Yotogi no Kuni no Gekkouhime

Chapter 23: Rhapsody.
(Second Half)

“Please excuse my rudeness, visiting you when you’ve just arrived here from Aquila.”

“No, you need not to worry about it.
Thank you for your concerns, Prince Milano.”

Helifalte National University, the top university on this continent where the best of intellectuals attended.
The campus area is very large with numerous facilities such as cafeteria, library, food shops, and many more.
It is so vast that, if you feel like it, you could even graduate here without ever setting your foot outside.

And among those facilites is a cafe, and in the corner of said cafe are Milano and Arue, sitting across each other.
It’s an open-air cafe with pure white benches on the green neat grass ground, a place students often used as a resting place or a place to dine.

This isn’t a place a Prince like Milano should be, but if Milano directly visited Arue’s room, there’s a risk that a bad rumor about their relationship will circulate, especially in this campus area where many nobles from various countries attended.
So to prevent that, they decided to meet in a public place.
Since the students here are unaware of Selene’s existence, he can just say that he’s just asking Arue about the preferences of someone he knew, if he needed to explain to them that is.

“I heard from the chancellor that you achieved excellent score on the admission test Princess Arue.
As your recommender, I’m very proud of that.”

“You have my deepest thanks Prince Milano.
Even though the deal was unfavorable to you, but you still provided such a wonderful environment to me.
That’s why I’d do my best to repay your kindness, Prince.”

Arue replied, a little shy.
Milano liked that fact that Arue doesn’t boast of her abilities, nor does she unnecessarily humble, even when speaking to the Prince of a great nation like himself.

“Milano-sama, may I know the purpose of your visit today? If it’s something I can help you with, I’ll gladly give you my full cooperation.”

Arue prompted, but Milano’s a little loss at words.
Seeing his hesitation, Arue’s expression turns a little gloomy.

“Um…… is it that, Selene did something? Is she causing troubles to the Prince and Helifalte nation……?”

“No! That is not the case at all.
Rather than causing troubles, it’d be more correct to say that she contributed a lot to this country.
Ever since she came here, the morale of the soldiers has improved, our unity stronger.
And to be able to welcome the talented Princess Arue to our country as well, I considered it as an extremely significant investment.”

“I’m honored that you praise her to such extent Prince Milano.
I thank you on behalf of entire Aqulia.”

Arue’s big round eyes open wide in surprise, but immediately after she smiles softly before bowing to Milano.
Milano then tells Arue to raise her head up before opening his mouth to speak, looking a little shy.

“The reason for my visit today is due to a personal matter.”

“Personal?”

“Actually, it looks like Selene really hated me now……”

“Ehhhh!? What do you mean by that!?”

Arue let out a loud voice before standing up from her chair, an unusual conduct of her.
Noticing that the students nearby are paying attention at her, Arue slowly sits down while blushing.

“Really she…… Even though Prince Milano treated her so well, what is it that she’s dissatisfied about.”

“No, I’m the one who caused her to hate me.
It was the other day ago, when we visited another country……”

And then Milano told Arue about what happened, starting from when Selene arrived at Helifalte and up to the present, in a brief version.
Arue listens quietly, her expression half surprised half astonished.

“Really, all Selene ever did was surprise me.
That girl, she had never even cooked once before.” (Arue)

“My little sister’s tutor said that her intelligence is definitely not that of normal 8 years old girl, her speech might be impaired, but everything she did surprised him.
I’m looking forward to her brilliance in the future.

Hearing Milano casually compliments her little sister, Arue’s face breaks into a smile.
The fact that her little sister, who suffered from unfortunate life, did her best at everything even when she’s alone in an unfamiliar foreign country, made Arue very proud.
Though in actuality she didn’t do her best at all, or rather, she did her best in something entirely different.

“Looks like I have to do my best as well isn’t it, so that I’d not lose to Selene.
Back to the topic, you said you’d like to know what Selene likes, actually the thing she loved the most is……”

And so Arue whispers quietly, in which Milano listens as if he’s going to memorize every single word of hers.

“I see, I understand now.
As expected of Princess Arue, there is no one who knows more than you when it comes to Selene.”

“I’m glad that I could be of help.
When thing settle down a bit more, I’d like to meet Selene as well.”

“About that, actually I hadn’t told Selene of your arrival yet Princess Arue.”

Milano replied apologetically.
It hasn’t even been a week yet since Arue arrived here, she hasn’t finished unpacking yet.
If he told Selene about Arue’s arrival while she’s still busy, Selene would probably wanted to meet her dear big sister no matter what.

However, Arue has to be more familiar to her new environment first.
That’s why Milano planned to bring Selene along to meet Arue after she settled down a bit more.
Arue, as the big sister, can obviously endure the desire to meet her little sister, but the still-young Selene probably wouldn’t be able to do the same.

“I see.
I’m the only princess of Aquila after all……”

Said Arue, her expression darkens a little.
Selene was treated badly when she was in Aquila, that was one thing, but now she couldn’t even reveal herself as one of the royalty despite all that.
Regarding that, Milano also feels painful about that too.
In order to not let the other students hear, Milano speaks quietly to Arue, as if whispering.

“If Selene and Princess Arue are going to see each other, I regret to say that it would have to be in secret.
However, I promise that I’ll do my utmost best so that one day, she can reveal her true status.”

“I’m deeply grateful for your magnanimous and compassionate heart, Prince Milano.
Also, so that one day Selene can walk on the path full of brightness, I’ll do my best with what little I can as well.”

Said Arue, and the two smiled to each other as they shake hands.
The matters regarding Selene, it’s an agreement between two nations, although unofficial, but still very sensitive nevertheless.
That’s why revealing her identity to the public thoughtlessly is not a good thing, but both Milano and Arue do not have any intention to hide the talented girl in the shadows forever either.

“But still, it’s strangely quiet today.
I feel like it’s a little more bustling earlier.”

“Now that you mentioned it…… I wonder where has everyone gone off to?”

When they finished their business, the two look around them with puzzled expression on their face.
Despite the time still being at a little past noon, but the number of students at the cafe is very few.
Normally there’d be more students coming here to have lunch, resting here until their afternoon class starts.

As they look at others where they went off to, apparently they all are going to the central courtyard where the campus maingate is situated.
Milano calls out to a female student who’s walking past by them, asking her about the matter in which she stopped and responds.

“Ummm, it looks like there’s a commotion at the central courtyard.”

“Commotion? Is it a fight between students or something?”

“No, that doesn’t seems to be the case.
I heard that it’s two young girl making a ruckus.
One’s a blonde hair girl, and the other one a pure white girl from head to toe.”

Hearing her said so, both Milano and Arue look at each other.

“Blonde hair girl and……”

“A pure white girl……”

Milano and Arue stand up so quick that their chairs are knocked down.
They nod to each other before running at a frightening speed to the central courtyard.
The female student who was left behind could only see them off with dumbfounded expression.

　　◆◇◆◇◆

“Now you can’t escape anymore! Just be obedient and give up already!”

“N-, no!”

At the central courtyard, in front of the fountain with colorful plants around it and the neatly laid cobblestone floor, a pure white girl and a blonde hair girl clad in crimson red dress―― Selene and Marie―― are fighting each other.
Surrounding them are the students, forming a crowd as if they are watching a street performance.

Between the two girls and the spectators are the gatekeepers and two coachmen who drove the carriage here, all of their expression perplexed.

But still, the person making a ruckus in front of them is none other than Princess Maribelle of the glorious Helifalte.

And also, the other girl that’s fighting Maribelle too, although they doesn’t know who she is, but she definitely is not of ordinary status.

Or rather, the gatekeepers had completely no idea why this situation is happening.

It was a peaceful afternoon, the gatekeepers are doing their duty relaxingly as the beautiful sunlight illuminates the day, but suddenly two horse carriages came barging in with great speed.
They were so fast that they couldn’t tell them to stop in time.

Thought they were bandits, the gatekeeper hurriedly raise their spear, but both of the carriage are of small size, and also at the side of the carriage’s cover is the eagle insignia, indicating that it’s the carriage of the royalty, so the gatekeepers immediately withdraw their spears.

And immediately after that, two young girls jump out of the carriage at almost the same time, with the white girl running away from the girl dressed in red.
The gatekeepers hurriedly follow after them, they didn’t know the reason for this, but they’re unable to interfere with the princess’s action either, leading to the present situation.

“I said we’re going back! If you come to the school without permission you’ll be scolded!”

“Don’t care!”

“You SHOULD care!”

Selene tries to slip past Marie, but Marie swiftly blocks the path in front of her.
Both of them lower their stance, watching closely for their opponent’s movements.
It’s like a soccer’s forward and the defender are facing each other.

Selene’s getting impatient.
Her opponent is a 10 years old blonde loli.
She really couldn’t put herself to defeat Marie with all her might.
However, she herself is also an 8 years old loli as well, so in term of physical prowess she’s overwhelmingly inferior.
Selene takes a deep breath, then point her tiny index finger straight at Marie.

“Marie, defeat you!”

Selene resolved herself.
She wouldn’t be able to rescue the captured Princess Arue from the last boss Milano unless she defeat the mid-boss Marie here and now.
As of now, Selene had completely forgot the fact that she herself is a princess as well.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself! Very well, I, Maribelle Helifalte, the first princess of Helifalte, shall accept your challenge fair and square without running or hiding!”

And Marie being Marie, clouded by Selene’s excitement, she accepted Selene’s challenge head on.
Since Marie has never had any rival that could match up to her to this extent, to Marie, Selene’s her little sister, her friend, and at the same time, her rival.

As for Selene, she should’ve several times more life experience than Marie, so when it comes to using her full power against a child opponent, Selene’s a grandmaster at this.
Or frankly, she doesn’t possess a single shred of maturity.

“Uwooohー!”

Selene gathers all of her power to her legs, performing the strongest special move that only she could do『Selene Tackle』――, or in short, a mere attempt to physically force her way through.
Selene used all her might.
Against the 10 years old opponent, she’s already using all her power.

“Too slow!”

Against Selene’s thoughtless charge, Marie dodges to the side like how a bullfighter would.
Marie reaches her arms out to grab Selene from behind, but even someone like Selene still has the least minimum learning ability as a human being.

Having experienced getting caught from behind at the castle’s entrace, Selene quickly untie the ribbon on her cloth at her chest area.
Marie tried to grab Selene’s back, but only able to grab the back part of her cloth, unable to take hold of Selene’s body.

And even more surprisingly, Selene struggles to slip off of her dress, like a lizard cutting off their tail out of desperation when attacked by a cat, even Marie was taken aback by this.

“Wait! You can’t walk outside with such immodest appearance you know!? H-, hey! The cloth’s really going to come off!”

“Uwoooh!”

Selene’s doing all she can to advance forward.
If she gives up here, then her beloved sister’s breasts is going to be fondled by that debauched Prince.
The moment she thought of that outcome, Selene’s reasoning flew out the window.
Using every fiber of what power she had, Selene kicks the ground, dashing backward.
Marie who’s pulling Selene’s dress desperately, got knocked back onto the ground with great momentum, and so she’s now under Selene.

“Guh!”

No matter how small or delicate Selene might be, getting crushed between Selene and the ground made Marie let out a voice like a frog being crushed, her hands involuntarily off of Selene’s dress as a result.
Using that gap, Selene escapes from Marie’s restraint, awkwardly rolls on the cobblestone floor to distance away from Marie.

“Geeeーーーz! I’m really angry now!”

Marie who had her luxurious crimson and dress and her neatly arranged blonde hair messed up, got so unprecedentedly excited.
Marie stands up at a surprising speed, dashing out right a starving carnivorous beast, tackling Selene from her waist.
She was taking it lightly earlier, but Marie had no more mercy against Selene.
Both of them are going all out.

The two wrestle each other, rolling on the ground making a mess out of each other.
Without a single care for their expesive dresses, it’s like a ferocious bout between two stray cats to be the owner of the territory.

“Stop, both of you!”

“Nii-sama!?”

At that moment, from among the crowd, the only person who could interrupt the fight between royalty―― Milano, raised his voice.
His voice surprised Marie, but it surprised Selene even more.
As for why that’s the case, it’s because she sees her beloved Arue behind Milano.

“Nee-sama!”

“Selene, why are you here!?”

Arue asks Selene with a surprise expression on her face, but her words didn’t render in Selene’s ears at all.
Her long-time-no-see big sister is still beautiful, the same as always, still lovely, not a single thing about her has changed.
Selene stands up, rushing fiercely to her beloved sister―― or so that’s what she thought.

“Hiee!?”

Selene who has completely forgot that she’s still grappling with Marie, also forgot that Marie’s holding the hem of her dress as well.
And because she suddenly stands up and rush out while still being grabbed like that, Selene stumbled forward and fell, her face hit the ground, and she doesn’t move anymore.

　　◆◇◆◇◆

“It’s because you didn’t explain anything to Selene at all before you went out Nii-sama!”

“But I didn’t ask you to stop Selene.”

“Milano-sama, Maribelle-sama, p- please calm down first.”

Arue who’s trying to tell the siblings to calm down couldn’t calm down herself either.
As for why, it’s because Selene has been revealed to so many people publicly.
Not to mention that Selene yelled “Nee-sama” when she saw Arue as well.

And also, it was careless of Milano, for him to reflexively rush to Selene and held her in her arms, he couldn’t hold himself back after seeing Selene fall face-first after all.
They all had to come to Arue’s room in the dormitory, which they initially try to avoid, so that they could let Selene rest and discuss future plans.
Fortunately, it seems like Selene has only fainted and nothing more, so the three were relieved.

And so with all that happened, they couldn’t hide the relationship between Selene and Arue anymore, so they had to tell Marie that the two of them are sisters by blood.

And though unintentionally, Milano’s and Arue’s wish for Selene to be able to show herself to the people on the stage was realized, but honestly speaking, they didn’t know if they should really call this wish fulfilled.
Or rather, it’s terrible in many, many ways.

“Sorry…… the incident this time is completely my fault.
I acted a little too careless.” (Milano)

“If other students asked me about my relationship with Selene, I’ll tell them that we’re very close, like sisters.
Fortunately, I’m the only one from Aquila studying abroad at Helifalte, I think I’ll be able to deceive them.”

“Princess Arue, it’s because of my thoughtlessness that leads to this unnecessary burden.
I’m very sorry.”

“No at all, it’s also my fault as well.
I never thought Selene would be this active…… Surely she’s jealous about my meeting with you Prince.”

Arue smiles bitterly.
She and Milano aren’t in a male-female relationship, but Selene surely couldn’t but worry still.
Well, her prediction is on the mark, in a certain meaning that is.
Though the target is not Milano but Arue instead.
Arue’s happy that Selene’s showing deep affection toward her, but still, not even in her wildest dreams would she thought that inside Selene is actually an old man hoping for a male-female relationship with her.

“Geez, that really was a trouble! My hair’s all messy and my dress’s dirty.” (Marie)

“Sorry.
I was too harsh on you earlier.
I appreciate your own way of concerns.”

“Well, I’ll forgive you then.”

Marie combs her messy hair from the fight with her hand, but she didn’t look all that dissatisfied.

It has been a long while since her brother last thanked her for something after all, and also it was her first time playing with a friend of similar age that she could be muddy and dirty to her heart’s content.
She felt as if she was playing with a boy.

“And, since I worked this hard, you surely must’ve done your job as well right Nii-sama?”

“Yeah, it’s thanks to you buying me time that I get to hear what Selene likes from Princess Arue.”

“And what’s the thing that Selene likes?”

Marie seems to be very interested in this as she leans forward to Milano and look up at him.

But before Milano could open his mouth, Arue who’s holding the still-sleeping Selene’s hand speaks up.

“That would be lily.” (Yuri)