―― And then, having been ordered to become friends with Lady Lidiana I sent her a letter, thinking it would be pointless anyway.
If it"s impossible, I can say I put in effort but it was in vain.
I knew it probably wouldn"t end with that, but with a careless feeling I thought there wouldn"t be any problem.
However, having read my letter Lady Lidiana listened to my wish and invited me to the Royal Castle. Honestly, I couldn"t believe it.

To alleviate the fear that I might be doing something outrageous, I mobilized my envy that had been my motive at the start and headed towards the tea party I was invited to.
I"ve made it this far. It"s alright if she quickly notices her feelings and clings to the Crown Prince.
Even though I desperately convinced myself so, in the end I couldn"t endure the sweet exchange between the Crown Prince and Lady Lidiana and ran away. And, on the way back in the carriage, I realized how foolish I was.
I became conscious that this matter only happened out of my impertinence.
And now that I did, there was no way out anymore.
I could no longer cover my anxiety with envy.
―― What was left was just fear.
I didn"t know where that woman or Lord Andre might be watching.

―― Scary.

I became afraid to go outside. I shut myself in my room and spent my days crying and trembling.
Of course, that didn"t change anything. I knew, but due to the oath of silence, I couldn"t explain the situation to anyone. The carved seal on my left arm occasionally appealed "Don"t forget".
I couldn"t do anything, I just continued crying.
And so we arrive at today.

"Hey, I wonder why you suddenly stood up. Lady Miriallia, are you listening to me?"

When I stood upright with the letter still in hand, the woman spoke to me in an impatient tone. As pain ran through my upper arm for an instant, I hurried up and replied.

"Y… yeah. I am listening."
"If you"re listening, it"s fine. Okay? Reply to Lady Lidiana. ―― That you are able to visit her on this day. Really, it"s just right. I was thinking of having you take action."

The day the woman told me was a day like any other.
I was a little suspicious why she chose that day despite that, but she glossed over it by saying she also had her own circ.u.mstances.
From the beginning I had no right of veto.
While clutching my left arm, I nodded in acknowledgement. Each time the carved magic formation aches, I recall my own foolishness and spill tears.

"I, I understand."
"Lady Miriallia, I"m saved by your perceptiveness. Then, I"ll come on the morning of the appointed day."
"Eh?"

Why is it necessary――? When I looked at the woman with that feeling, she returned "Isn"t it obvious?" in an amazed voice.

"That"s the main issue. On the morning of the appointed day, I"ll prepare refreshments for Lady Lidiana. You"ll have to bring them with you and make her eat them at the tea party. That"s all."

Okay? It"s easy, right? The woman smiled.
I subconsciously returned a question.

"T, those refreshments, will they be something strange…?"
"Why, there"s no way, right? They"ll be delicious confections. They"ll be specially made for her."

It"s absolutely a lie. That"s why I said frantically.

"B, but… everything offered to Lady Lidiana is given to poison-tasters. Even if I hand them to her, whether she"ll eat or not――"
"That"s why I asked you to become friends with her. Lady Lidiana doesn"t have what she receives from friends poison-tested, she unconditionally eats it. It"s been the case from long ago. Of course, we"ve investigated it."
"T, that…"
"Did you know? She has less than ten friends she invites to tea parties. It"s hard to be recognized as one. Truly, you did well. I wonder if our judgement was correct."

Listening to the woman"s words I became speechless.

"Fufu, Lady Miriallia. It"s alright. They really aren"t anything strange. If we did that, we"d get angry at, so you can be relieved about that. That"s why, it"ll be fine if you just do as we say. Don"t think about anything unnecessary. If you listen to this request, that magic formation will come off. You"ll be released from us."
"B, but… I, I cannot…"
"Lady Miriallia?"

A piercing cold voice resounded.
When my shoulders trembled with a start, the woman said with cold eyes.

"What might you be saying this late. Hey? I wonder if you forgot your promise with Lord Andre. He asked for your cooperation and you nodded. It"ll be troubling if you don"t fulfill your promise."
"…"

While I couldn"t say anything, the woman leaned over a little and whispered into my ear.

"Hey? You don"t want to die, right?"
"Ah!!"

For a second, I felt pain in my upper arm.
Unconsciously, I clutched the magic formation that I can"t show anyone through my dress.
The woman slowly raised her body.

"Do you understand your position, I wonder?"
"…"

While trembling I nodded. I couldn"t help but be scared by the pain from before, so I could only do that.

"Fufu, good girl. It"s alright. If you fulfill the promise, it"ll be properly erased. That"s why - please?"
"I, I understand."

Just how far will I fall.
While crying in my heart, ultimately I gave the response the woman desired.

Then, the morning of the appointed day came――.

As promised, the woman appeared and gave me a white bag with a lot of madeleines and financiers inside.

"Best regards. Lord Andre also wishes you success."
"…"
"I think it"ll be alright, but don"t forget. If you do something unnecessary, that magic formation will activate. I can"t guarantee what will happen then. Of course, you are wise, so you wouldn"t do that kind of thing. You hold your life dear, don"t you?"

She emphasized that and handed me the bag as I stayed silent.
The woman smiled with satisfaction.

"Then, take care of it. Good luck."
"T, tell me one thing. Will it really end with this?"

I couldn"t bear being used anymore. When I implored with that feeling, saying "Yeah" the woman smiled.

"Of course. It will end with this. I couldn"t ask for more of you."
"I see…"
"I don"t need a report either. I"ll know properly if you succeed. Then, farewell."
"Ah…"

The woman disappeared from before my eyes as if she was smoke.
In the end, I still don"t know who she is.
Together with the other two women she looked to be Lord Andre"s acquaintance, but she didn"t seem to vie for his favor. Lord Andre should be unmarried, so I wonder if he"s going out with those two?
A sigh spontaneously escaped me at how different he is from the Crown Prince, who wholeheartedly looks only at Lady Lidiana.
Of course I know polygyny is allowed for royalty, but my view got distorted by looking at the Crown Prince who loves only his fiancée and readily renounced that right at the engagement ceremony.

"… Aah, I mustn"t. I can"t be thinking about that…"

With a complicated feeling I looked at the bag handed to me.
These aren"t just confections. Even the foolish me understands that. And I"ll make Lady Lidiana eat them.
If I do that, I will――.

"No, it"s alright. It"s a mere prank. That"s right. Lord Andre said that."

Besides, the woman too said she didn"t give me anything strange since she"d get mad at. Those words surely should be the truth.
That"s why Lady Lidiana should be safe.
I couldn"t move forward if I didn"t desperately convince myself of that.
After all, I don"t want to die. I"ll probably be killed by that woman if I don"t do it.
I noticed from her silent pressure a while ago.

―― If you don"t do it, you"ll die now.

The woman"s expression before she left was saying that.
If I confess my sins or if I don"t act, I"ll die.

I don"t know at all what I should do.

While lost in doubt, I placed a few confections from the bag and the turban I used to contact the woman on my desk.

That"s probably the last of my conscience.

Somebody, stop me. Elder Brother, help me.

If it"s my brother who"s a chivalric order commander, he might notice. And he might stop the foolish deed I"ll do from now on.
I know if I wish for that, I should"ve done so from the start.
However――.

"Crown Prince, Lady Lidiana, I apologize. It"s because I"m weak… But, I don"t want to die."

―― I don"t want to die.

Since meeting that woman and Lord Andre, that"s all I"ve been wis.h.i.+ng for.
And for that sake, I have no choice but to carry out the request.
I"m left with this sliver of hope.

Really, I hope it ends as a mere prank. I understand it"s an empty dream, but still, with no choice but to do it, I left the mansion and headed for the Royal Castle.

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