Armored Girl and the Sparkling Princess 2

I became sure of myself when Emilia said, “Stay by my side,” at the royal palace. I felt something wrong with Emilia’s outspoken voice and presence as if she were praying, and I started to tremble as if I were submerged in snow. That feeling of unease and discomfort growing from the pit of my stomach was something I remember vividly. The cause was…..I took something out from my pouch and lightly set it on the table. It was the necklace that Emilia had given me as a talisman. The stone shined beautifully when receiving the light, would you not be sucked in just by looking at it?

“Emilia gave this to me right before we left on our journey.” “Emilia did, she gave this to Monette?” “Yes, I have had it on me ever since.” “Such an expensive stone necklace, how did she get something like this…..”

To Alexis’s mutterings, even Ordo mused, “It’s not something easy to come by.” Because two members of royalty were going so far, then this really must be quite the impressive jewel. But it was because Emilia’s wish had soaked into this gem that I was able to notice that Emilia was a witch. It was definitely a spell affecting me that made me think that it was ‘unavoidable’ for me to stay by Emilia’s side in the castle. What would have happened if Robertson hadn’t jumped in when he did…

In reverse though, it was because of this necklace that I did not notice Emilia was a witch until that moment.  No, it might be more accurate to say that it changed my mind every time I doubted her.

“When Emilia gave this to me, I thought it might be a cursed item, so I tried testing it in the carriage……” “Oh, so when you were drinking the water at that time?”

I nodded my head towards Alexis’s surprised voice. In the carriage immediately after leaving the capitol the first time, I immersed the necklace I received from Emilia inside the curse sensitive water. If Emilia was the witch who cursed Alexis, the possibility that she was sending a cursed item to continuously apply the curse could not be overlooked……But the water did not respond. At that point any doubts I held for Emilia were erased in that moment.

Emilia is not involved in anything. That girl is pure, she is waiting for my return……….and so on.

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But when we were in the royal palace, the necklace responded to Emilia’s honest wish, making me understand everything. Certainly Emilia never meant to curse me. I was her important older sister. ………But that is exactly why.

Emilia’s curse caused me to lock myself away in the tower. Never leaving, never making my way back to the royal palace. Her favorite older sister is left in a place where she can reach until no one can interfere, until there would not be a problem even if I were to return…….. I thought I was living a comfortable life on my own inside the royal castle, but in actuality, I was no different than a dead pet buried close to home.

“Emilia still loves me even now. But I was in the way of her dream of becoming a ‘glittering princess’.” “…..that’s…..” “Alexis was constantly sending me apology gifts. I’m sure Emilia felt anxious watching that. If I were to forgive Alexis and return to society, then there was a possibility of me becoming Alexis’s fiancée again………”

Human engagement isn’t as light as a relationship between animals where ‘if this one is useless, then the next one will be fine.’ But political marriages are another breed all together. And above all, Emilia was originally, ‘the next one.’

If this oneMonette is useless, then that oneEmilia will be fine. That is how marriage between nobles works. But with that being the case, if this oneMonette will work out, then that oneEmilia is unneeded……..it would not be wrong to think this way.

Because that idea probably wedged itself in her head, things spiraled out of control the way they did……….Emilia became flustered, and anxiety took hold. She didn’t know she was a witch. She didn’t know about the curse she had already created……..

There was someone who came along and wiped out all the anxiety and negative thoughts sticking themselves to her every thought. It was the second prince Rodel Radoll.¹

Even if her older sister were to take off her armor and return to the royal palace, he would not be affected. Since it was his brother’s sin, Rodel might make some concessions and apologize for the life I lived, but that would never go as far as him having to change fiancées. How much must have Emilia thought about that? And surely Rodel gave Emilia a beautiful present to mark the occasion. An expensive necklace paid with high-end gold plated bills. Whether it be in the royal palace or meeting me on the streets, Emilia was wearing a gorgeous dress, and if you assume that Rodel was the one who gave that to her, then he was certainly treating her like the glittering princess she wanted to be.

Nevertheless, getting rid of Alexis would be impossible. Alexis was a fine example of a nobleman, but because of that, there were probably many times that Emilia held herself back from trying to get something that she wanted in order to not appear spoiled. If Alexis’s fiancée was anyone other than Emilia, they would have felt blessed more than anything. At the same time, they would have been worshipped as a reverent queen. Alexis, a good prince honorable amongst all other nobles, yet he also strove for the benefit and growth of the country without any wasteful government spending. ………..Any woman would have loved to be that venerable queen, with the exception of the ‘glittering princess’ Emilia.

“The good honor student routine bit you in the butt this time.”

Everyone heard Ordo’s words. There was someone who wanted to make an objection, but in the end, there was nothing anybody could say. As Ordo said, Emilia’s choice was between the ‘prince who thought of his country’ and the ‘prince who would spare no expenses on her.’ Even if Alexis did not feel guilty about what he had done and was trying to apologize to me, Emilia still would have dumped him because he was too good of a prince and didn’t shower her with expensive gifts. How ironic.

It would have been a year ago that such an important decision was made. I do not know exactly what caused the cup to spill over……the second I said that, Percival chimed in saying, “It was probably because of inheritance.”

“His Majesty was thinking about giving the throne to Prince Alexis while he was young…..or so the rumor goes.” “No, I never heard such a thing.” “It was a rumor told through the knight orders. We were told to refrain from spreading because of fear of confusion spreading.”

Surely, those rumors of the succession to the throne reached Emilia’s ears. Therefore Emilia……..her feelings surged forth, and she cursed Alexis. To be suspicious of his affairs, to take away trust, to deprive him of the throne. And so Rodel took Alexis’s spot, and Emilia truly became a wonderful ‘sparkling princess.’ With all that happening, it will no longer be a problem if her lovable sister returns.

Finished explaining everything, I slowly breathed out. There was a heavy feeling in the air. As no one could bare to even look at each other, none of us were willing to try and cut through the tension with a joke. Meanwhile, Gina was still drinking from her cup of wine.

“Emilia Idira really has a nice story going, doesn’t she?”

I shrugged my shoulders. Everyone else’s gazes fell on her. While receiving such looks, Gina let out her elegant laugh while stroking Concetta on her knee.

The girl who was in poor condition recovered physically after extensive medical treatment and headed towards the kingdom to be with her family. She received an engagement afterwards as a substitute for her sister after the prince rejected her and she hid herself away in the old castle. Although she lived peacefully for several years, the prince’s true colors were revealed to the world right before he succeeded the throne. He was a tyrant who was unfaithful to her. Emilia was a pitiful girl who had been deceived, and the person who saved her…….was the second prince. Emilia took the outstretched hand of the second prince who truly loved her, and he took care of her and drove out the unfaithful prince. Then the older sister who had been wounded, hiding in the old abandoned castle came back to Emilia once again…..

It is not a conclusion where the words, “Happy ending, Happy ending,” could be displayed in bold words.

But it was the truth for Emilia and everyone who believed those rumors about Alexis’s infidelity. Everything was going along perfectly with this storybook farce. And surely the people who heard these stories would be so moved that they would close their eyes to any of the problems with Emilia and Rodel. “It’s better than that unfaithful prince,” the people will say.

Gina recited the entire story as if it were the plotline of some farce of a play looking quite bored, but when she finished it a smile broke and a mischievous look spread across her face. Then her gaze moved……..onto Percival.

“It really was just like a play, every person playing their role like a puppet…..other than you.” “I…….” “Emilia Idira’s story was completely set in stone thanks to her magic. It should have been perfect, but a clown onstage ruined the whole act.”

The only thing witch’s magic doesn’t work on, a witch slayerPercival. He took Alexis, who was cast into the role of being chased out of the country as the prince of infidelity, off the stage. And me……he knocked away the control string of, ‘the older sister waiting inside the old castle,’ which had been stored away in the old castle until my turn came up.

“It is annoying that magic doesn’t work on you, but at least you are useful.”

Percival gave a serious nod towards Gina who was still petting Concetta–completely ignoring the derision in her words. But right now was not the time to be pleased over idle praise. His blue eyes focused in right on Gina. In spite of such attentiveness, Gina said nothing more to him instead directing her gaze over to me.

“That should do with the explanations for now. Monette, would you mind heading to our room and checking the luggage?” “……..the luggage. Right, now?” “Yes, it should have already been brought to our room from the carriage, but I would be troubled if anything was left behind.”

So take a look for me, was what Gina was crisply saying as if there had never been a heavy air present here in the first place. Besides that, “Please prepare some fluffy cushions for Concetta to rest on,” was something else she asked me to do. I did not fully understand her intentions, but I decided to obediently nod my head and stood up with Robertson in one hand.

“Percival, you should go too.”

And then Ordo summoned a maid to guide us both. Hearing his words, Percival’s eyes showed a small bit of hesitation in them. But in the next moment, his blue eyes narrowed, and he graciously answered, “I serve,” and stood from his seat as well.

After the door quietly closed behind them, Alexis was left idly staring at the door that his two companions had just walked out of. Ordo and Gina who were the last two people in the room along with him had gone silent and were doing the same as him. There were no reverberations from the previous story at all; now was a time for leisurely drinking wine. Even though it allowed him to organize his feelings for a bit………as he was thinking that, Concetta jumped over onto his lap with a small *plop*. Having come without his name being said, Concetta put his forefoot on Alexis’s shoulder and brought his face within inches of Alexis’s. It was the same position he takes whenever eating hung out bread from Alexis’s mouth. But of course naturally there was no bread there now. Even though he was staring looking like he was looking for something, what on earth did he want to do? At the moment that he was about to ask, Concetta licked his tongue at the corner of Alexis’s eye. Alexis’s deep brown eyes went round from surprise at how rough his tongue felt.

“Concetta……..”

‘What’s the matter,’ those were the words that got caught in Alexis’s throat. No words would come out, but his trembling throat that could barely draw in a breath and the tears running down his cheek said more than words ever could. It was like Concetta’s tongue was a knife cutting through the thread of tension holding him up.

The question was solved. He knew why he was cursed. That is why the tears were overflowing now.

He wanted to know why someone held a grudge against him so that he could apologize, even if he was not going to be forgiven. That was why he had run away from the royal palace in the first place. But there was nothing. There was no grudge against anyone. He did everything right, and because of that, he was cursed and lost everything. Is there a more terrible story? If it is like this, then there is no emotion, feeling, or resentment from the person who completely ruined his life.

Alexis was silently trembling, a bitter taste soaking in his mouth. There was none of his usual dignity in this crying appearance of his as he took the handkerchief that Gina held out to him. But Alexis could not afford to wipe away the overflowing tears, and all he could do was tightly clutch it to his chest like it was something truly important.

“Gina, I am……….for what reason……………how do I……….” “Don’t worry, Alexis. It is a witch’s whim, but I will make that capitol roll over. I will accompany you to the end. Even if you tell me you want to burn it all down.”

Saying so in a calm voice, Gina gently patted his head to calm him down. Stroking him with her small, supple fingers, she would sometimes scoop up his hair. Concetta was still standing on his lap, and he also tried to provide some small relief by stroking his head against the hand Alexis was holding the handkerchief. Ordo watched all of this with a sideways glance and took a small breath,

“You should thank me for not allowing Percivalsubordinate and Monetteformer fiancee to see you crying like this.”

and said such an incomprehensible thing. Gina’s gentle, quiet voice and Ordo’s ridiculous yet caring words; they just made Alexis’s vision blur all the more as the tears continued to overflow.

1. It’s only when the name is spelled out clear as day for me like that that I realize how terrible of a name that is.