It seemed like his brother would accept Anastasia as an unworthy vagabond because of his loyalty to the royal family, but he was different.
The empire already had a Princess named Kairak, who had endured many years as the heir to the royal family. She had been created to be nearly perfect.
Above Veronica's sharp face, the clean face of the woman he met during the day appeared as if tangled together. Innocent eyes, refreshing smile. Completely different from Veronica's calculating smile.
It was fortunate that the woman caught his eye first. It didn't matter whether it was real or not. She had a face that was worth it. Even if it was fake, it could fool anyone, and it was even more believable because it didn't even show signs of being made.
So, he must get rid of her with his own hands as soon as possible. Before his dear Duke Ashkabath catches her.
“...I repeat. Don’t let your brother find out, and bring that woman to my private residence in the capital. By then, it will be clear whether it is real or fake.”
Zachary laughed as if he was sighing.
If you've abandoned it once, it's better not to come back.
I went out to the square early in the morning. Staying somewhere without a job means spending a lot of money.
Although I was well off now, my pockets were getting thinner and thinner. I had to somehow find a way to get to the capital before I ran out of money.
As we rounded the corner of the square, I saw a few grooms stoking a fire.
I squeezed in among them, my face hidden by my hat, intending to haggle over the fare for a carriage ride to the capital.
I carefully chose the person I wanted to talk to. The coachman drinking hot tea in a corner seemed like a good person.
I said hello to him.
“Hello! I’m planning to go to the capital. How much would it cost to take the fastest carriage?”
“The capital? It would be quicker to find the guy who walks all the way to the legendary Solstice.”
"Yes?"
I asked back, dumbfounded. The coachman, who must have found my expression amusing, chuckled and answered.
“It’s just as you heard, Miss. You can’t get a carriage.”
“But it’s still early in the morning. At least one...”
“Not only today but for the time being, not a single carriage may leave the village. A first-class wanted notice has been issued.”
Another coachman intervened, putting an arm on the shoulder of the coachman who was drinking tea. I asked him earnestly.
“Is there really no other way? I’ll pay you double.”
“Even if you give me ten times the amount, it’s impossible. Duke Ashkabath's knights came barging in last night and left a warning that no one should be allowed to leave the village. Who would do something that would put them in the Wolf’s bad graces for a few pennies?”
A first-class wanted notice. My heart sank, but I asked calmly.
“A first-class wanted notice? What is it for?”
They shrugged their shoulders and explained it to me without much difficulty.
“Well, it’s just a story we heard... Even though it’s not exact.”
“It looks like Princess Anastasia’s belongings have appeared.”
I was so surprised that I couldn't breathe properly.
Princess Anastasia. Is there anyone in the Empire who doesn't know that story?
The Princess, who was kidnapped by a mysterious assailant when she was five years old, was still a regular topic of conversation at bars even after more than a decade had passed.
The kidnapper was caught shortly after, but the Princess had disappeared from his hideout without even a single piece of clothing left behind.
The imperial court announced that they would pay tens of millions of gold to anyone who could find the missing Princess. And every year, women who claimed to be the Princess appeared, but they were all revealed to be frauds.
Could the object that appeared in the midst of all this be my necklace?
If that was true, Olga must have lied to me with the stolen necklace. I couldn't possibly be that precious of a woman, and above all, I didn't resemble the public portrait of the Princess in the slightest.
Even a street kid knew that the Princess had dark brown hair and green eyes.
My mouth was parched. Should I ask or not? I knew in my head that it would be best not to leave any room for suspicion.
But I couldn't stand it without checking whether the object I found was the necklace or not. Curiosity always triumphs over fear.
I couldn't hold it in any longer and opened my mouth.
“What was that thing they found?”
I asked as if it was nothing, hoping my voice wouldn't shake.
“It looks like a necklace with a large red jewel on it.”
“I also received an official document regarding the suspect... Let’s see. What did he say?”
“The eyes are a blue color that is close to gray.”
“Hair is light blonde.”
“A young woman.”
They held up the crumpled official document, took turns reading each line, then looked at each other and then at me. Or, more precisely, at the hood I was wearing.
A clump of light golden hair was sticking out of the hood. It was a disaster. That was when one of them pointed a finger at me.
“Has everyone seen the new document?”
A man with his hat pulled down low and squeezed himself between us. Between me and the coachman, to be exact.
The coachmen's suspicious eyes immediately turned to his noisy appearance.
That was fortunate, but unfortunately, the new man physically blocked my only escape route. I was completely cornered.
“What's going on?”
“The woman the Knights were looking for has been arrested. The curfew may be lifted as early as this evening.”
“Is that true?”
“There’s a new announcement going around. Everyone’s really excited. Go to the fountain.”
“Then that’s right.”
“I was so worried about how to make money that I would lose my mind, so this is great, this is great!”
The grooms smiled and walked away towards the fountain. Only after he was sure they had completely left did the man turn around sadly.
I had guessed it when I heard the voice, but it was only when I actually saw the face that I could let out a sigh of relief.
It was that man. The man who gave me the purse a few days ago and wrapped the cloak around me yesterday.
He smiled and reached out to me, who was completely buried in the straw.
“We meet again.”
“That’s right. That’s the third time this week.”
I nodded with a smile, but I was more alert than ever.
There is an old adage that all back-alley people know: if you meet someone three times in a short time without having made an appointment, it is either fate or a fraud disguised as fate.
Is this man my destiny? Or is he just a con artist trying to monopolize the bounty and my money?
I squinted my eyes and asked.
“Yesterday you were working at a vegetable store, now you’re a groom?”
“Because I have so much talent.”
The nonsense was so great that I almost burst out laughing. He asked again.
“I can’t keep calling you Young Lady, so is it okay if I ask you your name?”
“It’s Sasha.”
I answered honestly. It wasn't a name that was even registered at birth, so there was no problem in knowing my real name.
If he had come to arrest me, he would have done so a long time ago. He could have just dragged me here and taken me away without even asking my name.
But he didn't and was always more polite than anyone I've ever met.
“Lady Sasha, my name is Zachary.”
I scratched my cheek awkwardly. It was the first time in my short life that I had been called Young Lady. It was a custom reserved for the very high-ranking people. It was unfamiliar and strange to me.
“Just call me Sasha.”
"But."
“Just Sasha is enough.”
“Yes, just Sasha.”
Zachary asked, his beautiful blue eyes looking down.
“It seems like you’ve run into trouble again. Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Oh, no. It’s okay. I’m not in trouble at all.”
I started to stutter again. Zachary burst into laughter.
He bent down slightly and whispered. I could feel Zachary's breath dissipating against my forehead.
“I sent the grooms away with a lie, but they will soon learn the truth and come back.”
“...”
“Just say the word and I will help you.”
I looked into Zachary's blue eyes. They were clear and seemed to have no selfishness.
But it was foolish to believe what one saw with one's eyes.
Could it be that Zachary is one of those people who would like to stab me, as Mama Olga warned?
Then I had nothing to give him, neither my body nor my mind. I wanted to settle down, and sadly, a nobleman was not the right person for me to settle down with.
The man I want is not a Prince on a white horse, but a simple man who will build a family with me.
I knew my place very well. At least not up there in the glittering social circles.
I know very well what happened to girls who fell for the sweet talk of the nobles, believing only in their pretty faces. It is foolish to dream of living on land when you were born a fish.
I could now vaguely see that Zachary was hiding his true nature when he treated me. Especially when I looked at his eyes, which looked like those of a hungry wolf, I could tell that he was not a man accustomed to being gentle with women.
He seemed more suited to the battlefield than the elegant ballroom. And soldiers always had a way of leaving their women behind.
I asked combatively, intending to refuse if he asked for my body.
“If there’s anything you want from me in return for your help, I’ll turn it down.”
“I have no wishes right now.”
He answered softly.
I recalled Olga's advice once more. Favors without reward are always dangerous. I squinted my eyes.
“There is no kindness in this world that comes without a price.”
“Then I will tell you that I want to be Sasha’s friend.”
“Will you be my friend?”
“If possible.”
Those words touched my heart. All my life I have longed for true friendship, but in the back alleys, no one considered me, Mama Olga's treasure, a true friend.
I asked solemnly.
“Will you never criticize me behind my back, will you always think of each other sincerely, will you not swing your tongue to hurt each other? Will you share when you are happy, help each other when you are in trouble, and cry together when you are sad?”
It was a phrase I had imitated from a fairy tale I had once read. It was a book about a Princess and a Prince, and it was a phrase I had saved for when I would make real friends later.
The empire already had a Princess named Kairak, who had endured many years as the heir to the royal family. She had been created to be nearly perfect.
Above Veronica's sharp face, the clean face of the woman he met during the day appeared as if tangled together. Innocent eyes, refreshing smile. Completely different from Veronica's calculating smile.
It was fortunate that the woman caught his eye first. It didn't matter whether it was real or not. She had a face that was worth it. Even if it was fake, it could fool anyone, and it was even more believable because it didn't even show signs of being made.
So, he must get rid of her with his own hands as soon as possible. Before his dear Duke Ashkabath catches her.
“...I repeat. Don’t let your brother find out, and bring that woman to my private residence in the capital. By then, it will be clear whether it is real or fake.”
Zachary laughed as if he was sighing.
If you've abandoned it once, it's better not to come back.
***
I went out to the square early in the morning. Staying somewhere without a job means spending a lot of money.
Although I was well off now, my pockets were getting thinner and thinner. I had to somehow find a way to get to the capital before I ran out of money.
As we rounded the corner of the square, I saw a few grooms stoking a fire.
I squeezed in among them, my face hidden by my hat, intending to haggle over the fare for a carriage ride to the capital.
I carefully chose the person I wanted to talk to. The coachman drinking hot tea in a corner seemed like a good person.
I said hello to him.
“Hello! I’m planning to go to the capital. How much would it cost to take the fastest carriage?”
“The capital? It would be quicker to find the guy who walks all the way to the legendary Solstice.”
"Yes?"
I asked back, dumbfounded. The coachman, who must have found my expression amusing, chuckled and answered.
“It’s just as you heard, Miss. You can’t get a carriage.”
“But it’s still early in the morning. At least one...”
“Not only today but for the time being, not a single carriage may leave the village. A first-class wanted notice has been issued.”
Another coachman intervened, putting an arm on the shoulder of the coachman who was drinking tea. I asked him earnestly.
“Is there really no other way? I’ll pay you double.”
“Even if you give me ten times the amount, it’s impossible. Duke Ashkabath's knights came barging in last night and left a warning that no one should be allowed to leave the village. Who would do something that would put them in the Wolf’s bad graces for a few pennies?”
A first-class wanted notice. My heart sank, but I asked calmly.
“A first-class wanted notice? What is it for?”
They shrugged their shoulders and explained it to me without much difficulty.
“Well, it’s just a story we heard... Even though it’s not exact.”
“It looks like Princess Anastasia’s belongings have appeared.”
I was so surprised that I couldn't breathe properly.
Princess Anastasia. Is there anyone in the Empire who doesn't know that story?
The Princess, who was kidnapped by a mysterious assailant when she was five years old, was still a regular topic of conversation at bars even after more than a decade had passed.
The kidnapper was caught shortly after, but the Princess had disappeared from his hideout without even a single piece of clothing left behind.
The imperial court announced that they would pay tens of millions of gold to anyone who could find the missing Princess. And every year, women who claimed to be the Princess appeared, but they were all revealed to be frauds.
Could the object that appeared in the midst of all this be my necklace?
If that was true, Olga must have lied to me with the stolen necklace. I couldn't possibly be that precious of a woman, and above all, I didn't resemble the public portrait of the Princess in the slightest.
Even a street kid knew that the Princess had dark brown hair and green eyes.
My mouth was parched. Should I ask or not? I knew in my head that it would be best not to leave any room for suspicion.
But I couldn't stand it without checking whether the object I found was the necklace or not. Curiosity always triumphs over fear.
I couldn't hold it in any longer and opened my mouth.
“What was that thing they found?”
I asked as if it was nothing, hoping my voice wouldn't shake.
“It looks like a necklace with a large red jewel on it.”
“I also received an official document regarding the suspect... Let’s see. What did he say?”
“The eyes are a blue color that is close to gray.”
“Hair is light blonde.”
“A young woman.”
They held up the crumpled official document, took turns reading each line, then looked at each other and then at me. Or, more precisely, at the hood I was wearing.
A clump of light golden hair was sticking out of the hood. It was a disaster. That was when one of them pointed a finger at me.
“Has everyone seen the new document?”
A man with his hat pulled down low and squeezed himself between us. Between me and the coachman, to be exact.
The coachmen's suspicious eyes immediately turned to his noisy appearance.
That was fortunate, but unfortunately, the new man physically blocked my only escape route. I was completely cornered.
“What's going on?”
“The woman the Knights were looking for has been arrested. The curfew may be lifted as early as this evening.”
“Is that true?”
“There’s a new announcement going around. Everyone’s really excited. Go to the fountain.”
“Then that’s right.”
“I was so worried about how to make money that I would lose my mind, so this is great, this is great!”
The grooms smiled and walked away towards the fountain. Only after he was sure they had completely left did the man turn around sadly.
I had guessed it when I heard the voice, but it was only when I actually saw the face that I could let out a sigh of relief.
It was that man. The man who gave me the purse a few days ago and wrapped the cloak around me yesterday.
He smiled and reached out to me, who was completely buried in the straw.
“We meet again.”
“That’s right. That’s the third time this week.”
I nodded with a smile, but I was more alert than ever.
There is an old adage that all back-alley people know: if you meet someone three times in a short time without having made an appointment, it is either fate or a fraud disguised as fate.
Is this man my destiny? Or is he just a con artist trying to monopolize the bounty and my money?
I squinted my eyes and asked.
“Yesterday you were working at a vegetable store, now you’re a groom?”
“Because I have so much talent.”
The nonsense was so great that I almost burst out laughing. He asked again.
“I can’t keep calling you Young Lady, so is it okay if I ask you your name?”
“It’s Sasha.”
I answered honestly. It wasn't a name that was even registered at birth, so there was no problem in knowing my real name.
If he had come to arrest me, he would have done so a long time ago. He could have just dragged me here and taken me away without even asking my name.
But he didn't and was always more polite than anyone I've ever met.
“Lady Sasha, my name is Zachary.”
I scratched my cheek awkwardly. It was the first time in my short life that I had been called Young Lady. It was a custom reserved for the very high-ranking people. It was unfamiliar and strange to me.
“Just call me Sasha.”
"But."
“Just Sasha is enough.”
“Yes, just Sasha.”
Zachary asked, his beautiful blue eyes looking down.
“It seems like you’ve run into trouble again. Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Oh, no. It’s okay. I’m not in trouble at all.”
I started to stutter again. Zachary burst into laughter.
He bent down slightly and whispered. I could feel Zachary's breath dissipating against my forehead.
“I sent the grooms away with a lie, but they will soon learn the truth and come back.”
“...”
“Just say the word and I will help you.”
I looked into Zachary's blue eyes. They were clear and seemed to have no selfishness.
But it was foolish to believe what one saw with one's eyes.
Could it be that Zachary is one of those people who would like to stab me, as Mama Olga warned?
Then I had nothing to give him, neither my body nor my mind. I wanted to settle down, and sadly, a nobleman was not the right person for me to settle down with.
The man I want is not a Prince on a white horse, but a simple man who will build a family with me.
I knew my place very well. At least not up there in the glittering social circles.
I know very well what happened to girls who fell for the sweet talk of the nobles, believing only in their pretty faces. It is foolish to dream of living on land when you were born a fish.
I could now vaguely see that Zachary was hiding his true nature when he treated me. Especially when I looked at his eyes, which looked like those of a hungry wolf, I could tell that he was not a man accustomed to being gentle with women.
He seemed more suited to the battlefield than the elegant ballroom. And soldiers always had a way of leaving their women behind.
I asked combatively, intending to refuse if he asked for my body.
“If there’s anything you want from me in return for your help, I’ll turn it down.”
“I have no wishes right now.”
He answered softly.
I recalled Olga's advice once more. Favors without reward are always dangerous. I squinted my eyes.
“There is no kindness in this world that comes without a price.”
“Then I will tell you that I want to be Sasha’s friend.”
“Will you be my friend?”
“If possible.”
Those words touched my heart. All my life I have longed for true friendship, but in the back alleys, no one considered me, Mama Olga's treasure, a true friend.
I asked solemnly.
“Will you never criticize me behind my back, will you always think of each other sincerely, will you not swing your tongue to hurt each other? Will you share when you are happy, help each other when you are in trouble, and cry together when you are sad?”
It was a phrase I had imitated from a fairy tale I had once read. It was a book about a Princess and a Prince, and it was a phrase I had saved for when I would make real friends later.
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