It was somewhat tiring, the training I mean. I have lost count how many times I tried and tried. Vernon was ruthless, he was the type of guy that would indifferently destroy your wildest dream in front of your eyes. Seriously, when I finally get to create a barrier, he would shatter it before my eyes.

It’s like killing your loved one in front of you, you know. Or your child being abused in front of you. Though I don’t know how that exactly feels, and I have no intention of knowing, anyways you get the idea!

However, Vernon was not as bad as the instructors back in the old days, so this was fine. Of course with every failure, you improve. And it should be said, my shield got stronger! Hah! Praise me my dear subjects, for your princess has reached a greater height!

But seriously, it got stronger, Vernon punched it and it didn’t break, nice, huh? A downside though, it was still at a pretty small size, so yeah. And, Vernon mentioned he didn’t give his all in the punch. And he was talking about his raw strength!

It was only this way because I have to hold back due to my mystic medium, this sucks. Progress was incredibly restrained. Mera had also surpassed me, tch.

But nothing can be done, just let me complain, it’s good for your mental health. Let out the grievances out of your mouth if needed. But of course I can’t complain out loud, and besides, I’m already used to it.

Now it was almost late in the afternoon. I asked Vernon to end the training earlier than it should be.

“May I ask why?”

It appears he was thinking that I was already trying to escape from my studies. Oh, old man, that’s not it at all.

“To the kitchen,” I said with a smile.

Vernon furrowed his brows.

“The kitchen? Why? If you are hungry, you can just request for food, although I doubt that since you had lunch earlier.”

Yes, I did have lunch, with my mother mind you.

“Perhaps milady became hungry because of the training?”

“Your highness, please keep the amount of food you eat in mind.”

It was my turn to frown.

“You’re both wrong,” I waved my hand. “I’m just going to make friends.”

“Friends?”

“In the kitchen...?”

Vernon and Mera looked both confused, and about different things it seems.

“Is making friends bad?” I asked with an expression of cluelessness.

“Um, no,” Mera was the one to speak first.

Vernon on the other hand only stared at me as though he was pondering something.

Then…

“Your highness, I do not see the reason for doing this. You never did something of this nature in the past, and now, you intend to. I wonder, what changed?”

Tch, I know I am doing something that makes me slowly stray away from the true Estelia. However, sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do. And, I cannot drag this on.

“What changed you say? Nothing, or perhaps, there is little,” I said with a cheerful tone. “However, often, even the most idle have to act. Why do I think I am acting now? Apparently I seemed to have changed? Humans are forced to act when it is necessary. And why do you think I have to act?”

“Because it is necessary?”

“Exactly! It is necessary to act so I can have friends! It’s lonely sometimes, I’ll have you know.”

Vernon blinked his eyes, taken aback by my words.

“Sir Vernon, I think we should allow milady to do what she wants. No harm in making friends, right?”

Good! Mera’s supporting me.

“I suppose, but… why the kitchen though? There are none but commoners there, a royal princess befriending them…”

“Commoners they may be, they are still humans, just like us,” I said with a wise smile. “They can laugh, speak, cry, smile, on the universal level, we are all the same. So, no reason not to befriend someone, especially if they are kind people.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Ah yes, the naive princess.

“Your highness, I’m in awe.”

Hey, what’s with a broad grin and wide eyes old man?

“You are truly a kind person.”

Hm yes, Vernon is of commoner origin... so.

“I give you my utmost respect.”

He bowed his head.

“However, please know that not all people are kind.”

“... Surely there’s no one here that bad… or evil.”

“Perhaps, but in the outside world, there are definitely people like that.”

I stared at him, as though unsure how to take in his words.

“...Alright, I understand. I take it you agree that we stop our magical training at this time?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent!”

And so with that, I headed towards the kitchen! I would have preferred not to have any guards, but I guess they wouldn’t allow that. Guess I’ll have some restraints in my actions then, been like that for a while anyway.

To be honest, this is getting a bit tiring. I fear the day I might just have enough and let loose! Acting isn’t easy — well, a bit easy, what makes it hard is doing it constantly for a long time, and that’s gonna be tiring as fuck. Even I have my limits.

Whatever, just have to bear it with. That being said, it’s close to impossible that I would break. Even I would gradually adjust. So maybe no worries there.

We came down to the first floor and walked towards the kitchen. I was about to turn towards the corridor leading to the kitchen, as I always looked at where I was going, especially turning corners, I immediately saw my target.

Allie Jelimis. However, before anything else, I stopped before I left the cover of the wall. It was not yet time for the cooks’ out, so it was interesting to see her leave the room then closing the door. But that was not the most interesting part.

This part I have luck in play I guess, she was looking towards the opposite direction of where I was. I was planning to observe this behavior of her’s, then I saw something interesting. She was looking intently at the hallway, like she was surveying.

Then while I was peeking from the wall, she turned towards my direction, I immediately backed away from peeking. I signalled my servants with my hand to stop them.

“Mil—”

“Sssh.”

I placed a finger on my lips.

There were no maids here it seems, they must have only finished in this area. So it was only us in the hallway. Allie was surely still looking this way, so let’s wait.

I ignored the confused look my two servants were giving me. After several seconds, I carefully sneaked a peek.

Then I saw the girl walking towards the opposite direction. She turned her head, so I retreated just to be safe.

Hm, she seems to be on a look out.

What could she be on guard for?

I peeked again, and saw her turn to the right. I instantly began to follow. My strides were quiet and a bit quick.

“Your highness, what could you be doing?”

“Oh nothing. And, please keep quiet. Silence your steps and lower your voice. At best, don’t speak at all.”

They appeared to be utterly confused. Then we passed by the closed door of the kitchen.

“Milady, the kitchen…” Mera quietly said to me.

“Not the destination anymore.”

“What do you me—”

“Sssh.”

I stopped to take a peek into the hallway first. I saw her turn left. Then I followed. I hope my silent steps were worth it since I was not following someone alone, but Vernon was doing a good job to quiet his footsteps. Mera on the other hand, I’ll give her a not bad rating. We’re distant from the target, so we’ll be safe.

Then I saw the girl turn right. When I reached the corner, I stopped in my tracks. Beyond was a dead end, but it had a door though.

“This leads to the storage. Unused items are stored here,” Vernon quietly said.

The girl, Allie, was not alone anymore, with her now was… a familiar man.

“Oryn…” I quietly muttered.

“Oryn? Your highness, you mean…”

Vernon also carefully took a peek.

“Now that’s something. They seemed to be discussing something.”

Indeed, they were talking, quietly, almost like a whisper. Each of them had their backs on the walls, so the direction of their eyes were not looking in our direction. But this talk of theirs, if they are too quiet, perhaps unnecessarily so, then this talk must be a secret.

They could have used the storage room, but it must be locked. And as this was basically a trash dump, you could say, not many came here, perhaps especially at this hour. Unfortunately, however, I couldn’t hear them.

Lip reading? It was dim here, and the distance with their barely moving lips due to them whispering, more than that, they were speaking at a normal speed of speech, it will be difficult. And, well, lip reading was not really accurate since lip movements tend to have similarities to other words spoken.

But don’t worry, I’m still doing my best. Don’t underestimate me.

“What? What is going on?” Mera whispered.

Curiosity seemed to strike her and she also took a peek.

Ah yes, three people sneaking glances from the side of a wall.

“What could they be doing here…?” Mera quietly asked.

I picked up a few words, but nothing to be certain of. But given context, I think I caught the words “princess”, “busy”, “moving forward”, from Allie, Oryn, then Allie again.

They even mentioned me.

I want to chuckle. This just raised the bar of their traitorous meter.

Just then, Oryn took a hold of both Allie’s hands. I raised an eyebrow. I caught the word, “alright” or maybe it was meant to be “it’s going to alright”, then the word “wait”.

Okay, suspicious words depending on the context, however… it should be said, they looked pretty intimate...

“C-Could they be?” Mera was apparently surprised herself.

She covered her mouth as she gawked at them… well, we as well, the gawking part.

“It appears so…” Vernon said.

Indeed, it gives that kind of impression, huh. But it should be mentioned, looking intently at Allie’s body language, she seemed anxious, apprehensive.

Hm…

“I never imagined that they would be in this kind of relationship,” Mera continued to muse.

Indeed. Setting aside the gap of ages, a cook and an assistant of a prince? What an… interesting turn of event.

What, do you think I would fall for such things like: Oh, they’re just lovers hiding their relationship, or something like that! Not enough to prove that! I noted and analyzed their words that I read, just so you know.

More importantly, before they do the act of leaving, we should leave ourselves.

“Let’s go.”

I said while tugging and gently pulling on their collars. No slowing down. It would be bad if we were found out.