Honestly, I hadn’t realized just how much attention I’d gathered or how much I was being spoken about. My family and everyone else in our march had been taking great care of me, and my daily life remained as peaceful as it had always been.
But it turned out that I had become the talk of the imperial court. The only people who were privy to the imperial family’s conversations were their own attendants or guards, and they wouldn’t dare leak information. My only source was the people who met me to learn about spirits.
And so, that was how I learned that I was being treated like a cryptid.
There were rumors that since I was the younger sister of Chris and Alan, I must be much calmer than a regular child. Others thought that, given who my parents were and that I was loved by the Royal Spirits, I must be a child of unparalleled beauty. Still others were of the opinion that I was a selfish child who would snitch to the empress about a person if I so much as slightly disliked something that they had done. And then there were the rumors about how I could fly or run faster than a horse. I wouldn’t even be human at that point!
When people found themselves grasping for a topic of conversation, they would turn either to the weather or to the cryptid of Belisario. I really had become the girl of the hour.
It was even worse among the imperial family and their staff. I’d met the general and the empress twice now, and since I hadn’t wanted to talk like a kid, I hadn’t said anything more than necessary either time. But since they were already raising two children themselves, both they and the staff who saw the princes and their young retainers every day had immediately realized that the way I behaved was nothing like a normal child.
I’d been so caught up in thinking about the way I was talking that I’d forgotten to think about the way I walked and held myself. The fact that I had trained my body had likely alerted them to some strangeness as well. Most little girls wouldn’t be out doing circuits of a training field every day with their guards. I always took some runs up and down the stairs too.
I was a young girl with a polite smile permanently plastered on my face, speaking only when necessary, yet moving about energetically with full control of my limbs.
Yeah... I can see why that would be terrifying. I pictured a French doll wearing a cute dress gliding smoothly around the place, and the image freaked even me out. How did I keep managing to find myself starring in horror movies?
Now, keep in mind that I had, with an innocently cunning face, looked to the empress and asked, “Had you really been forgetting to give mana to your spirits?” No wonder the empress was frightened. This had come right after I had been clearly getting along with Mama Kohaku right in front of everyone—that must have made it even more terrifying. It was like I’d thrust a knife to Her Majesty’s throat and threatened her with death if she’d been doing it on purpose.
I’d refused all invitations to the palace following that meeting, and after they’d finally managed to pull father into the court, they’d received several reports that a horseless carriage bearing the Belisario crest had been sighted dashing around city streets. No wonder they’d begun wondering what the hell kind of child I was.
Despite that, mother was still friends with the empress, father had been appointed as a minister of the imperial court, and Chris would soon be classmates with Prince Andrew. Since the Belisarios maintained the appearance of friendly relations with the imperial family, so long as the central region continued the tree replanting project and everyone held out for one more year, things would start looking up for them in the same way as the rural areas. That promise had prevented a barrage of complaints—for now, at least.
Our country as a whole had become the most profitable among our neighbors by far, and so, the heroic Prince Andrew had stepped up and volunteered to confront the final boss. Since that incident with the school forest, I had been cooped up in the castle without interacting with a single noble from other domains. It must’ve been unsettling not knowing what I was thinking or planning.
For some reason, though, he was coming here alone without telling any of his family.
Yeah, this is the kicker.
He was coming to visit me. The crown prince himself, alone, in secret, was coming to our home.
“Why is he keeping it a secret?” I asked.
“If he succeeds in getting what he wants here, that would mean the prince alone was successful in becoming friends with you, and that would result in trust in the empress decreasing even further. If he fails here, then keeping it secret means it won’t cause problems for his family. At least, I think that’s why.”
Apparently, Chris hadn’t been told of the prince’s intentions either.
“I can’t see how this would benefit the crown prince in the slightest.”
“Just getting to talk to you is probably worth it.”
I don’t grant blessings or anything, you know?
“I gave special permission because Andrew said he’d come alone,” Chris continued. “If he says anything strange, I’ll immediately kick him out. I’ve told him a little about your ideas, so it should be okay.”
It would be troublesome if we suddenly had all these members of the imperial family dropping by. But even though the crown prince would be alone, apparently even Alan would be sitting in on the meeting from our side.
It turned out the actual meeting wasn’t held for another month, after the school term had already started. Not having smartphones was really inconvenient. Humans were much more laid-back than the Royal Spirits.
“You’re all ready, Lady Deirdre. What do you think?”
I’d told my maid that Chris would be returning to the castle for a bit as there was something we urgently needed to discuss about the company. Our parents were currently away in the capital.
I looked at myself in the mirror. On either side of my face, my hair had been separated into several small braids and fastened at the back with a clip. My simple grape-colored dress had white sleeves and a white bodice, and around my neck was a large fluttery ribbon.
It had been five years and yet I still couldn’t believe that this adorable face was my own. I looked like I could be a child star in Hollywood. Instead, I was a cryptid in this world.
My maid escorted me down the hallway, and then, when we reached the exit of my living quarters, Brad took over. He knew exactly what was about to happen, and he wore a tense expression.
“Good morning.” Alan was waiting for me in the corridor outside of the teleportation room. Alan’s valet and Brad would wait out here. Only Alan and I would continue on to the meeting.
Doesn’t this feel like a spy movie? I’m starting to get excited.
Along the same corridor that held the teleportation room were several meeting rooms for guests, both official and personal. In front of the most luxurious of them stood a young boy in uniform who appeared to be around Rex’s age. He’d looked very upset as he turned toward us, but the moment he saw me, his eyes widened.
Are his pupils dilated? Is he okay?
“Good morning.”
When Alan greeted him, the boy came back to himself and frantically gave his own greeting. You’re the prince’s bodyguard, aren’t you? And you’re older than us too? Hang in there.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning!”
When I spoke my own greeting, the boy responded while gluing his arms stiffly to his sides.
This isn’t the army, you know. You don’t have to be so scared of me.
“Brother, it’s Alan. May we come in?” Alan called out after knocking. Chris said something in answer.
Alan held open the door and let me through first.
What a perfect escort. As I admired how cool my brother was, I entered the room and immediately froze upon the threshold.
In the pure, brisk early morning air, Crown Prince Andrew sat leaning back against a soft chair, gazing at me nervously. Even though his hair was as brilliantly red as always and his eyes as sharp and strong-willed, he still seemed to exude warmth and kindness. Is it because of his expression?
Chris was standing behind the prince’s chair, leaning lightly against the backrest and smiling gently at me. He was as ridiculously beautiful as always, glimmering in the natural spotlight.