The Reincarnated Princess in an Emergency

I lined my herbs along the shelf above my bed and wagged my finger at each of them, taking stock. “I’m starting to run out,” I remarked to myself. The supply of medicines I’d brought with me in case of an emergency had dwindled. That’s bound to happen when I give them away, I suppose.

I still had some left to fight seasickness, but I was out of antidiarrheals and medicines for other internal disorders. On the other hand, some of the medicines remained at full stock, like the one that stopped bleeding.

I was checking each individual medicine before placing it back in my pouch. Suddenly though, I felt someone watching me. When I raised my head, my eyes met those of my personal guard, who was staring at me. As always, he didn’t make any attempt to disguise his staring or look away.

Doesn’t it make him feel awkward? I guess it doesn’t. It mustn’t, because otherwise, Klaus would have to give up being Klaus.

“I’m assuming that there’s something you want to say to me,” I stated.

“No,” he replied, “nothing in particular.”

“Bold of you to say that after boring a hole in me with your eyes.” I patted the pouch that I’d put the medicine into and heaved a sigh.

Hearing my response, Klaus widened his eyes and then cupped his chin with a hand in a gesture of thought. “You could say that staring at you is a habit of mine...”

One that needs to be broken this instant. I mean it! Few habits could get on my nerves more.

“And I was thinking something,” he admitted. “I just wasn’t going to say it.”

So that’s why he could answer that he had nothing he wanted to say. It’s hard to tell whether the way he thinks about things is too straightforward or too twisted.

“So? What were you thinking?” I asked, because that’s the sort of thing people do, and not because I had any particular interest in his answer.

“It’s nothing important,” Klaus prefaced. “I was simply thinking that helping others comes as naturally to you as breathing.”

My eyes grew round. “That’s not true.”

“Your inability to recognize your own actions as ‘helping people’ is part of the reason why I came to that conclusion. And your intentions are genuine because you carry on even when you draw the short end of the stick.”

Klaus’s tone wasn’t teasing, nor was it frustrated or disgusted. It was completely flat. Even so, I felt like he was criticizing me, so I argued. “I haven’t drawn the short end of the stick.”

“Countless people had their lives saved by the Dew of the Sea, and the maid had her life saved by ‘Mary,’ but neither of those events will be credited to ‘Your Highness.’”

I gasped as Klaus pierced me with his direct gaze. Wolf and Paul’s conversation replayed in my mind. Their opinion of Rosemary was one of a spoiled princess with no common sense. Some viewed me favorably, but only because I stood in the afterglow of my father’s and brother’s achievements. Their presumptive description of me wasn’t informed by a recognition of my actions, just the fact that I was related to the king and the first prince.

Klaus didn’t mask his feelings beneath comforting words or noncommittal expressions; he presented just the truth, plain and simple.

My head sank. I gripped and crumpled the sheets in my hands.

“But when someone’s in trouble,” he continued, “you can’t leave them be. I’ve come to the realization that this is your defining characteristic.”

“Huh?” A stupid-sounding noise escaped my throat. “That’s all?” I asked, stunned.

He looked at me and then tilted his head as if puzzled. “Yes...?”

I was sure that he’d been about to start lecturing me. I’d even begun to brace for the incoming “be more dexterous, more resourceful.” The expression on Klaus’s face, however, seemed to say that his message was over, and I couldn’t sense that he was faking it.

My shoulders slumped. “Right...” I forgot that Klaus is like this. He surprises me so often with his erratic behavior and wild statements that his actual demeanor slips my mind; in general, he’s exceedingly straightforward and honest.

He’d stated that he “wasn’t going to say anything.” That hadn’t been the commonplace preface that I’d taken it to be but had simply been the truth. And so, Klaus hadn’t demanded anything from me, because to him, the conversation was finished.

“Is something the matter?” he asked.

“No...” I said. But before I could get another word out, the boat shook. “Whoa?!” I exclaimed in alarm. I hadn’t been concentrating. My hands raced toward the sheets and grabbed onto them tightly so that I wouldn’t fall from the bed.

Klaus reached out his arms out to support me, but the tremor had been mild, so I didn’t really need his assistance.

“A tall wave?” I asked.

“Could be,” Klaus answered. “The winds are strong today.”

They were. In fact, the winds had been strong for the last few days. Moreover, the voyage was proceeding ahead of schedule, although I wasn’t sure whether that was down to the winds blowing in the right direction or the skill of the helmsman.

“If this keeps up,” I said, “we might arrive in Flanmer in no time at all.” Although my semicircular canals were holding up robustly, in my heart I was beginning to pine for dry land. I hope we do get there earlier. I really fancy a taste of fresh greens.

The thought naturally brought a smile to my lips, but Klaus’s expression, by contrast, was far more serious.

“Klaus?” I called.

“Sailing too fast invites problems of its own.”

What? But it cuts down on the journey time. Isn’t that what we want?

“Our course should take us through an area densely packed with islets. At this speed, our passage through that part of the ocean will happen at night.”

“So you’re worried about the ship running aground?”

“That’s not my only concern...” Klaus’s words trailed off.

His uncharacteristic evasiveness unsettled me, and I waited for him to continue.

He glanced at me and appeared to be hesitating about something. “I’ll go and have a quick look up top. I expect that they’ll be reefing the sails to slow us down or enacting other plans to counter that possibility.” As soon as he finished speaking, he walked to the door. He turned around only once, warning me to stay put, and then exited the cabin.

I’d been left behind. “What was all that about...?” I said to myself.

I drew up my mental map and thought over the voyage’s course, which I’d glimpsed before our departure. The islets that Klaus had mentioned were probably from the archipelago located to Flanmer’s south-southwest. This ship would have to pass through that archipelago to reach our destined port. There were many small, uninhabited islands, and I was aware that sailing at night, when visibility was poor, introduced the risk of running aground. However, Klaus’s attitude seemed to suggest that other dangers were present.

Let’s think, what horrors lurk on the open sea...? Storms, lightning, sharks... Ghosts? Maybe not.

“Hmmm...” I hummed softly. I racked my brain but found no answers, so I slumped down onto the bed and shut my eyes.

My peaceful days aboard the ship must’ve dulled my senses. I’d been nervous about leaving my homeland, but only in the beginning. Other than Mia’s bout of dehydration, every passing day had been tranquil. At some point, my sense of danger had waned.

But I should never have forgotten...

The sea was a scary place.

I had far more to fear from men who’d slipped through life’s cracks than from ghosts or specters.

And when night fell, that lesson would be learned.

***

“...dy Ma...”

From far away, I could hear someone speaking.

“Lady Mary.”

The deep voice called out to me and hands shook my body, lifting my consciousness from sleep. My eyelids tried to remain shut, drowsiness holding them together tightly, but I managed to force them open.

I saw Klaus. His expression was grave.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up. It was still dark, and the air was cold and humid. Perhaps there was fog outside.

“Kl—”

Klaus’s hand covered my mouth before I could say his name. My eyes widened. He brought his lips close to my ear, and his hushed voice whispered, “Quiet.”

The harshness of his expression and the firmness of his voice drove all thoughts of sleep from my mind. I made eye contact with him and nodded silently.

He lifted his hand from my mouth. “There was a noise above deck. Please wait here while I investigate what it was.”

I didn’t know what had caused the noise, and for some reason, I didn’t think I wanted to find out. Gnawing on my bottom lip, I felt a sudden, indescribable dread.

Seeing my reaction, Klaus knelt down by the bedside. He cupped my hands in his and placed something onto my palms.

I gasped.

It was a dagger, with a haft of silver and a black sheath, twenty centimeters long and mostly lacking decoration. The design was exceedingly simple, presumably because practicality had been the sole concern of its crafter. The weapon sat heavily and obtrusively on my palm, and it frightened me.

“Keep hold of this for your own protection,” Klaus murmured.

What the hell is going on? I should’ve asked Klaus. I should’ve assessed the situation from the information he’d given me. I should’ve used it to draw up a plan. I knew all of this, but my voice was stuck in my throat and refused to come out. I didn’t know what threat was pressing in on us, but my instincts were sounding alarm bells in my head.

I’m scared. I’m so very scared.

Klaus wrapped my trembling hands inside his own. His green eyes were so close to me, and I saw myself reflected in them. “Mary.”

“Bi... Kl...aus.” For a moment, I’d almost called him “Big Brother.” It was hard not to when he was wearing his brotherly smile.

“I will keep you safe. So don’t worry.” His large hands patted my head twice.

Klaus’s sudden shift to big-brother mode caused my eyes to widen. “Klaus?”

“Be a good girl and wait here while I have a look above deck. If you get scared, go to Bianca. She’s strange, but I doubt she’d do anything to harm you.”

What a thing to say with such a solemn look on his face.

Klaus saw my dumbstruck facial expression and narrowed his eyes kindly. “It’ll be fine, so trust me and wait here.”

At last, I understood Klaus’s intention. He was probably trying to reassure me. It had indeed worked, since my surprise had pushed the fear away, ever so slightly. My grip on the dagger got stronger.

Seeing that, Klaus gave a satisfied nod. “I’ll be back.”

After watching him turn around and leave the room, I jumped down from the bed. I pressed an ear against the door and silenced my breathing. The sounds of the waves and creaking wood seeped through the door, and the only other noise was the thunderous, rapid pounding of my heart. Wrapped around the dagger’s handle, my palms felt clammy with sweat.

I stayed there for a while, so tense that seconds felt like minutes—like hours—and wondered how much time had actually passed. But then, I heard a sudden and tremendous crash. At the same time, a huge tremor shook the ship.

I fell onto my backside, and before my eyes, the door slammed open. Cold air rushed inside my room, and the sounds of metallic clashes echoed throughout the corridor.

The next sound was Klaus’s yell reverberating throughout the ship. “We’re under attack!!!”

Shouts erupted one after another, and the ship came alive with uproar. Doors opened all over and people stumbled out of them.

“Pirates?!” someone shouted.

“Wake up!” bellowed another voice. “We’re under attack!!!”

Half-naked sailors raced past my door, their footsteps heavy.

In my dazed head, I repeated what I heard them shout. Pirates. Attack. My mind registered these dangerous terms as nothing more than words, with no attachment to reality. My brain might’ve stopped functioning and had stubbornly refused to understand their meaning, but my body was more honest.

I began to tremble.

“Ah!”

The door. I need to close it.

Staring at the door to my cabin as it creaked and swayed, I pushed down with my feet, trying to rise. But my knees wouldn’t budge, and I didn’t manage to even stand up.

The clamor grew louder while I was fumbling—shouts, screams, and clashing steel. I wanted to shield my ears to muffle the terrifying sounds, but since this incident had started, my body had outright refused to obey me.

I crawled along the floor and reached my hand toward the door. The instant before my fingertips could brush the wood, a large figure enveloped me, and I let out a shrill scream.

“Aaah!”

“Mary! You’re okay?!”

From within the embrace of the figure’s arms, my eyes grew as round as saucers. I’d felt this touch before, and I recognized her scent.

“Thank goodness,” she whispered breathily.

I knew her voice. I’d been holding my breath, but now I let it out in a shallow puff. “Bi...anca...”

“Hey, save the emotional reunion for later! I’m shutting us in!” Wolf followed Bianca into the cabin and slammed the door closed.

“You’re not hurt, are you, Mary?” Bianca asked. She put both hands on my cheeks and stared into my eyes. In the darkness, it seemed that she couldn’t tell just by looking. She ran her fingers across my face, checking for wounds.

Though still flustered, I nodded. “I-I’m okay.”

“You are? Thank goodness. Also, where’s your brother...?”

“He’s...above deck.”

“What?!” Bianca goggled at me.

Wolf, on the other hand, only nodded, appearing unsurprised. “Makes sense. I could tell from the way he carried himself that he was no ordinary person. I expect that he belongs to an order of knights or something, right?”

You can really tell all that? I thought, unable to conceal my astonishment.

“Maybe the reason no pirates have made it down here is thanks to your brother’s valiant efforts,” Wolf muttered. He leaned over and pressed his ear to the door, attempting to monitor the situation outside.

He was right. I could hear an endless stream of unpleasant noises from above, but nobody seemed to be descending the stairs. It was probably safe to assume that Klaus was up there fighting for us. I’d heard that he was strong. However, it was impossible for me to feel calm when I had no grasp of the strength or number of our assailants.

Are they pushing him back? Is he gonna do something reckless by himself? The thought alone was enough to send pangs of heavy pain to my heart and stomach. I was annoyed that I was just sitting here, letting myself be protected, but I’d only get in the way if I went up there. I’d only put Klaus in even more danger.

I bit my lip.

Wolf stared at me with interest. “Worried about him?”

“Of course I am.”

Why would you ask a question with such an obvious answer? I thought, furrowing my brows. When I raised my head, I met his eyes. They were devoid of warmth. I flinched, exposed to a gaze that seemed to be able to see into the depths of my soul. My mind was confused and in disarray.

Wolf left me and placed his hand on the door.

There was a tremendous clatter as something fell down the stairs. The next thing I heard was a person moaning.

I grew pale upon realizing that someone was injured. Instinctively, I stepped forward, but Bianca threw her arms around my body and stopped me.

“It might be a pirate,” she whispered, her voice hushed.

She’s right. They might not be on our side. Once I understood that, I clenched every muscle in my body.

What do we do if it’s a pirate? Do we fight? How am I supposed to do that when I can barely even hold a dagger properly...?

My nerves troubled my breathing. Calm down, calm down, I repeated over and over in my head, but the effect on my physiological state was minimal.

I slid my hand into the pouch that hung from my waist and groped around inside until I felt two hard lumps with my fingertips. Coiling my fingers around them, I thought that I could sense my muscles relaxing, if just a minuscule amount.

Wolf shot a quick look at Bianca and me before pressing his ear back against the door. After a few seconds of listening, he gave the door a soft pull, then entered the hallway, leaving us behind in the room. When Wolf returned, he was carrying a familiar figure over his shoulders.

“Kurt!” I exclaimed.

Kurt was a member of the kitchen crew, and he’d treated me well. He usually wore a friendly smile, but at the moment, his face was pale and screwed up in agony.

Did he get stabbed?! I ran my eyes over his entire body and noticed something out of the ordinary—his left arm, which he was clutching with his other, was bent at an abnormal angle.

I gasped.

I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the point on his arm that was twisted in defiance of normal human anatomy.

“The bone’s broken,” Wolf said calmly.

His voice sounded distant to me.

“We need something to brace against it...” Wolf said. “Mary, can you patch him up?”

I said nothing. I was dumbstruck.

“Mary!” Wolf called, snapping me out of my daze.

“Huh?!” I raised my head instinctively, but my body wouldn’t stop shaking.

Wolf peered at me and probably realized that I was no good to anyone. He heaved a sigh. “Whatever. If you can’t move, then at least stand aside so you don’t get in our way.”

I couldn’t say anything.

“You don’t seem like the type to scare easily,” Wolf said, looking at Bianca. “Give me a hand.”

“Got it.”

He’d lost faith in me. He didn’t say so, but he didn’t have to—I knew. And yet, my mind was too fraught to feel sadness or regret. In fact, I was even a little relieved that I’d been told I didn’t have to do anything.

The very next emotion I felt was a surge of self-loathing.

Klaus is up there fighting. So are the sailors. Wolf, Bianca, everyone... They’re all hard at work. Do I really want to be the only one cowering in the corner, terrified and trembling? Is that why I came on this journey?

Kurt let out a tortured groan. “Argh!” Perhaps because of his pain, his forehead was drenched in sweat.

I reached out to wipe it away, but Kurt caught my hand in midair. I could sense pleading in his feeble grip.

My sobs came unbidden. I was so disappointed by my own cowardice that tears welled in my eyes.

Pull yourself together, Rosemary.

What made you get to your feet? What made you take that first step forward? What made you leave the guaranteed safety of the palace? What did you want to do? Someone’s suffering in front of you. He’s looking to you for help. Are you just going to ignore him and cower in the corner? How’s a woman like that ever gonna save the world?!

I freed my hand from Kurt’s and placed both of my palms on my cheeks. I took a breath and then lifted my hands with great force.

Slap! The noise reverberated through the room.

“Hey?!” Bianca cried.

“What?!” Wolf said, taken aback.

I’d slapped my cheeks as hard as I could, and they began to redden.

In stark contrast to my vision, which was still blurry, my mind was now perfectly clear. I wiped the tears from beneath my eyes with the backs of my hands and stood up. “I’ll help treat him.”

“Mary...” Wolf started, but I didn’t wait for him to snap out of his daze and finish his sentence.

I grabbed my bedsheets, ripped them into thin strips with the dagger, and constructed a bandage.

Once I’d started working at my task in complete silence, Wolf called out to me. “Mary, can you patch him up?”

It was the same question he’d asked before. But this time, my answer was clear. “I’ve never put the theory into practice before, but I have learned what to do.”

“Okay. Then I’m leaving him to you.” Wolf chucked the sheath of his own knife at me. “Use this as a splint.”

Though startled, I caught the sheath.

“B-But—”

“You wouldn’t volunteer for a task you couldn’t handle. You told me you’re up to the job, so you can do this, can’t you?” It was a question in form only.

My breath caught in my throat when he fixed his piercing eyes on me. I felt like I might choke, but I swallowed and persevered through the sensation.

“I can,” I confirmed, my expression resolute.

I won’t let myself be pampered anymore. If I don’t do everything that’s in my power right now, I’ll be doomed to regret it.

Seeing the look on my face, Wolf smiled for the first time that day. “Very good. In that case, leave it to me to back up your brother.”

“What?” I asked, unsure what he’d meant. But by the time I’d spoken up, Wolf already had one hand on the door. “Wolf?!”

“Wait here like a good kid.” He glanced over his shoulder, blew me a kiss, and then charged up the stairs.