- Yotogi no Kuni no Gekkouhime

In the soft glow of the setting sun, a solitary woman made her way forward. She donned a lavish crimson dress, and her long hair, as golden as spun silk, was adorned with a hairpin shaped like a small bird. Not only her attire but also her impeccable posture and dignified gait proclaimed her noble status to anyone who might glance her way. However, Alé Arqueila, the first princess of the Arqueila Kingdom, was headed to a place that starkly contrasted with her resplendent appearance—a grimy, stone building nestled in the forest at the edge of the royal palace grounds. An elderly gardener standing at the entrance noticed her approach, immediately rushing over to offer his courteous respects. "Why, your Highness Alé, what brings you here?" "I found a little free time, so I slipped away from the party preparations," she replied, sticking out her pink tongue in a playful, childlike manner. Despite her status as the first princess, Alé never flaunted her position over the servants. With the gardener, who had known her since childhood, she was even more familiar and relaxed. In response, his wrinkled face broke into a smile, and he teased her gently. "You mustn't do such things, especially not tonight. It's a significant event with a prince from a great kingdom as the guest. It wouldn't do for you, as a princess, to be absent." "Honestly, I'd rather not attend such stiff events. Besides, isn’t there another princess who should be present?" she retorted, her tone slightly firm. The gardener mumbled uncomfortably, knowing the weight of words best left unsaid. Officially, only the reigning queen and her daughter Alé were recognized as the rightful bloodline ruling the Arqueila Kingdom. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blame you. It's just, thinking of her being stuck here while I alone grace such glittering affairs..." "Your Highness Alé, you are truly kind." "I'm not kind at all. Even if I were, kindness alone wouldn’t suffice. All I can do is offer her some comfort," Alé murmured with a tinge of self-derision, lowering her beautiful face. "Evening falls soon. Lady Selene might already be awake." "Mother mustn’t..." "Yes, of course, I’ll keep it a secret. That’s the least we can do." "Thank you," Alé expressed her gratitude as the old man turned with a sincerity that bespoke years of service, unlocking the building's entrance. The rusty iron door yielded with a grating noise, releasing a musty air that clung to her nostrils. Despite the discomfort of the familiar, unpleasant scent, Alé proceeded through the dim stone corridor, ascending the stairs to the second floor. This building served as a repository for valueless antiques, broken items, and servants’ cleaning supplies. Although there were quite a few rooms, none were particularly important, so maintenance was minimal. It was a dumping ground within the royal palace—a place of little worth. Yet, at its deepest point, there was a door distinct from the others. Unlike the decayed wooden doors, this iron door was robust, etched with geometric patterns. Alé reached out to trace the design, and it began to glow faintly, unlocking with a click. Guarding against intruders and shielding state secrets, the magic at work required the bloodline of the royal family to lift the seal. Although it was open, Alé refrained from pushing open the door immediately, instead knocking gently. "Selene, darling, are you awake?" "I'm awake," came the reply, as sweet and melodic as an angel’s hymn. Alé’s face softened as she slowly opened the door. Beyond lay a tiny, really tiny room—better described as a cell than a chamber. A simple bed, the bare essentials for living, and a solitary window for light were all the room offered. Standing at its center, dressed in humble attire, was a young girl who rubbed her sleepy eyes, her soft white hair tousled from sleep. Alé chuckled softly, smoothing her rumpled hair with her fingers as she patted the girl’s head. Her name was Selene Arqueila, the nation’s secretive second princess. "Sister, are you busy today? Is it okay?" Selene asked, her speech halting as she pieced together the words, her crimson eyes fixed intently on her elder sister. Those caring eyes always brought Alé a sense of peace. Selene was the only one who treated her not as a princess but as a woman, purely and simply. The injustice of her tender-hearted sister being confined to such a place filled her with fury. Selene’s appearance set her apart. Unlike Alé and their mother, who both had blonde hair and blue eyes, Selene was entirely unblemished, her body from crown to toe a translucent white. Her hair, pure as spun silk, fell in an immaculate line at her shoulders, her skin smoother than any pearl. Her extraordinary beauty, as if endowed with divine favor, included eyes that shone like embedded rubies. Though only eight, a mere budding flower, none could predict what a magnificent bloom she would become. If Selene’s differences had been purely physical, she might have been celebrated as an angel descended from the heavens. But instead, she was hidden away due to her peculiar behavior. Selene’s actions were strikingly mature. From birth, she never cried at night or sought comfort from her mother. She seemed to gaze at the world with an evaluating stare from the moment of her first breath. Despite being unbidden, she would fold her clothes, clean dishes, and tidy her room without troubling anyone, lacking what most would consider the hallmark of childhood. Yet, she barely spoke. Most children can string sentences together by three, yet Selene could only manage broken phrases like someone from a remote land attempting basic conversation. Her mismatched behavior was considered strange, eerie, and uncanny. Ultimately, the queen, Selene’s own mother, came to view her less as a daughter and more as an enigmatic, monstrous presence to be erased. However, even the queen, despite seeing her as a bizarre creature, couldn’t bring herself to kill the girl she had birthed. Their blood relation, a tenuous but undeniable thread, became Selene's lifeline. Thus, at age five, the queen sequestered Selene in a dark corner of the palace, sealed away in a cage masked as security. This cramped space became Selene’s entire universe, the only place where she was permitted to survive. Each time Alé reflected on this, it nearly tore her apart. "Hey, Selene. Do you know why your sister is going to the party?" "Yes. To welcome the prince, for my sake," Selene replied instantly when Alé spoke slowly, ensuring Selene could understand her. Although Selene often struggled with speech, leading many to mistakenly believe she had intellectual difficulties, Alé knew this was a superficial understanding. She recognized Selene’s ability to grasp the underlying meaning with impressive quickness, far beyond what was expected at her age. "You'd want to attend the party, wouldn't you… I'm sorry, but with my current power, I can’t get you out of here." Alé placed her hands gently on Selene’s shoulders, biting her lip in apology. Selene responded by covering Alé’s hands with her own smaller ones, shaking her head. It was her way of telling Alé not to worry. "I don't want to go. I like it here." "Selene..." The words tightened the grip on Alé's heart. Though the palace parties were often stiff, they were still splendid affairs any girl would dream of attending. Despite her young age, Selene was still a girl, and Alé found it hard to believe she wouldn’t want to go. Yet, Selene understood her position and expressed to Alé that she didn’t want to go, purely out of concern for her sister. "Listen closely, Selene," Alé's tone became stern, and she chose her words carefully, tightening her grip a bit more. "The prince arriving tonight is traveling the continent searching for a bride. He’s a prince of a great nation. If I'm chosen, we'll gain protection. In other words, I'm tonight's centerpiece. Understand?" Selene merely nodded. It was a tough concept for an eight-year-old, but Alé knew from experience that Selene could comprehend this level of nuance. "Right now, Mother, the Queen, has confined you here, and I lack the power to oppose her. But if I become the prince’s bride, then perhaps, I could plead for your release. I'll strive for that," Alé assured, attempting to ignite hope in Selene. However, Selene simply furrowed her brows, not seeming very pleased. "Don’t." "What!? Why? You might finally get out of this cell." "I don't want to leave. And, Alé, you’re not a commodity." That statement struck Alé more deeply than she anticipated. To a world that only saw her as a princess, where she was being bartered to secure alliances, here was her sister, in the most dire circumstances, genuinely worried about her. She almost cried but managed to hold back, only to be hit by another surprising declaration from Selene. "I want to marry Alé. So, no marriage to the prince." "What?" The unexpectedness of Selene's words left Alé momentarily dumbfounded before she burst out laughing. "Oh, Selene, we're sisters and both girls. Girls can't marry girls." "It’s possible. I like yuri." "Yuri? You really do like lilies, don’t you?" "Not the lily flower, yuri itself," Selene clarified. Alé tilted her head in confusion. Occasionally, Selene would say things that left her puzzled, but she gathered that Selene held affection for her, and that was enough for now. Her sister, in such an unfortunate situation, didn’t harbor resentment toward her, despite her relative privilege. This realization fueled Alé's resolve to do everything for her sister. "Wait for me, Selene. Things may be tough now, but I promise I’ll bring you into the light, where you won’t be alone in a place like this." "I'm not alone," Selene said nonchalantly, which prompted Alé to gently embrace her. Selene was a tender, wise soul. Surely, she understood Alé had never fallen in love or desired marriage yet. Thus, Selene was likely saying she shouldn’t sell herself for the prince, nor should she sacrifice herself. Alé, moved by her sister’s kindness, felt an even stronger determination. Even if it wasn't what she wished for, she wouldn’t hesitate to do anything for Selene’s sake. "Alright! Your big sister is going to give it her all! I'll charm the prince and guarantee your freedom!" Alé declared, showing her true self to Selene. With a murmured thought about her inexperience in flirting, she kissed Selene’s forehead before leaving the room. As Alé exited, the door's designs glowed again, locking with a click. Left in the now dark room, with the night fully fallen, Selene touched her forehead, content—but she wasn’t alone. "It’s quite misleading to call you alone, Lady Selene. After all, you have a capable butler at your service," came a resonant baritone voice that echoed in Selene's mind. Without surprise, she looked in the direction of the voice. Emerging quickly from beneath the bed, a small shadow, no bigger than her hand, appeared before her. "Thank you, as always, Butler." "You flatter me, Lady Selene. I would gladly sacrifice my life to repay your kindness." "I don’t need that. Butler, I want to do the usual thing." "You wish to journey to paradise, then. As you command." With a respectful bow, the shadow known as Butler acquiesced. Selene smiled faintly, a smile shared only with him. Unbeknownst to others, this exchange was a routine shared many times over. In the quiet, moonlit room, on a night that seemed like any other, the story of Selene Arqueila, destined to become the envoy of peace known as the "Moonlight Princess," was slowly beginning to unfold.