Chapter 17

(Your Highness, you're quite a handful...)

Cordelia muttered to herself and then began to discuss their next move with Leonhardt in a low voice.

To avoid making the conversation seem unnatural, they only went over the broad outlines and decided to take action.

"Pamela, I've fixed my clothes, so it's okay to turn around now."

When she called out, Pamela turned around hesitantly.

She was always afraid of Leonhardt, so Cordelia had to do the explaining.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting—"

"Cordelia-sama!! I'm so sorry!!"

Pamela bowed deeply.

"……What's this all of a sudden?"

"Everything!! I'm sorry for making a hole in the ship and for lying!!"

With a trembling, tearful expression, Pamela apologized, trying not to let the tears fall.

"I know that apologizing won't make it right!! I did something terrible to Cordelia-sama!!"

"……That's true."

"Because it was ordered by Katharina-sama………so I convinced myself that it was okay, that I shouldn't be blamed……"

But, she said, hugging herself, her trembling grew stronger.

"But, because of that, I think I've been punished."

"Punished?"

"The lion that attacked me earlier must have been……a manifestation of the Holy Beast, trying to make me repent for my despicable and pitiful actions."

……I don't think the lion or Leonhardt had such intentions.

(Well, silence is golden...)

There is a legend that the lion, the ancestor of the royal family, sometimes appears before the people to watch over the country's future. Cordelia didn't believe it much, but the nobles and commoners still had a strong reverence for it.

"Of course, I know that the real Holy Beast wouldn't appear to someone like me.……So, I think that vision was just my imagination. My guilt must have taken the form of the Holy Beast to stop me from making excuses and to show me my sins……"

Pamela looked up at Cordelia, trying not to cry.

"So, I won't follow Katharina-sama's orders anymore. I don't think this will be enough to earn your forgiveness, but……this is the best I can do to apologize to Cordelia-sama."

She bowed deeply again.

"……Please raise your head. If your words are true, can you do a few favors for me?"

"Y-Yes!! If there's anything I can do!!"

Seeing Pamela's plea for forgiveness, Cordelia gave her a few instructions.

(Anyone can apologize with words alone...)

But being apologized to and seeing her tremble made it hard to want to bully the weak. Since she seemed to feel guilty, Cordelia decided to set aside her anger and use her.

- "The one who saved the drowning Pamela was Cordelia."

- "No one was here except Pamela, her servant, and Cordelia."

- "To get help for the weakened Pamela, Cordelia went into the forest."

……Cordelia explained this story to Pamela, and they decided to leave the place.

"Alright, Pamela, when you meet Katharina and the others, please tell them what I said."

"Understood, Cordelia-sama, Your Highness. What will you do next?"

"We plan to go in the opposite direction of the lake, through the forest. Can you close your eyes for a while?"

"Close my eyes?"

"The path we're about to take is a secret animal trail known only to the prince and a few others. I don't think you'll spread the word, but just to be safe, I'd like you to not see it."

"Understood. Please be careful."

After confirming that Pamela was facing the opposite direction and covering her eyes, Cordelia looked up at Leonhardt.

"……Then, Your Highness, I'm sorry, but—"

"Ah, leave it to me."

In front of Cordelia, Leonhardt's outline blurred, and a faint light was emitted. In the blink of an eye, a golden lion with lustrous fur appeared.

"Excuse me."

Placing her hand on the lion's back, Cordelia hesitated for a moment.

She was used to riding horses, but riding a lion was, of course, her first time.

It seemed a bit difficult to mount it like a horse.

"Your Highness, is it okay if I sit sideways?"

"Ugh."

With a small sound, Leonhardt nodded.

With his approval, Cordelia slowly sat on his back.

She was told it was okay to hold onto the mane, so she gratefully did so.

(……I'm not feeling very calm...)

But it was much better than being carried princess-style by Leonhardt through the forest.

The current Leonhardt was a lion, not a human, just an animal.

She told herself that she was only borrowing the lion's back to get through the forest.

"Then, Your Highness, please."

With a "Gau!", the lion's supple legs moved, and Leonhardt ran into the forest.

(……It feels so good...)

Cordelia held her hair as the wind blew.

Though she had some experience with horseback riding, she had never galloped at high speed.

The changing scenery and the wind on her cheeks were fresh and quite pleasant.

Lions are said to live on the grasslands.

However, Leonhardt's steps through the forest were steady and natural, smoothly weaving through the trees.

His run was smooth, and despite sitting sideways without a saddle or stirrups, her body didn't shake much, making it quite comfortable.

(Your Highness must be really considerate...)

She felt both grateful and embarrassed.

All Cordelia could do was hold on tightly and not be a hindrance.

How much longer would it take to get through the forest? As she looked ahead, she saw several small golden flames flickering.

(He's really thorough...)

The golden flames burned the leaves and branches in their path, ensuring they wouldn't hit Cordelia's body.

The lion, the ancestor of the royal family, was said to be a spirit of fire.

Thanks to the special flames, there was no risk of a forest fire, and Leonhardt kept emitting flames as he ran.

(Beautiful...)

Riding the beautiful lion, Cordelia felt like she was racing through a fairy tale, guided by the golden flames that flickered and disappeared.

She was deeply moved, but part of her was also trying to escape the reality that the lion was Leonhardt.

Feeling half moved and half escaping reality, she was eventually shaken from her thoughts as Leonhardt stopped.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Straightening her dress, she dismounted, and the lion's body wavered, transforming back into a human.

"Is this near the exit of the forest?"

"I sensed someone. My servant should be here soon."

"Do your servants know that you can take the form of a lion?"

"No, I haven't told them. Only my parents, my nanny, and two others know about my lion form."

"I see……"

So, she was the sixth person to know.

Cordelia felt a heavy weight in her stomach, knowing that she had been entrusted with a secret even the servants didn't know.

(……I understand about the parents and the nanny, but who are the other two……?)

She was a bit curious, but asking might make things awkward.

As she wondered aimlessly, the nearby trees rustled, and as Leonhardt had said, a servant appeared.