I only realized what a mistake I’d made once we arrived at the castle.
I’d let Cyrus and Alto push me here without protest, but as soon as I stood in front of the gates, I looked down at myself for the first time and regretted not changing clothes first.
The past four days, I’d felt like I would be crushed if I didn’t keep myself busy. So I’d gone without sleep or rest and planted flowers nonstop. I must’ve been so dirty it defied description.
I’d only half believed Cyrus when he told me I looked terrible. But if I’d just listened to him, I could’ve cleaned myself up before coming here.
It would be incredibly rude to meet with the king like this.
“Cyrus, I’m sorry, but I think I should go back and change first…”
I hadn’t even finished speaking when I heard two shrieks.
“What on earth?! Setsuna! Why are you so thin?!”
“Setsuna! Are you unwell?!”
The queen and Sophia must have been searching for Alto and caught sight of me in the process. The state I was in made them shriek.
The truth was, I hadn’t felt like sleeping or eating, so I’d just kept working. But if I admitted that, they would worry even more, so I simply told them I was fine. Both of them let out sighs of relief, then began whispering to each other.
The guards from the gate came running due to the commotion, and even they were gawking at me.
Yeah, I must look worse than I thought. I should really go back…
“I’m so sorry about this. I’ll return and come back after I’ve changed…” I started to say.
“You’ll do no such thing, Setsuna!” The queen took hold of my right arm. I was about to protest that she’d get her clothes dirty when another voice came from my other side.
“We’re not letting you leave, Setsuna. I have a feeling you won’t come back if we do!”
I sighed as Sophia grabbed my other arm. The two women exchanged glances, nodded firmly, then started pulling me forward.
“W-wait, I’m covered in mud!”
“That’s why you’re going to take a bath!”
“I’ll get the bath dirty!”
“That’s what a bath is for, Setsuna.”
“No, really, I’ll just go home and come back—”
They ignored my protests and dragged me along so forcefully that I almost wanted to ask where they’d been hiding such strength.
“Uh-uh. You’re bathing here. You look dead on your feet!”
I do…?
I hadn’t thought anything of it before, but now I was starting to feel embarrassed. Maybe that was a sign that I was starting to regain some composure.
“That’s right, Setsuna. Our gallant young lord is a complete mess!”
The two of them kept speaking one after the other without giving me a chance to get a word in edgewise.
Keith and Fred appeared once they heard the commotion, but the moment they spotted me, they started to turn around and go back the way they came. I made eye contact with them in a silent plea for help, but they gave me a look that said they didn’t have that sort of power and disappeared down the hallway.
Maybe it was too early in the morning, or maybe everyone else was just too afraid of the queen to interfere, but no one else came near after that.
I had no escape and no one to rescue me, so I had no other choice but to let myself get shoved straight into the baths. The queen finally let go of me at the entrance, but Sophia pushed me all the way into the changing room, where an entire group of attendants were waiting.
“I find it hard to believe the queen had time to send for you after she saw me,” I said, unable to hide my suspicion as I recognized one of the ladies.
“I always try to anticipate Her Majesty’s desires,” Margaret said with a smile so sweet I found it frightening.
“That means everyone here…?”
“Yes, all of us serve Her Majesty, including Lady Sophia. We were instructed to assist you with your bath.”
This is ridiculous. I glanced around at them, searching for any chance to talk sense into someone. “Is Lalegul not here today?” I was trying to buy time, bringing up someone who might help me.
I’m sure this is due to the queen’s meddling or Margaret’s mischief. But how do I convince them to stop? I could run, but then Alto would only worry…
“Lalegul has returned to her homeland due to family matters. Now then, shall we get you ready for your bath?”
“I see. Um, would you all please leave?” I knew it wasn’t very creative, but I couldn’t think of any other way to get out of it.
“Are you asking us to defy our queen’s command?” Margaret’s fixed expression and calm tone made her impossible to read.
“Did she actually give you that command? You were only guessing that’s what she wanted.”
I’d only run into the queen by chance, and she hadn’t sent any instructions afterward. Not that I thought logic would get them to back down.
“If you insist, I shall confirm by Telepathy.”
Of course you will…
It had been so long since I’d dealt with that kind of trickery that my mind automatically started searching for the best move. But before I could decide, Margaret surprised me by bowing her head.
“Her Majesty instructed that such things should not be forced upon unmarried ladies.” As she lifted her face, she glanced behind me.
I turned and saw Sophia holding her hand in front of her mouth, trying not to laugh, a pink hue coloring her cheeks.
“If you’ll excuse us.” Margaret led the attendants past me and out of the changing room.
What were they even trying to accomplish? They’d left so easily after giving me all that trouble that I found myself just staring after them, bewildered. Maybe that was what Sophia found so funny, because she finally cracked and started laughing, keeping her hand in front of her face.
“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help it.”
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“That serious look on your face as you worried about the attendants, then that stunned looked on your face now—the contrast was just too much. Forgive me.”
“Okay… But seriously, what were they trying to do?”
“They only came to play a prank on you. Yesterday, Alto said he should come up with a fun bit of mischief to cheer you up. When I asked him why, he said that Ragi had told him a lighthearted prank can ease a heavy heart,” Sophia said softly.
“I see.”
“So we decided to try it ourselves.”
“But you three didn’t even have time to plan anything together.”
“A little while ago, we talked about the day you might come to pick up Alto. It just ended up happening sooner than we expected.”
“Right. Still, I can’t say I found it enjoyable.” I tried to keep my voice light so it wouldn’t sound like I was complaining.
“Really? It seems there’s more to the art of pranks than I realized,” Sophia said with a frown.
I almost told her that it was one art I hoped she wouldn’t pursue further, but she continued.
“I felt a little relieved when I saw your face just now. Before, it was like there wasn’t a drop of life left in you. I’ll leave you to yourself for the time being, so please, get some rest.”
After Sophia left, it was like the commotion had never happened in the first place, leaving behind a deep, peaceful quiet.
I spotted a tall mirror against the wall and stood in front of it.
Yeah… I really do look terrible.
Still, I looked a little better thanks to everyone’s help. I was truly grateful for that.
Once I got out of the bath, I found a fresh set of clothes waiting for me. It was obvious from the moment I unfolded them that they were entirely to the queen’s taste. So, of course, I took out my spare clothes from my bag and put them on instead.
The queen pouted a bit about it afterward, and I couldn’t help but think she should give those clothes to her own child to wear.