Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I’m Gonna Tell Her How I Feel! Volume 4 E-Book

Rhythm Aida

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I'm Gonna Tell Her How I Feel!
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 317

Beschreibung

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I’m Gonna Tell Her How I Feel! Volume 4

Leseprobe

“The Piggy Duke was intelligent, strong, kindhearted, and sadly, too stubborn for his own good. From another perspective, the story of Shuya Marionette can be interpreted as his tragedy.”

—Director of Shuya Marionette

Prologue: Rebuilding Kirsch Mage Institute

“‘Rebuild this mage school in just two months,’ ya say? That’s impossible, boss!”

“It’s an official request from the palace, so quit whinin’ ’bout it!” the man hissed back gruffly. “They also say that mages are comin’ soon to help! If we have them around, then things will improve, at least somewhat!”

“But there’s no way in hell that snobby mages would obey us commoners!” the other man protested.

“Hey, shush! What if the students hear ya?!”

I can hear you loud and clear, ya know? I heaved a sigh internally. Ugh, it’s too early in the morning for it to be so noisy.

There was another yell from the group of commoners. “Doing the impossible is our job, remember?”

Beside the commoners, cargo wagons advanced forward in an endless stream, carrying materials such as stone, wood, and bricks. There were also a number of construction tools I wasn’t familiar with.

This sequence of events was a rare sight at Kirsch, but lately this had been the norm every single morning. It wasn’t just the commoners who were busy and hustling about, though; we nobles happened to share the mood.

“I’m heading over to your place next week, so make sure to give me a grand welcome!” a boy shouted.

“That’s fine, but don’t repeat history and come with a big group like last time! We’re poor, so preparations are super tough!”

This was all because of what had happened just a few moments earlier. All the students of Kirsch Mage Institute had gathered in the sports grounds and there the headmaster had made a sudden announcement. Since the reconstruction of the campus had begun, the students were to return to their families’ lands as soon as possible. Or at least they had to leave the campus.

In other words, he announced that the summer holidays were starting slightly early.

“Now, of all times? Even though I finally got the motivation to actually listen to lectures?” I trailed off, then sighed.

“Shuya, could you stop with the sighs? This is the fifth time today!” Alicia snapped.

“Alicia, seriously? You counted them?” I muttered weakly, then sighed again.

“That’s six times! And getting back to your earlier statement, you should know very well that our lectures should be the last thing on your mind in this situation!” Alicia exclaimed.

Kirsch Mage Institute wasn’t ready for classes at all right now. Having students around would only get in the way of rebuilding. I know that. She doesn’t have to spell it out for me.

“More importantly, Shuya. What are you going to do? I hear that students will get paid if we help with the reconstruction, but...from the looks of it, everyone’s heading back home. But, in your case! You owe me, so you should take this opportunity to properly...” Alicia trailed off. “You’ve been looking at that for a while.”

“Ah, hey!” I yelled. “Hey, give that back!”

The girl beside me snatched away the paper in my hands. She didn’t look like a commoner at all, no matter what angle you observed her from. The commoners who came to the school to help with the reconstruction all secretly whispered that nobles were truly different, even in looks, when they saw her, but... That’s not true, I thought.

“An ad for earth mages... And if you can manipulate golems precisely, you get paid one gold coin a day?! That’s unthinkably good pay! Water mages have some pretty good pay too... I don’t think water mages would help with construction though... Hmm, how about your fire, Shuya? Let’s see... Whoa, that’s dirt cheap. Well, it’s better than helping out with chores at school, though.”

“I’ve thought this for a while, but your financial sensibilities are surprisingly close to a commoner’s for being royalty,” I commented.

“O-Oh, shut up! I keep the way of the common folk in mind at all times! That’s a good thing, isn’t it?!”

This girl is actually a princess, after all. But I get why the commoners stare at Alicia. How can I put it? She’s short, but there’s something eye-catching about her. Even when I first saw her, I scared myself half to death.She’s got her hair down right now, even though she usually ties it up. It’s a novel sight. Cute, I mean.

“Ya know, Alicia, forget about me. What about you?”

“What about me?”

Well, as for why the second princess of Cirquista is so familiar with a low-rank noble like me, well...I actually owe this girl a debt. A humongous one, at that...

“When are you going back to Cirquista?” I asked.

“You idiot. Isn’t it obvious? I’m going when they send people to pick me up, of course. Do you think a girl from a high station like me would pack up my own luggage?”

I voiced my displeasure. “You don’t have to be so snide about it.”

“But, well, lucky you. Once you get back to your home, you can do whatever you want. In my case, if my country tells me to return quickly and I do, I’ll get to live in confinement. Even though it’s the holidays, I won’t be able to go anywhere.”

“Well, considering what happened, it’s obvious that they wouldn’t want you to go out. Even if I go back, though, I’ll probably spend every day in the fields or stuff like that. Don’t underestimate the tough life of a penniless noble.”

A baron’s land with only its size going for it was a pretty harsh place. My life consisted of work, work, and more work all day and night. Commoners thought that nobles lived luxurious lives, but that was definitely off the table in my house.

“When I get back, I’ll brag to my li’l bros! We managed to witness the slaying of a dragon with our own eyes!” a boy yelled.

Since the holidays began early, everyone hopped into their carriages in high spirits.

“‘Once on shore, we pray no more,’ or whatever it is they say,” Alicia muttered slowly. “Even though everyone shook like a leaf back then, they’re all so oblivious now.”

“That’s just the way things are.” I shrugged. “I still can’t believe that it all actually happened, though...”

To be honest, I still don’t know whether that was reality or not. Just one single day— That was all it took for my peaceful everyday life to crumble into nothing.

The entire school had a strange, floaty atmosphere to it. It didn’t feel like any of this was real at all.

A dungeon had been discovered outside the campus and a horde invasion had occurred. The last time that a horde invasion had happened in Daryth was in the far past, nearly one hundred years ago. After all, if a dungeon spawned somewhere, people would usually notice the appearance of unfamiliar monsters and strange howls from afar... There were many signs that would hint at a disaster like this.

However, the recent dungeon master had been very swift. Under its rule, even the orcs I usually made fun of were scary. I had thought that orcs and monsters in the forest were easy pickings that would fall with one spell, but the monsters led by that dungeon monster... How do I put it? They were different. One wrong step and I would have died.

I heard someone shouting somewhere but dismissed it, sinking back into my thoughts.

Monsters had poured out from the darkness, and many times during the ordeal I pinched my own cheeks, thinking that it all might be a dream. But the insistent, stinging pain each time proved otherwise.

When the dragon appeared before us, we couldn’t do anything. I thought we might all die, but right as I thought that, the beautiful Denning retainer went out of the barrier. She didn’t seem to have any chances of winning, and to save that retainer, a commoner girl followed, and... Then, my feet had finally moved.

Dying a noble death was important to a soldier. I hadn’t joined the Daryth army yet, but I was still a person who wanted to protect this country. I thought that at least in my last moments I could fight and die bravely, but then—

“Shuya! Hey, Shuya! Are you listening to me?!”

“Whoa!” I exclaimed. “What is it? Don’t do that all of a sudden, Alicia!”

“Ugh, you fool. Are you still vexed that you weren’t able to do anything?”

I clenched my jaw. “Of course I am. I was completely useless.”

For a long time, I had thought that I was a special person. Well, I mean, I’m a noble after all, you know? Of course, I’m not a great noble like those from House Denning or anything, but I am a noble and a mage. I have the resolve to put my life on the line to protect the people of my land if anything happens, and I have been educated to that end too.

Look at reality, though. There was nothing I could do. Faced with those monsters, I could only quake in my boots inside the barrier our headmaster had made.

“Oh, you’re so silly, Shuya. What do you think you could have done? A small-fry mage like you wishing for too much is only asking for a death sentence!”

Alicia... I cursed her inwardly. Would anyone go this far normally? She’s such an unpleasant person. Her personality is probably why she has so few friends. The standard for cuteness is quite high among the girls here at Kirsch Mage Institute, and she is one of the cutest...but her personality is a huge mess. Are all royalty like her? Ah, but Princess Carina was kind...

“Look over there! Who would have thought that he’d be with the Cardinal, of all people?!” A girl nearby was gushing over someone.

“How do you think we can get acquainted with him? I received a letter from my papa, and he said that I should become friends with him. That’s way too hard, though. There aren’t any openings for us to get close... He’s already so far out of reach.” Another girl pouted.

The girls were making a fuss about someone. Did a celebrity show up or something? Well, I wouldn’t be surprised, considering that Royal Knights and people of that caliber have been walking around the campus pretty often recently. I looked around in response to the girls’ comments, and there I found someone I didn’t expect. No... I did expect this.

The noisy crowd was looking at that guy. With the headmaster, the Cardinal, and even Princess Carina waiting on him. He was surrounded by extraordinary people, and they were all deep in conversation.

The biggest problem student of Kirsch was, well, no longer a problem. After a single night, he had become a hero whose name would be passed down through generations, and probably nobody would call him “Piggy Duke” like they once had.

“Alicia, your fiancé sure is popular—” I hastily cut myself off mid-sentence. “I’m just joking! Don’t get so mad!”

Phew, that was close. Talking about stuff that reminds Alicia of her past engagement is a huge minefield. Sh-She’s not angry, is she? I snuck a look at her face. Wait, huh? Alicia stared at Denning with a serious look on her face. What’s this? Is she thinking the same as those girls from earlier?

Right now, that guy was the hottest stock in Kirsch, and it was rumored that he had thinned down quite impressively as of late. Oh, wow. He’s really thin compared to before! Everyone treated him as a human orc whose personality was worse than trash, but look at him now. I’m not kidding about that comment! Back then, everyone would insult him behind his back, but I bet nobody could imagine that now considering his current status.

And I’ll be frank, the pace at which he’s thinning down doesn’t seem like something only hard work could achieve. I often see him doing weird training routines with that retainer of his, but... House Denning is crazy loaded, so did they make him drink a secret potion or something? Maybe?

I sighed. “That guy used to be the Piggy Duke, right? I can’t believe this is all happening.”

During the horde invasion of the school, a fellow second-year student managed to skillfully defeat a monster. Not just any monster, but a monster that was especially problematic compared to the others: a dragon. Those weren’t even seen around in the southern half of the continent very often. That second-year was Slowe Denning, the third son of House Denning, a famous and powerful noble house in Daryth. He took down the dragon himself and became a hero.

I knew that he worked really hard to combat his past notorious reputation, but... Suddenly he’s a Dragon Slayer? The heck? Not only that, but I heard that he changed the element of the Mystical Sword possessed by a certain commoner who was rumored to be the top contender for Guardian Knight. My brain can’t keep up with all this. In other words, that guy was hiding his real abilities all this time? Why would he do that?

“Hey, Alicia. Sorry for interrupting your Denning staring session, but...”

Alicia froze for a moment. “Huuuh?! Wait a minute, what did you just say?! Me, that guy?!”

“You were staring at him all this time, though,” I pointed out. “Like all the other girls are doing.”

“I’m so not staring at him! Don’t lump me in with those clout chasers! You’ve really started making some rude comments from time to time lately! You’re definitely looking down on me, even though I’m a princess!!!”

“Okay, okay, I get it! You weren’t staring at him. My mistake!”

She harrumphed. “As long as you get it. If you say that again, though, I swear I’ll punch you—”

“Lord Denning!” A girl called out to Denning, despite the circle of very important people surrounding him. “Is it true that you were summoned to the capital?!”

“Hey, who are you?!” one of the people surrounding him snapped at her, offended.

“I heard rumors that you’re going to quit school too! They’re lying, right? I don’t want that to be true!” she continued.

Wow. Even the famous Cardinal is near Denning right now. She sure has guts.Wait, that girl is... I searched my memory. Oh, right. She was the commoner who tried to save Denning’s retainer back then. Oh boy. Alicia’s got her eyes narrowed into slits. She does that whenever her mood plummets. It’s sooo obvious.

“You won’t quit Kirsch Mage Institute, right, Lord Denning? Right?! Lord Denning?!” Her tone was almost pleading.

Such rumors were certainly circulating around Kirsch. It was weird that someone from House Denning would enroll in a mage school in the first place. Normally, by our age, they were already in the army and receiving special education there.

“Everyone’s afraid to say it out loud, but there’re a lot of people who would be sad if you withdrew from this school, Lord Denning!”

Reluctantly, I silently agreed with her. If Denning left this school altogether right now, I would be rather troubled.

The moment he made the black dragon fall with a spell...my life probably changed. I thought that I wanted to become someone like him.

There were countless people in this school who wanted to become strong right now. After all, many students carried themselves differently after the incident. If that guy was around, we could improve with him as the goal in our sights. His existence was a good stimulus for us all.

“Lord Denning! You’re serious? You won’t quit Kirsch, I see! I’ll put my faith in your words, okay?! Also, if you’re heading to the capital, then I expect some souvenirs, you hear me?!”

Not only that, but I heard that there was apparently a high chance that Daryth would go into war against the Dustour Empire soon. That was exactly why I intended to cherish every single day of the next two months of our long school holiday. I was keeping it a secret from Alicia, but I had zero intention of returning to the Newkern lands.

In these next two months...I will become a stronger man. In order to do that, I would spend this time in an allied country.

I planned to head to Dungeon City, Zenelaus, one of the three big cities of the Freedom Union.

Chapter 1: The Forgotten Events of the Anime

Oink, oink, oink.

“A horde invasion in the middle of our endlessly tense back-and-forth with Dustour. When I first heard the news, I doubted my own ears and feared for the outcome, but who would have thought that a new Dragon Slayer would hail from House Denning? With this, Cirquista can’t rub the fact that they managed to tame a dragon in our faces anymore!”

“I happened to overhear that the commoners think House Denning was way more reliable than the guardians of the royal family...but indeed, we cannot argue against that view in this incident. The capital is in an uproar. I have heard many good rumors from my son, but I really shouldn’t have expected anything less from the famous Prodigy of Wind!”

Wait. This guy’s son is that boy with natural curly hair, right? If I remember right, that guy was the person who slandered me the most back at Kirsch Mage Institute. I felt a bout of irritation come over me. But...I must keep calm. Resist. Right now, I must exercise self-control. Pointing that out in this place would be rude. After all, I was currently...

“Here, please enjoy the meal. This ball was organized for your sake, after all!”

Though the hall was decorated with glamorous and gorgeous ornaments, there was a certain finesse and elegance to it, along with the specific type of dignity that came with having a long history. A magnificent chandelier hung from the ceiling and its glimmering light shone down on paired-off men and women dancing on the floor. There were many nobles sipping drinks from their glasses gracefully as well. Yes, indeed, I was at a ball.

This was the fortress city, the capital of Daryth, which was sometimes compared to a giant stronghold. I was in the royal castle located in the central area of the city.

“Ah, here you are, Lord Denning! Could I bother you for a retelling of how you slew the dragon?”

Another noble laughed. “How many times are you planning on making the Dragon Slayer repeat himself?”

I heaved a sigh inwardly. Another bunch of people have come my way. There was some gorgeous food around, but I had no time to eat at all. Jeez, how many of you are there? Is there no end to the talking? It seemed that powerful people of the aristocracy were very much devoted to making friendly conversation.

I know the truth, though. All of these self-important people have belittled me thoroughly behind my back before.

“Still, Dragon Slayer, I heard that the duke has already returned to the front lines, but...is that true?”

“My father is the linchpin in our operations against Dustour. After he spent one night decimating all the monsters that ran away, he immediately returned to the battlefield,” I said steadily.

“I see. Well, the people of the empire change their tactics depending on his presence, so that makes sense.”

After my father exchanged a few words with me at Kirsch, he literally immediately left. Like, seriously. Since his original goal of exploring the dungeon was impossible, I guess he probably decided that there was no meaning in staying there any longer.

When he left the school, though, he said to me that he was waiting for me on the other side, but... Who in their right mind would head to the front lines? And I have no intention of quitting Kirsch at all, you know? Even at school there were rumors that I’d leave, but that place is the oasis that heals my heart, okay? I can’t leave it that easily.

Speaking of Kirsch, it’s in the middle of reconstruction and the long holidays. Most of the students would probably just return to their family lands, but I was sent an invitation to the capital by the queen herself so she could show her appreciation. I had already been busy every day dealing with my noble professors and the soldiers in Kirsch, but I only became busier when I came here.

“For an ancient dragon to appear in a human habitat, though... That is quite a rare occurrence. Where in the world did it wander in from...? Not only that, but I hear that it was identical to the Guardian Dragon of Huzak. Is something unsavory happening in that land, perhaps?”

“Oh, what are you saying? That thing originally started off as dirt in a dungeon. There is no logic or reason in their actions,” a nobleman replied with disdain. “Oh, this is delightful.”

With a glass of water in one hand, I tuned out the people around me. If I don’t, my mind will be fatigued and I’ll end up getting thinner from stress, you know!

Ugh, and that guy! How dare he take the meat I was aiming for! Damn it, there isn’t much left! I sighed inwardly once again. These people just stuff their faces without a care in the world. They don’t know how I feel!

A long and loud growl echoed out.

“What was that sound...?”

“It was the sound of my stomach. What about it?” I said with a tone daring them to comment on it.

Hey, what’s there to laugh at about me trying to lose weight? Don’t bother me anymore. Leave me alone. If anything, just let me go back to my room!

“You over there! Bring some food for the Dragon Slayer!” a man ordered.

“I am fine. I am on a diet, so please do not worry about me,” I declined.

A maid came up to me with a plate. “Apologies for the wait, Lord Denning. Here is your two-hundred-gram pork loin. This dish is low in calories.”

That was fast! The maids in Kirsch can’t even compare to the people here in terms of speed! At school, the maids seemed to put everything into their work, but the maids here are fast and graceful. But I’m on a diet... Jeez, is this a torture session or something? All the foods on display are my favorites, darn it! No, I must resist! I’m on a diet, after all!

...Okay, should I just eat it now? Do I go for the finish? Do I snort and munch like crazy? All right, feast time! I’ll dig in! It’s a reward for me! Aaah!!!!!!!!!!

“Oh my!!! So here you were! Please, tell me your stories!” a young noblewoman gushed and approached me.

“Ah! My daughter, this gentleman over here is the famous Slowe Denning himself. He’s the Dragon Slayer we have heard all about!” a nobleman said.

Just when I thought the onslaught of nobles was over, a few slightly older ladies dressed in glamorous clothing approached me, asking me to recount my tale. One by one, they encircled me, and my diet was rescued by a hair’s breadth.

“Yes, I do know of you. You are the Prodigy of Wind, are you not?”

However...well, in exchange, I felt a pair of eyes drilling holes into my back. I glanced over at the spot where she probably was as I felt cold sweat trickling down my skin.

The girl in question was glaring at me, looking like she had swallowed a lemon. My retainer Charlotte was the only commoner attending this banquet, and very few people came up to her for a chat.

The nobles were busy making connections with each other. That left Charlotte to enjoy the taste of the exquisite cuisine in her mouth while glaring at me.

“Oh my, how brave, crossing the forest path all by yourself. I heard that even the famous Order itself had trouble with it! Were you not scared?”

“Um, well...I was just really focused on getting through,” I said.

After that night, when I confessed to Charlotte that I knew her past...

Since that very moment, our relationship only took a turn for the worse.

“Everyone, please look at his arm! Even though it looks all wobbly, there’s definitely a mass of muscle...” the lady trailed off.

Please give me a chance to explain myself. I had intended to patch things up after that.

“Well, not really...but there’s something cute about it!” the lady continued.

But I had been immediately surrounded by a sea of people like how I was now, and Royal Knights came as reinforcements from Yoram. After taking down the dragon, I had been so busy that I didn’t even have time to sleep, and...I ended up leaving Charlotte hanging in the air like that...

A few days later, we passed by each other and she whispered to me, “You came out with such a major truth but you won’t make time for me. Why? Are you blind to how I would feel? Even if I don’t look like it, I am a princess, you know...”

I had felt a shiver go through my whole body when she said that. After that, even if I tried to talk to her, she had started ignoring me, and, well... In the carriage on our way to the capital, Charlotte had looked so anxious and like she was deep in thought. I couldn’t talk to her if she was in that kind of mood. Right now, I wasn’t sure what Charlotte was thinking.

“You are so adorable, but you’re a Dragon Slayer! You really can’t judge a book by its cover, can you?” Another lady nodded.

“Shall we talk over there? Just the two of us.”

“Oh my, are you trying to get a head start?!” another gasped with disbelief.

I did have an idea of what she was thinking, though. My actions surely reminded her of her past, so she was probably thinking about her home country. Specifically, she was probably thinking about White Castle where she was born and raised, and what it must be like now. Or, maybe, she was thinking about the state of her country and her memories there.

Yet, I was currently leaving her to the side as I was fawned over by countless ladies, even though she had many worries on her mind. That’s a big red flag to anyone with morals.

“Yikes,” I muttered at what I saw.

Charlotte stabbed her roast beef with no emotion whatsoever on her face, lifted her fork, and chewed on the meat. Lather, rinse, and repeat. Whenever Charlotte was stressed, she had a habit of binge eating silently. I only recently discovered this fact.

Oh no! Now she’s gloomily stuffing sweet desserts into her mouth. Charlotte, no! Don’t! You’ll become obese! Damn it! When you’re overeating, it’s surprisingly hard to gauge that yourself! Trust me, I know! So—

“Charlotte! If you eat more than that, you’ll grow fat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

I was desperate and it seemed like the only thing I could do, since I couldn’t move from the circle of ladies around me.

Due to my outburst, people started staring at Charlotte. She froze, dessert in her hand. Then, chuckles began to sound out from all over...

“Who is this ‘Charlotte’? Oh, that girl, I see.”

“My, my! That girl is the Dragon Slayer’s retainer, if my memories serve me right. I see that she doesn’t seem to be used to the dazzling world of nobles.”

Charlotte realized what was happening and her cheeks flushed crimson. But please, don’t be mad at me, I pleaded in my mind. I can’t move from here.

However, Charlotte did not respond to that plea of mine. She ate the rest of the dessert in her hands in one big bite and ran away from the hall at lightning speed. Just before she made her escape, our eyes locked. In other words, she gave me a big glare.

Oh...it looks like I’ve crossed the worst possible line in her mind.

Daryth City was a fortress city that was on a completely different scale from Yoram.

Stars glittered like scattered jewels in the sky above, and their faint light lit up the vast castle town below. I was standing on a balcony overlooking the capital, which was still well lit even at night. The chilly wind brushed over my whole body.

Meanwhile, Princess Carina was staring at the night city and spacing out. I hadn’t expected her to be at the banquet, but she had appeared out of nowhere. I kept my silence, watching over her.

The princess’s appearance had not been part of the plan and it caused quite a stir in the hall. Their reactions weren’t surprising, considering that the princess was a moody person who didn’t often show up at such occasions. However, it seemed that the princess of Daryth had no interest in the ball at all, and she had led me by the hand out onto the balcony. To be frank, she really saved me there.

“Princess Carina, just how much longer do I have to continue with such things...?” I felt a moment of weakness spill out of my mouth.

I hadn’t thought that it would be so suffocating to be surrounded by calculating nobles. If there had been at least one person I knew, like someone associated with House Denning or one of my former friends around, then I would have had a lot less weight on my shoulders.

I thought back about some of my friends from the past: the serious Claude, the free-spirited Silva, the hot-blooded Marco, and the wayfaring Roswell. There were many people who had put me on a pedestal because I was pretty much guaranteed to be the next duke, but those four were the only friends I could trust from the bottom of my heart. I had been able to reunite with one of the four, Silva, but...right now, that guy was currently confined to the Academy for research purposes and data about the Mystical Sword of Wind.

“You don’t look so happy, Slowe,” the princess noted. “Did you not have fun at the ball?”

“This kind of thing really just does not sit well with me. I’ve really seen that fact for myself now. If I had the choice, I would return to Kirsch immediately.”

“That’s not possible. You changed the element of the Mystical Sword, a national treasure, and then you managed to pull off slaying a dragon, which nobody could have predicted. You must remain in the castle until my mother returns.”

“Would Sir Delfrey cut me down because I tampered with the Mystical Sword?”

“Despite the rumors, the current Guardian Knight is actually quite an understanding person. And there’s no way he would cut you down now. Slowe, you’re a hero. Remember the masses of people who crowded around the castle in the daytime just to get a glimpse of you? That was pretty crazy, wasn’t it?” Princess Carina said.

“Indeed. I honestly did not expect this treatment when I came here. Rumors sure spread fast,” I said.

“Well, we’re talking about a Dragon Slayer here. That kind of thing is straight out of a fairy tale.”

Many commoners had heard rumors that the Dragon Slayer would visit the city, and today the capital had been in pure chaos.

Princess Carina hesitated before she continued. “Well, I don’t think you have to put so much thought into it. The Great Spirit of Light and the Guardian Knight might be a little upset about it, but nobody can mess with the hero who protected Kirsch. Plus, my mother probably likes you, Slowe.”

“Huh? L-Likes?” I stammered.

“You’ll see when you meet with her,” she said. “Wait, what? But you’re that... You were House Denning’s famous Prodigy of Wind. Haven’t you spoken with her in the past?”

“Only a little. I have also changed a lot since back then...”

In the end, I suppose there was no point in trying to predict how things would go from here. The person with the most political influence in this country was currently visiting various countries in the south, so she wasn’t in the castle right now. Apparently, it would still be nearly half a month before she made her return, so I probably didn’t have any choice other than to wait patiently for the final verdict.

And about that... What’s going to happen to my life from now on? I probably have no place in House Denning anymore. Even if my father takes my side, House Denning is too big to sway from just that.

In contrast to the skies with stars shining brilliantly in the night, I couldn’t see my future at all. What...will happen to me?

“Oh, right. I wanted to ask you something,” she trailed off.

If I wanted a luxurious life, I guess becoming Princess Carina’s Guardian Knight would be a valid option? But it’s pretty unsettling times out there, so... Oh. I just remembered. Back then, during all the chaos, I hugged this person... I mean, this lady. I was really focused on dealing with the dragon back then, but still, was that out of line? Ugh, no, stop thinking about that! Don’t remember stuff like how her body felt against you back then or anything!

With the gentle glow of the moon casting down on her, the princess stared at the bustling capital below us.

I tried to hide my internal struggle by keeping a blank face on the surface. After a short while, Princess Carina looked at me, puzzled. “Hey, why are you making such a weird face all of a sudden?”

“No, it’s nothing.” I changed the topic. “So, what did you want to ask?”

“Did something happen between you and your retainer? That interesting earthworm girl, I mean.”

I froze for a second. “Huh? Nothing happened. Wait, earthworm...? What in the world is your impression of her?”

“I heard that you two hadn’t had a proper conversation until you came to the capital, even though you were so close back in Kirsch. Is she perhaps jealous since you suddenly became a hero hailed by all? As for that description, well, that’s because the earthworm was very memorable.”

“I do not think it would be anything like jealousy...”

“Oh, really?” She raised an eyebrow. “I hear that Kirsch is currently on holiday, but is she going to return to her homeland too? I had the impression that retainers are always with their masters, though.”

“Charlotte will not return to her homeland. Sorry, but I cannot tell you the details...”

Ever since I had revealed the truth, things had been awkward between Charlotte and me. My lie had been for her sake. However, we still hadn’t managed to have a proper conversation since I was heaps busier than back in Kirsch. It was unexpected on my part because I thought I would have time to talk to her before the queen returned. Who would have thought that even Princess Carina would notice this rift between us, though?

“Seems pretty complicated,” she commented. “But, well, surely time will solve all your problems.”

“Princess Carina, where did you learn such mature-sounding words?”

“...Are you making fun of me?!”

Though Princess Carina said that time would solve my problems...the biggest problem I had right now would be tricky to solve that way. No matter how you put it, I had deceived Charlotte for a long time.

The biggest reason this problem got so out of hand was probably the fact that I left her hanging without patching things up properly immediately after I revealed my secret. It would have gone way better if I had actually had, well, a more proper conversation with her back then, but... I sighed inwardly.

Oh, what should I do? If I remember correctly, when Alicia was upset in the anime, Shuya gave her presents. But I don’t know what Charlotte would want in her current state... If I were still in Kirsch, I could have asked someone like Tina for advice and seen if she could fish out information discreetly from Charlotte, but, well, I’m not.

“Dragon Slayer!” A lady came up to me, giggling. “Would you like to have tea with us today?”

“My deepest apologies, but I am fully booked today,” I replied.

“Ah, you are quite the busy one. I see, Dragon Slayer.”

I only had myself to rely on to patch up my relationship with Charlotte. That was exactly why I thought this was my only chance when I saw her walking in my direction, a book hugged close to her chest. I had a session booked with the Royal Knights coming up very soon where they would ask me about the Mystical Sword element change. However, there was no way I could let this opening go.

“Charlotte,” I called out to her hesitantly.

I felt eyes on me. It seemed like Charlotte had noticed me and our eyes met. I hurriedly ran her way. She stood next to a big window, light flowing in from it. The warm air felt like a sign of the upcoming summer.

I hadn’t seen Charlotte’s face up close for a while like this. And just like I thought, she was angry.

“Master Slowe,” she began slowly. “I believe you owe me an apology.”

That was the first thing she said to me. Something I owe her an apology for... Yeah, she’s definitely talking about that.

“I know I’m in the wrong. But there is one thing I want to make clear. I did it for your—”

“Not that.” She cut me off. “No, I mean, that’s part of it, but more importantly... Think about how many years we were together.”

I was silent.

“For a long time. A long, looong time! I had aaalllways been with you, even after you gained a small loose screw or two, and yet!!!” she exclaimed. “I’m sad! At first, I was surprised that you knew my secret, but then I immediately started feeling depressed, thinking that you didn’t trust me at all!”

“Th-That’s not true!” I protested. “That’s not the case at all!”

“And that isn’t all!”