Royal Disappearances

There were only very few people here in the library, unlike the last time I was here when it was only me and my gang. But I guess after the traitor was found, there wasn't much need for tight security such as keeping the staff out of the library just for me.

As I made my way amidst the shelves, I saw at the corner of my eyes the three looking at each other. There must be hesitation, but it shouldn't be that surprising for Vernon and Mera since this had already happened before.

I casually walked through the shelves filled with books, heading towards the section where I last knew where books about the kingdom were. I wanted to know a bit of background about the kingdom since, well, no good in not knowing much about my own kingdom — true it was taught during my lessons, but no way they go that deep with us just having sessions of a few hours. Unlike a place where school takes place for about eight hours every weekday.

When I arrived at the section, the texts about the monarchs were of course still here, but I'm not yet reading those. Not even the book that was written by that king that made the Air Step spell.

"Hmm…"

I'm also not doing it completely out of obligation sort of say, this might also be a good time to have a little leisure.

Still, these books are just about the life of specific monarchs and events that happened during their reign.

I only wanted to read a little more detailed background of the kingdom I haven't been taught yet. And no way I'm reading dozens of books just for that, too time-consuming. Not like any specific monarchs have any significance for me, well I'll learn of their significance after reading them in history.

This will also be a good chance to learn a bit of background from any noble family, figure out who's truly close with the royal family, one with history.

But moments later I was still looking for the appropriate book I was looking for. Come on, there has to be someone diligent enough to make a summarized history of our kingdom.

Is there any librarian here?

Everything would be quicker if I just talk to one. But there didn't seem to be a reception desk at the entrance, so I imagined there was no one to serve as a librarian. Maybe the palace has no need for one? Or this world just worked differently in this type of thing.

Hm, Mother might know, but she's busy.

I should maybe ask one of the staff when I grow impatient. Hey, I'm not used to being surrounded by books, so don't blame me if I lose patience looking for a book I just want to read.

Just as I was searching, I encountered someone, a tall slim woman wearing a professional-looking dress that covered most of her skin except for the hands, feet, and of course the neck... In short, she looked like she was dressed against the cold. But it certainly wasn't that cold right now.

She had short black hair and dark eyes, and she stood tall with her back straight as a pole. The moment she saw me, she took a sharp breath for a second and peered at me as though making sure I was who she recognized.

After I cutely smiled at her, she took a step back and did an elegant curtsy.

"Your highness."

She greeted me with surprising calmness. I expected her to be a bit more shaken or something, but I guess she was used to royals entering the library often.

"Hello. Um, you're one of the library staff, yes? Can you help me with something?"

"Of course, what are you searching for?"

"A book about the history of the kingdom. Like, the entire history being written in a single book."

Without a moment's delay, she immediately nodded her head as if she had already known what I was searching for.

"Understood, I'll get it for you, your highness."

"Okay."

She began walking opposite my direction and stopped before a certain shelf a couple of shelves away from me. Huh, so it wasn't that far. She then pulled out a thick book, my eyes widened for a moment after seeing how thick it was, thicker than a bowl of oatmeal — hehehe… yeah I saw that clip.

When she returned to me, I received the book and immediately felt the weight and I was distraught at the thickness. It was around two inches thick, a bit more. Well, what history book is thin anyway?

I let my arms hang down as if suggesting this was heavy for me. No reason, just so I look cute.

"T-Thank you. Then, excuse me."

"Do you want me to help you bring it to your table, your highness?"

I smiled at her kindness.

"No need. Thank you for the offer, but my table is not that far anyway."

After seeing her nod, I continued onward, returning to where my servants were. As for if I was truly struggling to carry this book, nope, way better than I formerly would. My arm strength had gotten better after all that workout every night and then.

But of course I'm not going to do it too much 'cause my soft appearance is very important to me like how one would take care of their romantic partner. That's why I need to be capable of using the physical enhancement so I don't have to worry about strength too much. With the amount of mana I have, I have more range of increasing my physical strength. That's what I expect at least.

When I came back, the three gawked at the sheer size of the book within my hand, a thick and lengthy book, that looked like those old ass big dictionaries.

With a little slam, I put down the book on the table.

"Princess, what are you intending with that?"

What a foolish question, Rogan. I wanted to say that, but I'm not gonna.

"To read of course. What other purpose does a book have?"

As it was a fairly old book, it only had a leather cover with no writing whatsoever that suggested what this book was about. I wonder whose generation was the one covered last. I opened the book and on the first page wrote the title "Wisterian History" with the author Staugen Lanson. I don't recall having a monarch of that name, so he must be someone else.

"The kingdom's history?" Vernon muttered. "This is the least I was expecting you would take interest in, your highness."

"Yeah, aren't you already learning about this kind of stuff in your studies?" Rogan said. "And to be reading an overly detailed one, apparent from the sheer size of the text."

I smiled softly.

"What's wrong with it? It's going to be interesting, don't you think? History is the best subject."

No it's not.

"I can't say I want to go deeply about it though…"

Oh my Rogan, how shameful of you not to have any interest in the history of our beloved kingdom and lovely home. You should be beheaded under a guillotine. Just kidding.

"Alright, Mera."

"Y-Yes?"

"You can continue your training with Vernon while I'm reading."

"... Understood."

I sat down with a sigh. At least this would be a change of pace for once.

I turned the page and skimmed through the pages, reading the parts where there seemed to be interesting stuff going on. In the first pages though, it stated that this was written during the time of that certain king who took out the unnecessary nobles and formed a friendly relationship with the holy kingdom. So that king, fifth king back from Father. Quite recently then.

Then after that page, as expected, it started at the founding of the kingdom where two lovers were. However, there was something new I discovered.

That's interesting.

There were accounts that say that the founding queen, after their children were only a few years old, barely showed herself, never appearing in public since then but only her husband the king. There were sayings that she got ill.

However, there was another small piece of information that she was also never seen walking around the castle nor were there servants sent to take care of her. That being said, the king insisted that everything was alright and nothing to worry about. However, there was no definite information discovered. Documentation seemed to be very rare that so little information was found that talks about the founding and the first royal family.

If that was the case though, what could have happened to the queen?

Well, no point in mulling over it when there's barely any useful information. For all I know it was just some random politics at work, or the queen just wanted to rest and retired to the countryside. Being a leader of a country is not easy work. Sometimes, simple things just happened in the past and we're simply overthinking and going wrong about it, making assumptions.

Moving on I skimmed through the pages again.

Boooorinnnggg.

Come on, give me something interesting. Yeah I'm taking this like I'm reading some novel or something. I kept skimming through several pages, only stopping to read the entire page when I caught something interesting.

Then a few generations later, I caught something interesting.

A royalty disappearing…

In this one particular generation, an exceptional prince suddenly vanished from the kingdom, never seen again. He was the eldest child, but one day, he just disappeared without any warning, nor did he say he was going somewhere. It was as if he was abducted.

That being said, there was no known feud he had with anyone nor did the royal family. They searched and searched, but to no avail. Of course, eventually, they just gave up, but it took more than a decade to do so.

Hm, maybe he eloped?

Then the next one after that, another record of a missing royalty, this time a princess.

Maybe she eloped?

I joked, but in the next generation, another prince once again vanished.

Woah woah, what the fuck?

This was worrisome. I mean, why were they disappearing just like that?!

Next generation, another one also disappeared.

… What was going on? Wait, were there any disappearances from the family before me? Something they hid from me, or from us?

I skipped a few generations. Another missing royalty. Several centuries later, and the pattern of disappearances had changed. Instead of every new royal family, it skipped a family or so. Then during another couple of centuries, only one royalty vanished. Then, when I moved through the pages, events about royal disappearances came to a stop. There were no more disappearances…

"Huh…"

I put a hand to cover my mouth, just a thinking posture.

Is this actually serious?

I mean, I am royalty. Could this be connected to those wanting to kill me? Oryn, and those inhuman beings? But if that's the case, why? Why were royalties even disappearing? For what reason?

Some beef with Wisteria? But to keep happening for even centuries, it's absurd for grudges to last that long. So, could this mean I'm the target now? And if the ones targeting me wanted me dead, then all those other royalties were killed. Only now did it change, coming out of subtlety because I was warned and then told my family about the situation.

If that's not the case, then could the disappearances be caused by another entity entirely? But to last for centuries… and then stopping? Hmm.

"Does anyone know anything about these disappearances of royalty?"

My three servants looked at me with confusion, taken aback by my sudden question. Considering the topic, it was quite a shocking one.

"Disappearances?"

Vernon didn't know, huh. I looked at Mera and she shook her head, but that was to be expected.

"This is news to me. What disappearances, if I may ask?" Rogan asked.

"For each century, a single member of the royal family disappears, whether they be prince or princesses. It only stopped several centuries ago."

"If you asked, then the reason was never discovered." Rogan said.

"They haven't even found them nor was there any mention of any clue." I turned to look at Vernon. "Did Father never mention anything about it, Vernon? Or the royals before him?"

"I'm afraid I have no idea… maybe because as you said, the disappearances stopped several centuries ago, it has become an obsolete topic to bring up."

I furrowed my brows.

"I wonder if the disappearance of the first queen has something to do with it."

"The founder? Yes, I did hear there was something about that, just a little."

"She did?"

"One of the founders disappeared…?"

It would seem Rogan and Mera never heard about it. Well, I have only heard about this now, and it was never tackled in any of my lessons at all. Like, why? Maybe it was not that major of a topic? Because it happened like a couple of millennia ago?

"Do you think they're connected, your highness?"

Vernon asked me that. However, I'm not quite sure, they may be different situations.

"I'm not sure. The timeframe when the subsequent disappearances started and the first queen's supposed disappearance has a gap of a couple of centuries."

A difference in pattern. But at the later part though the disappearance had begun to have gaps in their timelines… Could they be getting tired or did some situation come up? Or the royal family was not that threatening to them anymore?

Vernon took in a sharp breath as though realizing something.

"Princess, do you think the same thing may be happening to you?"

That could be the best assumption we could make.

"Perhaps. But bear in mind the past royalties went missing, not dead. Oryn wanted me dead right there and then. That being said, we can also assume they have changed their mind."

Hehe, maybe they deemed I'm so special and perfect that I cannot exist in this world of imperfections. I am too worthy that they saw me as a threat, hahahaha! I'm just gonna laugh in my troubles. What else can I do!?

I tapped my finger on the book, playing around as I contemplated. I looked in the direction of where my Mother should be.

I wonder…

Secrets, you always want to know something when it's a secret. Above all, they were hiding something from me.

"Has there been any news from Father's operatives?"

"No…"

Useless. Well, not entirely. But still, they failed the first, and now they're not making any progress. I might as well go out there, but openly going out would be risky without any proper precautions. I need to get a bit stronger, at least before the festival — since I was planning to go out to enjoy it. What's a new life if I don't enjoy it, right?

I heaved a cute sigh. Yeah, there's a thing called a cute sigh, it's cute when you're cute.

Whatever, I'll read more about what's inside this book. Particularly the noble families that were with the royal family for a long time now. I recognized the family name on my mother's side, needless to say, they started at a low rank but in time they rose. There were a few I was not acquainted with but am familiar with.

The Yveno, Madame Eleanore's family name, also seemed to have been close to the royal family for a long time now. Furthermore, there were no significant entries about Lanivia's family to be mentioned here. Then there's Lucious's family line, the Vekenas. Lucious's parents were not that highly ranked to be offered to live around the capital. But there was a family branch of them that was offered and moved here.

In any case, it was a bit of a relief that a lot of family in the capital were my distant relatives. Our family was not the traitorous bunch to be wary of, well to my knowledge anyways — we were a kind bloodline.

I wonder, in the next few centuries, the capital would become crowded because families get promoted with every passing generation. Damn, now that's bothersome. Well, not my problem! Besides, I'll die of old age before that becomes a problem…

Unless I don't get old. This was a world of magic, wasn't it? Woah, could that mean there's a possibility I get to have a long life? Or better yet, to live for eternity? I'm not against that idea. I mean, I sort of want that! Live for eternity? Why not?

Oh gosh, I need to research that. At least some kind of magic that keeps me young or something. I'll sacrifice an entire city if I have to, don't care. But I guess, everything dies, unless I go against it! Hah! Don't think I won't fight fate, mostly now that there's something like magic, the potential is limitless.

… I hope everything goes the way I want it to be.

I heard footsteps coming my way. Raising my eyes to look at the person coming at me, I smiled when it was nothing but Lucious, which was a surprise. He casually approached me with a slight smile, none of my servants seemed to raise their guards since they knew who he was.