rosesa

(Whisper) Success! She didn't see me.

Excellent. Report if the hanimefendi wants anything! And don't you dare let her spot you!

(Whisper) Roger!

Forget it. This is the perfect place for a nap...

Zzz... mm... Oh, the flowers are starting to making my nose itch... ah-choo!

(Whisper) The hanimefendi just sneezed! Repeat, the hanimefendi just sneezed!

Roger! I'll send a handkerchief this instant!

Squad Two & Three, cut the flowers around her. Do not disturb her or be seen!

Achoo!

Did I just hear something...? A bee, maybe?

This place is like heaven. There are butterflies, bees, fowlbeasts, and white clouds in the blue skies...

And a drone...

A drone?

A drone... carrying a handkerchief?!

Before Rose Salt can figure out why there is a drone, she hears the sound of scissors snipping.

A hand reaches out of the bushes to catch a rose before it hits the ground, then promptly disappears into the foliage.

Wh-What's that sound?

Snip! Snip! Snip!

Rose Salt looks around, but sees nothing. Somehow, the flowers keep disappearing one after another, even though there is no one else around.

(How could someone be that fast?! I've been picking pockets for who knows how long, but I can't even catch a glimpse!)

(Not in this shrub, or this one! Who is it? What are they doing?)

Snip!

The last flower disappears from plain sight. Yet as far as she can tell, she is the only one in the garden.

Rose Salt can't help but clench the handkerchief tight in her hand, and realizes that there is a slip of paper inside.

'I am not your servant, hanimefendi! Nor am I by your side! Please, cover your nose with this handkerchief to keep the pollen out!'

...AHHHH!!!

HELP—!!!

(Whisper) Phew... mission accomplished! The hanimefendi didn't see any of us!

(Whisper) Hey, what's going on? She just ran away screaming!

Oh no! We must not be doing a good enough job!

¡Dios mío! What the finshit is going on? Have they been watching me from the shadows all this time?!

They're loco! Should I just run away?

But the lord ameer is paying so much. So, so much. Not to mention the completion bonus, and all the luxury... I-I don't want to leave!

Damn it, damn it!

Oh, there you are, hanimefendi!

No! Leave me the hell alone!

Wh-What?

Er, what I meant to say is... I've realized that you've been following me in secret, and I'm NOT happy about it!

I'm going to take a bath now! Do NOT follow me this time!

How could this be...? Was it not enough? She is unhappy because we haven't shown her enough love!

Quick, we must do something... To make the hanimefendi truly enjoy her life here and feel our gratitude!

I'm really alone now? There's no one watching me?

Finshit. How long do I have to hide in here? Have they really left?

Damn it. I shouldn't let the private bath of the lord ameer's daughter go to waste! Fragrance oils, flower petals... if I'm here, I may as well enjoy it!

Fill up the tub... put in some oils and petals...

Huh?

Why is there a big hole on the floor of the bathroom?

A tunnel? Right in the middle of the princess's bathroom? And it wasn't sealed up?

Is there something down there?

The tunnel is so long... it's even got lighting... What's going on here?

Something's written on the wall. 'They love me so much. I can't take it anymore!' 'I don't want people watching my every move!' 'I have no freedom! I want to run away! I've had enough of this life!'

Were these left behind by the real daughter? I was wondering why she ran away from home... And now I know! I can't take it anymore either!

Hey, this tunnel leads outside!

Does this mean I can get out? Couldn't I just pretend to take bath all day and do what I want outside before coming back at night? That way, I could enjoy the good life and still get some me time!

Yeah... it's the perfect plan! This way!

I'm almost at the exit! I'm getting outta here!

Just a little bit further... a little further, and I'll be free at last!

Oh my...

Whoa! Who's there?!

It seems like we've made a good decision about keeping this tunnel the princess dug herself. You really are just like her, right down to how you try to run away while taking a bath!

AHHH! HELP—!!

Five days later

There you go, hanimefendi! Look how beautiful your skin has become now that you haven't had to lift a finger these past few days! Now, my heart can truly be at ease.

We've bathed you, powdered you, perfumed you, and put you in this beautiful dress. Now you're ready for the ritual!

All you need to do is to transfer water from the golden bowl to the golden basin using a willow branch. The more water you flick in, the more successful the ritual!

Okay...

(Finally! The finshit things I do for money! Let's get this over with and I'm outta here!)

You look so beautiful today, hanimefendi! Let's go to the ritual now!

Rose Salt lifts the hems of her long dress and walks on the feather-paved streets with shoes of silk.

The citizens gaze upon her with expectant eyes, hoping for the ritual to be a success.

As she struggles to breathe under five or six layers of clothing, the choking scent of the powders and perfumes, and the weight of the complex braids that took two hours to tie, she makes up her mind.

(Outside at last! It's now or never! I don't even care about that finshit completion bonus anymore!)

(Screw the ritual! I've got the money with me, so I'm making a run for it!)

Hanimefendi! Hanimefendi!

The ritual will go great with you!

(I'll smash the bowl, stir up the feathers as a distraction, and throw the dizzyleaf bundles on the torches... it's the perfect plan!)

Don't worry, hanimefendi, I'll carry you on my back if you're tired!

Is the golden bowl too heavy for you? I can carry it until we arrive.

Oh, sweet, sweet girl!

(Arrgghh! I don't wanna see these people ever again!)

(Now!)

Rose Salt finds an opportunity and pulls her elaborate dress off!

In her mind, she had pictured herself escaping with the same agility she is accustomed to, disappearing in the blink of an eye before anyone realizes what happened.

In reality, she trips over her silk shoes and the feathers on the ground. As feathers fly, the golden bowl and dizzyleaf bundles fly uncontrollably in every direction, while she herself falls flat on the ground.

...Oh no.

To her surprise, she hears nothing but cheers around her.

Hanimefendi! It's a miracle! A miracle!

The golden bowl fell right into the basin! Not a single drop was spilled! It's a divine miracle! All hail the hanimefendi!

All hail the hanimefendi!

Wh-What?

My sweet girl! I can't believe it...

Not only did you agree to help me, you performed the ritual so spectacularly! Please, accept these bags of gems as a token of my gratitude!

Oh, hanimefendi! The ritual has never been so successful! This is fantastic!

My eyes are filled with tears! Please, take my hand and I'll help you up! The palanquin is already here. We'll take you home and make dinner for you!

...No! NO!!

Rose Salt grabs the gems from the lord ameer and runs away screaming, not slowing down until she is at least a few hundred meters away.

Oh, my girl, why do you run away?

The ritual was a great success! Come back next year! I'd love to have you back!

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Two weeks later