🐺🐺🐺
“WELL, have a good night, Princess Hermine.”
“Good night, Claire. See you tomorrow.”
After Claire curtsied and left, Sara stretched out.
I wasn’t able to wish His Highness good night today…, Sara realized, disappointed. She glanced at the closed white door that connected their rooms.
She had wished Richard good night nearly every day since they had gotten married, but today he had told her (via Daniel) that he was too busy. Indeed, if she listened closely, Sara could hear the shuffling sounds of paper and pen from the next room over, as well as the indistinct noises of what seemed to be Daniel and Richard in quiet conversation. Richard likely had more work to do tonight.
Sara had wished Claire good night, but she didn’t feel quite tired enough to sleep yet, so she decided to read one of the books she borrowed the other day.
All these abilities are so fascinating.
Daniel had levitated many different kinds of books to her room, but she had taken the initiative to read the ones about abilities first.
Sara opened to the page marked by her paper bookmark and started reading from the heading “Types of Abilities.”
There are many types of abilities, but nearly all of them work by either acting upon an object or generating something…
Daniel’s ability to move objects and Claire’s ability to alter an object’s temperature fell under the former classification, whereas the soldiers who attacked with fire in the last war and the gardeners who generated wind fell under the latter.
Sara had already learned this information from the book, but she had taken the trouble of marking this page because a thought had occurred to her the first time she read it.
Most of the casualties from Saleilles in the last war were said to have been caused by a jet-black beast…
Sara hadn’t seen this happen with her own eyes, of course, but she had read about it in a report of the battle: An enormous, black beast flew out from the Ferrier army and attacked the Saleilles soldiers one after the other. With its razor-sharp claws and fangs, the beast dyed the battleground red with their blood.
The minister who had shown Sara and Hermine the report had said, “Perhaps there’s an ability in Ferrier that enables people to control the animals they train for battle.” Sara had learned from the research thesis that it wasn’t impossible for someone to have an ability through which they could communicate with and give orders to creatures.
But does a massive black beast-like animal exist?
That was the mystery she was particularly curious about. Sara had asked Claire about it earlier in the day, but the maid didn’t seem to know much about the beast, either. She’d only said, “I’ve heard that these days, whenever there is trouble in Ferrier, it appears out of nowhere like a guardian spirit.”
Does that mean it’s something totally different from an ability? But if it fights alongside the Ferrier army, someone must know the identity of the person behind it…
Claire hadn’t seemed that interested in the topic, and Daniel, overhearing their conversation, had even told Sara, “Please don’t bring that up too much, okay?”
Sara’s mind spun in circles as she read until, suddenly, she heard clattering sounds from next door.
The prince’s room…?
Sara glanced at the clock. It had been some time since Claire had left. Perhaps Richard had finished his work and was getting ready to go to bed.
I wonder if I could just wish him a quick good night…
Sara put the book down and quietly headed for the door. With a faint hope sparking in her heart, she opened her door and poked her head out into the foyer—at that same moment, she heard a door open to her right.
Richard stepped out into the dimly lit foyer. He wore his usual mask, the one that covered his entire face, and a slightly bulky black coat. The combination of his black clothes and his white mask looked ominous in the darkness of the night—Sara should have been used to his appearance by now, but she couldn’t help but feel a tremor run through her.
At first, she could only see his profile, but then he seemed to sense her presence and quickly turned in her direction.
His green eyes widened in shock behind the mask.
“…Wh-Why are you…?” Richard asked, taking a step back, visibly upset.
Sara had taken him completely off guard. She heard Daniel, who must have been standing behind him, exclaim, “What?! Your Highness?!”
Richard must have been planning to go somewhere with Daniel.
The prince was clearly annoyed and shot a suspicious look at her. The small flame of hope that had warmed Sara’s chest was quickly snuffed out.
“I…I just heard a noise and…I wondered if I could wish you good night…”
She was only met with silence.
Sara had clearly miscalculated. She should have just gone straight to sleep if her presence was going to be so bothersome to him.
“I’m sorry… I’ll just…go back.”
“…You do that. I am very busy… You.”
“Y-Yes?”
“As you see, I’m going out now—don’t try to stop me. Also, don’t tell anyone about tonight… You understand, yes?”
Richard’s command was rough, without a hint of friendliness, and left her no room to say no.
Sara, however, had no mind to refuse him when he spoke like that. She silently nodded.
“I understand… Well…be safe,” she added after mustering up courage.
Richard didn’t respond.
With the swish of the hem of his coat, he marched out through the door and into the hallway beyond. Daniel came out of the study and followed his master, mouthing “I’m sorry” as his eyes caught Sara’s. After the two men left, silence settled over the fourth floor.
The silence was lonely, hopeless, and depressing.
Your Highness…
Sara returned to her living quarters and slumped onto the sofa. She had always wanted Richard to take off his mask and show her his real face, but today, she was grateful he had his mask on. Without it, she would surely have felt the full force of his eyes filled with anger and annoyance.
She hadn’t sensed only mild irritation from him just then—it was outright frustration and impatience. He had even probably regretted the few moments he had been forced to stop and listen to her…
She wanted to become Richard’s friend, as much as she could. But she didn’t want it to be unreciprocated, nor did she want to force her good intentions onto him. She didn’t want to stomp all over his own feelings or notions of how things should be, either.
I guess I got carried away…
Sara stood up and walked over to her armoire. She opened it and picked up the wooden box from the highest shelf. She took out the beautiful rose corsage and gently pressed it against her cheek.
“I didn’t even consider how he might feel…”
Sara had been motivated by selfishness. If I do this, we’ll become closer… If I do this, it should make Richard happy, too…
But it only resulted in annoying Richard and saddling Daniel with unnecessary work.
“I’ll apologize properly tomorrow.”
As Sara rubbed her cheek against the corsage, she felt like her mother was saying: “Yes, you must.”
Sara was bathed by the moonlight that streaked in through a gap in the curtain, and small droplets dampened the flower petals like morning dew.