Seijo no Hazu ga, Douyara Nottoraremashita – Chapter 72

But the dilemma is that I can’t tell them that the reason why I won’t see Hime is because she hates me so much that she wants to kill me. 

When I thought about it, I didn’t have enough solid evidence to make such a claim out loud. 

Even with my assassination attempt, the soldier had said that the Saint had ordered him to, but there was no evidence. 

When I was at the Royal Castle, she wanted to get rid of the ‘Saint’ who was by Lector’s side, and she didn’t know it was me, but there were no other witnesses except for Lolo and I, who had seen this through Lolo’s eyes. 

Those examples were too weak to convince those righteously indignant maids. 

If Hime says it’s a ‘misunderstanding’, then it would be difficult to convince the maids otherwise. 

While I was worrying, Liza spoke, “Of course, I and those from the medical bay who spend a lot of time with Anise-sama know how you are, and don’t agree with those maids. However, the few people who spend more time with Hime-sama instead of Anise-sama seem to believe Hime-sama’s words. She seems to be a very friendly person. However, when Hime-sama told me about you, I felt that her description of you is different from the person I know, so I believe my own eyes rather than listen to her. Perhaps, Hime-sama has misunderstood you quite a bit.”

Then, she looked at me and smiled. 

“Liza… Thanks for understanding me~~~. Waah.”

I was so happy that I couldn’t help but burst into tears. This older, dependable woman hadn’t been won over by Hime. I was so happy to hear that. 

“Oh my, you don’t have to cry that much. I’m only telling you that there are people who can tell the truth from lies. Everyone at the medical bay always says that you’re always cheerfully willing to do whatever you can for them. We know that you’re not the kind of person who acts coldly towards someone for no reason. You’ve only been here for a short time, but people will know who you really are if they work closely next to you every day. We just don’t go around loudly proclaiming this like those maids.”

“Liza…”

Ah, I have people on my side. I have people who understand me. 

I’m really, really… happy.

I’m always focused on the loudest people, but when I assess this calmly, I can see that only a few people in the castle have come up to me to complain. 

Though, the number was increasing little by little. 

But Liza’s words made me realise that I had a role to play in this castle, that there are times when I’m needed, and that people are accepting me in this castle. 

My place. This fortress is somewhere I can be. 

I’ve been feeling like a wanderer ever since I came to this world, but this is where I belong and I have a role to play here. 

I’m only a temporary mistress, but I’ll still do my best while in this position and I’ll play my role properly. I’ll do my best for everyone. 

I was delighted that I had made up my mind.

Unfortunate protagonists in manga and novels have allies, but they also have enemies.

It’s just that the winning side is the ‘loyalist’, but both sides act for their own justice.

I’m going to do the best I can in my current position. 

I just have to make sure that Lector is safe at all times while doing my job as the mistress of this fortress and fulfilling my role as the saint. 

People in the fortress have a better understanding of me compared to the time when I first arrived. I felt like an outsider at first, but now I feel like I’ve been accepted as their family and friend. I guess the point is that we’ve gotten used to each other. 

I wonder if Hime knows that as the mistress of this fortress, I am responsible for the daily life of a captive, from setting their meals to allocating their maids. 

I could change her maids if I wanted to, but I didn’t do that because it would make her current maids unhappy, and the new maids would just be won over by her again. 

I consulted Liza whenever I had to make a decision about her, so I didn’t make any of those decisions out of spite or because of a personal grudge. 

I make the decisions that I do so that the fortress can operate smoothly. 

In the meantime, I regularly make potions and use healing magic in the medical bay. Well, I’m just purifying black smoke though. Still, I did it in a bit of a grandiose way. I’m sure the person who I’m performing magic on wouldn’t want me to do it half-assed. 

Of course, I smile at them like a saint while I’m doing this. 

“Oh my, it must be painful. I’ll heal you right now.”

Yes, smile~.

I didn’t know what to do at first since I had never been in a situation where I was in a higher position than others, but fortunately, I had Lector, who was used to this, near me, so I learned a lot from him. 

I learnt how to separate my private life and my public life by imitating him. I would act like the rumoured saint since that was the image people had of me. Smile, be gracious, kind and gentle! Eeh, *cough* I cover up the parts that are a little too much for my non-existent charm…

Lector’s a really good role model.

He looks very cool, giving out orders in public, but the moment he enters his private quarters, he becomes dull. 

Even his face changes, you know?! 

Hey, should you show that appearance to me? 

I asked him in amazement. 

But he replies while acting defenceless and smiling, “Well, you won’t behead me in my sleep, would you? You also don’t seem disillusioned or angry with me either. Ah this is so nice…”

Well, I certainly won’t behead you in your sleep… I’m here to save you from situations like that. 

But Lector seemed like a different person when he slouched on the expensive sofa in a relaxed manner. 

If the many young girls in this fortress who admire him saw him like this, then they would certainly be disillusioned. 

Me? I wasn’t since I wasn’t fantasizing about him in the first place…

I wonder if it’s because I didn’t know his status at the beginning, and he didn’t have the awe-inspiring aura of a general.

From the beginning, he was a young man who I could have a normal conversation with and who was on the same level as me. He was the kind of guy who looked good on the outside, but was a little disappointing on the inside, but he was a fun guy to hang around with. 

If I had met him in this kingdom while not knowing everything from the beginning, then maybe I would have seen him as the perfect, wonderful prince.

But it’s already too late for that. If I had seen him like that at the beginning, then I would be nothing but disillusioned by his current appearance. 

But then again, he is a human being. We all burp and fart. Of course, there are times when we get tired and slouch on the sofa like this as well. That’s how it is, yup. 

It’s fine for him to relax like this. It’s important for him to act like a human being. 

If he was still cool in this state, then I would wonder if it’s his trademark routine or if it’s because he has some special skill.

Huh? Love is blind? Lolo, you’re being annoying. 

While I was thinking, I kept an eye on him to make sure his shirt wouldn’t get tangled around his neck and strangle him. I haven’t forgotten my job. 

I have been spending a lot of time with him, so I want him to live a long and happy life. 

He’s not the type of person who should die early. 

Though, he is a prince who has been sent to the battlefield his whole life and the Queen has tried to assassinate him, whether as a form of harassment or she seriously wanting him dead. But he’s a kind man, who is well-liked by those around him. He also has a lot of achievements and is living his life to the fullest. 

I want him to be happy. 

I can’t stop thinking about the cause of his death.