Is it really okay to be this happy?
I’ve heard that being able to have such a happy time means something dreadfully depressing is about to happen later on.
I know that’s just nonsense. Life isn’t just about living a day or two. In a year, or even a week, happy and unhappy events can happen alternately, and most of the time, these two types of events are not really related to each other at all.
It’s just that the events I experienced earlier make the later ones feel more intense. So does that mean that if I go through unhappy events, happy events must happen afterward?
Of course, there are still many things to worry about.
I can manage for now, but when the money I’ve saved runs out, and the number of viewers decreases, leading to less income, we won’t be able to have fun like we are now.
Both of us are capable, so we could find something to do, but since we’re in a situation where we don’t have any degrees, earning a lot of money would be difficult.
Of course, I’m not saying I haven’t saved enough money for that to come up soon…
There are also strange aspects to consider.
The fact that I can use the money I’ve saved now might serve as evidence that the ‘me’ who lived in this world and the Sylvia Fanggriffon who came over here are continuous beings, but…
If I died in this world, it would only be natural for all the assets I had saved to be inherited by my family, right? If everything was ‘as it should be’, I should have been flat broke. Everything in that room would have been taken back by my family.
That being said, it’s not like I just left everything behind; I’ve been able to use that wealth so naturally—
Click!
I snapped back to reality at the sudden sound.
Turning my head, I saw Claire aiming her smartphone camera at me.
“Perfect shot.”
Claire’s smile while saying that was beautiful.
And looking at Claire’s expression, I thought, ‘Does it really matter?’
Yeah, there’s no point in worrying about something that can’t be solved right now.
I could worry about running out of money when that time comes. I’ve been constantly thinking about how to return anyway.
I should enjoy myself while I can.
Claire was flipping through the photos we’d taken together with Alice today, and they turned out to be adorable.
Though, I kind of wished we had another camera.
*
Where we were was the Palace of Great Blessings. There’s usually an entrance fee, but knowing it was free if you wore traditional Korean clothing, we decided to visit since it was close to the bookstore.
While the concept of ‘the East’ exists, it was the first time for two people, who had only come to a place that was really ‘Eastern’, to hear that this was a ‘palace’, and they were being exceedingly polite as they walked around.
Claire even lowered her voice a bit.
I told her there was no need to be that serious, but—
“Even if there isn’t a king here, if this is a place that symbolizes the legitimacy of the country, we should certainly show respect.”
Alice said that.
But, you know, our royal family doesn’t really receive all that much respect from the people. Even after the constitution was designed to prevent the claim of royalty, it was the same. The image of the late Joseon Dynasty was so low that it had somewhat tarnished the image of the entire Joseon Dynasty from that era.
But I figured it would be too much to explain all that history, so I thought I’d just show them a video from a streaming site later.
“We came from a country with a throne, after all.”
Claire’s comment triggered a lot of desire to counter that.
Right in front of them, I was still a Crown Princess. I would have returned once the battle was over, and although there were people who knew I didn’t actually share blood with the Emperor, who knows how that would affect my position? Claire had boldly called me ‘sister’ even though she recognized I was a Crown Princess.
Plus, the one I was openly bickering with might very well be the next Emperor.
I never showed any sign of being intimidated when talking to Charlotte either.
So why was there a need to feel so nervous about looking at a dynasty that no longer exists?
“That’s…now we’re commoners, right? Nobles don’t come to places like this, do they? They say there’s equality, but that doesn’t mean the noble class disappears that easily, does it?”
When I showed a puzzled expression, Claire responded.
And that’s when I understood why the two were nervous.
They both couldn’t outright ask me, but judging from the state of my room, it was by no means ‘noble’. Just from looking at what we saw today, like the state of hotels and the large buildings in downtown, they must have felt how shabby and small my room was.
Even if there’s no king now, there used to be one. And naturally, if there was, there were distinctions between nobles and commoners.
And that kind of power doesn’t just disappear. Even in various European countries that claim to be democratic, there are still places where the concept of nobility exists. Whether legally or not, they maintain their positions, wealth, and real estate among themselves.
In fact, Korea could be that way too.
“Several decades ago, we all became beggars due to war, so since then, there have been no classes like nobility or anything.”
That’s right. At the very least, dividing people into the noble and the base by ‘family line’ has become nearly impossible. It’s different when it comes to having or not having money, of course.
“At least there’s no ‘class that can be known by name only.’ And even if someone comes from a somewhat well-off family, they can’t just openly look down on others in a place like this, right?”
“…Is that so?”
“That’s right. That being said, it doesn’t mean that it’s perfectly equal.”
As I explained with a wry smile, the two of them tilted their heads.
In fact, I doubt they have a good sense of my position. Compared to Azernar, which still retains the inhumanity of the Industrial Revolution, my position here was certainly much better.
“It really is a place with a lot to learn.”
Alice concluded with such an unexpected remark in the end.
“…But if you blindly follow everything, it could be a big problem. There are countries that suggest things to copy, so it would be better to carry their history books instead.”
Would England, France, and Germany be okay?
…I should get a book about the Russian Revolution while I’m at it. I’d hate to die in a revolution while I’m still alive.
*
“Was it called Samgyeopsal? It was delicious!”
Claire exclaimed, sprawled on the bed without even changing clothes as we entered the hotel room.
“It had a different feel from steak. I think grilling it ourselves occasionally could be nice.”
As Alice plopped a thick book onto the bed, she said that.
“Today was fun, sister.”
Claire said as she sat up on the bed, her face beaming with a big smile.
“It feels like I’ve done everything I wanted to do as a child with you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. When I was with you, I didn’t know anything, so I barely ever imagined it, but while growing up with Leo, I thought it would have been nice if you were there.”
Claire closed her eyes and then opened them to look at me.
“I sometimes worried about that too, you know? What if the sister I imagined was just a figment of my childhood? Like a friend from my imagination.”
“……”
“Well, hearing that other kids remembered you reinforced my belief that you really existed. I think it was a good thing I entered the academy. I never thought I’d actually see you again, but you knew I would come to the academy, right?”
“……”
I couldn’t answer because I was too embarrassed.
Although I didn’t respond, Claire, who looked satisfied with my expression, turned slightly to lie down on her side and spoke while looking at Alice, who was behind me.
“Alice, what about you? Did you get to do things you wanted to do when you were a kid today?”
“Huh?”
Alice was taken aback for a moment at the sudden question and then turned bright red.
“Who, who, who says that?”
“You probably wanted to be close with your sister from childhood, didn’t you? You may have complained about it now and then, but you really just wanted to play together, right?”
Is that so?
I knew I had gotten jealous and was acting that way, but I had never thought of it from that angle.
As I turned completely to face Alice, her face turned completely red.
It was a color I hadn’t seen since she wore that bunny girl outfit.
“…W-why are you looking at me like that!?”
Gasp!
In the end, Alice couldn’t hold back the embarrassment and threw a pillow at my face.
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