Northern Hot Springs Getaway
With the reward vacation to the northern hot springs now decided, the Emperor granted Serena permission to accompany me. The reasoning was that she had been working tirelessly, traveling extensively to tend to the people’s welfare while also handling various duties within the imperial palace, so she needed rest. Of course, that was just an excuse. Since I was currently her only bodyguard, sending me on vacation would leave her unprotected, so they were simply sending her along with me.
As a team was assembled to attend to Serena during our stay at the hot springs, we began planning our vacation schedule in earnest. Even after the trip was confirmed, Serena couldn’t hide her unease and scolded me for readily accepting the Emperor’s proposal.
“How could you just accept Father’s offer like that?! I know he meant well, but the person who first suggested it to him is full of schemes! This is obviously a trap!”
“I know.”
“Didn’t you see me signaling you?! This is driving me insane! Now we can’t even back out! Even if it’s called a hot spring resort, the north is still the north! It’s nothing like the south! The land is harsher, the environment is tougher, and there are far more dangers. On top of that, there are plenty of people up there who follow that damned brother of mine!”
“Well, that’s probably true no matter where we go, isn’t it?”
Serena jumped in surprise. “If you know all that, then why did you accept?!”
“Please calm down and listen, Your Highness. There’s a very important reason behind this that even the gods would understand.”
“R-really…? What is it?”
Only then did Serena’s momentum ease a little. Her expression seemed to say, So he had a plan after all! She looked at me with curious eyes, waiting for the explanation, and I gave her the answer she was hoping for.
“It’s free.”
“Aaaagh!!!”
Serena let out a scream, kicked me square in the rear, then stormed off in a huff. That was what I said out loud, but of course I had my own reasons for wanting to go north. The north was the Empire’s bulwark protecting it from the monster-infested Land of Death. Known as the Northern Wall, it was considered the most critical stronghold in the Empire. In the later stages of Romance Tale, this very wall is breached. It was a place the Empire would stake everything on defending, yet it still fell. Monsters poured over the wall, the north was devastated, and the Academy where the heroine and the male leads attended was temporarily closed. All the characters gathered there to stop the crisis, and depending on the affection levels built up, the heroine would receive proposals like “If we survive this fight, let’s get married” and choose her future partner. In short, it was essentially the final chapter of the game.
Yet even when I was wandering the world instead of romancing anyone, like in an RPG, I could still visit the north. When I looked around, the defenses were so solid that it was hard to understand how the wall could ever be breached. The commander was competent, the soldiers were elite, no one slacked off during training, military discipline was tight, and each of them had plenty of combat experience. The Land of Death was home to the strongest monsters players could encounter, so the fact that these people were holding them back already proved their capability. Everyone searched high and low for the cause of the breach, but in the end, no one could figure it out, so the only explanation was that it had been broken for the sake of advancing the game’s story.
That kind of convenient reasoning might work in a game, but this world was reality to me. I had to identify and eliminate the cause of the Northern Wall’s future breach. According to the timeline, the wall breaks in four years. Just because there’s time doesn’t mean I can sit around doing nothing. The cause might already exist in the present, before the main story even begins. Since the northern hot spring resort wasn’t too far from the Northern Wall, if I suggested inspecting the area after our vacation, the workaholic Serena wouldn’t refuse. Of course, Bryden had almost certainly set some kind of trap, so I’d have to prepare for that as well… Well, if he wants to scheme, let him. I’ll just smash whatever he tries.
#####
The day before Serena, her attendants, and I were set to depart for the north, the guests who had visited the imperial palace began returning to their own domains one by one. Amari, the granddaughter of Duke Durendal, who had sparred with me dozens of times since our match, seemed to have let go of some of her resentment. She extended her hand toward me.
“Next time we meet, I’ll win. I’m going to train like crazy. You’re coming to the Academy next year too, right?”
“Oh, now that you mention it…”
Next year, both Serena and Amari would enroll in the Academy, the main stage of the original story. Since nearly all the students, including them, came from extremely noble backgrounds, the Academy allowed them to bring bodyguards. As Serena’s bodyguard, I would probably go with her. Damn, I really don’t want to study there… Maybe I should quit once next year comes. It’s not like anyone said I had to guard her forever.
After a brief distraction, I took Amari’s hand and shook it. “I suppose so. I look forward to seeing you again, my lady.”
“You can just call me by my name. Are you being polite because there are so many people around?”
“Haha, well, considering my own status…”
“After humiliating me in front of all those people, now you’re acting like this?”
“…Didn’t you promise not to hold a grudge?”
Amari winked, stuck out her tongue playfully, and turned away. Once the Duke Durendal’s household left, the Red Magic Tower also prepared to depart the palace. Heinkel, the Master of the Red Magic Tower, grabbed my hand once again and asked the same question he had asked countless times before.
“Listen, you’re not actually planning to open a bakery, are you?”
“Ah, like I said, it’s just one possibility! I haven’t decided on anything yet!”
“That’s a great idea. If you’re going to think about it anyway, why not consider joining our Red Magic Tower instead—”
“Oh! I’ve kept you far too long, Tower Master! The others are leaving too, so you should hurry along!”
“W-wait! Aran! It’s not too late! The doors of the Red Magic Tower are always open—”
I nudged Heinkel along until the other mages dragged him away. Even as he was being pulled off, he kept trying to recruit me until the very last moment. Once all the other guests had left, the crazy old man also began packing his things to leave.
“What, where are you going?”
“His Majesty has given me another mission. I’ve been looking through various records here in the palace, but now it seems better to go see things for myself.”
“Just so you know, I’m not going.”
The old man chuckled at my words. “I’m going alone, you fool. Besides, you have to protect the princess, don’t you? We’ll be parting ways for a while. Don’t go crying because you’ll miss me.”
“Cry? Me?! Has this old man gone senile from old age?! Aagh, damn it! My finger moved on its own!”
I raised both middle fingers and shouted, “Don’t go dying in some ridiculous accident while on your mission! I’ve spent my whole life dreaming of wringing your neck!”
When I hurled insults at the old man, Serena and the other knights stared at me in horror, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. As I raised both middle fingers, the old man laughed heartily and approached me.
“Hahaha, this boy is just too shy to show his affection, so he’s throwing a tantrum at his master before a long journey.”
“What? Shy? Throwing a tantrum at my master? Eat dirt, you damned old man! Whoa, whoa?! Don’t come any closer!”
“How can you serve the princess with such vulgar language and behavior? It seems my training was still lacking. Before I go, I’ll give you one more lesson to help you come to your senses.”
“N-no! I’ve come to my senses! I’ve realized everything! I really have! G-get away from me?! Aaaaargh!”
For the first time since the imperial train, I was subjected to the Oh-do-gi-hap, the brutal training meant to instill the five virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and loyalty. Serena and everyone else who witnessed the indescribable moment looked at me with pity as I lay twitching on the floor. The old man bowed to Serena.
“Then, Your Highness, this old man will take his leave. Though my disciple is lacking in many ways, his skills are reliable, so I trust he will protect you well. If he ever does anything unlearned in your presence, please write to me and let me know.”
“Y-yes… I understand, Sir Luke.”
The adorable Serena, trembling violently, nodded slightly to accept his farewell. But remembering the pitiful look she had given me earlier… She wouldn’t actually report me, would she…?
“Damn it… Just you wait!”
Still sprawled on the floor after the Oh-do-gi-hap, I swore revenge as I watched the old man leave. And the very next day, Serena, her attendants, and I—all together as one group—departed for the snowy northern hot spring resort.