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Chapter 2[]
writer:Yamaguchi Noboru      update:2022-07-07 16:13
  Saito was lying on the floor. Towering above him stood a roughly breathing Louise. It was the kitchen of the ’Charming Fairies’ Inn. The inn just opened, but it was already noisy inside. Louise, with her arms crossed, looked down at Saito.

  “Tell me, big brother.”

  Louise still called him big brother. In here, Saito pretended to be Louise’s elder brother. No one believed it as everyone in the inn already knew that Louise was a noble, yet she continued calling him ‘Big Brother’ anyway. She had a really stubborn character.

  “What, little sister?”

  Saito asked in a voice feeble and strained from Louise’s harsh beating.

  “What were you doing before I called you?”

  “Cleaning dishes.”

  “Don’t lie. You were looking away.”

  “A little.”

  “Not a little.”

  Louise pointed inside of the inn.

  “You were ogling that girl’s thighs, this girl’s breasts and that girl’s bottom……”

  Then, Louise angrily pointed at Jessica.

  “You were watching the valley of Jessica’s breasts too.”

  “A little.”

  “Hey, big brother……”

  Louise stomped on Saito’s face with her feet.

  “Yes?”

  “Isn’t it bad for you not to look at me? Isn’t your master gathering information from drunkards? If your cute master is endangered, you ought to protect her, right?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry is not enough. You looked at me only twice; I counted. You looked at this girl and at that girl four times. You looked at Jessica’s cleavage twelve times. You looked away, ignoring your Master. I c-c-c-cannot p-p-permit that!”

  “Hey, I wasn’t looking!”

  Pardon me. I’m seeing Louise every day. Her sleeping face too. It is love. Aah, master is cute. However, I want you to permit me to look at other girls. It is a man’s nature. You cannot fight it even if looking away. Therefore, it is not necessary to get angry so much…… Saito misunderstood her anger.

  But, he would never say such an excuse aloud. By now, Saito had learned how to deal with Louise.

  “What if the moment when you look away, I am attacked by a strange man? Do you understand? Are you willing to put me in such danger?"

  “No…… Wouldn’t that be alright? Ugh!”

  “Why?”

  “Master is not that appealing really. A tiny body has tiny popularity.”

  Saito said what he was thinking. Louise spread her hands, sighed with a ‘Fuuh,’ and started warming-up for another physical exercise.

  “Really? I see. The dog can only be taught physically. Nnshotto.”

  She went back to her vigorous exercise.

  While Louise was warming-up, Saito quietly slipped towards the back door. He had enough punishment a little while ago. Ten minutes. He needed to run away and get some rest.

  Saito gripped Derflinger, who was rolled up in a cloth. Due to a recent incident, he was always carrying Derflinger with him. Reluctantly, he decided to carry it around, even though he knew how obstructive it could be.

  The moment he opened the back door and stepped out into the alley, he saw a hooded woman running in short steps in his direction.

  Don! The woman knocked up against Saito, who just opened the door and fell on the ground. This made Saito flurried.

  “S-sorry……Are you all right?”

  The woman hid her face with her hood and said in panic,

  “.……That, is there a ’Charming Fairies’ inn somewhere around here?”

  “Eh? That’s here……”

  Muttering, Saito noticed that woman’s voice sounded familiar. At the same time the woman became aware of the same thing as well. Quietly, she lifted an edge of her hood and stole a quick glance at Saito’s face.

  “Princess!”

  “Shh!” she said, covering his mouth. Henrietta, wrapped in the lobes of gray hood, hid herself behind Saito, to avoid being seen from the Main Street.

  “Search there!”

  “Maybe she headed to Bourdonne Street!”

  From the Main Street the rough voices of soldiers could be heard. Henrietta put the hood back on again.

  “.……Is there a place where I could hide?”

  Henrietta looked so tiny.

  “There is an attic here where we live……”

  “Please guide me there.”

  Saito quietly brought Henrietta to the attic. She sat down on the bed and breathed out deeply.

  “.……Safe for now.”

  “It is not safe. What was that about?”

  “I just sneaked away for a minute…… and such uproar happened.”

  “Huh? Weren’t you kidnapped the other day? No wonder it turned into a fuss!”

  Henrietta became silent.

  “Princess, aren’t you a ruler now? And you still act so selfishly?”

  “That not it. It’s because I have important business…… And I heard from reports that Louise is here…… I’m glad I could meet you at once.”

  “A-anyway, I’ll call Louise.”

  Louise after noticing that Henrietta disappeared would surely go ballistic, but this might help to ease her mind a bit. Louise’s behavior was easy to predict. Like always.

  “Don’t.”

  Henrietta stopped Saito.

  “W-why?”

  “..I do not want to speak with Louise.”

  “What?”

  “I do not want to disappoint that girl.”

  Saito sat on the chair and stared at Henrietta.

  “Then, what else? Sneaking out of the castle without permission is not a good thing to do.”

  Then Saito realized.

  “But, if you didn’t come here to meet Louise, then what did you come here for?”

  “I came to borrow your power.”

  “M-me?”

  “If it’s all right, I want you to guard me till tomorrow.”

  “W-why me? Aren’t you the Queen? You have many soldiers and mages to guard you……”

  “For today and tomorrow, I want to blend in with commoners. And, naturally, I do not want anyone from the palace to know that. So……”

  “What?”

  “I trust only you.”

  “That’s…… don’t you have anyone else?”

  “Yes. I know you are good, and I, myself, am almost lonely in the palace. Many people there do not like me as a young queen……”

  And after a moment of hesitation she added,

  “.……and as a traitor.”

  Saito recalled Wardes. Asking Louise, who was her best friend after all, to travel incognito – there might be something that cannot be spoken even to Louise.

  “I see. Only because it is the Princess’ request I will do it, but……”

  After that Saito watched Henrietta’s face.

  “It’s dangerous isn’t it?”

  Henrietta veiled her eyes down.

  “Yes.”

  “Really? Then Princess, do not tell that to Louise about going through danger. Please promise me.”

  “All right.”

  She nodded.

  “Then it is good, but……”

  “Then, let’s leave. I cannot stay around here forever.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “We won’t be leaving town. Please calm down. For the time being, I want to change clothes……”

  Henrietta looked at the dress under her robe. It was a white, clean and elegant dress, hiding behind the robe would be too noticeable. Even a noble couldn’t complain about this attire.

  “These are Louise’s clothes but…… She bought them to make her look as a commoner.”

  “Please, lend them to me.”

  Saito pulled the box from under the bed and took out Louise’s clothes. Then Henrietta turned her back to Saito, not worrying about him looking! Saito started to panic once she took off her dress. He accidentally caught a glimpse of Henrietta’s chest from behind. Though it was not as big as Kirche’s, it was still bigger than Siesta’s. After all, she was a queen, so her breasts must be Queen-like as well. But then he realized.

  Can she wear Louise’s shirt?

  It was just like he thought.

  “The shirt…… is rather tight.”

  Not ‘rather’. The shirt was bought following Louise’s size, and it could not match Henrietta’s breasts. The more she strained, the more buttons flew off.

  “Mhm. Very.”

  Saito said while holding his nose.

  “Mh, good?”

  Good! Nothing else one could expect from the queen. Henrietta should not worry about that. “I hope it won’t be too flashy if I do this,” she muttered as she unfastened her top two buttons.

  It only emphasized the valley of her breasts - this was as if there were no shirt at all to begin with. Though it might be embarrassing, walking next to a man in such attire. This also made one forget that she was queen and made her look more like a woman.

  “Let’s go.” Henrietta urged Saito.

  “We cannot go yet.”

  “Eh? Really?”

  “You should at least change your hairstyle.”

  “Then, change it.”

  Henrietta is similar to Louise after all, what an inexperienced princess, Saito thought while fiddling with Henrietta’s hair. Even changing clothes could not mask that……

  He lifted her hair up into a ponytail, the way that he occasionally did for Louise too.

  This changed the atmosphere a lot. Then, Saito put some light make-up on Henrietta, using Louise’s cosmetics.

  Wouldn’t they need make-up in the inn? Because she said so, Saito bought it…… But since Louise did not use it, there was plenty of it left.

  “Fufu, this way you look like a town woman.”

  With a light make-up and in the front open shirt…… She certainly looked like a cheerful town woman.

  Because she came forth to the attic, it seemed like they would not inform Louise about anything. Saito felt uneasy for a moment. He guessed he’d have to talk with her later. It couldn’t be helped, as it was the Queen’s wish.

  Saito and Henrietta quietly sneaked through the back door to the alley.

  The alerted state about the Queen’s disappearance seemed to have increased…… The exit to Chicton was heavily guarded again.

  “They placed a cordon.”

  Saito reported things that seemed like a police drama in his world. Somehow understanding the meaning, Henrietta nodded.

  “What now? Would it be all right not having your face covered?"

  “Hiding it would be even more suspicious. Drop your hand over my shoulder.”

  Saito held Henrietta’s shoulder as he was told. They approached the place where the guards stood. The tension rose and thier pulse quickened. Henrietta muttered in a hard tone,

  “Pretend to lean into me. Like a lover.”

  Eh? Giving him no time to think, Henrietta clasped Saito’s hand that he was holding her shoulder with, and led it to the crevice of her open shirt. Feeling Henrietta’s soft and smooth hills of flesh along his finger, Saito panicked.

  “Don’t squirm.”

  Henrietta drew her mouth next to Saito’s ear and muttered tenderly, with a fake smile on her lips.

  Saito passed through the guards doubly nervous.

  Though the guard accidentally saw the couple…… he had only seen the Queen’s face from a distance. Besides even in his wildest dreams he could not imagine the Queen walking with a commoner, allowing his hand to touch her skin in such a way. He turned his eyes away at once and called another woman to stop.

  Henrietta, walking out to the Main Street, laughed.

  “Princess?”

  “No…… I’m sorry. Because it was such a funny moment. However, a pleasant one.”

  “.……Eh?”

  “I put on rough clothes, changed my hairstyle…… put on only a light make-up and no one could recognize me. “

  Certainly…… Henrietta seemed to merge with the scenery of this night. Saito felt that she was a different woman.

  “However, we were seen by a person who barely knows your face, Princess.”

  “Shh!”

  “Eh? Eeeh?”

  “Don’t call me princess in public. Call me ‘Ann’ in short.”

  “Ann, then.”

  “Yes.”

  \r \r \r

  Then, Henrietta inclined her head to the side in doubt.

  “Tell me your name.”

  Being unknown to the Princess, Saito answered sadly.

  “Saito.”

  “Saito, unusual name.”

  At that moment, Henrietta muttered leaning to Saito in a town woman’s way.

  “Y-yeah, Ann, it’s unusual.”

  “Be more rough.”

  “Understood, Ann.”

  Smiling, Henrietta entwined her arm around Saito’s.

  Because night came slowly, the couple went to a hotel for the time being. It was a plain, cheap lodging house. They were led to a worn-out room on the second floor that made even the attic at “Charming Fairies” inn look heavenly.

  The futon of the bed was strangely damp, it was unclear for how many days it had been left to dry, and a small mushroom was growing in the corner of the room. The lamp, even after wiping off the soot, was still really black.

  “Well, for so much money, it’s not that great a room.”

  But Henrietta said while sitting on the bed.

  “No, the room is fantastic.”

  “Is that so……”

  “Yes. Here at least you do not have to worry…… about venomous snakes sleeping on your chest.”

  “And no weird bugs either.”

  “Right.”

  Henrietta smiled.

  Saito sat on the chair standing in the room. The chair, as if protesting, made a strange, creaky sound. For some reason, he wanted to keep the distance between him and his honorable partner as far as possible. Finding it difficult to keep talking, Saito asked.

  “Is it really such a nice room?”

  “Yes. It is exciting. Because it has the taste of the imprudent, ordinary life of citizens……”

  She emphasized that with a cute gesture. Henrietta acting like that, created a slight feeling of intimacy.

  Because the room was pitch dark, they decided to light up the sooted lamp. He could not find any matches, though he looked around carefully.

  “They don’t have matches here…… I’ll go down and bring them.”

  Henrietta shook her head and took out a crystal wand from her bag. She swung it and ‘Posh!’ the lamp’s wick lit up.

  Henrietta sat gazing at the lamplight, holding her chin with her hand.

  Saito, feeling dazzled somehow, turned his eyes away.

  Seeing Henrietta relaxed like that…… though she still had that sense of intimacy around her, she was still a princess. No, she was a queen now…… a very young queen still. The word princess suited her more. Unrivaled grace and dignity. Though it was a similar feeling with Louise…… but Louise could be so childish when unhappy, while Henrietta was still calm and composed. She had an aura of a grown up adult around her. Even through the gaps of her shirt one could smell her womanly charm.

  This was an indescribable charm of mixed noble pride and danger.

  “What now?”

  She asked Saito in an innocent voice. Such a princess was really beautiful, thought Saito while mumbling something.

  “Is Louise all right?”

  Henrietta asked Saito from the other side of the lamp. Mysteriously, Henrietta’s presence made this worn-out place look like a royal palace bedroom. Henrietta had the power to change the surrounding air that way. Even at night time it felt like it was a bright day.

  “Yeah. Well, she, that, she said she would accomplish her job for the Princess……”

  As for Louise, she always scolded Saito for failing to gather information.

  “She is all right from that aspect.”

  “Eh?”

  “That child has sent me a precise report through the carrier owl every day.”

  “Is that so?”

  If you think about it, she probably wrote those while Saito was sleeping. What a serious fellow.

  "Yes…… She exactly informed me every day about every rumor…… Every single one. Without a single complaint. She certainly blended with commoners, not worrying when it will end. Because that child is highborn…… Thus, I worry if her health is all right.”

  “She is all right. She does everything energetically.”

  Saito nodded.

  “I’m so glad.”

  “But, is the information that Louise gathers really useful?”

  “Yes. It is useful.”

  Henrietta smiled.

  “I myself want to hear citizens’ real intentions. I want to hear the true opinion about the politics I do. If they inform me directly, they change some things. They would not be comfortable with telling me…… as they are with others. I want to know the truth. Even the things I don’t like.”

  A sad smile appeared on Henrietta’s face.

  “Princess?’

  “No…… It’s just that knowing the truth is sometimes difficult. Though I am called a ‘Holy Woman’, there are harsher names I heard. I am looked down as a greenhorn trying to attack Albion, abusing her power to organize an invasion army, and I am suspected of being Germania’s puppet…… Really, not queen-like……’

  “Seriously?”

  “Is your world also the same?”

  “Eh?”

  Saito looked blankly.

  “Excuse my impoliteness. I asked the Magic Academy Director Osman. I was surprised to learn that you came from a different world. I could hardly ever imagine that such world existed. So in your world, at war…… is the government spoken ill about?”

  Saito remembered. Newspapers were flooded with everyday news about the corruption of the politicians at war……

  “There is not much difference.”

  “It is the same there as well.”

  Henrietta muttered, relieved.

  “Wars…… do you have them?”

  “Our country is in the middle of one.”

  “No…… I mean, besides attacking that flying continent?”

  “Why would you say so?”

  “A little while ago, you said an invasion army. Did similar invasions happen here, too?”

  “Oh well. In that case, this war is endless……These are the things that should be left unsaid. It’s not a thing to talk with you about. Please forget it.”

  Still, hearing Saito being silent, Henrietta looked up.

  “Do you hate war?”

  “I guess I do not love it.”

  “But, you saved the kingdom at Tarbes.”

  “I did so to defend an important person.”

  “Then, that night……”

  Henrietta turned her face away and muttered hesitatingly. Then Saito…… recalled that ominous night.

  The night that Wales, who was thought to be dead, revived and tried to kidnap Henrietta. He remembered seeing his corpse. But he couldn’t recall much.

  “I am sorry.”

  Henrietta said in a tiny voice.

  And then……

  It started raining. As small raindrops beat against the window. They could hear people in the streets shouting “Che! Rain!,” “Out of nowhere!”.

  Henrietta started to tremble.

  “Princess?”

  Henrietta muttered in a tiny voice. In a voice that seemed to vanish.

  “.……can you do something for me?”

  “W-what?”

  “Hold my shoulders tightly.”

  The wand fell from the trembling hand of Henrietta and made a dry sound hitting the floor.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m afraid of rain.”

  After those words…… Saito remembered that on that night it started to rain as well. Henrietta and the revived Wales used that rain to create…… a huge tornado that tried to swallow Saito and the others.

  Saito silently sat down next to Henrietta and held her shoulders. Henrietta kept on shaking.

  “Princess……”

  “Because of me…… everyone died…… I killed them. I don’t understand. I do not understand. Can I ever be forgiven?”

  Saito thought for a while and said.

  “No one can forgive that. Indeed……”

  “That’s right. I…… I have no forgiveness for what I did to you or other people…… When I hear the rain, I can only think about such things.”

  Henrietta closed her eyes and drew her cheek to Saito’s chest. Her hand firmly gripped Saito’s. At the sound of the rainfall, her shivering grew stronger. She was not a queen, not even a princess…… she was just a lonely, weak girl now. A girl who fell in love with a prince from a foreign country. Maybe this person, was weaker than anyone. She cannot do a thing, without someone next to her. Yet she was forced to put on a crown. She was forced to grip the scepter that commands the war.

  He thought unhappy thoughts.