9. Omen (9)
9. Omen (9)
She walked toward me, wiping the sweat dripping from her chin and neck, as if she had been moving quite vigorously.
Roughly counting, there seemed to be about five or six people.
They weren't wearing particularly distinctive clothing—more like everyday clothes, but everyone seemed rather shabbily dressed.
And the woman who appeared to be the leader of the group approached me.
"...Excuse me, but who might you be, honored guest?"
Unlike me, she had straight hair that wouldn't get in the way when swinging a sword, and well-defined muscles all over her body that clearly indicated she'd wielded a sword more than once or twice.
Yet despite the muscles, she wasn't bulky, and her feminine curves were attractive.
She definitely looked like someone skilled.
She seemed like the leader type, and I guessed she might be someone like a knight order captain.
Poke poke.
"Ah."
Perhaps I was too focused on observing her.
Even though the woman had spoken to me, I hadn't responded, so Dorothy finally poked my lower back with her finger when she couldn't stand it anymore.
"My apologies. It was rude of me to be lost in thought with someone right before me."
"Ah, not at all."
Perhaps it was because I didn't use informal speech and instead used honorifics.
Since it was obvious I had a maid with me, she had likely guessed I was someone of high status, so my speech pattern actually flustered her.
Continuing to maintain this stance would be improper etiquette too.
So I also stopped holding my sword stance, sheathed my sword, and turned around.
"I am the Imperial Princess."
I didn't add any particular embellishments.
Imperial Princess.
That alone should explain everything.
"...Huh? You mean the Imperial Princess?"
Of course, the reaction was one of bewilderment.
The members behind her also exchanged glances to verify the truth, but naturally, everyone shook their heads.
Of course they'd be flustered—an Imperial Princess who never existed suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
In fact, the fact that they weren't calling me a crazy bitch was close to proof that they maintained proper palace etiquette.
Though Dorothy seemed to be growing displeased by the continuing silence.
"Excuse me! Can you not hear Her Highness the Imperial Princess speaking!?"
"Huh? Ah, well..."
It was obvious what she was thinking.
Whether I was really the Imperial Princess, and whether she should treat me as such—those would be natural doubts.
I had no intention of blaming her for that, but Dorothy looked quite angry.
"...Umm, I apologize. I've been rude."
Though seeming somewhat reluctant, she bowed her head for now.
With Dorothy being so angry, she seemed to have acquiesced reluctantly.
Well, Dorothy still didn't look like she planned to soften her expression.
"I am Evernoir, captain of the 2nd Imperial Knights."
The knight captain who introduced herself as Evernoir assumed a knight's posture.
However suspicious she might be, she seemed willing to believe me for now.
"Dorothy, don't be so angry."
"Huh? But...!"
"Now now. They surely have their own circumstances, and perhaps the news hasn't reached them yet. Originally, only those in the imperial palace would have received news of me, right?"
Only after I spoke that far did Dorothy firmly close her mouth and withdraw her aggressive stance.
But if things ended like this, there might be lingering resentment between us.
"Apologize."
"Y-Your Highness!"
Was she saying that her anger was entirely for my sake?
While I appreciated that, to be honest, it was unnecessary meddling.
Of course I didn't say it directly to Dorothy, but when I kept giving her a stern look, Dorothy turned her head away.
"S-sorry... for getting angry."
"...Not at all. I think it's natural. Rather, it's our fault for receiving the news of Your Highness's existence so late."
Hmm. That's good to see.
Backing down on your own and offering an apology first is something that requires great effort and courage.
Fortunately, Dorothy followed my words well, which was quite commendable.
Anyway.
So these are the 2nd Imperial Knights.
The 1st Imperial Knights mainly protect the capital and the imperial palace, and directly guard the Emperor.
Naturally, I'd met them many times, enough to have conversations with them.
But these were different.
If the 1st Imperial Knights protect the inside of the empire,
then the 2nd Imperial Knights protect the outside of the empire.
That's why I'd only heard about them, and this knight captain named Evernoir was someone I was meeting for the first time.
And since childhood, I had admired the 2nd Knight Order more than the 1st.
There was no particular reason.
Just that if I were to wield a sword, I thought it should be directed at non-human things.
"I will likely be journeying with you all from now on."
"With us, you say?"
Ah, just now Evernoir's brow furrowed very slightly.
Of course Dorothy didn't notice, but I at least had the experience of having lived as the 2nd Prince.
"Well... don't frown like that. You have a pretty face."
"...!"
Evernoir was momentarily startled and touched her face to check her expression.
Despite being a knight captain, Evernoir had a subtly clumsy side.
Maybe even a little cute.
The fact that she still held the captain position meant that her competence and skill were excellent enough to outweigh that clumsiness.
That's why I wanted to test myself against her.
How strong must she be to have risen to knight captain?
But they probably had their own schedule too.
"Sorry for keeping you so long. You should be on your way."
"...Yes, Your Highness."
As that brief encounter came to a close, it was only after the 2nd Knight Order had completely disappeared from view that Dorothy began to grumble.
"Ugh...! That Her Highness must associate with such rude, vulgar bitches...!"
Normally, I should scold her for insulting the place where the Imperial Princess would soon reside.
But since I'd already given them direct humiliation earlier, I decided to pretend not to hear it this once.
'I heard Cassandra taught her personally.'
It was a bit hard to believe this came from her teachings, since she was always cold and rational, almost like a person without emotions, never showing her feelings in any matter.
I should ask Cassandra about it sometime.
####
The next day.
I had definitely fallen asleep in a good mood and should have been greeting a refreshing morning.
But for some reason, the moment I woke up, the instant my consciousness returned, I instinctively felt something was wrong.
However, while there was indeed something strange, the problem was elsewhere.
—Throbbing.
"Kkhheuuk?!!"
Without thinking, my hand went to my stomach.
But I couldn't do anything.
I couldn't press firmly on my stomach, nor could I gently cradle it.
'Ah, it hurts...!'
It was a pain I was experiencing for the first time.
Roughly speaking, it didn't seem like a direct injury.
"...Your Highness? Your Highness!"
Perhaps hearing my scream, Dorothy hurriedly opened the door and entered.
She then began examining me as I groaned under the covers.
Hmm.
To cut to the conclusion, there wasn't anything particularly wrong.
No, there was one thing that had changed—my sense of shame.
"Maids! Please bring clothes and underwear for Her Highness to change into, plus replacement bedding and bed covers."
""Yes.""
Dorothy commanded the maids familiarly as she slowly lifted my blanket.
As I remained speechless from the unexpected pain, Dorothy cautiously spoke to me.
"...Your Highness, I apologize. I failed to properly learn about Your Highness's menstrual cycle."
Right after waking up, I thought some internal organ had ruptured.
But in reality, it was just menstruation.
No, now that I've experienced it firsthand, I shouldn't say "just" anymore.
The process of creating life from nothing was proportionally painful enough to inspire genuine awe.
So does that mean I've been caught menstruating by Dorothy and the maids?
I don't know why, but I felt ashamed.
Though menstruation is natural for women, why does my face feel so hot?
"Your Highness, I know it's difficult, but you need to wash before infection sets in."
"...Ugh."
Supported by Dorothy, I got up while holding my painful stomach.
Of course, that part was fine.
The problem was,
"...Could you not leave?"
"That won't do, Your Highness."
There were five people in this bath chamber alone.
When I was a prince, no one came in when I showered, but now that I'm a princess, having five people in the bathroom seems like a waste of manpower.
But of course I was ignored.
"Your Highness, this servant is very worried about you... From what I see, your menstrual pain seems more severe than others, will you be alright for the knight order's expedition...?"
"...Hmm."
...Honestly, it doesn't seem that bad.
No matter what Dorothy says, since this is my first period after obtaining a female body, it's definitely not to the degree she's describing.
I'll probably get used to it after experiencing it a few times.
But I couldn't tell her that directly, leaving me with no choice but to feel awkward.
As I was soaking in the tub, one of the maids approached and said,
"Your Highness, let me help you lather up."
"Wh-what...?"
The maid approached with a shower puff full of soap bubbles.
'Does the Imperial Princess can't even shower by herself...!'
Even if they're all women, having maids touch me all over my body.
That was truly shameful.
"L-leave... me."
"...Huh? Did, did I do something wrong...?"
Not at all.
It's just that if I reluctantly allowed this goodwill and had every nook and cranny of my body touched, I might die from shame rather than from Demon Beasts.
"N-no, you didn't do anything wrong... It's just, I'm a little embarrassed, so could everyone please step out for a moment...?"
""............""
Fortunately, at my request, Dorothy and the maids cleared out of the bathroom.
I was truly grateful for that.
And the three maids and Dorothy who had come out of the tub, leaving Jaina behind, were now sharing exactly the same feeling.
"............She's cute."
"Indeed..."
"I, I'm having somewhat dangerous thoughts...?"
"Hehe."
By all accounts, though we'd only seen the Imperial Princess for two days now, the sight of Her Highness with flushed cheeks unable to make eye contact was the best.