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Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Light Novel) - Volume 7.5, Chapter 4: The Silver Princess
Volume 7.5, Chapter 4: The Silver Princess
This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml
Part 1
Clan was wearing a robe for traveling above her normal outfit, facing an elderly man.
“A knight in blue armor, huh...”
“He's called Reios Fatra Bertorion, have you heard of him?”
The elderly man was the owner of a small inn, he had a mild expression and a slight northern accent. Clan was currently trying to inquire information from him.
“I don't know him. At the very least he hasn't been at my inn.”
“I see..”
“Sorry I couldn't be of help.”
“No, thank you for listening to what I had to say.”
“Take care, miss. There are some worrisome developments in this country.”
“Thank you.”
However, Clan was unable to find the information she was looking for and left the elderly man at the inn.
“Looks like this town was a miss as well...”
Having left the inn, Clan sighed.
Right now, Clan was in a small town by the road. This mountain town wasn't very prosperous and survived on travelers stopping by, so the main street of the town was lined with inns and bars. To Clan, they were all very aged buildings made out of stone or rock. In her age, the only buildings like that were ruins or sightseeing spots. Clan had checked all the inns and bars, but had been unable to gain the information she wanted anywhere.
“Just where is the real Blue Knight...”
Clan's goal was to find the real Blue Knight. Once found, she had to get him to join up with Alaia and correct history. So Clan had separated from Koutarou and the others to follow after the Blue Knight. Clan focused her search around the area where Alaia and her group travelled, and checked all the towns and villages along the way. In the original history, the Blue Knight had met with Alaia before the Mastir checkpoint, so the Blue Knight should still be around the area. Even if he had moved on, there was a high chance that someone had seen him. So she should be able to gain useful information from inns he stayed at or the bars he ate at.
However, despite visiting many towns and villages, she hadn't found anything about the Blue Knight. No matter whom she asked, they claimed they hadn't seen any traveler wearing a blue armor, or had a customer by the name of Reios. Because of that, Clan only grew more and more worried. At first she was sure she would find him right away, but she had begun regretting how naive she had been.
“Today makes it one week, huh... today's the day I return to report...”
Clan had promised to return to Koutarou after a week to report to him, regardless of the results. She had split with Koutarou and the others on the day they decided to cross the mountain to avoid the army. And today was the seventh day, which meant she had to go meet up with Koutarou.
“This is sad... I don't even want to hear what he's going say...”
Clan sighed once more. When she had left, she had been full of confidence and boasted that she would easily find the Blue Knight, so she was reluctant to return telling him she didn't even find a single clue.
“And it's possible that the worst thing imaginable happened.”
Clan had an idea about why she could not find any clues about the Blue Knight.
It was possible that the Blue Knight got involved in the space quake when Koutarou and Clan arrived in this age and died. Or that he had been crushed by the Cradle as it fell.
It's possible that's why she couldn't get any information about the squire in this area. It might be because he was already dead. Thinking like that, things started to make sense, but it would also mean that Clan had killed the Blue Knight. Having at least some feelings for the Blue Knight, being a Forthorthe citizen, she didn't want to believe that was true.
“Hah... what should I tell him...”
Clan sighed as she entered a small alley and began fiddling with her bracelet to find the current location of Koutarou's armor. Before they parted, she had set his armor so that it emitted a signal, and the location of that signal was then displayed over a map.
“It's already been awhile since he passed into Mastir territory...”
The marker showed Koutarou's location to be inside Mastir territory, past the Mastir checkpoint, whilst Clan's marker was still on the other side of the checkpoint, inside Forthorthe's capital, Fornorn's territory. Koutarou and the others had safely avoided the army's pursuit and passed through the checkpoint.
“Then let's go...”
Having confirmed his location, Clan activated the equipment she had used when fighting Koutarou and flew into sky while hiding herself. She was planning on flying all the way to Koutarou like that.
“That Bertorion is quite sly, despite his looks...”
However, though her body may have disappeared, her gloomy feelings still remained.
While Clan was on her way to Koutarou, he himself was in the middle of an interrogation in a room of a small inn.
“Caris, don't be so stubborn and tell us. You told us your name right away.”
“...Hmph.”
The person being interrogated was the magician girl that had been captured a week ago. Based on her outfit, she looked like she was a member of the court magicians, but they didn't know anything but her name, Caris Webnant. Koutarou had struggled to get her to even name herself.
“You're hungry, right?”
Holding a large, roasted bird in his hand, he squatted down in front of Caris and their eyes met.
“I'm not.”
Grrrrr.
“If you tell us what orders you were given to make you transform into a horse, you can eat some too.”
“I-I don't want to eat!”
Grrrrr.
“Is that so? Then I'll eat this village's specialty, roasted Wadowado bird instead.”
“Ugh.”
Grrrrr.
“Oooh, delicious! It's perfectly roasted! The texture of the crusty skin and the smell of the spice covering it blend together and spread throughout the mouth! And the meat is so tender! Every time I bite it, meat juice fills my mouth, it's almost like a soup!”
“G-Gulp.”
The girl, Caris Webnant's lips had remained sealed when strictly interrogated by Flair, not revealing anything, including her name. It wasn't until the person interrogating changed to Koutarou that they finally learned her name.
I was thinking about it when I first met her, but to think she's really weak to this kind of attack...
Koutarou's method to glean information was to simply bait her with food. This was an interrogation that Flair couldn't come up with because the idea that it would work never popped into her head. But Koutarou was different, and he had a strange prejudice against magicians. That they're easy to lure with food or that their lives were sloppy. This was because he had spent a lot of time with Yurika.
“Blue Knight, I want to eat too.”
“Of course, your highness.”
“Ah, hey, Bertorion!”
“Oh Charl, she's taken quite a liking to Reios-sama...”
“This isn't something to laugh about, princess Alaia!”
Charl jumped at Koutarou and took a bite of the roasted bird he was eating. Seeing such poor manners coming from Charl, Flair got angry while Charl's sister Alaia was happily smiling.
“Delicious! Give me more, Blue Knight!”
“As you wish, my princess.”
“D-Damn that Blue Knight, just how rotten can he get!”
Grrrrr.
Seeing Charl stuff her mouth with a delicious looking roast bird, Caris's stomach growled. But it wasn't like she was starving, she was being given meals. She was being given meals, but she was suffering from an extraordinary appetite.
“Caris, it's not like anyone will be at a disadvantage now if you tell us the order you were given a week ago.”
“W-What do you mean!?”
“It's already been a week since you've stopped reporting in. The people who gave you your orders are well aware that you're incapacitated. So it's only obvious for them to make their moves with the assumption that the information has been leaked. So whether you tell us or not won't have any influence on that, right?”
“T-That's...”
Caris's loyalty began wavering. She wanted to eat something delicious, but she couldn't betray the group of magicians that had taken care of her since she was young. But even if she broke her silence, it wouldn't affect them. Then wouldn't it be best if she spoke and got to eat something delicious?
“No, no, I can't! I can't tell you the orders I got directly from Grevanas-sama, who I'm greatly indebted to!”
Grevanas... she got her orders directly from the head of the court magicians...?
Caris had naturally revealed who she had gotten her orders from, but she was so distracted by the roast that she didn't notice.
“You don't have to tell everyone, Caris. You just need to tell me.”
“Just you...?”
Caris's glance shifted between the roast and Koutarou. Meanwhile, Koutarou gently smiled and nodded at her.
“That's right. You don't have to tell me who gave you your orders or anything. That would put you in a difficult position.”
“You only need to tell me what orders you were given. And then you can eat this.”
“*Gulp*”
Grrrr.
Caris' stomach growled repeatedly.
“A-Alright, I'll only tell you. So give it to me warm.”
“Well said! Then we have a deal!”
And so Caris revealed yet another secret to Koutarou.
Part 2
“Thank you, Blue Knight!! My kindred spirit!! I knew you were a knight amongst knights when I first met you!!”
“I-I see. Then eat to your heart’s content, Caris.”
“So, Caris-san, what do you want to eat?”
“I'll leave the hard to eat parts for later. First I want to try a normally salted one to get a feel for the ingredient’s original flavor.”
“Okay, just a moment.”
Koutarou left Mary to take care of Caris, who was still bound up, and instead headed towards Alaia who was sitting at a table by the window. Sitting by the table wasn't just Alaia but also Flair, Lidith and Fauna.
“Blue Knight.”
Charl who was right next to him reached her hand out.
“Yes, your highness.”
Koutarou grabbed her hand with a smile and walked up to Alaia and the others.
“Good job, Reios-sama. Please sit.”
Alaia stopped what she was doing and welcomed Koutarou. Koutarou sat down on the chair she had recommended, and Charl then began climbing up on his lap. Koutarou grabbed her and sat her down on top of his lap.
“So how did it go?”
“...It looks like things are getting complicated.”
Koutarou withdrew the smile he had shown to Charl and began speaking seriously. Koutarou was mystified by what Caris had said.
“What do you mean by complicated?”
Flair questioned Koutarou. She had opinions on Koutarou's interrogation methods so she was in a bad mood, but having sensed something ominous from Koutarou's appearance, she forgot that for now and her expression returned to that of a knight's.
“It seems like Caris was acting on orders from the head of the court magicians, Grevanas.”
While minding Caris behind him, Koutarou spoke in a slightly lower voice. He had told her to only tell him so he restrained himself so it wouldn't reach her ears.
“S-Spicy!? Water, water!”
“Very well, right away!!”
But fortunately, Caris was completely occupied with her food, so she wasn't listening to what Koutarou and the others were saying.
“Orders directly from Grevanas... that's strange.”
Lidith, who had been listening, slightly tilted her head. Fauna then looked at her with a confused look.
“What do you mean, Lidith-chan?”
“Based on the clothes she's wearing, Caris is not a very high ranking magician. So if someone were to give her an order, it would be her direct superior, not Grevanas. The only time that wouldn't be the case would be for special missions.”
Lidith was an alchemist: a scholar who studied science, medicine, religion and more, but she also had knowledge outside her expertise.
“Then, Reios-sama, what is that special mission?”
Being very curious by nature, Fauna's eyes then turned towards Koutarou.
“Watching over princess Alaia and reporting the current situation.”
“And?”
Flair urged him to continue. She already had an idea about what Koutarou was about to say.
“There's nothing else. It seems that was her mission. She said that capturing or murdering princess Alaia wasn't part of her mission.”
That was the part that Koutarou thought was odd. Caris had been given direct orders from the head of the court magicians, Grevanas, to keep a watch on Alaia. The soldiers’ orders were to capture or murder her, so it didn't make sense. It would only be natural for Caris to have a similar mission. However, her mission was simply to observe, and they were direct orders from Grevanas. So one would think there was a catch. Since this wasn't in the manuscript, that feeling grew even stronger.
“That is strange. Maybe he doesn't really have any intention of capturing us?”
“Then is he just having the soldiers pretend to chase us, while he's letting us swim?”
“Or could it be that Maxfern and Grevanas' goals are different?”
“It didn't look like they had completely joined forces...”
Flair, Alaia, Fauna and Lidith all had the same opinion as Koutarou, and the four of them began thinking.
Are they trying to flush out princess Alaia's allies...?
That was the first thing Koutarou thought of, but without conviction, his anxiety only grew.
“Blue Knight, there's no need to think so hard about it.”
Only Charl remained smiling. She poked Koutarou's cheeks and said with confidence.
“We don't know the details, but it means it's gotten easier for us to escape, right?”
“...I see.”
Koutarou found himself agreeing with Charl. If it was as Caris had said, Alaia and her party would be somewhat safer. While not knowing what Grevanas was planning was a worrisome point, it was still better than running away from pursuers whose goal was to kill them.
“As expected from princess Charl, it's just as you say.”
“Fufufun, if you've understood my greatness, then continue proving your loyalty, Blue Knight.”
“Understood, your highness.”
A smile returned to Koutarou's lips. The other girls seemed to have the same feeling, and the anxious atmosphere changed to a more relaxed one. Charl seemed happy by that. She showed an even brighter smile and leaned against Koutarou's body.
“Nothing good will come from over thinking this, so let's just agree with princess Charl that it's gotten easier to escape.”
Flair concluded so, since they couldn't question Grevanas in person, there was indeed nothing more they could do.
“I always thought you were a child Charl, but you've gotten more mature.”
Alaia smiled at Charl and got to work on what she was doing before. It was a new hobby she had started, knitting.
“As much as sister’s knitting skills, right, Blue Knight?”
“That's quite the hard question to answer.”
“Oh, are my knitting skills that poor?”
Koutarou stumbled for words, but Alaia cheerfully continued moving her knitting needles. Her skills weren't bad; she was quite good for someone who's just started. But since she had no one to teach her, her progress was slowing down.
“Hahaha, princess Alaia, you should try doing this there.”
“Eh?”
So Koutarou was still more skillful than her. Even though he was clumsy, having spent ten months knitting, he had learned quite a bit. And his teacher was good, so there were lots of things he could teach Alaia.
“You do it like this, here.”
“I see... Reios-sama, you can knit too?”
“Blue Knight, knitting is for women. Leave that to sister and continue proving your loyalty.”
Alaia shot an admiring glance at Koutarou's skillful needle handling, but Charl was dissatisfied. She felt it was wrong for a man to be knitting.
“That's too bad. Here I was thinking of knitting a muffler for you too, princess Charl.”
“That you can knit, that falls under proving your loyalty.”
“Your highness, I'm having a hard time understanding what proves my loyalty and what doesn't.”
“If you're a knight, feel it.”
Seeing Charl's cute behavior, cheerful laughter filled the place.
Clan appeared a few moments after that.
Part 3
Koutarou's room in the inn was for two people. Since they knew that Clan would be returning, Koutarou had prepared a room for two people in advance.
“H-Hey, Bertorion.”
“What?”
Koutarou answered Clan while playing with an operating panel built into the armor's right arm.
The armor’s upright posture was locked and instead the parts of the armor opened. And as if shedding a shell, Koutarou stepped out of the armor. After Koutarou stepped out, the armor closed after him. After making sure of that, Koutarou turned and approached the bed that Clan was sitting on.
“A-Are we sleeping here tonight?”
Clan's face was red. Her eyes shook somewhat anxiously.
“Yeah. What about it?”
“What about it... I-I'm still not married, and...”
Clan turned her face down and looked away from Koutarou.
“Ah, I see!”
Koutarou realized what Clan wanted to say and brought his hands together.
“Don't worry. I won't try to do something strange in this situation.”
“But...”
Having lived everyday together with women in room 106, Koutarou had built up a resistance to women, but Clan, who was a sheltered princess, had almost none towards men. It was a world where she couldn't even imagine spending the night with a man that wasn't family.
“I understand how you feel, but it'll be suspicious if a knight and his servant slept in different rooms. I can only ask that you endure.”
“I-I understand.”
“Trust me, Clan.”
Koutarou smiled wryly. While Clan kept repeating that she understood, she was hugging a pillow and quietly watched Koutarou. It was obvious that she didn't trust him.
“Although we were originally enemies, you're the only one I can rely on right now. There's no way I'd do anything terrible to you, right?”
While saying that, Koutarou looked towards the armor standing behind him.
Koutarou couldn't do the armor's maintenance, so Clan's cooperation was essential. And since there were lots of things he didn't know about Forthorthe's history and culture, her advice was indispensable. In that kind of situation, he couldn't ignore Clan's feelings. It would be the same as throwing away your own lifeline.
“Haaah... I understand. In return, don't look at my sleeping face. Only my future husband can see that.”
“I got it, Clan. Let's make a partition or something there later.”
“...”
After glancing at Koutarou one more time, Clan let go of her pillow. That said, the awkward atmosphere didn't vanish right away. So Koutarou decided to change the topic. Fortunately, there was a lot they needed to talk about.
“Oh yeah, how'd it go on your end, Clan?”
“On my end...? I-I don't want to see your sleeping face―”
“Not that, I meant if you found the real Blue Knight.”
Clan was about to get upset once more, but her expression reverted the moment she heard the words Blue Knight.
“Ah, ahh... t-that's...”
Seeing that reaction, Koutarou could imagine what she would say.
“...No good?”
“Ah, auuu~, y-yes...”
Clan's words grew weaker and more silent. And finally she ended up hugging the pillow she had let go of once again before burying her face in it.
“Yes alone won't help. Explain it please.”
When Koutarou said that, Clan separated her face from the pillow and took a look at his mood.
“You're not angry?”
“Angry? Why?”
“Because... I said I'd find him right away, so...”
Hearing Clan's words, Koutarou remembered her appearance a week ago. Back then she was full of confidence.
She was embarrassed about not being able to do what she boasted so full of pride about, huh...
Understanding Clan's feelings, Koutarou revealed a small smile.
“Stupid. I can tell when I should be shouting or not. Besides, you leaving then full of confidence left me at ease.”
Because Koutarou and Clan had come to this era, history had gotten distorted. But forcing all of the responsibility to correct that distortion onto Clan was wrong. Her leaving full of confidence to go find the real Blue Knight left Koutarou with more hope, and he felt safe leaving it to Clan.
“...”
Clan stared Koutarou in the eyes. She was trying to confirm if Koutarou was telling how he truly felt.
“So don't get depressed, and just explain how it went. Okay?”
“...I understand.”
Clan had stared at Koutarou for a while, but she eventually gathered herself and slowly nodded.
When this man jokes around he's incredibly sly, but when he's serious he can properly behave like a knight...
At the same time, she slightly corrected her evaluation of Koutarou.
“So, how did it go?”
“That's right... for starters, I checked all of the towns and villages around the path that Alaia-san and the others took.”
“I see, that's a sensible way of doing it.”
Koutarou admired Clan's methods.
If Koutarou and Clan hadn't gotten in the way, the Blue Knight would have met up with her somewhere on the way to the Mastir checkpoint. So since he probably travelled normally, checking all of the surrounding towns and villages should have earned her some information. All Clan had to do after that was follow in his footsteps. It was much more sensible than checking the area for a man in blue armor.
“But I couldn't get any information from any town or village. No matter who I asked, they said that they hadn’t seen a man in blue armor, or had a guest by the name of Reios.”
“That's strange...”
“Yes. So the worst possible scenario might have happened.”
“...The worst possible scenario?”
Koutarou who was thinking looked up at Clan's face. She had a serious expression and nodded.
“Yes. The case where when we were thrown to this age, we killed the real Blue Knight.”
“What, killed the Blue Knight...!?”
Koutarou's eyes opened wide. It was a highly unexpected scenario to him.
“Either he got involved in the space quake, or was crushed by the Cradle as it crashed...”
“Then that would explain why you couldn't find any traces of him, but... aren't you overthinking it?”
“Eh?”
This time, Clan's eyes opened wide instead. Having heard what she had to say, Koutarou had come to a different conclusion.
“Couldn't it just be that he's travelling incognito? And he could have stripped his armor as well. My armor moves on its own, but wouldn't it be hard for a knight wearing normal armor to travel whilst wearing it?”
Koutarou's armor was fully powered, so it didn't get in the way when he moved. If anything, it assisted him. But the armors of knights of this age were just metal shaped into armor, so they were heavy and uncomfortable. They weren't something you would wear while travelling. And in reality, Flair was wearing a light armor designed for long travels. It had been decorated to fit a knight, but it used very little actual metal.
“I see, that is much more possible.”
Hearing what Koutarou had to say, Clan nodded.
It seems that he's less stupid than I first thought... But that makes sense. If he was, I wouldn't have lost to him twice...
And Clan adjusted her evaluation of Koutarou once more.
“Then, starting from tomorrow I'll expand the search area and expand my targets to knights travelling alone.”
“That sounds good. It’s still too early to draw conclusions.”
Koutarou agreed. He had no objections for her actual search method.
“That's true... So how did it go for you, Bertorion?”
“That's right, about that!”
Koutarou showed a smile the moment Clan asked him.
“You're amazing Clan, everything happened just like you said!”
Koutarou got excited and spoke loudly. At that time, he got closer to Clan's face, and she began hugging her pillow again as she got embarrassed.
“As we crossed the mountain we got attacked by bandits, and after chasing them away we got to the Mastir checkpoint without facing the army!”
The attack by bandits happened just the way it had been written in the manuscript.
When Koutarou and the others were crossing the mountain, three bandits blocked their path, and two additional bandits cut off their escape. The bandits weren't as strong as Forthorthe's army, and there were only five of them. So just like what had happened in the manuscript, Koutarou easily dealt with the three in the front, while Flair got rid of the two behind them. The only difference was that Yurika wasn't one of the bandits; instead they were rough, bearded men.
“And at the Mastir checkpoint, that role model of loyalty, Soldier A was really there!”
Having chased off the bandits, Koutarou and the others climbed down the mountain and headed for the Mastir checkpoint. Fortunately there was no more trouble, and there were neither pursuers nor an ambush. So they were able to safely reach the checkpoint.
There they met the person who served the role as Soldier A in the manuscript. He wasn't known by name, but he was known throughout Forthorthe because of his loyalty. His loyalty to the royal family was honorable, and when he noticed Alaia, he let them through the checkpoint, even though they had no sign of permission.
“He was called Orion. Unfortunately, A wasn't his initial.”
In the play, Koutarou was originally supposed to play Soldier A, so he had some attachment to him. Therefore he ended up asking for the man's name.
“It's A. Orion's initial is the first in Forthorthe's alphabet. So Soldier A is correct.”
Clan smiled at Koutarou, whose eyes were sparkling like a child’s. The eyes behind the antique glasses were very gentle.
“Really? Anyways, it was really surprising. It happened just like in the manuscript. It was a real help that Theia didn't add a bunch of fluff to the original elements.”
Koutarou pulled out two booklets from his stage outfit and presented them to Clan. The manuscript from last year and the play they were doing now. Receiving the manuscript, Clan flipped through the pages.
“Theiamillis-san is a history maniac, faithful to history, you know. Well, it's not like I can't understand how she feels...”
What Theia wanted wasn't a fictional knight, but a real one. Because of that, she only made necessary minor changes to the story. Because of that, one could say that the manuscript was a prophecy of what was to come.
“So I was thinking, Clan.”
“About what?”
Clan stopped flipping through the pages.
“About the next episode in the manuscript, I want to stop the poisoning of the water source.”
“You want to stop it!?”
Clan hastily shut the manuscript and raised her voice.
“Yeah. We know the water source is going to get poisoned. So if we go ahead, we can stop it, and no one will be hurt, right?”
“You can't, Bertorion!! If you do that, history will change!”
“Now's not the time to worry about history!”
Matching Clan, Koutarou also raised his voice.
“If we just leave it be, lots of people will die!”
If things went according to the manuscript, the water source would soon be poisoned on Maxfern's orders, and the people who drank from it would die. Koutarou wanted to prevent that indiscriminate attack.
“In the end, they succeed in treating it! So there's no need to change history!”
“But even then, some people will still die!! Knowing that, can you still overlook it as Forthorthe royalty!?”
In the play, the Blue Knight ended up stealing medicine from the enemy and successfully treated the poison. But even then, those seriously ill would lose their lives. Koutarou couldn't ignore that. Up until now it had only been Koutarou and Alaia's problems, but now the lives of unrelated people would get involved.
“Wha...”
Clan received a large shock and she was unable to give him a rebuttal.
She was focused on preserving history so she saw the loss of lives of the citizens as unavoidable. But Koutarou's words had made her realize that she only thought of the citizens lives as pieces of a puzzle, leaving her appalled.
I see. That would make me a fake princess, wouldn't it...
Clan recalled Koutarou calling her that before. That was when she first met Koutarou in November. Back then, she took as an insult and lost her temper, but now she felt like he might have had a point. Preserving history, or the lives of the citizens; a royalty would pick the latter. But Clan couldn't do it. So she understood that she had a fatal flaw as royalty.
And this is probably the part that Theiamillis-san trusts so much...
The reason why Theia is so focused on Koutarou, why she lets him use Saguratin. She wouldn't let him use a treasured sword just because of a play. There had to be some kind of reason, and Clan believed that was this part of Koutarou.
“A prideful knight before royalty, huh...”
“What was what?”
“Nothing... Bertorion, it's just as you say.”
Clan changed her mind. Even though there was a large chance that history would change, she shouldn't let her citizens die for nothing.
“Then!?”
“Yes. I know what I said before, but after I calmed down, I want to prevent the water source from being poisoned too. There's a risk that history will change, but I can't just overlook this.”
The problem with the poison would be solved either way. The method in which it was solved would change, but it would be solved either way. So even with a minor change like that, they might still be able to return to their own world. And even if they couldn't return, the safety of the citizens should be protected.
“Well said, Clan!”
Koutarou smiled and slapped Clan on the back with his large hand several times.
“Owow, that hurts.”
“Ah, sorry. I put a little too much force into it.”
“Really now, you're always so unreasonable... Will you take responsibility if we can't return to our own world?”
Clan gave Koutarou a reproachful glance.
“Leave it to me. If you lose your place, I'll let you live in room 106 too.”
Koutarou understood the meaning of Clan's resolution. She had determined that she would protect the citizens, even if she lost the ability to return home.
If it comes down to it, I'll have to take responsibility for forcing her to make such a resolution...
So Koutarou resolved himself as well.
“So Clan, how do we prevent it?”
“That's the problem. There're plenty of water sources here, and we don't know when they'll poison it.”
“So we have to use the same method you used when looking for the Blue Knight, checking all the water sources in our surrounding?”
“It could be a river, a lake, a well... there's a limit to how much the observation device can cover for us, so we need to narrow it down a bit.”
“Since a lot of people should get sick, we can probably narrow it down to a water source lots of people use.”
“Yes... then for starters, I'll order the observation device to pick up all the large water sources.”
“Please do, Clan.”
Clan began fiddling with her bracelet.
Please do, Clan, huh... really, what am I doing...
Clan couldn't help but find what she was doing funny.
She had come to a backwater planet to get in the way of Theia's trial, and come across a strange neanderthal wearing the Blue Knight's armor. After piling up grudge after grudge, she had gotten obsessed with killing him, but before she knew it, they were now working together to save the lives of Forthorthe's citizens. And what's more, that could end up changing history.
Just what is she doing? That's what Clan had wondered several times now. But now, she was strangely enough about as satisfied as she was doubtful.
Part 4
When Clan began fiddling with her bracelet, silence filled the room. In order to not get in her way, Koutarou sat down on his own bed and looked at her.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door to the room.
“Yes?”
“It's me.”
As Koutarou answered, he could hear Alaia's voice coming from the other side. Koutarou hurriedly jumped up from the bed, ran up to the door and opened it.
“I'm sorry for disturbing you so late at night, Reios-sama.”
“Princess Alaia... what's the matter?”
“Actually, I came here because I had a request.”
Alaia smiled as she said that. Right now her eyes looked similar to those of a mischievous child. It was an expression that Koutarou hadn't seen her show before.
“What kind of request?”
“Before that, will you promise to do as I say after you've listened to what I have to say?”
Alaia continued while smiling.
“That depends on the content...”
“Fufufu, then I won't tell you.”
Alaia was in a more cheerful mood than ever. Koutarou thought it was strange, but he couldn't imagine Alaia, who was always considerate, to say something unreasonable so he decided to listen to her request.
“Very well, if you'll tell me, I'll do as you ask.”
“Thank you, Reios-sama.”
Alaia thanked him and approached the window in the hallway.
“Reios-sama, that.”
“What?”
Koutarou closed the door and approached Alaia and the window. From the window, he could see a crowd of people dancing in a circle around the plaza.
“That's...”
“In this village, a harvest festival is being held for a couple of days, starting today. When it turns to night, it seems to be a custom to go out and dance like that.”
“I see...”
Koutarou remembered that he felt that the village was oddly lively when he first arrived, and that decorations were lined up around the village. They were preparations for the harvest festival.
“So I want to dance there too.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said, I want to dance there too.”
Alaia smiled. She seemed to enjoy seeing Koutarou so perplexed.
“You jest, princess.”
“I am not jesting. Even though it may be a village's harvest festival, a dance is a dance. As a girl of age, I too am interested.”
Of course, Koutarou was against the idea.
“I am against it, princess Alaia.”
“Oh, but you just said that you would do as I say.”
Alaia slightly tilted her head and looked up at Koutarou.
“Now, what will you do?”
It was almost as if she was teasing him as she said that.
“However, it is too dangerous for you to go alone.”
“That's why I am asking you, who hold the title of a knight, to be my escort, Lord Bertorion.”
Alaia normally called Koutarou, Reios-sama, but here she called him Lord Bertorion on purpose.
I've been had, so that's what she was planning.
Hearing that, Koutarou was convinced. She was planning on taking Koutarou to dance with her from the start. Most likely, she had asked Flair and she had objected.
Well...
Koutarou gave up. That's because this was written in the manuscript.
“I am but a mere country knight, I am hardly worthy of the honor.”
“Oh, even though I look like this, I grew up roaming the fields and mountains of northern Mastir. I am quite qualified to be called a country girl.”
Koutarou responded in accordance to the manuscript, and Alaia's reply was just as was written. Because of that, he felt like he was still on stage.
“...Just wait one moment, princess Alaia. I'll tell Clan that I'm stepping out.”
“Thank you, Reios-sama. Please come back before I get tired of waiting.”
“As you wish, my princess.”
Koutarou left the smiling Alaia behind the hallway and returned to the room. As he did he ran into Clan just as he entered.
“I heard everything.”
“Good, then that this won't take long. I'll be going out with the princess for a moment.”
“I understand. But please take care.”
“Are you worried about enemies? It should be fine, there was nothing about an attack during the dance in the manuscript.”
“No, that's not―”
Clan showed a worried expression. She then looked at Alaia on the other side of the door before whispering to Koutarou.
“...I felt the same when I got to the inn, but don't get too friendly with Alaia-san and the others.”
“...Don't get too friendly?”
Koutarou whispered back and had a questioning expression. Koutarou didn't understand why Clan would say that.
“...Yes. Eventually you're going to change places with the real Blue Knight. So if you're too friendly with them, things will get confusing.”
“...Right. That's true, I'll watch out.”
The supporting role shouldn't get too full of himself huh? Well that is true...
If Koutarou got too important for the girls, by the time the real Blue Knight appeared, he might not be needed. That would be a problem.
“...Could you cover for me with the observation device, just in case?”
“...Alright.”
“Then I'll be going. I'll leave the rest to you, Clan.”
“Yes. Good bye, Bertorion.”
Having finished their discussion, Koutarou lightly waved to and turned his back on her.
It could be...
While looking at his back, Clan felt a sense of danger.
Not noticing that, Koutarou disappeared through the door.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting, princess Alaia.”
“If you had been just a little bit slower, I would have gone out by myself.”
“That's jesting a little too much.”
“Fufu, I was just kidding, Reios-sama. Then, shall we go?”
“...It could be that, bringing the real Blue Knight in now might greatly change history...”
According to the legend, by the dance at the harvest festival, Alaia was already in love with the Blue Knight. So since Koutarou had gotten in between them, he had stolen the time they needed to develop their feelings.
Part 5
This village wasn't large enough to call a town, but during the harvest festival there were more people celebrating than in a large town. People gathered from nearby small villages and they all celebrated together. Since the inn that Koutarou and the others were staying in was on the main street, Koutarou and Alaia were swept away by the crowd the moment they stepped out the door.
“R-Reios-sama, kyaa!”
“Your hand!”
“H-Here.”
In order to not get split up in the crowd, the two held hands. With their fingers entwined, just looking at their hands, they looked like lovers.
“What a surprise, Reios-sama.”
Having been raised as a princess, this was the first time Alaia had been in such a large crowd.
“Hahaha, that's true, your highness.”
But that wasn't the case for Koutarou, who was originally a normal guy. While pulling the surprised Alaia towards him, he remembered the fireworks display at Kitsushouharukaze city. The street on the station was very similar to this.
“That's no good, Reios-sama.”
“Hueh?”
Alaia sealed Koutarou's mouth. With a slightly angered expression, she puffed up her cheeks. She then put her mouth next to his ear.
“Here you need to call me Cigna, not your highness.”
“Ah... I'm sorry.”
“Geez, if you don't do it properly, I'll be troubled.”
Calling her Alaia or her highness would attract attention. She was still aware that she was being pursued, so before stepping out, she had decided on a name to be called instead. That name was Cigna. Alaia's formal name was Alaia Kua Mastir Cignaria Tio Forthorthe. She had picked Cigna from Cignaria Tio which meant silvery white snow. It was rather simple, but with that name she wouldn't attract any attention.
“I'll be more careful from now on, Cigna-sama.”
“Can you stop adding sama too? You'll ruin the festive mood.”
“Then you can stop adding sama onto my name as well?”
“That's... Reios-sama is Reios-sama.”
“I don't get it, Cigna-sama.”
“You do get it... Reios-sama you tease.”
Fortunately, nobody had noticed who Alaia was yet. Unlike in the current age, there weren't photos of her circulating the realm, and since this was the harvest festival, many people were dressed up in elegant clothing. Because of that, Alaia's elegant dress and her beautiful silver hair didn't stand out. Most of all, nobody expected a princess on the run to appear in a place like this.
“Still, it gets very lively during a festival.”
Koutarou pulled on Alaia's hand while looking around the area. Aiming to participate in the dance, the two of them headed for the plaza, but since lots of people were in the way it wasn't easy moving forward.
It's really just like at a fireworks display...
Lots of people were pushing and shoving, and cheerful laughter could be heard. Lots of stands lined the streets and the kids, who had been allowed to stay up past bedtime, were looking on in excitement. A festival was a festival, regardless of time and place. It was a scene familiar to Koutarou.
“That's true...”
Alaia looked at the lively people filling the street and smiled gently.
“I'm relieved.”
“Eh?”
“I was worried that ever since Maxfern sprang into action that the lives of the citizens would be in disarray. But it looks like they're all okay...”
Alaia looked towards Koutarou. Just as she had said, her eyes looked full of relief.
So this is what they meant by legendary princess...
Koutarou honestly felt that Alaia was amazing as she smiled. If he was in her shoes, he was sure that he would be too obsessed with avenging the death of his parents to notice anything else.
So when she said to wanted to go to the dance, it was to make sure of this...
And while saying that she wanted to dance, she confirmed the expressions of the villagers. This was probably her showing some consideration to keep her vassals from worrying. Her ability to show such deep consideration at her age shook Koutarou's heart.
“Now, let's go, Cigna-sama.”
“Kya?”
But at the same time, Koutarou also pitied Alaia. Despite being the same age as Koutarou, she shouldered an immense responsibility. Alaia had obviously lead a different life than the girls in Harukaze high school.
Then she should at least have fun now...
Thinking like that, Koutarou instinctively put some strength in the hand gripping Alaia's.
Having entered the plaza, the two of them faced each other in a corner. Since she was still on the run, they couldn't dance somewhere where they stood out.
“Let’s do our best.”
“Yes. Although I am inexperienced when it comes to dancing, so please take it easy on me.”
The bonfires that surrounded the plaza shone the two up in orange colors. After greeting one another, the music that had stopped between melodies started up again.
“Your hand.”
“Yes.”
Holding hands, the two brought their bodies closer to one another. And in rhythm with the music, they began taking steps. The music was mellow and slow, so even the inexperienced Koutarou managed to keep up.
“You're quite good, Reios-sama.”
“You joke. I am barely able to keep up with the music.”
With the time growing late, the music for the dance was getting slower. If a fast tune had begun playing like it had just a while ago, Koutarou would be having a hard time.
“It's better for the mood if a man isn't too good at dancing however.”
“Hearing you say that gives me a leg to stand on.”
“Fufu.”
Meanwhile, Alaia's steps were splendid. They were light like a butterfly and as elegant as silk, but at the same time, more powerful than a bird flying through the high skies. In the harvest festival where one only had to move their body, it was as if she alone was participating in a dance party at a castle.
“That said, it pains me that I'm dragging you down with me.”
Koutarou was barely able to keep up with her lead. Despite having learned some dancing skills from Theia, there was still a large gap between them.
“A princess being skilled at dancing is the same as a knight being skilled at fighting. One could call it a skill required for the profession. So please, don't be too worried.”
Still smiling, Alaia whispered in Koutarou's ear. From that distance, there was no need to worry about someone else overhearing them. And Alaia was casually able to bring out the word 'princess'.
Alaia was good at dancing because she had been educated in dance, which was because there were lots of expectations of her at political and diplomatic parties. One could call it one of her skills used to fight against foreign countries. In that sense, it was similar to a knight being skilled at fighting.
“Actually your highness, just between the two of us, I don't really like fighting.”
“Fufu, I thought that might be the case. But just between the two of us, I don't really like dancing with strangers at dance parties either.”
“I'll carry those words with me.”
“I will do the same... But Reios-sama, I'm not sure what to think of a guard confessing that they don't like fighting to the person they're protecting.”
“Princess Alaia is such a tease.”
“Oh?...If this had been a castle, you'd be imprisoned for offending royalty. Fufufu.”
“Haha.”
Koutarou and Alaia continued dancing for a while longer. The two of them smiled at each other as they were freed from the bonds of daily life for a moment. Just for now, the two looked like just a boy and girl. That's because they knew that now would be their only chance.
The night grew late in an instant. And while the band temporarily stopped to prepare for the final tune-
“Reios-sama...”
Having stopped moving as the music stopped playing, Alaia, still holding Koutarou's hand, anxiously looked up at Koutarou. From the surprisingly strong grip, Koutarou felt that the worry she was carrying was considerably large.
“What is the matter, princess Alaia?”
Koutarou had a serious expression and whispered to her. Relieved by that voice, Alaia's expression slightly loosened up.
“Reios-sama, I... at a loss.”
She spoke of a worry that she had kept secret.
“What would that be? If you tell me, I might be able to help.”
“Thank you, Reios-sama.”
Alaia smiled and thanked Koutarou, before quickly returning to a serious expression.
“If we continue this travel... and safely reach Pardomshiha territory... Should I really start a war? I am hesitant about that.”
“You're hesitant... why is that?”
In response to Koutarou's question, Alaia used her glance to point out her surroundings.
“Reios-sama, look at our surroundings. Even though the emperor has died, the citizens’ lives haven't changed. The people in the village can still smile. But if I start a war to defeat Maxfern, those smiles will be lost.”
Alaia was worried about chaos spreading through the country from a civil war. If Alaia started a war using a newly created army to fight against the old Forthorthe army now in control by Maxfern, the country would be shaken by a civil war and affect the lives of the citizens. Alaia was at a loss at if there was any meaning in sacrificing the daily life of the citizens to defeat Maxfern.
That said, it wasn't something you could consult with others. It was obvious that if she consulted with Flair, who was very loyal to the royal family, the response would be that Maxfern should be defeated. If she asked her best friend Fauna, since she was a servant of the goddess of dawn, her response would be that justice should be served. So it had been a problem she had been wrestling with all alone before Koutarou appeared.
“But your highness, Maxfern is a criminal.”
Although Koutarou hadn't said it out loud, Maxfern had murdered Alaia's and Charl's parents, the emperor and empress. Koutarou wanted to know if she could really ignore that.
“I know. But if they can establish a good government, I won't mind. What's important isn't my pride, but the lives of the citizens. Isn't that right, Lord Reios Fatra Bertorion?”
Alaia closed her mouth and grinded her teeth. It's not like she had completely accepted her decision either.
“Your highness...”
This person is trying to ensure the happiness of the citizens, even if she has to forget the grudge of having her parents killed and overlook justice...
Hearing Alaia's determination, Koutarou felt humbled.
Alaia must hate Maxfern for killing her parents. She must feel that Maxfern should be punished for using a cheap method to take over the country. But more than all that, she was trying to protect the daily lives of the citizens.
So to Koutarou, Alaia looked beautiful and noble. Enough so that he hesitated, ruining her shining appearance.
“...I will speak, knowing that this is disrespectful.”
Koutarou had to tell Alaia to take down Maxfern. If he didn't, history would greatly change, and he would without a doubt not be able to return to his own world. That was on a completely different league than preventing the poisoning of a water source.
“It's as you say, your highness. There is nothing more important than protecting the lives of the citizens.”
Despite knowing that, Koutarou had told Alaia that she was correct. Alaia's love for the citizens didn't let him say anything else.
“Reios-sama...”
Alaia's eyes began tearing up.
Alaia believed that her thoughts were correct. But even then, she wanted someone to tell her that. She wanted someone to say that what she was doing wasn't out of self-righteousness, that it wasn't because she was afraid of fighting.
So when Koutarou agreed with her, her heart shook. Joy filled her heart now that someone had appeared to give her what she wished for.
“Certainly... if you say that in the imperial court, you might be imprisoned...”
Alaia wiped her tears away. However her tears kept flowing, no matter how many times she wiped them away. The tears shone orange, bathed in the light of the flames.
“Your highness, in a knight's standard, even if a sword was to break, as long as the oath it carried hasn't broken, the knight won't believe his sword has broken. And if they were able to fulfill their oath despite their sword breaking, that would be a great honor.”
A knight's standard. The sword was a knight's soul. However, what should be protected was the oath it carried, rather than the sword itself.
Isn't that right, Theia?
The one who told Koutarou that was a girl with golden hair. To adhere to those teachings, Koutarou had no option but answer like that.
“Father's, mother's, and my own oath are to protect the lives of the citizens.”
“Then, even though they may lose their lives―”
“As long as the citizens are happy, I won't believe they are dead. And I take pride that they lived in accordance to their oath...”
“Yes. It's just as you say.”
Koutarou nodded at Alaia, he no longer had any hesitation.
This person really is the Silver Princess... But, that's why...!
So Koutarou made up his mind. That, though he might step out of his place as the Blue Knight's substitute, but he would protect Alaia no matter what. This might be the moment when Koutarou sworn allegiance to Alaia of his own will.
“But your highness, you may rest easy. No matter what you decide, I will definitely protect you.”
“...Even though I might even stop being a princess, and become just a powerless little girl?”
Alaia wiped her tears away again and smiled. She was trying to say that she wouldn't mind even if she was abandoned.
“Even if you adhere to your oath and become a simple girl, you will forever be my highly esteemed lord.”
Even then, Koutarou's answer didn't change. The girl that taught Koutarou the way of the knight would never forgive him if he abandoned Alaia.
“...Thank you Reios-sama... I will take pride in those words, for the rest of my life...”
As Alaia said that, she pressed her face onto Koutarou's shoulder and her shoulders started trembling. Koutarou assumed that she was crying, but because the band had started playing again, he couldn't hear her crying voice.
Koutarou and Alaia then spent some time standing still, with Alaia still pushing up against his shoulder. Koutarou held her hand and looked up into the starry sky above.
Sorry, everyone... it doesn't look like I'll be coming back...
Koutarou then apologized to the people that should be waiting for him.
Time passed and after the last tune had passed the halfway point, Alaia, who had kept her face pressed against Koutarou's shoulder, looked up.
“...Reios-sama really is different...”
As she said that, Alaia's eyes showed more emotion than ever before. They were feelings of deep trust and affection. At this time, Alaia was realizing that she was in love with Koutarou.
“I am aware that I'm bad at dancing.”
“Fufu, no, that's not what I meant, Reios-sama.”
Alaia smiled. It was a defenseless smile that she had only ever shown her parents and Charl. Seeing that, Koutarou felt like as if his heart had been pierced.
“You are without a doubt a Forthorthe knight. But something at the bottom of your heart is different. Without losing your gentleness, you are a strong and prideful knight.”
“That's...”
That was probably because Koutarou had been born into a country not in war. So he had a gentle heart that Alaia desired.
That heart showed needless naivety in a world of war. And naïve people wouldn't be able to survive on the battlefield. But Koutarou had been given lots of power. The armor had gotten from Theia and the gauntlet from Kiriha; that equipment let Koutarou survive. So with his naïve heart, Koutarou stood in front of Alaia. Through a series of coincidences, the boy Satomi Koutarou had been able to meet Alaia without changing.
“I am jealous of the person you truly serve. Just how did that person make you a knight...”
“At first... she tried to kill me.”
“My... that's impossible for me... fufufu...”
Eventually the two of them began taking steps. More than half of the last tune had passed, so there wasn't much time to dance. But the dance of the two people whose hearts overlapped was fantastic and those watching instinctively swallowed their saliva.
