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On the first day the princess set foot in the Count’s House. At least for me, there was nothing much to worry about other than her sudden visit to the Knights’ Order.

Until the stars began to sprinkle the sky again after briefly hiding as the sun set. I had merely gone about my usual business with a bit more etiquette, wandering here and there or performing training.

The only thing that stood out as different was that I frequently spotted unfamiliar faces accompanying Adelhaite.

“I thought my head was going to explode.”

Though they seemed to have some dignity, they didn’t dare stare directly at me. Still, I could feel their eyes boring into the back of my head.

Of course, it was quite a rare sight—especially the man wearing the plain deputy commander insignia, someone you wouldn’t normally see outside our Count’s House. Moreover, they were nobles affiliated with the royal family. Naturally, they couldn’t help but take special notice of me, who had been chatting with Her Highness the Princess while engaged in magic discussions.

Furthermore, I was one of the key members who saved her during her coming-of-age ceremony. Back then, I was a slave, but now I was a respectable deputy commander of the Knights’ Order. Objectively speaking, it was only natural for them to be curious.

“But really, aside from that, there was nothing else worth mentioning.”

They only glanced my way for a moment. Since they hadn’t made any direct contact, it wasn’t bothersome at all.

I might hear from Ainel later about what was said among them. But still, it’d be fair to say I spent a rather peaceful day considering it was such a public occasion for the princess to put on a show.

After all, Shione was making it very clear just how difficult things were for her.

“Haah…”

Dinner with the princess.

After finishing up a gathering with major nobles, Shione had sent Aheira away for a moment, then called me into her room, and she’d looked like that ever since.

I’d lost count of how many times she sighed. It felt like the ground could give way any moment beneath her heavy sighs.

“Ray, I’m having a hard time…”

With a voice that melted like butter, she looked at me with such pitiful eyes, as if begging me to ask her what had happened.

Naturally, I couldn’t help but oblige her.

“Feeling overwhelmed? Since you were with Her Highness the Princess, the chefs must have put a lot of effort into today’s meal. Did something happen during the dinner?”

“It was tastier than usual, it was, but… for some reason, Her Highness kept looking over at me often… and asked me a lot of questions.”

“…That must have been quite tough.”

“Right? I couldn’t even tell whether I was eating or just swallowing…”

It seemed that Shione had suffered far more under the princess than I had.

Right now, Shione looked like a little puppy that had been worn out after going for five walks, her usual cheerful and cute demeanor completely gone.

…Honestly, she might be cuter like this, all deflated and quiet.

Then, after Shione sat me down in a chair, she turned her body and just plopped down right in my lap.

“Why are you sitting on my lap instead of the chair across from me?”

“Because this is my spot. You worked hard, so you should get to rest.”

Yet, despite saying that, she was already starting to slyly touch my thighs and even stealing my hands to fidget with them.

Still, while she chatted nonstop about the day’s ups and downs, she let slip something quite important, putting her little whims aside for now.

“I think we’re going to have a talk with Her Highness the Princess about what happened at the Academy around lunchtime tomorrow.”

“Lunch, you say? Do you know where we’ll be having the conversation?”

“I asked if we could spend time in the prettily decorated garden, but she mentioned she’d prefer a quiet and calm place instead. She also said there are other things she wants to discuss aside from the Academy.”

After saying this, Shione adjusted her position. Leaning against me, she turned to face me directly.

Sitting in my lap, with nowhere to rest her back, she supported herself with both hands on my legs, leaning her upper body forward.

At first glance, it looked like quite a romantic scenario. However, the serious expression on Shione’s face filled my view completely.

“Ray, I think Her Highness has figured out your true identity to some extent.”

The only person in this vast continent who knew my secret was Shione.

“To be exact, it seems like she sees us as a pair that can’t be separated.”

The fragments of my irregular identity and its connection to Shione.

It seemed the princess had taken an interest in this connection, having sensed the peculiarities in my nature.

“Ray, what should we do?”

Shione seemed troubled by this point.

Thus, I took a moment to think about her question.

‘The princess’s curiosity doesn’t seem like it will fade until she gets some answers—’

When I learned that a demon was lurking in that cold land of frost at the Academy, Adelhaite just happened to be in the northern part of the kingdom. Was that mere coincidence?

Just like I subtly checked how the world was crumbling through the Status Window, wasn’t she also observing this continent from a different viewpoint through her own special insight?

“I don’t think Her Highness will drop her curiosity. She has said similar things to me.”

Considering the path that Adelhaite has walked thus far, she is a woman who is clear about rewards and punishments. She treats those who benefit her and the kingdom well and doesn’t abandoned them.

“Moreover, it’s not an understatement to call her a trustworthy ruler. If our interests align with Her Highness, then agreeing to her inquiries wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Forget about all that reincarnation talk and such.

Let’s set aside this insane story of changing fate.

In a world where divine entities and miracles exist, I just have to sell the existence of the god who granted me the Status Window.

By raising the value of Shione and me together, seeking Adelhaite’s favor and diving deeper into matters of the north could be a good opportunity for us whose goal is to catch demons.

“Of course, if I do that, I might end up with a lot of annoyances too.”

Once I start selling out the name of the god, and the moment I acknowledge that miracle, the possibilities of getting entangled in another mess become quite high.

However, every time I reach such a critical crossroads, the tools that point me in the right direction bring me to expect that the Status Window will give me a quest.

In the end, taking down future demons won’t just require family-level support but also the active assistance of the royal family. If possible, it also fascinates me to win over Adelhaite.

But of course, contrary to my thoughts, Shione seemed to be focused on a different aspect.

“So, agreeing to her question means you and I are a pair?”

“In fact, saying that we are a pair is the biggest and most essential truth.”

“Hmm, if Ray says that, then—”

Starting from soulmates and fateful companions, all the way to the idea of having one daughter and one son, Shione was running wild in her own thoughts.

Having discussed enough by now, it seemed that my legs were going numb, and as I placed my hand on her side to lift her up—

“Let’s get up now—”

“Why? We just talked about everything. Now I want to rest a little.”

A small spark ignited in Shione’s blue eyes.

“Ray, you’re being too much, trying to pull me in like this.”

Suddenly, she pressed her body against mine and wrapped her arms around my neck tightly.

“It’s still a long way until Aheira comes back, Ray.”

Now, in this situation where we found ourselves forehead to forehead due to her tightening embrace as if ready to break my neck.

“Ugh… Why does she keep peeking through the door…? Aheira isn’t coming, you know?”

“Still—”

“I told her to take her time and come back. We have to prepare for our meeting with Her Highness tomorrow.”

What?

In the end, the senior ended up looking after Shione. Now it seemed like I couldn’t lose this rare moment of rest so easily. According to Shione, my junior Aheira didn’t show up after all.

*

The next day at noon.

I found myself dressed in a neat and sophisticated formal suit, something completely foreign to me. Not to mention, I had makeup on my face too. I had become a perfect social butterfly in the high society.

So here I was, sitting together with Shione, who was also dressed in a subtly ornate white dress, waiting for our guests. Thanks to her naturally cute face, her subtle makeup only deepened her distinctive charm.

As Shione’s nervousness peaked, the door swung open, revealing the star of the day. I jumped up from my seat to greet her.

“I didn’t expect you to be waiting already. If I had known, I would have come a bit earlier. Sorry for the delay.”

After waving away the maid who had been attending her, Adelhaite turned to us.

“Today, at this time. I look forward to your hospitality.”

She instantly seized control of the atmosphere in the guest reception room.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world.

 

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