The Reincarnation Of The Poor Princess
The Ninety Five (95)

Stella's head was suddenly empty. His heart was pounding crazily along with the heat spreading across his face. His red eyes that were staring at Esther trembled, as if asking for an explanation for what the man had just done.

"You...!"

Stella's index finger pointed at Esther repeatedly, but no words came out of her mouth. He stuttered and even more embarrassing, his face was red but his eyes were clearly glaring with anger, while the perpetrator even expressed delight.

"So...." Esther raised the corner of her lips and brought her face closer. "Let me stay a while, yeah."

The sound of her warm breathing tickled Stella's cheeks. The princess's face grew redder and her heart beat uncontrollably, to the point that Stella could hear the pounding of her own heart.

'Aaakkk!! I'm why, anyway!'

Stella's lips were about to scream, but the shame first gnawed at her and her high self-esteem screamed not wanting to get off the ranks.

'Shit! Because of him...!'

Stella looked at Esther who was walking to her bed fiercely.

The sword! He needs a sword now!

If only he had carried a sword, the man would have been scratched by now. Instantly Stella regretted pretending not to want to play the sword so that there was no sword idle in her room.

...―――...

'Esters.'

Stella who was slightly pouting looked at the man lying beside her.

Three years ago after his recovery ended, his father introduced someone to him, who he said was his fiancee. Stella still vividly remembered how her fiance's facial expression was back then, the day they met.

'He likes me.'

It was no mistake that the blushing face that Stella had seen three years ago was the expression of someone who liked the opposite sex. And that feeling of liking is really sincere.

'Esther said I saved her first. But I still can't remember anything.'

Stella still remembers how her once innocent fiancee said thank you to her.

"I'm happy that Miss Ellia is the Princess. I'm very happy. Thank you very much!"

And from their meeting, Esther became his only confidant.

There were days when the man explained how he had behaved before memory loss, a story that neither Stella nor the servants had heard. From then on, she continued to gather information about herself before losing her memory.

She used to be a princess who had no expression on her face and was hard to approach.

She used to be a strong and amazing little girl while saving Esther and her knights in the forest, then using the name 'Ellia' as a disguise.

He used to have a close friend named 'Xylia' and often met at Everstell Palace.

After that he disappeared, missed his 6th birthday, then returned to the palace and ended up with a loss of memory.

That was most of the important information Stella had gotten from Esther. And a few months later, Esther told him that she was a commander of the 'Eternal Flame' Paying Army Guild, managed by a man named 'Rielle'.

Esther's connection as the heir to Duke Ronnight's family gives Stella a big advantage. The various kinds of information about him that was blocked by his own father fell into his hands easily.

Stella finds out what she used to be like, what her family is trying to hide from her, and a rough picture of her actions she would take in the future if she did not lose her memory.

Relationships between colleagues who trust each other are formed between Stella and Esther, in addition to political engagement. Over time, Esther, who was educated to become the heir to Duke Ronnight's family, slowly changes her attitude, becoming someone Stella is completely unfamiliar with.

'... Hm.'

For some reason, it seems like Stella started to miss the memories of three years ago. His red eyes narrowed towards Esther, who was playing with her blond hair.

'Either what Duke Ronnight did that he changed. From a plain rabbit boy to a wild wolf.'

"What?" Esther, who seemed to be aware of the intense look from above her head, looked up. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What am I staring at you like?"

"Your eyes are full of love" Esther replied with a bright smile.

Buk up!

"Aragh!"

"Don't make such nonsense" Stella said threateningly after punching the man in the stomach.

Esther who was complaining of pain looked at her fiance with watery eyes, expecting sympathy. But Stella was not affected at all and ignored the man.

"Stop your eyes."

"His cruelty," muttered Esther with a sad pretentious face, which made Stella roll her eyes lazily.

"Ah, right." Stella snapped her fingers. Suddenly he remembered something. "Did I get a letter from Eternal Flame?"

Normally, when Esther walked into her room quietly while carrying the report that Stella wanted, a letter from Eternal Flame was always obtained, which was tipped through the man.

"I think I forgot to give it to you." Esther immediately picked up a letter she had hidden in her shirt. "It."

Stella took the letter. The phoenix emblem surrounded by fire became the stamp that was in the middle of the letter, signifying that it was from the Eternal Flame.

Srak....

Stella opened the letter and read it. This was not a letter he usually received, but rather a plea from all the members of the Eternal Flame for him to be willing to take part in a match.

"International Guild Tournaments?"

Esther was surprised beside him and immediately made sure. "really? That match that's only held once every five years?"

"Hm. It seemed so," Stella replied after reading the entire contents of the letter she had received.

'I've heard of this match from Master Azalea.'

The International Guild Tournament was an interguild match that existed in the Southern Area. This match was held as a celebration of the victory of the warriors in the battle against the demons hundreds of years ago. History revealed that the International Guild Tournament had existed since five hundred years ago.

Evergard, Eleanor, Sora, Risteard, and Eclate, the five great empires of the Southern Area, participated in this match on a regular basis. The five kingdoms sent their best guilds to compete against each other on match day.

And the other....

"Lagra Empire. Did they not come this time either?" stella asked Esther, the informant walked over.

"Yes. This time it's the same."

Then Stella's gaze turned to the letter in her hand, staring fixedly at the contents of the letter.

The Lagra Empire has not participated in this tournament three times in a row. The first reason was because of internal conflict, the second reason for being busy improving the abilities of the witches, and now what else?

But since a strong opponent decided to retreat, Evergard was likely to win.

"Who was five years ago?"

"Eleanor. They've won twenty-three times."

"They are tough opponents."

Stella agreed. The formidable opponent for the tournament this time was the Eleanor Kingdom and the second opponent was the Lagra Empire, while Evergard was in third place, followed by Eclate, Sora, and the last Risteard.

'If I come along, I can see what kind of guild Eternal Snow is, which he says is Eternal Flame's nemesis.'

Through letters co-authored by some members of the Eternal Flame, they often shed grievances about how Eternal Snow defeated the Eternal Flame, as annoying as the guild leader's attitude was, he said, and what events have ever been disturbed by them.

Just reading it made Stella know that Flame and Snow never got along.

'But everyone will know that I am a princess. I'd better come or not, yeah....'

Stella thought seriously, then looked to the side. "Ester," he called suddenly.

"Yes? You need anything?"

"If you were me, would you take part in this match or not?"

"Of course I'm coming."

"Isn't it clear that your goal of becoming the commander of the Eternal Flame is to take part in this match?"

'???'

Stella looked at Esther strangely, feeling very confident that her goal of joining the Eternal Flame was not to enter the International Guild Tournament.

"Ah, am I wrong?" Esther rubbed her nape because she understood the meaning of the view that led to her. "Well, the match is still a long time. So you can think about it."

"You're right."

Stella looked back at the letter in her hand.

The 100th International Guild Tournament will be held in the spring of April, which coincides with the middle of the social season of the royals.

'Oh, yes.'

Stella glanced at Esther who was still faithfully sitting beside her, only now did she realize that the man had not yet left her room.

"Hey. You're not leaving?"

"What am I going to do?"

"It's already night."

"I'm, right, staying over" Esther continued with a sinless smile, which made Stella emotional again.

"Who let you stay? Home now. I'm going to sleep!"

"I'm not―"

"P.U.L.A.N.G."

Looking at Stella's sharp red eyes made Esther's guts shrink. He came down from the bed with a lethargic and moody face.

"... Esther."

Just when his name was called, the man immediately turned around with a bright face, but the next words that came shattered his expectations.

"Stop acting like that."

"What?"

I heard breathing from the direction of the bed.

"I know we're engaged, but...."

Stella's red eyes met Ester's blue eyes which did not show the bright twinkle as before.

"... You don't have to play your part very well."

Esther who had been smiling instantly pursed her lips tightly.

"I just think of you as a reliable co-worker. No more than that. You know what I mean, right?"

"... Yeah." yeah."

The darkness around her made it hard for Stella to guess the man's expression at this time, but she knew that it was painful for Esther, who liked her.

Then Stella raised her hand and waved. Her lips tried to smile.

"Then, good night."

"Good night too... Stella."

After that Stella covered herself with a blanket and slept in dreamland.

A heavy silence swept across his room.

At the end of the balcony, Esther stared at the figure of her sleeping fiance.

The moonlight shining behind him made it seem like he had a dark expression on his face. The night wind blew from behind the man, blowing through the transparent white curtains that were on both sides of the balcony.

"Even if you say so, I'll still be your fiancee, Miss Ellia."

Then Esther turned around, walked away and closed the balcony door.

'Because I have absolutely no intention of canceling our engagement.'

The plain bunny cub that the princess saved in the forest had already evolved into a wild wolf that was only tame in front of her master.

...―――...

On a quiet night, Esther looked at the ceiling of her room. It was like a dream, the man thought. He didn't expect to get that close to the person he liked. Just yesterday, he met the little red-eyed girl who saved him and Nicole. Time seems to pass so quickly.

'I still did not expect that Miss Ellia and the Princess were the same person.'

The day the palace was attacked, Esther knew the truth.

The sight where the members of the royal family were being held hostage by an unknown man and the golden light that spread in that place was still imprinted within his memories. It was a bad and beautiful memory that will never be forgotten.

'If anyone asks "What do you think of the Princess?". I'll answer, "Mr Princess, you like to run away and hide.".'

That's what Esther thought of the princess.

Although she did not know what Princess Stella was going through, she felt that Princess Stella preferred to run away and hide from certain problems.

'Just like when we first met.' 

Princess Stella reveals her identity under the name 'Ellia' rather than saying that she is a princess. And when Princess Stella disappeared from the palace, Ellia wandered in the Aros Mountains for a long time, as if determined to never return.

'What actually happened?'

Esther thought that Her Royal Highness and the Crown Prince loved Princess Stella very much, so why did she disappear at that time? Is there a problem between them?

In the end, Princess Stella returned again to the palace, despite ending up in a state of memory loss. Now he lives a peaceful and colorful life.

But....

'If only the Princess disappeared again and could not even be found anywhere....'

Esther closed her heavy eyes. Unreasonable thoughts hit him like waves. This was because he was still thinking about Princess Stella's words earlier.

He knew that Princess Stella did not want this engagement, but should she push him away like she was?

Although only considered as a co-worker, although his feelings of joy were not accepted, and although later this engagement was canceled, Esther wants to try as much as possible to be closer to the princess and become a special person in her life, so that later Princess Stella does not want to cancel this engagement.

But before Esther tried, she was ordered away.

'We won't know who our future partner is and how our life will be, but....'

The face of Princess Stella who said that she did not need to play the role of fiancee well appeared in her head.

'The Princess acted as if she would not live in this world. It felt like he was making a wall so as not to get too attached to the people around him.'

Esther did not know why the thought had come up all of a sudden, but that was how she felt at the moment. He was afraid that the princess would disappear and never return.

'If that happens, I don't know where to find it....'

The man gritted his teeth and placed his hand over his closed eyes.

"It looks like I'm going to have another nightmare tonight" he murmured. 

―――――――――――――――

Next chapter~

Chapter 96. Ninety Six (96).

"Mothers. I'm coming."

TBCS!