LSOV Chapter 03 — [R15]

003. We Were Good Friends

***

Rachel is a princess? I never imagined that. It was right after I'd suggested that we "lend me out as the kingdom's treasure," and Father had pressed his forehead with his hand before sending Daimond and me out of the room.

Rachel… the Rachel I knew was always bright and cheerful.

The Central Palace of the royal castle was open to the citizens of the kingdom, and Daimond's friends often came to visit. All of Daimond's friends treated me kindly, but Rachel was different from the rest.

Everyone around me acted formal and well-mannered. Rachel alone treated me without hesitation. I didn't dislike it, nor did it make me uncomfortable. Rachel simply had that kind of presence.

Every time we met by chance, she would start talking to me. Sometimes, she even came looking for me on purpose. It only happened a few times over the years, but whenever we met, she always brought me something small.

"Daisy, these are macarons. I thought I might run into you today, so I brought them."

"Princess Daisy, here you are! I heard a really funny story today. Come here, I'll tell you."

"Daisy, baby princess. Your snow-white hair is beautiful. But your eyes draw me in even more. Why is that? It's so strange."

Rachel lightly took hold of a lock of my hair and laughed. Even though she tugged at it, I laughed with her. Those days existed.

"Let's meet again next time!"

Even if we only met briefly, Rachel always promised there would be a next time.

Whatever expression she wore, she always carried a bit of mischief on her face. Her voice was loud, clear, and confident. Her giggles were lively and bright. Rachel always gave me something and never asked for anything in return.

"Daisy, are you serious?"

Daimond grabbed my shoulders and shook me.

"Of course I'm serious. Actually, I'm relieved this solution came to mind. Now I can fulfill my responsibility as a member of the royal family."

I tried speaking while Daimond kept shaking me back and forth. Honestly, ugh, dizzy.

"But still!"

"You didn't cause this, right? You didn't tell the Princess your true name or anything?"

'Hm? Brother?' I said with a little laugh.

"No way! It's hard to explain, but I didn't do anything shameful."

I hadn't actually suspected him. Daimond may be a troublemaker, but I know better than anyone that he cares deeply for the kingdom.

Daimond finally let go of my shoulders when he clenched both his fists. The ceiling of the Central Palace, which had been spinning, stopped at last.

"So that means I'm not going to be taking your place and making the sacrifice, right?"

"Daisy… nothing has been decided yet. Once we discuss it, we might find a better solution."

"Yeah."

Even though I was still dizzy, I smiled at him. But Daimond knew it too. Lending me was the best option.

"Owen sure is greedy."

Daimond let out something like a sigh.

It had only been a few hundred years since Owen's status was elevated to an empire through their wars of conquest, nothing in the scale of history. Not too long ago, they'd tried to devour this land entirely through war, and now they were aiming to raise their international standing?

"Brother, you knew Rachel was a princess, didn't you?"

This time, Daimond let out a real sigh.

"Yeah. I knew."

"You kept it all to yourself?"

"Probably. At the very least, she definitely wanted to hide it from everyone. The documents were incredibly thorough. The only reason I found out she was a princess was pure coincidence."

Daimond looked like he was recalling his academy days from years ago.

"Just like Rachel said, she never seemed to have any hidden motives at the academy. More accurately... Rachel didn't seem to care that she was from the empire, or that she was a princess."

"She didn't care?"

"She didn't seem fond of the imperial family. I figured that maybe things are different for other ruling families, not everyone is like our royal house. You know how Owen's imperial throne always has drama surrounding the crown prince position."

That was true. The descendants of the first conqueror emperor fought for the throne the same way he had, through conquest. The chaos inside the Owen imperial family was public knowledge.

"And besides, we were-"

Click.

At that moment, the doors to the audience chamber opened and Shade stepped out. He wasn't surprised to see his two younger siblings standing outside.

"We were good friends."

The door closed behind Shade just as Daimond's words came out. Daimond's eyes, colored exactly like mine, held the past within them. From his lips, emotions he hadn't sorted out yet spilled out one by one.

"That's what I thought. I don't know anymore. Even her hair and eye color… all of it was a lie changed by magic."

Daimond, Rachel, and his other friends—five in total—always looked happy and full of life no matter where they went. Daimond's group was always loud, always sharing fun stories. Rachel treated me kindly, yes, but only a little. She laughed more with her own friends.

Her curly brown hair, her shining red eyes, those features she had while laughing among her friends... Now, even those were supposedly lies disguised by magic.

"You two should go rest."

"Brother…"

Shade placed a light hand on my shoulder before turning away.

Shade was born and raised as the Crown Prince. I had never seen him openly express emotions. That light touch on my shoulder, it wasn't quite comfort, yet it was. And I understood what Shade intended with it.

I lifted my head and looked out the window. The sun was already setting. I should return to my palace, have a light dinner, and think. What I should pack… How I should speak to Rachel…

"Daisy! That look in your eyes! You've already made up your mind to go, haven't you?!"

Daimond grabbed my shoulders again and started shaking me.

"Daisy, at least get angry. Ask her why she didn't reveal she was a princess. Demand to know what happened eight years ago! Nag her, whine—tell me to go win Rachel back… At least say something like that. Please? Since I'm the one involved, tell me to fix it, tell me it's your wish. Remember? I promised I'd grant you one wish. Daisy… okay?"

As his voice grew quieter, the hands shaking my shoulders slowed. When he said my name at the very end, Daimond lowered his hands and bowed his head.

"Brother… that's not special at all."

I smiled. With that same smiling face, I bent down a little to meet his eyes.

"Let's talk later. If you're not listening, I can at least curse you out properly."

***

The next day, I visited Father's office. I hadn't made an appointment, but as the king, he still welcomed his unexpected daughter.

"Father, once she hears my true name, Her Highness won't be able to refuse our proposal."

Once Rachel hears my true name, she won't be able to say she didn't want it. Something heard cannot be erased. I would be forcibly placing my weakness into her hands.

"It's true you're a Leatria of our kingdom, but to the Empire, it will look like a childish word trick. They won't look kindly on someone who deceived them."

"Yes. I know."

"The princess gave you a time limit of three years, and she used the word borrow. If you go, Daisy, she will treat you like a tribute."

"I know that too, Father. But she can't treat me too terribly, I'm still a princess."

"Daisy… my treasure, my child."

Father raised a hand and pressed his eyes. I stood and sat beside him.

"I think it's the best option. As long as I'm in the Empire, the imperial family won't be able to expose what Brother did. During that time, the royal family can prepare countermeasures. We can reorganize security at the Academy and the royal institutions. We might even accomplish structural reform. Our kingdom could grow stronger, right?"

I placed my hand on top of his. Father slowly continued.

"The imperial family won't be able to reveal that they know your true name. So I intend to propose this, we will announce to the world that you are going to the Empire because they requested it, for study. It's not exactly what Owen wants, but having a princess move at the Empire's request is still significant. We can make it look like the Kingdom of Lundra is submitting."

Father slowly closed and opened his eyes.

"But will you be all right, Daisy? If we do this, then you will truly…"

He couldn't finish his sentence. I leaned gently against his arm.

"Then I'll simply think of it as studying abroad. The Empire's culture differs from ours, so life there will broaden my perspective. Thinking of it that way… it almost feels exciting!"

"Daisy… aren't you angry at me for preparing all of this?"

I laughed softly and met his gaze.

"Please don't say that. Help me fulfill my responsibility as a princess of Lundra."

"I'm sorry, Daisy. I couldn't bring myself to send my youngest into the world… and now…"

Father sighed and wrapped me in his arms. As always, before he was my father, he had to be King Yones II of Lundra.