The Seventh Princess
A raw, attribute-less release of mana.
To think the magic that had reduced a shield to scrap metal was so simple.
Jane, who placed great importance on the transmutation of magic, furrowed her brow.
"...How crude."
Though she spoke dismissively, she seemed to be keeping a close eye on the opponent's total mana capacity.
Yet Roan, who had actually borne the brunt of that power, remained unfazed.
He merely stared at the scrap metal and the jewel, which had flickered with its final light before going dark.
The uncle from Piolo gave me his cherished possession, and now it's ruined. I feel terrible.
To him, that was a bigger issue than the threat looming right in front of him.
Perhaps mistaking Roan's stillness for intimidation, the lanky man stretched out his thin hand.
"My apologies for resorting to force, but the hatchling is a valuable commodity. I shall be taking it."
He spoke as if he had already won.
To assume victory after a single clash.
How utterly pathetic.
—Thwack!
"Urgh...!?"
The flat of Roan's blade struck the lanky man's thin wrist.
Roan looked at the lanky man, who flinched and recoiled.
"Regrets aside, some things are simply non-negotiable. I know exactly what will happen if I hand this over."
"...What will happen, you say? You seem quite well-informed."
Backing away, the lanky man began to gather his mana once more.
"I will take it by force. You were the one who rejected my offer first."
As if to ensure there would be no repeat of the previous exchange, the mana gathered at his fingertips shot forward.
"Before you can even comprehend what is happening, your body will be crushed."
The lanky man boasted of his mana and magic.
Yet his opponent's reaction was lukewarm.
As if he already had a way to deal with it.
"You shouldn't let yourself get hit by an attack like that."
The moment Jane's voice rang out,
Whoosh!
Roan's blade sliced sharply through the air.
Despite the strike seemingly cutting nothing but empty air, the lanky man looked visibly shaken.
"...A fluke."
Dismissing it as such, he cast his magic again.
A crystallization of pure mana.
Without leaving any gap to escape, it warped the space around his opponent.
—Whoosh!
And Roan blocked the warningless strike. With nothing else but a single sword.
"There's no way he'd fall for that. Look who he practiced with."
Jane chimed in.
To her, Roan's defense against magic was only natural.
After all, she had personally stepped in to help him train.
There were days they had practiced for over seven hours to shore up his weaknesses.
"This is impossible... impossible... How can he do that with just a sword...?"
Roan had blocked every single one of his telegraphless spells.
Seemingly shocked by Roan's display, the lanky man clenched his fists so hard they nearly cracked.
His mana surged far more violently than before.
It looked like he was truly intending to unleash a devastating spell.
"Are you still going?"
As Roan voiced his boredom, another spell manifested in the lanky man's grasp.
A sphere of light coalesced at his fingertips.
The surrounding space began to warp, making the very air vibrate.
"Huh? You're going to use something like that here? Without any regard for collateral damage?"
"Collateral damage... A small price to pay compared to securing the hatchling and proving my magical prowess."
Adding that Roan wouldn't be able to block it this time, he thrust his hand forward.
And it was at that exact moment.
"Halt!"
A spirited voice rang out.
A figure leaped between the confronting Roan and the lanky man.
The movement was theatrical, yet deceptively swift.
The figure was clad in tattered rags.
However, as the momentum of the dash blew back the deeply pulled hood, brilliant blonde hair was revealed beneath.
"How dare you commit such an atrocity within the kingdom! Se-ar shall not forgive this!"
An elegance that could not be easily feigned.
The self-appellation of 'Se-ar'.
Recognizing these signs, the lanky man hastily aborted his magic.
He seemed to have recognized her identity instantly.
"Your... Highness?"
"Indeed, you recognize Se-ar. Then you must also know what Se-ar is about to say."
"...Tsk!"
The lanky man fled in a panic.
He squeezed through a small gap at the end of the alleyway.
It seemed to be his usual escape route.
"...A princess?"
Roan muttered in the now-quiet alley.
At this, the newly arrived princess turned toward them.
"Hmph. Se-ar is the Seventh Princess of the Kingdom, Promius Lionheart. It seems Se-ar has arrived at a most opportune moment."
An elegant and dignified self-introduction.
Despite the rags she wore, her attitude was bold and proud.
However, there was something else that triggered Roan's memory.
It was her name.
There was a reason I didn't recognize her face. She had already died before we ever met in my past life.
A figure he had only ever heard of through rumors.
This was the very person who had lost her life before the destruction of the world even began.
So she met her end because of a personality like this.
Despite her status as a princess, she roamed the outside world freely.
She didn't seem to mind wearing rags or walking barefoot on the dirt ground.
"...Your Highness."
While Roan was lost in thought, Belgard addressed her.
"Ah, there is no need for gratitude. Se-ar aspires to be an adventurer. Such an act is only natural."
"That's not the issue here."
"Hmm?"
"I understand that you cannot stand injustice. But still! You could have at least checked the surrounding situation and our condition first!"
"If something terrible had happened, it would have been too late for regrets!"
Belgard's words resonated with Roan, who had been pondering in silence.
He was right.
Regretting things after the fact was always too late.
Now that he recalled Promius's tragic future, he had to make a firm decision.
She's someone who threw herself into danger for complete strangers. I suppose she's passed the first test.
Though when exactly the test had begun was anyone's guess.
Regardless, in Roan's mind, the first step toward granting her the hatchling had been taken.
Still, I should at least have a conversation with her. I can't just hand it over blindly.
He wanted to discuss her values, personality, and goals.
"Excuse me, Your Highness."
If you've made up your mind, act immediately.
That was the ironclad rule Roan had established after his regression.
Following that rule, Roan interrupted Belgard's nagging.
"I'd like to have a word with you, if that's alright. Preferably somewhere private."
"Hmm? Very well... Se-ar shall grant you this. However, do not harbor any strange intentions."
With that warning, Promius led the way.
One might expect a princess to be sheltered and ignorant of the world, but she seemed to know the kingdom's geography inside out.
"You navigate these back alleys remarkably well."
"Se-ar sneaks out of the palace often. No matter what Se-ar does, the people of the palace pay no heed. Se-ar is, after all, an abandoned child."
Roan had spoken in admiration, but the response he received was bitter.
Perhaps it was because her sense of justice had grown in the soil of such neglect that it was all the more precious.
Soon, they arrived at an empty alleyway.
There, Roan began his conversation with Promius.
After a lengthy discussion, Roan formed a clear picture of Promius's character.
"An ambitious dreamer with a sense of justice. Am I right?"
At his words, Promius burst into hearty laughter. "Pwahaha!"
"An accurate assessment. Se-ar is indeed an abandoned child chasing hollow dreams."
Yet her eyes remained dead serious.
"So, will you mock Se-ar for chasing ideals? It matters not. Even if you sneer, Se-ar shall never surrender."
"Of course not. If anything, I wanted to cheer you on. Your goal to root out the kingdom's corruption and become a benevolent ruler, that is."
It was for that very purpose that she had sought to broaden her horizons, which led her to adventure, and ultimately, to her futile death in his past life.
"Speaking with you makes it even clearer. You possess a remarkably pure soul."
With those words, Roan unzipped his backpack.
"What are you retrieving? Is this perhaps a gift of guidance from a senior adventurer?"
"Something like that. Consider it a token of my support."
With that, he pulled out the hatchling.
Even a princess could not help but widen her eyes at such a sight.
"...Did you kidnap it?"
A sudden spark of hostility flared in her eyes.
Yet that very reaction only served to reassure Roan of his choice.
"It's a long story, but let's just say I didn't kidnap it."
...Though, strictly speaking, wasn't that exactly what he did?
Roan quickly brushed the thought aside and offered a warm, genial smile.
It was a pure smile, entirely devoid of malice.
Sensing his sincerity, Promius gently accepted the hatchling.
—Peep!
As if it had been waiting for this moment, the hatchling coiled itself comfortably in her hands.
For some reason, it seemed to be complaining, I hated that bag!
"...To think a creature like that could become a seed of destruction," Jane muttered.
However, having witnessed so many absurdities already, she didn't sound entirely skeptical.
Promius stroked the hatchling as if bonding with it.
She seemed utterly dazed to have stumbled upon such a miraculous encounter out of nowhere.
"However!" Roan raised his voice, shifting the subject.
"I don't intend to just hand it over and walk away!"
"Ah, Se-ar understands. You wish to observe the hatchling's growth."
"No! Just watching isn't enough! We have to help you directly!"
Promius already had a high probability of dying, and now she had a defenseless hatchling to protect.
It was a combination so fragile they would have to watch out for even a loose pebble on the road.
"You said you wanted to work as an adventurer, right? We'll help you."
Roan said this and glanced at Jane and Belgard.
Neither of them objected.
Belgard was naturally inclined to help others, and Jane was always in need of money.
"...Then Se-ar shall not refuse. Se-ar was already keenly aware of Se-ar's own shortcomings."
Promius readily accepted their goodwill.
She had absolutely no idea.
That this party offering to help her was one of the strongest on the entire continent.
"Great! Now that we're done talking, shall we head out right away?"
—Peep!
The hatchling let out an excited cry as they stepped outside.
There was no longer any need to hide it. If Promius carried it, they wouldn't have to worry about suspicion or trouble.
"So... what quest shall we undertake? Se-ar is capable of basic swordsmanship and magic."
"A basic quest."
"...Pardon?"
"We don't have adventurer licenses."
In his past life, he had ground his body to the bone to build his reputation, but things were different now.
Though they had resolved a few incidents, the rumors had barely spread beyond the immediate vicinities.
Therefore, they had to start from the very beginning.
They had to work their way up, starting from the very bottom of the quest board.
"Se-ar understands. Such trials are indeed the true charm of an adventure."
Even so, Promius was eager to enjoy every single part of the experience.