There Is No Place For Fakes [EN]: Chapter 42

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A short while later, they moved to the drawing room inside the Princess’s residence.

The maids brought tea and then left, for reasons unknown, with playful smiles.

“…Please, have some.”

Philomell gestured to the steaming cup, offering the tea.

“Thank you.”

However, Nasir only said the words and didn’t touch the tea.

Nasir stared at Philomell’s face for a long time before speaking.

“I’m so relieved you’re unharmed. I was really worried something had happened to Your Highness…”

His voice was thick with emotion. It felt like seeing a family member return from the dead.

“…Yes. Well, that’s how it went.”

Philomell replied awkwardly.

‘Now that I’m back in the palace, he’s making a fuss about me nearly dying.’

The conversation in the carriage came to mind, making her feel inexplicably embarrassed. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn’t have said she would do anything.

“How is your health? I was so surprised when you suddenly fainted.”

“Don’t worry. I was just tired and shocked at the time, but there’s nothing wrong with my body.”

“I see. That’s a relief.”

However, his gaze, carefully examining Philomell from head to toe, didn’t waver.

Feeling self-conscious, Philomell changed the subject.

“Come to think of it, Nasir, you came here from Sengen really quickly. Did you use teleportation magic?”

“Yes, I did. After Your Highness disappeared like that, I thought I should come to the capital quickly, so I headed to the Magic Tower.”

“The Magic Tower? Isn’t the Magic Tower closed for the time being?”

The story the broker told her when she was almost scammed in front of the Magic Tower came to mind.

“I thought I would have to use Aveyrin’s name to get in…”

If you’re from a great noble family, you can usually bend the rules.

“But I happened to meet a group of wizards heading to the capital nearby, so I came with them.”

“You were lucky.”

To happen to meet a group of wizards with the same destination when you need to get to the capital… Moreover, they were talented enough to perform teleportation magic with others.

“What was even more amazing was that they were also on their way to the Imperial Palace.”

Nasir smiled lightly and continued.

“Yesterday morning, two wizards belonging to the Imperial Palace suddenly resigned, and they said they came to apply for the vacant positions after receiving the news.”

“Two Imperial Palace wizards? That’s unusual. Everyone usually tries to stay put because the conditions are so good.”

In fact, it wasn’t a particularly important topic, but Philomell pretended to be interested because she had nothing else to say.

Nasir answered earnestly.

“I think so too. However, there were three people who came, so it’s a pity that one person won’t get the job.”

“If they’re talented, there will be plenty of places besides the Imperial Palace that want to hire them, so it’ll be fine.”

“Our family is always looking for skilled wizards as well.”

“I see.”

“……”

“……”

And the expected silence fell.

‘I’m doomed.’

Philomell clicked her tongue inwardly, unable to find anything to say.

In the past, they could have chatted for a long time about common social topics, but it felt strange to talk about such things now.

‘I’m no longer a princess, and I’m not Nasir’s fiancée either.’

Suddenly, she didn’t know what it was like to live as ‘Philomell,’ a person, not a princess.

Her goal was to become a princess who would never be criticized, and her purpose in life was to escape at the right time. She hid her weak and easily hurt true self deep inside.

That was the mask that protected Philomell from the danger of death.

‘Then, now that the fear of death has disappeared…?’

Now that she had thrown off the mask, she couldn’t remember what the face underneath it looked like. She didn’t know what kind of conversation to have with Nasir, whom she had known for over ten years.

‘What kind of person was I……?’

It was then.

“I didn’t realize you were raising a cat.”

Philomell’s mind, which had been drifting, snapped back at Nasir’s words.

“A cat?”

“Isn’t that the one Your Highness is taking care of?”

Before she knew it, the silver cat had settled in one corner of the drawing room.

“Go away.”

Philomell waved her hand to shoo him away.

It would be different if it were a real cat, but it was a clear invasion of privacy for a human to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations.

The conversations she had with the Countess and the maids in the bedroom couldn’t be helped, but she had no intention of letting him listen to this conversation as well.

“Meow.”

Then the cat slowly walked out of the drawing room.

Maybe it was just her imagination, but his eyes seemed a little slanted, as if he were sulking.

“The cat understands what you’re saying. It’s almost human.”

Because he *is* a person.

Philomell swallowed her words and changed the subject.

“…Have some tea before it gets cold.”

Finally, he slightly lowered his head to pick up the teacup.

‘Huh?’

Something caught Philomell’s eye.

“Nasir, just stay still for a moment.”

“Yes? Uh, uh.”

Nasir made a dazed sound as Philomell got up from her seat and approached him.

Fine strands of blonde hair tickled Philomell’s fingers. She could feel him taking a sharp breath.

“Stay still.”

Philomell gently pressed down on his shoulder, which was trying to flinch.

What was only a few seconds for some felt like an eternity for others.

“It’s okay now. This was stuck in your hair.”

Holding the finely crushed pieces of leaves in her hand, Philomell chuckled.

Nasir, who was blankly looking at it, touched the back of his head.

“…I didn’t have time to check my clothes because I came in a hurry. I’m sorry for showing you this side of me.”

It seemed that Nasir came straight here without stopping by his house as soon as he arrived in the capital by teleportation magic. If a family member or Aveyrin’s servant had seen the leaves, they would have pointed it out.

“I thought the Young Duke was always perfect, but he has this side to him too.”

Philomell smiled and teased him.

“…I usually pay attention to it.”

Nasir’s handsome face turned as red as a carrot at her joke.

‘He must be very embarrassed.’

She sensed it when he asked her to borrow money in Sengen, but he seems to be a shy person.

“Ah, do I smell too? I’ve been riding a horse for more than half a day…”

Nasir sniffed his clothes and became restless.

“What a foolish mistake…”

His low muttering was filled with self-reproach.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll leave now. I will contact you properly later and visit you again.”

She was about to answer that he smelled nothing but a refreshing scent like grass, but he quickly stood up.

“I will definitely come again, so please wait for me.”

Nasir bowed to Philomell and headed out the door.

‘Why is he being like that? Well, whatever.’

Just as Philomell was about to clean up the teacups herself because she couldn’t call a maid.

“Your Highness.”

Someone peeked out from beyond the half-open door. Of course, it was Nasir.

He asked with a worried face.

“You’re not going anywhere else while I’m gone, are you?”

His appearance, like a puppy whining for fear that its owner would disappear, was a little funny.

“Okay. I won’t go anywhere until Nasir comes back, so go.”

Anyway, Philomell can’t go anywhere even if she wants to until the book arrives, as Le Guin said.

“You promise.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you!”

Nasir, whose face lit up, answered vigorously and disappeared.

Philomell felt a strange warmth, thinking that Nasir also had a surprisingly clumsy side.

‘He was so worried about me that he came to the Imperial Palace in one go.’

She heard that after she disappeared, Nasir worked hard to find her all over the country.

Even though she thought that his sense of duty as her fiancé was the biggest reason, Philomell’s mood was a little uplifted.

Even if they weren’t engaged, wouldn’t it be okay to say they were friends?

However, thoughts about Nasir soon disappeared from Philomell’s head, because she was faced with another problem.

“How do I clean this up?”

Now that she is no longer a princess, it is good to have the mindset of ‘I will clean up the tea I drank myself!’

Since the maids always cleaned up, Philomell didn’t even know where to put the tea utensils.

If she called Countess Serong or the maids, they would insist on cleaning it up themselves, so she didn’t want to call them if possible.

Philomell left the room with the teapot and teacups on a tray, wondering if there was anyone nearby to ask.

“Oh.”

But as soon as she came out, she met the eyes of a strange maid.

Her posture of standing still was too suspicious to simply think that she was passing by Philomell’s residence.

Philomell’s eyes narrowed.

“What were you doing here?”

“Your Highness! No, well, that’s… I’m sorry!”

“I asked what you were doing.”

“Well, that is……”

The maid’s hesitation only added to Philomell’s suspicion.