I open my eyes, and see a familiar ceiling.
“I…”
Why was I sleeping? My head is spinning.
I was thinking about wanting to go outside, and then the gardener invited me to go with him, and then…
Yes, I remember. The gardener I thought was nice grabbed me by the hand and dragged me along with him.
He was very loud, and sounded violent. I didn’t want to go, and tried to resist.
When the waiting maid saw us, he tossed me away.
I sit up, and feel a sharp pain around the area of my body that hit the floor, making me realize even more that it really happened. As I feel that pain, my whole body trembles.
I was so scared. What would’ve happened if the waiting maid didn’t see us? It’s really scary just thinking about it.
Why did that nice gardener do that? Was the whole reason he was hired just so he could do something about me? Because I acted like the miko?
I want to see Princess Ninaev. I feel like I will feel a little better if I do. I try to get out of bed, but my body hurts, and I can’t move any more.
As I try to think about what I should do, the door opens.
“Miss Alice! You are awake, thank goodness.”
It’s the waiting maid that yelled when she saw me being taken away. Seeing her makes me feel relieved.
“I will call Princess Ninaev!”
She says as she quickly leaves the room.
After a while, Princess Ninaev arrives.
“I am glad to see you are alright, Alice.”
Princess Ninaev smiles, looking like she really is relieved from the bottom of her heart. I feel happy as I see she really was worried about me.
I used to think it was natural for people to be nice to me, and always be concerned about my well being, but now, seeing someone worried about me is enough to make me happy.
“Princess Ninaev…”
“I’m so glad he didn’t take you away, Alice.”
“…Princess Ninaev, why did that man…”
“…”
“Is it because I acted like the miko…?”
I nervously ask, as Princess Ninaev stays silent. Did that happen to me because I ended up pretending I was the miko? Princess Ninaev shakes her head.
“No.”
“Then why?”
“…Because you are very beautiful.”
Responds Princess Ninaev, who then continues.
“You are beautiful. To the point where it could be said you will become a peerless beauty in a few years. Even I am startled by your beauty. Your beauty will lead some people to follow their evil emotions and try to take you with them.
Some may try to put their hands on you, some may try to sell you as a slave… Such malice is plentiful in this world.”
“Malice…”
“Yes. I doubt you have ever come into contact with this malice before. You were raised close to the miko, and treated like a special being in your village. After being taken away as the miko, you were shielded from malice as well.
But now, you are no longer as safe from such things as you were. You need to protect yourself.
Alice… You need to realize how beautiful you are, and how prone you are to being targeted. Especially if you want to make up for the trouble you caused and listen to people’s wishes.”
Says Princess Ninaev.
There is a chance that my appearance will draw out malice from people, so I need to be able to defend myself if I want to fulfill my wish.
“…Princess Ninaev, is that the real reason why you wouldn’t let me go outside?”
“Yes, both because you were wrongly made out to be the miko, and your appearance. These two factors make you very likely to be targeted.
I wondered if I should expose you to this reality or slowly teach you here in the mansion… Hiring that gardener was my mistake. I apologize, Alice.”
“No, you have nothing to apologize for.”
“Alice, you have just learned that there are people with evil intentions in mind in regards to you. I know this was very frightening, but going outside will increase the chances of such things happening.
Obviously, not everyone in the world is like this, but there will be people with clear evil intentions in mind.
Do you still want to go outside? You have the option of staying here, although your wish of wanting to listen to others will not come true…”
Asks Princess Ninaev.
If I go outside, I might be exposing myself to this malice. Do I still want to leave?
Almost being taken away was very scary, and so was the way he started speaking violently all of a sudden.
But still…
“I want to go out. I want to make up for all my selfishness.”
It’s scary, but I’ve always done whatever I wanted, so I want to be the kind of person that listens to others’ wishes.
Princess Ninaev smiles.
“Then we will start going outside little by little as we think about what we will do. But at the very least, I am sure you will attract trouble if you run around telling people you want to hear their wishes.”
Says Princess Ninaev, and I nod.
—The sister wakes up
(The miko’s sister wakes up, and makes her choices after being faced with two options.)
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Alice had definitely changed for the better.
welcome to reality