第１５０３堀：私と彼女ともう一人 (Part1)
Chapter 1503: Me, Her, and Another
Side: Ria
"Um, good morning?"
I peeked into the room while saying that. It was one of the rooms prepared by Yuki-san, and while it didn't look particularly different from any other, to a newcomer, it was a different world. Anyone who hasn't visited Weed before is impossibly shocked by a room in this hotel. After all, there are lights that turn on with the press of a button, machines that can freely adjust the temperature, and even private baths. Even the small things, like the hair dryers, are sources of constant amazement.
But she didn't show any particular surprise, even after hearing the explanation. Canaria just listened, her reaction truly like that of someone whose heart had died. I couldn't help but feel she resembled the person I used to be. That was exactly why I had come to check on her this morning.
"Huh? Is she still asleep?"
I stepped into the room. Even though her heart was broken, she had lived as a princess until now, so she had been responding properly. Rurua had mentioned that her body might just be moving out of habit, but even that response was missing this morning. Since a slave couldn't possibly commit suicide or anything of the sort, I wondered what was wrong and focused my senses to search for her. I quickly found her location and headed toward it.
There lay a bed, far too luxurious for one person, and in the center of it, Canaria was sleeping with her eyes closed. I could confirm her chest was rising and falling, so she was simply asleep. She truly looked like a princess. If I told Yuki-san that, he’d probably ask what the hell I was talking about, but to me, the sleeping princess looked mystical...
...No, wait. Seraria, Deryu, and Shera are princesses too, but I never felt that way when I saw them sleeping. Why is that? As that question arose, I stared intently at Canaria, searching for the difference, when a droplet welled up in the corner of her eye and trickled down.
"...Sigh, I have such bad taste."
That’s when I understood. I had been looking at her through a tinted lens—pitying her, thinking of her as unfortunate—and that was why she seemed mystical. If we were talking about status or position, Yuki-san, Lilishe-sama, and Hairen were certainly higher, but they didn't look "mystical." That was all there was to it.
"Still, mystical or not, there's no doubt that if you touch her the wrong way, she'll shatter."
There was an untouchable atmosphere about her. We had succeeded in buying Canaria at the auction yesterday, but after that, we hadn't really communicated. Rurua finished her health check, and we immediately let her rest, which brought us to now. Because of that, I had no idea how cornered she was or what might trigger a breakdown.
Ugh, this is difficult. I don't know how to approach her or how to start a conversation. Just as I was thinking that...
"Hey, Ria? Are you in here? You didn't come back, so Deryu and the others are worried, you know?"
Dressa walked in while saying that.
"Oh, Dressa."
"What are you doing?"
Dressa seemed genuinely puzzled to see me standing frozen in front of the bed, but her expression turned to one of understanding as soon as she saw the sleeping Canaria.
"She's sleeping quite soundly, even with you and me here."
"Yeah. I was wondering if it was okay to wake her."
"There weren't any problems with her physical condition, right?"
"Rurua's diagnosis said she's fine."
"Then it must be mental exhaustion. She was put on display like that, after all. In times like these..."
Saying that, Dressa walked straight up to the bed and reached out toward Canaria without a moment's hesitation.
"Hey, wake up. We're going to go eat breakfast."
She shook her shoulder while calling out to her. She did easily what I couldn't bring myself to do.
"Nn..."
The vibration was enough to wake her, and she opened her eyes, albeit slowly. She seemed dazed, perhaps because her consciousness hadn't fully returned yet.
"Um, are you okay? Is your body hurting anywhere?"
"You don't need to hold back, just tell us honestly."
Perhaps it was only after being addressed by both of us that her consciousness cleared; she opened her eyes wide and sat up abruptly.
"I apologize. I will change immediately."
It was an almost mechanical response as she began to change her clothes. If only there were more inflection in her voice, she would seem more human, but that very lack of it spoke volumes about the environment she had come from.
"You don't have to rush so much. Your health comes first."
"That's right. You belong to us now, Canaria, so answer our questions first."
"Dressa. That way of putting it..."
"It's fine. If we let her hold back, the conversation will never progress. So, how is it?"
Despite Dressa's blunt questioning, Canaria didn't change her expression, nor did she bother to fix her bedhead...
"...I do not believe there is any cause for concern regarding my physical condition."
She answered. As I thought, I couldn't feel any sense of self-will.
"I see. Then let's talk while you change."
"As you wish."
Without hesitation, she took off her nightgown and stood in her undergarments. Her figure was... well, average, I suppose. Balanced. Her breasts were smaller than mine, but not as small as Dressa's, and she wasn't as short as Dressa either. Plus, her white skin, without a single blemish, made her look like a doll.
"Ria, you're comparing me and Canaria, may I ask why?"
"Hm? Well, you're both princesses, but I was just thinking that Dressa is definitely Dressa."
"Is that a compliment, or an insult?"
"Eh? It's a compliment. Dressa is cute, after all."
"Oh, I see. Regardless, I understand why you're concerned, but in a way, she's quite similar to me. You realize that, don't you?"
"Ah, now that you mention it, you're right."
Dressa's country was destroyed, and Canaria's country suffered an economic collapse; both lost their homelands and became slaves. Yeah, they really were identical.
"But why did the results turn out so differently?"
"That's obvious, isn't it? In my case, there was a hateful enemy that destroyed everything. But in your case, you were sold out by your own kin, weren't you?"
Dressa asked the question bluntly to Canaria as she changed. Canaria, having heard our conversation, turned toward us.
"Yes. That is correct."
She replied with her usual expressionless face. I couldn't feel any emotion there. There was no sign of her heart stirring beneath the surface. Her eyes were completely cold.
"Well, this is just my own guess, but I suppose you became disgusted with your own family because of that? And that's why you ended up like this?"