We three came hanging out at the training ground we always train at. However, at the moment, I was sitting down on the grass as a crimson barrier kept appearing in front of me. A twist though was that normally, you would have to hold out your palm. But, fuck the norm.

The crimson barrier floated unperturbed in front of me and I slowly widened it. This was an issue for me, the wider it was, the weaker it would be. All due to my damaged mystic medium, but I’m exercising it.

“Impressive your highness, you don’t even channel it through your hand.”

“It’s not that hard.”

“Not that hard…?” Mera murmured beside me as she lowered her head.

It would seem she has not yet vastly improved in her mana manipulation.

“Well, try to not channel mana only to your hand but throughout your body also, then bring it out and shape it the way you want.”

“Hmm.”

Mera appeared to be trying it, but her face contorted a bit showing that she was not having it easy.

“Such a method required precision, Mera,” Vernon said. “So it will take a while. Though I’m surprised that you were able to do it when you just started a while ago.”

Well, I’m used to this kind of thing, the training and learning. It’s like an everyday life in the facility.

“Well, I wouldn’t say I had it easy, it required plenty of effort.”

“Good thing with your effort and mana, you were able to stand and defend yourself against Oryn.”

“... He was terrifying… Which reminds me, Vernon, teach me your technique, please?”

Vernon sighed.

“You have asked me that before, but, seeing what Oryn could do, I imagine his allies could do the same. Thus, I will be teaching you, but I imagine your Father wouldn’t be exactly pleased if I teach you this style of combat.”

“Then we just don't tell him.”

“Princess, please bear in mind that I am not your servant originally. What you have been ordering me to do has been hard on me.”

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

“But, your father has assigned me to you for now, so there is not much trouble with it.”

“I’m glad to have you, Vernon.”

Should I try stealing Vernon from my father? I mean, he’s incredibly useful!

Oh well…

A short time later as I was training, someone arrived and it was my brother. I looked at him with surprise since this was the first time he visited me. With a bright smile, I greeted him.

“Brother.”

“Estel, I see you’re doing great.”

“Yup, I am making decent progress! By the way brother, this is the first time you visited me.”

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

“What? No, of course I like you visiting me often. I was just surprised.”

“To be honest, I don’t want to disturb you even though I want to visit you all the time,” he grinned. “But I just have something to convey to you from Father.”

“... What could that be?”

Somehow, I had an ominous feeling.

“You really did something dangerous, dear sister. But I’m glad you’re alright.”

He raised his hand and suddenly pinched my cheek.

“B-Brother!”

“Hahaha! Just, don’t ever do something like that again, especially if your safety is concerned. Good thing I’m more lenient than father, but, because of what you did, he has a punishment for you.”

Woah, wait, punishment? Why?

“W-What do you mean?”

“Next week, your normal lessons will be resumed. Then at that time, you will be prohibited from leaving the palace halls.”

Hold on, me? Being punished, wait, am I grounded?! What the hell!

“B-Brother, you can’t do that…”

“Sister, sorry, it’s not up to me. Ah, more than that, we also won’t answer your wishes. All of this will happen for twenty days.”

T-Twenty days! Are you serious?!

“Brother!” I looked at him with wide eyes, trying to gain his pity.

“It’s not up to me dear sister.”

“But but but, there’s nothing dangerous that I did.”

I heard someone loudly clearing his throat from behind me — but no time to pay attention to it.

Seriously, am I grounded mostly because I didn’t tell them exactly what I did? No way I’ll tell them! It’s too embarrassing!

…

… Hm, wait, now that I thought about it, I’m embarrassed?

…

“Even so, dear sister, it calls for a rebuke…” he stared at me curiously upon seeing me spacing out. “Estel…?”

I didn’t respond, I was thinking.

Why am I embarrassed….. No… it’s...

I care about what and how they see me?

This… this is strange, this goes to a personal level. This is ridiculous, I care about how they see me and thus I was embarrassed? This… this never happened before. Somehow, imagining my mother, father, and brother look at me weirdly, it triggers my embarrassment.

This… this almost felt like a… this is weird.

I shook it off, it’s too confusing to think about. Guess I’ll just be true to my feelings for now, too tiresome to keep thinking.

“I understand, brother.”

“...Hm? You do? That’s a leap.”

“... If that’s what Father decided, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Yeah, true. Alright then, I’ll just cheer you on.”

I puffed my cheeks and averted my face.

“You didn’t even try defending me.”

“He-he-he, you were in the wrong, sister. There’s nothing I can do.”

But there’s nothing wrong about it. It was a way to catch the enemy.

Ugh, whatever.

“Fine… I’ll endure…”

“Good, good. Alright then, I won’t disturb you any further, so see you later. I’m going to go check up on the knights.”

“Okay…”

“Don’t look all sad now.”

“Yes…”

Who wouldn’t be sad about this!? Ugh, being grounded sucks already.

Then time went by and spent by improving the current spells I could cast, and then noon came. I agreed that I would visit Allie for lunch, so I’m going. My family might wonder why I went there instead and thus wouldn’t be able to join them at today’s lunch, but let’s leave it at that.

Hm, should I act like I was sulking a little and so I avoided them for today? Father was just angry with me earlier and they even grounded me, so... it would be a good thing to do to play around for a while.

That way they will give more attention to me —

Wait, why am I seeking attention?

No, that’s weird. Forget that. I’ll leave them alone for a while, let them think whatever they think is going on with me.

Besides, I have a priority for the day. I had to tend to my chef who was still feeling sorrowful, one ought to take care of their subordinates after all.

Don’t say that you doubt my intentions. What? Perhaps you’re thinking that I’m doing this so she’ll get devoted to me and me alone or something weird like that.

You’re wrong, I’m just doing this casually, you know.

Not all of my movements were calculated okay? Sometimes you just gotta swing it — okay no, that’s...

Regardless! This is just a pretty casual thing, like going on a leisurely walk, watching insects pass you by and perhaps play around with some. Then perhaps take one in your home, but punish it when it bites.

Yeah, something like that.

I just want to eat some food, okay? And today was definitely a good time to spend with Allie. Would be great to learn more about her relationship with Oryn, perhaps he mentioned something to her. But regarding me would be pretty unlikely.

So in the end this was just information gathering? Um, nope. Of course not.  I told you, a pretty casual walk.

When we were closing in at the kitchen, I nonchalantly spoke with my two servants.

“Don’t come inside with me.”

“Why?” Vernon asked.

“You do know how Allie is right now. She probably doesn’t want a lot of people around her yet. Sometimes, you just need a single friend in times of grief, don’t you think?”

“I suppose…”

“That being said, Vernon, just in case, watch out for my voice, you’re supposed to guard me after all.”

A bemused expression came to his face. It was then that we arrived at the kitchen. She should have finished cooking now, so the food must already be ready.

I entered and closed the door, leaving my two servants outside.

Allie was there sitting on a chair, her elbows on the table, hands raised and clasping together, quite tightly. When she saw me, she immediately stood up and bowed.

“You came, your highness,” she said with a relieved smile.

“Of course I wouldn’t miss it.”

“I am grateful, please have a seat. I already had it prepared.”

There was a plate on top of the table covered by a steel bowl. She picked up the cover and smoke came rising out into the air. The dish was so pleasant to look at, vegetables and plenty of meat. Quite colorful.

“Hm! It looks delicious!”

I sat down with visible excitement. Damn, it really looks good.

She put aside the steel cover and stood there facing me, holding both her hands in front of her.

“Please, tell me what you think, your highness.”

“Of course.”

I picked up the spoon, then glanced at her. I saw her for a moment, intently looking at the spoon in my hand. I spooned some from the plate, but halted and lowered my hand.

“Allie…”

“Y-Yes?”

“I am concerned about you… How are you faring? Perhaps you need to rest for a while.”

She stared blankly at me, and she seemed to be sweating a little, but not that much. She lowered her gaze.

“I am fine, your highness. I can keep doing my work without much trouble.”

“You must have loved Oryn very much.”

“Huh?”

“I mean, I can see it. I cannot imagine the pain you must have felt. Seeing him dead, and also discovering that he was a traitor. No, rather, an infiltrator.”

The grasps on her own hands tightened.

“Y-Yes, I couldn’t believe it at first. But, reality wouldn’t change. No matter what I do, he won't come back, and the situation won't change.”

“So you have come to accept everything then?”

“I suppose, yes.”

“I see. Then time can only tell how far you will reach into the future.”

“Huh?”

I ignored her and raised the scoop.

“I will cherish this,” I said.

I slowly raised the spoon towards my mouth, I glanced at her for a fraction of a moment, and saw her again staring intently at the spoon heading for my mouth.

I see.

I have yet to fully trust her to begin with. There was a chance that she was clean, but not a hundred percent. And, I was right not to trust.

Besides, she was too obvious. Not too experienced to do this I see. No, she never had experience to begin with, perhaps the job was suddenly pushed into her hands. But because of that, I have realized now, I was certain.

What a waste.

A waste indeed.

“What a waste of talent.”

“Princess…?”

I lowered down the spoon back to the plate. I raised my eyes to look at Allie’s confused expression.

“Allie, I am hurt that you are trying to poison me.”

Her eyes went wide then she turned pale. This reaction pretty much made it certain. She was trying to kill me.

Unfortunately, she was too much of a newbie that a pro could easily see through this. She should have been more casual. Well, her invitation was already too shady in the first place.

Oh, I’m not hurt by the way. I didn’t have any strong emotions towards her anyway that I would feel betrayed. It was just a waste of talent.

“Princess. What are you…?”

“Don’t think you can trick me, Miss Allie. I know you poisoned this food to kill me. Well, if you insist on acting clueless, what about you try eating some of your own food?”

I pushed the plate towards her with a smile, quite an innocent smile.

She pursed her lips and her cheeks trembled.

“You hesitate. No point in pretending anymore. You have failed in your attempt to assassinate me. Everything is in vain.”

Her eyes instantly shot up and aimed towards me with a strong glare like shooting daggers. At that moment, pushed to a corner and exposed, she immediately grabbed a nearby knife, going in for the kill in this last struggle. Everything had failed anyway, might as well strike while the target was in front of her.

Funny, she didn’t even question why my two servants were not here. That just goes to show she wished for this situation since that might ease her mind.

With a knife in her hand, she rushed towards me.

This situation was one of the scenarios I had imagined when I tested Mera. And it was happening with Allie.

Foolish girl. A worthless struggle by an insect.

She cannot kill me, ever.