50. Situation Over

50. Situation Over

Fortunately, Claire was right next to the hole I had punched through.

Since the hole also led to the surface, there was no need to find a way out. I simply picked up Claire and easily escaped the dungeon.

… I saw a man crying his eyes out nearby, saying his shop was destroyed right next to where the hole was, but I decided to ignore it.

Fortunately, Claire seemed to have no major injuries other than the arrow wound in her leg. I stroked Claire’s head as she was held in my arms.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Claire.”

“….”

Claire’s face was flushed. It must have been quite difficult to survive in the dungeon.

Edel said.

“Let’s hurry to the infirmary. The nearest one is….”

“Infirmary? Why? Can’t this be healed with just some ointment?”

I tilted my head and asked Edel. Isn’t it common sense that minor wounds heal with ointment?

My sister told me that once when she fell and scraped her knee. I still vividly remember what my sister said back then.

“Sister! Among wolf beastmen, it’s common sense to lick minor wounds!”

“But… wouldn’t that be very dirty? What if the wound gets infected….”

“Sister doesn’t know. Wounds actually heal when licked!”

Thinking back to when a piece of ice got stuck in my arm while fighting monsters, and it healed cleanly when I licked it with my tongue, it was clear that the arrow wound would also heal easily with saliva.

“… Let’s go to the infirmary.”

Perhaps she wanted to be treated more thoroughly. Edel headed straight for the infirmary without even asking for my opinion.

Before following, I looked down at Claire, who was in my arms.

“Hey, Claire.”

“Yes…?”

Her golden eyes met mine. As I heard Claire’s voice tremble slightly, I stuck out my tongue and licked Claire’s cheek.

“E-eh?”

“You had a scratch on your cheek.”

Her soft cheek, the faint taste of blood in between. I led Claire, who seemed somehow broken, to follow Edel.

“Ehehe, my tail….”

Priscilla was still clinging to my tail.

——

The infirmary was in an uproar. Not only because the proud Empire’s Princess had arrived injured, but because she had suffered such an incident in the dungeon used for practical training at the Academy.

“… So they’ve hastily entered discussions. They’re concerned about the dungeon’s stability.”

“Hmm.”

-Priscilla told me.

Priscilla and I were now visiting Claire’s hospital room. Of course, Edel was by Claire’s side, and next to her, a healer was struggling, casting healing magic on Claire.

I asked with a puzzled expression.

“Does healing always take this long?”

“Of course. It’s a penetrating wound, so healing wouldn’t be fast. There’s also a fractured rib.”

Priscilla answered as if it were obvious, but my doubt remained unresolved. My sister could heal most wounds instantly.

I perked up my ears and looked at Claire. Claire, who had been lying down, made eye contact with me, and she blushed and turned her head away.

“Is the room a bit hot?”

“No, it’s cold. Just a moment… I should ask them to raise the room temperature.”

Priscilla called someone from outside the room and whispered something. Meanwhile, the healer who had been by Claire’s side wiped the sweat from her brow and stood up.

“The emergency treatment is finished. Please rest quietly for about a week. I’ll be going now.”

After the healer left the room, Edel gazed intently at Claire. A moment of silence followed, and then Edel spoke.

“Princess.”

“Mmm.”

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

Claire replied quietly.

“… Yes.”

——

“So, what exactly happened that you got trapped in the dungeon?”

After their reunion, I stroked Claire’s head and asked. Claire blushed, and Edel wore a displeased expression but said nothing.

Claire’s answer was this: she saw a book shining with golden light in the library, and intrigued by its contents, she entered the dungeon, which led to the incident.

“Ah, and….”

“And?”

“I couldn’t use my aura.”

Edel wore a look of surprise. Claire continued.

“When I entered the dungeon, a strange magic circle appeared, and after that, I couldn’t use my aura. I can use it now that I’m out of the dungeon, though.”

“What kind of magic circle?”

This time, I asked. Priscilla answered instead of Claire.

“It’s a method used in ancient times for magic. How it differs from the current principles is….”

Priscilla gazed intently at my face.

“… It’s just an old method.”

“I see.”

To explain so concisely, I was impressed. Mages really are different. I admired her and looked back at Claire and Edel.

“… I understand for now. I’ll send someone to check if there’s a glowing book in the library, so please rest.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t try to escape secretly if you get bored.”

“I was thinking of doing just that!”

Claire shouted. Edel smiled lightly and headed outside. Just before opening the door, Edel said.

“If it’s too boring, why not read a book for now?”

“… B-books?”

“Yes. I know you dislike books, but people should still have basic education….”

“Ah, okay….”

Claire nodded, her face flushing red, and Edel’s eyes widened. Edel’s impassive expression seemed to shatter like glass.

“Are you really going to read a book?”

“Yes! Why, why are you so surprised!”

“… No. Reading books is a good thing. Anyway, I’ll be going now.”

“Perhaps she’s finally matured,” Edel muttered as she disappeared.

In the room where only the three of us remained, Claire quietly looked at us.

“Hey, Priscilla?”

“Yes, Princess?”

Priscilla, who had buried her face in my tail, replied.

“… Come here for a moment.”

Claire called Priscilla over and began whispering in her ear. But beastmen’s ears are not to be trifled with. I perked up my wolf ears and eavesdropped on their whispered conversation.

“Um… could you lend me the first volume of ‘Wolf and Lily’? It feels a bit odd to start with volume 3….”

“What?! Th-that’s not something a Princess should read! You’ll get hurt if you read it!”

“I already know what it’s about…!”

Every time Priscilla shouted, her braided hair stood on end, which was quite a sight. Claire and Priscilla continued their whispering.

“How do you know?!”

“Because I saw it…! Stop talking and give it to me!”

Claire clenched her fist. A faint golden aura emanated from her. Priscilla exclaimed in surprise.

“H-Princess, surely you don’t have that kind of taste….”

“What! You, you’re the same!”

“No, I just… I just like tails!”

“What nonsense are you talking! You kiss girls too!”

“That’s a normal thing to do?!”

It seemed their argument was escalating.

Friends shouldn’t fight. I approached them to mediate and firmly grabbed both of them by the shoulders.

“Eh….”

“Oh….”

The two looked at me in surprise.

I immediately kissed Priscilla.

It’s the best way to stop someone from talking: cover their mouth.

My soft tongue filled Priscilla’s mouth, saliva intertwined and mixed, flowing down into Priscilla’s throat.

Slurp- Slurp.

A sticky sound of friction followed. Warm breaths met each other. After a moment, I pulled away, and Priscilla collapsed weakly to the ground.

“Hic.”

Claire, witnessing this scene, hiccuped. Then she whispered.

“… You don’t like small things…?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

I tilted my head, wondering about Claire’s nonsensical remark.

——

Edelweiss von Mercurius, attendant to Claire Lovennt.

In her hand was a fluttering report. Edel frowned as she read the report. Her black eyes reflected the white paper.

“… Book material unknown.”

Edel reached into the pocket of her maid uniform and pulled out a piece of stone. It was a fragment of a stone tablet retrieved from the hole the Grand Duchess had punched in the dungeon. Although it was shattered and incomplete, some of the writing on the fragments was legible.

“… Seventh puzzle¿ Solved&% Hidden truth revealed% This dungeon*@ Emperor’s bloodline¤ Caught※ Trap)”

“….”

The owner of this stone tablet was unknown. However, it was certain that the entity had targeted the Princess. Judging by the contents, it wasn’t solely targeting the ‘Third Princess,’ but rather…

Edel headed somewhere within the Academy.

A quiet alley, devoid of passersby. In a shaded area with a somber atmosphere, Edel found a man standing in a corner.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

Edel took out a letter from her pocket and handed it to the man. The letter bore the Imperial seal.

“Summon the shadows.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The man took the letter and nodded.

When Edel blinked, the man had vanished without a trace. Edel walked out of the alley with a thump-thump.

As if nothing had happened.