The Princess arc begins. In this chapter, the story will proceed from the perspective of Princess Stinrose.
After changing clothes with the help of her maids, the unchanging daily routine begins.
“Princess Rose, white really suits you. His Majesty the Emperor would surely be delighted if he saw it.”
Is that so? If Father is happy, then that’s fine, but perhaps… I think he’ll be indifferent?
I, or rather, the clothes I wear are often white. It’s apparently an image strategy, but I’m already sick of a daily life where such intentions follow even a single piece of clothing.
Dragging along three maids, I enter the office and, as usual, scan my schedule.
Ceremony, ceremony, another ceremony. And finally, a party. Is there nothing else I can do?
While staring at the schedule with a disheartened look, a knock echoes in the office.
“Enter.”
I try to speak in as solemn a voice as possible.
“Hah! Excuse me.”
An Imperial Knight (Reich Ritter) enters the office, salutes, and reports.
“Princess Rose, permission for an audience with Lord Klaus Clifford has been granted.”
“Clifford! That’s wonderful, you’ve recovered so much!”
“Lord Clifford says he absolutely will not die until he can attend your wedding.”
The knight reporting looks happy. I’m happy too!
…It should be “I,” not “I.” Ah, whatever! In my heart, “I” is fine!
“Clifford is too hasty to mention a wedding when there isn’t even a partner yet… All morning appointments are canceled. I’m going to visit Clifford. Prepare the carriage.”
“However, Princess Rose, today’s schedule was decided long ago…”
Honestly! Why are maids so inflexible!
“There is no more important task than to cherish a knight who fought under the banner of the empire and was wounded. If you cannot prepare a carriage, I will walk. You there, will you guide me?”
As I speak to the knight under Clifford’s command who just entered, he bows with utmost respect and stands by my side.
“I will prepare a carriage immediately! Please wait a moment!”
The maids move with exclamations that sound like screams.
Yes, yes, it would have been good if you had said that from the beginning.
It’s been a while since I last saw Clifford with his wonderful mustache.
I was worried when he was severely injured on the battlefield… I’m truly glad he’s safe.
“Princess! To come all the way to a place like this…”
“You still need to rest. A large group in a sickroom is inconsiderate, you should leave.”
“But Princess Rose…” “We are Princess Rose’s attendants…” “We’ll be scolded by His Majesty the Emperor…”
“…Do you intend to make me raise my voice in the sickroom?”
I say this to the three maids standing by, and they withdraw from the sickroom.
Clifford with the “handsome beard” looks amused as I manage to get rid of the maids.
“Clifford! What’s so funny!”
“No, no, it’s just that I’m impressed that the Princess has grown so much since I last saw you.”
I doubt it! …Your eyes are smiling, Clifford.
“…It’s good that you are safe. I’m glad Clifford is safe.”
I sit down in a chair by the bed and take Clifford’s hand.
“…Your words are greatly appreciated. I am also happy to be alive and see your face.”
“But Ashes was angry! Like, really, really angry!”
“Was she at the point where steam would boil if you put a kettle on her head?”
“Yes, yes! Exactly like that!”
“…That sounds terrifying. For Ashes Vanguard, the shield of the empire, the ‘guardian deity,’ to be angered.”
Clifford sighs with a dejected expression.
I understand how he feels. Ashes is terrifying when she’s angry.
“…She’s scary when she’s angry, and she *is* angry, isn’t she, Ashes?”
“Quester is gentle, though.”
“Normally, it’s the opposite, isn’t it? If the sword of the empire were the angry one and the shield were the pacifier, it would make more sense.”
Clifford nods repeatedly.
“Quester Nightreid, the ‘Sword Saint,’ is the pacifier. Well, regarding Quester, it’s more fitting to call him a saint than the ‘Sword Saint.'”
Quester is a knight like a kind older brother. He’s much kinder than my actual brother, Adelhardt.
That’s why I love him, but Quester always treats me like a child.
“If only he didn’t treat me like a child, he’d be the ideal knight.”
“Princess, you said you would change to ‘I’ when you turned sixteen, didn’t you?”
“Oh no!… It’s a secret from Ashes, okay?”
Clifford puts on a serious face and speaks grandly.
“Princess, please do not worry. I, Klaus Clifford, swear on my honor as a knight, I will keep your secret.”
Unable to withstand his serious expression, I burst out laughing, and Clifford laughs too.
…It’s good that Clifford is alive.
“I can’t believe the soldier who seriously injured a knight as skilled as Clifford is nameless.”
While peeling an apple as a get-well gift in the sickroom, or rather, scraping off the flesh, I ask.
“…That’s a way of peeling that leaves almost no edible part.”
What else can I do! Usually, the maids don’t let me use fruit knives!
“Blame the maids. They’re too overprotective about everything!”
“Everyone cares about you, Princess. You shouldn’t be so cold to the maids.”
“I know that, but…”
Seeing my pouting face, Clifford smiles and opens his mouth, hidden by his well-groomed mustache.
“The soldier who defeated me was not nameless. More accurately, a named soldier was defeated while he was still nameless. If you hadn’t been given the new equipment, Princess, I would have died if not for the shutdown app.”
I congratulate myself! I’m glad I gave Clifford the shutdown app!
“So, is he a famous soldier now? The man who put Clifford through such a ordeal?”
“He’s apparently called ‘Kenrou’ now. There’s talk that he’s the nephew of that ‘Hyōrō’ (Ice Wolf).”
…’Hyōrō,’ a man once feared as the strongest warrior of the Alliance.
He’s the man who left a sword scar on the face of Ashley Nightreid, the vice-commander of the Imperial Knights and Quester’s aunt.
Starks, Ashes’ father and the commander of the knights, also said. He was an otherworldly demon swordsman.
“…So the Kizero clan commander Roogetsu defeated a demon swordsman who had a nephew.”
“With a career that can still be considered that of a rookie, he already has a moniker. He could become a formidable enemy standing in our way.”
The maids must have lost patience, as there was a “kon kon” knock.
“Wait. I still have things to discuss with Clifford.”
“We can’t do that, Princess Rose!”
Whoa! That voice is Ashes!
The door is flung open, and the knight (Ashes) enters, her long, beautiful silver hair trailing behind her.
“Ashes! What are you doing here?”
Fearing the spread of trouble, the maids quickly close the sickroom door.
“Princess Rose, that’s my line. I heard all your morning appointments were canceled?”
“Because I wanted to see Clifford!”
“…I thought as much. Honestly, it’s what happens when Quester spoils you.”
Clifford, seeing he can’t help, offers a lifeline.
“Isn’t it a good thing that the Princess is kind, Lord Ashes?”
But Ashes immediately retaliates with merciless words.
“It’s Clifford’s fault for being careless and getting seriously injured. Do you want me to tell you what’s wrong? Your swordsmanship is bad, and your luck is too!”
“I survived with good luck?”
“Be quiet! Do you know how worried Princess Rose was!”
Clifford is forced to close his mouth, hidden beneath his mustache, by Ashes’ overwhelming momentum.
And Ashes’ sharp gaze turns to her next target, me.
…My lifeline was sunk immediately, and Ashes really is scary when she’s angry. Quester, help me!
“Princess Rose, may I enter? It’s Quester.”
Did he hear my heart’s cry?! Just like Quester!
“Come in, come in!”
And please do something about this angry Ashes!
“Excuse me. Ashes, I could hear your loud voice all the way down the corridor. This is a hospital, mind yourself.”
The knight of salvation enters, elegantly sweeping his long blonde hair.
“Speak of the devil. I was just saying it’s because Quester spoils Princess Rose that this happens.”
“I’m not spoiling her. I simply cherish her.”
He says it with a straight face. Quester is so honest.
“Don’t say it with a straight face! If I didn’t have to scold her, I’d want to cherish Princess Rose over and over! But because everyone spoils her rotten, I have no choice but to be the one to scold her!”
…Is “cherish over and over” a new word?
Quester soothing an angry Ashes, Clifford watching with a wry smile… My precious knights, no, my family.
I wish the war would end soon. Ashes and Quester are the empire’s twin pillars, but there are no absolutes on the battlefield.
…I can’t imagine a world without everyone… So I want peace to come quickly.
Was the character setting for Princess Rose a little too manipulative? (lol)
