The Princess in the Chicken Coop - Chapter 2.8
***
[Sigh─.]
At that time.
Soria was feeling regretful. Her drooping wings clearly showed her mood.
Megan, naturally, had never seen a depressed chicken before and was fidgeting anxiously.
Staring blankly at the restless Megan, Soria muttered.
[Dame, perhaps I should have called him ‘darling’ at least once?]
It had been two days since she’d seen Lenok, who had become angry at her first love comment.
If the other person were present, she could at least try holding hands. But since this man wasn’t showing up at all, nothing could be done.
[It’s not like my mouth would wear out from saying it once. Maybe I really should have said it.]
When they needed to become closer, not more distant. Soria quietly reflected. Considering the age difference, she was significantly older than Lenok. Though he was the emperor, he was still young when you thought about it.
‘I should have been more patient, given my experience.’
It was natural for him to be angry when she said something that could hurt his pride.
Soria let out a groan and pushed the teacup toward Megan, who had become her guard knight.
With her beak, of course.
“……W-well.”
Megan could only smile awkwardly at this reality she still hadn’t gotten used to. Thinking it would be better to run laps around the training grounds, Megan shuddered at her own thought.
Good heavens. To think there would come a day when she’d prefer hundreds of laps around the training grounds. Muttering about how she never expected such a day would come, Megan lifted the teacup.
[Honestly, how could anyone just fall in love simply because someone is their destined partner?]
This question was easier to answer. Being thirty years old, she had more experience than the emperor who had barely passed his mid-twenties.
Megan nodded readily.
“That’s true.”
[Of course, asking if he’d never experienced first love was a bit harsh……]
“It was rather harsh, Your Highness.”
[I only said that because I was surprised when he suddenly suggested ‘darling’ would be best. But more importantly, being an emperor at that age, what has he been doing without experiencing love even once.]
She had something to say about this. Normally, it would have been unspeakable, but she had received orders to answer Soria’s questions about Lenok truthfully within the bounds of her knowledge.
Megan recalled the imperial command and set down her teacup. Of course, Lenok had given this generous order because he hadn’t expected Soria would ask questions about him.
“His Majesty was on the battlefield before ascending to the throne, and before that, being the empire’s sole heir, the late emperor cherished him greatly and strictly limited his movements outside the palace.”
[The sole heir……]
“Yes. Also, since there were lessons about choosing a companion as part of the succession training, that would be why. With such heavy responsibilities, it would have been difficult to harbor personal feelings for anyone.”
[The empire teaches some peculiar things.]
“It’s only natural. I’m not sure how it was in the Syenn Kingdom, but in the Crotia Empire, the Empress leads the empire alongside His Majesty.”
This meant it wasn’t just about producing heirs or managing the imperial household.
Soria couldn’t help but be impressed inwardly. It was the complete opposite of the Syenn Kingdom. While Syenn didn’t discriminate between men and women for succession, their consorts, regardless of gender, held little power. This was also why free love and love marriages were so prevalent.
Love could be given. But power could not. So if marriage could be based on feelings alone, they could marry whoever they wished.
This was also the secret that allowed marriages among royalty and nobility without much concern for social status.
[This country is completely different from my homeland.]
“Well… since Syenn Kingdom can only be seen in history books now…”
[Ah.]
A country only found in history books.
It wasn’t wrong. But just because something was true didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.
Soria dipped her beak into the teacup, unable to hide her bitterness.
Seeing this, Megan, worried she might have misspoken, frantically tried to change the subject.
“W-well, um, s-since Your Highness must have experienced love before, if you take the lead, things should work out smoothly.”
However, what was merely an attempt to change the subject for Megan was a deep blow to Soria.
[That’s right……]
First love? Of course, she had experienced it. Though it ended without even a confession, she had several relationships afterward.
Megan was right. Why should only the man take the lead? Women could propose too! She must have become too influenced by the Crotia Empire in just these few days.
Soria nodded repeatedly while recalling her experiences. However, as she thought more and more, she realized. The problem wasn’t the difference in experience.
Her face gradually turned pale. Soria, already covered in white feathers, trembled her few tail feathers and muttered.
[……I don’t have any.]
She lifted her drooping head. Her eyes were filled with despair.
“Pardon?”
[I don’t find anything attractive about His Majesty!]
To Soria’s wailing, Megan responded with a grim expression.
“His Majesty is a wise ruler!”
[If a ruler of a country is tyrannical, they should be overthrown! Being a wise ruler is admirable, but Dame, do you feel love for a man just because you respect him as a wise ruler?]
While there was such a thing as personal preference, both had already thrown rationality far away in the heated atmosphere.
Megan struck the tea table with a firm resolve not to back down.
“Do you know how skilled His Majesty is in military tactics!”
[Dame! We’re not talking about His Majesty as a ruler, but about his charm as a man!]
Charm as a man? That was rather difficult.
Megan’s eyes trembled pitifully. After moving her lips silently for a while, she finally managed to say one thing.
“…H-he’s handsome! His Majesty is the most handsome man in the empire…!”
[What good is being handsome!! He’s a pervert!]
Aah.
Megan buried her face in her hands in frustration.
‘Why can’t I think of anything to refute that!’
Even to this loyal knight, stealing the princess’s lips with a lick did seem somewhat perverted.
Megan spent a long time grieving over the reality that she couldn’t defend her lord.
***
Unaware that Megan had vowed to train herself to cultivate loyalty, Soria grabbed a bottle of alcohol.
Of course, since she only had wings, the maid carried the alcohol, and even that was selected by the head steward at Megan’s request.
Nevertheless, Soria’s expression was solemn. That solemnity showed in her gait.
Soria marched right up to Lenok’s office with her waddling walk. Then, she addressed the guard standing there with a dignified voice.
[Tell His Majesty that Syenn Brianne V. Soria requests an audience!]
“C**k-a-doodle, doodle-doo─!”
There weren’t many problems. Just a few minor issues scattered about.
Like how Megan had returned to the training grounds after her shift ended, and how the guard at the office naturally couldn’t use Aura – truly minor issues indeed.
“…Um, Head Maid… why are you following a chicken?”
An even more minor issue was that Soria’s existence hadn’t yet been made known to the lower-ranking soldiers.
Unsure whether to laugh or be angry, the guard looked at Soria with a complicated expression.
