Shini Yasui Kōshaku Reijō to Shichi-nin no Kikōshi

Chapter 27: Island of Messenger (part nine)

I looked at the distant scenery, where the absentminded Klaus was swarmed by the girls.

This was similar to something.

……Piranha?

While thinking a pretty rude thing, I escaped the area gracefully.

It seems that Tricia and Marquia who I made friends with some time ago are in the group that is currently surrounding Klaus.

What should I do?

Will Ann take care of it?

Just as I thought so, I saw Ann heading towards that direction to rescue Klaus.

She wasn’t afraid of a group of ten or more ladies who are older than herself.

So strong, huh~

I also have to emulate Ann a little.

Well, I am going to have a relaxing meal with Tirnanog.

When I thought so, I was spoken to by another person.

“You are Erica-sama, daughter of the Duke Aurelia, huh.”

It is a boy who has dark violet eyes with long platinum blonde hair which I recognized as the characteristics of Ignitia’s people at a glance, along with a small purple dragon.

He seems to be around 12 or 14 years old.

By the way, he resembles one of the royal aristocrats of Ignitia who were surrounding the King, Queen Consort and Prince Auguste some time ago.

“Will you dance a single song with me?”

“……Yes, thank you for your consideration. How should I call you?”

It is pretty distracting to dance with such a stranger for the first time.

But I guess he can’t be refused carelessly, as he is someone from Ignitia.

“Oya? Do you not know about me? You can never do that, as someone who is a duke’s daughter.”

“Pardon me. This is my first time coming to the Kingdom, so I am unfamiliar with Ignitia’s aristocrats.”

“There is no choice, I’ll forgive you, Duke of Aurelia’s daughter. My fame is not enough to reach the end of this continent’s western region.”

I desperately soothed my cheeks that seemed to cramp.

Isn’t the introduction too long?

Somehow it feels like the self-proclaimed angel prince, when I met him in an unofficial place.

What is this person thinking, he didn’t even give his name to someone who he invited to dance at the banquet hall of the Royal Castle.

“Fufufu. Remember this. If you remember, it should be useful in the future. I am Louis Ode-Ignitia1. I am the younger stepbrother of Margrave Charles Ode-Ignitia, who governs the Ignitia’s territory in Karkinos, the City of Reconquest.”

Louis Ode-Ignitia.

I may have gained the attention of another troublesome person.

He is from the Ode-Ignitia family, in other words, the branch family of Ignitia royal family.

Both Louis and Charles are cousins of Prince Auguste, and they also have the right to succeed the throne.

This person named Louis Ode-Ignitia was not posted on the website of 『Liber Mostrorum』 or the character booklet.

He didn’t appear in the second scenario that I had played.

He is a man of Karkinos continent and wouldn’t go to the magic academy at the same time as me.

My death flag probably has nothing to do with this person……but he is from the royal family, even if it is just the branch family.

I feel troubled, but since he is from the royal family I can’t possibly ignore him.

I wore the mask of a duke’s daughter as tightly as possible.

I took the hand presented by Louis and started dancing while being led by him.

He put his face closer to my ear and muttered.

“You are an interesting girl. I heard of it. According to that, Auguste is an angel, huh?”

Uh……after all, just who was around that time?

My black history was exposed quickly.

I felt the muscles of my face stiffen.

However, outwardly I smiled back with a piece of thick skin.

“That’s right. But Prince Auguste was so beautiful that I mistook him for an angel.”

I don’t know what might lead to me being eaten alive, what I cannot say, or to what extent people are listening to this.

Since it would be troublesome if they ironically happen, I shall force myself to push through this.

Louis then twirled strands of my hair twice, keeping the angle of his face slanted and made a sidelong glance.

“‘Beautiful’ is usually said to someone like me, Milady.”

“……Is that so, Louis-sama.”

I was about to draw away from him, but I managed to bear it somehow.

I wonder if this person is a narcissist.

Certainly Louis is also a beauty, but I think he is inconspicuous among the members of Ignitia royal family that consists entirely of beautiful people.

“Hahaha, but, Duke Aurelia’s daughter. No matter how beautiful he is, you shouldn’t approach that prince.”

“Is that so, Louis-sama.”

“Prince Auguste is, how should I put this……he is a thorny rose. Even if it is beautiful, if you touch it, it will hurt your hand and make you bleed. Have you heard of one or two of his rumors?”

“No, I do not like such rumors—”

“No, no! Wait a moment! The prince’s rumors, they are not rumors that can be talked about in a place like this! You do not know who might be listening!”

The one who brought up the topic was Louis himself.

Besides, in such a loud voice, I had the impression that the surrounding people might make strange rumors about me.

Perhaps he thought that he could easily deceive an 8-years-old girl into believing the rumors.

I wonder if the original Erica didn’t question the rumors about Auguste.

“I think I want to get along with Prince Auguste, but the prince seems to hate me. I was going to train the poor boy who cannot ride a dragon yet, but he will not go along with me at all. It is a pitiful story, even though we are cousins.”

“That’s unbelievable, Louis-sama.”

Louis seems to positively hate Auguste.

Or, does he think that Auguste is in the way as a rival over the succession of the throne?

Either way, he would like to take advantage of the bad rumors and make Auguste’s position worse.

This is troubling.

If I agree then it is likely to be spread around that the Duke of Aurelia’s daughter is a friend of Louis by the surroundings, and if I disagree then he will loudly speak of the opposite things to manipulate a different impression.

I would do my utmost to make it clear properly.

“Prince Auguste has been totally distorted in the past few years. I am anxious and can’t help worrying. I want to be friends with that poor friendless child. I am a gentle person so I want to be friends with everyone.”

“Me too, Prince Auguste is not a person like the rumor. If you are going to become friends with him, I also—”

“You had better quit it! Prince Auguste is rough, I do not know what to do if a defenseless little girl like you approach him.”

“Is that so, Louis-sama.”

It is becoming painful to keep wearing the mask of a duke’s daughter.

How long will his evil mouth continue while pretending to care about Prince Auguste?

With this kind of people surrounding him, I feel that it is understandable for Prince Auguste to become similar to an alabaster statue.

While going through such a conversation that seemed to hurt my stomach, Louis held my hand and I was about to make a turn……at that time.

“Who are you! To steal the dance partner of another person……!”

Louis’ voice was heard from behind, not from in front of me.

Looking back, Louis is a little far away, frozen with his hand out in the air while sporting a strange expression.

Then, who is this person taking my hand?

The one in front of me is a tall person who is hiding his face with a mask that usually can be seen in a masquerade ball.

He is wearing Ignitia’s nobility costume, a hat with feathers, golden mantle embroidered with golden thread and boots with high heels.

Blond hair is spilling out from under his hat.

Who is this?

I feel like we have met somewhere.

“Pardon me. I was wondering whether or not the princess was bored because it was such a tedious step that I felt like yawning.”

“What did you say!? That statement, do you know that I am Louis Ode-Ignitia!”

“Hmm~? Ode-Ignitia? Never heard of that name. Is that a name of a rural nobility somewhere in the country?”

“This……this plebeian! There was no need to say that!!”

Louis became indignant by the insulting words and provocations.

Beyond the mask, eyes similar to those of a mischievous child were laughing.

“Perhaps, you are……”

“Then, I will take the princess away.”

The person took off his mantle lightly and held it over us as if to obstruct Louis’ line of sight.

In a short period of time while the mantle was slowly falling down from the air, the masked person moved quickly like a lightning bolt.

He put a black hair wig on my head and hid the characteristic golden hair.

Hung a gray robe on my shoulders and hid the luxurious blue dress.

With the quick work of the masked person, my figure quickly turned into that of a Hafan’s aristocrat.

The masked person himself took off his hat and mask and freed his covered hair.

When he wrapped a mantle around his waist like a wraparound skirt and wore a veil with a plain color, that person’s figure quickly turned into that of a woman in a dress.

Those changes only took a few seconds.

The surrounding people who were watching the series of movements were surprised and opened their mouths blankly.

To Louis’ whose line of sight was blocked by the falling mantle, it would seem as if we have disappeared.

“You are……Devil-san?”

“Shh, please be quiet.”

That person who took off the mask is the self-proclaimed Devil-san who I met in the depths of the cathedral.

Right now she has lowered her skin’s exposure and is wearing a dress with modest hues like a maid.

I only saw a man until a while ago, it is like magic.

She pulled me, who now has a completely plain appearance, as she moved away from the circle of dancers.

☆

Brought by Devil-san, I reached an unpopular terrace.

There seemed to be only one patch of cloud in the sky, the starry night sky spread out.

The sea around Island of Messenger seemed calm, and the light of the stars was reflected on the calm water surface like a mirror, shining brightly.

It looked as if the castle was floating in outer space.

With such a fantastic sight, Prince Auguste who had a lonely smile was standing there.

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1 オドイグニシア (Odoignitia) but it is spelled as Ode-Ignitia. The author said she had the image of ‘the land where the song of the dragons echoes’ when she named it that.

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