4-01: Around Him Shall the Flags Be Raised (1/4)
In a villa too big to be called a villa, one only used to escape from the heat of sumr, was a room intended for the royalty of a great power. Here, there were no ornate decorations or artwork of any kind.
The room was rectangular, and the walls were almost entirely made up of shelves filled with books, except for the windows and the doors.
The books were mostly about the history of different countries, books on etiquette, and literature on magic.
At the back of the room could be seen a majestic desk big enough for an adult to comfortably lie down on, and in front of it was a table and a sofa for visitors.
The second princess of Earthgant sat there alone, running her pen on a sheet of paper, while various docunts, books, and maps could be seen spread out on her desk.
From ti to ti, her pen would stop as he jotted down her thoughts, then after awhile she stopped, and she put down her pen and exhaled with a stretch.
Fuu, that should about do it.
What was that?
Huh?
However, as if to take advantage of that opportunity, the bundle of papers before her suddenly disappeared.
She was too stunned to respond right away, and when she saw who the offender was, she froze even more.
In the manor, everyone other than the princess and the hero excelled at hiding their presence but there was only one person who would dare lay a hand on her belongings.
And that was none other than this common dark-haired boy with whom she ended up traveling after many turns and twists.
Shin?
Sup So, what is this?
Ah, no! Give it back!
After an overly casual greeting, Shinichi looked through the docunts as though nothing could be more natural.
The princess panicked and tried to get them back, but she couldnt reach him across the table.
So she went around the table, but by then, it was already too late.
But of course, this was that boy, so she might have not been able to get the docunts back anyway.
And here I was wondering what you were up to since you werent preparing for the party tonight
Hauu!
As he read through the docunts, the expression on him gradually beca more and more amused.
And when he finished reading through everything, a warm smile surfaced on him.
That was a smile akin to that of a parent seeing his own child do their best.
Thats why Lilisha couldnt stand it. Or to be more precise, she found it embarrassing.
But of course, she was smart enough to know that he was doing that on purpose to tease her.
Uuu, I was just jotting down so notes so I dont forget!
Why did you have to be the one to see it!
Written in the docunt were the possible consequences of what their ss would bring to all the towns and cities until the capital of Earthgant, as well as how to solve those consequences.
She did not want to cause too much damage, thats why they were retracing their steps as quickly as they could.
Yet theyve already happened into several unexpected consequences, causing her mind and heart to ache.
Realizing that she couldnt just solve everything by relying on Shinichis knowledge and support, she started wracking her brains for a solution after stopping by this villa.
S-Since youve already seen it, it cant be helped So, erm, what I an to say is What do you think?
It was just sothing she jotted down to help her rember things, not sothing that she would ever want to show the person who pointed out her mistakes.
But since hes already seen it, then she might as well hear his thoughts.
Though that might actually just be her becoming defiant or desperate.
I dont know.
Huh?
But the only response she got was that uninterested reply.
Stunned, he continued sharply.
Without seeing the actual situation for myself, theres nothing I can actually say, right?
Oh Right
When Lilisha realized that she overlooked sothing so critical, she dropped her shoulders in disappointnt.
She had gathered all the relevant docunts and even studied the history of the whole region.
Though this villa was a place used only during sumr to escape from the heat, it was still a land that royalty resided in, so there were plenty of docunts in the manor.
She had used those as reference, but in the end, they were information before they left for their trip, while her predictions regarding the influence of her mistake was also nothing more than re speculation.
The speculations of a princess that knew nothing about the world.
What was the point of such a thing?
What they needed now was information pertaining to the present.
And there was no way to know that until they got to the actual site.
Yet if Shinichi hadnt pointed that out, she would have thought to herself that shed succeeded.
Thats why Lilisha cast her eyes down.
Ive been conceited again Ha ha.
Then she laughed at herself in ridicule.
Ow, huh?
But then a roll of paper hit her on the head.
She lifted up her face and saw a completely unexpected expression on the boy.
Thats why Im giving you credit for trying to be as prepared as you can be.
Not a tinge of teasing or anger could be see on the boys face, only a contented look that seed to say that she was doing a good job.
The boy had recognized the fact that she thought for herself and tried to take action without waiting for others to tell her what to do.
Though curt, he was praising her.
It was a small but obvious praise given to such a small act, but it proved potent because it took her by surprise.
Before Lilisha knew it, she was gasping for breath. Her chest was throbbing, her cheeks filled with heat, and she was moving around her hands nonsensically just so she could hide her embarrassnt.
As the woman said to be the worlds greatest magician, there has been no end to the praise she has received for her accomplishnts and plans, but for the first ti in her life, soone actually praised her not for her feats but her attitude and feelings.
At that, warmth filled her chest, and she beca ill at ease.
It was all the more so since this was that very boy that exposed her mistake.
But of course
Whats problematic here is that you were embarrassed, so you tried to think of a way on your own, only to underestimate the situation and end up with a half-assed thod.
The words the boy uttered next shattered all of that.
And in the next mont, the princess quickly took the mo back and glared at Shinichi resentfully, as though to say that she would redo it.
However, from the tinge of red left on her peevish cheeks, it seed that the princess wasnt actually that offended.
Y-Youre always like this. Theres never any telling if youre strict, sweet, or sly!
At tis, he was strict enough to make her cry, and at tis, he was sweet enough to make her want to throw herself at him.
It has been half a month since their terrible eting, and Lilisha has been asking him to teach her about all sorts of fields.
Her impression of him was that he was sly because he could always use either side of him to his advantage, though it was curious if that was natural or calculated on his part.
Regardless, he was just too good at it, and once shes fallen prey to his tricks, she found it hard to extricate herself.
Alas, her face was just too honest, and it didnt need one of her maids, who have been serving her since her childhood, to realize that hers was the face of a woman in love.
Really? But knowing how to use the carrot and the stick is one of the basics of discipline Ah.
Thats why
He ended up saying those words out of habit.
He knew he ssed up as soon as he said that, but it was too late.
D-Discipline!? Ahaaa! What an immoral yet beautiful word! To think I didnt even realize! Thank you so much for disciplining !!
In an instant, her face changed from that of a woman in love, and a redness of a different aning tinged her cheeks.
Her breathing grew ragged, and she looked at the boy with moist eyes, tacitly telling him what she desired.
Sorry. Can you go back to how you were before?
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