Was the Princess still the Princess?
It was a philosophical question, one that might lead into the kind of discussion about the id, ego, and superego that could leave anyone hopelessly tangled.
But it was both simple and complicated:
To outsiders, the Princess was still the same Princess, with her memories of the past, guarding Strange Tales City.
To the Princess, she had always been herself. She had merely lost her memory for a while and only just woken up.
Only to the true Princess was this another soul born within her own body.
For now, though, the Princess was indeed not the Princess. Only when the Skeleton King unsealed her memories would she regain everything she had once been.
All the good news had arrived on the same day. Free City University's graduation ceremony was tomorrow, and Annan did not want to miss it. He was troubled over whom to leave the Princess with.
"I'll take care of her. You go to the graduation ceremony," Eldest Sister volunteered.
"Aren't you going?"
Idelia nodded. "Go on behalf of Olmedo and me. The students would rather see you."
Spring, Year 1003 of the Saint Laurent Calendar.
Mrs. Ram looked at her tall, straight-backed son in his school uniform and wiped away her tears. "I'm proud of you, Soren. The proudest day in a woman's life is the day her son goes to university."
"Mother, I'm graduating today."
"Same difference! Either way, it means you're an adult!"
"I'm twenty-one. I've been an adult for—"
"Shut up! Who's the father here, you or me?" Mrs. Ram snatched up a broom. Her words were a little off, but her maternal authority was unmistakable.
They had a good teacher to thank for that: Aunt Susan, who had raised Lord Annan.
"All right, 'Dad.' I'm