It was a charming voice and gestures as if whispering a secret. Even the surroundings were wary.
Even the serious side profile seemed to captivate the eyes of those who saw it. However, I barely managed to come to my senses and ask.
“But why are we hiding?”
"...Ah."
“There’s no need to hide.”
Only then did Michael realize his mistake.
“That’s it, just instinctively.”
I burst out into a small laugh as I looked at Michael who was embarrassed.
“Did you want to have a secret meeting?”
“...So when you’re alone with me at night, you only have bland thoughts?”
“That can’t be. Michael is a knight, so you are abstinent and self-controlled."
I learned it as a virtue, but I am a member of the royal family with no restrictions, so I am having a hard time these days.
“Listen.”
“I think you’re kidding me. Anyway, someone is coming.”
As we continued to talk, it seemed like Michael would be the one to show the height of his intemperance outdoors, so we quickly changed the subject.
As expected, two figures appeared on the lakeside. One of them had a different hair color.
I was able to quickly recognize their identities because they were quite unique.
“It’s Rosie and Sir Millard.”
“I don’t know what’s going on this late at night. It can’t be a secret meeting.”
On the contrary, the secret meeting was interrupted.
The eyes Michael was looking at Rosenite with were already not kind.
Sylvestian stood upright with his back to the lake at the World Tree. Rosenite began to undress in his field of vision. It was almost as if she had come to close the door to hide from prying eyes.
I immediately covered Michael's eyes with one hand.
“Who, who, close your eyes, Michael. It is against chivalry to peek.”
“...It’s already closed.”
The panicked voice failed to adjust its volume.
Sylvestian's eyes, which had been watching the net, became sharp. He quickly warned Rosenite behind him.
“Your Highness, put your clothes back on.”
“Why is that?”
“Someone is hiding.”
Rosenite's face turned bright red with anger.
“Oh, come out quickly! The crime of daring to spy on me, the Princess, will not be light!”
'Haa... I got caught.'
It was fortunate that they caught me before it was too late. I appeared under the World Tree with Michael. After politely turning Michael away, I walked alone to the lakeside.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional.”
“Hey, sis?”
A ruby eyes grew wide at my appearance.
The unexpected encounter brought about confusion. An awkward silence fell between us.
Rosenite's face turned red this time but for a different reason.
'Why did it have to be my sister!'
I was the most uncomfortable opponent for Rosenite right now. I wanted to stay hidden and not come out.
Memories of her most embarrassing moments began to surface one by one as if time was torturing her.
After talking all sorts of nonsense, Rosenite remembers holding onto her step-sister's arms and crying and snotting. It was truly a dark history.
'I am the elegant white rose of the empire! The flower of the high society! A noble and dignified princess!'
But how dare you smear your sticky snot on someone else's chest!
Since there was no pillow next to her, Rosenite tore off the cuticles on Amon's nails.
She couldn't raise her head. Eve looked at her with contempt at any moment.
It seemed as if she was fiercely criticizing her, saying that she e was so dirty that she would die.
“Rosie.”
But contrary to her expectations, the voice of her step-sister ringing in her ear was gentle. Rosenite was surprised.
Rosenit raised her head without realizing it and looked at Eve.
Eve's face was as gentle as usual.
"Ah..."
Suddenly, the tension she'd been holding in her chest was gone. Somehow, she felt an unknown sense of trust that Eve wouldn't judge her, and wouldn't spread a rumor.
At that time, Eve tried to break the awkward silence somehow.
“Looks like you came to take a bath.”
“Huh? Oh, yes.”
“Uh, um, we were there first, but we missed our chance to leave. Anyway, sorry for startling you.”
"Yes..."
“Um, then I’ll go first.”
It seemed like neither of them was mentally ready to have any further conversation.
It was when Eve turned around to leave the awkward atmosphere behind.
“Oh, sis.”
Eve's steps stopped at the urgent voice calling her name. Rosenite rolled her eyes and hesitated for a while.
“That, that.”
"That?"
“The cookies were delicious.”
“...Ah, yeah.”
It was bland content compared to the time he waited.
“I’ll ask Peony to grill it more.”
“...Thank you, thank you.”
Rosenite chewed her tongue once before saying it because it was something she didn't usually say. However, because Rosenit's voice was so quiet, Eve couldn't hear it properly and just passed it by.
“What about a troll pack or something like that? If you need anything, just let me know.”
“That, that...”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Rosenite wanted to talk about what she needed to say, but an unexpected question followed.
“Isn’t there anyone among the servants at your place who is good at making macarons?”
“I, I have it.”
Eve decided to listen more for now.
“She comes from a family that has produced many royal chefs, and Her Majesty has appointed her as my maid.”
“Uh, um, really? But?”
“The creme brulée macaron is especially delicious. I don’t think you’ve ever tasted anything like it..."
At this point, Eve's eyes began to narrow.
'What? Are you trying to get me to do this by saying that you don't have anything like this at home? You're starting to feel better now?'
It was around the time when Eve was interpreting Rosenite’s intention to fight. Rosenite must have felt sorry too and hurriedly brought up the main topic.
“Well, when we return to the palace, wouldn’t you like to have tea in my quarters?”
"What?"
Eve looked blank.
“The first tea time ended like that... I wanted to talk to you. Um, Not right now, but later. So I think it would be better to go back to the palace and do it. Oh, no. Would it be proper for me to go? To my sister’s residence... Can I go?”
Only after hearing the same story two or three times was Eve able to properly understand what Rosenite meant.
'Tea time invitation?'
It's a common occurrence in the palace.
There was nothing particularly new. But now they can't even make eye contact.
The reaction of Rosenite, who was unable to do anything and was fiddling with her fingers, was quite novel.
In the past, it was because she had bad intentions that she couldn't see.
Eve thought so. But now as if her eyes were tired, Rosenite looked shy for some reason.
"No, you do not want...?"
“Oh, you can come.”
Eve answered hurriedly.
Rosenite raised her head. It was even more intense than when she first discovered Eve.
The eyes had become larger and rounder. For a moment, Eve thought they looked like rabbit eyes, perhaps because the irises were red, but then flinched.
'I must be really tired right now. I'm definitely so tired that I could collapse!'
So Eve saw Rosenite and thought of herself as a rabbit.
It was rationalized.
Eve felt a sense of crisis that her mind might become polluted if she stayed any longer, so she decided to leave quickly.
“It’s cold, so take your warm magic stone with you. Then I’ll really go.”
"Yes."
Finally, Eve was able to leave the lake with Michael.
“Are you okay?”
“Well, I guess it’ll be okay.”
I responded bewilderedly to Michael's worry, which seemed to be a habit.
Even the most regressive person cannot be certain of the future. However, I had a feeling that there would be no need to be as vigilant toward Rosenite as before.
Meanwhile, at the same time in the southwestern part of Yggdras.
Whioooo...
A forest of purple fir trees with a dreary wind blowing. Why bother going to a place like that at night?
There were five of them, two members of the royal family, with their hoods pulled up to their heads.
It consisted of three homunculus.
“Who, Sister, where are you going at this hour all of a sudden? Can’t you go when it’s daylight?”
Derek, who was dragged out of his sleep, kept yawning and complaining. Of course, he didn't hear any good things from Brigitte as she walked.
“Lazy.”
Derek wondered why he had to be so diligent like a villain in the middle of the night, but he decided not to ask.
Even without that, the discomfort in his heart has peaked because of Eve these days.
Isn't that Brigette? There was no need to take out her anger on someone she didn't like.
“Everyone, everyone, everyone has arrived, Your Highness, Your Royal Highness.”
The homunculus who had been leading the way announced in a fearful voice.
Their secret meeting place was an area where the ground had eroded to form a shallow cliff.
Brigitte took off her clinging robe and handed it to Elijah. At her gesture, a magical orb rose above her head.
“Derek, from here on out, just follow me.”
“Me, just me? Yes, yes.”
Brigitte and Derek approached the cliff's edge, careful not to slip on the purple moss and bushes.
When the visibility was clear enough to peer down the cliff, Derek's eyes widened.
“Gasp! Th, this is...!”
The tip of an obelisk-like structure rises through the bushes and leaves.
It was sticking out. Derek recognized it immediately.
“Wow, that’s the last sealing stone! It was here! Did you find it, Sister?”
"Yes."
Brigitte curled the corners of her lips. So far, the search has been fruitless.
The nervous look was nowhere to be found, but her face was brimming with confidence.
She added.
“I should have found it a long time ago.”
“Huh?! But, why did you hide it until now? You should tell everyone quickly so you and Wall Blood can wash away the stigma of incompetence...!”
“She comes from a family that has produced many royal chefs, and Her Majesty has appointed her as my maid.”
“Uh, um, really? But?”
“The creme brulée macaron is especially delicious. I don’t think you’ve ever tasted anything like it..."
At this point, Eve's eyes began to narrow.
'What? Are you trying to get me to do this by saying that you don't have anything like this at home? You're starting to feel better now?'
It was around the time when Eve was interpreting Rosenite’s intention to fight. Rosenite must have felt sorry too and hurriedly brought up the main topic.
“Well, when we return to the palace, wouldn’t you like to have tea in my quarters?”
"What?"
Eve looked blank.
“The first tea time ended like that... I wanted to talk to you. Um, Not right now, but later. So I think it would be better to go back to the palace and do it. Oh, no. Would it be proper for me to go? To my sister’s residence... Can I go?”
Only after hearing the same story two or three times was Eve able to properly understand what Rosenite meant.
'Tea time invitation?'
It's a common occurrence in the palace.
There was nothing particularly new. But now they can't even make eye contact.
The reaction of Rosenite, who was unable to do anything and was fiddling with her fingers, was quite novel.
In the past, it was because she had bad intentions that she couldn't see.
Eve thought so. But now as if her eyes were tired, Rosenite looked shy for some reason.
"No, you do not want...?"
“Oh, you can come.”
Eve answered hurriedly.
Rosenite raised her head. It was even more intense than when she first discovered Eve.
The eyes had become larger and rounder. For a moment, Eve thought they looked like rabbit eyes, perhaps because the irises were red, but then flinched.
'I must be really tired right now. I'm definitely so tired that I could collapse!'
So Eve saw Rosenite and thought of herself as a rabbit.
It was rationalized.
Eve felt a sense of crisis that her mind might become polluted if she stayed any longer, so she decided to leave quickly.
“It’s cold, so take your warm magic stone with you. Then I’ll really go.”
"Yes."
Finally, Eve was able to leave the lake with Michael.
“Are you okay?”
“Well, I guess it’ll be okay.”
I responded bewilderedly to Michael's worry, which seemed to be a habit.
Even the most regressive person cannot be certain of the future. However, I had a feeling that there would be no need to be as vigilant toward Rosenite as before.
Meanwhile, at the same time in the southwestern part of Yggdras.
Whioooo...
A forest of purple fir trees with a dreary wind blowing. Why bother going to a place like that at night?
There were five of them, two members of the royal family, with their hoods pulled up to their heads.
It consisted of three homunculus.
“Who, Sister, where are you going at this hour all of a sudden? Can’t you go when it’s daylight?”
Derek, who was dragged out of his sleep, kept yawning and complaining. Of course, he didn't hear any good things from Brigitte as she walked.
“Lazy.”
Derek wondered why he had to be so diligent like a villain in the middle of the night, but he decided not to ask.
Even without that, the discomfort in his heart has peaked because of Eve these days.
Isn't that Brigette? There was no need to take out her anger on someone she didn't like.
“Everyone, everyone, everyone has arrived, Your Highness, Your Royal Highness.”
The homunculus who had been leading the way announced in a fearful voice.
Their secret meeting place was an area where the ground had eroded to form a shallow cliff.
Brigitte took off her clinging robe and handed it to Elijah. At her gesture, a magical orb rose above her head.
“Derek, from here on out, just follow me.”
“Me, just me? Yes, yes.”
Brigitte and Derek approached the cliff's edge, careful not to slip on the purple moss and bushes.
When the visibility was clear enough to peer down the cliff, Derek's eyes widened.
“Gasp! Th, this is...!”
The tip of an obelisk-like structure rises through the bushes and leaves.
It was sticking out. Derek recognized it immediately.
“Wow, that’s the last sealing stone! It was here! Did you find it, Sister?”
"Yes."
Brigitte curled the corners of her lips. So far, the search has been fruitless.
The nervous look was nowhere to be found, but her face was brimming with confidence.
She added.
“I should have found it a long time ago.”
“Huh?! But, why did you hide it until now? You should tell everyone quickly so you and Wall Blood can wash away the stigma of incompetence...!”
“You’re stupid. That’s why you can’t do it.”
No matter what he said, he received personal insults in return. At that moment, Derek wanted to see the face of his kind older sister, Stephania.
Brigitte looked down at the sealing stone with abyss-like eyes and opened her mouth.
Opened.
“I can’t waste the cards I have in my hand. I’ve been crouching down and waiting for my chance.”
“When...?”
“It’s when a lot of fish get caught in the net that was set.”
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