Side Story 8 - I was found out (Epilogue) (1/2)
“Hey, Katarina. I’ve always been wondering but, what is that bulge in your pocket?”
I’ve avoided all the destruction flags, and I had been sipping tea while completely relaxed, when Jared suddenly pointed at my pocket, my hand went over to feel what it was.
Huh, what’s in here? What is it? I pulled out the item in my pocket.
It was, in my eight years, the greatest masterpiece among the toy snakes.
……Come to think of it, last night, when I was preparing against the destruction flags, I had put it in my pocket, and I had completely forgotten about it…… What’s more, of all things, I’ve made the mistake of taking it out in front of Jared……
Eight years ago, I had thrown a toy snake at Jared, and he exacted a terrible revenge upon me, and in order to guard against him, I had a toy snake made, and I had been careful to not let Jared notice my toy snake throwing practice. And yet…… Of all things, at such a timing…… Even though I had worked so hard to avoid the destruction flags…… At this rate a new destruction is going to come for me……
I held the toy snake and froze up. I really didn’t have the courage to face Jared head on and see his expression. However, I was able to feel some kind of disturbing atmosphere.
……This is bad. Somehow, I have to deceive him somehow……
“……Ah, ahh! What is this, when did it get there? Exactly who on earth put such a thing in my pocket?”
For the time being, let’s go with the scenario where someone put it in my pocket unknowingly. Uh-oh, the words came out in a bit of a monotone but, I think it’s a great idea.
This toy snake isn’t mine, but someone else put it into my pocket as some sort of evil plot.
“Really, when did such a thing get in my pocket without me knowing it?”
I continued with my convincing performance…… Then……
“It can’t be, someone arbitrarily put it in there?”
Jared raised his voice in puzzlement. Looking at his face, it was just as stiff as his voice was. I, I’ve succeeded. I’ve deceived him successfully. My acting ability is quite something. At this rate, I might even become an actress in the future.
And so, I got completely carried away and continued my acting.
“T, that’s right. Exactly who would do such a thing?”
I made a troubled look. I felt completely like a big-shot actress.
“Really now, I wonder who exactly would have put such a thing there, hmm?”
Jared’s already been completely deceived by my wonderful acting. This is good, this is good. And so, just when I had become completely at ease……
“- What exactly do you think you’re talking about?”
“EH!?”
When I looked again, his expression and tone of voice had suddenly changed…… And the same evil smile that had been there when I had thrown the toy snake at him before was there again.
……Huh? What? My sublime performance should have completely fooled him…… While my eyes became completely wide-eyed, Jared continued on indifferently.
“When you think about it normally, it should be impossible, something like putting an item into your pocket, without you noticing it at all. On top of that, doing something like this has no meaning at all.”
“……Urgh, indeed……”
I had thought it was a wonderful idea, but…… It’s indeed just as he said. As expected of the genius Prince Jared.
“In the first place, the only person that would be deceived by such a hilarious lie, would be Katarina.”
“………”
“What’s more, you’ve always thought I didn’t know but, that Katarina’s been secretly making something and sneaking out to practice throwing it, I’ve discovered it long ago.”
“!?”
What’s this!? Even though I had thought that he never noticed…… It’s been completely exposed……
“And so, why would Katarina have such a thing?”
Jared asked me with such a beautiful, beautiful smile.