Chapter 51

Tiara Rose was scolded by Aquasteed for sneaking out and was forbidden from eating her favorite sweets.

However, the hidden stage of the Fairy King still lingered in her mind. She wanted to go through the secret passage that Levi had told her about and see what was there.

"But if I go, Lady Aqua will be angry... but I want to go, but I’ll be scolded... ugh, what should I do?"

She lay down on the sofa in her room with a sigh. If Filine were here, she would scold her for being impolite, but fortunately, she was alone in her room. She could lie down without worrying and think about what to do. Suddenly, her mind became clear.

"I have to go...!"

She sat up from the sofa, wondering why she hadn’t realized this crucial point earlier. Tiara Rose had realized that she needed to go to the Fairy King’s hidden stage.

—This is a place that should be visited by Lady Aishira.

However, the heroine Aishira had not received the Fairy King’s blessing. In other words, Aishira, who should have gone, couldn’t.

There might be something important for the future of this country. After all, it’s a major event, the Fairy King’s hidden stage.

"If the Fairy King’s hidden stage is necessary... Lady Aqua has the blessing, so she should go."

Tiara Rose thought that Prince Aquasteed should go instead of her. However, the problem was explaining why Tiara Rose knew about such a place. She decided to think about it when the time came.

"But the problem is how to sneak out of the castle and go to the Fairy King’s hidden stage..."

She knew that because she had sneaked out before, the guards had been increased. Of course, if she honestly said she wanted to go out, she would be allowed, but that wouldn’t do. As the villainess, Tiara Rose couldn’t make a big deal out of playing the hidden stage. If it caused the game’s scenario to deviate, it would be a problem. ...It had already deviated quite a bit, though.

—Besides, there’s someone else who knows about the game.

That butler, Levi, definitely knows about this otome game. She hadn’t talked to him much, so she didn’t know the details.

"At night, Lady Aqua is around, so I can’t sneak out. And during the day, Filine and Tarmo are around..."

Moreover, she didn’t know how long it would take to return from the Fairy King’s hidden stage. She couldn’t create an alibi, and she was stuck. As she was thinking about what to do, she heard a knock on the window.

"...?"

What was going on? She stared at the window of her room. There should be patrolling knights outside, so no one suspicious should be able to get here.

—Could it be Lady Aqua?

She remembered when Aquasteed came to Lapis Lazuli’s room before they were married. They had talked on the balcony. But now, there was no reason for him to sneak in. She opened the curtain to check, and there stood Levi, looking annoyed.

"Ah!"

W-Why is the butler from the sequel villainess here? There’s no way he could easily reach the room of Tiara Rose, the wife of Prince Aquasteed. She gasped, and Levi put his finger to his lips to indicate silence.

"Why are you here, Levi...?"

"I just borrowed the castle’s secret passage."

"Huh..."

While it seemed like a state secret, she thought it might be related to the game and held back from questioning him further. When she wondered why he had come, Levi said, "Let’s get the ring quickly."

—Does Levi want the ring?

Maybe it’s for the villainess he serves, Olivia. Without waiting for a response, Levi entered Tiara Rose’s room uninvited.

"Hey, you...! Don’t just enter my room!"

"It’s exactly two in the afternoon now."

Checking his pocket watch, Levi muttered, "It should be fine." Tiara Rose didn’t want to know what he meant by "fine," but it was clear what he was talking about.

That’s right.

Sneaking out of the castle to go to the hidden stage of the Sea Fairy King.

Levi slowly traced the wall with his gloved hand. Tiara Rose hesitated to call Tarmo, but she couldn’t kick out Levi, who knew about the game.

—Is there a secret passage in this room?

As the wife of the prince, she thought there might be one, even though she hadn’t heard about it. Sure enough, Levi soon said, "Here it is," and turned the wall.

"...I’m surprised. I didn’t know there was such a mechanism here."

"It’s an escape route for the royal family. Let’s sneak out of the castle and get the ring of the Sea Fairy King. Otherwise, I might start suffering from Olivia withdrawal."

Levi reached out to Tiara Rose and said, "Let’s go quickly."

"But..."

"Just lock the door from the inside. When you return, just say you were sleeping."

"...Alright."

Despite her hesitation, the hidden stage of the Fairy King won out. If she hurried back, it wouldn’t be discovered this time... Using the secret passage, she sneaked out of the castle.

◇ ◇ ◇

Only Tiara Rose, who had received the blessing, could enter the hidden stage of the Sea Fairy King. Levi said he would wait at the entrance, and Tiara Rose went in alone.

"I’m glad I didn’t meet Lady Aishira..."

Since it was near Aishira’s mansion, the chances of meeting were high. This time, Levi had a carriage ready when they sneaked out of the castle, so they came here. It was the first time she had used the castle’s underground passage, and it was more complicated than she had imagined.

—But I found out before Lady Aqua told me.

I feel a bit guilty, but I’m glad I know.

While thinking that it might be useful in case something happens, she noticed how cold it was.

"Still, it’s so cold here..."

Wearing a dress with exposed shoulders, the cool air touched her skin. The hidden stage of the Fairy King, which she was entering for the first time, was like an underwater cave. It made sense if it was called a hidden sea path.

It was cool and damp, but the coral on the walls emitted a faint light, providing illumination. She was relieved it wasn’t dark and slowly moved forward.

As a villainess, maybe nothing will happen.

—Well, if nothing happens, I’ll turn back quietly.

She didn’t absolutely need the ring, and she didn’t know what effects it had.

"Maybe Lady Aishira will receive the blessing and be able to come..."

She chuckled, thinking the chances were slim. If Akari were in her position, she would ignore Aishira and conquer the hidden stage of the Fairy King.

"Thinking about it, maybe I’m quite reserved?"

Even sneaking into the hidden stage of the Fairy King, from Aquasteed’s perspective, she was far from reserved and more like a wild princess, but unfortunately, there was no one to point that out. Thinking she was more reserved than Akari made her feel much lighter. She didn’t want to be seen as a wild princess by Aquasteed.

"What kind of ring is the Fairy’s ring?"

Thinking about the ring, which was part of the game title, she imagined it must be beautiful.

After walking for a while, the cave-like walls turned entirely into coral. Surprised, she saw a door as if protected by the coral. She held her breath, realizing this must be the hidden stage of the Fairy King. She felt out of place in this silent space, but since she had the right to enter, she touched the door.

The door, quietly standing, was adorned with gold and looked majestic. It was decorated with fish, symbolizing Pearl, and it heightened her excitement.

"...The hidden stage of Pearl..."

She hadn’t expected to reach it so soon. She slowly opened the door and stepped inside.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Oh no..."

In the office where Aquasteed was absent, Elliot was holding his head in his hands. This competent aide was skilled in intelligence gathering. He had been careful, but he had just noticed that Tiara Rose was missing from her room.

"But no presence in the castle? Could she... have sneaked out again?"

Elliot tilted his head, wondering if there was something in the castle that made her want to sneak out without Aquasteed’s permission. Even if she wanted to learn more about the fairies, Tiara Rose was loved by the forest fairies. They visited her every day, so there was no need to sneak out.

"Or is there some other secret?"

He didn’t understand what Tiara Rose was thinking. There was a library that only the royal family could enter, but Tiara Rose had never been there. If not, it meant she was getting information through another route.

"For now, I should report to Aquasteed."

He knew Aquasteed would definitely be angry, but not telling him would be even worse. He prepared a horse to leave the castle immediately and canceled all of Aquasteed’s scheduled activities for later.

Ah, please be safe, Elliot could only pray for Tiara Rose, who had disappeared.