The queen’s secret 3

"Do I know you by any chance?"

"What?! No…haha…how can an elegant lady like you know someone like me? Heh! That's impossible."

Elegant, huh? Is she mistaking my lack of faction expression for elegance? I wonder if that is the case. But now she is making me more curious. Think about it, where have I seen her? A maid from the imperial palace, I don't know anyone here, so it's for sure that we haven't met before.

"Well, I will let you stay here since I have something else to take care of inside the house. If you can walk, now is your chance to run away."

"…Thank you, but I cannot. I don't have anywhere else to go. Working here, even though has its difficulties, they pay me well. So, I will go back and accept my punishment."

"Girl, that was just an old vase, for god's sake! Brake the other one and make it match, or tell them that I did it and the case closed. Listen to me, no ornament or artifact, national treasure or not, no matter how expensive it is, nothing is worth more than one's life."

"…?!"

Ironic, isn't it? I am trying to convince someone to value their life when I don't care about mine or the whole world in particular. This reminds me of something similar that happened not long ago.

'Why do you think your life has no value when you have people who love and care about you? If you continue to think that way, don't blame others for doing otherwise. The first step should be made by you, like now for example. You accepted my invitation to talk face to face with each other, and you can see that I don't walk on eggshells when I am around you and even your silence doesn't make me uncomfortable.'

'I don't know if you are naive or just a good actor, but let me make one thing clear. I don't blame anyone for my misfortune, no one. I let everyone think of their free will, and what they like to think of me is the easiest way to select who is wearing a mask and who is not. And while trying to avoid dealing with them I am just seeing how many of you hide your true colors around me. Is a rewarding process, with a satisfying ending!'

'…?! Well…uhm…I guess this means that I am on the good side of the selection. Since you are not avoiding me, right?'

It would have been rude of me to tell Alan that he was ranged last and is not even on my hit list. He would have not been there at all if he didn't creep me out at Mireya's birthday party. But that was just a small incident, no hard feelings. If I told him that, I was afraid he would get the wrong idea or even worst, they would have turned it into a competition. But from all that, he was right about something. I have to take the first step before making assumptions.

"Listen. If going back is what you want, then wait here. I am going to take you there when I am done and you won't get to accept the penalty. Now, what do you want to do? Wait or go back first?"

"?! I-I will stay here."

"All right, do as you wish."

I might not care about mine, however, I dislike seeing people fade away like this, and when some who just sit twiddling their thumbs all day long dare to play with commoners' life like it's nothing. I dispase them so much and even if these girls were just some maids working at the castle, they also deserve a punishment for being their tools! They all soon are going to fall in their faces and then find out what is like to be on the bottom of the chain.

But before that…where did he hide? I left the girl a little far from the house on purpose, but I didn't take too long to return and he was here just a while ago. Still, he can't have gone far with his injuries, and I would have noticed him if he went outside, so he has to be somewhere around…hm? Is it just me or does this part of the floor seems kind of suspicious?

"Child, I know you are scared, but stop playing games. I know you are here, somewhere. I told you I won't do anything to and I am going to keep my word and treat your injuries. There is no point in hiding from me…the scent gives you away pretty easily."

"…"

And…I was ignored again. Wow! Two times in a row, that's quite impressive in my opinion. Perhaps, I should not ask questions and leave him alone here, but I have too much time on my hands, so why not.

I thought about leaving right after arriving here in the palace, but that would have given the wrong message. What if people said that I came here and his highness kicked me out because I returned too early? So, the more time I spend here, the better.

But…if this boy is just going to keep ignoring me and stay hidden in the most obvious place I have no other choice but to play along again.

"Kid. I am sorry, I have nothing against you, but… do you know that your blood releases a scent of a scary pray? So pleasant, thrilling, and overall, tempting for those with animal instincts. If I was one of them I would have said that it smells delicious and I would have died for a bite. Probably if you gave me an arm or a leg I would have been satisfied, but since I don't have that kind of instinct, the only thing that can satisfy my hunger is if you give your soul to me. I crave a pure soul of a young child that has no idea about the real world. And it will be even more satisfying if I can come and take it myself."

*Hic*

"But I am in a good mood right now and so I will let you choose the way I am going to take it out of you. Option one, tearing your body into pieces. Option two, suck the soul out of your dead body, and option three… reaching my arm through this tiny hole, dragging you out, and brake your neck to throw you with the others if you don't come out right this instant."

"Wh-what? How did you kno-…!? No, you are just bluffing. Y-y-you can't possibly do that… right?"

"Hehe~… [Try me]!"

"Wait…what?! How did your hand…no…wait *ouch*…my arm…you are hurting me…WAIT! Kyah!!!"

Uff! Too much noise and for what? That hurt me more than him anyways. The place he was hiding was so narrow that I almost broke my back from bending down to reach him. Who would have thought that there was a secret hideout under the floorboards? A whole child fit in there without a problem, where it was probably meant for smaller items or storing food.

"What were you doing in there? Even an idiot with a pair of eyes could see that there was something wrong with the floor."

"…"

So, you are not going to talk, huh? All right, no problem. Like I care what happens to a random child I just met. Hmph! …sigh! Only today and that's it.

"Before you lost consciousness, you asked me to get everyone out. Is this your house?"

"…"

Hmm. Are you ignoring me again now? Right, he is a child. If he is ignoring me on purpose, it might be because of this-

"Did your parents teach you not to talk to a stranger?"

"What? …Well, yes. They did actually! So, don't talk to me."

"Hm?! Pf-pfft…sorry…pfft…hahaha!"

This is so stupid, I can't believe I was right. He probably was trying to look tough, but he is just a naive little kid. Well, I couldn't keep a straight face right there and oh god...it's been so long since I have laughed like this.

"Why are you laughing at me? Stop it"

"Hahaha! Sorry, I couldn't hold it in. But not only did you talk to a stranger and asked them to help you, but you also let them inside your house. So, your parents will be really disappointed when they find out about this."

"I-I didn't know what else to do."

"Right, right! Anyway, now that you mentioned it, how did you end up like this? I thought that you were on death doors back then, but you look fine to me. The injury in your arm will leave a small permanent scar on your shoulder, but that's not important. I want to ask if you heard something from upstairs like…crying or better say, screeching and loud screaming?"

"What?! No. I hide there right after I saw you leave."

"Was I carrying something?"

"…I don't know…were you?"

Was that supposed to be a yes or a no? Make up your mind kid! I will just take it as a yes for now, since I voluntarily helped him, but if he really saw what I did, he better finds a better spot to hide from what is coming. Anyway, there is something that is bothering me with that wound on his shoulder.

"Say kid, is that something wrong with how your body works, or are you just not human?"

"HAH?!?! What is this question?"

Hmm. Perhaps I should have asked something else so he could understand where I was going with that, but my question still stands. What if he is a hybrid or half-caste? A decadent of someone blessed by the goddess? Or is this just a case of mutation?

Whatever it is, those injuries couldn't possibly close by themselves in a short period. Is his own body is trying to heal itself while we speak? I can't say that it is impossible, there is so much to know and too many secrets about this world that I am not aware of, and if so, I am no god and I don't take myself for an omniscient either, but a child inside the palace…hiding from everyone in a small wooden house not far away from the main palace…is he an illegitimate child?

Hmm~! Interesting. I want to know it all, however, curiosity is deadly. A curse and a struggle I have to deal with all the time. However, only one name comes to my mind that had solid proof of committing adultery and was never found guilty since the outcoming was so bizarre. But is this some kind of ...secret?

"Riiight… so you are a human with abilities to heal who lives inside the palace territory, yet hides from everyone's eye. Yes, this is totally normal, nothing to be suspicious about."

"Why are you making that face, you don't believe it, do you? I am a human, I look like one and act as such…wait that sounds wrong, but still…people like you won't understand, so why? …*sniff*…*sob*…I-I don't have to prove anything."

People like me? I don't get it. What does being a rapha have to do with this? If he is not what he proclaims to be, I will be the first person he can relate to. It is not a sin to be different, and tears won't solve anything. I know that those will only make you look weak.

"I won't judge you if you are not like the others and I won't go back to my word either, so stop crying now and tell me why I wouldn't understand you?"

"Huh? Do- don't get the wrong idea. I am not crying because I am scared, and I am not afraid of your words either. I am just…fed up!"

"Fed up? With what exactly? With people doubting you, asking you like I did, or are you just throwing a tantrum because you are nothing more than a little child that can only do so much as seek help from other people around him?"

"You…you ask too many questions. Stop acting like you care and leave me alone!"

Hmm? So, I now am annoying you? I was just getting started. I was ready not to hold back until I find something interesting coming out of your mouth. Oh well, next time then. There is something I have to do in this area so the sooner the better.

"All right then kid, I am leaving. I am sorry to leave all the cleaning to you, but I have to go now and it seems like you don't want me here any longer. So, bye!"

"Huh?!"

It would be a shame to leave without getting an answer, but I will find a way to come here again if I want to. I don't want to sound clingy to his highness or anything, but I suppose if I want to come here again, I have to convince him.

"Wait, wait…miss…Miiiis! *huff*…*huff*… You forgot your coat."

"Hm? Oh right, don't worry about that, you can keep it."

Next time for sure. I will come here if I have the chance. And find a better place before someone discovers it.