I’ve been out to Ananaro a few times, with Princess Ninaev’s permission. I never walked around town like this before I came here.
The village where I was born was a very limited world. It was small and didn’t have many people.
When I was taken to the temple, I was too valuable to be allowed to go out, so I never really got to see a town, and I’m having fun now that I can go out to Ananaro and look around.
It sounds obvious but… Until the country fell into chaos and I felt in danger, I never realized everyone is doing their best to survive. I really thought everyone was here just to make me feel good. I never cared about anyone else, and I feel like an idiot when I go out and see people working hard to make a living.
It’s not much different when it comes to my sister. I didn’t care about her at all, I didn’t even understand that she was my sister. We lived in the same house, but I was never curious about why, and just saw her as someone who had to do what I said.
I never took the time to look around me, but that’s what I do now when I go to town.
I want to look at the world around me. If I looked more closely at the gardener that tried to take me away, I would’ve probably understood what he was doing. You can tell what someone is thinking if you really pay attention.
Does the fact that I’m thinking about this… Mean I’ve grown? I hope I’ve grown at least a little.
“Good morning Alice.”
“Good morning!”
When I go to town as just Alice, people greet me with smiles. I never knew being treated as just an eleven year old girl would make me so happy, because I’ve always been treated as someone special.
Back then I couldn’t have a fun life like I do now. I’ve been getting more opportunities to be nice to people, and when I help, they say thank you.
I want to keep hearing people say thank you to me. I’ve caused so much trouble before.
Lately, Princess Ninaev has been looking worried.
At first I thought it was because I was saying I wanted to go outside, but apparently that’s not it.
I’ve never met him, but Princess Ninaev has a fiance, a prince from the kingdom next door.
Apparently the kingdom of Migha has a lot of slaves, and there’s a rebellion going on.
Princess Ninaev’s lady in waiting, Hondetta, says a messenger was sent here by this prince, and Princess Ninaev has been looking worried ever since.
When I ask what’s worrying Princess Ninaev, she just says ‘you really are looking after Princess Nina’.
I go out to Ananaro, and wonder what I can do for Princess Ninaev.
I owe a lot to her. It’s thanks to her that I can live peacefully like this. She saved me.
Now I want to help her… But what can I do? What can I do to make her smile?
I ask the knights that came to town with me what I can do to make her happy, and they suggest giving her a present.
I start wondering if she really would be happy just because I gave her something, but receiving presents really is nice, and I can’t think of anything else I can do, so I decide to give her a present.
What would make a princess happy? I struggle for a bit to come up with something, but eventually I find a hair ornament I think would look good on her.
…Still, the money I’m spending was given to me by Princess Ninaev in the first place. I wish I could earn money for myself. I want to help people more, especially Princess Ninaev when I grow up.
I’ve just turned eleven, but I want to be an adult already.
I go back to the mansion and give Princess Ninaev her present, and she says thank you with a kind smile. I don’t have the power to make her problems go away, but I will try to make her smile even if it’s just a little.
But in the end, I’m unable to do that. Princess Ninaev receives news that during the big slave revolt happening Migha, her fiance has gone missing.
—The sister is worried about the princess
(The sister of the miko, can’t help but be concerned about the princess, but reality can be cruel.)
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