Marius floated in a white world.
It felt similar to when he received Zofi’s “Pleasure.”
However, no warning activated, so this didn’t seem to be an attack.
(Is this some prank by Zofi and the others?)
Had they done this because they wanted his attention?
But that thought was quickly dispelled.
If that were the case, they would have revealed themselves by now.
There would be no need to do something that could be mistaken for an enemy attack.
“…tou”
“Hm?”
He thought he heard a voice.
“…rete…tou”
He could definitely hear a voice.
There was a feeling that someone was thanking him.
As he concentrated to try and make out the words, Marius woke up.
“What was that just now…?”
There was no answer.
Princess Catherine of Boltner’s entourage arrived in Filat.
Thanks to the brain-dead, doting King, it was quite a large group.
This was only possible because Filat and Boltner had good relations. If, for example, Barra’s entourage from Ranleo had done the same thing, it would have become a source of conflict, with accusations of “Do you not trust our country?” relations between human nations were truly delicate and troublesome.
“H-Hello. I am Catherine, daughter of King Boltner.”
Compared to Barra the other day, her hesitant speech and awkward bow were watched with amusement by those present.
Royalty shouldn’t use age as an excuse, but Catherine seemed to possess a special aura that stirred protective feelings in onlookers.
Marius noticed himself feeling a surge of gentleness and hurriedly thought, “I’m not a lolicon.”
“Um, I would very much like to express my gratitude to Marius-sama, who saved me the other day…”
The gazes of the Filat people focused on Marius, and Catherine walked directly toward him.
“U-Um, are you Marius-sama?”
Her eyes pleaded rather than acted spoiled, and Marius nodded and removed his hood.
For most of those present, it was their first time seeing him, and their gazes were filled with curiosity. Black hair and black eyes were extremely rare on the Taliant Continent.
(What a beautiful eye color…)
To Catherine, his eyes seemed incredibly dazzling, though about thirty percent of that was likely due to the “savior bonus.”
“It’s nice to meet you, I am Marius.”
He bowed according to the etiquette he had learned during his time in Filat.
“I am Catherine. Thank you very much for saving me from danger the other day.”
After bowing politely, Catherine stood on her tiptoes and kissed Marius’s cheek.
“This is a bit forward, but it’s my thanks.”
She smiled shyly, saying ” Ehehe,” and looked incredibly adorable.
Marius was stunned by the soft, fresh, and unexpected kiss. He had thought it might happen, as it was a common trope in stories, but he never expected it now. Given the place, it was completely unexpected. As he started to recall the faint, pleasant scent and the sensation of her lips, he quickly put his hood back on, telling himself, “I’m not a lolicon.” The people around them continued to watch Catherine with smiles, and Marius realized he was overreacting. In a world where marriage was possible at ten years old, perhaps the very concept of “a preference for young girls” didn’t exist.
Meanwhile, Catherine was satisfied with the outcome, as it had gone exactly as planned. She was perhaps a bit too young to articulate “I got away with it,” but she was also a member of a brain-dead royal family and felt a sense of accomplishment, as if she had captured her prey.
A welcome party was held once again. Marius participated with a sense of weary resignation, as it had only been a few days since Barra’s arrival.
He thought, “Why didn’t they just do it at the same time as Barra?” but that was impossible due to the geography. It took many more days to travel from Boltner to Filat than from Ranleo. Besides, holding parties simultaneously might be seen as “slacking on the welcome,” leading to criticism. This would be even more so if a major country like Filat did it for a country like Ranleo with whom they didn’t have good relations. The difference from Barra’s visit was that Barra was attending the party as a representative of Ranleo. Catherine’s demeanor still felt more childlike than Barra’s, but it was generally passable.
Barra watched Catherine with a hidden bitterness.
(Kissing Marius-sama before I did…)
Her personal grudges were on full display. When she heard the rumors, she had been so overwhelmed that she wanted to bite her handkerchief. She had only restrained herself to avoid drawing attention. When Catherine came to greet her, Barra showed no trace of resentment and maintained her reputation as a “frank and friendly princess.”
“I plan to stay in Filat for a while as well. Please be good to me.”
Catherine smiled brightly, and Catherine visibly relaxed.
The relationship between Boltner and Ranleo was delicate. Boltner was friendly with Filat, but Ranleo viewed them with hostility. Naturally, Boltner didn’t think favorably of Ranleo either. Therefore, Catherine, or rather, the adults around her, were concerned about relations with the people of Ranleo. The King had blustered, “If anyone makes my Catherine cry, I’ll kill them,” but such a thing would be impossible. It couldn’t serve as a casus belli, and above all, Ranleo was the larger country.
“Y-Yes. Likewise.”
The two princesses shook hands with smiles. The attendants breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that Barra was a decent person who could positively represent Ranleo in Boltner. This would save them a great deal of effort in appeasing the doting and brain-dead King. Not a single person in the venue noticed that Barra didn’t find Catherine particularly likable.
“If you’d like, would you care for some magic talk?”
“Um, that’s a kind offer, but I have almost no aptitude for magic…”
Catherine lowered her eyes with a mixed expression of apology and embarrassment. Despite her charming appearance, she too was part of a brain-dead royal family. Barra smiled kindly at the younger princess.
“It’s alright. We cover not only magic practice but also ways to fight against mages.”
Catherine nodded when told that it would be beneficial for her too. She definitely wanted to know how to fight mages, who were considered their natural enemies by the people of Boltner, and teach it to her people back home. Her Father King was stubborn about such things, so it would likely be passed down from her mother to the courtiers.
“Plus, you’ll be able to spend time with Marius-sama.”
Whispered playfully, Catherine’s face and ears turned bright red, and she looked down. She had done as her mother taught her, but had she been too obvious? And why was Princess Barra being so kind to her? Was it a sign of Ranleo’s intention to become friendly with Boltner? She couldn’t find the answer to her questions. Her cheeks and head felt noticeably hot, and her mind began to spin.
(Hmm, just as I thought…)
Catherine’s reaction confirmed Barra’s suspicions. However, for a princess of a nation to kiss someone in public was no small matter, so perhaps it was more of an obvious conclusion. In reality, Ranleo had no particular feelings towards Boltner. It was simply a calculation that not being kind to a twelve-year-old girl would harm her reputation. Furthermore, if the girl before her could become “Barra’s enemy,” it would be more advantageous to keep her close and observe her. Even Barra, who appeared innocent and devoid of malice, could think to this extent. Thus, Barra and Catherine’s initial contact ended amicably on the surface.
“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Catherine.”
Barra was relieved to return to her conversations, which helped raise people’s favorability, but Catherine’s greetings continued. Eventually, she met Lovisa. The two princesses exchanged polite greetings and social pleasantries in a perfunctory manner, lacking the warmth of Barra’s encounter.
(She’s like a doll…)
Catherine felt this way and couldn’t hide her confusion. As a princess of an allied nation, she had expected a more approachable reaction, like Princess Barra of Ranleo. Perhaps it was due to her youth and tendency to act spoiled, but if she could swap Lovisa and Barra, it would perfectly match her expectations. However, Catherine already possessed a certain resilience that prevented her from dwelling on it. She finished her greetings appropriately and moved on.
“It was nice meeting you earlier, Marius-sama.”
When she faced Marius, she felt a different kind of tension than before. Marius, sensing this, greeted her mildly.
“Um, speaking of which, how was Boltner’s lamb and beef?”
“It was wonderful. Tender and full of flavor.”
Pleased that her country’s specialty was praised, Catherine continued her questions.
“What else do you like besides lamb and beef?”
“Let’s see. I also like cacao tea, cockatrice meat, and vegetables.”
“Wow, I’m envious, I don’t like vegetables…”
The two had a heartwarming conversation, creating a somewhat sweet and innocent atmosphere. Most of the party guests watched with smiles, but there was an exception. Barra, who had been diligently preparing a “conversation script to get close to Marius-sama,” was infuriated that Catherine had beaten her to it.
(Grr!)
Barra was genuinely frustrated that the exact scenario she had envisioned and desired had been executed by someone else. Princess Catherine was now recognized as an “enemy” in her mind. She was at least more formidable than Lovisa. Barra’s mind began to churn as she strategized “countermeasures against Catherine.”
