Tensei Oujo wa Kyou mo Hata o Tatakioru

The Reincarnated Princess’s Confusion

    It was no more than an hour later before the heartbreaking cries that gripped my heart finally stopped. Commander Lieber walked into the waiting room and lowered his head without hiding his swollen eyes. 

“Sorry for making you wait.”

    He seemed so calm, contrary to his bright red eyes that looked outright painful. Was it my imagination that the hesitation in his eyes seemed to have disappeared? 
    The dignified expression on his face was of someone who had finally gathered his resolve and not a plea of desperation. 

“I’m ready to go.”

“…Are you sure?” 

    I realised my mistake the moment I said it. There was no point in asking. I couldn’t afford the leisure of lending him any more time given my current authority. 
    Still, I couldn’t help but ask. Not being able to attend your own wife’s funeral was just too much. 

    Commander Lieber slowly nodded as if he could read my thoughts. 

“I’ve already said my goodbyes. I’ll leave the rest to my trusty folks at home.”

“Have you explained the situation to them?” 

    Sir Leonard, who had kept his silence up until now, quietly asked. 
    It was something that bothered me as well. It wasn’t just the fact that he couldn’t attend his wife’s funeral. Even if his punishment turned out to be much lighter than we’d been anticipating, it won’t change the impossibility for him to continue living in this house. 

“I’ve chosen two representatives. Tiana’s personal maid in particular packed quite the punch.”

    Commander Lieber bitterly smiled with his cheeks slightly red on closer inspection. I didn’t notice because his eyes were swollen from all the crying.
    It was a bit surprising for a maid to raise her hand against her master, but it was somehow understandable given their family-like relationship within the household. Even if the other person was their master, they’d still scold them if they did something wrong. It felt like the ideal master-servant relationship in a way.

“It felt good.”

    Sir Leonhard with his arms folded turned away with a snort.

“…You better learn the weight of the precious things that you were trying to throw away.”

    Commander Lieber blinked at the words that had been tacked on at the end. He then narrowed his eyes and raised the corner of his mouth up slightly, “You’re right.” It was a mix of laughter and crying.

    When he was done laughing, he turned to me. I tilted my head as a response to his gaze, and Commander Lieber called out, “Your Highness.”
    I couldn’t help but straighten my back from his sudden attitude change. He looked me straight in the eyes and deeply bowed.

“Eh…”

    I looked towards Sir Leonhard for help, but he was sternly staring down the commander. When I returned my line of sight back to Commander Lieber, he started to speak as if he had noticed.

“Thank you for stopping me.”

“!”

    I was struck dumbfounded with my eyes opened wide.

“I was a fool to have hurt so many, but thanks to you, I was able to stop before I took the final step. From the bottom of my heart, you have my utmost gratitude.”

“I-I haven’t done anything that wonderful.”

    I felt like I was being put on a pedestal.
    All I did was lose my temper and yell at him.

    I technically did ask him to stop, but that was all, nothing more. After all, what I was most upset about wasn’t because he betrayed his country or that he tried to use the Demon Lord for his own personal gain, but because he tried to hurt Sir Leonhard.
    I couldn’t understand why a love-brain like me gets a thank you after throwing a hissy fit.

    Commander Lieber relaxed a little when he saw my pale face as I waved my hands in a fluster.

“Your Highness was truly brave. It gave me quite a shock.”

    I hoped that he wouldn’t continue to drag up what happened in front of Sir Leonhard-!

“Thanks to Your Highness and my wife, my eyes have been opened. I swear I won’t do anything so foolish ever again.”

“Commander Lieber…”

    Did he get a chance to talk to her, even if it was only a short while? Even if he didn’t, she might have had some other means of conveying her thoughts to him.
    Commander Lieber’s expression still had a deep sadness within it, but I felt that there was no deception in his determined eyes.

“And, Leonhard.”

“…What?”

    At Commander Lieber’s call, Sir Leonhard answered frostily.
    Despite saying that he wouldn’t forgive him for the rest of his life, he still couldn’t ignore him in the end. As expected, Sir Leonhard is really kind.

“I will live the rest of my days to the fullest as well, no matter what happens. I won’t selfishly take my own life…and I’d be happy if you could see it through with me to the end.”

    After hearing what Commander Lieber had to say, Sir Leonhard went silent for a short while, before nodding with his eyes downcasted.

********

    After that, we joined back together with Latte and hurried back to the fort.

    Whatever Commander Lieber’s disposition was, he could no longer continue as the Commander of the Border Guards.
    There’ll be a big personnel change in the near future, but right now, we had the second-in-command Vice-Commander Walter take charge of the fort for the time being.

    And of course, we will be explaining everything to him.

    I know. I know full well it’s inevitable.
    But it’s still difficult to imagine Commander Lieber’s position for when he has to confess, and Vice-Commander Walter’s pain once he learns of the commander’s betrayals; someone he firmly confided his trust in. 

    On our way to the fort, despite supposedly being a side-character in all this, my stomach started aching in pain. 
    I secretly rubbed on it, imagining all the possible uproars that could occur in the future. 

    However, as the fort came into view, an unexpected uproar made itself known. 

    As we attempted to pass through a forest adjacent to the main road, Latte and Sir Leonard suddenly braced themselves at the ready. When Commander Lieber did the same a few moments later, a harsh high-pitched noise cut through the air. 

“Miss Marie!”

    Sir Leonhard held me tight in protection, but I could only dart my eyes about, bewildered and unable to grasp the current situation. 
    The sound of brandished swords and a horse’s neigh. The flutter of someone running past us. 

   Having decided that it was an enemy attack, I quickly looked up to the sight of a person in a black coat about to attack Latte. 

    But why Latte?

    I became confused at the unexpected development; everything was happening all too fast.
    The assailant, with a knife in hand, lashed at Latte who jumped off the horse. Latte, however, easily evaded the attack and unsheathed his own knife.

“That’s strange. I thought after we’ve taken care of you all, surely you’d take quite a while longer before catching up to us again.”

    Latte bitterly smiled as if he had failed. It was such a disbelieving laid-back tone as though denying that his life was at stake.
    The other party kept their mouth shut and continued launching barrages of attacks in silence. Latte swiftly parried them all.

    I was going to ask Sir Leonhard to help him, but even with my untrained eye, I could see that Latte was strong, and ended up watching in awe.
    The assailant’s attacks were rapid and precise, with the slightest lapse in response surely resulting in a fatal wound. When I saw Latte act so carefree despite this, I irresponsibly assumed that everything was going to be alright.

“And not only that… You somehow feel kinda nostalgic. Is it just my imagination?”

    Swish! Latte’s knife barely grazed the assailant’s hood.
    The hood slipped back, spilling out shiny black hair.

“Wouldn’t that be nice? This is goodbye, Latte.”

    His voice sounded familiar to me. And if I’m not mistaken, I do recognise his figure.

    You two knew each other even in the game, huh?
    But why are you two fighting? 

    Sadly, my two braincells weren’t registering any of this.
    I only knew that this had to stop.

“Wait, Crow! It’s a misunderstanding!”

    I screamed my lungs out, not even knowing myself what I meant by that.

TN: Thanks to flowery again for coming in clutch.