Volume 2 - CH 22

There are probably many people in this world who could be called beautiful. The criteria for being beautiful is broad and vague and when you see one, you may think, “A beautiful… Girl?”

People have many different tastes but in general, a well-proportioned face is said to be beautiful. People are classified as beautiful if their eyes, nose, and mouth are balanced. 

Interestingly, a computer-generated image created from mixing various faces together resulted in a beautiful woman or handsome man. So, a beautiful person is the average of the masses. Their faces have no characteristics other than being well-proportioned and are not memorable. 

That might be the reason why all idols look the same. This wasn’t because your brain was deteriorating, but they actually do all look alike. 

But the girl who was biting a meat wrapped oyaki in front of my eyes, is not a mediocre beauty. 

She is an eye-catching beauty. 

Cliched, I know, but what else can I say? 

She was roughly the same age as Rille-nee. Her large, blue eyes which were framed by her long eyelashes seemed to suck you in. Her sharp chin and straight nose symbolised the strength of her will. 

Her cheeks and lips are a beautiful peach colour, but she didn’t appear to be wearing any makeup. Her face wasn’t just well-proportioned. Every detail on her face was strikingly beautiful and full of life. 

“I can’t get enough of this cheap grease.”

Princess Philia, the greatest treasure in Traus Kingdom, enjoyed eating the commoner people’s food like it was junk food. 

“I’ll definitely pay you back later.”

“It is alright. Please do not worry about it.”

I declined her offer to pay me back at first since I felt it would be more trouble than it was worth. 

Why was Alec’s sister, who is supposed to be participating in the ceremony at the ritual hall, here alone dressed as a commoner? 

I decided to sit down at a round table which was specifically set up for the festival and have lunch to calm down and ask her about the situation. 

Princess Philia panicked at first, but fortunately, I was in my robe again today and was able to quickly prove my identity. 

It was a good thing that I had put the robe on just in case, but I didn’t expect to run into the Princess. 

I told her I was Alec’s classmate, and she trusted me completely. 

The Princess had heard about me from Alec, and she even remembered my name. 

“Aime is a very nice name, it’s short and easy to remember.”

Was what she said. 

This person doesn’t know how to compliment people. 

The Princess was here to enjoy the festival. She had sneaked out. 

“I decided that I would look around the city one day. People around me tried to lock me in my room and said that everything outside the palace is dangerous, but I believe that’s weird. Isn’t that a roundabout way of saying that the King’s reign is inadequate because everything under him is dangerous?”

She was waiting for an opportunity to sneak out of the palace since she believed that her outstanding father wasn’t incompetent. 

“It’s extremely difficult to get past the gate on my own.”

I was tempted to retort, ‘You can pass it if you try hard enough’, but I held back. 

Princess Philia told everyone that she had felt sick during the ceremony, retreated to the room at the back, then changed into an outfit that she had hidden under her skirt when the opportunity arose, and sneaked out through the window. 

She succeeded because they weren’t at the palace and everyone was unfamiliar with the place, so the surveillance was somewhat lax.

She proudly explained in detail that she had sneaked out successfully because she had procured the clothes she would wear and obtained a floor plan of the ritual hall. 

I understood that it was dangerous when a tomboy thoughtlessly uses their wits. 

“Are you really by yourself? There is no one else here with you?”

“Oh my, you don’t know, do you Aime? You always begin your adventures alone. You find your companions throughout your adventure.”

Have you read adventure novels? Are Rille-nee and I a part of your party?

I was right. 

“It was fate that we met here. Why don’t we look around together?”

Even if you ask… Us sisters looked at each other.

We can’t take responsibility if something were to happen to her. Honestly, I want to hand her over to the soldiers as soon as possible. The ritual hall was probably in an uproar right now. 

Princess Philia looked at me as if she was begging.

“Please. I’ll be leaving the kingdom soon. Can’t you let me enjoy my last festival to my heart’s content? You two won’t do anything bad so, please, I beg you.”

It was announced to the public that Princess Philia will be marrying into the Galesh Kingdom.

The Traus, Tilney and Galesh Kingdoms had only signed a cease-fire agreement, not a peace treaty, so strictly speaking, war wasn’t over yet. 

But there have been no signs of war starting up again in the last 50 years. All three nations began trading with each other to heal their people and land and an era of peace arrived. 

When the current King of Traus welcomed the Princess of Tilney, that is, when Alec’s father and his mother got married, a peace alliance formed between these two kingdoms. 

And now, when Princess Philia, who has the blood of the Traus and Tilney royal families, marries the young Galesh King, who has recently ascended to the throne, the three nations will be united by a blood bond. 

The war will truly be over and peace will reign. 

Everyone in the three nations have been waiting for this moment for many years and there was no way to change this marriage regardless of the Princess’s feelings. 

I heard that she won’t actually get married until a year or two from now since alliance terms are still being discussed and the marriage still needs to be planned, but she will never see this festival again. I can understand why she wants to enjoy it to the fullest. 

But…

“Say, Aime, can’t we do something to help her?”

My kind Rille-nee quickly surrendered but I couldn’t answer. 

I couldn’t say no outright because of her pitiful eyes which looked like a chihuahua’s eyes. It was hard to say no when she looked at me like that. 

“Can’t we go back once to get a guard then explore?”

“No! I wouldn’t be able to do anything if they’re with us! I didn’t get permission to go to the festival.”

Well, she’s not wrong. She’s the most important person on the continent right now. 

“But it will be dangerous if something happens.”

“What would happen? Who would cause trouble on this fine day? Everyone is enjoying the festival, but I can’t?”

… Ah, I can’t argue with her.

Because I also think the same way as she does. 

And I wanted to fulfil the wish of a Princess who will be marrying into another nation for the sake of peace. 

I’m sure the royal family will be extremely pissed about this. But who cares. What is today for? It is for having no regrets even if you die tomorrow.

“――― Okay. Let’s have fun together!”

Princess Philia jumped for joy and grabbed my hands when I said that. 

“Thanks!”

I felt like I was doing something good. 

I was worried because there were no fighters in this party. I can’t rely on my magic. I hope we don’t get entangled in something weird. 

“Let’s get on with it. It’s only a matter of time before they find me, so let’s have a lot of fun before then!”

“Okay!”

But as soon as I stood up from my seat.

““Ah.””

The boy soldier who happened to be passing by and I, who saw him, shouted at the same time. 

His light armour protecting his torso and the sword at his waist suggested that he was on duty. 

He was wearing an eyepatch on his left eye and his right eye widened in surprise when he saw Princess Philia. 

I quickly put my arms around his since he had stiffened with his mouth wide open and was disrespectfully pointing his finger at Princess Philia. 

“Alright, let’s go Giedt.”

“… Hah?!”

It was too early to end the adventure here, so he should come along with us. 

A party consisting of a healer, a mage and a warrior will probably be able to handle anything, right?