Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Calm and the Storm

“Looks like we made it to the calm past the storm. Your Highness, please take a look at the documents on the table. Lady Randall… please go change.”

The moment I cross the door into the room, I almost feel a little prickle on my hand from Glenn’s piercing stare on it since Gilbert continues to hold even as we walk in. It’s embarrassing enough already. Can you look somewhere else? Give me a break.

As a last token of resistance, I shake my hand forcefully. Right at that moment, I am free. But Gilbert releases my hand too quickly, and I totter a bit from the recoil on my arm. I raise my eyes, very annoyed. There it was again, that teasing, mean smile beaming at me. He really is poorly raised.

“There aren’t really any affairs to take care of outside, so I guess we can stay in this room today. Besides, if we take our eyes off her, she might run off to god knows where.”

Such totally unearned distrust.

“I’d really like to hear a report about yesterday too.”

Okay. I’m gonna work off my pay. Here it goes.

“First, I’d like you to tell us about the matter of the Queen’s aura. I heard a little from His Highness, and it seems it goes contrary to our expectations.”

That’s right; even I was taken by surprise by the sight of Queen Trianna’s aura. It was completely different from the image I had from all the terrible tales about her.

“Let me start with the conclusion: I think Her Highness the Queen is a good person. I have never seen an aura as beautiful as hers. A deep dark blue that turns blue and purple toward the edge with a silver halo shining radiantly. An aura that is like watching the dark sky at dusk sprinkled with glittering stardust. Majestic, clean, and a little lonely… It doesn’t look like the aura of someone who pursues selfish desires at the expense of others.”

“Well… I’m not so convinced, you know?”

The guys fall into a deep reflection. Their reaction is understandable. Nobody can be expected to immediately brush off the image they have had of a person for many years.

“Furthermore, I don’t believe that the terrible things she says truly come from her heart. It’s the first time I cried just by looking at an aura, after all… At any rate, I really don’t believe Her Highness is a bad person at all!”

What’s with that look of utter disbelief, Gilbert? I don’t have anything to retract from my statement, you know? I defy his suspicious gaze by returning his stare unflinchingly.

“W-what are you looking at? It seems we may have to revise what we thought of the Queen, after all. Anyway, we have a more pressing matter at hand, which is the commotion surrounding my princess candidate selection. It’s never been an easy matter to deal with, but now there is too much agitation brewing up. If we don’t take action soon, it could be our end.”

For a long time now, I have been aiming to have ceased being a resident of this castle by the time that moment reared its ugly head. However, at this point, I’m neck-deep into it. Ah, I feel such a weight on my shoulders.

“Quite right. Lady Randall, you too should look out for any dangers to your person.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t react with such disbelief, now. We’ve known this for a while, haven’t we? The moment a candidate emerges on top, the Queen’s faction is bound to mark her as an obstacle to their plans.”

I don’t like the expression with which Glenn says that, so given that I am in the mood of snapping back, I return the look again. And I don’t accept this version of events at all.

“Wait a minute! Who said I was the top candidate? This is not the time for your bad jokes, Sir Glenn!”

“I’m not fond of jokes. Don’t try to play dumb anymore, not after displaying such an affinity with His Highness last night. And would you please stop staring at me like that? I’m not the one to blame here. If you want to reproach someone, that should be His Highness, who couldn’t contain himself yesterday either.”

No, Sir Glenn, I am frustrated and annoyed with you. But seeing how he is apparently equally annoyed and frustrated with me, I have no choice but to leave it alone. If I fight tooth and nail every little thing along the way, the story will grind to a halt. I look at Gilbert instead.

“Sorry…”

What are you apologizing for!

To begin with, that wasn’t showing off. I just swirled in the air three times during the dance, and that’s it… that was a lot of fun, though.

Well, it may have drawn a lot of attention, now that I think about it, because right after that, I got to talk with the Crown Prince, Queen Trianna, and even His Highness the King made an appearance. So I guess I can’t totally deny Glenn’s accusation.

“Your Royal Highness, I bring a matter of the highest urgency. I request entrance into the room!”

Along with a knock on the door, a loud but slightly trembling voice I have never heard before announces itself. The room’s atmosphere becomes tense…

“Come in!”

With just those two words, Gilbert’s voice showcases unmistakable regality.

The man behind the door opens the door as soon as those words are uttered. Stepping into the room, he stops and stands still when he catches sight of me.

“Don’t mind her. Speak.”

“Sir! His Excellency the King collapsed during the performance of his royal duties. The court’s physician is presently attending to him. He remains unconscious at the moment.”

Making a loud thud on the floor, Gilbert stands from his chair immediately. To think the King collapsed… How can this be happening?

“I’ll head there immediately. Lina, return to your room. And don’t leave for any reason.”

No matter how clumsy, any person could read the atmosphere this time. Even me. I nod in response without uttering a word.

Gilbert stops and looks at my confused and shocked figure for a few moments before storming out of the room in the other person’s company.

“Lady Randall, this turn of affairs is suspicious. Take the utmost care.”

As I said, no person could be as airheaded not to read the room, you know? And more than a “suspicious turn of affairs,” this totally feels like a storm’s harbinger.

◇◆◇

“Lady Lina, your father has come to visit. May we enter?”

“Dad!?”

Come to think of it, with so much going on in such a short time, I have completely forgotten dad is even here.

“Lina, can we talk now? Looks like you have become a busy lady of this castle!”

Oh, dad… a bit out of the loop as usual, huh? Oh man, I’m spent. I love it when dad is around. That simple shirt he’s wearing is so him. I would cringe, except I love him.

“I was thinking it was about time I cleared my schedule and took a nice vacation, but before that, I should spend some quality time with my dear daughter. Don’t you think?”

Dad’s smile is soothing and has a healing effect. Hmm. I wanna go home together…

“Dad, I …”

“You don’t have to tell me. You have too many duties to see to, right?”

Dad puts a finger on his lips, convinced that I want to keep my affairs private.

“Your mother and I were sure you would return in no time, but when we heard that you were selected to be a princess candidate, we got really worried. Because we had sent you without any preparations for life in the castle. But after seeing what kind of man His Highness is, I felt at ease.”

What are you saying, dad? Nobody is at ease here! I live every day filled with worries. And now that His Highness the King has fallen, what’s gonna happen?

To top it all off, dad has no idea about the true reason I’m being held at this castle! That’s why I’m getting worked up at his easy-going talking about my situation.

Now he is smiling so placidly like everything is alright… that makes me feel so irked. Ah, I can’t bear it anymore; I’m at my wit’s end! It must be fate that dad visited me right at this time. Enough is enough; I’m gonna spill all the beans!

“Dad, you got it all wrong! I’m not here as a princess candidate at all!”

“Oh?”

Like a dam with one too many cracks unpatched, my story burst out of me like raging billows. That knowledge of my special ability leaked out; I’m being kept like a weird creature that happens to be useful as a human alarm. Everything and anything, with the luxury of detail.

After starting to spell it all out, I become half-mad with pent-up despair and tell him everything about Gilbert, Jerik, even Queen Trianna. Everything! Once I get goin’, there is no stopping me, and my voltage just goes way up. Everything I can hold in this little chest of mine has been exceeding my capacity for a long time. I can’t even explain how I kept it all in for so long.

Dad listens to the whole thing without interrupting me once. His mildly troubled expression baffles me a bit because I would have expected him to be shocked, terrified, and frankly fuming with rage, especially in the parts about Gilbert.

“Y-yeah. That’s quite the tale you got there, my daughter. Anyway, let’s try one thing at a time? I won’t deny that you have gone through a lot, but judging from the impression I got of His Highness at the soirée, it is just a bit hard to believe.”

“What do you mean, dad?”

“Well, just like I said. Think about it. For example, about the ‘ Problem of Succession to the Throne.’ You are very sensitive to other people’s feelings, so maybe you are processing too much, which could have thrown you into chaos? You know the power of your ability well enough. But what’s important is to decide who is number one in your heart and what are the things most important to you. Simplify your thoughts.”

That’s certainly true. Whenever I find myself lost, I try to do that first and foremost… but I wonder if I even know what is most important in my heart right now. At first, it was to find a way back home, but now, uh, I’m so confused.

Dad arches his brows at seeing me sink deeper into worry.

“Ah, well… there’s no helping it. If you have to wonder this much, the answer is clear. Lina, you like His Highness, don’t you?”

“Huh!?”

“Or do you hate him?”

“I-if I have to pick between like him or hate him, I would say… like him. But that’s just…”

What’s with these blunt questions? Oh no, I can feel my face redding like a tomato. I can’t think of anything more embarrassing than to be seen by dad like this.

“It’s fine, Lina. I get it, I get it.”

“Dad!”

This feeling of dad getting the best of me is too much. I’m supposed to be the one who is good at reading feelings and always having the upper hand in arguments, but he really got me this time. Oh, how vexing.

“And Lina, you may not be fond of this kind of talk, but, like a noble lady, don’t you think the Third Prince is a good match for you? With our House’s current situation, we only get weirdos asking for your hand. I don’t want to hand over my daughter to the likes of them. And if you never choose anyone, the only other outcome is being single for life. Do you understand? If you don’t have any ill feelings towards His Highness, why not just admit you could do worse than marrying him? I can’t think of a better prospect, to be honest! You will get used to the luxury faster than you think!”

If I were that kind of simple luxury-loving woman, I wouldn’t be having any trouble right now. It is precisely because I’m not like that I’m always hazy about what I really want in my life.

“I think you have always been a bit of a homebody, Lina. And that’s why you feel at a loss here. You know, other Houses are more strict and would have you married the moment a suitor as wonderful as the Third Prince requested your hand. Or do you plan to let our House see more harsh seasons?”

“Do you want to get rid of me so much!?”

Even though I love my home and my family deeply, dad suddenly wants to ship me out as a bride. This is terrible. Just horrible.

“Well, calm down, Lina. I am just saying that there is another way of looking at things.”

What’s going on? I don’t know what dad is thinking anymore. I feel embarrassed, frustrated, irritated, and my eyes are getting hot. I may not be able to act maturely in this weird state I find myself in, but dad is entirely at fault here, so I’m really gonna let him have it!

“You say that, but there’s no telling who Lord Gilbert is gonna end up choosing! I never know what that womanizer princeling is thinking! He’s always putting me in one tough spot after another!”

I don’t care anymore. I’m telling it like it is. Dad just smiles with his typical comforting smile.

“Haha, in that case, you can gather up your courage and counter-propose him. I think you are very valuable to His Highness, just as you are. In terms of rank, you match the daughters of House Basher and Richmond. Even if you are lacking in noble upbringing in any way, I’m sure you can learn anything on the spot.”

You waste your breath, dad… You’re not convincing me in the slightest; you’re just making me feel more ashamed. I don’t think I have ever felt as hot with embarrassment as I do right now.

“Well, seriously, everything will be fine, Lina! Life has its way of always working out in the end!”

So his closing sales pitch is just “Everything will work out somehow,” huh… In other words, typical dad talk. Despite his genuine exhortation, I find my mouth arching into a bitter, derisive smile. I feel defeated. But I can’t hate him.

Regardless of how useless most of this chat was, I feel refreshed at spitting out everything I have kept sealed inside me. I think I can go on a little more, thanks to this. I guess it was good to run into dad at this moment.

“Well, I must be on my way… I would say, isn’t it fine to have a little faith in His Highness? I do think he is a personage worthy of trust.”

Just as I was swelling with gratitude for dad’s indirect help and feeling a lot lighter, he just had to make things weird again at the end. Why, isn’t that “this person looks like an honorable fellow, I’ll trust him” pattern the worst of all in our experience? Dad, how many times do I have to save you from falling into someone else’s dog and pony show?

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