episode_0467

Princess Raini and we were banished back to the villa from the royal capital that took several days to reach.

Being unexpectedly cramped into a cramped carriage, it was only natural that there would be some inconveniences.

“Master Ethan.”

“… … Yeah.”

“If you have something to say, please say it directly or whisper it to me. If you keep poking me with your finger from below, I won’t understand.”

“… Sorry, Release. I didn’t poke you with my finger.”

“Yes?”

“… The carriage was a little bumpy. I, I’m sorry… .”

“… … Ah.”

About an hour’s ride in a carriage with such minor inconveniences.

After camping all week and thinking we could finally get some rest, we had no choice but to build a campfire and pitch a tent again.

The speed of movement was also reduced as the carriage changed, and because they had been delayed in the capital for too long before setting off.

-Whoosh.

“Haa, how many days has it been since I’ve had the same day?”

“Again, it’s not the same, Agnes! Compared to yesterday, the carriage has changed a bit, and the number of tents has been reduced to three!”

“… Are you giving me medicine right now, Natalie?”

“Oh, no. That, that’s not what I meant… .”

Natalie tries to lighten the mood without being tactful, but ends up getting scolded by Agnes and feeling intimidated.

Agnes is particularly irritable, but I think everyone feels the same way.

Rather, the one who was seething the most was Princess Raini’s escort maid, Lydia. But seeing her quietly carrying out her duties as an escort maid without showing any emotion, it was clear that she had a great sense of professionalism.

“Still, it’s fortunate that we didn’t encounter any bandits or monsters while moving.”

“Well, since it’s near the capital, it would be difficult for bandits to be active openly.”

“But the royal capital was full of strange people.”

“Well, well. There are bound to be places like that where there are a lot of people. There are slums in the capital of the Argentia Empire, too.”

After having a casual conversation like that, setting up the tent, preparing the meal, and Lydia and I helping Princess Raini eat, it was finally nighttime and all the other lights except for the campfire had disappeared.

“The number of tents has been reduced to three… It will be difficult to sleep in separate tents like before, right?”

“There are nine people, so I think it would be better to use three people each.”

“It seems like it would be better for the men to share a tent and the women to share three tents. Since the princess will probably have Miss Lydia, it seems like only one person can go to that tent… .”

-Hug.

“… … .”

“… I will sleep in Princess Raini and Miss Lydia’s tent. The other three are originally part of the warrior party, so this would be better.”

I couldn’t let down Princess Raini’s expectations, as she shyly expressed her feelings while holding onto my collar.

In the first place, if any other woman were to barge in, it would be awkward, and since I am close to them, it would be better for me to sleep in the tent with Princess Raini and Lydia.

“Okay, that’ll work.”

“Since Ethan was the last to stand guard yesterday, I will start with Thomas, who is next in line, and I will… .”

Finally, after deciding on the night watch, the group went into their tents and went to sleep.

…I never hoped that tonight would be a quiet night without any incident.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

-Tap, tap, tap… .

“… … .”

It’s very late in the morning, and the only sound is the crackling of a campfire.

Late at night, when the hourglass was half-lit with the number 4, I quietly looked at the road we had traveled in the carriage.

‘It’s almost time to come.’

In less than ten minutes, bandits would storm our camp from across the road. There was no way that the attacks by bandits and monsters, which came every night, would be missed today.

Princess Raini’s ‘bad luck’ was set to continue for another three days, and it was up to me and my party of warriors to prevent any remaining bad luck.

… Well, this time it might be a bit different type of thing to just say it was her bad luck.

-Dakdak, dakdak… .

“… … Phew.”

The sound of several horses’ hooves approaching, making the ground shake.

Just hearing the sound made me think that these were not ‘ordinary’ bandits, so I quickly woke up the people remaining in the tent.

-Ding ding ding ding ding!!

“Everyone, wake up! It’s an assault!”

“Ugh, ugh… .”

“Haa, I just fell asleep… .”

People quickly got up from their tents, perhaps because they were used to attacks in the middle of the night like this.

Just as everyone was coming out with their weapons ready for battle, a group of men on horseback approached the camp.

-Dakdak, dakdak… .

“Stop! If you come any closer, I will consider you a thief and attack you!”

“… Wait, everyone stop.”

A group of cavalrymen who immediately stopped in their tracks as soon as they declared that they were ready to launch an attack magic circle.

Although they weren’t wearing any armor or helmets, they looked pretty clean for a thief’s horse.

Moreover, I could immediately tell that this was definitely not an ordinary group of thieves, from the fact that the person who was presumed to be the leader listened to me and quietly got out of the carriage.

“Really, miss. We’re not exactly thieves, you think.”

“Is that so? Excuse me. I misunderstood you when I saw you riding a horse with your horse lights on at night like this.”

“Yes, I’m sorry. I had to rush here on the Queen’s orders.”

“… If it is the Queen’s order, is it the Queen of the Kingdom of Dephrin?”

“You’re asking the obvious. Isn’t there only one queen in the Kingdom of Dephrin?”

A few hours ago. The queen who had banished Princess Raini back to the villa in front of the palace.

Since we came running under that woman’s orders, it was only natural that my and the other personnel’s vigilance would be heightened.

“I see. Then please pass by carefully.”

“I’m sorry, but I think I misunderstood your message. Right now, we have business to attend to, and that’s with you.”

“… … .”

“He must have thought that it might be dangerous to take the princess to the palace, so he told me to take Princess Raini and come back. That’s why he came here in such a hurry, even at this late hour. I don’t want the princess to be attacked by monsters or bandits at this late hour.”

“… Oh, is that so?”

The woman who so calmly kicked out her own daughter in front of the palace is unlikely to feel guilty and cry now… probably not.

And since I already knew why these guys had come that night, I didn’t really believe him.

“Surely it would be a royal insult to let Princess Rainy sleep outside on a winter night like this. I agree with Her Majesty the Queen.”

“Thank you for your understanding, anonymous maid.”

“But how do we know that you are knights who came under the orders of Her Majesty the Queen? Judging from your attire, neither you nor the others look like knights.”

“It was a mission that started so quickly. It couldn’t be helped that wearing armor or horse armor would slow down the horse.”

“Then do you have an identity card that can prove your identity? I think that if you are a knight of the Kingdom of Dephrin, you should have an identity card.”

“Oh, of course. Of course I have it.”

A man who shows his identity card from his arms with calm words.

His identity card, made of iron plate, read, ‘Bartholomew, Vice-Captain of the 4th Knights of the Kingdom of Dephrin.’

“I brought my ID card just in case something like this happened. Proof of identity is important.”

“… I see. Your identity seems to be confirmed.”

“I’m glad you noticed. Now, princess… .”

“Is Princess Raini the only person Her Majesty the Queen asked you to bring? Didn’t she mention Miss Lydia or us?”

“Lydia… Ah, you didn’t say anything about the princess’s escort maid. You just told me to bring the princess.”

“… Is that so?”

“If you want to follow me, I won’t stop you. However, I don’t think I can just pack up the tent and wait for that slow carriage to pull up. As I said before, the Queen’s orders are more urgent.”

“… It is dangerous to drive a carriage at night, so it would be safer for us to stay overnight and leave tomorrow morning.”

“Hmm, right. If you have the will, it would be wise to do so.”

… I think this much would be enough to give it a try.

Even if Silena and Natalie didn’t know, the others would have already heard what I and the Vice-Captain of the Knights had to say and had a rough idea of the situation.

That handing over Princess Raini here would never turn out well.

“Okay, please wait a moment. I will bring the princess over here.”

“Please hurry up as much as possible. We are also in a hurry.”

The vice-captain urges me to cooperate.

She pretended to walk away from the campfire towards Princess Raini’s tent, whispering quietly to the gathered men.

“Hero, Master, Mr. Thomas.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

“Those people, they came to kill Princess Raini.”