Ruth, after giving each person a purse of money, used a large-scale teleportation spell to transport everyone from the underground to an open field. Based on the distant view of the Lante Opera House, it was possible to guess that they were at a field some distance away from the opera house. Moving more than twenty people at once was taxing, and Ruth looked quite exhausted afterward. Though he tried not to show it, his fatigue was clearly visible to me.
It wasn’t just the concern of avoiding public attention that prevented using the teleportation spell on the way to the opera house; it seemed he had been conserving mana for this moment.
While I was making a reasonable guess, Ruth, who had earlier summoned some hired carriages to wait near the field, came striding over after sending the people away in them.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
“…Your Majesty. It just doesn’t feel like it’s still daytime with all that has happened. I wonder why they hold slave auctions in the morning instead of the evening.”
I quickly fabricated a reason instead of directly asking why he hadn’t used the teleportation spell earlier. Ruth then nodded shortly as if to show he understood my question.
“I was also very curious at first as to why the slave auctions were held in the morning, but it seems it’s to avoid the evening hours when the activities of the nobles are most vigorous. As you know, nobles enjoy tea in the morning and alcohol in the evening.”
“That makes sense.”
Giggling in agreement with him, I crossed my arms and stepped forward towards Ruth, who seemed to suggest it was time to go by extending his arm. What initially felt like a strange act had now become as comfortable as an old habit.
As we shuffled along, the image of Ruth bowing in front of those people earlier suddenly replayed in my head. Since the scene had made quite an impression, the emotions I felt at that moment resurfaced, undiminished.
After pondering these fragmented memories for a while, I looked up at Ruth, who was adjusting his pace to match mine.
“Ruth.”
“Did you call me?”
“Why did you have to do that earlier?”
“Ah.”
Immediately understanding my question, Ruth hesitated for a moment before casually messing up his hair.
“I thought it was the only way my sincerity would truly be conveyed.”
“His Majesty’s sincerity?”
“Why. Is it the first time you hear an emperor talking about sincerity?”
“……”
The reason I asked wasn’t that, but it wasn’t entirely wrong either, so I responded with silence.
Reading the affirmation in my silence, he chuckled softly.
“Someone once said that there’s no one in this world who doesn’t appreciate the sincerity of others.”
“…”
“At the time, I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but the more I thought about it, the more I agreed. So, I’ve been trying to sincerely connect with everyone, whether they’re nobles or commoners.”
Of course, more often than not, I fail at it,” Ruth quietly added a few more words and then shrugged.
The phrase he quoted felt oddly familiar, and after giving it some thought, I gasped. Because that story was none other than something I had once said to Ruth.
“Yes. And not just me, everyone will like it. There’s hardly anyone in this world who doesn’t appreciate the sincerity of others.”
“Little Miss. Always treat people sincerely. There may be those who are dying of hunger for sincerity, but almost no one dislikes receiving it.”
The words a girl once said and the words her nanny added successively found their deepest way into my heart, as vivid as if they had been forgotten till just now.
“That’s… a good saying.”
“Do you think so too?”
“Yes.”
I barely managed to relax my stiffening lips and replied briefly. For some reason, I felt an illusion as if my whole body was being crushed by a heavy boulder, but I tried hard to act as if it were nothing.
Previously, I hadn’t understood what the nanny had wanted to convey to me through her teaching. To be more precise, it would be correct to say that I didn’t make an effort to understand.
After all, at that time, I believed that enlightenment was directly linked to age, so I was certain that I would naturally come to understand when the time was right.
But looking back now, it was a belief I could hold only because I was naive. It was advice I could utter so lightly because I was a child unaware of the weight of words.
There may be people who are starving for sincerity to the point of withering away, but there are hardly any who would find another’s sincerity unwelcome, right… That’s true.
Repeating and re-repeating the nanny’s words, I felt a tingling in my nose, so I scrunched up the bridge of my nose. It was profoundly sad that what I couldn’t understand at twelve, I could at twenty-three.
“Is there a problem, young lady? Your expression doesn’t seem too good.”
“It’s that… I was just lost in thought for a moment. It was nothing, so you don’t need to worry.”
“…I see.”
When I vaguely excused myself to Ruth, who noticed my unrest and asked about it, his violet irises became tinged with distrust.
Facing his doubtful gaze felt like a dagger was pricking my conscience, but I pretended not to notice. I was afraid that if I acknowledged the pain around my heart, I might end up confessing the truth to Ruth.
Memories, old as they are, have a way of emerging unexpectedly, gifting overwhelming emotions before departing. As a result, I’ve always kept old memories like a treasure chest beneath a blossoming pear tree, buried and unobserved, as if not looking inside was an unwritten rule for me.
However, the box that had gradually begun to open during a moment of carelessness was now wide open, ready to swallow me whole if I made the slightest misstep.
I was terribly afraid of being completely consumed by the box, of returning to my twelve-year-old self, Selena. Afraid that my imperfect self would be devoured down to the core by the ghost of twelve-year-old Selena.
And so…
“Shh.”
As if I suddenly understood the meaning of what the nanny said today, afraid I’d grasp the meaning of that word.
Still, as long as I’m with Ruth, I can’t help but recall the past frequently, so I must manage my expressions well.
It was the moment I unknowingly clutched my dress tightly in an attempt to calm the rising anxiety when Ruth suddenly introduced a new topic during our quiet walk.
“Did you enjoy your two days out?”
“Yes, it was fun. I learned a lot too.”
“That’s good to hear.”
As I blandly complimented, Ruth seemed visibly relieved.
After that, we talked about various things during our two-day outing until we found ourselves back in reality, having arrived in front of a waiting black carriage.
The black carriage exuded a luxury from the outside, which seemed to indicate how much thought and selection he had put into choosing it.
While I was examining the carriage, Ruth, wanting to catch my attention, tapped on the carriage with his knuckles and said,
“We’re going back to the palace now. Unfortunately, I’ve used too much mana today, so teleportation spells are out of the question… but I made sure to prepare the best carriage possible, so the ride shouldn’t be too uncomfortable.”
“I don’t mind. I don’t get seasick easily.”
“Good. A lot is going to start changing from tomorrow. I’ve finished preparing to prune, so I plan to start moving soon.”
“Then I’ll start getting in touch with Sir Cedrics and Helen… as soon as I get back.”
I responded to Ruth, indicating we were ready to start moving, and then boarded the carriage. I flinched slightly while mentioning ‘Helen,’ but fortunately, it wasn’t too noticeable.
Ruth watched me as I settled into the plush seat and asked as he gracefully climbed into the carriage, “I’m asking again, but do you not regret it?”
“What?”
“Choosing me.”
“I couldn’t possibly regret that.”
The only answer I could give to him, who wondered if I regretted choosing him, was that there was no reason for regret. Not that I don’t regret it, but there’s no reason to. Because the premise that there’s something to regret in the first place is wrong.
Seeing me draw a firm line, Ruth quietly laughed. A peculiar muttering followed his laughter that broke the mold.
“Is that so.”
Muttering so, he had a face similar to the day we first met. It made him seem somewhat liberated.
The voice of someone freed from intangible pressure no longer boasts a blue hue.
“The weather is nice today. The moonlight will be beautiful tonight.”
Ruth felt the same way.
***
Upon arriving at the unfamiliar palace after a few days, Ruth and Isabella, who already knew we were returning today, greeted us.
Upon seeing them, Ruth escorted me down from the carriage and then approached Ruth without sparing me a glance, treating me as if I were a complete stranger. Such behavior would have been hurtful before, but now it didn’t bother me at all.
After all, the picture of Ruth and ‘Serbia’ together had always been awkward, and I knew this wasn’t Ruth’s true feelings, so it was fine. I watched him giving orders to Ruth for a while and then signaled to Isabella, who was standing idly by.
“Let’s go, Isabella.”
“Huh? Yes… Yes, my lady!”
Isabella, acting unusually, looked at me questioningly and hurried after me. Then, as if remembering something forgotten, she clapped her hands.
“Oh. My lady, a letter came from Dright while you were away! I wonder who the sender was…”
“Sir Cedrics.”
“Ah! Right! How did you know?”
“Just a hunch.”
Hearing the name Dright from Isabella, I inwardly rejoiced. The timely letter from Cedrics was a welcome surprise.
After giving Isabella a vague answer to her curiosity about how I guessed the sender without any explanation, I quickened my pace. A pleasant excitement enveloped my body.
