The Legend of the Reclusive Princess Zuicho of the Rikan Empire ~She Escapes From The Palace Everyday and Works as a Capable Government Official.~ - Chapter 6

“Cool your head.”

With those sharp words, Lady Hiryō threw a moss-covered ladle at her and quickly stormed off. A faint smell of sweet alcohol lingered in the air as she departed.

You’re the one who needs to cool off…
Even though that response hovered on the edge of Saya’s tongue, she silently swallowed it behind her well-practiced poker face. Still, she couldn’t help but feel unhappy as she looked down at her wet body.

(What now? Even the official uniform I wore underneath got soaked…)

This world really was exhausting.

Why were the palace ladies always so oversensitive and full of pride?

Well, in a closed-off world like the rear palace, where your status depended on pushing others down, maybe it was only natural they’d turn petty and nasty. Still, it was such a hassle.

If only they had a way to breathe some fresh air, like I do…
Then again, most people wouldn’t risk committing the high crime of sneaking out of the palace in the first place.

If she were ever caught, even her family back home would be held responsible. Most of the women here were daughters of noble houses. They had to climb the palace ranks for their families’ sake. Not everyone could just slip away for fun and play civil official like I did. Fundamentally, they came from different worlds.

…That said.

If I’d stayed in Japan, what would I be doing now?
She’d clawed her way into university with scholarships, so maybe by now she’d be working at some company somewhere. Maybe she’d have someone she liked. Maybe even gotten married…

Even imagining it, it didn’t feel real.

If anything, the idea made her feel uncomfortable, as if she were observing someone else’s life.

She had her inconveniences here, sure, but she honestly couldn’t imagine living any other way now.

It was a job that provided her with a sense of purpose. She could argue with a sovereign as if she were a sparring partner.
They hurled insults at each other daily, yet every day felt meaningful and stimulating.

(…Come to think of it, I’ve stopped wishing to go back to my old world, haven’t I?)

That sudden realization struck Saya like a quiet blow, and she froze in place.

Sure, she hadn’t had any close family back there… But even so, she had lived with a sense of attachment.

Was it all because I said yes back then?
On that riverbank, soaking even worse than now—just as her mind began to drift into memories…

“…Grrr…”

A low, familiar growl cut through the silence, and she instantly looked up.

“Ichiru!”

Standing before the still-dripping-wet Saya was a large beast with gleaming silver fur.

Its noble face was somewhere between a wolf and a dog. Soundless on its feet, it approached her without a whisper, then placed something it held in its sharp teeth right before her.

Wrapped in coarse linen—

“Whoa! A change of clothes!? Thanks so much, Ichiruuuu!”

It was a full set of dry official garments. He must’ve sniffed out her wet clothes and dug these out from under her bed to bring to her.

So moved by the unexpected support—pawed support?—Saya flung her arms around him in a tight embrace.

His warm, silky fur was incredibly soothing.

“So fluffy!”

Ichiru remained unfazed, acting as though he had become completely accustomed to this type of behavior.
In fact, the air around him almost seemed to sigh, Seriously? Again?
Saya took that as encouragement to bury her face even deeper into his fur.

In this world, Ichiru was the one who always came to her aid. Her most trusted companion.

But he wasn’t some oversized dog or wild wolf.

He was a Magical Beast—a species feared for bringing calamity to humankind.

Yet for Saya, he was the only one in this world she could fully and truly trust.
She didn’t know what magical beasts were supposed to be, but Ichiru understood everything she said.
He had never harmed anyone. Not once.

That’s why he lived with her in her room at the rear palace.
To everyone else, he was just a “rare breed of dog.”

Sure, his size stood out, and people sometimes mocked her as the “beast-stinking commoner,”
but Saya didn’t care one bit.