It was after dinner.
The castle had already settled into that quiet lull that usually ca once everyone finished eating and retreated to their rooms. The clatter of dishes had long faded away, and even the distant footsteps of the servants had thinned out. I had stepped outside my room without really thinking about it and ended up just standing there in the corridor, leaning slightly against the railing as I looked out toward the horizon.
From here, the view stretched far beyond the castle grounds. The horizon was filled with countless buildings, their shapes stacking together like uneven blocks under the darkening sky.
The buildings here were a little different from the ones back on Earth, sure. If you looked closely, you’d notice the details, the architecture, the materials, and the occasional tower that looked a bit too decorative to exist in a normal city back ho.
But right now, strangely enough, it still looked a little alike.
Maybe it was the lighting. Maybe it was the way the windows reflected the faint glow of lanterns and magical lights scattered across the city. Or maybe it was just because modern buildings had this universal look to them no matter what world you were in.
I had honestly expected that buildings and houses in another world would look wildly different from what I had grown used to in my own world. You know, like floating houses, spiraling towers made out of crystal, or even giant mushrooms people sohow lived inside... the usual fantasy stuff.
But for so reason, none of that was really happening.
No, they were definitely different, of course. The shapes, the decorations, the strange mix of stone and materials I couldn’t even na, it all pointed to this being a completely different world.
Still, there was this odd familiarity to it.
The kind of familiarity that made you pause and squint a little, like your brain was saying, "Wait... haven’t we seen sothing like this before?"
It wasn’t identical.
But it wasn’t completely alien either.
And that strange middle ground made it harder to dismiss the similarities.
Tonight was especially quiet.
So quiet, in fact, that it almost felt peaceful.
Although... maybe "peaceful" wasn’t exactly the right word for it.
It was more like the air itself had slowed down a little. Like everything had taken a deep breath and decided to stay still for a while. The distant city lights flickered gently, the night breeze was soft, and even the castle felt calr than usual.
It almost tricked into thinking everything was fine.
Almost.
"You’re not asleep yet?"
"Wah!"
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
The voice ca from behind so suddenly that my body reacted before my brain even caught up. I spun around halfway while letting out that incredibly dignified scream—yes, very cool of , truly.
"Fufufu, it’s just . You don’t have to shout like that," said Princess Myrcella.
"O-Oh, it’s just you, Princess," I said quickly, letting out a long breath as my shoulders sagged in relief. My heart was still beating a bit faster than normal. "I thought it was an attacker."
Honestly, in this world, that wasn’t even a ridiculous assumption.
"Well, it is still fairly safe inside the castle," she said calmly. "I an, all the knights are pretty much on alert right now."
"W-Well, considering everything that’s been happening lately, I can’t really help thinking it might still be dangerous," I replied. "There’s civil unrest going on, you know?"
The words left my mouth a little awkwardly. I scratched my cheek as I said it.
"You don’t have to worry," she said with a gentle smile that looked almost unfairly reassuring. "I’ll keep all of you protected."
Before I could react, she casually reached out and placed her hand on top of my head.
Then she started rubbing it.
Like I was a small pet.
Or a kid.
Or... sothing that absolutely should not be .
I imdiately ducked away.
"I-It’s not really appropriate for to be patted by soone younger than ," I said, trying to sound composed but probably failing miserably. "I-It’s kind of embarrassing. And I already have a bit of a complex about my height..."
Okay, maybe a bit was an understatent.
"Is that so?" she said, tilting her head slightly.
There was a soft amusent in her eyes, though she didn’t laugh at .
"Well, it really isn’t such a bad thing," she continued. "I don’t think size is sothing that should asure a person. What matters, I think, is the size of your heart."
"I-I see..." I murmured.
I wasn’t sure if that was comforting or if it sohow made more self-conscious. Probably both.
Right now though, sothing else was bothering .
There was this strange feeling creeping up on .
Like the calmness in the air had shifted.
Like she was quietly studying .
Sizing up.
"Miss Chiaki," she said.
My shoulders stiffened slightly.
"What are you thinking?"
"W-What do you an?"
So I was right.
She was about to interrogate .
It made sense though. Earlier, she had looked directly into my eyes, and I had imdiately looked away. If I were in her position, I’d probably suspect sothing too.
"I know you want to talk to about sothing," she said gently. "You can tell , you know? I’m not going to get mad."
She said that so easily.
I’m not going to get mad.
But honestly, I had a hard ti believing that.
Well... I didn’t actually know if she would.
But considering what I had seen earlier, it wouldn’t exactly be strange if she did.
After all, this was about her boyfriend.
Her boyfriend cheating on her.
"W-Well..." I started, my voice catching slightly.
"I was planning to tell you this earlier," I continued slowly, "but I thought it would be better to say it sowhere private, considering how serious what I witnessed was."
The words felt heavy as they left my mouth.
"I think... it might be better to tell you now."
She tilted her head slightly to the side.
Not impatiently.
Not suspiciously.
Just quietly waiting.
That sohow made it harder.
Now that the mont had actually co to say the truth, my tongue suddenly felt heavier than usual.
Like it didn’t want to move.
Like sothing inside was saying don’t say it.
What kind of expression would she make after hearing it?
Would she cry?
Would she get angry?
Would she just stare at like I had said sothing unforgivable?
Honestly...
I didn’t want her to find out.
I didn’t want her to get hurt.
But at the sa ti, saying nothing felt wrong.
Staying silent would basically be the sa as lying to her.
And I didn’t want her to think I was lying.
She was the only person in this world who had been genuinely kind to us.
The only one.
I could have told a white lie.
Sothing vague.
Sothing harmless.
Sothing that would spare her the heartbreak.
But...
I just couldn’t do it.
So in the end, I told her.
"I might be... mistaken about what I saw," I said slowly, the words coming out one by one, "but... I think I saw Mr. Leon... kissing Vice Commander Veronica."
My hands tightened slightly at my sides.
"I-I feel like I shouldn’t even be telling you this," I continued. "Because I was basically intruding, and I really didn’t want you to feel that kind of heartbreak."
My voice felt smaller the longer I talked.
"But I couldn’t just allow soone to do sothing like that to you when you’re such a kind person..."
I took a small breath before finishing.
"Even though I know soone like Mr. Leon is supposed to be kind and powerful... I don’t think he deserves you."
Once the words were out, I slowly lifted my eyes to look at her face.
Carefully.
Almost cautiously.
And what I saw made pause.
Her expression hadn’t changed.
At all.
She looked exactly the sa as before.
No anger.
No tears.
No shock.
Nothing.
It was the sa calm face she always had.
Then, after a short mont, she finally spoke.
"I see..." she said quietly.
There was no sharpness in her voice.
There was no trembling either.
Just that sa calm tone.
"Thank you for telling that, Miss Chiaki."
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