Alice wishes to go outside.
Honestly, I believe it is too dangerous for Alice, who was put on a stage and shown as the miko, to go outside while there is so much commotion in the kingdom of Fairytrof.
To make matters more complicated, her beauty is becoming more polished as she grows into an adult.
Still, she knows the risks, and still wants to fulfill her wish. If that is the case, I want to be right behind her.
“Princess Nina, it was my first time there but… The town looks really nice.”
Says Alice after returning from Anaroro, with a shine in her eyes.
I arranged for Alice to go to a relatively safe town with someone I can trust.
She was not there for very long, but she still returns with a smile on her face.
I feel relieved when I see Alice’s smile.
There is no way Alice would have smiled like this after seeing a town like Anaroro back when she was treated as the miko. Back when people waited upon her as a special being and she was filled with self-importance, Alice would not have wanted to come to a remote region.
She also would not have shown such a cute, childish smile.
Looking at her now, I am convinced that I made the right choice when I decided to save her life.
Someone who was always treated as a special being probably knows even less of the outside world than a princess such as myself.
Since I am a princess, I have always lived in a smaller, more restricted world compared to commoners, but she seems to be even more ignorant.
I want to show her all sorts of things.
As I continue thinking about Alice, a messenger arrives, sent by my fiance.
He is here under the pretext of delivering perfume, sweets, and other things that are currently popular in the kingdom of Migha, but I know from the start that Prince Hicked Migha would not have sent one of his trusted subordinates for that purpose alone.
Presently, I do not know what Prince Hicked is thinking or doing.
The worst case scenario is that Prince Hicked has turned into an enemy. Judging by his letters, that does not seem to be a likely possibility, but since we have not met face-to-face in some time, I am not sure.
This sudden visit leaves me a little anxious, and I ask him why he is here.
However, his subordinate says something I did not expect.
“I have a message from Prince Hicked. ‘If you feel you are in danger, cut me off’, he says.”
“…Cut?”
“Yes. If you feel you should cancel our engagement, do so without hesitation.”
I have trouble processing what he says.
Why is Prince Hicked telling me this? This message comes not from a letter, but instead a verbal message, which is untraceable.
Is Prince Hicked… Doing something dangerous?
“What is Prince Hicked doing?”
“I cannot discuss that.”
He says while looking directly at me. I feel like he is not going to tell me anything regardless of what I say.
“It is very rude of you to refuse to answer the princess’ question.”
“Yes, but I cannot answer even if it means being cut down where I stand.”
My subordinate says, and the messenger responds plainly.
He will not talk about this even if he is killed for it. That is how dangerous whatever Prince Hicked is doing is. Or rather, attempting to do.
Prince Hicked has always listened to whatever his king told him. I said some very harsh things about it, and as a result, Prince Hicked is working on something, although I have no idea what.
I would have helped him if he asked, but he probably does not want to involve me. Still, I want him to talk to me, and I want to help.
However, that is probably why he will not tell me in the first place. He is also telling me to cut him off if the need comes, so I stay uninvolved.
I understand that he is saying this for my sake, but I cannot accept it.
“I see. I understand.”
I say this to the messenger, but I have to find out what Prince Hicked is doing.
I will not cut him off as he says. He is my fiance after all.
—Princess and a visitor
(The princess hears what the visitor has to say, and decides to investigate what her fiance is doing.)
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