Chapter 23: The Girl’s Abilities
For a while, she closed her mouth and stood there. The animals gathered around her as if to protect her.
As Charlotte stroked the animals that approached her, she lowered her gaze.
“…Even if I tell the truth, I’m sure you won’t believe me.”
Her eyes seemed to contain a mixture of resignation and anxiety.
Seeing her gloomy appearance, Prince Finlay placed his hand on the wrinkles on his brow.
“Damn it…I feel like I’ve become a villain.”
He closed his eyes, massaged the wrinkles on his brow with his finger, and then looked at Charlotte again.
“Don’t make that face…I can’t just let it go. What can I do to get you to talk?”
In response to his words, she shook her shoulder in silence.
At the same time, the small birds perched on Charlotte’s shoulder chirped to encourage her, the deer nuzzled her waist, and the fox threatened the prince.
Charlotte hugged the animals, closed her eyes tightly, and then stood up to face the two young men.
“…You’re not going to let me go until I talk. Okay, I’ll talk. But what I’m about to say must be kept secret from others.”
“…Okay.”
When the prince nodded in response to her determination, the girl took a deep breath as if to gather her resolve.
Then, taking a deep breath, she said,
“I have the ability to communicate with animals. I heard about Princess Sofia’s actions this morning from the birds.”
She said this and looked straight ahead with dignity.
Time passed without anyone speaking a word.
Prince Finlay tried to start talking, but no words came out and he closed his mouth again.
William seemed to be thinking with his hand on his chin, but eventually he opened his mouth to Charlotte.
“…Can you prove here and now that you can communicate with animals?”
“I can’t. There’s no way to prove it.”
The girl with wheat-colored skin answered firmly.
“But this is the truth.”
She confidently declared this as if she were relieved.
“It’s hard to believe…”
Prince Finlay furrowed his brow.
“As I said at the beginning, even if I tell the truth, I’m sure you won’t believe me.”
Upon hearing Charlotte’s words, Prince Finlay let out a groan, but after a moment he turned to face her.
“…For now, let’s believe those words. I’m grateful that you talked to me.”
At the prince’s words, Charlotte’s eyes opened wide.
“You’ll believe me?”
“…On the contrary, is it better not to believe?”
Charlotte shook her head at the prince’s question.
“No way. I just never thought you would believe me.”
She said this as if she were relieved. After a moment of silence, Prince Finlay muttered,
“You didn’t look like you were lying.”
After watching the departing girl’s back, William looked at Prince Finlay with something to say.
Prince Wang sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
“Will, don’t look at me like that. I didn’t just blindly believe what she said.”
William-sama smiled at those words.
“I know. It would have just turned into a stalemate if you had pressed her any further. I think your decision to end the conversation with her peacefully was correct. However…”
William-sama narrowed his eyes and had a serious expression.
“There are a few concerns. If it’s true that she has the extraordinary ability to understand the language of animals, she is a very dangerous person. On the other hand, if she is lying, there is a possibility that she is plotting rebellion against the royal family, which would also make her a dangerous person. In either case, we need to be careful around her. Plus, we made a promise with her, so we can’t tell anyone about this.”
The crown prince nodded and made a face as if he was biting a bitter bug.
“Yes, that’s true. If I break a promise I’ve made once, her trust in me will fall to the ground. Since we don’t know whether she is an ally or an enemy, I want to act cautiously.”
“Yeah… Leah.”
After saying that, William-sama called out to me.
“Thank you for waiting. I’d like you to come over here.”
Hearing those words, I scratched through the hedge and went in front of William-sama. Edward followed behind me.
William-sama suddenly asked me something as if it had just occurred to him.
“Leah, do you think what she said is true?”
Although I hesitated a little, I nodded to his question. William-sama blinked at this.
“Why do you think that?”
There is no reason that I can give. I just know the story of “You and The White Rose”. I don’t know whether it’s really true in this world.
I deeply bowed and replied,
“There is no deep reason that would worry William-sama.”
After sending William-sama to the dormitory, I was thinking about today’s events in my room in the servant’s dormitory.
(I finally reached the timeline of the manga)
I remember Charlotte’s confession.
It seems almost certain that Charlotte has the ability to communicate with animals in this world as well, judging from her appearance.
([You and The White Rose]’s development and how much it is linked to this world is unknown, but no matter what happens, my goal does not change… to protect William-sama. That is my wish)
I open my eyes that I had closed as if meditating.
(“Don’t get stuck in the story of the manga” and lose sight of the essence. I am not an all-powerful being. It’s okay not to try to solve every problem. Focus on protecting William-sama)
As I was thinking so deeply, I slowly stood up and interrupted my thoughts.
“When it comes down to it, being able to move appropriately in times of emergency is a valuable asset. Maybe I’ll go have dinner first.”
The orange light shining through the window illuminates the room. I closed the curtains and headed towards the dining room to eat.”
