[Episode 68] How to Enjoy the Hunting Festival (2)
‘...Calm down. Every time I stand before that woman, I get emotional, and that’s the problem. No matter how many times I see her, I’ll never get used to that face.’
Fiona pinched her forearm where no one could see, reining in her emotions.
It was a serious problem—just seeing that face made the memories resurface, and she felt as though every organ in her body was twisting. Moreover, the sight of her embracing the ‘Princess’ was enough that she felt she couldn’t endure it without biting her lip.
‘...Just what is she thinking, acting so friendly? Is she putting on an act because people are watching? She couldn’t even give her own child love, she didn’t even know how—the crazy—!’
Crack—
In the end, Fiona gritted her teeth fiercely to cool her emotions. Telling herself that woman was wrong, that woman was bad, Fiona poured curses upon Vivian internally, struggling to keep her sanity.
She was certain that if she didn’t do this, she would be strangling Vivian’s neck right this instant. Fiona smiled hollowly and sighed. Having finally settled her tumultuous heart, Fiona raised her head to look at Vivian and Princess Titania walking ahead.
How very pleasant they looked, walking hand in hand.
Watching that affectionate scene, Fiona recalled her own past.
‘Learning magic from me, the Witch of the Mirror Vivian, is something that would normally never happen. You are only receiving my teachings because you are his child. Otherwise, I would have killed you already.’
‘You worm-like wench. Just what can you do? If you can’t even do this, there’s no reason for me to teach you. I thought you’d be useful because you had the talent to see fairies, but did you think being a witch was easy?’
‘If only you didn’t resemble your mother so much, I wouldn’t hate you like this. Because the other woman beside the man I love just had to be your mother. Because of that wench who obstructs me even in death!’
‘I didn’t want to kill him either. It was a mistake. But what can I do? The one I loved is already dead, and the only one who inherited his blood is you. I won’t kill you, but I will never love you either. Because half of you belongs to the woman I detest. Be grateful that I don’t kill you.’
...The more she recalled, the more her head throbbed.
Even though she had healed completely without a single scar left, simply recalling those memories made the places she had been beaten throb with phantom pain. Fiona curled in on herself at the pain of her entire body being flogged.
‘As expected, was coming to meet that woman too soon? I should have pulled myself together a bit more...’
But she still had to confirm. Just what was that woman thinking, taking the ‘Princess’ to the cottage? Originally, the princess was supposed to be chased by hunters hired by the ‘Second Queen’ and flee into the fog.
And after wandering through the fog, the princess would discover the cottage and meet the household fairy ‘Brownie’ living there. That was the story the princess was originally supposed to experience.
That was why Fiona couldn’t understand. Why had Vivian entered the forest together with the princess? What was she thinking, trying to have something like a picnic in the forest? Why wasn’t she hiring the hunters?
The current situation was so different from what she had experienced that Fiona couldn’t help but fall into deep doubt. That was why she had no choice but to approach Vivian’s side wearing the mask of ‘Princess Fiona’ once more.
To properly verify Vivian. If Vivian tried to push the princess into that thick fog ‘herself,’ Fiona was certain. That human was unchanged trash.
That was why Fiona had no choice but to cling to Vivian and Titania’s side to monitor her. Forcing a smile, forcing herself to follow along, she began watching Vivian.
To find the reason Vivian had changed.
And because she hoped the ‘Princess’ truly hadn’t become like her.
Fiona raised her head once more and gazed endlessly at the two ‘mother and daughter’ walking affectionately hand in hand. Unconsciously clenching and unclenching one hand, Fiona stared blankly at Titania smiling brightly, while she herself smiled bitterly.
Was that woman really the same woman who had raised me? No matter how she looked, they didn’t seem the same. Only the face was identical. The way she smiled, her mannerisms—everything was different from that woman.
She never smiled so brightly for me.
She never treated me so kindly.
To me, she never...
...Just what are you, that she treats you so well?
What makes ‘Titania’ different from ‘me’?
She’s the same ‘Princess.’
She grew up under the same ‘stepmother’ as me.
She grew up under the same ‘Vivian’ as me.
Just what is the difference between you and me?
Just what.
*
“Princess Titania. You like egg tarts, don’t you? I’ve brought some truly delicious egg tarts. Would you like to try one?”
“...No.”
“Hmm... I see. Then I shall eat them all myself. Ah—”
“Ah...!”
Princess Fiona popped a small egg tart into her mouth in one bite. Titania watched that sight with a devastated expression. And I watched the two of them with a dumbfounded expression.
‘How did it come to this...’
I had clearly refused Princess Fiona when she said she would follow, but Princess Fiona had practically forced her way to trail behind me and Titania. Thinking she would give up if I rode a horse, I tried galloping away on horseback, but Princess Fiona had somehow procured a horse herself and pursued us.
There was no way I could refuse her after she had followed us this far. In the end, I gave up and permitted her to come along, which led to this situation. Thus, we gathered at the spot Lady Selina had recommended, sat on a picnic mat, and began enjoying a picnic.
I looked at Princess Fiona, who had even brought food, and asked, ‘Just when did you prepare such food?’ Princess Fiona replied with a bitter smile, ‘I can’t eat food made by others.’ There seemed to be some unknown story behind that bitter smile, so I couldn’t ask further.
Princess Fiona began giggling and teasing Titania. When Titania refused her goodwill, the princess really didn’t give her a single one and devoured all those egg tarts by herself. Titania could only stare at that sight in a daze.
“I clearly offered them to you? You’re the one who refused, aren’t you?”
“Y-you...!”
“Ah~ delicious~ It’s my first time going on an outing like this, and it’s quite enjoyable~”
Now claiming she was full, Princess Fiona flopped down on the picnic mat. Anyone seeing her would think it was her own bedroom. Titania had been trembling with anger at Princess Fiona since earlier, clearly displeased. Forcing her way on the picnic, not giving any egg tarts, and even teasing her on top of that.
Her face flushed red with anger, Titania looked at me with a tearful expression, unable to endure it any longer. Though she didn’t say it aloud, her expression clearly begged me to kick that woman out immediately. That sight was rather cute, and I ended up giggling without realizing it.
‘If Titania had an older sister, would it feel like this?’
A relationship where they were desperate to eat each other up. Wasn’t that exactly what sisters were like? Princess Fiona, who had flopped onto the ground, pulled out a book from the basket. Humming a tune as if in a good mood.
Titania glared at Princess Fiona, huffing and puffing that this wasn’t the picnic she’d had in mind. Just when that squabble seemed like it would never end, Titania’s eyes went wide upon seeing the book Princess Fiona was reading.
“That book...”
“Ah... it’s one of my favorite books. It’s a novel, but quite interesting.”
Where had that angry demeanor from earlier gone? Looking at Princess Fiona’s book, Titania cautiously approached her side. Interested in the book but seeming reluctant to approach Princess Fiona herself, she glanced around with her eyes for quite a while before finally asking.
“That book... I’ve read it too... Have you read it, Princess Fiona?”
Did she want to talk about a book she liked?
Whether it was because the book Princess Fiona had taken out was one Titania had also read, Titania kept stealing glances at the book she was holding. However, Princess Fiona’s reaction was a bit different.
“Yes? Did you know what kind of book this is when you read it?”
“O-of course! That is...!”
When Princess Fiona asked in disbelief, Titania nodded shyly. I had wondered what kind of book would make Titania react like that, and sure enough—
“It’s about a young lady and a young master falling in love and eloping from their families! I even remember the scene where he steals her ch-chastity with their first kiss!”
“...Good heavens. Did you know this was an adult book when you read it?”
...When the words ‘adult book’ came out of Princess Fiona’s mouth, I felt dizzy and ran a hand down my face in exasperation. Was it really true that such books were trending among noble ladies? Why was Princess Fiona reading an adult book even out here?
“...Rather than that, does Princess Fiona need to be reading an adult book all the way out here?”
“I’m an adult, so it’s fine. This is my favorite book, you know? Rather than that, Your Majesty the Queen? Don’t change the subject—what is the meaning of this? Surely you didn’t know the Princess was reading such a book and simply leave it be?”
Princess Fiona stared at me intensely with a dumbfounded expression. That gaze was clearly saying, ‘What must a ten-year-old child have gone through to already be reading such a book? How could you leave this alone—are you out of your mind?’
“...No. It’s a book recommended to the Princess by Viola, Lady Selina’s daughter. I’ve been troubled by this too. I believe the Princess entered puberty after reading that book; she keeps avoiding me.”
“T-that’s because Mother...!”
Titania, her face turning red like a ripe apple, stammered and couldn’t continue. Then eventually, she clamped her mouth shut, tossed her head, and even turned her back on me. Princess Fiona’s expression as she watched that scene shifted from dumbfoundedness toward something close to shock.
“Wh-what? The two of you?”
“What else—the daughter who entered puberty and the mother who finds that regrettable.”
“What...”
Princess Fiona furrowed her brow as if she couldn’t understand this situation, then eventually let out a deep sigh, approached Titania’s side, and took out a different book from the basket.
“This one isn’t for adults, so it’s fine for you to read. Since I’m recommending it, it will surely suit Princess Titania’s tastes too. Shall we have a conversation after you finish reading? Actually, I still have plenty of egg tarts left.”
Titania nodded her head slightly and began reading the book Princess Fiona handed her. Perhaps because they had discovered a shared hobby. Though they had hated each other so much just moments ago, now they were leaning against each other and reading together.
With the sudden quiet, my eyes began to droop sleepily. Perhaps because we had settled in the shade, the cool autumn breeze blew and the sunlight was warm—it was perfect weather for a nap. But if I fell asleep here, who knew what would happen...
While I was blinking my drowsy eyes, Titania came toddling over and covered me with a blanket. Did she mistake me for having fallen asleep? I slowly closed my eyes, unable to resist the cozy magic of the blanket enveloping my body.
As I tried not to fall asleep, keeping my eyes fixed on Titania, what I saw through half-closed eyes was that Titania and Princess Fiona seemed to have gotten quite close. Whenever Titania didn’t understand a part of the book she was reading, Princess Fiona would explain it calmly, though seeming annoyed.
Watching the two of them enjoying themselves like that—
I unknowingly fell asleep just like that.
*
After taking a short nap and waking up, Titania and Princess Fiona were still busy reading. Just how much had they read? Beside Titania and Princess Fiona, books were stacked in towers of three or four volumes each. Did they really have matching hobbies?
I slowly stretched and raised my body. Perhaps not much time had passed, as the sun was still high in the sky. Thinking it was about time to enter the fog, I called out to Princess Fiona.
“Princess Fiona.”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Queen.”
“I’d like to speak with Titania alone for a moment, so could you perhaps return first...”
When I said I wanted to talk alone, Princess Fiona’s brow furrowed. Then she bowed her head, let out a deep sigh, and raised her head again to glare at me sidelong.
“...Alone?”
“...? Yes. It’s something to discuss as ‘family.’”
“Family... family...”
Chewing over the word family, Princess Fiona glanced sidelong at Titania. I could never tell what Princess Fiona was thinking at times like these.
Just what was bothering her this time, to act like this? Frustrated, I let out a sigh involuntarily. Just as I opened my mouth to speak again—
“Are you planning to send Princess Titania into the fog?”
“...? What?”
In an instant, my heart dropped with a thud. How did she know I was going to enter the fog with Titania? Was she just taking a shot in the dark? Is that even something that comes out from just taking a shot in the dark?
Looking at Princess Fiona’s distorted expression, the words she had said to me before came to mind again.
“...Please don’t make disgusting jokes. I know what you’re truly thinking, don’t I? Right now, aren’t you the happiest that child has disappeared?”
“...What?”
“The child resembling ‘that woman’ you detested has disappeared from before your eyes of her own accord, hasn’t she? If that isn’t a happy occasion, what is? Ah, or did you tell that child you ‘hated’ her because you wanted this to happen? Truly meticulous—”
Ah. I see.
“Your Majesty the Queen, I must know.”
Princess Fiona slowly approached me. Growling sharply as she looked down at me sitting on the ground. Though I didn’t know exactly why Princess Fiona was acting so sharp toward me, this much was certain.
“What are you planning to do by sending Princess Titania into the fog?”
Princess Fiona was genuinely worried about Titania.
Worried about what ‘Vivian’ might do to her.