Lord Nigel muttered something in response, but I couldn’t tell what he said. He’d done something like this before. Mr. Meyer glared at him quizzically. Then, Lord Nigel spoke in clear Lagrangian that I could actually hear. “You shouldn’t scare the ladies. Calm down.”
“This isn’t the time to dillydally! I don’t understand why you’re all treating this like a joke. We just experienced an act of terrorism!” Mr. Meyer’s dark eyes flicked toward Prince Severin. “The people of Terrazant who despise Lagrange had to have set this up. Anyone could’ve predicted this happening with Lagrange’s prince visiting this land. Yet you all just let it happen...”
Princess Mira cut in. “Stop this, Mr. Meyer. It’s too early to blame anyone.”
“But Your Highness! What other possibility is there? Who else could’ve brought about a disaster like this?”
“Well...”
The princess might have been at a loss for words, but Lord Hilbert had something to say. “There is someone.”
An unexpected person coming out with an unexpected statement shocked us all and made us focus on him. He’d been sulking, but now he was making a declaration with certainty. “It’s fine to suggest that this was an insurgence by Terrazant, but there’s a simpler answer. Someone who’s already caused several incidents—someone who’s gone missing. Thinking simply, wouldn’t the culprit be him?”
That made a metaphorical vein bulge on Princess Mira’s head. She threw out the calm demeanor she’d maintained this whole time to stare daggers at Lord Hilbert. “Don’t pin the blame on him without evidence!”
“Without evidence? What makes you say that? I haven’t made even one false statement.”
“Do you really think so? Yes, he did something suspicious last night, but we don’t even know if that incident was Mace’s fault, and the rest of the incidents are just baseless theories. And claiming he’s involved with the bridge is just delusional!”
“That’s only what you want to think. I wonder how a regular third party views this? What about you, Prince Severin?”
Lord Hilbert laughed sardonically at the princess’s desperate refutations and looked to His Highness, who shook his head with a complicated expression. “There’s no point in debating it now. Let’s do that after we’ve returned.”
“Hah! So you’re saying you can’t deny the possibility. Of course you can’t.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Mira, this happened because you promoted some man with no status or feats to such a high position just for being your friend. You shouldn’t have mixed your personal life with your work. Though I suppose that’s just what women do. They prioritize their feelings over anything else, and this is the result.” Lord Hilbert ignored His Highness and let himself feel triumphant.
Princess Mira clenched her fist and took a breath. “It’s true that I appointed him as my secretary because I’ve known him for a long time. I chose him because I know what kind of person he is. His personality, his abilities, everything. And then there’s you. You don’t know anything about him! Don’t put him down just because you want to disparage me!”
“Oh dear. So you had an illicit affair not only with a soldier from Lagrange but with your own secretary as well? It’s repulsive to think that our next queen lays her hands on any man she takes a liking to. Are you trying to turn our royal palace into a brothel?”
“You’re the repulsive one! How dare you say something so—!”
She’d shot up out of her seat, seeming like she could throw a punch at Lord Hilbert at any moment, so I hurried to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Your Highness, please, calm yourself.”
She didn’t respond. For a moment, she stopped herself and just trembled with rage, and then she pushed my hand away and swung around.
“Your Highness!”
When she didn’t listen to my call and ran to the hallway, I found myself chasing after her. Someone shouted after us, but no one followed.
The princess ran deeper into the dark, empty castle. All I could do was give chase, trying my best not to lose sight of her. The building had a simple shape on the outside, but its inner layout was quite confusing. For example, we’d end up in a closet space despite having run down a hallway; I slowly but surely began to lose track of where we were. She darted up a flight of stairs that appeared in front of us.
“P-Please wait!” I begged. “You mustn’t go too far! Please, stop...!”
What should I do? I’ve run out of breath! I can’t believe Her Highness has so much more energy than me. Though she did overcome the monumental task of visiting three countries... She may take the form of a lovely, fairylike lady, but she’s actually rather fit. There’s no way a novel author that sits in front of a desk all day could keep up.
I huffed and puffed as I made my way up the staircase. The stairwell itself was narrow and winding—it gradually took us upward. This structure... Is this the tower? Yes, we must have entered this castle’s only tower. We shouldn’t go too far up—there’s something monstrous up there. I willed my legs to go faster so that I could stop the princess.
I could see the hem of her dress leave the stairwell. This must be the fourth floor, which I believe is safe. I followed, crossing the entrance into the adjoined room. “Your Highness!”
The space was rectangular and unfinished. Evidently, Princess Mira had also run out of breath. Aside from the wall with the door, the other three walls all had windows so visitors could view the sea from all sides.
I found her glued to a window, gazing outside. She was scanning with her eyes, back and forth, searching for something. She eventually moved to the other windows in turn, but it was pouring rain outside. Visibility was low—nothing far off could be seen.
At last, she clung to the window and let her head droop. I approached her cautiously, and once I was close enough, I could hear soft sobs spilling out from underneath the hair that was covering her face. Her thin back was quivering.
“What do you think...?” Her voice was laced with tears. “Do you also believe...that Mace is the culprit?”
I couldn’t answer her right away. What should I say?
After debating it, I decided to tell her exactly what I felt. “Your Highness, could it be...that you think it would be better if he were guilty?”
Her sobs halted for a moment. She gingerly lifted her head and turned to look at me, not bothering to wipe the tears streaming down her face. “How did you...?”
“Because that would guarantee that he’s still alive. Even if he is the culprit behind this terrorism, you want him to live. At least...that’s what I think you want.”
Her deep blue eyes filled with tears, and they spilled over, trickling down her cheeks. She covered her face with both hands, fell to the ground, and let herself sob with all her might.
I knelt down next to her and stroked her back as I waited for her to calm down. It was better for her to cry as much as she needed, since she’d been holding it in this whole time. No one but me was present, so she didn’t have to maintain any decorum. Right now, she’s allowed to cry without holding back. Not as a crown princess, but as a woman.
“I’m sorry...” After weeping for a good while, Princess Mira finally calmed down enough to wipe her tears away and whisper to me. “Here I go, showing you yet another pathetic side of me... All I’ve done is cause trouble for you.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. I don’t find any part of you pathetic. For now, don’t think about anything unnecessary—please let your feelings do what they must.” I pulled out my handkerchief so I could wipe her face. Her makeup had smeared everywhere—I did my best to straighten it out.
She rubbed her sniffling nose. “Thank you... As the crown heir, I kept thinking I had to keep my composure and act properly...but you saw through it all, didn’t you? I’m such a terrible princess...”
“No, not at all. I’ve had nothing but respect for you this whole time. Frankly, I think you’re very upstanding.” This was all true, and I made sure to emphasize it. “Had my husband been the one who’d disappeared—especially if his innocence was in question—I wouldn’t have been able to act as valiantly as you have. No matter how important my role was, I would’ve thrown it all away so I could go search for him. I wouldn’t have been able to think about anything else. But you put your work above all. I can only imagine how frantic you were on the inside, yet you overcame it and accomplished your duties. Why are you denying this? You’ve been so upstanding.”
A faint smile appeared on the princess’s face, not quite a bitter one. My words weren’t necessarily relieving to her. All she did was sigh sadly. “You’re able to say this despite the fact that Mace may have been targeting you.”
“Please don’t say things you don’t believe. Mr. Mace wasn’t behind any of those incidents.”
Her long lashes flicked up and down as she blinked rapidly in surprise.
I gave her a bright smile. “My husband believes the same, as does Prince Severin, you know. He just can’t say it out loud yet.”
“But why...?”
“So as to not alert the true culprit.”
Her Highness mumbled, “The true culprit...” over and over.
That’s right. The true culprit is someone else, not Mr. Mace.
“My husband refuses to tell me anything unless he has definitive proof, so this is just my conjecture, but...Mr. Mace most likely did not even go to the carriage house.”
“Huh?” That took her by surprise.