by CHIROLU
A flicker of regret crossed Chrysos’s face. As an adult, she now understood that her father and sister left on their own so that she could have even one ally more as the ruler of the nation.
And so, in order to fulfill the wishes of their dead master, they pushed forward in aiding with the country’s reforms, so that the nation’s young ruler wouldn’t be derided as someone unreliable.
“When Platina stayed in Vassilios, she didn’t see more than a small fraction of the court ladies serving there, yes?”
“That’s true,” Dale agreed, knowing first hand from all the time he spent clinging to Latina while she was recuperating. Or, more accurately, the people meeting her were limited to reduce how many people saw the deplorable hero fawning over her. Of course, there was no way Chrysos was about to mention that.
“When my visit to this country was decided, there were a number who wished to come along and see that Platina was alright with their own two eyes. That is how it is.”
That meant the students of their father, as well as the caretakers who helped take care of the twins when they were young. The girls had been raised in an environment where they saw very few people, but that also meant that the few they did see were especially trusted by their late parents.
“There were people who worried about me... Why did I not realize something so obvious when I was little...?”
Latina started to tear up a bit too, perhaps crying in sympathy, causing some of the regulars to break out in awkward smiles. They couldn’t simply sit there unmoved by the sight.
“That’s just how it is when you’re a kid. I’m glad, though. There were other people out there thinking of you, besides just Chrysos,” Dale said in a gentle tone.
“Yeah...” Latina replied with a joyful smile.
You could tell from her gentler, kinder expression relative to Chrysos that her life had not been entirely hardships.
The tears from the envoys, meanwhile, showed no signs of stopping.
As the emotional scene carried on, the owners were having a quite discussion amongst themselves.
“What a schemer...”
“Well, I think this was more a matter of opportunism than the main objective here...”
The pair were whispering about the fact that Chrysos had orchestrated this tearful reunion, but though their words were a touch harsh, they didn’t really hold it against her.
The members of a certain non-profit organization in Kreuz were Latina’s largest-scale group of allies. And if they learned that there were devils who were seriously concerned about her, that would have a very positive impact on relations.
Now that negotiations were kicking off between Vassilios and Laband, a town this close to the border was of utmost importance. And the impression the locals had of the neighboring devils was likely to dramatically affect that. And though it may not apply to the whole race, the men with tough faces who frequented this shop and doted on their favorite adorable waitress would at the very least speak highly of the devils who served under Chrysos.
“Now then...” Chrysos stated, calling to attention the court ladies present from amongst all the tearful voices.
“Hmm?”
“I shall carry out the pledge I have made.”
“Huh?” Latina questioned, tilting her head.
In an instant, the platinum-haired girl was surrounded by court ladies and was taken into one of the Ocelot’s guest rooms under Chrysos’s orders.
Latina had no clue what was going on, but Dale knew exactly what Chrysos meant, prompting a different question.
“...What about you?”
“I am fine. I shall simply change for the banquet,” Chrysos bluntly replied.
Apparently, she must have found such things tiresome.
The second Latina showed herself again, the inside of the Ocelot erupted into pandemonium. Describing it as a wretched sight of wailing and lamenting didn’t quite capture it properly. But still, words fail to sufficiently describe the chaos that erupted.
At any rate, Dale had fainted immediately. It was an instant kill attack (though he wasn’t dead). He was the most powerful, ultimate, extraordinary of heroes, but that blow had simply proved too intense. And so he started writhing in agony, then fell to the floor with a crash. Just when it looked like he was about to pick himself back up, he simply smiled weakly and gave a thumbs up, as if to tell the court ladies they had done a good job.
Still, he was a hero who was famous the world over, so the word “deplorable” didn’t even begin to cover his actions.
It was easy to guess at the reactions from the regulars, too.
However, this time the men from the group of envoys joined in, too. They saw not only how the young girl they once knew had grown, but also a glimpse of her mother, the priestess, and they started sobbing once again.
And at the same time, the men were also cherishing the sight of the Fairy Princess. They truly needed no words, and the barriers of race and age may as well have not existed. The thoughts of everyone there joined together as one. In a way, it may have actually been a rather harmonious sight.
The girl known as the Platinum Princess was undoubtedly living up to the “princess” part of that nickname right now.
Atop her painstakingly combed platinum hair sat seven colors of sparkling gemstones. And the gold and silver ornamentation dangling from her seemingly restored black horns jangled as they swayed ever so slightly.
The sash she wore had foreign patterns woven into it, with the color seeming to shift depending on the angle from which it was viewed. And the Vassilios-style dress she wore elegantly followed the contours of her body, accentuating her feminine beauty.
“Ah, the makeup technique is different too, isn’t it?”
“There’s definitely a different feel about her. So that’s it?”
“It’s totally different. I see... The coloration on her cheeks and eyelids positively sparkles, doesn’t it?” Rita said, expressing her admiration in a completely different manner from the men. Furthermore, she shot an astonished look at her husband for his dense remark. There was another person far more deserving of that reaction than her husband, however.
“If Dale was going to have this big of a reaction, maybe it would’ve been better to show him in advance.”
“Yeah...”
It would have been utterly unbearable if he had reacted like that while attending the banquet at the lord’s manor.
Concerns of that nature continued to run through the minds of the Ocelot’s owners as they saw Dale and Latina to their carriage. As for Chrysos, the plan was to have her ride along with them and slip into the manor amidst the hustle and bustle.
Incidentally, the eldest child of the Ocelot was inconsolable for the entire night after learning that he had missed the chance to see his beloved big sis all dressed up.
Further incidentally, the aloof pup who had left to play with the boy was soon found curling up and sleeping next to Latina in the lord’s manor, as if it was only natural. None were entirely sure how he had gotten in, he simply appeared there abruptly before anyone had noticed. When they saw him, Dale unwittingly gave a sigh, while Gregor looked simply dumbfounded.
This having been the same as his appearance in Kreuz, it seemed that the aloof pup’s infiltration skills were truly frightening.
†
At the peak of nervousness before the dinner began, Latina grabbed hold of her fork and knife. While her actions weren’t rushed, she was clearly feeling incredibly awkward. It looked that way to Dale’s experienced eye, at least, though she was certainly managing to avoid seeming rude. As a matter of fact, she was demonstrating the elegant table manners one would expect of royalty, her natural grace shining through.
Even so, Latina seemed to have remembered her previous concern, as whenever a dish was carried out, she explained its ingredients and cooking method as thoroughly as possible to her sister and the envoys.
“See, you can simply explain everything about ever
y dish that concerns you by being here with me, Platina.”
“We’re being treated to such a nice feast, but I’m so nervous that I can’t really tell what I’m tasting, which is a shame...”
The sisters were talking in the devil tongue, so Dale’s limited vocabulary kept him from understanding the entire conversation. And yet...
I don’t know what they’re saying, but I figure Latina must be saying something unfortunate... Dale thought as he continued to eat, the formal expression on his face softening into a bit of an awkward smile.
“Hmm...”
“Why are you making such a face?”
“I can more or less tell what seasonings they used, but there seems to be some sort of hidden flavor... But even so, it’s not like I can just ask them what it is...”
“For you to go so far, would that not perhaps be a bad habit of yours, Platina?”
“I mean, when it comes to meals, if I just know how something’s made, then I can make it myself...! And delicious food is important!”
Ah, yeah, she’s definitely saying something really regrettable...
Dale felt rather hapless, having picked up on the gist of what they were talking about from the expressions on their faces as well as those of the envoys.
There were seats prepared for chatting after the banquet, too.
Latina was seated next to Chrysos in order to translate, as the Golden King was currently “unable” to understand Western Continental. Though Dale was far from a stranger, he remained stunned by how beautiful the twins were. The ongoing stares from Count Kleinmifel and the other influential guests came as no surprise.
Some attempted to approach and speak to them, wanting to get even a little bit closer, but Latina fended them off in an inoffensive manner. The knowledge of acting like a lady that Rose had once hastily pounded into her was seriously proving useful at the moment. And apparently the people she was talking to assumed her slight awkwardness was due to her being from a foreign nation, so they thought nothing of it.
Even so, she still occasionally let slip some complaints.
“Geez, I want to go home... I want to go home... And if I can’t, then I at least want to snuggle up under a blanket...!”
Ever since she was little, she had a habit of bundling herself up in a blanket when something scary happened or she was feeling uneasy.
“You’ve still got a long ways to go...” Dale said with a strained smile, fully aware of her situation.
He turned and looked at Latina’s face, seeing that she was on the verge of tears. Once he saw that face, Dale, with his unbounded affection for Latina, had no choice left but to pamper and comfort her. He took a step closer in order to scoop her up in his arms and console her as always... but then he noticed Gregor shooting him a meaningful look.
He stepped back to their previous distance, acting like nothing at all had happened.
“Well, I get that you’re not used to this, but I’m right here next to you... And I know Chrysos was the one who said it, but if you’re in trouble you can just pretend you don’t understand what they’re saying and smile.”
Dale earnestly believed that if Latina just shot them a fleeting smile, most folks would shut their mouths.
Perhaps it would be a bit blunt to say aloud, but he couldn’t deny that it was a likely possibility.
After Dale helped Latina calm down a bit, the music shifted with the count’s signal, and the ball began. The men and women in flashy outfits who advanced to the center of the hall took each other hand in hand and spun around with light, graceful steps.
Just as Count Kleinmifel had suggested with a gentle smile, Latina and Chrysos seated themselves so that they could have a good view of the dance hall.
Apparently this was set up to allow them to enjoy the sight of a foreign dance.
When she learned that she didn’t actually need to dance, Latina felt overwhelmingly relieved. After all, she had completely lacked any sense of rhythm ever since she was a child. If she were invited to dance in the middle of such a huge group of people, the results would be catastrophic.
“...With that said, you do not look all that interested, Platina,” Chrysos said with a bit of a teasing tone.
“That’s not true at all. This is the same sort of sight I admired so much in my picture books. Watching beautiful people in such lovely dresses... I’m enjoying it,” Latina replied, not looking away from the dancers.
The grace with which they danced made their complex steps look deceptively simple. They were far from it, however, but the ability to make something difficult appear simple to others was a true sign of mastery.
If Latina attempted to join in and mimic their beautiful dancing, she would undoubtedly trip over her own feet and fall flat on her rear. Just picturing it was discouraging.
Latina frowned slightly as she considered that at least when it came to peeling vegetables, she could do that smoothly and gracefully.
“I mean, I can’t dance... It’s just not possible...”
Rose may have taught her manners, but those lessons hadn’t extended to the subject of dancing. After all, even if she admired balls, she never dreamed of actually attending one like this. She hadn’t practiced because she didn’t see the need, but if she had at least learned the basics, maybe things would be different now...
Latina pouted a bit at that thought, glancing at Dale. Normally he would never leave her side, but thanks to his position, it was absolutely necessary that he dance with a number of noble ladies. Dale had been well known in high society to start with, and his meteoric rise in fame caused a sudden explosion of people wanting to socialize with him.
Seeing Dale making faces she had never seen as he took the hands of ladies she didn’t know caused Latina to feel an ever so slight tightness in her chest.
“I know there’s no helping it because it’s for work, geez. I won’t throw a tantrum about it like a child, geez.”
The way that she was ending every sentence in “geez” made it clear how much Latina was sulking.
Chrysos looked at her sister, seeming a bit astounded.
“I do not believe most would be able to offer such open lip service, with both their words and expression...”
Dale wasn’t able to hide the fact that his smile was forced and his reply nothing but a formality, and was clearly, openly displeased about being dragged away from Latina. But with that said, at least on the surface he was still minding his manners, so it wasn’t a big enough blunder for anyone to call him out on it.
While Chrysos couldn’t help but be impressed. When she saw such clear dissatisfaction on her sister’s face, despite Dale’s openly innocent motives, she couldn’t help thinking how alike the two really were.
†
After the group of envoys departed Kreuz, they moved onwards towards the capital.
Dale had traveled the path many times before, but as Latina’s previous trip through was spent flying atop Vint, this was her first time taking this route.
After coming through the forest it was possible to restock at the towns alongside the highway, so there was no need to be concerned about being able to resupply. And so, the beautiful magical beast-led carriage was able to fulfill its original purpose of transporting the elite.
The luxurious, cozy inside of the vehicle served as a private space just for the twin sisters, cut off from the outside world. There was a relaxed, easygoing atmosphere inside, without so much as a guard in sight. And the pup nonchalantly sleeping at their feet only strengthened that feeling.
That faithful hound occasionally wagging his tail was actually quite a capable guard. Since he was there, there was no need to have another person accompanying them at the moment.
“Hmm... This really is tricky, after all...”
“It certainly may be difficult, but once you memorize the rules, it shall become a good bit easier. What about this one, Platina?”
“Um... the spelling here is a little different... It’s pretty interesti
ng studying language, isn’t it? Maybe I should use the opportunity to start learning Eastern Regional...”
The twins were holding a study session inside the vehicle, as they decided it would be a waste to spend the long journey doing nothing but idly chatting away.
Latina could speak the devil tongue, but she couldn’t read or write it. As an ideographic language, the devil language had a vast number of characters, and its grammar was also quite complex. Since she had left her home country when she was young, though, Latina had never had a chance to study the characters. And no matter how clever of a girl Latina may be, there just wasn’t anything to be done about that considering the circumstances.
Chrysos was still studying the human language, Western Continental, too. She had grown rather skilled at conversing, but she was still learning the writing.
And so, the two of them decided to study the written languages together.
After hearing that, Gregor was impressed by their dedication, but Dale looked dumbfounded. The twins really were workaholics to the core, not able to feel at ease unless they were using their time in a meaningful, efficient manner.
Latina and Chrysos were the only ones riding in the vehicle pulled by the magical beast, while the group of envoys were riding in a carriage prepared for them by Laband.
Unlike the route to Kreuz which required blazing a trail down trackless paths, the route to the capital had a properly maintained highway, so it was possible to travel by carriage. And the Laband side prepared one out of consideration for the Vassilios side, due to the long journey they were making.
Dale and Gregor were primarily tasked with guard duty, so they were part of the procession on horseback.
The stunning, beautiful carriage, combined with the fact that they were also accompanied by soldiers on foot, made it clear that this procession was no normal convoy of merchants. It was hard to call it unnecessary, though, even with the combination of Gregor’s excellent leadership and Dale’s solo horseback skills and extreme vigilance.
But with that said, there were no signs of an attack by an opposing faction, which was what they had been worried about.
