Chapter  4

 — To the Royal Palace (3)

Gurgle…

I hadn’t bothered to check how deep the water was before jumping.

Apparently…

It was much deeper than I’d expected.

I just kept sinking.

I’d held my breath because I didn’t want to swallow any water, but my limit came much sooner than I’d hoped.

Why isn’t this man saving me?!

Doesn’t he realize I fell into the water?!

He said he’d be waiting outside!

Don’t tell me he couldn’t hear the splash from there?!

At last, unable to endure any longer, I opened my mouth.

Water immediately rushed into my lungs.

Cough! Cough!

I’m going to die…!

No, wait… this isn’t how this was supposed to go!

I’d only just promised myself this would be my last life!

I had absolutely no intention of starting my tenth regression!

“Your Highness!”

I thought I heard his voice.

Took you long enough, you idiot.

◇ ◆ ◇

“Your Highness!”

When I opened my eyes again…

Phaeon’s face was right in front of mine.

His golden hair brushed gently across my cheeks.

“Your Highness! Are you alright?!”

I slowly turned my head and noticed several priests gathered around me.

I couldn’t believe I’d actually fainted over something like this.

Then again…

This frail little body really couldn’t be helped.

Oddly enough…

I felt much better than expected.

All my strength had drained away, but there wasn’t the usual burning ache in my lungs after inhaling water.

I carefully nodded to show I was alright.

“Sir Parsiel, you may stop now.”

One of the priests spoke to Phaeon.

He’d apparently been continuously channeling Holy Power into me.

His face had gone as white as paper.

Was he… worried?

No.

He’d probably just been startled.

After all, he had nearly ended up presenting a dead princess to the king.

Especially since he had been the one who brought me to the temple.

“I’m… sowwy…”

“I slipped…”

Phaeon immediately stood.

“Please escort Her Highness to a guest chamber.”

“She should rest for the remainder of today.”

“She will meet His Majesty tomorrow.”

Without another word…

He turned and walked away.

Water dripped steadily from his soaked robes.

He never looked back.

See?

He was just startled.

What a cold-hearted man…

“Your Highness, since you’re already soaked, it would be best if you washed up in warm water.”

“We’ll take care of you.”

Three female priests gently comforted me and escorted me to a bath inside the temple’s guest quarters.

“I’m Sierra.”

“I’m Yuz.”

“And I’m Rosa.”

“Sierra is a Second-Class Priest, while Rosa and I are Third-Class Priests.”

Sierra had olive-colored hair and looked to be in her mid-twenties, carrying herself with cheerful confidence.

Rosa appeared to be in her early twenties, with bright brown curls and adorable freckles scattered across her cheeks.

Yuz seemed to be in her late teens, with black hair braided into twin plaits and a gentle, kind face.

Each had a different personality…

But they all radiated warmth.

Thank goodness…

Good people.

As they removed my wet clothes…

They froze.

Their eyes landed on the scars covering my body.

“…What on earth happened to you?”

Old scars couldn’t be erased…

Not even with Holy Power.

These would probably remain with me forever.

Personally…

I hadn’t cared much.

Most of them were hidden beneath my clothing.

Apparently the priestesses felt differently.

Yuz’s eyes were already filling with tears.

For several long moments…

They silently stared at my scars in fury.

Then they lowered me into a white marble bathtub and carefully washed me with soft rosemary-scented foam.

“I’ll apply a special oil afterward.”

“It makes hair beautifully smooth almost instantly.”

Rosa held up a tiny bottle decorated with a carved rose.

That would be wonderful.

My neglected hair had become one of the most pitiful parts of my appearance.

Dry.

Frizzy.

Split at every end.

I wonder if it can actually be saved.

When my bath was finished…

They dressed me in children’s priestly robes.

The outfit consisted of a white silk dress reaching below the knees, along with a stole embroidered in golden thread.

Whenever children ran while wearing them…

The stole fluttered behind them like rabbit ears.

It was surprisingly adorable.

I’d always thought the temple children looked cute in these.

Wearing one myself feels strange.

“I’m sorry.”

“We don’t have any clothes suitable for a princess.”

“So… for now…”

Sierra apologized awkwardly.

I immediately shook my head.

“No!”

“This is the prettiest clothes Asha’s ever worn.”

“It’s so soft and smooth!”

“Your Highness…”

Yuz’s nose turned red again.

They escorted me to a guest bedroom.

While Yuz went to fetch dinner…

Sierra and Rosa brushed my hair and gently applied cream to my face.

“Your Highness.”

“Take a look in the mirror.”

“You look like an entirely different person now.”

The reflection wasn’t bad.

My hair still resembled an unruly bird’s nest…

But it was much neater than before.

Without soot covering my face…

My pale skin and large emerald eyes stood out far more clearly.

Looking at myself…

I realized something.

I didn’t resemble my biological father at all.

Maybe that’s a good thing.

Even after living through nine lifetimes…

Not even I had known who he was.

…Was he so indifferent because I didn’t resemble him?

People always said parents favored children who looked like themselves.

Then again…

If I’d resembled him even slightly…

Someone would have noticed immediately.

Still…

Maybe just one tiny feature…

…Forget it.

What’s the point of thinking about it now?

If I’d gone to the palace looking as filthy as I had earlier…

The king’s first impression of me would’ve been disastrous.

Fortunately…

Everything had gone according to plan.

In every previous life…

The king had disliked my first impression so much that after our initial meeting…

He never summoned me again.

Just then…

Yuz returned carrying a steaming bowl of potato soup filled with thick slices of bacon.

It’s delicious!

How long had it been since I’d eaten real meat?

Phaeon had shared bread with me during our journey…

But this…

This felt like a proper meal.

I almost cried.

“Is it really that good?”

Sierra smiled warmly as she watched me shovel spoonful after spoonful into my mouth without even bothering to blow on it first.

“Mhm!”

“It’s sooo yummy!”

I nodded enthusiastically while chewing.

“From now on, you’ll eat even better meals.”

“The royal palace’s cuisine is much finer than the temple’s.”

Not necessarily…

The royal chef Princess Aquila assigned to me had been absolutely dreadful.

He constantly served things like eel pie or haggis, insisting they were nutritious.

Whenever he did…

I’d simply go hungry instead.

“Thank you, big sisters.”

“You’re all just like angels.”

Rosa giggled.

“That reminds me.”

“I heard you called Sir Parsiel an angel.”

“If he found out you’re calling us angels too…”

“He might get jealous.”

“Oh no…”

“Then can Mister Knight be an archangel…”

“…and you big sisters can be angels?”

All three burst into laughter.

“You’re far too adorable.”

“Honestly…”

“If you simply eat well and sleep properly…”

“You’ll be the one who looks like an angel.”

Yuz gently stroked my cheek with eyes full of sympathy.

“Um…”

“What kind of person…”

“…is Mister Knight?”

“Sir Parsiel?”

The three priestesses answered in perfect unison.

“He’s the greatest and strongest Holy Knight on the continent!”

Then they began praising Phaeon without pause.

“He joined Veritas at an incredibly young age and became Commander faster than anyone in history.”

“Perhaps because Lord Lux favors him…”

“He possesses overwhelming Holy Power.”

“No horrific monster…”

“No wicked mage…”

“Can stand against him.”

“And besides being an extraordinary swordsman…”

“His healing abilities are unmatched.”

“Everyone in the temple deeply respects him.”

“But…”

Sierra’s cheerful expression suddenly darkened.

“He was always rather quiet…”

“But these past several months…”

“He’s become even harsher.”

“He fought through an unimaginably brutal war.”

“Sierra was assigned to the front lines as support staff.”

Yuz explained.

“That’s right.”

“I saw everything myself.”

“He threw himself into enemy territory without the slightest concern for his own safety.”

“He carried out countless reckless operations…”

“Completely unlike his usual self.”

“But in the end…”

“He succeeded in defeating the Demon King.”

“Kalisa was practically reduced to ruins.”

“So, in a way…”

“He avenged Your Highness’s mother too.”

“…Ah!”

Sierra suddenly clapped both hands over her mouth.

“Avenged…”

“…my mommy?”

I knew Mother had died at the hands of King Pereus of neighboring Kalisa—

The man people called the Demon King.

But I didn’t know the full story.

No one had ever been willing to speak to me about Mother.

It had become something of a taboo.

Everything was still too recent to appear in history books.

Sierra broke into a cold sweat.

She nervously glanced at the others.

Rosa and Yuz shot her exasperated looks.

There she goes talking too much again…

“…You mean Asha’s mommy?”

“What kind…”

“…of person was she?”

I couldn’t stop myself from asking.

“Princess Beatrice…”

After a long silence…

Yuz smiled sadly.

“I’ll tell you someday.”

“When the opportunity comes.”

“But today…”

“You’ve had a very exhausting day.”

“That’s right, Your Highness.”

“You should get some rest.”

“You’ve traveled a long way by carriage…”

“And then suffered such a frightening accident.”

“We’ll bring you some warm milk.”

Come to think of it…

My eyelids were growing heavier and heavier.

What a shame.

It can’t be helped.

I’ll definitely ask again someday.

As I lay on the soft bed—

Something I hadn’t experienced in what felt like forever—

I found myself thinking about what they’d told me.

…What must he have been feeling?

He’d fought the man who murdered my mother.

The thought stirred something strange inside me.

Was it sadness?

Pity?

I wasn’t sure.

…I shouldn’t sympathize with him.

◇ ◆ ◇

“Niece…”

“You’re far braver than I expected.”

“To come willingly to a place like this.”

“Don’t call me your aunt.”

“It makes my skin crawl.”

“You’re not my family.”

“I’m sorry…”

“But I cannot love you.”

“Even if you are the child of the daughter I treasured most.”

“Gasp!”

Just before dawn…

I jolted awake from a nightmare.

Cold sweat drenched my entire body.

…Don’t weaken now.

You’ve already lived through all of that.

As I slowly caught my breath…

I realized how foolish I’d been before falling asleep.

Actually feeling sorry for Phaeon…

What nonsense.

He could never understand the suffering I’d endured.

Stay strong.

The future can still change.

This time…

I’ll make it.

When morning came…

The three priestesses did everything they could to prepare me for my audience with the king.

My long white hair was fluffed until it looked thick and soft.

A white fur cloak made for children was draped over my shoulders.

I looked like a tiny woodland creature.

“Aww…”

“Your Highness looks exactly like a little white rabbit.”

“I just want to hug you.”

Rosa whimpered.

“Honestly.”

“Don’t be so disrespectful to Her Highness.”

Sierra scolded her.

“It’s okay.”

“Asha wants hugs too.”

Before Rosa could react…

I wrapped my arms around her.

“Eek!”

She squealed happily and hugged me back.

Then Sierra and Yuz both cried out,

“Your Highness! Me too!”

At that moment…

Hearing footsteps…

I turned around.

Phaeon and several Holy Knights were approaching.

“Mr. Archangel!”

I happily skipped toward him.

The three priestesses burst into laughter behind me.

I really like these big sisters.

Phaeon looked thoroughly bewildered by the new title.

Then he cast an unimpressed glance toward the three priestesses.

His expression clearly said,

“What exactly have you been teaching her?”

“Are you feeling well?”

“Yep!”

“I’m all better!”

Aside from that ridiculous nightmare…

I smiled brightly.

“Then let us go.”

He answered shortly.

He’s always in such a hurry…

“Asha’s leaving now.”

“See you later, Angel Sisters.”

“Good luck, Your Highness!”

“You can do it!”

Encouraged by their cheerful voices…

I hesitated before quietly asking,

“…Will His Majesty…”

“…like Asha?”

“Of course.”

Yuz smiled warmly.

“You’re an absolutely lovable little princess.”

I’d only known them for half a day…

And yet…

They said something no one had ever told me before.

My chest tightened.

The courage I’d lost after that nightmare returned once again.

Alright.

Let’s go.

Straight into enemy territory.