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“Hey, priest. How do I look? Pretty convincing, right?”

As Seraphina spun around in place, her skirt and long hair fluttered gracefully.

She was currently disguised for a covert mission.

Her golden hair, which usually shone like gold, had been dyed a dull brown using magic, and instead of her usual princess dress, she wore a dress commonly worn by ordinary women.

Her face had also been subtly altered with disguise magic, and with the use of a weak perception-hindering spell, even those who knew her would struggle to recognize her as Princess Seraphina at a glance.

In contrast, Gilbert had only removed his cadet uniform and hadn’t made any additional effort to disguise himself.

His naturally rough appearance made it difficult to recognize him as Gilbert Lion Heart, the rising star of the empire, once he took off his cadet uniform.

Guess a tough look comes in handy sometimes.

Though it was a bit lamentable, it wasn’t a bad thing considering the covert nature of their mission.

“Your Highness. It’s not that I don’t trust Sir Gilbert, but shouldn’t I, as your guard knight, accompany you as well? My duty is to protect Your Highness’s safety.”

“Yanik. Didn’t I tell you? This mission is entirely a reward for Gilbert to spend time with me. If you come along, it defeats the purpose of the reward.”

“But, Your Highness.”

“I won’t hear any objections. And Yanik, how many times have I told you? Don’t call me ‘Your Highness’ while we’re inside the academy.”

“Lady Seraphina, please reconsider.”

“That’s enough. I won’t hear any more.”

Yanik sighed deeply as he looked at the stubborn Seraphina. Sighing in front of royalty was considered disrespectful, but Yanik, who had been her guard knight for many years, was an exception.

Seraphina, not one to fuss over such things, simply ignored it.

After all, wasn’t this the covert mission she had been so eager to undertake with the priest?

She was willing to overlook minor inconveniences.

“Then let’s set off. I’ll trust only the priest.”

“Understood.”

Gilbert had also tried to persuade Yanik several times, but realizing his efforts were futile, he gave up. The Seraphina he knew wasn’t one to easily change her mind once it was set.

And so, Gilbert and Seraphina, hiding their true identities, boarded a carriage and headed toward a city a bit further from the Demia territory, closest to the Demia Academy. It was about half a day’s journey, but since Seraphina had chosen the destination, they followed without question.

Seraphina was naturally excited by the scenery outside the window.

The weather was so clear it seemed to brighten her mood as well.

She was in the best spirits she had been in a long time.

Perhaps it was because it had been a while since her last covert mission?

Or maybe it was because she was particularly fond of her companion this time.

Seraphina enjoyed the leisurely time, gazing at the passing scenery outside the carriage.

The carriage moved swiftly, arriving in the city before half a day had passed. There were soldiers inspecting vehicles, but they cautiously allowed the carriage bearing the Demia Academy emblem to pass without a search.

Upon arriving in the city, Seraphina pointed out the window.

“Priest. Let’s go there.”

Gilbert looked where the princess was pointing. The place looked quite luxurious, the kind frequented by wealthy individuals.

Of course, money wasn’t an issue for the two of them.

One was the empire’s princess, and the other was the heir to one of the empire’s three major count families.

They had more than enough money to spare.

After getting out of the carriage, Gilbert escorted the princess toward the entrance. As expected of a place catering to the wealthy, even the staff guarding the entrance were dressed impeccably.

“Please wait a moment.”

Gilbert and Seraphina, who had been about to walk in without hesitation, stopped at the staff’s intervention. The staff member’s twitching eyebrow suggested it wouldn’t be easy to enter.

“This is a reservation-only establishment. May I have your name?”

“Do we need a reservation to enter?”

Instead of giving his name, Gilbert asked in return. They couldn’t use their real names during this covert mission.

“It’s strictly reservation-only, so I’m afraid not.”

“I see.”

Gilbert nodded, not wanting to cause a scene.

After all, they were on a covert mission, even if they had the princess with them.

It was better to back off gracefully.

The staff’s polite demeanor also played a part.

Though they were turned away at the door, Seraphina didn’t mind at all. She only regretted not being able to enter the restaurant.

“This was unexpected. I didn’t think about the implications of our disguised status during this covert mission.”

“Still, it’s good to see they don’t intimidate ordinary citizens.”

“Indeed, well said. This city truly reflects Marquis Lucas’s influence.”

Seraphina nodded, satisfied. It was a side of her that was rarely seen as a princess, but it was a true reflection of her character.

Open-minded, fair, and just.

She was the perfect candidate to succeed the current emperor.

They set out to find a suitable restaurant, considering their disguised status. Fortunately, they soon found a decent place. It wasn’t as impressive as the one they had just seen, but it was the cleanest among the options they had.

As they opened the door and entered, the lively atmosphere greeted them. The bustling waiters and the chatter of the patrons filled the air.

Gilbert and Seraphina found a secluded spot and ordered their food.

“Priest, I have a question.”

“Between you and me, there’s no need to hold back. Speak freely.”

“Do you often go on covert missions like this?”

It was a question prompted by Seraphina’s apparent familiarity with the situation at the previous restaurant and the lively atmosphere of this one. Seraphina wasn’t a character with much background revealed in Tactical Combat.

Even though she had interactions with player characters, only fragments of her story were shown, and the developers intentionally kept much of her background hidden, so Gilbert didn’t know much about her either.

“I strive to do so. I enjoy observing my people among them. Only by seeing their lives firsthand can I understand their joys and sorrows.”

Gilbert looked at her with admiration as she gazed around the restaurant with kind eyes.

He thought to himself that she was the epitome of a great ruler.

Depending on the route, Seraphina could either become the crown princess or be purged, but if she succeeded the emperor, the Infractus Empire would enter an unprecedented golden age.

The current emperor wasn’t incompetent. It was just that Seraphina was exceptionally capable.

As Gilbert and Seraphina chatted, their food arrived. Though it was humble compared to the meals at Demia Academy, it was neatly prepared, as if the chef had put his heart into it.

Seraphina took a bite and smiled contentedly.

“Quite delicious. If this weren’t a covert mission, I would have rewarded the chef.”

“Isn’t it a bit lacking compared to the imperial palace’s cuisine?”

“What are you talking about? Imperial palace food isn’t the only standard of excellence. While it may fall short compared to the palace’s dishes, this meal shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s also excellent in its own way.”

Gilbert felt like he was seeing another side of Seraphina. When it came to matters of the empire, she was ruthlessly efficient, but in places like this, she was surprisingly lenient.

Well, she was human after all.

He guessed that it was this human side of her that attracted talented individuals to her.

Gilbert and Seraphina began to savor their meal slowly. Though it was food meant for commoners, their dining etiquette was that of noble households.

“Did you hear? That troublemaker Gilbert made a big splash at the recent exchange meeting.”

“You crazy bastard. When did he become a troublemaker? Do you think a troublemaker could become a 5th Grade Knight?”

“Hey, why are you cursing? Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker.”

“Shut up. You’ll get caught by the guards if you keep this up.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. People curse even the emperor behind his back.”

“How much did you drink to act so smart?”

As Gilbert was eating, he overheard conversations about himself. It seemed his past reputation as a troublemaker hadn’t faded, no matter how much he rose in status.

“I hear people talking about you, priest.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not a favorable conversation…”

“That’s also part of your karma, isn’t it?”

“I deeply feel that.”

Seraphina smiled faintly as she watched Gilbert, who spoke without emotion, while cutting a sausage. He was an interesting man, after all.

“So, tell me more. What did Lord Gilbert do?”

“This guy, Lord Gilbert? Just a while ago, you were calling him all sorts of names.”

“Should I punch you in the mouth? Just talk!”

“Alright, alright… Anyway, did you hear about the heirs of the four major weapon techniques participating in the recent exchange meeting?”

“Yeah, I heard. It was quite the buzz.”

“Then this’ll be quick. Apparently, the heirs had a showdown at the exchange meeting.”

“Really?”

Their voices were so loud that their conversation was crystal clear.

Especially since Gilbert and Seraphina were both skilled individuals on the path to transcendence.

It felt like they were listening right next to them.

“And guess what? This guy supposedly crushed all the heirs. They say he’s made it his hobby to destroy them, and now he’s set his sights on the heirs of the four major weapon techniques.”

“Wow… That’s no easy feat.”

“Well, he’s got to be something. He was granted a knight title while still a cadet. Who would’ve thought that troublemaker would make us proud?”

“True. Suddenly, I feel like having a drink. Two beers over here!”

The two men started chatting more animatedly, using the exchange meeting as a topic.

Seraphina, who had been quietly listening, looked at Gilbert with pride.

“You’ve become quite popular among the common folk.”

“Not exactly by choice…”

“No need to be shy. It just means what you’ve done is remarkable.”

Seraphina giggled as she looked at Gilbert, whose face had stiffened.

“Oh, right. Brother, you need to keep an eye on your niece.”

“Emily? Why all of a sudden?”

“Brother, are you living under a rock? You don’t seem to know anything.”

“Stop talking nonsense and just tell me! Why should I keep an eye on Emily?”

The man glanced around cautiously and lowered his voice, unlike before. It seemed like he didn’t want anyone eavesdropping, so Gilbert and Seraphina perked up their ears.

“Apparently, some slave traders have shown up around here.”

“Slave traders? You mean those scumbags are into human trafficking?”

“According to rumors, yes. So, it’s better to keep Emily from wandering around for a while.”

Slave traders? Is it already that part of the story?

As soon as Gilbert heard the men’s conversation, he recalled a part of the main scenario.

He thought there was still time, but it seemed something had gone wrong again.

“Slave traders…”

Gilbert looked at Seraphina, whose voice was filled with anger.

Her eyes were cold, as if she had heard about the lowest of scum, but they were also burning with fury.

 

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