HSML 27

Chapter 27

Sorry. I messed up the scheduled posting for today’s update.

At the very beginning, there was once a time when the back of one of the papers sent to me had a strange string of numbers on it.

Since those numbers rang a bell, I must have used the back of a sheet where I’d written notes related to them when I sent a reply letter—that was probably the start of it.

The day after that exchange, it was discovered that the person in question had embezzled funds. It seems they were arrested, but… well, that shouldn’t have had anything to do with me.

On another day, evidence was found against a criminal who had been denying his crimes and shamelessly making excuses thanks to the lack of proof, and the noble involved with him was punished—and that had nothing to do with me either.

I definitely didn’t, the night before, look at any scrap paper with information written on the people connected to him, nor did I use any of the memos I’d gathered containing similar information as reply sheets.

So yes, sometimes some strange bits of information just so happen to get mixed in on the back of those scraps of paper, but that’s only because I happened to use such paper. There’s no problem.

If you don’t point it out, then such facts don’t exist.

…Still, I’m honestly surprised at how quickly the whole “we won’t use this for politics” part has become rather vague and conveniently ignored.

Well, I myself have been replying, so I suppose it can’t be helped.

…No, “can’t be helped” isn’t really the point. It might even look like this little box meant for casual exchanges is being used politically—but that’s not the case. No, not at all. Let’s just say that’s how it is.

At present, we’re not exchanging about any specific piece of information, nor is that the main purpose of using it. Yes. Exactly.

I just happened to write information that could potentially serve as an answer to the information that happened to be mixed in, on the back of a sheet, and sent it as a scrap to Prince Siphon. There’s no ulterior motive. None at all.

But even so… sometimes, I do end up thinking: isn’t the backside exchange actually the real purpose, and the casual chatting just an afterthought?

I feel like I may be getting a bit too paranoid.

Anyway, even I, who delivered the sending box myself, didn’t expect we’d be exchanging messages this frequently, but maybe this isn’t such a bad way to use it.

And so, as always, we’re talking through the sending box again today.

『By the way, there’s something I wanted to ask you.』

『What is it?』

『Moka. What are you going to do about the Founding Festival party in the First Month of Autumn?』

The Founding Festival.

It’s a festival held every year over three days in the First Month of Autumn—on Water Day, Wind Day, and Earth Day.

In the royal capital and large provincial capitals, the whole city apparently gets very lively.

On top of that, nobles hold three days of parties.

Participation is basically optional, but since the king always attends on the third day, in practice it’s treated as mandatory for nobles who are able to attend.

For someone like me, who has been shut-in all this time, it’s something I’ve had very little connection to, but—

『Is attendance mandatory?』

Of course, I already know the answer, but I dare to ask anyway.

There is a faint hope that maybe, just maybe, he’ll say I don’t have to attend…

『It might not have been a problem to skip in the past, but you’re my fiancée now. Father wants to publicly announce our engagement to the nation either in his opening speech on the first day of the Founding Festival, or during the final day’s address.』

『Shouldn’t His Highness Flask be doing it first?』

I reflexively admitted that much as I slipped my reply paper into the box, and soon enough a sheet from Prince Siphon arrived in return.

『My brother has decided to postpone his announcement this time.

I don’t know what he’s planning, which is exactly why Father approached us instead.

In short, it means we need to announce our engagement during the Founding Festival.』

Oh… oof…

A strange sound escaped my mouth before I realized it.

While I’m holding my head, another slip arrives from Prince Siphon.

『With that in mind, I’d like to discuss a few things.

If it were just the discussion itself, using the sending box would be fine, but then we wouldn’t have any public appearance of being in talks.

You’ll probably receive a formal letter later, but it would help if you could come to the capital around the first week of the Third Month of Summer.

Even if you refuse the engagement announcement, as my fiancée you can’t skip the party on the third day of the Founding Festival.』

…Huh?

Does Prince Siphon… not know that I didn’t return to the territory and am still in the capital?

…Now that I think about it, I don’t think I ever actually told him.

If even Prince Siphon hasn’t noticed, then for the more extreme types out there, the idea of me being in the capital must be something beyond imagination.

Setting that aside, right now it’s the first week of the Second Month of Summer.

Once the fourth week ends, it will be the Third Month of Summer. When the fourth week of the Third Month ends, the First Month of Autumn begins.

Thinking about it like that, if I had gone back to the territory, things really would have been chaotic.

If I were there, I’d have to start preparing to head to the capital right about now.

I remember Mother once saying that, at the very least, a member of the royal family’s wife should be familiar with her homeland’s festival schedule.

『Anyway, what I’d like to ask of you, Moka, is…』

Apparently dissatisfied with my lack of reply, Prince Siphon keeps sending slips one after another.

『It might be difficult, but I’d like you to start preparing to attend.

Of course, if there’s anything I can help with, just tell me.』

Even if he says that… is there really anything I can do in just a little over a month…?

There are a lot of things to worry about, but that doesn’t mean I can refuse.

As Prince Siphon’s fiancée, this is something that was bound to come eventually.

So I pick up a slip of paper and start writing.

『Understood.

Nothing comes to mind yet, but I’ll try to think of something by the end of summer.』

『I’m counting on you. I’m looking forward to it.』

…He’s looking forward to it…?

Ahh, from the wording—the actual feel of the writing—it’s obvious.

I can just see his smiling face. Just how excited is he about this?

It feels less like he wants to see me, and more like he’s eager to see what kind of scheme I’ll come up with…

That’s probably not just my imagination.

I wish he would take more interest in me as a person, not just my magic and actions…

Hmm… if you took away my magic and my usefulness…

Ah. I’d really just turn into a girl whose only value is her family background.

Realizing that is incredibly depressing. It feels dangerous to think about it any further…

Well, in any case—

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll have to think about all sorts of things…”

Letting out a sigh, I look up at the ceiling of the “box.”

…We can’t just leave it as a box forever… so, what should we do, I wonder…