I wanted to twist Prince Tesla's arm and break it right then and there.
“...Welcome?”
The Prince looked at the outstretched arms and asked back.
“Yes, just like we are, in a friendly way, wouldn’t you say? Not quite a passionate hug, though.”
Even though he was speaking to me in a respectful tone, the Prince's eyes and expression were still the same. Just as he had treated me. Just as he had when I was Zelda von Trova, the illegitimate child of a powerless Count's family and the royal bathing maid.
“Wasn’t the welcome speech yesterday enough?”
I said, tying the loose strings of my bathrobe tighter again.
“They say a place makes a person, but this is quite disappointing.”
Prince Tesla made an uncharacteristically pitiful expression. I wanted to rush to the Prince and strangle him. By the way, how did that man get in here? Even if a Prince from the home country came to visit, they wouldn’t have let him into the bedroom while the Empress was showering.
The Prince's last words, muttered as if he was talking to himself, gave me goosebumps.
“Your Highness, you have not forgotten our deal, have you?”
“...Of course.”
“Oh, you remember? Hahaha.”
Prince Tesla opened his eyes slightly and suddenly laughed heartily.
“I thought you forgot again?”
"Yes?"
As I tilted my head, Prince Tesla struck his forehead with his fist and made a regretful expression. It seemed like a fake expression, but I felt quite uncomfortable about it.
“Our deal. I came to remind you in case you forgot your role as Her Majesty the Empress, but I guess I have come at a loss.”
“Wake me up? What do you mean?”
By any chance... I instinctively looked back at the dresser where I had hidden the magic potion. I had the foolish thought that it couldn’t be...
“Here you go again?”
Rosie stopped turning the pages of an ancient book written in the ancient language of the Southern Continent. She saw a picture of a sword that she had already seen everywhere in the book.
“What on earth is this? Why does it keep coming up? Is it important? The red jewel embedded in the sword hilt is pretty, but...”
It wasn't a particularly special sword, though.
“Humans are crazy about jewels, so I guess they appear often in books. Jewels are expensive, aren’t they?”
The baby wyvern began to say his own name at the end of every sentence when Rosie didn't call him by his name properly.
“This isn’t a book about humans, it’s about your species?”
Rosie said, setting down the thick tome on the marble floor.
“Really? That’s strange. I don’t like jewelry. Isn’t my very existence more brilliant than jewels?”
“Ah, Sir! Let’s stop talking.”
Rosie shook her head as she watched Moiya, who was drunk on her own intoxication. As she was about to turn the page again, a kitten rubbed its body against the back of her hand and acted cute.
“I didn’t call you. Go away. I told you not to tear this book.”
The cat that was suddenly raised because of Moiya seemed to have accepted its real name as 'Aoshi'. Whenever Rosie got angry or frustrated, she would habitually shout 'Aoshi!' and every time she did, the kitten would come and lie down next to her.
“Meow. (Just accept me. It’s fate.)”
Aoshi lightly bit Rosie's index finger as she turned the pages of the book.
“...Welcome?”
The Prince looked at the outstretched arms and asked back.
“Yes, just like we are, in a friendly way, wouldn’t you say? Not quite a passionate hug, though.”
Even though he was speaking to me in a respectful tone, the Prince's eyes and expression were still the same. Just as he had treated me. Just as he had when I was Zelda von Trova, the illegitimate child of a powerless Count's family and the royal bathing maid.
“Wasn’t the welcome speech yesterday enough?”
I said, tying the loose strings of my bathrobe tighter again.
“They say a place makes a person, but this is quite disappointing.”
Prince Tesla made an uncharacteristically pitiful expression. I wanted to rush to the Prince and strangle him. By the way, how did that man get in here? Even if a Prince from the home country came to visit, they wouldn’t have let him into the bedroom while the Empress was showering.
I stared at the half-open terrace door behind him. He came in through there. The terrace door had clearly been closed before I entered the bathroom. Even Prince Tesla had the motor skills to easily climb up and down this height. Furthermore, of the two terrace doors in the Empress’s bedroom, that one faced the back garden so it would have made it easy to avoid the eyes of the court ladies.
“Don’t be so expensive, but allow me to give you a warm hug.”
Prince Tesla said again, flexing his arms.
“That’s why it’s dressed like this.”
I declined, pointing to the bathrobe I was wearing.
“Hey, hey. This is how people change.”
Prince Tesla sighed as his hug was rejected.
“I knew this would happen...”
“Don’t be so expensive, but allow me to give you a warm hug.”
Prince Tesla said again, flexing his arms.
“That’s why it’s dressed like this.”
I declined, pointing to the bathrobe I was wearing.
“Hey, hey. This is how people change.”
Prince Tesla sighed as his hug was rejected.
“I knew this would happen...”
The Prince's last words, muttered as if he was talking to himself, gave me goosebumps.
“Your Highness, you have not forgotten our deal, have you?”
“...Of course.”
“Oh, you remember? Hahaha.”
Prince Tesla opened his eyes slightly and suddenly laughed heartily.
“I thought you forgot again?”
"Yes?"
As I tilted my head, Prince Tesla struck his forehead with his fist and made a regretful expression. It seemed like a fake expression, but I felt quite uncomfortable about it.
“Our deal. I came to remind you in case you forgot your role as Her Majesty the Empress, but I guess I have come at a loss.”
“Wake me up? What do you mean?”
By any chance... I instinctively looked back at the dresser where I had hidden the magic potion. I had the foolish thought that it couldn’t be...
***
“Here you go again?”
Rosie stopped turning the pages of an ancient book written in the ancient language of the Southern Continent. She saw a picture of a sword that she had already seen everywhere in the book.
“What on earth is this? Why does it keep coming up? Is it important? The red jewel embedded in the sword hilt is pretty, but...”
It wasn't a particularly special sword, though.
“Humans are crazy about jewels, so I guess they appear often in books. Jewels are expensive, aren’t they?”
The baby wyvern began to say his own name at the end of every sentence when Rosie didn't call him by his name properly.
“This isn’t a book about humans, it’s about your species?”
Rosie said, setting down the thick tome on the marble floor.
“Really? That’s strange. I don’t like jewelry. Isn’t my very existence more brilliant than jewels?”
“Ah, Sir! Let’s stop talking.”
Rosie shook her head as she watched Moiya, who was drunk on her own intoxication. As she was about to turn the page again, a kitten rubbed its body against the back of her hand and acted cute.
“I didn’t call you. Go away. I told you not to tear this book.”
The cat that was suddenly raised because of Moiya seemed to have accepted its real name as 'Aoshi'. Whenever Rosie got angry or frustrated, she would habitually shout 'Aoshi!' and every time she did, the kitten would come and lie down next to her.
“Meow. (Just accept me. It’s fate.)”
Aoshi lightly bit Rosie's index finger as she turned the pages of the book.
Knock knock.
When a knock was heard on the bedroom door, Rosie motioned for Moiya to go under the bed, but instead of hiding under the bed, Moiya went into Aoshi's body. Without hesitation, Rosie glared at Moiya, who had turned into a kitten, and shouted at the bedroom door.
“Come in!”
As soon as she finished speaking, the bedroom door flew open.
“Let’s go on a picnic!”
The second concubine, Melanie, barged in without warning.
'Picnic? Going out and playing? Then I have to go out too!'
Moiya, who had entered Aoshi's body, had sparkling red eyes.
“Come in!”
As soon as she finished speaking, the bedroom door flew open.
“Let’s go on a picnic!”
The second concubine, Melanie, barged in without warning.
'Picnic? Going out and playing? Then I have to go out too!'
Moiya, who had entered Aoshi's body, had sparkling red eyes.
“Your Highness Melanie, what picnic are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“The weather is nice. I was originally planning to go next week when Emperor Adrian Meltin of the Tebello Empire arrives, but I’m too impatient to go. We can go on a picnic today or then!”
“On the day His Majesty Emperor Adrian of the Tebello Empire arrives... Why?”
“Don’t you know? I heard he’s incredibly handsome. But he’s not as handsome as our Emperor.”
“The handsome man has already come from another country...?”
Rosie thought of Prince Norton without thinking and muttered to herself.
“Where, which empire? Who?”
Melanie glared and asked, shaking Rosie's shoulders violently, why she had never told her such an important fact.
“That is Prince Norton of the Parsha Empire...”
“Meow meow?!”
'What's so handsome about that Prince? This great Moiya is much better.'
Moiya wags his tail with a cat-like meow. Melanie looks down in surprise at the cat-like sound.
“What cat?”
“Will Your Highness Melanie raise it?”
Melanie jumped when Rosie asked indifferently.
“Oh my? I don’t like anything cuter than me!”
“...Ah, yes.”
“But, are you raising him with permission from the royal family?”
“Oh, not yet. I was going to tell the administration office, but... my cat is so sick these days that I had to put it off... I should let them know now that he seems to be better.”
As the embarrassed Rosie spoke in a pitiful voice, Melanie bent down and looked closely at Aoshi.
“The weather is nice. I was originally planning to go next week when Emperor Adrian Meltin of the Tebello Empire arrives, but I’m too impatient to go. We can go on a picnic today or then!”
“On the day His Majesty Emperor Adrian of the Tebello Empire arrives... Why?”
“Don’t you know? I heard he’s incredibly handsome. But he’s not as handsome as our Emperor.”
“The handsome man has already come from another country...?”
Rosie thought of Prince Norton without thinking and muttered to herself.
“Where, which empire? Who?”
Melanie glared and asked, shaking Rosie's shoulders violently, why she had never told her such an important fact.
“That is Prince Norton of the Parsha Empire...”
“Meow meow?!”
'What's so handsome about that Prince? This great Moiya is much better.'
Moiya wags his tail with a cat-like meow. Melanie looks down in surprise at the cat-like sound.
“What cat?”
“Will Your Highness Melanie raise it?”
Melanie jumped when Rosie asked indifferently.
“Oh my? I don’t like anything cuter than me!”
“...Ah, yes.”
“But, are you raising him with permission from the royal family?”
“Oh, not yet. I was going to tell the administration office, but... my cat is so sick these days that I had to put it off... I should let them know now that he seems to be better.”
As the embarrassed Rosie spoke in a pitiful voice, Melanie bent down and looked closely at Aoshi.
“Oh, somehow the kid is acting a bit shaky.”
'That thing that looks like an iron skewer... is talking quite honestly?'
Moiya wagged her tail and walked lightly towards Melanie.
“Are you sick of life? The weather is nice, so let’s go out.”
Moiya was secretly moved by Melanie's words.
'Wow, this skewer is full of heart?'
“Don’t just sit there in the basket; run around here and there. That way, your master won’t get caught raising you secretly and you’ll get in trouble. Don’t you think so? Puhaha!”
Melanie slapped Aoshi's butt and threw him into the picnic basket she had brought.
'Wow, you're a fun-loving human! I really like you!'
Moiya, who had been wagging his tail in excitement, lay flat on the floor of the basket when he saw Rosie's face becoming increasingly fierce.
“Your Highness Rosie, let’s go out quickly. Let’s have a sandwich by the lake. Oh, and take that book too. I need to take a nap with my head on it!”
Melanie even put the old book that Rosie was reading in her basket.
'That thing that looks like an iron skewer... is talking quite honestly?'
Moiya wagged her tail and walked lightly towards Melanie.
“Are you sick of life? The weather is nice, so let’s go out.”
Moiya was secretly moved by Melanie's words.
'Wow, this skewer is full of heart?'
“Don’t just sit there in the basket; run around here and there. That way, your master won’t get caught raising you secretly and you’ll get in trouble. Don’t you think so? Puhaha!”
Melanie slapped Aoshi's butt and threw him into the picnic basket she had brought.
'Wow, you're a fun-loving human! I really like you!'
Moiya, who had been wagging his tail in excitement, lay flat on the floor of the basket when he saw Rosie's face becoming increasingly fierce.
“Your Highness Rosie, let’s go out quickly. Let’s have a sandwich by the lake. Oh, and take that book too. I need to take a nap with my head on it!”
Melanie even put the old book that Rosie was reading in her basket.
***
Rosie and Melanie arrived at the lake garden, about 15 minutes away from the West Palace by carriage. The water of the lake meets a long, wide canal, which in turn connects to a large river that leads out of the Lapion Palace. In the summer and fall, there were quite a few nobles who enjoyed boating along the large canal that connected the lake to the entrance of the palace.
“Shall we sit here? Let’s eat first.”
As the servants laid out a checkered cloth over the lawn, Melanie collapsed onto it and said:
“...Are you eating already?”
“Of course, it was hard to get here.”
“You say it’s hard when you just took a carriage to get here?”
Rosie countered Melanie's statement, glancing at the palace's private carriage waiting far away on the lakeshore.
“Even if it’s a short distance, isn’t it a trip the moment you ride a carriage?”
Melanie rummaged through the basket the servant had placed beside her and offered Rosie one of the sandwiches she had prepared in her palace.
“I’m eating this while reading a book.”
“Thank you. It looks delicious.”
Rosie smiled as she accepted the sandwich.
“How is it? Is it edible?”
“Mmm, it’s delicious.”
Rosie took a bite of her sandwich, tasted it, and looked satisfied.
“Meow? (Are you eating alone?)”
Moiya, who saw the sandwich, jumped out of the basket.
“You eat this.”
Melanie rummaged through the basket next to her and tossed a small loaf of bread to Moya.
'That iron skewer is really nice!'
Moiya grabbed the bread with both feet as if he had been waiting and started eating it eagerly. Rosie wanted to hit Moiya on the head, but she couldn’t hit him because he was inside Aoshi’s body.
“The weather is nice. Should I sing you a song?”
As he was finishing one sandwich, Melanie suddenly asked Rosie:
"No."
Rosie refused, pulling the book out of the basket, but Melanie cleared her throat as if she had been given a song request.
“Ah, voice test! Ah, if I can’t sing, I can’t be a concubine. Ah, Your Majesty, if I can’t be a concubine, I can’t give birth to a Prince. Ah, Your Majesty, I can’t be a concubine.”
“..."
“Okay, now that I’ve warmed up my voice, I’ll sing it properly.”
The moment Melanie finally opens her mouth wide to sing,
“Your Highness Rosie, it’s nice to see you here again.”
A sweet male voice was heard behind them. Rosie turned her head, placing both hands on her forehead and blocking the sunlight.
“Huh? Hello!”
The man who greeted me was Prince Norton, whom he had met in the back garden of the Empress's Palace the night before. Rosie jumped up. Moiya took advantage of the gap and bit into the sandwich she had left behind and put it in the basket.
“Why is Your Highness here...”
“I was taking a walk.”
Prince Norton smiled faintly and touched the corner of his mouth with his hand. Only then did Rosie realize that there were bread crumbs in her mouth, and she quickly brushed them away.
“It's the other side.”
Prince Norton pointed his finger precisely at the breadcrumb-covered spot.
“... I, I know that too.”
Rosie replied, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She belatedly discovered that there was something shiny behind Prince Norton.
“But who is that person?”
Rosie asked, glancing at the pretty pink-haired beauty with curious eyes. Princess Resilia, who had been standing behind the Prince, slowly walked forward. The Princess looked down at Rosie, who looked confused.
“Ah, this is the Kingdom of Shattonil.”
When Prince Norton tried to introduce Princess Resilia, she couldn't wait and stepped forward first.
“The weather is really nice.”
'Things that will be under me later.'
As such thoughts came to mind, Princess Resilia's condescending tone naturally came out of her mouth.
“Were you having a picnic?”
Melanie stared at the Princess's arrogant attitude, which seemed ambiguous as if it were a question or a soliloquy. The two people's extraordinary eyes met in the air, and sparks flew. Rosie, who was watching this from the middle, was inwardly surprised.
'The two of them... are somehow similar!'
They looked similar to each other for a while, as if they were exploring each other.
“Are you His Majesty’s concubines?”
Princess Resilia asked again, looking back and forth between Rosie and Melanie in an ambiguous tone that was neither a soliloquy nor a question.
“The concubines are ‘Ishiji.’”
Melanie said again and again, emphasizing the point.
“Tch.”
Then, she tried to stand up without touching the floor, but she stepped on the hem of her dress and fell on her butt again, shouting, "Miss!" Melanie fell backwards, and part of her long hair dipped into the lake water. Rosie quickly grabbed the ends of Melanie's hair and squeezed the water out.
“Squeeze it all out, squeeze it all out. I don’t want my dress to get wet.”
Melanie glanced at Rosie and said.
“Oh my. I’ve seen all the star shows, I...”
Princess Resilia looked at Melanie with a crooked look and laughed heartily.
“Then pay and laugh.”
Melanie stood up with Rosie's support as if nothing had happened and snapped at Princess Resilia.
"What?!"
“Who are you? You speak so briefly.”
She was completely unaware that she was speaking short, like a Princess. The eyes of the two women, who seemed ready to devour each other, clashed sharply at the same eye level.
“Shall we sit here? Let’s eat first.”
As the servants laid out a checkered cloth over the lawn, Melanie collapsed onto it and said:
“...Are you eating already?”
“Of course, it was hard to get here.”
“You say it’s hard when you just took a carriage to get here?”
Rosie countered Melanie's statement, glancing at the palace's private carriage waiting far away on the lakeshore.
“Even if it’s a short distance, isn’t it a trip the moment you ride a carriage?”
Melanie rummaged through the basket the servant had placed beside her and offered Rosie one of the sandwiches she had prepared in her palace.
“I’m eating this while reading a book.”
“Thank you. It looks delicious.”
Rosie smiled as she accepted the sandwich.
“How is it? Is it edible?”
“Mmm, it’s delicious.”
Rosie took a bite of her sandwich, tasted it, and looked satisfied.
“Meow? (Are you eating alone?)”
Moiya, who saw the sandwich, jumped out of the basket.
“You eat this.”
Melanie rummaged through the basket next to her and tossed a small loaf of bread to Moya.
'That iron skewer is really nice!'
Moiya grabbed the bread with both feet as if he had been waiting and started eating it eagerly. Rosie wanted to hit Moiya on the head, but she couldn’t hit him because he was inside Aoshi’s body.
“The weather is nice. Should I sing you a song?”
As he was finishing one sandwich, Melanie suddenly asked Rosie:
"No."
Rosie refused, pulling the book out of the basket, but Melanie cleared her throat as if she had been given a song request.
“Ah, voice test! Ah, if I can’t sing, I can’t be a concubine. Ah, Your Majesty, if I can’t be a concubine, I can’t give birth to a Prince. Ah, Your Majesty, I can’t be a concubine.”
“..."
“Okay, now that I’ve warmed up my voice, I’ll sing it properly.”
The moment Melanie finally opens her mouth wide to sing,
“Your Highness Rosie, it’s nice to see you here again.”
A sweet male voice was heard behind them. Rosie turned her head, placing both hands on her forehead and blocking the sunlight.
“Huh? Hello!”
The man who greeted me was Prince Norton, whom he had met in the back garden of the Empress's Palace the night before. Rosie jumped up. Moiya took advantage of the gap and bit into the sandwich she had left behind and put it in the basket.
“Why is Your Highness here...”
“I was taking a walk.”
Prince Norton smiled faintly and touched the corner of his mouth with his hand. Only then did Rosie realize that there were bread crumbs in her mouth, and she quickly brushed them away.
“It's the other side.”
Prince Norton pointed his finger precisely at the breadcrumb-covered spot.
“... I, I know that too.”
Rosie replied, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She belatedly discovered that there was something shiny behind Prince Norton.
“But who is that person?”
Rosie asked, glancing at the pretty pink-haired beauty with curious eyes. Princess Resilia, who had been standing behind the Prince, slowly walked forward. The Princess looked down at Rosie, who looked confused.
“Ah, this is the Kingdom of Shattonil.”
When Prince Norton tried to introduce Princess Resilia, she couldn't wait and stepped forward first.
“The weather is really nice.”
'Things that will be under me later.'
As such thoughts came to mind, Princess Resilia's condescending tone naturally came out of her mouth.
“Were you having a picnic?”
Melanie stared at the Princess's arrogant attitude, which seemed ambiguous as if it were a question or a soliloquy. The two people's extraordinary eyes met in the air, and sparks flew. Rosie, who was watching this from the middle, was inwardly surprised.
'The two of them... are somehow similar!'
They looked similar to each other for a while, as if they were exploring each other.
“Are you His Majesty’s concubines?”
Princess Resilia asked again, looking back and forth between Rosie and Melanie in an ambiguous tone that was neither a soliloquy nor a question.
“The concubines are ‘Ishiji.’”
Melanie said again and again, emphasizing the point.
“Tch.”
Then, she tried to stand up without touching the floor, but she stepped on the hem of her dress and fell on her butt again, shouting, "Miss!" Melanie fell backwards, and part of her long hair dipped into the lake water. Rosie quickly grabbed the ends of Melanie's hair and squeezed the water out.
“Squeeze it all out, squeeze it all out. I don’t want my dress to get wet.”
Melanie glanced at Rosie and said.
“Oh my. I’ve seen all the star shows, I...”
Princess Resilia looked at Melanie with a crooked look and laughed heartily.
“Then pay and laugh.”
Melanie stood up with Rosie's support as if nothing had happened and snapped at Princess Resilia.
"What?!"
“Who are you? You speak so briefly.”
She was completely unaware that she was speaking short, like a Princess. The eyes of the two women, who seemed ready to devour each other, clashed sharply at the same eye level.
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