Side: Rurua
Our audience with Princess Innis—or whatever it could be called—was over.
To be completely honest, she is a totally different type compared to Seraria, Sheila, Elju-sama, or Lowelle-sama.
No—she reminds me a bit of Lowelle-sama from Gartz. She seems to like fighting and leaves various matters to her younger brother, after all.
However, judging from her conversation with Danna-sama, she seems to have a very straightforward and pleasant personality, so I don't think we need to worry about Amanda-san or Eoid-san.
She granted us permission to browse the library without fuss, showing that she possesses a keen eye for judging character.
Though I do feel she's a bit too hasty.
"This will be your room. If you need anything, please ring that bell."
"Yes. Thank you."
The room assignments:
Dragon Knight Amanda and Eoid-san share one room.
As for us in the mercenary group, we were all assigned to share a single large room together.
This was thanks to Headmaster Poppuri-san's thoughtfulness, as she had explicitly requested in her letter for us to be guided into one room. If we stayed in separate rooms, we might end up being targeted like what happened in Jilva.
For Tori, Riel, and Kaya, it ended with them simply blowing away the soldiers, but in my case, I refuse to let anyone other than my husband see my skin—so I would probably end up killing them. I was also worried about young Aslin and Filia, so having everyone in the same room is a great arrangement.
"So, Master. What was that story about confessing to Headmaster Poppuri?"
"Guh... You still bringing that up?"
After the guiding maid left, Cleana immediately brought up the confession story to her foster father, Feigel-san, who had accompanied us into the room.
Naturally, the rest of us were deeply intrigued as well, gathering around him.
Only Danna-sama seemed uninterested, staring out the window at the garden without looking back at us.
"Come on, you should tell us already. You'll feel better once you've gotten it off your chest."
"I do have the option of remaining silent, you know."
"Then I'll just ask the Headmaster when we get back. To make up for what you didn't tell me, I'll believe everything she says with complete certainty."
We could get the details from Poppuri-san right now if we wanted.
Still, I think it's better to hear Feigel-san's side first and then quietly confirm the facts later.
"Ugh! That hag's words cannot be trusted at all!!"
"Then spill it."
"Guh... Fine. But I have a condition."
"What is it?"
"This is an embarrassing story for me. Since you're going to hear it, Cleana, how about you tell me the story of how you and Yuki-dono got together?"
"Nn. Fine by me. Not just how we met, I'll even share our first time. Pure bliss."
"H-Hold on a second, Cleana! That's embarrassing for me..."
Danna-sama hurriedly cut in.
For Cleana, it must be a wonderful memory and nothing to be ashamed of, but honestly, stories like that are best kept among family—I feel the same way myself.
"Never mind, I don't need to hear that, after all. I bet hearing it would just make me cringe... Yuki-dono, are you truly okay with this daughter of mine?"
"Well... that's one of Cleana's good qualities, too. A husband and wife are supposed to make up for each other's weaknesses, after all."
"...See? Lovey-dovey."
"...Cleana. Are you aware that you just caused a trouble for him?"
"?"
"Sigh. I am truly glad you found such a good husband. If it were me, I would have thrown you out."
Yes. Just as Feigel-san says, our husband really is a wonderful husband!!
To us, he's the best husband in the entire world!!
"Now then. You wanted to hear about the time I confessed to the Headmaster, right?"
Feigel-san said that and sat down on the sofa.
We followed suit, taking whatever seats were available and preparing to listen.
"Well, it's exactly what you think. Back then, I was an incredibly handsome and energetic young man..."
"Lie."
Cleana immediately shot him down.
I suppose that's just a predictable routine between them.
"Quiet! You're supposed to just let something like that slide. That's common sense!"
"Yuki, is that true?"
"Yeah. That kind of setup is necessary to build up excitement for the story."
"Understood. I take it as Master desperately trying to patch things up."
"...Seriously, how did she grow up to be a girl like this?"
"Master's fault."
The two of them glared at each other for a moment, sparks practically flying between them, but Feigel-san soon gave in and continued his story.
"Very well. Back then, I entered the gates of that Academy as a pure-hearted and brilliant student. At that time, I met a single young girl—around the age of the young lady over there—who was none other than that damned hag."
"Unyu?"
Aslin didn't quite understand that "damned hag" was referring to Poppuri-san, tilting her head in confusion.
"Ah, my apologies. By 'damned hag,' I mean Headmaster Poppuri."
"Poppuri-oneechan isn't an old hag!"
Feigel-san tried to clarify things simply, but to Aslin, Poppuri-san is just a caring older sister.
Poppuri-san seems quite fond of Aslin and Filia as well—perhaps she felt some sort of kinship regarding their similar body proportions.
...Though in terms of actual strength, they are far outmatched.
Anyway, setting that aside, let's continue with Feigel-san's story.
"That was the despicable part of Poppuri's behavior. Well, perhaps she treated you children kindly. But with me, she pretended to be a newly enrolled kid from the youngest class division."
Ah, I see.
She was using her appearance to do her usual weird probing, wasn't she?
"Back then, I possessed a normal amount of kindness in my heart. Seeing her wandering around the gates all by herself—not knowing she was the Headmaster—I assumed she was a lost child and approached her. I took her by the hand and led her all the way to the faculty office, but every teacher there was looking at me strangely. I understand it now, but back then, they must have just felt pity for me."
...There wasn't much we could do to defend Poppuri-san after hearing that.
"Then, during the entrance ceremony that day, that damn old hag appeared on the stage as the Headmaster and gave an overall assessment of all the new students. Well, that much was fine. But at the end, she praised the young man who had kindly taken her by the hand and led her all the way to the faculty office, and then she went so far as to say she almost fell in love with him."
That's terrible.
Completely out of bounds.
"Thanks to that, from the very first day of school, I was branded a pervert with a thing for little girls who had tried to make advances on that damn old hag."
"...Master. Don't mind."
"As if 'don't mind' makes it any better!! In order to clear my name, I worked desperately to beat that damned hag to a pulp, but even that was taken as me trying to appeal my feelings to her! On top of that, I couldn't win against her at all, leaving my heart completely battered..."
So, basically, the whole story was about how Poppuri-san was entirely at fault.
It wasn't just a candid story—it was a story that lowered Poppuri-san's evaluation.
Well, I suppose utilizing her appearance to the absolute fullest is something to be admired in a leader, but still...
After Feigel-san finished his story, a brief silence fell over the room.
Cutting through that quiet, the sound of footsteps rushing toward our room echoed out, and the door was thrown wide open.
"All right, I've finished writing the letter! I would like to hand it over... Hm? Is this not Amanda-kouhai's room? Well, since Yuki-dono and his party are here too, this is perfect. Won't you follow me?"
"O-Okay."
Danna-sama agreed to Princess Innis's request, though his face had gone stiff.
She really is an incredibly bold person.
Feigel-san, who had just finished telling us all those stories, approached Princess Innis with a sigh.
"Princess... You can't just open the door without knocking!!"
"My bad, my bad~"
"Good grief! These people are not the Princess's juniors! They're guests! Your behavior toward guests is far too rude!"
"What are you talking about? On paper, the mercenary group are also students of the Academy, are they not? Then they are no different from my juniors. Besides, Cleana and Samantha-dono of Rhodei are my actual juniors, so what's the problem?"
"There are plenty of problems!! Cleana aside, Samantha-dono is the daughter of a Ducal House in Rhodei!!"
Just as Feigel-san said, normally this could easily escalate into a diplomatic incident...
However, the princess herself, who was being scolded, blinked in bewilderment. Turning her gaze toward Samantha, she spoke up.
"Samantha-dono, do you find my conduct unsatisfactory enough to turn this into a diplomatic issue?"
"N-No, not at all. It's not as if you barged in while we were sleeping, nor would something like this sour relations between our two nations. Princess Innis herself stated that she is visiting us as a senior alumnus of the Academy, so lodging a complaint over this would be rather narrow-minded of me..."
Samantha managed to get those words out on the spot.
As expected of a Duke's daughter; she has clearly been trained in handling these situations.
At this rate, it would be best to let Samantha take the lead in negotiations with powerful figures of the New Continent.
I am delighted to witness the capability of our new co-wife.
"There. As you can see, there's no problem."
And Princess Innis says that to Feigel-san as if nothing is wrong.
She likely acts like this because she is unconsciously aware of her position and the balance of power around her. In a sense, she is an incredible person, but because those around her can't keep up, she risks getting severely burned if she isn't careful.
Since she seems to be a person of strong duty, she is reliable in that sense, making it ideal to build a friendly relationship with her. Rather than drawing someone like her into our inner circle, it's best to support her from a friendly or neutral standpoint.
"Haah... All right. Fine. Just please stop doing things that shorten my lifespan any further. Everyone, I sincerely apologize."
Feigel-san bowed his head on Princess Innis's behalf.
...What an exhausting position to be in.
With both Headmaster Poppuri and Princess Innis around, it's only natural for him to develop a complex around women.
I am truly glad Danna-sama didn't end up like that.
"Now then, let's head over to Amanda-dono's room, hand over the letter, and go see the dragon immediately!"
...She really is something else.
And so, Princess Innis barged into the adjacent room where Amanda-san and Eoid-san were staying, dragging the two out just as they were about to kiss, and promptly handed over the letter.
Amanda-san's face went stiff, but if it had been me, I would have blown her away.
* * *
After that, we returned to the barracks later that same day.
"P-Princess-sama!? Did something happened!?"
Princess Innis had Amanda-san riding behind her, left our carriage behind, and ridden alone to the barracks.
Vixen-san, who had returned to look after Wy-chan, was startled to see Princess Innis arriving.
Of course he would be shocked to see a princess riding toward the barracks all by herself.
"Vixen, I've come to see the dragon! And while I'm at it, I'm going to fly through the sky!"
"Huh?"
Vixen-san clearly couldn't process what he was hearing.
"Dragon Knight Amanda is here with me, so there's no problem. In fact, I heard that only you and your men got to fly through the sky! I can't possibly let something that enviable pass me by!"
"A-Ah, no, that was simply unavoidable because of our duties..."
"None of that matters. I came here to fly in the sky too."
"I-I can't possibly let the Princess do something so dangerous..."
"What? Are you saying the dragon is dangerous? Or that flying through the sky is? The barracks are perfectly safe right now, and you're perfectly fine, aren't you, Vixen? So I don't see a problem with either."
"This is not something I can permit on my own authority..."
"Don't worry about that. Look, Master Feigel is here as well."
As she said that, Vixen-san finally noticed the rest of us getting out of the carriage.
By the way, the escort knight who had ridden alongside Princess Innis was standing upright and looked fine on the surface, but seeing how he didn't join the conversation between Princess Innis and Vixen-san, he was likely exhausted. Even from a distance, I could see his shoulders slightly heaving up and down.
As I watched, Vixen-san hurried over to Feigel-san to ask him about the situation.
"Feigel-sama. Is this really all right?"
"...You know as well as I do. There's no stopping her now. We should accompany her as much as possible and minimize the damage. Honestly, dragging along a Dragon Knight and mercenary guests who are still tired from their journey..."
"What about her escort?"
"Indeed. For now, I'll accompany the Princess as the person responsible for her. Vixen, tell everyone at the barracks that the Princess intends to fly through the sky with the dragon. And make sure they absolutely do not attack."
"Yes, sir. Understood!"
The two of them continued discussing various ways to deal with Princess Innis's rampage, but the princess herself...
"Amanda-kouhai, let's head over to the dragon!! Old people take way too long talking!!"
"E-Eh? Um... Is this really okay?"
Amanda-san was hesitant, but since this was a request from the most important person present, there was no way she could refuse.
Seeing that, Danna-sama hurriedly interrupted the two's discussion and chased after them.
She can even drag Danna-sama around by the nose—what a terrifying woman.
"So this is the dragon!!"
By the time we caught up to Princess Innis, she was gazing at Wy-chan in delight.
Wy-chan looked bewildered, but since Amanda-san hadn't given any orders, it didn't attack either.
Noticing our arrival, Wy-chan cast a subtle glance toward Danna-sama, but Danna-sama slowly shook his head, telling Wy-chan to give up.
"Yes. It's a wyvern."
"A wyvern!? Long ago, they were apparently considered a lower-ranked dragon species, but this is lower-ranked?! Even an entire regiment of a hundred soldiers couldn't bring this thing down! Its presence is overwhelming!"
Princess Innis gazed at Wy-chan with sparkling eyes.
However, despite her excitement, she didn't reach out her hand on her own.
At least she knows enough to exercise some restraint.
"Um, would you like to touch it?"
"Is that allowed? I heard monsters that become subordinates like this only allow their master to touch them?"
"It's fine. Wy-chan is very smart and gentle, so it won't get angry or go wild just from being touched."
"It's named Wy-chan? ...No, perhaps that very mindset—the ability to give a dragon such a name—is what made Amanda-kouhai a Dragon Knight."
Actually, Aslin-chan was the one who named it.
In fact, the hierarchy goes: Aslin >> us >> Steve and his group >> Amanda > Eoid.
"Wy-chan. May I touch you?"
Princess Innis spoke while looking directly into Wy-chan's eyes.
She truly is a person of great courage.
And as if responding to her, Wy-chan brought its face closer, lowering it to the level of Princess Innis's waist.
Surprised by the gesture, Princess Innis slowly reached out and stroked Wy-chan's head.
'Kyuu.'
Wy-chan let out a soft cry.
"It seems Wy-chan took a liking to you too. Let's get right onto its neck."
"What? Won't I fall off?"
"It's fine. Wyverns have a special force field that prevents the people riding on their necks from falling. And she's wearing a saddle, too. As long as you hold onto the handrail normally, you won't fall. Look."
Amanda-san leaped onto Wy-chan's neck, showing off by letting go with both hands.
Seeing that, Princess Innis followed Amanda-san's lead, leaping onto Wy-chan's neck and holding on tight.
"...So this is the forcefield. Indeed, there's no need to worry about falling off. Somehow, I just intuitively know it."
"I think this is probably the reason Dragon Knights were able to become so formidable."
"Indeed. Simply riding a dragon wouldn't make someone a knight. But with this, you can fight alongside it while wielding a weapon. Not man and horse as one, but man and dragon as one. This truly is a Dragon Knight!! Now, Amanda-kouhai, let's fly!"
"Understood! Here we go!"
The two pumped themselves up, but Wy-chan showed no sign of flying into the sky.
""?""
The two of them tilted their heads in confusion, but Wy-chan quietly turned her face toward us.
""Ah.""
It's fine to get excited, but they shouldn't forget about us.
Princess Innis is one thing, but Amanda-san is getting swept up in this way too easily.
Eris's temple is twitching beside me... She's definitely getting a lecture later.
If we don't hurry up, it's going to be evening soon.
First, let's let them enjoy the sky, and we can talk afterward.
Things are quite busy, but thinking of this as another sky date with Danna-sama makes me happy.
