Chapter 34: Beginning of the Hunt

Last night, during dinner, everyone was so tense that I found it hard to talk with them. It seems that my reliable brother had delivered the news. That said, trapped in my room I was, I never uncovered what actions they exactly took.

However, if I were to guess, they must be making sure that everyone in the palace was to be trusted. In addition, I also heard from Mera yesterday that my father, the King, left the palace. I asked Mera where he could have gone, but she had no answer.

I wonder where he went. But I’m impressed they acted immediately when they heard of my predicament. Good.

Now the seeds of my soon to be meatshields and assistance had been planted and ready to be reaped, I am now to focus on my own self for a while.

“Milady, everyone seems so tense for some reason today.”

As we were heading back to my room after taking a bath, Mera spoke to me with a concerned voice.

I had no intention to tell her of the situation, she could offer no help whatsoever after all. And my family hadn't told anyone else what was happening, so I am not intending to intervene. Even so, Mera will have some uses at any point.

I acted clueless about it.

“Is that so? Have you heard anything about why?”

“I only heard about his Majesty leaving yesterday, and his Highness the Prince gathering the knights.”

Hm, it seems my brother started at a place he had the most influence on. But I think the knights had the lowest chance of any internal threat. There was also a chance that the stranger’s words were word plays, or there were indeed infiltrators, but couldn’t be in the palace.

I am lacking information.

A high chance of infiltrators would be amongst the guards which were commoners. They could easily be hired, or the enemy could use that method to infiltrate and spy in the palace, keeping track of my movements.

But why was it the enemy has yet to make their move?

Was infiltrating the palace that difficult? Or eliminating me? Was there something that limits their movements? Or that stranger was indeed keeping those who threatened my life away from me?

Were the enemies observing for a while? A possibility. Perhaps waiting for the opportune moment, or they were still gathering information themselves.

The prophecy the stranger mentioned came to my mind.

He said it changed. How many knew of that so-called prophecy? My enemies likely knew of it. Was the reason they have yet to make their move was because they were startled by my arrival, thus resulting in Estelia’s survival? Making them more cautious about their actions and coming up ways to understand the situation.

They might be very careful in making their decisions.

And here I am, so feeble and weak that I can imagine that a single magic could squash me.

How frustrating.

I arrived in my room.

“Wait for me here.”

“Yes, milady.”

I closed the door.

This should have been easier if the bath was just on the other side of the room, and if I could dress on my own. But alas, I am a princess. They would just reject my request to let me dress myself anyways if the bath was just one door away.

In any case, I have a good purpose coming here.

I kneeled beside the bed, and reached my hand under, grabbing the bag.

My precious daggers. I have to be armed at all times. You’ll never know when the enemy will come.

I took out the contents and spread out the cloth with daggers upon the bed along with the straps and belts.

I lifted my right leg, removed my shoes and placed my foot on the bed. I moved my skirt back, revealing my flawless, smooth, and white thighs.

Hmmm. Perfection!

My thighs are more precious than the pig or chicken thighs that you eat!

…Okay, bad comparison, forget about that.

Ahem.

I took a strap and tied it to my thigh. This time I’ll only equip one strap, I’m not going on a full operation here. Plus, it would be easier and safer to conceal the weapons that way. I just need some weapons to guard myself with when push comes to shove.

There were three slots available. Two slots for small sized daggers at the front side, while one of the medium sized to the side. I took the daggers and sheathed them in. Perfectly fit! They wouldn’t fall off or shake. It seems that blacksmith’s works were designed for each other.

Well, you could do the same for others, I guess. But it’s always the best to buy things from the same manufacturer to ensure compatibility for their products.

But whatever, that’s not important, at least my equipment works, that’s the most important thing.

Good thing the strap was around my size. Of course I wouldn’t pick something that wouldn’t fit me, so it was only to be expected that they would fit. But the smith offered me this, so perhaps he already had an idea of what size would fit me. So it perfectly fits!

Ah! Gotta stop thinking about these pointless things. I need to focus on the things more crucial.

I need to find my brother. I need his help to convince father to allow me to learn magic. That will be required, I don’t even know how to start learning that shit.

Rules of the world differed from my old world. I might need to expand my perception of how things work.

I cleaned up and hid my things under the bed again. I tried moving my leg, everything was fine.

We were about to go to breakfast, so I have no need to go looking for my brother.

I left the room and along with Mera, we headed towards the dining room. When I first saw the three members of my family, I stopped in my tracks.

Hm. They all looked like they were deeply thinking about something. Must be about me.

I looked at Estevan who I was about to talk to first. He seemed on edge, he had been like this yesterday.

Nothing I can do but cheer him on in my heart. I pushed through the tense atmosphere while acting as though I didn’t notice anything strange and stood next to my brother.

“E-Estel?”

I smiled sweetly as I rubbed my hands embarrassingly.

“Brother… about my…” I whispered to him. “...request.”

“Request…?”

I blinked my eyes several times as though flabbergasted by his question.

“Have you forgotten? How mean of you Estevan,” I pouted while emphasizing his name, failing to call him what I usually do.

He jolted up as though suddenly struck by an arrow through the chest, threatening to take his life. He frantically spoke.

“W-Wait! Um, Ah yes! I remember now! T-That learning thing?”

A faint smile curled on my lips.

“Yes dear brother, the learning thing.”

“Ahaha, yes that. Ahem…”

I walked to my seat while receiving the puzzled gazes of my parents.

“What learning thing do you mean?” my mother asked, looking at me for an answer.

I fidgeted on my seat as I sent a pleading gaze towards my brother.

“What is it about?” my father asked with furrowed brows, which caught me by surprise a little.

I didn’t expect him to be like this in front of Estelia early in the morning, he was less… What word would fit this…? He was less welcoming than usual. I sort of wanted to know what they were up to. But patience. It was still early. I’ll learn it at some point. The most important thing was that it’s for my sake. But I would at least want to have an idea, I’ll just wait for the opportunity.

Father waited for an answer until Estevan hesitantly spoke.

“Father, actually… Estel wishes to do something.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“She… wants to learn magic.”

“What?” my father’s gaze shifted towards me.

I recoiled back the moment I received those strong eyes. It caused instant regret from my father’s expression the moment he saw how I was acting.

“Sorry, dear daughter… Just... What brought this on? Why do you want to learn?”

Now how should I answer this?

“I find magic… interesting. It was a mystical thing… And, it has many uses, I saw how the knights use it…”

“You’re a lady and princess, you have no need to learn the ways of the knights.”

I shook my head as I intently looked at my father's eyes.

“I plan not to take the ways of a knight. However, there must be other kinds of magic, there is, right? Something that fits me?” there must be other variants. There has to be. “Also, as I said, learning magic, I might be able to defend myself from…”

I stopped my words and looked down, clenching my skirt as fear was in my eyes.

“I… I think something is going on… I don’t feel at ease. I want to learn magic… Especially now that… I feel… unsafe. So weak. I want power...”

My hands trembled intensely. I was reminding them of what happened yesterday. This would at least make Father consider it.

“...” my father looked at my mother, as though asking what her opinion was.

My mother reached out and held my hand. She squeezed it, tightly it was soft, the warmth of her hand came to mine. I looked at her eyes which were full of fondness.

“Estelia, do not fear, for we are here.”

“... But…”

“It’s alright,” Mother turned to father. “I think it is fine for her to learn, even I myself know a little bit, it is no harm for her to learn, yes?”

“Meliya… but if I recall correctly, when you were young, you kept it a secret as you learned by yourself.” my father said with a smile.

“... Indeed that was the case, but no harm, correct?”

My father pondered for a while.

I was a bit surprised to hear that my mother knew how to do magic. I don’t quite recall her performing it in front of Estelia. Perhaps her capabilities were so small that it was not performed in front of everybody else? Or she decided not to do it because there was no reason to.

Ladies of the court had no need to worry about obtaining power, for the men will be the ones to protect them. That was why normally, ladies had no need to strive for strength and focus on other things. Their home, politics, diplomacy, sociality and many more matters that have no need for strength but yet essential.

Perhaps that was why as a princess of the kingdom, I was not taught such things as magic in the beginning. Princesses, or ladies, were not required muscles to lift weights, nor were they required to obtain strength to crush their enemies with their fists or cut them down with swords.

The men were to be the ones to focus on using their strength, and the ladies were to cover where there might be weaknesses for their partner. Cover their blind spots, you could say. However, this somehow gave me the feeling that it was this way so that the ladies would be protected as the men risked their lives for them, just to keep the ladies out of danger.

How caring. I guess as expected of such a romantic kingdom that its legit origins were romance, and also the gods it worships.

That being said, this was no absolute rule. When it was considerably required, they could do what they needed to be done. Then there were some females among the knights, thus proving that rule wasn’t mandatory.

Even so, I was no mere noble like those knights.

That aside, mother’s right, no harm from learning it.

“Very well,” my father finally gave his permission. “There are books in the library you can read. However, I personally will choose what books you are to read. So, you have to be a bit patient, Estelia. Tomorrow should be fine, right?”

How long would it take just to pick out a few books?! Whatever, he must be busy to go to the library to pick out the right books now. Tomorrow would be fine, at least it wasn’t days. Besides, they must be working on my threatening situation, so it’s alright. Keep working for my sake.

Besides, I have to feel around the palace today anyway.

Gonna scout the area, familiarize the faces of people here. Observe their actions towards me. How would my enemies react if they saw me? Or those who had interests in me.

It will be risky, I know. But I’ll achieve nothing, progress nothing, if I do not act myself.

“Yes! That is fine!” a happy smile emerged on my lips.

I must act to defend my peace. I must act to exterminate my enemies.

Tearing_Sanctuary

Next chapter: Suspicions