Chapter 42 - Rain, Come Dow

42. Rain, Come Down!

“Your Majesty. We are about to depart.”

When I looked up to the voice, it was a face I have never seen before. The red curly hair of the knight was impressive.

“Ah, I’m sorry, Your Majesty. My name is Cissero, one of the knights in charge of your escorting.”

Except for the servants who took care of me and the subject uncles, I didn’t know how to respond. Without realizing it, my hand on Oscar’s hem tightened.

“Ah… Did I scare Your Majesty?”

He smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. Then, the knights around him, who I didn’t know, began to boo.

“Boo-! You scared Her Majesty!”

“You’re the worst, Cissero! Get out of here!”

“Hey, Her Majesty is listening, speak nicely…”

Perhaps because it was outside the Imperial Palace grounds, the atmosphere of the knights was in the sky somehow. I heard some small talk around me, something about rock-paper-scissors?

Anyway, he didn’t seem to be a dangerous person, so I greeted him, sticking by Oscar.

“Hewwo, Cithewo.” (Hello, Cissero.)

“Pft. That’s right. From now in, my name is Cithewo!”

“……”

I looked up blankly because I was speechless, then I heard cries from the other knights around me.

“Sh*t, I should have won…!”

“Lucky bastard. I’ll win next time at rock-paper-scissors.”

‘Is it like a penalty game…?’

Enrique, who was standing next to Oscar, spoke with a smile.

“Your Majesty is still very popular.”

“…popuwar?” (…popular?)

“Of course. Our Mabel is the cutest in the world.”

Then, not only Enrique, but also everyone who was paying attention nodded.

‘Why do I feel shameful…’

When I hid my red cheeks and covered my face with my hands, excalmations erupted here and there.

“Look at her tiny hands!”

“I’m going crazy. I’m going to go and faint…”

I was resistant to the subjects’ comments, but not the knights’.

‘This won’t do. I need to stop this.’

“Cithewo.”

“Pft. Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Ith that evewything you had to sway?” (Is that everything you had to say?)

“Yes. I wanted to let you know that we’re leaving soon. You should get on the wagon.”

“Okway. You can gwo now.” (Okay. You can go now.)

Then, Cissero mumbled as if he wanted to say something, and soon walked away with drooped shoulders. For some reason, the other knights were hitting Cissero’s shoulders or kicking his shin.

“We’re leaving soon. Shall we get in the wagon, Mabel?”

“Ung.”

Enrrique took a step back when Oscar took my hand.

“Then I’ll go back to my spot, Your Majesty.”

“Bye, Enwique.”

When I waved to Enrique, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly became cold. The noisy atmosphere was gone and there was a cold silence.

‘…what is it?’

Looking around, I immediately found the cause of the cold atmosphere. The stand-in-Emperor’s cold atmosphere, which seemed to bring all kinds of darkness, was watching us.

‘What the, he’s scary…!’

The stand-in-Emperor quickly came to my side.

“What is your name.”

It was none other than Enrique who was asked the question in a cold tone.

Enrique, perhaps surprised by the sudden situation, answered calmly.

“I greet Your Majesty. My name is Enrique Javier.”

“Enrique Javier…yeah, you’re Oscar’s sword mate.”

“Yes. That is correct.”

The stand-in-Emperor was laughing. He was laughing… but the atmosphere got colder. Enrique’s smiling face against the power was pitiful.

‘Why is the stand-in-Emperor doing that all of a sudden?’

Oscar smiled as if he were troubled when I grabbed his hem.

In the meantime, the dialogue between the stand-in-Emperor and Enrique continued.

“Did you come to see your father off?”

“No. I will be following the procession too.”

“…on who’s wishes?”

“T-that…”

Enrique was unable to continue his words. When I was in conflict whether to help the poor thing, someone intervened the conversation.

“Your Majesty and Your Highness. Did this lacking subject’s son disrespect you? Hoho.”

Duke Javier, who was watching from afar, talked to us.

“Your son is also attending the rain ritual, what’s going on?”

“This subject is on the list. I believe that this rain ritual will be a good experience as a successor to the family, and Enrique will be a companion to His Highness, Oscar, as they are sword mates.”

“I never allowed it.”

“Your Majesty, Javier’s knights are accompanying you, so it doesn’t matter in principle.”

“……”

“Furthermore, the restraining order from the Imperial Palace is not valid right now, outside of the Imperial Palace, hohoho.”

He seemed dissatisfied, but he couldn’t find anything wrong with the situation anymore.

Duke Javier was shameless, but Enrique was the one troubled. As soon as I met eyes with Enrique, I gestured to him to go. And to distract the stand-in-Emperor, I grabbed his clothes.

“Rowal Fwathe.” (Royal Father.)

“Yes, Mabel.”

He looked down to me with a smile, but he still didn’t look happy.

“Awe you rwiding the cawwiage?” (Are you riding the carriage?)

“Am I?”

“Ung.”

“I was going to ride a horse…”

“I thwee.” (I see.)

“Why are you asking that?”

“Ah thought ah wath gwoing to ride with Rowa Fwather.” (I thought I was going to ride with Royal Father.)

It didn’t mean much, and I meant what I said. But, just how did he interpret that? The stand-in-emperor smiled and hugged me.

“Mabel…!”

The stand-in-Emperor who was feeling irked no longer existed.

“If my cute Mabel wants, we will ride the wagon together!”

“Ith okway.” (It’s okay.)

“Then let’s ride together on the way back.”

I gestured once again to Enrique, who was smiling pleasantly behind the stand-in-Emperor. Enrique, who smiled brightly, mouthed to me, ‘I will see you later, Your Majesty.’

***

Finally, the procession started.

Eventually, the stand-in-Emperor failed to ride the carriage with me because of my opposition. There were plenty of seats, but it was obvious that the nanny and Lalima would be uncomfortable riding with him. In addition to Oscar, the carriage, with four people, was calm like a picnic.

I rested my chin and listened to the chattering.

‘In the end, I didn’t get to meet Aiden.’

At this point, I wondered if I could meet him at least once on the way. I didn’t think that the stand-in-Emperor, who hated Aiden, would have arranged it so that I wouldn’t be able to meet him easily.

For a moment, I was attracted to the fast-changing scenery outside the window. It was not yet out of the main street, so we could see the people’s active lives.

“Are you having fun, Mabel?”

“Ung. Ith intewesting.” (Uug. It’s interesting.)

In fact, it didn’t feel real because I was only ever in the Imperial Palace. This was another world where ordinary people lived.

The carriage passed by a family who were holding hands affectionately. I turned my head.

“Are you done looking? It’s not fun?”

“Ung.”

“R-really?”

Oscar smiled awkwardly and lowered the curtain.

After running for a long time, we entered the outskirts of the capital. There were no people, and what followed was a well polished forest path.

Now, the conversing was done, and peaceful briefs flowed inside the wagon. Leaning my head back, I was about to be in my thoughts.

[Open up, chirp.]

Beyond the curtained window, a familiar voice was heard.

As I slightly moved the curtain, my eyes met with a sparrow flapping along with the carriage.

[I’m damn tired, chirp.]

Perhaps because it was a sparrow, the knights surrounding the carriage looke at it with a smile and let it stay. The sparrow flew in and landed on my lap.

“Wow. A bird came in. How cute!”

Lalima clapped in admiration. I smiled, laughed and covered my mouth because I thought I should show a similar reaction.

“Biwdy!” (Birdy!)

I spoke to it instantly inside.

‘What happened to my request?’

[The stork said everything is fine in that country, chirp.]

‘I see.’

I asked the birds to find out Abelardo’s movements. If we’re away for a rain ritual, they might have something planned.

There may be limits to the information the birds can get, but it was better than being unprepared.

‘Thank you, birdy.’

[Then give me food now, chirp chirp!]

“Huk.”

At that moment, I realized that I didn’t prepare bird feed. I didn’t expect a sparrow to come, so I didn’t bring any with me.

The sparrow looked up at me with sparkling eyes.

[I’m hungry!]

“Lalima, Nwanny. Dwo…you have biwdy food?” (Lalima, Nanny. Do… you have birdy food?)

I asked desperately, but the nanny’s and Lalima’s reaction was different from mine.

“Oh my. How kind-hearted.”

“I know, Madame. Her Majesty loves animals, she really is wonderful.”

I asked if they had food, but they complimented me instead.

[Food…]

I felt guilty when I saw the sparrows eyes widen. I had a sense of crisis that if I didn’t give him food, I might become a high treason criminal. No, the worst possible consequence would be that I would have a bad relationship with the birds!

“Fwood, give fwood!” (Food, give food!)

“Hoho. How cute.”

Still, Lalima could not grasp the atmosphere. I grabbed Oscar’s clothes and shook him.

“Biwdy ith hungwy. Give fwood! Fwast…!” (Birdy is hungry. Give food! Fast…!)

[Food, chirp.]

It was the nanny who saved me from the crisis.

“We don’t have bird feed, but we brought some snacks. Is that okay?”

Fortunately, the sparrow picked up the crumbs and left satisfactorily. I breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Do I have to carry different feeds for different animals…?’

Today was hard too.

***

After a few days, we arrived at the altar where rain rituals had been held for generations. Although it was said to be far from the capital, many people came to see the rain ritual because there were many small and medium-sized estates nearby to watch.

Preparations were made quickly. The altar, which had not been used for a long time, was cleaned, and the sun lit on both sides. On the way to the altar, a white carpet was laid with blue petals sprinkled.

Oscar explained when I tilted my head, looking at the blue petals.

“The petals symbolize rain.”

“I thwee.” (I see.)

I looked around again while watching the preparations for the rain ritual. However, Aiden’s nose didn’t even appear.

“Who are you looking for, Mabel?”

“Aidwen.”

“Aidwen?…Devlin’s Devil?”

Perhaps because I called him by his name so much, the name ‘Devlin’s Devil,’ sounded unfamiliar.

“Ung. They thaid he wath going to be hewe, but he’th not hewe.” (Ung. They said he was going to be here, but he’s not here.)

I looked around for a long time, but I couldn’t find him. What should I do? Oscar asked me, seeing my disappointment.

“That, are you close with Devlin’s Devil?”

“Thath not it.” (That’s not it.)

“I see…”

Oscar felt better for some reason and stroked my head. Why’s he doing that?

Soon, a large crowd gathered. They all seemed to have come to watch from nearby territories. I was waiting in the tent to avoid people’s eyes.

“Mabel, all you have to do is stand at the end. Dad will do the rest, so don’t worry.”

“Uung.”

I nodded calmly.

‘I didn’t think of doing anything anyway.’

Boom, boom-!

There was the sound of a drum that signaled the beginning of the rain ritual. Outside the tent, a huge number of people were seen under the altar.

“Eu…”

Standing still was all I had to do, but I got scared to think that I should stand in the front.

But…

My eyes were on Duke Javier, who was standing next to the altar. He looked quite happy.

He would be. The sky was clear. There was no cloud in sight. It wasn’t a rainy day at all. If it stayed like this, of course it won’t rain, so of course he would feel happy.

‘I definitely won’t let that be.’

I clenched my fist and made up my mind. I saved up my energy as much as possible for this day. Even if it was just for a second, my goal was to make it rain.

First, the stand-in-Emperor appeared in front of the people. He began to proceed according to the procedure.

“Your Majesty. You have to go up now.”

“Ung.”

Wearing a dreary ritual suit, I went out of the tent in the arms of the nanny. The eyes that immediately stuck to me were stinging.

“That person is her Majesty…?”

“Her Majesty, whom I’ve only heard rumors about…!”

“Wow-!”

I could hear people’s voices from time to time. I unintentionally became a celebrity and stood in the middle of the altar.

The ceremony was almost over. When the stand-in-Emperor extinguishes the fire of the sun, the rain ritual ends.

I glanced to the side and made eye contact with Duke Javier. I gave him a big smile.

“Now, shall we make it rain a little bit?’

It didn’t take much to know how to make it rain after talking to the animals and plants. I just need to have a belief. That’s all. I thought eagerly after peeking into the dry sky.

‘Rain, come down!’

And…

Heavy rain began to pout out of nowhere.

“I-It’s rain. It’s raining…!”

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“God has heard us!”

Listening to the shouts of the people, I gaped.

‘I didn’t mean for this much rain to fall…!’

I was stronger than I thought!

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