“O-oh, right, I forgot to ask about something important,” Safiya said.
Safiya, who had been on the bed from the shock of hearing our true identities, sat up abruptly.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“W-well, when I was ‘Phantom Thief Le Vina☆Star,’ I remember being gravely injured on my right flank. But looking now, there are cuts on my costume, yet no scar remains?”
“That’s because I healed it with ‘Healing Magic.’ When I found you, Safiya… you were barely alive.”
Having started, I decided to tell her everything, as the saying goes, “When you eat poison, you might as well down the whole plate.”
To make her believe me, I cut my own arm with a small knife and then healed it with “Healing Magic.” I then cleaned up the spilled blood on the floor with “Washing Magic.” Safiya’s mouth hung open in a dumbfounded expression.
“Lord Raymond… you were my savior, weren’t you?”
Safiya looked at me with eyes filled not with shock, but with awe and reverence, a different kind of astonishment from before.
“Everything you saw and heard from now on is an absolute secret, understand?”
“Of course, I understand! And… my life belongs to you, Lord Raymond!!”
Safiya, who had a stern father, seemed to have a strong sense of debt or chivalry, and she told me with a straight face that her life was mine.
This way, she wouldn’t refuse if I called her for my night duty.
“If that’s the case, I have a favor to ask. In the near future, Liliana is scheduled to be crowned queen of the New Yangus Kingdom. Will you assist her then?”
First, I’ll make her a subordinate of Liliana, who has few potential subordinates.
“Is that all? Actually… I… I’ve admired Lady Liliana since I was little. It’s a dream come true to serve under the Lady Liliana I admire. Moreover, with the backing of Princess Elizabeth, I can face anything! Lady Liliana, I look forward to working with you.”
Seemingly moved, Safiya hugged Liliana.
Liliana, happy to have a potential aide, smiled and hugged her back.
The sight of the two beautiful maidens hugging was as stunning as a masterpiece painting, with a subtle hint of sensuality.
Behind them, Ly’s slightly forlorn expression was striking.
“By the way, Safiya. Aren’t you supposed to be staying at the mansion? Won’t it be bad if your father finds out you went out without permission?”
“Ah! Th-that would be bad… Wh-what should I do… I don’t want to be punished with spanking!!”
When I asked about something that had been on my mind, it turned out to be true, and Safiya panicked in earnest.
“Safiya, please calm down. I will mediate for you.”
At this point, Liliana, who was still being hugged, spoke up.
Liliana exchanged a glance with Swan Hilda. Swan Hilda nodded and pulled a sealed letter from her pocket, handing it to Liliana, who had just released Safiya.
The contents were, as usual, a personal letter from Princess Elizabeth, affectionately known as “Beth-chan,” stating that every possible convenience should be offered for Liliana’s smooth ascension to the throne.
This letter was obtained by Swan Hilda, who had anticipated such a situation, saying, “W-what if something like this happens!” by using Sky-soaring.
In fact, it had been very helpful during Sophie’s situation.
In the end, I, Alicia, and Liliana accompanied Safiya back to the mansion where she was staying.
We crossed the River Leete, which flowed through the royal capital Schwerin, by ferry and headed towards a certain mansion where high-ranking nobles lived, built around the ruins of the Crystal Palace. Safiya guided us there.
Incidentally, this ferry was large enough to carry carriages.
Originally, the royal capital Schwerin was a magnificent city that developed around the grand Crystal Palace, which was built by expanding and remodeling the castle that was the residence of Marquis Yangus, later to become the First King Yangus, who established this place as his capital.
The old city with its good location around the royal castle was filled with noble mansions, and as it became cramped, a new city spread out on the opposite bank of the River Leete, a peculiar history for a city.
To facilitate transportation, two long bridges were built over the River Leete, but they were burned down during the war with the Espana Imperial Army.
Currently, the engineering corps of the Espana Imperial Army is busily rebuilding them. The ferry is an important means of transport connecting both banks of the royal capital Schwerin.
Furthermore, the royal capital Schwerin is also active in water transport using the smoothly flowing waters of the River Leete, with waterways running in every direction for this purpose.
As a means of transport using these waterways, there were gondolas whose owners had decorated and painted them with their own unique designs.
It was a charming means of transport where the boatman stood at the stern of the gondola and skillfully maneuvered a long oar to take passengers to their destination.
Meanwhile, the remaining Party Members are investigating a suspicious fortune-teller named Astarotte, whom Safiya had mentioned, and gathering further information about the Former Yangus Kingdom Territory.
Of course, they are also diligently gathering information about Yuliana, Liliana’s half-sister, and the rebellion she is leading.
“Compared to the other side of the river, the security here is unusually tight.”
As we proceeded through the old town on the gondola, we frequently encountered armed Espana Imperial Army knights and soldiers.
“It can’t be helped. On this side, there are the residences of those who are provisionally governing, led by my father, the Governor.”
We were heading towards Count Kol’s residence by gondola, but we had already been stopped by knights on security duty three times.
However, since Count’s daughter Safiya was with us, there was no problem.
“Stop that gondola immediately! We know that the disobedient Lady Safiya, who went out without permission, is on board!!”
This time, it wasn’t a stern knight, but a young boy’s voice that called out to us.
“Oh n-no. That’s my brother, Rubiliza. He’s as stern as Father. He’s probably come to apprehend me in Father’s stead.”
“Calm down, Safiya. Remaining calm at a time like this is the mark of a lady. Besides, isn’t it convenient that he’s guiding us to our lodging?”
Safiya was currently in a luxurious dress befitting a count’s daughter.
This dress was made by Kirika, who enjoyed sewing and making cosplay costumes, and it was originally intended for Tirna.
Speaking of which, Tirna has recently been a bit startling as a beautiful girl of marriageable age.
Tirna, who was bought as an ingredient by Park-li, a suspicious person from the Eastern Nations, used to be a short-haired boyish girl. Recently, she had been growing her hair out and her way of speaking had become more ladylike.
It seemed she was transforming into a beautiful girl, with her secondary sexual characteristics developing and her chest swelling conspicuously.
The only drawback was that as part of her preprocessing as an ingredient, all her body hair had been removed with “Hair Removal Magic.”
Therefore, pubic hair does not grow in Tirna’s private parts.
While a maiden blushing at being shaved might be charming, that kind of enjoyment isn’t possible with Tirna.
Meanwhile, I, Alicia, and Liliana were suspiciously disguised in hooded robes, the uniforms of the “Princess Harem,” with masks shaped like Valkyries covering our faces.
“By the way, Lady Safiya, who are these people accompanying you? They look like adventurers, but… they’re extremely suspicious!?”
“These people are from the Adventurer Party ‘Princess Harem.’ They kindly protected me when I was wandering around unconsciously. I won’t tolerate your rude attitude!”
“I am Hal, the Party Leader.”
“I am… Alicia…”
“…I am… Lili.”
“…I see. I am Safiya’s younger brother, Rubiliza, and I am Rubiliza Sachre von Kol, respectfully. Thank you for protecting my incompetent older sister last night. I hope you won’t abandon the accident-prone Safiya in the future.”
“Rubiliza! I’m not that incompetent or clumsy. I demand an apology and compensation!”
“Lady Safiya has always been…”
And so, Rubiliza, Safiya’s brother, boarded the gondola with us, and we hurried to the mansion.
By the way, our reply was limited to stating our first names. Rubiliza, upon learning that everyone except me was a girl, was clearly relieved.
“Safiya, I’ll go ahead to the mansion as a scout. If you don’t come back without detours, things will get difficult.”
Upon arriving at the pier nearest to the mansion where Safiya and the others were staying, Rubiliza was the first to disembark, uttered a parting remark to Safiya, and ran off.
“To run into Rubiliza before arriving… how unlucky. Well then, shall we go?”
Safiya sighed deeply and started walking towards the mansion.
We could only follow her.
Still, Safiya’s dejected expression as she walked made her look pale, and she seemed to be fearing something about her unauthorized absence being discovered by her family.
“Safiya, I was worried. When I found out you weren’t in your room, I was very worried.”
“I-I’m sorry. Mother.”
At the entrance of the mansion, a middle-aged man and woman, along with Rubiliza, were waiting.
The unknown couple were likely Safiya’s parents.
The man, who looked stern but clearly doted on his daughter, was likely Count Alamia Korgie von Kol, who was provisionally governing the Former Yangus Kingdom Territory under martial law.
Alicia confirmed this with a nod.
However, there was a sturdy chair placed next to him.
What was its intended use?
And the woman Safiya called “Mother” was Countess Deer Morse von Kol, Safiya and Rubiliza’s mother.
She seemed worried about her daughter’s unauthorized absence.
Incidentally, Count Kol, unusually for a high-ranking noble, did not have any concubines or mistresses, and seemed to be a one-woman man.
“You are the ones who saved my foolish daughter… I am grateful.”
“I am Hal, the Party Leader of the Adventurer Party ‘Princess Harem.’ There are likely outside eyes around here. Please give your formal greetings inside the mansion.”
There was a sense of Espana knights lurking in the shadows of the trees planted around the entrance, so I couldn’t give my full name.
Of course, it goes without saying that behind the Kol family, there were servants such as butlers and maids waiting.
“…I can see that you all have your own circumstances. Since my foolish daughter was in your care, I will accept your proposal. However, Safiya, you must atone for your unauthorized absence.”
Count Kol considered for a moment before accepting my impolite proposal.
However, when he turned his gaze to his daughter Safiya, he indicated she had to be punished.
“F-Father, I don’t want to be spanked in front of everyone like this! Please, I beg you, forgive me!”
Safiya, her face flushed red, tearfully pleaded that she didn’t want to be spanked in front of us.
“Hmph, you stubborn girl!”
“Gah!? F-Father, Father, forgive me… I-Iiiih!?”
Grasping Safiya by the waist, Count Kol boldly lifted her up and—with a rustle—pulled up the hem of her dress.
Then, Safiya’s long legs were exposed to the daylight, followed by her pure white panties—with a slide—being pulled down, revealing Safiya’s cute buttocks.
Of course, in this state, part of her labia majora was visible through the gluteal cleft and perineum.
And while Safiya flailed her legs—kicking—in protest, she was laid on the chair in a prone position, with her buttocks sticking out.
While it might be considered educational guidance for a young child, it didn
