We were having a secret conversation while being jostled in the carriage.
I was completely paralyzed and couldn’t move. Alana, meanwhile, was diligently practicing, licking, poking, and scratching, but she never “entered” me. That’s for next lesson.
Still paralyzed, I didn’t even get breakfast and was unceremoniously thrown into the carriage’s cargo area, as if to say, “Oh!? Was this cargo supposed to be loaded?” They don’t handle cargo properly! At least pack it! Being naked in the cargo area is a bit much…
Priscilla and Orietta were whispering in the front. I had roses in both hands. Since Sophia was busy with my Buster Sword, I took the opportunity to complain to Priscilla, as only my mouth could move.
“Priscilla, come over here.”
When I said that, she threw a knife at me. It landed near Sophia’s face while she was busy. Perhaps because of that, my Buster Sword almost turned into a Petty knife. I decided then and there never to do that again.
The real problem started here…
“Priscilla-san, wasn’t that dangerous?!”
Sophia’s complaint was understandable. A knife was dropped right when I was fiddling with the tip of my Buster Sword and licking its base.
“You too, how long are you going to keep at it! That’s enough!”
I couldn’t agree more. Just because I can’t move doesn’t mean you should play with my Buster Sword.
“You’re mistaken if you think only Priscilla-san can use the Buster Sword!”
Sophia, unusually retorting, received a silent applause from me in my mind, as my hands couldn’t move. And if possible… if possible, that is, but please stop using me as a shield.
“You!”
Priscilla, driven by rage, threw the knife she was now holding at me! But as expected of Priscilla. It flew towards my left side, opposite to Sophia, who was hiding behind my right. The angle was such that it wouldn’t hit anyone, intended as a threat.
“Ouch!”
The throwing knife was supposed to pass through empty space, but it hit my left arm. The angle was correct, and I couldn’t move. …Sophia pushed, didn’t she?
“What are you doing?!”
“No, you just pushed me. You pushed me so I’d get hit. I can’t move, so there’s no other reason for me to be hit.”
“So-Sophia-san…”
This time, a pain that pierced from my back to my stomach shot through me, and a platinum light passed by Priscilla’s side. You just shot me, didn’t you?
“What a fancy move…”
This time, a full-force throw was aimed at Sophia. This is bad. I wanted to grab her with Godspeed, but I’m completely paralyzed.
“Gah!”
This time, she pulled back! Sophia hid behind me and became a shield. The knife pierced my throat. Is this bad? Did it miss the carotid artery?!
“Clumsy…”
The second light shot out from my chest, missed Priscilla’s leg, and disappeared into the distance. What is this? What is this?
“You’re the clumsy one!”
Five throwing knives were fired wildly. Of course, all of them hit me. Sophia was safe behind me. But I heard a faint, diabolical whisper… “That damn Priscilla…”
A wild barrage called for a wild barrage. Sophia’s Platinum Laser, fired to expend the rest, penetrated all of me and attacked Priscilla, but all missed and disappeared.
“You’re incompetent!”
“I’m deliberately missing, Priscilla-san. …Can you hit this?!”
Sophia grabbed the tip of my Buster Sword and made me stand in front. Stop it, that’s the only part that’s intact!
“Doru rurururu…”
What’s this?! I can hear a drumroll. Is this the highlight? The climax? Did my brain start a dramatic scenario at a time like this?!
“Don’t underestimate me!”
Priscilla, grabbing a knife, blindfolded herself. Is this indeed the highlight?! I’ve heard of this! I recall a story about setting up one’s child, placing an apple on their head, and shooting it… So is he my son?! And Rufina! Don’t get the mood going with a drumroll!
Before I could say, “Stop!”, Sophia, her gentle voice whispering, “Please be quiet,” began to toy with the knife stuck in my neck. The drumroll stopped, then a moment of silence… Miss!
Bipartisan cheers filled the White Lily Corps’ carriage. Priscilla, removing her blindfold, was completely satisfied with the outcome and high-fived everyone.
“Sophia… I might have said a bit too much. I’m sorry.”
“No, I apologize as well…”
The two embraced, their resentment gone. Thus, their friendship became a strong bond… Hey! Hey! Hey! What about the knife stuck in this _______ and the gaping hole?!
“…Be quiet.”
Everyone listened to the voice of Christine, the embodiment of beauty, an angel on earth. I writhed, clutching my chest. What was reflected in Christine’s clear eyes? Was I reflected? Why does my heart ache too?
We were heading to Baron Haida Krisel’s residence. Of course, it was to offer our respects and receive a modest reward. We had taken on the role of defending the territory, and the White Lily Corps was the main force in combat, so I didn’t think it would be wrong to receive something from outside the Guild.
Upon arriving at the Krisel manor, Baron Haida himself, summoned by a servant, came to the grand entrance. He embraced me and expressed his gratitude. For a mere mercenary to be embraced and thanked like this was uncharacteristic of a noble. The gazes of the surrounding corps members were painful. …Very painful.
We were shown around the mansion. Everyone from the knights we met in the study to the attendants sought our thanks and firm handshakes. I truly felt glad I had taken on the role. However, to the knight who embraced Christine, my condolences. You’re not dead, I told them beforehand that “no one dies.”
“Thank you for your assistance. This is just a token, please accept it.”
The bag Baron Krisel presented was, by appearance alone, twice the size of the ones from the Guild. It was clear it contained far more than a meager amount. But why wasn’t the Count here? I would have expected the Count to appear at a time like this. Perhaps a mere mercenary isn’t worthy of his greeting.
“Hmph, I’ll take the money. But why isn’t the Count here? Weren’t we doing this for the Count?”
Nice one, Priscilla. Good follow-up, but a little more gentle with your words.
“I apologize. Bernoult is currently confined to his bed, so…”
“He’s not just confined to bed. The Count should be the one expressing his gratitude.”
Don’t you remember that this world has a crime of disrespect, Priscilla! But what you’re saying is correct.
“I would like to offer my greetings at the very least.”
It seems my follow-up made him finally get up. He said he would bring someone. If it’s an injury or illness, I fear we may have caused trouble. Baron Haida brought two children, a young girl and a boy. Is this…
“It is as you suspect. My eldest son, Bernoult, is only five years old and not yet old enough to receive a baronetcy. Until Bernoult can receive the title, my daughter Aurelia will serve as the Count’s proxy.”
No knight would want to go to war with a five-year-old child. And I doubt anyone would have gone for Lady Aurelia’s sake, even if I hadn’t been there.
In the end, even after demotion, the Krisel family was still caught up in war, and Baron Haida still had to go to war. But he’s alive. Haida Krisel, who was supposed to die in Nuyoo, is alive. The future can be changed.
We caught a glimpse of the truth, but they asked for secrecy, and we have no intention of divulging it. Lady Aurelia, more than fighting or politics, seems suited to the delphiniums blooming in the garden.
Her silver eyes are inherited from her mother, but her childish face with its clear eyes makes them beautiful due to the contrast. She could use a bit more chest. It’s a matter of my preference.
Lady Aurelia glances at me shyly, then averts her gaze, her face blushing. I suppose a rough-looking mercenary like me is a rarity.
Still, my head has been tingling ever since. I must have grazed it when I dodged Oretta’s great hammer. I hope I don’t go bald.
Baron Haida offered to host a victory celebration, so we decided to attend. It feels strange to have a celebration after a retreat, but since the defense was successful, we decided to go along with it.
Besides, I’m curious about the nobles’ food. As a mercenary, the staple is bread, with beans or more beans as side dishes. Beans are practically the main course, with meat only occasionally. Otherwise, if I catch a fish, it’ll be on the table. Maybe I should organize a “Heated! All-Babe Fishing Tournament” sometime. In swimsuits…
We had some time before the meal, so we were able to discuss the matter of the Orcs with Baron Haida and Lady Aurelia. This too was to be kept secret. The technology to control Orcs and Trolls was originally Promelia’s, and it was stolen by the deceased Lord Krisel’s brother.
The brother, unable to become a Count himself, apparently wanted to surpass his elder brother by using the stolen technology. When his elder brother, the Count, died and he thought he could inherit the title, things became complicated when Haida became the Count.
Perhaps he became desperate. Haida himself, being a magician known as “White Haida,” was able to become a Count, but one never knows who they might offend.
Makjuru detested that technology, and his brother was planning to attack the Count. Thus, it seems the Krisel Count chose to attack first. I wonder what it’s like to attack one’s own brother, even out of obligation.
That noble’s mansion belonged to the brother who stole the technology from Promelia, and he is now missing. I heard he probably went to Promelia.
Nobles are troublesome.
Lady Aurelia will likely have to serve as a shadow for about ten years. Nobles typically marry in their teens, but she won’t be truly free until she’s around twenty-five. If she weren’t acting as a shadow, the Krisel family, being a noble house grand enough to call themselves Border Counts, could have married her into another prominent noble family, and she could live a life free from hardship.
At twenty-five, she’d be lucky to get a position as a concubine. I, however, would take her, with her beautiful silver eyes, as my official wife. After all, she keeps glancing at me and blushing. Perhaps I could become a noble myself.
Perhaps I’ll take her as a wife. If she’s willing to be attached to the White Lily Corps. …My head’s been tingling from above today.
