Chapter 144
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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 144 – Some Kind of Harmless Person
“A good match… you say?”
Lloyd was worried that he wouldn’t be able to fight, but he was just as curious to know who Warren thought was a good match.
“You’re not going to tell me it’s Guard Dill, are you?”
But it was Krone who figured it out first.
Warren heard her voice and nodded with satisfaction.
“As expected from Krone-dono. That’s right.”
“Di-Dill as the opponent of Logas-dono? How enviable… N-no! That’s a bit too much!”
Lloyd’s true feelings came out unintentionally.
Warren, seeing Lloyd’s nervous expression, asked calmly.
“What do you think, Lloyd-dono? About Logas-dono and Dill-dono?”
“…That’s what you mean when we fight, isn’t it?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“…Hmm.”
However, he had not seen Logas’ battle with his own eyes.
Therefore, he would have to think based on his imagination and information, but still, Lloyd thought about their fight.
“Surely, Dill is not a bad match for Logas-dono. After all, he trains with me every day. If he’s up against a knight of my caliber, he won’t be too far behind.”
In short, Lloyd was a superior opponent to Logas.
In other words, he was not a bad match for Dill but rather a good one.
“Yes, I suppose so. His son, Grint-dono, was defeated by Dill-dono in spectacular fashion. So it wouldn’t be a bad idea for his father to be his next opponent, would it?”
Warren had seen the scene with his own eyes, so he said the words with a real sense of reality in his voice.
“…But won’t it make Heim look superior if Dill loses?”
That was the only concern.
As for Ishtalika, they had no intention of making Heim look good.
“So I’ll put a condition on the fight. Let’s make it the best of three. Then, even if the number of victories is only one, Heim will not feel good about it.”
“Indeed. Heim’s absolute existence will be taken away, even if it is only one. It would probably be humiliating.”
To add more information, Dill was not even 20 years old.
If Dill were to win, it would probably be an even more humiliating thought.
“Well, it’s not bad for you to go for it, Lloyd-dono. But can you please hold back because of my circ.u.mstances?”
These were the words of Warren, who had accomplished so much in today’s meeting.
As for Lloyd, he could not let this go unanswered.
“Yes. If Warren-dono says so, I have no choice but to give in.”
But he was also looking forward to it.
In any case, the thought of his own son putting soil on Heim’s strongest made him excited.
＊＊＊
Around the time Ain and the others were gathering with the White King.
Princess Olivia had an unexpected visitor.
The royal guards managed to suppress their expressions of displeasure as they dealt with the man.
“Then let me take your sword.”
“Ah.”
His name was Logas.
He was the current head of the Roundheart family and the man who served as Heim’s great general.
After returning to the ship, his own messenger, whom he had sent expecting failure, returned in a flurry of activity.
——Th-They say they will meet you!
His own messenger, sent to Olivia, told Logas something he could not believe.
Logas quickly prepared. He put on his formal attire and brushed his hair.
Although the other party was a former spouse, her position was far superior to his own.
It was unbecoming of him to even send a messenger to Olivia, but he asked her to speak with him.
“Next, I’ll take your armor as well.”
“…The armor as well?”
“Yes. After all, you are dealing with the second princess, so we will take care of everything.”
Surrounded by the royal guards, Logas listened to their words.
They all had magnificent physiques and first-cla.s.s manners.
The strength of the Ishtalika that Logas sensed was not wrong.
“We will examine you one last time.”
Several men examined Logas’ body to see if there was a weapon hidden inside.
They even took off his shoes and examined the soles.
Then, in the middle of the inspection, the royal guards stopped moving.
When he looked closely to see why they had stopped, he saw that a woman had come from the ship…
“C-Christina-sama…!”
“Did you check for dangerous items?”
“Yes, ma’am! We just finished.”
“That’s okay. I’ll take over and lead him. You take your positions.”
The Royal Guards responded to Chris’ words with a nervous look on their faces.
Normally, they would not look so nervous, but today’s Chris was different.
The expression on her face was the same as usual, but it was obvious that it was filled with a murderous intent.
“Logas-dono. I will show you the way. Please come aboard.”
“Y-yeah… I understand.”
Chris began to walk, and so did Logas, down the ramp of the Princess Olivia.
The royal guards followed at a distance.
“…..”
Logas looked at the woman named Christina, who was walking in front of him.
As he remembers, she was the knight Ralph had mentioned he liked.
Although he was not informed of the details, the fact that the royal guards bowed to her made him feel the height of her position.
…More to the point, her movements were amazing. Every move she made was truly that of a strong person.
Logas firmly believed she must be one of the strongest in Ishtalika.
“Logas-dono!”
Chris called to him as he watched the figure walking in front of him.
“Oh, what is it?”
“…I wish you would stop watching me. It’s extremely uncomfortable.”
——Was she aware of it?
How could she have noticed it when she had not even turned her back?
It was also impressive that the words were spoken with murderous intent, but the fact that she noticed that he was just looking at her was abhorrent.
“Why did you think I was watching you?”
As a warrior, this was a matter of curiosity.
He couldn’t help but ask her why she had noticed.
“…If you can’t recognize that level of awareness, then you are not qualified to handle a sword.”
Then Chris told him as if she was speaking sarcastically, as if she was teasing Logas.
“It seems that the knights of Ishtalika are somehow far too skilled.”
“Of course. It is only natural. At least among our knights there is no one who does not love his children.”
The words were clearly meant sarcastically for Logas, who, of course, noticed them as well.
Still, Logas pretended not to have heard them.
This almost made Chris lose her temper, but at the last moment, she managed to control herself.
The two shut their mouths and quietly made their way to Olivia.
But the way was worrying.
They didn’t seem to be going in, and the path they were taking was all the way out.
Logas silently followed Chris, though he wondered if she really wanted to lead him.
…After a few minutes, Chris slowed her pace.
“…..?”
When Logas looked at her to see what was going on, Chris told him the reason.
“We’re almost there, don’t worry.”
“Y-yeah. I understand.”
Logas was surprised when Chris pointed this out to him as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.
But just as Chris had told him, they were only a few steps away from Olivia’s place.
“I would like to remind you, please refrain from approaching Olivia-sama or forcing her to talk to you.”
She said, please refrain, but she indicates that if he did, he should be prepared for the consequences.
As Chris spoke, she wore her very own fine sword at her waist.
“…That is a magnificent sword.”
“Yes, it is my pride and joy. I’ll show you how sharp it is if you like.”
Chris placed her hand gently on the hilt of the sword without looking back.
“That’s for another time. I’ll pa.s.s on that for now.”
It was not a funny joke.
But only Chris knew if she was joking or not.
…As they exchange words like this, they finally arrive at the place where Olivia was waiting.
It was an open area, kept like a small garden, with beautiful greenery.
There was a seat near the center of the room where Olivia was sitting, and the place looked sparkling, as if it could be used for a tea party.
Olivia looked as if she had noticed, but she did not look at him. Instead, she held a teacup in her hand and raised it to her lips.
“Olivia-sama. I’m back.”
“Yes. Welcome back, Chris.”
——Chris? Ah, that’s a nickname for Christina, isn’t it?
For a moment, he wondered who she was talking about, but when he saw her answer immediately, Logas guessed.
When Olivia looked up, she was as beautiful as ever.
At least more beautiful than anyone Logas had ever known.
He couldn’t help but admire the Olivia he hadn’t seen in a long time, but he clenched his fists tightly and tried not to think about it.
“…It’s been a long time, Olivi…”
He was about to call her Olivia, but Chris, who was right in front of him, disappeared.
The next moment, she was standing next to Logas, the sword close to his neck.
“…W-what are you doing…?”
“Please don’t be so rude. The one in front of you is our Second Princess of Ishtalika.”
Was she angry after such a long time?
Elena had just warned him about the name he called.
Logas realized his rudeness and apologized.
“I apologize. Let me correct that… Second Princess.”
Hearing this, Chris drew her sword in frustration.
When Logas put his hand to his neck, he felt as if a thin layer of skin had been cut and was amazed at the skill and speed with which it had been done.
——What a woman…
If he had happened to be on the battlefield, he would have been killed without even realizing it.
Even if he had been paying attention, it would have been difficult to react to that speed.
For a moment, a shiver ran down his spine.
Olivia, on the other hand, didn’t seem to care at all about what Chris had done.
“Warren promised to put an end to our relationship with Heim. So I have forgiven you for your rudeness over the past two days and have set aside some time for us to put an end to this as well. …So what do you want?”
She only looked up once, and after that, she did not even look at Logas.
But Olivia, in spite of the situation, callsedout to Logas.
“…I wanted to ask you something.”
Chris wanted to correct his tone as well.
But Olivia didn’t seem to mind, so she didn’t speak.
“Please continue.”
Of course, her att.i.tude was completely different from that of the old Olivia.
Not only did she not pay attention to him, but it was doubtful that she even considered him a “person.”
“…About the Crown Prince’s power.”
When Olivia heard the voice, she looked away from the teacup.
It was only then that she turned her gaze to Logas.
If you try not to think about the emotion in those eyes, they were as clear as jewels.
Just looking at them was enough to make a man fall in love with her. That much charm was hidden in them.
“If… you had said Ain’s name, your head would have fallen to the ground.”
“Does that mean you gave the order?”
“No. Chris there would have done it without my order.”
This time, he would have lost his head, no doubt.
There was no obstacle to that.
“If you had said something trivial, I would have asked you to leave from the first word. But when it comes to Ain, it’s different. I’m displeased that you are concerned about it, but it doesn’t feel right to just throw you away.”
“…I appreciate that.”
Although he had not intended to bow to his ex-wife, Logas bowed obediently.
Emotionally, Logas harbored no ill feelings.
He knew he deserved it, but he was left with mixed feelings that were hard to describe.
He understood that he was to blame for his own actions.
“…Was there no one who complained about sending a messenger? I remember that the lady of the Augusto family was particularly strict about such things.”
“Elena-dono stopped me. But Her Highness Tigre gave his permission.”
“…Hmm. I see.”
It may be too late to say this, but they were a very indiscreet bunch.
Did they think it’s okay as long as it’s not directly related to the war?
Like a false accusation, a fabricated allegation could be made, and they would be attacked. Have they never thought about that?
It seemed as if Elena was the only one who had a sense of urgency, which somehow seemed contradictory.
She wondered how they could be so strangely reckless at times.
Still, Olivia had no intention of thinking about it any further.
It was no longer a matter of concern to her.
“I understand that you are thoughtless. So, what do you want to ask about Ain?”
“…I want to ask about his strength.”
This time, not only Olivia but also Chris reacted.
They didn’t know why Logas was asking this.
“My son Grint was defeated by a knight named Dill.”
Olivia replied with a smug look on her face when she heard this.
“…I heard that Heim’s pride and joy, the Holy Knight, was defeated by one of Ain’s bodyguards. Was that your son, Grint?”
She knew, but she dared to ask.
Logas suppressed his irritation.
“Yes. …That’s right. I heard it mentioned by the Royal Knights of Ishtalika. The Crown Prince is stronger than that man named Dill…”
——What did you come to ask me about…? Olivia regretted giving permission for the visit.
After all, this man was probably just wondering if the intuition he felt regarding Ain was wrong.
It made her think so.
“Chris. You know more about this than I do. Answer him.”
“Yes.”
Olivia’s voice grew colder, and her eyes returned to the table.
The explanation was left to Chris from that point on.
“Ain-sama is the hero who single-handedly defeated the sea dragon. Even though he has guards, there is no way that he is inferior to a mere knight.”
“I’m sorry, but I still don’t understand. After all, we people of Heim cannot understand the terror of this sea dragon monster.”
“Oh… is that so? If that’s the case——”
Chris began to think, looking for an easy-to-understand a.n.a.logy.
Then Chris decided to quickly explain the damage Ishtalika had suffered.
“There are a number of battleships next to the Princess Olivia. The sea dragon is a monster capable of sinking almost all of them, and it is a national disaster.”
“…Si-Sink several battleships?”
The Ishtalika battleships that Logas saw were mighty and terrifying hunks of metal, even if they were not ships reserved for royalty.
When told that it was a monster that could sink many of them, Logas could only marvel.
“I am sure you can now understand the terror of the sea dragon, but it was Ain-sama who defeated it single-handedly. I was saved by Ain-sama just before the sea dragon killed me.”
She did not seem like the kind of woman who would tell a lie.
However, the magnitude of the story made it difficult for Logas to believe it.
“You do not seem to believe it, but it is true, so I hope you will accept it.”
“…When I think of the past, it’s hard to believe.”
“When you say the past, do you mean Ain-sama’s childhood?”
“Y-yes. That’s right.”
Seeing Chris devouring the question, Logas was momentarily overwhelmed.
“If that’s the case, then your judgment was wrong.”
“You mean my intuition was wrong?”
“Yes. After all, Ain-sama is called the hero of our Ishtalika. It is impossible for him to be weak.”
The consequences were equally plausible.
In the end, Chris directly denied Logas’ eyes.
But Logas didn’t understand.
What in the world could have made him grow up to be able to defeat such a monster?
“If you say so, then maybe the Crown Prince is stronger than me?”
“…..?”
Chris looks at Logas blankly with a face like a pigeon hit by a peashooter.
Olivia, on the other hand, smiled down at him.
“I have not crossed swords with Ain-sama lately. But there is no way someone who can’t even beat me can beat Ain-sama.”
Chris then spoke with a look of genuine surprise on his face and replied to Logas as if to say, “What nonsense are you talking about?”
“If you say so, I would like to challenge you to a fight.”
“Yes. I don’t mind if you use a real sword.”
Chris opened her mouth as if she had been waiting for this.
Then, Logas’ mind was filled with Chris’ speed and skill.
If he had to face Chris seriously, this would be the worst possible match for him.
After all, Chris practically asked him to bet his life on it.
“Let’s not do that. I’m sure neither of us wants to get hurt.”
Here, Chris’ pent-up emotion decreased a bit.
Having Logas say the words of escape was a cause for rejoicing in her mind.
Just as the conversation began to change, Olivia suddenly opened her mouth.
“I think the conversation is over. Now it’s time for you to leave.”
Aiming for a moment when the conversation seemed to be winding down, Olivia spoke.
Hearing this, Chris looked at the royal guards.
“You go back that way. Logas-dono.”
“…Wait, a little more detail…”
The reunion between the two, who had not seen each other for nearly a decade, began simply and then was cut off halfway through.
Logas still didn’t seem to have heard enough, but Olivia felt she had enough.
“I think that’s enough. As Olivia-sama said, please leave us. Show him the way.”
Without a second thought, Chris kicked Logas in the back.
“Logas-dono. Please come this way.”
“Wait… Kuh!”
The royal guards approached and tried to take him out.
Chris checked the situation and came closer to Olivia.
“I wanted to end this too, but was it pointless?”
Olivia looked up as she saw Chris approaching.
“…I don’t understand him very well.”
“Ara. What don’t you understand?”
“His thoughts.”
It was not right to send a messenger to Olivia.
The reason was that even though they were once a married couple, that was in the past, and there were also issues of position.
The relationship between the two countries was not good, and such rash behavior should be discouraged, but Chris did not see the advantages of doing so.
“He’s a harmless person by nature.”
Olivia expressed her dismay and answered Chris’s question.
“The only aspect of him that is proactive or flexible is the one about martial arts. Other than that, he just prioritizes the words of his parents and his other wife. He occasionally has a caring side, but that’s just a so-called virtue of age, nothing worth mentioning”.
Hearing these words, Chris looks back.
There, surrounded by the royal knights, Logas began to be led.
“…Is this harmless?”
Seeing Logas like that, Chris looks back at Olivia with a curious expression on her face.
Olivia was amused by such a Chris and couldn’t help but smile.
“Fufu… Yeah, he’s harmless. I think he’s probably just strongly influenced by his owner.”
“When you say owner, do you mean Prince Tigre and the others?”
“And then his mother, I guess. I don’t think he cares much about anything other than his owner’s orders. So, depending on what the owner says, they can be either poison or medicine.”
“That’s true… But it doesn’t look like even Ain-sama’s power can detoxify it.”
Seeing Chris speak the joking words, Olivia put her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter.
The joke seemed to have hit home for Olivia as well.
“Geez, Chris. But yeah… even Ain might not be able to do that.”
After enjoying Chris’ words, Olivia stood up quietly.
“I think I’ll take a bath. I’d like to relax as well as clean up. Hey, Chris, will you come with me?”
“Y-yes… sure.”
Chris nodded, confused for a moment, as it was not something she would have gone out of her way to refuse.
“It’s time for Ain to come back as well. Would you like to invite Ain to join us?”
The air seemed to freeze, and Chris stiffened.
Then, as if she had stiffened, her face turned bright red, and she replied to Olivia.
“…..! Th-That’s… for another time…”
“Ara? Did Chris have a chance to take a bath with Ain? Or maybe she was thinking of making plans to do so.”
“Wha… wha, wha, wha…! Y-you see, Olivia-sama! Let’s go!”
Olivia enjoyed her interaction with Chris as if to dispel her feelings from earlier.
As she began to walk away in a good mood, she was excited and reminisced about her time in Magna.
“By the way, Ain’s body is getting bigger and more muscular these days, isn’t it?”
“——Olivia-sama? How do you know so much about that?”
“…Ah.”
She had intended to keep it a secret, but she was in such a good mood that she just let it slip out.
As before, Chris stiffened her body, but this time, the meaning is different.
Furthermore, her face, which had been red, quickly calmed down and turned into an icy, calm look.
“——Let’s go take a bath…”
It’s best to ignore her at times like this.
Let’s just pretend that she didn’t say anything and quickly go to the bathroom.
Pretending to forget, Olivia continued.
She swept her long hair to the side and draped a stole over her shoulders.
She moved gracefully forward, her hair swaying in the sea breeze.
“O-Olivia-sama. P-please explain…!”
“…Um, what fragrance should I choose today?”
Chris tried to ask her in the bathroom afterward, but Olivia’s “mischief” prevented her from asking.
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