Vol 3: Chapter 40
W-W-Wait a minute! Wait just a minute there! How does he know that I came from the Kruvan Holy Kingdom!? The story of “national crisis” is spreading wide!
No no, calm down first. Even if the other party has a solid information network and investigates me, I did nothing guiltyーNo.
Attempted kidnapping of the daughter of Earl Sillys.
Engaged with 100 troop members of Duke Ebene (and a bonus of road destruction).
Ah~~ There are guilty things towards the end~~!!
「Kuh…」
As I was thinking about how to respond–
「Kuhahahahaha! What’s with your face… Whether you try to dodge the question or admit it, you shouldn’t be shaking like that. It is like saying, “This is my weakness.” Kuhahahahaha…」
The Emperor was laughing while banging on his armrest.
I wasn’t the only one who was staring blankly at him. Her Highness Anastasia, who was behind him to the right, the secretary-like woman, and everyone who were sitting in the rows, looked at the Emperor as if they were caught by complete surprise.
「Aah, I laughed. That was a good laugh… Be at ease. Just think of that as a small payback. If you really were plotting something, I thought I could make you slip up some information by shaking you upーbut it would seem that you are just a 14 year-old kid. I am also relieved, but… no, that is fine.」
「…………」
「Now, then. That is the end of this audience. You can leave.」
I was at a complete loss as to what to do. There were a lot of things going on in my mind. Like, how did the Emperor get information about me, or if the Kruvan Holy Kingdom said something. For now, however, it would be a good idea to leave silently.
Abba has already been slowly backtracking.
Non-san and I stood up, bowed deeply and left the audience.
**
「I’m beat~~~~~~」
After the mentally exhausting exchange, we returned to the guesthouse on a magic car. As soon as I returned to my and Dante-san’s room, tension left my body and I felt relaxed. I just jumped onto the bed. I’m still tired from the labyrinth exploration, and in addition to that, the audience with the Emperor was also tiresome as hell…
「You did well today, Reiji-kun. Shall I apply【Healing Magic】for mental stability?」
「Thank you… Rather, how are you feeling, Non-san?」
「I was stunned by the glare at first, but you took care of all the rest. Please lie here.」
Sitting on the bed, Non-san patted on her lap.
「…?」
Lap? What about your lap?
「Please lie down your head here.」
「Huh?!」
I sprang up to my feet. A lap pillow? I’m not crazy, that’s a lap pillow right?
「Come. It’s most effective when you lie your head here.」
I am indeed hoping the【Healing Magic】to stabilize the mind would help relieve the fatigue, but that spot is obviously Non-san’s thighs, and if it is discovered that I did such a thing, her father, Dante-san, would no doubt drop a yakuza kick on me.
That said, I could also decline it.
「Ah… So you don’t want to lie down on my lap after all?」
Nooo, guilt, you’re working overtime! And, Non-san, it’s not fair if you make those puppy eyes! You’re even wearing make-up right now!
「T-T-That’s not the case. I just don’t want to dirty your dress with the hair styling cream on my hair.」
「Now that you mention it… Let me lay a towel on top then. Now, come.」
The ball of evasion I hurled as the last defense was forced out by a simple towel. I ran out of excuses and laid on Non-san’s lap.
Dante-san, this was unavoidable. Non-san offered, and I resisted. But the temptation was irresistible—No, I mean, the atmosphere of this place made it so.
Soft.
That was the first sensation. The next thing I sensed was a really sweet fragrance. As I lay on Non-san’s soft and warm lap, in front of me – Non-san’s two big mounds.
「Aaaah…」
「I’ll cast the mental stability magic now.」
There’s no way my mind can calm down now!
Human beings, when they stay up all night, or when they are overcome with extreme fatigue, they temporarily enter into an excited state. That is exactly how I am feeling right now. This excitement is due to fatigue and no other factor, and I mean absolutely no other factor. I would like to just add that to protect my honor and for Dante-san’s peace of mind.
「Ahhhhh~~~~~~~」
When Non-san placed her hands on my chest and the top of my head and the mana flowed in, I felt that my mind and heart quickly calmed down.
「Huh?」
Wow… the excitement disappeared.
Is this how a mother’s love feels like..? To feel spoiled by your mom…?
「How do you feel?」
「Amashing. Very nishe.」
「Ufufu, you sound like a baby.」
Mama!
「This way, Your Highness.」
At that moment, the door to our room suddenly swung open. Her Highness Anastasia, who had taken off General MacArthur’s sunglasses, stood there.
「Ah.」
「Ah.」
「Ah.」
Our gazes met. I was still in the lap pillow pose.
**
「…And that is why I asked to cast the magic of mental stability. That’s the truth. There isn’t anything suspicious going on.」
I don’t know why, but I was coming up with all sorts of excuses to convince Her Highness Anastasia. No, Her Highness’ eyes simply widened when she saw us, but the butler-like Lev escorting herーthe one who accompanied her to Muge-san’s company previouslyーmade a big scene by shouting, “You’re milking in a long-established state guesthouse?!!”…”Milking”? It was such an out-of-date word that I wonder if anyone even uses it these days. And I was deeply embarrassed when Non-san asked me, “What does “milking” mean?” [1. TL Note: “Milking” is a literal translation of ”乳繰り合う”, which is an old Japanese word for “secret affair”.]
Returning to the main topic, Her Highness Anastasia, who came all the way here, looked away with a pouting look, and Non-san, who is pure of mind, looked lost on what was going on, so it was my job to make an excuse after all.
「I suppose while it’s a great honor to have an audience with the exalted His Majesty the Emperor, it’s understandable that a human like you would suffer serious mental damage from his magnificence.」said the bothersome butler.
With a deep exhale, Her Highness Anastasia wrote on a memo paper and showed it to the butler.
「!?」
The butler stiffened, but when Her Highness pointed to the note repeatedly, he left the room while gnashing his teeth. I caught a slight glimpse of what was written on the note. “They are heroes who captured a labyrinth. Disrespect will not be overlooked. Leave this room.” — something along those lines.
Her Highness is strong.
「Well, then… Your Highness, did you come all the way here regarding Lulusha-san?」I asked.
Her Highness brought along an attendant, seemingly an ally, who was standing at a distance away. We four were the only ones in the room.
Her Highness nodded with a smile.
『Thank you very much. Truly. But why did you go so far?』
I was slightly hesitant to answer that question.
However–
「…Because of the letter I received from Your Highness.」
I decided to be honest. At the end of the letter I received, there was a trace that the pen was removed after it was placed. I guessed from that—that Her Highness wanted to help Lulusha-san, but couldn’t ask us for any more favour.
It feels kind of patronizing. But if I am not honest, it would feel like I don’t trust her. This person is Lulusha-san’s one of very few friends. So I want to be sincere, at least.
「Of course, it was nothing more than just a guess… but I just couldn’t leave things alone after handing over the bag, and above all, the labyrinth capture would certainly help Lulusha-san’s case, so I decided to challenge it.」
「…………」
Her Highness Anastasia was looking at me in a daze.
「Your Highness? Was our actions too intrusive?」
「…………」
「Your Highness?!」
I raised my voice despite myself. Because tears streamed down Her Highness’ cheeks.
