance it would cause a commotion. And if that happens, it would reach the ears of the guards who are looking for me. I wanted to avoid that if possible.
So, if I stay here, I don't know what the men might do to me.
As the men's hand reached out in front of me, I couldn't bring myself to take action until the very end. I had only done what was decided for me, and I couldn't bring myself to take action on my own at a time like this.
──That's what led to the greatest stroke of luck.
Just as one of the men reached out for me, someone who wasn't his ally intervened and hit his shoulder.
When the man turned around in surprise, the next moment he was knocked down. It was unreasonable and violent, without any warning or foreshadowing.
Amidst everyone's shock, it was a young man who had struck the men down.
He knocked down the first man and then proceeded to defeat the remaining men in the same manner. Moreover, he efficiently 'tidied up' by laying them at the side of the road and skillfully removing their belongings. Finally, without hesitation, he pocketed the contents of their wallets.
In a sequence of events that could almost be called a 'procedure,' I could do nothing but silently watch.
Once the "work" was finished, the young man turned towards me. He asked with a concerned look on his face,
"Young lady, are you okay?"
"──!? I-I'm okay? Thank you!?"
"...Why questionable?"
Even though I felt it was rude, I couldn't help feeling that it was inevitable. I didn't feel like I had been "helped" at all, as I watched the men being "handled" with such familiar skill.
Still, the fact that he had helped me was undeniable.
As we exchanged thanks and words, I realized that he wasn't a bad person. At the very least, he was much more well-intentioned than the men from earlier.
However, I couldn't help feeling embarrassed by the serious gaze he directed at me.
Many people have praised my appearance and face, but that's because I'm the "princess" of this country. I understood that their admiration also included a lot of respect.
So that's why, it was difficult for me to accept his words calling me 'beautiful' directly── to be honest, it made me a little happy. I felt embarrassed to show such a face to him, so I lowered my head.
While I was doing that, the area around us started to get noisy. I heard voices searching for me, and it startled me. It seemed like the guards had come close to this place.
It's not good to stay in this situation. The guards will come soon and take me back to the castle. But I don't know where to go. My thoughts keep spinning in the same place.
That's when it happened.
The young man took my hand.
"Huh?"
"Come on, let's go. We shouldn't stay in a place like this for too long."
"Ah, wait──"
Before I could reply, he grabbed my hand and started running. For some reason, I didn't resist at all and followed him as he led me through the back alleys.
It was a strange feeling.
When those thugs reached out to me, I felt nothing but disgust. But at this moment, holding hands with him, I didn't feel a single bit of disgust in his touch.
Instead, I felt a comforting strength in the gentle but firm way he held my hand.
I've had my hand held by someone before. As a royal, I've attended parties and even danced. I've touched hands and danced steps with people of all ages and genders.
But now, I felt like I was holding hands with the opposite sex for the first time.
──What these feelings mean to me is a story for a little later.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)