Chapter 90 – Top secret mission
Alfred’s visit to the Kingdom of Lyon had long been planned, but his departure was very sudden. However, a large number of people gathered in the imperial capital to see the crown prince and the greatest hero ever born, both from their country. Whenever there is a crowd, it is an opportunity for business. Merchants called out to the crowd, causing them to loosen their wallets. Artisans would get off work early and enjoy a drink with the hustle and bustle of the city.
When people gather, problems can arise, and that’s where the Adventurers Guild comes in handy. The eastern branch of the Simurgh Adventurers Guild was busier than usual. The Adventurers Guild, which handled a variety of tasks that could not be handled by the city guards alone, had been receiving many requests today. However, the Eastern Branch of the Adventurers Guild was taking on a lot of work, and all the veterans had already left. The remaining newcomers, those with only a smattering of skills, and those from out of town were somehow able to manage. Waves of people had been pouring into the guild’s reception area all morning, keeping many of the staff giddily busy, except for one.
“Hey, do your job. Please, senpai.”
Three employees were sitting at the reception desk. One of them, Paul, was looking at the newspaper, while his colleagues were busy with their work. That day, he received a complaint from one of the girls sitting next to him.
“Even if you tell me that, it can’t be helped, since no one stands in front of my counter.” Paul responded to the girl’s whisper from the side, still holding the newspaper in his hands.
In fact, there was a line of adventurers alone in front of the girls sitting on either side of Paul, but no one in front of him. This was because the adventurers tended to be a group with a high percentage of males. And being male, they preferred to have a young, pretty girl at the reception desk, which Paul was not. In addition, the level of receptionists in the eastern branch of the guild was reputed to be better than the other three branches. It was also not uncommon for adventurers and guild employees to marry. No one had ever lined up in front of Paul, partly because of their job and partly because of their desire to get along with the girls. The reason Paul, who found himself working in the midst of the girls, was not the target of such rascals’ scorn was because he was a married man. Like the loving husband he was, Paul went straight home after work and didn’t get too involved with the girls. The whole guild knew this.
“Even reading the newspaper is an important part of the guild’s information gathering process, you know?”
“It’s all about suspicious gossip, isn’t it?”
“Newspapers these days also carry rumors about the social stage. It’s not to be underestimated. Oh… Marquis Cliffdorf’s son and Duke Mavis’ First Daughter have been having secret late night meetings… hmm…”
“Speaking of Duke Mavis’ First Daughter, isn’t she Prince Neumann’s fiancée? What an irresponsible rumor. I knew it was just full of gossip.”
“You fool! The seeds of truth can be found in these rumors.”
“…The next time Luria-senpai shows her face in the guild, I’ll have her scold you.”
“Let’s get to work! What do you want my help with, miss?”
“You’re lucky, aren’t you, senpai? Here comes someone.”
“Hmm?”
When she told him to turn around, Paul looked over and saw a girl.
“Hey, if it isn’t Seri-chan. What’s up, are you in the Adventurers Guild by yourself?”
“Good afternoon, Paul-san.”
Seri was a half-elven girl who worked at the Wandering Bird’s Nest. He had met her recently through being friends with Wynn and Leticia. She was a bit nervous about the chaotic atmosphere of the guild.
“Have you been asked to run any errands?”
“No, I was just wondering if Wynn-san had shown up yet.”
“Wynn?”
“Yes. I have a favor to ask.”
“Wynn…” When Paul heard the boy’s name, he let out a worried sigh. Then he scratched his head, wondering what to do. “Can you come with me for a minute?”
“Yes.”
Paul dragged his crippled leg and led Seri out the door to the guild’s training area, next to the stairs leading up to the second floor. The guild training room was about the same size as the guild hall. It was a place where adventurers could train in basic sword fighting and martial arts. Normally there would be several adventurers training there, but today there were none, as they had gone to work due to lack of staff. Paul checked to make sure no one was there.
“Uh, sorry. Wynn is not in the imperial capital right now, but on a secret mission.”
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
Going back in time a bit. On the delegation of the goodwill visit for the Kingdom of Lyon. The group consisted of 20 Royal Guard Knights, 60 Court Knights, 200 infantrymen and officers, and 200 retainers, servants and non-combatant people. In all, there were about 500 people. The final destination of the goodwill visit was, of course, the kingdom of Lyon, but it was also planned to visit villages and towns near the southern border that had been damaged by bandits believed to be commanded by Petersia. The kingdom of Lyon was a country that lay to the west when viewed from Simurgh, but the reason it was decided to take the longer route was to boost the morale of the people by having Alfred visit the southern border area where tensions with Petersia were rising. This was the idea of Marquis Welt von Cliffdorf, the head of the Central Knights.
After leaving the imperial capital, the group passed through the slums and plains, and approached a forest. Mountains and dense forests stretched out on both sides of the road. As they proceeded, they saw several small villages with a few dozen wooden houses scattered along the road, where people probably made a living by hunting animals in the mountains and forests and harvesting crops from the fields. They would rent some houses in one of these villages, which had been built by cutting down trees in the forest. In the villages where they were to stay, those who led the group would go around, asking for some houses to rent and food.
As the sun began to set, the group arrived at the village where they would be staying at the scheduled time. Leticia let out a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the carriage that had been assigned to her. They had taken several breaks along the way to change the horses in the carriage but sitting all the time was hard on her back. Although she was not dressed as she had been when she left the imperial capital, the maids Stacia had assigned her had forced her into beautiful clothes, and she was finally free of the cramped carriage.
Perhaps the nobles were unusual to see, for the young children of the village watched them as they were led by the others with puzzled expressions. They were probably past the age of five or so. When Leticia smiled and waved, a child ran out. She felt a little depressed.
“Well, what a lame…”
“I don’t think this kind of stable-like place is suitable for Her Highness or Leticia-sama to stay. Later, we should punish the people of this village for daring to provide such a place…”
“It is enough if it protects us from the rain and dew.”
With just those words, Leticia shushed the two maids Stacia and quickly entered the house they had been provided. The houses were rented for Alfred, Leticia and the nobles. Leticia was perfectly fine with staying out in the open, but this was a group that included the Crown Prince of the Empire, so that was not going to happen. The civilian officials, high nobility, and the attendants who waited on them, had the same attitude as Leticia’s maids. The straw mattresses and fur blankets were a bit of a shock to them, as they normally slept in warm, cotton-filled beds, wrapped in silk robes. However, this was a luxurious bed for the villagers. Despite her status as a duke’s daugther, Leticia had slept in caves, on dead leaves collected and, on the ground, covered with soft grass, so she felt bad when she saw them complaining without a second thought. Maybe it was because they were nobles accustomed to luxury, but, first of all, the noble class of the empire had to obtain at least the qualification of associate knight to be here. At the Simurgh Knight School or a private knight school in a local territory, there must have been field training, and they must have experienced camping in the course of that training, but looking at them, she couldn’t help but wonder if they had actually gone through such training.
After finishing dinner in silence with the two maids, Leticia got up to go out alone.
“I’m going to walk outside for a while.”
“Then we’ll accompany you as well.”
“Don’t worry. I’m just going for a little walk. Besides, our journey has just begun. If you don’t rest when you can, the rest of the trip will be hindered. Don’t worry about me and have a good night.”
With that, she asked the two maids who were about to follow her to refrain from doing so. After giving a few words of encouragement to the knight standing guard outside, Leticia slowly walked through the village. The sky was already dark. The knights were standing guard around the three houses the group had rented and the fires were burning brightly. Other than that, most of the village was shrouded in darkness, and the lights of the houses were visible at intervals.
“It is dark and dangerous to be alone.”
The knights patrolling the village for safety stopped her several times and offered to accompany her, but Leticia turned them all down. Careful not to step on the crops in the fields, she advanced along the side road toward the exit of the village. Outside the village, the knights, servants and attendants who were not on guard duty were camping in their tents. It was time for them to dine, and a lot of smoke was rising.
As soon as she was sure the worried knights were out of sight, Leticia quickly stepped into the shadows of the building and cast a spell. The next time she came into view, her appearance was that of a maid in civilian clothes. The “Illusory Costume” magic That way she looked a lot like Lino from Royce’s Squadron. Just like that, Leticia walked into the circle where the servants were eating and made her way to the place where their tents were pitched, one that was set up in the center of the circle.
Along the way, a man blocked Leticia as she made her way to the tent, but she whispered a few words to him, and he returned to his friends.
“Good evening.”
It was Cornelia and Lino, who should have stayed in the imperial capital, who welcomed Leticia, who entered the tent while undoing the “Illusory Costume” magic.
◇◆◇◆◇
“Delicious! Seriously, how can this be so tasty!”
“You’re being too loud, Locke… it’s embarrassing.”
“Gahaha, you’re right! Unlike the knights, we have to prepare our own meals. When it comes to eating under the sky like this, there’s no one more skilled than us.”
The servant, who was also eating behind Locke, laughed out loud and poured some of the contents of the pot into his empty bowl.
“Go on, eat, young man.”
“Oh, thanks, old man!”
Wynn laughed a little and went back to eating as Locke began to stuff the contents of his bowl into his mouth. As soon as the goodwill delegation from the Kingdom of Lyon left, Cornelia’s servants returned to the Imperial Palace and hurriedly prepared for their departure and they left the Imperial Capital. They caught up with the slowly advancing party and mingled with the subordinates and servants. No one noticed the encounter.
The subordinates and servants in the vicinity of Cornelia’s tent were adventurers that Wynn, at Alfred’s urging, had arranged with Paul. All were veterans of the eastern branch of the Adventurers Guild, and all knew Wynn. Many of them were more skilled than those who accompanied them as soldiers. If you watched them closely, you would notice that even while they were dining, drinking and chatting, they maintained impeccable manners. The drunk who blocked Leticia’s path earlier was also one of the adventurers.
“Yeah, that was good.”
After three more bowls, Locke rubbed his swollen belly and took a sip of tea. The soup was a simple mixture of barley, beans, potatoes and some kind of meat, seasoned with salt and herbs, but it was delicious. At the very least, it was certainly better than the food the knights had eaten on their previous expedition to the Petersian frontier. That too was only natural. For military rations carried by the Transport Corps, preservation was the first priority, and seasoning was secondary. For the Knights of the Empire, the idea was that as long as you had a full stomach, that was all that mattered. In contrast, adventurers, who tended to travel for long periods of time, tended to be very picky about the food they ate as a way to relax during their travels. Of course, they were limited in the amount of luggage they could carry due to their long journeys, but in addition to salt, they used herbs that did not take up much space to add flavor. Many of them carried some dried fruit and other sweets, as well as expensive sugar confections, as a small treat on their long journeys. This was a new surprise to Wynn, who had worked as an adventurer, and to Kelvin, who had no experience as an adventurer, but had interacted with mercenaries when he was at the front, as well as to Locke and Wedge, who were only familiar with the rations of the knights.
The wood emitted a loud, sharp crackling sound and sparks flew from the fire. Around the fire were the four men: Kelvin, the second in command, Wynn, Locke, and Wedge. The captain, Royce, had separated from the group. The other member of the team, Lino, remained in Cornelia’s tent. The four of them stood a little further away from the adventurers disguised as servants. The adventurers who to some extent knew who they were, took turns guarding the area, so it was good that the four of them didn’t have to pay attention to their surroundings. It was also good that the knights and soldiers who didn’t know what was going on were staying away from this place where the lowly servants were camped.
As Wynn watched the flickering flames and took a dried grape from the bag and popped it into his mouth, Locke spoke.
“Hey, Wynn.”
“Hmm?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you, Leticia-sama or Cornelia-sama. which one do you choose?”
“Bwah!” The dried grape popped out of his mouth and fell into the fire. “What do you mean, which one do I choose!”
“I mean, I’m aware that Leticia-sama likes you, but Cornelia-sama has been spending a lot of time with you lately, hasn’t she? I was wondering which of the two you like better, Wynn.”
Lately, Cornelia had been following Wynn around for quite some time. Locke noticed, and apparently, Leticia seemed to have noticed as well. Getting to the point that when Wynn and Cornelia were talking together, Leticia seemed to be slightly uneasy. From Leticia’s point of view, an attractive woman had appeared near the man she loved even more than her family. It was no wonder she was behaving strangely.
“Ah, I too am curious about the relationship between Wynn-kun and them.”
“…Even the vice-captain.”
“Of course. Leticia-sama or Cornelia-sama. It is a matter of great concern for the people of this empire to be interested in the marriage partners of the two of them,” Kelvin said with a straight face. “They are at an age where it’s not unusual for them to think about marriage.”
“But what do I have to do there?”
“Because they don’t have anyone closer and of the opposite sex and their age.”
“You’re already a knight, and besides, you’re ‘The Master of the Brave’. It wouldn’t be strange if you ended up being the princess’s partner instead of Leticia-sama, would it?”
“I’m only called that because it was Letty who said so, it’s not a title I earned by accomplishing something on my own. I’m not worthy of Letty and Cornelia-sama right now, no matter how many times I try.”
Although, from the perspective of other countries, it doesn’t seem so… Kelvin smiled slightly as he stirred the sake the adventurers shared with him after dinner.
Not only in Leticia, but there were also many people outside the empire who saw value in Wynn, her mentor. In fact, there would be several countries that would approach him with offers of marriage now that he was a knight.
“In any case, I’m too busy now fulfilling my duties to think about that right now.”
Grabbing one of the piles of firewood at his feet, Wynn roughly tossed it into the fire. Sparks from the fire flew, tinging the night sky red as they rose and disappeared.
“Although, for Leticia-sama, no matter who she ends up with besides you, it will surely be an unwanted marriage.”
If Wynn were to ask her to marry him, Leticia-sama would probably accept immediately. Locke thought as he looked sideways at Wynn’s face.
If it were Leticia, any offer of marriage would be to some royal family or some noble from any major country. In addition to fame, Leticia had a reputation for unparalleled beauty. Lately, her body had matured, and her feminine charm had become even more refined. Locke had heard that the head of the Mavis family, Lektor, received many arranged marriage proposals. However, no matter how noble the family and no matter how nice the man, Leticia would never be able to develop a greater affection for another man than for Wynn. But, alas, the household of a high-ranking noble was not something that could be managed by her will alone. It would be possible for Leticia to do his bidding and give up everything, but that would not satisfy Wynn. If he wanted to live in the empire with Leticia, he would have to make achievements that would convince the people around him.
I asked out of curiosity, but it is a difficult path for both Wynn-kun and Leticia-sama. On the other hand, Kelvin, who was sitting on the other side of the campfire observing his subordinates, was also thinking about the same thing as Locke, but was equally pondering about their duties. I see… the reason why we are participating in this operation this time is also for the purpose of Wynn-kun’s greater achievements, isn’t it? He stroked his chin and thought of his superior’s face, Royce. It means that His Highness Alfred is seriously thinking about Her Highness Cornelia as well… the captain is also doing something quite troublesome.
If you thought about it from Alfred’s point of view, the worst thing that could happen to the Empire would be for Leticia to flee to another country. If Wynn was the one who held the key to Leticia’s movements, the Empire would probably be willing to turn the princess over to him.
In other countries, the princess of a large country would never be given to a mere vassal, let alone a family of knights. Even if the royal family would allow it, the people around her, including the nobles, would not. Unlike other countries, however, the empire firmly respected the wishes of the royal family when it came to marriage. Fortunately, Cornelia seemed to have favorable feelings toward Wynn. However, there would be much opposition from the people around her. And even if there were no overt criticism, it was clear that Wynn would have to have a clear track record to silence the people around her.
Apparently, the role we are expected to play is….
“I’d like to have a girlfriend too. Even Wedge has Lino…”
“Letty and Cornelia already have someone…”
“I don’t have that kind of relationship with Lino.”
“Shut up, that’s what it looks like from the side.”
Following Wynn, Wedge, who had been quietly listening to the three of them from earlier, raised his voice to rebut, but Locke wouldn’t let him.
“I knew Locke was popular with the girls when he visited the various stores in town.”
“It’s not that I’m the popular one! It’s the sign behind me that says ‘Marine Trading Company’ that’s so popular! Don’t say it, it makes me sad…”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
“That’s what I mean. Yeah, just like Wynn and Wedge, I want a girlfriend who is my childhood friend, kind and cute. I mean, Wynn is privileged and has a flower in both hands! What kind of story is this, a hero’s story?”
“They say heroes tend to have more than one woman.”
“Oh, Wedge has a point. Damn, I think the captain was married too… so it’s just me and the vice-captain.”
“What are you talking about? I have a wife and kids too, you know.”
“Huh?” They said in unison. Eyes wide open, the three of them looked at the face of the vice-captain, a man who always had a smile on his face.
“When I was your age, I was already married. I didn’t bring them to the Imperial Capital, but I have a house near the captain’s residence, Elstead County.”
“Really… does that mean I’m the only one who’s single?”
“No, it’s not like I have a girlfriend yet either…”
“You shut up, Wynn! At least, the way you and Leticia-sama are together, you’re a couple no matter how you look at it! You bastard!”
“Yes, yes, Locke-san. The fact that Wynn-kun and Leticia-sama are getting along so well is something we are very happy about in the Empire. Though there are some people who don’t think so…”
The last half of Kelvin’s words were such a low murmur that it was almost inaudible. Kelvin’s face, whose mouth showed a smile, emanated an indescribably powerful aura as it was illuminated by the flames. Looking around at the saliva-swallowing boys, Kelvin waved a hand at Locke. As he stood up and came before him, Kelvin waved his hand for him to bend down and whispered in his ear.
“Now, Locke-san, you may be the only single guy in the squadron, but…”
“Uh, yeah?”
“I’ll tell you one good thing: the role we’re expected to play when we’re with Wynn-san is to help him achieve accomplishments. It’s a very important role for the Empire’s national interest, you know, if we fail at this…”
“…If we fail… what?”
“You will be transferred to the frontier and spend the rest of your life there. In a remote area, deep in the mountains, in a village where there are only old people, you will be alone for the rest of your life without knowing anyone…”
Kelvin stood up, wiping dust from his knees, with a faint smile. Locke turned blue.
“So, by this time the women should be ready. Let’s go back to Cornelia-sama’s tent.”
◇◆◇◆◇
The four of them thanked the adventurers around them and started walking towards Cornelia’s tent. On both sides of the narrow road in front of the village entrance, which was not very wide, people were making campfires and setting up tents. As they walked, Wynn and Locke talked.
“Well, I hope Lino is all right.”
“Letty and Lino have quite a height difference, so I wonder if they’ll notice.”
On this mission, Lino’s role was to double for Leticia. There were two main reasons why Lino was chosen for this role. The first was that very few people had had contact with Leticia, and the second was that there was no one else who could do the job. Lino was very reluctant to take on this task, but when ordered to do so, she had no choice but to exchange clothes with Leticia, who was visiting the tent, and reluctantly change.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine with her height if she wears shoes with platforms. If she also wore chest padding, she should be able to pass for Leticia-sama in her travel clothes. But it’s just that…”
“What’s wrong?”
Locke turned his head and looked at Wedge, who was walking behind him.
“Wedge, don’t get mad, okay? Lino has a pretty nice face, there’s no doubt about that, but compared to Leticia-sama…”
“I’m not angry. Rather, it’s rather absurd to compare her to Leticia-sama.”
“I know, right?”
“S-Seriously?”
Locke and Wynn looked at Wedge with dumbfounded eyes.
“This is what those who die are usually… used to seeing.”
“Gu…”
“Now, now, Locke-san,” said Kelvin, who was walking beside Wedge, with a wry smile. “If she’s traveling, the ‘Illusionary Costume’ magic and makeup will be enough to disguise her appearance. Fortunately, Leticia-sama doesn’t participate in social gatherings or other public appearances and, thanks to that, not many people have seen her well. The problem is the two maids Stacia-sama gave her, but since Leticia-sama doesn’t seem to like being reminded of home, if she insists on being left alone, they won’t be around all the time.”
“Letty’s aversion to her home suits her here?”
“It is as you say, Wynn-kun. But I can’t deny that Lino-san has been given a troublesome role,” Kelvin said with a wry smile.
It was customary for the royal family and high-ranking nobles to hire people to use as doubles. However, due to Leticia’s position as the youngest daughter, there was no such thing. Moreover, when she was young, she was treated as a nuisance and had no servant by her side. After gaining fame as the Brave, the Ducal House hastened to provide her with a maid, but Leticia was only given one to keep her room. On this trip, Stacia forcibly assigned her two maids, but if Leticia asked to be left alone, they would not insist on accompanying her. And with regard to the two maids assigned by Stacia, Royce did not seem to think that they had been assigned to Leticia just to maintain the reputation of the Mavis family. Perhaps the purpose was to keep an eye on Leticia and, in some cases, to eliminate or refrain her. Alfred and Royce had guessed that the Cliffdorf faction would attack at some point on this trip. In that case, the one who would stand in the way would be Leticia.
But how would they neutralize her? Maybe they would use a potion, but….
This was another reason why Lino was chosen to take Leticia’s place. As the only daughter of an apothecary, she was unlikely to inherit the family business, but even so, she had been instilled with knowledge to the point of being able to identify poisons in food. In this sense, she was the perfect person to take Leticia’s place.
Or maybe they’re not thinking about her strength, or something superficial like that.
But Kelvin had crossed swords with Leticia, albeit superficially. He wasn’t sure she could be seriously neutralized with brute force. However, though unlikely, it was possible that high-ranking nobles took such measures. They learned to use swords at the knight school, but rarely went to the front. Many of them had never seen a demon with their own eyes, so they would not be able to gauge Leticia’s skills from the few times they had seen her at banquets. The normal Leticia was simply an extraordinarily beautiful girl.
The once mighty kingdom of Thane was destroyed simply because the demon king manifested there. It was easy to understand that the girl who destroyed that demon king was not just beautiful, and it was possible that such high-ranking nobles who had never witnessed the horror of demons did not really understand. For them, the war against demons was a very distant event. As long as they spent their daily lives in a safe place and enjoyed themselves, someone would take care of it. That was all. As Kelvin was thinking, the four of them had arrived at Cornelia’s tent.
“Well, I’m looking forward to seeing if Lino manages to pull off his transformation successfully,” Locke said cheerfully from outside the tent, lifted the curtain at the entrance, walked in and stopped there.
“What’s the matter, Locke?,” said Wynn, who was about to follow him into the tent, bumping into him a little when he suddenly stopped. Then he walked in, dodging him, and stopped as well.
They both opened their eyes and stared at the girl standing between Leticia and Cornelia.
“…Huh? Is that Lino?”
After a brief pause, Wynn muttered, and pointed at her.
“Buahaha!” Locke let out a laugh.
Lino looked at Locke; her body trembled. She was wearing a long blonde wig and dressed in the travel clothes Leticia had worn earlier.
“It’s impolite to laugh so suddenly! I don’t dress like this because I want to!” Lino raised her head angrily and walked over to Locke.
“No, no, no, Lino. It looks good on you, but have you seen your height? I expected it, but you’re still too small. I’m sure you can blend in by stuffing your breasts, but isn’t it a bit of a stretch to say you can fake your height with shoes?” he continued to laugh as he said this.
“Hey, Wedge. shut him!”
Wedge, who had followed Wynn and Locke into the tent, responded to Lino’s plea by dropping his fist on Locke’s head with a thud. Lino stuck out her tongue to taunt Locke, who fell to the floor.
“It looks good on you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Wedge said, and Lino smiled sheepishly, completely changing her attitude.
“But wow, Lino. It looks pretty good on you,” Kelvin, who was the last to enter, said with a smile and clapped his hands. “With the ‘Illusionary Costume’ magic and makeup, I think you’ll be able to fake her pretty well.”
“Vice-captain… do you really think it’s all right?” Lino said bitterly to his superior officer, partially hiding behind Wedge’s massive body.
“Well, with a little more padding on the chest… wait, Lino-san. I’m your superior officer, remember? And I mean it, so don’t try to throw Wedge-san at me. I’m sure you can hide your height with shoes, but you don’t have to be exactly the same height as Leticia-sama. You’re not close enough to those two maids to have them compare their heights, are you?”
The last part of Kelvin’s words was directed at Leticia.
“Yes, you are right. I preferred to be alone in the mansion, so I thought that, if I didn’t let them be near me all the time, they wouldn’t cause me any discomfort.”
“Well, if it comes to that, we can always get rid of those two maids.”
After making a quick, outrageous statement, Kelvin turned to Cornelia who was at the back of the tent.
“Onii-chan.” Leticia walked over to where Wynn was standing, who was holding Locke.
“A-Ah, Letty.” Wynn fidgeted a little, remembering the conversation they had around the campfire.
“Thanks to Paul-san managing to organize the people, we were able to leave quietly. I’ll have to go thank him when I get back to the Imperial Capital,” Leticia, who knew nothing of the men’s earlier conversation, said as she tilted her head curiously at Wynn’s somewhat anxious look.
“Oh, shoot… Wedge, you really hit me hard…”
“I’m not going to say anything about that because it’s your fault.”
“Damn… oh, Leticia-sama. Thanks for the hard work.” Seeing Leticia standing next to Wynn, Locke greeted her. Then he smiled as he saw that Wynn was a little nervous.
He realized why Wynn was that way.
“Wynn-kun, Wynn-kun.”
Lino said to Wynn, who had been watching with his eyes half closed, wondering how his best friend, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, was going to defend himself. She came closer, too. Then, with a little wave of her hand, she motioned Wynn to bend down and whispered in his ear.
“You can be happy, Wynn-kun. Leticia-sama is getting bigger and bigger.”
“What the hell are you talking about!” He couldn’t help but raise his voice.
“What do you mean, what am I saying? I mean…”
“You don’t have to say it!” After interrupting Lino’s statement, Wynn turned his back on the two of them and walked over to where Kelvin was standing.
Leticia was at his side, looking shocked. Locke was laughing, hitting the floor from laughter.
If he went with Kelvin, he would find Cornelia there, and Wynn almost stopped for a moment. Cornelia approached Wynn with a quiet step and gave him a coy smile.
All because of what Locke said…
Leticia and Cornelia. There was no doubt that they were both wonderful women. They were both fond of him. He had tried not to be aware of it, but now that Locke had told him, he could no longer do so. In all honesty, he didn’t think he could keep up with the two of them at this point.
I wonder if I’ll be able to accomplish enough on my own to stand by Letty’s side, then I won’t have to think about it.
Chapter 90 – Top secret mission
Alfred’s visit to the Kingdom of Lyon had long been planned, but his departure was very sudden. However, a large number of people gathered in the imperial capital to see the crown prince and the greatest hero ever born, both from their country. Whenever there is a crowd, it is an opportunity for business. Merchants called out to the crowd, causing them to loosen their wallets. Artisans would get off work early and enjoy a drink with the hustle and bustle of the city.
When people gather, problems can arise, and that’s where the Adventurers Guild comes in handy. The eastern branch of the Simurgh Adventurers Guild was busier than usual. The Adventurers Guild, which handled a variety of tasks that could not be handled by the city guards alone, had been receiving many requests today. However, the Eastern Branch of the Adventurers Guild was taking on a lot of work, and all the veterans had already left. The remaining newcomers, those with only a smattering of skills, and those from out of town were somehow able to manage. Waves of people had been pouring into the guild’s reception area all morning, keeping many of the staff giddily busy, except for one.
“Hey, do your job. Please, senpai.”
Three employees were sitting at the reception desk. One of them, Paul, was looking at the newspaper, while his colleagues were busy with their work. That day, he received a complaint from one of the girls sitting next to him.
“Even if you tell me that, it can’t be helped, since no one stands in front of my counter.” Paul responded to the girl’s whisper from the side, still holding the newspaper in his hands.
In fact, there was a line of adventurers alone in front of the girls sitting on either side of Paul, but no one in front of him. This was because the adventurers tended to be a group with a high percentage of males. And being male, they preferred to have a young, pretty girl at the reception desk, which Paul was not. In addition, the level of receptionists in the eastern branch of the guild was reputed to be better than the other three branches. It was also not uncommon for adventurers and guild employees to marry. No one had ever lined up in front of Paul, partly because of their job and partly because of their desire to get along with the girls. The reason Paul, who found himself working in the midst of the girls, was not the target of such rascals’ scorn was because he was a married man. Like the loving husband he was, Paul went straight home after work and didn’t get too involved with the girls. The whole guild knew this.
“Even reading the newspaper is an important part of the guild’s information gathering process, you know?”
“It’s all about suspicious gossip, isn’t it?”
“Newspapers these days also carry rumors about the social stage. It’s not to be underestimated. Oh… Marquis Cliffdorf’s son and Duke Mavis’ First Daughter have been having secret late night meetings… hmm…”
“Speaking of Duke Mavis’ First Daughter, isn’t she Prince Neumann’s fiancée? What an irresponsible rumor. I knew it was just full of gossip.”
“You fool! The seeds of truth can be found in these rumors.”
“…The next time Luria-senpai shows her face in the guild, I’ll have her scold you.”
“Let’s get to work! What do you want my help with, miss?”
“You’re lucky, aren’t you, senpai? Here comes someone.”
“Hmm?”
When she told him to turn around, Paul looked over and saw a girl.
“Hey, if it isn’t Seri-chan. What’s up, are you in the Adventurers Guild by yourself?”
“Good afternoon, Paul-san.”
Seri was a half-elven girl who worked at the Wandering Bird’s Nest. He had met her recently through being friends with Wynn and Leticia. She was a bit nervous about the chaotic atmosphere of the guild.
“Have you been asked to run any errands?”
“No, I was just wondering if Wynn-san had shown up yet.”
“Wynn?”
“Yes. I have a favor to ask.”
“Wynn…” When Paul heard the boy’s name, he let out a worried sigh. Then he scratched his head, wondering what to do. “Can you come with me for a minute?”
“Yes.”
Paul dragged his crippled leg and led Seri out the door to the guild’s training area, next to the stairs leading up to the second floor. The guild training room was about the same size as the guild hall. It was a place where adventurers could train in basic sword fighting and martial arts. Normally there would be several adventurers training there, but today there were none, as they had gone to work due to lack of staff. Paul checked to make sure no one was there.
“Uh, sorry. Wynn is not in the imperial capital right now, but on a secret mission.”
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
Going back in time a bit. On the delegation of the goodwill visit for the Kingdom of Lyon. The group consisted of 20 Royal Guard Knights, 60 Court Knights, 200 infantrymen and officers, and 200 retainers, servants and non-combatant people. In all, there were about 500 people. The final destination of the goodwill visit was, of course, the kingdom of Lyon, but it was also planned to visit villages and towns near the southern border that had been damaged by bandits believed to be commanded by Petersia. The kingdom of Lyon was a country that lay to the west when viewed from Simurgh, but the reason it was decided to take the longer route was to boost the morale of the people by having Alfred visit the southern border area where tensions with Petersia were rising. This was the idea of Marquis Welt von Cliffdorf, the head of the Central Knights.
After leaving the imperial capital, the group passed through the slums and plains, and approached a forest. Mountains and dense forests stretched out on both sides of the road. As they proceeded, they saw several small villages with a few dozen wooden houses scattered along the road, where people probably made a living by hunting animals in the mountains and forests and harvesting crops from the fields. They would rent some houses in one of these villages, which had been built by cutting down trees in the forest. In the villages where they were to stay, those who led the group would go around, asking for some houses to rent and food.
As the sun began to set, the group arrived at the village where they would be staying at the scheduled time. Leticia let out a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the carriage that had been assigned to her. They had taken several breaks along the way to change the horses in the carriage but sitting all the time was hard on her back. Although she was not dressed as she had been when she left the imperial capital, the maids Stacia had assigned her had forced her into beautiful clothes, and she was finally free of the cramped carriage.
Perhaps the nobles were unusual to see, for the young children of the village watched them as they were led by the others with puzzled expressions. They were probably past the age of five or so. When Leticia smiled and waved, a child ran out. She felt a little depressed.
“Well, what a lame…”
“I don’t think this kind of stable-like place is suitable for Her Highness or Leticia-sama to stay. Later, we should punish the people of this village for daring to provide such a place…”
“It is enough if it protects us from the rain and dew.”
With just those words, Leticia shushed the two maids Stacia and quickly entered the house they had been provided. The houses were rented for Alfred, Leticia and the nobles. Leticia was perfectly fine with staying out in the open, but this was a group that included the Crown Prince of the Empire, so that was not going to happen. The civilian officials, high nobility, and the attendants who waited on them, had the same attitude as Leticia’s maids. The straw mattresses and fur blankets were a bit of a shock to them, as they normally slept in warm, cotton-filled beds, wrapped in silk robes. However, this was a luxurious bed for the villagers. Despite her status as a duke’s daugther, Leticia had slept in caves, on dead leaves collected and, on the ground, covered with soft grass, so she felt bad when she saw them complaining without a second thought. Maybe it was because they were nobles accustomed to luxury, but, first of all, the noble class of the empire had to obtain at least the qualification of associate knight to be here. At the Simurgh Knight School or a private knight school in a local territory, there must have been field training, and they must have experienced camping in the course of that training, but looking at them, she couldn’t help but wonder if they had actually gone through such training.
After finishing dinner in silence with the two maids, Leticia got up to go out alone.
“I’m going to walk outside for a while.”
“Then we’ll accompany you as well.”
“Don’t worry. I’m just going for a little walk. Besides, our journey has just begun. If you don’t rest when you can, the rest of the trip will be hindered. Don’t worry about me and have a good night.”
With that, she asked the two maids who were about to follow her to refrain from doing so. After giving a few words of encouragement to the knight standing guard outside, Leticia slowly walked through the village. The sky was already dark. The knights were standing guard around the three houses the group had rented and the fires were burning brightly. Other than that, most of the village was shrouded in darkness, and the lights of the houses were visible at intervals.
“It is dark and dangerous to be alone.”
The knights patrolling the village for safety stopped her several times and offered to accompany her, but Leticia turned them all down. Careful not to step on the crops in the fields, she advanced along the side road toward the exit of the village. Outside the village, the knights, servants and attendants who were not on guard duty were camping in their tents. It was time for them to dine, and a lot of smoke was rising.
As soon as she was sure the worried knights were out of sight, Leticia quickly stepped into the shadows of the building and cast a spell. The next time she came into view, her appearance was that of a maid in civilian clothes. The “Illusory Costume” magic That way she looked a lot like Lino from Royce’s Squadron. Just like that, Leticia walked into the circle where the servants were eating and made her way to the place where their tents were pitched, one that was set up in the center of the circle.
Along the way, a man blocked Leticia as she made her way to the tent, but she whispered a few words to him, and he returned to his friends.
“Good evening.”
It was Cornelia and Lino, who should have stayed in the imperial capital, who welcomed Leticia, who entered the tent while undoing the “Illusory Costume” magic.
◇◆◇◆◇
“Delicious! Seriously, how can this be so tasty!”
“You’re being too loud, Locke… it’s embarrassing.”
“Gahaha, you’re right! Unlike the knights, we have to prepare our own meals. When it comes to eating under the sky like this, there’s no one more skilled than us.”
The servant, who was also eating behind Locke, laughed out loud and poured some of the contents of the pot into his empty bowl.
“Go on, eat, young man.”
“Oh, thanks, old man!”
Wynn laughed a little and went back to eating as Locke began to stuff the contents of his bowl into his mouth. As soon as the goodwill delegation from the Kingdom of Lyon left, Cornelia’s servants returned to the Imperial Palace and hurriedly prepared for their departure and they left the Imperial Capital. They caught up with the slowly advancing party and mingled with the subordinates and servants. No one noticed the encounter.
The subordinates and servants in the vicinity of Cornelia’s tent were adventurers that Wynn, at Alfred’s urging, had arranged with Paul. All were veterans of the eastern branch of the Adventurers Guild, and all knew Wynn. Many of them were more skilled than those who accompanied them as soldiers. If you watched them closely, you would notice that even while they were dining, drinking and chatting, they maintained impeccable manners. The drunk who blocked Leticia’s path earlier was also one of the adventurers.
“Yeah, that was good.”
After three more bowls, Locke rubbed his swollen belly and took a sip of tea. The soup was a simple mixture of barley, beans, potatoes and some kind of meat, seasoned with salt and herbs, but it was delicious. At the very least, it was certainly better than the food the knights had eaten on their previous expedition to the Petersian frontier. That too was only natural. For military rations carried by the Transport Corps, preservation was the first priority, and seasoning was secondary. For the Knights of the Empire, the idea was that as long as you had a full stomach, that was all that mattered. In contrast, adventurers, who tended to travel for long periods of time, tended to be very picky about the food they ate as a way to relax during their travels. Of course, they were limited in the amount of luggage they could carry due to their long journeys, but in addition to salt, they used herbs that did not take up much space to add flavor. Many of them carried some dried fruit and other sweets, as well as expensive sugar confections, as a small treat on their long journeys. This was a new surprise to Wynn, who had worked as an adventurer, and to Kelvin, who had no experience as an adventurer, but had interacted with mercenaries when he was at the front, as well as to Locke and Wedge, who were only familiar with the rations of the knights.
The wood emitted a loud, sharp crackling sound and sparks flew from the fire. Around the fire were the four men: Kelvin, the second in command, Wynn, Locke, and Wedge. The captain, Royce, had separated from the group. The other member of the team, Lino, remained in Cornelia’s tent. The four of them stood a little further away from the adventurers disguised as servants. The adventurers who to some extent knew who they were, took turns guarding the area, so it was good that the four of them didn’t have to pay attention to their surroundings. It was also good that the knights and soldiers who didn’t know what was going on were staying away from this place where the lowly servants were camped.
As Wynn watched the flickering flames and took a dried grape from the bag and popped it into his mouth, Locke spoke.
“Hey, Wynn.”
“Hmm?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you, Leticia-sama or Cornelia-sama. which one do you choose?”
“Bwah!” The dried grape popped out of his mouth and fell into the fire. “What do you mean, which one do I choose!”
“I mean, I’m aware that Leticia-sama likes you, but Cornelia-sama has been spending a lot of time with you lately, hasn’t she? I was wondering which of the two you like better, Wynn.”
Lately, Cornelia had been following Wynn around for quite some time. Locke noticed, and apparently, Leticia seemed to have noticed as well. Getting to the point that when Wynn and Cornelia were talking together, Leticia seemed to be slightly uneasy. From Leticia’s point of view, an attractive woman had appeared near the man she loved even more than her family. It was no wonder she was behaving strangely.
“Ah, I too am curious about the relationship between Wynn-kun and them.”
“…Even the vice-captain.”
“Of course. Leticia-sama or Cornelia-sama. It is a matter of great concern for the people of this empire to be interested in the marriage partners of the two of them,” Kelvin said with a straight face. “They are at an age where it’s not unusual for them to think about marriage.”
“But what do I have to do there?”
“Because they don’t have anyone closer and of the opposite sex and their age.”
“You’re already a knight, and besides, you’re ‘The Master of the Brave’. It wouldn’t be strange if you ended up being the princess’s partner instead of Leticia-sama, would it?”
“I’m only called that because it was Letty who said so, it’s not a title I earned by accomplishing something on my own. I’m not worthy of Letty and Cornelia-sama right now, no matter how many times I try.”
Although, from the perspective of other countries, it doesn’t seem so… Kelvin smiled slightly as he stirred the sake the adventurers shared with him after dinner.
Not only in Leticia, but there were also many people outside the empire who saw value in Wynn, her mentor. In fact, there would be several countries that would approach him with offers of marriage now that he was a knight.
“In any case, I’m too busy now fulfilling my duties to think about that right now.”
Grabbing one of the piles of firewood at his feet, Wynn roughly tossed it into the fire. Sparks from the fire flew, tinging the night sky red as they rose and disappeared.
“Although, for Leticia-sama, no matter who she ends up with besides you, it will surely be an unwanted marriage.”
If Wynn were to ask her to marry him, Leticia-sama would probably accept immediately. Locke thought as he looked sideways at Wynn’s face.
If it were Leticia, any offer of marriage would be to some royal family or some noble from any major country. In addition to fame, Leticia had a reputation for unparalleled beauty. Lately, her body had matured, and her feminine charm had become even more refined. Locke had heard that the head of the Mavis family, Lektor, received many arranged marriage proposals. However, no matter how noble the family and no matter how nice the man, Leticia would never be able to develop a greater affection for another man than for Wynn. But, alas, the household of a high-ranking noble was not something that could be managed by her will alone. It would be possible for Leticia to do his bidding and give up everything, but that would not satisfy Wynn. If he wanted to live in the empire with Leticia, he would have to make achievements that would convince the people around him.
I asked out of curiosity, but it is a difficult path for both Wynn-kun and Leticia-sama. On the other hand, Kelvin, who was sitting on the other side of the campfire observing his subordinates, was also thinking about the same thing as Locke, but was equally pondering about their duties. I see… the reason why we are participating in this operation this time is also for the purpose of Wynn-kun’s greater achievements, isn’t it? He stroked his chin and thought of his superior’s face, Royce. It means that His Highness Alfred is seriously thinking about Her Highness Cornelia as well… the captain is also doing something quite troublesome.
If you thought about it from Alfred’s point of view, the worst thing that could happen to the Empire would be for Leticia to flee to another country. If Wynn was the one who held the key to Leticia’s movements, the Empire would probably be willing to turn the princess over to him.
In other countries, the princess of a large country would never be given to a mere vassal, let alone a family of knights. Even if the royal family would allow it, the people around her, including the nobles, would not. Unlike other countries, however, the empire firmly respected the wishes of the royal family when it came to marriage. Fortunately, Cornelia seemed to have favorable feelings toward Wynn. However, there would be much opposition from the people around her. And even if there were no overt criticism, it was clear that Wynn would have to have a clear track record to silence the people around her.
Apparently, the role we are expected to play is….
“I’d like to have a girlfriend too. Even Wedge has Lino…”
“Letty and Cornelia already have someone…”
“I don’t have that kind of relationship with Lino.”
“Shut up, that’s what it looks like from the side.”
Following Wynn, Wedge, who had been quietly listening to the three of them from earlier, raised his voice to rebut, but Locke wouldn’t let him.
“I knew Locke was popular with the girls when he visited the various stores in town.”
“It’s not that I’m the popular one! It’s the sign behind me that says ‘Marine Trading Company’ that’s so popular! Don’t say it, it makes me sad…”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
“That’s what I mean. Yeah, just like Wynn and Wedge, I want a girlfriend who is my childhood friend, kind and cute. I mean, Wynn is privileged and has a flower in both hands! What kind of story is this, a hero’s story?”
“They say heroes tend to have more than one woman.”
“Oh, Wedge has a point. Damn, I think the captain was married too… so it’s just me and the vice-captain.”
“What are you talking about? I have a wife and kids too, you know.”
“Huh?” They said in unison. Eyes wide open, the three of them looked at the face of the vice-captain, a man who always had a smile on his face.
“When I was your age, I was already married. I didn’t bring them to the Imperial Capital, but I have a house near the captain’s residence, Elstead County.”
“Really… does that mean I’m the only one who’s single?”
“No, it’s not like I have a girlfriend yet either…”
“You shut up, Wynn! At least, the way you and Leticia-sama are together, you’re a couple no matter how you look at it! You bastard!”
“Yes, yes, Locke-san. The fact that Wynn-kun and Leticia-sama are getting along so well is something we are very happy about in the Empire. Though there are some people who don’t think so…”
The last half of Kelvin’s words were such a low murmur that it was almost inaudible. Kelvin’s face, whose mouth showed a smile, emanated an indescribably powerful aura as it was illuminated by the flames. Looking around at the saliva-swallowing boys, Kelvin waved a hand at Locke. As he stood up and came before him, Kelvin waved his hand for him to bend down and whispered in his ear.
“Now, Locke-san, you may be the only single guy in the squadron, but…”
“Uh, yeah?”
“I’ll tell you one good thing: the role we’re expected to play when we’re with Wynn-san is to help him achieve accomplishments. It’s a very important role for the Empire’s national interest, you know, if we fail at this…”
“…If we fail… what?”
“You will be transferred to the frontier and spend the rest of your life there. In a remote area, deep in the mountains, in a village where there are only old people, you will be alone for the rest of your life without knowing anyone…”
Kelvin stood up, wiping dust from his knees, with a faint smile. Locke turned blue.
“So, by this time the women should be ready. Let’s go back to Cornelia-sama’s tent.”
◇◆◇◆◇
The four of them thanked the adventurers around them and started walking towards Cornelia’s tent. On both sides of the narrow road in front of the village entrance, which was not very wide, people were making campfires and setting up tents. As they walked, Wynn and Locke talked.
“Well, I hope Lino is all right.”
“Letty and Lino have quite a height difference, so I wonder if they’ll notice.”
On this mission, Lino’s role was to double for Leticia. There were two main reasons why Lino was chosen for this role. The first was that very few people had had contact with Leticia, and the second was that there was no one else who could do the job. Lino was very reluctant to take on this task, but when ordered to do so, she had no choice but to exchange clothes with Leticia, who was visiting the tent, and reluctantly change.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine with her height if she wears shoes with platforms. If she also wore chest padding, she should be able to pass for Leticia-sama in her travel clothes. But it’s just that…”
“What’s wrong?”
Locke turned his head and looked at Wedge, who was walking behind him.
“Wedge, don’t get mad, okay? Lino has a pretty nice face, there’s no doubt about that, but compared to Leticia-sama…”
“I’m not angry. Rather, it’s rather absurd to compare her to Leticia-sama.”
“I know, right?”
“S-Seriously?”
Locke and Wynn looked at Wedge with dumbfounded eyes.
“This is what those who die are usually… used to seeing.”
“Gu…”
“Now, now, Locke-san,” said Kelvin, who was walking beside Wedge, with a wry smile. “If she’s traveling, the ‘Illusionary Costume’ magic and makeup will be enough to disguise her appearance. Fortunately, Leticia-sama doesn’t participate in social gatherings or other public appearances and, thanks to that, not many people have seen her well. The problem is the two maids Stacia-sama gave her, but since Leticia-sama doesn’t seem to like being reminded of home, if she insists on being left alone, they won’t be around all the time.”
“Letty’s aversion to her home suits her here?”
“It is as you say, Wynn-kun. But I can’t deny that Lino-san has been given a troublesome role,” Kelvin said with a wry smile.
It was customary for the royal family and high-ranking nobles to hire people to use as doubles. However, due to Leticia’s position as the youngest daughter, there was no such thing. Moreover, when she was young, she was treated as a nuisance and had no servant by her side. After gaining fame as the Brave, the Ducal House hastened to provide her with a maid, but Leticia was only given one to keep her room. On this trip, Stacia forcibly assigned her two maids, but if Leticia asked to be left alone, they would not insist on accompanying her. And with regard to the two maids assigned by Stacia, Royce did not seem to think that they had been assigned to Leticia just to maintain the reputation of the Mavis family. Perhaps the purpose was to keep an eye on Leticia and, in some cases, to eliminate or refrain her. Alfred and Royce had guessed that the Cliffdorf faction would attack at some point on this trip. In that case, the one who would stand in the way would be Leticia.
But how would they neutralize her? Maybe they would use a potion, but….
This was another reason why Lino was chosen to take Leticia’s place. As the only daughter of an apothecary, she was unlikely to inherit the family business, but even so, she had been instilled with knowledge to the point of being able to identify poisons in food. In this sense, she was the perfect person to take Leticia’s place.
Or maybe they’re not thinking about her strength, or something superficial like that.
But Kelvin had crossed swords with Leticia, albeit superficially. He wasn’t sure she could be seriously neutralized with brute force. However, though unlikely, it was possible that high-ranking nobles took such measures. They learned to use swords at the knight school, but rarely went to the front. Many of them had never seen a demon with their own eyes, so they would not be able to gauge Leticia’s skills from the few times they had seen her at banquets. The normal Leticia was simply an extraordinarily beautiful girl.
The once mighty kingdom of Thane was destroyed simply because the demon king manifested there. It was easy to understand that the girl who destroyed that demon king was not just beautiful, and it was possible that such high-ranking nobles who had never witnessed the horror of demons did not really understand. For them, the war against demons was a very distant event. As long as they spent their daily lives in a safe place and enjoyed themselves, someone would take care of it. That was all. As Kelvin was thinking, the four of them had arrived at Cornelia’s tent.
“Well, I’m looking forward to seeing if Lino manages to pull off his transformation successfully,” Locke said cheerfully from outside the tent, lifted the curtain at the entrance, walked in and stopped there.
“What’s the matter, Locke?,” said Wynn, who was about to follow him into the tent, bumping into him a little when he suddenly stopped. Then he walked in, dodging him, and stopped as well.
They both opened their eyes and stared at the girl standing between Leticia and Cornelia.
“…Huh? Is that Lino?”
After a brief pause, Wynn muttered, and pointed at her.
“Buahaha!” Locke let out a laugh.
Lino looked at Locke; her body trembled. She was wearing a long blonde wig and dressed in the travel clothes Leticia had worn earlier.
“It’s impolite to laugh so suddenly! I don’t dress like this because I want to!” Lino raised her head angrily and walked over to Locke.
“No, no, no, Lino. It looks good on you, but have you seen your height? I expected it, but you’re still too small. I’m sure you can blend in by stuffing your breasts, but isn’t it a bit of a stretch to say you can fake your height with shoes?” he continued to laugh as he said this.
“Hey, Wedge. shut him!”
Wedge, who had followed Wynn and Locke into the tent, responded to Lino’s plea by dropping his fist on Locke’s head with a thud. Lino stuck out her tongue to taunt Locke, who fell to the floor.
“It looks good on you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Wedge said, and Lino smiled sheepishly, completely changing her attitude.
“But wow, Lino. It looks pretty good on you,” Kelvin, who was the last to enter, said with a smile and clapped his hands. “With the ‘Illusionary Costume’ magic and makeup, I think you’ll be able to fake her pretty well.”
“Vice-captain… do you really think it’s all right?” Lino said bitterly to his superior officer, partially hiding behind Wedge’s massive body.
“Well, with a little more padding on the chest… wait, Lino-san. I’m your superior officer, remember? And I mean it, so don’t try to throw Wedge-san at me. I’m sure you can hide your height with shoes, but you don’t have to be exactly the same height as Leticia-sama. You’re not close enough to those two maids to have them compare their heights, are you?”
The last part of Kelvin’s words was directed at Leticia.
“Yes, you are right. I preferred to be alone in the mansion, so I thought that, if I didn’t let them be near me all the time, they wouldn’t cause me any discomfort.”
“Well, if it comes to that, we can always get rid of those two maids.”
After making a quick, outrageous statement, Kelvin turned to Cornelia who was at the back of the tent.
“Onii-chan.” Leticia walked over to where Wynn was standing, who was holding Locke.
“A-Ah, Letty.” Wynn fidgeted a little, remembering the conversation they had around the campfire.
“Thanks to Paul-san managing to organize the people, we were able to leave quietly. I’ll have to go thank him when I get back to the Imperial Capital,” Leticia, who knew nothing of the men’s earlier conversation, said as she tilted her head curiously at Wynn’s somewhat anxious look.
“Oh, shoot… Wedge, you really hit me hard…”
“I’m not going to say anything about that because it’s your fault.”
“Damn… oh, Leticia-sama. Thanks for the hard work.” Seeing Leticia standing next to Wynn, Locke greeted her. Then he smiled as he saw that Wynn was a little nervous.
He realized why Wynn was that way.
“Wynn-kun, Wynn-kun.”
Lino said to Wynn, who had been watching with his eyes half closed, wondering how his best friend, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, was going to defend himself. She came closer, too. Then, with a little wave of her hand, she motioned Wynn to bend down and whispered in his ear.
“You can be happy, Wynn-kun. Leticia-sama is getting bigger and bigger.”
“What the hell are you talking about!” He couldn’t help but raise his voice.
“What do you mean, what am I saying? I mean…”
“You don’t have to say it!” After interrupting Lino’s statement, Wynn turned his back on the two of them and walked over to where Kelvin was standing.
Leticia was at his side, looking shocked. Locke was laughing, hitting the floor from laughter.
If he went with Kelvin, he would find Cornelia there, and Wynn almost stopped for a moment. Cornelia approached Wynn with a quiet step and gave him a coy smile.
All because of what Locke said…
Leticia and Cornelia. There was no doubt that they were both wonderful women. They were both fond of him. He had tried not to be aware of it, but now that Locke had told him, he could no longer do so. In all honesty, he didn’t think he could keep up with the two of them at this point.
I wonder if I’ll be able to accomplish enough on my own to stand by Letty’s side, then I won’t have to think about it.
