episode_0046

“Yuri, we’re going to be late. Let’s just…”

“No, oppa. It’s been a while since I’ve returned to the royal palace, I must be as beautiful as possible.”

“Since it’s been a long time since we’ve returned…hurry…”

This conversation… feels familiar.

When was it…?

Well, anyway.

Yuri meticulously combed my hair, applied something shiny, sprayed on something fragrant, and did all sorts of things.

Today is the day I return to being a princess, shedding my Academy uniform.

It’s been almost a year since I left home, and with the midterm exams over, Yuri and I were preparing to return to the royal palace to give a brief report on our progress.

A classic combination of black and white.

My personal maid, Yuri, showing off her elegant posture in her maid uniform.

And I, Narita, the fifth princess of the Nifrantz Kingdom.

Concealing my delicate figure beneath a luxurious silk dress of pure white silk, layered carefully—

Creak-

“O-Oppa, what do I do…this doesn’t fit?”

Yuri fumbled with my dress, finding the changes that had occurred since a year ago.

The corset laces wouldn’t tie properly, not because of my usually slender waist or firm hips, but…

Squish-

“…What are you doing?”

Squish-squish-

“This is the problem…a murder weapon…”

It was because of the two large lumps of flesh on my upper body, impossible to hide.

Worrying about how to tuck the flesh further inward, Yuri, as if venting her frustration, fiercely squeezed my breasts.

“Ugh, ugh—!”

“Ow- ow- wait, I can’t breathe…”

After a brief struggle, I somehow managed to put it on.

But the dress was so tight, the upper half looked like it would burst at any moment.

“Whew… whew…”

“There, is it alright?”

“Not yet…”

Creak- Creak-creak—!

Rip~

Finally, it ripped.

.

.

.

We finished our preparations and descended the stairs to the entrance hall.

“Oh my… Oh my goodness!! My daughters are so beautiful—”

Splash—!

Baroness Philbrogue covered her husband’s mouth.

“—I apologize, Princess Narita…”

She quietly bowed her head, and Baron Philbrogue, who had been flustered, holding his wife’s hand, also bowed deeply.

“Don’t be like that. Mother, Father. You two are always my parents, no matter when or where.”

“Narita…”

It’s the truth.

I liked the Philbrogue Baron’s family quite a bit, and I wanted them to be my home where I could return anytime.

The sky is clear.

I quietly looked up at the light blue sky out of the window, thinking of my deceased mother and my very much still alive father.

“And, since we’ll be back soon, there’s no need to be so stressed.”

“Yes, that’s right. You said it would be about three days?”

“Yes. We’ll just be visiting briefly.”

I adjusted the collar of my rather loose new dress and kissed my mother and father on the cheek.

“Yuri, come here too.”

“Yes…!”

Yuri’s appearance, greeting her parents in neat attire, seemed peaceful, despite a hint of reminiscence; she had become an adult capable of regulating her emotions.

We had grown in our own ways, even though not much time had passed. The thought of returning to the place where we were born and raised, and showing ourselves anew, made both Yuri and I quite excited, a feeling that wouldn’t easily subside.

“Then, we’ll be going.”

The opposite situation from a year ago. I neatly adjusted my clothes, then held Yuri’s hand.

And kicked the door open and ran out.

***

Several hours before Narita’s arrival.

The royal palace was bustling with preparations for the welcoming party.

Welcoming a royal family member who has been away requires extra care.

Naturally, one must treat someone of such high standing with utmost respect. From the floor they tread upon, not a single speck of dust; polished until their features are clearly reflected in the gleams. Everything must be in perfect condition.

Especially since they are returning from afar. Those of high standing undertake significant tasks and interact with crucial individuals; hence, they carry greater expectations and pressure from outside compared to within.

If, after enduring such extreme stress, they return to a place they call home only to find it “imperfect,” their discontent will be amplified tenfold.

Therefore, the maids of the royal palace were tirelessly dusting and cleaning every nook and cranny until their backs ached.

If it were Narita returning today, there would be less to worry about. They could already picture her entering with muddy feet and apologizing with a sheepish smile.

“Please, don’t find fault… please…!”

“Why did I have to get assigned duty today of all days…?”

“No more chatter, hurry up and clean…!”

While some struggled with cleaning, others were hard at work in the kitchen.

Luckily, there were no staffing issues, so there were maids relaxing in the break room.

“Whew… any cigarettes?”

However, their duty soon included attending to the Second Prince’s needs.

A considerable amount of time passed, then, a lavishly adorned carriage entered the royal palace.

Clatter- clatter-

“The Second Prince, Evan Barwain Nifrantz, is arriving!!”

Thump-

Evan slowly stepped out of the carriage, his footsteps heavy.

His mission, to put it positively, was an “11-day package luxury, pleasurable, fantastic tour.”

To put it negatively, it was a “circuit performance” to convey formal gratitude and collect tributes from neighboring countries regarding his younger sister’s achievements.

He didn’t feel inferior—or so he thought to himself.

He merely felt it unfair, unpleasant, and unacceptable that he, who had been working tirelessly for the kingdom for a long time, had not received any reward, while his younger sister, who had merely played around since childhood, somehow seized an opportunity to achieve something insignificant, and he had to listen to insincere compliments dressed up in fancy words.

In short, it was inferiority complex.

Therefore, he refused the assistance offered and headed straight to his room.

“If you need me, you can find me. Don’t let anyone in.”

Naturally, he didn’t care if the floor of the royal palace corridor gleamed or was covered in mold. The maids diligently cleaning glared at the maids resting.

A moment of contrasting fortunes almost occurred, however, thankfully(?), the King, hearing the news, stormed into the Prince’s room, grabbed him by the hair, and dragged him to his office.

The shift change went as scheduled.

.

.

.

“Father, this is too much…”

“I know.”

“…….”

The King seated his son in front of his office desk and quietly took a deep breath.

“So, have you confirmed the reactions?”

“…Of course. There’s no way I would let personal feelings influence my work.”

He leaned deeply into the plush sofa and sighed.

“…There was no indication. It was too clean for there to be a hidden connection between the empire and Marquis Karlsen.”

“You’re sure?”

“…I swear on my name.”

The tour was an outward justification. Evan had actually gone to investigate, using his sharp eyes and observant skills.

Since there was more than one suspicious aspect about Marquis Karlsen, who had been arrested a year ago.

“If we’re going to dig deeper, we need to target him, not the Empire. Aren’t there still many undisclosed documents?”

“…Even the Magic Tower says that the interpretation will take time. Especially the ones he kept mumbling—”

“‘Seven Moons’…is it?”

The man’s attitude had changed many times since he was caught.

At first, he insisted it was his son’s solo act, but when presented with solid evidence, he confessed as though he’d gone mad, his eyes vacant.

A few days later, as if he suddenly came to his senses, he claimed he was being manipulated. He continued for hours, passionately declaring that he had only done as someone from the Empire had instructed, before losing his mind again.

Marquis Karlsen was sentenced to death, but the Second Prince had personally postponed the execution due to the possibility of him possessing critical evidence.

And this was the current situation.

No new evidence, a standstill waiting for the interpretation results sent to the Magic Tower.

“Whew… I’ll go and interrogate him again to clear my head.”

“Don’t people usually take a walk to clear their heads…?”

“I need lots of mental stimulation to calm down.”

No lengthy conversation was necessary between father and son. After a brief exchange of glances, Evan set out for the special prison nearby.

.

.

.

Drip-

Drip-

An underground prison where groundwater dripped from the ceiling.

The Nifrantz Kingdom’s special prison, Abyss.

Evan descended the waterlogged stairs and found a cell about five floors up from the lowest level.

“Zachariah Raymond Karlsen”

Clang-

He gripped the bars of the cell where the name of the man who was once a nobleman was written.

“How have you been?”

“…….”

No answer. Even when he visited this place daily in the past, the man was probably in his right mind only 10% of the time. There was no way he could get anything out of him by showing up so suddenly.

Evan dismissed the guards and sat down on the chair in front of the cell.

‘What is he hiding…’

Given that his mental state is so shattered, one would expect an attempt at self-harm or suicide. He found this most suspicious.

Why was this man so desperately clinging to life?

“…All.”

“…!!”

Bang!—

At the sudden voice, Evan instinctively pushed back his chair and sprang to his feet.

Eyes wide, he stared at the man through the bars.

“What…?”

“…All.”

There was strength in his voice. This was perhaps the first time he’d shouted so loudly, and Evan felt he could obtain some evidence.

He strained to hear every word, carefully monitoring his breathing to avoid making any noise and remaining perfectly still so as not to interfere.

All his senses were focused on hearing.

“It… it’s arrived…”

What had arrived? Why now? Why was he putting in this much effort?

Evan was not simply listening. He was simultaneously cross-referencing with existing information to discover any new leads.

He was completely engrossed, to the point of forgetting how to breathe.

Then, something he should not have heard was heard.

Creak- Creak-creak-

The sound of bones twisting and muscles tearing. When he glanced inside the cell, sensing something was wrong,

It was too late.

Clack- Clack-creak-creak—!!

The man inside was swelling grotesquely, losing his human shape entirely.

“The time… has come…!!”

Then Evan remembered.

Perhaps ‘Seven Moons’ didn’t refer to a number of moons, but instead to a period of time.