The Black Sky Pirate Laughs Beneath the Moon. The Crimson Mage Howls at the Stars (49)

Damn, half my body is numb. It felt as though my blood had stopped circulating properly, and I lay sprawled with my left side against the floor.

"Thief, get away from Her Highness! —Your Highness!? Please, move away from him!"

Princess Anastasia threw herself over me to shield me. Oh, right—I’m dressed like this right now...

"Y-Your Highness... I’m someone you know... my face..."

My tongue was numb, and I couldn’t speak properly. Polina-san would have understood that this was a misunderstanding.

Wait—hold on. Why is Polina-san here?

I’d gotten the impression that she already knew Princess Anastasia, but...

"Your Highness!"

I sensed Polina-san briskly approaching, and apparently the shattering glass had finally alerted people in the hallway, because I could hear them bustling about too. Along with a rough knock came a voice: "Princess Anastasia, what happened?"

This is a pretty bad situation for me...