Chapter 41 :

Chapter 41 - Once Again

Contrary to Jin, Jill, and Mir’s worries, Seya was completely safe and healthy.

“Hey, don’t you think you should learn to be a little more reserved? If you were running for your life until just a while ago, shouldn’t you have some kind of resistance spirit like, ‘I won’t accept anything you give me, I won’t eat anything, and I’ll resist until the very end’?”

Across the table, the bearded man spoke in disbelief as he watched Seya greedily inhale bread, stew, and roasted herring.

“Mister, you must have lived a more pampered life than you look.”

Seya answered without even looking at him, then tilted the bowl back and drank down the last of the stew until the bottom was visible.

“Opportunities to fill your stomach don’t come often. And before I die, I should eat a lot of tasty things.”

“I told you I’m not going to kill you. I felt this from the moment I first saw you, but you’re really stubborn, aren’t you?”

Even at the muttering of the man who had caught herm, Seya simply continued emptying the bowl in silence.

Not killing me, my foot.

Adults’ words could not be trusted.

Especially adults who reached out, saying they would help vagrants like her.

Usually, in those cases, they were trying to use you, sell you, or offer a brief moment of pity.

It was one of those three.

And none of those things were good for children of the streets.

A person who tried to use even a child with absolutely nothing was a thug, and a person who tried to sell them was a human trafficker.

Pity seemed sweet at first glance, but its ending was always bitter.

Seya and the children had paid quite a high price to learn that.

There was no need to repeat it again.

Seya chewed and swallowed the last piece of bread, then glared fiercely at the man before her.

When Seya opened her eyes like axes, the children of the shantytown would flinch and lower their gazes, but it did not seem to work at all on this one.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Want me to order you another bowl?”

See that? It has no effect at all.

“.....This.”

Whether it worked or not was one thing.

Since she did not know when she might die, there was no reason to refuse what he said he would give her, so Seya pointed at the plate where only the bones of the trout remained.

At that shameless behavior, the man grinned and raised his hand toward the server.

“Here, bring two more bowls of stew.”

Then why did you even ask?

“The trout here isn’t that good. The stew is much tastier.”

Perhaps what she had been thinking inside showed plainly on her face, because the man looked down at Seya’s skinny hand and spoke.

‘He must be acting like that because the trout is more expensive.’

The child thought this without even imagining that the man before her was from a fairly authoritative noble family.

When Seya continued looking at him with a dissatisfied expression, the man twitched one eyebrow upward.

“So, are you not going to eat?”

“Ah, that’s not what I meant.”

At the quick answer, the man laughed again.

Seya quietly watched him, then buried her nose into the warm plate the server brought over.

Yes, she had to fill his stomach well to be able to run away too.

Just wait and see.

She had no intention of meekly dying.

* * *

The face of Ego Crisa, with his untrimmed beard growing in patches, looked rough.

In the original work, he had supported Dito Abiran with an expressionless face, yet now he was sitting before me, completely drained.

—Even I cannot be certain which Crisa family member will take your place next.

That mocking remark still circled in my head.

If they had even brought the eldest son of the Crisa family along, there was no way they would cause this uproar just to look for a picture book.

If it was a book the villain was desperately searching for, there was only one in the original work.

The red book.

In the original work, it was the book Dito Abiran searched for.

The eldest son of the Crisa family, who should have been on Dito Abiran’s side, and the book he was searching for.

A book Mentil should not even know existed yet, according to the original work.

What those two things indicated seemed quite obvious.

Dito and Mentil had joined hands earlier than in the original work.

Originally, it was an alliance that should have been formed after Rasia’s death.

An event from the original work had been moved up once again.

* * *

A chilly wind blew in through the opened window.

Rasia briefly watched the long wheat-colored blonde hair of his younger sister, who had taken over the sofa in his office, fluttering in the air, then turned his eyes back to the documents.

“Do you remember when we were young? Back then, you only played with Dito, so I was very sulky.”

At Mentil Abiran’s nostalgic words, the First Prince snorted.

“Were you merely sulky? Back then, you even followed us into the forest, and all of us ended up stranded together.”

“Yes, that did happen.”

At his younger sister’s soft laugh, Rasia shook his head.

Perhaps unaware of his complaint that many people had been barging into his room lately, the First Princess continued speaking as if humming.

“These days, I often think I want to go back to those times. Have you never felt that way, Brother?”

“I do think I would like you to return to your room right now.”

At that blunt answer, Mentil laughed brightly again, as if she found something amusing.

Thinking there was no value in dealing with her, Rasia clicked his tongue at her.

She was his immature eldest younger sister.

When rumors first spread that something was wrong with his physical condition, there had also been talk that the First Princess was being viewed as a strong candidate for the throne.

How much he had laughed when he heard that.

A fool who knew nothing but laughing and dressing herself up.

That was Rasia’s impression of Mentil Abiran.

Family affection this, family relationships that.

Rasia did not like her, a woman who had fallen into a world of survival of the fittest yet always babbled carefree nonsense while only receiving others’ protection.

Even though it was clear that the amount of Manis she had was less than his or Dito’s, it was quite irritating that she always occupied the seat of honor.

It was also laughable that because she was considered the most beautiful, all kinds of items with her portraits, paintings, and embroidery circulated throughout the empire.

A flower worshiped by insects.

Following the tradition of cherishing the first daughter, she received all sorts of privileges, yet his foolish younger sister clearly did not even know how to take care of herself.

Was it said that she used the power of wind?

Her ability did seem quite strong, but it was obvious from her wheat-colored hair, which fell far short of platinum blonde, and from the fact that she did not use Manis in front of him.

It seems she is ashamed despite her place.

“If you are idle, go outside and take a walk.”

“I feel more refreshed seeing the faces of my family like this.”

That tiresome talk of family again.

To him, who felt no affection toward her as a younger sister, those words were not particularly welcome.

Rasia clicked his tongue once and nervously turned the page.

Before long, once he was appointed Crown Prince, he intended to send that fool far away.

‘Traditionally, the first daughter did not leave the imperial palace, but once I become emperor, the story will be different.’

There was no need for a useless fool in his palace.

If she lived a poor life in the cold northern lands, she would come to her senses.

When that day came, he would be able to watch that smiling face crumple.

“It seems you are still very close with Dito.”

As if she did not know Rasia’s inner thoughts, Mentil asked calmly.

“What can I do when there is no sibling who understands me as well as that one?”

“That is true. After all, a younger sister cannot come between brothers.”

After speaking with laughter in her voice, she toyed once with her loosened hair.

“Do you perhaps remember when you and Dito became so close?”

Why is she asking something like that?

As if irritated by her continuing to speak to him, Rasia put down the documents sharply and answered.

“What importance does something like that have?”

“It is important. What could be more important than the years shared between siblings?”

At the stupid family talk that had begun again, Rasia frowned and pointed at the door with his hand, as if it was not even worth answering.

“Isn’t it obvious that it was from the moment he was born? You are especially talkative today. I am busy with work, so leave now.”

Perhaps knowing that if she spoke any more, Rasia would lose his temper, Mentil obediently rose from her seat.

She approached the door, then looked back one last time and smiled gently.

“Think about it carefully sometime, Brother. Looking back on life is more valuable than living buried under documents like that.”

“I know better than you what is valuable and what is not, so there is no need for you to worry.”

As if even the time spent watching his younger sister leave was a waste, he merely waved his hand dismissively, and Mentil smiled without the slightest frown.

As always.

* * *

Damn it.

My perfect plan to pretend to be dead and disappear once the protagonist arrived was drifting farther away.

What exactly was the problem?

I somehow managed to set one thing right, and then another incident was moved up again.

What was the standard?

Thinking about the beginning of their alliance in the original work, the things I changed had nothing to do with it.

The incident that allows Dito to guess Mentil’s ability happens after my coming-of-age ceremony, Dito approaches Mentil, and the two join hands.

This was the reason I had tried not to get too close to the First Princess if possible.

Because I did not want to touch the original work over something pointless.

Of course, the fact that Mentil was a frightening woman who would do anything for the sake of her family played a part as well.

The fortunate thing was that the place where they expected the red book to be was completely wrong.

But at the same time, this was also a tremendous misfortune.

Because it also meant that Dito’s movements could change direction completely.

It was not that I did not understand why they were searching Celos’ room, but the red book was not there.

Then what could I do?

Seize it first, or prevent them from seizing the red book first?

Neither was an appealing option, but there was no choice.

Without the map that would become a guide for the protagonist’s journey, the story would not progress.

Celos wondered how he could lift and put down the teacup before him in a way that would draw the least attention and make the least sound, then ultimately chose not to touch it at all.

“Does it not suit your taste?”

“Ah, no.”

It did not take long for him to realize that it had not been a particularly wise choice.

He carefully looked at the black-haired woman sitting across from him.

His mother, whose fine wrinkles from passing fifty only made her more beautiful.

She had been savoring her tea with her eyes closed, and without even opening them, she spoke.

“Do not force yourself to drink it. You have been weak since childhood.”

Feeling as if he had done something wrong for no reason, Celos Abiran flinched, then pressed his lips shut as he felt like a small child before his mother.

“Well, if there is a difference in ability, it cannot be helped.”

Knowing that those quiet words, spoken as if to herself, were comparing him to his other brothers and sisters, Celos’ shoulders hunched even more.

He was always like this in front of the Empress.

Guilty, stifled, and uncomfortable.

This time, because he was even deceiving her, it was worse.

“I, it seems Your Majesty the Empress still likes looking at the stars.”

The topic he barely managed to squeeze out in order to escape the uncomfortable subject was the telescope that had caught his eye.

The Empress’ eyes lingered on Celos for a moment, then soon moved away.

“Yes, if one is a citizen of the empire, would they not be curious about what is up there, even a little?”

Fortunately, this choice did not seem bad, and the Empress nodded as she lifted her teacup.

Without realizing it, Celos awkwardly raised the corners of his mouth.

“That’s true. Everyone wants to return to those stars and the moon, after all.”

The Empress nodded quietly again this time.

Since it had been a long time since he had a conversation where pity, awkwardness, and irritation were not the main things involved, Celos felt excited.

“Ah, so I suppose that is why you have many books related to it. That book is in my room too.......”

Clack.

At the loud sound of the teacup being set down, Celos’ pitiful voice was cut off.

“You should leave now.”

“......Pardon?”

“It does not seem there is anything special, and the sound of chatter is giving me a headache. I think you have stayed quite long enough.”

“Uh, so suddenly?”

“How could I be comfortable when the cause is right in front of me?”

“......I am sorry.”

Celos hurriedly lowered his head and rose from his seat.

It was not that he did not know how much the Empress suffered because he had been born without ability.

His insides churned.