Chapter 35

“No. I’m new to this, after all. The princess has her own opinions, and we’re in very different positions.” Ortea had made a decision about a territory that Shizuku knew nothing about. She was a foreigner with no real knowledge or skills, while the other woman was a royal princess. It was only to be expected that they would have different perspectives. What Shizuku spoke of was a kind of ideal for any world, in any era. It might not have been appropriate for Kisk at this point in time, but that was only to be expected considering it was an entirely different world. Shizuku knew that, but she still hadn’t been able to stay quiet. Her inexperience must have been partially to blame for that, but her personality most likely played a part as well. Or had it been because Shizuku had sensed something in Ortea’s eyes, almost as if she wanted to be challenged? Out of all the people who worked for Ortea, Niké responded to her commands the quickest, no matter what they were. Although Faneet sometimes expressed his reservations, he’d reluctantly oblige once the princess repeated her orders enough times. Shizuku, meanwhile, would outright refuse to listen to demands she found unacceptable. She was the only person who occasionally refused to comply with the princess’s wishes. Ortea sometimes seemed to enjoy her defiance, while at other times, she would irritatedly silence it. The reaction Shizuku had received from her that day, however, fell into neither of those two categories. The princess’s eyes had appeared to convey a sense of loss, as though she was concealing an old wound. She’d almost seemed like a little child clutching her knees as she squatted despairingly on the ground. Shizuku caught herself wishing she could read Ortea’s mind but soon snapped back to reality. If Shizuku were to say that to her, the princess would probably laugh at her for being so presumptuous. Still, the image of Ortea’s pained expression lingered in her mind, like a bone stuck in her throat. “…Princess.” Shizuku wondered if she should have been more persistent with Ortea. It might have caused their conversation to escalate into an unnecessary argument, but at least she may have been able to uncover a little more information about the princess. Beelhurse smiled awkwardly at Shizuku, who’d become distracted by her own thoughts. “So? What caused the disagreement this time? Tell me.” “Oh… Okay.” It was an order from the king, so she couldn’t disobey it. Shizuku explained the incident involving Tigor, choosing her words carefully. After hearing the general outline of events, the king sighed. “Ortea thinks it’s okay to treat others as she’d have them treat her. She’s willing to betray people because she doesn’t mind being betrayed. It’s a difficult mindset to comprehend.” “…But the other party won’t necessarily feel the same way. If there’s a power or status disparity between her and the person she’s dealing with, they might not be able to get their own back. Some people might resent her for being so unfair.” “That’s true. People get knocked down without warning, and few manage to crawl their way back up again.” Beelhurse smiled as he looked at Shizuku. His calm gaze bore no resemblance to Ortea’s. Linking his fingers together on top of his green silk robe, the king looked up at the castle’s pure white walls. “As for the issue regarding Rosta…I’ll try and talk to Ortea about it. I’m not a particularly gifted king, however, so I constantly rely on my sister’s help. There’s no guarantee that our discussion will go well.” “That’s more than enough. Thank you very much.” “In exchange, I want you to stay by Ortea’s side.” “Me?” Shizuku exclaimed, taken aback. The king nodded. He was much older than her, so it was hard to see him as a brotherly figure, and he smiled at her as one would smile at a young child. “I want you to stay by her side and support her. And, if possible, I want you to tell me what she’s doing and what she’s thinking. The way she sees it, I’m no more than an unreliable older brother. She always avoids me.” “If that’s all you wish for me to do, I’m glad to help.” “I’d really appreciate it. You’re a good kid.” Beelhurse pulled at his long robe as he stood up. Shizuku hurried to her feet, too, and the king leaned over and peered into her face. “Please, don’t betray her. Ortea needs a friend like you.” There seemed to be considerable force behind his gaze, which was now so close to hers. It made Shizuku’s breath catch in her throat for a moment, so it couldn’t have been just her imagination. He emanated the same kind of royal authoritativeness that Ortea, Lars, and Leuticia possessed. Surprised to find herself the target of it, Shizuku recoiled. As she took a step back and bowed, the king thanked her, then turned around. Shortly after the king’s trailing robe disappeared behind the foliage, Shizuku finally began to move again. She plonked her listless body down on the bench and let out a long breath. “It’s almost like…when one sibling is eccentric, the other one becomes more respectable.” There was no one around to reprimand her for this disrespectful remark. With a scowl, Shizuku absentmindedly pulled at her bangs, which had already dried from earlier. The white stone walls surrounding the small courtyard gradually twisted and intertwined with one another, turning the vast grounds of the castle into a distorted maze. Shizuku had been trapped inside it as a pawn, and she sighed as she gazed up at the unreachable sky, unsure of the role she’d been given.