Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Behind the Scenes of the Fireworks
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There was a terrace on one side of the night market.
"Shall we sit over there?"
I said.
"......All right."
We took our seats and I looked around.
When I turned my head, a street musician was strumming a guitar on one side of the square.
On the other side, a woman was singing, and people were clapping along.
The table next to us had merchants laughing over drinks.
I glanced at Irene.
She was staring blankly at the square. Her eyes slowly drifting this way and that.
"Alright, next song!"
The musician plucked his guitar, and cheers erupted.
"Honey, let's dance too!"
"Haha, let's do it!"
A couple joined hands and dashed off.
"You brat! I said no running!"
"Mom, it's slippery!"
Families were enjoying the night market in high spirits.
Irene watched the scene. Blankly.
This wasn't the usual Irene.
Back at the palace, she always stared straight ahead. Her gaze never wavered. Perfect posture, perfectly controlled expression.
But now? Different.
Her head turning every which way, eyes darting about. She didn't even seem aware of it.
I chewed on a skewer and snuck a peek.
That...
Isn't she excited?
Irene's lips curved up just a tiny bit.
Very slightly.
She didn't seem to notice.
I'd never seen that expression at the palace.
"......Your Highness."
"......Yes?"
Irene turned her head.
Her eyes a little glazed.
Like someone snapped out of a trance.
"Are you alright?"
"......Yes. I'm fine."
Irene looked back at the square.
The busking was wrapping up.
People clapped.
"That was great!"
"Come back next time!"
The musician bowed, and the woman waved with a smile.
"Thank you! We'll be back next week!"
Irene watched it all.
"......This place."
It was a small voice.
"......is noisy."
"Noisy?"
"......Yes. Quite so."
Does she hate it?
"But..."
Irene continued.
"......for some reason, I don't dislike it."
Irene's eyes stayed on the square.
The crowd dispersed, and a new musician took the stage.
As music started again, people gathered once more.
"The palace is quiet."
Irene said.
"Always quiet. No laughter, no music. Everyone speaks softly."
A brief silence fell.
"I thought that was normal."
Irene looked at me.
"But this place is different."
"......"
"Noisy, chaotic, hectic."
"......"
"Yet."
Irene's lips curved up again, just a bit.
"......it makes it easier to breathe."
It was about time for the fireworks festival to start.
Should we head that way?
Just as I was walking with Irene...
"Your Highness."
A voice called from behind. Unfamiliar.
I turned.
A man stood there. Blond hair. Neat clothes. That noble posture.
Who is he?
"It's been a while, Your Highness."
The man bowed.
"Third Imperial Prince Leiden."
Ah. A prince.
"......Indeed, it's been a while."
Irene's voice stiffened slightly.
"Here for the fireworks?"
"Yes."
"Perfect timing, then."
Leiden smiled. A perfectly managed smile.
"There's a reserved viewing area for royals. I thought you'd enjoy it."
"......"
Irene paused.
Royal reserved seating.
Her usual spot.
"......That does sound nice."
Irene said. Her voice wavering just a touch.
Of course.
She's a princess.
Only natural to watch from the best seat.
"......"
But.
"Your Highness."
I spoke up.
Irene looked at me. Leiden too.
"Fireworks aren't meant to be watched from there."
"......?"
Irene blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"Let's go."
I started walking. Toward the opposite side of the night market.
"......Where is this?"
Irene looked around.
An empty lot. No people. Completely different from the bustling night market.
But far off...
Mages were visible.
Setting something up.
Sweating buckets, yelling their heads off.
"Secure that thing properly!"
"Shit, it's tilting!"
"Move it, quick!"
Total clusterfuck.
A perfect shitshow.
"......What are they doing?"
Irene asked, looking perplexed.
"Prepping the fireworks."
"......"
"This is the launch point."
"......You mean to watch from here?"
"Yeah."
"......"
Irene stared at me.
Eyes saying she couldn't comprehend.
No surprise.
No sane person would.
I scouted around.
Found a good spot.
Under a tree's shade.
Perfect.
"Hold on."
I left Irene and headed back to the market.
"......"
Irene stood there blankly.
A moment later.
I returned, arms full of stuff.
"What are these?"
Irene asked.
"Sunglasses."
I put a pair on. Pulled out another and handed it to her.
"......Why sunglasses?"
"Fireworks are bright when they go off."
"......"
Irene took them and put them on awkwardly.
"And this."
I handed her a bag of popcorn.
"......What's this?"
"Popcorn. You eat it while watching."
"......"
Irene took the bag.
Looked like she wanted to say something.
But gave up.
I sat down.
Rululoo~
Feeling good.
Nice weather.
Cool breeze.
Great spot.
Popcorn too.
Perfect.
"......Please, sit, Your Highness."
"......"
Irene sat cautiously. Next to me.
Still that baffled look.
The sun had set.
Darkness fell.
In the distance, the mages hustled even more.
"Alright!! Here we go!!"
Someone bellowed.
"3!! 2!! 1!!"
Boom.
A firework burst in the sky.
But.
"......"
From here, barely visible.
They explode high up. Wrong angle from the launch point.
Just some flashes.
"......Young Master."
Irene looked at me.
"You can't see them from here."
"Yeah."
"......Pardon?"
"They're not visible from here. That's normal."
"......"
Irene's mouth fell open.
Closed.
Opened again.
"......Then why watch from here?"
"Over there."
I pointed at the mages.
"Watch them."
"......?"
Irene turned.
Mages running around.
"Prep the next one!!"
"Hurry up!!"
"Shit, why won't this work!!"
"Hit it!!"
"Hitting it won't help!!"
Thwack thwack.
They were actually hitting it.
"It's working!!!"
Boom.
Another firework launched.
"Yes!!! Got it!!!"
"Next!!! Next!!!"
Running again.
Tripped.
Got up.
Ran more.
Sweat-soaked.
Real shitshow.
"......"
I shoved a handful of popcorn in my mouth.
Crunch.
"Your Highness."
"......Yes?"
"That."
I pointed at the mages.
"Isn't it hilarious?"
"......"
Irene looked at me.
Like I was crazy.
"......That?"
"Yeah."
I nodded seriously.
"Fireworks you can see anywhere. But this? Only from here."
"......"
"How hard they work. How they scramble. How they smack it."
"......"
"Everyone sees the result. No one sees the process."
I popped another handful.
"But I like the process more."
"......"
Irene said nothing.
Watched the mages.
Scrambling again.
"Change the color this time!!"
"Red!!"
"Why blue?!?"
"I don't know!! Hit it!!"
Thwack.
Boom.
Red firework soared.
"Yes!!!"
"Got it!!!"
"Next!!!"
Running again.
"......"
Irene watched.
"......You're truly unique."
Irene murmured softly.
"What's fun about that......"
"......"
"......"
Then.
"Hit it!!"
Thwack.
"No!!"
"Hit harder!!"
Thwack thwack.
"Shit!!"
One mage tripped.
Another fell on top.
Two tangled, rolling.
"Get up!!!"
"Can't! You're on top!!"
"Ah!!"
"......"
"......Pfft."
Irene laughed.
Involuntarily.
Covered her mouth. Too late.
Shoulders shaking.
"......Oh."
Irene looked flustered.
Like she didn't know why she laughed.
"......"
I offered popcorn.
"Want some?"
"......"
Irene took it.
Picked one.
Ate it.
"......It's good."
"Right?"
"......"
Irene picked another.
Watching the mages.
Lips curved up slightly.
Clatter clatter—
On the way back by carriage.
Irene gazed out the window. Her expression softened.
"......"
Did she have fun today?
Good.
"Your Highness."
"......Yes?"
Irene turned.
"Did you enjoy today?"
"......"
Irene thought for a moment.
"......It was a strange day."
"Strange?"
"Yes."
Irene looked out the window again.
"First time for skewers. First time seeing fireworks from a place like that."
"......"
"But......"
Irene trailed off.
Like she had more to say but swallowed it.
"......"
At the same time, in the imperial annex.
"So?"
Leiden asked, staring out the window.
"They went to the night market."
"Night market?"
"Yes. Ate some skewers there."
"......"
"Then headed to the fireworks launch point."
"Launch point?"
Leiden turned.
"Not the royal seats?"
"No. Where the mages were working."
"......"
Fingers drummed the table.
Tap— tap—
"And my sister?"
The subordinate hesitated. Hard to answer straight.
"She laughed."
Fingers stopped.
"What?"
"She laughed, Your Highness."
Silence flowed.
Leiden rose slowly from his chair and walked to the window.
That scene replayed.
'Let's go.'
With those words, Irene followed without even turning. As if it were the most natural thing. As if he weren't there.
Leiden's hand clenched tight.
An expression she'd never shown him.
It had been that way since childhood.
Irene never laughed.
Not at jokes, gifts, or praise.
Always the same face.
Always the same eyes.
Always the same distance.
But eating skewers and watching mages scramble... she laughed?
"Your Highness."
The subordinate spoke cautiously.
"Shall we look deeper into the Northern Grand Duke's second son?"
"......"
Northern Grand Duke's second son. Second son means he has an older brother.
"Who’s his brother?"
"Raon de Valentine."
Leiden's eyes narrowed.
Raon.
The wolf of the North.
Ice blade.
One of the empire's top monsters.
A man even Father tread carefully around.
"Hoo... things are getting annoying."
His grip on the window frame loosened.
Too troublesome to touch directly with that backing.
"Watch for now."
Leiden said.