Chapter 49 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

**Chapter 49. Prologue** * * * In every fairy tale of the world, there exists an implicit rule. The first child is lazy. The second child is greedy. And the youngest of all, the third child, is diligent, hardworking, and smart beyond compare. Such a boring rule. The end of a beautiful journey in stories that may feel long to some and short to others. It concludes with the eldest and the second eldest, who neglected and bullied the youngest, receiving their just punishments or being forgiven and redeemed by the virtuous third sibling. Yes. The story should end, as it always does, with everyone beaming with smiles and embracing one another in a happy ending. "Really, such a cliché story." But afterwards, were they truly happy? Hey, hey, do you think so too? * * * “I was a bit worried after what Princess Remi said, but unexpectedly, it seems pretty nice?” “Tessa, is that what you think? Well, it can seem that way.” Jingle, jingle. A captivating sound, as if a bell was ringing, resonated from the glass at my slight gesture. The sound created by the collision of ice and glass was refreshingly clear. The kind of sound that, if possible, I wish I could capture in a small glass bottle and carry around in this scorching heat. Of course, I know that's impossible. Just a wishful thought, really. “Could there be a device that captures sound, Tessa?” “...Hahaha, capturing sound? That can't be, Princess.” “But it's the empire! You never know.” “Oh, come on, really?” Princess Remi seemed slightly sincere. Inside the clear, untainted glass covering, ice bobbed up and down, swimming back and forth with each shake. What kind of advanced technology was used in this small cup, common around here? The more I looked at it, the more admiration I felt for the technical prowess of the empire, beyond mere envy. Tinkle. Bells attached to a pillar created music as they fluttered in the breeze. Feeling the wind, Princess Remi and I relaxed into our chairs. “Hmm...” “It’s refreshing.” The eighth month. Now, just standing outside caused sweat to trickle down, typical of a sweltering summer. Back when I was a librarian at the royal library, on such hot days, I might’ve stayed inside as if I were a legendary vampire. The heat was so intense. Mirages shimmered above the roads. I’d never imagined that on such a hot day I’d be sitting outside in the shade, sipping a cold drink with ice. Well, life has a funny way of surprising you. Of course, I also never imagined that I’d be speaking so freely with the princess in casual conversation. Especially not with the second princess, with whom I supposedly had the least connection. In my childhood, Princess Anna would frequent the library searching for study materials. And following her, Princess Aris would often come along— “—It’s fortunate if Tessa liked it.” Thud. Seated across from me, Princess Remi placed her lightly sipped glass on the table and looked my way with a playful grin. I wondered if the words I muttered in my heart slipped out, as her gaze made me fidget on my chair and avert my eyes. The chair rattled lightly. Gazes from those around me, as if asking ‘what’s wrong with this guy?’, drilled into my face, but I simply whistled softly, striving to bury the thoughts swirling in my mind. Right. They were memories I dare not entertain any longer. Deeply, more deeply. Sink with a heavy anchor, never to resurface from the depths. Sink deeply, and distort into obscurity— “—Well, comparisons are, you know.” I composed myself and continued the conversation with the princess. Casually, as usual. Fortunately, the princess sitting in front of me seemed only slightly surprised and didn’t pay much attention otherwise. I exhaled a small sigh of relief. “Hmm?” “You mentioned before, didn’t you? About prisons, exiles, and other such idle talks.” “Oh, did I?” Her eyes curved softly like a fox’s, her eyes of jewel-like amber shining brilliantly, as if daring you into their hypnotic depths. Alongside Princess Remi’s slender hand on her chin, a mysterious smile played on her lips. A smile, mocking or genuinely joyful, of unascertainable nature. A smile, as provocative as it was enigmatic. Honestly, it seems improper to say this, but... She really was like an enchantress. A dangerously beguiling one at that. An adult. Just the day before yesterday, Princess Remi celebrated her sixteenth birthday and finally became the adult she fervently longed to be. The princess's beauty, blossoming by the day, reached its peak, now exuding a mature and mesmerizing charm that belied her age, making it hard to believe she was younger than me. If I were to borrow a line from a recent book I read... yes, a beauty with a face like a flower and a posture like the moon. With just a gesture, with just a smile. The kind of beauty that could topple a nation. For instance, judging by how onlookers—both men and women—were captivated by her smile, some even collapsing in a trance, one could gauge her allure. Some men grabbed their chests and keeled over right on the street. By the way, among them, there was even a married man with children. That guy, I’ll deal with him later. Even if I don’t, the lady next to him might kill him. As I watched the foolish spectacle, I squinted slightly, dismissing those starstruck men. Shoo, shoo. Go away. Maybe it was because I had been accustomed to seeing the princess since childhood that I could barely acclimate to her overwhelming beauty. Yet, whether she knew the effort I made or not, she continued our conversation, paying no mind to those around us. Truly, she had always been an unchanging, self-willed princess. And that's why I've followed her this far, I suppose. "First of all, it’s the royal scholarly research institution located at the heart of the empire—Museion." “Hmm…” “Well, in short, that’s what I mean.” Two. Index and thumb. Remi lifted a small piece of ice from her glass, using her fingers like pincers. Drip, drip. Using the wet piece of ice, she began drawing on the wooden table. Curves and lines. Large circles and small circles. Wavy lines and diamonds. Distorted pentagons and an overly long crescent moon. With a delightfully amused smile, she continued crafting her own unique drawing. “There are those who believe that loyalty bred from fear is only temporary.” "The empire." “Correct, that’s right.” Drip, drip. The drawings on the table grew larger over time, and when the ice melted away completely, she retrieved another piece from her cup. The light refracting through the ice sparkled brilliantly. “To slowly devour everything, they made their choice.” The Akkad Empire. The nation experiencing its greatest golden age. The land which called itself an empire and its ruler an emperor. Yet, their insatiable greed, akin to a pack of starving wolves. How could one adequately describe them in a single word without committing some audacious impropriety? But forgive my boldness and courage to say this: They are predators, consuming all in their path. “Sharing the empire’s advanced civilization and knowledge with students who study abroad—yes... like this glass.” Ping. Her diminutive finger lightly tapped the glass. Territory, military, culture, arts, scholarship, politics, philosophy, lifestyle, hygiene. In every domain, the empire had already effortlessly surpassed its neighboring nations. The empire, the place where all roads converged. Now those roads are beginning to stretch out toward the periphery. That’s what she was saying. “The smaller something is, the more common it is, the better. After all, for those who cannot appreciate its worth are unnecessary to the empire. Those people earned the nickname ‘the banquet hall’ because of that.” “……” “And conversely, those who can recognize its value will inevitably become favorable to the empire, consciously or subconsciously.” Like us. Remi's eyes, still laced with amusement, conveyed that message. Truly marveling at the empire's unparalleled technical prowess, I could do nothing but concede with a wry smile. Truly impressive. The empire. And her, as well. "There is a saying that numbers are power." What would happen if a school of small fish, speaking in one voice in unison, shouted? Surely, insignificant beings like us could never stand and win against the empire. We ought to reform by emulating their civilization and ideology, their culture. Look at their humanitarian conquests. Why not willingly become a tributary? The more ministers who advocate this, the stronger the position of those who cry out against the empire within the royal palace becomes. I wished to denounce it as empty rhetoric, but it was already occurring in various places. Thud. “—Well, what do you think?” “……” Sip. Remi finished her drawing, took a small sip from her now ice-melted drink, and asked me. On the table, a world map crafted from water drops had taken shape. As I looked at it, my gaze was sharp, as if trying to comprehend the essence of the world. A mind astutely proposing the best answer given the circumstances. Honestly, I couldn’t hide my amazement at how the once-whining young princess had transformed. “Indeed…” However, perhaps tickled by her triumphant and confident demeanor, I couldn’t resist being a little mischievous. “—You really aren’t great at drawing, are you?” “…Eh!?” Incidentally, it took two days, a time that could be long or short depending on perspective, to placate the sulking princess that day. Hahaha. After all, she's still a child, isn’t she? * * * “By the way, Tessa. Did they say a transfer student is coming today?” “Oh, you mean the one from the Wallenstein Mercenary Guild, which is under the empire’s jurisdiction, sent here on an exchange program, right?” “Yes. I remember the name was quite unusual. And the face was unique… but I can’t quite recall. Shi… Shee, something or other.” “The name? It was a bit distinct, so I did remember it.” “The name was… Hahn, Sia, wasn't it?” * * * * * *