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CHAPTER 87:The Cruel Princess Naps
"Perhaps we should part ways here for now?"
"Then, let's prepare for any unforeseen circumstances..."
"I see. Also, I still believe the Knights would be the most suitable for this. Especially..."
"Very well. I’ve also thought of a few alternatives in case the kidnappers transport them via carriage or other means..."
"In that case, we should start here first..."
"That may not align with my sister's wishes. So..."
"Indeed. Then, let's proceed with that."
"However, there are concerns. What if my sister or I..."
"Leave it to me."
Stayle and Chancellor Gilbert were deep in a strategic meeting, and we were completely excluded from it. In fact, I didn't even feel like I could join. Tiara and I sat on the bed where Val had been sleeping, watching the two of them from the side, while Arthur stood by me, keeping watch.
After Stayle, Tiara, Arthur, and Chancellor Gilbert had agreed to help fulfill my wishes, the private room in the infirmary that was supposed to be prepared for Val had completely transformed into a strategy room.
Now, Stayle and Chancellor Gilbert were working together to plan the operation for tomorrow, trying to fulfill my request.
Honestly, I feel so terribly guilty about this.
By the way, the one who started all of this, Val, isn’t here right now. Although he received treatment from a healer with healing powers, it would still take at least one more night before his abilities were fully restored, and he was in poor physical condition. But, even so, it wouldn’t be right to have him stay in the infirmary overnight... At first, I thought of sneaking him into my room for the night, but both he and everyone else strongly opposed it. I thought it would be safe since we have a contract of servitude, but...
In the end, Val was hidden away in an unused secret room for the night, where he could rest his body. It was a room that had been used by Maria, Chancellor Gilbert's wife, when she was once protected. The furniture was all gone, so it was just a simple, empty room now, but with a blanket or two, it should be fine.
I told Val to stay in that room until I give him permission to leave. As long as he doesn’t shout loudly, he is free to do as he wishes within the room. Then, Stayle teleported him there. By the way, Stayle has gotten even better at teleporting. Now he can easily teleport four adults, including himself. He’s terrifying, my younger brother. His teleportation weight limit increases every year.
Val was still a bit confused about the situation, but Stayle teleported him without mercy.
I’m sure their strategy meeting will take a while, so I’ll check in on them after some time.
Suddenly, I feel a warmth on my shoulder. When I turn around, I find Tiara has fallen asleep, leaning against me. Thinking about it, today was busy from the start, and Tiara had been quite energetic during the inspection of the town. She even had to go to Chancellor Gilbert’s mansion because of my schedule and, of course, Val’s appearance... She must be exhausted.
I gently pat Tiara’s head as I lower her from my shoulder to my lap, letting her sleep. I apologize for not letting her rest on the laps of Stayle, Arthur, or Chancellor Gilbert. Her soft hair is soothing, and I can’t help but feel sleepy as I stroke it. Arthur asks if I want to go back to my room, but I refuse. It would be rude for me to leave while they are preparing the strategy. Besides, dozing off like this is incredibly disrespectful.
I must stay awake... but once I become aware of my sleepiness, my eyelids grow heavy, and my vision blurs. I pinch my cheeks and shake my head, but I’m overwhelmed by sleepiness.
Before I know it, I have fallen asleep, resting my head on Arthur’s lap as I lean toward Tiara, who is still asleep on my knee.
I fall into an unknown nightmare.
A Nightmare
"...Tiara... If anything happens to me, take this..."
A man’s voice. I can’t see his face, as it’s blurred, but... I know this voice. I know this person.
"Please, there must be another way..."
It’s Tiara.
She’s older now, her body more womanly, and tears glisten in her eyes. She’s desperately shaking her head while holding something in her hands.
Tiara...
My precious sister...
Why is she crying?
She shakes her head at the man’s words, but she accepts the item he hands her and hides it inside her clothes. In the end, she nods firmly at him before breaking down in tears.
"I wish I could escape... If only I could…"
"...That’s enough. But I can’t do that, not if it means protecting you... And..."
The man’s words come one after another, and Tiara nods, tears flowing down her face.
"I understand, I understand," she murmurs softly.
In the end, she lifts her head and says, "I’ll protect you too! I won’t let you die!"
Ah... this is...
The late game, just before the final battle.
He... Tiara... he gave Tiara a choice...
Out of pride, I’m the one standing against her in the end, the one who must protect the people, her, and everything... It's the final choice, the one where Tiara steps up for the first time.
Tiara... I’m sorry.
Because of my pride, I’ve made you bear this painful decision.
End of Nightmare
The Reality
“...Lady Pryde! Lady Pryde!”
I wake up at the sound of Arthur’s voice. My blurry vision clears as I look up, and I see Arthur looking at me with a worried expression. Behind him, Stayle and Chancellor Gilbert have the same concerned looks.
“Ah... sorry... I must’ve fallen asleep...”
I absentmindedly rub my eyes, and when I do, I realize my face is wet. I’m startled and wipe my eyes again, only to find tears streaming down uncontrollably, along with an odd dryness in my throat.
"Tiara too...?!"
Stayle’s voice breaks through my thoughts as I turn my gaze to Tiara, who had been sleeping on my lap. I hadn’t realized it, but I must have been lying on top of her.
Tiara was also crying in her sleep.
She had a tortured expression on her face, her cute face twisted in discomfort, and tears were still falling from her closed eyes.
What happened...?
I quickly shake Tiara awake, calling her name.
Tiara weakly opens her eyes, gazing up at me in confusion, and for a while, she doesn’t say anything. Worried, I wipe her eyes with my fingers, and then her small lips slowly start to move.
"...You’re crying too, Sister."
Tiara reaches up and wipes my eyes with her slender fingers. Even though she was crying too, she was worrying about me. How kind and gentle she is...
"Both of you, what’s going on?"
Stayle approaches with concern, peering at Tiara and me, and then Chancellor Gilbert follows suit, handing each of us a towel from the infirmary.
“It seems like we had a bad dream... Sorry to worry you.”
Chancellor Gilbert asks what the dream was about, but neither Tiara nor I can remember. Maybe it was just a bad dream because of how strangely we dozed off. We press the towels to our eyes to stop the tears and both tilt our heads in confusion. Suddenly, Tiara looks as if she has remembered something, and I wonder what it could be.
"...Huh? I... I was on your lap, Sister! I’m so sorry!"
It seems like it was something else. Tiara, finally fully awake, jumps up from my lap, realizing she’s made a stain with her tears on my dress, and she starts panicking.
"It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize. I should be the one to apologize for making you sit on my lap."
Tiara’s panicked expression is so cute that my tears subside. I gently pat her head, and Tiara, surprised, seems to have stopped crying, her face now bright red from embarrassment.
“You both must be exhausted. We’ve already come up with most of the plan. Dinner is soon, so let’s head back to the castle.”
As for the matter with Val’s disappearance, Stayle assured me he would handle it with the people in the infirmary. Chancellor Gilbert rolled up the piece of paper with the strategy and handed it to Stayle, who teleported them both out.
On our way to the castle in the carriage, Arthur reminds me, “We’re going to check on that criminal Val, right? When you do, make sure to call me along.”
Stayle agrees, and after dinner, the four of us will go to check on Val and bring him some food. I hope he stays calm and rests quietly.
Tomorrow, we need to rescue the kidnapped children, so everything must be ready.
After saying farewell to Arthur, Tiara and I, along with the knights and maidens, returned to our castle.
Tiara, embarrassed, tried to hide the stain on my dress with her back as we walked together.
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EUN: This wasn't in the anime. Anyway, it's nice that we get to see more of Pryde and Tiara together and I can't hep but wonder...does the current Pryde really have precognition abilities. She considers it her memories from her past life right? like she recalls the events when she played the game so what exactly is the current Pryde's Special Ability? Tiara on the other hand is said to have precognition ability right so....did Tiara saw the same thing as Pryde? Is the current Pryde really a special ability user? does she really have precognition ability? oofff----I NEED SPOILERS!!!!!
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