It was little that could be seen given the darkness of her bedroom and there was no chance of me getting up to toggle the screen around every corner. Instead, I waited patiently as she struggled to ascertain the range of the near see-through screen, finally noticing that it was limited only to what I was showing her.

“Princess” I called out, startling her.

“Yes—“ She hastily responded, nearly addressing me in a manner she seemed to think was inappropriate. “—Your highness!”

“Is there something wrong?” I asked.

Her wide eyes told me she viewed the question as a rhetorical one. In contrast, I looked at her as if it wasn’t, turning her gaze sour like an unripened fruit “N-No. Not at all”

“I see. So princess—“

“You don’t have to call me that,” Yukina interrupted. Her tone was coarse, almost demanding. It made me curious so I continued.

“Your majesty then?”

“Not that either”.

“What about, my lady?” I paused suddenly, smirking as the girl's impatience caused her to glare boldly at me. “Oh? Did I offend you? I only thought to address you properly. Seeing as you and I are alike—People of high standing”.

The navy hair girl flinched, then with an evasive look, lowered her tone. “Hardly, your highness. I..can't be compared to someone like you”.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

On the surface this would have appeared to be respect. And she wasn't wrong in acknowledging the difference between the two of us. However, that was all it was, mere acknowledgement.

OfCourse, I did not absolve her from doing so, since the only similarity between the title we wore was in definition only.

“I see. Well, are you settling in, ok?” I yawned, disinterestedly facing the screen in front of me.

“I-I suppose... Although, it’s impossible to relax like this. Being so far away-- Or underneath my home. In some dark room..” The girl started. “A-Also” She clenched the hem of the gown she was wearing, eyes directed at the door. They’re always watching me”.

“By ‘they’ you mean..?” Raising a brow I wondered aloud, then trailed off once I was certain of what she was referring to. “Not to worry. Those guys won't be much of a problem for you since they've been given only one command—the simpletons. Rest assured though, they aren’t allowed inside, so you'll be fine”.

Appearing unconvinced, she withdrew a bright marble from her pocket . “And..if something happens, all I have to do is break one of these?”

“Correct” I nodded. “Once you do, depending on the one chosen, a creation of mine will aid you. Be careful though, as I’ve mentioned already, you’re only to use them in case of emergency”.

I looked over toward my bed, a gelatinous heap that served a different purpose than what the one I was laying in did. In it, was the appearance of my brother, a tall, long armed brute of pale skin much like my own. “And what of the boy?”

Yukina followed my line of sight, and a small smile formed on her face. “He seems to be stable. But, he hasn’t woken up yet, so I can’t speak for his state of mind”.

The two vessels that Tuwar and I occupied were at the moment stationed in my bedroom. Despite only covering the prelude to this entire plan, It still felt great to see we had made such a big step.

“Um, Your highness?” Yukina said, snapping me out of my daze. “Please excuse my haste, but aren't you going to begin?”

“…Well” I stared off into the ceiling, recounting everything that transpired this far and the aching feeling that drove me toward it.

“That’s quite a long story”