Chapter 32
Swish—
Pung, pung, pung.
“So, did Vista…”
Lark, who had shown a nice stone skipping, asked me, who was sitting next to him.
“Help prevent you from being sealed?”
“Yes. It was also Vista that hid the mark on the back of my hand. By the way, Your Highness.”
“Mm?”
“Can you tell me too? How to throw the stones so they’d go pung, pung, pung bouncing on the water many times?”
“Of course.”
Lark looked around the ground with a grin, then picked up a large stone and put it in my hand.
“Now, wrist snap is important. Like this…”
“Like this?”
Swish—!
Following Lark’s posture, I threw my stone into the lake with all my might.
But, Plop!
It just sank.
“Woo.”
“Hahaha…!”
Lark grabbed his stomach and burst out laughing as if my expression of failure and despair was funny.
This was Prague, an area outside the city about an hour’s drive by horse-drawn carriage.
‘Prague in the Czech Republic was also wonderful.’
It had the same name as Prague, a famous tourist city in my world, so I had a good feeling.
‘It’s nicer here. There are no people.’
Above all, the view of Lake Gratia was absolutely stunning.
The scenery of the low ridge surrounding the lake permeating the calm water surface was just like a painting.
I felt peaceful at this moment when I sat on the ground and enjoyed my freedom without caring about others…
“You seem to like this place.”
“Yes, very much. It’s my first time coming out to a nice place like this since I was born.”
“What?”
Lark tilted his head.
“I’ve never been out of the city.”
“If you like it so much, why don’t you go out sometimes? Why are you always at home? The young duke must love you dearly, huh?”
“Mmm, no. I don’t get along very well with my brother Viego. I get along with Victor better.”
“… Why?”
“Because he likes the twins more. He likes Lillia a lot more than me.”
“…”
Lark quietly narrowed his eyebrows and muttered.
“Bad brother.”
“I have no one to go out with. Both my brothers are busy, and my father… Well, you know about it, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes.”
Lark nodded with a cough and added, “But don’t you have a grandmother? I heard from Sir Victor that she’s like a mother to you.”
“Can I tell you my third secret?”
“What?”
“Grandma is not like a mother to me. To Brother Viego or Brother Victor, she may be a good person, but to me…”
“What do you mean?”
“She hasn’t liked me very much since I was young.”
“…”
“The child who ate her mother, the naughty, the fool, the stupid girl, the family’s shame, the incompetent…”
I could feel Lark pausing next to me. When I looked at him, he was frowning.
“Grandma said those things to me. I didn’t even know what that meant when I was a kid.”
“Well.”
Lark, who had been pondering for a moment, added, “Of all your secrets I have heard, this is the most shocking.”
“Really?”
“I wonder if the young duke knows of this and keeps things quiet?”
“No. No one knows.”
Swish—.
Splash.
I picked up a small stone next to me, threw it, and said, “No one in the family knows. My father can’t afford to take care of me, and Viego only trusts Grandma no matter what I say…”
“I mean, does that make sense? How about Sir Victor?”
“I rarely see Victor. Also, would he believe me if I told him? I was worried about it, so I couldn’t bring it up.”
“Haa…”
Lark sighed while touching his head. The look on his face was hard to understand.
That’s understandable. What kind of fool can’t talk about it and get bullied this much?
‘But I don’t want to call Rubette an idiot.’
She was just kind and timid.
The perpetrator did the wrong thing, not the victim who was abused.
“You think I’m stupid, don’t you? But don’t worry. I’ve changed my mind since I signed a contract with the spirit. I decided not to live with the suffering.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why did you change your mind? Was it because you’ve seen your future?”
“Well, that’s right. My future was very dark and sad. I keep my mouth shut for the rest of my life, get hit here and there, and then die at age 45.”
Lark took a deep breath and stiffened.
“I don’t want to live like that. So, I’ve made various life plans, and there’s Your Highness in it.”
“Me?”
“Yes. If I can help you with the future I know, surely many people will be happy. People like me, like you, Brother Victor, or the people of the empire in general.”
“Aha… Is that why you decided to help me?”
“There are many other reasons, but for now, yes.”
“I see.”
“Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“Honestly, right now, there is something you’re anxious about and want to ask me, right?”
“…”
“About your future?”
As I said with a chuckle, Lark, who had been blinking quietly, smiled after me.
“That’s right. However, I couldn’t keep asking for free information that I couldn’t buy even with money, so I endured it. I haven’t even gotten close to you yet. That’d be a shameless request.”
“Hey, don’t think like that. I told you. I’m going to help you. Instead…”
I raised my eyebrows and poked Lark in the ribs.
“Can you help me when I need you?”
“Of course. I’ll do anything except request to sell the country. No matter what the request, it will not be as valuable as your future information.”
“Alright. Negotiation done!”
I got a model for men’s clothes.
I burst into laughter, then seriously put my lips together.
“In the future I know, you will not be emperor.”
“…”
As expected, Lark hardened in shock the moment I dropped the bombshell.
“I don’t know who exactly your enemy is right now, but…”
“…”
“From now on, be on your guard against the second prince. He’s making you suspect your aide right now.”
“Nathan, that’s right.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, so Ren… I mean, my aide is—”
“He would’ve died. Beheaded. Accused of treason.”
“I see. So in the end, Ren…”
“It is not your fault. The nobility council decided to push him to the death penalty, so please try to stop it, Your Highness.”
“…”
“Are you feeling guilty? It has not even happened yet.”
Looking at Lark’s darkened face, I asked him, and the answer came through his dry lips.
“It was about to happen if you hadn’t told me this. If you hadn’t decided to help me.”
“So you should be happy that I decided to help.”
“Princess.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“How can you explain that I won’t be on the throne? I’m the first in line. It is difficult to depose the crown prince unless I cause many problems. And I’m not the type who’d cause that kind of trouble.”
“That’s right. To be honest, this is a bit difficult to say… I hope you can guess as much as you can.”
“Alright. So it looks like I’m going to die.”
Lark spoke plainly, and I avoided eye contact with my lips gathered.
“Ha…”
“Get rid of your misunderstanding about your aide, and make sure you save him somehow. At least he needs to be around to protect you. Also, always be aware of the danger of assassination…”
I mentioned the assassination in a roundabout way.
Lark, who was quick-witted, nodded without asking whether the reason for his death was assassination.
“Princess.”
“Yes.”
Swish—
Pung, pung, pung.
Lark, who called me softly, threw another rock into the water.
“I don’t want you to change your mind to help me.”
He remained silent for a long time after the words, then looked back at me and said.
“No, even if you change your mind, it must be because you’re disappointed in our negotiations today. So I’ll ask you a favor. Please don’t change.”
The sight of the man who seemed as if he would never collapse made me feel very sorry at this time.
To reverse the depressed mood, I smiled and picked up a stone.
“Then teach me how to make it go pung, pung, pung.”
“…”
Lark looked at me quietly and then smiled.
“Anytime.”
***
“It was fun today, Your Highness!”
“I think so too.”
We talked for a long time until dusk fell before parting.
As Rubette turned around and headed toward the house.
Someone caught Lark.
“Your Highness, please wait a minute.”
It was Molga Diollus.
“Oh, Madam. Is there something wrong?”
“I have something to tell you. Did Rubette bother you today? She’s still immature. She’s been getting into a lot of trouble, especially these days, so I’m very worried.”
“Umm…”
Lark rolled his eyes and smiled.
“Not at all.”
“Then I’m glad. But, Your Highness, I’m sorry to say that…”
Molga looked perplexed.
“His Grace the Duke is displeased with your visit today. With your outing with Rubette, to be exact.”
“Why is that?”
“You know, she’s got some problems. She’s also failed to make a contract with the spirit…”
“Therefore?”
“She’s a very pitiful child, but people around her said anything about her so easily. Perhaps that’s why her personality got sharper.”
“…”
“To preserve the image of the family… the duke and the young duke are hoping that Rubette will stay quietly in the house.”
“What are you talking about for so long?”
In response to Lark’s irritable reaction, Molga paused for a moment and doubted her ears.
“So you’re telling me not to meet the princess? Do you want the princess never to go out?”
“No, I—”
“Madam, it doesn’t matter if no one knows.”
Lark bowed his head and pressed his face close in front of Molga. Then he whispered in a low voice so that only she could hear it.
“Now I know.”
“…!”
Lark, who was standing upright again, smiled and added.
“There was a crazy pony in the house. It pooped and peed everywhere without knowing its place, so I asked the master blatantly.”
“…”
“I asked: If you’re having such a hard time, do you want me to teach it instead?”
The pale, stiffened Molga trembled. Lark clicked his tongue and ground his teeth at her reaction.
“But the owner refused. It was a bit disappointing. I wish I could do something for the pony’s master.”
“…”
“Since the owner had no intention to, what can I do? I’ve decided to put up with it for now.”
Lark, who had been muttering playfully, hardened his expression instantly.
“This is a warning.”
“…”
“Before I poke my nose into other people’s household chores.”
Eventually, Lark whispered to Molga, who had become contemplative, and left.
“Stop the dirty work.”
Pung, pung, pung.
“So, did Vista…”
Lark, who had shown a nice stone skipping, asked me, who was sitting next to him.
“Help prevent you from being sealed?”
“Yes. It was also Vista that hid the mark on the back of my hand. By the way, Your Highness.”
“Mm?”
“Can you tell me too? How to throw the stones so they’d go pung, pung, pung bouncing on the water many times?”
“Of course.”
Lark looked around the ground with a grin, then picked up a large stone and put it in my hand.
“Now, wrist snap is important. Like this…”
“Like this?”
Swish—!
Following Lark’s posture, I threw my stone into the lake with all my might.
But, Plop!
It just sank.
“Woo.”
“Hahaha…!”
Lark grabbed his stomach and burst out laughing as if my expression of failure and despair was funny.
This was Prague, an area outside the city about an hour’s drive by horse-drawn carriage.
‘Prague in the Czech Republic was also wonderful.’
It had the same name as Prague, a famous tourist city in my world, so I had a good feeling.
‘It’s nicer here. There are no people.’
Above all, the view of Lake Gratia was absolutely stunning.
The scenery of the low ridge surrounding the lake permeating the calm water surface was just like a painting.
I felt peaceful at this moment when I sat on the ground and enjoyed my freedom without caring about others…
“You seem to like this place.”
“Yes, very much. It’s my first time coming out to a nice place like this since I was born.”
“What?”
Lark tilted his head.
“I’ve never been out of the city.”
“If you like it so much, why don’t you go out sometimes? Why are you always at home? The young duke must love you dearly, huh?”
“Mmm, no. I don’t get along very well with my brother Viego. I get along with Victor better.”
“… Why?”
“Because he likes the twins more. He likes Lillia a lot more than me.”
“…”
Lark quietly narrowed his eyebrows and muttered.
“Bad brother.”
“I have no one to go out with. Both my brothers are busy, and my father… Well, you know about it, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes.”
Lark nodded with a cough and added, “But don’t you have a grandmother? I heard from Sir Victor that she’s like a mother to you.”
“Can I tell you my third secret?”
“What?”
“Grandma is not like a mother to me. To Brother Viego or Brother Victor, she may be a good person, but to me…”
“What do you mean?”
“She hasn’t liked me very much since I was young.”
“…”
“The child who ate her mother, the naughty, the fool, the stupid girl, the family’s shame, the incompetent…”
I could feel Lark pausing next to me. When I looked at him, he was frowning.
“Grandma said those things to me. I didn’t even know what that meant when I was a kid.”
“Well.”
Lark, who had been pondering for a moment, added, “Of all your secrets I have heard, this is the most shocking.”
“Really?”
“I wonder if the young duke knows of this and keeps things quiet?”
“No. No one knows.”
Swish—.
Splash.
I picked up a small stone next to me, threw it, and said, “No one in the family knows. My father can’t afford to take care of me, and Viego only trusts Grandma no matter what I say…”
“I mean, does that make sense? How about Sir Victor?”
“I rarely see Victor. Also, would he believe me if I told him? I was worried about it, so I couldn’t bring it up.”
“Haa…”
Lark sighed while touching his head. The look on his face was hard to understand.
That’s understandable. What kind of fool can’t talk about it and get bullied this much?
‘But I don’t want to call Rubette an idiot.’
She was just kind and timid.
The perpetrator did the wrong thing, not the victim who was abused.
“You think I’m stupid, don’t you? But don’t worry. I’ve changed my mind since I signed a contract with the spirit. I decided not to live with the suffering.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why did you change your mind? Was it because you’ve seen your future?”
“Well, that’s right. My future was very dark and sad. I keep my mouth shut for the rest of my life, get hit here and there, and then die at age 45.”
Lark took a deep breath and stiffened.
“I don’t want to live like that. So, I’ve made various life plans, and there’s Your Highness in it.”
“Me?”
“Yes. If I can help you with the future I know, surely many people will be happy. People like me, like you, Brother Victor, or the people of the empire in general.”
“Aha… Is that why you decided to help me?”
“There are many other reasons, but for now, yes.”
“I see.”
“Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“Honestly, right now, there is something you’re anxious about and want to ask me, right?”
“…”
“About your future?”
As I said with a chuckle, Lark, who had been blinking quietly, smiled after me.
“That’s right. However, I couldn’t keep asking for free information that I couldn’t buy even with money, so I endured it. I haven’t even gotten close to you yet. That’d be a shameless request.”
“Hey, don’t think like that. I told you. I’m going to help you. Instead…”
I raised my eyebrows and poked Lark in the ribs.
“Can you help me when I need you?”
“Of course. I’ll do anything except request to sell the country. No matter what the request, it will not be as valuable as your future information.”
“Alright. Negotiation done!”
I got a model for men’s clothes.
I burst into laughter, then seriously put my lips together.
“In the future I know, you will not be emperor.”
“…”
As expected, Lark hardened in shock the moment I dropped the bombshell.
“I don’t know who exactly your enemy is right now, but…”
“…”
“From now on, be on your guard against the second prince. He’s making you suspect your aide right now.”
“Nathan, that’s right.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, so Ren… I mean, my aide is—”
“He would’ve died. Beheaded. Accused of treason.”
“I see. So in the end, Ren…”
“It is not your fault. The nobility council decided to push him to the death penalty, so please try to stop it, Your Highness.”
“…”
“Are you feeling guilty? It has not even happened yet.”
Looking at Lark’s darkened face, I asked him, and the answer came through his dry lips.
“It was about to happen if you hadn’t told me this. If you hadn’t decided to help me.”
“So you should be happy that I decided to help.”
“Princess.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“How can you explain that I won’t be on the throne? I’m the first in line. It is difficult to depose the crown prince unless I cause many problems. And I’m not the type who’d cause that kind of trouble.”
“That’s right. To be honest, this is a bit difficult to say… I hope you can guess as much as you can.”
“Alright. So it looks like I’m going to die.”
Lark spoke plainly, and I avoided eye contact with my lips gathered.
“Ha…”
“Get rid of your misunderstanding about your aide, and make sure you save him somehow. At least he needs to be around to protect you. Also, always be aware of the danger of assassination…”
I mentioned the assassination in a roundabout way.
Lark, who was quick-witted, nodded without asking whether the reason for his death was assassination.
“Princess.”
“Yes.”
Swish—
Pung, pung, pung.
Lark, who called me softly, threw another rock into the water.
“I don’t want you to change your mind to help me.”
He remained silent for a long time after the words, then looked back at me and said.
“No, even if you change your mind, it must be because you’re disappointed in our negotiations today. So I’ll ask you a favor. Please don’t change.”
The sight of the man who seemed as if he would never collapse made me feel very sorry at this time.
To reverse the depressed mood, I smiled and picked up a stone.
“Then teach me how to make it go pung, pung, pung.”
“…”
Lark looked at me quietly and then smiled.
“Anytime.”
***
“It was fun today, Your Highness!”
“I think so too.”
We talked for a long time until dusk fell before parting.
As Rubette turned around and headed toward the house.
Someone caught Lark.
“Your Highness, please wait a minute.”
It was Molga Diollus.
“Oh, Madam. Is there something wrong?”
“I have something to tell you. Did Rubette bother you today? She’s still immature. She’s been getting into a lot of trouble, especially these days, so I’m very worried.”
“Umm…”
Lark rolled his eyes and smiled.
“Not at all.”
“Then I’m glad. But, Your Highness, I’m sorry to say that…”
Molga looked perplexed.
“His Grace the Duke is displeased with your visit today. With your outing with Rubette, to be exact.”
“Why is that?”
“You know, she’s got some problems. She’s also failed to make a contract with the spirit…”
“Therefore?”
“She’s a very pitiful child, but people around her said anything about her so easily. Perhaps that’s why her personality got sharper.”
“…”
“To preserve the image of the family… the duke and the young duke are hoping that Rubette will stay quietly in the house.”
“What are you talking about for so long?”
In response to Lark’s irritable reaction, Molga paused for a moment and doubted her ears.
“So you’re telling me not to meet the princess? Do you want the princess never to go out?”
“No, I—”
“Madam, it doesn’t matter if no one knows.”
Lark bowed his head and pressed his face close in front of Molga. Then he whispered in a low voice so that only she could hear it.
“Now I know.”
“…!”
Lark, who was standing upright again, smiled and added.
“There was a crazy pony in the house. It pooped and peed everywhere without knowing its place, so I asked the master blatantly.”
“…”
“I asked: If you’re having such a hard time, do you want me to teach it instead?”
The pale, stiffened Molga trembled. Lark clicked his tongue and ground his teeth at her reaction.
“But the owner refused. It was a bit disappointing. I wish I could do something for the pony’s master.”
“…”
“Since the owner had no intention to, what can I do? I’ve decided to put up with it for now.”
Lark, who had been muttering playfully, hardened his expression instantly.
“This is a warning.”
“…”
“Before I poke my nose into other people’s household chores.”
Eventually, Lark whispered to Molga, who had become contemplative, and left.
“Stop the dirty work.”
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