第１１７２堀：悲しみの裏側 (Part1)
Chapter 1172: The Flip Side of Sorrow
Side: Fiora da Faio, First Princess of the Kingdom of Faio
The night air bites at my skin.
Even so, the castle town visible beyond the window remains vibrant, illuminated by a myriad of flickering lights.
Yes, the people here live without the fear of wartime requisitions or conscription, nor do they harbor anxieties about tomorrow’s survival.
They are simply people who are savoring their own lives.
"No, surely there are others, just like me, whose hearts are shrouded in dark clouds."
I laugh at myself for such a convenient thought.
In truth, what I see is only a fraction of the whole.
Even in this royal capital, I know there are many living in the shadows—those struggling to make ends meet, those suffering from injury or illness, or those plunged into the depths of despair by the death of a loved one.
"Such misfortune exists as a matter of course, just as happiness exists as a matter of course. Perhaps that is all there is to it."
It is true that I ran myself ragged to avoid war with our neighboring country. But to the people of this town, in a sense, that has nothing to do with them.
Unlike the villages that fell into water shortages, I resolved the trouble before it could escalate into war; they never even had the chance to feel the crisis.
To them, it was nothing.
That is what the common folk are like.
And I feel no anger or dissatisfaction toward that fact.
I am the same, or rather, this country is the same.
Before the formation of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, major powers within the Rogari Continent were constantly at war.
Yet, we could do nothing about it.
Or rather, since we suffered no direct harm, we saw no particular reason to act.
Yes, in the end, people only truly recognize a threat when the sparks land on their own clothes.
Furthermore, I was taught that it is the duty of those who oversee a nation to protect, nurture, and cultivate the people as the country’s strength.
And I have fulfilled that duty faithfully.
I have been told repeatedly that this is the reason for my birth and my existence.
To dedicate this body to the country and its people.
That is the only way I can repay the nation and the citizens who raised me.
"That’s right. It should be nothing more than that."
And yet, why is my heart in such turmoil?
It is true that my father told me to become the wife of Yuki-sama. And that this is not a path to happiness, but strictly a duty as royalty—a form of penance for a transgressor.
I understand that weight perfectly well.
For Faio to bypass Roschur and negotiate directly with Weed—and to ignore their Queen and make a request directly to Yuki-sama, the Prince Consort—is beyond mere insolence.
It is, as I who committed the act must admit, utterly rude.
Moreover, I had even considered, in the worst-case scenario, relying on the rumors that Yuki-sama is a womanizer to create a *fait accompli* just to save my country.
"What a wicked woman I am. If that is the case, why am I so... just because my father told me I would never be happy, and as if it were an afterthought, told me to become a tool of the state?"
Yes, why is it so sad that it brings me to tears?
A princess is, by nature, a tool for political strategy.
I understood that, accepted it, and willingly underwent the education for it long ago. So why does it hurt so much?
"...Calm yourself. Be still. It is true that I will be treated as a tool, but I am the one lamenting it now, as if it were something new."
I knew that is what royalty is.
Besides, I have not been treated poorly until now.
On the contrary, I have been loved by my family, I have cherished my subordinates, and I have protected my people.
I have never known hunger, and despite the world being engulfed in war until recently, I have lived in peace without losing my citizens, my soldiers, or myself.
And now, at the precipice of the country being swallowed by war, I swore to offer my body as a repayment to the land I have nurtured, acting with the pride of a royal.
What could I possibly be dissatisfied with regarding that path?
Would lamenting not be a blasphemy against myself and my country?
Admittedly, my way of life as a princess was a bit... unconventional. I commanded the army, hunted monsters, and cut down bandits.
My father chided me to be more ladylike, but drawing my sword and rushing out for the sake of the country is a fond memory.
Not only that, the shopkeepers in the town were kind to me.
I played with the children.
Looking back on all of that, I... finally realized the reason for my sorrow.
"...I see. I don't want to leave this country."
When I thought the country was about to be dragged into war, I had no time for such thoughts.
But now that the problem is on the verge of being solved, I must have felt a sense of relief.
That is why I realized it.
I want to remain in this country that I love so dearly.
It is not that I find the prospect of serving Yuki-sama as a form of punishment to be a burden.
No, if I am being honest, life in Weed is wonderful, and Yuki-sama is not the womanizer the rumors suggest. In fact, I know well enough that he is not a man who treats others with meaningless harshness.
My father told me not to seek happiness in this marriage as a royal duty, but he must still wish for my happiness.
Perhaps there is no end to wanting more, but given such favorable conditions, what is there to lament?
There is no reason to blame the other party.
It is simply that I wanted to stay here, in Faio.
"Haha. To think that the love for one's homeland would surface at a time like this—how pathetic."
As I murmur this, the sadness seems to fade.
Ah, I remember something like this happening before.
Yes, when I had to go to another country for some business, I cried because I didn't want to leave this castle.
"Fufu. But well, it is only natural that I would end up like this..."
My beloved castle town spreads out before me.
It is not as if today is the last day, but still.
"Things will get busy from here on out. And since everyone seems to be in shock, I should stretch my legs while I can."
Fortunately, my current mood seems to have reached those within the castle, as no one is coming to my room.
My elderly maid, who would have ignored such things to check on me, just retired recently.
How convenient.
And so...
"Let’s sneak out of the window for the first time in a while."
I murmur this, place my feet on the window frame, and leap out.
If I were an ordinary person, I might be severely injured or die from the fall, but...
"Wind."
I use magic to soften the impact and land lightly.
Well, I am capable of flight magic, but the mana consumption is too high to be practical for now.
I am only going out for a simple night stroll.
"There."
As always, sneaking out of the castle was no problem.
Well, I used to run away constantly and cause all sorts of trouble, after all.
Ahaha, they say I am a serious princess now, but I was quite a handful back then.