Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

FOR A FEW DAYS after her kidnapping, Rishe recuperated in her nice, fluffy bed. She kept her gardening work to the bare minimum, left the maids’ training to Diana, and ate plenty of nutritious food. While she did fill out order forms to merchants and continue her nail polish business plan from bed, she mostly just slept. A lot. With the help of a medicine she’d created herself, she fully recovered within five days.

After receiving a clean bill of health from the palace physician, she paid a visit to a certain room in the castle, feeling tense.

“Enter.”

Steeling herself, Rishe stepped into her fiancé’s office. “Good day, Your Highness. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to see me.”

Arnold stopped writing and slowly set his pen down next to his papers. “This is the first time you’ve ever called a formal meeting.”

Rishe was an utter ball of nerves. Her plan, which had been in the making for a long time, was entering its final stages. For the sake of the maids who had escorted her here—and for herself—she had to perform her duty.

Everything will be fine. I’ve done the best that I could.

Arnold returned her uneasy look with a composed smile. “What could this meeting be about, I wonder? You’re far too anxious to have come solely to see your fiancé’s face.”

“You’ve seen right through me,” Rishe said. “Let me get straight to the point, then.” Arnold’s attendant, Oliver, threw her a cautious look. She took a deep breath and, after letting the tension sufficiently build, declared, “Your rooms in the detached palace are ready!”

Arnold’s brow furrowed. “What?”

Even twisted in a grimace, his face was handsome. Rishe couldn’t help but notice as she explained, “You have an office on the second floor and a bedroom on the fourth—the top floor. I apologize for the long wait.”

The chambers had, in reality, been ready a short while ago, but she hadn’t wanted Arnold present until her maids were master cleaners. Taking care of the crown prince when they were still learning their jobs would have been unnecessarily stressful.

“You’ve got a study and a place to sleep, so feel free to move in to the detached palace anytime! If you’d like, I can escort you there right now.”

Rishe’s enthusiasm did not lessen Arnold’s natural sullenness. “That’s what you came here to tell me?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Arnold sighed. “Then what were you so nervous about?”

“Nerves are natural! Do you know how hard my precious maids have worked for this day? This is like a graduation exam for them, so of course I’m nervous!”

Rishe knew how hard the maids had all worked to make it this far. Their days began early in the morning, and they assisted each other whenever they could. Once the maids finished their tasks, they studied reading and writing to put that knowledge to use in their next day’s work. Rishe had done all the final checks; the windows were polished to a sparkle and the sheets were pristine. So great was their improvement that their teachers—the senior maids like Diana—were moved to tears.

“Despite my nerves, I am confident that the rooms are of the highest quality. Please, I invite you to come see them.”

Arnold sighed again and rested his chin in his hand. “I thought you wanted to live by yourself in that palace.”

“Of course I don’t! I want to live there with you, Prince Arnold.” That was the whole point of a detached wing—to distance Arnold from the main palace, which was far too big for Rishe.

This seemed to surprise the prince, but then his expression softened into a smile. “I see.” His gaze almost convinced Rishe that he knew her true intentions. “Another amusing scheme, I presume.”

“P-perish the thought!”

He was exactly right, in a way. Maybe he really could read minds. Rishe felt her panic rising; if Arnold grew suspicious, he might decide against moving in to the detached palace.

As she fretted, Arnold stood up. “Very well. I’ll go along with your little plot. After all, you’ve already improved one thing for me.”

“Huh?” Rishe sputtered. “I have? Improved what?”

“My mood. Let’s go.”

Rishe glanced at Oliver in confusion, but he just bowed his head, wearing a wry smile and mouthing the words, “Thank you.”

I guess His Highness was in a bad mood before I came in?

Somehow, his mood had lightened. Wondering what could have possibly caused that, Rishe hurried to catch up.

 

---

 

“…And this is your bedroom, Your Highness,” Rishe told Arnold, standing beside him at the door.

Several maids watched anxiously from a little ways down the hall, likely wondering what he thought of the office he’d just seen. Rishe caught their eyes, smiling and nodding. The maids’ faces lit up, and they grabbed for each other’s hands. Rishe’s cheeks flushed with pleasure at the sight, and then she opened the door.

The color blue dominated the bedroom, which was perfectly neat from one corner to the other. Arnold’s would-be bed featured a deep azure canopy, tightly fitted sheets, and fluffy pillows. A round, amber-colored desk sat beside it. A finely woven rug lined the floor, a high-quality piece that muffled Arnold’s footsteps to silence and bore not a speck of dust.

“What do you think? It’s a fine room, is it not?”

“Yeah.”

Arnold’s honest praise delighted Rishe. “I consulted with Oliver and decided to give you the bare minimum of furniture, so when you move in, you can bring your own bookshelves and whatever else you might want.”

“That works. Still, I’m surprised.” Arnold stood in the center of the room, looking around with great interest. “This place hasn’t been used in years. I’m impressed you did all this in just three weeks.”

She giggled. “Aren’t my maids great?”

“Very impressive, indeed.” Arnold turned to look at her. “You took new hires and trained them up, correct? They’ve prepared a palace for the royal family. With the crown prince himself acknowledging their skill, they’ll never have trouble finding work again.”

“Exactly right,” Rishe said. “With that assurance, they need not ever worry about their futures.”

“And that’s not all they’ll gain.”

Rishe tilted her head.

“Pride,” Arnold explained. “They’ll feel pride for a job well done. That may not be a necessity for survival, but there are times when it can keep you alive.” Slowly, Arnold lowered his eyes. Rishe couldn’t say for sure, but he seemed happy. He gazed at her like he was looking at something important. “You’ve got a talent for making people feel proud of themselves.”

Rishe had no idea what he was talking about. She stared back at him, dazed, until his shoulders began to tremble.

“Heh…” A puff of laughter escaped his lips. “Is that any sort of face to make when I compliment you?”

His amusement made her sigh. “I was just trying to see if you were teasing me or not.”

“You wound me. Those were my heartfelt thoughts.”

“How sad. Well, even if you didn’t mean it, I’ll happily accept your praise.” She’d take a compliment from this incomparable man anytime. Arnold’s eyes widened, and Rishe smiled, pleased to get back at him. “By the way, did you notice? This room gets the most sunlight in the entire wing. If you open the window, there’s a very pleasant breeze. It’s the perfect place to nap.”

“I don’t often find myself returning to my bedroom during the day, unfortunately,” Arnold said. “You should have kept this room for yourself.”

“Oh? The best room in the house, for a hostage? I’m planning for a life of ease here; taking this room would be going too far. A shiftless empress-to-be shouldn’t have such nice things.”

“Shiftless…?” Arnold looked dubious but ultimately did not comment further. “Come to think of it, your room’s just next to this one, right?”

“Yes. I figured having our rooms close by would be easier on security.”

“That’s easier on me too,” Arnold agreed. “I might catch wind of your antics before they become a problem.”

“Oh, I have no more antics planned, just lazing around from now on. Well…” She paused. “Maybe one or two.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Arnold said softly, exasperated. “You can do as you like as long as you don’t put yourself at risk anymore, okay?”

“I’m sorry.” Feeling repentant from the scolding, Rishe recalled something she wanted to ask him. “By the way, Your Highness. Speaking of antics, allow me to beg your permission.”

“For what?”

At Arnold’s wary question, Rishe flashed a sunny smile.

 

---

 

“You’re serious about this?” Arnold asked.

Rishe nodded, beaming. “Yes, of course.”

They stood in a small training yard in a corner of the palace grounds. The knights who served as Rishe’s guards eyed her with worry. They’d all traveled down to the practice area from Arnold’s bedroom following a brief exchange…

“Would you do me the honor of dueling with me, Your Highness?” Rishe had inquired after the tour. It had been three weeks since she first brought up the idea, and she was worried he might have forgotten.

It seemed he hadn’t. “Come to think of it, you asked the same thing at the party, didn’t you?”

“I’m pleased you remembered. The recent difficulties have made me keenly aware of my lack of stamina and immediate need for further training.”

Rishe’s stamina, musculature, and cardiovascular conditioning were all far from where they had been during her life as a knight. Those attributes improved gradually over time, so she wanted to begin as soon as possible.

“I know you’re quite busy, but I would very much appreciate some instruction, if only once. Naturally, I wouldn’t ask you to keep me company for the entire training session.” Rishe met Arnold’s eyes. “I’d also like to learn the secret method you and the imperial knights use to enhance your training, Your Highness.”

“Huh.” Arnold’s lips curled up in interest. “How did you know about that?”

“My garden is near the knights’ training grounds. I’ve observed the drills of several different squads, and your imperial knights are a cut above the rest.”

Outside of the training sessions, Rishe also observed the knights carefully as they guarded her, noting how they never left themselves open. Not all of Galkhein’s knights were like that—only those serving Arnold. From that, Rishe surmised the obvious: He was directly responsible for their instruction. Unsurprising, seeing as they were led by a man with even more impressive defenses than their own.

“If they have a particular training regimen, I’d love to learn it.”

Rishe vividly recalled a moment of her previous life. When we fought Galkhein’s army, Arnold was by far the biggest threat, but his knights were no pushovers either.

They were all frighteningly strong. Not just the unit commanders—each individual knight on the front lines displayed phenomenal skill in battle.

Right now, I believe it’s just Prince Arnold’s personal knights who possess this unusual prowess. I don’t think the rest of Galkhein’s knights are at their level. Which means that in the next five years, he’s going to put together that terrifying army. There was no way he conscripted only superior talents. The scale of the force made that impossible. He must have some specific way of training people up. And if that’s the case, I need to learn it.

Rishe looked at him, a few silent seconds passing. She refused to give in, and their staring contest finally concluded with a short sigh from Arnold. “All right.”

Her eyes widened; she wasn’t expecting him to agree so readily. His earlier acquiescence had just been for standard training. “Are you sure? Not to work against my own interests here, but isn’t it a military secret?”

“It’s not a breach of protocol for the crown prince’s wife to know his secrets. I did promise I’d do anything you asked of me, after all.”

Arnold’s voice was softer than usual. It caught Rishe off guard. “Well…thank you. I’m very happy that you said yes.”

“You’re happy?” Baffled, Arnold stared at Rishe. “Why?”

“Because from what I know, your sword technique is the strongest and most beautiful of anyone in the world.”

“…”

As a former knight, she was naturally delighted to learn from someone like that.

Arnold looked stunned for a moment before he smiled. “The whole world, huh?”

“I-I obviously didn’t mean that literally!” Rishe rushed to clarify. “It’s just an expression, got it?!”

“How could techniques for killing people possibly be beautiful?” Arnold asked with a self-deprecating tone.

“Your Highness…?”

“Go change into something you can move in. I’ll meet you at the training grounds.”

Thus, they’d met one another outside to square off.

“Bring the restraints,” Arnold ordered one of his knights. “One for Rishe and three for me.”

“Yes, sir.” The knight briskly followed Arnold’s command, though he and his comrades spared Rishe a few fretful glances all the while. Returning with a wooden crate, the knight handed it to his master. Arnold reached in and fished something out.

A belt?

“Put this on.”

Arnold proffered a harness resembling a pair of suspenders connected to a belt. He explained how to use it, putting his arms through another pair of belts, crossing them over each other, and fastening them to the one around his waist.

“When you’re done, turn around.”

Rishe did as she was told and turned away from him. One of Arnold’s black-gloved hands grasped Rishe’s left wrist. He wrapped a thin belt around it, brought her arm behind her back, and fastened the belt on her wrist to the one on her waist. With her arm bound this way, she couldn’t use her left hand.

“This is…”

“Our special training consists of binding one part of the body to prevent free use of your limbs,” Arnold said, binding himself in the same way. The only difference was that Rishe had her dominant arm—her right—free, and Arnold did not.

“You always train like this?”

“Not always. Too much and we’d pick up bad habits, rendering it pointless.”

Affixing the belts with a practiced hand, Arnold reached into the crate and brought out something else, leaving the belt on his wrist unconnected. The new tool resembled a modified kneepad, which Arnold proceeded to wrap around his knee.

He’s making it impossible to bend his left leg.

Next, he took out a black eyepatch, covering his right eye and tying the cords behind his head. Finally, a knight reverently stepped forward and fastened Arnold’s wrist to the belt at his waist. All in all, he was left unable to use his dominant right arm, his left leg, or his right eye. Rishe, on the other hand, only lost the use of her left arm.

“We’ll spar like this. Swords.” At Arnold’s signal, one of the knights handed Rishe a wooden practice weapon.

Rishe thanked the knight and took a stance, holding the sword in one hand. She immediately felt how much having one arm bound threw off her center of gravity, as well as the deep strain on her muscles from holding a two-handed sword in a one-handed grip. Yet the training was even more complex than that.

“Do you bind the limbs to simulate a true battlefield?”

“Oh? You can tell?”

“If it was just to improve core and muscle strength, there would be no need to cover one eye, Your Highness.” Watching Arnold accept his own wooden sword from one of his knights, Rishe went on, “This training is to ensure the loss of a body part on the battlefield doesn’t prevent you from fighting… Am I right?”

“Ha ha!” Arnold laughed with his whole chest, pointing his sword at Rishe. “Your powers of observation are as impressive as always.”

Unlike Rishe, Arnold was using his nondominant arm, made even slower by the old wound on his shoulder. Still, he didn’t leave himself open to attack. “It’s hard to see you as a noble girl who’s never been to war.”

The tension in the air made Rishe’s skin tingle. The knights all took a seemingly unconscious step back, trusting their instincts.

“If you’re injured, you won’t be able to use your arm. If blood splashes on your face, your eye may be temporarily incapacitated. But the battle rages on, and your enemies will continue to press you.”

Vivid memories of the battlefield swirled in Rishe’s mind.

“If your arm is torn off, keep swinging your sword. If your leg is smashed, keep moving forward. If you lose both eyes, find a way to cut into your enemy for as long as you have left.” Arnold fixed his eyes on Rishe, his gaze razor-sharp. “That’s what all this is for.”

How can he convey such pressure with one eye covered up?

“Training in these circumstances helps us stay alive out there.”

Rishe swallowed. No wonder I couldn’t beat him…

The knightly chivalry Rishe knew was akin to an art. Even with a sword in hand, fighting for one’s country, beauty, and nobility was important. The greatest honor was in a clean fight—one that shamed neither you nor your enemy—and ultimately offering your life in exchange for your lord’s. During her time as a knight, Rishe staked her life on protecting the royal family she served, and in the end, she had died.

Galkhein’s knights are trained to continue struggling despite disgrace, no matter the situation they find themselves in. To that end, they kill as many enemies as they possibly can.

Rishe had faced this man as a foe before, and fate might yet again pit the two of them against each other. She squeezed the wooden sword in her hand.

Arnold chuckled. “Normally, I’d wait to spar with a knight until they’ve been through basic training. But since I’m up against you, I’m covering just one eye, not both.”

“…I’m honored, Your Highness.”

“No need to worry. I don’t intend to let any harm come to my bride before our wedding.” Arnold’s confidence clearly stemmed from the overwhelming difference in their abilities.

After a moment’s thought, she said, “If I win, would you answer one question of mine, no matter what it is? In exchange, if I lose, I’ll do any one thing you ask of me, Your Highness.”

Arnold looked momentarily startled before smiling. He seemed to be looking forward to another potential scheme. “Very well.”

“All right,” said Rishe. “Let’s do this.”

A knight gave the signal to start, and Arnold brandished his wooden sword at Rishe. His form was beautiful, but it was full of holes. It clearly said, Come at me.

The lopsided skill level was nothing new to Rishe, and she didn’t hesitate to take up her own sword, once again confirming the state of her limbs. The belt on her left arm was attached to her back by a hook. She wasn’t bound particularly tightly—she still had some range of motion—but her range was limited by the structure of her joints. Plus, just holding the heavy wooden sword with one arm was difficult, thanks to her current lack of muscle.

The longer we exchange blows, the worse my disadvantage becomes. I have to launch a direct attack!

Rishe took a short breath and leapt into Arnold’s striking range in a single bound. Arnold didn’t move. She swung her sword diagonally, aiming for the right side of his face.

Clang! A loud sound rang out as Arnold lifted his blade to catch Rishe’s blow. She’d put muscle into her swing, but the impact didn’t so much as jar his arm.

So that’s how it is, huh? In that case…!

She pivoted, spinning with the force of the blow. Arnold easily blocked her second swing as well. Their swords crossed and clashed, their eyes likewise locking from either side.

Arnold’s one uncovered eye narrowed in mirth. “What’s wrong? Is that all you’ve got?”

Rishe shivered at Arnold’s sincere enjoyment. She sprang back and held her sword up once more, catching her breath.

My center of gravity’s completely off. My grip isn’t strong enough. Yearning to use both of my hands is holding me back! She listed off the problems facing her, trying to think of countermeasures. If I reorient my center of gravity, my reach will change. I’ll have to advance further to get in range of His Highness.

She calculated the distance in her head and planted her feet where they’d need to be. Since she couldn’t do anything about her grip strength, she compensated by holding the sword higher to transfer more strength down the length of the blade. She had to ensure she didn’t try to regain her balance with her left arm either. Makeshift solutions wouldn’t secure her victory, but they were better than nothing.

One more time.

Arnold goaded her with a look. Rishe took a breath, exhaled, and lunged. “Yah!”

He blocked her first swing. She pulled back, slashing at him twice more, forcing herself into close quarters. She tried an upward swing, but he blocked that too, pushing her back.

“Huh…” He sounded impressed.

He’d stopped her. But before now, he’d just been holding his sword up to parry her blows. This was the first time there was any real swordplay brought to bear. Rishe jumped back again, gaining some distance from him.

“Hey. Lady Rishe has only exchanged a few blows with His Highness, but her form has changed a lot, hasn’t it?”

“It doesn’t seem possible, but…you might be right.”

Ignoring the knights’ commentary, Rishe rushed at Arnold. She strove to find a way forward as he blocked and repelled her attacks.

“Your movements are stiff. Don’t challenge me with your strength. Make better use of your feet.”

Rishe gasped at his critiques before immediately adjusting her strategy as they sparred. She knew she could never beat a man in a contest of strength and thought back to when she’d been desperate to make up for that weakness.

“Use your agility. Step in with your left foot. A little farther. That’s not enough; one more step. There.”

Rishe stepped forward as Arnold suggested, engaging again and again. She was getting the knack back. It was a strange feeling, like she’d done this so long ago yet so recently at the same time. For his part, Arnold’s guidance was straightforward and precise.

Wow. It took me five years to move like this in my life as a knight.

Arnold could likely judge the best strategy just by looking his opponent up and down, but Rishe had no intention of giving up. As she got back into the swing of things, her field of view opened more and more, granting her the ability to read Arnold the same way he was reading her. The Arnold Hein of that one fateful day flashed through her mind.

Right!

She pulled back, the blow coming from exactly where she expected. Arnold’s sword just barely scraped against Rishe’s. If she hadn’t dodged when she did, he would have sent her weapon flying.

Now he’ll step into my reach and swing down from above!

In her battle with Arnold five years from now, he’d moved in just the same way. Rishe the knight had parried the blow with a defensive stance. She remembered how, but her current physique couldn’t take that strain. Instead, she took one more step back, feeling Arnold’s sword graze her bangs.

“Ngh!” She knew he would stop before his sword actually hit her, but she broke into a cold sweat regardless, instinctively afraid. She dodged with everything she had, losing her balance and staggering back a few steps.

Arnold pulled his strike at the last second, expression changing. “You said that as far as you know, my swordplay is the strongest there is.”

That was what Rishe had told him in their earlier conversation.

“But just now, you reacted as if you’d faced someone even stronger than I am. You’re thinking of him as we cross swords, aren’t you?”

Is that a joke? Arnold wore a provocative smile, but his gaze was sharp. Rishe adjusted her sword grip.

“It’s almost enough to make me jealous.”

“You jest,” she said, boldly meeting his eyes. “And I meant what I said! You’re the strongest person that I know, Prince Arnold.”

He wasn’t wrong, per se. Rishe was thinking of the Emperor Arnold Hein from five years in the future. He was stronger, crueler, and far more imposing than the current crown prince. That man had slaughtered her entire order of knights. He would never condescend to saying something like, “I have no intention of letting any harm come to you.”

“Come, now. Pay a little more attention to me.” Arnold smirked, relishing the exchange. This newly casual tone he was taking with her made him actually seem like the nineteen-year-old boy he was.

In response, Rishe held her sword up and lowered her stance. She took a step forward, then another, slowly closing the distance between them.

Arnold raised his own weapon. They breathed as one, and she lunged forward, striking out to the side. He dodged her slash. Rishe slipped past him and spun around without a moment’s delay. Arnold turned at the same time, swiping out at her. Their swords made strong contact.

“Ngh!”

The blades clashed up high, went low, then clashed high again. The clack of wood smacking against wood rang out, and Rishe’s hand went numb. Arnold might’ve had one eye covered and one leg restrained, but you never would have known from the way he moved.

I’m not done yet!

She took half a step back, then sprang forward again, swinging her sword once more. Arnold dodged backward and Rishe’s sword hit air, but she didn’t stop her charge.

That feeling… The moment I was able to land one blow on Arnold Hein!

She scoured her memory, putting all her strength into her final attack. For a split second, Arnold’s face lit up with surprise. Then he slashed out and knocked Rishe’s blade off course.

It was over.

“Ack!” The sword flew from her hand, grazing the cheek of a dazed knight spectator, and finally slammed into the training area’s stone walls.

“Whoa!”

“Oh no, are you okay?! Agh!” Rishe tried to run over to the knights, but her legs gave out and she fell to her knees.

“I’m impressed.” Arnold looked down at Rishe, not even a little out of breath. “I only planned on taking a single step at most, you know. I underestimated you.”

“As if you weren’t dripping with handicaps!”

“If it were anyone other than you, I wouldn’t have had to move at all.”

Ignoring Rishe, whose shoulders were heaving as she tried to catch her breath, Arnold signaled the knights. One of them rushed over and undid his restraints. Arnold removed the knee restraint on his own and knelt in front of Rishe, freeing her left arm.

“Thank you very much…for your instruction…”

Rishe had known the loss was inevitable, but it still disappointed her. It must have shown on her face because Arnold rested his elbow on his knee, chin in his palm, and smiled. “What was our agreement? That you’d do any one thing I asked you to?”

“Yes, go ahead and ask!” Rishe declared, hopeless. “I don’t go back on my word!”

Without a serious chance of winning, Rishe had ensured this was a bet worth making whether she won or lost. If by some miracle she’d won, she would’ve been allowed one question of the crown prince. If she lost—as she’d suspected she would—she could see what kind of request he’d make. Thus, she was one step closer to figuring out why he’d proposed to her.

This is all according to plan. I’m not mad about it… Nope, not even a little. She tried to convince herself otherwise, but she was incredibly frustrated.

Arnold watched her for a time, eventually removing his eyepatch and saying, “Well, let’s see… Leave your afternoon open two days from now. We’re going into town.”

“Into town? Of course I’ll come, but what are we doing, exactly?”

“I’ll tell you then.” Arnold stood, handing his eyepatch to a waiting knight.

Hmm… Some kind of “crown prince and fiancée” official business?

Rishe decided there was no use pondering the matter now, although she realized that she hadn’t been in town since she went to see Mr. Tully. She’d snuck out, gotten caught, and thereafter promised Arnold she wouldn’t visit the town without him.

He was always a step ahead of her. As she stared off into the distance, he stared down at her, perplexed.

“What’s wrong? Get up already.”

From the ground, Rishe wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Uh…I’ll stay here for a little longer. Please feel free to leave, Your Highness.”

“Why?”

She didn’t want to tell him, but she figured she had to. Resigning herself to her shame, she slowly said, “Well, to tell you the truth, my arms and legs are still shaking from our little match.”

“What…?”

“My body isn’t equipped to keep up with how I was moving.” Rishe felt truly pathetic. If she tried to stand now, she’d just fall face-first back to the ground. “I’m just taking a little rest. I’ll be sure to close up the training ground when I leave, so don’t worry… Uh, Your Highness?”

His expression turned pensive. “Wearing gloves means it’s fine, right?”

“Huh?” Rishe had a very bad feeling. Her instincts were telling her to say no, but she didn’t know what he was asking. Before she could properly reply, Arnold knelt in front of her and reached out with his gloved hands.

“Ack?! Wh—! Hey! Your Highness, I—”

Rishe was lifted abruptly from the ground, Arnold holding her in his arms. As soon as Rishe’s mind had caught up, she opened her mouth and screamed. “Wh-whaaa?!” She reflexively flailed her legs.

Arnold studied her, the picture of calm. “Don’t struggle. You’ll fall.”

“W-well, no, I… What are you doing?!”

“You can’t stand on your own, right?” Arnold asked, striding off as he carried Rishe bridal-style.

Realizing he intended to take her all the way to her room like this, Rishe blanched. “Let me down, let me down, let me dooown! I just need a breather, so please don’t trouble yourself!”

“Again, don’t struggle.”

Why not?! It’s not like struggling will do me a bit of good! Rishe kept that thought to herself as Arnold looked at her in exasperation.

“Do you really think I could just leave my fiancée on the ground and go back to work?”

Okay, maybe he’s got a point, but still!

Rishe had an iron grip on her composure in ordinary circumstances, but this was just too much. Arnold Hein himself was carrying her in his arms! With her limbs still immobile from fatigue, there was nothing she could do to extricate herself from this situation. She gazed at the knights imploringly, but when their eyes met, the men just furiously shook their heads. They were as flustered as she was.

S-somebody, save me! She was shouting on the inside, but no one came to her rescue.

The knights they passed on their way out of the training area watched them with blank looks of shock, like they were seeing something incomprehensible. To his credit, Arnold chose a route to avoid contact with crowds, although reaching the detached wing without meeting anyone would have been impossible.

“Your Highness!” Rishe yelped. “Isn’t carrying me around like this exhausting?”

“If you’re worried about that, make it easier on me and stop struggling.”

She’d been arguing for her release, but now she’d gone and made it harder to complain. At a complete loss, Rishe noticed something even more outrageous.

Huh?!

All this time, she’d been holding on to the lapel of Arnold’s jacket. She must have grabbed it automatically when he picked her up and had been squeezing it ever since. Should I let go? I should let go, right? But what do I do with my hand after that?

Her head was spinning, but Arnold spoke to her, completely unaware of her consternation. “Come to think of it, what did you want to ask me?”

Rishe looked up at him, not expecting the question.

“Before the duel, you said you wanted to ask me something if you won.”

“You want to talk about this now?”

“Heh.”

He’s laughing!

Arnold had noticed her distress, and he was clearly enjoying it. But he was also helping her when she couldn’t move on her own. She didn’t have strong grounds for an objection.

Eventually, Rishe changed tack and outright bombarded Arnold with questions instead. “When is your birthday?!”

Puzzled, Arnold blinked a few times and answered, “The twenty-eighth day of the twelfth month.”

“So you were born in winter! And what are your hobbies?”

“I don’t really have any.”

“Come on, tell me what you like to do, Your Highness!”

“I’ve never really thought about it.”

“What sort of woman do you prefer, then?”

“Why do you care?”

Despite his willingness to answer, she barely squeezed any information out of him. He didn’t dodge her questions, though. His responses seemed sincere.

I can’t ask my real question out in public…especially not in this position!

Dwelling on her predicament once more, Rishe was reminded of just how uncomfortable she was. Even in the face of her renewed resistance, Arnold refused to put her down.

“L-Lady Rishe?!” Rishe’s attendant Elsie squeaked as they arrived at her room in the detached palace. Even the impassive Elsie gaped when she saw her mistress in Arnold’s arms.

“Elsie!” Her maid rushed over to her, and Rishe clung to Elsie as soon as her feet hit the floor.

Seeing Rishe’s exhausted state, Arnold said, “Keep resting; don’t push yourself before the feeling returns to your arms and legs.”

I’m not feeling faint from the duel anymore! she thought, but she swallowed it down.

Declaring he had work to do, Arnold returned to the main palace. As soon as he was out of sight, the knights—who normally never entered Rishe’s room—ran mindlessly to her side.

“Are you all right, Lady Rishe?!”

“We’re so sorry we weren’t able to help you! There was nothing we could do! We were powerless on several fronts!”

“I-It’s fine…” Rishe said. “I understand your position.” The two knights had at least warned observers off with fierce eyes and expressions on their way here. She appreciated that.

“Still,” one of them added, “you’re not hurt, are you? Uh, not from that—from training with His Highness.”

“Don’t worry, I’m perfectly fine.”

Just as Arnold promised, he hadn’t let any harm come to Rishe. Another aspect of his superior skills.

“I’m glad to hear it,” one knight told her. “We were awfully surprised to hear Prince Arnold planned to give you his special training, Lady Rishe.”

“That was the safest of his special training methods,” said the other.

Then today’s match was just one of several drills, like I thought. Arnold had more strategies up his sleeve. Her suspicions confirmed, Rishe closed her eyes. Well, I don’t need to attend the maids’ training every morning anymore. My field isn’t quite stable yet, but it only needs a couple of checks a day. My dealings with the Aria Trading Company are waiting on Mr. Tully. I have plenty of other preparations, but once I get started on those I won’t have time for anything else. If I want to do this, now’s the time.

Renewing her determination, she looked at her maid. “I’m sorry if I gave you a shock, Elsie. Has my order arrived from the Aria Trading Company?”

“Yes, Lady Rishe. It’s right here.” Elsie gestured toward a crate in the corner of the room.

I’ll have to act fast. Thankfully, that duel has scraped off some of the rust. Rishe clenched her fists. Time to get started on the stamina-building section of my plan for a long and cushy life!

 

---

 

That day, a score of trainees gathered in the palace’s fifth training ground—youths who straddled the border between childhood and adolescence. Clad in brand-new training garb, they listened tensely as a knight addressed them.

“That will be your schedule for the next ten days. As I mentioned, this training will focus on you new recruits who have yet to become knights. For some, this is part of your noble education. For others, it is a chance to select promising personnel from the citizenry. Keep that in mind,” the knight said, eyeing a few of the lined-up trainees. “No matter your birth, results are valued above all else. I look forward to seeing how you all progress.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Hmm… You there.” The instructor addressed a young boy with brown hair standing at the back of the pack. “Lucius, was it? Excellent projection, son. Speak from the stomach and your voice will carry even on the battlefield.”

“Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!” Rishe—addressed by the male name of Lucius—gave a vigorous response. She’d slightly altered her face with makeup, donned a boyish, short-styled wig, and now stood tall with a binding cloth wrapped around her chest to flatten it.

Good. A successful infiltration.

Her life as a knight wasn’t Rishe’s first time cross-dressing. As a merchant, she had traveled the world selling her wares. Even though she’d hired a handful of guards, setting off on voyages was still dangerous for a young woman, so she often dressed as a man when she was lacking in protection. The name she was using now, Lucius, was the same name she’d used for past disguises.

It doesn’t look like anyone’s realized yet. No one here knows me, after all.

Her coral-colored hair was carefully folded on top of her head under a net—even very long hair could be corralled with this method. On top of that, she wore a high-quality wig she’d ordered from the Aria Trading Company.

I’ve disguised myself thoroughly, but it’s thanks to Prince Theodore that no one suspects my background.

When Rishe had asked him for this favor, Theodore, the younger prince of Galkhein, grimaced spectacularly. “Are you really asking me for this?”

Yesterday, she had visited him in his office, where he’d reacted to her request with palpable disgust. Tossing his unruly black hair, he put both elbows on his desk, resting his head in his hands. “You want to join the cadets’ training, and as a man? First of all, you’re crazy. Second, why do I have to help?”

“Well, didn’t you answer that in your own letter? You told me I could count on you whenever I needed to.”

“I did! I don’t know why, but I did!” Theodore blushed, his voice jumping in volume. Clearly, he wanted to hear no mention of the letter. “Listen, Sister. When I wrote that, it was with the understanding that you’d request something from the people in the slums or the city’s underground.”

“Unfortunately, what I need most is stamina. And not for just my own sake—it’s for Prince Arnold’s as well.”

“What am I gonna do…? I can’t understand a single thing my sister-in-law is saying to me.” Theodore leaned back in his wide chair and stared off into the distance. “Why do you need to join the cadets at all, Sister? Couldn’t you just assign a knight to train you?”

“I wouldn’t ask anyone to devote that much time for my sake. And if I were to do that, they’d struggle to know how to treat me,” Rishe said. “I want to train without anyone holding back on my account.”

“Ugh, I can’t believe you.” Theodore stuck out his tongue in disgust. “I would never volunteer to punish myself like that.”

Rishe didn’t want to punish herself; she just wanted to make up for what she lacked.

“The training period is ten days, right? Once it’s over, I’ll just train on my own. But since I came all the way to this country, I might as well experience the Galkhein military’s renowned instruction.”

Theodore—who’d been listening with a face as though he longed to be anywhere else—suddenly lit up. “Wait a sec!”

“Er, Prince Theodore…?”

“I just realized something.” The prince had a sweet, girlish smile on his face. It was mildly frightening. He stood, braced a hand on his desk, and peered at Rishe. “Very well. I’ll help you out, my lovely sister. I’ll do everything in my power to grant your request.”

“Huh? Well, I appreciate that, but why the sudden change of heart?”

“Because it seems interesting.” Theodore giggled; he must have had some scheme up his sleeve. “I don’t think even my brother could see this coming. His own wife dressing as a man and joining his knight corps!” The prince sat back down, his mood much improved. “Okay, you’ve got me! Let’s do it! I’ll never have such a good opportunity to surprise my brother again.”

“I’m not doing this to surprise Prince Arnold! And didn’t you make up with your brother, Prince Theodore?”

“I want the full array of my brother’s emotional reactions, you see.” Theodore’s expression of affection was as bizarre as always. He hummed as he discussed plans with Rishe. “I’ll make up some background for you—look for my contact later. Should I make it look like you have previous experience with the sword? You did beat up all my men. It would make no sense to pretend you’re inexperienced.”

“Y-you seem confident with this sort of deception…”

“Heh heh. What do you think? I’m already proving useful, aren’t I?” Theodore puffed out his chest, pulling some documents out of a drawer. It didn’t exactly surprise Rishe; he had been the one to sneak Elsie into Rishe’s maids.

“Just make sure you’re not found out by my brother until it’s all over. There’s no reason he’d show up at the cadet training grounds, but you should still be careful. I’ll make the arrangements, so you can go for now.”

“Very well.” Rishe bowed. “Thank you, Prince Theodore.”

She had just turned to leave when he called out to her. “Hey, listen. I’m overseeing some pending legislation to support the people of the slums.” Rishe glanced back, but Theodore was still searching for his documents and hadn’t raised his head. “They only went through because my brother pushed them from behind the scenes.”

“The two of you are working on it together, then?”

“You…could put it that way, yeah.”

That would have been unthinkable just a short while ago. Arnold had been keeping his brother at a distance, while Theodore avoided doing any official political work for his brother’s sake. Rishe was delighted to hear that they were working together on a project.

“That’s all I wanted to tell you,” he said. “See you later.”

Taking a good look around, Rishe noticed that Theodore’s office was extremely neat. According to the maids’ gossip, it had been covered in dust until just recently.

“Don’t get hurt during the training either. You’re my brother’s fiancée.”

“Of course. Thank you for your concern, Prince Theodore.” Rishe smiled brightly and bowed again.

Then she left, which brings us to the present.

“Haah…”

After training, Rishe sat at the now-deserted water station. Until a little while ago, there had been plenty of other recruits, but they all regained their energy quickly and left to go change. Among the lot of them, only “Lucius,” Rishe in disguise, was unable to move.

This is Galkhein’s basic training?!

They’d started the day with running. In Rishe’s experience, “running” meant going down a set course, trying to improve your pace each time you did so. But the training these cadets did was different. They’d been ordered to run for an hour and a half straight without regard to distance. The instructor merely specified, “jog at a slightly faster pace than walking.”

At first, Rishe had thought this was rather lenient, but when she actually tried it, she found it harsh. The other trainees seemed to struggle as well, but as they were all genuine boys and men, they had an easier time finishing the course than Rishe did.

Their next task—upper-body conditioning—was much the same. They performed exercises that skated toward unreasonable difficulty for minutes at a time, taking breaks between sets. Even if the initial sets were no problem, your fatigue would compound until your whole upper body felt dragged down by a dull weight.

Then they ran some more. After a final session of conditioning, their training ended for the day. Ordered to eat a light meal, they received chicken sandwiches, though many of them were in no state to eat. They wouldn’t put on muscle without protein, though, so they choked the food down.

Cadet training was in the morning. For her “I’m going to sleep in until noon for a while, so please don’t wake me!” story to hold up, Rishe needed to hurry back to her maids and guards.

I haven’t trained in a long time. No, I’m conditioning this body for the first time. This will be easier than the rookie training I did as a knight, but I’m still feeling the burn. It feels just as hard.

A dull pain settled in her upper arms, muscles already aching. Imagining the soreness yet to come, Rishe sighed.

I feel warm, at least. She closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze caressing her cheek, when someone approached her from behind.

“Yo, Lucius! You’re still not changed?”

Rishe whirled around to find a young man smiling at her cheerfully. The boy had cropped, chestnut-brown hair and almond-shaped eyes. He was a trainee like Rishe. When Rishe had fallen behind on their run, he’d lagged behind too out of concern.

“I appreciate what you did for me earlier. I believe your name was Fritz, was it not?” she said.

“Ha ha! Don’t make it into a big deal. We’re all in the same boat, right? And you don’t have to be so stiff.”

“All right. Thanks anyway, though.”

“Sure! I’ll speak plainly with ya too, if that’s okay.” Fritz beamed in satisfaction, sitting down beside Rishe. “I was about to head back to my lodgings, but I was kinda worried about you. Can you walk?”

“Well, I’d like to say I’m fine, but…I think I’ll just rest for a while longer.” The cadence she’d spoken with as knight came out more easily than she’d expected. It had been a while, but Fritz was easy to talk to. That probably helped.

“I’ll stay behind too, then.”

“Huh? No need to worry about me. You should go back and rest! You must be tired.”

“It’s fine. I wanted to talk to you, Lucius. You got a compliment from the instructor when you spoke up during his speech, right? But then when the actual training started, you looked like you were dying. You’re an interesting guy.” He gave her a toothy grin, expression broad and open. “I come from far away, so I don’t have any friends here. You ever hear of Ceutena? It’s a port town in the north. Ships from Coyolles berth there sometimes.”

Coyolles was a place Rishe was intimately familiar with. The snowy country was on the other side of the sea from Galkhein, remote and cold. Rishe had lived there in one of her previous lives.

“I’ve never been to Ceutena, but I know the name. They have great fish there, right?”

“Ha ha, you get tired of it! It’s a nice town, though. If I didn’t look up to him so much, I wouldn’t have bothered to become a knight. I would’ve just lived my whole life there.”

“Look up to who?”

Fritz’s grin widened, and he thrust his finger at Rishe. “Crown Prince Arnold, of course!”

Rishe froze, but Fritz didn’t seem to notice as he happily prattled on. “A war hero, a master of the sword, a political genius! People say all sorts of stuff about him, but he’s just so cool, isn’t he?!”

“Ahh…y-yeah…” Rishe managed a half-hearted response, averting her eyes.

“Things were pretty bad during the war three years ago, even up in our port town, but Prince Arnold was amazing! He evacuated the citizens and then took down a whole boatload of enemies! He utilized the terrain or whatever. I didn’t fully understand the details.”

“O-oh?”

“It’s not fair that he’s so good with a sword and can do strategy and stuff! I want to ask the knights about him, but it sounds like only his personal guard can really get close.”

Seeing Fritz talk about Arnold with his eyes sparkling made Rishe feel strangely discomfited.

“I only saw him once, but Prince Arnold’s swordplay isn’t just strong, it’s beautiful.”

Hearing that, Rishe couldn’t help herself from mumbling, “Yeah, I get that.” When she realized what she’d said, her face flushed. Wait, what did I just…?!

“Right?! We agree! So—wait. That means you’ve seen Prince Arnold wield his sword, right?”

“J-just one time!”

Fritz paid no heed to the blush spreading across her cheeks. She hung her head, hoping he wouldn’t think she was strange. Her face refused to cool down. Why not? I’ve told him myself I think his swordplay is beautiful! And just recently too! Come to think of it, Arnold had been surprised to hear such praise.

As Rishe’s mind spun in circles, Fritz continued breezily, “Even if I can’t become like Prince Arnold, I want to get stronger.”

Fritz stood and picked up a broom in the corner of the water station. He held it like a sword and took a combat stance. “Hah!” The broom sliced through the air.

Confused, Rishe looked up. “Fritz. Tighten the grip of your pinky.”

Still holding the strike, Fritz glanced at Rishe. “My pinky?”

“Yes. When you hold a sword, your grip should be strongest around your pinky. If you’re right-handed, grip the hilt harder with your left hand. Let your right be about half that tight.”

“Is half enough?”

“Your grip will be uneven without that balance. Don’t let your wrists… Yeah, now swing it like that.”

“Like this? Hah!” The broom swung down, hissing more sharply through the air. Its trajectory—formerly diagonal—went straight down. With the adjusted grip, he was no longer wasting his strength.

“Whoa!” Fritz observed the difference in the swings. “How do you know all this, Lucius?”

“I have a bit of experience with the sword, that’s all. You’re impressive though, Fritz! You learn fast.”

“No way, you’re the impressive one!” Fritz looked down at the broom in his grip, eyes shining. “I didn’t know just a little instruction could make such a difference… Maybe I really can become like Prince Arnold one day!”

“You two,” came a man’s voice from behind them, and Fritz and Rishe turned to see him. “You must not speak so casually of the royal family. You would do well to call him His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Y-yes, sir! Sorry, sir!” Fritz bowed. Rishe stood and joined him.

“As long as you understand. Be at ease, both of you.”

Permission granted, the two of them looked back up. The man appeared to be in his mid-thirties, his gray hair worn slightly long and fixed in place with product. He was clean and neat, but dark circles haunted his eyes. Despite his scolding, he had a gentle air about him, and he carried himself like a high-ranking noble. He was tall, his musculature obvious even through his clothes.

“No matter what form it takes, admiration for the royal family is a wonderful thing.”

“Yes, thank you, sir! Umm, by the way… Pardon me for asking, but are you Lord Lawvine? Ruler of our town?”

“Indeed,” the man said. “I am the count and heir to House Lawvine.”

Rishe’s eyes widened. Wait, this is His Lordship Ludger Lars Lawvine?

She looked back at the man before her, swallowing nervously. He’s the brave general of Galkhein destined to be slaughtered by Prince Arnold as an “enemy of the state.”

Ludger Lars Lawvine was the count who governed Galkhein’s northernmost territory. His sin was attempting to prevent Emperor Arnold Hein’s spread of tyranny. Though his holding was remote, he was a man of distinguished military service, adored by a great many people. Yet this loyal retainer would be killed by the very man he served. Three years from now, he would object to Emperor Arnold’s war of conquest, and, enraged, the emperor would take his life in retaliation.

I heard all sorts of rumors: He was slowly tortured to death, he was beheaded in one strike… Emperor Arnold Hein put his entire family to death to atone for Lord Lawvine’s treason.

Lawvine’s execution was a source of Arnold’s universal infamy. And here he was, standing before Rishe in real time. She shrank under the scrutiny of his gray eyes. Though his bearing was relaxed, he had a demeanor that screamed “military man.”

The count of the north… An officer talented enough to be trusted with the border.

She wouldn’t be surprised if he easily figured out that she was a woman. Rishe shuddered at the thought.

As her anxiety peaked, he said, “How do you feel about chicken?”

“Huh?” Her jaw dropped.

Lord Lawvine continued to look at her like he’d said something exceedingly normal. Ignoring Rishe and Fritz’s confusion, he went on dispassionately, “If you don’t like chicken, any other meat will do. And there’s legumes, eggs, and milk… Or are you not a fan of those either?”

“N-no, I like them! I like all food!”

“I see. That’s good.”

What the heck is this conversation?!

Much as she yearned to ask, the count’s manner shut out all possibility of questioning. Just as she expected, he solemnly added, “If your circumstances allow such indulgence, you should eat more. You appear to have less muscle mass than the average man.”

Oh, is that all?

“Yes, sir! Thank you for your advice!” Rishe said, relaxing.

She had learned plenty about the sort of food needed to cultivate a strong body in her life as an apothecary. Such wisdom wasn’t yet widespread, but that was likely what Lawvine was referring to.

Still, I already proved during my life as a knight that I’ll never have the muscle mass as a man, no matter how much I eat.

Lawvine nodded in satisfaction. “Youths like you should always aim to improve yourselves. I’ll be assisting with your instruction starting tomorrow. I look forward to seeing how you perform.”

“Wow, you’ll be teaching us, Lord Lawvine?! Awesome! Oops… I mean, uh, I am most honored!”

Upon seeing how excited Fritz was, Lawvine’s expression relaxed a little. “I am overjoyed to have a hand in training promising young people. I was detained later than I meant to be, so I couldn’t attend today’s practice. What are your thoughts?”

Fritz and Rishe exchanged a glance, and Fritz was first to answer. “To be honest, I found it very accommodating! I was prepared to run until I puked or train until I couldn’t stand up anymore!”

“I was surprised too,” Rishe said. “We were allowed breaks to drink water and rest between exercises. I’ve heard some stories of knight training in other countries—they’re far harsher on new recruits.”

“True.” The count offered an understanding nod. “It was the same here until just a few years ago. During the war, we needed battle-ready forces as fast as we could get them. By training new recruits harshly, you weed out those who can’t hack it and send the rest to the front lines as quickly as possible. But…ah, someone did away with those harsh practices. You two can rest easy.”

Come to think of it… Arnold’s attendant, Oliver, had mentioned that he’d suffered an injury and thus couldn’t become a knight. If Oliver’s injury had occurred during training, Rishe could easily guess who might have changed those practices.

“What we—your seniors, that is—are charged with is not to pick out exceptional youths but to encourage everyone’s growth. I’ll see you two at training. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Lawvine turned to speak with an approaching knight. “Lord Lawvine, His Majesty awaits your arrival. Please report to the audience chamber.”

“Right, I’ll be there presently. Tomorrow then, you two.”

Fritz and Rishe bowed as Lawvine left the training grounds. “Thank you for speaking to us!”

Rishe felt the cogs of her mind turning as she held the pose. His Majesty, huh? I’ve never met him myself, but he lives here in the palace, doesn’t he?

She had been in Galkhein for over a month. The palace was expansive, true enough, but for Rishe to have failed to run into him even once implied someone was deliberately preventing an encounter. Not that I’m His Majesty’s highest concern right now…

By and by, she looked up to find Fritz taking deep breaths, a hand splayed on his chest. “Whew, that was nerve-racking, wasn’t it, Lucius? I never expected to speak with Lord Lawvine!”

“Really? You looked like you kept your cool, Fritz.”

“No way! Although it’s nice to hear you say that. Anyway, are you free? Let’s eat together!”

As much as Rishe would have loved to join him, she had places to be. “Sorry, I’m afraid I have to go. I have work in the afternoon.”

“Got it. Bit of a shame, but there’s no way around it. Good luck at work!”

“Thanks. See you tomorrow!”

Rishe jogged off the training grounds, slipped into a nearby storage room, and removed her wig. Instead of changing into her dress, she put on a maid’s uniform. Placing her training clothes in a laundry basket, she covered it with some sheets and returned to the detached palace disguised as a servant. She entered her room in her usual fashion: via the balcony. Her arms quivered on her way up the rope, nearly bringing her to tears.

“I’m back, Elsie!”

“Welcome back! I’ve got everything prepared for you.”

She took a quick bath with some help from Elsie, her only maid in on the cross-dressing. Rinsing off the sweat, she changed into a clean dress and dolled herself up. Drying the light waves of her coral hair, she ran a comb through it—and thus her preparations were complete.

“Good morning, Lady Rishe!”

“Morning, everyone…”

Her fatigue leaked into her tone, endangering her cover story of sleeping until noon before relaxing in the bath, but her maids didn’t seem to notice. Returning to her room from the bath chamber with a handful of maids, she ran into an unexpected guest.

“Prince Arnold.”

“Hey.”

Before she could exclaim how fortuitous she found their meeting, Rishe realized why he was here. Accompanying him were several knights, all carrying things into the space prepared for Arnold’s office.

“How’s the move going?” she asked.

“Who can say? I’m not the one doing it.”

“My lord—I mean, Your Highness! Your instructions are far too general…”

Oliver poked his head out of the office. Seeing Rishe, he smiled. “If it isn’t Lady Rishe! Thank you for the wonderful room you’ve prepared for His Highness.”

“Of course, Oliver. I just hope it proves to be a productive work environment. Apropos of nothing, did you just call His Highness ‘my lord’?” She glanced at Arnold. He looked extremely unamused.

“I keep telling him to stop using that title—it’s creepy. He won’t listen to me.”

“More importantly, do you want last month’s documents on the right-hand bookshelf? Please, just come inside.” Oliver returned to the office, directing the knights.

That title… Is it just me, or is he attempting to clearly denote Prince Arnold as his master rather than the emperor?

She made a mental note to inquire further. As she considered the matter, Arnold called her name.

“Rishe.” He bent down and whispered directly into her ear. “Come to the western gate tomorrow at two in the afternoon. Don’t let anyone see you.”

His husky voice tickled her ear. As Arnold pulled away, Rishe reached up, cupping a hand around her mouth to whisper back, “Should I dye my hair?”

“No need to go that far.”

“Very well. I’ll wear something appropriate for town.” She dropped back down and stepped away from Arnold, when she noticed the maids staring at them.

Wh-what?

The maids were watching Rishe and Arnold with flushed cheeks and glittering eyes. It hadn’t occurred to her how their furtive whispers might read to an audience.

“Your Highness, please!” called Oliver from the office.

“Shut up! I’m coming.” Arnold followed him in a huff. Rishe parted ways with the rest of the twittering maids, heading back to her room with Elsie, who was also acting strange.

“Um, Lady Rishe, why were you speaking in secret just now?”

“Well, you see, Elsie—I’ve got an engagement with Prince Arnold tomorrow,” Rishe said. “Outside the palace.”

Elsie’s eyes lit up. “What sort of outing will this be?”

“He didn’t tell me. But it was an order, so I’m sure he just wants help with some official business.”

“…”

“Regardless, I need to dress covertly tomorrow. Would a brown dress work, you think? I have a gray robe as well; I can scuff it up to look like I’ve been traveling… Oh!” Rishe exclaimed as Elsie grasped her hand.

“Leave it to me, Lady Rishe.”

“Huh? Leave wha—”

“You must absolutely, positively leave tomorrow’s preparations to me. Don’t worry, you’ll look cute as a button, my lady!”

“Umm…” Elsie’s impassioned declaration gave Rishe a bad feeling. “Listen, Elsie, I’m just going into town for business, so don’t trouble yourself!”

“It’s no trouble! Your clothes, your hair, everything must be perfect!”

Rishe had never seen Elsie this motivated. She was vibrating with excitement, blind to the discomfort she was causing her mistress.

“I’ll make sure you look fit for town, but your clothes can’t be drab!”

“Uh…”

“I’ll borrow some clothes from Miss Diana. In fact, I’ll go fetch her right now!”

“My, you two really get along well now, don’t you…? Hey, wait a second!”

 

The next day, after finishing up her morning cadet training, Rishe set out to meet Arnold following some extraordinarily motivated preparations by Elsie. She met him with her hood pulled low over her face, and they set out through a hidden passageway reserved for the royal family. Walking through the underground waterways, they reached the town in a few minutes, whereupon Arnold stopped them.

“That’s probably far enough. You can uncover your head.”

Rishe flinched, peering up at Arnold from under her hood, trying to show as little of her face as possible.

Arnold was dressed in a blue ensemble a tad simpler than his usual, with a high collar to hide his neck. It was made to resemble the garb of a common citizen, though the stitching and fabric were still very fine. Some nondescript golden embroidery accented it here and there; someone with a discerning eye could detect the quality. Over top, he wore a thin black robe that covered his mouth, and the goggles that hung from his neck were common among travelers for keeping the wind and sun out of one’s eyes. In a pinch, he could use them to hide his face, but he probably intended to just let them hang there. Rishe was aware that few commoners knew the faces of the royal family—it was probably fine.

I know I can lower my hood, but… Rishe hesitated, holding her robe closed.

The prince cocked a brow. “What’s wrong?” When she continued to fluster, he said, “You don’t need to be so nervous. No regular citizens would recognize our faces. We’re not headed anywhere strange either—and even if they realize it was us later, it won’t matter.”

“I-I suppose you’re right.”

“Plus, if you’re hiding so fervently, you’ll just make people more suspicious.”

He was right. Rishe made up her mind and removed her hands from her robe, lowering her hood. She steeled herself and looked up at Arnold. When their eyes met, his held a hint of surprise.

Hidden under her white robe was a layered blue dress she’d borrowed from Diana. It was a popular early summer garment among the women of the castle town. From the waist down, it resembled a flower bud—a cute, simple design.

Her coral-red hair was braided loosely to the right, adorned with smaller braids here and there. A relatively common hairstyle, but Elsie had braided ribbons in as well. True to her word, the maid had rendered her into a girl you’d meet in town, while taking special care to make sure she looked stylish and adorable.

Now that her look was laid bare for Arnold to see, Rishe flushed pink. Sure, I’ll blend in, but still! She couldn’t help feeling anxious. Rishe was fond of fashion herself, and she put plenty of effort into her dress and hair when she attended parties and the like, but today was about business.

Arnold had barely opened his mouth when Rishe cut him off. “No! I know what you’re going to say! I’m aware we’re here to work, but if my clothes were too modest, I’d stand out in the opposite direction, so—!”

“I thought for sure you’d come in a hemp dress and simple robe.”

“Am I really so predictable?” While Rishe was reeling from the shock of being so violently seen, Arnold gave her a once-over.

“This is the work of your maids, eh?”

“Ugh…”

“You seem to be laboring under a misunderstanding. These clothes will work just fine.”

“Really?” Relief washed over her.

“I’ll have to thank your maids myself,” Arnold said.

Rishe blinked. She didn’t know what he meant, and he didn’t elaborate.

“Let’s get going. At this rate, we’ll start attracting attention for an entirely different reason.”

“Huh? Hey, wait up!” Rishe rushed to keep up with him. They walked together for a time, with Rishe slowly getting used to the nagging feeling of embarrassment. Soon she felt able to strike up a more cheerful conversation.

“This is the perfect season for an outing, isn’t it? It’s nice and warm, but the breeze is cool.”

“Sure.”

“Right! And the air is very clean—maybe because it rained last night. Now that I get another look at it, it’s really a very beautiful town, isn’t it?” Rishe smiled sunnily, gazing at the scenery.

Galkhein’s castle town was a storied capital city. Its grand brick buildings stood stately and beautiful, with newer structures skillfully integrated into the old. Rishe’s dress billowed in the gentle late spring breeze. “The view from the castle is nice, but it’s fun to actually walk through it.”

“You speak as if this is your first time down here.”

“I-It was dark the last time I came!” Rishe blustered at the allusion to the night she’d snuck out of the palace. Although she couldn’t see his face as she walked behind him, he was surely scowling.

Even during this exchange, Arnold didn’t mention where they were going. The streets around them were growing busier; perhaps they were headed for the capital center. The crowd’s chatter rose up ahead. When she saw what they were headed for, Rishe let out an astonished, “Wow!”

They had arrived at a huge, crowded street dotted on both sides with stalls. The stalls held all manner of things for sale, from smoked meat and fish to spices in pretty bottles. A vendor of exotic lamps faced someone selling finely crafted silverware.

Hawkers’ shouts carried through the streets as shoppers happily perused the wares. The scents of fragrant crates of fruits carried all the way to where Rishe and Arnold stood. She loved seeing streets like this, so full of joy.

Her eyes sparkled despite herself. “A market!”

Arnold—who was set to walk straight past it—hesitated. “It’s just a street market… Maybe a large one. Rather ordinary, isn’t it?”

“Nonsense! Take that stand, for instance. The merchant is carrying textiles from Jubel! The cloth has religious significance to them, so it’s terribly difficult to get export permits to other continents!” Galkhein was probably the only place you could expect to find such a thing outside of its country of origin.

Bursting with excitement, she went on, “Those are Coquilto’s famous grapes, and those are rare eggs from a saloof bird! Ahh! Now that I get a better look, they don’t just have eggs—there’s a hen in that birdcage too!”

“…”

“The jewelry over there is handmade in Galkhein, right? The fine craftsmanship makes it hugely popular among women in other countries. The lamp merchants right next door come from Halil Rasha in the desert, I believe. When a country is prospering, merchants gather there. It’s a bit of a long journey, though.”

“…”

“I’m curious about that stand over there too. I can’t see it very well through the crowd, but do you suppose they come from Coyoll—”

“Rishe.”

“Eep!” Rishe snapped back to reality to find Arnold’s eyes boring into her. She realized how much she’d been rambling.

Oh no, I sound just like a merchant! I couldn’t help myself, though… I finally made it to a Galkhein market!

Rishe cleared her throat. “Th-they say you can tell a lot about a place from its market. It’s a window into the economic situation, for starters, but also the state of public security.”

“…I see.”

“For example, I can’t see any obvious bodyguards or overly cautious knights here. That’s proof of the market’s security, since there’s no emphasis on crime prevention! Travelers will feel safe to stay longer and spend more money in a town like this! Right? Observing a town’s market is…important, you see…”

“Mm-hmm.”

Her excuses weren’t going over well. Changing tack, she opted to apologize instead.

“I’m sorry. I was so excited, I got carried away.” Rishe bowed her head as Arnold took out a pocket watch. “I apologize if I made us late. Let’s get going. I’ll follow your instructions, so don’t hesitate to… Umm, Your Highness?”

Arnold returned the watch to his pocket and began walking, startling Rishe when he turned toward the market.

“You’re not going there, are you…?”

“We’ve got plenty of time. If you’re that excited about it, we can’t just pass by.”

Rishe felt a surge of happiness, everything suddenly brighter. “Thank you!”

Thus, the two of them set off into the imperial capital’s market. Rishe’s heart soared as they mixed with the crowds, the colorful tarp roofs of the stands beautiful under the blue sky.

“Fresh berries here! Try one! They’re a beautiful color, aren’t they?”

“The stuff I got here is all Coyolles specialties, on sale today only! Our ship came in to Ceutena a week ago. Miss this chance, and who knows when you’ll get another one!”

“Aah!”

Rishe was enjoying herself so much that the delight spilled from her lips in squeaks and gasps. The merchants were animated, and the customers chatted avidly as they shopped. Just being in this vibrant space gave Rishe energy.

“Look at that! Over th—”

When Rishe stopped short, Arnold looked at her with curiosity. “What is it?” He couldn’t possibly have guessed what was bothering her.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing.”

“Hrm? Well, whatever. Just don’t stop in the middle of the road—we’ll get separated. Worst-case scenario, I’ll have to put a leash on you.”

“Aha ha ha. Good joke! You almost had me fooled.”

“…”

“I-It is a joke, right?!” Rishe fought to compose herself, tugging at Arnold’s sleeve. “Anyway, check out that fruit vendor. They seem to be from Coyolles—I want to take a look.”

She walked to a stall a few meters away and picked the most succulent fruit from the bunch. As she paid, she asked the well-built woman running the stand to slice up her purchase. The woman nodded, peeling the large, oval-shaped fruit’s hard skin, revealing the perfectly ripe flesh inside. Rishe returned to Arnold with the succulent pieces impaled on wooden skewers.

“Thank you for waiting for me.”

“Wait. What’s that unsettling red object?”

Arnold’s gaze froze on the fruit. Rishe smiled, holding out one of the skewers. “It’s fruit from Coyolles. I know the color is weird and it looks slimy, but it’s very filling and nutritious. It’s good for you,” she explained, ferrying the fruit to Arnold’s mouth. “Try a bite.”

“Hold on. I can’t get past how it looks.”

“It’s good for you!” Rishe repeated. Arnold’s shapely eyebrows settled into a frown, doubtless catching on she hadn’t mentioned anything about its taste. Eventually, he opened his mouth with great reluctance—just a little, but the vulnerability of the position was palpable.

Still frowning, Arnold chewed awkwardly. Rishe watched him until he was done.

“What do you think? It’s sweeter than it looks and, as I said, it’s very nutritious.”

“…Yeah, nutritious. It tastes nutritious.”

“My, what a sour face.”

Still, Rishe was satisfied. Arnold had a tendency toward overwork, so eating healthy food once in a while would only do him good.

Come to think of it, in my life as an apothecary, I often fed that other prince this fruit, didn’t I?

The prince in her memories, sickly since childhood, had all sorts of medicine forced on him. He was a diligent person at heart, consuming without complaint things others would have rejected on sight.

I was always surprised when he drank the tinctures my master and I prescribed—they tasted so bad. But he endured it for a full year and a half and made a complete recovery.

Good medicine almost never tasted good. Arnold wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, still scowling. “So? What else do you want to look at?”

“Gosh, there’s just so much! That stand’s got—!” Rishe stopped herself and forced a smile. “Uh… The leather goods in that stall are very well made, wouldn’t you say?”

“There’s a town specializing in leathers about a two-day carriage ride away. That’s probably where they’re from.”

“I-I see!” Was her forced smile giving her away?

Did he notice? He didn’t, did he? Aside from the embarrassment of her elaborate outfit, an additional problem was plaguing Rishe: Every muscle in my body is killing me!

She’d been doing her best to ignore it, but she was flagging. She could endure the ever-present dull ache but not the periodic lancing pain. They’d done lower-body conditioning in addition to running in today’s training. Yesterday, they’d only worked their upper bodies—no doubt they’d target different areas at different times. Rishe was aware of the theory that a period of rest was important for successful muscle growth.

Fortunately, she wasn’t feeling much pain in her lower body yet, but a numbness was slowly spreading through her thighs.

I can’t let him catch on. If he realizes my muscles are sore, he’ll want to know why. Lord Lawvine’s training was impressive, though.

Lawvine, joining the day’s instructors, had observed every trainee, offering them each personalized advice.

“You’re very physically capable, but that makes you overconfident. Observe your surroundings carefully and think before you act.”

“You utilize your strength well, which is an impressive feat, but don’t let your proficiencies limit your choices. If there’s a gap between your aspirations and your ability, you and I must come up with a way to bridge that distance.”

Lawvine’s gentle voice and his artlessly sincere way of speaking lent his words persuasive power. It’s obvious he’s guiding every recruit with their futures in mind. And he’s very good at giving compliments. However…

Rishe glanced up at Arnold as he walked beside her.

Prince Arnold is going to murder Lord Lawvine. And in just three years. I have a list of things to investigate, but that incident is my top priority. No matter how skilled an instructor the count is, it’s odd…

Rishe lowered her gaze and considered the strange thought she’d had yesterday. Should she investigate Arnold? He wasn’t necessarily the source of the situation, however. Lawvine didn’t serve Arnold—he served his father, the current emperor. As she dwelled on this, she felt a gaze settle on her.

She glanced up to find Arnold staring. They were no longer walking side by side; Rishe had fallen several steps behind.

Oh no, here comes the leash! She had to catch up before he actually put it to use. Her upper body throbbed, but she could endure.

Before she could run to meet him, Arnold went to her. “I’m still walking too fast, I see.”

“Huh? No, I’m fine, I just…” She rapidly blinked her wide eyes, realizing what he’d said.

Come to think of it, Prince Arnold is walking slower than he usually does.

Thinking about it, there was no way he hadn’t seen through her. He would have noticed her odd behavior from the very beginning. He hadn’t said anything, though, just casually matched her pace.

What is this warm, floaty feeling? Rishe gave a little sigh. This Prince Arnold really is very kind. It’s impossible to imagine him killing someone for something stupid just three years from now.

“I’m fine… Thank you.” Rishe smiled, and Arnold looked away.

Joining his side once more, Rishe quietly made up her mind. I need to learn more about him.

Armed with enough knowledge, she might be able to prevent the tragedy Emperor Arnold Hein would wreak on the future. Rishe let her gaze wander the market while she thought.

As she sidled up to various stalls, she bought fruit that actually tasted good, sampled smoked meat, and nibbled on bread. Arnold glanced at her as if wondering how hungry she could possibly be, but he accompanied her shopping without a hint of annoyance. After they’d seen most of the stands, Arnold took out his pocket watch again.

“Are we running out of time?” Rishe asked.

He put the watch away and said, “No, but we should probably get going. If we stay in one place for too long, Oliver’s underlings might find us.”

“Ah yes, Oliver’s—wait, what?!” Rishe’s eyes bulged, and she almost dropped the pastry she was eating. “Are we hiding from Oliver as well?!”

“Yes.”

Rishe was astounded by his complete lack of guilt. “You say that like it’s a given!”

“I’m finished with my work for the day,” Arnold replied, nonchalant. “My being gone for a while won’t result in a complete breakdown—things aren’t poorly run. Even if something comes up, Oliver can at least buy me time.”

Was that true? Arnold was usually very forthcoming with Oliver. Rishe found herself slightly worried. Did he whisper to me yesterday because he didn’t want Oliver to overhear? But if we’re here for official duties, why wouldn’t he let his attendant know?

A possibility bloomed in Rishe’s mind. What if this secret outing isn’t official at all?

In that case, what were they doing out here? The root of all evil smiled at Rishe’s confusion with amusement. “Come on, let’s go.”

“R-right…”

Rishe had no idea what was going on. There was nothing she could say. She’d lost their duel, and now she was obligated to do as he asked.

Once they’d reached their apparent destination a little ways away from the market, her puzzlement only compounded. On the outskirts of the capital, at the bottom of a staircase leading to a basement of sorts, Rishe faced a door. Its singular sign asked visitors to perform the appropriate number of knocks.

“And this is…?”

“The shop’s proprietress won’t come to the palace even if we summon her,” Arnold said. “I have to come down here myself.”

“Oh, it’s a store? What do they sell?”

Instead of answering, Arnold slowly knocked five times. Rishe couldn’t hear it, but there must have been a response from inside. He opened the door, urging her forward with a glance.

Alert for danger, Rishe stepped inside to find a large wooden counter. The store had wooden flooring as well, with no gaudy decorations or shelves displaying products. Instead, there was a single low table and a few leather couches.

At first glance, it looks modest, but that counter is a single board of rosewood.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Your Highness.”

A cane tapped against the floor as a small old woman with white hair emerged from the back of the store. She wore a soft smile and light makeup, and a man in his mid-twenties supported her as she hobbled along.

The old woman stood before the counter and bowed deeply. “I pray that you are well, Your Highness.”

“There’s no need for such formality. Please rise.”

With Arnold’s permission, she looked back up. Then she turned to Rishe and smiled wider. “What a beautiful young lady. It’s nice to meet you. I am the proprietress of this establishment.”

“Nice to meet you. My name is Rishe Irmgard Weitzner.”

“This is my grandson. Come now, introduce yourself to Lady Rishe.”

The man, who was still bent forward in a bow, raised his head just a bit. His face was deathly pale, his voice and shoulders shaking with apparent fear. He did everything he could to avoid looking at Arnold.

He’s scared of Prince Arnold… Clearly the prince’s bad reputation precedes him. The citizens of his domain heard the most frightening rumors. This man was afraid of the ruler who had committed atrocities on the battlefield and left behind mountains of corpses. Arnold was a hero who had led his country to victory, but his imposing presence naturally elicited fear.

He doesn’t seem bothered by it at all, as usual. Rishe saw no emotion on Arnold’s handsome face.

While Rishe was musing, the old woman smiled wryly. “I’m sorry about him. I was just scolding him for failing to authenticate an item sold at our store.” It was an obvious attempt to cover for her frightened grandson. “In fact, it’s quite difficult. Would you like to give it a try, Lady Rishe?”

“G-Grandmother! You cannot be so rude to His Highness’s companion!”

“Bring me the box.”

The man hesitated, but he followed his grandmother’s instruction and headed into the back of the store. Eventually, he emerged carrying a box covered in red velvet.

“This contains one of your wares?” Rishe asked.

“Yes. Please have a look.”

Rishe watched as the man opened the box on the counter in front of her. Her eyes went wide.

“We are but humble jewelers.”

Inside the box were three beautiful gemstones.

“Which of these gems do you think is a counterfeit item?” the old woman said. “Please think of this as a game. Don’t worry about your answer.”

“Tell her what you think, Rishe.”

At Arnold’s urging, Rishe peered down at the stones. The one on the right was a pale violet color, the one in the middle the light gold of honey water, and the one on the left was a deep red.

They’re all so clear. Delicately cut and beautiful too.

“Well, what do you think?”

Gemstones had been a favorite of Rishe’s when she was a merchant. She’d come across countless gems and learned a lot about them. Thanks to that, she could be candid. “I don’t know.”

The old woman nodded slowly, still smiling. “What a clear answer. Responding honestly without feigning one’s knowledge is a wonderful—”

“Therefore, Ms. Proprietress…” Rishe looked the woman in the eye. “May I borrow a loupe?”

The woman reacted to Rishe’s question with momentary surprise.

“A pincette and a cloth for a good measurement as well, please. And if you don’t mind, could I inspect them near the window where it’s brighter?”

“My, my…” the old woman murmured.

Her grandson offered Rishe the tools with trembling hands. She took them and walked to the window, holding up the pincette. Knowing it was important to control how much strength she exerted, she picked up a gem and—careful to not drop it—held it up to the light.

Looking at them like this, they are just as beautiful. But… The more she inspected them, the more she was sure that her initial impressions were correct.

“These stones are all counterfeit.”

“My word!”

Seeing the shock written all over the pair’s faces, Rishe knew she was right. Arnold alone was smiling, like he’d seen it coming from a mile away.

“I underestimated you, Lade Rishe. You are the first woman I’ve ever known to request appraisal tools rather than simply guessing based on how the gems look.”

“I apologize for borrowing such valuable implements, but it was the bare minimum I required to accurately judge them.”

Returning the instruments to the man, Rishe recalled, I learned this lesson in my life as a merchant. Surface beauty does not indicate authenticity. Rishe looked off into the distance, thinking of an incident when she’d been caught selling fake gems toward the beginning of her career.

“Still, counterfeit or not, these gems truly are beautiful, Ms. Proprietress. They’re very clear and shine just like the real thing.” Rishe returned to the counter and looked down at the jewelry box once more. “I believe that a gem’s authenticity is not everything. They may be fakes, but there are plenty of people who would treasure them all the same.”

All they had was surface beauty, but Rishe was still fond of them. She couldn’t help smiling.

“You…” the old woman said to herself. A moment later, she bowed deeply to Rishe. “I am in awe once more, Lady Rishe. I truly apologize for testing the future crown princess.”

“Huh? Oh, there’s no need for that! Please rise,” Rishe said, flustered. So it had been a test.

Prince Arnold is watching. Is this why he brought me here? What does he want me to do, appraise jewels? He has a shop right here to do that, so that can’t be it. Maybe sales are struggling, and he wants my help? No, that doesn’t seem right either.

As Rishe deliberated, the old woman beamed at her. “My son and his wife operate on a much larger scale; this store is just my personal hobby. I gather gems from around the world and take great pleasure in selecting the clients I sell them to.” Merchants often did this sort of thing, so it made perfect sense to Rishe…until the proprietress said something unexpected. “I would absolutely love to obtain something for you, Lady Rishe.”

Hmm? Rishe wasn’t prepared for that angle. She glanced at Arnold for an explanation, but he’d moved away from the counter to sit in one of the leather chairs. He propped himself up, resting his chin in his hand and looking up at the old woman.

“Spare her your flattery. If you want her as a client, take her order.”

“Very well. I would be delighted.”

The conversation was moving along without her, so Rishe hurriedly cut in. “Umm, Prince Arnold? What exactly is going on here?”

“My, have you not heard what you’re here for, Lady Rishe?” Rishe shook her head. The old woman smiled and said, “His Highness is here to purchase the ring his bride will wear at their wedding.”

“Hwah?” A strange noise flew out of Rishe’s mouth.

Wait a second. A ring… The kind of ring you wear on your finger? Right. That had to be it. This was a jewelry store where they sold exactly that kind of ornament. Wait, what does she mean by bride? Prince Arnold’s bride… His bride is… Rishe’s mind churned. That’s me!

Rishe thought her legs would give out. She whirled on Arnold, but he just wore that same unflappable expression as always. He sat there with his chin in his hand like this was business as usual. That only made Rishe more confused.

Why? Seriously, why?! Are rings a part of marriage ceremonies in Galkhein too? No, that can’t be! Rings worn on your left ring finger only have meaning in my country!

The jeweler’s voice broke through her spinning thoughts. “I haven’t had a customer in a long while now. I’m prepared to give this piece my utmost effort! I need to make a few preparations. Kindly take a seat.”

Rishe did as she was told, sitting down beside Arnold. Timidly, she asked, “Your Highness, umm, what is all this?”

“Are you still confused?”

“Of course I am! I came along with you in secret today because I promised I would fulfill any request! Why are we buying a ring?” She couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

Arnold took out his pocket watch, gazing at it as he answered simply, “My request is that you let me buy you a ring.”

“But why? Wasn’t there anything else you wanted to make me do—I mean, something I never would under ordinary circumstances—that would benefit you?”

“What, is that what you wanted? Did you want me to ask you to do something you wouldn’t like?”

“Well, no, but…!” Maybe she did want that. Rishe had made this bet in the first place to gain insight into Arnold’s true nature and intentions. This only gave her a new set of mysteries to ponder. “You didn’t need to waste your favor on something like this. If there’s some reason you want me to wear a ring, you could have just asked.”

“Listen, you,” Arnold began. Rishe thought she was being perfectly reasonable, but he looked exasperated. “If I just told you, ‘I want to buy you a ring, so pick something you like,’ you’d kick up a huge fuss over it.”

“Ugh.”

“I have a sneaking suspicion you don’t like people buying you things.”

There was nothing she could say to that. Arnold was exactly right; it made her uncomfortable. Hence her current upset.

“Therefore, I have no choice but to make use of opportunities like this. The gems at this store are of the highest quality. Money is no object. Pick whatever you prefer.”

“Y-Your Highness, you shouldn’t spend money without due consideration!”

Arnold had a response ready: “Rishe. Any ring you pay for here will mean an immediate transfer of funds into the castle town.”

Rishe’s shoulders twitched.

“I know you have an interest in business. I have an excess of personal funds and nowhere to spend them. My money isn’t circulating. What do you think of that?”

“W-well, I…!”

Arnold grinned, pressing on. “The proprietress here is very particular about her furnishings, as you can see. If I spend my money here, she may purchase more. In other words, my money will eventually go toward putting food on the table of merchants and skilled craftsmen.”

“Argh…”

“If there’s a gemstone you’d like from abroad, that can be arranged. When people and things move, money moves as well. Or do you disagree?”

Th-this isn’t fair!

Everything Arnold said made sense. People hoarding money without spending spelled tragedy for merchants. No one wanted royals to spend wastefully either, but if they had excess personal funds, then funneling that money to their citizens was ideal.

“Very well. I’ll pick something wholeheartedly, with everything I’ve got!”

“Heh.” Arnold snickered at her declaration.

Just then, the old woman returned from the back of the store, coming over to sit down across from them.

“All right, time to get down to business. The centerpiece of the ring is the gemstone—I took the liberty of selecting a few. There are plenty more in the back, but let’s start with these, shall we?”

Smiling, the old woman showed them her prized collection. When she set down the first jewelry box, Rishe’s breath caught. “How incredible!” Before her was an array of dazzlingly beautiful gemstones. It wasn’t just the color, shape, and cut that caught Rishe’s eye but the variety of stones themselves.

Rishe’s eyes sparkled with wonder. “Is this the famous opal that’s only mined every few years in eastern Halil Rasha?”

“You know of it? Ha ha ha, then you must take a look at this one. A beautiful pink diamond, isn’t it? This aquamarine is another fine piece…”

“Wow!”

It was truly a box of gems in every sense of the word. Arnold didn’t seem the least bit interested, but Rishe couldn’t help her mounting excitement. The contents of the box were incredible, storied pieces worthy of the old woman’s prized collection. But here, Rishe hit upon a problem.

“Oh, this is so much fun! So, Lady Rishe, has anything caught your eye yet?”

Rishe felt a rush of disappointment in the old woman’s question. That’s right. I’m not acquiring these to sell them, I’m looking for a gem for myself.

From that perspective, this was a different task altogether. As a daughter of nobility, she’d chosen gems for herself before, but back then she’d made choices to suit her position as the fiancée of her own country’s crown prince. Now her task was different.

If this is a wedding ring, then I should probably choose a diamond. Emerald would match the color of my eyes, but that’s the jewel of my country’s royal family. It could be seen as offensive. These gems are all so extravagant, King Zahad would love every single one of them… Augh, this is supposed to be for me!

The more she tried, the more her brain got stuck. The fact that every jewel was radiant certainly didn’t help matters. She couldn’t narrow down the list at all—she had no idea what to pick.

Seeing her struggling, the old woman smiled. “Lady Rishe, could I offer you a piece of advice?”

“Please do.” Rishe raised her head to find the old woman watching her with kind eyes.

As if sensing Rishe’s distress, she said, “Choose your favorite gem and wear it proudly. That’s enough to give a girl courage.”

Feeling nervous, Rishe swallowed hard.

“Don’t think of it as a piece of jewelry befitting the crown princess but as your own personal good luck charm. That is the best way to choose treasures. Simply pick something that you like.”

Rishe considered the woman’s words.

“For instance, do you have a favorite color, Lady Rishe?”

“A favorite color…?” An answer immediately leapt to Rishe’s mind. She looked up at Arnold beside her, and their eyes met. He hadn’t been looking at the gems on the table—he’d been looking at her.

His eyes were a beautiful blue. His brother Theodore’s were similar, but Arnold’s were a bit lighter; they always made Rishe think of ice. That color is like the clear water of a frozen sea.

She may have first noticed it when she faced off against him in her life as a knight. Or was it only in this life? She’d looked into those eyes so many times in this last month that she couldn’t remember. But looking up and seeing her reflection there gave her such a strange feeling…

“Do you have a gem that’s the same color as his eyes?” she heard herself ask.

Arnold grunted, eyebrows knitting together. Rishe fervently believed his eyes were the most beautiful color there was. But everyone around her reacted like she’d said something exceedingly strange.

Huh?

“Oh my. Oh my, oh my, oh my,” the old woman hummed.

Wait a second. Did I just say something totally crazy? The blood drained from her face, but there was no taking it back. The joy blooming on the old woman’s face made Rishe realize her blunder.

“No, umm, you’ve got the wrong idea! I’m not being weird, and there’s certainly no hidden meaning to it! I just like the color of Prince Arnold’s eyes, and I’m always thinking about how pretty they are—ack!”

“Oh ho ho, you’re always thinking it, are you? Very well, please wait a moment. If that is what you’d like, I believe I have something for you.”

“Wait, Ms. Proprietress!”

Despite leaning on her cane, the old woman disappeared into the back of the store with surprising speed, leaving Rishe alone with Arnold. He’d been silent for some time now, and Rishe hoped he’d stay that way. She covered her face and hung her head, refusing to look at him.

“Please forget I said all that.”

Arnold had no response.

 

---

 

The experience wasn’t exactly smooth, but Rishe eventually selected a jewel. The “first-class gem” the old woman brought from the back was just what Rishe was looking for. Tension lingered in the air, but Rishe slowly regained her sense of equilibrium. The old woman’s grandson said he would draw up some designs for the ring.

Leaving the store, Rishe and Arnold set off toward their next destination.

“This is a great view. The breeze is cool. Feels nice.”

They stood on top of the walls surrounding the imperial capital. Galkhein’s capital city was itself a fort, boasting fortifications several meters thick. Directly below was the main gate into the city, with carriages coming and going in an endless stream. An enjoyable sight, to be sure, but sunset drew closer with each passing moment.

“Look at that! The sun looks huge, and it’s setting right over the imperial palace!”

“Guess it is.”

“So this is what it looks like from outside…” Normally, Rishe gazed down at the town from the palace; the view from the opposite side was new to her. She didn’t think she’d ever get tired of it.

Suddenly, Arnold asked her, “Why the left ring finger?”

“Huh?”

“You specified that finger when they measured you.”

“That’s…just a tradition, I guess…”

She didn’t wish him to inquire further. Wearing wedding bands on the left ring finger was a given in her home country, but she was embarrassed to admit how quickly she’d decided upon it.

“I could ask the same of you, Your Highness. Any particular reason you wanted to buy me a ring?”

“Not really. It didn’t have to be a ring, but you work with your hands often, don’t you? Mixing medicine or doing chores… You’re always running around doing tasks.”

Now that she thought about it, whenever she worked in front of Arnold, he studied her hands with great interest.

“I like the idea of seeing a piece of jewelry I gave you on those busy little hands of yours.”

“I…” That left her flustered. How could she even respond? After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “In that case, when the ring is finished, you’ll be the first person I show it to.”

“Good.”

That short exchange took a lot out of her. With a sigh, Rishe wondered what time it was.

I’m doing fine, but I wonder about Prince Arnold. He looked at his watch so much today. We’ll probably have to head back soon. No, wait.

Arnold couldn’t have been worrying about returning to the palace.

If so, he would have been checking the time more and more the later it became. But His Highness hasn’t looked at his watch once since we arrived at the main gate.

So, he was no longer concerned about the time.

But he checked it constantly in the market and the jeweler’s shop. Maybe…

Something had been bothering Rishe for the last few days. She took a deep breath and pasted a smile on her face. “Come to think of it, I’ve heard the maids gossiping about Lord Lawvine’s arrival at the imperial palace.”

“Yeah. He’ll be staying for a brief period and assisting with the knight cadets’ instruction.”

“Is that right? He’s a very distinguished individual, and I’d like to pay my respects to him if possible. Whose guest is he, precisely?”

“Mine. Lawvine specializes in training inexperienced fighters.”

“Your Highness.” Rishe stopped smiling and locked eyes with Arnold. “Who are we waiting for up here?”

Arnold stared back at her, nonplussed. “That came out of nowhere.”

“No, I’ve been thinking about it ever since I learned Lord Lawvine was here.”

“Oh?”

“He lords over the northernmost territory of Galkhein—beside the sea, is it not? A crucial area to shore up against any foreign invasion. But no other nations could make a move so long as the brave general Lord Lawvine is there.” Lawvine’s presence served as a bulwark against potential enemies. They were in a time of peace, but just a few years ago, the whole world had been at war. It was too soon for any nation to relax. “And yet…the count has left his territory and traveled the long distance down to the capital. It strains credulity to imagine he would come all this way simply to train some new recruits.”

This was what had been nagging at her—first when she met Lawvine and learned he would be assisting with their instruction, and again when she’d recalled today’s training in the market. Maybe the truth was connected to Arnold’s incessant watch-checking.

For Arnold’s part, he just smiled, as if he was enjoying Rishe’s speculation. His expression made it clear he wouldn’t hide anything, but he wasn’t going to explain it either. “What would you say if I told you there was no deeper meaning? That I simply wanted to meet the man face-to-face? A ruler must meet his vassal in person occasionally, if only to foster deeper loyalty.”

“I would accept that explanation if you weren’t getting married soon. If you simply wanted to see him in person, two months hence would have been a perfect opportunity, no?” She also would’ve found it more believable if someone else had summoned Lawvine, but the Arnold whom Rishe knew would never leave a crucial region unguarded for no reason.

“Why do you think I’m waiting for someone?”

“Because this is the perfect vantage point to see into the town and survey any incoming visitors.”

Arnold hadn’t checked the time since they’d arrived at the gate. In other words, if they simply waited here, his target would come to them. Doubtless the appointed moment was approaching, and his visitor would likely be arriving from outside the gates.

“Just as you surmised, training the new recruits was the public-facing reason for the count’s visit. A pretext for his presence in the capital, along with his entourage.” This was likely a reward for her correct guesses. Despite his exposed intentions, Arnold seemed amused by their exchange. “The other day, I received a letter from a foreign royal. He sent his regrets that he couldn’t attend my wedding, but he wished to arrive early to offer his congratulations. Naturally, I sent a response telling him not to trouble himself.”

It sounded like a typical exchange of pleasantries. “Well, we can talk about how you neglected to mention any of this to me later,” Rishe said. “How did he respond?”

“I got another letter before I even posted my reply. ‘I’d like to congratulate you as soon as possible—I’m heading to you before receiving your response.’”

“He forced your hand before you could turn him away.” That sounded like trouble. “And who exactly sent you this letter?”

“You’ve got an idea, don’t you?”

She did. She’d had one ever since learning Arnold had summoned Lord Lawvine, protector of northern Galkhein.

“Right after I got the letter, I sent a scout up to the northern port town of Ceutena. A week ago, that scout reported the arrival of a ship. Considering the time it would take for a carriage to make it that distance, with a few stops at inns along the way, I calculated that he’d arrive right about now.”

In the market, one of the merchants had mentioned a product arriving in Ceutena aboard a ship a week ago that had just made it to the capital. Arnold was right; goods from the port had just arrived this morning. Wagons carrying food would have been expedited, but a royal entourage would have a slower journey. This would be the time.

Arnold reached out and put Rishe’s hood up, likely with her distinctive hair color in mind. Rishe followed his gaze out beyond the gates to the carriage path extending into the plains. She strained her eyes, trying to see as far as she could.

The design on that carriage is from Coyolles…

A suspicious visit from Coyolles jived with Rishe’s theory—it would be prudent to seek advice from Lord Lawvine, who kept tabs on countries across the sea. Arnold had summoned him to keep the visiting royal in check without ruffling any diplomatic feathers. And there was only one person from Coyolles invited to their wedding ceremony.

“I want to protect this country, Weitzner.” A young man’s voice drifted through her mind. “I’ll do anything it takes. Fortune has allowed me to live this long, and therefore I must shoulder this great task.”

Prince Kyle…

Coming to see Arnold was the eldest prince of the snowy country of Coyolles, a sickly young man with a strong sense of responsibility. Rishe’s patient in her past life as an apothecary.