nhp | (Sutamai) Event: ‘The Hidden Princess Kaguya’, Part 1

EVENT STORY INDEX

Since long ago…

I haven’t been able to help but lovingly think of people who are bound to a promise they never made.

The woman in Room 3021 was also one among them.

-Hotel: Bedroom-

Man (Otani): Sorry to keep you waiting.

Woman: … Oh, what, you’re still here?

I thought you left.

Man (Otani): No such thing. I said I’d be right back, didn’t I?

Woman: If the next girl is asking for you, then by all means, go. Don’t let me stop you.

Man (Otani): I’m not going today.

Woman: ……

{Page flips}

Man (Otani): That aside, it’s rare for you to be reading.

Woman: I need to turn in for the night so that I can get up early the next day.

Seeing as I’m wide-awake, I thought that if I read a boring book then I’d be able to fall asleep. So I bought one.

Man (Otani): So it’s boring.

Woman: To death.

Man (Otani): Haha. Feel like you can get to sleep?

Woman: Sadly, no.

{Closes book}

Man (Otani): Then how about I tell you a specially boring story instead?

In the past, I had my aspiring novelist friend let me read his original rendition of Princess Kaguya.

Woman: What even…

Man (Otani): There’s still a little bit of wine left. Shall I pour us some?

Woman: I said so, didn’t I? That I’ve got an early start tomorrow. If you want to drink, then help yourself.

Man (Otani): I guess I won’t hold back then.

{Wine pouring}

Man (Otani): … A long, long time ago, there was a beautiful princess who lived a life of ease and comfort on the moon.

Woman: So it’s about an unhappy princess despite having it all.

Man (Otani): Haha. Well, just keep listening.

Our story begins on the day it was decided that she would succeed in becoming the Chief of the Moon.

From the moment she had said that she wanted to see what it was like to live on Earth, if only for a short time.

Woman: ……

Man (Otani): The princess wanted to know firsthand what sort of world she would be lighting up at length from now on.

Unwilling to yield on this point, the rest had no choice but to bend to her words…

In the end, she was allowed to go down to Earth with a time limit.

However…

Woman: … Yeah?

Man (Otani): On the promised day, in the village where Kaguya’s younger brother—the Prince of the Moon—and his attendants came to pick her up…

There was no sign of her.

{Page flips}

* * *

-Village-

Prince (Kaname): ……

She has always been a handful since way back.

Kind to all, and friendly with everyone.

But that being said, she would never behave according to anyone’s expectations.

* * *

I really didn’t understand her. It was as though her thinking was unclouded and as plain as the day itself.

Which was why I had thought that she might be reluctant to return to the moon for a reason that I couldn’t have anticipated.

-Village-

Messenger (Kagura): … Not here?

Prince (Kaname): ……

Villager: She was definitely living here up until a while ago, but…

EEEP!?

Messenger (Arakida): What do you mean?

Villager: I-I don’t know!

After she finished thanking everyone in the village for taking care of her…

She packed up all her stuff and then left. We haven’t seen her since.

I-If you suspect us, then go ahead and search every nook and cranny of the place!!

I swear to God, w-we’re not hiding anything!

Messenger (Maki): … Should I look for her?

Prince (Kaname): No need. Seems like she’s really not here.

Do you have any idea where she was headed?

Villager: No… She wasn’t really someone who spoke much about herself to begin with…

… Oh, right. Those people might know something.

Messenger (Kagura): Those people?

Villager: It could’ve been because of the rumour that ended up going around about a “special maiden you wouldn’t consider to be of this world” …

But there weren’t for a lack of marriage proposals coming from well-known noblemen either.

That girl didn’t accept any last one of their hands.

However, she did have a bit of a unique relationship with a few among them.

Prince (Kaname): Do you mean they were her lovers?

Villager: N-No. It most likely didn’t go that far…

But at the very least, it’s true that they were on intimate terms with her.

In a way, that girl also appeared to be someone who was trusting of others…

Messenger (Arakida): ……

Prince (Kaname): … Where are these people?

* * *

-Young Noble’s Estate: Cloister-

Scion (Hinata): ……

Although there was no wind, the moon in the lake swayed, and there was the scent of night-blooming cereus in the air.

It was probably the same time when he thought about how it was just like that night, that he called out her name.

Scion (Hinata): … Lady Kaguya?

Prince (Kaname): Sorry, but no.

Scion (Hinata): !

Messengers (Kagura & Maki): ……

Messenger (Arakida): ……

Scion (Hinata): You are…

Prince (Kaname): When I came to fetch her, she wasn’t at the promised place. I’m looking for her as we speak.

Is she here?

Scion (Hinata): … Yes, I see now. Of course.

She’s not here.

-Young Noble’s Estate: Cloister-

Messenger (Arakida): ……

Scion (Hinata): It’s true even if you glare at me.

I know where she went off to but I don’t know where she went.

Prince (Kaname): … Right. In that case, we’ll look into the location.

But before that, there are several things I’d like to ask you.

Scion (Hinata): What’s that?

Prince (Kaname): We need something to go on from to even search.

Such as, how did she spend her days before going off anywhere.

Or why is it that you know where she was headed.

I’d like you to answer that for me.

Messenger (Maki): ……

Scion (Hinata): ……

… So it really is like that.

Messenger (Kagura): …?

Scion (Hinata): Sure. Then, first up—

As far as I know, Lady Kaguya was her same-old self up until the day she disappeared.

I don’t think there was anything in particular that was different about her.

Prince (Kaname): Same-old, as in?

Scion (Hinata): I only heard about it when she would casually drop by for fun, so I haven’t seen it for myself.

But she’d go into the mountains and pick wild edible plants.

Or as thanks for the vegetables that she was given, she’d repair the roofs of people’s houses.

I also heard about how she’d catch kids who were being naughty, and wrestled with them since they wouldn’t listen to a word you’d say.

Prince (Kaname): ……

Messenger (Arakida): (… Even here.)

Messenger (Maki): (She’s still like that.)

Messenger (Kagura): (… I don’t even want to imagine what she looked like living here…)

Prince (Kaname): … Did you seek her hand in marriage even after knowing that was how she normally was?

Scion (Hinata): Yep. They were all practically “love at first sight” proposals.

But from the moment I met Lady Kaguya, it was because she was that sort of person that I fell in love with her.

Messenger (Arakida): ……

Scion (Hinata): Well, it certainly did take me by surprise when she came falling down right before my eyes.

Messengers (Kagura & Maki): (Huh?)

Messenger (Arakida): (……)

Prince (Kaname): … What are you talking about?

Scion (Hinata): How I first encountered Lady Kaguya.

After hearing the rumours, I thought of wanting to meet her, so I went all the way to the village in person.

At the time—

* * *

I was interested. But I wasn’t holding out that much hope.

-Village-

Attendant: The rumoured maiden’s dwelling is on the outskirts of the village, so it’s still a little ways away.

But it looks like this is about as far as the vehicle will go.

Scion (Hinata): Got it. I’m getting off.

Attendant: We’ll go check out the state of things, so please wait…

Huh?

Scion (Hinata): … Hmmm. So this is what a village looks like.

It’s small, huh.

Attendant: P-Please wait one moment! We’ll go scout out the area! So—!!

Scion (Hinata): It’s fine.

If too many people go at once, it’ll be a bother. You all wait here.

Attendant: But…

Scion (Hinata): Okay?

Attendant: … Understood…

Scion (Hinata): Good.

* * *

Scion (Hinata): (… The wind feels nice.)

(But even so, when saying “on the outskirts”, how far out are we talking here?)

(For starters, I don’t really know how much of what is a part of the village either…)

???: —Woah!?

Scion (Hinata): Wha…

[CRASH!]

???: Guhngh.

Scion (Hinata): … Huh…?

-Village-

Scion (Hinata): (… It’s a person. And a girl to boot.)

(So people come falling down from roofs in villages. How dangerous… Wait, that’s not it.)

You—

[Fwip]

Scion (Hinata): !

Upon righting herself, the girl that came crashing down from the roof didn’t dust off the dirt on her clothes or even check on her injuries…

Instead, she nervously opened up the palms of her hands which she was clutching to her chest.

[Chirp… Chirp, chirp]

???: Oh, thank god!

Her expression went slack with relief.

Scion (Hinata): (… A baby… swallow?)

When I looked up at the spot where she had suddenly dropped down from, I saw a small swallow’s nest.

Scion (Hinata): (Oh, I get it now… She was trying to return it to its nest.)

(… A girl… climbing up onto the roof? Well, whatever, I guess.)

You okay?

???: Huh? Oh, yeah!

As you can see, they’re full of energy. Phew!

[Chirp chirp]

Scion (Hinata): … Yeah. The little one seems to be doing well.

What about you?

???: Huh?

Scion (Hinata): That was a loud sound you made. I just hope you’re not hurt.

???: Oh… I’m fine! I’m a tough one!

As she said that, she laughed with a face made up of scrapes and grazes on her cheeks, and attempted to get up.

And by attempted, what that meant was…

???: … Oh.

Scion (Hinata): … Are you having trouble standing up?

???: … A-Ahahaha…

Um, I’m sorry. I don’t know who you are or where you’re from, but…

Could you please return this little one back to their nest in my place?

Scion (Hinata): ……

* * *

-Young Noble’s Estate: Cloister-

Messengers (Maki & Kagura): ……

Messenger (Arakida): …………

Prince (Kaname): (… Honestly, she’s so…)

Scion (Hinata): That was when I was somehow able to piece together that, yeah, maybe this girl was the one everyone was talking about.

Even if she wasn’t, this is the girl I want, was what I thought.

Prince (Kaname): … And then?

Scion (Hinata): I told her who I was, and I proposed to her then and there. I was rejected on the spot though.

But when I asked her, saying that I’d give up on the marriage and that I wanted to get along, she didn’t turn me down this time.

After that, she started sometimes coming to this estate for fun.

From then on, and until the very last day, Lady Kaguya never changed.

Messenger (Arakida): ……

Scion (Hinata): Will that do in answer to your first question?

Prince (Kaname): … Well?

Messenger (Maki): … It’s fine.

Messenger (Kagura): ……

Scion (Hinata): Then, with the second question—

The reason why I know where Lady Kaguya is headed is because…

I heard it from the person, herself.

Messenger (Arakida): !

Scion (Hinata): We’re talking only a few days or so ago here.

Lady Kaguya would always, without fail, go home at sunset no matter what. But for the first time ever, she came here at night.

On that occasion, I somehow understood that she probably had something special to tell me.

… Though I didn’t think it would be a farewell parting.

Prince (Kaname): ……

10.

-Young Noble’s Estate: Cloister-

Scion (Hinata): Do you really have to go?

Kaguya: Yeah.

Scion (Hinata): Where to?

Kaguya: … Ummm.

Scion (Hinata): … Well then, why?

Kaguya: … Because I have to.

Scion (Hinata): ……

This person would never tell a lie, ever.

If there was something that she couldn’t say, she would laugh it off.

All I knew was that I wouldn’t be able to stop her from leaving.

Scion (Hinata): … When we first met, I had thought I was more of the adult one.

Kaguya: Huh?

Scion (Hinata): I was wrong all along.

Kaguya: ……

Scion (Hinata): (… But I’m still a lot taller than you.)

(Maybe my hands can reach where you can’t.)

(I’m no longer a child. If you stay here with me, I can manage to protect even just you.)

……

I wanted to say all that out loud. I wanted to ask if that was still not enough.

But if I did, she would definitely laugh with a troubled expression, and answer that even so, she had to go.

Scion (Hinata): Take care.

Kaguya: ……

Yeah, you too.

{Footsteps receding}

Scion (Hinata): … Lady Kaguya.

Kaguya: Yes?

Scion (Hinata): In your eyes, was I a child?

Kaguya: … From the moment we met…

You have always been a wonderful person.

Scion (Hinata): ……

I burned that smile that I knew I would never see for a second time again into my mind, lest I forget it.

“Don’t go.” The words I tried to chase after her with just wouldn’t come out.

So instead, as I reigned in my unsteady breathing, I slowly played the tune that she loved the most.

—Not knowing how much of it would reach her.

Scion (Hinata): ……

After playing through to the very last verse, it felt as if the things I hadn’t planned on letting escape spilled out together with the deep breath I gave.

Doing so, I gazed up at the moon.

Scion (Hinata): (… Yeah, it really does resemble her.)

(Bright, and beautiful.)

… And hopelessly out of reach.

{Bells jingle}