Chapter 103 - 9-4
"Princess—"
A girl named Adelina calls out to Lucy.
To Lucy, who had crossed between two isolated worlds—the royal palace and the convent—Adelina is a mass of wonders. First of all, she does not work. It is almost safe to say she never sets herself to a task.
"I'll get to it by the end of the day—"
She says, but it is a lie.
A complete lie; if she did absolutely nothing, the matter would be settled by simply scolding her, but after observing her for about three days, Lucy finds that the requested tasks have been tidied up perfectly, which throws her off balance.
The clothes Adelina had made for Lucy, for instance, took time, but the tailoring is meticulous. Lucy was wearing exactly those clothes when she went to meet Adelina.
"Princess—you have a guest."
"Adelina. Come in and take a seat in that chair."
"Eh, thank you." Adelina sat down with a plop and let out a sigh. "I wanted to take a little break anyway—"
Lucy had wanted to lecture her on the proper etiquette of announcing who the visitor was when a guest arrives, but she accidentally asked instead.
"Are you tired?"
"Yeah. I went back home for a bit— My mother collapsed, so my big brothers were all in a flutter. Men really can't act all high and mighty when things like that happen, can they—"
"My... And? Was she alright?"
"Mother? She's fine— She just had a fight with Father. She's just sulking in bed."
Lucy felt as if she had caught a glimpse of the daily life of commoners, and was once again struck by a sense of wonder. If one refused to leave their bed as a form of protest in the royal palace, it would end as a transparent piece of acting. It seems that when done in an ordinary household, it causes a stir.
The way things progress, and the way humans relate to one another. It is different from both the royal palace and the convent. It is interesting, yet often bewildering.
Regardless, Lucy left the borrowed living quarters, leaving Adelina to rest.
The central city of the land called Moscov is known as Bolsa City. Unusually for Siddim, it has no fortress. This is because the walls surrounding the city are robust. Lucy is being looked after at the Count's manor located in the south of the city.
Without a guide, Lucy headed toward the reception room.
The table in the reception room had been pushed to the edge of the room, and several men wearing cloaks were standing there. Seeing Lucy, the men simultaneously dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.
A simple wooden chair was placed at the back of the room. Thinking that she was meant to sit there, Lucy walked gracefully toward the chair and sat down.
"Princess, I have looked forward to meeting you again since our parting." The one who spoke and looked up was Yugis Necrat. His expression was bright.
Lucy peered into Yugis's face.
"Since our parting" likely referred to since they had separated at Euryas. At that time, they had hardly been able to speak.
"As beautiful as ever—shall we stop? This is awkward."
"Yes, please do." Lucy let out a short laugh. "Your face has become that of an adult."
"I am honored."
There were parts that remained unchanged. In the boy named Yugis that Lucy remembered, there was always a clinging sense of gravity. Yugis had some kind of shadow about him. At the same time, Yugis possessed an aura of playing with that gravity. He gave a bold impression of savoring the situation in the palm of his hand, smelling it, kneading it, and doing as he pleased.
"One thing from me," Lucy questioned. "Can you defeat the Kosa people?"
"Your Highness, you should ask how we shall defeat the Kosa people."
Yugis stood up, the sleeve of his empty left arm swaying.
"I shall provide an explanation."
The surrounding men also stood, and the table that had been pushed aside was carried to the center of the room.
The men each carried chairs from the corners of the room. Yugis, Godly Curier, the Count of Moscov, and a well-built man with a beard streaked with white—that was the full assembly of men.
Among them, the man with the white-streaked hair was named Hume Razor. He was introduced.
The Count of Moscov was named Jil Python. In his late forties, he took his seat with squinted eyes. He looked down, making eye contact with no one.
Lucy also brought a chair herself and sat at the table.
Yugis opened a map of the area around Malfa City.
"We will station troops in the various cities of the west and center to intimidate the enemy in Malfa City. The main force of the Western Army will coordinate with the Eastern Royal Army at a position overlooking Aver City and Malfa City."
Yugis tapped the map with his fingertip, and that was the end of the explanation.
"For the time being, the commanders will be Laicanel, Lord Curier, and Ness Syllabus—these three. I would like Your Highness to accept the appointment of General."
"I have no experience leading an army."
"I am aware. However, if we can receive Your Highness's prestige, we shall be rock-solid; it will be easier for the East to move if they must fight Your Highness rather than cooperate with the Western Army."
"In other words, you want to borrow my name?" Lucy smiled.
"Not just your name, but I wish to borrow your strength."
"And what would you have me do?"
"As you have seen, our operation lacks soldiers. I would like Your Highness to speak to as many citizens as possible and call for their cooperation with the Western Army."
"Is that the use you have envisioned for me?" Lucy crossed her arms.
"With all due respect, it is something only Your Highness can do."
Yugis also smiled.
"Yugis, I carry the blood of the royal family, but I am neither a princess nor Your Highness. Now, I am a mere nun."
"That is true. I have a letter from His Eminence, the Bishop of Siddim."
Yugis patted various parts of his clothing with his right hand.
His eyes wandered over the table, searching for something.
The door to the reception room opened. A plump young man appeared hesitantly. "Young master, you forgot something."
Yugis stood up and brought the plump young man over.
"This is the attendant Dash. He will serve as the liaison between the Princess and us, so please be acquainted."
Dash bowed, and Lucy returned the gesture with a nod.
Lucy received the scroll Dash had brought and broke the church's wax seal.
"...I see."
It was a letter from Bishop Kabel Kofie of Siddim. It stated that Lucy was to be temporarily removed from the clerical register. Whether this meant Lucy would immediately return to the royal register was unclear. Lucy did not care. She had intended to enter the convent after casting everything aside.
"Your preparations are far too thorough."
"That a member of the royal family—preferably the Princess—become the General has been my long-standing plan. Among those in this room, only Dash and I understand that."
Yugis glared around at the people at the table.
"The East needs the royal family. It has needed them for a long time, and now, finally, I have captured the Princess. With this, the East will be emboldened. Siddim will change. We can defeat Kosa."
As for why Lucy, it was likely because, although she was of the royal family, she was merely a princess.
If His Majesty were to lead the campaign personally and, for example, suffer defeat, the damage to his authority would be immeasurable. A child who had abandoned the royal family to enter a convent would undoubtedly be an easy-to-use figurehead.
It was displeasing to have things decided for her without her consent. However, Lucy could see through Yugis's pushiness. He was in a predicament. Because he was in a predicament, he was acting strong.
That predicament was likely the very predicament of Siddim itself.
Lucy nodded. "I understand. I shall accept the position of General of the Western Army. I suppose that, too, is the duty of a member of the royal family."
"I am grateful." Yugis lowered his eyes. "Eventually, you will understand, Princess. If you move, Siddim moves. We should hold a grand inauguration ceremony, but we lack time, personnel, and everything else. I wish to do so when the timing is right."
"As you wish. More importantly, can you bring me Krisina Danforth?"
"Why?" Yugis looked up.
"Because she is capable," Lucy answered.
"Your Highness," the knight of Midheim, Godly Curier, spoke while interlacing his fingers. "I shall make an effort regarding that. However, I ask that you do not expect much. For the time being, please make use of Adelina. As a guard, I will leave this Hume behind."
"What!"
The white-streaked swordsman Hume Razor reacted with such surprise that he nearly rattled the legs of his chair.
His face looked genuinely disgusted. He was likely dissatisfied with having to look after a woman.
"Your Highness, please listen. Yugis, listen as well," Curier said in a somber voice. "Yugis is intentionally hiding it, but his operation is an act of madness. There will be many casualties. A limitless hell will begin. You are attempting to stand at the head of it."
"Is that so?" Lucy turned a stern gaze toward Yugis.
"We cannot win unless we do."
"Why hide it?"
"It will suffice if you come to understand in due time. The giant empire of Kosa and all of Siddim will scrape against each other, grinding with a screeching sound like ships with their hulls touching. There will be damage on both sides."
"Can you say that operation is the best one?"
Yugis shook his head coldly. "I do not know. What I can say is that even this operation cannot succeed without your strength. This is your operation. It is harsh, but likely the only plan that can win."
"Very well. I shall stand at the head of it." Lucy felt as if she had no place to be and stood up from her seat. "Yugis, you should not keep secrets from me."
For a moment, a suspicious light flickered in Yugis's eyes.
He was undoubtedly measuring Lucy's caliber.
Immediately bowing his head, Yugis spoke. "I was mistaken. Now, I only feel shame for myself."
"That is enough. Let us take a break."
Having decided on her own, Lucy gracefully fled from the reception room.
Her body felt heavy. There was a suffocating feeling in her chest. Curier's somber voice would not leave her ears.
—People will die.
That was only natural. She had already seen how people die. Both Sheri and Lyudmila had been wrapped in cloth and covered with earth. They had been buried hurriedly, as if to hide something.
Rather, on a battlefield, the corpses of soldiers piled up on the grasslands should be closer to the actual reality. Both enemy and ally become heavy luggage, piled in the fields waiting for wagons.
—I will absolutely not lose.
Not to the war, but to the weight of the corpses.
Even if she made that determination in her head, her body already felt heavy, as if she were carrying a wraith on her back.
When she returned to her room, Adelina was still there.
Adelina had moved a chair to the window and was sitting there. She had her hands clasped and was looking down. With her eyes closed and her mouth moving, she was praying.
Lucy was lost for words. Adelina was within the light.
She is a small wonder, Lucy thought once more.
"You're late—"
Adelina spoke in a nasal voice and moved the chair back to its original place.
"Yes. I was talking with the military men."
"I wonder what's going to happen to Siddim—"
"Adelina, Siddim will be fine. I hear they are about to begin a counterattack. Rest easy."
Adelina peered into Lucy's face without reservation, with suspicious eyes.
Eventually, she smiled. "I thought so. Also, Princess, you can just call me Adel—"
Once alone, Lucy prayed, following Adelina's example.
—Will the Tenshu forgive a woman who killed thousands, tens of thousands of people?
However, she had no intention of retreating. It was Lucy who had sought revenge.
—Besides.
Thousands, tens of thousands of Adelinas might be praying even at this very moment. They might be seeking salvation. If that is the case, she can endure any burden. She must endure.
The area around St. Trev Church in Bolsa City is used as a plaza.
Master Orca's workshop faces that Trev Plaza. The master is a shoemaker with one apprentice. Shoemaking is a profitable business. It requires skill. As long as one masters the technique, they will generally not go hungry.
Furthermore, Master Orca had developed one newly conceived product.
It was a shoe like a slipper that did not cover the heel. A clever farmer could easily make slippers, but the master made them from leather and thickened the soles. They were sturdy, light, and long-lasting. They used less leather and were inexpensive. To the people of Siddim who had been walking clomp-clomp in winter boots, he provided stylish, easy-to-wear summer shoes. It was already twenty years ago, but when he first lined them up in the storefront, they were a huge hit.
Now, they are imitated by craftsmen all over the north, with improvements like adding leather straps to the heels or cutting the toe covers to prevent stuffiness, but—
—Originally, it was my work.
He doesn't tell people, but Master Orca takes pride in it in his heart.
This thoroughbred shoemaker had recently been asked to do a lot of work making horse saddles.
If it was a high-quality saddle covered entirely in leather, it was still rewarding. However, there were many saddles that were like thick cloth bags stuffed with sheep's wool. Even with cloth saddles, fur is used for the part that touches the horse's back, and the girth used to fix the saddle and the stirrup straps are made of leather. The hand of a leather worker is required.
The reason such half-baked work was coming his way was because of the war.
—I wonder if the war will ever end.
Lately, he thinks that way.
Before that, he thought war was something that happened in the East, and a little while ago, he had been in a tragic mood, thinking, "Our Siddim is going to lose."
Lately, he only thinks—
—I wish they'd just stop.
That day, Master Orca was welcoming Master Lubain, a leather tanner.
"I hear the Kosa people use saddles too," Master Lubain spoke while looking down. "But I hear the Kosa people can also ride bareback."
Master Lubain is small in stature like a child and thin. He speaks while looking down because he fears causing discomfort to others. Leather tanners are smelly. They smell of animals, and because they use bird droppings in the tanning process, they smell of that too. Depending on the type of leather, they sometimes soak the hides in a solution containing alum and let them sit. The smell of that solution was also intense.
Butchers and leather tanners are disliked on average everywhere. They are treated as the lowest stratum of the city. They are often ignored. That said, just as a meat seller respects a butcher, leather workers think of tanners as blood brothers.
Therefore, while Master Orca does not treat him with humility, he welcomes Master Lubain by casually serving good sweets, good tea, or good liquor.
"I hear riding bareback is extremely difficult," the tanning master said. "However, the people of the grasslands apparently ride horses without saddles from the time they are children."
"Why are you talking about that?"
Master Orca felt like clicking his tongue. The master was already tired of talk related to the war. "Who did you hear that from?"
"From various people. I wanted to know about the Kosa people."
"Why the hell?"
"I wondered if I'd still be an outcast even if it became a country ruled by the Kosa."
"Cut it out, Master."
Master Orca spat in his sacred workshop.
"It's fine since it's me, but don't say things like that elsewhere, alright?"
Master Lubain nodded with an upward glance.
"Heh... but Master, for example, this black tea. I hear that Great King Aframa was the first to bring black tea to the north?"
"I'm appalled by you."
Just then, a shadow fell over the storefront. By storefront, he meant the window. The window shutters split vertically. It was a mechanism where lowering the bottom half of the shutter to a vertical position created a product shelf, and raising the top half created a shop awning.
"Welcome—oh, it's Adel."
The town girl Adelina was literally staring at the shoes with her finger in her mouth.
"If you're just window shopping, go home. —Come to think of it, I hear your house had another flashy fight."
"I'm not window shopping," Adelina said. "I've come to buy shoes for the Princess—"
"You said that before too. If it's for a princess, don't just leave them on the shelf, order them. Just which princess is it?"
"It's the Princess of Siddim—"
"I know that. Where in Siddim?"
"It's Princess Lucy—"
"Princess Lucy is at the royal palace. You've got something misunderstood."
"She's such a beautiful princess, but her hair is short like a boy's, which is a pity. But she really is so beautiful it makes you swoon—"
Master Orca looked at Master Lubain. It was to confirm their mutual opinion that they would like to see such a beauty.
"Is she at the Lord's manor?"
When Master Orca asked, the town girl Adelina shook her head. "Right now, she's at the City Council Hall over there."
The City Council Hall is a three-story building that the citizens of Bolsa built on the grounds of St. Trev Church. It was a building that served as a symbol of the autonomy the citizens had bought from the Count of Moscov. Bolsa City is the center of the surrounding villages and towns. It is a central commercial area that any producer can use. Gold coins fly and soar.
The citizens of Bolsa know well that this gold supports the Count of Moscov. As a natural right, the citizens bought their freedom from the lord. They bought a portion of their autonomy. In the City Council Hall, neither the Bishop of Moscov nor even the Count of Moscov can enter without the permission of the City Council. It is a meaningful building where the citizens take pride in their autonomy.
"You, don't let someone in there when you don't even know which princess she is."
Even though Master Orca made a sour face, Adelina remained absent-minded.
"The Princess said she wanted to sightsee—"
"Why?"
"She said she wanted to see the balcony."
"What did she say she wanted to see?"
At that moment, a voice echoed from outside. The voice resonated through the plaza and entered the master's workshop without hesitation.
"—Now, listen!"
It was an unnervingly brisk, clear voice. It was not a shrill, high voice. It was a woman's voice. It resonated beautifully, yet had a sense of weight.
"Citizens of Bolsa, stop your feet and listen!"
"What is it?"
From the back workshop, the apprentice Shatona appeared with a wooden mallet in one hand.
"Wah, wah, waah!" Adelina began to panic. "Princess—! What are you doing—!"
And she ran off.
Master Orca also left the shop along with Master Lubain.
Indeed, it was the City Council Hall. On the second floor of the City Council Hall, there is a balcony supported by pillars. It is a platform that protrudes from the exterior of the building toward the plaza. A woman with short hair was giving a speech with a loud volume despite her slender body.
"Siddim! Is being tested in its strength right now. The actions of each and every one of you are now being challenged by other nations!"
—What the hell is she talking about.
Master Orca thought as he walked. As he drew closer, he realized she was indeed a beautiful woman. From her exposed ears to her slender chin, she was as delicate as a piece of craftsmanship. The whiteness of her elegantly long neck made blood rush to Master Orca's face. And what lively eyes they were. They radiated emotion in abundance to the surroundings.
"We! Must provide an answer to the swords pointed at us!"
To add to that, her voice was good.
There were about ten men in the plaza. They were men who had come out of their shops upon hearing the voice.
"Get down!"
Belzac the oil merchant shouted, cupping his hand to his mouth.
"That's right, get down!"
"Get down!"
Everyone said it in turn. Master Orca also shouted. "Get down! That's the City Council building!"
"I will not get down. From here, I can see your faces clearly."
The woman haughtily raised her slender chin. It was the attitude of a noble that any ordinary commoner of Siddim would recognize.
—So this is the princess.
Just then, Adelina arrived at the balcony. She bent her waist and put her hands on her knees, catching her breath.
The two women began a conversation. Even then, only the princess's voice entered the ears clearly.
"I see... In other words, what does that mean? ...Ah, I see. In that case, who is the owner?"
Adelina was pointing at the men in the plaza, explaining something.
"I understand perfectly. Then please call the representative of the City Council. I shall discuss the usage fee for this balcony."
"That's not the point!" Master Orca yelled, standing on his tiptoes. "You intend to settle this with money! That place you are trampling upon is our pride!"
"No. This is a pure discussion of fees. You settled your friction with the Count of Moscov with money. The problem with me should be handled in the same way."
—What a disagreeable woman.
Master Orca gnashed his teeth.
"However! The time spent waiting for a representative is a waste! You should lend your ears to my words. Now, this Siddim, all of Siddim from Tosha to Delroy! Carries a single sin that must be atoned for!"
"What nonsense!"
"Get down, you damn woman!"
The men became enraged. Master Orca ran from the spot and headed for the entrance of the City Council Hall. Men he knew had already gathered.
"What are you doing?"
When he spoke, Master Asquith, the hatter and tailor, turned around.
"No good, it's locked from the inside."
"That bitch has barricaded herself in!" said Lassalle, the easily excited tinker. "Shall we break the door!"
"Wait, wait," Master Orca soothed. "According to Adelina, she's some princess. The Count is probably looking after someone whose head has gone a bit."
"Then shall we call the Count?"
"Calm down, tinker," Master Orca said to Lassalle. "If something happens, that will be the Count's responsibility. But for now, it's just one woman shouting, right? Are we going to cry to the Count over something so boring? It's our building, we'll solve it ourselves."
"The shoemaker is right," said Clock the armorer. "Grinkel the blacksmith has gone to call Master Gabrilo. Isn't that them?"
Looking where Clock pointed, there were indeed the figures of the plump Grinkel and a small old man. Unlike Grinkel, who seemed distracted, Master Gabrilo the goldsmith approached composedly. Litov, the representative of the wool guild, was with him.
The princess on the balcony was still speaking. "The Roma scriptures say, 'None have yet escaped from their conscience.' You cannot avert your eyes from the hardships of the East, nor can you close your ears to the screams of the royal capital. Your hearts, your hearts see it and hear it!"
"Stupid woman! Stop it!"
"Harlot! What are you saying!"
The excitement in the plaza was rising. A nasty sweat ran down Master Orca's spine.
Master Orca immediately ran under the balcony and shouted while jumping. "Adel! Adel! Adelina!"
"You there!"
The princess suddenly called out to someone. The one at the end of the princess's gaze was the diminutive leather tanner, Master Lubain.
"You seem to have listened to my words calmly. Everyone should be so. He is the only one who possesses the courage to gaze upon this current situation!"
Poor Master Lubain, likely confused by the sudden attention of everyone, covered his face with his hands and fled.
"Adel, hey! Adel!"
Finally, Adelina looked toward Master Orca.
"Silence the princess! Master Gabrilo has arrived!"
Enduring the pain in his knees, Master Orca returned to the entrance of the City Council Hall.
Master Gabrilo the goldsmith is an elder of Bolsa City. Although he has long since retired, he is a master whose name always comes up as a contractor, for example, when donating something to the church. There is no one more suited to be the chairman of the City Council.
"Hello, Master Orca. It's become quite a commotion."
"Yes, hello..."
While they were exchanging greetings, the door of the City Council Hall opened. Emerging from the shadows indoors was a large man with a build like a bear. He had grey hair and a beard streaked with white, and there were shadows under his eyes.
The large man rattled his sword belt and stepped out, one step, two steps.
The gathered men stepped back.
"Only the representative come," the large man said, tilting a liquor bottle to his mouth.
Master Gabrilo walked forward bravely. However, when the door closed, the elder's face as he looked back was pale.
Before long, Master Gabrilo returned.
The master shook his head with a dark expression.
"What does this mean!" the tinker Lassalle said.
"He says it is the Western Army."
"Western Army? What does that mean?" Asquith the hatter also said. "What is the relationship between that woman and them?"
Master Gabrilo sighed. "That person is said to be Luchentin Alish, General of the Western Army."
"That's gotta be a lie!" Lassalle stomped his feet.
"Perhaps. However, even if we wish to inquire about the truth..." the old goldsmith hesitated.
The truth would be certain if they inquired with the royal capital, Malfa City. However, Malfa City is besieged by enemy barbarians. The crisis of the royal capital has reached Bolsa City, but among the citizens, there is an atmosphere of hesitating to speak of it. They do not want to be involved.
"No, but," said Litov, the head of the wool guild. "There is a story that Princess Lucy entered the Euryas Convent. I hear that Euryas was liberated by the Western Army."
"And what of it?" Clock the armorer said quietly.
"Exactly, what of it?" Master Orca responded. "Bolsa City fulfilled its military service long ago. On top of that, they want to take more soldiers? You've got to be joking!"
"I hear she wishes to recruit volunteers," Master Gabrilo said.
"Chairman, did you perhaps agree to the rental of the hall?"
When Master Orca asked, the old goldsmith raised his voice indignantly.
"I couldn't refuse! It's the Thora family's Western Army; what else was I to do?"
"No, that's certainly true," Master Orca scratched his head. "Anyway, it'll be fine as long as no one lends an ear. Whether it's Princess Lucy is unconfirmed. Let it remain unconfirmed. No one lends an ear, no one deals with her at all. Then, even the Western Army will have no choice but to give up, right?"
—That's it.
—That's for the best.
The men agreed, looking at each other's faces and nodding.
At the same time, the voice from the balcony began to resonate again.
"You must not forget. While you are doing this, what is happening in the East, in the royal capital. We! Cannot ignore it!"
The next day in the morning, when the sun had risen high, the princess arrived. Accompanied by about five guards, she pulled up to the City Council Hall in a light two-wheeled carriage.
The princess seemed to be asserting something, but the plaza was deserted.
—Serves her right.
Master Orca thought so in a good mood.
Around noon, Adelina came to the storefront.
"What did you come for, you traitor."
Master Orca said to Adelina, half-teasing and half-serious.
"I'm not a traitor— I've bought a lunch box for the Princess."
"If you're not a traitor, then silence that princess for me."
"Even if you say that, there are people who are listening, you know?"
"Who?"
"Who, you ask—"
Without waiting for Adelina's answer, Master Orca left the workshop.
In the middle of the plaza, there was a diminutive back. It was Master Lubain. The tanning workshops are clustered at the north end of the city. It is rare for the tanning masters to come as far as Trev Plaza. Even Master Lubain visited Master Orca's shop at most once a month. Knowing he was not liked by the townspeople, he had likely been reserved.
And yet, Master Lubain had come two days in a row.
There was still more to be surprised by. Beside Master Lubain, a youth was standing. It was Master Orca's apprentice, Shatona.
—Since when!
Master Orca clicked his tongue and approached the two. Adelina followed.
"Ah, Master!" Shatona laughed carefree.
"You idiot," Master Orca poked his disciple's forehead repeatedly with one index finger. "Are you in a position to be playing around in a place like this!"
"Wait, it's not like that, Master," Shatona escaped the master's finger and lowered his voice. "It's a rumor, but that person might be Princess Lucy."
"You don't need to worry about such things."
"I have a good idea; let's make shoes that suit that princess at our shop. We'll present them to her. I've been watching that person's feet this whole time. She's not wearing any great shoes."
With a "Tch" and a spit, Master Orca kicked Shatona's backside. "Just get back to work already."
Watching his disciple run off, Master Orca turned his eyes toward Master Lubain. The tanning master, alongside the town girl Adelina, was looking at the balcony with a face as if his soul had left him.
The princess's vigor had not yet diminished.
"At the time of Great King Aframa's invasion, were only the knights fighting? No, that is not so. Brewers, scribes, candle makers, shoemakers, tailors—everyone rose up. In other words, you too fought!"
Master Orca glared at the balcony. He had no more spit left to put on the ground.
"Hey, Master Lubain. Have you fallen for that young princess? What on earth happened to you?"
"Please leave me be, Master," the tanner said. "That person is saying important things. She is telling me the things I want to know."
"We all decided not to deal with that princess."
"Who is 'all'? I wasn't invited."
Indeed, Master Lubain was rarely even invited to the general assembly of the City Council.
Master Orca scratched his head. "Fine. But you'll stop by the shop on your way back, right?"
The small man did not answer.
Though he left the spot out of necessity, he couldn't help but turn around and add, "I'll prepare tea and put out some sweets, alright? Come on!"
The leather tanner, alongside the town girl, looked up at the balcony.
"I am not being accepted very easily."
Five days had already passed since she began her speeches.
As expected, Lucy let out a sigh. The only one who always came was a serious-looking small man. Yesterday it rained, but the small man came even then.
Many people simply looked down and passed by. Whenever someone occasionally stopped, two or three men who seemed to be shop owners from the shops around the plaza would rush over and scatter them.
Adelina was combing Lucy's short hair with a comb.
By the window, for these five days, a perpetually grumpy Hume Razor had been sitting in a chair.
Lucy saw in the mirror that Hume gave her a glance with an expression as if he wanted to say something.
"What is it?"
Lucy asked.
Hume opened his mouth after hesitating for a while. "Princess. With all due respect, any more of this is useless. You are being completely underestimated."
"You're telling me to give up?"
"Once you are underestimated, no matter what you say, they won't listen."
—That may be so.
There were parts she could agree with. Even when she was involved in disputes between groups at the Euryas Convent, Lucy had been careful not to be underestimated.
"Do you have any ideas on how to recover?"
"This is it," Hume tapped his sword over the scabbard. "Let's use this to threaten the bastards who hate you and make them piss themselves."
Lucy let a smile float on her face. "I shall hear that as an amusing joke."
"Princess, I am serious."
Just as Hume was about to stand up, the door to the living quarters was knocked.
"Your Highness," a young man's voice said.
"Come in," Lucy said.
The one who opened the door was the attendant Dash.
"Adel," Lucy stopped the hand of Adelina, who was combing her hair.
Yugis Necrat had returned to the castle at the southern end of the Moscov territory. Yugis's attendant Dash did not accompany him and was serving as Lucy's messenger.
"Dash. Welcome back." Lucy stood up from her chair. "How did it go?"
"I hope you'll be pleased, Your Highness. I've brought both of them."
Dash entered the room and stood by the doorway.
Appearing behind him were nostalgic faces that Lucy knew well.
"Nona, Kiara."
"Princess."
"Your Highness."
Lucy embraced her former maids. She pulled away to look closely at their faces. Both seemed healthy. Nona was crying with a crying face, and Kiara was crying with a smiling face.
Nona and Kiara were the maids who had stayed by Lucy's side when she lived in the Sigihilt Palace of the royal capital. Remembering that both were from nearby towns, she had asked Dash to search for them.
Lucy introduced the two maids to everyone in the room.
"Princess. First, here is the thing you asked for. Please look."
Once the joy of reunion had settled, Nona spoke. The two had brought a tube-shaped object wrapped in leather. What the maids unfolded was a tapestry.
It was something the maids had been steadily making to hang in Lucy's room. Just as it was nearing completion, Lucy had selfishly entered the Euryas Convent. Lucy had also been concerned about it.
"You finished it."
While feeling a surge of emotion, Lucy looked at Adelina.
"Adel, what do you think?"
"What do I think? I can tell just by looking," Adelina made a gesture as if covering her mouth with the hand holding the comb. "This is wonderful!"
"This really is a beautiful thing, but..." Dash tilted his head. "Even so, why this? What do you intend to do with it?"
"I shall decorate the balcony with this to attract attention. If it is this magnificent, people might flock to it. Surely, they will then listen to my words."
Lucy received the tapestry from the maids and handed it to Adelina. She had the two maids sit in chairs, expressed her gratitude, and spoke about the current situation.
"Princess, with all due respect," Kiara had a gloomy face. "From what I hear, have the citizens agreed not to listen to your words? If that's the case, a mere tapestry like this won't do anything, will it?"
"That's true," Nona also said. "If they are united, it might be better to speak with the representative."
"If you want to attract attention, why not use noisemakers?"
"No. This is not a sideshow. It is a sincere appeal," Lucy said to Kiara.
Being denied, Kiara's eyes sparkled even more. She was unchanged from the old days in this regard. "In that case, let's make the Princess's clothing flashy. Why not refer to the stripes of a jester? They stand out."
"I wish to speak seriously. Is there no attire that would, say, remind the people of this country?"
"Let's see," Nona also began to think along with her.
On one side of the room, Adelina was unfolding the tapestry.
Pointing to the figure of a girl woven into the center of the tapestry, Adelina asked.
"Is this the Princess?"
"No," the one who answered was Hume, who had stood up from his chair to look at the tapestry. "This design is the 'Daughter of Siddim'."
The Daughter of Siddim is a legendary girl said to appear during the nation's crises to save it from peril. She is represented by a design of a girl with boyish short hair, dressed in men's clothing and carrying a sword.
"She looks just like the Princess—"
"My hair is just about that length, too," Lucy interjected into Adelina's conversation.
"No, I didn't mean it like that—"
Everyone in the room laughed together, and after they finished laughing, everyone except Lucy began to compare the girl in the tapestry with Lucy.