Chapter 36
“I can’t open my eyes. Splash! It stings!”
“I’ll bring you a cold towel. If you press it against your eyes, the swelling will go down a little. It’d be good to get some ointment from the physician too.”
“Mm. Thanks, Liz.”
I’d cried so much that the skin around my eyes was red and raw.
“That bastard. That rotten son of a—where does he think he has the right to hit a child? And of course he picked only the spots that don’t show. I won’t forgive him.”
That damned Noten Märchen.
A while ago, when changing into a swimsuit for the water play, Killian had stubbornly refused Liz’s help, saying he could do it by himself. For a noble child, especially one so young, to be assisted by a maid while changing was nothing strange at all. But the way he rejected it, with such excessive wariness, made it look abnormal rather than just shy.
After the water play was over.
On the way back to the Princess’s Palace, Killian had fallen asleep. Worried he might catch a cold, Liz tried to change him out of his wet swimsuit, and then…
“There were a lot of scars on his back. Also on his shoulders, upper arms, and the tops of his thighs. They looked like marks from being struck with a rod or a whip…. I asked Lord Brevon about it, and he said they weren’t the kind of scars that come from training.”
Because she was afraid Killian might be uncomfortable, Liz hadn’t changed his clothes. Instead, she carefully dried him with a towel and covered him with a blanket. But from that point, she’d burst into tears, so it was hard to make out the rest.
That sly fox-like bastard.
Noten had known Killian was coming to live as a ward, and yet he had still beaten him just to vent his temper.
Cruelly. And only in places that wouldn’t show.
How humiliating must it have been, that a seven-year-old child insisted on dressing himself just to keep it hidden?
Rage boiled inside me.
Even if it weren’t Killian—an adult should never hit a child.
It had already sickened me just reading about it in the novel. But seeing it firsthand in reality was revolting beyond words.
“How do I get rid of him? Because of that ridiculous so-called ‘duty of guardianship,’ I can’t even kill him outright.”
Noten’s death would be sweet justice, but if that happened, young Killian would have to take his place and shoulder the Märchen family’s duties in the territory guarded by the Whistle Wall.
That was the last thing I wanted. I wanted to delay—well, not his enlistment exactly, but his conscription into that life—for as long as possible.
“Think. I have to use my head.”
Just as Liz cooled my swollen eyes with the wet cloth, Killian woke from his nap and came to find me.
“Tia, did you sleep well?”
“Mm. And you, Killian? Aren’t you tired?”
“I’m fine.”
“Killian, wasn’t today so much fun?”
“Yeah, Tia. Thanks to you, it was amazing! I’ve never played in the water like that before….”
As I watched Killian chatter with a bright smile, my insides twisted painfully. I couldn’t show a single hint of what I felt, and that tore me apart.
You fool. Just because you wrap them up doesn’t mean wounds disappear. How few people you must trust, to hide it so desperately….
Like a thorn stuck under my fingernail, the fact that the Duke of Märchen was steadily abusing Killian gnawed at my nerves with constant pain.
I couldn’t let it continue. I had to do something.
And sooner than expected, the chance came.
“Huh? Dad? What did you just say?”
The tea spilled out of my mouth, lukewarm and tasteless, but my father caught it in both hands as if it were holy water. He beamed at me.
“Tia, I’m saying you’ll soon become Crown Princess. Surprised? Did it put a hole in your jaw? Sir Ain, should we summon the imperial physician?”
What the heck?
I wiped my mouth with the napkin before me and asked again.
“Me? Suddenly? As Crown Princess?”
“You can even speak politely now? That alone shows you’re fit for the role. Don’t you agree, Sir Ain?”
“Indeed. Refined and proper speech is the first virtue of a Crown Princess. In that sense, since Your Highness can now use honorifics freely, you are without doubt perfectly suited for the position.”
They’re insane.
Completely insane.
Why was the conversation heading this way?
Wasn’t this a death flag?
The thought of cleaning up the consequences later made me dizzy, but I couldn’t strongly refuse the Crown Princess investiture. Not when it came to Noten Märchen.
Fine then—take it. Power and prestige, as much as possible!
With that, I could bury that bastard in his estate forever.
“But hm, Tia?”
“Yes, Father. Please go on.”
“Ooh, even your tone makes my heart flutter. Truly, our Tia’s command of language is astonishing. My heart is racing.”
“Your heart’s acting up? That’s serious. You need to be careful.”
Only my father could say his heart raced because of my odd half-polite speech.
“Yes, I’ll be careful. Thank you, my dear daughter. But Tia, there’s one task you must complete for the investiture.”
“Ah… do I really have to?”
When I scrunched my nose with a pout, Sir Ain lifted his cheeks and spoke.
“It is an imperial tradition, so you must carry it out, Your Highness. But just once.”
“What is it?”
“You must propose a new law essential to the Saliante Empire. Strictly speaking, it’s not enacting but suggesting one.”
“Ohhh?”
“It will be your first duty as Crown Princess, and your first great achievement.”
“Hmm. I see.”
“Your Highness’s proposal will be formally presented at the Grand Noble Assembly. If it gains a majority vote, it will be enacted into law.”
“It’s practically guaranteed.”
“Yes, one can see it that way.”
Why were they so sure?
“If it fails, I’ll…become a tyrant.”
I thought I heard “tyrant,” but surely not.
Both Father and Sir Ain gazed at me with sparkling eyes.
“…I get it.”
“Really? You really understand? Sir Ain, our Tia is truly a genius. She has all the qualities of a Crown Princess.”
“She has the makings of a wise sovereign that appears once in a century.”
Does sycophancy spread like a virus?
This was terrifying—like some epidemic.
Sip.
I drained my teacup, then rose to my feet, placed both fists on my waist, and declared with determination.
“I’ll make something brilliant!”
Clap clap clap. Sir Ain applauded so fast his hands blurred, while Father shed inexplicable tears.
Thud thud thud—spin.
I need an aide.
Dash dash dash—circle.
Who would be good?
Thud thud thud again. Dash dash dash again.
I spun around my bedroom in circles.
After finishing my conversation with Father yesterday, the entire palace had been plastered with notices. They proclaimed that the task for my Crown Princess investiture had officially begun.
Maybe that was why.
This morning, on my way to breakfast with Father in the Emperor’s dining room, the palace servants I passed all looked at me with unusually bright, sparkling eyes.
Were they… cheering for me?
What a burden….
Anyway!
As soon as I’d heard Sir Ain’s explanation, an idea had struck me—one law that could both serve as my investiture achievement and conveniently dispose of some trash.
But I needed an aide to make it sound convincing.
“Who knew the strategy guide would be so useless. If I ask Father to recommend someone, would that count as cheating? Would I be disqualified? …Not that that would be so bad.”
Still, since it was a law that could help Killian, I wanted to get it passed no matter what.
So after some thought, I went to find Father.
Boom boom boom! I almost knocked hard, but—oops!—I tapped lightly instead. Knock knock knock.
“Daaaad! Tia’s here! Can I come in for a bit?”
As soon as he spotted me from behind a desk piled with papers, Father jumped up.
“Of course, Tia! Come in, quickly. I almost felt hurt. Why even ask? Just barge in anytime. Thrill your father.”
“No, you’re still the Emperor of this empire. I can’t waste your time. They say time is gold, you know?”
“Did you hear that, Sir Ain? Tia should be Emperor, not Crown Princess. No—she should be declared the Empire’s sole sage. Right now.”
“I agree, Your Majesty.”
Sir Ain scribbled something in his little notebook.
That nonsense notebook—I really had to burn it someday. I promised myself I would, when I got the chance!
Resolved, I ran up to Father and plopped onto his lap, as always.
He immediately began bouncing me on his knee, entertaining me as naturally as breathing.
“Wait! Dad, stop for a second. I have something to say!”
“Mm. Go ahead, Tia. Your father’s ears are always open. I’m listening.”
“No, I mean seriously!”
Only after I spoke firmly did Father set me down. Then, with hands that had probably never touched water for chores, he unwrapped a chocolate, popped it into my mouth, and gazed at me until I’d finished chewing.
“Nom nom. Delicious.”
“Shall I feed you another?”
“No! I’m trying to talk here.”
Sometimes I wondered if my dad had an attention disorder…. At times like this, I had to cut straight to the point.
I fixed my gaze on his and declared:
“I need an aide!”
“An aide?”
“Yes. Someone to roll around for me—no, I mean someone to help me with my Crown Princess investiture task. Just one person.”
“Hmm… I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Even temporarily is fine. Is there anyone who could be rolled—uh, who could help me? Please find someone, Dad.”
You will, right?
When I looked up at him with wide eyes, Father suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed.
“Dad! Are you okay?”
“Argh! Your eyes shine so brightly, I think my heart’s going to burst! Sir Ain!”
“…Can you see me, Your Majesty? I am already among the dead.”
This ridiculous flattery virus…. Still, that line was good. I’d keep it for later use.
And a few days later, a precious guest came to the Princess’s Palace.
“An aide sent by Father?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Yes! Time to work them hard!”
“…Pardon?”
Um, Princess? That’s probably not the right way to treat this particular person….
Behind me, as I dashed excitedly toward the reception room, Liz smacked her forehead and sighed.
