Royal Prince
Shishou who comes into the house looking quite angry. Alexia and Helen-san who are behind her also appear to be quite angry. Did something happen?
“Shishou, thank you for yesterday. You carried me all the way here”
“Aah, you"ve woken up huh. I"m glad. You really did well to come out unscathed fighting with that fellow. As expected of my disciple”
As though the anger just now was a lie, Shishou smiled very gently towards me when she found out that I"m awake. On top of that, she praises me and pats my head. It"s somewhat embarra.s.sing……
“I"m really glad. Lei"s magic power suddenly swelled up when Helen and I were in the academy with Shishou. The opponent"s magic power was tremendous too. Although I also wanted to go with Shishou, Shishou said that she"ll go alone because the opponent is dangerous so I reluctantly waited”
says Alexia. As I thought, it"s noticeable even from here huh.
“A little bit more and even the army would"ve gone”
says Helen-san who smiles. Serious. Perhaps she knew that that"s what I thought, Helen-san is laughing and saying, ‘It"s fine. The Headmaster stopped them”. I"m glad to hear that.
“And, did something happen? How should I put it, everybody has this terrifying air”
I say that and both Alexia and Helen-san blush. Shishou who saw that
“Ahahaha, he"s being afraid of the both of you”
says and is laughing by herself. No, it"s Shishou who"s the scariest. Well, whatever. Anyhow, I"ll have them take a seat in order to hear their story. I bring everybody to the seats and have them talk about why they are being angry.
〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜Alexia side〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜
“Shishou! Is there really nothing wrong with Lei!?”
I said to Shishou harshly because I"m overwhelmingly worried. It"s been four years since Lei and I met, but I"ve never really seen Lei that enervated before. Lei who always returns with a smile after all"s said and done. Aah, such Lei is lovely!
It"s cute when he"s doing his best to make a serious look with that adorable face in the past. Although it"s a pity that he"s grown up now and the cuteness has slightly dwindled, he"s gotten cooler instead! I who come to think that that"s good in its own way, as I thought, really loves Lei. As I"m thinking about such things
“Stop asking it over and over again, Alexia. Lei is fine. Lei just has magic power exhaustion from the fact that he used his trump card. He"s been sleeping the entire day since yesterday. I suppose he"ll recover if he sleeps an entire day”
says Shishou. Uu~, I just can"t help being worried no matter how many times I hear it! Helen is also fidgeting beside me. Hah, I actually wanted to remain in Lei"s house and take care of him though.
“Shishou, how will we report it to Otou-sama?”
“Nn? We can only say what happened as it is. In actuality, the middle of that forest was pretty much annihilated and it"ll take some time for it to return to how it was. Besides, I suppose there are those who noticed that magic power. If we can"t hide it then we can only say it”
Shishou who says that, folds her arm and closes her eyes. We are currently heading to the Royal Palace by carriage. And the reason for that is to talk about the incident that occurred in the forest yesterday.
Due to the extent of the thunderous roars and thunder, and the fact that that magic power originated near the Royal Capital, the army was immediately placed on the alert. Furthermore, the ministers gathered in the Royal Palace and thereupon decided to dispatch the army and check it out.
However, Shishou who knew what"s going on before the others, stopped them. She said she"ll check it out by herself and report it first.
Helen and I also immediately knew from that thunder and magic power that Lei was involved. I can at least tell the magic power of the person I like if I"ve been together with him for four years! Although Helen was being shy and wouldn"t say it, the air around her showed that she certainly knew.
After shaking in the carriage for several minutes, we arrived and then entered the Royal Palace. Maybe it"s because they still don"t know the cause, there are more soldiers standing than usual.
We walk all the way to the Audience Room and when we enter it, there were ministers lining up on both the left and right side, and Otou-sama is sitting at the innermost. ……why is Grutas-ojiue1 around. He normally doesn"t show up for government affairs and yet he shows up only at times like this.
“Raymond. I came to verify the matter regarding the forest”
As I"m thinking about such things, Shishou starts to talk to Otou-sama. It"s a way of talking that"d normally be lèse-majesté2, but Shishou is excused from that. It"s because she"s been the royal family"s swordsmanship instructor since the past so the trust in her is also profound.
“Ooh, Headmaster. Thank you for your trouble. So, how was it. If there is no danger to the Royal Capital then I am thinking of immediately calling off the alert status. Since the people are also feeling uneasy”
“Aa, there"s no longer any danger. It left by the time I went there”
Shishou says that and Otou-sama immediately says something to Gayn who was behind. I guess he probably told him to call off the alert status. And then
“So, Headmaster. What was the cause of those thunder and so forth”
So Shishou starts to explain. The fact that Lei had gone to accept an Adventurer"s Guild"s request with his cla.s.smates. The fact that he encountered a Demon Race at the location of that request. The fact that that Demon Race is one of the Seven Demon Generals that should"ve been sealed long ago. The fact that Lei used magic in order to protect his cla.s.smates from one of the Seven Demon Generals. And the fact that the middle of the forest which was the location of the fight was annihilated. She said everything.
“……Seven Demon Generals huh. And all of them will wake up from their seals within the next five years huh”
says Otou-sama who"s looking greatly perplexed. Well, of course. This isn"t a problem that involves just this country, it involves the entire continent. Although the problem of the Demon Race has been about a faraway country until now, we now have no choice but to think about it.
“I wonder if that is the truth?”
I suddenly hear a voice as I"m thinking about such things. I looked towards that direction and over there was
“……What are you trying to say, Gratus”
Gratus-ojiue.
“Well, from what I hear, that Lei or whatever guy seems to be the Headmaster"s disciple, isn"t he. I was thinking if she is lying to hide the fact that that Lei caused a problem in the forest. It should take another 100 years for the Seven Demon Generals to awaken. Am I wrong?”
I didn"t know the last part he was saying, but Shishou is making a surprised look.
“Gratus. Where did you learn about that”
“Gufufufu, I have various connections as well. I just happen to hear that there is such a rumour”
says Gratus-ojiue who makes a disgusting smile. Since the past, I haven"t been able to deal with that smile. I get the shivers whenever I"m looked at by those cloudy eyes. Although I can endure it now, if I"m to be looked at with such eyes then I"d rather it be Lei that ogles……gohon gohon3! I"d rather it be Lei that looks at me.
“It was also out of my expectations. To think that they"d awaken from the seals this quickly”
“Is that so. In that case, I shall leave it at that. And what will you do to that Lei or whatever guy, Your Majesty?”
“What do you mean, Gratus”
“Although it is just the middle, he destroyed the forest which is a precious resource that is near the Royal Capital, you know? Should you not give him some kind of punishment?”
“Wha! Don"t joke around, Gratus-ojiue! Lei fought to protect his cla.s.smates! Had Lei not fought, all those cla.s.smates of his would"ve died and for all that we know, there may even be casualties in the Royal Capital, and yet, and yet, you want to punish Lei!”
I wasn"t able to bear with what Gratus-ojiue said. What kind of joke is that. This time as well, he did his best to the point that he even collapsed from magic power exhaustion, even so, even so!
“Isn"t it because Your Highness Alexia likes that Lei that you are sticking up for him? It"s troubling if bring your personal feelings into this”
Buchi!
There was the sound of something snapping within me. I was about to take out Twin Bell from the Item Box but my hand was grabbed by someone. I looked towards that direction and
“You"re getting too angry, you idiot”
Shishou was grabbing my hand. ……A little bit more and I"d have drawn my swords in the Audience Room. Be it being the Princess, it"s inevitable that I"ll be questioned for treason if I draw my swords here. But, I want to punch that dumb face!
“……I will not give any punishment to Lei. As Alexia had said just now, there may have been casualties to those cla.s.smates of his and for all we know, there may even have been casualties in the Royal Capital had Lei not fought. He prevented that from happening. I have but my grat.i.tude for him and not any punishment”
“……Is that so. Well, I guess that"s fine”
Gratus-ojiue who says that and leaves the Audience Room. Although it"s normally punishable, this person is Otou-sama"s younger brother. n.o.body says anything about it.
“Headmaster. Thank you for your hard work. Alexia. Tell Lei on my behalf to come to the Royal Palace again. I have something I want to talk to him about”
“Understood, Your Majesty”
As one would expect, I can"t call him ‘Otou-sama" here. And then the audience ends and we ride the carriage to the house where Lei is at. He"s been sleeping for the whole day huh. I want to quickly meet Lei and get rid of this irritation.
〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜Lei side〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜
They had such a talk huh. Nevertheless, Royal Prince Gratus huh. I wonder if something happened for him to target me to that extent.
“Don"t think too much about it, Lei. Gratus-ojiue is desperately trying to dethrone Otou-sama. For the sake of that, he"ll come out like this time when there"s a matter that will reflect negatively on Otou-sama. Otou-sama"s politics are being trusted by the people so it"s futile though”
says Alexia who laughs. But even if he dethrones the King, isn"t the son, Crown Prince Albert, the next in line to inherit it? I wonder what"ll happen at that end. I don"t really understand.
Ah! Now that I think about it, I have something that I need to ask Shishou.
“Shishou, I have something I want to ask, if you know, please tell me about it”
“Nn~? What~? Oh, this is delicious, Aerith is also good at cooking huh. Alexia"s is catastrophic though~”
says Shishou who cackles. Alexia gets angry at Shishou with her face turning bright red. I don"t mind even if you can"t cook, Alexia. More importantly, let"s ask about the thing I want to ask.
“Is it true that the Hero Summoning has been done?”
Shishou"s hand that"s taking the food stopped the moment I said that. And then she looks at me
“Why do you know about it?”
and asks me. Everybody around is bewildered maybe because they can"t follow the conversation and only Alexia is making a surprised look. I wonder if Alexia knew about it? It"s true, just as G.o.ddess Astell said huh.
叔父上: Ojiue. It means uncle but unlike Oji-san, it uses ‘上:ue" instead. A more respectful way of addressing the uncleIt"s the crime of besmirching or being disrespectful to the king, emperor, family member of the royal family, monarch, imperial family, and suchcough cough