The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 57
“…How did you know I like Fairy’s Tears?”
I had anticipated such a question.
“I just heard they were quite a rare gem. I thought Her Highness would like something like that.”
Of course, I had prepared a suitable reason.
It was the answer I had prepared from the moment I first thought of giving the Fairy’s Tears to Shaelock.
Nobody knew that she liked Fairy’s Tears.
“Your Highness, I have nothing to my name. I thought such a gift was necessary to become friends with you.”
I decided to present it as a coincidence.
After all, the Fairy’s Tears are one of the rare gems that people desire to possess.
“I’m glad to hear you like them. You do really like them, right?”
I immediately went into acting.
A sigh of relief, while observing her reaction, perfected the performance.
‘How could I possibly know what Shaelock likes?’
Creating that kind of atmosphere was crucial.
Pheon crossed his arms as he listened to me, his eyes narrowing gradually.
“But it’s strange that you specifically sought out the Fairy’s Tears…”
“To me, they also seemed beautiful.”
I brazenly proceeded.
After all, no matter how deeply they dug, they would find nothing more.
‘Shaelock probably knows better.’
That there’s nothing to find about me.
‘It doesn’t matter whether Pheon suspects or not.’
What’s important to me is Shaelock’s heart.
The alluring heroine who shocks both the Esper and the Guide, also the princess of this nation.
“Hmm…”
Shaelock looked seriously between me and the Fairy’s Tears.
Pouting her lips, Shaelock casually remarked,
“You almost died because of me.”
“It wasn’t because of you, Lady Shaelock. If you feel guilty about my situation then…”
I stared directly at her and asked,
“Would you consider granting my request?”
“I’m different from ordinary people.”
Shaelock frowned and muttered,
“My relationships are quite different from those with ordinary people.”
…I was surprised to realize that her perception was more normal than I thought.
The more I saw this side of Shaelock…
‘There might really be a chance for us.’
Hope for a relationship sprouted.
If I could maintain a relationship with Shaelock, it would be advantageous for me. She had more backing than even Duke Apharantes.
‘It wouldn’t be bad to establish a relationship with Shaelock, given how the Duke might change later.’
‘This wasn’t my initial thought…’
Things never flow exactly as one wishes.
Then I, too, must change according to the situation.
“There’s no rule saying such relationships can’t change for the better. I believe it’s more important how you develop a relationship than how it starts.”
I was speaking to Shaelock, but in truth, this was also my own wish.
“Why do you want to be friends with me?”
Her voice noticeably softened.
“…Because you were the only one, aside from Lady Hedonia, who seemed to care about me here.”
Among the Espers, she was the most trustworthy.
She felt guilty for having left me alone and tried to look after my share.
“There haven’t been many people in my life who cared about me.”
The last sentence slipped out unintentionally.
It was my true feelings, which I hadn’t even realized.
Yes, now I wanted to befriend Shaelock not just for guidance.
I wanted to get to know her as a person.
Even before I possessed the body of Karina, life had been tough.
To an orphan busy surviving each day, worrying was a luxury, as was maintaining relationships.
‘How will she take this?’
How Shaelock would receive my sincerity was crucial.
Shaelock’s pupils wavered.
In this dungeon, where she had been mostly calm and collected, seeing her face change showed a hint of her humanity.
“I want to be friends with you, Your Highness, at least for the duration of the contract that keeps me here as a stand-in.”
Noticing her hesitation, I gently grasped Shaelock’s wrists, which were clutching the Fairy’s Tears in both hands.
“…Alright.”
Finally, Shaelock responded. She stared at me intently before bowing her head deeply.
Her face was as usual, but her ears were flushed red.
This situation was unfamiliar to Shaelock, just as it was to me.
I felt a sudden kindred that eased my mind.
“Take this.”
Shaelock whispered as she placed three Fairy’s Tears into my hand.
It was a warmth reminiscent of a grandmother tucking snacks into her grandchild’s pockets.
I smiled as I accepted her gift.
Better than the gift itself was the fact that Shaelock had shared her favorite gemstones with me.
* * *
The cave where the Blackbird resided was literally a treasure trove.
The deeper we went inside, the more the value of the gems we saw exceeded imagination.
It seemed that not every dungeon raid was this successful, and the other Espers were quite surprised as well.
Considering Hedonia’s condition, the distribution of rewards was swiftly settled.
Apart from becoming friends, Shaelock’s calculations were precise.
Among all those gems, the only ones I possessed were the Fairy’s Tears she had given me.
‘This is enough for me.’