"Why are we returning? I thought you wanted to go shopping."
"I forgot something. Plus, I already told Rain to meet me outside my room. This works out."
It was a lie. Lecil was going back for more than that.
On the long walk back, Lecil lamented how large the palace grounds were. It would take days to walk the entire place. That was how the King 'entertained' foreign diplomats or rowdy guests. He would simply threaten them with The Tour.
It worked nine times out of ten.
Thinking back to her encounter with Kly, it was strange that things went so well. Was it because she knew the contents of the game and planned ahead? It couldn't have just been that. Then again, Kly was one of the easiest ones to influence when she played Renegade. The only bad ending she ever encountered had to do with simple mistakes.
Don't stand there. Don't go out at this time. Don't run in front of his sword.
Common sense stuff.
She actually died due to accidents and the staff more often than directly from Kly. Tristan's arrogance caused him to be a high hurdle at the beginning of the game. Then there were meetings with the Dukes.
Rejecting Duke Raiden's advances always led to a decreased in favorability. Eventually leading to death. Why object to his advances, one might ask? He had all the right qualifications. Raiden was already a war hero. Wealthy. Incredibly handsome. And was sought after by many. Women wanted to scoop him up and carry him off. Many of the other gamers she talked with loved his path. He would teach Lecil how to be a sword mistress and could lead battles herself.
Lecil made a face. He wasn't really her type... you know, full of themselves. Yes, Raiden was hot, and he was a safe choice if Lecil wanted to survive. However, she didn't like the idea of acting subservient to him.
She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Well. He wasn't a bad option. Just not an ideal one. Duke Astor was actually the better option. She was leaning towards picking him if she failed in getting her way with her family.
Astor was the same age as her, intelligent, and charming. He was beyond rich. Influential. Popular. And enjoyed intelligent company. Lecil could live in luxury to the end of her days and let him run the businesses. She wouldn't have to worry about danger since Astor controlled everything around the capital while having access to a private mercenary army. There were rumors that he controlled spies and assassins as well.
Lecil never got far enough in the game to confirm those rumors. She tried asking her friends about it, but they just giggled and ran off. An incredible bizarre and annoying answer to her question.
Still, even with that odd foreboding, she would choose Duke Astor if things went wrong. Lecil preferred to remain free or find someone she truly got along with. The idea of being fated to be with anyone ground her nerves.
There was Duke Sallow. But she dismissed the option out of hand again. Putting a hand to her chest, she could still feel the bruises where he hit her. Not even her brothers or Anne had ever hit her hard enough to make her wheeze for days. Lecil swears she has cracked a rib or two.
Her run always ended when meeting Sallow. She asked the other girls for advice and they all said the same thing. Just get one of the other guys to attack him first. The Duke would die easily and exit the game as a choice. Whoever you chose would inherit his land. The game would then proceed normally with a lot less danger.
Lecil was still trying to figure out how she could get rid of him before he offed her.
Kly was probably her best route to survival. The demonstration earlier was telling of his skills. It was likely he was stronger than Tristan. Kly was also much easier to control. Through him, Lecil could reign in Anne and make Tristan begrudgingly accept him. Together, they could fight off the King's marriage plans. He also wouldn't force Anne into a relationship either. The safe family route that led to open waters.
That was her plan.
Kly was a kuudere who may have hidden tsundere qualities. Tristan is definitely a Mayadere. Lecil wouldn't be able to handle a yandere. (See Author's Note)
Continuing on, Lecil played with her scarf. It was a soft fabric. It wasn't cold inside, so she didn't need it, but it was a pretty color—definitely a good choice.
"Irene. You did good picking out this outfit."
The maid standing on her left jumped from the sudden conversation. Lecil had been zoning out for a while.
"Oh. Thank you, Princess. Do you like that scarf?"
Lecil twirled the end using a gloved finger. Her gloves were a middling gray with purple accents. She wore these ones quite often. They matched with her entire outfit.
"Yes. It is soft, and I like the color. We should buy another one like it."
"Then, I assume you wish to go clothes shopping, Princess Lecil?"
Lecil smiled and nodded. It was about time she developed a new fashion. Lecil would kill to wear a simple cardigan or plain blouse. Her nightclothes would actually be her go to if they weren't translucent.
Wearing a corset was definitely not her style, and she adamantly refused to wear one. Poor Irene couldn't even talk back through the tirade of rejection. She had no other maids to gang up on Lecil and force her to wear one. Thus it was good to be Princess.
Rounding the final corner, Lecil was glad to finally see the doors to her room. The walk back had taken twenty minutes. It was surprising that Rain hadn't caught up with them.
"Irene, can you get the door?"
"Of course, Princess."
Hurrying over, she opened the door.
Irene squeaked. She halted in the doorway, stiff as a statue. She tried to close it.
"Ah. Princess. Maybe we should come back later-"
"Just let me in, Irene."
Lecil walked in and stood in the center of the room, kicking a bobble.
"Princess. Please!"
"Oh, hush. I just need to grab something. Then we can go."
Pushing past a turned over chair, she went to her bedside table and moved it aside, scratching the floor a bit. Behind the dresser, taped to the back, was a journal. Her journal.
"But, Princess. The room. The clothes-"
Irene was insisting. Lecil furrowed her brows and looked around.
"Oh. OH!"
The entire place was trashed. Small objects that used to lay on the dresser were strewed across the floor. The cushion sofa chair was carved open, the stuffing pouring out. A mirror was cracked. The wardrobe spilled open with all her clothes ripped to shreds. Her rug was stolen.
"I am surprised she didn't just burn them. And isn't this a little more than just ruined clothes?"
"She? Princess, who did this? We were gone for less than an hour! We have to inform the guards."
"No need. I know who did it."
Irene was pulling at her hair. The amount of damage was serious. It would take hours to clean up.
"Besides. I was thinking of redecorating anyway. Anne actually helped me. I will have to thank her when I see her."
The poor maid was distraught.
"Princess Anne did this... How... What... Why would-"
"She didn't do it all herself. I imagine she had assistance from another maid or two. She is likely angry that I am staying behind instead of leaving like she planned. You know, I think she would make a good sword mistress by the way she cut up all my dresses. I didn't realize she was so talented!"
The words were entirely too calm and collected. The words sounded genuine even to her own ears. Of course, Lecil knew this would happen. It always happened when choosing the family route. Anne would get upset and tear all her clothes, causing her to need to buy new ones. It was a bit overkill and unexpected everything else was trashed as well. Maybe it was left out in the game? Or perhaps her choice to be Free affected this outcome.
Either way, she would just get to do more shopping. All on the King's dime no less. As a Princess, all she had to do was send the bill to the palace. Anne wouldn't interfere with that, lest trouble come down on herself. Her maids and associates within the castle would make sure everything went smoothly. This entire situation was like a huge gift-wrapped present. Lecil would get to design her room the way she wanted. She almost, almost, wanted to praise the game developers for this event.
Irene was still turned in circles, examining the damage.
"Don't worry, Irene. You won't have to clean this up yourself. I have what I need and practically everything else can be trashed. Can you go ask the other staff to remove everything that is damaged? They'll be happy to help, but make sure to tell them not to take more than necessary."
Lecil turned her head as Irene's jaw didn't seem to work.
Was Lecil's acting too much? Should she have gone about it differently or given Irene more time to cope with the situation?
"Irene."
"Huh?"
"Go fetch others to clean this up. We are leaving in... four minutes."
"Huh. Oh. Ah. Hm. AH! Okay. Okay. I-I will be back in just a minute."
So she said before hurrying out the door. Lecil tucked her journal in her coat for safekeeping, along with a magic pen. It would be a shame to have that thrown away.
Lecil stepped over pillows and ruined makeup, heading towards the door. Reaching it, she glanced back at the destroyed room; she smiled.
"Thank you, Anne."
The door closed.
=
"Thank you? Thank you! That is all she has to say? Why isn't she wailing like a child over all her destroyed clothes? She should be suffering, dammit! Why did I go through all that trouble just for her to wave it off?"
Princess Anne listened in on the magical listening device. She had wanted to hear Lecil's reaction without being there. Even if it were silence, she would have reveled in it. Tears? Angry shouting? All of it would have been perfect. But instead, Lecil actually thanked her. It was ruined! All ruined.
Lecil grabbed a hard loaf of bread from offscreen and snapped it in half.
"That little twerp thinks she is better than me? More mature? I'll show her..."
After another tantrum, a mysterious occurrence took place. Unbeknownst to Anne, her servants, a blubbering cook, and everyone else present.
A tiny circle hovered above Anne's head changed.
...
1%
...
Feminine cackling could be heard over a listening device.