CH 31

It was just an ordinary morning.

I left the workshop to visit Laura-san’s lab to report on the progress.

The workshop was located in the middle of the garden, so I had to take a big detour if I wanted to go out to the main road.

Because I found that troublesome, I usually cut through the woods.

It was nothing out of the ordinary.

Irina-chan was waiting at the workshop, and I was thinking of finishing the report quickly and getting back to work.

That’s when it happened.

Is it dangerous?

“Huh?”

I thought I heard a small voice.

I instinctively stopped.

Stopping was the right choice, as a silver blade skimmed by in front of me.

A knife pierced into a tree with a “thunk”.

If I had been a little slower to stop, it would have pierced my head.

“E-Eh?”

I didn’t understand the situation.

This was the palace, the safest place for me.

There shouldn’t be any danger to my life.

Feeling secure, my whole body was drenched in cold sweat when the knife narrowly passed by.

“I-It’s me again…”

Am I being targeted?

But why?

I didn’t feel the same fear as I did back then.

Normally, I should have left the scene immediately, but I had the leeway to look around.

No one was around.

There was no sign of anyone.

My eyes were drawn to the knife that had suddenly pierced through the air.

“White… paper?”

There was a white paper wrapped around the handle of the knife.

It was probably a letter or something.

Slowly, I pulled the knife out of the tree and opened the wrapped paper.

What was written there was…

Do not approach Prince Yuren.

You are not suitable.

“T-This is…”

A blackmail letter, isn’t it?”

I thought it was right.

I could sense the resentment and anger towards me from the writing.

Someone who doesn’t like me being close to Yuren-kun.

Just who could it be…

While I was thinking about it, I realized that time had passed.

“I have to report this first.”

I hastily put the knife and the letter away and headed to Laura-san’s laboratory.

I ran there.

Breathless, I burst into the room and opened the door a little too forcefully.

“I’m sorry I’m late!”

“Hey, what’s with the exhaustion? You’re all sweaty.”

“Oh, umm, I ran here.”

“Is that so? You didn’t have to hurry, you know.”

In front of a bewildered Laura-san, I give a dry laugh.

While regularly communicating and submitting research reports, I think about something else in my head.

The contents of the letter from earlier.

Should I show it to Laura-san and ask for advice?

It’s unlikely that the sender is related to Laura-san, considering the contents of the letter.

But still, there’s a possibility…

“What’s wrong? You’re making a troubled face.”

“Oh, umm… yeah. I don’t have enough of the new material.”

“The wheat one?”

“Yes.”

I switch to another topic that was in my head.

Maybe I should have consulted her, but Laura-san is busy with her research.

She wouldn’t have the luxury to think about anything else.

In that case…

After finishing my report, I return to the workshop.

“I’m back.”

“Welcome back, Onee-sama! Did you finish the report safely?”

“…Yes. Let’s continue with our research.”

Consulting Yuren-kun’s sister is out of the question.

She would surely be very worried about me.

She would listen to me empathetically and take action to help.

But that could also turn into a big event.

If the palace becomes noisy, it would not only affect me, but also others.

“Then Yuren-kun…”

I murmured in a small, faint voice.

Irina-chan didn’t seem to hear me and continued helping in silence.

The letter said, “Don’t get close to Yuren-kun.”

It’s not certain that Yuren-kun is the one who delivered it, so it’s not wrong to consult him since it concerns him too.

But…what if someone who doesn’t want me to get close to Yuren-kun is watching me?

What would happen if I consulted Yuren-kun?

Would he also be harmed?

I don’t want that.

I absolutely don’t want Yuren-kun to get hurt because of me.

In that case, there is only one person left to consult.

On the day I finished work, I walked around the palace looking for him.

Then I found his figure walking down the hallway and called out to him.

“Hisui-san!”

“Hmm? Oh, Aria. Good work today.”

Hisui-san greeted me cheerfully.

Hisui-san is Yuren-kun’s confidant and friend.

I trust him as much as Yuren-kun and the others, after all, he is the person Yuren-kun relies on the most.

“Um, actually, I wanted to consult with you about something.”

“Consult? Me?”

“Yes. It’s just that… here is not the best place.”

“I understand. Let’s change location.”

Perhaps he could tell from my reaction, he led me to a room where there was no one.

After taking a deep breath and entering the room, I explained the situation.

“I see…”

I thought he would be surprised, but he remained calm.

He analyzed the situation rationally and mentioned the possibilities.

“Most likely, it’s the work of someone within the palace, or someone who frequently comes and goes, and has a connection with Yuren. Maybe a noble from somewhere?”

“Um… What should I do?”

“For now, just act like you normally do. If you look too scared, everyone else will worry about you. The other person probably doesn’t want any trouble within the palace either.”

“Y-Yes, you’re right…”

A feeling of relief and anxiety dominates my heart.

In the end, I wonder who the sender is.

Hisui-san said he doesn’t know either.

“I’ll look into it on my end. I have a vague idea who it might be.”

“R-Really?”

“Yeah, but given who we’re dealing with, I can’t say for sure. Please wait for a while.”

From Hisui-san’s tone, it seems that the sender is of a certain social position.

“I understand.”

“Yeah. But I’m surprised you came to me for advice instead of Yuren.”

“I-I’m sorry. I just felt that if I talked to Yuren-kun, he might get into danger too.”

“I see. Well, from my perspective, that’s the right choice. I don’t want to cause any unnecessary stress for the prince. If I told him, he’d definitely get angry.”

I also think so.

Yuren-kun is kind.

“Knowing Yuren, if you didn’t tell him and sought my advice, he would be angry. But after it’s over, please tell him with your own words.”

“Yes.”