บท 261: Interlude - Pride or Death

"Your Highness, please let me!" An eager-to-please voice approached.

Shuri ignored the girl and continued to pick up the broken ceramic scattered across the marble floor. Some of it had fallen into the pond nearby, she'd have to pick that up later, unless-

A loud splash of water signalled the girl's dive into the pond to retrieve the debris from within. Shuri suppressed her irritation, measured her breath and continued her scrap retrieval endeavour.

"Why must they do this to Your Highness..." The girl murmured, loud enough for Shuri to hear. "This is totally unfair! Your Highness is also a Princess of the Solar Empire. Why must Your Highness have to suffer through this?!"

Her voice radiated with sincere righteousness - it burned Shuri at a spiritual level.