Chapter 40 Princess And Playtime With Friends
"Yumie, are you done yet?"
"Just a little longer!"
I successfully became friends with Princess Rifine, and decided to play together with her, not in a competitive way, but in a more casual, girly manner.
Yes, it was all about Rifine's fashion.
"I'm done! Look, it's super cute, Lady Rifine!"
As I stood Rifine in front of the mirror, I shared my honest thoughts.
It's obvious, but Rifine's dresses weren't just short sporty ones.
There was a whole dress room filled with various colors and styles that looked like they came straight from a boutique, and most of them had just been sitting there unused.
For me, who was all about dressing up and reaching the peak of cuteness, this was a serious situation.
That's why I was helping Rifine get all dolled up.
"Really? Am I cute?"
"Yes, really!"
Rifine asked, sounding a bit anxious, but honestly, she looked really cute.
Her active twin tails were let down into straight hair, and with a light touch of makeup, her adorable face looked just like a Western doll.
The deep red dress she wore expressed her lively personality while also radiating elegance, making it hard to doubt that she was a princess.
If I had to nitpick, her somewhat childish behavior might be a flaw, but in my personal opinion, it was cute in its own way.
"Hehe, thanks, Yumie! Hearing that from you makes me happy!"
Seeing Rifine's bright smile made my cheeks loosen up with a warm feeling.
She's so cute... I wonder if my Elder Brother feels this way when he looks at me?
It's like having a little sister.
"Since we're at it, I'll dress you up too, Yumie!"
"Me too?"
"Yep, as a thank you, I'll make you cute this time!"
"Ahaha, well then, I'm counting on you!"
And so, we enjoyed some time together, having fun with our fashion.
We played around with hairstyles, like braiding and putting it in a ponytail, changed the dress colors, and stood side by side in front of the mirror wearing matching outfits.
Watching us, Rifine's personal maid burst into tears, saying, "Princess... Princess, you're finally interested in girly things...!!" It was quite a sight, and Lisa was there to comfort her a lot. Well, I guess... good for her...
"Yumie, we've had enough fun dressing up, so now I'll take you to my secret base!"
"A secret base?"
"Yep! It's a hideout I stumbled upon. There, I want to practice the magic you just showed me!"
Rifine has discovered the joy of dressing up, but deep down, it seems she prefers moving her body.
I had briefly explained the "seeds" of the magic earlier, and now she's eager to try it herself.
I smiled at her enthusiasm and replied, "Sure," but my face twitched a bit at what came next.
"This hideout is special because it's for you, Yumie. By the way, we should shake off those guys first, or we might get in trouble."
Those "guys" must be my Lisa and the princess's maid.
I thought it was a bad idea to go somewhere we might get in trouble, but since we've become friends, maybe sharing a little mischief could strengthen our bond.
"Alright, but just this once, okay?"
I turned to Lisa and mouthed, "I'll be right back."
My maid knows how to read lips, so I didn't need to say it out loud.
Lisa nodded with a sigh, and I thanked her with a glance as I started running with Rifine.
"Ah, Princess!?"
Hearing the maid scream made me feel a bit guilty, but I followed Rifine.
Man, this princess is really strong with her body-enhancing magic.
I can use it a little too, but keeping up with her is tough.
Thinking about how she must always be running away like this makes me really sympathize with that maid's struggles.
"We've arrived! This is it!"
After running through the castle with Rifine for a while, we reached a small empty room.
Inside, it felt like just an unused storage space with nothing special in it.
"Is this the secret base?"
"Don't rush, the fun starts from here."
In front of me, My tilted his head as Rifine placed her hand on the wall.
In that moment, with a loud clunk! the wall moved, revealing a hidden staircase leading down.
Rifine showed me a smug grin as I stood there, mouth agape.
"Hehehe, what do you think? When I was running away from the maids and stumbled into this room, I accidentally found this mechanism! Pretty cool, right?"
Yeah, it's definitely cool, I'll give her that. It really stirs up a guy's heart, you know?
Wait, is it really okay for me to be here?
"Alright, let's go, Yumie!"
"Y-yes."
Feeling a bit uneasy, I headed down the stairs.
It seemed like this was an emergency escape route or something, as the path continued deep below.
"There are lots of small rooms down here, and once you get in, the maids won't be able to find you! It's a great spot, right? Here, you can make as much noise as you want, and no one will get mad!"
So it's not just an escape route, but also a hideout...
Thinking that, I entered a room along the underground passage.
Being underground, it had a bit of a musty smell, but Rifine didn't seem to mind.
In that slightly larger room, she immediately started practicing magic.
* * *
"Um... so how do you do it?"
"Instead of just creating an illusion, you solidify the air to give it substance and then overlay the illusion on top. Like this."
I manipulated the solidified air, which was colorless and slightly shimmering with magic, and layered a fairy illusion over it.
What sounds simple when explained is actually a bit tricky to pull off in practice, especially for my (Servant Pixie).
As expected, Rifine was struggling to create it as well, twisting her neck in confusion.
"Umm? This is tough..."
"Instead of using 2 separate magics, think of it as one magic that includes creating a body with air and changing the appearance with illusion. That way, it tends to work better."
"Oh, I see! Alright, I'll give it a try!"
Watching Rifine, her eyes sparkling as she earnestly worked on her magic, reminded me of when I used to beg Elder Brother to show me magic.
Maybe that's why, since we were in an empty basement, I suddenly asked a question that had been on my mind.
"Lady Rifine, what do you think of Prince Sigurt?"
"Hmm? My brother?"
Rifine paused to think for a moment.
After a few seconds of serious contemplation, she casually replied.
"I don't really think about him. I mean, it's not like we have any connection."
"R-Really?"
I was caught off guard by her response, expecting at least some kind of feeling.
Rifine gave me a wry smile.
"My mother is of low status, so there aren't many people in this Royal Palace who care about me. Even my brother... I doubt it makes much difference whether I'm here or not."
She said it lightly, but her expression looked somewhat lonely.
I couldn't just leave Rifine like that, so I gently hugged her small body.
"Yumie...?"
"It's not that it doesn't make much difference. Prince Sigurt was really worried about you."
Before we came to Detached Palace, the prince had told me that he arranged this tea party.
Even while being tied down by political issues, he was still anxious about what he could do for his sister.
"So, Lady Rifine, please don't say something so lonely like 'I don't think about him.' Even if those feelings can't be shown on the outside, here... I can take it all for you."
Since our first meeting at the Detached Palace, I've been thinking back on Rifine's behavior.
She's wild, reckless, and a rough-and-tumble princess.
Sure, that's one side of her.
But she also seems to genuinely enjoy dressing up and having fun, and when I showed her some magic, she acted her age and got excited.
When I said I wanted to be friends, she looked really happy.
So, I wonder. Maybe she's intentionally playing the "tomboy princess" role.
By acting like an uncontrollable troublemaker, is she trying to convince herself that it's natural for people around her to keep their distance?
If all of this is just my misunderstanding, then that's fine.
But if it's true... at least I want to support her heart.
"...Seriously, Yumie, you're such a weirdo. You're the first person to say something like that to me."
"Ahaha, I get told that a lot."
"I see. But still, I like that side of you, Yumie. ...So..."
Tightly, this time Rifine clings to me.
She presses her face against my chest, hiding her expression──holding on strong as if she never wants to let go.
"Let me stay like this for a while..."
"Yes. If Lady Rifine wishes it, I'll stay like this forever."
And so, in that empty underground space, we spent our time embracing each other.
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