Aobara-hime no Yarinaoshi Kakumeiki Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Prologue – Part II

Mixed in the group were those wearing the uniform of the Imperial Knights, and it was obvious from looking at their expressions that they had not come rushing in to protect the King. Alicia wondered if they had found King Fritz and Charlotte who had fled the corridor some time ago. The man, who was standing at the centre of the group and appeared to be the commander, made a grimace.

"In a situation like this and still you bring on more shame! King Fritz!!"

"You cannot go ahead!!"

Under the threat of a countless number of swords and glaring eyes, Alicia's slender arms and legs quivered with fear. Still, she kept her chin up firm in her resolve, putting her arms out to obstruct their path, with her appearance making them sense the dignity of royalty.

Although it was easy to force their way past Alicia, who was all by herself, she would not budge and run to the side just by the sight of them preparing to use their swords.

"Queen Alicia."

The man standing in the middle inhaled deeply over and over before taking a step forward, as though he were trying to hold down the anger that would burst out at any moment.

Even at such a time as this, Alicia was surprised by the man's very beautiful face structure. If this were not the middle of a revolution, but rather the dazzling royal court ball, the man would surely be the centre of attention, monopolising the hot gazes from all the young ladies.

If Alicia's hair were the colour of a bright clear sky, then the man's was the colour of night. That alone was already unusual, and yet peeping from his clear eyes were deep violet irises which only intensified his mysterious impression. He had a straight shapely nose bridge, thin lips and a refined way of carrying himself. The attire he wore on his tall, well-proportioned body was not that spectacular, but was reminiscent of that of n.o.bility.

Even though his appearance stood out to this extent, Alicia did not know the man. But speaking of his beautiful jet black hair, Alicia had once overheard about an old former aristocratic family that was once unequalled in power and prosperity and possessed such a rare hair colour. She wondered if this man were from that family.

However, on the beautiful face of the man, there was only vehement rage and swirling hatred. The fact that Alicia was the descendant of a successive line of kings just barely forced the man to retain the use of honorific language.

"Please allow us to pa.s.s through, Queen Alicia. Please, do not forgive us for acting in a foolish way such as pointing our swords at you who are Heilland's symbol of majesty."

"In that case then you should just draw your sword."

Summoning courage into her trembling body, Alicia glared back at the attractive a.s.sailant. The man slightly increased the strength of his grip on the handle of his sword.

"With all due respect, why must you protect King Fritz? He is not only the enemy of your father, but has also ruled over the people of Heilland in tyranny and gone as far as ridiculing you by bringing a mistress into the castle. He is a man who has trampled on our pride many times."

"Even if that's the case, so what!"

A pure voice like a bird soaring through the sky echoed in the stone hallway. Alicia raised her voice and continued in a commanding tone in such a way as to galvanise herself.

"If the citizens regard me as Heilland's symbol, then Fritz-sama is the man who I, that symbol, love. If you loyally serve the House of Chester, then shouldn't you be using that sword for the sake of protecting his Majesty Fritz!?"

"So the authority in this country has fallen to this level…"

The purple eyes directed at Alicia suddenly became colder. It seemed like all traces of colour had disappeared from the face of the man who spat out bitterly.

Oh no. Feeling instinctive fear, Alicia tried to step back, but at the same time, the man moved. Struck by the shock of being stabbed in the chest, Alicia's eyes widened and her field of vision began to sway before her. As the man's sword pierced through her chest, she watched her blood flow out and run along the edge of the sword, spilling onto the floor.

"W-why…"

"You d.a.m.ned Seductive1 Poisonous Rose."

With a slipping motion, the sword was pulled out and the body, having lost support, fell onto the marble floor. As Alicia touched her chest with her trembling hands, fresh lukewarm blood dyed her long and slender fingers crimson.

Alicia could feel the men running past her as she lay in a pool of her own blood; however, she could no longer stop them. As her blood streamed out, her sight grew blurry and her arms and legs, with no energy entering them, went to sleep.

"This is the consequence of turning your back on the nation, drowning in your love and allowing it to cloud the eye of your mind. Repent for your sins in the world of the dead."

Violet eyes looked down on Alicia with contempt. Reflected in her eyes, the man with jet black hair looked just like the G.o.d of Death, and in reality, the light of Alicia's life was about to be extinguished because of the wound left by the man's sword.

As her consciousness became cloudier, Alicia asked herself many times over.

She wondered where in the world she went wrong. She was loved by a wise king and famous father, and once adored by the people as the 'Blue Rose Princess'. Surely she should have been happy.

But now she was not loved by the person she loved, her subjects had abandoned her and she was about to die on the cold floor as eyes of scorn and hatred glowered at her.

Hot tears spilled onto Alicia's cheeks. She wondered if she would have led a different life if she had chosen the right path. She wondered if she would have gone about life without meeting such a miserable ending as this.

She did not know how long she was like that for, when the noise of a heavy object dropping with a thud sounded and she, before becoming aware of it, narrowly opened her eyes that were shut tight.

Something stirred in her field of vision in which she had difficulty focussing. That something lightly rolled over, b.u.mping and stopping against Alicia's cold finger—it was a well-polished wooden cylinder.

After that, the light was lost from Alicia Chester Jorum's eyes, forever.

…or so that was what was supposed to happen.

On top of a large bed equipped with a canopy, Alicia breathed heavily over and over again. Her heart was pounding in her chest like an alarm bell as her whole body was erupting in sweat.

"Cia? Are you okay? Cia…?"

That's right-! Alicia tore off the negligee that clung to her because of her sweat and searched for the fatal open wound in her chest. However, there was not a single scar to be found on Alicia's white, soft and fair skin.

Just what kind of joke is this?

"Her face is ghastly pale. As I thought, shouldn't we call the physician…?"

"But your Majesty, the Princess' fever seems to have already come down completely…"

Alicia intently watched the two adults seated in chairs worriedly exchanging words, as if she were seeing ghosts. It was impossible for her to mistake that person's affable round face and their chubby body which softens those who see it. Of the two people sitting down, one of them was King James, who was supposed to have lost his life in the previous war with Ealdar, or in other words, Alicia's father.

All would be well if that was it. Actually, no, she was not fine, but she would try to accept that there were ghosts at her bedside.

Alicia turned her eyes nervously to the full-length mirror. She unintentionally ended up putting off the impossible scene that was occurring at the edge of her vision, but sooner or later she would have to come to face with it seriously.

From inside the large mirror that reflected the room, a young girl stared back at Alicia. No matter how one looked, the young girl appeared to be around ten years old with sky-blue hair and eyes and on top of that, moved in the same way Alicia moved.

She had no doubt.

The young girl reflected in the mirror was Alicia herself.

"What the…?"

Princess Alicia Chester—formerly, Queen Alicia Chester Jorum—was tilting her head to the side in utter confusion.

T/N

傾国 keikoku: seductive; beautiful to the extent of bringing ruin to a country