A familiar ceiling fills my vision.
Huh…
I pull myself up, my upper body slightly heavy.
"Nn~"
…!!
A voice on my side makes me flinch momentarily.
Checking the source, I find the witch once again by my side, wearing a sensual nightgown.
Does she have no shame?
I make my way off the bed, removing the witch's hand draped around my neck.
*creeeeeak*
I ignore the bed's cries and check the dresser.
I was still in the clothes I had worn when I lost consciousness, though the leather armor I wore was completely gone.
It was fine, though. That thing was basically at the end of it's rope, barely intact.
The dresser opens, revealing a single button-up long-sleeves shirt and a pair of trousers.
I check the bed.
Hmmm…
Looks like she is still asleep.
I change my clothing, making sure to make the least amount of noise possible.
Unfortunately, it was not that easy.
The rustling of fabric filled the otherwise empty room.
I check again.
Still asleep, huh
I put on the trousers and button-up the shirt.
The witch remains in slumber.
Urk… !!
A vicious pang assaults my head.
I clench my teeth, letting the pain pass.
It did not entirely disappear, of course.
It couldn't be that easy
The pain fades a bit; not gone, but barely present.
This should be fine for now
*whistle~*
I quickly look back, panicked.
The witch looked at me with a cocky grin.
What's she so smug about?
Her silver hair flowed like a river of starlight as she got up.
The bed did not weep.
Is that thing discriminatory or what… ?
The witch did not even bother fixing her attire as she got off the bed.
She moved to a corner of the room, where a coat rack was hanging a pair of clothes that I assumed to be hers.
Since when was that there… ?
The witch turned around, her brow raised.
"Ya' gonna watch or ya' gonna leave? Either way, I prefer to dress in silence. Keep the peeking to yourself, okay?"
I turned away, embarrassed.
What did she think I was?
The door creaked as I left the room.
◇◆◇◆◇
I nearly fell from my resting bed from the sudden recollection.
「Your title 'Foreigner' is activating」
Years and decades of buried and forgotten memories rushed back to me.
I give the blue-haired girl a cold glare.
"…?!"
She flinched, as if she did not expect such a response.
I let my mana loose.
"W-what the… ?!"
The ground shivered as if an earthquake had just hit the medical ward.
I spoke to the suspicious girl, my voice low and cold.
"Who are you?"
"… !!"
She gripped her dress, creasing the hems of it.
"S-silere…" She gasped for air. "Silere Votum."
…
「Skill 'Intuition' is warning you」
I recede my mana, letting the tension fall and dissipate.
"I-is it really you?"
I spoke in a quivering voice, my tears on the verge of falling.
She smiled, calm and beautiful.
"Yeah… I guess I am."
Then, the dams burst.
The forgotten feeling, the buried emotions, all uniformly crashed at once.
Tears of joy, sorrow, and relief fell from my face.
It was just a name. Nothing than a few simple words used to acknowledge somebody's existence… and yet…
Her smile almost broke out into a laugh as tears welled up from her eyes as well.
"H-hey, don't just start crying out of nowhere! I tried my best just to keep a straight face, you know?"
Then, she too, was crying.
We wept together as that one single moment seemingly stretched into infinity.
...
Wiping the tears with my sleeve, I give her a sincere smile.
"How long has it been?"
Her eyes relaxed, making her look all the more gentle.
"Fourteen years, give or take. It seems like being forgetful is also one of the royal duties, O glorious prince."
"Please, stop that, seriously."
My stomach churns from the inside, flashbacks of my childhood haunting me.
"Do you even know tough being royalty is like?" I chided her. "I have to be perfect at all times or risk disownment. Even then, my life is still at risk. People these days will do anything just to get back at the royal family."
Ever since the last war, the royal family's image have been at the all time low. Nobles that used to respect the king – and his heirs – like they were deities are either died siding with the king or resented the king in their own way.
Threat letters were a common occurrence, and assassinations have become so frequent that sword-training and magic practice have been prioritized instead of the traditional arts and politics that the royal heirs normally take.
Because of this, my life has been nothing but hell since day one.
"It's either sparring or socializing EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. The royal faction is desperate for any advantage they could have. So as one of the king's heirs, I've been tasked with the meeting and greeting the visiting nobles, no matter the circumstances."
"… I see."
She nodded.
I continued my spiel.
"Do they even know how hard it is for me? I'm only fourteen, you know?! Shouldn't I be, like, studying in school or something? …Sorry, I know it sounds selfish of me to say this, but I just really needed to unwind. I usually talk with Mary about stuff like this, but she somehow almost makes it about herself. And then I just ha–Oh! She's my maid, by the way. Anyways, she really likes to complain a lot, so it always takes her forever to unwind. Meanwhile, I just have to sit there and listen her complain about stuff that I didn't even ask about! Seriously! Would it kill her to get some self-consciousness?! I have my own stuff going on, you know?! Further more, she always tries to make me sign these shady contracts the second I let my guard down. I mean, who does that? I'm technically her boss, you know!"
A single bead of sweat fell from her rosy cheeks.
"J-just for reference, how's your relationship with her?"
"… Huh? Ummm, we're pretty close, I guess. At least enough that she doesn't feel awkward when talking with me about anything."
"… Yeah, that sounds about right."
What's she talking about?
I heave a heavy sigh.
"Hah~~~ I just want a break. Even a day is fine, that should be enough time to get out of the castle with everything I need."
"I think you're missing the point of what a day-off is supposed to be here."
Ignoring her rebut, I complain some more.
Aaaand another thing…
"There's also that thing with Marquis Lockhart. Why did I even do that? It was like my thoughts were being led to his whims or something…"
"Yeah, I heard about that."
I tilt my head.
"… How?"
With that, she stood up, the frills of her white dress swayed elegantly.
She curtsied, her grace and poise befitting a noble.
"It is an honor to be in the grace of the famous second prince himself."
She gave me a fake smile, one all too familiar to me.
"My name is Azamuku Lockhart, the sole heir of the Lockhart house."