There was a big difference in the carriage that I was riding now and the carriage that I rode a while back . No, there was no point in comparing them in the first place .

After I boarded the carriage and exchanged simple greetings with them, I wondered what kind of torture-like questions they would ask me, but the time pa.s.sed in silence .

(Well, I’m relieved that time is pa.s.sing peacefully . )

Roberto-sama had his arms crossed and eyes closed and looked as if he was thinking about something .

Lancel-sama glanced at the scenery at first, but now he was sleeping .  Well, that’s fine .

Me? I was sitting with my back straight, showing my good manners . My face was expressionless, but there was a storm raging inside me .

(Yes, I can’t calm down! Because I’ve never been in a locked room with men other than onii-sama and father!)

The third imperial prince and his entourage .  I guess I could also call them the Glittery Big Four .

It is believed that they would be in charge of the monarchy in the future and they were good-looking, high-ranked n.o.bles who everyone wanted to become acquainted with . Furthermore, they were all single .

If I’m with such people, then the ladies would hate me even if they think I’m a n.o.ble . If I’m careless, then I might be pestered by some strange man and I might become unvirtuous . If they think I’m a commoner, then my life might be forfeited… That is how scary a woman’s jealousy is . It’s really scary .

Various thoughts like that were jumbled in my mind .

And the fact that Ayeshmarie from the Thousand House has disappeared is known to everyone, it doesn’t matter if they’re n.o.ble or commoners . I don’t know how information is circulated .

If they knew that I had returned, furthermore by the side of the third imperial prince, then there’ll be chaos .

Seriously, why am I being called by the third imperial prince…?

Think, me .

What kind of power can oppose him?

The law?

Well, there is an example of intervening with the law right in front of my eyes .

Nevertheless, I still want to go to the library if I have time . I want to read that law book .

I will protect myself .

If I can’t do that, then there’s no need for me to become a commoner . It was good enough to be protected by my n.o.ble blood .

“Um, can I stay at the 『Hen Inn』while I’m at the Royal Capital?”

Roberto-sama’s immediately opened his amber eyes .

Roberto-sama’s immediately opened his amber eyes .

“You’ll be staying at my estate . ”

“What?”

(Are you trying to shorten my lifespan?)

“You can’t have an audience with the imperial prince like that now can you? We’ll prepare everything for you . ”

I frowned .

I probably shouldn’t frown while acting as a n.o.ble .

But these people don’t understand how I feel . My emotions should show, since I hated it so much that I stopped being a n.o.ble .

“Please prepare a wig that’s different from my normal hair colour . I should have disappeared, so there’s no way I would be loitering around Roberto-sama’s estate or the Royal Palace . ”

“The people at my estate won’t tell others… But, yes, I’ll prepare one for you . ”

Lancel-sama looked curiously at Roberto-sama and I since we were talking as if we were also on equal standing .

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen an Ojou-san talk so bluntly to Roberto . You seem smart . Like d.i.c.k, you don’t try to flatter us,” Lancel-sama said in a sociable tone as he stared at me .

His short black hair and black eyes gave off a friendly feeling, but he was a knight in the Royal Imperial Guards so his appearance might be deceiving . He seemed like he would eliminate someone if he judged them to be harmful .

His short black hair and black eyes gave off a friendly feeling, but he was a knight in the Royal Imperial Guards so his appearance might be deceiving . He seemed like he would eliminate someone if he judged them to be harmful .

Ah, scary, scary . Why do I have to get involved in such a world again?

But if I talk to them, then I can get information .

I only know the high-ranking n.o.bles from the n.o.ble almanac .

I have to suppress the storm inside of me and gather information .

“Are you acquainted with d.i.c.k-san?”

“Yeah . ”

“We were in defence school together . d.i.c.k’s a commoner but he was really good . Ranks don’t matter inside of the school, so we still talk as if we are still in school . We worked together at the Royal Palace, but he volunteered to move to the guards . Even now, he’s the most successful person there… And I think you know this as well, but Roberto and d.i.c.k are like oil and water . They don’t get along . They always quarrel whenever they meet . ”

Lancel-sama laughed .

On the other hand, Roberto-sama frowned .

“Lancel, don’t say unnecessary things . ”

“Are you close with d.i.c.k? Why are you working at the guard building?”

… He’s good . He pretended that he didn’t notice the leading question and asked me something in return . He’s many times better than you, Captain Weller .

I replied while pretending not to notice this, “I just became acquainted with him, so I can’t say that I’m close with him . I think you already know this but when I decided to change my social position and live a new life, the Master of Hen Inn introduced me to his older brother who works at the dining hall in the guard building . I started working there from then . Our relations.h.i.+p is only that of someone who works there and someone who comes to eat there . ”

… He’s good . He pretended that he didn’t notice the leading question and asked me something in return . He’s many times better than you, Captain Weller .

I replied while pretending not to notice this, “I just became acquainted with him, so I can’t say that I’m close with him . I think you already know this but when I decided to change my social position and live a new life, the Master of Hen Inn introduced me to his older brother who works at the dining hall in the guard building . I started working there from then . Our relations.h.i.+p is only that of someone who works there and someone who comes to eat there . ”

“I admire the Master for being tight-lipped . It was considerably hard to find your whereabouts . ”

“Then, it would have been good if you had stopped looking for me . ”

“I hope that it was worth the effort . ”

What the h.e.l.l? Worth the effort… They just ordered people around them and didn’t even look for me themselves . They just use their authority however they like . I don’t have enough information to counter those words . Will I be emanc.i.p.ated if I appeal my feelings to the imperial prince? There’s no guarantee that that would happen .

I became more anxious as I pondered .

I have to try not to think of unnecessary things .

I took out a scarf for embroidering from my shoulder bag . The design, which were cherry blossoms, was lightly sketched on the scarf . I threaded the light pink petals .

I felt Roberto-sama and Lancel-sama looking at me with curiosity .  Have they never seen someone embroider something before?

We still had some time before we arrived at the Royal Capital .

It was a waste of time to just sit here and do nothing . I have to finish the scarf that was a.s.signed to me as homework .

I should be able to calm down if I embroider something .