âMagic that turns back time and ruins the empire is interested inâŠhmmâŠâ
I looked at the door close behind Elenaâs party, then whispered to myself.
This request I received from the merchant Dvorg Tsarrich became more complex the more time passed, I realized.
But even if I thought about itâ
ââŠI still donât know about the ruins, but thereâs no way magic like that exists.â
For me, that was all there was to it.
I proceeded to imitate Elena and drink my soup and noodles, then said those words in a cold tone.
Which would be more troublesome, this or the Curia? So I started ponderingâŠeventually concluding that both would surely be a pain to deal with, so it was pointless to think about.
âIâm impressed that you can eat something that heavy in the morning, Your Highness.â
âItâs actually pretty light, and delicious too.â
Feli, sitting down next to me, looked at me with incredulous eyes, so I pushed the bowl in her direction, inviting her to have some. Feli, however, shook her head in reply.
Thinking that she didnât have to act so repulsed and try some instead, I filled my mouth with more noodles.
âTo think that you were talking to someone, Your HighnessâŠâ
âShe was kind of similar to Ratifah, in a way.â
Maybe because they were both pretty assertiveâŠI thought.
After I said that, Feli looked convinced.
I wasnât exactly horrible at talking with people. I just had little interest in other people, which was a fatal flaw when talking to others.
So any conversation wouldnât last long. Or rather, it was very difficult for me to feel like using the communication tool called âconversationâ.
I talked with Elena for several minutes.
After that, I waited for the innâs âgrandmaâ for a few more minutes.
Then I waited for my breakfast. Some more minutes passed.
Thus I was now chewing my soup noodles while talking to Feli, who came down to see what was taking me so long.
âHey.â
âYes, what is it?â
âFeli, if you could turn back timeâŠwould you?â
I just asked on a whim.
There was no other reason.
âItâs a difficult questionâŠâ
Feli frowned slightly.
âIf it was possible to go backâŠIâd probably wish I could.â
âOoh.â
âBut if it really happened, all the time spent until now would disappearâŠgood things and bad things too. In that case, Iâd probably end up regretting it. So I think I would choose the âpresentâ.â
So she said, with a blooming smile.
The process was different, but the answer she reached was the same as mine. An answer very much like the loyal vassal of the Diestburg kingdom â Feli von Yugstine.
âAfter allâŠâ
ââŠwhat?â
I thought Feli had said her piece, but it turned out she had more to say. With a knowing smile, she continued.
âGoing back in time would also mean rewinding all your growth, Your Highness. If that happened, I wouldnât sleep well at night.â
ââŠgrowth, huh? I donât think I have done anything but physical growth thoughâŠâ
My mental growth had stopped a long time ago.
I was sure of that, so I showed my usual self-deprecating smile, but Feli had a gentle smile on her lips. Her gaze and smile felt so very warm that it made it a little awkward to look at her.
âIs that really so, I wonder.â
Feliâs tone was filled with genuine wonder.
âIf it really was as you say, Your Highness, I doubt we would be here now.â
If you were the same as before.
Feli so concluded, then looked straight at me.
True, natural feelings, without any impurity. So I couldnât answer her if not seriously.
âI doubt you would have formed a connection with the young woman you talked to either. Because you have grown, however, a connection was formed and you could hold a conversation.â
Something like this wouldnât have happened before.
I could easily picture myself wrapped in my blankets, sleeping till the afternoon, so I did not need to think to understand it.
âThat makes me happier than anything else. So even if I had the ability to turn back time, I would not wish to use it.â
ââŠhm.â
Before I realized it, my bowl was emptied of noodles, so my iron chopsticks poked at empty air. I was moving my hands to hide the embarrassment, probably. Feliâs utterly serious answer made me somewhat regret asking such a question so casually.
ââŠreally.â
After such a curt reply, I took the bowl in my hands and brought it to my lips.
âBy the way, have you decided on todayâs schedule?â
So asked Feli as I was carefully sipping the hot soup.
âHmmâŠâ
Honestly, I wanted to laze around in my room. But I was well aware that Feli wouldnât ever allow that. So that was not an option in the first place.
What should I do?
I silently considered the question while finishing the soup, and recalled an exchange I had with Elena.
One of the topics we talked about were ancient relics.
It would be a lie to say I wasnât interested.
âLetâs see, nowâŠâ
Entering the âForest of Downfallâ out of sheer curiosity was surely not a good course of action, and Feli wouldnât approve either.
In that caseâŠ
âI want to go on a preliminary inspection today.â
âAn inspectionâŠ?â
âYes, to the âForest of Downfallâ. Not actually inside it, but I just want to see what kind of place it is.â
I already covered a point I was sure she would mention. Feli looked suspicious for a second, so if I said I wanted to go into the forest, she would have surely protested.
âMay I ask the reason why?â
âItâs pretty obviousâŠbecause I have time to spare. If I said I planned to relax in my room, youâd scold me, right?â
âNaturally.â
âSo by process of elimination, thatâs the conclusion I reached.â
Thereâs nothing else to do anyway, I added.
I might have been able to trick Ratifah, but the infamous head maid wouldnât fall so easily. Thus my first move was one of surrender.
Feli did not even chuckle.
âI see.â
âSo as soon as Ratifah gets up, letâs go on a walk.â
âShould we call him too, then?â
Feli meant the boy that accompanied us, of course.
âNo, no need. Weâre not going into the forest anyway.â
âUnderstood.â
I put down the bowl on the table with a dull sound.
âOkay, guess Iâll go back to the room for now.â
About 30 minutes had passed since I left it.
I had planned to have a quick breakfast but used up more time than expected. So I thought as I stood up, and Feli followed behind me.
âAh, by the way.â
I turned over my shoulder and addressed Feli, as if I suddenly remembered something.
âBe careful how you address me, okay.â
Maybe it slipped her mind during the night.
Or maybe a habit for many years couldnât be replaced so easily.
âAhâŠâ
Realizing her blunder, Feli turned quiet, an apologetic expression on her face.
âThatâs rightâŠShizuki.â
I did remind her to call me like that myself but still found it kind of awkward.