Chapter 12 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

**Chapter 12: Princess Maker** * * * Amidst the cheers of everyone gathered at the start of the competition, I sprinted forward towards Anna, who was waiting for me on horseback. And Remi? Remi? Unfortunately, I forgot all about her. "Aaaaaaaaris!!!" "Bye-bye~!" Well, maybe she’s walking together with our lovey-dovey parents. She might sulk, but I hope Anna takes care of that later. Next to Anna's horse was a slightly smaller one, and I quickly realized it was prepared just for me. "Aris, can you ride alone?" "Yes!" Having countless memories of horse riding, I found handling such a gentle, small horse to be quite easy. There we go, there we go. Neigh! If you don’t listen, I’ll get you neutered? !!? Gripping the reins of the horse that acknowledged me as its master, I looked over at Anna, who was also preparing to set off for the hunt. Did she feel my gaze? She turned toward me and flashed a bright smile. When I returned the smile, Anna blushed, turned her head, and awkwardly stared at her open palm. She looked like a sister deeply cherishing her younger sibling. Anyone might see her face like a girl immensely excited, albeit blushing at the thought of a date with her sister. Excited? What is she so looking forward to, I wonder? Going on an outing with me, just the two of us? Maybe she's thrilled at the thought of soon catching the prey with her own hands. Or perhaps... The prospect of being able to kill me? "Come on, let's go. Be careful and follow along." "Okay! You be careful too, sister!!" "Alright, alright." How might she kill me? Honestly, it's surprisingly easy for her to do so. My problem has always been trusting others too much, never doubting. This led me to follow a maid who promised to show me something fun, only to end up dressing like a doll against my will, about twenty times in total. Always granting any request, no matter how unreasonable, as the kind youngest princess. That was the assessment of 'Aris Acaia,' the current third princess. And Anna surely knows this better than anyone else. Poisoning. Simply offering a cup of tea laced with a deadly toxin would be enough to kill me. Even with a curious taste and smell, at Anna's bidding, the little girl known as Aris Acaia would drink it without suspicion. She could mock her sister vomiting blood from every orifice, thrust the antidote in her face, and force her to beg for it. Murder. Just one word of "Trust me," and the foolish sister would close her eyes, even with a sword at her throat. The youngest princess, loath to betray her sister's trust, would await her words even as the blade slashed her neck. Clang, even after her neck has fallen, wouldn't the naive youngest princess still murmur her sister's name? Honestly, I didn’t care what she planned. I have always been ready to joyously accept her obsession. My love is an open door. But she didn't choose that path. She shunned the easy methods, opting for a more difficult road. Moreover, she even went to the trouble of donning a mask, trying to lead me somewhere. Who would deny such growth, such effort? Anna Acaia is ordinary. Yet, she was born with a unique talent no genius possesses. That talent is hard work. Look at her eyes. Observe her touch. The warm hand she extends to me, the eyes filled with concern, yet lurking within, darker than any abyss, hides a monster. Surely, she wants to butcher my neck right this instant. To hang my corpse in the public square, spit upon it, trample it underfoot, and laugh. But she restrains that impulse, she exercises patience. I know it. I can sense just how hard she is trying right now. Isn’t it commendable? That’s why I deemed her truly fit for the throne. Although her current efforts are spurred by murderous intents and hatred towards me, the reason and motivation are elements that can easily change. If her effort pivots to dedication for her people, she will undoubtedly become the admirable queen everyone looks up to. And the fuse for that change would be my death. By the time I was three, I had realized she would live soaked in inferiority. No matter how much I try, destiny remains unchanged. So I devised—the best scenario. Here, I will shatter the shackles of inferiority holding her—no, I will bind her with shackles far greater. My last words, to a sister swaying with guilt, shall become shackles too, as I murmur, just as I have always told her, —Sister, please become a great queen. And she will accept those shackles willingly. The birth of the kind, wise, and just queen she has yearned to be. Finally, then I shall eternally exist in her heart. I can only wish for that. ** A mundane hunt proceeds. To her, it might be nothing but a vexing, unpleasant play. Me? I am always having fun. Secretly witnessing where her gaze lands. Until she leads me to a secluded spot, she must maintain this ridiculous charade. Therefore, Anna is diligently looking around, trying to spot prey for now. Ah, over there is where the rabbit is. She’ll soon discover it. A slight frown creeps onto Anna’s brow. Evidence she’s intensely staring at something that arouses her unease. In the snow-covered field, a rabbit camouflaged in the same white will soon reveal itself to my sister. Upon realizing this, Anna will quickly draw her bowstring and capture the rabbit. Therefore— —Whooosh!! "Got it—!!" "......!!" I threw a knife at the rabbit Anna had just discovered. Anna's mouth, slightly agape, confirmed that she spotted the rabbit just a moment before I did. The plump rabbit, unable to detect the swiftly flying knife, met its end swiftly and offered its life. Red blood splattered across the white snow. With a bright smile, I declared, "Hehe, I caught it!! Anna!! I caught it—!!" "...Ah, yes. You did, Aris. Once again." Leaving Anna behind, I ran towards the fallen rabbit's carcass. Sister, how is it? Isn't hunting fun? As if answering the question in my heart, I heard Anna's laughter behind me. Yes, she seems to be enjoying it too. I'm glad. Wasn’t it worth coming here? I lifted the rabbit with the knife stuck in it, as if showing off. I felt a scorching gaze from behind. When I turned around to see, there was only my kind sister, celebrating my catch with me. Hahaha. After watching me for a while, Anna spoke, all too naturally, as if it was all for me. "Aris... I think the prey here is all gone—" "...Huh?" "—Shall we go to a place I know well?" I looked up at the sky. There was still some time before the sun rose high. Is it time yet? The librarian must have started organizing the books by now. Tessa might be lazy, but she’s not oblivious. As always, she’ll remove the books from the return box to put them back in place, and the book I had crafted will slip from her hands and scatter across the floor. Though she might dismiss the notes as childish delusions, if I know her well, she won’t. Perfect. I replied. "Okay! Sure!" Hop, I mounted the horse again, following Anna. Soon, we were entering a dense forest. Anna's smile stretched wider. Tessa, no doubt, will rush to where the king and queen are and, even at the cost of her own neck, will surely inform them of my peril. Remi, who incidentally happens upon the scene, will hear of my potential danger and, without a second thought, come looking for me. Shabbily written, a stage direction that abruptly came to mind the day before. A script that wouldn’t hold up without improvisation. Well, it doesn’t really matter if they don’t come...but the more spectators, the better. Ah, I miss Remi. I want her to see me die. ** Iron fences appear, marking the royal hunting grounds. A warning to those who foolishly enter: be prepared to face death. Simultaneously, a sign that once out, one’s safety can no longer be assured. "Um... Sister..?" "It's okay, Aris." Anna easily sliced through the fence and stepped deeper into the forest. I stood outside, looking hesitant and scared like a child too afraid to follow for fear of reprimand. Sigh, a small sigh escapes Anna. Hearing it, I raised my head. Aris Acaia dislikes upsetting others. If Anna sighed in frustration, I have no choice but to go, right? Hehehe. ‘In the forest dwell monsters, so don’t enter carelessly.’ A line from the storybooks Remi read to me every night. A warning from Alice’s parents as she tried to enter the forest. Exactly, Alice. The forest is dangerous. Monsters lurk within, you know. Vicious monsters that devour people. In the end, Alice in the story ignores her parents' warning and encounters the monster in the forest. "Sister wants... Aris to follow me... Can’t you?" "...!! Ah, okay!" Her sweet voice lures me. With a resolute expression, I crossed the fence. Swiftly moving, a sharp edge from the fence nicked my skin, causing small droplets of blood to form. Drip. Drip. Droplets fell, but ignoring the wound, I quickly ran to Anna’s side. Though Anna witnessed everything, she seemed unaware that I was injured. Maybe she saw the blood but felt no reason to care for such trivial matters anymore? Well. It doesn’t matter. She can choose either reason she wants. Leaving the horses tied to the fence, we stepped into the brightless depths of the forest. Deeper. Ever deeper. Into an endless journey. In the forest, only our footsteps echoed; nothing else was heard. A child, hoping to find abundant prey, by now would be disappointed and wish to turn back. Suddenly, Anna gasped. "....Ah!!" "...?" Like she discovered something, she pointed her finger behind me. Though knowing there was nothing but bushes and trees there, I deliberately looked in that direction. No rabbits or deer, not even bugs or birds were visible. "Whaaat...~?" "......" Like a primeval jungle, only long-grown grass and shadowed trees. But pretending not to catch on to Anna's lie, I gazed intently in the direction she indicated. I squinted, closed one eye, and then shut them both. Though I found nothing, did my sister find something? From behind, I heard the unmistakable sound of Anna drawing her bowstring taut. Wow, I have no clue. But sister, you finally found something. Amazing. In mere seconds, the bowstring was pulled and released. The time from when the arrow was loosed to when it struck the prey was even shorter than one might imagine. Thud, the vibration of the air was the first to pass over my body. That let me know Anna had fired her bow. A light sound followed. Thwack, the arrow found its mark, embedding deeply. And then, the warmth rising from my calf. Anna's affection toward me. The hunt had begun. ** Screams and laughter echoed through the forest. A quarry was chosen. The monster gives chase. The girl searches for them. ** This is what happened until Aris was struck by an arrow and left crawling. What happened after? It's in the previous chapters, isn't it? * * *