Departure
"Mm..."
A few days after the Ripaelle incident, in the morning.
"Is it tasty, Frey?"
"Yeah, as always."
I'm in the mansion's dining room, eating the omelet Irina prepared for me.
"Sorry... All I can really make is omelets... You must be sick of them by now, right?"
Just as Irina said, ever since she took over meal prep, breakfast had been fixed as omelets and milk for a while. I never cared much since I usually just grabbed a sandwich and coffee in the morning anyway, lacking much appetite. But Irina seems to think differently.
"No, it's fine. It's really delicious."
But her omelets were always tasty. And seeing the various heart patterns and puppy shapes sprinkled on top was pretty enjoyable too.
Plus, after eating the food that daytime Serena tried to "serve" me at our house a few days ago, Irina's omelets somehow tasted even better.
"So... I guess I won't get to eat your omelets for a while now?"
Which made it all the more regrettable. Starting this morning, Irina was heading off to the Western Continent.
She said she'd join Kania's group to help with the investigation, standing in for Clana, who had returned home early for some reason.
It was a shame, but unavoidable. Too many people in the mansion would draw unwanted attention.
I just hoped she'd take good care of herself.
"Frey."
As I paused mid-bite, pouting a bit, Irina caressed my cheek with her hand and whispered.
"Wait here just a moment."
"Huh?"
"It'll be quick."
With that, she got up and headed to her room.
Come to think of it, since returning to the mansion, she'd been holed up in her room researching something...
What were those weird noises coming from there?
—Rustle...
Pondering what Irina might be up to in her room, I glanced down at the sound at my feet.
"Ah, h-hello... Master..."
There lay Lulu, flattened on the floor.
"What are you doing here?"
"T-to eat... food..."
When I asked, she lowered her eyes quietly and replied.
"...Nom nom."
She placed her food bowl on the floor and began eating with her head bowed low.
Her movements seemed even more exaggerated and pitiful than before—a trend that had continued for days now.
She'd been trembling when Clana visited. Was she intimidated by the princess's status and lost her confidence? Or was there another reason?
Surely she didn't think that incident was her fault?
Her Misfortune Mark had been deactivated long ago.
"...Hmm."
As I watched her, lost in thought, I soon frowned.
Yesterday, I'd noticed faint scratches from her nails on the lingering traces of the Misfortune Mark on her shoulder.
I'd scolded her for the first time in ages, reminding her of our promise not to self-harm, and bandaged it up. But today, the bandage was slightly loose.
'Trauma...?'
"Eek!"
As I reached out to her, Lulu squeezed her eyes shut and flinched.
From that reaction, it seemed that while I could erase her Misfortune Mark, wiping away the trauma would be much harder.
Like a scribble that smears more the harder you try to wipe it, trauma only resurfaces stronger when you try to forget.
—Tighten...
So, gazing softly at Lulu, I gently stroked her head and tightened the loose bandage.
"Did you sleep well last night? Nothing happen?"
I said the usual words to her.
"I love you, Lulu."
I didn't know what had triggered her trauma again or why she looked up at me with such guilt-ridden eyes.
But we had plenty of time ahead. Even if I couldn't erase it all at once, steady effort might one day fully heal her trauma.
"...Me too, Master."
Whether my words got through or not, she pushed her bowl aside and crawled over, quietly pressing against my leg.
"......"
Then she closed her eyes peacefully.
"Phew."
Her expression looked serene. She was probably feeling secure as my pet.
Honestly, our relationship was quite abnormal—maybe even unhealthy.
But for now, as long as she was happy, that was enough.
Once everything was over, I'd definitely build a normal relationship with her.
"F-Frey."
As I watched her doze off against my leg, worn out, Irina returned from her room.
"Huff... huff..."
Clutching a small red puppy from who-knows-where.
"What's that?"
"M-my pet dog."
"But... wasn't your dog a big breed?"
I still vividly remembered her large dog flipping out and lunging at me, pinning me down.
Yet the puppy in her arms was tiny enough to bury itself in her ample chest.
Did that big dog have puppies? But there were no dogs in the mansion... Whose was it?
"I-I cast a shrinking spell. Since it made you uncomfortable..."
"Ah."
Now it made sense. That's what she'd been doing in her room—shrinking the dog to a manageable size.
'Is that really it?'
I tilted my head, wondering why someone of Irina's skill would take so long just to shrink a dog.
"Th-then... please take care of my Ling... I mean, the puppy. It's a good, gentle one—you'll like it."
"Huff huff..."
I eyed Irina suspiciously as she handed over the tongue-lolling puppy, but soon scratched my head and accepted it.
Well, even small, it looked sturdy enough. Maybe tie it in the yard as a guard dog?
"F-Frey... And I have a gift for you."
"Huh?"
As I tried to pry the puppy burrowing into my clothes and panting away, Irina—face flushed red for some reason—extended her hand.
"Give me your handkerchief."
"...Here."
I handed it over obediently, and she took a deep breath before infusing it with her mana.
"Oho."
After a while, the handkerchief felt warmer, and among the existing animal patterns, a new red puppy sticking out its tongue had been added.
"...But that's not all."
As I admired the cute addition with sparkling eyes, she caressed my cheek.
Then she put something in her mouth and kissed me.
"Slurp..."
At the same time, her soft body wrapped around me.
"Mm..."
And a sweet taste filled my mouth.
This had to be the puppy-love fruit—no doubt. My favorite fruit, symbolizing the feelings she'd harbored for me.
As if imprinting it deeply, she closed her eyes, climbed onto my lap, tangled her tongue with mine, held my hands tight, and shared the sweet puppy-love fruit in our mouths, rolling it around for a long while.
"Pha..."
Only when the shared juices slid down our throats did she pull her head back slightly and ask in a husky voice.
"H-how's the taste...?"
"...Pretty sweet."
"It's from the sapling I left in your dorm."
As I answered, she leaned in close, whispering in my ear.
"Remember this moment."
She smiled brightly.
The once lofty "Flame of the Battlefield," who incinerated demon armies with a cold glare and commanded awe—now sat on my lap, gazing down at me with loving eyes.
How could I forget?
"I love you, Frey."
And in her radically altered maid outfit, she'd be unforgettable in more ways than one.
"...Me too."
A strange mix of emotions and playfulness surged; I carefully licked the juice dripping from her lips and gave a sly smile.
".....!"
Caught off guard by my counterattack, her eyes wavered as she looked down at me, twitching wildly.
"Frey, when I'm gone... be careful with stuff like that."
She chewed her lips and said.
"...Realize the destructive power you have."
Leaving those words, she staggered off my lap.
"Okay... I've done what I can... Please, please let it have worked..."
Muttering to herself as she headed to the entrance, she glanced back at me.
"Frey, if anything happens, tear that scroll right away."
"...Yeah."
"Promise? Absolutely."
Her lingering gaze pleaded one last time.
"Well then... goodbye, Frey."
She opened the door and stepped out into the winter wind.
"........."
I stared blankly at her retreating figure for a while.
—Click.
"Phew..."
As the door closed, my expression darkened, and I bowed my head.
"...I'm worried."
The anxiety and heart pains crashing back over me.
"And it's only just beginning..."
Yes. Today was the first day of the "verification ceremony," where fake hero Ruby would officially reveal herself to the world.
In other words, I had to head to a place swarming with people who would mock, curse, or even try to kill me.
Even someone like me, numb to such glares, still felt fear and sorrow—I'd rather avoid it if possible.
But points had been accumulating slower lately, and skipping might cause issues, so no choice.
"Still... I'm not totally alone."
I stood slowly, forcing a smile and muttering.
"It'll be better than usual... yeah..."
But the anxiety lingered.
It would've been easier if only I were caught up in it.
Starting today, my precious ones would catch the Demon King's eye—and that worried me sick.
"Mm..."
"...Ah, Lulu."
Calming my unease, I noticed my leg—her pillow—gone, and Lulu groping the chair in her sleep.
"Guess I have to leave her behind."
I had no intention of putting her in danger. No spying, no bringing her as staff per her request.
If Ruby, eyeing Lulu's Demon Eyes, spotted her with me—especially since she ignored the hero party summons—it'd be disastrous.
So, the staff for this coronation... er, verification ceremony would be...
"Preparations are complete."
"Shall we depart?"
...none other than Ariane and Aris.
With them so obviously forced into my service, they wouldn't suffer backlash if I brought them as staff.
(For reference, Miho—Lulu's strong recommendation—was off the table since negotiations with Serena weren't done.)
"...Yeah."
But there's one minor issue.
These two will probably try to assassinate me today.
Of course, they'd hide their hatred and plot secretly.
"Frey, those two are acting weird... investigate them..."
But they couldn't evade Serena's detection net—especially after she met them post-interrogation, amid their tearful reflection essays from botched cooking.
"........"
As I thought that, their glares grew icier.
"Sigh..."
Naturally, I'd already planned for it.
Not just them, but the whole verification ceremony.
Getting caught off guard would be too pathetic, right?
"Let's go."
Meanwhile, at that time.
"Hero, are you feeling better?"
"Yes! Completely recovered!"
Ruby, leaving the hospital, smiled at the imperial officials and church bishops who came to greet her.
"Then let's depart. Time is tight."
"Sure~!"
Boarding the carriage in a cheerful mood,
"Ah, there's a special escort for you, Hero."
"Huh?"
She tilted her head at the bishop's kindly expression.
"What do you mea—"
But as she started to ask, her eyes widened.
"Hello!!!!!"
"......."
For some reason, Perloché sat in the front seat, wearing her signature dopey smile.
"My friend, Ruby!!!"
".....Hah."
A tiny crack appeared in Ruby's joyful expression.