Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

RISHE BECAME A KNIGHT several months into her sixth loop. At the time, she had trouble narrowing down her career path; she had an endless list of things she wanted to do and be. While she was deliberating, her ship was attacked on her way to an island nation, and she handled the situation with two men who also happened to be on board.

Throughout her lives, Rishe often disguised herself as a man for safety. On top of that, she had the sword skills she’d acquired in her noble life (and which she’d secretly continued practicing), plus several combat skills she’d honed in her fifth life.

It wasn’t so surprising when, after the skirmish, one of the men invited her to join his country’s knights. As it happened, he was the king of Siarga, the very country Rishe had been aimlessly traveling to. After they landed, the other man—who turned out to be the king’s companion—ended up doing all sorts of things to help Rishe out.

“Your room will be down this hall.” He was the knight commander, and he’d been on the ship to guard the king, who—like Rishe—often traveled in disguise. “I didn’t think His Majesty would offer a fellow passenger a knighthood, or that said passenger would go, ‘I’d love to!’ with stars in his eyes.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my policy to make whatever ridiculous ideas my king has a reality. Knights are normally two to a room, so I’ve assigned you to bunk with Joel. He doesn’t tend to show much interest in other people, so I don’t think you’ve got much to worry about.”

As it turned out, the knight commander had been quick to realize that Rishe was a woman—and he’d been the only one. He chose Joel as her roommate because she wouldn’t have to worry about him finding out her secret.

Rishe, meanwhile, was blissfully unaware that her secret was out. As she walked down the hall, she asked the commander, “Has Joel always had his own room?”

“No. He’s been out of the country, and he only just returned recently. The room assignments shifted while he was in Galkhein for a few months on a mission.”

“Galkhein…” Rishe muttered, and the commander flashed her a good-natured smile.

“If nothing else, Joel’s sword skills are the real deal. He’s always been the youngest one here, so as his first junior knight, I hope you can learn some things from him.”

“Yes, sir! I’m looking forward to…” Rishe answered enthusiastically at first, but her head whipped toward the commander when she finally parsed his words. “Um, sir, what do you mean by ‘if nothing else’?”

“Don’t worry. He really doesn’t let much bother him. You seem like you’ve got a lot going on, so he’ll be the perfect roommate for you. Isn’t that great?”

“I-I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”

“Well, this is you!”

The moment the door opened, Rishe’s eyes flew just as wide. The person inside, not quite a boy but not yet a man, lay on the stone floor with his eyes closed.

Rishe dashed over to him right away. “Excuse me! Are you all right?!” The frail-looking fellow with curly red hair was completely limp. “Please respond if you can hear my voice! Are you hurt?”

“Mmn…” He opened his eyes just a tad, patting the floor and grumbling, “Ngh… This bed is so hard…”

“Huh?”

“Lucius.” After addressing Rishe by her pseudonym, the commander said apologetically, “I apologize for the fright, but he’s only sleeping. Get used to this. I’m sure you’ll be seeing it every day from now on.”

“Pardon?!”

“It’ll really help having you here. I hope you’ll take good care of Joel for us!”

“…”

The reason Rishe hadn’t been too surprised the first time she’d caught Theodore napping in her field was because of the “training” she’d received in her sixth life from Joel.

Her roommate was infamous as someone who could do nothing but wield a sword—or rather, who chose to do nothing but wield a sword. That much was clear from the very beginning. Everything about Rishe, especially the way she’d joined the knights, was abnormal—yet when Joel finally woke up and the two got to talking, their exchange went as follows:

“It’s nice to meet you, Joel. You might think it strange that I joined the knights so suddenly and that I’m rooming with you, but I promise you I’m no one suspicious. My name is Lucius Alcott.”

“Whatever. That’s fine.”

“Huh?”

Showing no interest in her whatsoever, Joel yawned and said, “You don’t have to introduce yourself to me. It’s not like I’m gonna remember your name. Any time I’d spend with you, I’d rather spend sleeping or playing with a sword.” His deep-set eyes drooped with drowsiness, long lashes casting shadows from above. “You can do whatever you want. Just don’t get in the way of my sleep, yeah?”

“Um, Joel, I think it’s time for dinner soon!”

“Don’t need it. In fact, you don’t even need to talk to me. Let’s have nothing to do with one another, shall we?”

“But we’re sure to fight together on the same battlefields from now on…”

Joel glanced at Rishe before telling her, “Nah, I’ll never fight ‘together’ with anyone.” He was as sleepy as always, but for just a second, there was a sharp glint in his eyes. “I’ll only get weaker if I do something like that. You should be alone when you fight. If you spend too much time worrying about other people, you’ll die too easily when you’re finally in a real battle.”

Rishe blinked in surprise, but the light in Joel’s eyes vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.

“If the commander’s finally back, I should go get him to spar with me, though.” With another yawn, he left the room.

Now that Rishe was alone, she thought, Does he really do nothing other than sleep and practice the sword? She picked up Joel’s blanket, patted the dust off, and folded it neatly.

The commander said he wasn’t on night watch or anything yesterday. If his sleep is irregular and he’s not eating meals either, then maybe… Rishe wasn’t comfortable leaving such a person alone since she’d once been an apothecary. He doesn’t want anything to do with me, but the commander asked me to look after him. I suppose I don’t even need to think about whose request I should honor.

Thus began Rishe’s struggle as Joel’s roommate and the only knight younger than him. Her first task was to wake him up at the same time every day so that he was able to get up in the morning without issue.

“Good morning, Joel!” She climbed the ladder next to the bed and shook Joel’s shoulder up on the top bunk. “We’ve got training again this morning. The commander said attendance is mandatory!”

“Nope. Not getting up. Don’t need training…”

“Oh well. Then I’ll just have to make sure you get some sunlight for thirty minutes every morning. Okay, I’m opening the curtains!”

“Ugh… So bright!”

After repeating this several times, she was finally able to have something like a real conversation with him instead of the sleep-talking he’d been doing up until then. At that point, Rishe could move to the next stage of her plan.

“Good morning, Joel! I don’t suppose I could interest you in a sparring match this morning, could I?”

“You wanna spar…?”

“Oh, you’re awake! That’s a new record! All right, I’ll go with this strategy from now on.”

“Y’know, you fight more like a mercenary than a knight. Or maybe an archer. It’s no fun to spar against people who rely on stuff other than swordplay. I’m going back to sleep…”

“Aah! Oh, think of it as an investment for the future, then! I promise I’ll improve with a sword, so please give me some lessons so I can get better!”

By appealing to Joel’s love of swordplay, Rishe was able to get him out of bed one out of every four times. Moreover, by training with the “genius swordsman” Joel, Rishe’s skills improved by the day.

“Listen to this, Joel! Thanks to your advice, I was able to beat ten people in training today!”

“Oh yeah?”

Sitting with Rishe at a table in the mess hall, Joel broke the meat in his stew into smaller pieces with his spoon. He was spending more time awake lately, and when Rishe dragged him there with both hands, he would obediently follow her to the mess hall for mealtimes.

“I don’t really care who you win or lose to, though.”

“Urk! I-I suppose you wouldn’t…”

“But, I guess…” He peered at her with his brown eyes. “Uh, Lushe? Ricius? Uh, what was it?”

“Are you actually trying to remember my name?!”

When they first met, he had told her not to bother introducing herself because he didn’t intend to remember it. Now, he thought about it for a moment and said, “You’ve gotten decently strong lately, haven’t you?”

Rishe could only gasp in response.

After that, she spent more and more time with Joel, but his love of sleep was just as deep-rooted as his love of swordsmanship.

“Good morning, Joel! You’ve been able to get up in the morning a lot lately. It’s great progress! I think it’s time to join in on the training!”

“Don’t need it. Not going. You can go by yourself, Lucas.”

“Oh, you’re so close!”

Most of her mornings ended up like this. After a year of ­living together, however, Joel started acting more and more like a mentor to her. In fact, he seemed to have really taken a liking to the word.

“I’m your mentor, so I’ll teach you something nobody else will. You know, since I’m your mentor.”

Of course, this also led to a lot of the older knights teasing Joel for finally acknowledging that there was a new recruit.

“When you want to skip one of the commander’s lectures, there are two ways to sneak out: one is through these hedges and the other is through the aqueduct out back. I should really keep this a secret from everyone, but since I’m your mentor and all…”

“Th-thank you, Joel. I don’t imagine I’ll ever have a reason to use them, but I’m grateful.”

“In exchange, you can wake me up when I pass out during lessons.”

“Of course! That’s my job as your junior!” Rishe said sincerely, standing up straight.

Joel grinned and chuckled in response. “Hee hee. You’re a pretty cute one too.”

I’m not really sure why, but Joel’s in a great mood.

Slowly but surely, Joel took his role as Rishe’s mentor more seriously. He was the youngest son of a noble house, and since joining the knights, he’d been their youngest member—that is, up until Rishe came along. At some point, he started calling her “Lu” for the simple reason that saying Lucius every time was a pain. Yet along with the nickname, he started looking out for Rishe more now that he could take on some responsibility for the first time in his life.

“Why the long face? Stick your nose into something annoying again? Ugh, what a pain… But I don’t want you missing out on morning training, so I’ll help you.”

On another occasion, she told him she’d been invited to a party with another squad, so she was going to stay the night in a different room—and for some reason, he was awfully worried about her.

“No. No matter how late your return, you must sleep here. It’s too dangerous to stay somewhere else.”

“Dangerous? Aren’t you worried I’ll disturb your sleep when I arrive in the middle of the night?”

“Either way, you have to come back. If you don’t…there won’t be anyone to wake me up in the morning.”

I can’t believe he’s more worried about me than his sleep!

Rishe was concerned at the time that he may have found out somehow that she was a woman. Wouldn’t he treat me at least a little differently if that were the case, though?

“What’s your answer, Lu?”

“O-oh, yes! I hear you loud and clear!”

Their first year together passed in this way, with Rishe stressing out that she’d been discovered every once in a while but convincing herself otherwise.

“What are you eating, Lu? You got so wrapped up in training that the mess hall closed? Hold on, that’s still no reason to eat nothing but a boiled potato with some salt. Haah… Oh well, I’ll just make you something. Come here.”

Sometimes he’d beckon her over like so and cook her a meal from scratch.

“They chose you for the next expedition? Maybe I’ll go too. I mean, if you’re not here, I won’t be able to get out of bed in the morning.”

Other times, he showed great appreciation for her as a morning wake-up device.

“Even if the room assignments change, you’ve always gotta bunk with me, Lu. I get someone to wake me up so I’m not late for training, and you get sword lessons from me every so often. It’s not a bad trade-off, right?”

“Right! If possible, I’d love for you to teach me every day instead of just every so often, though!”

“What? No. That’s too much work.”

“Come on, Joel!”

Eventually, Rishe reached the second year of her sixth loop, and one day, Joel sleepily said to her, “You know how you mentioned Galkhein’s movements seemed suspicious lately, Lu? It turns out you were right.”

His expression seemed slightly more melancholic than usual.

“Galkhein’s crown prince has killed his father and usurped the throne.”

Back then, all Rishe could think was, So this life won’t be any different.

 

---

 

“I’m back, Prince Arnold.”

When Rishe arrived at the royal villa, she skipped unpacking and headed straight for Arnold’s office to give him an update.

“I finished treating the women who were being held captive on the ship. I left them in the care of a local doctor. I believe we’ll be able to question them tomorrow.”

“Got it.”

Oliver chimed in, “I’m so sorry you have to accompany my lord into such danger. I’m always telling him to stop leaving his guards behind and taking matters into his own hands…”

“P-perish the thought, Oliver…”

Arnold was paying his attendant no heed, but the man was making Rishe’s ears burn.

“Thank you for seeing to the women’s first aid as well.”

“Of course! I’m glad that the herbs I just happened to have on hand were effective in treating their conditions.”

There was nothing coincidental about the medicines she’d brought with her, but she kept that to herself.

She quickly wiped the smile from her face and told Arnold, “I was only able to hear bits and pieces from them, but the situation seems clear enough. I think it’s safe to say we encountered pirates engaging in human trafficking.” Staring straight into Arnold’s blue eyes, Rishe added, “But you knew from the start that such incidents were occurring in this area, didn’t you, Your Highness?”

Arnold didn’t respond. Rishe hoped that her act—that is, that she’d only just noticed it now—was convincing. She’d previously deceived all sorts of people as part of her business dealings when she was a merchant, but Arnold was the only one she had no confidence in lying to.

I knew his business here from the beginning, Rishe thought as she stared into his eyes. After all, I was going to investigate the slave trade too.

It was why she’d chosen an artisan from Bezzetoria to finish her wedding dress and why she’d chosen a certain thread for the embroidery despite knowing it would be hard to procure. It was all to arrange a visit to Bezzetoria at this time without arousing Arnold’s suspicions.

Rishe had a crucial objective she had to fulfill. I need to stop the slave trade before the weapon falls into Prince Arnold’s hands.

Arnold sighed, his chin propped up in his hand. “I received a response to our wedding invitation from Siarga a few days ago—along with a note about their ships being attacked in our waters and their citizens being abducted.”

It was exactly as she’d heard in her sixth life. Right around this time, the pirates were giving Siarga serious trouble.

“According to their own investigation, they thought it highly likely that their stolen goods were being sold in Galkhein. Rather than recovering the goods and money, however, their primary request was aid in rescuing their abducted citizens.”

“And you determined the pirates were using Bezzetoria as their place of business.”

“It is easier to trace stolen goods if they’re sold in smaller markets. Bezzetoria seemed the likeliest place to unload goods straight from their ships.”

Rishe knew it was happening in Bezzetoria because she’d heard about it from Joel in her sixth life. Yet Arnold had used nothing more than his own judgment to accurately predict where he’d find the offending pirates.

“I don’t care what sort of criminal activity goes on in Siarga, but pirates are a different matter. They’re not bound by the sea to one country alone.”

“True, you have no idea when the pirates menacing Siarga’s seas may strike here as well. It appears they’re already using Galkhein to sell their pilfered merchandise and kidnapped victims.” Rishe hung her head and clutched at her dress.

That’s how the weapon from Siarga makes its way to Galkhein. Prince Arnold only uses it in his war in the future because the pirates sold it here.

There was one more thing Rishe wanted to ascertain, so she asked, “Are you keeping this a secret from your father as well?”

“It’ll just become a bigger problem if he hears about it. I can guess how that man will react to most things.”

That’s why a “pre-wedding getaway” with me was the perfect excuse for Prince Arnold to visit Bezzetoria.

Rishe wanted to prevent Arnold’s war, but her desire to stop the pirates and their human trafficking was just as strong. She also knew a lot about Joel from her sixth life.

“Please allow me to assist you, Your Highness.” Her determination renewed, she begged to help him out once more.

Arnold sighed. “Come now, Rishe…”

“I’m sorry. I know it’s sly of me to ask when you can’t dismiss my requests outright.”

Oliver glanced at Arnold, who cast his eyes down. At length, the prince said, “Very well.”

“Oh! Thank you, Your Highness!” Rishe’s face lit up, though she apologized to Arnold once more in her heart.

My goal is to prevent you from achieving yours… The war, that is.

Rishe was essentially working against him. She endeavored to make things harder for him, all while keeping her cards close to her chest. If he knew the truth, he would never allow her to have her way.

In a sense, this is a betrayal. I have to at least do what I can to help him as much as possible in other matters, she thought as Oliver made his way to Arnold’s side.

“If that is the case, my lord, what do you wish to do with the Imperial Guards looking after the women?”

“There are likely more victims to locate. I’ll reconsider the guards’ assignments.”

Before Arnold fully returned to work, Rishe raised her hand to get his attention. “Do you mind if I give that, um…fluffy-haired, sleepy-looking fellow a little examination, then?”

The women on the ship had been entrusted to several local doctors. Joel alone had been brought to this villa, since Arnold determined he would have to question him separately. Though meeting Joel was a reunion for Rishe, in this life, she wasn’t supposed to know his name yet. Unsure of what to call him for now, she’d settled on the characteristics that came to mind—but her request had Arnold scowling.

“You wish to examine him?”

“Yes. He should be waking up soon. Won’t it help your investigation if you hear what he has to say sooner than later?”

Arnold silently stood and approached Rishe, who was tilting her head quizzically. “Fine. But…”

“Hm?”

Arnold brushed Rishe’s coral-colored hair. “I want you to be careful.”

“Eep!” Rishe yelped at the intimate gesture, then slapped her hands over her mouth. She met Arnold’s gaze, her face aflame.

“I’ll head there after I finish assigning the guards to their new posts.”

“Y-you don’t need to! I know you’re busy, Your Highness! That man is… Well, he didn’t seem to be a bad person! Yes, um, he seemed kind! And gentle!”

“…”

I suppose Joel must have seemed awfully suspicious to Prince Arnold.

“I’m coming too,” Arnold reiterated, making sure Rishe understood.

“Urgh…”

He was worried about her—and it made her happy, which confounded her.

“Very well! I’ll…I’ll meet you there, then!”

Oliver smiled warmly at her. “Please do be careful, Lady Rishe.”

“I appreciate your concern, Oliver!”

With that, Rishe hurried out of the third-story room and descended all the way to the first floor. Keep your cool, Rishe! Seriously, why does Prince Arnold touch my hair so much?! Ugh… I know he has no ulterior motive, but c’mon! She shook her head as she trotted down the stairs. Pull yourself together! You need to focus on Joel right now.

Rishe arrived in front of the guest room and called out, “Pardon me! Are you awake?”

Then she knocked, but there was no response. She gently pushed the door open, slipped inside without closing it, and ­approached the bed. The tools she’d used to treat Joel were still laid out on the bedside table.

Joel was sound asleep. She studied him, thinking, What an awfully familiar sleeping face.

His fluffy red hair and pale skin. The long eyelashes women envied. His delicate facial features. Observing him as he slept, Rishe felt like she was seeing a friend after just a few months apart and reuniting with one from ages past at the same time.

I feel like my sixth life was just a short time ago, but there’s also a stark divide between it and my current life.

Rishe could remember her past lives with perfect clarity, but they existed outside a sort of see-through barrier from her present life. It was like reflecting on a dream she’d just been having after waking up in bed.

 

A string of memories from her sixth life rose to the surface of her mind. The events had occurred shortly after Arnold declared war on several countries.

“It’s been only two years since Arnold Hein slew his father and usurped the throne. I can’t believe he’s already restructured enough to declare war on other countries,” the king said to his knights, his tense expression lacking its usual cheer.

The commander at his side looked just as dour. “We’ve been busy with our own preparations for these last two years. And I imagine we still have some more time before Galkhein invades us.”

With a sigh, the king replied, “Don’t worry. Siarga is an island nation. Galkhein will have to solve their troops’ supply problem before they come to conquer. Up until now, they’ve only waged war on their own continent, so they should be unseasoned at naval warfare.”

“But, Your Majesty…”

“Prepare our forces. We will ally with Halil Rasha to take Galkhein down. If we come at them from the land and sea, we’ll have a solid chance at victory.”

His line of thought would prove to be naive, however. Siarga formed its alliance and set sail for war with Galkhein, fully prepared—but it would soon taste defeat.

“Urgent report, Your Majesty!” a messenger shouted, face pale. “Enemy ships spotted at sea! Judging from their eagle flag, they appear to be Galkhein’s!”

“That can’t be!”

No one could believe the sight greeting them from the shore.

“What is Galkhein doing with those warships?!”

Arnold Hein’s war of conquest adapted to the state of the world in each of Rishe’s lives. Not even Rishe, who had memories of his past invasions, could predict the speed with which he’d crossed the sea in her sixth loop.

Rishe hazily thought back to the final day of her sixth life.

“Evacuate His Highness and his family, quickly!”

“Our light, our lord! Protect him with your life! Get them out or die trying!”

The bodies of her fallen comrades littered the ground around her.

They’re all dead…

The good-natured king who’d invited Rishe to join his knights had died before her eyes while protecting his children. As the young royals cried over the loss of their mother and father, the knight commander who’d spent countless hours training Rishe and the other knights died protecting them as well.

As an island nation that had long competed with other countries over resources, Siarga was considered relatively powerful as a fighting force. Yet even they hadn’t been able to put up a fight against Arnold Hein’s army.

Rishe fought desperately to keep the children safe. They had fled through one of the “shortcuts” Joel once showed her, and which she now stood in front of.

I don’t mind dying here. What happens to us doesn’t matter. We just need to buy more time for the children to escape, whether it’s a minute or a single second!

 

Joel had been the only one able to put up a fight against Arnold Hein and his forces. Yet Emperor Arnold Hein killed him while he was protecting me.

She had witnessed Arnold’s sword rip Joel from gut to gullet.

Joel smiled so kindly when he saw I was safe…even though I was killed too just a moment later, when Prince Arnold’s sword pierced my chest.

Now, in her seventh life, Rishe was Arnold’s fiancée. She could hardly describe how it felt to gaze upon the sleeping Joel, just as she had so many times before in these new circumstances.

“Mm…” Joel stirred and slowly opened his eyes.

Rishe straightened up and greeted him very differently than she would have in her previous life. “Good morning, Sir Swordsman.”

After a few sleepy blinks, those golden eyes—brown at first glance—settled on Rishe.

“I wanted to thank you for what you did on the ship. They drugged you, yet you fought to protect the women there.”

Joel rose and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the back of his hand.

“I apologize for forcing you to take up arms in that situation, but I assumed you had some skill with a blade due to the calluses on your hands.” Rishe curtsied. “My name is Rishe Irmgard Weitzner.”

As Joel stared wordlessly at her, she thought, I’m keen to introduce myself, but I doubt Joel has any interest in me. He didn’t care one whit when we first met in my sixth life.

His next words shocked her, however.

“One more time?”

“Huh?”

Joel took Rishe by the wrist. Blinking in surprise, she assessed his features. His pale arms were slender, but his bone structure and hard muscles were plenty masculine.

“Your name. Tell me one more time?” His sleepy voice sounded almost needling. Rishe had heard him use this tone plenty of times in her sixth life.

Taken aback, she stammered, “I-It’s Rishe Irmgard Weitzner.”

“Rishe…Rishe, Rishe…” Still holding her wrist, Joel repeated her name to commit it to memory.

She’d used a fake name in her sixth life, so Joel had never called her Rishe before. Even more puzzling was how it had taken so much effort to get him to remember her name in her last life, yet he spoke it so easily now.

“Hey, Rishe…want to play with me?”

“What?! Um…”

“Even after you left the cabin, I could hear how you fought just by listening to your footsteps. Those light, girlish steps were yours, weren’t they?” Curious, Joel looked her over. “It’s strange, but…it sounded like you fight the way I do.”

He could tell that just from my footsteps, without even seeing me?

In her sixth life, Rishe had further refined the swordsmanship she’d learned in her time as a noble lady. Joel’s technique, which focused not on strength but on agility and flexibility, had influenced her style considerably. And it seemed Joel had noticed from merely listening to her footwork through a door.

“So…” His tone was pleading and predatory all at once. “Let’s play around and find out who could kill whom.”

Rishe flinched, alarmed by Joel’s lower-than-normal voice.

Joel had zero interest in me when we first met in my sixth life. Rishe gulped. This life is different. I’ve piqued the interest of a man whose only concerns are sleeping and swordfighting…

In a way, this was a mistake.

Rishe tried to retract her wrist. “Um, Sir Swordsman…before we go any further, would you tell me your name and position?”

“Do we need my details in order to fight?” Joel frowned ­sleepily. “Joel Milca Roivas. I’m a knight of Siarga.”

“Sir Joel, then.” She could finally call him by name. Careful not to address him too casually, she went on, “I apologize, but I cannot accept your invitation.”

Peevishness crept into his gaze. “Why not? I told you my name.”

“Well, because…” Rishe shook off Joel’s grip using one of her self-defense techniques. She peeled his fingers away with her free hand, twisted her wrist to escape, and gave him a light tap on the shoulder.

“Whoa…” That simple tap sent Joel sinking onto the bed, pressing a hand to his eyes with a groan. “Sp-spinning… Everything’s spinning…”

“Those pirates drugged you, did they not? I implore you to rest. The drug is still in your system.”

Rishe watched him for a moment. From what I heard in my sixth life, Joel went undercover in Galkhein and met Prince Arnold after rescuing the abducted women.

She had begged him to talk about it before bed on numerous occasions because she wanted to know more about Galkhein. She recalled her many nights spent imagining Galkhein as she listened to Joel from the bunk under his.

“I’m shocked you actually managed to stop yourself from attacking Arnold Hein, Joel.”

“You really think I’d be able to do that? Of course I attacked him.”

“You did?!”

“Heh heh heh…”

“Uh, that’s not something to be proud of, Joel!”

In response, Joel had whispered, “But…he didn’t even draw his sword.”

With that exchange in mind, Rishe fixed Joel with a somber look and sighed. “There’s something I should tell you, Sir Joel. That gentleman with the black hair back on the ship was Galkhein’s crown prince, His Highness Arnold Hein.”

“He was?” Just as she suspected, this piqued Joel’s interest. His gold eyes narrowed; perhaps he was trying to picture Arnold. “No wonder I found him so formidable just from hearing his footsteps. That’s the man who won so many battles all on his own…”

“Sir Joel.” Just as she had in her sixth life, Rishe told Joel, “You absolutely must not draw your sword on Prince Arnold.”

“Why not?”

“Attacking him is out of the question as well.”

“Why?”

“How many reasons would you like me to list?!”

Joel pursed his lips, unwilling to accept her words. “It’s not like I need your permission,” he grumbled.

If we were meeting for the first time in my sixth life right now, I would probably be lost. Thankfully, I think I know how to deal with him.

Ultimately, the knight commander had conceded that Lucius was the only one who could bring Joel under any sort of control. Rishe knew exactly what to say to pique Joel’s interest.

“Fine. If you won’t play with me, then I’ll go find Prince Arnold.”

“Say, Sir Joel?” Rishe smiled as Joel attempted to sit up in bed again. “Would you like me to help you negotiate a bout with Prince Arnold?”

She could practically see Joel’s ears perk up like a dog’s. “Negotiate a bout?” he repeated, sleepy eyes shimmering.

“I imagine a fair fight would be more fun for you than taking him by surprise, would it not?”

“A fair fight…” Joel sat up slowly, eyeing Rishe from the edge of the bed. “I wanna do it.”

“Hee hee. I had a feeling you’d say that.”

Now Joel was much more receptive to what Rishe had to say. She apologized to him in her heart. I’m sorry, Joel. All I promised was that I would help you negotiate with him. I didn’t promise you a bout. It’s the standard tactic of a slimy merchant, but this is all for your sake!

It hurt her to manipulate him, but she couldn’t very well have him leap headfirst into a diplomatic incident with Arnold. Everything seemed to work out fine in her sixth life, but it wouldn’t necessarily be the same this time around.

“In exchange for my negotiating with Prince Arnold, would you care to help us out a little as well?”

“How so?”

“It seems Prince Arnold actually received a letter from the king of Siarga. I’m guessing you’re here from Siarga to investigate the pirates’ human trafficking operation.”

Joel narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Come to think of it…what are you, anyway?”

“What do you mean by that, exactly?”

“Well, you’re all…fluffy, like pink candy, but you jumped onto the ship and then fought the pirates with those spindly arms of yours.” Joel stood and padded toward Rishe on bare feet. “You’re a girl, but you’re a knight of Galkhein? And you can negotiate with Prince Arnold directly? That’s so weird.”

“Sir Joel, you’ll get dizzy again if you move like that…”

“On the ship, Prince Arnold stood in front of you, like he was trying to protect you from me.” Joel leaned in close and peered into Rishe’s face as if attempting to see through to her soul. “What are you to him?”

“I’m…”

Rishe had caught a second set of footsteps approaching her from behind, but she could never have predicted the emergency situation that unfurled a moment later.

“Whoa!”

The man standing behind her—Arnold—had lifted her into the air. She grabbed onto his shoulder for support but immediately regretted touching him. The more their bodies pressed together, the harder her heart pounded. She caught Arnold shooting a glare of intense displeasure Joel’s way.

“She’s my wife.”

“A-as yet, we are engaged and nothing more!” Rishe squeaked out as her face flushed crimson.

Joel frowned suspiciously before pointing at Rishe. “So I should call you…Her Highness?”

“I said we’re only engaged!” Rishe tried to explain even as her insides buzzed with panic. After all, she was right next to the man she now knew she loved—and he was carrying her like she weighed nothing.

I can’t breathe when I’m this close to him!

While she could still speak, she pleaded quietly, “Y-Your Highness, please!”

He said nothing in response, but her plea must have gotten through to him. Arnold knelt, one hand on Rishe’s back. He could have just let go of her, but of course he had to let her down gently.

“You’re not hurt?” Arnold asked, concerned.

He must have seen Joel closing in on me and whisked me away as fast as he could. That’s why he picked me up…

Scooping her up like that had been bad for her heart, but he’d done it with her safety in mind.

Rishe nodded. “I-I’m fine!” she assured him. “He may not look it, but he’s quite the gentleman, I promise! I was in no danger! None at all! He was very kind, and I was very safe, so I’m all right!”

Arnold narrowed his eyes, a long silence passing between them. Buckling under the pressure of those ocean-blue eyes, Rishe averted hers and stammered, “His…his name is Sir Joel, and he’s a knight of Siarga, just as we expected.”

The prince remained silent.

He couldn’t care less…

Meanwhile, Joel observed Arnold, boldly staring straight at him. Then his gaze suddenly flicked to her. “Hey…so, about that negotiation?”

“Negotiation?” Arnold said, glaring harder.

Rishe frantically waved it off. “W-we can discuss that another time!” If she asked now and he said no, it would be difficult to get Joel to help them again. “More importantly, Sir Joel, your complexion is awful!”

Joel had always been pale, but he was practically blue right now. He put a hand to his forehead, as if hearing it from Rishe had reminded him of his current condition. “If I relax for a ­second, everything spins… I feel sick…”

“Are you all right?!”

As Joel crumpled to the floor, Arnold didn’t so much as spare him a glance. “Seems like he won’t be much use right now even if he’s awake. Rishe, I’m heading back upstairs.”

“O-one moment. I’ll get Sir Joel off the floor and back into bed.”

Arnold sighed and held up a hand to stop her. He grabbed Joel’s arm in her stead. “Stand up.”

Prince Arnold is helping someone? Rishe was shocked. Though he was a kind person at heart, he tended to play the part of a villain; any acts of altruism were rare.

Joel groaned, lifting his head to stare up at Arnold. For a second, his golden eyes seemed to have slit pupils like a cat’s. “I can tell you don’t waste movement even when you’re just taking a step forward.”

It was equally impressive that Joel could sense Arnold’s caliber as a fighter.

“If you invaded our country, I bet you could slaughter every single one of us, me included.”

Arnold showed no interest in the matter. He removed his hand from Joel’s arm and gave him a light shove toward the bed. Joel stumbled backward and sat down, then took a deep breath.

“Hey, Princess.”

Come on, Joel… An amused grin played on his lips. In my sixth life, Joel looked out for me as a mentor. But we can’t have that sort of relationship in this life. Seeing him through the eyes of Prince Arnold’s fiancée, I didn’t think he would appear so fragile.

One’s relationships changed depending on their position. This fact surprised her in all her loops, especially when she ­reunited with a familiar face from a previous loop. The Joel in front of her now was the mentor she knew well; at the same time, he was a foreign knight she was newly acquainted with.

“You promise about the negotiation, right? You promise…” Joel fell back onto the bed. He was snoring softly in no time at all.

Arnold was sharp enough to notice Rishe’s nerves. “Rishe.”

She sighed and met his gaze. “We’ll discuss the matter of the negotiation later. Shall we return upstairs for now?”

The prince paused a moment. “Sure.”

Thank goodness… She was relieved that he had agreed to put a pin in the discussion for now. Still, she couldn’t relax completely.

I need to focus. My goal in coming here is to solve the abductions using Joel’s information. Considering Prince Arnold’s skills, I’m sure we’ll be able to resolve everything easily enough, but…I can’t simply rely on him.

Watching Arnold’s broad back as he planted one foot in front of the other, Rishe reminded herself, This incident is what causes Siarga’s information leak. And when Prince Arnold gets his hands on the intel, it becomes a powerful weapon in his future invasion…

Rishe could never forget what she’d seen in her sixth life: the countless ships appearing from beyond the horizon on a jet-black sea.

“What is Galkhein doing with those warships?!”

They were one of the powerful tools Arnold’s army wielded.

Those ships were a state secret of Siarga. Ships that excelled at both naval warfare and long-distance travel. Rishe found herself gripping her dress in tight fists. Siargan engineers abducted by the pirates brought their techniques to Galkhein. As a result, Galkhein gained the ability to invade countries across the sea.

I must prevent Prince Arnold from obtaining ships he could use to wage his war.

That was Rishe’s goal in coming to this town.

 

---

 

The waterways flowing through Bezzetoria were the same blue as the sea. Clad in a light dress for an outing, Rishe viewed the clear water below the bridge she stood on, her eyes twinkling and her heart swelling at the faint scent of the sea breeze.

“Look, Prince Arnold! Fish!”

“So there are.” Walking beside her, Arnold dispassionately affirmed her sighting. When Rishe leaned over the handrail for a better vantage point, however, he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Whoa!”

“Don’t lean out so far.” When Rishe met his eyes—thereby realizing that their faces were entirely too close for comfort—he went on, again without a trace of feeling, “It’s windy. You’re so light, I can just picture a gust of wind knocking you clear off the bridge.”

“Huh?! I can assure you that would not happen!”

“Heh.” Arnold squinted with mirth at her hasty assurance. The slight smile on his face just caused her heart to hammer even harder.

“Um, Prince Arnold…”

“What is it?”

Rishe glanced around awkwardly. “Will this serve to show the citizens how close we are, as Oliver suggested?”

Arnold scanned the area as well, though he seemed more annoyed than anxious. In addition to Rishe and Arnold, a group of Imperial Guards stood atop the bridge, shadowing them from a slight distance. Curious townspeople who had heard rumors of their presence peeked from behind them. With the knights keeping the citizens at bay, Rishe could just barely make out their expressions, but they smiled as they watched over the royal couple.

Earlier, when Rishe and Arnold had returned from Joel’s guest room, Oliver had said to them, “You want to continue your strategy meeting? Ha ha ha. What are you saying?”

They did not immediately dignify his comment with a response.

“You’re here on a pre-wedding getaway, or had you forgotten? You should be spending time out on the town and showing the citizens your close-knit bond!”

“I-I beg your pardon, Oliver?”

“Otherwise, it would be unnatural for you to be away from the imperial capital so soon before the ceremony. If you wish to discuss strategy, why not do so on the way to the dressmaker’s?”

“But we plan to go tomorrow!”

“Then I suppose you’ll just have to take a stroll along the waterways. I implore you to show the good citizens how harmonious the future emperor and empress’s relationship is. Well, you’d best be off now!”

“Wait, huh?!”

“…”

Thus, they’d been summarily forced out on the town.

Arnold frowned, perhaps remembering the same exchange. “Just ignore Oliver. He’d find a way to spin whatever story he wanted even if we never set foot outside.”

He doesn’t make a point of it, but he really does trust Oliver.

She peeked over at the onlookers again, who were still watching them with warm smiles. It made her feel unbearably awkward, so she looked out at the canal instead.

I know it’s my job as his fiancée to have a good relationship with His Highness. I know that, but… She couldn’t help worrying. Isn’t this technically an abuse of my position?! After all, she’d only been chosen as his fiancée because of Arnold’s mysterious ulterior motive. I even made him kiss me for my birthday using the wedding as an excuse. I can’t help feeling guilty over this closeness now that I know I’m in love with him…

Arnold gave her a quizzical look while she stewed in her discomfort, then appeared to realize something. “Oh, right.”

“What is it, Your Highness?”

His large hand gently wrapped around hers.

“Eep…”

Chatter rippled through the faraway onlookers.

Arnold guided Rishe’s hand to his sleeve, allowing her to grip it. Rishe stared up at him in surprise, and he turned his soft gaze on her. “Will this suffice for your ‘training’?”

Rishe flinched at his gentle tone. He’d taken her hand after letting it go when the fight broke out on the ship as well. It didn’t mean anything to Arnold, yet he was fulfilling her request once again.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Rishe squeezed his sleeve tight, hanging her head. And I’m really sorry…

Still, she didn’t think she’d be able to let go of him on her own. For the first time, she was realizing how troublesome love truly was.

Arnold regarded Rishe’s fingers on his sleeve before turning to the canal. “The sale of human beings is forbidden in many countries.”

Rishe finally raised her head at these words.

“That goes for this country too, of course—but as we have evidence of abducted women being brought into Galkhein, it’s safe to say there is in fact human trafficking occurring within our borders.”

Now this is something I can talk about with some semblance of calm, Rishe thought with relief. “The women were drugged, but other than that, they weren’t wounded and there was no evidence that they’d been physically abused. For the pirates to be so careful with them… Well, I don’t really like putting it this way, but…”

“They weren’t to be sold as cheap slaves but as ‘high-quality products,’” Arnold finished for her.

Rishe nodded, though it pained her to think of putting prices on human beings. “That would limit the pirates’ potential clientele, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s the assumption I’m working with. We’re investigating potential locations and dates for the transaction, plus the people and merchants who may be involved.”

So that’s why he brought him along with us as one of the Imperial Guards, Rishe thought, thinking of one very familiar man with red eyes.

“There’s one more thing, Your Highness. From what I was able to hear while I treated them, all the abducted women were from high-ranking families. I would guess that Siarga noticed and that was how they got Sir Joel captured as bait.”

While Joel wasn’t a woman, he was the second son of a noble house. He could have used his family name to go undercover. Rishe had never heard the details in her sixth life, but she guessed this was how it had happened.

“Mr. Tully once told me that the key to doing business was moving in such a way as to create profit and avoid loss. When you go somewhere to sell something, instead of bringing back just your profits, you should bring back something else to sell.”

“…”

“Prince Arnold, what if the pirates were not just selling in Galkhein?” Rishe gazed up at him. “It would be a perfect place to replenish their ‘stock’—a hunting ground for women of high birth.”

Arnold did not reply. She was sure he’d already thought of that. Just as they abducted women in Siarga and sold them in Galkhein, the pirates were also likely abducting people in Galkhein to be sold elsewhere.

A knight approached them. “Your Highness, Lady Rishe, I have a report.”

The grinning knight had only recently joined Arnold’s Imperial Guard. Well, that was the official version of events, at least. According to the individual himself, he was “providing his services to Arnold in exchange for observing Galkhein’s national defense strategy for reference.”

Raul…

Raul the hunter—the leader of an intelligence organization—gave an exaggeratedly reverent bow, his red eyes narrowed with mirth. “I do apologize for interrupting the lovely couple when you’re clearly enjoying one another’s company. It pains me to be so boorish as to—”

“Spare us the preamble. Just make your report.”

“Oh, don’t rush me, Your Highness. Not when I’ve brought you precisely the information you requested.”

The other knights were still at a distance, ensuring none of the citizenry got too close. It was unlikely that anyone could hear their conversation.

“At a glance, there are many firms that deal with nobles and wealthy commoners. But when you consider the particulars, one trading method stands out the most to me. It involves a party on a large passenger ship, where many wealthy patrons are invited to browse the goods and negotiate their purchase.”

“A party on a passenger ship…”

“At a set time, the ship leaves port and anchors itself somewhere offshore, where the guests eat and drink. On the surface, it’s nothing more than a lively banquet, but when the guest list is so strictly managed, it sure seems like a good place for secretive dealings.”

Rishe had a good idea of how it all worked. “That’s where they choose them. Either their clients for their secret dealings…or the people they’ll abduct to become their new merchandise.”

She looked up at Arnold, and he sighed. I’m sure Prince Arnold already knows exactly what I’m about to say…

First, however, he told Raul, “Confirm your findings with the victims. Even if they’re not fully recovered, they should be able to answer a few questions.”

“Yes, yes. I won’t even complain about how hard you’re working me. I’ll ask them if they’ve ever been invited to a trading party on a ship and where they were abducted. We can’t exactly take our time here, however.” Raul’s gaze swept over the sea on the other side of the canal. “From what I was able to find out, the next banquet will be tonight.”

“Tonight?!”

“I have the guest list right here. It seems many of the passengers will be visiting foreign nobles, not citizens of Galkhein.”

Raul really is amazing. I can’t believe he was able to find so much so quickly.

Rishe peeked over Arnold’s arm at the guest list, marveling at Raul’s skills. “It’s true. I don’t see any nobles from Galkhein on the list.”

“The local nobles would all know we’re here visiting at the moment. They would have canceled any plans of this nature and would be sending endless invitations to us to curry our favor.”

“Now that you mention it, I have gotten a few invitations to tea with various noble ladies…”

“Well, Your Highness? What do you think?” Raul asked Arnold.

Arnold laid out the facts in a neutral tone. “If they’re choosing their customers at the banquet, then the central figures of the human trafficking operation will also be in attendance. Surrounding the ship and raiding it before it sets sail should settle matters…” He gave Rishe a sidelong glance as he trailed off, no doubt anticipating her objection.

“Prince Arnold, the pirates we apprehended spoke as if they had other abductees.”

“I’m sure they do. I can’t imagine those women were all of their ‘merchandise.’”

“If the rest of the victims are being held somewhere other than this ship, and we capture the human traffickers before identifying the location of the remaining women, we may never find them.”

There was no guarantee they would get any information out of the apprehended criminals. From the state of the rescued women, it was safe to say they were cared for by their captors to a degree. If the organization fell before they were rescued, it was possible they would remain in captivity with no one caring for them.

“We need to figure out where the women are being kept and guarantee their safety before going after the ones in charge.”

“So you say, future crown princess.” Raul shrugged, his tone light. “But we don’t know when the next soirée will be. There will only be more victims if we don’t crush them as soon as possible, will there not? What do you plan to do, exactly?”

“Well…” Rishe glanced at Arnold, who furrowed his brow. “Prince Arnold, I have something I’d like to ask you.”

“I have an idea what you intend to propose,” he said after a beat.

I thought so. He does know me well.

His shapely brows furrowed deeper.

“Prince Theodore told me about the identity you had him forge the other day, Your Highness.”

“…”

Oliver was the one to pass on the request, but Rishe had been touched to hear that Arnold had asked such a thing of his brother. It would have been unthinkable only a few months earlier. She met Arnold’s eyes, recalling the warm feeling that blossomed in her chest over the gesture.

“He did it so you could legally pretend you’re a Galkhein noble who possesses no imperial blood, yes?”

“…Rishe.”

“Uh, Your Highness? Your wife’s shooting you such covetous eyes over a ‘forged noble identity.’” Raul was starting to catch on as well. “Miss, please don’t tell me…”

Rishe ignored him and pressed on with her plea. “If we want to find out as much as we can about the slave trade, there are two ways to go about it. One is to become a customer of theirs, but it takes time for a merchant to build trust with a potential customer. If we show up at tonight’s party out of nowhere and ask them to sell us a slave, it’s far more likely that they’ll eliminate us out of suspicion rather than give us the information we’re after.”

That strategy was out of the question.

“There’s only one other option. And with it, we’re far more likely to have another encounter with them after our initial contact. If it goes well, we’ll find out the women’s location too.”

“…”

“Fortunately, there won’t be other Galkhein nobles in attendance.” Rishe smiled as she spelled it out for Arnold, even though he’d clearly already caught on. “I’ll become potential merchandise for them. I just need to make myself an inviting target, and then once they’ve abducted me, they’ll show me right to where the other victims are.”

Arnold closed his eyes in resignation. Raul grimaced, saying, “Come now, you can’t be serious. Isn’t the more obvious choice to have His Highness or me don the disguise of a lady instead?”

“You should understand better than most that it’s difficult to make even a slim gentleman like Sir Joel look like a convincing woman. You and Prince Arnold are both tall, and with Prince Arnold’s build, it would be quite the task to disguise either of you as women.”

Even a master of disguise like Raul didn’t try to pass himself off as a woman or a child. One’s height and build were fundamentally unalterable, after all.

“While we could entrust the task to Sir Joel, it’s impossible for us to know how he’ll conduct himself on the ship. I believe I make the only logical bait.”

Arnold’s response was completely unexpected. “I have one condition.”

“Huh?”

Rishe had not yet realized that Arnold was growing used to her outlandish schemes. Or that he’d figured out a way to get back at her for them.

“Excuse me, Your Highness?! Y-you must be joking!”

Thus, Rishe’s own proposed strategy ended up taking a very different course.

 

---

 

That night, gorgeously dressed men and women boarded the large passenger ship moored in the harbor. A man in a vest was handling the boarding procedures. When he noticed Rishe, he smiled and approached her.

“I’m so glad you could make it. You must be the young lady Duke Toona referred to us…”

Rishe wore a deep-blue dress, one that exposed a bit more skin than her usual wardrobe. Her hair was in an elegant updo, and large earrings dangled from her ears.

She curtsied to the man in the vest. “It’s lovely to make your acquaintance. I am Rize, sister to Lord Bernstein.” Dressed in her soirée finery with a folding fan in hand, Rishe smiled brightly. The fake name tumbled from her lips as though she’d been saying it all her life. “I do so apologize for intruding on you at the last minute, but I just couldn’t resist after hearing about the event from my good friend Lady Cornelia.”

“Oh, no apologies necessary. If anything, our firm should apologize for not introducing ourselves to your family sooner. I understand your brother just recently received a peerage in Galkhein? The president of our firm is just dying to meet you.”

It had been quite the race to arrange everything for sneaking into the party on short notice. Rishe tried to conceal her nerves, feeling apologetic toward the people whose names they were throwing around to get on board.

H-how am I doing? Am I pulling off “new nobility here to shop”?

Rishe was no stranger to occasional amateur acting. Her anxiety primarily stemmed from her current companion. Things are a little different this time. After all, tonight I’m accompanied by…

“My mistress, the good Lady Rize, is attending by herself tonight. His Lordship is not with her,” said the man standing one step behind her. “That won’t be a problem, will it?”

“Yes, it’s just me here tonight. But, um…” Rishe glanced back at him.

Arnold returned her gaze in silence.

Normally, at an event like this, it was her future husband, the crown prince, who would be addressed first. That wasn’t the case today, however.

With his hair slicked back and his normally hidden forehead exposed, Arnold appeared even more mature than he usually did. He stepped forward and took Rishe’s hand, using a much more polite manner of speaking than she was used to. “Your garments will grow damp the longer you stand there.”

“Hrk…”

“Please come this way, where the waves will not reach you…Mistress.”

Eep!

It felt ludicrous to hear him say that while dressed as her ­attendant. Rishe’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.

The merchant smiled in understanding. “Ah, you have a guard accompanying you? Please note that we forbid weapons aboard the ship.”

“Y-yes, of course!” Rishe hastened to say, hoping her panic wasn’t too noticeable. She didn’t miss the amused smirk that flashed across Arnold’s face as he watched her.

 

“I think this goes without saying, but I’ll be accompanying you.”

That was the “condition” Arnold had imposed in response to Rishe’s plan.

“But, Your Highness…even if they take the bait and go after me, I doubt they’ll do it tonight. I imagine they’d make a plan and carry out the abduction later, so I should be safe at the party.”

“That’s not the issue. It’s stranger for a young noblewoman to be out by herself, isn’t it?”

He had a point. It made things a bit more complicated, but they continued their planning session under the assumption that Arnold would be tagging along.

“If we’re to use the forged family name Prince Theodore provided us, then we’ll have to be from the same household. Shall we play husband and wife, then?”

“I don’t know about that…”

“Hmm?” Rishe cocked her head, and Raul sighed in exasperation.

“I’ll refrain from poking too many holes in whatever nonsense you two get up to, but I agree with His Highness. Husband and wife won’t work. It could ruin the whole plan.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you must fit the criteria they want if you’re aiming to be kidnapped as a potential slave. Given that the rescued women suffered no violence, it’s safe to say they’re only after ‘pure ­maidens.’ Thus, a married woman won’t do.”

“I-I see…”

That just made things even more complicated.

“What should we do, then? If we say we’re engaged, we’ll need another fictional family name, which we can’t exactly produce on short notice…”

The forged identity from Theodore was not just a random name. Records of the family’s achievements and current address were part of the package.

“Shall we be brother and sister, then?”

“It’s just as unnatural for a brother and sister to travel so far for a shopping trip, isn’t it?”

“I-Is it?” Rishe didn’t think that was true, but as an only child, she wasn’t too confident in her opinion.

“The bait is the only one who needs to be of noble birth. I simply need to play the part of someone whose presence at your side would not be unnatural.”

“Hmm? You mean…?”

Arnold smiled almost imperceptibly. “This is my condition for allowing you to act as bait.”

“Yes?”

Was the impish—almost vengeful—smile on Arnold’s face just Rishe’s imagination?

Regardless, the next thing he said was this: “I’ll be accompanying you as your guard and attendant.”

“Huh?” Rishe said, and then a few moments later, “Whaaaaat?!”

 

---

 

I never imagined something like this would happen…

This was Rishe’s thought as she hung her head while climbing aboard the gangway. They had just completed the boarding procedure. She looked up at her escort—but instead of lending her his arm, Arnold held only her hand, guiding her as a personal attendant would.

“Please watch your footing on deck.”

With his swept-back hair, exposed forehead, black gloves, and almost distantly polite tone, he seemed like a complete stranger. The shock of it all meant Rishe gave him a dazed look whenever her guard was down.

“Are you all right, Mistress?”

“Oops! P-please forgive me…”

Arnold narrowed his eyes at Rishe’s blurted apology. “Your necklace needs to be adjusted, if I may.”

“Oh!”

Arnold pulled Rishe close and whispered into her ear, “Rishe.”

“Eep…”

“No lady speaks that way to her servant,” he chastised her.

She strained her ears to hear Arnold’s hushed words over the thrumming of her heart. “I-I…”

Voice husky, he pressed, “You can do this, right?”

“Ngh…” Rishe squeezed her eyes shut, nodding. “Y-yes, sir!”

“Hey. What did I say?”

“Ack!” She was desperate now. “I-I understand, okay?! I can do it…”

A small rumble came from Arnold’s throat.

He laughed!

Arnold pulled away from Rishe, unruffled as ever. “Your hand, my lady?”

“Right, thanks…”

After that awkward exchange, Rishe took Arnold’s hand once again, her nerves not at all diminished due to her feelings for him.

“The ship is about to depart. It shouldn’t rock much at this size, but do be careful,” one of the merchants told her as they descended to a lower deck. The hall they emerged in was already bustling with partygoers.

Wow!

A lush, deep-blue carpet cushioned their feet. Countless glowing lamps adorned the walls and ceiling. Well-dressed men and women chatted and browsed the goods with drinks in hand.

Gems, accessories, and other rare items were displayed on velvet-lined counters. Merchants wore shrewd smiles as they discussed the wares with guests.

Admittedly, Rishe had been very intrigued by the idea of ­doing business like this, so she didn’t have to put on an act to enjoy the sights. She turned to Arnold. “Do you see that, Your—”

“…”

She cleared her throat when he shot her a cautioning glance and started over like a noble lady casually chatting with her attendant. “L-Look over there! All the things they have here are so amazing!”

“I cannot guess at the value of these items, but if you’re enjoying yourself, Mistress, that’s all I could ask for.”

Cool as ever…

Unlike Rishe, he wasn’t the least bit uneasy about their ­circumstances. She was anything but calm about Arnold walking behind her instead of at her side as he had at every other social event.

“Walk next to me,” she ordered.

Arnold frowned, betraying a hint of agitation. “Mistress.”

“I’m all alone at night in a place I’ve never been. I’ll feel more at ease with you by my side, shopping with me.”

“…”

“You don’t have to escort me. I just want you…next to me…”

Arnold sighed and stepped forward, at level with Rishe’s side. “Will this suffice?”

Rishe nodded, relieved, but she still wasn’t used to their new “relationship.” She restlessly averted her eyes and noticed that many of the female partygoers were shooting ardent gazes Arnold’s way.

Even the looks he’s getting are different from how they’d be at a party in the palace…

Arnold was the crown prince and he had a fiancée, plus he intentionally spread rumors about his coldheartedness. In this setting, people didn’t have those preconceptions about the servant at her side, so women openly and passionately appraised him.

For his part, Arnold showed no indication that he noticed all the eyes on him. He merely said to Rishe, “Let us go, my lady.”

“Right…” Still nervous from his gentle tone, Rishe told herself, It’s okay. I can do this. I’ll be of use to Prince Arnold, and then…

She suddenly recalled a conversation she’d had with the knight commander in her sixth life.

 

“Historically, Galkhein only has experience fighting other countries on its own continent. The wars they’ve waged have been in service of expanding their own territory.”

Rishe listened from her seat beside Joel in a bar in the capital. As usual, she was disguised as a male knight. “I have a question, Commander!”

“Yes? What is it, Lucius?” The commander answered her enthusiasm in kind. His cheeks were red, perhaps because of the alcohol he’d already consumed.

Rishe ordered another beer, then asked, “Do you mean to say that Galkhein is not equipped to wage war with a country across the sea?”

“Indeed I do. They have no ships with which to wage nautical warfare. They have neither the knowledge nor the technique for shipbuilding, and it’s unlikely that they even have any sailors capable of captaining a warship.”

“But aren’t their vessels for trade and travel superior to almost every other nation’s?”

“They have fast, lightweight ships for trade, yes—but those are nothing like the sturdy ships needed to wage war. Right, Joel?”

Joel was busy nibbling on some cheese. When the conversation abruptly pivoted to him, he said sleepily, “Huh? Why are you asking me? You started this stupid conversation, you drunkard. You finish it.”

“Some mentor you are. You can’t even answer your junior’s question?”

“Mentor…” Joel murmured, turning to face Rishe. “Lu, in a naval battle, you board an enemy’s ship and fight with swords…”

“Yes?” she prompted.

“But first, you ram the prow of your ship into their side. That’s how the ships fight before the knights do.”

“So ships meant for war need to be capable of doing damage and taking hits…”

Rishe figured the impacts must have been tremendous, considering they were meant to open up holes in the other ship.

“But if you make a ship with both offensive and defensive capabilities, doesn’t the hull become very heavy? Just getting anywhere with a slow ship would take so much time that you could run out of war funds or lose your whole army in an accident.”

“Yeah, I guess so. That’s why it’s so impressive that our ships are strong, tough, and fast. At least, that’s what I remember His Majesty saying once when he was drunk…am I right, Commander?”

“Correct. Siarga would be done for if we didn’t have a means to defend ourselves from threats across the sea.”

Rishe absorbed the commander’s words as she drank her new beer.

“Our country excels at shipbuilding because we had no choice but to build warships to defend ourselves. In fact, our techniques are state secrets, and those with knowledge of them never leave the country.”

“State secrets!” Rishe repeated, awed. It made sense that they would go to extraordinary lengths to keep such knowledge within Siarga.

 

It’s like that conversation happened only yesterday. I never thought I’d be remembering it as Prince Arnold’s fiancée, though, Rishe mused as she browsed the ship’s wares. Naval battles and nautical invasions are more dangerous than fighting on land. I’m sure that’s why Galkhein avoids maritime warfare as much as possible.

Take Coyolles across the sea, for instance. Its ample gold deposits made it valuable territory, yet Arnold’s father had never attacked it head-on.

Lord Lawvine and Fritz discussed enemy ships attacking Ceutena in the north. Arnold had met the enemy, but not on the water. He’d lured them onto land before wiping out the whole force. At least up until two years ago, Galkhein avoided fighting on water.

Thus far, Galkhein had lacked the shipbuilding techniques and seafaring capabilities to expand their invasions any farther than their own continent. And Prince Arnold is the one who changes that. He obtains the power to cross the sea and conquer even faraway countries…

Rishe looked up at him, and he returned her gaze right away. Those eyes were her favorite color in the whole world.

Siarga’s shipbuilding techniques are a state secret, and its craftsmen can’t even leave. I must assume that in my past lives, one of those craftsmen was abducted by these pirates and encountered Prince Arnold.

To prevent that from happening, Rishe had arranged to visit Bezzetoria around the time Joel would be there, even if it meant her wedding dress wouldn’t be ready on time.

From what she knew, it took three or four years for a single ship to be crafted in Siarga. In Galkhein, where they wouldn’t have the necessary facilities ready, it would take more than four years. For Arnold to make use of his warships in his conflict five years in the future, he would need to obtain the shipbuilding technology around now.

Since he had those ships when the war started, he’ll have to start building them soon. Still, our biggest priority must be rescuing the abducted women as soon as possible.

Examining an array of brooches displayed in the hall, Rishe said, “They’re all wonderful pieces, but it’s too bad…”

She spoke to Arnold, but she made sure a nearby merchant could hear her. The man was listening in on their conversation; perhaps he was keeping an eye on her because she was a new face.

“I have the fitting for my wedding dress tomorrow, right?”

“…Yes.”

“I wish I could’ve come here after the fitting and picked out an accessory to match the dress,” Rishe said with feigned disappointment. “What poor timing that the party wound up being tonight!”

Arnold nonchalantly replied, “I’m sure any accessory would look stunning on you, Mistress.”

“Hrk!” She knew they were acting, but this was bad for her heart. Rishe couldn’t help getting flustered when Arnold of all people uttered such a line—especially now that she was aware of her feelings for him. Even if they were just doing this to deceive their enemies, she had to hang her head, her cheeks blushing. “D-don’t be ridiculous… That being said, I’m not very good at judging these things. Do you think you could pick something out for me?”

So far, things were going according to plan. Arnold examined the items to his right and named one of them. “What about that tiara?”

Rishe admired the beautiful craftsmanship of the piece, but she grimaced and met Arnold’s gaze. “My brother has told me to choose something that won’t bring shame to our family now that we’re part of the nobility. That tiara is very pretty, but I think it should be something with more gems on it.” She made a show of contemplating her fictional brother’s words. “Do you see anything else?”

“What about that necklace, then?”

“I like the design, but the gems are a little small, aren’t they?”

“How about the piece near the wall?”

“I have something similar already. This is for my wedding! It must be completely unique.”

“I see some rings over there, then?” Arnold was doubtless just naming any and every item that caught his eye. They’d discussed how he would give suggestions and Rishe would find reasons to refuse each one—but she countered this suggestion with a serious answer.

“No rings,” she said, covering the sapphire ring adorning her left ring finger. “I already have one I treasure…”

Arnold frowned. The ring she wore was, of course, the one he had given her. She’d requested embroidery for her dress that matched its design.

Oh! She finally realized what she’d just said and hurried to explain herself.

“A-after all, my future husband gave me this ring! The stone is my favorite color in the whole world, and I’m very fond of it! I love this ring more than anything else I own!”

“Is that so?”

Rishe let her gaze drop to her high-heeled shoes, unable to meet Arnold’s eyes. “When my husband-to-be put this ring on my finger, I was so very happy…”

“…”

Thinking back on that day, Rishe realized once more, I must have already been in love with Prince Arnold then.

She couldn’t believe it had taken her this long to catch on. All too aware of her ears turning red, Rishe did her best to play the part of the engaged noble lady without it seeming unnatural. “I’m definitely wearing this ring for the wedding.”

There was no need to pretend. She just had to make sure no one inferred that the man acting as her guard was the person she would be marrying.

“I would wear it everywhere if I weren’t worried about losing or damaging it. So I don’t need any more rings other than this one for the rest of my life!”

She may have just blurted out something incredibly embarrassing. Arnold studied her like he had something to say—but she still couldn’t meet his eyes, so she pretended not to notice.

“I-I just had a good idea. Why don’t I pick something out that goes with my ring?!”

“I believe that would be for the best.”

“Hmm, but it’s too bad… My brother said he would buy me an accessory to celebrate my marriage, but…” She turned her head this way and that, looking utterly disappointed. “I don’t see anything that fits what I want.”

The moment those words left her lips, it happened.

“I apologize for the delayed greeting, Lady Rize.”

Upon hearing the fake name she’d given earlier, Rishe turned to find a man approaching her.

“I am the organizer of this little soirée,” he said. “We’re ever so grateful you could attend tonight’s party.”

Here he is. Rishe smiled, keeping her thoughts divorced from her expression. “Good evening. I am Rize Andrea Bernstein. I apologize for barging in on you so suddenly.”

“Nonsense. We had some last-minute cancellations, so we couldn’t be happier for the opportunity to show our prized goods to an esteemed lady such as yourself.”

Rishe observed the organizer as he spoke. If he’s responsible for this event, he must be connected to the pirates. I should make sure to set the bait out for him.

Beaming, Rishe said, “I’m going to be married soon, you see.”

“Well, that’s fantastic news! Congratulations!” The organizer had the bearing of a first-rate merchant. His demeanor suggested respect for his client, and he seemed both sincere and warm as he interacted with Rishe.

But… Having been the same sort of merchant herself once, the man’s intent was perfectly clear to her. He’s also appraising me.

In her first life, her boss, Tully, had told her, “The very best merchants choose their own customers.” The organizer was sizing her up, deciding whether to choose her.

Pretending not to notice, Rishe played the part of the blushing bride-to-be. “Thank you. My brother said he would listen to anything I asked of him as a wedding present.”

“Is that right? Then may I say what an honor it is for you to choose our firm to provide an item for your wedding.”

“Hee hee. It’s rather silly if you ask me.” Rishe turned to Arnold and giggled. “After all, he only just recently gifted me so many dresses and gems that they hardly fit in my room. Right?”

Acting as her attendant, Arnold responded coolly, “His Lordship values you more than anything else in the world, Mistress.”

“Well, it is just the two of us now that Mother and Father are gone. But it’s a little embarrassing, really. Both my brother and my future husband spoil me as if I’m a child…”

The organizer watched over the conversation between the two of them with a warm smile on his face. Rishe knew he was hanging on her every word. On the inside, he was trying to evaluate what sort of customer she would be and what kind of profit she could bring him. Even the most trivial conversations could provide hints to such questions. Rishe understood this well, which was why she threaded lies into what she said here and there.

“Sometimes I wonder if it’s a competition between them, giving me gifts.” She leaned into her facade of a young lady with abundant wealth. One who didn’t know much about how the world worked and did her shopping with nary a care, and who never questioned the fact that she always got everything she wanted.

And for good measure… Rishe thought under the organizer’s watchful eye.

“Why not choose the item your fiancé wished to buy you as well, Mistress? I was under the impression that you changed your accessories with each place you visit to announce your wedding.”

“But he just gave me more gifts than I know what to do with for my birthday! I won’t seem selfish asking for something else, will I? I wouldn’t want my betrothed to hate me…”

Arnold’s smooth response was, “It is a husband’s duty to grant anything his wife desires.”

Her heart throbbed, but she didn’t let it show on her face. Discreetly taking a deep breath, she continued as if nothing had happened. “Well, we’ll have to visit some jewelry shops then, won’t we? Of course, it would be best if we could just find everything here on this ship, but…” Rishe’s eyes slid to the organizer, who grinned back at her.

“We would love to provide everything you might be searching for, Lady Rize,” he said, his tone a bit firmer than before. It was a purposeful change, as far as she could tell. He wanted to appear confident and trustworthy to his new client. “Those cancellations I mentioned earlier? The truth is that we decided not to display all our wares at tonight’s party to save on transportation expenses somewhat.”

“My, really?” Rishe covered her mouth with her fan, feigning surprise. “May I take that to mean that you have even lovelier pieces elsewhere?”

“Absolutely! I can guarantee we have something that would satisfy both your brother and your fiancé. What do you say?” he asked her with a polite smile. “Perhaps we could arrange a meeting at a later date with the viscount or your betrothed ­accompanying you?”

Rishe’s smile dropped for the briefest of moments. The organizer was probing her.

She topped up her cheer and told him, “They’re both just so busy, unfortunately.” She cocked her head at Arnold. “Isn’t that right?”

“Indeed, Mistress.”

“Is that so?” The organizer nodded sympathetically and fixed his eyes on Rishe. “In that case, please allow us to provide you with an opportunity to do your shopping on your own, my lady.”

Rishe faked starry-eyed excitement. “Would you really? Oh, I can’t wait!” She spun back to Arnold, wearing a big smile. “Now I’ll be able to choose the perfect accessory after my dress fitting tomorrow. I’m ever so grateful!”

“It will be our pleasure. Please enjoy the items we do have on display tonight, and have some refreshments. There will also be a performance shortly.”

Rishe enjoyed the rest of the night, giddily cooing over the wares and listening to the small orchestra’s performance. A little over an hour later, she and Arnold disembarked.

 

---

 

“Whew!” Rishe exclaimed in relief after they boarded a carriage together. She felt like she’d been holding her breath the whole time she’d been acting as “Rize.”

She turned to Arnold as the carriage slowly began to move. “Thank you for playing along, Your Highness. I think I was able to perform well, thanks to you.” Rishe smiled, thinking back on the party. “As a noble lady with a loving brother, that is. Being the lonely only child I am, I didn’t have much to draw on.”

Arnold regarded her and said, “It was exactly as you suspected. That man was without a doubt appraising you.”

It’s amazing that he can tell without any experience as a merchant.

Rishe nodded, trying not to show her surprise. “Yes, as a product and not a customer. That wasn’t the look of someone sizing up a potential client… He was judging whether I would be a good target to kidnap and sell.”

Arnold scowled, and Rishe hastily added, “B-but everything went exactly as planned!”

“…”

“A wealthy young woman with a loving family and fiancé would be searched for quite stringently if she went missing. The best possible target for them is a girl from an affluent family whose skin and hair is well cared for and who’s nothing but a burden on her family.”

That was why Rishe had played the part of such a girl.

“A brother who really obsessed over his sister would never allow her to venture out alone to a nighttime shopping venue where alcohol is served. And even if he had no choice but to send her with protection, he wouldn’t be satisfied with only one man guarding her.”

From the organizer’s perspective, Rishe had to be lying about her situation, since she only had one guard with her.

“He saw the ring I was wearing, so I’m sure he doesn’t doubt that my family is wealthy. He should only believe that I’m lying about being so loved by my brother and fiancé.”

“Right. Thus his promise to give you a place to shop on your own.”

At the end of their conversation, the organizer had tested the waters by asking if she would be able to bring her brother or fiancé along on another day. Rishe had purposely acted uncomfortable with the question, and when she’d told him they wouldn’t be able to attend, he’d suggested readying an opportunity for her to shop on her own.

I can’t believe he would actually propose such a thing. Rishe had a hard time accepting the man’s behavior, having been a merchant herself.

“I imagine that’s where ‘Lady Rize’ will be abducted,” she said.

Arnold sighed and closed his eyes.

She grabbed his sleeve, recalling that there was something she needed to comment on at her first opportunity. “To change the subject, Your Highness…”

“What is it?”

She peered up into his blue eyes and furrowed her brow in frustration. “How in the world are you so good at playing an attendant?!”

The prince cocked a brow, then changed the subject himself. “Let me ask you something.”

“Mmph!”

He squished Rishe’s cheeks with his big hands. “What did you think you were doing, trying to drink that wine? Don’t just blithely drink things at a shady place like that.”

“Hrmgh… Buh if you don’ drink a lihhle ah a pwace lihe that, it’s suspishous.” Rishe did her best to protest despite Arnold’s hold on her cheeks. “An’ you were the one who…”

She thought back to the party. The moment Rishe had picked up a glass of wine provided on the ship, Arnold had snatched it out of her hand, still playing her “attendant.”

“My, is this wine imported from Siarga? How wonderful. I must have some… Oh!”

“I would suggest holding off for tonight, my lady. You know you don’t hold your alcohol well.”

He’d taken the drink from her so casually and fluidly. They’d had opportunities to drink together several times now, so he should have been aware that she was a decently good drinker—yet he’d lied about it with such a convincing expression.

“I houbt hey would hab poishoned somefin’ there. Wouldn’t it be more suspishous to be caushious?”

“Even so, I can’t believe you’d go out of your way to drink something prepared by your potential abductors.”

Rishe sighed. It was a perfectly sound argument, she had to admit. She also had to acknowledge that she was having a hard time keeping her cool with Arnold’s face so close to hers.

Does Prince Arnold think squishing my cheeks like this is a punishment? If that was his aim, then he was succeeding. Rishe was unbearably embarrassed, her cheeks heating up by the second.

Evidently, her distress was plain on her face. Arnold huffed a sigh and said, “I understand that it’s part of your plan…but don’t be too defenseless in front of them.” He removed his hands, giving her a quiet but piercing stare. “Don’t forget they intend to do you harm.”

Arnold’s clear, blue eyes were breathtakingly cold.

I know you don’t even need to go along with my plan. You could use Galkhein’s overwhelming military might to destroy the slave trade in an instant if you wanted to. He was only holding off on doing so to humor Rishe’s desire to save the rest of the captive women. And I know you’re really a kind person. That’s why you always consider the fastest way to resolve a situation, even if it leads to sacrifice. And that’s why I…

Rishe straightened up and told Arnold, “By playing the part of defenseless prey, I’ve invited the enemy to let down their guard. It will make their movements much more predictable.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. We’ll use anything we need to rescue those women.” Her determination renewed, Rishe frowned and muttered, “It’s frustrating that we can’t do anything but wait for their invitation now.”

The women who’d been abducted likely hadn’t suspected a thing about that organizer, and why should they? It would have been unthinkable for a merchant to harm them. After all, the relationship between a merchant and their client was built on trust and predicated on the assumption that both parties would benefit from their trade.

I wonder if my acting tonight was enough. I feel like I could have gotten things moving a little faster if I’d tried…

“Rishe.”

She started when Arnold laid a hand on hers. He interlaced their fingers, which made her realize she’d been clutching her dress.

Rishe let out the breath she hadn’t known she was holding as Arnold said softly, “You have your wedding dress fitting tomorrow, don’t you?”

“Y-yes. In the evening…”

What they’d discussed on the ship hadn’t all been lies for the slave traders to latch on to. Rishe’s ostensible reason for coming to this town was to put the finishing touches on her wedding dress.

“I’ll serve as your guard when you go. Do you mind waiting for me?”

“Huh?! You’ll come with me, Your Highness?” Rishe asked, eyes wide.

“We discussed doing so in front of the slave traders, didn’t we?” he replied, unconcerned. “As there’s a possibility they’ll spot us in town, we should make sure to keep up the act.”

So the farce had to continue. That made sense to Rishe, but it worried her a little as well.

“But, Your Highness…we’ll most likely be discussing the dress’s embroidery and ornamentation tomorrow. Won’t you be bored waiting for us to finish?”

“Why would I be bored?” Arnold looked tenderly upon her. “If you’re going to be wearing your wedding dress, I want to see it.”

Rishe gasped, heat flooding her chest. She was using the wedding dress as part of her strategy to avoid the war, but she’d also secretly been looking forward to trying it on. Arnold’s words brought all her excitement rushing to the surface.

He must have noticed that her heart was full to bursting. “If you need jewelry to go with the dress, then pick out as many pieces as you like. If the goods on that ship weren’t stolen, I would have bought every one of them for you.”

“N-now that would be suspicious!” Rishe spluttered, but she couldn’t help smiling.

He’s trying to spoil me… The thought truly delighted her.

“Say, Prince Arnold?” A wheedling plea filled Rishe’s eyes as she turned them on Arnold. “There’s something I’d like to ask of you tomorrow…”

When Rishe told him what she wanted, Arnold scowled in response.