Second Arc: Twenty-Seventh Chapter

Ngghhh… Urgh! It won't close…

SNAP—!

The back buttons I'd forced shut burst off with a great noise. And with them, my ample flesh came leaping out of the corset.

As I stood there dumbstruck, the back of my dress gaping wide open, I heard the crown prince's scornful voice.

"Honestly… this is what comes of overeating. And after I told you so many times — three helpings at most…"

"I couldn't help it! It was too delicious, I just couldn't help it! Nooo, my taaart!"

"No. From now on, dessert is forbidden."

Shaking off my clinging hands, His Highness mercilessly turned his back and walked away. Tears ran down my cheeks.

"My tart! Noooo!"

"Noooo! …Hah! A dream…"

What a terrifying dream. A ban on dessert — I couldn't bear it. From the fear, perhaps, sweat beaded on my forehead and my heart was pounding away.

"Milady?! What's happened?"

Along with a flustered knock, Sissi came rushing into my bedroom without waiting for my answer. I smiled to cover it up and spoke.

"I-it's nothing. I just had a bit of a bad dream."

As I laughed a genteel oh-ho-ho, Sissi turned a damp, suspicious gaze on me.

"…I could have sworn I heard the word 'tart'…"

Gulp—!

Heard, was I! Of all things! Not that I'd been up to anything to feel guilty about (sneaking bites, say), but for a proper young lady to be tormented in her sleep by a dream of having her sweets taken away is rather pathetic. …Bit late to worry about that now, though.

Today I'd overeaten at dinner and suffered no end from a stomachache. Sissi, watching over me as I groaned and groaned, had looked exasperated to the very core.

But there'd been a mountain of a feast in front of me, for some reason. Why do I go on eating a feast even past my limit? Because the mountain — of feast — is there!

It was no trick of the mind that Sissi's eyes went dead as she watched me declare it. And then, on top of that, she treated me to a two-hour lecture while I clutched my belly, unable to move.

"…Don't tell me — after all that, you weren't discouraged, and you've been sneaking bites…?"

"A dream! I had a dream about a tart! I swear to God I have not been sneaking bites!"

To Sissi's voice, which crawled up from the bowels of the earth, I fired back an answer without missing a beat. Nor did I forget the hands-up, nothing-in-my-hands pose. Even if I say so myself, it was a crisp and splendid bit of movement.

After shooting me a hard sidelong look, Sissi let out an extra-large sigh.

"…Very well. You'll be dieting again from tomorrow, I take it? Please get some rest for tonight."

"Yes, ma'am…"

Ignoring the exasperated Sissi, I slumped my shoulders and climbed into bed.

Yes — perhaps from all the overeating lately, I'd rebounded a little. But I think it can't be helped. Because it's autumn! The autumn when the sky is high and the horses grow fat!

Still, with a fashion showdown coming up in which I myself was the model, this would not do, and I renewed my resolve. No matter how lovely the outfit, if I were a plump, chubby thing, even its appeal might be diminished. Besides, if I let myself get fat now, come winter I might store up even more. If I were going to hibernate, this fat would at least come in handy — but sadly, I would not be hibernating, so I resolved to start my diet from tomorrow. Which meant sweets were off-limits until the hunt was over.

The hunt was about a month away… Can I endure it? Me?

Thinking of the grueling month ahead, I wet my pillow with tears.