CHAPTER 605: CHAPTER 605

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Frustration has been a recurrent feeling ever since the officialisation of our courting.

Although we meet everyday, more at ease to be seen close to each other since the whole Empire knows we are getting to know the other seriously, kinky and I still have two watchers that have been ordered to be even more strict while following us everywhere... and adding to that there is also little Dioclecià and Princess Jasmine who are eager to join us every now and then without much... "reading the air" in themselves... Nonetheless, the princess is more thoughtful than innocent Dioclecià in that sense, which I sometimes appreciate.

"We should leave." — She has come to declare often and recently say whenever she believed their presence has been enough of an intrusion between Zeleskiaz and I. — "Stand Dioclecià, we should not-"

"Yes, Sister Jasmine~ I know. We should not overstay our welcome... right?" — This time, probably too accustomed to hearing it, my little friend replied without letting her finish, peeking at me with sorry eyes... hoping I would say otherwise.

’... I shall only smile, my dear friend... sorry... I do want you to leave, haha...’ — I thought to myself, sorry but happy I would be able to talk with his highness for a little bit today.

"Hmph. Interrupting and finishing my words is not polite, little brother."

"I apologise sister Jasmine..."

Frowning, Princess Jasmine nodded while rubbing her forehead, probably thinking it had also been enough of a stay at the Empress’s Garden for today. — "Sigh... the headache whenever I set foot in this Garden is horrendous. I cannot comprehend for I had never experienced such a problem... troublesome it’s becoming..."

"It’s probably because you don’t let the sun touch you too often. Your lungs are also accustomed to the closed air in the palace."

"... I do not want to hear that from the Brother whose chambers are the definition of cloistered darkness itself. My lungs and skin are perfectly healthy."

"Is it now? Didn’t you say you are leaving?"

"... I am starting to wonder if I should."

"Uhm... B-Brother Zeleskiaz, when can I join you at your bureau?" — Before letting his two older siblings start an argument, my little Dioclecià returned to his highness’s side, becoming shy as soon as his eyes met his brother’s since he was still such a timid little Prince when talking to him. — "U-Um... I-I wanted to study t-the law... m-my t-teacher said... y-you excelled when l-learning ab-about it..."

"You want me to teach you?"

"Uh- uhm... y- I-I..."

"... ask Biel for my schedule and go whenever I’m there. Don’t shrink and stutter just for asking this, Dioclecià. You will stay small if you do."

"!? A-alright~" — His head was ruffled by Zeleskiaz’s hand who frowned slightly at the stutter he wanted Dioclecià to fix. Sighing with a bit of delight he could not hide.

"Let’s go, little brother."

"Yes! I will meet you later, brother! Until tomorrow, Marianne~!"

Following the tired princess the third prince said his goodbyes with new energy... meanwhile I sighed... knowledgeable of the possible reason why the princess had become unable to come outside in peace.

"She always leaves early~!!"

"Is it that she doesn’t like the flowers we nourish??? That is impossible! The princess MUST love these flowers the most!!"

"Why is she ignoring us too~? Is she angry?"

"Perhaps she is shy?"

"Hmm~... Do you know why that is, Ninth? The princess is your friend as well! Tell us!"

"Yes, do you know?? The Ninth SHOULD know!"

"Mhm! We keep trying to get her to join us yet the princess doesn’t notice us!!!"

’Oh lord... how could she not get a headache like this? All the fairies in the garden swarm to her side whenever she arrives... Poor princess...’ — I had not noticed on my own, yet later the fairies told myself how delighted the presence of the Princess had made them.

Apparently, there is a bond the princess shares with Calla’s guardian spirit. What it is I am still ignorant about it, however. Erna and Estelle had told me that once the fairies noticed this bond their energy was voluntarily being drawn into the princess. They said it was the sole way to strengthen the princess’s soul... yet the effect might come with symptoms like the headache she now experiences.

’I wish I could tell her what I know about it... Yet it is not an easy thing to explain... she might not know there is something to do with Aenean within herself.’

Due to that and not knowing all the details, I am watching from the sidelines for now. Once I make my ability to talk public, I shall tell her these matters more comfortably too.

*Chirp~ Chirchirchirpp~~*

"... Khibi seems attached to you already, my lady." — Looking at its red tail, jumping to catch my attention, the crown prince said about the small bird he gave me. Making me turn to offer my hand so it could jump on it and help it fly around again.

"She’s lovely... yet she somehow avoids you even though you saved her from the name I almost gave her, my prince, haha~"

"What is this name you thought of? The lady has yet to tell and I wonder what kind it is for you to say I saved it from such a destiny."

"... certainly it is one she would have hated, hehe..." — I said, feeling ashamed to even think I almost called her Quilltina... it is more of a sentence to the poor creature than a name... the sentence to become a source for quills... — "I once believed I had a gift when it came to names... yet lately I do not feel so confident about that."

"There will be a day you will tell me what that name was. Maybe I should not have named it for it now makes me curious..." — Becoming focused on where Khibi was flying, his eyes sharpened. Stopping our conversation to call her back. — "Khibi."

Immediately, I saw her turn around in midair and come back to us, landing on his head to peck his hair in a harmless attack, to quickly run away to my lap.

"..."

"More than avoiding you, she seems to like teasing you, your highness... a little disrespectful and ungrateful you are, Khibi. Don’t you know it is thanks to his highness we met?" — I talked to it a little embarrassed by its behaviour that seemed to ignore my every word while preening its wings.

"It is understandable, my lady. Nonetheless, I will still protect it as it belongs to you now."

"Hm... Do you see? Why are you so rough towards his highness when he is so gentle to you? He fed you before I did, Khibi... haha~ oh little little Khibi~"

*Chirchirchirp~*

Happy to have this much of my attention, she continued to ignore the crown prince while cuddling up to me. Asking this in a playful manner was one way for myself to lessen the discomfort after all. I needed no answer anyway... for he had told me why he believed Khibi behaved like that.

— It has instincts that tell it how my hands have ended many of its kind, my lady... I acknowledge that in the past many birds were killed by them. —

When he told me such, I felt a huge weight fall on my spirit. The guilt in his vibrant ultramarine made it so I could notice his regret much more as he lowered his head, saying more about it as if coming out clean to me.

— I used to keep many of them at hand in my chambers... Yet cruelly so, only lifeless feathers I would make out of them... Khibi must sense it, much more if legends are truthful about its nature. —

— You say you used to... does it mean his highness has stopped?... why is that? —

— Your father calls you a bird, my lady... You like birds too...—

It is troubling how it was exposed to me. The closeness when alone could not be as we once enjoyed for the eyes of our chaperons were sharper, and so, to this day I still keep to myself the frustration of not being able to hug this lovely man back then who worries over matters of the past with such overwhelming strength.

’I wonder when I will be able to be completely alone with him... we share time every day but... There are things we cannot say and... much less do when watched so closely...’ — While Khibi cuddled to my finger I thought, glancing at him for a second since it has been almost two weeks since our courting was made official and yet no space has been granted for us in full freedom. — ’Sigh... if only just a moment... only a few seconds to hug and kiss him...’

Goodness, now I am blushing...

The way I am has settled more strongly; my store at the capital is making quite a good impression over the empire, so much that I am collaborating with Madame Fannie so the accessories may be accessible to anyone who wants to buy them. Although, of course, it must be done with some special designs so the brand will not lose value and the income will grow. There are many other fairies I have met these days as well, yet those that always follow me are Erna and Estelle, hence even when I hoped for my store to be a good place to fool for a second the eyes of our chaperons...

"Blushing the Ninth is..."

"Yes, she is... it is because this man is courting the Ninth."

"Yes, he courts her every day."

"Hrm... If the Ninth and the man called highness are courting each other every day shouldn’t they be kissing a lot, Estelle???"

"Oh! That’s what we ask the Ninth too! When we first met they kissed lots!! Here in the Garden, right over there! Yet never again have they kissed, sisters!!"

’Oh gods, why are these fairies so good at gossiping about me!!!’

"Ahem... Y-Your highness, maybe we should stop coming to the Empress’s Garden for a while." — After hearing this outrageous conversation for the hundredth time since a new fairy appeared today to learn about this, I gritted my teeth before suggesting such.

"? Why is that?"

"Uhm... well..."

"... is it because of the little creatures?"

"?! We are fairies!! And the Ninth loves us, highness!"

"... Yes, it is because of them."

"Gasp!... Ninth..." — Aghast they flew to me saddened. Getting too close to my face while acting pitiful. — "Why ninth..."

’Ugh... not the puppy eyes...’

"If the lady wishes for it I am glad to comply." — He accepted quickly. Pondering for a moment before continuing. — "Er... Perhaps we could travel to the neighbouring town. I heard-... what is it?"

"Um, Your Highness do excuse this server’s intrusion. However... my lady, a letter from his grace, Duke Noverrne, has arrived." — The servant that approached said, now nervous after the crown prince made it obvious he was not pleased by the intrusion. He handed the letter to me carefully, and in a quick movement, he bowed sorry as he left our presence.

"... Noverrne sent you a letter, my lady?" — While I was still distracted by how the poor servant left, Kinky asked. Making myself turn back to look at him and the letter which Khibi was inspecting curiously.

"Oh... yes, we exchange letters from time to time." — I said while drawing away Khibi from it in fear she would tear it apart by accident. Expectant of how this one must be the continuation of my previous reply. — ’I wonder how he’s doing. I still regret not being able to talk more at the officialisation... I even got a gift from him that day too...’

"... What... do you exchange these letters for?"

"Hm?... well... to know how each of us is doing(?) We do not get to meet often, therefore, Clemente and I agreed on it a while ago." — Sincere, I replied while opening the envelope, only becoming suspicious of his question after I heard the tone in his voice.

"... I see."

"...?"