Maki interrupted.
“Sister…”
The fifth princess muttered with exasperation.
“You didn’t want to show us around either.”
Maki retorted. They had hardly ever gotten into arguments with other girls in Japan. Chiharu found the whole situation to be quite unbearable. And so she ignored the two princesses and just started to walk. The elves began to follow her while they talked noisily. Then the two princesses followed. Maki kept her arms behind her head and leisurely followed them from the back. In spite of everything they said, the princesses were going too. This was rather amusing.
“So, where should we go first?”
Chiharu hadn’t really been thinking when she stormed out of the audience hall. And so she suddenly stopped and asked the elves. However, the elves were just talking loudly to each other, and none of them offered her an answer. The princesses were fidgeting in the back. This did not escape Maki’s notice. Was it just her, or did they actually want to show them around?
Chiharu then looked at Maki and saw that she was looking at the princesses. Then she sighed as if she had no other choice. She turned back to Maki. Maki-chan. Which one? Chiharu mouthed. The first princess. Maki replied silently. Chiharu nodded. Then she smiled at the guard.
“Mister guardsman. Please open the door.”
And then the large door was opened. Chiharu turned around. Good.
Maki stepped forward and grabbed the wrist of the first princess. In the meantime, Chiharu grabbed the wrist of the fifth princess.
“Now, let’s go!”
“Now, let’s go!”
The princesses hardly understood what was happening as they were rushed through the doors. Maki was practically jogging.
“The princesses are going to guide us!”
She shouted to the people behind them.
“Huh? What?”
“Why?”
The princesses said as they were pulled along. But since the king had originally said that the two princesses would lead them, the others just watched, even though they were surprised. Once they were out into the hallway, Chiharu smiled.
“If we were bad people, this would look like we were kidnapping the elf princesses.”
“Well, she’s a bit old to be called princess.”
“What?”
“I didn’t say it was you.”
“Grrr.”
The two princesses now realized that their hands were being pulled, and they frantically pulled away.
“Really. This is why I don’t like humans.”
The fifth princess started, but Chiharu interrupted her.
“You know, I’ve been with Aeris for a while.”
Oh, that would hurt. Maki almost felt sorry for the fifth princess.
“And I’ve never heard him say such things about humans. And he’s never been unable to understand something just because he’s an elf.”
“Th-that’s…”
She looked down, quite frustrated.
“Even if we’re not royals, we humans are taught not to judge people by preconceptions. What is the matter with you two?”
Chiharu folded her arms and glared at them.
“Is it because you like Aeris? That’s not a good reason.”
“B-but, with fewer rivals…”
“Does Aeris like women who would kick down their rivals?”
“I-I don’t…”
They both hung their heads. Both of them were over a hundred years old. Maki felt a little disappointed.
“I won’t tell you to stop trying, if you like him. However, I don’t want to be involved in that. I heard about how wonderful the elf lands were, and I wanted to enjoy it.”
Chiharu let the truth spill out then.
“Of course, we also came to purify the miasma.”
Maki quickly added.
“Ye-yes. There are many great places to see in the elf lands!”
Upon hearing Chiharu’s words, the fifth princess suddenly raised her head and her face lit up. Oh? Could it be…?
I am grateful!