Chapter 76 · Cyrus's Choice (4)

The king looked taken aback.

“Anastasia, this is so sudden. Why do you want to learn a foreign language all of a sudden?”

When I quickly gave him a look, Cyrus answered in a trembling voice, just as I had instructed.

“Y-Your Majesty. The princess can speak the southern continent’s language. She speaks it so well that even I was astonished. She must surely have a heaven-granted talent for languages.”

“What? Anastasia can speak the southern continent’s language?”

“Hehe, actually I hid it because I was embarrassed. I know a wittle bit.”

I smiled brightly and greeted the delegation in the southern continent’s language.

「Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to meet you all. Welcome to Santra!」

Everyone at the table was startled, their eyes going wide.

「The princess can speak our language!」

「Her pronunciation is remarkably accurate, too.」

They murmured among themselves, then soon smiled brightly and applauded.

“No, how can this be… Anastasia, do you live in a different time zone from everyone else or something?”

“I only know the very basics. There were limits to studying on my own. I’ve always thought it would be wonderful to have a proper teacher to teach me…”

I continued in an earnest voice.

“Sadly, Santra isn’t very active about learning foreign languages. There aren’t many teachers, either. But I think Cyrus would make a truly wonderful teacher!”

“W-well, that may be so, but…”

The king still seemed hesitant.

“The princess’s abilities are too precious to waste. It’s a humble thing, but if I can be of even a little help… I would be glad!”

For the timid Cyrus, it was a fairly decent bit of acting. Just then, Aquila spoke in a voice laced with anger.

“The delegation plans to stay only about a month. What could you possibly learn in such a short time?”

“Yes, Anastasia. The delegation has to tour around Salus, discuss trade, and… I wonder whether the interpreter would even have time to spare for lessons…”

“Hmm, that’s right. So I thought of a solution.”

I smiled brightly and spoke.

“I could stay at the palace where the delegation is lodging for twenty-four hours a day and take an intensive crash course.”

That way I could protect Cyrus as well. And learn the southern continent’s language as a bonus.

‘Kuh, this is killing two birds with one stone.’

But strangely, Paeon was the one who reacted most strongly.

“Princess, what nonsense…!”

He sprang to his feet without even caring that everyone’s attention was on him. I quickly added,

“Of course Sir Parsiel will come too. He’s my escort knight. Right?”

“…”

With Paeon beside me, Cyrus’s life would be safe!

“This is absurd! Father, you’re not going to allow this, are you? The princess staying in the same palace as the delegation! What kind of bizarre nonsense is this?”

Stella flared up in anger. The king stroked his beard with a troubled face.

“Hmm… Anastasia, this matter is a little…”

It seemed he was reluctant to put me in the same place as people of a different religion.

‘Tsk, I’ll have to use my last resort.’

“Your Majesty, do you remember the bet we made three years ago?”

“What? What bet did I make with you?”

“During the Ars Confelo, we bet on whether Ark Ellenoa would win or not. I won.”

The king seemed to have completely forgotten about it. It had been a passing remark, so that was only natural.

“You said you’d grant me anything if I won, so I think I need to use that wish now.”

He stared at me blankly, then burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! Anastasia, I truly can’t win against you.”

“Father! Surely you’re not going to humor her nonsense again?!”

Stella, her face bright red, sprang up as if she could bear it no longer.

“Well, if she wants to learn that badly, I can hardly stop her. What remarkable scholarly zeal at her age.”

“Scholarly zeal isn’t the issue here!”

“Stella, we have guests, so mind your manners.”

Only then did she look around and shut her mouth, but unable to contain her anger, she breathed raggedly.

“Thank you, Your Majesty! Then I’ll go pack right away!”

I ran to the king and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then glanced at Aquila. Aquila too had been unable to say anything for a while and just wore a blank face, which suggested she was thoroughly incensed.

Nyah nyah! Now Cyrus is my slave. And I’m going to treat my slave preciously. Until I give him his freedom, that is!

◇ ◆ ◇

“Princess, please reconsider even now.”

As I was busily packing, Paeon kept pestering me.

“Why on earth?”

“Why on earth does the princess insist on getting close to that man!”

“He’s not a dangerous person.”

“He will have a bad influence on the princess.”

“Judging him by his clothes alone is too much, don’t you think?”

I crossed my arms and looked Paeon up and down.

“I think Papa would suit the Brilian style quite well.”

“Pardon?!”

If his white, firm body were dressed in clothes like that, every woman passing by might collapse with a nosebleed, so it would be a little dangerous.

Paeon grimaced as if he had been insulted.

“Staying with someone you barely know makes no sense.”

“I can get to know him from now on.”

“Sir Parsiel, don’t be so hard on her. It’s the princess’s first time staying in the palace, after all.”

Rosa, unable to watch any longer, tried to dissuade him.

“That’s right. You sound almost jealous.”

Sierra piled on.

“Jealous, of all things…”

He flushed and said no more.

“But to be apart from the princess for a while… How sad.”

Yuz looked thoroughly deflated.

“I’ll come every day for prayer time, won’t I?”

“Still, it’s different from looking after you directly.”

“Why don’t we all just go to that palace? We could get permission and wear maid’s uniforms.”

“Sisters are priestesses! We can’t impose that much. Just think of it as childcare leave for the time being.”

“Goodness, the princess practically raised herself anyway. When did we ever do anything worthy of being called childcare?”

Rosa waved her hand dismissively.

“Come on, how much help have I gotten from you sisters? I grew up this big thanks to you!”

“Princess…”

The mood suddenly turned strangely emotional, so I deliberately sprang up energetically.

“Let’s go, Papa.”

“…It seems I don’t count as a burden to you, then?”

What’s this, is this man sulking? Good grief, and he’s not even a child.

“Of couwse not. Papa is my knight, after all.”

“…”

He let out a deep sigh and picked up my luggage. See, that’s why you shouldn’t say things like that carelessly, you father of mine.

◇ ◆ ◇

Angelus Palace, granted to the delegation, was the fourth largest in the Santran royal palace and a rather majestic structure.

Actually, of the many buildings in the royal palace, I hadn’t properly seen the interiors of many. Only Ratio Palace with the audience chamber, and Icarus Palace where I stayed in my past lives.

‘It really is splendid.’

I didn’t know what Brilia’s palaces were like, but Santra was certainly a wealthy country. Gold-plating on the buildings and all.

The moment I set foot in the palace entrance, memories of my past lives, when I always crept around as if dead, rose up and made me shrink a little. As I headed inside in that dispirited state, a ringing voice rang out.

“Welcome, Princess Anastasia.”

All the servants of Angelus Palace came out to greet me. Seeing them lined up and bowing, I was inwardly surprised. This was the treatment a princess was supposed to receive, but in my past lives I had never received it even once.

‘This life really is different!’

It was only for a month, but my crushed spirit revived a little. Yes! Let’s be confident! I’m not here to eat humble pie.

Following their guidance, we passed through long corridors and arrived at a room that smelled strongly of roses from the entrance. Pale pink wallpaper, cute little framed pictures hung on the walls. And on the pink bed with a lace veil lay several cotton dolls. It was exactly like a princess’s room.

‘It looks just like a room a young child would use?’

As I looked around curiously, an elderly maid spoke with a gentle smile.

“Actually, this is the room Princess Beatrice used during her childhood. When the princess was just about Princess Anastasia’s age.”

“Weally?”

“Yes, but she moved to another room before long. She was always holed up in the library, so she asked to stay in a palace near it, for convenience.”

My, my mother was quite the bookworm. That must be why she accomplished so much at that age.

“She would be delighted that the princess is staying in this room.”

The maid’s voice grew moist, so she must have attended my mother since her childhood. Her eyes looking at me were very warm as well.

‘Good. She doesn’t seem like a bad person.’

I felt relieved that she seemed different from the maids who had treated me like I was invisible whenever I was in the palace in my past lives. I’d only be here a month, so hopefully the maid wouldn’t be swapped out in that short time.

“Then please rest. If you need anything, ring this bell anytime.”

As the maid was about to withdraw, I urgently caught her.

“You have to tell me youw name!”

“Ah… M-my name is Sherry.”

“Sherry, please take cawe of me fow a month.”

She smiled warmly for a moment, then suddenly looked flustered and hurriedly spoke.

“Yes, Princess. But you don’t need to use honorifics with me. Please speak to me casually.”

“Hmm… I’ll twy.”

I really can’t bring myself to speak down to someone as elderly as Sherry. Have I just not become enough of a royal?

After the maids withdrew, I excitedly ran around the room. Unlike the humble room at the temple, there were so many expensive-looking things to look at.

“Wow… How much is this worth…”

As I marveled at the gold candlestick, there was a knock-knock at the door.

“Princess, it’s me.”

Paeon had been guided to the room next to mine and must have come straight to me. I flung the door open and pulled him inside.

“Papa, they say this is the woom Mom used when she was wittle. Isn’t it amazing?”

The moment he heard that, he froze and became restless. He didn’t even dare to look around the room. His reactions were always so refreshing to see. It made me want to tease him.

And just then, a cowering voice came from outside the door.

“P-Princess. It’s me. Cyrus.”

My slave brother had come too!

“Come in!”

He shuffled in timidly. And when he saw Paeon, he recoiled in surprise, then edged along the wall toward me.

“Is that gentleman really the princess’s escort?”

He said in a voice barely audible to me alone. Paeon was glaring at him as if he might devour him.

“I heard he’s the commander of the holy knight order…”

“That’s wight. He’s the commandew of Vewitas.”

“And a man like that is serving as the princess’s escort?”

“Hehe, do you undewstand my position now?”

“He’s truly handsome. But so frightening. He’s been glaring at me since earlier…”

“Hmm.”

What to do about this? We couldn’t live like this for a whole month. Cyrus might end up with a nervous breakdown.

As I was worrying about how to soften Paeon’s feelings, he suddenly strode out of the room.

“?”

I was puzzled that he left without a word, wondering if he hated Cyrus that much—but he came back quickly. Holding some clothes in his hands.

“Put this on.”

He said to Cyrus in a stiff voice. And then he shoved the clothes he was holding against his exposed chest.

“?!”

Cyrus took the clothes with a bewildered face, not understanding what was going on.

‘Wait, aren’t those Papa’s clothes?’