“That’s it. It’s already over. Don’t be obsessed with winning.”
I muttered melancholy as I picked up the iron trap. There was a lot of regret in my voice as I told myself not to be lingering.
Well, if it was going to be like this, I wondered why I had gone through all that trouble last night. I might as well not have shown up at all... I was just showing up for no reason and making that girl’s heart flutter.
To get the second trap, I had to go halfway around the lake. If I left the trap there and the deer was caught later, there would be nothing more frustrating than that.
Somehow, it seemed like I was only doing good things for others during this competition.
After stuffing all the traps into my bag, I bent down to wash my face in the lake water.
I couldn't see the mirror so I couldn't tell for sure, but it probably wouldn't look all that great. The clothes I could see were all covered in mud.
Then something shiny caught my eye.
Again, it was that deer.
It wasn't close. But it wasn't completely far either. It was just the right distance where we could look into each other's eyes.
The deer, which had been staring at me for a while, nodded its head as if it knew that I had saved its life.
Then he hit the ground with his hoof a few times. He felt something breaking through the ground with a thud. I felt the vibration not once, but several times.
For a moment, the forest seemed to have become a little darker. The creature let out a long cry and disappeared again.
I approached the edge of the forest where the deer had been as if possessed.
"Oh my god..."
Under the stump of the decaying tree, there were large and small blue mushrooms growing. I had seen this in Tilatha's records.
In fact, even Tilatha predicted this in his records. The important thing was not these mushrooms.
What this means is, around me...
I followed the sparsely placed mushrooms inside.
I don't know how deep I went. It felt like an hour, but it didn't feel that long either.
And finally, when we reached the sheer cliff.
Right, there was what I was looking for.
The Princess returned, carrying the injured Princess on her horse. The news shook the summer palace.
When the examiners of the thirteen families hurried to the backyard in a state of deep thought, the Emperor and the Dukes of both sides were already there, looking tired. It must have been a long night. They seemed to have been standing there the whole time.
The surroundings were very quiet. From afar, the sound of a horn announcing the return of the successors could be heard.
Little by little, a shape began to take shape on the short hill.
At first, it was just a small dot, but with just a few blinks, they started to get quite close. As rumored, the two were riding back together on the same horse.
No one moved, except for the hems of their clothes fluttering in the wind. Finally, the horse stopped beneath the Emperor's high platform.
The Princess got off first, and then personally helped Princess Kairak get off. Both of their faces were pale as if they would lose consciousness and collapse at any moment.
The Princess stood on her own feet, limping.
A sigh of relief escaped the examiners. No matter how great a prey you had caught, if you lost consciousness or were unable to stand on your own, your very qualifications would be questioned.
Princess Kairak dismounted from her horse and presented what appeared to be a bundle of red fur to the examiner. It was a huge fox with bright red fur.
It is a top-quality product that reflects a shining light when exposed to sunlight, and in recent years, there have been only a few game animals of this quality.
If this is the result of the Princess Kairak who returned injured, the Princess who seemed fine must have hunted a greater beast. People's eyes moved busily.
But the Princess was empty-handed. Even if they rubbed their eyes, they couldn't see anything that looked like animal fur, not only near the Princess but also on the horse or in the messy bag she was carrying.
Most people burst into laughter as if they had expected this outcome. Some nodded, and some lowered their heads in disappointment.
As soon as the next day arrived, not only the wealthy but also the various newspapers friendly to the Princess were all abuzz about the fact that the winner of this competition would be Princess Veronica.
Zarantello Antaria. Not catching anything in that prestigious hunting ground was tantamount to failing to prove one's strength.
“Yeah, what do you think when you go out and see for yourself?”
The Emperor asked, putting down his teacup. Only then did I raise my head from where I had been bowing? It had been half a day since I returned from the forest, but I still felt tired.
Because of the muscle pain all over my body, I felt uncomfortable every time I moved. It got to the point where I thought it would be nice to just throw away dinner and everything and go to bed and get some sleep.
I was going to lose the competition anyway, so I figured I'd just let it be.
“It was very difficult.”
When I finally couldn't fight off the sleepiness and yawned slightly, the Emperor openly clicked his tongue.
“Look at that peaceful look. Five out of the thirteen examiners have already decided to give Veronica points. Do you realize that if you lose this time, you will be at a disadvantage in the next competition?”
That was exactly what he said. Thirteen people got one vote each for three contests, for a total of thirty-nine votes.
Since the structure was such that the person who won more than half of the votes would be the final winner, if one side won too much in the first round, it would inevitably be disadvantaged in the second and third rounds.
I answered, stirring a spoonful of sugar into my teacup.
“Because me being anxious doesn’t change the outcome.”
“That’s true, but...”
The Emperor clicked his tongue again with a displeased expression.
He looked a bit distraught, but his hands were busy pushing a plate of sweet treats towards me.
As I was putting everything in my mouth, I suddenly felt a thrill at the fact that every single food the Emperor picked up was of the type I liked.
It must be a coincidence... The absentminded thoughts didn’t last long.
“If you’re tired, why don’t you just sleep at your quarters? Why did you insist on looking after the luggage?”
“...”
“You’ve been running around so hard all this time.”
The Emperor spoke so indifferently, his chin still resting on his hand. The content was not like that at all. It was as if he was reproaching me for avoiding him.
But how could it not be so? Anyone who looked into the Emperor's eyes would be able to tell that he was beginning to regard me as his real granddaughter.
This was not right. I only needed external recognition, and I never wanted the Emperor's heart. That affection was not mine, but the real Princess Anastasia's.
“...I was busy. You know. I was preparing for the competition and all.”
“...”
“And the reason I came to see you today is because I have something to give you.”
I beckoned to Lisa. As Lisa came holding the blue velvet box, the Emperor's face darkened.
Well, if you think about the original purpose of the box, it makes sense. It was originally meant to store a jewel necklace.
“...Are you giving it to me?”
He took the box with an expression that seemed unsure of how to react. From the look on his face, it was clear that he thought I had given him a necklace.
“I found it in the forest. I brought it to give to Your Majesty.”
“In the forest?”
“Yes. I think it would be better to give it to you before it withers.”
As I urged him, the Emperor smiled and untied the ring on the velvet box. She must have picked some wildflowers, he thought blandly.
So, he opened the box without expecting anything, and when a golden light flowed out from inside the box, everyone in the room looked at me and the box in turn with a look of bewilderment.
“Princess, what the heck is this...”
The five petals, which seemed to have been made by refining gold to the extreme, were emitting light on their own. The somewhat dark interior of the stone table was bright enough to dazzle the eyes.
I answered innocently, swallowing the remaining cookies in my mouth with tea.
“It’s an Igthalis flower, Your Majesty.”
In an instant, the fresh smell of the forest filled the room, as if I had returned to it. I was the only one who felt calm in this place.
Igthalis flower. Everyone has probably heard of it as a legend.
There was a superstition that if you boiled one petal and drank it, your body would become strong, if you boiled two petals, any illness would be cured, if you boiled three petals, your life would be prolonged, and if you took all five petals, you would live forever.
Although it is said to be a superstition, the name of the digitalis grass that is commonly used by people in the slums is derived from this Igtalis... It cannot be a completely false legend. Of course, no one has proven its effectiveness.
The Emperor burst into laughter as if he was astonished.
"...Hundreds of years ago, the Emperor began a conquest of the Eastern Continent in search of this elixir of immortality, and even older royal families sent explorers to every continent.”
“...”
“A plant that was extinct long ago and was only recorded in murals was blooming in the Emperor’s hunting grounds?”
The Emperor spoke with a face that seemed even a little bewildered.
“If you had presented this in front of the examiners, you would have passed the proof. I have a history of whispering in your ear that I favor Princess Veronica. And yet you...”
“...Is it possible to pass with something like this?”
“...”
“I just brought some to offer to Your Majesty because they say it’s good for your health...”
Now, it was a look that asked what should I do with you. It was an expression close to sympathy that I had not seen in a long time.
“Yes. Let me tell you a story. Where on earth did you find this?”
At the Emperor's question, there were gulps and looks of demand for a detailed explanation.
Even though I pretended not to, all the servants in this room were looking at me.
I just shrugged.
“So to speak, it is very long.”
I muttered melancholy as I picked up the iron trap. There was a lot of regret in my voice as I told myself not to be lingering.
Well, if it was going to be like this, I wondered why I had gone through all that trouble last night. I might as well not have shown up at all... I was just showing up for no reason and making that girl’s heart flutter.
To get the second trap, I had to go halfway around the lake. If I left the trap there and the deer was caught later, there would be nothing more frustrating than that.
Somehow, it seemed like I was only doing good things for others during this competition.
After stuffing all the traps into my bag, I bent down to wash my face in the lake water.
I couldn't see the mirror so I couldn't tell for sure, but it probably wouldn't look all that great. The clothes I could see were all covered in mud.
Then something shiny caught my eye.
Again, it was that deer.
It wasn't close. But it wasn't completely far either. It was just the right distance where we could look into each other's eyes.
The deer, which had been staring at me for a while, nodded its head as if it knew that I had saved its life.
Then he hit the ground with his hoof a few times. He felt something breaking through the ground with a thud. I felt the vibration not once, but several times.
For a moment, the forest seemed to have become a little darker. The creature let out a long cry and disappeared again.
I approached the edge of the forest where the deer had been as if possessed.
"Oh my god..."
Under the stump of the decaying tree, there were large and small blue mushrooms growing. I had seen this in Tilatha's records.
In fact, even Tilatha predicted this in his records. The important thing was not these mushrooms.
What this means is, around me...
I followed the sparsely placed mushrooms inside.
I don't know how deep I went. It felt like an hour, but it didn't feel that long either.
And finally, when we reached the sheer cliff.
Right, there was what I was looking for.
***
The Princess returned, carrying the injured Princess on her horse. The news shook the summer palace.
When the examiners of the thirteen families hurried to the backyard in a state of deep thought, the Emperor and the Dukes of both sides were already there, looking tired. It must have been a long night. They seemed to have been standing there the whole time.
The surroundings were very quiet. From afar, the sound of a horn announcing the return of the successors could be heard.
Little by little, a shape began to take shape on the short hill.
At first, it was just a small dot, but with just a few blinks, they started to get quite close. As rumored, the two were riding back together on the same horse.
No one moved, except for the hems of their clothes fluttering in the wind. Finally, the horse stopped beneath the Emperor's high platform.
The Princess got off first, and then personally helped Princess Kairak get off. Both of their faces were pale as if they would lose consciousness and collapse at any moment.
The Princess stood on her own feet, limping.
A sigh of relief escaped the examiners. No matter how great a prey you had caught, if you lost consciousness or were unable to stand on your own, your very qualifications would be questioned.
Princess Kairak dismounted from her horse and presented what appeared to be a bundle of red fur to the examiner. It was a huge fox with bright red fur.
It is a top-quality product that reflects a shining light when exposed to sunlight, and in recent years, there have been only a few game animals of this quality.
If this is the result of the Princess Kairak who returned injured, the Princess who seemed fine must have hunted a greater beast. People's eyes moved busily.
But the Princess was empty-handed. Even if they rubbed their eyes, they couldn't see anything that looked like animal fur, not only near the Princess but also on the horse or in the messy bag she was carrying.
Most people burst into laughter as if they had expected this outcome. Some nodded, and some lowered their heads in disappointment.
As soon as the next day arrived, not only the wealthy but also the various newspapers friendly to the Princess were all abuzz about the fact that the winner of this competition would be Princess Veronica.
Zarantello Antaria. Not catching anything in that prestigious hunting ground was tantamount to failing to prove one's strength.
***
“Yeah, what do you think when you go out and see for yourself?”
The Emperor asked, putting down his teacup. Only then did I raise my head from where I had been bowing? It had been half a day since I returned from the forest, but I still felt tired.
Because of the muscle pain all over my body, I felt uncomfortable every time I moved. It got to the point where I thought it would be nice to just throw away dinner and everything and go to bed and get some sleep.
I was going to lose the competition anyway, so I figured I'd just let it be.
“It was very difficult.”
When I finally couldn't fight off the sleepiness and yawned slightly, the Emperor openly clicked his tongue.
“Look at that peaceful look. Five out of the thirteen examiners have already decided to give Veronica points. Do you realize that if you lose this time, you will be at a disadvantage in the next competition?”
That was exactly what he said. Thirteen people got one vote each for three contests, for a total of thirty-nine votes.
Since the structure was such that the person who won more than half of the votes would be the final winner, if one side won too much in the first round, it would inevitably be disadvantaged in the second and third rounds.
I answered, stirring a spoonful of sugar into my teacup.
“Because me being anxious doesn’t change the outcome.”
“That’s true, but...”
The Emperor clicked his tongue again with a displeased expression.
He looked a bit distraught, but his hands were busy pushing a plate of sweet treats towards me.
As I was putting everything in my mouth, I suddenly felt a thrill at the fact that every single food the Emperor picked up was of the type I liked.
It must be a coincidence... The absentminded thoughts didn’t last long.
“If you’re tired, why don’t you just sleep at your quarters? Why did you insist on looking after the luggage?”
“...”
“You’ve been running around so hard all this time.”
The Emperor spoke so indifferently, his chin still resting on his hand. The content was not like that at all. It was as if he was reproaching me for avoiding him.
But how could it not be so? Anyone who looked into the Emperor's eyes would be able to tell that he was beginning to regard me as his real granddaughter.
This was not right. I only needed external recognition, and I never wanted the Emperor's heart. That affection was not mine, but the real Princess Anastasia's.
“...I was busy. You know. I was preparing for the competition and all.”
“...”
“And the reason I came to see you today is because I have something to give you.”
I beckoned to Lisa. As Lisa came holding the blue velvet box, the Emperor's face darkened.
Well, if you think about the original purpose of the box, it makes sense. It was originally meant to store a jewel necklace.
“...Are you giving it to me?”
He took the box with an expression that seemed unsure of how to react. From the look on his face, it was clear that he thought I had given him a necklace.
“I found it in the forest. I brought it to give to Your Majesty.”
“In the forest?”
“Yes. I think it would be better to give it to you before it withers.”
As I urged him, the Emperor smiled and untied the ring on the velvet box. She must have picked some wildflowers, he thought blandly.
So, he opened the box without expecting anything, and when a golden light flowed out from inside the box, everyone in the room looked at me and the box in turn with a look of bewilderment.
“Princess, what the heck is this...”
The five petals, which seemed to have been made by refining gold to the extreme, were emitting light on their own. The somewhat dark interior of the stone table was bright enough to dazzle the eyes.
I answered innocently, swallowing the remaining cookies in my mouth with tea.
“It’s an Igthalis flower, Your Majesty.”
In an instant, the fresh smell of the forest filled the room, as if I had returned to it. I was the only one who felt calm in this place.
Igthalis flower. Everyone has probably heard of it as a legend.
There was a superstition that if you boiled one petal and drank it, your body would become strong, if you boiled two petals, any illness would be cured, if you boiled three petals, your life would be prolonged, and if you took all five petals, you would live forever.
Although it is said to be a superstition, the name of the digitalis grass that is commonly used by people in the slums is derived from this Igtalis... It cannot be a completely false legend. Of course, no one has proven its effectiveness.
The Emperor burst into laughter as if he was astonished.
"...Hundreds of years ago, the Emperor began a conquest of the Eastern Continent in search of this elixir of immortality, and even older royal families sent explorers to every continent.”
“...”
“A plant that was extinct long ago and was only recorded in murals was blooming in the Emperor’s hunting grounds?”
The Emperor spoke with a face that seemed even a little bewildered.
“If you had presented this in front of the examiners, you would have passed the proof. I have a history of whispering in your ear that I favor Princess Veronica. And yet you...”
“...Is it possible to pass with something like this?”
“...”
“I just brought some to offer to Your Majesty because they say it’s good for your health...”
Now, it was a look that asked what should I do with you. It was an expression close to sympathy that I had not seen in a long time.
“Yes. Let me tell you a story. Where on earth did you find this?”
At the Emperor's question, there were gulps and looks of demand for a detailed explanation.
Even though I pretended not to, all the servants in this room were looking at me.
I just shrugged.
“So to speak, it is very long.”
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