“From the Western Continent’s new language to the ancient Talan language... I brought every dictionary left in the palace library.”
"Thank you."
“It’s in here, right? Since yesterday, I’ve been skimming through over two hundred dictionaries and language-related books, comparing them one by one...”
Thalia asked with a tired expression. I couldn't help but pat her shoulder lightly.
“...It has to be there.”
But there was none. It was an unbelievable result. At first, I really couldn't believe it, so I sorted the dictionaries I had piled up by region again.
Then I took out dictionaries of regions that looked similar to the language in question and checked them again from beginning to end to see if there were any similar words, hoping that at least one of the five words would overlap.
After two nights of staying up like that, I finally admitted it.
“...It seems like it’s not in the palace library.”
That is to say, this language is not compiled into a dictionary, or at least not in the palace library.
It was a disappointing conclusion. I squatted down on the floor of the library. Even Irina, who had to talk about the dignity of a Princess and such, squatted down next to me in a similar manner.
I was so exhausted that I didn't have the strength to move a finger. I leaned my head against the bookshelf and grumbled.
“If it’s not here, then it’s not a language that doesn’t exist at all? Was this even a language in the first place?”
“You said it was a problem, so isn’t that right? If you say no, there are also repeated strokes that seem to be characteristics of language...”
“But it’s not there...”
“It’s not here, but it might be in another library.”
“Another library?”
I added, straightening my hunched back.
“Didn’t the palace library have all the books?”
“Academically important materials are in the Academy.”
Academy. Come to think of it, I had forgotten about that place.
But the nearest academy was Bellato, and it would take four days round trip. I didn't have enough time to endure that.
Irina added as if a memory had suddenly occurred to her.
“Oh, come to think of it, there is only one other library in the capital that is comparable to it.”
“There is another library that large in the capital? Other than the palace?”
“Your Highness knows this place well.”
“Where?”
“This is the library of the Ashkabad Duchy. It is said to be a privately owned library, but I heard that it has books that are no less than those in any decent library.”
I've never seen anything like that. Maybe I just heard a rumor somewhere? Irina added as I couldn't hide my disappointment.
“About four generations ago, there was a rumor that the Duke of that time had a great interest in learning and built a huge library. It has not been opened to the public since, but it is said that the materials stored there are enormous.”
“I’ve never seen a place like that while passing by...”
“It’s probably a place where they store valuable materials, so it’s not a place you can go as a regular guest.”
At first glance, it sounded plausible. It was an overly large mansion. It wouldn't be surprising if there was a library hidden somewhere. I only used a limited area in the main building, so it's possible I didn't see it.
Anyway, since it's worth believing, it was worth a try. I don't know yet whether it will be a new hope or another despair.
But the problem arose even before it began, as the official route to the Ashkabad Duchy was completely blocked.
Laskan was a member of the Privy Council and was an examiner in the race for the succession, and any inappropriate contact with an examiner was against the rules of the race, whether through letters, private meetings, or by visiting him at his mansion.
Anyway, he's going to vote for me no matter what I do, so even if it's just a sham, rules are rules.
Even the Duke of Kairak was not allowed to enter my palace and was said to be living in a villa outside the capital... At least it was true that it was a bit awkward to go against it head-on.
“Are you just giving up like this?”
“No. Once I get back from the academy, there’s really only a week left.”
I clenched my fist.
“I must find it at the Duke’s residence.”
“But there is no way out. Everyone will be watching Your Highness’s movements.”
Thalia whispered. She was right. Unless it was directly related to her safety, the Princess's whereabouts should have been kept public.
Especially in times of competition like these, some of the low-level maids and attendants coming and going from the palace might be Duke Kairak's puppets.
When Laskan was picking it out, I shouldn't have told him to do it properly. I never dreamed that this would come back to bite me.
“As long as I don’t get caught leaving, that’s fine.”
Even though I thought it sounded like an irresponsible remark when Thalia's expression became serious, I reflected a little. How thoughtless must I have sounded for her to make that kind of expression...
I cleared my throat and added.
“What if I borrow Lisa’s clothes? I don’t think anyone will notice if I mix in with the maids when they leave.”
Lisa opened her eyes wide as she poured the tea.
“My clothes?”
“You know, the clothes you wore when you were working at the dugout?”
“It exists, but...”
I understood Lisa's concerns, even the things she didn't say.
Leaving the palace might not be difficult. While anyone entering the palace is strictly monitored, those leaving are not as strictly monitored.
So the problem is not leaving the palace, but entering the Duke's mansion.
Originally, I could have sneaked in and out with Cesare's help, but... he had already been effectively demoted to some unknown island.
Lisa was almost the only maid who had ever met my face directly in the Duke's residence, the rest I just passed by as I passed by...
Even if the maids remembered my face and opened the door, keeping the secret was another matter. Isabella? The Count of Modre was a member of the Privy Council, so the way to that side was blocked.
There had to be someone. Someone who could enter the mansion without difficulty, someone who was not under surveillance, and someone who could even enter the Duke's private study.
Jacqueline just woke up, yawning heavily. Yesterday was the same old day as today.
When his stomach hurt so bad he couldn't stand it, he would walk around the training ground until he threw up, and he would challenge anyone who he thought could use a sword, regardless of their rank, like a sparring match.
But no matter how indulgent he was, in the end, they were knights of the same faction. Since there was no murderous intent in his hands, he felt quite bitter whether he won or lost.
Moreover, the lord he chose himself seems to be entangled in the complex political relations of the capital, so he said he would not be going on an expedition for the time being.
Plague. He was bored with this peace, so he ran away from that dirty dock.
The fights with pirates and merchant ships on a day-to-day basis were not very exciting compared to the fierce northern barbarians. They usually lost their motivation after firing a few cannons with an overwhelmingly long range and engaging in a melee on board.
It wasn't easy to remain calm on a ship with a broken sail and a hole in it, flooded with seawater. Except for one person, his Rosetta...
He quickly wiped away the tears that had welled up in his eyes.
'Damn it. When will this competition end?'
As expected, useless thoughts came to him because he didn't move his body. He stretched flexibly and poured himself a cup of water. He was about to drink it.
“Hey, where’s the mad dog?”
“He was sleeping in the corner over there. Oh, he’s awake.”
“Hey, Jacqueline.”
Jacqueline pondered his situation for a moment.
“Someone is looking for you at the back door.”
He asked him without realizing it as if he had come to meet him.
"Who?"
“I don’t know. The clothes she's wearing just look like a maid’s.”
"Maid?"
He was pushed out by his colleague's hand, looking bewildered.
Why would a maid come to see me? He could boast that he had lived his life without any shame in front of Rosetta. He had never touched a woman...
“Is she looking for me?”
“Jacqueline D’Omosa Sol Reston. Are there two other names with that dazzling name besides yours?”
If he had said that, he would have no choice but to be pushed out. It was time for his mother to send him regular letters, almost like threats, telling him to come back.
Usually, the person who sent the servant asked, “Why is this maid here?” Since he could just ignore the letter and come back, he went out through the back door without any burden.
The back gate was not far from the parade ground. He squinted his eyes and saw a woman standing there, dressed in a real maid's outfit.
But... 'That' is just a maid? Did she have conjunctivitis or something? For a moment, he was genuinely worried about his colleague's taste.
That would be the case, even though her face was half-hidden by her hood, there was something about the woman.
Something invisible, like the elegance and grace that the older sisters in the eastern skyscrapers exude.
Even behind her back... an escort knight? Where is the ‘just a maid’ who walks around with an escort knight!
His senses warned him that if he got entangled here, it would be a real hassle.
Jacqueline tried to return to the same position he had come from. If the escort knight's face had been a little less familiar,
“Jacqueline?”
Even if the woman's voice calling him seemed familiar, he would have run away.
Jeez, this damn curiosity. He's definitely heard that voice somewhere. He asked, standing on one leg in a trembling manner.
“...Who are you?”
Please, just get away from this arrogant attitude. It would be better if you just revealed who you were.
The woman raised her slender hand and pulled back her hood. Her blue eyes sparkled as if she found the situation interesting.
“Yiu don’t know?”
“...Your Highness?”
Jacqueline recognized her right away. She was a face that was hard to forget once you saw her. Her eyes were spinning with beauty, that is, Her Highness the Princess.
“It’s still the same.”
“Then is the one behind you, Sir Enoch? I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you right away.”
He gave a short salute. Enoch snorted as if he hadn't expected it.
Jacqueline looked down at the Princess with new eyes. When he last saw her at the office, she had a sense of her own kind—a babbler—that she couldn’t hide. When did she become so elegant?
"Thank you."
“It’s in here, right? Since yesterday, I’ve been skimming through over two hundred dictionaries and language-related books, comparing them one by one...”
Thalia asked with a tired expression. I couldn't help but pat her shoulder lightly.
“...It has to be there.”
***
But there was none. It was an unbelievable result. At first, I really couldn't believe it, so I sorted the dictionaries I had piled up by region again.
Then I took out dictionaries of regions that looked similar to the language in question and checked them again from beginning to end to see if there were any similar words, hoping that at least one of the five words would overlap.
After two nights of staying up like that, I finally admitted it.
“...It seems like it’s not in the palace library.”
That is to say, this language is not compiled into a dictionary, or at least not in the palace library.
It was a disappointing conclusion. I squatted down on the floor of the library. Even Irina, who had to talk about the dignity of a Princess and such, squatted down next to me in a similar manner.
I was so exhausted that I didn't have the strength to move a finger. I leaned my head against the bookshelf and grumbled.
“If it’s not here, then it’s not a language that doesn’t exist at all? Was this even a language in the first place?”
“You said it was a problem, so isn’t that right? If you say no, there are also repeated strokes that seem to be characteristics of language...”
“But it’s not there...”
“It’s not here, but it might be in another library.”
“Another library?”
I added, straightening my hunched back.
“Didn’t the palace library have all the books?”
“Academically important materials are in the Academy.”
Academy. Come to think of it, I had forgotten about that place.
But the nearest academy was Bellato, and it would take four days round trip. I didn't have enough time to endure that.
Irina added as if a memory had suddenly occurred to her.
“Oh, come to think of it, there is only one other library in the capital that is comparable to it.”
“There is another library that large in the capital? Other than the palace?”
“Your Highness knows this place well.”
“Where?”
“This is the library of the Ashkabad Duchy. It is said to be a privately owned library, but I heard that it has books that are no less than those in any decent library.”
I've never seen anything like that. Maybe I just heard a rumor somewhere? Irina added as I couldn't hide my disappointment.
“About four generations ago, there was a rumor that the Duke of that time had a great interest in learning and built a huge library. It has not been opened to the public since, but it is said that the materials stored there are enormous.”
“I’ve never seen a place like that while passing by...”
“It’s probably a place where they store valuable materials, so it’s not a place you can go as a regular guest.”
At first glance, it sounded plausible. It was an overly large mansion. It wouldn't be surprising if there was a library hidden somewhere. I only used a limited area in the main building, so it's possible I didn't see it.
Anyway, since it's worth believing, it was worth a try. I don't know yet whether it will be a new hope or another despair.
***
But the problem arose even before it began, as the official route to the Ashkabad Duchy was completely blocked.
Laskan was a member of the Privy Council and was an examiner in the race for the succession, and any inappropriate contact with an examiner was against the rules of the race, whether through letters, private meetings, or by visiting him at his mansion.
Anyway, he's going to vote for me no matter what I do, so even if it's just a sham, rules are rules.
Even the Duke of Kairak was not allowed to enter my palace and was said to be living in a villa outside the capital... At least it was true that it was a bit awkward to go against it head-on.
“Are you just giving up like this?”
“No. Once I get back from the academy, there’s really only a week left.”
I clenched my fist.
“I must find it at the Duke’s residence.”
“But there is no way out. Everyone will be watching Your Highness’s movements.”
Thalia whispered. She was right. Unless it was directly related to her safety, the Princess's whereabouts should have been kept public.
Especially in times of competition like these, some of the low-level maids and attendants coming and going from the palace might be Duke Kairak's puppets.
When Laskan was picking it out, I shouldn't have told him to do it properly. I never dreamed that this would come back to bite me.
“As long as I don’t get caught leaving, that’s fine.”
Even though I thought it sounded like an irresponsible remark when Thalia's expression became serious, I reflected a little. How thoughtless must I have sounded for her to make that kind of expression...
I cleared my throat and added.
“What if I borrow Lisa’s clothes? I don’t think anyone will notice if I mix in with the maids when they leave.”
Lisa opened her eyes wide as she poured the tea.
“My clothes?”
“You know, the clothes you wore when you were working at the dugout?”
“It exists, but...”
I understood Lisa's concerns, even the things she didn't say.
Leaving the palace might not be difficult. While anyone entering the palace is strictly monitored, those leaving are not as strictly monitored.
So the problem is not leaving the palace, but entering the Duke's mansion.
Originally, I could have sneaked in and out with Cesare's help, but... he had already been effectively demoted to some unknown island.
Lisa was almost the only maid who had ever met my face directly in the Duke's residence, the rest I just passed by as I passed by...
Even if the maids remembered my face and opened the door, keeping the secret was another matter. Isabella? The Count of Modre was a member of the Privy Council, so the way to that side was blocked.
There had to be someone. Someone who could enter the mansion without difficulty, someone who was not under surveillance, and someone who could even enter the Duke's private study.
***
Jacqueline just woke up, yawning heavily. Yesterday was the same old day as today.
When his stomach hurt so bad he couldn't stand it, he would walk around the training ground until he threw up, and he would challenge anyone who he thought could use a sword, regardless of their rank, like a sparring match.
But no matter how indulgent he was, in the end, they were knights of the same faction. Since there was no murderous intent in his hands, he felt quite bitter whether he won or lost.
Moreover, the lord he chose himself seems to be entangled in the complex political relations of the capital, so he said he would not be going on an expedition for the time being.
Plague. He was bored with this peace, so he ran away from that dirty dock.
The fights with pirates and merchant ships on a day-to-day basis were not very exciting compared to the fierce northern barbarians. They usually lost their motivation after firing a few cannons with an overwhelmingly long range and engaging in a melee on board.
It wasn't easy to remain calm on a ship with a broken sail and a hole in it, flooded with seawater. Except for one person, his Rosetta...
He quickly wiped away the tears that had welled up in his eyes.
'Damn it. When will this competition end?'
As expected, useless thoughts came to him because he didn't move his body. He stretched flexibly and poured himself a cup of water. He was about to drink it.
“Hey, where’s the mad dog?”
“He was sleeping in the corner over there. Oh, he’s awake.”
“Hey, Jacqueline.”
Jacqueline pondered his situation for a moment.
“Someone is looking for you at the back door.”
He asked him without realizing it as if he had come to meet him.
"Who?"
“I don’t know. The clothes she's wearing just look like a maid’s.”
"Maid?"
He was pushed out by his colleague's hand, looking bewildered.
Why would a maid come to see me? He could boast that he had lived his life without any shame in front of Rosetta. He had never touched a woman...
“Is she looking for me?”
“Jacqueline D’Omosa Sol Reston. Are there two other names with that dazzling name besides yours?”
If he had said that, he would have no choice but to be pushed out. It was time for his mother to send him regular letters, almost like threats, telling him to come back.
Usually, the person who sent the servant asked, “Why is this maid here?” Since he could just ignore the letter and come back, he went out through the back door without any burden.
The back gate was not far from the parade ground. He squinted his eyes and saw a woman standing there, dressed in a real maid's outfit.
But... 'That' is just a maid? Did she have conjunctivitis or something? For a moment, he was genuinely worried about his colleague's taste.
That would be the case, even though her face was half-hidden by her hood, there was something about the woman.
Something invisible, like the elegance and grace that the older sisters in the eastern skyscrapers exude.
Even behind her back... an escort knight? Where is the ‘just a maid’ who walks around with an escort knight!
His senses warned him that if he got entangled here, it would be a real hassle.
Jacqueline tried to return to the same position he had come from. If the escort knight's face had been a little less familiar,
“Jacqueline?”
Even if the woman's voice calling him seemed familiar, he would have run away.
Jeez, this damn curiosity. He's definitely heard that voice somewhere. He asked, standing on one leg in a trembling manner.
“...Who are you?”
Please, just get away from this arrogant attitude. It would be better if you just revealed who you were.
The woman raised her slender hand and pulled back her hood. Her blue eyes sparkled as if she found the situation interesting.
“Yiu don’t know?”
“...Your Highness?”
Jacqueline recognized her right away. She was a face that was hard to forget once you saw her. Her eyes were spinning with beauty, that is, Her Highness the Princess.
“It’s still the same.”
“Then is the one behind you, Sir Enoch? I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you right away.”
He gave a short salute. Enoch snorted as if he hadn't expected it.
Jacqueline looked down at the Princess with new eyes. When he last saw her at the office, she had a sense of her own kind—a babbler—that she couldn’t hide. When did she become so elegant?
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