Chapter 82

Despite making the decision to proceed with the event, Tiara Rose knew she needed the Ring of the Sky Fairy King, which Aquasteed possessed.

After finishing her bath, Tiara Rose lay on the bed, rolling around as she pondered how to obtain it. Of course, she couldn't just ask, "Can I borrow your ring?" and expect it to be handed over easily. There was a possibility that explaining the reason might work, but the diary entry warned that it must not be known by anyone else. This meant she had to get it without Aquasteed noticing.

――I really don't want to keep secrets, though.

"Tiara?"

"Oh, Lady Aquasteed. Welcome back."

"Just now. You could have kept sleeping."

Since the king fell ill, Aquasteed's workload has increased. His condition shows no signs of improvement, and the worry grows day by day. However, there seems to be a way to cure him. Tiara Rose doesn't know the method, but Aquasteed and Ferres seem to be aware of it.

Aquasteed, who had visited the king's bedroom, reported, "He seems to be doing well."

"His appetite hasn't changed, which is reassuring."

"Being able to eat is important."

"However, it seems that the queen is more exhausted from taking care of him."

Aquasteed slipped into the bed and lay down next to Tiara Rose. She was then gently embraced, as if being cuddled. The gesture was cute, like a cat, but the conversation was filled with worry.

"Lavinia is... I understand her concern. Would it be alright to prepare some delicious pastries and invite her to a tea party? It might be a bother, but..."

"No, if Tiara is okay with it, you can invite her. Preferably outside rather than inside."

"Understood."

If Lavinia stays cooped up in her room, she might really break down. Even if she says she doesn't want to go out, Aquasteed insists on taking her out by force. Tiara Rose chuckled, "I can't force the queen to do anything."

"In that case, I'll join the tea party too. That way, we can take her out without forcing her."

"If you say so, Lady Aquasteed..."

"Yes. I'm looking forward to it."

"I'll prepare the most delicious cake. Of course, other things too."

Realizing her worries had settled, Tiara Rose felt a sense of calm. Aquasteed is going through more than she is, given her father's illness. Thinking this, she felt a weight lift from her chest.

Gently stroking Aquasteed's hair, Tiara Rose continued, "I hope he gets better soon. It's like the illness Lady Lilia had before... I'm sure he will get better, right?"

"...Yes. I'll cure him."

"Lady Aquasteed..."

Hearing Aquasteed's words, Tiara Rose straightened up. Sitting on the bed, Aquasteed rolled onto her back, resting her head on Tiara Rose's lap. It was a pillow for her head.

Aquasteed closed her eyes slowly, seemingly deep in thought. Or perhaps, it was a resolve.

When she next looked at Tiara Rose, there was no hesitation in her eyes.

"I want to become the Queen of the Starry Sky."

"――!"

The sudden declaration left Tiara Rose breathless. A moment of silence filled the room, but it was broken by Tiara Rose's exhaled breath.

"Tiara, this might cause you a lot of trouble—"

"It's fine, such things—"

"...Tiara?"

Interrupting Aquasteed, Tiara Rose's voice grew hoarse.

"Involve me more. Just being protected by you, Aquasteed, isn't enough. I want to walk by your side."

Breathing heavily, she shared her thoughts. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she was overjoyed to hear Aquasteed's resolve. Tears overflowed uncontrollably, streaming down her cheeks and onto Aquasteed's. She caught the tears with her fingertips, and Aquasteed licked them.

"!!"

"Salt."

"Of course! What are you doing, Lady Aquasteed!!"

She quickly rubbed her eyes with her hands to wipe away the tears.

"Stop, you'll make them red."

Gently, Aquasteed released Tiara Rose's hands and kissed her tear-streaked eyes, making the tears stop. Wiping them with the sleeve of her nightgown, Tiara Rose felt a bit embarrassed, but she had no handkerchief...

Trying to change the subject to hide her embarrassment,

――Pastries, no, that's not it, um, um... That's it!

"Lady Aquasteed, show me the ring!"

"The ring?"

The sudden change of topic made Aquasteed chuckle. She knew Tiara Rose was embarrassed, but didn't realize the true intention behind the request.

"The Ring of the Sky Fairy King can amplify one's voice."

"Yes, I know."

There's nothing more convenient than this when you need to reach the people. This world has media like newspapers, but no real-time communication like television or radio.

Aquasteed took the ring off her finger and handed it to Tiara Rose. It was a relief that she didn't suspect anything, but Tiara Rose couldn't admit that she needed it for her own purposes.

The ring, made from opal, was transparent and wide. It usually fits on Aquasteed's right thumb.

"Relying on it too much isn't good, but it has been helpful."

"Yes."

Tiara Rose agreed. Using more power than necessary isn't right. It should be used only when truly needed, a responsibility of the owner.

――But I need to borrow this ring secretly.

She didn't want to steal it, but it was necessary to move forward. Since Aquasteed had expressed her intention to become queen, Tiara Rose shouldn't hesitate.

"Thank you, Lady Aquasteed. The Ring of the Sky Fairy King is indeed beautiful. It's the most transparent."

She quickly put the ring back on Aquasteed's finger, checking the size discreetly.

"...Hmm."

"Are you sleepy, Lady Aquasteed?"

"A little. I've been working a lot lately and have a lot to think about."

Seeing her doze off, Tiara Rose lay down next to her. She hugged Aquasteed tightly and stroked her back. Aquasteed buried her face in Tiara Rose's chest and soon fell asleep. Realizing how exhausted she must be, Tiara Rose didn't want to burden her further.

――If the event is troubling you, I'll solve it!

She would go to the Beginning Square and pray. She believed she was the only one who could do this and didn't want to pass this responsibility to anyone else.

"...Lalala..."

She sang a lullaby slowly. Aquasteed was lulled into a peaceful sleep, and Tiara Rose, lying next to her, also fell asleep, hugging each other tightly.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Hmm, hmm...?"

Suddenly feeling a numbness in her arm, Tiara Rose opened her eyes to find Aquasteed's head in front of her. She almost gasped but managed to hold it back.

"Oh, right... I fell asleep while hugging Lady Aquasteed, so my arm went numb."

Her left arm was under Aquasteed's head, serving as a pillow. It made sense that it would go numb, but she wondered if Aquasteed, who usually uses her arm as a pillow, was okay.

Carefully pulling her arm out without waking Aquasteed, she placed a pillow under her head. Aquasteed seemed to be in a deep sleep, showing no signs of waking. The day's work, her father's illness, the mysterious light in the sky, and the pressure from the nobles to make Aquasteed queen were all weighing on her.

"You've worked hard, Lady Aquasteed."

Gently stroking her head, Tiara Rose thought, I need to pamper her more tomorrow! Then she had a realization.

――Maybe I can borrow the ring now?

Aquasteed was sleeping so deeply that even a slight movement wouldn't wake her, and there might not be another chance like this. Waking up in the middle of the night felt almost miraculous.

"...I'm just borrowing it for a bit, okay."

Tiara Rose carefully removed the Ring of the Sky Fairy King from Aquasteed's finger and put it on her own right thumb. It was a bit large, but it adjusted to fit perfectly.

"! Amazing, it fits the owner's finger."

This way, she wouldn't have to worry about dropping the ring. Tiara Rose quietly slipped out of bed and went to her room. She chose a comfortable, casual outfit from the wardrobe and changed quietly. Any noise would alert the guards outside her door.

She tied her hair into a low bun to keep it out of the way. She wore white riding pants and a simple blouse, topped with a deep blue jacket with lace. Her disguise was complete.

"Alright, perfect! Now, how do I get out of this room...?"

If she tried to go out alone in the middle of the night, Tarmo would strongly oppose it, and might even wake Aquasteed to report it. Tarmo's trust in her was almost zero after she jumped into an unverified spring to save Liliage.

"Oh, right. Lady Olivia's guidebook mentioned all the hidden passages in the castle."

One of these passages connected to her room. It was a network of hidden passages leading to various parts of the castle, including a path to the sewers. Tiara Rose had memorized the passage connected to her room, but Lady Olivia had documented all the hidden passages in the guidebook.

In a way, Lady Olivia's dedication was both impressive and a bit scary.