CH 2

On a beautiful sunny day with refreshing greenery, I left for the neighboring Tenar Kingdom in the north.

“Keep the fact that you’re a healer a secret and never use your powers.”

My father repeatedly reminded me, but in the stories I’ve read so far, I feel that there are many cases where people always end up in a situation where they have to do things that they said they will never do.

“Yes, I will do my best to keep my healing powers from being known.”

I said my goodbyes, hoping that it wouldn’t happen.

It seems that the plan is to take a horse-drawn carriage for three days to the border with the Tenar Kingdom, then transfer to the Tenar Kingdom’s carriage at the border and reach the royal palace after another three days.

I admire the scenery from the carriage window. I was impressed by the lively royal capital that I saw up close for the first time, but I was disappointed that it was the last look.

After passing through the royal capital we went straight along the river.

At that time, Mia, the exclusive maid who was riding with me, told me,

“Every winter, flowers of happiness flow down from the upper reaches of this river.”

“Oh, that blue flower that we don’t have in our country. Everyone gave it to me because I can’t leave the royal palace.”

The blue flower, which doesn’t wither for half a year, is said to make people smile, and it seems that it came to be called the flower of happiness.

I couldn’t help but smile when I remembered that the vase in my private room was filled with flowers of happiness that I received every year.

We aimed for the border by horse-drawn carriage while staying at villas owned by the royal family.

We continue through idyllic country towns, through farms and ranches, and further north into dense forests.

Even in the daytime, the middle of the forest that acted as the border line between the Seiran Kingdom and the Tenar Kingdom, was dark.

The border line that bisects the forest is related to barriers.

There are no barriers in the Seiran Kingdom’s side of the forest, and there are almost no monsters.

On the other hand, the Tenar Kingdom’s side of the forest has a lot of barriers and many monsters.

According to history books, humans didn’t want to go out of their way to cultivate a dangerous forest with many barriers and monsters.

However, in order to avoid humans, the beastmen who were persecuted by humans dared to build a country in a dense forest where monsters were frequent, and they survived and prospered by eating monsters.

That’s how it was written.

“It’s almost time to arrive at the border.”

Mia responded to my muttering,

“It’s too late now, but aren’t you afraid of barbarian beastmen, Lilith-sama?”

“No. When I was little, I met a beastman in the garden. He wasn’t scary at all, and he was a very kind person. He let me touch his tail. It was fluffy and felt good. And we promised to meet again.”

“Huh? When did you do that? I never heard about it.”

“When I was playing hide-and-seek with Mia.”

“Ah. . . That’s right. At that time, when I took my eyes off Lilith-sama for a moment, she immediately disappeared, and I often searched around.”

Mia looked away.

“But after that, I had to live a shut in life, didn’t I? I couldn’t keep my promise after all.”

It’s been a long time, so I can’t remember his face well anymore, but being a beastman who was invited to the royal palace is something that only a diplomat can do. So he must have been a diplomat.

Three days flew by.

When I arrived at the designated place on the border, the knights and attendants of the Tenar Kingdom were waiting in a line.

When I got off the carriage with the help of the escort knight, I saw a beastman wearing a knight’s uniform walking towards me with five other beastmen.

The five men were two men wearing knight uniforms with a different design than the leading man, two women who looked like chamberlains, and one other man.

The man in front was tall, and even though he was wearing a knight’s uniform, I could tell at a glance that he had a well-trained and toned physique.

He has black animal ears and a tail, and has glossy black hair like lacquer and yellow eyes like champagne.

He was a beautiful man with cool, long eyes, a straight nose, and a tight mouth.

“Nice to meet you. I am the third prince of the Tenar Kingdom, Gresis, a leopard beastman. This is Sanse and Schnaiser, who are the exclusive bodyguards of Her Royal Highness. This is Mai and Mei, the exclusive maids, and Crane, the royal doctor. Please get to know them from now on.”

The two guards saluted, and the maids and the royal doctor bowed.

It is not good for the princess to humble herself, so I said, “Thank you.”

After saying that, I nodded with a smile, turned to His Highness Gresis, politely bowed like a lady, and greeted him.

“I am honored to meet you. I am Lilith, the Princess of the Seiran Kingdom. Please call me Lilith. I look forward to working with you for many years to come.”

“. . . Then we will transfer the luggage. I will guide you to our country’s carriage, so please wait in the carriage until departure. We will say goodbye to the people of the Seiran Kingdom here.”

Only the one who is the fiancée can be permitted to enter the Tenar Kingdom. It was one of the conditions for the marriage issued by the Tenar Kingdom.

“Yes. I understand.”

I nodded to His Highness Gresis’s words and bowed as a lady to the servants who had accompanied me to the border for three days.

Starting with Mia, the servants who regretted parting had sad faces, so I smiled like a lady so as not to end up crying.

And then, with those who followed me from the Seiran Kingdom behind me, I adjusted my mind.

From now on, I will become a citizen of the Tenar Kingdom.

When I gently reached out to the arm of His Highness Gresis, who was in an escort posture, I noticed something.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve touched a man as an escort other than my father, and my brother. Huh? I might be embarrassed all of a sudden. Eh? My hands started shaking. What should I do? Isn’t it strange?

I became uneasy and glanced up at His Highness Gresis’s face, and immediately lowered my head.

Wow, he’s even more beautiful than I expected. . .Moreover, he even has cute animal ears and a tail. To think that such a lovely and cute person would become my husband. I wonder if it’s a dream.

“What is it?”

I raised my face again upon hearing His Highness Gresis’s voice, and answered as calmly as possible.

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

“. . . Is that so? If you feel unwell, please tell me immediately.”

Oh yeah. I was put in a sickly setting. I’m really fine, but I made you worry.

“Thank you for your concern. I’m really fine, so it’s okay.”

“. . . I hope so.”

His Highness Gresis is blunt, but his words are polite and he has the kindness to care about my physical condition.

When he escorted me, he behaved gracefully, and he was gentlemanly, walking slowly with my short strides.

People who eat monsters are savages. Although that’s what is said, I can see that they have acquired sophisticated and beautiful gestures that can’t be thought of as barbaric.

I also felt it from the escort knights, the maids, and the royal doctor who were introduced.

While I was escorted by His Highness Gresis to the carriage, something suddenly crossed my mind.

“It’s a blatant lie that beastmen are barbarians. Please tell everyone that.”

I immediately felt the urge to shout out to the attendants who were returning to the Seiran Kingdom.

No no no no. As a princess, I can’t imitate such a loud voice. I’m going to be His Highness Gresis’s wife, so I’ll be patient.

I let out a sigh.

No! You should have said it Lilith! It might help show that you don’t look down on them! And who was the beastman that you met when you were a kid? I want to know!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for reading!