'Ho, really, ......?'
'Yes. Father, why didn't he tell us?
'I'm sure he wants to surprise Prine.
'I see, a surprise.

I wish you'd quit such surprises, and there's no way the master would do such a thing.
Impatiently, I say more.

'But I don't even know the face of the man I'm meeting. ......!
''Isn't that what blind dates are for?''
'It's not every day you get a request from a nobleman, so you have to do it right.
'Well, if it's a normal partner, you can say no, but if it's a Franca lord, it might be difficult.

'Oh, u, that ...... but ...... that ......'
'......What the hell, if you have something to say, say it loud and clear!
'Uh, no, ............ it's nothing. ............'

I got angry.
As I fidgeted, the sister sighed.

'Well, we're going.
'Good luck with that, Prine.
'I'm looking forward to the wedding.

And the sisters leave.
I was left behind, staring at the fact.

--I'm going to marry a nobleman.

It's not impossible.
It's only natural that a merchant family would want to be related to a nobleman. My three sisters are engaged to noblemen they met at some party.

But I never thought that I, who had not even been in such a place yet, would catch the attention of some nobleman. .......

This is like a play. Yes, it's just like a play that's about to be performed.

I'm being courted by the man I'm about to perform a marriage act for.

--What am I going to do? What I was talking to Mr. Ler about came true. ......!

I don't know what to do. That's not how ...... I .......

'Ra-kun......!

On the verge of tears, I ran out of the waiting room.

Immediately after that,

'--Oh, Prine la mode, sir.

I was stopped by an attendant's brother.

'Oh, um, I have to go. ......!
'Yes. It's time for you to go. I was just about to call for you.
What, already?
'Ladies and gentlemen, you're already on stage.
Oh, thank you!

He bows his head and runs quickly.
Hurry, before the show starts .......
I have to tell Mr. Rah ......!


Ten minutes before curtain.


The actors are already onstage.
I look for Mr. Ra.

"Prine?
'Ra-kun!

Rah-kun, looking like "Monster Z" with a black cape, hat, and saber on his waist, calls out to me. He is not wearing a mask yet.
He found me. He always does.

'You know, Ra-kun, I was told I'm going to marry a nobleman. ......
'Yes, of course. I'm surprised.'
You knew?
'Did you know? ....... You read the script, didn't you?'
No, it's not! I'm not talking about a script, I'm talking about getting married! No, I don't intend to. ......!
'Not scripted ......?

Rah-kun looks around quizzically. I whispered softly.

They'll hear us here. Go that way.

Lately, Mr. Ra has been very attentive to such details. Maybe it's because of the job change.

We came to the edge of the stage and had a conversation.

'What do you mean? Marry? With a nobleman?''
'Yes, that's right. ....... I heard that the Master has accepted the offer, but I haven't heard it directly from him yet. ......'
'I see, it's like a political marriage. ....... Do you know who you're marrying?
'Well, I don't know directly. But I do know the hero of the day: ......'
'Lords of Franca....... Seriously, ......'

Mr. Ra is stunned. Then..,

So this show is just a rehearsal set up by Lord Franca? d*mn, I don't understand ......!
'Yes, I think so. How did you know that, Mr. Rahm?
'No, just think about it for a minute and you'll see ....... Maybe it's Job's fault. ....... What's more, what are you going to do about it?
'Which, what do you mean ......?'
'That ......'

With some difficulty, Ra opened his mouth.

Are you going to marry that nobleman?

I didn't know what was being said.

'To ......?'

Once again, as if in some kind of pain, he asked me.



'Are you going to marry, uh, Lord Franca? What do you want to do?
'I ......? No, I've never thought about that. ......'

I've never thought about getting married. --Except for Mr. Ra.
So why, why, why would you do that? .......

If you want to get married, I won't stop you. You'll have to look into the Lords of Franca. ......'

A shock hit me as if I had been hit on the head.
I knew it.
Mr. Ra will not stop me.
Ra-kun won't stop me.
Ra-kun thinks it's okay if I marry someone else.

And yet, I listen.

'Why are you saying that ......?

I asked in a surprisingly weak voice.

'What do you mean, why? ....... 'Because I'm your big brother ......

Then something fell down my cheek.
It was a tear.

'Ra-kun, have you always been my big brother, ......?
'Wow, Prine, why are you crying ......'

I was just sad.

I was happy that he always thought of me as his sister and cared for me, but he never saw me as a woman.
I wanted to tell him many times.
But each time I couldn't muster up the courage to do so, so I gave up.
I also thought it was strange to say such a thing to Mary when she was sleeping.

Besides, Mr. Ra would never take me for a child like me.
Even when he put the medicine on my body, he didn't try to do anything to me. I think he likes adult women like Anna and Mama.

I can't ...... stand it if he breaks up the party or something like that if I tell him how I feel. I would lose my "home".
So I was hoping we could at least be together. .......

I wonder if that will be the end now.
Even if I get married, Ra-kun will still be Ra-kun. He'll still be the big brother I can count on.
But I don't blame him for that. It's my fault.
It's my fault.

Ra-kun will always be my brother, right ......?

Then I thought, "Well, that's all right.
I gave up.
I don't want to be hurt anymore.

At my words, Ra-kun, however, became clumsy,

'Yeah, no, that's because you told me so. ......!

That's what he said.

I tilted my head, not understanding what he meant.

'...... me?'
'Yeah, you said that. You asked me to be your brother.

He tilts his head in the opposite direction, not understanding what I mean.

'...... when?'
Three years ago, on my birthday.
'Ra's birthday, three years ago.
'Yeah ......'

Blink three times. Retrace my memory. Ra's birthday three years ago. I remember it well. I remember every word he has spoken since we met nine years ago.