One of my subordinates, a man by the name of Eji who is five years older than me and has been by my side since I was little, reports to me that my fiancee, Ninaev Fairy is taking action.
Nina’s ability to take action is much higher than mine, and she probably has a clear idea of what she wants to do.
I peek towards my attendants, including Eji, as I think about how I want to know what she has in mind, and need to arrange for us to be able to speak.
My attendants were tasked to my side by my father, as a seventh prince like myself has no one officially serving under him.
I wish to know her objectives, but I have to set up an opportunity to do so alone.
These attendants are the people positioned closest to me, and it does not seem as though they have been sending reports to my father that would make him displeased with me.
I imagine my father still does not know about that girl because they haven’t mentioned her in their reports either.
“Is there something wrong prince Hicked?”
“…”
This is a problem. I want to speak with Nina, but I also want our conversations to not reach my father’s ears.
What will Eji do if I tell him? I doubt myself and Nina will truly be alone. There will be people positioned just outside, who will probably hear us. How much can we really say under those circumstances?
In the end, I do nothing. I am too afraid of doing anything that can be seen as opposing my father.
And as I worry about my inability to do anything, Nina comes to visit.
Nina and I face each other, with two attendants, one of mine and one of hers, standing just outside the room.
I am impressed by Nina having come all the way here, as I was too scared of angering my father to do anything.
But what is she here to say?
“Prince Hicked… What are you planning to do from now on?”
She looks at me with determination in her eyes, seemingly with something in mind. I truly feel like she is the opposite of me, who cannot do anything.
“What do you mean?”
“The kingdom of Fairytrof will eventually collapse.”
Nina says. I cannot believe she is saying this with our attendants standing just outside.
She continues.
“…And I do not know what will happen to the kingdom of Migha. What will you do when the time comes?”
What will I do?
I do not have an answer at this moment.
“I want to help the citizens of Fairytrof when the situation becomes dire, and I want to protect miss Alice, who is currently under the custody of the temple.
When the kingdom of Fairytrof does collapse, she will most likely be in danger, but she is just a child. I think it is wrong to push all the responsibility onto a child that is younger than I.
Those are my current objectives. What are you planning to do?”
The fact is, I do not know what will happen to our countries.
The very existence of the kingdom of Fairytrof was put in danger when they took in a false miko. It could even be said that they have made an enemy out of the real miko.
The girl that was taken in as the miko was seven years old at the time, but I heard that she has just turned nine. It is entirely possible that in this time people have started to suspect that she is not the real miko.
The kingdom of Migha is also heavily influenced by the kingdom of Fairytrof, due to their close proximity.
Listening to Nina makes me once again realize just how much of an absolute being my father is in my mind. Even as I hear about how bad the situation can become, the idea of the kingdom of Migha disappearing never once enters my mind.
“I…”
As I listen to Nina speak about her objectives, I think she is incredible. She has clear goals and works towards accomplishing them, the complete opposite of me.
I cannot help but admire her… But…
“I won’t… Do anything.”
Is what I end up saying.
“Won’t do anything? Why? You have more power than I. Why won’t you do anything?”
“I’m not… Strong like you.”
What am I saying? How can I speak my mind in this manner with our attendants standing just outside? For some reason, my true thoughts leak out as Nina looks directly at me.
“Not strong?”
“Yes. I cannot oppose my father. Even if there is a lot on my mind, I can only do what my father wishes. You are very strong, compared to someone like me.
I can only do what my father says, but you… You can follow your own volition.”
I say, and Nina looks at me silently.
I continue.
“So please, do not expect anything from me. I will not act as you want, but I will also not get in your way. I will instruct my attendants to do the same, although I do not know if they will obey.”
My intention was for these words to be the end of the conversation, and so I turned my back and opened the door. I was about to give Eji instructions, when a voice stopped me.
“Prince Hicked!”
This loud voice surprises me, and when I turn around, Nina, who is smaller than I, reaches towards my face and slaps it.
I train my body quite a bit, so it does not particularly hurt, but the act itself, being slapped in both cheeks shocks me a little.
“All you are doing is running away! You are making excuses because you are afraid!
You say I am strong, but I am not. I also fear for what may happen in future, and I am also afraid of going against my father.
But I cannot let fear stop me!”
She looks directly at me and tells me how she feels.
“Some things cannot be solved by standing by and not doing anything. Many things cannot be solved by running away. You are turning your back on reality, and running away using the excuse of not wanting to go against the king of Migha. You have your own volition, but refuse to stick to it, preferring instead to simply drift along with others’ ideas.
But you have power. You are royalty, you have skill with the sword, you can use magic, and above all, you have subordinates that truly care for you. Please do not run away when you have so much going for you! You have more power to take action than I, so you can use it!”
She says all I am doing is running away. That even though I have my own will, I refuse to follow it.
“Why are you giving up!? Why are you deciding you cannot do anything before even trying!? No one knows what the result might be if you do start working. Perhaps the result will be bad for you, but is it better to choose to follow your own volition and end up in a bad position, or be in a bad position because you chose to follow the will of others?
Is your intention to continue drifting along and following your king’s will forever? Do you mean to give up everything, and fall into ruin alongside your king!?”
She asks as she looks directly at me, never averting her eyes.
“Prince Migha, the seventh prince of the kingdom of Migha, I will ask one more time. What do you intend to do?”
She asks as she looks straight into my eyes, with her hands still on my cheeks.
“I…”
I give her my answer.
— Prince and scolding
(The prince is so afraid to follow his own will, it was almost as though he had none. After the princess of the neighboring country speaks to him without reservation, he says…)
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This is awesome!
Proud of her he needed a push out of that fear driven cult believer mentality
“Do you mean to give up everything, and fall into ruin alongside your king!?”” oy oy,that’s blasphemy toward the king and there are attendants outside