#2. A New Beginning (2)
2023.08.02.
“What's that chocolate powder around your mouths? Surely you didn't eat His Highness the Second Prince's snacks, did you?”
The maids, who had been looking anxiously at Amy's disheveled appearance, froze at the sharp interrogation before quickly waving their hands with pale faces.
“Ah, n-no! We didn't eat any.”
“Y-yes, we didn't. How could we ever do such a thing……”
What an obvious lie. Amy snorted. She had only learned this after coming here, but perhaps because the Second Prince was the palace's black sheep, the maids working under him were utterly shameless, stealing their master's food among other things.
Too exhausted to argue, Amy silently waved her hand. It meant to leave them be. They hesitated.
“Um…… you're leaving tomorrow, but what about the preparations?”
“Finished them?”
Amy could bet her entire fortune that they hadn't lifted a single finger. Sure enough, they made faces as if asking why she would do such a thing.
“No?”
“Then why ask? Get out, all of you.”
“Y-yes……”
Rubbing the chocolate from their mouths with their hands, the two quickly fled the palace. At their departure without a hint of reluctance, Amy could only click her tongue.
“Yes, leave, go. You're the Crown Prince's pawns anyway, so it's better if you disappear.”
No one would be watching now, so Amy dragged her aching leg with relief, climbed the stairs, and arrived at her inner chamber. It was a shabby room unthinkable for an imperial palace, but Amy didn't care in the slightest and threw herself onto the bed.
There wasn't a place on her that wasn't bruised or hurting, but her heart alone felt as light as if it could fly.
*I did it! I'm escaping soon!!*
Amy felt greatly relieved that she had safely overcome the biggest hurdle.
*I wondered if I really needed to go through all this, but I'm glad I did. I don't want to move with enemies at my back.*
Amy let out a long breath and pondered.
*Now all that's left is to safely go north and raise His Highness the Second Prince well. I remember everything that will be worth money in the future……*
When she thought of the Second Prince, her heart, which had been tightly hardened, softened slightly.
*And eliminate the Crown Prince…….*
As she unconsciously continued her train of thought, Amy raised her hand and pressed hard against her chest.
*Thump, thump, thump, thump.*
Her heart was beating calmly, no different from usual.
*Yes, that's how it should be.*
Amy let out a deep sigh. Her body, which had endured torture and shivered in the cold, declared a strike. She closed her eyes and quietly muttered.
“Let's sleep for now.”
***
“Amy?”
At the voice calling her, Amy suddenly raised her head. The Second Prince stood in the doorway, looking at her. Amy, who had been sitting on the floor packing her luggage, shut the clothing chest with a bang and gestured to the Second Prince.
“Come here.”
At her call, the Second Prince hesitated briefly before striding over. His rare black curly hair, seldom seen in the imperial palace, swayed above his forehead.
The prince folded his long knees and sat quietly before Amy. Amy looked at him with a fond heart.
*You're seventeen, yet you look no older than fifteen…….*
Whether he liked her gaze or not, the corners of his lips rose slightly. Despite being a sensitive adolescent boy, he acted quite affectionately toward her. Amy asked with a gentle smile.
“Your Highness, have you eaten?”
“There was no one there?”
“……Ah.”
Come to think of it, she remembered telling the maids to all leave the day before. Amy smacked her lips and rose from her seat.
“Come to the kitchen with me. I'll prepare something simple for you.”
“Okay.”
The prince hesitated, then carefully took Amy's hand. Having come to the Second Prince's palace only two months ago, the affection-starved boy gladly took her offered hand without knowing her true intentions.
Every time she confirmed the boy's trust in her, Amy felt her shallow conscience pricking her. Whenever the old guilt stared at her, Amy forced herself to speak up.
*I just have to treat him well from now on, that's all!*
Yes. Wasn't that why she had traveled back through time from the past?
Having arrived at the kitchen, Amy seated the prince in a chair in the corner. Then she put butter in a pot and placed it on the stove, took out vegetables from the shelf, and chopped them.
“Your Highness, you know we're leaving this afternoon, right?”
The prince nodded, seemingly entranced by Amy's hands moving splendidly.
“Yeah, they told me to pack valuables separately, so I've put them all away.”
“Well done.”
She stir-fried the finely chopped vegetables in bubbling butter, added milk and cream, and boiled them. Then she prepared a simple salad and warmed the bread, and in an instant, an appetizing meal was roughly put together.
“Please eat.”
The prince swallowed his saliva and picked up his spoon. He ate the food heartily with a happy face. Watching him, Amy smiled contentedly. Inside her head, calculations were spinning busily.
*Let's see, I've mapped out all the routes, and I've made it so the palace guards can't follow us…….*
All that remained was a leisurely and splendid tour with the prince.
*If only I had regressed a month or two earlier, I could have prepared more perfectly…….*
Amy sighed as she watched the prince tearing off white bread and stuffing it into his mouth. She rested her chin on her hand and recalled her previous life—that is, the life before she came back.
***
Amy had been the chief handmaiden of the Crown Prince's palace. She was the only daughter of a founding contributor family whose honor remained in name only; her parents had squandered their territory with debts, and she resolved to escape before they sold her off too.
After much deliberation, she volunteered as an imperial palace handmaiden and entered the palace. Her parents caused a commotion when they found out too late, but that was none of her concern.
She had been ten at the time, and the Empress, who was then the mother of the First Prince, chose her to be a handmaiden for the First Prince, who was of similar age.
They called her a handmaiden, but she was a plaything. They had probably thrown her into the Crown Prince's palace with the intention that she would serve as a brief amusement before disappearing.
But she had been unable to live while losing since she was young, and she was strong-willed enough to decide her own future. Before long, she surpassed the other prominent handmaidens and became the one to serve the frail First Prince at his closest side.
The Crown Prince relied greatly on Amy, who was the same age but dependable like an older sister, and he thought nothing of it even when she climbed up on him in a temper.
No, he rather liked it more the less formality there was. Amy soon came to see him, who acted spoiled toward her, as a younger brother.
*Amy, I like you.*
At thirteen, three years after entering the palace, Amy received a confession from the First Prince. Was she happy about it? Not at all! Amy looked around with an anxious expression and asked.
*……Who else did you say that to?*
Thinking Amy misunderstood him as a playboy, the First Prince cried out in shock.
*Of course I only said it to you!*
*Lower your voice! What do you think you're doing so proudly?*
If the Empress found out, she was as good as dead. The First Prince, who had finally worked up the courage to confess only to be scolded, sulked and muttered.
*Do you hate me, Amy?*
*No? But I don't like you that way either.*
*What do you mean, that way?*
*…….*
Amy's face turned expressionless. What good was being thirteen? He knew as much about the opposite sex as a seven-year-old running around the streets.
The Empress had thoroughly hidden information and blocked young ladies' approach, fearing the First Prince might awaken to the opposite sex early. And the reason she hadn't guarded against Amy, who was always by his side, was because she was a fallen noble.
*In short, you thought of me as an object.*
*What did you say, Amy?*
*I said I need to buy some things.*
That didn't seem to be what she said…… The First Prince tilted his head and asked again.
*So Amy, what's your answer?*
Amy pondered for a moment before speaking.
*……If your feelings haven't changed in a year, I'll think about it.*
Amy hadn't even said she liked him, yet the First Prince was overjoyed. Amy firmly covered the First Prince's mouth.
When she threatened that if this got out, he would never see her again, the First Prince burst into tears and swore he wouldn't tell anyone.
A year passed like that.
*Amy, I like you.*
Unfortunately, the First Prince's feelings had not changed. Amy hid her disgusted expression and muttered.
*……You have more tenacity than I thought.*
*Was that a compliment just now? So Amy, your answer?*
*Your Highness the First Prince is fourteen now, correct? When you turn fifteen, you'll be appointed Crown Prince, so I'll think about it until then.*
Angered by those words, the First Prince stomped his foot.
*What takes so long to think about?*
*Very important matters are always thought about for a long time.*
At the words “very important matter,” the First Prince's anger melted away. The First Prince grinned foolishly.
*Really? Is it true?*
*Of course.*
The following year, the First Prince was safely appointed Crown Prince. He ran over excitedly, hugged Amy, and shouted.
*Now I can marry Amy.*
*Who said you could?*
*What?*
*Everyone will want to. Because you've become His Highness the Crown Prince. But…….*
Amy gently persuaded him. For now, all eyes were on him, so after things died down, they would prepare. The Crown Prince grumbled, but Amy's words were always right, so he nodded this time as well.
Amy did not hate the Crown Prince. Though he whined, he was like an obedient but lacking younger brother. Moreover, they had spent a long time together, so if she had to say, she was rather fond of him.