A Rose's Gentle Thorns
The next day. Once again, we were spending time together in the dim room. The snake, the rose, the little prince, and her personal maid. What had once been a scene steeped only in gloom now felt surprisingly lively with everyone gathered. The children sat in their places, chatting among themselves.
“······I can’t believe it.”
A sudden murmur. It came from the maid. With an appearance that suggested she was no older than a middle schooler, the young girl’s eyes sparkled brightly as she gazed at Elise, who lay on the bed. She seemed astonished by her master’s improved complexion.
Her name… was Tanya, wasn’t it?
From what I’d heard, she was the personal maid Charlotte had personally appointed. Though younger than the other maids, she was exceptionally skilled with her hands, almost like a veteran, and her bright personality made her an effortless choice. Her obedient nature made her the perfect fit. At present, she was essentially the only maid attending to Elise.
“I-I’m so relieved… *hic*, I’ve been so worried because the seizures have been happening more often lately.”
Her reaction showed clear relief. She didn’t dare approach too closely, but stood on the opposite side, wiping away her tears. She seemed more mature than her age suggested. Considering she had to endure the rose’s foul temper, one could even say she was more impressive than most adults. The way she bravely stayed by her master’s side was truly admirable.
“It’s such a relief that the doctor came to see her.”
Tanya smiled with genuine joy. Normally, an ordinary maid would have been severely scolded for interrupting a conversation between such high-ranking individuals, but both princesses seemed to tolerate it. It felt more like they were treating her as a younger sister. She really was young, after all, and practically the only family member in this detached palace.
They stopped at a light warning.
“Tanya.”
“I-I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s been so long since I’ve seen Her Highness lying down so peacefully. I was so happy that I…”
She only ever chose pretty words. How could anyone scold such a little angel? In the end, Charlotte closed her mouth. She gently pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the girl’s cheeks.
“Dry your tears. Stop crying now.”
“Y-yes… Your Highness Charlotte.”
It was the perfect image of sisters. The two stood close together. Following my instruction that Elise needed stability, they didn’t approach the bed but simply watched from a distance. Still, since they were in the same room, their voices carried clearly. It wasn’t conversation itself that posed a problem—only the intrusion of another’s mana.
And so we continued our conversation, divided on either side of the room.
“Y-Your Highness… are you really okay?”
“Does anything feel uncomfortable?”
Most of the questions came from Tanya and Charlotte. Every word was filled with concern. Both were already shocked by the rose’s improved condition. Just days ago she had been on the brink of death, yet today there was no sign of suffering. The cold sweat that had poured from her like rain had dried, and the seizures that came like clockwork had quieted. Seeing a condition that had only grown worse suddenly improving filled them with joy.
However.
On the other hand, they also seemed worried. The recovery had been so sudden that they couldn’t help but wonder if it was truly all right. Since we were still in the early stages, I decided to let them brush it off for now.
“Elise.”
“What.”
“You always said your head was pounding. How is it today?”
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
Her voice was as cold as a winter wind. As if unaware of her sister’s desperate concern, Elise only gave curt, twisted replies. The sharp thorns she raised refused anyone’s approach.
“······Elise.”
Charlotte hesitated but eventually withdrew. Her expression remained as blunt as ever, yet beyond it, a faint bitterness seemed to linger. I didn’t like that. Of course I knew her twisted attitude wasn’t sincere, but to think she couldn’t even offer one kind word to a sister so devoted to her.
While sitting beside her, I secretly slipped my hand under the blanket. I intended to punish the naughty child.
“Oh dear… I’m afraid this might upset Her Highness Charlotte.”
“You shut your mouth.”
“Hehe.”
A gentle, creeping hand. The inside was soaked with the girl’s body heat. It slipped beneath her neatly arranged top and stopped at the soft skin of her abdomen. Then, without hesitation, my palm pressed against her dantian.
Squeeze—.
“······?!”
Her shoulders twitched violently. Elise, who turned her head, glared at me with eyes full of disbelief. Her green pupils shook like grass in the wind.
“What the hell are you…?”
“It’s treatment.”
“Then why are you doing it here…!”
“Didn’t I tell you? I can do whatever I want, whenever I want.”
I whispered crude words into the ear of the faintly resisting girl. Without waiting for her reaction, I pressed down on her stomach again.
Squeeze—.
“W-wait…!”
The rose couldn’t let out a moan. Because I had used a Lie to control her. Being caught in such a state would cause all sorts of trouble. Since the treatment required such blatant physical contact, it was far too easy for others to misunderstand. That was why I had placed a restriction preventing her from mentioning it at all.
Elise was helpless. All she could do was grit her teeth and endure while holding back her heated breaths until the bee had passed.
I repeated the motion as a form of discipline.
Squeeze—.
“······Hng, ugh.”
The situation teetered on a knife’s edge. Perhaps because the room was dark and the blanket concealed everything, the other two didn’t seem to notice. The distance between us helped as well.
Even so, the questions kept coming.
“Elise.”
“······.”
“How does the treatment feel? Can you tell your body is getting better?”
“······Yeah. I can tell.”
Having realized that ignoring the questions only earned her more pressure, the girl belatedly added an answer to her sister’s inquiry. Perhaps because she had never expected such an obedient response, Charlotte blinked blankly. Her blue eyes soon curved into a faint, gentle smile.
It was the little prince’s smile—one I hadn’t seen in a long time.
“That’s a relief… Yes. I’m really glad.”
A girl who could be made happy by a single word from her sister. I didn’t understand why she had to hurt the heart of someone so precious to her when she could have been like this from the start. From now on, I would correct her one step at a time. After all, I planned to keep her by my side for at least the next year. I could only hope everything would be resolved by then.
Squeeze—.
“Why this time…!”
Ah. That one was a mistake.
“I’m definitely… ugh, going to kill you…”
Leaving behind her usual death threat, I quietly withdrew the hand I had slipped inside. She should be able to focus and answer properly now. As I pretended nothing had happened, Elise glared at me with noticeably moist eyes. Charlotte and Tanya, completely unaware, could only tilt their heads in confusion.
“Her complexion looks worse.”
“That’s right. Her face is flushed and her breathing is rough.”
“Elise… are you sure you’re okay?”
“You’re not pushing yourself because of us, are you?”
“······There’s no problem, so stop making such a fuss.”
The rose brushed off the flood of concern with effort. I smiled in praise, then stroked her stomach while whispering so quietly no one else could hear.
“What a good girl.”
A few curses flew back at me, but I responded with nothing but an innocent face. Several more exchanges followed without pause. And so we spent our time together in that dark room.
The visit had been somewhat noisy. Elise fell asleep early to recover her strength. Although she was receiving treatment, we were still only at the very first step, so her body remained in terrible condition. Naturally, she tired faster than others. The children, noticing this, left the room to let her rest.
While the rose slept beneath her glass-like cover, the snake and the little prince held a private meeting in the next room.
“I believe you must feel somewhat more certain now.”
“······.”
A voice echoed through the chilly air. Charlotte sat alone. Beyond the sofa, the boy had taken his place. His dull golden hair moved behind the girl, and he lowered his head to whisper directly into her ear. His lips hovered at a dizzyingly intimate distance.
“May I ask you something, Your Highness?”
“······.”
“Has there ever been anyone before who could do something like this?”
The snake asked about the value of the miracle he had shown. A solution to a nightmarish curse that had seemed utterly incurable—one that no one had ever been able to fix. For the first time, the girl’s younger sister began to show signs of life.
“Do you think such a person will appear in the future?”
His voice melted with cunning sweetness. Charlotte, lost in thought, eventually shook her head in a daze.
“······No.”
Her pale red lips murmured the denial. At the same time, that sentence was the first step toward opening her heart and accepting his value. Knowing this, the boy twisted the corner of his mouth into a smile.
“Please remember this.”
He continued.
“The fact that only I can help you.”
It was a process. Slipping into her exhaustion, licking her weakest wounds, and slowly dyeing her world with his own colors. Until she could no longer live without depending on him.
“You must not listen to what others say.”
“······.”
“Only I can help you. Only I will never betray your hope.”
So lean on me. If you want to save Her Highness.
The voice sweetly invaded her ear. As if enchanted by the stimulating words, the little prince slowly nodded her stiff head. Perhaps it was a gesture that would bind her completely to him from now on.
“Yeah… I’ll believe you.”
“Only I can help you.”
“Only you… can help me.”
“Very good.”
The snake wore a satisfied smile. The girl carefully raised her hand and gently stroked his platinum hair. The girl accepted it without resistance. His characteristic narrowed eyes gleamed for a brief moment. Beyond his slightly lifted eyelids shone dangerous white pupils. A sinister smile crept across his lips.
“So slowly… entrust everything to me.”
It was a single sentence that hinted at the future.