Living as a Recluse Deep in the Forest - Episode 9: First Princess Regina ①

After finishing her report to the King, Aurora walked down the hallway. In the corridors of the Royal Palace at twilight, the red carpets took on a subdued hue, and the candelabras on the walls cast a soft, gentle light. It was a stillness unique to the royal castle, worlds away from the tension of a battlefield.

(Whew... finished at last. Now, to prepare for the trip in two weeks—)

She was busy thinking about returning to her room to maintain her equipment and draft a packing list when—

"...Oh, my."

A soft voice, like the tinkling of bells, echoed from further down the corridor. Aurora looked up to see a woman slowly emerge from around the corner. Her pale blonde hair was tied up meticulously. Her dress featured elegant, refined embroidery. Every single gesture possessed a grace that belonged in a textbook for ladies.

The First Princess of the Kingdom, Regina Syll Stella Australis.

"Come over here for a moment, Aurora-chan~"

With a mischievous, succubus-like smile, she beckoned Aurora with her white fingertips.

"Ugh... A-ah, Sister..."

Aurora reflexively took a step back. It wasn't that she disliked her sister. In fact, Regina had doted on her ever since they were children. However—

(I might win in a test of strength, but I have no chance in anything else...)

Negotiation. Etiquette. Socializing. The art of sprinkling smiles at an evening ball. In these "royal skills," Regina was light-years ahead of Aurora. It was more than a sense of inferiority; it was a total lack of a win condition. There were moments when her sister's smile was far more terrifying than a dragon in the Great Demon Forest.

Even after marrying a Marquis from a prestigious house—a man once hailed as the "Kingdom's Greatest Holy Knight"—her terrifying nature hadn't changed. Now, as in the past, she cornered Aurora with maneuvers that blocked every escape route. That very Regina was currently wearing a wicked little grin, the corners of her lips curled tight.

"To think you wouldn't even greet me after I've returned from my diplomatic mission... what a naughty girl, aren't you?"

"I-I was just about to head to your room now! Really!"

"Yes, yes. The fact that you can make excuses like that makes you a naughty girl, doesn't it?"

Struck down by her sister's verbal counter-blade, Aurora backed away. But.

"Now, shall we go?"

"Wait, hold on, Sister—!"

With a physical strength that brooked no argument, Aurora was promptly hauled off toward Regina's private chambers. As she was dragged away, she looked less like a hero-class warrior and more like a helpless lamb, letting out pathetic "auu auu" sounds as her resistance proved futile.

---

The First Princess’s private room was a tasteful space that eschewed unnecessary luxury. Pale-colored curtains. Neatly organized bookshelves. On the wall hung a single portrait of her standing beside her husband, the Holy Knight Marquis. The moment Aurora was forced into a chair, she was pelted with questions.

"So?"

Regina leaned back in her chair, elegantly twirling a strand of hair with her fingertip as she smiled sweetly.

"Did you hear anything about new cosmetics from the Sage-sama?"

"Ah—..."

With that one phrase, a chill ran down Aurora's spine.

(A-ah... oh boy...)

Come to think of it. Before Aurora had left for the forest, and before Regina had departed for her diplomacy, her sister had strictly reminded her: "Make sure to ask about new lotions and emulsions." And then, once she had arrived at the forest, her head had been filled with thoughts of udon, kakiage, yakiniku, and wine...

"A-well, you see..."

Seeing her younger sister stammering, a vein popped slightly on Regina's forehead.

"My, my... what a naughty sister I have."

Regina rose gracefully from her chair and moved to Aurora's side. She reached out her hands and—

"Beautifying yourself in the forest while forgetting my request... you really are a naughty girl, aren't you?"

"Hya—auu auu auu!"

Aurora’s temples were mercilessly ground by her sister's knuckles. Thanks to her hero-class physique and Level 59 endurance, it didn't actually hurt that much. It didn't hurt—but she couldn't resist mentally. It had always been like this. She wouldn't flinch before any warrior on a battlefield, yet she was powerless against her sister. Regina, perhaps noticing the lack of "give" while she ground away, stopped her fingers.

"...What is this lack of response? You used to go 'Idadadada!' in the past."

"W-well, I've been training quite a bit in various ways..."

"Hmm?"

Regina looked down at her sister with narrowed, suspicious eyes. Then, she let out a long sigh and puffed out her cheeks.

"Honestly! Aurora, if you're the only one getting beautiful, the noble ladies at the balls are going to hate you, you know?"

"E-eh?"

"You're so oblivious that you haven't noticed, have you?"

Placing her hands on her hips, Regina picked up the tip of Aurora's hair.

"You and your entire maid squad have become absurdly beautiful."

"Th-that’s not..."

"Yes, it is," Regina stated flatly. "Your hair is glossy, your skin is silky smooth, even the backs of your hands are perfectly moisturized—and above all, you've all become beautiful uniformly. From an observer's perspective, it’s impossible to think anything other than 'they are all using the same thing.'"

There was no malice in Regina’s voice. Rather, it was clear she was genuinely worried.

"An evening ball isn't just a place to wear a dress and dance, you know? It's a quiet battlefield between women. If you—or just your group—show off a level of beauty that is clearly in a different league, you’ll only make enemies."

"U-uuu..."

"Do you have any idea how nervous I get watching my sister return more beautiful every time she goes to the forest?"

Aurora shriveled up in her chair.

"Uuu, but but! I've been relaying as much as I can! The maids and I have shared every bit of info we have!"

"Hmm, well, I suppose that’s true."

Regina crossed her arms, her mood softening slightly. "It's true I've heard quite a bit. Lotions, emulsions, cleansing... I've received proper reports, even with those nonsensical words included."

She gave a small shrug. "But you see... nothing has taken shape yet."

"Muu..."

"Lately, the soap has finally become high-quality, and we've just about managed a prototype of that 'lotion' thing."

Saying this, Regina picked up a small vial from her desk. A transparent liquid sloshed inside.

"This. This is the result of the craftsmen going back and forth, struggling to make sense of what they heard from your maids."

"Ohh..." Aurora peered at it with interest.

"It’s not bad. It’s not bad, but—it’s still a far cry from the products that Yuu-sama makes, isn't it?"

"Yeah... well, yes. After all, that person's precision in blending and... well, his way of using magic is just bizarre..."

"Exactly."

Regina set the vial down gently and sat back in her chair. "That is exactly why I want information. Not just the final product, but the procedure, the ingredients—not in vague terms, but in a detailed, step-by-step sequence."

"I-I'll ask in more detail next time..."

"Really?"

"Really!"

Aurora answered, snapping her back straight. Regina stared at her for a few seconds—then chuckled.

"Very well. I can't be too hard on you when I see you looking so happy while shouting 'All for the sake of the Kingdom!'"

"I-I wasn't looking happy!?"

"Want to see a mirror?"

"P-please don't!"

Watching Aurora fluster about, Regina giggled. The strongest woman in the country. A Hero-class Level 59. Those titles meant very little inside this room. Here, she was just the same as she had always been—a cute little sister who was a bit scatterbrained and strangely clumsy at anything other than fighting.

"Anyway," Regina’s voice turned serious again after she stopped laughing. "I think I have a general idea of what you and the Sage-sama are doing in the forest. But—it will still take time to spread those results to the entire nation."

"...Yes."

"That's why I want you to become just a little more shrewd. Don't keep all the benefits to yourself; bring them back here properly. Including the talk about cosmetics, okay?"

There was a hint of playfulness in the tail end of her sentence. Aurora slumped her shoulders in resignation.

"...I'll try."

"I'd prefer results over 'trying,' but—well, I'm looking forward to your next trip to the forest."

The First Princess smiled sweetly. Aurora knew full well that the smile was made of genuine expectation, sisterly indulgence, and a dash of mischief.

"After all," Regina continued with a slightly pouting expression, "as long as I stand beside my husband, I want to remain beautiful even as I age. I'm fine for now, but ten years, twenty years from now—"

"Sister, even now you are more than—"

"I don't need flattery♪" Regina cut her off, raising a finger.

"Besides, you know? If only you get more beautiful, everyone else will get grumpy, thinking 'the Second Princess is getting special treatment.' Sometimes, it’s much more peaceful to just share the technology."

The public image of the Royal Family. The balance of noble society. The jealousy and envy of women. Regina understood these nuances far better than Aurora ever would. That was why she wanted to share the "Sage's beauty techniques" as widely as possible—yet with extreme caution.

"...I understand," Aurora nodded, defeated. "Next time I go to the forest, I'll ask properly. The proportions, the process... in as much detail as possible."

"Thank you, Aurora." Regina gave a soft, gentle smile. "And one more thing."

"There's more...?"

"There is." Regina narrowed her eyes slightly. "The reason the Sage-sama has no intention of coming here. I want you to ask him about that one more time, in your own way."

Aurora was at a loss for words. "That's... no matter how many times I ask, he just keeps saying 'Living in the capital is stifling, so I hate it.'"

"That’s fine."

Regina returned her teacup to its saucer. "No matter how stubborn he is, no matter how much of a bother he finds it, no matter how much he poses as a hermit—"

She gave a sudden, mischievous grin.

"As long as you keep visiting the forest, that Sage-sama is surely someone who can't fully reject people."

Aurora's face turned a faint shade of red. Regina didn't miss it.

"...Oh? Did I hit the mark?"

"Wh-what are you talking about!"

"Who knows? I wonder what it could be~"

It was the same succubus-like smile she had seen since they were children. Every time she saw it, Aurora couldn't help but think:

(...As I thought, I really can't win against my sister.)

Not with swords or magic. Against an opponent who toyed with her using only words, gazes, and casual gestures, the strongest Second Princess in the land was once again left spinning in circles, completely helpless.

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