The role of princesses and royal ladies in the Harem was simple: just to be displayed. Caitel took them away from their countries but never touched them, and they had no significant restrictions. Of course, there were restrictions as to where they could move, but I heard there were no restrictions imposed on their lives. However, they could be executed at any minute. Just like that princess from Praezia who was executed for making me cry. I still weighed that incident heavily on my mind.

  Still, the princesses were treated well in their countries, but now they had to stay in the harem, and they were treated as accessories.

  “I was here first.”


  “I know.”


  Did I say something? I knew she was here first.

  Of course, it was because I was staring at her, but it was true that she said something out of the blue.

  “By the way, did you see anyone else coming this way?”


  “No.”


  Then I would go to the other side. I was most concerned as to how I would deal with adults who played too seriously. Well, this was the princess.

  Still, I didn’t want to leave her behind just like that, so I stared at the woman in front of me. She’s a real beauty. All the royal family members I saw while studying history as a personal hobby in college were not so pretty, but the world was filled with handsome men and beautiful women. Of course, Silvia was the prettiest.

  Was it just because I had a bad taste?

  “Have we seen each other before?”


  “I don’t know?”


  What did she mean by that? Answer me straight!

  Still, I got the answer from her little smile. She really was the woman I saw at the Harem that day. It was a few months ago, and I was proud I still remembered all this. Oh, I was so proud of my memory. My intelligence really shone as the days went by.

  “What are you doing here?”


  “Reading.”


  The woman answered by showing me the book in her hand. I wondered.

  “Here?”


  Why did she read here out of all the places? Although the garden was large, people were still walking around here from all over the place. Oh, people wouldn’t come because it’s not their usual path?

  At that moment, she smiled. That smile caught my eyes. It felt strange because the blue person smiled pale.

  “It’s quiet and secluded here. As you get older, you’ll miss a quiet place.”


  What did she say? How old did you think I was? Well, I did look like a 2-year-old. Still, I would be 3 years old in three months.

  … I was only 3 years old. I felt like I had lived for a few decades. Time passed quickly, but it was really slow when I thought about it. I was only three years old now!

  I got over my frustration and stared at the woman in front of me. Her eyes focused on the book were quite deep. I suddenly felt that her calmness resembled this space. I could feel that she didn’t really pay attention to me, so I thought I could just ignore it and go back. Strangely enough, I kept standing there.

  What was it? I just wanted to keep talking to her.

  “What’s your name?”


  “Layla.”


  Was this her Agrigent name? It seemed like it. She was a princess or a royal lady sold to this Harem. I thought she might be a maid, but she certainly wasn’t. Well, she was too beautiful.

  “Is there anything else you want to know?”


  She kindly took his concentration off his book to look at me, but I lost my interest in her. The blue eyes I encountered were the color I had never seen before, but it was still strange.

  “No, I’m it, so I’m leaving.”


  Layla just smiled and looked back into the book as she did before. I turned around when I saw that.

  Where was everybody? I had no idea where to start with this.