Chapter 79 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

**Chapter 79: Invitation** Like a candle flame flickering in the wind. Or a sandcastle piled atop another. The tense standoff that seemed ready to explode into a bloody confrontation at any moment was diffused the instant Alice opened the door and ran to embrace Anna Acaia. Approaching someone who once intended harm, arms wide open in a sincere embrace. Breaking the endless chain of resentment that only brews darkness. Such an act of kindness and warmth is something only Alice could have done. Even so... "I expected at least a complaint or two, don't you think?" "...Alice is kind-hearted." Thinking of the child who must always bear the pain alone, it was not an entirely pleasant truth. Being kind doesn't mean you're not hurting. With the memories she uncovered, or perhaps due to some other reason, facing her sister had once driven her to jump onto a moving carriage. How difficult must that decision have been for Alice? At twelve years old. Having gone through that age myself and observing others at that age made it even more unimaginable. I stretched a bit before continuing. "Whew...Ah! I hope when she grows up, she thinks more about herself rather than living like me, always at a loss." "Eat something strange, did we?" "...Seriously!" After putting thought into striking up a conversation, I glanced over at Saeli, who was breezily airing herself out beside me. "........." Despite having disrupted the mood, she simply rested her chin in hand, gazing absentmindedly at the sky. Saeli. Since Alice regained her memories and reunited with her family, she had been out of sorts. Even during meals with everyone, watching Alice gradually regain her energy. "......." She only observed quietly from afar, a step back, simply watching over Alice. The crisp winter wind swept over us as we stood on the balcony, gently tousling someone's hair — maybe mine, maybe hers — brushing against my cheek. Seated right beside me. Amidst locks of black hair swirling through the air like raven feathers, unwavering crimson eyes gazed skyward, wondering what they saw. I understood her feelings, better than anyone. "─It's completely winter now." "...Yes, indeed." I maintained my nonchalant demeanor, knowing full well that unwarranted worry or comfort would only cause discomfort. Understanding that a moment of silence could at times be more valuable than a hundred words. Thus, I pretended not to notice Saeli's inner turmoil, interacting with her as though nothing were amiss. In these moments...what can I say? It felt akin to caring for a cat too intriguing to ignore, even if not inherently endearing. Except this was a cat that could devour a person. I wondered if any shelter would take in such a cat. "By the way, I didn't expect you to let Alice go without stopping her." "..........." Saeli remained silent. The tears that had trickled down could be trusted upon, yet when Alice ran unguardedly into Anna Acaia's arms, my heart nearly stopped. There was always the chance those tears were merely a ploy, akin to crocodile tears shed before devouring prey. If it was mere performance, it would have been chilling. In retrospect, facilitating the meeting between Alice and Anna Acaia was arguably a gamble. Thus, I was surprised Saeli didn't stop Alice from leaving or at least stand by her side. Whatever the outcome, it turned out for the best, so that's something, I suppose. ─Thump, thump! "Oh, come on! Get out of here if you're done!" ".....Here, Aris. Say 'Ah~'" "Ah~" I tried to reconcile with this outcome. "Princess Remi! Please keep quiet!" "Aaack?!" The second princess of a certain kingdom, noisily thumping on the table with her fist, demanding to return to her post immediately. But she was soon silenced by a thick encyclopedia brought down by the librarian who came upon the chaos. Let's overlook the fallen princess clutching her head on the floor, to respect privacy. ─Boom! "Kyahhhhh─!!" "....My goodness. They're really at it." Today, the princess was fervently scrubbing the floor with her clothes. Rolling, rolling around. Honestly, looking at such disorder, it seemed more like patching a torn hole with rags than resolving a problem. Truly a situation akin to precariously balancing a bus on the edge of a cliff. Still, the disappearance of the formerly pervasive tension was a relief. A notable improvement, one might say. "....Hoo." Turning away from the commotion, I once again faced the view ahead. Thankfully, Saeli, my primary concern, hadn't protested Alice clinging to Anna Acaia. On the contrary, she seemed closer to supporting Alice's fresh start. Much like a parent celebrating a child's independence, she lovingly watched Alice's path with fond eyes. Perhaps, as long as Alice permits, Saeli may remain by her side for a lifetime. That vision easily etched itself into my mind. "...Ugh. Everyone's against me..." "Be patient, Princess Remi. Didn't you say you're going to the garden with Princess Aris the day after tomorrow?" "...Hmph." "What's with 'Hmph,' anyway?" Even Remi Acaia, who once viewed Anna Acaia as an arch-enemy, could only wave a white flag in surrender before her younger sister, who threatened to get mad if they didn't get along. While sparks may still fly, they're not brandishing blades seriously anymore. Perhaps Remi has found some peace with it. The past doesn't disappear, but layers over. She must be prioritizing the future she intends to paint, rather than a faded past. Observing such changes, I couldn't help but feel deflated at the once fervent efforts to keep Anna Acaia from learning about Alice. I wondered if this was really acceptable. What a proper mess we'd made of things. "Argh...! Ah, Tessa! Instead of bothering me, why don't you do something with that encyclopedia about that fox over there!" "...I believe laying a hand on a royal's head is considered treason." "Tessa, not you too (Et tu, Tessa)?!" "..." Meanwhile, Anna Acaia, our hot topic, began visiting Aris frequently after the incident. The high priest said once you taste meat, the temple will be infested with fleas; Anna seemed to have grown a fondness for Alice's company. ...Whether comparing Alice to meat is appropriate aside, let's continue. Rumor had it that the princess from the Kingdom of Tesilia supposedly didn't spill a drop of blood when stabbed. "........" "........" Seeing them wordlessly embracing one another so tightly, I felt that if I poked her just once, she would explode with blood instead of the one doing the poking. Like a burst, if you will. Her original task of supervising Remi Acaia's lifestyle was reduced to a few sketched-out lines in a letter, and the very next day, she audaciously packed her things and barged into my dorm. At that moment, I wasn't sure what I was witnessing. Opening the door to find a familiar face standing there — was this some medieval candid camera? Despite Remi Acaia and Saeli's wary glances, Anna would sneak in and boldly offer Alice something to eat, a brazenness that left even me surprised. Indeed. It made me wonder if boldness was a default setting for princesses of a nation. This is my room, not yours, after all. Even when Alice had forgiven her, Remi Acaia couldn't easily release her grudge against her sister back then, and she'd routinely lash out, telling Anna Acaia to get lost whenever she visited. Yet, when Anna Acaia, with teary eyes, would attempt to leave the room, Alice would trail her like a chick behind its mother, prompting Remi to disgracefully cling and apologize, admitting fault as she clung to Anna's ankle. Witnessing such scenes, I'd let out yet another sigh, having lost count of how many times it had happened. This is my room, remember. Now, fifteen days later, precariously maintained balance hasn't tipped one way or another. But as the flame slowly consumes its wick, revealing the string beneath, and as the bus balances precariously at the cliff's edge begins to tip... Perhaps we will face a rapid change, a choice. Alice, Saeli, all of us— —we'll be faced with how to live our lives moving forward. "...Hoo." And this choice, for reasons unknown to me, felt like a truly crucial decision that might alter the course of our lives. ** I'm not happy. I'm not happy.