That must've been hard.
No, Prince Zen and the people at Fort Laxdo were there with me.
But you did a good job.
Yeah, good work.
You can take the rest of the day off.
But everyone is still worki--
Rest is important, too.
Right.
Well, I'll leave first, then.
Good work.
Shirayuki's working hard, huh?
Yeah.
Speaking of which, I wonder if she knows...?
About what?
About Prince Izana.
Led to an encounter...
Ahead on the road I've reached...
This is the place I have chosen...
Where my desires become reality...
"Episode 6: The Back Full of Meaning"
Today, I'll go with Ryu to the herb garden, and then organize the medical records and...
Oh? Zen!
Hey, Shirayuki. Mornin--
You're... that's...
"Clarines Kingdom, Wistal Castle, Apprentice Court Herbalist"...
This is your identification, huh?
They finished making it while we were at Fort Laxdo.
This uniform, too.
Speaking of which, you also moved into the castle, right?
Yeah. I have to work harder and harder from now on.
I have a ton of studying and work to do.
I see. I'll be busy for a while with the bandit incident and everything at Fort Laxdo.
We might not be able to see each other for a while.
Huh?
I see...
Shirayuki...
Well, see you later!
--Hey! --Huh?
Doesn't that make you upset at all?
Upset? How?
What do you mean, "How"...?
Oh, never mind!
See ya, Shirayuki!
Okay!
We're waiting for the investigation report from the army for this.
What about rewriting the communication system with the fort?
I've sent it on.
Then, next--shall we go to the archives?
The soldiers at the fort will have a hard time of it from now on, huh?
Yeah, probably.
Yeah, I'll have them work hard for me.
To do that, we'll have to prepare the system first...
Hm? Is something the matter?
The palace guards are stationed in different places.
Now that you mention it, there are a lot of them, too.
I didn't hear anything about this.
H-Hey, Zen, where are you going?
When Master and the others get busy, I get bored...
The area I'm allowed to be in is limited,
and there are no weapons for me to clean or repair.
Prince Zen, we cannot allow you to proceed further.
Why not?
I cannot answer that.
I see. Thanks.
Kiki, Mitsuhide, make yourselves presentable.
So I'm to wait until summoned, huh?
Obi, come out! You have ten seconds.
Jeez, you like to ask for the unreasonable.
Listen, you will be--
That scratch...
Oh, this? Just now, there was a sudden--
Excuse me, Prince Zen.
What do you want?
I was told to give this to you as soon as possible.
Sorry, Obi. Tell me about your scratch later.
For now, uncover your face.
And stand by in this room. Got it?
Y-Yes, sir!
Excuse me.
Hm?
Shirayuki, the prince is summoning you.
Uh, okay. Right away--
Please come to the Room of Chanting Flowers.
Huh? The Room of Chanting Flowers?
Excuse me.
Hey, Little Brother.
Long time no see, Lord Brother.
Mitsuhide and Kiki are with you, too? Friendly, as always, huh?
Thank you. Why did you hide your return from me?
I was just wondering when you'd notice.
I wanted to know how much you paid attention to what went on around the castle.
Please wait here.
Please refrain from making any noise.
Right...
Wh-What's this? What's going on?
I heard you went all the way to Laxdo, Zen?
Yes.
Zen...?
I saw the report, too.
It said the soldiers at the fort were all sick because of the bandits.
They couldn't even move. It must've been hard.
The way he's speaking to Zen...
Someone with a higher social status than the second prince...
The first prince of Clarines!
You were there with a court herbalist, and another attendant, right?
You didn't bring him?
Because... he is a newcomer.
A man with a scratch on his cheek?
I thought he was an outlaw, but he was yours, huh?
Well? I didn't see a report about the punishment of those at the fort.
They were not punished.
Why not?
They have the duty to patrol and protect the surrounding area.
During this incident, they were unable to perform this duty for quite some time.
They could not be prevented from going back to their duties any longer.
Well then, Zen, why don't we remove Laxdo from your jurisdiction for six months?
Even if it was the bandits' doing, there was fault in the fort's system.
If you will not rebuke the soldiers,
then you will receive the punishment.
A punishment that will make the soldiers feel even more guilty, huh?
It must be hitting Zen hard.
You're soft on yourself, so you don't want to blame them for something like this, right?
I understand.
Good. Next--
I've kept you waiting.
Shirayuki?!
Zen, you all can leave now.
You're busy, aren't you?
Lord Brother...
Zen...
Very well, we'll do as you say.
See you later, Shirayuki.
I'll go see you, okay?
Zen...?
Excuse me, Lord Brother.
Mitsuhide, Kiki. Let's go.
U-Um, you're Prince Zen's big brother... right?
That's a refreshing way to address me.
Did you summon me because of the Laxdo incident you spoke of earlier?
Nope.
Then, why would you ask an outsider like me--
You are Zen's friend, and a favorite of his, right?
For Zen, from the royal family, to have a friend and keep her in the castle--
Anyone who hears of this would be interested...
I have high hopes, as well.
You must have something Zen deems very necessary, huh?
I cannot answer whether or not it is something that would be evident to others.
I see.
Sorry to keep you.
You are dismissed.
Yes, sir.
If you weren't being humble just now,
then that means he happily invited a girl with strange hair from a foreign country into the castle,
and he's become a good-for-nothing prince.
What is it?
It's nothing.
I wonder what Prince Izana summoned Shirayuki for...
Did you hear that? She called me Zen's big brother.
That was kind of funny, at least.
Now...
Shall we finish this up all at once?
Oh, I wanna go home.
What are you saying so soon after arriving?
I'm saying this because I arrived!
Prince Izana went out of his way to summon you today to deepen your friendship.
Besides, it is also important for your two countries.
I know! But why invite just me, now, after all this time?
Owww...
Pretending to be sick?
No, I'm not!
Welcome to Clarines.
I am the second prince, Zen Wisteria. Nice to meet you.
Uh... Well, well. I am Raj Schenazade of Tanbarun!
I am honored to make your acquaintance.
As am I.
I never thought that Prince Izana would invite Prince Raj.
Even though he's a scandalous and hopeless prince
who wanted to force a town girl to be his concubine,
and then sent her poisoned apples...
You've got a sharp tongue...
It was after he summoned Shirayuki. It bothers me.
Yeah. Zen also said there must be a reason for it.
What in the world is he thinking?
I am Izana Wisteria. Welcome, Raj.
Since we have the chance to meet like this, let's dispense with the formalities.
Come, let us go to the garden.
Are you curious?
Why are you here?
I got out of guard duty.
Master and the others have been acting strange lately.
You were born in Tanbarun, right?
Did something happen between you and Prince Raj?
Anyway, that's why I came to get you, Miss.
Let's go spy on them!
Huh? W-Wai--
What's going on here?
Want some?
All right, we can hear them.
Prince Zen, I hear you have a new attendant.
Lord Haruka. Did my brother say that?
Yes.
He is very nimble and skilled. An interesting man.
As long as he is ready to fight when necessary.
We cannot have someone by your side who does not pay attention to his surroundings.
Zen!
Yes?
I was just wondering what you two talked about when you went to greet him.
Nothing important.
He's right. We just met.
Oh?
By the way, Raj, I heard you had fallen for a red-haired--
The girl is in this castle right now.
Do you remember her name?
Oh... the red-haired...
That girl, huh...?
You can at least say her name, can't you?
It was Shirayuki... wasn't it?
I don't like where this is going.
I heard that the girl left you,
but if you have any lingering affection, I can prepare a seat for her here.
Lord Brother, you are reading too much into things.
Am I? It's a good chance, isn't it?
The girl might want to go back to her home country, you know?
Lord Brother!
Hey, wait, their conversation is turning into a bad joke...
Miss?
Oh, sorry. My break's over, so I have to get back.
I wonder if I was being told to leave Clarines?
That I'm not necessary here?
Raj.
Oh, thank you for the offer, Izana, but I politely decline.
Shirayuki definitely did not leave me,
I wholeheartedly supported her in her desire to live in another country.
Of course I have no lingering affection!
Is there a reason you cannot see her?
W-Well...
If you don't want your foolish actions to be made public,
then swear you will never approach Shirayuki again or say her name.
A-All right! I promise!
I just swore!
I heard that Zen thinks of Shirayuki as his fiancée.
Eh?
Huh?
Come with me for a sec.
Z-Zen, where...?
What he said just now...
I think I might pass out.
What do you think you're saying?
W-Wait! I had no choice with the way the conversation was going!
Yes, you did!
I might have exaggerated things a little, but it's the same thing in the end, right?
The same?
You and Shirayuki are lovers, are you not?
Huh?
Don't tell me that's not the case?!
Stop making a racket.
That is a problem!
Why do you care?
If that's the case, then there's no guarantee Shirayuki will not leave you!
Shirayuki knows about the poisoned apples!
I must have her somewhere where I can keep an eye on her.
If you will not have her, then I will welcome Shirayuki.
What?
It looks like that is what Izana would prefer, as well.
Of course, I would treat her with courtesy in my castle--
Rejected.
Zen, I'm not done talking--
Just so you know, Shirayuki is not in this castle right now to hide what happened that day.
It's true that there's no guarantee that Shirayuki will stay with me in the future.
Listen, Raj, it's because there's no promise that I wish for it.
That is what drives people.
Prince Zen.
What is the meaning of this?
Raj and I were not on the same page.
Lord Brother. I do not think of Shirayuki as my fiancée, nor have I asked her to be.
I'll be leaving first.
Good work today.
It's over, huh?
Prince Raj...
I wonder how long he'll be here?
What'll I do if I'm told to go with him when he leaves?
What'll I do...?
Zen...
I...
I couldn't answer...
I couldn't say what I could do for you by your side in the future,
or why I am here right now...
He's become a good-for-nothing prince.
Just like that time...
I don't have an answer... To any of that...
Shirayuki...
The place you decided to go by yourself...
The reason I'm in this country...
I want to see how you live in this country,
and the place where I'll be able to do that is where I've decided to go.
I hope I can see you from that place, too.
Zen...
Shirayuki, what happened?
Well, princess? Have you come to dislike it?
My brother was always in front of me.
Then he's showing his true nature, huh?
Because there will always be someone on your side.
"Episode 7: Let Me Hear the Melody of Your Smile"