kscans

Chapter 3 - Let's Go Home—Part One—

Carried all the way to the carriage, Aristerios finally set Lupia down just before she stepped inside. Being carried like a child was beyond embarrassing, but she found herself wondering just how long it had been since the last time. Having undergone her education as a Crown Princess from a young age and being constantly told to be a lady whom all would envy, she hadn't been able to be overly affectionate with her parents. Even without that training, she was still the daughter of a ducal family. She couldn't cling to her parents like a baby. She had spent her life telling herself this, even as a small child.

Because of that, her father's current actions were mortifying. Yet, it felt as though her mother, Millière, was also spoiling her excessively.

As the carriage moved along, Lupia wondered vaguely how long it had been since the three of them—her parents and herself—had been together like this. She seemed to recall it being like this in the carriage on the way to the royal palace long ago... and as she was thinking, her eyes met her smiling mother and father's.

"Is something the matter?"

"No, I was just thinking that it's wonderful to see you acting... normally... like this again, Lupia."

"That's right. You've been just like a doll recently, you know."

"...A doll... you say?"

She had no recollection of it, of course. But apparently, that was how she had appeared to her mother and father.

The inorganic voice from before came to mind. If she remembered correctly, hadn't it said something about 'liberation from the System'? If—and this was a big if—she had been controlled by this 'System' or something like it, then what her parents were saying wasn't entirely incomprehensible.

"Um... was I really... that... strange?"

"Yes. Whenever we asked, 'What's wrong? Did something happen?' you would just smile like a doll and repeat, 'Nothing at all.'"

"What...?"

Upon hearing her mother's description, Lupia thought, What is that? It sounded less like a doll and more like an automaton. Moving in a predetermined way, and if asked anything, repeating 'nothing at all' as if it were programmed from the start.

She tried to recall that time, but it was as if a fog lay over her memories, and she couldn't remember clearly. The more she tried, the worse her headache became.

"Lupia! Your color...!"

"This is bad, she's still not well?!"

"N-No... that's not..."

She pressed her hands to her head, which felt like it was about to split open from the pain. She tried her best not to remember, but the pain didn't seem likely to subside anytime soon.

Something must have happened.

That monotone voice she had heard back then. Just as Lupia was wishing she could have a conversation with the owner of that voice, her vision began to warp and blur. It seemed she had reached her limit. The last thing she saw were her parents' tearful faces before she finally lost consciousness. But just before she did, she thought she felt her father embrace her and say, 'It's all right now.'

◇◇◇◇◇◇

"Lupia... oh, how could this have happened..."

Up until now, Lupia had never shown any weakness. She understood her role better than anyone, excelling not only in her education as a Crown Princess and as a ducal lady, but also in her training as the next head of the ducal family, just in case.

That changed after Lupia enrolled in the Royal Academy.

No matter how strict she was with those around her, everyone knew the reason, so they accepted it. When it was appropriate to relax, she did so, perfectly distinguishing between her public and private life.

But after she entered her final year, the warmth vanished from her expression.

When her parents asked if something had happened, or if she was perhaps feeling unwell, her only reply was an insistent, "Nothing is wrong."

Her days continued as usual: attending the academy, returning home, and heading to the royal palace for her Crown Princess training.

Her parents were naturally worried, but with Lupia herself insisting that 'nothing is wrong, I'm fine,' there was little they could do. She was managing her health properly, and there was no sign she was hiding anything.

"My dear, could it be that something happened to her at the Royal Academy...?"

"The possibility isn't zero, I suppose."

A frown creased Aristerios's brow.

She had undergone training to become Crown Princess and, concurrently, the education to be the heir to the dukedom. He had felt that progressing both at the same speed was too much, so he had slowed the pace of her heir training just a little. That seemed to give her a bit of breathing room. At home, in front of those she could trust, she was not 'Lupia, the Duke's Daughter,' but simply 'Lupia,' a young girl. Her eyes would light up at the sight of her favorite sweets, she would eat them with relish, and at other times, she would lose herself in reading, one of her hobbies.

And yet, sometime after she entered her final year at the Royal Academy—he wasn't sure of the exact date—a maid from the estate had come running to him, her face pale. The head butler, Jif, had severely scolded her for daring to burst into her master's room, but the maid had reported in a trembling voice:

"The young lady... she is like a doll."

Everyone present had looked at her as if to say, What are you talking about? She was a new maid, so Aristerios and the head butler had assumed that she had simply seen Lupia's public face and perceived it as robotic. They dismissed her and thought no more of it. But then one day, Lupia's personal maid, Richel, said the same thing.

'Something is wrong with my lady,' she'd said. At the identical plea, Jif and Aristerios had exchanged glances. It was one thing for a new maid to say it, but Richel had been serving Lupia for a very long time. The girl had been her personal attendant since Lupia was five. To see her with the same pale face as the new maid from before told them this was no ordinary matter, and they decided to go observe the situation.

They were told Lupia was taking a walk in the gardens, so they went to the ducal family's courtyard and found her there. From a distance, nothing seemed particularly out of place, but the moment Aristerios spoke to her, Jif's eyes widened in shock.

"What is it, Father?"

Her voice was far too flat, her expression as unchanging as an antique doll's. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was frozen. Though he had never seen his daughter like this before, Aristerios disciplined himself not to show his alarm and maintained his composure as he addressed her.

"Well, Lupia, are you taking a break right now? I thought you were due at the castle for your Crown Princess training today."

"...It is fine, Father. There are no problems at all."

Huh? Who was it that had made that sound?

Her answer was completely disconnected from his question.

"Lupia...?"

"I shall be returning to my room now."

Their conversations were usually much longer, and she was not a child who would look at him with such lifeless eyes, Aristerios felt a cold sweat run down his back.

He and Jif each apologized to the new maid who had reported on Lupia's condition a few days prior. The new maid had wanted to believe it was just the expression Lupia wore for public appearances, but every time she saw her, she looked so much like a doll that she hadn't known what to do.

It seemed rumors had started to spread among the servants as well. A meeting was held with all the staff, including Millière, who had been away from the estate for a long time on business.

At first, Millière didn't seem to grasp the situation, but after seeing her beloved daughter's state, she was left stunned.

"What could have happened to her...?!"

She was not a child who made such faces, Millière trembled as Aristerios gently stroked her back.

Many of the servants adored Lupia and had been worried about what to do, but they had been powerless. Since she wasn't sick in bed, they couldn't even call a doctor.

Unable to do anything, the day of the Royal Academy's graduation ceremony arrived, and a shocking announcement was made.

[The candidate for Crown Princess will be changed from Lupia to Falty. Lupia is to utilize the knowledge she has gained thus far to serve as Falty's assistant. Furthermore, after thoroughly supporting Falty in her Crown Princess education, Lupia's own memories regarding said education will be erased.]

What utter nonsense, Aristerios fumed. What was the point of the engagement? Why had they betrothed Lupia to the First Prince, who was the Crown Prince, in the first place? He had questioned the King, but the matter was dismissed with a simple, "It has been decided."

He wanted to object right there in the council meeting, to ask how much more they intended to trample on his daughter's dignity, but he had more pressing concerns. In the first place, who was this Falty girl? Aristerios had investigated thoroughly and found that she was the daughter of the Ardia Count Family, good-natured, with excellent grades, and was in a romantic relationship with the Crown Prince, Liam.

When he found out, something inside Aristerios instantly grew cold. If that's how you want to play it, then we will prioritize our family. Vowing in his heart that he would never forgive those who had trampled on his daughter, he left the council chamber.