Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Preparations (1)
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Chapter 113
Preparations (1)
After the event ended, a festival erupted throughout the capital.
Everyone would come together to wish the Hero’s party a smooth journey ahead.
Though we didn't participate in the festival ourselves.
Just watching our fame skyrocket was enjoyable enough.
We spent our days leisurely at the villa.
Since our faces were now widely known, it was best to refrain from going out for a while.
Leaving home is just asking for trouble.
The moment we stepped outside, people would flock to see us.
A sea of people would form, and I had no confidence I could handle that situation.
“Ugh, I want to see the festival…”
Aruru muttered listlessly.
Like the energetic beastkin she was, she seemed to be getting antsy.
Yeah, not a chance. No amount of whining will work.
This is the most comfortable place to be, you know? Just be content.
“For once, I agree with Aruru.”
“…”
Now the elf girl was making a fuss too.
It seemed she couldn't forget the attention she had received during the ceremony.
Our little cutie. And our little airhead.
If you two go outside right now, it’ll cause a huge incident.
“I’ll just eat quietly.”
“I’ll just sit still, too.”
One wanted food, the other, attention.
Though their goals differed, they were both equally captivated by their desires.
I wanted to respect those desires if possible, but there were too many potential problems.
What if they went outside?
A crowd the size of an army corps would probably gather in an instant.
In an uncontrollable situation, people could even be crushed to death in the throng.
And there would be villains who’d use the chaos as a cover for crime.
Our incredibly cute fox beastkin, in particular, even ran the risk of being kidnapped.
“Ah…”
As if understanding my words, she gave up with a disappointed look.
The elf girl also relented, seemingly reconsidering.
“Hmm, indeed… that would be rather troublesome.”
The disheartened demi-human girls.
They looked so pitiful that I finally had to use the magic words.
There’s a ball hosted by the imperial family soon, right?
Then, you can unleash your desires to your heart’s content without worrying about a thing!
“Oh, right. There’s that!”
“True, a stage of that caliber is worthy of my presence.”
The event was the day after tomorrow.
Since it wasn’t far off, they would probably consider it a pleasant wait.
I wished I could feel the same, but…
I had a feeling it was going to be incredibly tiring.
Appearing before the nobles was no big deal.
My inherent dignity would take care of that just by breathing.
The problem was that I had to escort both Ceria and the princess at the same time.
I’d have to give more weight to Ceria, but then the princess might get pouty.
I couldn't let my guard down for a single moment.
Could I successfully pull off this extreme tightrope walk?
On top of that, the Imperial Princess was also planning to make her presence known.
I could somehow ignore the attention from other noble young ladies, but I couldn't do that with the Imperial Princess.
Ugh, my head is spinning…
For some reason, I felt like an unexpected situation was bound to occur.
If only I could get through this one event smoothly.
The one silver lining was that the rest of our schedule was relatively easy.
All we had to do was converse with the Emperor, grab everything we needed, and then leave.
“Hello, everyone! Good morning!”
The Imperial Princess arrived unexpectedly.
A few members of the party instinctively grew wary of her, but that mood quickly changed.
The Imperial Princess hadn't come empty-handed.
She was accompanied by her maids, who carried quite a few items that appeared to be gifts.
Including cosmetics, they were likely luxury goods that couldn't be obtained even with a lot of money.
“I was watching yesterday’s ceremony. As expected of the Hero’s party, you were all magnificent. Now that you’ve concluded that business, it’s time to prepare for the ball, isn’t it?”
That was then, this is now.
No, the ball is much more important.
She projected an undeniable aura, like a general commanding her troops to follow.
The girls’ reactions were, of course, favorable.
It was clear this was something they had been secretly worried about.
There was no reason to refuse someone offering to scratch their itch.
Soon, the maids were each assigned to one of the girls.
It was a situation where professional coordinators were about to show off their skills.
However, Aruru didn't get to enjoy this benefit.
It was due to the Imperial Princess’s cute and bubbly little scheme.
“As for Aruru…”
“Hmm?”
“I’ll handle her myself!”
She sat Aruru down in a chair and started with her hair.
Having been raised in luxury, her skills in styling someone else were probably subpar.
Still, being a person of many talents, she seemed to know the basics.
The Imperial Princess gently stroked our little cutie’s hair.
Though it was technically fur, she reveled in the sensation, which was on a completely different level of softness.
Seeing that, I was certain.
The styling was just an excuse from the start.
Her real purpose was simply to indulge in the fox beastkin’s body…
No, wait a minute…
Isn't burying your face in someone's hair and sniffing it a bit much?
Putting aside the damage to her dignity as a princess, on a human level, it was just… something else…
In any case, they were both cute and pretty, so it made for a plausible picture.
Although the reality was completely different, it had the feel of an older sister taking care of her younger sibling.
Or so I thought…
Our little cutie was gradually turning into a pet.
That was exactly how she was being treated.
It was becoming less like styling and more like dog grooming.
The desire of a girl obsessed with cute things bordered on madness.
She was supposed to be the noblest girl of all.
Yet, she wore a foolish smile, as if she could die without regrets.
It was as if she were claiming to be the happiest person in the world at this very moment.
Of course, not everyone could be happy.
Our little cutie, unable to bear it any longer, began to show her displeasure.
I’d normally let it slide, but this is going too far!
Though she didn't say it out loud, her whole body was protesting.
The Imperial Princess immediately noticed the state of the fox beastkin, whose tail was standing on end.
“Aruru? Did I do something wrong…?”
“I am already a complete being.”
“—?”
“There’s no reason to go this far.”
She referred to herself as a complete being.
If a human girl had said that, I would have thought, ‘Wow, could you be any more conceited?’
But in our little cutie’s case, it was the plain and simple truth.
“If you want to continue this… provide a suitable reward.”
Gimme something tasty!
The fox beastkin boldly demanded a bribe.
It should have been absurd.
But the Imperial Princess just beamed, as if she found even that attitude endearing.
“I thought you might say that, so I came prepared.”
“—?”
Huh? This isn't how it's supposed to go.
I was getting annoyed and was planning to chase you off with some nice words.
Her eyes darted around with that sentiment, and she nonchalantly crossed her arms.
“Hmph, it’ll take more than some ordinary snack. I’ve now…”
Our little cutie originally ate anything and everything.
That was certainly true until recently, but her recent streak of good food was starting to change her.
The glutton attribute was now being joined by the gourmet attribute.
Just as the saying goes, if the price is the same, choose the prettier skirt; she naturally preferred more delicious food.
“…”
A sudden fear welled up inside me.
Is this right? Am I digging my own grave?
Staying at the Imperial Palace had saved us a fair bit on food expenses.
But if Aruru’s palate became pickier because of it, it would be a huge loss in the long run.
No, food expenses didn't matter.
We could manage somehow while staying in the city, but we were planning to travel through rough places from now on.
With more frequent camping, the quality of our meals was bound to drop.
We had the princess, who boasted decent cooking skills, but I shouldn't be complacent.
-This is awful! How am I supposed to eat this!
-Ah, I’m sorry. I’ll try harder, so please forgive me!
I could picture the fox beastkin throwing her bowl.
I could see the princess, overcome with sorrow, on the verge of tears.
A bleak future where the bonds between comrades crumble…
Of course, the chances of that happening were one in a million, but I couldn't completely dismiss it.
It's the owner's sole responsibility to correct a pet's bad habits.
I can't do anything about how much she eats, but I’ll try to make sure she doesn't get picky about her food.
“I brought chocolate today.”
Chocolate. At that word, her fox ears perked up.
Her body was honest, but she feigned a look that said it wasn't enough.
“Hmm, something like chocolate…”
“It was incredibly sweet, you know? It was so sweet that I couldn’t even eat it. It seems to be a special creation; I think it might be the sweetest snack in the world.”
“—!!”
The finest handmade chocolate, offered to the Imperial Princess.
And it even came with the title of "sweetest in the world."
It was only natural that the girl’s eyes sparkled with greed.
“W-Well… I guess I have no choice!”
The offer was too good to refuse.
With a sentiment much like that, she began to wag her tail.
Indeed, the Imperial Princess’s stratagem was truly fearsome.
To think she could entice our little cutie so easily.
Well, whatever…
That itself was fine, but what if she gets cavities?
She was already craving candy whenever she was bored as it was.
Our little cutie.
Eating is fine. But you have to brush your teeth well.
If you get a cavity, you’ll be the one to suffer.
Can you handle the frustration of not being able to eat whatever you want?
For some reason, my mind wouldn't be at ease.
As her owner, I had no choice but to inspect them every night.
If need be, I’d have to consider committing that legendary act of toothbrushing.
Anyway.
With Aruru satisfied, everyone was happy.
After the heartwarming time passed, the Imperial Princess stood up, looking pleased.
“Well then, I’ll see you again on the day of the ball.”
She left me with a smiling glance and walked away with light steps.
Well, it probably didn't mean anything special. Just admiration for the Hero.
Soon, the sun set, and a grand banquet was prepared.
It was a peaceful evening, no different from usual…
“Luciel! Please, my heart…”
*Fling!*
“Urk…!”
Erich let out a short scream and collapsed.
Apparently, getting a fork stuck in you is quite painful.
I had gained another piece of completely useless knowledge.
The Saintess who had done the deed acted as if nothing had happened, and we followed her example.
Late at night.
A girl stood on the terrace, gazing endlessly at the moon.
The princess, lost in thought.
She was so engrossed that she noticed my presence only after a delay.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing…”
I had only spoken to her, but she flinched and became shy.
Could it be that she was secretly indulging in some strange, risqué fantasy?
In that case, I’m being rude, aren’t I? How tactless of me!
Sensing something in my gaze, she shook her head vigorously, as if to say that wasn't it at all.
“It’s just… my heart feels a little uneasy…”
“—?”
Why? For what reason?
Our time here was as comfortable as could be.
The Emperor was also showing us a favorable attitude.
Things couldn't be better.
And yet, a sense of anxiety could be felt on the girl’s face.
“It’s because it’s too comfortable. I feel like this isn’t the time to be living like this…”
“…”
Was it because she had grown accustomed to a harsh life?
Her days at the Imperial Palace seemed to feel like wearing ill-fitting clothes.
Furthermore, she seemed to be feeling a certain anxiety.
As if she had to do something quickly now that she had become the Hero.
“Of course, I know this process is necessary. Still, I just feel a bit…”
There are people suffering even at this very moment, she said.
Although she couldn't do anything about the Demon King’s army right away, she wanted to strive to become stronger.
The princess revealed her inner thoughts with such a heavy expression.
I had a feeling this might be it. She was, at her core, a true Hero.
But you know… this *is* that something.
One might mistake this for just playing around, but that wasn't the case at all.
Simply by raising our fame, we were getting stronger, and we were scheduled to obtain an artifact soon.
It was a meaningful process that absolutely could not be skipped.
But I couldn't explain the inner workings of it all to her.
“You trust me, right?”
“Huh? Of course, I do. Did I say something I shouldn’t have…?”
“How about you think of this as our last break?”
“…You mean, rest while we can?”
“If not now, when else will we get to enjoy such luxury?”
“Hmm…”
She nodded as if acknowledging the truth in my words.
Perhaps because she trusted me, she seemed to have shed some of her anxiety.
“Um, you know…”
What could be the problem this time?
After a long hesitation, she finally managed to speak.
“Are you… looking forward to it?”
To what?
For some reason, a red hue had already bloomed on the girl's cheeks.
“Seeing me in a dress… are you looking forward to it?”
“…”
Was I just looking forward to it?
How could I not be? It was my favorite character in a dress.
Along with Ceria, she was sure to be the most beautiful.
Hmm, how should I answer?
Even though I knew I shouldn't, I couldn't ignore the girl's trembling anticipation…
“Of course. My heart is already pounding.”
“—!!”
In the end, I did it.
It would be one thing if I had some ulterior motive, but I didn't, which made me feel guilty for no reason.
Anyone watching would think I was confessing.
But what could I do? It was how I truly felt.
Well, let’s think positively.
There’s no harm in boosting the princess's self-esteem.
“I-I didn’t know you felt that strongly about it… Anyway, message received!”
“—?”
“But you’d better not fail to recognize me. See you tomorrow!”
The girl spewed out her words in a rambling manner.
Then she vanished, practically fleeing in haste.
“…”
What on earth was that?
What message did she receive?
No, just how much effort was she planning to put in?
Was she going to prove the saying that a woman's transformation is her right?
She was already a world-class beauty.
If she went all out from there, I felt like I wouldn't be able to handle it.
As I thought…
I should have toned down my comment.
Judging by her overly excited reaction, I seemed to have flipped some kind of switch.
Well, what can I do?
It's spilt milk.
Since it has come to this, I’ll gladly appreciate the results of the girl's efforts.