/
CH. 38 — ENTERING THE PALACE (3)
One day when the sun was out, I went to the bookstore with Agoth.
As soon as I entered the store, the smell of books and ink greeted me. Without hesitation, I walked to the corner where the magic books were stored.
“Ah, my lady. The swordsmanship books are this way.”
Agoth hurriedly explained to me, but I shook my head.
“I didn’t come here to buy a swordsmanship book.”
“Pardon?”
Agoth opened her eyes wide and followed me.
“What book are you going to buy?”
“Magic.”
“But my lady, you can’t do magic at all.”
“Is there anyone who uses magic these days?”
I said with a grin, and Agoth tilted her head as if saying That’s true, I guess?
500 years ago, there were many powerful mages.
But now the number of mages had decreased. Even if there were, their skill was probably about the level of taking a pigeon out of a hat.
Now, magic was nothing more than the realm of ‘academic’. I, for one, had no connection with magic back then and even now.
“Do you want to study magic too?”
“No, I’m thinking of giving it to someone.”
But when I was standing in front of the bookshelf where the magic books were stored, I fell into deep contemplation.
“Umm, but
 I have no idea which book is good.”
“That’s true
”
In order to choose a book, you need to know something about magic.
In the end, Agoth and I just stood in front of the bookshelf like tombstones, unable to bring out any books to look at.
Just then, I saw a young lady standing on the other side of the bookshelf. There was also a corner with magic books on the other side, so it must be someone who knows magic well.
‘I can get a recommendation from someone who knows.’
I quickly went over to the other side of the bookshelf and spoke to the young lady, who was flipping through a large book.
“Excuse me. I don’t know much about magic, so can I get a book recommendation?”
“A recommendation
? Gasp!”
“Oh?”
It was Yulika who raised her head to my question.
As soon as Yulika saw me, her coy expression contorted in an instant.
“Wow, Young Lady Brande. Long time no see.”
I smiled brightly and greeted Yulika.
What a coincidence. I went out to buy a book for Yulika, but I met the person instead.
“Ah
 Ahahaha. Yes. Hello, Princess. What a coincidence.”
Yulika raised one corner of her mouth and smiled while avoiding her gaze to the side. The way she was holding the book tightly in her arms was quite protective.
“Are you here to buy a book?”
“Then why do you think I came to the bookstore?”
She had a defensive stance and her tone was aggressive.
“I see. That’s great. May I get a recommendation for a book that you like?”
“Well, wouldn’t it be better to call a bookstore clerk?”
“You know a lot about magic, so I think it would be better to get a recommendation from you.”
Then, Yulika glanced at me again. She seemed to be a little moved when I said things that flattered her.
“Well
 I do have a very good knowledge of magic.”
Yulika said while hesitating with a coy face. What an easy fellow.
“The book here is the newest, and it’s well-received among scholars. Well, I don’t know if you will be able to understand it.”
Yulika pulled out a book and handed it to me. The book was quite large and heavy, so it seemed that it could be used as a weapon.
“I see. Have you already bought it?”
“I came here with the intention of buying it today.”
“I see. That’s great.”
“Yes? 
 Oh, w-wait! Princess!”
I grabbed Yulika’s hand and headed to the counter. Yulika was caught in my hand and dragged along.
The book was calculated right away, and I didn’t forget to ask for a pretty ribbon.
“Hey, what rudeness is this?”
Yulika, who was standing next to me, squealed, but I smiled at her.
“Oh, I’m sorry. But would you mind waiting for me for five minutes?”
“No, what on earth
!”
“Here, it’s done, customer.”
Fortunately, the book was finished before Yulika got even angrier. The top of the paper bag containing the book was beautifully tied with two layers of ribbon, making it look like a candy bag.
As soon as I received it, I handed it to Yulika.
“Here. It’s a gift.”
“
?”
Yulika looked at me with a frown.
“What kind of trick is this?”
“It’s not a trick. Take it. Or will you accept it if I trick you?”
Saying that, I brought the book into Yulika’s arms. As if she was forced to, Yulika held the gift I gave her in her arms.
I said after grinning at the grimace.
“Young Lady, go on a date with me.”
***
Aside from our political positions, I didn’t hate Yulika Brande.
It was rather hard on my mind. What was the use of the word “female” in the political arena?
“Here you go. It’s on me.”
We were at Hamilton’s favorite restaurant in the city.
Yulika looked at me with a bewildered look as I offered her tea with a grin.
By the way, outside the store, Yulika’s servant and Agoth must be snarling and holding each other in check.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
In the end, Yulika asked me a straightforward question. Her voice was sharp.
“We don’t even know each other. Is it so hard to have a cup of tea together?”
“It’s better if we don’t know each other. We’re not supposed to talk face to face like this.”
“There’s nothing one can’t do.”
“Look here, Princess Peresca.”
“Come on, smile, Young Lady. Don’t make that face. Everyone is looking at us.”
At my words, Yulika finally looked around.
There weren’t many people in the restaurant because it was a subtly different time from the meal time, but most of them, who were few, were glancing over here.
Among the nobility, there was no one who did not know what kind of relationship the Peresca on the crown prince’s side and the Brande on the empress’s side had, and what kind of relationship I had with Yulika.
Yulika turned her head at me and frowned.
“In the first place, Princess shouldn’t have brought me here, right?”
“Would it have been better to meet in an empty place? I am a dangerous person.”
As I said with a playful smile, Yulika’s face turned red.
But she couldn’t get angry. In this attention-grabbing situation, there was no need to give others anything to talk about.
“Anyway, just tell me if you need anything. When we leave this restaurant, I will go back immediately.”
She could’ve just left if she didn’t like it. It was interesting that she was staying in her seat.
It must be because of the dignity of a noble lady.
“Okay. I won’t talk long. I want to borrow your magic knowledge.”
“Magic?”
Perhaps it was because it was unexpected, Yulika frowned. Rather than disliking it, it was a look of curiosity.
I handed the paper I brought to Yulika.
As Yulika looked at the paper and me alternately, she carefully picked up the paper and unfolded it with a very careful gesture.
“
 What is this?”
“I don’t know.”
“What?”
“I had no idea, so I wanted to ask you. I want to know what kind of magic it is.”
The pattern found on the body of the monsters was drawn on paper.
Elder Ben had already asked the magicians, but he hadn’t got any answer.
Yulika turned the paper around and looked at it in the light, and gave the same answer as they did.
“I don’t know either. Is this pattern related to magic?”
“I’m not sure. Well, I’m just asking because it looks like a magic circle.”
“But the characters written here are not runes. It can’t be magic.”
“Do you assume that it has nothing to do with magic because it’s not written in rune language?”
“Almost, yes.”
Yulika said with a single beat comma at the end of the word ‘almost’. I didn’t miss it.
“Almost?”
“The first magic was in another language. Rune is a language created by humans to use magic.”
“What is that ‘another language’?”
“I don’t know. There are no data or records to be passed down. It’s like saying ‘there was such a thing’.”
Then it’s not magic, is it?
I let out a shallow sigh. If it isn’t magic, where should I look for clues now?
Then, Yulika grabbed the paper I was about to retrieve.
“If it’s okay with you, can you lend me this paper?”
“I don’t mind. But why?”
“Just
 out of curiosity. I’d like to find out more.”
A sample of the monster’s skin remained in Elder Ben’s estate. I could always check the pattern again.
So it wasn’t like I had to hold on to it. Therefore, I gladly handed Yulika the paper.
“If you find something instead, let me know.”
“I understand. 
 not that I like it, though.”
The conversation was cut off when the business was over. Yulika stubbornly took a piece of cake in front of me to her mouth, without making eye contact with me.
The cake was delicious, and Yulika’s forehead, which was crumpled, was unfolded. A smile burst out in the round eyes that opened like a rabbit.
“Now that I think about it, don’t you think we have something in common?”
I asked with a smile. Then, Yulika’s expression immediately hardened and she put her fork down.
Gee, I should have just stayed quiet.
“You want to insult me.”
“Oh, that’s a misunderstanding.”
“Don’t be so proud of yourself for being in the crown prince’s eyes. The crown princess’ seat belongs to the Brande.”
Yulika’s tone was determined.
What a strange thing to say. She was saying that the position of the crown princess belonged to the ‘family’, not to ‘herself’.
That’s what politics is all about, but is it really okay for her to become just a family tool?
“Isn’t it useless to talk about this amongst ourselves without minding His Highness’ feelings?”
“You are being naive, Princess. Why do you need feelings for a royal wedding?”
Yulika said to me with a look of real ignorance.
“Do you think His Highness has a crush on you? How ridiculous. He’s just being nice to you because you’re ‘Peresca’.”
Yulika seemed to believe that firmly in her heart.
“Then, are you saying that His Highness can marry you, whom he doesn’t even like?”
My brow creased in spite of myself.
“Princess, I was born to become the crown princess. Do you know what that means?”
Yulika’s voice calmed down.
“If the crown prince was someone other than His Highness Caesar, I would have still married him. Even if it’s Prince Fran, who’s still young.”
I thought of the empress’s son, who was not yet an adult.
In the first place, she was going to make her son a crown prince, and if the plan worked out, Yulika would have been the child’s wife.
A very young kid who doesn’t even know what a woman is.
“Are you saying it’s okay to sacrifice your life for the sake of your family?”
“Many noble girls live this kind of life. What’s more, I’m going to be the noblest woman in this empire. Why is this a sacrifice?”
Yulika looked greatly insulted.
But she didn’t realize it. She hadn’t said the reason “why she wanted to be a crown princess” yet.
“You don’t have to live for your family, Young Lady.”
“Hearing those words, it seems that you want me to give up. But that’s impossible.”
“I mean it sincerely.”
“Then I ask you, what kind of life do you think I will lead as a woman out of the protection of my family?”
At that word.
I could hardly answer.
Not all women could live a life like Dante Renatus. It was just one big miracle.
“I’d love to be like you, Princess. You don’t hesitate to do what you want, and you get what you want with ease. Amazing talent, his interest, the hospitality of the people, literally everything.”
Yulika licked her lower lip and lowered her head.
“That doesn’t mean you deserve to pity me.”
“I don’t pity you.”
“I sympathize with you.”
I sympathized.
I felt sorry for her obsession with the crown princess position even though she would not win Caesar’s love.
That’s why I didn’t hate her. I knew she was my enemy, I knew she was doing something mean to me, but I didn’t think she’d get what she wanted.
I thought it was too bad.
“How very disgusting.”
Those words hit me like a dagger more than any other words.
Perhaps I had done something rude.
“Thank you for the book. It was nice to meet you today, Princess Peresca.”
Yulika rose from her seat, leaving behind her cake, which she had barely eaten.
“But I don’t want this unpleasant occasion to be created again.”
Yulika left her seat as it was.
After she left, I let out a long sigh and covered my face with both hands.
I made a mistake.
I had denied and ridiculed her efforts and her entire life.
“
 Stupid Helena.”
Sitting alone in front of the cooling teacup, I muttered in despair.