Bibliophile Princess: Volume 5, page 6
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
Pomelo was the only fruit effective against the Ashen Nightmare. Yes, there was medicine out there to diagnose and slow the disease, but that didn’t ease people’s fears. It wasn’t a cure—it didn’t erase the sickness entirely. In which case, what was wrong with me doing something to reduce people’s anxiety?
When I said as much, my black-haired friend only shook her head, eyes judging me.
“If they eat that and feel safe, then they’re more likely to go outside and spread it or get sick themselves. You’re only making them lower their guard. That could make things worse. Pharmia, all of the doctors at the facility tried to stop you, didn’t they?”
Ah, so that’s why you’ve come. You’re taking her side.
There were people who tried to stop me at first, claiming I was deceiving people. All of the staff carried the same beliefs as Lady Elianna. “Even if the government disapproves, we should be spreading proper information,” they said. But on the other hand, none of the royal family had come to me directly to demand I cease my efforts. That was probably why Therese was here.
She continued, “His Highness and the doctors are trying to teach people preventative care, and you’re only getting in the way by doing this. If you want to pit yourself against Lady Elianna, there has to be a better—”
“Therese,” I said, cutting her off. It was rare for me to do that.
I already knew how other people saw me. They thought of me as a recluse who looked down on other people and laughed at them behind their backs. Yet now here I was standing center stage, with the citizenry lauding me as a saint. No doubt it shocked them, and they probably suspected me of having ulterior motives. To that I would say: so what? There were others out there doing the exact same thing.
“If His Highness disapproves of my actions, he need only make an official proclamation. He could inform the people of Sauslind that the dried fruit has no effect.”
“Mia...” Her face fell.
The number of infected was rising, and fear and confusion were beginning to take root all across the country. No official announcement had been made, but there were rumors the king had fallen sick as well. Some blamed Maldura for spreading it. War was on the horizon.
Although uncertainty loomed ahead, the pomelo fruit was the one thing people knew they could rely on because it was effective against the disease. But what would happen if the government revealed that the dried fruit had no benefits? What would happen if we ceased distributing it?
People would fall into despair. Some might start to doubt, thinking the aristocracy was monopolizing the fruit for themselves. That would take all hope away from the people. Revolts would break out. The northern lands were a good example of that. The reason neither the government nor His Highness could censure me was because I wasn’t doing anything wrong.
I gazed back at my friend, unyielding. “I’m not going to stop, Therese.” Things had already progressed past the point of no return, and I had no intention of ending it here. So I made my intentions clear, reaffirming my own resolve. “Don’t come here anymore.”
I’ve chosen my path, and it’s not one that will ever intersect with yours again.
Originally, we had walked the same path, before we were ever old enough to realize it. The two of us descended from houses connected to the royal family. Both the common folk and the nobility recognized us for our status and the bright future it would afford us. We were the most powerful because we were the strongest contenders to be wed to the crown prince. There were those who politely dismissed the possibility, saying we were too closely related. But the prince refused an engagement with the archduke’s daughter. The strongest candidates left after that—whose blood, house, and upbringing suited the role—were Therese and myself.
I thought we shared a tight bond with the prince, too. We were all close in age, had spent our childhoods together, and shared memories and secrets. Things only changed when she appeared.
Most likely, that was when the path Therese and I shared finally split. Once she was no longer a candidate to be Prince Christopher’s betrothed, she went off to find her own path. I was the one who decided to stay where I was.
From the time we were young, the two of us shared the same environment. People compared us, and we competed all the time. Sometimes we even comforted one another. She was the only companion I ever had who could truly understand me. And that was why I had to tell her...
“Therese.” She was gaping at me still, shocked by my previous response. I wanted to convey my gratitude—for her friendship, and for her coming this far with me. “Thank you for everything, and...farewell.”
I wasn’t going to turn back. My heart was made up from a young age. I wanted to stand beside His Highness, to support him, comfort him, and provide a place where he could feel at ease. That was my heart’s deepest desire. And this was my last, golden opportunity to fulfill it—a chance to get closer to him than I ever had been before.
So don’t get in my way, Therese. This is the only means I have left. I don’t care what I have to do to achieve my goal. As long as I can become the only woman in Prince Christopher’s life, that’s all that matters to me.
As the carriage rolled to a stop, I cut off the memories and climbed out. Before me was the temple where Karl, the Hero King, was enshrined. It was as famous and respected as the palace, and it acted as a symbol for Sauslind. His Highness and the other nobles had authorized it to be repurposed as a hospital for those sick with the Ashen Nightmare.
Other holy places across the country were being transformed into makeshift sick wards as well. It was a marked difference from the way things had been sixteen years ago. Back then, people turned the sick away, and some even resorted to violence. But there was none of that this time. The temple welcomed the infected with open arms.
It made sense that there were fewer flocking to the capital than I had expected; the prince was frantically passing measures to combat the disease. My own actions were likely impeding his efforts.
When I dismounted from my carriage, cries of joy rang out. “The Lady Saint has come!”
Noblemen were too terrified of the plague to leave their houses, let alone allow their daughters outside. Thus, by venturing out here where the infected were and interacting with people, my popularity was booming. There were even rumors that as long as I was around, no one near me would catch it.
I always made my way to the palace after visiting the temple. This was mostly to report on the infected and what I observed of the situation outside, but that wasn’t how it looked to the general populace. From their perspective, I was set to become the next crown princess.
With the outbreak of the Ashen Nightmare and whispers of war breaking out, all the hype and excited preparation for the crown prince’s wedding had ceased. Likewise, the Bibliophile Princess’s acclaim had waned as well.
I was fit to become crown princess. Voices rose in support of me, growing more persuasive by the day. Some even suspected Prince Christopher and I were close enough that I might become pregnant with the heir soon.
The source of these rumors was obvious, but I didn’t care if people knew it was me. I had never been the center of attention before, but now I was thrust into the limelight. Lady Elianna was no different. The only thing that separated the two of us was that Chris chose her and not me. That was it.
Therese’s words from before echoed in my head.
“Mia...” Even after I made my declaration and turned away, she had asked me again, in that commanding voice of hers, “Are you truly sure what you’re doing is right?”
I walked away without replying.
She continued calling after me, her voice trembling with emotion. “You fool... You absolute fool...”
As the memory faded, I made my way to the inner part of the temple, gazing up at the towering statue of the Hero King. He was said to have only ever loved the Lady of the Lagoon, Ceysheila.
But to leave your bloodline behind, you married other women, too. Do you truly think those people had no place in your heart? All that’s left in history is talk of the pure love you shared with the Lady of the Lagoon. But what of the other women who loved you—who wished for your love in return?
I squeezed my hands and bowed low. I didn’t need his answer because I had my own.
Pure love isn’t everything.
~.~.~.~
The Ralshen Region occupied the northeastern part of Sauslind, containing numerous mines across its lands. The highway connecting it to the neighboring Azul Region was always bustling in the winter. This was largely due to a never-ending stream of people commuting from Azul to find work in Ralshen. Foot traffic had dried up these past several days, however. The Ashen Nightmare, which had once haunted Sauslind’s lands, was back.
Yet in one of the roadside inns along the highway, laughter boomed. It was a rare sound, especially in light of the lack of people as of late and the morose atmosphere that had settled across the land.
A man was holding a stringed instrument in one hand, his melodious voice ringing through the main room in a way one scarcely heard in the remote countryside. “And that was where the man introduced himself. ‘I was born and bred in Saoura’s downtown and given my first bath in the waters of the Hero King’s temple. They gave me the last name King and the first name Tiger. I’m just a man, but there isn’t a wild beast out there that I can’t tame. Even a feral princess will be a kitten by the time I’m through.’ Thus he introduced himself, and the noble lady went red with anger. With a love whip in hand, she chortled, ‘How brazen! Very well, I will just have to teach you some manners!’ Thus it begins—the showdown between the animal tamer and the fierce princess. What end awaits the two?!”
He began strumming on his lute as the audience showered him with raucous applause.
“Old man!” called one of the customers after draining the last of his glass.
Grumbling, I refilled his drink. I was the keeper of this humble old inn that doubled as a pub, and I’d sure gotten myself some odd customers lately. Normally, my patrons were mostly miners, laborers, and merchants—not the types to show good etiquette. But I avoided unnecessary fights by not keeping any prostitutes around the place. It was a simple, run-of-the-mill inn that provided people with a place to sleep and eat. That was it.
So why was it so noisy here tonight?
Everyone had been holed up in their houses, quarantining themselves, but now they were crammed in together in a closed space, laughing and making merry.
Business was thriving, so there was nothing for me to sniff at. But that singer fellow... He claimed he was an entertainer, but there was something altogether suspicious about him. He had honey-blond hair and watchful emerald-green eyes. Since he was still on the cusp of adulthood, his appearance was disarmingly boyish and innocent. That fact wasn’t lost on him; he was taking advantage and profiting from it. The boy was handsome and skilled enough to perform at one of the theaters in the capital, yet my instincts told me not to let my guard down around him.
But he wasn’t even the one who intrigued me the most.
My gaze turned toward the back of the inn, where a small figure was slipping out the back door. I left the other staff to handle the refills and chased after them.
“Gene, are you going home?”
They swiveled around to look at me, their chestnut-colored, chin-length hair swaying with the motion. Their eyes were the same color, albeit almond shaped. They rarely spoke, and even their features were the definition of cold and unwelcoming.
I hesitated to let them leave. They were only about twelve or thirteen—too young and fragile to be wandering out into the snow alone. I knew Gene would refuse, but as I always did, I invited them to stay the night.
Gene shook their head.
“I figured as much.” I gave a bitter smile, slipped a hand into my pocket, and pulled out some coins, adding a few more than I usually did. “Added some more in as thanks for helping keep things here under control.”
Gene’s eyes went wide with surprise.
My wife popped out from behind me, forcing a wrapped lunchbox into Gene’s hands, and then the two of us watched them go.
There was a man waiting on a horse to deliver Gene back to their house.
“Be sure to give the witch our regards!” I called after them.
Gene bowed their head in a wordless gesture of thanks, briefly pausing to let their eyes linger on the inn, as if they’d left something behind. They were intrigued by the same person who had caught my attention. Not the young boy who could play in Sauslind’s famous theaters, no; it was the person who had stopped the incident here earlier before it escalated into something ghastly—the petite boy dining in a corner of my inn, who looked like an attendant in training.
Chapter 4: The Princess’s Test
“In other words...” The man’s voice trailed off as he lifted his wine cup in one hand, a mocking gleam in his eyes.
Hersche was a small mining town with a highway running through its center, making it a hub for travelers. Although laughter was booming from one of its inns, this place was only a half a day’s ride from Mt. Urma where revolts were taking place.
The man’s voice carried its usual teasing tone as he explained himself. “I was hunting some prey and followed its trail here. And what do I find? You, my dear bookworm. I decided to keep an eye on you, figuring something was going on.” His slightly wavy hair was the same black color as his eyes, and there was something wild and unrestrained about his demeanor.
His true identity was not something we could publicly reveal. Which made me wonder, why was someone like him even here in Sauslind?
Despite the man’s explanation, the person beside me remained tense. Their eyes were ever wary as they pinned him with a glare.
The man’s lips peeled back in an amused grin. “You’re sending a chill down my spine. And after all I did to save you guys in your hour of need.” He spoke airily as his gaze wandered, looking for support. It landed on me, Elianna Bernstein. As chance would have it, I also couldn’t reveal my true identity or my gender.
~.~.~.~
As we stepped out of the carriage, a strong blast of wind and snow forced me to squint. We were on a mountain path, one leading to the town at the foot of Mt. Urma. If the buildup of snow along the roads here was any indication, the place didn’t see much traffic. But despite this, hoofprints were scattered everywhere, and the stench of blood hung thick all around us.
Moments ago, our assailants had corned our carriage and demanded we step out. With no other recourse, I ventured out into the snow. Lord Alan and Mabel were leading the way, blocking the enemy’s view of me.
The armed escorts who accompanied us were nowhere to be seen. Instead, about ten men on horseback surrounded our carriage. The masks on their faces made it impossible to identify them, but it was obvious what they’d come for.
“You’re Elianna Bernstein,” remarked a man with a gaze sharp enough to pierce right through me. He had been locked in battle only a few short minutes ago, and like his comrades, he continued to radiate bloodlust. He carried a sword in one hand, coated in thick, red liquid.
I stiffened, fisting both of my hands. That blood belonged to Grandpa Teddy and the other Black Wing Knights who’d been guarding us. Up until we stepped out of the carriage, fear had been pumping through me, leaving my lungs tight and restricted. Yet now an eerie calm settled over me. I placed my hands on the shoulders of the two trying to protect me and stepped past them, putting myself face-to-face with the intimidating man on his horse.
“Yes, I am Elianna Bernstein, the fiancée of Sauslind’s crown prince. I know you are here because of me, but I won’t allow you to harm me so easily. State now what your master hopes to gain by killing me.”
“Hah.” His lips quirked beneath the mask as mocking laughter trickled out. “Oh, you’re not going to cry and beg for your life? You’re going to give orders instead? Gutsy. But I would expect no less from the country’s next crown princess.” The man sneered at me, his animosity unabating. “But you must not understand the situation you’re in. You’re just a sheltered, ignorant noble girl. If you’re going to die anyway, it won’t do you any good to know the truth.”
The man whipped his sword through the empty air in an attempt to intimidate us. The way his eyes gleamed made me gulp. Puffs of white colored the air around us as the horses inhaled and exhaled.
Lord Alan and Mabel scrambled toward me, trying to intercept our attacker. But before they could, he spurred his horse forward and lifted his weapon, intending to cut me down without mercy.
A short sword came whizzing out of nowhere, piercing through the man’s arm. I let out a shuddering breath, and in the same instant, Mabel stifled a scream. Our assailants whipped their heads around in confusion. More blades came crashing through the air, twinkling as the light caught them. I didn’t have the luxury of seeing whether they hit their mark, though, because someone suddenly grabbed me.
“M’lady!”
“Jean,” I gasped.
“Hurry, while we have a chance!” Apparently, in the confusion, he’d disconnected the horses from our carriage. But as we made our way toward them, one of our attackers escaped the rain of daggers to block our path.
The atmosphere around Jean shifted instantly as a sword came racing toward us. He reached into his coat pocket, but before he could do anything, a horse raced past us. The rider cut down our enemy.
Another gust of snow whipped across my face, but I still got a glimpse of our rescuer. His hair was as black as midnight, his body light and agile. His eyes housed a feral gleam, but they didn’t survey us as mockingly as they had when we first met; he hadn’t the luxury of patronizing us when he was too busy glaring.
“Come, Bibliophile Princess!” He leaned down and wrapped an arm around me, scooping me up.
“Lady Elianna!” Mabel cried.
Jean and Lord Alan shouted after us, but they were no less surprised than our assailants by this development.
