Yotogi no Kuni no Gekkouhime

Chapter 17: Long as us live.

Selene looks at the fried chicken skin and cartilages in front of her as if she couldn’t believe what she’s seeing.

‘This is absurd, I didn’t expect her to do something like this.’ (Milano)

Milano tries to suppress his surging fury while also watching Selene with worried eyes. He knows that Ente doesn’t like Selene all that much, so he thought that she’ll at most just persistently spew sarcasms and nothing more, never in his wildest dreams would he thought she’d go this far.

Although what Ente did is extremely childish and stupid, but it’s an effective method to humiliate others during aristocratic meal time like this. And since Selene comes to this dinner in the form of ‘Invited to the dinner by Princess Ente out of her goodwill, even though she’s a commoner’, so it’s not like Ente need to treat her the same way as Milano, it’s up to Ente to decides what to serve her.

‘Now, what do I do……’ (Milano)

Milano’s thoughts circulates rapidly. He probably could tell Ente right now that Selene’s actually a royalty herself, and that there’s no way she could eat something like this. However, he can’t use that option. But still, if Selene herself says that she ‘doesn’t want to eat it’, then she’d be criticized or faulted for refusing Princess Ente’s goodwill, even when she’s just a mere commoner.

After that Selene might be denounced for real, and in the worst case scenario, the ill-mannered Valbell might filed a complaint against him for the mismanagement of his servants, ending up with them demanding something in return. He has to follow Selene up, but he can’t come up with anything.

‘As I thought, bringing Selene here with me was a mistake.’

Although Ente’s a very jealous person, he never thought that she would go so far as to do something like this to Selene. Milano regrets his naivete, but then Selene suddenly opens her mouth.

“Princess, Ente.”

“What is it? Don’t tell me, are you going to say that you do not wish to eat the dish I specially prepared?”

“Eat, okay?”

“I see, so you won’t eat it after all…… Eh?”

She must’ve been crying, unable to eat this kind of food, no doubt. Ente who’s expecting such a thing, with that proud expression still on her face, freezes for a moment when she heard that. No matter how low Selene’s social status might be, but anyone in the royal court is going to be either furious or crying if they’re treated like this. Or at least if Ente is treated in this way in any other country, except for Helifalte, she would’ve literally flipped the table over in rage. That’s just how humiliating being served this is.

And yet, for some reason, Selene’s eyes are sparkling brightly, even asking Ente if she really could eat it. It’s as if the luxurious dishes in front of Milano and Ente were invisible to her. Her red eyes looking straight at Ente doesn’t contain even a hint of disgust.

“Eat, okay?”

Selene adorably pleads again. Ente’s slightly taken aback by this unexpected turns of event, but she then immediately tries to read Selene’s thoughts. Calm down Ente, it’s clearly just a bluff. She’s probably trying to get your sympathy by acting all cute and adorable. She’s quite an actress isn’t she, even though she’s just a shrimp. However, I’m the one with the advantages here.

“Sure thing. Please eat as much as you wish!”

An elegant smile forms on Ente’s expression, her words are merciless like an executioner swinging his axe. You’re the one asking me if you could eat it. I’m sure you want me to say that ‘It’s just a joke’, but that’s where your childish shallow thinking leads you to. I’ve granted you the permission you wished so much. Now, show me your vomitting face as you try to gulp down that low-class greasy dish.

“Bon, appetit!”

As soon as Ente finishes speaking, Selene, with a vigorous force, chows down the chicken’s skin in front of her. Seeing Selene eating it without hesitation, Milano and Ente are speechless. No it’s not just those two, even the butlers along the wall and the head chef behind them are speechless as well.

Selene’s little mouth moves up and down, chewing the chicken in her mouth slowly as if to savor the flavor for a while before swallowing it down, then dazzlingly smiles at Ente like the sun.

“Delishー!”

Said Selene before she re-position her fork once more, skewering the chicken’s skin and cartilage together before shoving it into her mouth. The savory aroma and the chicken’s juice spreads in her mouth. The fried chicken’s skin and cartilages are carefully prepared by the headchef to atone for serving this low-class dish to her, it’s however a superb dish in terms of tastes with just the right amount of saltiness and very crunchy texture.

When Selene was in Aquila, soup and bread were her daily meal, and when she arrived at Helifalte her meals become more elegant, but both are unsatisfying for the former old man Selene, thinking that the food are too refined and high-class.

Selene’s truly grateful to Ente. Ahh, what a good girl she is. I’m sorry for saying that you’re like a praying mantis. But still please make sure you eat the Prince alive too. Thinking so, Selene turns into a pig as she dives her face into her feed.

“Se- Selene! Are you okay?”

Milano raises his voice in worry as Selene’s eating heartily.

“Un, yummy.”

A girl’s happily enjoying her feast yet you still ask, what a troublesome guy you are, Selene thought so as she replies uncaringly. That’s when Selene finally noticed something important. Just as she thought, you really can’t eating fried stuff without that thing. Selene pulls on the hems of the head chef’s outfit, who’s standing beside Selene with a pale face, his expression apologetic.

“I-, is there something you’re not satisfied with?”

The head chef trembles in fear. It’s obvious isn’t it that she’d be furious over his dish. Such a dish like this is to never be served on the table where royalty sits. But it’s not like he can go against Princess Ente either.

This young girl named Selene, she seems to be an envoy from the great nation of Helifalte. If that’s the case, if he offended her, then it meant he indirectly offended Prince Milano as well. Meaning that he risks getting demoted from his current position. By that point, even Princess Ente probably wouldn’t help him. Such thoughts flashed across the head chef’s mind.

“Beer, none?”

However, the word Selene uttered out was not a word of denouncement. Rather, she seems to be asking for this ‘Beer’ thing, something that even the expert head chef has never heard of.

“My deepest apologies. May I know what this Beer thing is?”

“Liquor.”

“Selene, there’s no need for you to be that considerate!” (Milano)

The moment Selene said that she wants a drink, Milano quickly interrupts. He’ve had enough of this. Selene, although young, is a very clever girl. She probably knows that if she doesn’t eat that food, she’ll cause problems for Helifalte, even when that food is a terribly hideous one.

On top of that, she even asks for a drink, as is the custom of nobles. Although Selene’s expression seems like she wants to say something, but Milano waves his hand to signal the head chef to stop and step back, he then turns to face Ente.

“Princess Ente, my servant Selene is very satisfied with your 『Special Menu』you prepared. I thank you for your thoughtfulness. Now, let us dine as well.”

“Y-, yes of course…… L-, let us do so as well, ohoho……”

Ente’s so furious that, if possible, she’d like to on a full rampage right here and now. If Selene were to complain or whine, then Ente’d use that as a springboard to find fault with her by saying that she lacks discipline, and if possible, force her way in by saying that she’d really like to see Helifalte’s educational facilities for servants firsthand, so that she could stay by Milano’s side.

However, if she eats it that happily then there’s no gap for Ente to pry through, even if all she’s doing is an act. There’s no other option for Ente except to quietly dine on her meal at this point.

‘Really, just what’s up with this shrimp!’

Ente’s clenches her fist under the table. Using all of her rationale to avoid slamming her fist on the table, and somehow manage to unclench her fist, then Ente and Milano begins their dinner as well. Milano silently eats his portion without uttering a word, and Ente’s too tired mentally to flirt with Milano too, thus it was a truly quiet dinner.

“Beer……”

Hanging her head down in dejection, Selene mutters so, but no one will hear her sadness.

　　◆◇◆◇◆

“Very painful.”

『Princess! Is everything all right!?”』

On top of the bed with moonlight shining through the window, Selene wails in agony. Because of this fried chicken skin and cartilage combo that she hasn’t had in years, all of her reasonings were blown away, thus she has completely forgot about her current body which is a young girl, resulting in her old man limiter finally broke, ended up with unnaturally bloated belly right now.

Selene’s struggling to hold back her nausea, gathering all of her willpower to do so. Vomitting out all of that delicious stuff would be a crime. All of it should become nutrients for her flesh and blood instead. Right now, Selene’s using all of her strength and willpower to digest all of chicken skin and cartilages instead of doing something more useful with it, which is what she actually should do. Truly a waste of energy.

The only person watching over her in this sad state here is only Butler. Earlier, Milano had been accompanying her out of worry, saying that he’ll call a doctor right away, but she thinks he’s being annoying so she drives him away.

『Please forgive me Princess. It’s all because I only bother to check for poisonous ingredients, I never expected such a situation to be possible. Ahh, I am so incompetent!』

Butler scratches his head with his front paws while watching over Selene at her bedside in worry. His master is a princess after all, someone of high status that shouldn’t be made to eat such a vulgar greasy dish like that. In fact, isn’t she clearly in pain right now? Although in actuality it’s just her eating too much.

Maybe if Selene’s a camel then she could store all the excess nutrients in her humps, unfortunately though Selene’s two humps are currently still flat great plains, so no such convenient ability for her yet.

『But still, that little brat Ente! How could she be so insolent to my master! If she’s going to be like that then I’m going to destroy every single thing here……!』

“Don’t.”

Just as Butler is about to dashes out, his heart full of flames of vengeance, Selene pulls his tail to stop him.

『Why are you stopping me Princess!? You’ve been subjected to such humiliating treatment, yet you’re going to forgive her!?』

“Ente, get along.”

『Princess……』

It’s because of that prideful princess that his master is like this, lying listlessly on the bed. Even so, Selene tells him not to blame Ente. But why? Butler asks himself that question, and then immediately reaches to a conclusion.

Selene doesn’t want to cause any problems in Valbell. Right now Selene’s accompanying Prince Milano as one of his servants. And although Butler won’t be so incompetent as to leave any obvious evidences behind, but if something were to happen to Princess Ente’s personal belongings, then the possibility of her suspecting that it’s someone from Helifalte’s visiting group doing it is very high.

Though even if that’s the case, there’d definitely be no damage for Milano and Selene. However, she might demand that one of his servants be punished for it.

Princess Selene is a kind-hearted person after all. The reason she consumes that vile food with such a happy face is because she doesn’t want to destroy the mood in the dining room, and also out of consideration for that head chef. If Selene had denounced that head chef on the spot, then perhaps he’d be punished by having to eat the same food Selene was eating for his entire life.

When Butler thinks of that, he’s ashamed of his own shallow thoughts. He puts only Princess Selene as his first and foremost priority, but Selene cares for each and every one of her people, even if that person is someone from another country. Butler is once again reminded of the depths of his master’s kindness.

『Understood. If Princess wishes so, then this Butler will refrain from doing so this time. However, I’d like you to remember this, if any calamities are to befall Princess in the future, I’ll protect Princess even if it costs my life. That’s what it means to be a butler serving under a master as great as you.』

“Thank you.”

She doesn’t quite understand what he’s saying so she praises him for now, Selene uses her index finger to pats Butler’s tiny head. Butler let himself be patted in satisfaction for a while before respectfully bowing to her, crawling back to under Selene’s bed, his sleeping place. Because of his tiredness from investigation during the day, he soon falls asleep.

A few hours later, Selene’s stomach is now mostly settled, the time’s midnight when everyone in the castle fell asleep, except for the night shift servants. Selene’s about to go to bed as well because she has been awake all day, but at that moment, a light knock can be heard from her room’s door.

“Who’sdat?”

“It’s me, Ente.”

At almost the same time Ente knocks, she slides into Selene’s room quietly as if she’s sneaking as to not make footsteps sound. She’s wearing a dark purple gown with Haori on top1, and doesn’t even carry a lantern or anything that’ll be her source of light.

“Selene. Are you feeling better?”

“Better.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you would actually eat that thing. So your taste buds are horrible after all.”

“Un.”

Even when Ente’s trying to be sarcastic, but what she said is incidentally true, so Selene just smiles at it. As I thought, her courage is really high. The wrinkle between Ente’s eyebrows is getting tighter, but in this almost pitch-black room Selene probably wouldn’t be able to see her expression. After all, Ente doesn’t want her to have even the slightest of suspicion at what she’s about to do.

“Hey, you see, I want to apologize you for what I did. I know that I’m a little harsh on you earlier, but would you like to make a good luck charm with me to make up for it?”

“Good luck, charm?”

“You know, girls exchanging their strands of hair to their friend then making accessories out of it, I’m talking about that thing. That culture exists in Helifalte as well right?”

“Ahー”

Now that she mentions it, she had done that good luck charm thing with Marie too. She usually kept that hair ring Marie made for her inside a accessories drawer in her own room. The main usage of that ring is that she’ll put it under her pillow when she sleeps, so that she could have a sweet dream about having a fun time with blonde hair loli every night.

“I’ve got mine ready already.”

In Ente’s hand is a jade pendant with a hole drilled into it, and strands of her chestnut hair through the hole in the shape of a string. She passes it onto Selene’s hand, in which Selene looks at it with great interest.

“Give me?”

“Yes that’s right, and with that we’re now friends. Since I’ve already given you that, may I ask for your hair as well?”

“Me, pretty, can’t make.”

“It’s fine. I’ll be the one making an accessory out of it, so I only need your hair.”

“Then, cut please.”

Said Selene without hesitation, defenselessly exposing her hair at the back for Ente to cut, making Ente slightly surprised. Even when she clearly knows that Ente was harrassing her during the dinner just earlier, but she reveals her hair so easily as if she doesn’t care about it at all.

Seeing this little girl acts like this, Ente feels that she’s the smaller one here and so her irritation arises. Resisting the urge to stabs her knife for cutting hair into Selene, Ente cuts a few strands of her hair.

“Maybe we’ll not be able to meet each other that much because we’re from different nations. But still, long as us live, may we be friends”

“Un!”

Said Ente before she quickly stuffs Selene’s hair into her pocket and slowly slips out of the room. Ente returns to her own room in small steps while also making sure that there’s no one around her, and when she’s in her room she takes out the hair and shoves it deep into the most secretive drawer she has.

“That shrimp, it’d be dangerous if I don’t get rid of her soon. Obtaining the catalyst is way easier than I expected.”

The hair Ente used for making the accessory is from a maid with a similar hair color, in which she forcibly trimmed from. She’s not going to cut even a single strand of her hair just for that hateful little shrimp. The jade is also of the lowest grade of its kind as well, so this doesn’t even scratch Ente.

“I never thought I’d have to use Curse Invoking against a little girl……”

Inside a dim moonlit room, where there is no one except for herself, a wicked smile forms on Ente’s lips, resembling that of an ecstatic mad witch.