Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
Although the dinner invitation had only been extended formally to Almeria, I was allowed to dine with her and Meiri. Leyte was also courteous enough to allow the princesses’ bodyguards — Frank, Rodje and the others — to join us.
Seated at my feet, Lyla lapped up little sips of wine. Meiri got excited from time to time, and was accordingly admonished by her mother for her lack of manners. Almeria ate in a rarely-seen refined manner, which made Frank’s jaw drop.
I took a mouthful of food and told Lyla what was on my mind.
「What would you do in her shoes, Lyla?」
I had already explained the circumstances to her and her servant before placing Almeria under my watch.
「If it was me… hmm」, she mused. 「I know she wouldn’t lay a finger on those that don’t obstruct business.」
「But if it were you?」
「On the contrary, though, I guess I won’t show mercy towards those who do get in the way. Isolation is the most desirable state.」
「Isolation of the target, or…?」
「The only person who poses a threat — you. By keeping a hawk’s eye on my target, you would get directly in the way of my plans.」
Me, huh? I can’t say I haven’t thought of that. It’s certainly possible, but do I really pose that much of a threat?
「Don’t overthink things.」
「Am I?」
「…」
Lyla, remaining silent, continued lapping up her wine. Once her glass was empty, she got up and walked over to Rodje. Her servant made a cooing sound and lifted her onto her lap, where they started talking.
When it was time to leave, I summoned a ‘Shadow’ to follow Almeria and left the castle, wondering if the underground network could supply me with any information.
Moyes was nowhere to be seen.
「Ain’t seen ‘im of late」, said an evil-looking colleague of his.
The underground guild operates via information. An employee of such an establishment is never safe, and things like this probably happened on the regular.
「But if ya wanna meet ‘im –」
He told me where Moyes lived.
「Are you really at liberty to disclose something like that?」
「Man said to tell ya if ya came lookin’ fer ‘im.」
I thanked him and set off.
「…」
As Lyla had said, there was no better time to make a move. Operating alone to this extent was rare even for me. Even though I had been trying to make sure that no specific person ‘got in the way’…
Moyes had told his colleague to give me details of his residence and subsequently disappeared. It’s almost as if he had known that he wouldn’t be able to come to the guild anymore. And he had mentioned me specifically.
It could very well be a trap laid out for me.
「Have I been singled out as a roadblock to be cleared…?」
‘Slade’, ‘Roland’ and ‘annoying fly around Almeria’ are all equivalent. I don’t know how she makes friends, but that person could be doing the same thing as I am — trying to make use of the underground network for information.
And Moyes was said source of information.
It would follow that he had sold me out. It happens, I told myself.
It happens.
I felt a long-forgotten feeling wash over me.
As one of her bodyguards, it would be optimal to return to Almeria’s side now, but then we’ll forever live in fear of our enemy. The two forces have to clash sooner or later, and since they’re hoping for me to bite…
I will, I said to myself, heading not for the castle, but for the house I had been directed to.
◆Almeria◆
I felt a sense of unease.
I was about to take a bath with Alias-sama and the bodyguards, and we were heading for the area where we could disrobe.
「Where’s Roland, Oji-sama?」
「He’s not in his room? Huh. I thought your Majesty would have wanted Roland’s protection even when you’re taking a bath.」
「S-Shut up.」
Oji-sama cackled heartily and sent someone to look for him.
「Wait, where is it?」
「Where is what?」
「That small thing Roland summoned…」
「Oh, that, uh… ‘Shadow’, was it? He probably thinks there’s no need for that in the castle.」
…Is that so.
Thanks to Roland’s meticulous scheduling, even my baths were taken at different places. But no matter where I went, his ‘Shadow’ was supposedly able to watch over me.
No need for that in the castle…? Coming from the person who had repeatedly drilled into me that being overly confident could get me eventually?
「Would Roland really…?」
That was when the feeling of unease hit me. Out of all the people I had mentioned this feeling to in the past, only Roland had understood. According to him, it was an ‘almost feral’ sixth sense that I should ‘treasure dearly’.
I dumped my spare clothes onto an attendant. Checking with my hand that I had a sword on me, I dashed down the corridor.
「Your Highness –! Where are you going!?」, yelled Oji-sama from behind.
「Sorry, but let me –」
Ignoring the bodyguards giving chase, I ran right out of the castle.
Roland…
Could you be in a situation where you can’t even afford to maintain a ‘Shadow’?
You may be the person who scolded me all the time, but you’re also the person who helped me.
And the person who protected me.
「This time, I’ll –」
Thanks to my recent training, I was agile enough to outrun the armor-clad bodyguards behind me. Panting all the way, I sprinted at full speed through a quiet village, searching for any trace of that signature presence.
It has to be somewhere. It has to be…
I stopped in my tracks when a shadow appeared in my way.
「Where are you going, Almeria?」
「Roland…! I was looking for you…」, I said while gasping for air.
The moon came out from behind the clouds, bathing the surroundings in radiant moonlight.
「Return to the castle. Now. I will find a way to deal with the assassin.」
「…」
I stumbled backwards.
「I found out where they are. Relax. I’ll handle it.」
「…」
Cold sweat running down my back, I felt my knees trembling under the pressure of each word he uttered. My back bent just a little bit.
「Easy does it, now. Go back right away.」
I trust Roland, all right.
The figure turned his back to me and appeared to be blending in with his shadow.
Here he comes –!
I whirled a full 180 degrees, and heard a sharp sound that felt as if the air behind me had shattered. I immediately turned back around to see Roland looking at me sideways.
「Well, well, well… that’s strange. How could you tell?」
「Roland has never specifically declared anything to anyone before. Until now. That was enough to make me suspicious」, I explained. 「I felt threatened.」
By a stroke of pure luck, the disappearance of Roland’s ‘Shadow’ had made me remember words spoken in the past — follow your sixth sense.
I believe in the words of not any Roland, but the Roland who had taught me that.
I had also parried the attack the exact same way that I had practised with him.
『Remember this — once you turn your back, any opponent will let their guard down and may make mistakes.』
‘Roland’ tossed his dagger into the air and grabbed its hilt, which the real Roland would never do. Once I noticed that, I also realised that his movements and expression were a little different too.
You can pretend to be someone, but you can never be that someone.
「Terrible shame. I had expected this to be a breeze」, grinned ‘Roland’.
The shadows around him leapt up and danced around him, changing his form to reveal a woman with golden pupils. Her wavy hair was jet black, and her beauty could rival even Lyla’s.
「I had way too much fun thinking about how to deal with you… oh, the possibilities! Man, I thought I was fucked when all those bodyguards sprang up, but it just became even more fun! Perhaps it’s a bad habit of mine, but I can’t help but want to execute an assassination that laughs directly in their faces!」
How long have we stood face to face for?
「I’ve been watching you for two months now… and you’ve really become stronger. Must be all the training, eh? Good, good.」
Sweet smile, sadistic heart. I felt goosebumps rising all over my body.
「You want to have fun? You’ll have fun, all right.」
Three minutes against this person…?
Nope, I don’t need that much time.
Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
Although the dinner invitation had only been extended formally to Almeria, I was allowed to dine with her and Meiri. Leyte was also courteous enough to allow the princesses’ bodyguards — Frank, Rodje and the others — to join us.
Seated at my feet, Lyla lapped up little sips of wine. Meiri got excited from time to time, and was accordingly admonished by her mother for her lack of manners. Almeria ate in a rarely-seen refined manner, which made Frank’s jaw drop.
I took a mouthful of food and told Lyla what was on my mind.
「What would you do in her shoes, Lyla?」
I had already explained the circumstances to her and her servant before placing Almeria under my watch.
「If it was me… hmm」, she mused. 「I know she wouldn’t lay a finger on those that don’t obstruct business.」
「But if it were you?」
「On the contrary, though, I guess I won’t show mercy towards those who do get in the way. Isolation is the most desirable state.」
「Isolation of the target, or…?」
「The only person who poses a threat — you. By keeping a hawk’s eye on my target, you would get directly in the way of my plans.」
Me, huh? I can’t say I haven’t thought of that. It’s certainly possible, but do I really pose that much of a threat?
「Don’t overthink things.」
「Am I?」
「…」
Lyla, remaining silent, continued lapping up her wine. Once her glass was empty, she got up and walked over to Rodje. Her servant made a cooing sound and lifted her onto her lap, where they started talking.
When it was time to leave, I summoned a ‘Shadow’ to follow Almeria and left the castle, wondering if the underground network could supply me with any information.
Moyes was nowhere to be seen.
「Ain’t seen ‘im of late」, said an evil-looking colleague of his.
The underground guild operates via information. An employee of such an establishment is never safe, and things like this probably happened on the regular.
「But if ya wanna meet ‘im –」
He told me where Moyes lived.
「Are you really at liberty to disclose something like that?」
「Man said to tell ya if ya came lookin’ fer ‘im.」
I thanked him and set off.
「…」
As Lyla had said, there was no better time to make a move. Operating alone to this extent was rare even for me. Even though I had been trying to make sure that no specific person ‘got in the way’…
Moyes had told his colleague to give me details of his residence and subsequently disappeared. It’s almost as if he had known that he wouldn’t be able to come to the guild anymore. And he had mentioned me specifically.
It could very well be a trap laid out for me.
「Have I been singled out as a roadblock to be cleared…?」
‘Slade’, ‘Roland’ and ‘annoying fly around Almeria’ are all equivalent. I don’t know how she makes friends, but that person could be doing the same thing as I am — trying to make use of the underground network for information.
And Moyes was said source of information.
It would follow that he had sold me out. It happens, I told myself.
It happens.
I felt a long-forgotten feeling wash over me.
As one of her bodyguards, it would be optimal to return to Almeria’s side now, but then we’ll forever live in fear of our enemy. The two forces have to clash sooner or later, and since they’re hoping for me to bite…
I will, I said to myself, heading not for the castle, but for the house I had been directed to.
◆Almeria◆
I felt a sense of unease.
I was about to take a bath with Alias-sama and the bodyguards, and we were heading for the area where we could disrobe.
「Where’s Roland, Oji-sama?」
「He’s not in his room? Huh. I thought your Majesty would have wanted Roland’s protection even when you’re taking a bath.」
「S-Shut up.」
Oji-sama cackled heartily and sent someone to look for him.
「Wait, where is it?」
「Where is what?」
「That small thing Roland summoned…」
「Oh, that, uh… ‘Shadow’, was it? He probably thinks there’s no need for that in the castle.」
…Is that so.
Thanks to Roland’s meticulous scheduling, even my baths were taken at different places. But no matter where I went, his ‘Shadow’ was supposedly able to watch over me.
No need for that in the castle…? Coming from the person who had repeatedly drilled into me that being overly confident could get me eventually?
「Would Roland really…?」
That was when the feeling of unease hit me. Out of all the people I had mentioned this feeling to in the past, only Roland had understood. According to him, it was an ‘almost feral’ sixth sense that I should ‘treasure dearly’.
I dumped my spare clothes onto an attendant. Checking with my hand that I had a sword on me, I dashed down the corridor.
「Your Highness –! Where are you going!?」, yelled Oji-sama from behind.
「Sorry, but let me –」
Ignoring the bodyguards giving chase, I ran right out of the castle.
Roland…
Could you be in a situation where you can’t even afford to maintain a ‘Shadow’?
You may be the person who scolded me all the time, but you’re also the person who helped me.
And the person who protected me.
「This time, I’ll –」
Thanks to my recent training, I was agile enough to outrun the armor-clad bodyguards behind me. Panting all the way, I sprinted at full speed through a quiet village, searching for any trace of that signature presence.
It has to be somewhere. It has to be…
I stopped in my tracks when a shadow appeared in my way.
「Where are you going, Almeria?」
「Roland…! I was looking for you…」, I said while gasping for air.
The moon came out from behind the clouds, bathing the surroundings in radiant moonlight.
「Return to the castle. Now. I will find a way to deal with the assassin.」
「…」
I stumbled backwards.
「I found out where they are. Relax. I’ll handle it.」
「…」
Cold sweat running down my back, I felt my knees trembling under the pressure of each word he uttered. My back bent just a little bit.
「Easy does it, now. Go back right away.」
I trust Roland, all right.
The figure turned his back to me and appeared to be blending in with his shadow.
Here he comes –!
I whirled a full 180 degrees, and heard a sharp sound that felt as if the air behind me had shattered. I immediately turned back around to see Roland looking at me sideways.
「Well, well, well… that’s strange. How could you tell?」
「Roland has never specifically declared anything to anyone before. Until now. That was enough to make me suspicious」, I explained. 「I felt threatened.」
By a stroke of pure luck, the disappearance of Roland’s ‘Shadow’ had made me remember words spoken in the past — follow your sixth sense.
I believe in the words of not any Roland, but the Roland who had taught me that.
I had also parried the attack the exact same way that I had practised with him.
『Remember this — once you turn your back, any opponent will let their guard down and may make mistakes.』
‘Roland’ tossed his dagger into the air and grabbed its hilt, which the real Roland would never do. Once I noticed that, I also realised that his movements and expression were a little different too.
You can pretend to be someone, but you can never be that someone.
「Terrible shame. I had expected this to be a breeze」, grinned ‘Roland’.
The shadows around him leapt up and danced around him, changing his form to reveal a woman with golden pupils. Her wavy hair was jet black, and her beauty could rival even Lyla’s.
「I had way too much fun thinking about how to deal with you… oh, the possibilities! Man, I thought I was fucked when all those bodyguards sprang up, but it just became even more fun! Perhaps it’s a bad habit of mine, but I can’t help but want to execute an assassination that laughs directly in their faces!」
How long have we stood face to face for?
「I’ve been watching you for two months now… and you’ve really become stronger. Must be all the training, eh? Good, good.」
Sweet smile, sadistic heart. I felt goosebumps rising all over my body.
「You want to have fun? You’ll have fun, all right.」
Three minutes against this person…?
Nope, I don’t need that much time.
