Living as a Recluse Deep in the Forest - Episode 10: First Princess Regina ②

In the now-quiet room, the only sound was the light clinking of teacups.

The surface of the tea shimmered, reflecting the sunset light streaming through the window. Aurora held her cup as if cradling it in both hands, looking down with a restless air. Regina, meanwhile, sat opposite her, staring intently at her younger sister. From the crown of her head to the tips of her toes, her gaze slid over Aurora in a careful observation—until, finally, she let out another sigh.

(...Honestly, how can any man not fall for her?)

Her sister was beautiful—not just sufficiently, but excessively so. She was bright and cheerful, with a smile like the sun. On the battlefield, she wielded magic like thunder and a blade of sharp lightning, yet when speaking to commoners or maids, she would lower her eye level to meet theirs. As a princess, she could be a bit over-the-top at times, but even that was well within the realm of "charming."

She was first-class with both sword and sorcery. In fact, her abilities as a knight and mage were even more prominent than her royal pedigree. And yet—

"Sister, is this correct? Um... I’m still a bit anxious about my deportment in this situation..."

Regina remembered how Aurora used to come to her time and again to learn the etiquette for evening balls. She had the honesty to recognize her own shortcomings and the flexibility to seek guidance to fill those gaps.

(...She has so many lovely qualities.)

To Regina, it was utterly baffling that a man could be recruited by such a sister and still refuse to say yes—even putting aside her royal status. She had a feeling that, fundamentally, the approach was all wrong.

(...Well, there are things even I don't understand.)

Regina couldn't even imagine that the Sage of the Forest was a "transfer" from another world. Nor did she know he was someone with a home he could never return to. She couldn't see where Yuu’s heart had broken, or what he had given up and discarded to choose the path of a "shut-in" in the depths of that forest.

However— From what Aurora told her, it seemed the Sage had opened his heart quite a bit to her. He stubbornly refused to come to the capital, yet it had been a long time since he stopped rejecting Aurora’s visits to the forest. He went so far as to build a guest room, serve her meals, and send her off with protective magic for the dangerous journey home.

(If there were just one more... "trigger" to pull the Sage's heart closer...)

A thought crossed Regina’s mind. A faint smile played on her lips as she turned her gaze back to her sister.

"Tell me, Aurora."

"Y-yes?" Aurora straightened her back, instantly adopting the posture of a "sister being scolded."

"I agree with you that we shouldn't disregard the Sage's will," Regina began in a calm tone. "And the King isn't saying we should 'take him by force,' is he?"

"N-no... actually, he suggested that earlier."

"What? Father said that? Really?"

"Yes. But... it seemed he was just asking to see my reaction. He understood immediately that we can't suppress him with power."

"I thought so." Regina nodded. "The Kingdom wants the Sage's power and knowledge more than anything, but the moment we try to steal it, we would likely lose everything."

"...I think so too." Aurora gripped her cup tightly. "That’s why I... I can only visit the forest as a 'friend.' As a 'collaborator.'"

"Yes, I think that's for the best." Regina paused for a beat. "But..."

She intentionally trailed off, letting the word hang in the air.

"But... is that enough for you?"

While her voice remained soft, her eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"He's a Sage with such incredible knowledge. Other countries might try to recruit him, you know?"

"!" Aurora’s shoulders gave a start.

The Great Demon Forest was in the center of the continent. It wasn't the sole property of the southern Kingdom. The Holy Land to the north, the Demon Country to the west, or the Empire to the east—it wouldn't be strange if someone from those lands crossed the demon realm at the risk of their life to reach Yuu’s home, just as Aurora had.

"...In that forest... there aren't many people who could make it that far..."

"I didn't say there were none." Regina’s smile remained fixed. "In this world, there are surprisingly many people who do reckless things—just like you."

Images of unknown adventurers and nobles from distant lands flickered through Aurora's mind. Yuu didn't open up easily, but he was soft on those he let into his inner circle. Therefore, in some cases, it was possible someone could become even closer to him than she was—

(...No, no, no! Yuu isn't a man who can be won over that easily.)

She quickly shook her head to dispel the frightening thought. But Regina wasn't finished.

"No, it doesn't even have to be a country." Regina returned her cup to its saucer, the ceramic making a light clack. "Another woman might start making advances, you know?"

"———"

Aurora’s breath stopped. Her mind went blank at the sudden suggestion. But Regina pushed further, posing a final question like a killing blow.

"Would you be okay with that?"

At that moment, something snapped inside Aurora’s head.

A female warrior from some country getting lost in the forest. Being saved by Yuu just as she was about to collapse. Eating the food he cooked. Resting in that fluffy bed. Having her hair dried by his magic. And before she knew it, her place by his side became the most natural thing in the world—

When she reached that point in her imagination, the words spilled out before she could even think.

"—No."

The voice that slipped out was startlingly young, even to her own ears. It was a pouting voice, like a child being selfish. But it was her unmistakable, raw feelings.

"..."

Silence. Regina's eyes went wide for a split second—then her face flushed red with delight.

(...How honest, and how incredibly cute she is.)

Jealousy. A desire for exclusivity. Her sister had expressed those emotions not with excuses, but with a single, blunt "No." It was so endearing that Regina reflexively pressed a hand to her chest.

"............"

Aurora snapped out of it and clamped both hands over her mouth. "T-that didn't happen! Please act like you didn't hear it—!"

"I will not♪" came the instant reply.

Regina cleared her throat theatrically and leaned forward slightly. "Aurora."

"Y-yes..." Aurora straightened up. Her face was red all the way to her ears.

"Next time you go to the forest... take some beautiful clothes with you."

"...Huh?" The unexpected advice prompted a bewildered squeak.

"B-beautiful clothes? But... those cumbersome dresses are dangerous in the forest, and the hems get caught on things, and they stand out for no reason—"

"I'm not talking about 'clothes for fighting,' I'm talking about 'clothes for showing off,'" Regina giggled. "In the forest, you always choose clothes that are easy to move in, don't you? That's correct in itself. But just for one day. Just for the evening, or just while you're indoors—try showing the Sage-sama a version of yourself that's a little dressed up."

"D-dressed up..."

An unrealistic image of herself sitting in a dress in Yuu’s log cabin living room popped into Aurora's head.

(It wouldn't suit me... no, it's not about whether it suits me, wouldn't I look incredibly out of place?)

The heat in her face showed no signs of subsiding.

"I’m sure he'll have a different reaction," Regina declared with total confidence. "When he sees my lovely, lovely little sister... dressed up with all her heart."

She reached out and toyed with a strand of Aurora's golden hair—hair that had grown even glossier thanks to the forest air and Yuu’s magic. Stroking it affectionately, she continued.

"There isn't a man alive whose heart wouldn't waver, even just a little."

"B-but... um..."

"It doesn't have to be a gown for a capital ball," Regina clarified. "A dress that's easy to move in but has a beautiful silhouette. Fabric in colors that stand out against the green of the forest. Something that doesn't show too much shoulder but still gives a slightly different impression than usual... there are plenty of ways."

"...Is that how it works?"

"Yes, that's exactly how it works." Regina gave a mischievous wink. "The Sage-sama is a clever man, isn't he? Then you should try to bewitch that cleverness of his just a little bit."

Aurora felt as if her head were spinning. She squeezed her hands together on her lap. What kind of face would Yuu make if he saw her like that?

Would he be surprised? Would he laugh? Or—would he find himself, for just a moment, at a loss for words?

(...I think I might want to see that.)

The moment she thought it, she surprised herself.

"Wh... what kind of clothes would be good?"

Before she knew it, the question had escaped her lips. Regina’s face brightened instantly.

"Leave it to me!"

Her voice sounded as if she had been waiting for this exact moment.

"I am an expert at dressing up my sister, you know! Something that's easy to move in even in the forest, but clearly says 'special' at a glance. A perfect line that catches the Sage-sama's eye without trying too hard—I'll plan it all for you."

From that point on, it became a time for a secret consultation between sisters. Which colors would best complement Aurora’s eyes and hair? What length would be safest in the forest? The decorations should be modest, yet convey high quality—

The "Sage Conquest Strategy Meeting" between the First and Second Princesses continued for quite some time, even after the evening bells had finished tolling.

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