The Princess and the Human

Heart rate and breathing were regular. The two broken arms were fastened in their straighteners and showed no signs of complications. With a nod that wasn't really directed at anyone, Githaiy confirmed that the princess's condition was still stable. After administering the next dose of chelating agents, she prepared the nutrient mix that would replace Her Highness's meals until she woke up.

With the princess still unconscious, the entire palace was under strict lockdown. No one under the required clearance level was allowed to enter or leave. Which included the ambassador. Githaiy was glad that she was not the one who had to tell her that the negotiations - which would have continued today - were off, without being able to give her a reason. As a doctor, she barely knew anything about politics, but as a noble, knowing a few things was inevitable. Therefore, she knew that this was one of the things that could easily cause a lot of problems

"Doc?"

Looking up, Githaiy could see Nadine standing in the frame of her destroyed door.

"Ah, you're back. How-"

"Later," the small alien interrupted her. "First: how is she?" She asked, gesturing toward the princess.

"So far, Her Highness is as well as she can be considering her situation. But it could still take a while until she wakes up."

"I see."

Upon taking a closer look, the doctor realized that Nadine's expression was back to its hardened state. Didn't she go see the corpse to make peace with the situation? Or had something happened in the mortuary?

"Can we go there?" As Githaiy followed the direction of Nadine's finger, she could see that the small alien was pointing toward her private chambers.

"We can, but... why?"

"I'd like to discuss something in private and, uh, well, this door doesn't exactly close anymore."

Ah, so it was something not meant for the common ear. And she was right, while the two guards posted outside to keep the princess safe would stop anyone unauthorized from coming in, they couldn't exactly stop the sound of their voices. Nodding, Githaiy led her guest into the living room and closed the door behind them.

"So, what did you want to-"

"The suicide was staged."

The doctor blinked, not fully processing what she had just heard.

"I'm sorry, what?"

With audible spite in her voice, Nadine explained what she had found out in the mortuary. How the angle of the gunshot wound made no sense if the maid had shot herself, how she likely either got framed or had an accomplice who had decided to remove her. Throughout the whole story, Githaiy just sat there and listened in silence. So the real culprit - or at least mastermind - was still out there. That was worrying. And yet, the first question that came to her mind was a different one.

"How do you know all of that?"

Nadine sighed and shook her head.

"The captain said the same thing. How do you guys not know that? I mean, I know that murder mysteries are not the most accurate depiction of reality, but that's such a basic thing! Like, come on!"

"What in the world do you mean by "murder mysteries"? Also, there is nothing "basic" about suicide, and this is the first time I've ever heard about someone staging one! Yet you talk about it as if that was something that happened frequently!"

A long pause followed, in which the two of them just stared at each other, confused. Starting to feel slightly panicked, Githaiy decided to quickly resume their dialogue before her brain was able to interpret the silence.

"How...," she almost had to force the words out of her. "How do you know so much? I know your species lives long, but you aren't that old yet. And yet, you know about medicine, politics, mathematics, technology, psychology, chemistry, biology, crimes, and whatnot! Just... how?!"

The small alien looked to the ground.

"Before I answer that - what does education on your planet look like? Or, maybe yours specifically, as an example. What was the process that taught you your craft?

"Um, well, I learned how to read, write, and do basic maths," the doctor answered, unsure what Nadine was getting at. "Then, at the age of five cycles, I decided I wanted to become a doctor and received the appropriate training. Theoretical education ended when I was ten cycles old. I got lucky and managed to get a position as the assistant of the royal physician at the Sky Palace. Then, about two cycles ago, Her Highness took me with her when she moved into the Star Palace."

"I see. Then I guess I have to tell you that your people have a very different understanding of what "basic education" means compared to mine. In fact, bar a few exceptions, my knowledge of most of the topics you mentioned is considered rudimentary for a human. Or at least would be if I was a bit older."

"Older? Didn't you say you were average for your age?" Githaiy asked and cocked her head.

"Were were talking about physically back then," Nadine reminded her. "In terms of education... I hate to brag, so let's just say an average fifteen-year-old - or twenty-four cycles old - wouldn't have been allowed to join the colony expedition. I would still be at school."

"At twenty-four cycles you would still be at school?!"

"On average, basic education lasts until we're eighteen years. So, uh... about thirty cycles. By the time the average first-world child starts working full-time, a Vanaery would already have died of old age. Though in other regions like the USAG, it's not as long."

That was a lot to take in. Githaiy needed so much of her thinking capacity to process the new information that she didn't even ask what Nadine had meant by "first world". She previously had some ideas on what the human's long lifespan made possible, but hearing it outright was something else. So humans spent what equaled an entire lifetime's worth solely on education. And that didn't even factor in the practical knowledge gathered over time. Now she really wanted to meet a hundred-cycles old human doctor who had what would be multiple generations worth of experience for her.

"It's also not rare for a human to learn multiple professions," Nadine continued. "Either because they switch paths or because they benefit from the combined knowledge. That... doesn't happen here, does it?"

"It doesn't", Githaiy affirmed. "No Vanaery could afford to waste that much of their life."

"So, basically, you know close to nothing on topics that don't involve medicine?"

"I doubt "common knowledge" is a term that means much in this conversation, so bar a few exceptions, more or less yes."

"Then, back to the topic at hand, that also means that staged suicides might have happened in the past, you specifically just wouldn't know it."

The doctor thought for a moment.

"I... guess? But it still can't have happened often."

"Who is usually in charge of investigating crimes?"

"Depends. If it's a crime among commoners, that would be the city guard. Nobles have their own guards, and sometimes have specialized investigators on their payroll."

"Which we, due to the emergency protocol, are not allowed to call until the princess wakes up, right?"

"Yes."

"So, solving crimes is most of the times just a side gig," Nadine concluded, obviously dissatisfied. "I wished our crime rates were low enough to afford to do that." While Githaiy was once again unsure about some of her words, the context made it clear what she meant.

"So... what now?" the doctor inquired after another pause.

"Well, I managed to convince the captain to continue the investigation. I also told him to be as secretive as possible to not tip off the culprit. Still, I can't just sit idly and watch. I owe her Highness way too much. Also, don't get me wrong, but the guards already got fooled once."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" the doctor asked worriedly. Despite all, Nadine wasn't immortal, and the culprit had made it clear what they were willing to do. "Besides, how would you even go about it?"

The small alien thought for a while.

"I guess that depends on whether that maid was an accomplice or just a scapegoat. If it's the latter, it had to be someone in the palace who was often close to the princess. In other words, one of the servants. If, however, she herself was the one who did the deed, then it could be anyone who had a motive. Probably either a similar grudge that the maid supposedly had or they would profit from her death. Can you think of someone like that? Ignoring people like Kiyrtin who we can obviously rule out."

"W-why would you even think of His Highness in this context?!"

"Well, because he obviously has the most to gain from it. Should his sister die, he would inherit the throne. I know he would never do it, which is why I said we can obviously rule him out, but it's still a fact we need to remember. Did he maybe have supporters among the nobles who would rather see him on the throne?"

Now Githaiy started to really get scared by the alien's train of thought.

"How do such things even come to your mind?!"

"Well," Nadine answered with a shrug, "that's more or less what the history of our nobility looked like, especially during the dark ages. Sometimes even in the modern era, though that's rare."

"I... I don't know, I'm not that deep into politics! But it shouldn't! Her parents are the ones who would constantly cause trouble, her taking over foreign affairs should have vastly improved our standing!"

That seemed to remind the small alien of something.

"...yyeeaahh, it should," she said in a very drawn-out way. "Say, if a foreign ambassador would visit, and during the negotiations, they would end up getting insulted - what exactly would the fallout look like?"

"The person in question would need to make concessions in an attempt to make up for it if they didn't want to kill our political standing within the alliance. So it would not only greatly improve the position of the other side, but they would probably end up with more than they would have otherwise."

Nadine nodded.

"Mh-hm, and isn't there a certain species known for getting insulted very often by the king and queen before the princess took over? One that... how did she say it? "I can't even count how many concessions we had to make to them before I took over"?"

The doctor froze as she realized what she was insinuating.

"Y-you don't mean... you can't! Whatever you do, do not accuse her of anything if you don't have solid evidence! She is a representative of a foreign planet, a royal guest! Below the royal family, that is basically one of the highest positions one can have!"

"True, but... the same can technically be said about me, right?"

She stood up and turned to the door.

"I know that she kept me hidden for my own sake. But right now, she is the one who needs help. My position allows me to inspect the ambassador better than the guards can. I'm sorry, Doc, but as I already said to the captain: I am done hiding."