Chapter 18: CH 18

Chapter 18: Back Alley.

It has been only a few days since Milano and Selene arrived at Valbell, but it’s already the day before their return to Helifalte. Though they visited here under the pretext of ‘Studying Journey’, but orginally they should’ve stay for a longer period of time. They visited Valbell only out of courtesy because it’s very close to their home country, and above all, Milano really can’t handle Ente so he doesn’t wish to stay for any longer.

However, looking back on this visit, it’s much easier for Milano to handle compared to his previous visits. This is mainly because Ente who bullied Selene a lot on their first day suddenly turns gentle, and after that day she spent most of her time with Selene, even when Milano himself is here in Valbell.

Still, Milano couldn’t help but worry that she might still be doing something bad behind his back, but it doesn’t seem like she’s doing anything bad to Selene either. When he asked Ente, she replied ‘I harrassed her because at first I thought she was a dirty little country bumpkin, but the more I talked to her, the more I’m charmed by the beauty of her heart’.

“Maybe there’s something about Selene that attracts people around her……”

Milano who firmly believed that even if the heaven and hell flipped over, someone like Ente would never ever acts gently to other people, much less people of lower status than her. It almost made him thought that Selene was born because she was given some kind of mission from God himself.

Usually he’d have to deal with Ente trying to stay with him at all times, interfering him as he tries to greets other noble during his visit, but thanks to Selene acting as a decoy this time around, his duty went pretty smoothly. All in all, everything went great, and now Milano and Selene are spending their last night in Valbell.

“Today will be our last dinner together. Prince Milano, and also Selene, please enjoy your meal.”

After that first day, Ente has been inviting them to dinner every evening, but the major difference from the first day is that Selene was invited to dine right next to Ente and Milano. The food served to her are also the same one as the two, not the hideous chicken skin and cartilages.

“What’s wrong?”

“Cartilages, cartilages……”

And ever since that first day, Selene has been chanting the word ‘cartilages cartilages’ repeatedly every dinner, as if casting a spell. Seems like she’s really traumatized by the first day’s incident, and Ente too is apologetic about it.

“I’m really sorry. Looks like I went too far on that prank. But please forgive me. I mean, we’re friends right?”

“Un.”

Ente said as she slightly stresses the word ‘friend’, and Selene nods obediently in response. However, seeing Selene seems dissatisfied with something, Milano decides to offer a helping hand.

“Princess Ente, she’s anxious about the head chef. It can’t be helped that she worries about what happened to him. Could you please tell us? Selene doesn’t seem to want to reprimand him, and I’d like to make sure that her wish is granted.”

“Yes, of course. He’s the one who cooked today. That’s why you don’t need to worry about it Selene.”

“Enough.”

Selene sighs before eating her meal silently. With that as the signal, Ente and Milano start eating as well.

Although it appears like she doesn’t really care about that matter, but that sigh of relief is the proof that Selene’s really worrying about that head chef. Milano’s impressed at Selene’s heart, filled with compassion for others.

As for Selene, she’s disappointed at the food served to her, thinking why the hell does that chef bastard stopped making fried cartilages. Surely the Prince is like ‘Ya insultin’ ma minion is the same thing as insultin’ me! Go to hell!’ or something of that sort, demanding the chef to serve the same thing as them to her. Selene’s hatred counter toward Milano increases by one as she eats the food in front of her in frustration.

Though unable to eat more fried cartilages is a sad thing, but when thinking about this trip’s outcome, Selene judges that it’s plenty good enough. At first she worried a lot about how could she get along with starving praying mantis of a woman, now that she gets to know her and realized that she actually has a gentle heart, after that first day she has been incredibly kind to her. So kind that she wouldn’t mind even if she has to stay here for a month longer.

And so the dinner comes to an end peacefully, in the next morning many servants within the castle has come to see them off on their return. At the very last moment, Ente shakes hand with Selene firmly, telling her that they’ll be friends forever no matter what, seeing her off until Selene is out of her sight.

Shaking slightly along with the carriage are Selene and Milano as they pass through the castle town section of the city, and when they arrive at the main street with many shops and stall lining on both sides, Milano suddenly calls out to the coachman to stop the carriage as if he just thought of something.

“Selene, how about you buy some souvenirs on our way home?”

“Souvenirs?”

“You didn’t have much time to go sightseeing right? Having to deal with Ente and all. Consider this as my thanks for helping me with that.”

“Money, none.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll pay for anything you buy. So you can choose whatever you like.”

Said Milano as he hands over Selene one gold coin with an eagle1 engraved onto it and several more coins of other types. Helifalte’s coins are of very high value no matter what country you spend it on, especially the eagle-engraved gold coin, you can buy many luxurious outfits for noble ladies with just that one coin.

“I don’t have much on me right now, but I think that’s about enough for buying souvenirs.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Sweets, toys, whichever you like.”

“Yay!”

Selene look up at Milano, her eyes sparkling. That innocent smile of hers made Milano smiles as well. Putting the coin pouch inside her pocket, she skips to the nearby shops selling baked sweets or children merchandises before starting to examine each and every one of them―― or pretending to do so.

At the very moment Milano, who’s watching her from faraway, look away for a second, Selene quickly seizes this chance to hide herself behind a nearby wooden box. There’s a perfectly situated gloomy back alley near that wooden box, in which she swiftly dashes into.

『Princess, may I know what you’re doing? This country’s security, apart from the main street, the rest of them doesn’t seem to be very safe. We shouldn’t venture too deep in……』

“Danger, Butler, protect.”

『Of course, this Butler will eliminate any ruffians that come in your way, but why deliberately……』

“Secret.”

Even for someone like Selene, she knows that it’s extremely dangerous for a long young girl to be walking in the back alley. But she has her right-hand man with her, Butler. If he’s with her, no thugs could harm her.

Using this perfect opportunity, there’s something Selene really wants to buy no matter what, something only sold in the back alley. That thing being a weapon. Though she has been feeding the Prince with lots of unhealthy food, but its effect is a really slow-acting one. She wants a weapon with a little more kick to it. If possible, a knife coated in poison for assassination, or just a very lethal poison.

Here in Valbell, the main streets used by travelers are on a strict surveillance, the security and number of shops there can be described as excessive. On the other hand however, once you step inside just one alley off the main street, the quality of life dropped drastically. That’s the thing she noticed when she first arrived here.

Dangerous as it may be, but the thing that Selene wants are sold only here. It’s not candies or water guns that she needs, but dangerous drugs and real firearms. She isn’t sure if she really can get her hand on one, but at least obtaining some intels is valuable enough.

After a while, as she proceeds through the damp gloomy alley, she found a suspicious looking building. Even among the buildings within the gloomy back alley, this building here looks the gloomiest, looking more like a thug hideout than a shop. There’s an aroma leaking from within, and from the aroma it appears that this shop here is an apothecary.

“Bingo!”

Selene snaps her fingers as she gets closer to that building. It’s an aging old building made out of stone with almost no sunlight hitting it, the black moldy walls are chipped away in some places, and there’s an old wooden signboard hanging down at the entrance of the store. It seems like there’s a name painted on the signboard, but most of it are peeled off so it’s almost impossible to read.

『Princess? What kind of business do you have here at a shop like this? There’s a suspicious smell leaking out of there.』

“No matter.”

Forcing Butler to shut up, Selene twists the rusty doorknob. The door is unlocked, so Selene’s able to open it smoothly and steps inside the store.

There’s not even a single window inside the store, it’s as if the owner hates the sun. It’s incredibly humid yet dusty at the same time. There’s only one lamp lighting the whole place so it’s very dark in here. Along both of the walls inside this cramped store are either vials of red and black liquid that resemble blood, or unknown charred substances tightly lined up. Umu, Selene nods in satisfaction after seeing its shadiness.

“GAHHHー!”

“Hieee!?”

As soon as Selene steps inside, a menacing hoarse voice suddenly screams at her. Selene jumps up in surprise.

“……Crow?”

Selene fearfully look in the direction of the voice, inside she sees an old wooden table, and on top of that table is a large pitch-black crow blending in with the darkness. That voice just now definitely comes from it.

“Kokumaru, is there an customer?”

As if using the crow as a doorbell, a hoarse voice sounds out from the room even further in than the table. From the tone of the voice, seems like it came from an old lady.

“Oh dear, we have quite a lovely customer today.”

An old lady full of wrinkles appears from the inside of that room, her appearance is as Selene imagined. Her back is so arched that Selene thought won’t her face hit the ground at this rate? She’s dressed in a loose black robe with a big oak cane to support her, making her look like a witch, but her facial features feels more like a kind obaa-chan2 instead.

“Ojou-chan, this store here is an apothecary you know? The store for children are all on the main street, or perhaps you’re lost?”

“Here, correct.”

Selene shakes her head, denying the old lady’s question. Puzzled, the old lady blinks her narrow eyes repeatedly as she puts her dead-branch like finger on her chin. After a while of silence as she thinks things through, she opens her mouth.

“You mean, you’re in need of a medicine?”

“Un.”

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“And for what reason? Also, my store sells the special kind of medicine so it’s pricey you know? A child’s allowance is not enough to buy even one of them.”

“Money, have.”

Said Selene as she unties the string of the coin pouch, dumping all the coins on the table. The reason she dumps all the money in that manner isn’t anything special, it’s just that this shop looks like an outlaw kind of thing, so she wanted to mimick this cool-looking action of dumping all the money on the table. It’s the Prince’s money anyway so who cares.

“Heh…… This is Helifalte’s gold coin isn’t it! Ojou-chan. You can buy as many wonderful dresses or delicious sweets as you want with this. But why is it that you’re so interested in buying a medicine in a place like this?”

“Me, important person, protect, necessary.”

That’s right, a lethal poison is absolutely necessary to protect Arue. She must buy a potent drug from this shady-looking grandma at all costs. Selene’s sense of mission burns fiercely in her heart.

“But still, there are many kinds of medicine you can choose from. What kind is it that you want?”

“Potent one.”

“Potent? You’re saying that you want something with a strong effect right? But still, to sell something like that to a child is a little……”

“Pretty, please!”

Selene bows down with all her might. It seems like this young lady over here really wants to do something for her treasured ‘important person’. Seeing her great enthusiasm, the old lady smiles affectionately.

“Then, I’ll give you one of my finest potent medicine.”

“Really!?”

Smiling, the old lady brings out a bag of white powder from the shelf inside, then transfers some of it it to another cloth bag before handing it over to Selene.

“What medicine?”

“It’s an extremely potent physical enhancement medicine. Using in appropriate dosage results in powerful effects, but too much of it will breaks the body so be very careful with it.”

“Dangerous?”

“Well, any kind of medicine can be dangerous if used inappropriately or overdosage.”

“Understood.”

Of course Selene doesn’t have even the slightest intention to use it in proper dosage. Even a cold medicine with half of it made with love, drinking too much of that will still harms the body. Not to mention that this one is a potent physical enhancement medicine. It’s a very ideal medicine to give it to him with justifiable cause. It’ll be troublesome if she bought a poison and got traced back to her after all. Let’s mix this thing with his next lunch box, thought Selene as she smiles in glee.

“Grandmaー, thank you!”

“You’re welcome dear, I hope it’ll be useful to your important person.”

“Un!”

Selene bows down deeply to the grandma who’s her savior before getting out of the dimly-lit drug store, her expression in triumphant. When she’s outside the store, Butler suddenly speaks to her.

『I see, so you’re searching for this thing Princess. There are only souvenirs on the main street after all.』

“Exactly.”

Now, all that left is for her to hide this thing in her pocket and it’s a mission accomplished. It costs quite a sum so it’ll be necessary for her to buy some cute girly souvenirs on the way back to deceive him. She must hurry back to the main street.

“Selene!”

“Geh!?”

However, Selene’s intention is instantly destroyed. It’s because Milano’s standing on the other side of the alley. He quickly runs over to Selene, his hair quite dishelved, probably because he was in a panic.

“Where do you think you’re going! I was so worried that you’d be kidnapped you know!”

“That is, well……”

Selene who has no time to hide it inside her pocket hastily hide it behind her back. However, Milano didn’t miss it.

“Selene, did you hid something just now?”

“It nothing.”

“This alley is a dangerous place where illegal stuff are traded. Now show me the thing.”

Without waiting for her to answer any further, Milano swiftly seizes the tiny cloth bag in Selene’s hand. Selene tries desperately to take it back, clinging tight to Milano, but the best she can reach is about Milano’s waist. He unties the string of the bag, looking at the white powder inside with a curious expression.

“What’s this powder?”

“Wheat flour.”

“Don’t lie to me. What kind of drug is this?”

“Cold medicine.”

Selene’s trying to bluff her way through. No, this is just some vitamin power. Or wheat flour, something like that.

Naturally, Milano’s not a fool that’d be deceived by such dumb excuses.

“I don’t know what kind of drug this is, but it’s not something normal right? Can you tell me why you decided to buy this kind of stuff?”

“That is……”

“That is?”

“Um, for Prince’s, sake.”

“For me?”

Selene falteringly answered so. Unfortunately Selene’s brain is not big enough to come up with a good excuse on the spot to deceive the Prince. Her only option is to avoid being faulted by justifying it, saying that it’s for the Prince’s sake. Milano lets out a sigh, strapping the medicine bag to his waist.

“I’m thankful for your feelings, but there are only dangerous stuff being sold here. I’ll bring this thing back with me to Helifalte to have it investigated to see whether or not it’s harmful for the human body. Now, let’s return home.”

“Uuuu…….”

Selene, for some reason, clenches her fists tight, lining both of her arms out straight forward, but Milano doesn’t pay much attention to her behavior, using just one of his hand to pull her out of the back alley. Selene has no choice but to obey him, like a trafficker caught by a police being hauled away, looking downward in dejection.

‘For me, huh…… That’s admirable.’

Whilst Selene’s in extreme despair, having her hard-to-obtain drug stolen, Milano who’s walking in front of her seems to be angry, but actually he’s in a really good mood. Usually if you told a girl her age to buy whatever things they liked, normally they’ll spend for their own benefits. Or at least Marie’ll spend about ninety percent on her stuff, only the remaining ten percent will be for Milano himself or her parents.

However, Selene puts him as her top priority, casting aside everything else. She’s probably thinking of himself who has to endures hard work everyday, so she wanted to find a medicine for him, unfortunately though there are no medicines sold on the main streets, only souvenirs.

So in order to search for one, she must’ve wandered here without knowing its danger. Her action is definitely not something to be praised, but the motivation behind that is from her care of others, an extremely pure feeling.

Her dangerous action itself must be scolded, but except for that, everything else should be praised. When we’ve returned to our home country, I’ll have to treat Selene better, thought Milano.

Behind the two who’re walking harmoniously, there’s a shadow watching them in the darkness. It’s the old lady from earlier. She opens the store’s door a little and watches them through the tiny gap, gazing upon them like a snake tracking its prey.

“My this is quite a surprise. That’s the Helifalte’s Prince isn’t it. That means…… there’s no mistake, it’s that girl.”

The old lady throws away her gentle-looking mask, underneath the mask is a vile, disgusting smile. She took out a few strands of pure white hair from her chest pocket, reconfirming that these belong to the young girl in her retina just now.

『OL’ HAG, DATSA GUY?』 (Old hag, that’s the guy?)

A faltering, as if having difficulty speaking, voice speaks to the old lady who’s smirking viciously, but that one isn’t from a human, it’s from the giant crow named Kokumaru inside the room. The crow flies from the room and stops on the old lady’s shoulder.

“Hihi, yes that’s right. I intends to start on it tonight, but I didn’t think I’d get to see her in person first. Now let’s begin our work. The princess awaits us after all.”

『YAH RAIGHTT……』 (Yeah right……)

The crow lazily replies, and the old lady closes the door. Inside the pitch-black darkness, her eyes shine blazingly.

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