Bonus release, courtesy of SFcipher’s Ko-fi donation.
Birthday Party (Incident Before The Start 2)
I walk down the corridor as I pull Princess Ferris’ hand. It’s already right before the birthday party so there are fortunately few people. Because looking at this appearance of Princess Ferris, it looks like I did it.
We came to a halt at a place that is away from the place just now.
“Princess Ferris. Let us first heal the injury on your arm”
“……Arm?”
Did she perhaps not realise it?
“Yes. We cannot leave this bruise be”
I say that and use Water Magic’s Heal. Alright, the colour is recovering little by little.
“Princess Ferris. Is there any pain?”
“It’s alright”
She has been facing downwards the entire time since just now, is she really fine? I peek in from below.
“Are you really alright, Princess Ferris?”
Thereupon
“Hiii!”
……She got frightened. Really, what is wrong?
“Ah, sor, sorry. I recalled something from the past so I unconsciously……”
“No, that is fine but, did something happen?”
“……”
“No, it is fine if you do not want to talk about it”
“……That’s right. It’s not completely unrelated to you so I’ll talk about it”
Why am I not unrelated?
“Let us go somewhere where we can settle down. If I remember correctly, over here……”
She’s more used to the Royal Palace than me. I, opposite of just now, walk while being pulled on the hand by Princess Ferris. We went outside and after about a couple of minutes
“Let us do it here”
“Oo, to think that there was such a large tree”
A large tree about 6 metres in height and 4 metres around the trunk was growing there.
“You know, this tree. It is a tree that blooms in the middle of the cold season and the season when it’s starting to get warm, and when it bloomed, it blooms a lot of pink flowers and it is extremely beautiful. According to the rumours, it seems a fairy is dwelling in it”
Princess Ferris who says that delightfully. Could that be……
“Its name is apparently called Cerisier1, it has been here since the time this Kingdom was built. Alexia-oneesama has said that, in the folklore, only its name and to leave it as it is was written”
It’s definitely Sakura2! I don’t know the species but there’s no mistaking it.
“Now, let us sit”
Aa! She sits down as it is and
“Princess Ferris-sama. If you sit that way, your dress will”
“It’s fine. Come now, take a seat”
Princess Ferris who says that and slaps the ground beside herself. I sit beside Princess Ferris as well.
“I said it’s related to you because it’s related to Alexia-oneesama as well”
“Alexia?”
“Un. Because I’m going to talk about the reason that I fell for Alexia-oneesama now”
Princess Ferris says that and started to talk.
◇◇◇
It was a hot day 5 years ago. The Nanor Kingdom and Beastfolk Country Worvest hold a large conference every 5 years for the sake of confirming the contents of the alliance and renewing it.
They have conferences usually as well but, only that conference is a large conference that deals with every bureaucrats and armies altogether.
The location it’s held every 5 years changes as well and that year was the year it’s held in Worvest.
Naturally, there’s no way a conference that large would finish in just a day or two, it’s a conference that is close to a week. On Nanor Kingdom’s side, the elder Prince Albert attended, Prince Alex and Marina-oneesama were waiting with the queens in the Kingdom. It seems Alexia-oneesama who was 9 years old at that time came along.
Although I was playing with Alexia-oneesama and Fargas-niisama every day, the two of them basically only fight, it wasn’t interesting for me who was not really interested in martial arts at that time.
Because nobody would play with me, I slipped out of the castle from impulse. If I did that then somebody will care about me, I was convinced of that at that time. Thinking back about it now, it’s really like a child.
I used a secret passage that’s only known to the royalty and went out to the streets. Over there was not the middle of the streets where it’s flourishing, it was a slightly dim and out of sight location.
But the me at that time couldn’t win against the thrill of being able to explore by myself and continue to proceed out.
After that, I who got tired of walking after going about aimlessly for several hours thought of going home and started to go back the way I originally came from but, I who was still 5 years old at that time don’t even know the way I came from and got lost.
When I hold back the urge to cry and proceed on, men with disgusting smiles on their face were standing before my eyes.
“What are you doing at such a place, Ojou-chan3?”
“Heeheehee. A fellow with such beautiful personal appearance, she’s definitely a noble”
“Furthermore, if it’s such a cute girl, she’ll fetch quite a high price if we sell her as a slave!”
I was afraid and couldn’t move. But the men didn’t wait.
“Hihihi, Jou-chan3, let’s go somewhere nice with us”
“Hyahaha! I wonder how much it’ll fetch if we sell this fellow!”
“I think it’ll be a reasonable amount!”
“N, noo, d, don’t come over”
I began to cry but, there’s no way they would listen. I regretted. It became like this because I didn’t stay in the castle as Otou-sama and Okaa-sama said. It became like this because I didn’t stay together with Alexia-oneesama and Fargas-niisama. I was able to only apologize in my heart.
“Now, come!”
I closed my eyes from the excess fear when the men were about to grab my arm. But at that moment, a straight long gust wind blew. I wasn’t grabbed no matter how much time passed so I try to open my eyes and over there
“Large grown men surrounding a little girl, aren’t you ashamed?”
Alexia-oneesama who prepared both her swords were standing there.
“Again, it’s a beautiful girl! If we sell this fellow as well”
“Luck has turned in our favour!”
“Fhun! Bunch of lowlifes. Ferris, step back!”
“Ya, yas4”
It was one-sided from there. Arms flew when Alexia-oneesama swings her sword, the men were blown away when she uses magic. The back view of Alexia-oneesama fighting at that time looks dazzling to me.
Then after a while, Fargas-niisama and the military police came and the situation was settled.
What awaited me who came back to the castle was Otou-sama’s bellow. But I remember being embraced strongly afterwards.
But, what I remembered even clearer was the back view of Alexia-oneesama fighting. It comes to mind even when I close my eyes or doing something. That figure was a goddess to me. I have fallen in love with Alexia-oneesama since that time.
◇◇◇
“In which case, you shivering just now was also”
“As I thought, it was exposed huh. That’s right. Right after that incident, I could no longer go near any guys except Otou-sama and Onii-sama. I can finally speak to them recently but, it’s still no good when I’m approached like that. My body trembles”
Perhaps recalling the sight from just now and from the past, Princess Ferris begins to tremble again.
I couldn’t bear to look at that frail figure. Inside me, it feels like Princess Ferris should be a lively and cheery girl like when we first meet. I wonder can be done for her to be able to overcome it?
“I asked Alexia-oneesama why she knew where I was before going back. And then what do you think she answered? She grins with a mischevious look,『It’s because I have done the same thing before!』, she says brimming with confidence so I found it very amusing and laughed”
Princess Ferris who says that like she’s having fun. She really likes Alexia.
“Aa, sorry. I got all excited by myself”
“No, it’s totally fine”
“Fufu, thank you. And you know, there’s something I recalled after talking about it now”
“What is it?”
“Why Alexia-oneesama have forgotten about the promise with me”
The conversation about the marriage huh.
“When the conference ended and they were returning, I asked Alexia-oneesama,『What do I have to do to be able to be together with Alexia-oneesama!』. Inside me, I said it encompassing the meaning of marriage but, what do you think Alexia-oneesama answered?”
“……I do not know”
“Fufu, think a little. Alexia-oneesama said,『If you want to fight alongside me then you have to be strong enough to win against me』. After that I said,『Then please come to Worvest if I win!』and Alexia-oneesama only answered with,『I get it』.
I didn’t realise at that time because I was excited but, now that I calm down and think about it, I think Alexia-oneesama thinks that I want to fight alongside her. It’s laughable, isn’t it. I misunderstood right from the beginning……”
Princess Ferris who says that and laughs. But in her heart
“Haha, tte, eh? Why are my tears flowing. Even though it’s a laughing part now. Why. Why won’t it stop……”
She was crying. Even though that’s how she really feels. Even though there’s no need to hold back. I thought that and used magic.
“Earth Magic Earth Wall”
“Eh?”
“If it’s inside this wall then your voice won’t leak outside, it also can’t be seen from the outside. I will go outside as well so as you will. I’ve made it brittle so that it will collapse when punched from the inside”
I say that and went outside.
After several minutes.
Bagoーn!
……It’ll collapse even if you don’t hit it that vigorously though.
“Are you alright?”
“Un. Thank you”
Princess Ferris who says that and smiles. Uwaa, she cried so much that her eyes are swelling up.
“Princess Ferris. Please stay still. Heal”
I use Heal and……un. It’s back to normal.
“It is fine with this, Princess Ferris”
I smile as well. Thereupon
“U, un. Thank youu”
She hung her head again. Is she still feeling unwell?
“Did you remember it again?”
I peak into her face and
“U, uun! It’s fine! I said it’s fine!”
and she moves away from me in a hurry. She’s so angry that it’s turning her face beet red. I’m very much disliked huh. Well, whatever. For the time being, let’s go back.
“Princess Ferris. Let us return to the room. Everybody is being worried”
“Un, I understand. Before that, can I have a moment?”
“What is it?”
“Er, erm, well……”
What? She’s fidgety.
“I have not apologized to you yet. I’m sorry that I punched you out of my misunderstanding!”
She says that and lowers her head. Eh? She didn’t apologize?
“You apologized to me in the room just now, right?”
“That, I was made to say by Otou-sama. It’s my true feelings now. I’m really sorry”
“Well, it is fine. I have received Princess Ferris’ apology”
“Un, and thank you for saving me just now!”
……As I thought, Princess Ferris has got to be cheerful like this.
“I only did what I should. Now then, everybody is waiting. Let us head back”
“Un, let’s go, Lei!”
Princess Ferris tells me that, pulls my hand and starts to walk. ……Eh? It feels like I was called by my name for the first time……even though she should be disliking me.
Well, whatever.
