A New Slave Has Been Added #5
Watching Adela crouched there, trembling, I found myself thinking.
What on earth am I supposed to do with this one?
She was more than capable of pulling her own weight no matter where I threw her. If anything, that was exactly why I was so conflicted. It was, in its own way, a "first-world problem."
I decided to shelf that thought for later.
“Sir Alto.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“What is your name?”
“It is Adela….”
I asked out of courtesy, though I already knew the name.
I sat down casually on the edge of Adela’s bed.
“Eek!”
Adela jumped in shock. Where had that boldness gone, the one she’d shown when she tried to pick a fight with me? She was acting so timid now.
“I am sorry… I still keep thinking about that final moment….”
Listening to her mumble her excuses, it seemed she was haunted by the vivid, terrifying memory of her mana-weaving domain being crushed.
Had I unintentionally left her with a mild trauma?
“My apologies.”
“O-oh, no! It’s just… I wanted to show Your Majesty a performance that would leave a lasting impression….”
Adela muttered.
Come to think of it.
“That sword. I heard it was quite expensive.”
“…Ah.”
She must have forgotten about it.
Her face turned deathly pale.
“I’ll cover the cost later, so don’t worry too much. More importantly, do you have a sword to use?”
“Ah, yes. I have my master’s sword with me….”
“If you mean the sword of the Protector.”
That would be Durandal.
It was a true treasure, incomparable to some broken famous blade.
“Why didn’t you draw Durandal?”
“…I felt too ashamed to draw Durandal.”
She had been acting a bit dazed just a moment ago, but the mention of Durandal brought back the dignified posture of a female knight.
“To be honest, I even thought that if I had drawn Durandal, it might have broken anyway….”
“Is that so?”
I couldn't say it was impossible. A treasure on the level of Durandal might have been able to withstand at least one strike.
“Forget it. That’s not what’s important.”
It was a shame I hadn’t seen Durandal, but she had shown excellent skill even without it.
“The Protector taught his granddaughter well.”
“How did you…?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”
No one but me would know. Perhaps Lily, who gathered information from all over for me, or Elizabeth.
But Adela, unaware of that, widened her eyes.
“A-as expected, the Imperial Capital, ruled directly by Your Majesty, is different indeed.”
I decided not to correct her.
“My grandfather….”
Adela hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“He told me that since he had passed on everything he possessed to me, it was time for me to go out and see the world.”
“I see.”
Before he died, he had paved the way so his granddaughter, who inherited everything, wouldn’t lose her way. Truly worthy of his reputation….
“Yes? Oh, my grandfather is still quite hale and hearty.”
“What?”
The old man is still alive?
“I asked you if it was a keepsake, didn’t I?”
“Yes, and I told you it wasn’t…?”
Usually, in that situation, wouldn’t you say he’s still alive instead of just saying it’s not a keepsake?
I thought the Protector was dead.
He hadn’t made a single appearance in the original work, even during all that chaos.
“Grandfather said he could no longer do anything, and that he would leave everything to flow as it may.”
So, he’s a hermit, then.
I imagined an old man holed up in some rural village, tilling a field and living a modest life.
“He lives in a grand mansion, with all the farmland and treasures he received from the previous Emperor piled up.”
Give me back my fantasy.
Then what is this?
He’s still fit as a fiddle, not hiding anywhere, and living in a luxurious mansion?
Then why was there zero information about him in the original work?
As that thought crossed my mind, I realized.
In a female-oriented romance fantasy dating sim, there was no need for an old geezer to make an appearance.
He wasn’t even a handsome middle-aged man who had aged gracefully.
An old man is just an old man.
Since Adela was the only related character, there was barely a mention of him, so how could there be any information?
“I see. It is a relief to hear he is well. I shall pay him a visit sometime.”
“Yes!”
Adela, unaware of my inner thoughts, nodded with sparkling eyes.
Right.
I’d leave the Protector talk at that for now.
The real problem was how to put her to work.
“Hmm.”
Her defensive swordsmanship was excellent; she would be perfect as Elizabeth’s bodyguard.
The problem was:
“Why did you apply while cross-dressing?”
To the outside world, she was currently the male knight, Sir Alto. Not the wandering Sword Saint, Sir Adela.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a particular problem to assign a male knight as a bodyguard.
But what I wanted was someone who could provide close-quarters protection for Elizabeth.
Adela answered in a fluster.
“Huh? …Ah, that is, my master told me to dress as a man whenever I went out.”
Hmm.
I could understand the Protector’s heart. If a wandering knight walked around with this face, it would surely lead to all sorts of tiresome trouble.
Even in the original work, she only seemed to drop the disguise when she was in front of Serena.
“Umm….”
Fidgeting, Adela gauged my reaction. It wasn’t really her fault, so there was no reason for her to be so nervous.
Ah.
“I have it.”
“Yes?”
“From now on, Sir Adela and Sir Alto are two separate people. Do you understand?”
“Yes?”
I explained what I had in mind to Adela.
“…So, you mean I should live as Sir Adela, the knight in charge of Lady Elizabeth’s protection, in my daily life?”
“Exactly. Just say you’re a knight I summoned. People will naturally draw their own conclusions.”
“C-conclusions, you say…?!”
They’d probably think she was a parachute hire I’d shoved into the position. Naturally, there would be all sorts of talk.
“If any offensive words reach your ears, you have my permission to retaliate directly.”
“Are you sure that is allowed…?”
Why wouldn’t it be?
She is the bodyguard of the proxy directly appointed by the Emperor. It would be strange to just endure an insult.
Of course, one might endure it for the sake of one’s image, but….
I don’t need to worry about my image.
“A-and, does this mean Sir Alto, the top graduate of this exam, will be treated as if he is performing a secret mission for Your Majesty?”
“Yes.”
That way, even if Sir Alto, the top graduate, is never seen, everyone will be satisfied and move on.
And since I actually do intend to give Adela such missions from time to time, it’s not even a lie.
“I understand.”
Adela nodded.
Good. Let’s do well from here on out.
***
After throwing the successful candidates, including Daniel, to the wily high-ranking officials, and assigning Adela to guard Elizabeth, some time had passed.
The bureaucrats, who had been wilting from being worked to the bone, were starting to regain their vitality one by one.
By the way.
“Elizabeth is late today.”
The woman who would usually be the first to arrive and start tinkering with documents was nowhere to be seen.
Even though the sun was already high in the sky.
Is she sick?
“Lily, I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lily, dressed in her maid outfit today, bowed her head.
I headed straight for the room where Elizabeth was staying.
She had originally lived in the Court Count’s residence right next to the Imperial Palace.
‘Aaaah. I can’t go on like this. Your Majesty, please lend me an empty room.’
Then, after pulling several all-nighters in a row to prepare for the exams, she had started living in an unused room within the Imperial Palace.
I thought it might be time for her to return to her residence, as things were starting to settle down.
For some reason, she showed no signs of leaving.
Thanks to that, it was easy to find her now.
“Ah, Your Majesty.”
As I reached Elizabeth’s room, Adela, who had been guarding the door, bowed.
“Where is Elizabeth?”
“…She is still asleep.”
Just sleeping in, then.
“I suppose that’s to be expected.”
It seemed the fatigue she’d accumulated had finally erupted all at once. Even for a mage, not a Sword Master, she’d held out remarkably well.
“The maids and I have tried to wake her several times, but….”
She hadn’t budged.
“I will go in, so you should get some rest.”
“Ah, yes.”
Adela opened the door.
Stepping inside, I saw an interior that was surprisingly cute and charming.
Elizabeth—she had a secret fondness for cute things. It was a surprising discovery.
Then again, the fact that women generally like cute things didn’t change, even in a romance fantasy novel.
“Zzz….”
She was sleeping as comfortably as could be. I watched the sleeping Elizabeth for a moment, then pulled the blanket away.
“Ugh….”
Her body curled up at the sudden touch of cold air.
“Ugh….”
She still wouldn’t wake up?
I had no choice. I reached out, grabbed Elizabeth’s shoulders, and shook her.
Shake, shake.
Shake, shake.
Hmm, she swayed a beat behind every time I shook her.
Even to the eye, it was quite substantial.
“Ugh, ugh. What is it…? It’s still dawn…. Ugh?”
Elizabeth finally couldn’t withstand the shaking and whined, opening her eyes slightly.
She hadn’t woken up when Adela and the maids shook her, but she woke up the moment I did.
Still, once her eyes were open, she seemed to have no intention of sleeping more, slowly pushing herself up.
Sunlight streaming through the curtains illuminated her body.
“Ugh, ugh. Why is the sunlight so bright…?”
She let out a huge yawn and grumbled.
“Adela, the curtains… ….”
And then.
Her half-opened violet eyes met mine.
“U-uh?”
….
“Good morning.”
“───!”
I thought my ears were going to burst.