Chapter Twelve: The City of Rovigi (Part IV)

After that, we aimlessly wandered around the city.

Is this really part of the job?

I’d thought to myself, but seeing Reginald and Roy’s calmness made me feel like it was. But this isn’t right. Isn’t it unusual for me to be here in the first place? I mean, I’m a girl who doesn’t know the first thing about politics. Why am I here?

“Euphemia-jyou, it’s time to head to the shrine,” Reginald-sama said, taking my hand.

Hmm…a shrine, huh? It must have been pretty important.

Shrines that honored fairies and spirits were abundant in the Banks Kingdom. In each large city, there was one without fail. This shrine – the one outside Rovigi, that we were headed to – was special, however. It was said that you could hear the voices of the fae.

They’ll be the ones to tell us if Rovigi is suitable as the festival venue.

…But can we actually hear them, I wonder.

“Reginald-sama, you said that we’ll listen to the fairies’ voices, but that isn’t easily possible, right?” It was said that only those with a connection to their world could hear spirits. Such women were named ‘Saintesses.’ Even then, she couldn’t hear all spirits but just those whose wavelength matched her own.

But…there are no current Saintesses.

“I’ll tell you a secret, but the royal family has long since been favored by the spirits. In fact, anyone can hear low level mystic creatures, but the King has abilities similar to a Saintess.”

“Oh. So, it’s confidential but the royal family can basically hear lower level fairies and spirits, while the King can hear all of them?” Why would Reginald-sama tell me a state secret like this?

He turns to me, who has a puzzled look on my face. “What’s wrong Euphemia-jyou?”

On one hand it’s nice that he trusts me, but on the other it’s not like I don’t have people to spill his secrets to??! “Reginald-sama, do you perhaps think that I don’t have any friends?”

“It does look that way. You don’t seem to be close to anyone in our age group apart from myself.”

“I…don’t think that we could be considered friends.”

“That hurts…” You say that, but you don’t look sad at all. You’re just playing with me again, aren’t you?

I look at him, expecting a playful remark like ‘I’m kidding,’ but it never comes. “Well, you’re right. I don’t have any friends…” I muttered. Both the me of the past and the game Euphemia had many friends (though in her case, they were more of an entourage), but in this world I’m not the villainess Euphemia Aiden. Rather, I’m Euphemia Aiden, the loner.

No one reached out to me. Why would they want to befriend such a weirdo, anyway? After I became a candidate for Reginald-sama’s fiancée, some people began to show interest, but at that point it was too late. I politely declined all their invitations.

“The aristocracy these days is rotten, so they don’t understand how wonderful you are.”

“People judge me because of my standing. It’s because I’m not fit to be an aristocrat’s daughter.” I’m sad to admit this, even to myself. And nowadays, when people look at me, all they see is ‘the Prince’s fiancée.’ I sighed quietly.

“You’re not alone. You have me.”

“Yes, that’s all I need.”

He might meet another woman and fall madly in love, never giving me a second look, but if I were to say that now he’d think I was crazy! Well, he probably thinks that anyway, so I should just say it. But I can’t. I wonder why?

Even if he does get captured, it’d be nice if he didn’t force me into exile.

If I tell him how I feel, I know he’ll promise to never banish me, but I just can’t bring myself to say anything…

I began questioning myself. Did I really want to be with Reginald-sama? Maybe these are the wrong thoughts to have, after all, a two dimensional romance should remain just that. But what happens if that person becomes three dimensional? I still don’t fully understand.

“Euphemia-jyou, look over there.” Reginald-sama interrupted these thoughts. Before I knew it, the shrine was in front of us.

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