Chapter 26: Justification

When Bliss entered the princess’s palace, she noticed a distinctly different atmosphere from her previous visit. There was an unsettling feeling in the air, as if everything was slightly off-balance. Despite this being only her second time in the princess’s palace, the change was unmistakable.

Upon closer inspection, she realized what seemed strange – there were significantly more soldiers present than before, and the princess’s maids were hurrying about with unusual urgency.

“I’m here to see Princess Jasmin.”

“We know. Please enter.”

The knight at the princess’s door opened it as soon as he saw Bliss. It was clear they had been notified about her new position as a lady-in-waiting.

“From next time, you won’t need to announce yourself.”

The knight, after informing her of her unrestricted access, signaled to the soldier, who then opened the door.

Bliss found herself stopping involuntarily at the sight that greeted her.

The princess’s normally spacious room had been transformed into a cluttered space with barely any room to walk. Blankets were piled high on one side, while a bathtub filled with warm water occupied another area. Noticing various tools scattered about, including hammers and tongs, Bliss picked her way forward carefully.

As she surveyed the room, she spotted Princess Jasmin in the furthest corner. Unlike her previous relaxed posture on the couch, the princess now sat upright in a narrow chair, waiting to receive her.

“I was worried you might come wearing clothes dripping with accessories, but I see I judged you correctly.”

Princess Jasmin herself was wearing an elegant yet understated dress.

“Please continue to dress like that.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Bliss’s prompt response drew a wider smile from Princess Jasmin. It seemed she had left a favorable impression on her first day as a lady-in-waiting. After a moment of relief, Bliss inquired about the items scattered around the room.

“What is all this?”

“I brought in some items today to test their properties.”

Princess Jasmin, with her red hair neatly pinned up, motioned for Bliss to come closer. Though there was hardly any place to sit, Bliss approached at the princess’s beckoning. The maids quickly cleared a path for her.

“But why keep everything in your room?”

“There’s no need to experiment outside where information might leak.”

When Princess Jasmin stood, the already cramped space seemed to shrink further. Bliss, now at the princess’s side, glanced around again.

“It’s impressive that you managed to bring in all these experimental tools.”

“If I had brought them in one at a time, people would have noticed.”

Bliss stepped aside as Princess Jasmin walked past her. While testing the water in the bathtub with her hand, the princess continued speaking.

“That’s why I always conduct my experiments here in my room.”

Something about the princess’s explanation made Bliss hesitate.

“Could you explain in more detail?”

“Let me give you an example. Imagine bringing in one item, then gradually adding tools to experiment with it. Say I brought in a brazier, and the item showed a reaction to fire. People would quickly deduce that the item has some connection to fire.”

Princess Jasmin winked as she added, “There are many watching eyes in the palace.”

Understanding dawned on Bliss, and she nodded.

“Come here.”

When Princess Jasmin, who had moved away, called her over to look at something, Bliss approached. As she neared the bathtub, she noticed something she hadn’t seen before.

“This arrived this morning. It’s called Cling – originally a solid sphere. It melts in warm water and hardens when removed. If you reshape it while it’s warm, it maintains whatever form you give it.”

Princess Jasmin demonstrated by handling the melted substance in the water. She wrapped it around her arm, where it took the shape of a bracelet before darkening and solidifying.

“It’s similar to metalworking, but different. This becomes pliable with just moderate warmth – no need for special tools. And watch this.”

After ensuring it had completely hardened, Jasmin held it up for Bliss to see. While Bliss was still trying to determine what made it special, the maids simultaneously drew the curtains, plunging the room into darkness.

In the dimness, the Cling around Princess Jasmin’s wrist began to emit a soft glow. It appeared to both absorb and emit light, and Bliss couldn’t hide her wonderment.

“That’s not all.”

At Princess Jasmin’s words, the room brightened again as a maid carefully brought forward a small bottle, roughly palm-sized with a narrow neck. Intrigued, Bliss watched as Princess Jasmin melted the Cling again in the warm water and extracted a portion. She shaped it into a pointed branch-like form and inserted it into the bottle. The Cling instantly turned black.

“The bottle contains poison extracted from mushrooms. Cling reacts to poison as well. What do you think?”

Princess Jasmin looked expectantly at Bliss after sharing her discoveries.

“It’s fascinating. And…”

Bliss replied, her eyes fixed on the Cling.

“It’s fun.”

She could understand why Princess Jasmin was so absorbed in this.

“I was fortunate with this. When I acquired this Cling, I also received information that others had discovered about it. However, there are still many properties we haven’t uncovered.”

Though her tone was calm, her sigh betrayed a hint of frustration. It was understandable, given that Bliss had offered to be her confidant in these matters.

Bliss walked past Princess Jasmin to examine the room more closely. She wanted to inspect all the items that had been brought in. Besides the prominent large bathtub, there was a flower bed and an array of reagent bottles and beakers.

Now she understood why the palace had seemed so chaotic upon her arrival. The maids had been bustling about bringing items into the princess’s room, while the soldiers remained vigilant against potential dangers.

The princess’s safety was more crucial than her hobby. The presence of mushroom-extracted poison among the items was particularly concerning.

“Your Highness.”

Having gathered her thoughts, Bliss stood before Princess Jasmin once more.

“Has this always been your method of verification?”

“Yes.”

“Is there a particular reason why you can’t establish a laboratory?”

When Princess Jasmin met her question with silence, Bliss continued.

“You’ve brought these items to your room to study their properties in secret. But conducting these experiments in your chambers seems impractical. Wouldn’t a dedicated laboratory eliminate the need for constantly moving everything?”

“I have considered that option before.”

Princess Jasmin regarded Bliss with hesitation in her eyes.

“If I establish a laboratory, I can no longer dismiss my collection as a simple hobby.”

Such a move would suggest serious involvement, inevitably drawing opposition.

“Moreover, if rumors spread about my use of unauthorized magic, the situation could become unmanageable.”

The implications of the princess being branded a witch would reach far beyond her personal circumstances.

Bliss nodded with understanding. In their world, laboratories often carried sinister connotations.

This explained why the princess had resorted to using her room in this manner.

“But I don’t wish to continue like this indefinitely. It’s becoming cumbersome. So…”

As Princess Jasmin’s voice trailed off, Bliss, who had been surveying the room, turned to face her.

“Find a way so I won’t need to keep everything in my room like this.”

The sudden request caught Bliss by surprise.

“If you can resolve this situation, our relationship will likely improve further. Of course, there’s no pressure if you can’t think of a solution.”

Though Princess Jasmin claimed it didn’t matter, her tone suggested otherwise.

‘This is a test.’

The setup hadn’t been merely for show. Recognizing the princess’s true intentions, Bliss scanned the room once more.

From the seemingly superfluous flower bed to the various-height tables gathered together – while each item served its own purpose, combining them under a single purpose wasn’t impossible.

“We simply need to create a justification.”

“Justification… Wars have been waged over such things.”

The princess shook her head disappointedly, as if that was all Bliss could suggest.

But Bliss hadn’t finished her thought.

“Everything in this room serves Your Highness’s entertainment.”

Bliss presented her idea with a light expression.

“You should establish a recreation room for Your Highness.”

“A recreation room?”

Princess Jasmin, despite her maturity, echoed the words as if testing their meaning.

“We don’t need an elaborate justification. Wouldn’t something casual and private be more suitable?”

She was merely offering a suggestion; the final decision lay with the princess.

The princess, contemplating the idea, matched Bliss’s smile.

“That’s quite clever. Why didn’t I think of it?”

The drawling nature of Princess Jasmin’s response made Bliss suspicious.

Had the princess known the answer all along?