“I’ll tell them to prepare the bath water right away.”
“Thank you. Oh, Irina.”
A sudden thought occurred to me and I grabbed Irina's arm a little harder. She looked down at me with a puzzled look.
"Yes?"
“I heard that you and Lady Reston are alumni of the Academy. Rather than serving me today, you can spend time with her.”
“Is that okay?”
Irina's eyes widened. Sylvia's expression was the same, so it seemed like an unexpected joy for both of them. I nodded.
“Well then. Thalia will be by my side anyway.”
“Yes, Irina. Leave it to me.”
Thalia answered confidently. Irina's bright expression passed over Thalia's face, fading slightly.
Well, there's nothing more unsettling than that. Thalia still had a hard time straightening my clothes.
But this was the Admiral's mansion, and there were plenty of maids to help Thalia. Nothing major would happen if she was only gone for one night.
Irina also realized it and nodded her head hesitantly.
“I’ll just take it to dinner time.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“But Your Highness, it’s been a while for us too.”
Irina's face was so affectionate as she said those words that I almost cried for a moment.
I had a hard time getting along with street kids. In their eyes, I was a weakling who could only live under Olga's protection, so they didn't even treat me as a friend.
Sometimes older sisters and brothers would teach me the tricks of catching pickpockets, but... they weren’t real friends. Rather, they just pretended to be nice to me to gain Olga’s favor.
Maybe Irina wasn't that different from those people. Maybe she was trying to treat me well because I was the Princess.
But looking at her expression... we really seemed like friends. The kind of friend who says it’s been a long time, even though we’ve only been apart for a little over a week.
“It’s really okay.”
I answered half-blindly.
“You can go out and play.”
“...When you say it with that face, I can’t go any further.”
“I did that because I suddenly felt like sneezing.”
“Really?”
“We’ll have plenty of time once we return to the capital anyway. We’ll be together for the rest of our lives, so why waste one night?”
I lied naturally. Did my expression seem plausible?
I don't know for sure. Looking at Irina's face, it seemed like my acting wasn't perfect, but she nodded anyway.
“If you say so... If you need anything, please call me anytime.”
"Yes."
After pushing Irina away, who had been worried until the end, I was really exhausted. I dragged my feet and went into the bathroom.
After taking a warm bath and changing into my pajamas, Thalia and I lay side by side in bed, talking about what had happened.
Thalia listened to my story with interest, her chin resting on her hand. I didn't mention that I was involved with pirates, but I simply brushed that aside by saying that Jacqueline had introduced me to a reliable source of information.
Thalia said, chewing her lips.
“Then it seems like the odds are almost in favor of Lady Veronica’s victory.”
“For now, that’s true...”
“Your Highness is now ahead by four votes?”
“That’s right. So whatever it is, as long as it produces a plausible result, then even if everyone except our side votes for Lady Veronica, it’s only a one-vote difference.”
“I wish that information provider would give me some useful information.”
I shrugged.
“It’s your turn this time. Is everything okay in the capital?”
"Ah."
Thalia's expression hardened somewhat unnaturally. That's the kind of face you make when you're worried about something.
I didn't read it in detail this morning, but the newspaper was a bit noisy... What could have really happened in just a few days? I sat up in nervousness.
“What is it?”
“Um... Don’t be surprised and listen.”
Thalia was at a loss as if she didn't know what to say. I squeezed the pillow I was hugging and urged her on.
“Don’t hesitate and tell me.”
“I think there might be a war.”
“War? At this time? Tell me more.”
“There are barbarians who invade the northern border. Why, the imperial army periodically goes out to suppress them...”
“I know. The Tariq tribe of the Even region.”
Thalia clapped her hands as if something vague had suddenly come to mind.
“That’s right! That was the name. They say those barbarians invaded the border again.”
“The 9th Expeditionary Force went on a campaign last time, right?”
“That’s right. So, it would be normal if the momentum died down by now... But this time, it seems to be different. Half of Seoyeben has already fallen.”
"What?"
I screamed in surprise. If it was Seoyeben, it was the village right next to George.
Even though the Tariqs are a tenacious people, like rats in the middle of winter, they have never crossed the borders of Even. The knights, especially the knights of Duke Ashkabad, guarded those borders.
“What about the knights guarding the border?”
“They said it wasn’t enough. Everyone was already saying that it was strange. Rumor has it that they were coming in at such a short interval, unlike the past few years... They said that it was strange that they had received military training.”
“Military training? Barbarians?”
“The swordsmanship used is systematic and is said to be similar to the knightly manual of the Kingdom of Sedrak. It is even said that the quality of the weapons has greatly improved.”
This was really unnatural. No matter how many Tariqs there were, they were still barbarians.
That was also why Duke Ashkabad was able to dominate the northern front with a minimal number of men. No matter how long and how fast he flew, he could not defeat a properly trained knight.
“Rumors are going around that the Kingdom of Sedrak is trying to use the Tariq tribe to start an all-out war with the Empire.”
“Why didn’t er send a formal letter of protest?”
“Even though we sent an ambassador to the kingdom, the Kingdom of Sedrak flatly denied it, saying it had nothing to do with them.”
“Then, first of all, it seems urgent to punish them...”
I suddenly raised my head with a hazy realization.
“Is Laskan really going to be dispatched?”
Thalia nodded cautiously.
“When the Duke goes on an expedition, the odds of victory increase threefold... He has also been in charge of the Tariq tribe for some time now.”
I bit my lip.
“But... yeah, he’s a test tube. He can go on a mission? How about the ticket?”
“It will be carried out by having an authorized agent of His Excellency receive the ticket, tightly sealed.”
“But what if...”
“Your Highness, I am sorry to say that the order to depart has already been given.”
I couldn't overcome the dizziness and fell back onto the bed.
Once he took part in a punitive expedition, it was at least three months. And three months was longer than the entire time I had left in the palace combined.
Maybe that day was our last.
My heart sank as a thought suddenly occurred to me. I didn't even know what it meant.
I woke up as soon as the sun rose. I had been up all night, so I didn't feel refreshed when I woke up.
I quietly got out of bed so as not to wake Thalia. My heart, which had been trembling at the thought that I might never see Laskan again, had calmed down somewhat in the morning.
For now, I decided to just focus on finishing the competition. If things could be finished a little faster, maybe I could see Laskan before he leaves for his expedition.
I pulled the bell by the bedside and called the maid.
“You have coughed, Your Highness.”
“I’m going to get ready to go out. And can you help me find Sir Jacqueline?”
“If it’s the youngest Prince, he will be at the martial arts studio, no, he will be there.”
I gave a short smile.
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“I’ll put your clothes away for you right away. I don’t know what you have in mind...”
I quickly thought of the piles of luggage that had piled up like a mountain. Irina and Thalia's luggage was probably mixed in there, so it was no wonder that the maid had no idea what to prepare.
I don't have any information yet on where we're going today, but since Rosetta is taking us there, I don't think we'll need a dress. After thinking it over, I suggested some suitable clothes.
“I’ll probably have hunting clothes, but if you have trouble finding them, you can just take whatever looks comfortable from the first pack.”
“Yes. I’ll look into it.”
The maid quickly put down the tray and stood up. I leaned against the window and looked out at the sea, straightening my messy hair.
It was a peaceful place. The climate was warmer than the north, and the people were friendly and warm.
I even thought that if I were to start a new life in the not-too-distant future, it would be nice to live in the East.
“Um, but, Your Highness.”
The maid, who I thought had gone out to get some clothes, was standing timidly in the doorway.
“Someone asked me to convey this to Your Highness.”
“Who is it?”
“I’m meeting him for the first time, so I don’t know much about that. I’m not even sure about his identity, so I wonder if I can tell you...”
I took 'this' from the maid. It was a meticulously folded note.
I could tell who sent it the moment I saw it. There was only one person I knew who folded a note like this.
I quickly unwrapped the folded part.
[I would like to meet you briefly. I will be waiting for you in the garden.]
The moment I saw the writing that was full of such a neat and tidy personality, I quickly got up from my seat.
“When did you get this?”
“About an hour ago. You hadn’t woken up yet, so he kept waiting.”
An hour ago? I bit my lip.
Now, I was strictly competing, and even though he was moving after receiving orders to go, he was still an examiner. This meant that he was strictly prohibited from contacting the competitors under any circumstances.
So, he must have used a method to hide his identity and deliver a note to the maid.
I thought in my head that I shouldn't meet him. But how could I refuse him in this situation? I said, wrapping my arms around him with inexplicable joy.
“Where is the garden? I have to go there right now.”
“Thank you. Oh, Irina.”
A sudden thought occurred to me and I grabbed Irina's arm a little harder. She looked down at me with a puzzled look.
"Yes?"
“I heard that you and Lady Reston are alumni of the Academy. Rather than serving me today, you can spend time with her.”
“Is that okay?”
Irina's eyes widened. Sylvia's expression was the same, so it seemed like an unexpected joy for both of them. I nodded.
“Well then. Thalia will be by my side anyway.”
“Yes, Irina. Leave it to me.”
Thalia answered confidently. Irina's bright expression passed over Thalia's face, fading slightly.
Well, there's nothing more unsettling than that. Thalia still had a hard time straightening my clothes.
But this was the Admiral's mansion, and there were plenty of maids to help Thalia. Nothing major would happen if she was only gone for one night.
Irina also realized it and nodded her head hesitantly.
“I’ll just take it to dinner time.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“But Your Highness, it’s been a while for us too.”
Irina's face was so affectionate as she said those words that I almost cried for a moment.
I had a hard time getting along with street kids. In their eyes, I was a weakling who could only live under Olga's protection, so they didn't even treat me as a friend.
Sometimes older sisters and brothers would teach me the tricks of catching pickpockets, but... they weren’t real friends. Rather, they just pretended to be nice to me to gain Olga’s favor.
Maybe Irina wasn't that different from those people. Maybe she was trying to treat me well because I was the Princess.
But looking at her expression... we really seemed like friends. The kind of friend who says it’s been a long time, even though we’ve only been apart for a little over a week.
“It’s really okay.”
I answered half-blindly.
“You can go out and play.”
“...When you say it with that face, I can’t go any further.”
“I did that because I suddenly felt like sneezing.”
“Really?”
“We’ll have plenty of time once we return to the capital anyway. We’ll be together for the rest of our lives, so why waste one night?”
I lied naturally. Did my expression seem plausible?
I don't know for sure. Looking at Irina's face, it seemed like my acting wasn't perfect, but she nodded anyway.
“If you say so... If you need anything, please call me anytime.”
"Yes."
After pushing Irina away, who had been worried until the end, I was really exhausted. I dragged my feet and went into the bathroom.
***
After taking a warm bath and changing into my pajamas, Thalia and I lay side by side in bed, talking about what had happened.
Thalia listened to my story with interest, her chin resting on her hand. I didn't mention that I was involved with pirates, but I simply brushed that aside by saying that Jacqueline had introduced me to a reliable source of information.
Thalia said, chewing her lips.
“Then it seems like the odds are almost in favor of Lady Veronica’s victory.”
“For now, that’s true...”
“Your Highness is now ahead by four votes?”
“That’s right. So whatever it is, as long as it produces a plausible result, then even if everyone except our side votes for Lady Veronica, it’s only a one-vote difference.”
“I wish that information provider would give me some useful information.”
I shrugged.
“It’s your turn this time. Is everything okay in the capital?”
"Ah."
Thalia's expression hardened somewhat unnaturally. That's the kind of face you make when you're worried about something.
I didn't read it in detail this morning, but the newspaper was a bit noisy... What could have really happened in just a few days? I sat up in nervousness.
“What is it?”
“Um... Don’t be surprised and listen.”
Thalia was at a loss as if she didn't know what to say. I squeezed the pillow I was hugging and urged her on.
“Don’t hesitate and tell me.”
“I think there might be a war.”
“War? At this time? Tell me more.”
“There are barbarians who invade the northern border. Why, the imperial army periodically goes out to suppress them...”
“I know. The Tariq tribe of the Even region.”
Thalia clapped her hands as if something vague had suddenly come to mind.
“That’s right! That was the name. They say those barbarians invaded the border again.”
“The 9th Expeditionary Force went on a campaign last time, right?”
“That’s right. So, it would be normal if the momentum died down by now... But this time, it seems to be different. Half of Seoyeben has already fallen.”
"What?"
I screamed in surprise. If it was Seoyeben, it was the village right next to George.
Even though the Tariqs are a tenacious people, like rats in the middle of winter, they have never crossed the borders of Even. The knights, especially the knights of Duke Ashkabad, guarded those borders.
“What about the knights guarding the border?”
“They said it wasn’t enough. Everyone was already saying that it was strange. Rumor has it that they were coming in at such a short interval, unlike the past few years... They said that it was strange that they had received military training.”
“Military training? Barbarians?”
“The swordsmanship used is systematic and is said to be similar to the knightly manual of the Kingdom of Sedrak. It is even said that the quality of the weapons has greatly improved.”
This was really unnatural. No matter how many Tariqs there were, they were still barbarians.
That was also why Duke Ashkabad was able to dominate the northern front with a minimal number of men. No matter how long and how fast he flew, he could not defeat a properly trained knight.
“Rumors are going around that the Kingdom of Sedrak is trying to use the Tariq tribe to start an all-out war with the Empire.”
“Why didn’t er send a formal letter of protest?”
“Even though we sent an ambassador to the kingdom, the Kingdom of Sedrak flatly denied it, saying it had nothing to do with them.”
“Then, first of all, it seems urgent to punish them...”
I suddenly raised my head with a hazy realization.
“Is Laskan really going to be dispatched?”
Thalia nodded cautiously.
“When the Duke goes on an expedition, the odds of victory increase threefold... He has also been in charge of the Tariq tribe for some time now.”
I bit my lip.
“But... yeah, he’s a test tube. He can go on a mission? How about the ticket?”
“It will be carried out by having an authorized agent of His Excellency receive the ticket, tightly sealed.”
“But what if...”
“Your Highness, I am sorry to say that the order to depart has already been given.”
I couldn't overcome the dizziness and fell back onto the bed.
Once he took part in a punitive expedition, it was at least three months. And three months was longer than the entire time I had left in the palace combined.
Maybe that day was our last.
My heart sank as a thought suddenly occurred to me. I didn't even know what it meant.
***
I woke up as soon as the sun rose. I had been up all night, so I didn't feel refreshed when I woke up.
I quietly got out of bed so as not to wake Thalia. My heart, which had been trembling at the thought that I might never see Laskan again, had calmed down somewhat in the morning.
For now, I decided to just focus on finishing the competition. If things could be finished a little faster, maybe I could see Laskan before he leaves for his expedition.
I pulled the bell by the bedside and called the maid.
“You have coughed, Your Highness.”
“I’m going to get ready to go out. And can you help me find Sir Jacqueline?”
“If it’s the youngest Prince, he will be at the martial arts studio, no, he will be there.”
I gave a short smile.
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“I’ll put your clothes away for you right away. I don’t know what you have in mind...”
I quickly thought of the piles of luggage that had piled up like a mountain. Irina and Thalia's luggage was probably mixed in there, so it was no wonder that the maid had no idea what to prepare.
I don't have any information yet on where we're going today, but since Rosetta is taking us there, I don't think we'll need a dress. After thinking it over, I suggested some suitable clothes.
“I’ll probably have hunting clothes, but if you have trouble finding them, you can just take whatever looks comfortable from the first pack.”
“Yes. I’ll look into it.”
The maid quickly put down the tray and stood up. I leaned against the window and looked out at the sea, straightening my messy hair.
It was a peaceful place. The climate was warmer than the north, and the people were friendly and warm.
I even thought that if I were to start a new life in the not-too-distant future, it would be nice to live in the East.
“Um, but, Your Highness.”
The maid, who I thought had gone out to get some clothes, was standing timidly in the doorway.
“Someone asked me to convey this to Your Highness.”
“Who is it?”
“I’m meeting him for the first time, so I don’t know much about that. I’m not even sure about his identity, so I wonder if I can tell you...”
I took 'this' from the maid. It was a meticulously folded note.
I could tell who sent it the moment I saw it. There was only one person I knew who folded a note like this.
I quickly unwrapped the folded part.
[I would like to meet you briefly. I will be waiting for you in the garden.]
The moment I saw the writing that was full of such a neat and tidy personality, I quickly got up from my seat.
“When did you get this?”
“About an hour ago. You hadn’t woken up yet, so he kept waiting.”
An hour ago? I bit my lip.
Now, I was strictly competing, and even though he was moving after receiving orders to go, he was still an examiner. This meant that he was strictly prohibited from contacting the competitors under any circumstances.
So, he must have used a method to hide his identity and deliver a note to the maid.
I thought in my head that I shouldn't meet him. But how could I refuse him in this situation? I said, wrapping my arms around him with inexplicable joy.
“Where is the garden? I have to go there right now.”
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