64: The Masked Noblewomen / Another Sanada / Roast Pork Sandwich with Honey Mustard 10

Not based on rumors or hearsay, but as objective facts:

First, the First Princess Jill was raised by Conrad. However, when she turned ten and Conrad was deployed to the front lines, she was entrusted to the King and Queen.

Not long after Jill began living in the royal castle, she was struck by a mysterious illness. The type and cause of the illness were unknown, but the symptoms were straightforward: she couldn’t wake up. She routinely slept more than 20 hours a day.

Doctors, alchemists, healing magic users, and even King Alan himself tried to uncover the cause, but there was no sign of improvement. All the specialists could conclude was that there were “no particular abnormalities.” Despite the physicians’ efforts, Jill’s illness suddenly resolved about six months later.

There is a record of Charlotte visiting Jill on behalf of Scott during this time. Moreover, the alchemist Charlotte brought with her during that visit was still actively practicing in this town.

Jill sought out the whereabouts of this alchemist and visited them.

When she arrived, the elderly female alchemist was greatly astonished.

“My goodness! To think the owner of the crab shop was Lady Jill!”

“As I’ve mentioned, it’s not a crab shop.”

Incidentally, the alchemist’s location was near a general store, just within a ten-minute walk. She ran an herbal shop there. While she usually supplied medicines to the local sanatorium, her skills were widely recognized. Whether it was for headaches, insomnia, or general unwellness not clearly linked to a disease, her diagnoses were reportedly more accurate than those of most town physicians. When asked for her whereabouts, everyone praised the alchemist’s abilities.

Charlotte invited the alchemist to become the lord’s personal physician, but the alchemist declined, expressing a desire to treat the illnesses of many citizens in the town instead. Far from being upset at the refusal, Charlotte was deeply impressed and grew to trust the alchemist even more. This was how the alchemist came to accompany Charlotte during a visit to Jill.

“…And so, I now run a shop while living in the neighboring forest. Since you are acquainted with Lady Charlotte, I assume you are also familiar with my uncle Conrad. Please consider me in a similar position.”

“If you mention Lord Conrad, it makes me feel even more unworthy…”

The alchemist smiled wryly with a hint of discomfort. At that moment, Jill quickly presented a gift: an assortment of baked goods from a local café. Though the alchemist initially hesitated, saying it was too much, Jill persuaded her by framing it as a gesture of neighborhood goodwill, causing the alchemist to relax and smile.

“If that’s the case, I will gladly accept it. Actually, my grandchild has been asking to visit the general store, so they will surely be delighted with the sweets as well.”

“Oh, is that so? Please come by to visit us sometime.”

The alchemist chuckled at Jill’s words.

“You really are just an ordinary neighbor. It’s such a strange feeling… Back then, I couldn’t even speak with you, but I’m truly glad to see you well now.”

“…Actually, that time is precisely what I came to discuss.”

“To discuss?”

“I have no memory at all of the time I was bedridden. Since you treated me back then, I would like to hear about my condition at the time.”

The alchemist nodded, as if understanding.

Then he began to speak briefly.

“Yes… I remember those events from seven years ago very well. At first, I was incredibly nervous upon hearing you were the child of the reigning king. However, when I learned you were someone Lord Conrad cherished, I decided to answer Lady Charlotte’s request and traveled to the royal capital.”

“Yes,”

Jill listened intently, nodding occasionally.

“At that time, Lady Jill was quietly sleeping in the royal capital’s detached palace. There were many doctors and healers present, and various treatments were tried, but none were effective. Everyone seemed bewildered.”

“They said there was nothing particularly abnormal, correct?”

“Rather than there being no abnormalities, it seemed as though you were healthy.”

“Healthy?”

The alchemist nodded with a vague expression, as if recalling the confusion of that time.

“Your pulse would sometimes rise, as if you were awake, and at other times it was calm and steady, like someone peacefully asleep. Occasionally, you would appear to be smiling as if you were happy, and at other times, you looked angry. It was as though you were living happily within a dream.”

“Living happily within a dream…”

“That was the impression I got, at least. Your complexion was excellent, and even though you couldn’t eat, your body showed no signs of decline. Normally, no matter how mild the illness, someone bedridden for so long would develop bedsores, but you didn’t even have that.”

“That’s… strange, even for me.”

“Physicians like myself were completely stumped, and while the healers continued using their magic without giving up, there weren’t any notable results… Oh, now that I think about it,”

The alchemist’s words trailed off.

She seemed to dive into her memories, deep in thought.

“Was there something?”

“Yes, someone said something peculiar back then. It wasn’t one of the official healers but an elderly man who claimed to be a shaman living in the frontier.”

“What did that person say?”

“They said it was as if only the soul had gone somewhere else.”

“The soul?”

Jill, sensing something amiss, asked instinctively.

The apothecary let out an involuntary chuckle.

“Sorry, I didn’t fully understand what that person was saying either. They tended to speak in rather vague terms. But… they mentioned something like this: ‘Lady Jill’s soul and spirit are leading a disciplined life somewhere other than here, and that orderliness returns to her body. That’s why there is no difference compared to when there’s nothing at all.'”

“Somewhere other than here.”

Jill murmured quietly, then fell silent, lost in thought.

Concerned, the apothecary spoke up.

“My apologies. My ramblings might have just confused you further.”

“No, it was very helpful. Thank you.”

Saying, “If you’d like,” the apothecary offered Jill some herbal tea in gratitude for the sweets she had brought.

It was something Jill had apparently drunk during her brief waking hours seven years ago.

Feeling a pang of sadness at not remembering the apothecary’s kindness, Jill also felt warmth in her heart, knowing she had met someone who cared for her.

◆

Seven years ago, Jill was gradually starting to grasp what had happened to her.

It seemed that while she had been asleep in the royal castle, she had also, somehow, existed in that cave.

However, Jill had no idea how something like that could even happen.

She had the nagging feeling that she still hadn’t remembered something crucial.

What she did feel, though, was a nostalgic longing for that dim yet warm cave.

And once again, she dreamed today.

Wanting to reclaim what she had forgotten.