Francine made her appearance in the great hall, which had been turned into a physical examination venue, led by her half-sister, Ly.
Her elegant dress was in a subdued, tasteful color and pattern, but its tailored design for a voluptuous figure suggested it might have been lent to her by Ly.
Francine’s face was flushed crimson. Even a princess, it seemed, would be embarrassed to have her naked body exposed to so many eyes.
“Elder Sister, please ascend that ‘platform’ and disrobe.”
“I… I’m so embarrassed…”
“It’s alright. Aren’t there only women here, aside from Hal. Weren’t you attended by even more maids in the secondary palace?”
“While it’s true that the total number of maids in service was greater, only a few were involved in my dressing.”
“Elder Sister, you must steel yourself.”
“…I suppose I have no choice. If Ly has gone through this experience, then I will too—”
With a look of grim resignation, Francine stepped onto the platform.
It appeared Ly had convinced Francine by claiming she herself had already undergone the examination. However, there was a hidden pitfall in that explanation. Ly, being an early party member, had undergone this when the audience was much smaller.
Perhaps… in Ly’s case, she had been asked to undress on a bed?
If Sophie were here, she might have blabbed the truth…
Meanwhile, the wise Liliana seemed to be practicing the adage, “Silence is gold, eloquence is silver.” Naturally, Thylna, Ly’s former head maid, would not say anything disadvantageous to her mistress.
The dress she wore was a clear, innocent design with long sleeves, the hem just barely grazing the floor, and a high neckline. However, the bulging sack that contained her magnificent breasts was incredibly well-crafted. The dress’s pattern evoked the deep forests of Waiyar, complementing Francine’s viridian eyes and wavy honey-colored hair. It was a dress that showcased Ly’s keen sense of style and aesthetic.
Vicomtesse Yagutska, who would soon be her vassal, wore a displeased expression but could not intervene, as Ly, another princess, was involved. Baroness Gardes and Elena, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned and intensely curious, as they had no direct stake in the matter.
“Francine! Let’s see you undress tantalizingly!”
Ignoring the mood, Swan Hilda’s usual enthusiastic cry echoed.
“Welcome, everyone. To clear the suspicions cast upon me, Francine Egmont Waiyar, I shall now disrobe to prove my integrity. Still, what a frivolous act this is…”
Francine slowly raised both her arms, then ran her fingers through her lustrous, honey-colored hair, combing it as it cascaded down. The sight of this luxurious golden waterfall was breathtaking. It truly demonstrated the courage and flair befitting a princess of a great nation.
“Beautiful…”
Alicia, seated beside me, stared in admiration. Her raised arms then flowed downwards, along with her hair, to loosen and untie the decorative sash cinching her dress. Soon, the sash was placed upon the platform. Next, with elegant movements, she undid the cuff buttons that held the dress sleeves to her wrists.
“I’m dreading what comes next,” Francine murmured to herself, but then paused, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes as she turned to Ly.
“Say, Ly. This isn’t fair, is it?”
“What do you mean, Elder Sister…?”
“I introduced myself alone, but I want to know about your companions as well.”
“You want to know about your Adventurer Party companions? Aren’t they just a motley bunch?”
“Is that so!? Isn’t that Liliana, the Crown Prince of the Yangas Kingdom, our former ally?”
Francine, having spotted Liliana among the onlookers, demanded self-introductions from the party members. It would only buy time, but if they were demon spies, they would certainly want to know information about us. This was the moment Elise’s proposal backfired. What should we do now?!
As the great hall fell into an unusual silence, Swan Hilda stood up.
“So that’s how it is. In that case… I’ll introduce myself.”
The next moment, Swan Hilda transformed from her adventurer’s attire into the garb of a Valkyrie. She then summoned the divine sword ‘Swan Hilda’ into her right palm.
“My name is Swan Hilda. And as you can see, I am the youngest sister of the Valkyries. If this information is leaked to the demons, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth and take your head.”
“A Valkyrie!!”
This development truly seemed to be a case of “stirring up a hornet’s nest.” Francine, her face pale, trembled violently. At the announcement of a Valkyrie, a natural enemy of demons, she collapsed, frozen on the platform. Nevertheless, it could be said that she was quite composed for not having soiled herself.
“Wh-what is this… The one who stopped Lord Barberu’s full-powered slashes back then was a Valkyrie! I-I don’t want to die! I don’t want to dieeeeee!!”
“Please compose yourself, Elder Sister. Swan Hilda does not harm ordinary humans.”
“R-really!?”
“It’s true.”
“I don’t have that much free time to meddle with humans.”
Regaining her composure after the shock of Swan Hilda’s true identity, Francine bravely requested that the introductions continue. Of course, excluding those already known, like the former demon Astarotte.
“Now then, all individuals connected to the Western Nations, please stand up.”
Responding to Ly’s call, Vicomtesse Yagutska and her daughter Elena of the Waiyar nobles, Alicia and Baroness Gardes of the Espana nobility, and myself as a pseudo-noble, along with Liliana, Kirika, Sharon, Dietlinde, and Eliza, a total of eleven people, stood up.
Then, Liliana, Eliza, and Thylna, who were acquainted with Francine, took their seats, followed by Elise’s acquaintances, Vicomtesse Yagutska and her daughter Elena, and Baroness Gardes. After them, Sharon was permitted to sit as a commoner. Only I, Alicia, Dietlinde, and Kirika remained standing – four people.
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dietlinde Tinde Tintaal. I am the fifth princess of the Tintaal Kingdom, and a ‘High Elf’ recognized by the gods.”
Francine stared in astonishment at Dietlinde’s dignified self-introduction. However, Dietlinde was holding something behind her back with both hands.
“And what my right hand holds is the Holy Spirit Serena.”
“Wh-what is this! A ‘Nipple Pouch’!”
“That’s not a ‘Nipple Pouch’ at all. She’s Serena, a Holy Element Spirit. Dietlinde, let go of that.”
Francine seemed to know of the Holy Spirit Serena. After being released, the Holy Spirit Serena fled.
“And finally, there is the Flame Spirit Car. It was flying around aimlessly, so I captured it and entered into a spirit contract.”
“Th-thank you~~”
To have completed a spirit contract with the mysterious Flame Spirit Car… Dietlinde’s spirit magic is fire-based, so her compatibility with the Flame Spirit Car should be good. The released Flame Spirit Car then perched on Dietlinde’s right shoulder.
“Next is my turn. My name is Kirika Turyuka Kamiyar. Though born of a concubine, I am the fifth princess of the Kamiyar Holy Nation, and the last of the royal family. My special skills are making cosplay costumes and summoning. Ain and Zwei here were originally Mimic Slimes that I summoned and who then humanized. By the way, Zwei, you’re puffing out your chest to look impressive, but aren’t you actually disguised with breast pads and Dry and Fear inside?”
The next moment, Zwei’s chest wobbled unnaturally, and Dry and Fear emerged from their disguise, revealing themselves, while Zwei’s chest became meager.
“Kirika, you’re a fool! Why didn’t you make me big-breasted like Ain!!”
“What are you saying? You’re bigger than I am.”
“But, but… I hate being smaller than Ain!”
“If you keep whining, you’ll be punished.”
“Kirika, you’re wicked! So mean!!”
Thus, Dietlinde and Kirika continued their introductions one after another and took their seats. The self-introductions of Holy Spirit Serena and Ain and Zwei were also completed. Ly, who had been about to explain, gave a wry smile. Now, only I and Alicia remained standing.
“Her name is Alicia Mia von Rendol. She is a Viscountess of the Espana Imperial Kingdom. Furthermore, with her meritorious deed of saving the life of Crown Prince Elizabeth Camila Espagna in cooperation with Hal, she is a promising candidate who will undoubtedly be promoted in rank.”
“You saved the life of our enemy!?”
“Elder Sister, I understand your anger, but Elizabeth was assassinated by a conspiracy within her own family, and we managed to revive her. Also, ‘Bes-chan’ and I have exchanged vows as sisters. She’s a foolish sister, but cute. Due to this relationship, Alicia is fully authorized regarding the Second Expedition Trip. This means she can dismiss even a provisional governor dispatched by the Espana Imperial Kingdom if they make a mistake.”
“If that’s true, she’s quite a trump card!”
“Furthermore, I taught Alicia the rapier and other skills, making her my beloved disciple.”
“I see…”
“I am Alicia, as introduced. I ask for your continued favor, Third Princess Francine Egmont Waiyar.” Alicia performed a perfect and graceful curtsey.
“And lastly, we have Hal Harem Von Raymond, who serves as the party leader of our ‘Princess Harem.’ I believe you experienced Hal’s impressive abilities last night.”
“Th-that’s true…”
I offered Francine a silent bow. Alicia and I then took our seats.
“Next… Those connected to the Southern Nations, please stand up.”
Responding to the call, Elise, Freya, and Shera stood up.
“I… I am Shera. Just a free-spirited beautiful girl of the Fox Beastkin race. Harmless.”
Shera began her introduction first, but she seemed nervous, her fluffy fox tail tucked between her legs. Vicomtesse Yagutska, who had declared, “If any member of the Sazania royal family survives, I’ll make them regret being born,” was present, and Baroness Gardes, in a similar situation, had an unpredictable reaction. Shera wanted to avoid her origins being revealed. She glanced at Elise, who knew her origins, and received a look that implied a favor owed. Thus, Shera managed to slip through as a commoner, but this favor would likely come at a high price.
“I am Elise Lisha Umb Portland. I am the Third Princess and Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Portland. I also serve as the Sub-Leader of ‘Princess Harem.'” Elise, befitting a royal, introduced herself with confidence. She deliberately omitted any mention of being the ‘Sealed Priestess Princess.’ When she met her sister, Vicomtesse Yagutska, and Baroness Gardes’s gazes, they responded with wry smiles, indicating that she had at least met the minimum requirements. Her niece, Elena, however, fixed her gaze on Shera’s fox tail, looking as if she wanted to play with it.
“My name is Freya Diva Banadis. I am the First Princess of the Kingdom of Vandis. During the First Expedition Trip, I visited my homeland, was bestowed the epithet ‘Diva of the Calm,’ and received the Divine Right of Kings from the goddess of water, Aquaanar.”
“She was originally a rough ‘Downtown Princess’—”
Freya delivered a spectacular self-introduction, but as Elise began to say something extraneous, Freya, flustered, tried to silence her. At that moment, Shera blocked Freya’s path as she attempted to flee. Shera already appeared indebted to Elise.
“There were some unsightly moments, but let’s get back on track. Those connected to the Northern Nations, please stand up.” Naturally, Edele and Eria stood up. Meanwhile, Swan Hilda, Edele’s cousin, remained seated, having already declared herself as a Valkyrie.
“I am Edele Jung-Fern de Desmonia. I am a descendant of the royal family of the former Desmonia Kingdom that existed in the Northern Nations, and I wish for the restoration of the monarchy.”
“I am Eria Akue de Castina. As someone connected to the royal family of the former Castina Kingdom, which also existed in the Northern Nations, I, like Lady Edele, pray for the restoration of the monarchy.”
“The Northern Nations have been dominated by demons for a long time… To think that there were still two survivors of the royal family under such circumstances…”
“Lastly, those connected to the Eastern Nations, but it’s just me, Mai.” Mai stood up. “Mai’s origins are definitely in the Eastern Nations judging by her appearance, but she was sent to the Western Nations when she was young.”
“Hmm… Is that so?”
“Surely, this girl isn’t also royalty, is she?”
“Yes… that’s right.” Ly also seemed unable to ascertain Mai’s background. Moreover, it had been mentioned that Mai was the priestess when the goddess of light, Lucialurei, descended. This information also should not be revealed to the demons, so not much could be said.
Thank you for reading.
Episode 55-3: Physical Examination Under Public Scrutiny △ has been scheduled for release on August 7th at 0:00.
