I almost raised my Ore Tree in surprise at the unexpected welcome.
“Oh dear, please stop. If you were to attack me with such a dangerous weapon, this frail me would die in an instant.”
The fact that she could laugh with a fan covering her mouth, saying “Oh, ho ho,” in this situation shows that this young lady has quite a bit of courage.
“Kaka kakah, you’ve got a lot of nerve. It’s not like you don’t know your current situation.”
“Yes, my esteemed skull-faced uncle. My right to life and death is in your hands. If I were to displease you even slightly, my thin neck would be separated from my torso.”
It’s impressive how she can stand unflustered before her instructor, with a constant smile on her face.
I let go of the Ore Tree’s handle and, just in case, checked my surroundings for any hidden enemies.
“Oh, you’re being rather rude, peeking into a lady’s room?”
“I’m a worrier, you see. I want to eliminate any possibility of ‘in case’.”
Is she feigning a slightly embarrassed expression? She’s quite adept at maintaining her poker face.
Relieved for the moment that there were no hidden enemies, I thought.
However, the situation didn’t lead to me simply leaving this girl and heading home.
The room, quite mechanical for what one would expect of a lady’s chamber.
The throne-like chair in the center was carved with numerous magic circles, and more magic circles were drawn beneath the chair.
It was painfully obvious that the young lady herself was the power source.
“By the way, I’m considering the possibility that this ship won’t move unless you, the one with the ‘in case’ situation, sit on that chair. Is that a possibility?”
“My, you are aware of such things? Yes, that’s precisely correct. This ship, Orion, will only move for those who possess royal blood. Therefore, taking my life now would not be a wise decision, would it?”
Whether her words were true or false, having no way to confirm, they became a headache for me.
“As expected,” I sighed deeply, and then, as I was contemplating my next move.
“Hmph, that’s hardly a problem.”
Ignoring the girl’s words completely, the instructor approached the throne and, with a touch, instantly seized control of the ship.
“Wh-what!?”
Her plan had backfired. It seemed she had intended to use her control over the ship as leverage for negotiations. But I had an instructor, an expert in magic.
Or rather, it looked as if he’d simply unlocked it with the same casual air one might use to open a door.
“The royal family’s treasure, why…”
“Hmph, you haven’t got time to be thinking about such things.”
The instructor then gracefully sat on the throne, making it seem as if it were his designated spot, and began to operate the ship.
“Jiro, give me the coordinates. We’re returning to the Demon Lord’s territory.”
“Yes, Valse-san.”
“Roger that! Finally, my turn. I’ll use telepathic communication to guide the undead over there~”
As if the girl’s value was now nonexistent, the instructor proceeded with the operation as if he knew it like the back of his hand.
He began to move the ship swiftly, as if threatening him to teach him how to operate it was a waste of time.
“What! If we keep moving like this, this ship will be crushed by the chaos! The royal magic was supposed to prevent the chaos, but you, an undead, shouldn’t be able to stop it!”
“And yet, I can.”
“I am hardly decrepit enough to be troubled by such trivial matters.”
Startled, the girl rushed towards her instructor, attempting to regain control of the ship. However, a monstrous, skeletal arm shot out before her. Its sharp fingertips lightly grazed her snow-white, delicate skin, drawing blood from her throat.
“Do not interfere. I will permit your shrill cries, but if you obstruct me, consider your life forfeit.”
She couldn’t possibly do anything with her strength, as a self-proclaimed “frail” girl. In truth, the girl, her poker face unbroken, stiffened as she realized the deadly power held by those fingertips.
She had claimed to be royal, so she was probably a princess, but to the instructor, she was just a human girl.
If we returned to the company and handed her over to the military, there would likely be discussions about political exploitation, but that wasn’t relevant now.
“For your information, this isn’t a joke. If I say I’ll do something, I’ll do it.”
“…Yes, it seems so.”
I warned the girl, whose life was hanging by a thread, not to waste it. I could also see Eshlee desperately nodding behind me. Unless she was an utter fool or suicidal, she should be alright.
“Eshlee, have you by any chance met this girl? She claims to be royal.”
“…I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.”
If things went as planned, we would escape the chaos and successfully complete the job. However, unlike the journey here, the situation on the return trip was much more complicated, and I needed information. So, I spoke to Eshlee. She was, after all, a former saintess. She should have been knowledgeable about information from other countries.
“I do know her. Eshlee Ria Mikado? I heard that you went missing on your journey to find a hero in another world. I never expected you to defect to the Demon Lord’s Army.”
However, she had no information about the girl, and the girl, on the other hand, had information about Eshlee.
“Even a saintess is only human, it seems.”
Even with the instructor’s finger at her throat, her voice didn’t waver. Was she still not giving up, or was there a sure-fire way to win from here?
“Yes! I quit that darn terrible workplace! The current one is so much better than before that it’s worth it!!”
She smiled, as if dripping with sarcasm, but Eshlee’s genuine, malice-free smile was one step ahead. As if to say she had nothing to fear now that she was freed from stress, Eshlee retorted with sarcasm. Faced with such a response, the girl’s poker face finally broke. To put it plainly, she was taken aback.
“As royalty, you must understand, right?”
To top it off, she asked as if to say, “You must know that a saintess’s position is not always glorious.”
At that, the girl’s gaze shifted away. As if trying to escape Eshlee’s unsettling gaze. But I knew why Eshlee was looking at her that way. After ten consecutive days of work-related stress, everyone started to look like that. If there were energy drink cans or bottles on the desk, it was a sure bet. The darkness of the modern world existed even in other worlds.
“Well, I wouldn’t know.”
And then, no superior ever wants to take responsibility. Even after witnessing the dark side of society that was Eshlee, they tried to feign ignorance.
“Is that so? Then, I also know nothing of what happens next, so please do your best on your own.”
However, it wasn’t just the girl who was dealing with demons. For Eshlee, who was dealing with superiors who harbored dark intentions, especially as a religious state, such a response was as familiar as her own backyard. With a smile that now seemed almost radiant, Eshlee uttered ominous words to the girl.
“Where we’re heading next is likely the castle where the Demon Lord resides. I doubt the group that obstructed our return will be casually invited. And if there’s a girl claiming to be royalty, she’ll likely receive a grand welcome in every sense of the word. Yes, I’m too terrified to say more.”
The ship had been seized by the instructor, her reliable source of strength was neutralized, and her mouth was on the verge of being silenced by Eshlee. Somehow, Eshlee’s ferocious onslaught reminded me of myself when I used to corner my superiors. Once I had established an absolute advantage, I would, from a distance where their attacks couldn’t reach, deliver not just a prick but deep wounds with my words. It was clear from her expression that her emotions were fueled by nothing but resentment. Her face wore a broad smile, but her words were sharp and venomous. The mismatch between her expression and her tone made her merciless.
“In that case,”
“Unfortunately, I am also under temporary protection. I assisted with your rescue in this matter, but I have already used the reward. Therefore, I am in no position to vouch for you. So, please believe that my assistance is impossible. We are from the same world, but now we are enemies.”
Finally, she preemptively shut down the other party’s words, as if anticipating them. It was as if she were truly confronting a kindred spirit, even though she wasn’t the one who held the grudge.
“…Instructor, you seem to be enjoying yourself.”
“Liveliness is a good thing.”
The instructor, watching this one-sided exchange between the women with a wicked smile, had his previous displeasure completely vanish. It was a typical instructor’s sensibility, to accept tranquility but prefer excitement. I accepted his words with a wry smile. As Eshlee’s onslaught continued, the girl’s expression grew increasingly strained. Well, even though her value as a captive was high, she was as good as caught, so it was easy to dismiss her demands.
“Lively… is that not incorrect?”
“A woman is making noise. That, in itself, is liveliness, wouldn’t you say? It’s a man’s capacity to accept such a commotion with ease.”
“Is that so?”
The girl was being progressively cornered. Unlike Carter, who was being cornered physically, the instructor saw mentally cornering someone as “liveliness.” I nodded, half convinced, half resigned.
“Ah, men should silently accept and fulfill women’s words. That way, there’s the least conflict.”
And as he spoke, contemplating this exchange, I realized the instructor too had struggled with his romantic experiences. In a way, it was the most relatable advice he had given me thus far. If the space the ship was moving through wasn’t surrounded by the dangers of chaos, I would have liked to pour some drinks and have a long talk. But for now, I needed him to concentrate on navigation. We would have opportunities to discuss such matters later. After all, I have five wives. We’ll likely have plenty of chances for such consultations. Perhaps.
“Therefore, your own position…”
Perhaps one day I’ll consult Eshlee, who understands the hardships of overwork and shares similar sensibilities. Women are strong. I never thought I’d realize that in a place like this.
“Instructor.”
“What is it?”
“What do you think will happen to her as a captive?”
“With diplomatic relations severed and no treaty in place for the exchange of prisoners, she awaits either a cruel end through torture to extract information, or if she displays high magical aptitude, she will likely become a test subject for some experiment.”
However, now was not the time to be contemplating the strength of women. The girl, whose spirit was about to be shattered by the verbal onslaught, had been holding her back straight, unable to utter a word as she was battered by Eshlee’s words. Occasionally, she would send us pleading glances, begging Eshlee to stop, but we had no reason to intervene, as it was more convenient for us to break her spirit now. It didn’t matter if she was royalty or a commoner. Enemies must be thoroughly vanquished. This was the result of too much lingering resentment between our countries.
“Do you feel sympathy?”
“Do you think I have the heart of a good person to sympathize with a stranger from an enemy country I don’t even know? I was just attacked by Carter.”
I don’t deny feeling a pang of guilt, but still, there was no reason to stop. With a wry smile, I focused solely on returning home.
Today’s word: Familiarity can be the greatest lubricant in conversation.
Thank you for your continued feedback and corrections of typos. If you find this interesting, please leave comments, ratings, and bookmarks.
Currently, I am serializing another work: Pandora Pandemic Panic. The box of Pandora has been opened again, but we are fighting back with various things in a secret base! Please check it out as well!
