During the week-long hunting festival, Stella felt as if she were on a delightful picnic.

It was unfortunate that she couldn’t tend to the crops planted in the garden, but with Doodle and the earth fairies around, she wasn’t worried. Darren and Lianne had also mentioned they would occasionally check on them.

The princesses were busy during the festival, trying to build friendships with princesses from other districts. The most popular in the Plant District was, of course, Princess Annette.

Her tent was bustling with visitors every day, while Stella’s tent remained quiet, with not a single visitor.

Milla felt frustrated watching Stella, who seemed completely unconcerned by this. Stella might not have had ambitions to become the Empress.

However, even if that wasn’t the case, she needed to marry one of the empire’s reputable noble heirs to survive here.

Otherwise, she would have to live in the old and remote Verdura Castle, with no visitors until her dying day.

“Princess, would you like to visit the other princesses’ tents?”

“No.”

As expected, Stella’s answer was firm. Milla stared at the entrance of the tent with a frustrated look, standing up and sitting down multiple times, hoping someone might stop by.

But Stella was engrossed in reading an agricultural book she had accidentally brought along last time, focusing intently.

“They say there’s something called a ‘sweet potato.’ Have you heard of it, Milla? It’s much sweeter than regular potatoes and is good for colds too. It’s really fascinating. Oh, and there’s also ‘earth corn’? Its roots look like corn. You eat the roots. It seems you can even use it as a salt substitute. How interesting.”

Watching Stella smile brightly at the farming book as if she were reading a romance novel left Milla speechless. She had a bad feeling that Stella might end up living in Verdura Castle forever.

“Princess, do you find that book interesting?”

“Yes. It’s even more interesting than I expected. You should read it sometime, Milla. You’ll understand why I said it’s fun.”

“But Princess.”

Feeling she couldn’t just stand by, Milla was about to speak when the entrance of the tent became noisy. Turning around to see what was happening, she saw a visitor standing at the entrance.

“Princess, you have a guest.”

Milla’s voice was noticeably brighter as she spoke urgently.

Even with a simple tea table between them, the two couldn’t stop smiling at each other.

She introduced herself as Esmi from Gretan. Her round face made her seem younger, but she was the same age as Stella.

Esmi, perhaps due to her innate personality, treated Stella as if they had known each other for a long time.

“I knew from the first time I saw you that we were destined to become friends.”

She spoke casually without any hesitation. Stella wasn’t quite ready to figure out how to respond to Esmi.

While she easily approached the servants, she found it somehow difficult and uncomfortable with Esmi.

Stella realized that the reason was that Esmi’s ever-bright face reminded her of Beatrice. It was unfortunate for Esmi, but Stella couldn’t help it.

“I wish we were in the same district.”

“Yeah.”

Stella replied, wondering if Esmi would have come to visit her like this if they were in the same district.

She suspected that Esmi might have tried hard to express that they weren’t of the same rank, feeling relieved to be seated ahead of her.

However, Stella skillfully hid her complex thoughts behind a smile.

“What do you usually do, Stella? I’m learning to paint.”

“You’re learning to paint?”

It was the first time Stella heard that she could learn something extra.

“Yes. I’ve always liked drawing, and I’m glad I can continue doing it here.”

For a brief moment, Stella sensed deep longing and sadness in Esmi’s eyes.

“Would you like to learn with me? A teacher comes once a week. Since our district is right next to Plant, it shouldn’t be a problem to get there.”

“But we can’t leave our district.”

“There is a way. You just have to slip some money to the guards in front of the Minere District. And when leaving the Plant District too. All the princesses here visit other districts that way.”

“Is that okay?”

“I’m sure even His Majesty the Emperor knows about it.”

Stella looked at Milla, wondering if she knew about this. Judging by her inability to hide her displeasure, it was clear Milla was aware.

Given her personality, Milla probably hadn’t mentioned it because she wouldn’t even consider suggesting something illegal.

“I’ll think about it.”

Stella wasn’t particularly interested in learning to paint, but seeing Milla so restless made her feel like playing a prank.

What a mischievous thought. Stella suppressed her laughter and avoided Milla’s pleading gaze.

Milla was practically shouting with her whole demeanor, “You shouldn’t do that.”

Esmi’s visit had brought significant changes to Stella’s life.

Esmi visited Stella every day during the week she stayed in the barracks, and eventually, Stella gave in to Esmi’s persistence and visited her tent a few times. It was something Stella couldn’t have imagined doing while living in Amalrune.

“Oh right, Stella, what are you planning to catch at the hunt tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure.”

The day before the annual hunting festival ended, there was a special hunt organized for the princesses.

They selected only non-aggressive, lower-level monsters and released them into a safe hunting ground, allowing the princesses to choose weapons and hunt.

Officially, it was said to promote camaraderie among nations and peace with the empire, but in reality, it was nothing more than a low-grade event to parade the princesses, who were essentially hostages, in front of the nobles.

The princesses were aware of the underlying implications, but since it was a good opportunity to catch the Emperor’s eye, they held their heads high and headed to the hunting ground, clinging to the grand pretense.

For this day, the princesses had tailored beautiful hunting outfits and acquired stylish hair accessories. They armed themselves with splendid weapons imported from their home countries instead of the common ones provided at the hunting ground.

Even under normal circumstances, the hierarchy among the princesses was subtly evident, but at the hunting ground, their status in both the empire and their home countries was laid bare for everyone to see, from the clothes they wore to the weapons they carried.

“My father sent me an expensive hunting outfit, but it’s last year’s trend from the Credion Empire.”

Stella learned for the first time that there were trends in hunting outfits. Milla had procured hers in advance, but Stella didn’t care whether it was fashionable or not.

“How about yours, Stella? Did you get this year’s trendy design? Or did your home country send it?”

Esmi asked, already looking envious.

“I’m planning to wear what Milla bought.”

“What? You didn’t have it custom-made? Why?”

“Because it’s cheaper that way?”

“Why? Are you short on money?”

For the first time, Stella felt the gap between her and Esmi. Even Esmi, who was in the lowest group in another district, wore an expensive hunting outfit sent from her home country. The difference between them was like night and day.

“Yes. I don’t have any money.”

After a brief consideration, Stella spoke frankly, as it wasn’t her fault that she had no money. Even if Esmi no longer wanted to be close to her, there was nothing she could do about it.

She no longer wanted to worry about maintaining relationships that might break at any moment or to pretend and cover things up with lies.

Stella waited calmly for Esmi’s reaction.

“Really? Then I’ll give you some!”

Esmi’s unexpected response surprised Stella.

“It was my birthday last month, so my father sent me a gift and some money. But as you know, I don’t have any princess friends I’m close with. So I didn’t have a party. Of course, I wrote to my father saying I had a grand party. Otherwise, he’d be upset and cry for a whole month. He’s a crybaby king, my father.”

As Esmi spoke about her father, her face, which had been bright with a smile, was tinged with deep sadness. For the first time, Stella felt an overwhelming envy towards Esmi.

It wasn’t because of the birthday gifts or money. It was the fact that she had family who genuinely cared for her and would cry for her that Stella found unbearably enviable.

Thinking that Stella’s darkened expression was merely due to the hunting outfit, Esmi held Stella’s hand and smiled warmly.

Stella felt ashamed and disliked her own pettiness, but as always, she managed to smile as if nothing was wrong.

***

The hunting ground for the princesses was quite vast. It was so large that the entire fenced area couldn’t be seen at a glance.

The hunting outfit Milla had bought was quite expensive among off-the-rack clothes, but it paled in comparison to those worn by the other princesses.

Milla and Brynn tried their best to make Stella not look out of place, but given their different starting points, there was nothing they could do.

Stella herself didn’t care at all, but Brynn, upon seeing the other princesses’ hunting outfits, was upset and on the verge of tears.

“Still, our princess is the prettiest.”

Feeling grateful for Brynn’s affectionate support, Stella hugged her and smiled brightly.

Even though a hundred princesses entered the hunting ground at once, it was still absurdly large. Cheers erupted from somewhere every time a princess used her weapon on the occasionally appearing monsters.

It felt like being an animal in a circus. Since Stella hadn’t prepared any weapons in advance, she picked up a dagger and throwing stars handed out at the entrance of the hunting ground.

The bows and long swords had already been taken by others. She thought there might be others like her who hadn’t prepared weapons in advance, but in reality, the princesses who entered earlier had taken everything, leaving only the daggers and throwing stars.

“Stella! There’s a purple-horned lizard over there!”

Esta shouted, pointing to a low bush. Almost simultaneously, a dagger flew from Stella’s hand.