HSML 24

Chapter 24

There is a reason why I invited Prince Syphon into the box.

It was a move to show my sincerity from our side and win his trust—or perhaps one of my trump cards.
…Well, there are all sorts of reasons and intentions tangled together, but if I set all that aside and answer honestly—
in short, it’s because I want to show him my real face.

I absolutely want to show my face to the prince.
Not because of schemes or calculations, but simply because of my own genuine feelings.

Besides, there’s something I want to give him.

But—no matter what, I can’t help feeling nervous, my heart pounding harder and harder.
To be honest, I’m scared. Still, just like when I faced Mother, I think this is the moment where I need to summon my courage.

That said, scary is still scary, and my heart keeps racing.
As I try to steady my breathing to calm myself down, Prince Syphon comes inside.

Just like before, once inside, Prince Syphon looks around restlessly, poking at Hakoko floating in the air as he approaches the room where I am.

He glances at the bookshelf along the way and seems to ponder something briefly, but only for a moment.

As the prince draws closer and closer, my heart begins to beat even more violently.

…The feeling of wanting to show my real face,
…and the feeling of being afraid to have my real face seen,

All mixed together until even I can’t tell them apart anymore—just then, there’s a knock on the door.

“Y-yes… please. Come in.”
“Ah. Excuse me.”

Somehow, I manage to give permission.
At least, I can say I avoided the worst-case scenario—blurting out “just a moment” and making him wait forever.

The prince slowly enters the room.
Yet, despite his actual pace, time itself feels like it’s moving unbearably slowly.

Without thinking, I turn my back to the door.

Syphon closes the door behind him, and when he sees my back, he suddenly inhales sharply and freezes.

…?
Um, what’s wrong?

Still, thanks to that, I feel like I’ve gained just a little breathing room.
So… now’s the time—to gather my courage—

…If I could move, that wouldn’t be such a problem, though…

What should I do?
The pounding in my chest just keeps getting stronger, and my body won’t move.

“Lady Moka?”

Perhaps finding it strange, Prince Syphon calls out to me.

I can’t respond properly, so instead—though not as a substitute—I take a big, deep breath. Several times.

Then I clench my fists tightly, psyching myself up…

A-and I still can’t turn around…
I know it’s pathetic, even to myself, but my body is stiff and refuses to move…

Even though not turning around would make inviting him here meaningless, at this point I still can’t move.

“…………”
“…………”

Still, I don’t give up. I take another deep breath and prepare myself again.

“Alright!”

I say it out loud on purpose, put my spirit into it, and now all that’s left is to turn around.
…Yes, just turn around.
…………Just turn around.
………………Just turn around, but—

I can’t. I really can’t. I just can’t.
I feel like I’m about to cry.

…I want to show him, but I’m scared, and even though I’m scared, I want to do my best and show him…

“…Uuugh…”

Without thinking, I cover my face with both hands.

Jaba-kun, please give me courage…! Even thinking that, it doesn’t feel like I can do anything…

This isn’t going to work out neatly like one of those adventures inside a wooden box, is it…? Am I only going to be able to groan like this…?

At that moment—

“Enough already—this is driving me crazy!”

The prince grabs my shoulders.

“Huh?”

Caught completely off guard, I let out a dumbfounded sound.

“If you have resolve but lack courage, then I’ll lend you a hand!”
“Y-Your Highness, wai—”

Realizing what he’s about to do, I try to stop him—but it’s too late…

And in that instant—
he firmly spins my body around—

And from the front… I end up facing the prince directly, our eyes meeting.

Uuuugh… embarrassing, scary… but—
I’m a little happy that I achieved my goal…

I wait nervously to see how he’ll react, but… there’s no movement from the prince?

Wondering what’s wrong, I cautiously look at him—only to find Prince Syphon stiff, as if time itself has stopped.

Not knowing what to do, I timidly speak up.

“U-um…”
“…!”

The prince snaps back to himself and starts moving again.
Seeing that, I can’t help but feel relieved.

As I breathe a sigh of relief, he releases my shoulders—something rare for him—and steps back slightly, waving his hands.

“S-sorry.”

After apologizing for forcibly turning me around—

“I was captivated by you—you’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”

He says those honest words, completely unexpected.

“…!”

I’m… not used to being praised for my appearance.
In fact, people hardly ever comment on how I look at all.

And to have that—said so directly, with such a kind expression and such a good voice…!!

I can feel myself turning bright red, not just my face but my whole body, from embarrassment, bashfulness, and happiness. I don’t even know what kind of expression I’m making, but I don’t want him to see my face like this, so I instinctively cover it again with both hands.

All the while, I’m completely unaware that Prince Syphon finds this version of me simply adorable.

After watching me like this for a while, His Highness finally—
with a cheerful, happy, and gently protective gaze—asks:

“By the way… you don’t need to wear your headpiece anymore?”

“Th-that is…”

Answering that feels… embarrassingly awkward.
I’m bad at talking to people to begin with, so my words won’t come together properly…

But even so—
if I don’t clearly say it in a moment like this, there’s no way I’ll ever be able to convince Mother later.

So, for the sake of His Highness—who gave me that push of courage and resolve—I do my best to lift my face and answer.

“B-because we’re… getting engaged… I thought that at least… to my fiancé… I should… show my real face…”

I’m still completely red, and I’m still covering my face with my hands, which is honestly pitiful—but for me right now, this is the utmost limit of my courage.

“I see. I’m glad for your courage.”

The prince thanks me with a smile.

It feels like he’s half hiding his true feelings, half simply reading the room.
Or perhaps he’s also mixed with some confusion—wondering how I could trust him this much when we’ve only just met.

But—still…!
Those words filled me with such emotion that I felt it was truly worth summoning my courage.

So I pray to the goddess and to Jaba-kun for just one more step of bravery, then lower the hands that had been covering my face and reach for the small box I had prepared.

“And… then…”

Holding the small box with both hands, I offer it to Prince Syphon.