Chapter 37 Encounter With The Princess
After parting ways with Elder Brother and Monica, I headed to the Royal Palace by carriage.
I say I'm alone, but of course, there are servants with me.
Elder Brother initially tried to blend in with the servants, but I turned him down.
I appreciate his love, but I worry about his future if he doesn't start to distance himself from me a bit.
"So... young lady, are you really going to hold up like this before we even arrive at the Royal Palace?"
"What are you talking about? Of course, I (ore) can hold up! It's not like I'm lonely without Elder Brother or anything!!"
"It's not just a feeling; you are lonely, aren't you? Also, could you please drop the 'ore' tone in front of me soon?"
Lisa, who accurately caught my rapid-fire words, cut me off sharply.
No, that's not it. Listen to me.
Even though I'm going to the Royal Palace, it's only for about a week.
It's like a little trip.
So, I thought it would be a good chance to cool down since we've been too clingy lately... I was wrong.
My body is craving Elder Brother's warmth...!!
"Lisa... can I hug you...?"
"I'm not young master, but if it helps distract you, then sure."
I hugged Lisa tightly, rubbing against her to ease my mind.
Ugh... I was supposed to make Elder Brother a siscon, but it looks like I'm the one falling for him... Elder Brother, you're something else...!!
"I think it's just that you're too easy, young lady. ...Well, thanks to that, I can enjoy you like this, so I don't mind it staying this way."
"Lisa, did you say something?"
"No, nothing at all."
While Lisa stroked my hair, I tried to think about the princess I was about to meet instead of Elder Brother.
I've heard that her appearance is really beautiful, similar to Prince Sigurt, but I wonder how true that is.
As for her personality... I've heard she's been holed up in the Detached Palace, so she must be a refined and quiet princess, right.
What's been on my mind is that before I left the Granbell Family, Monica was super worried about me when she heard about the tea party with the princess... but she never told me why, so I'm still confused.
While I was killing time imagining a cute girl hiding shyly behind Prince Sigurt, I finally arrived at the Royal Palace.
"Every time I come here, it's still so big..."
As I marveled at the grandeur of the Royal Palace, I was guided to the Detached Palace where the princess was waiting.
On the way, I unexpectedly ran into Prince Sigurt.
"Hey, Yumie. Long time no see."
"Prince! It's been a while!"
I returned the prince's sweet smile and raised my hand in a noble greeting.
I've gotten used to these kinds of greetings lately, so I thought I was doing it pretty naturally, but who knows?
Just as I was thinking that, the prince took my hand and kissed it.
"It looks like you're no longer affected by your injury. I'm glad to see your lovely self."
"Ahaha, thank you."
If I weren't a guy, I probably would've fallen for him right then and there...
His every action was so graceful and shining.
The aura I create with my Light Up magic is something he just naturally exudes. It's insane.
"If I could, I'd love to whisk you away and have a tea time just the two of us, but... today is Rifine's turn, so I'll have to step back."
"Are you close with Princess Rifine?"
I've never heard the prince mention the princess even once.
But since he didn't seem to dislike her, I asked, and he shook his head slightly with a troubled expression.
"Unfortunately, I don't have much interaction with my sister. Rifine and I have different mothers, so it's a bit politically complicated."
"I see..."
Seeing the prince's disappointed face, I could tell he felt frustrated about their current relationship.
As I was thinking about whether I could do something, the prince patted my head.
"So, I arranged today's tea party with Rifine and you to make that happen."
"You did?"
"Yeah. I can't do it myself, but I thought you could get close to her."
With a slightly lonely look, the prince said this.
His expression seemed a bit different from the usual prince, showing a "brother" caring for his sister... I reached out to him.
"Leave it to me. I'll become the princess's best friend and connect you two. So, just relax and wait."
While patting the prince's head, I said that.
The prince, who probably didn't expect to be patted, looked a bit surprised and then started laughing after a moment.
"Hahaha! You're really something, aren't you? I'm counting on you."
"Yes! Then, I'm off!"
I said this to the prince and headed towards the Detached Palace.
As I walked away, the prince added, "Oh, right.".
"It'll be tough, but you don't have to worry about being killed, so you can relax about that."
"...Huh?"
Wait, what do you mean by worrying about being killed? I'm just here to have tea with the princess, right?
Shaking with anxiety from the prince's words, I stepped into the Detached Palace.
A vast, dome-shaped space.
There were some flowers planted, but it felt a bit lacking in brightness for a place where the princess spends her time.
If anything, it felt more like a training ground──.
At that moment, my body was suddenly blown high into the air.
"Hyawaaah!?"
"Young lady!?"
Lisa, who was nearby, shouted as she saw me suddenly jump up.
I had no idea what was happening, but I've been training too, so I can handle this much.
Trying to calm my panicking mind, I used Wind Wrap to maximum.
I steadied myself against the strong gusts and somehow landed on my feet.
That was close... As I took a moment to steady my racing heart, I heard a voice coming from deeper inside.
"Wahahaha! To get past the trap I set, you've got some skills! Today's opponent looks like they'll be a lot of fun!"
Crossing her arms, the princess appeared with a confident attitude, looking pretty much like I imagined.
With golden hair tied in twin tails on either side and a well-defined face, she seemed to be about my age, though she was a bit shorter.
If there was anything different from my expectations, it was the mischievous grin she wore.
Her sharp canine teeth sparkled, making her look like a playful kid from downtown.
"So, you're Yumie Granbell? I've heard about you! I am the princess of this country, Rifine Dia Ortria!"
That princess twirled in a skirt that was a bit too short to be called a dress and jumped around.
Her outfit prioritized ease of movement, definitely not the vibe for a tea party.
No, it felt more like we were about to have a duel.
"Now... let's have a fun duel together!!"
With that, I witnessed the tyrannical princess swinging her fist, charged with magic.
I bolted from the scene with all my might.
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