Chapter 12: Dawn and Her Royal Highness the Princess

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

The air in the room had grown cold. The Princess, who had been so buoyant just moments ago, was now pale-faced, drinking her tea with trembling hands.

Watching her with bored eyes were the three who were the pride of our 【Dawn】party members. For some reason, they were all crammed onto the sofa, squeezing in around me.

What exactly was the intention behind this? Like that thing you do when camping in the snowy mountains?

That thing was the best, you know. Being crushed tight by women’s characteristically soft bodies… There was a unique kind of suffering to it. But the pleasure you got from it existed on a completely different plane than just plain pain.

The first time we did it, Carla looked like she didn’t care at all, Astrea wore an exasperated expression, and Marianne pressed in shyly, squeezing tight… It was seriously the best…

“Uh—uh—n-nice to meet you. I am Charlotte Bernstein.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Charlotte the Second. I am Marianne Highrendine. Though I am unworthy, I have been granted the rank of Third Seat, 【Saint of Holy Smite】.”

“I am Carla Tsukamoto. I am called the 【Crimson Sword Saint】 and such, but I am merely a woman good for nothing but cutting. You needn’t be so stiff, Princess the Second.”

“Astrea.”

“H-ha ha! I’ve long heard the rumors! It’s an honor to finally meet you!”

Tea was overflowing from the cup, but it seemed the Princess had no attention to spare for that. Well, all three of them had insane name recognition. It was no wonder she was nervous. Especially from the Princess’s perspective, someone who only had enough force to desperately keep me tied down, this was an utterly unwinnable lineup. If they decided to go wild here, there’d be no way to stop them. Of course she’d be terrified.

I was the one who asked them to keep me from getting dragged into things, but even so, this was getting a little too cruel for the Princess.

“All three of you… You’re going too far.”

“…Finn-san… But—”

“I’m the one who asked. I know I’m being selfish. But still… This is too much.”

“F-Finn-dono…”

The Princess wasn’t as malicious as I’d imagined. If she truly had ill intent, she wouldn’t be in such dire straits to begin with. She would have had plenty of cards to play. But she didn’t. You could tell just from the fact that she’d gone so far as to call a mere Gold-rank adventurer her ‘lifelong friend.’ Continuing to intimidate someone like that felt childish.

“…You’re right. As you say.”

“…If Finn says so, we’ll restrain ourselves. But, Finn….”

“I know the Princess has ulterior motives too.”

“Eeh?!”

Huh? The Princess’s face rapidly turned bright red. Come on, of course I could see through that! What kind of idiot did she think I was? Even if she had no pawns, she still called me a friend, you know? Me, a mere commoner, the second son of a rural farming family. There was no way she wasn’t full of ulterior motives.

Hah… Hah… haaah…! Princess, did you really think I was that stupid…?!

『Sure, you’re a Gold-rank adventurer, but you’re still just a farmer’s son. It’s humiliating to curry favor with such a vulgar, lowly man, but it’s all for my ambitions…』

Nngh, a princess looking down on me is irresistible! More insults! Look down on me more! If possible, call me a filthy commoner while whipping me!

“A-ah… Uum, Finn-dono, th-that’s…That’s not quite… Uum…”

“…Finn-san. That’s… a bit much… I mean, I’m not saying you’re wrong, but…”

“Finn… You…”

“You… You know what you’re doing, don’t you…?”

！！！！！！？！？！？！？！？ Huh!? I suddenly had no allies!!

Just a moment ago it was Princess Charlotte vs 【Dawn】, and now it was me vs the Princess & 【Dawn (minus the dead weight)】!

N-no, wait, me!! Think! There’s some kind of misunderstanding here! At this rate, the party will fall apart! Mainly with me getting kicked out!

And then Princess Charlotte would take my place. Astrea would laugh and say, “We should’ve ditched that useless guy sooner.” Marianne would smile and say, “We’ll be friends now.” Carla would swear to become her sword. And Princess Charlotte would swell with relief and hope for the future…

And I’d be cast out, living while being pointed at… Watching them grow happy, thinking, “Why wasn’t it me? Living in regret… Miserably…

Ugh…Th-this is…So  arousing…! It’s frustrating…! I’m frustrated with myself! Why am I such a hardcore masochist…?! To the point that I could look forward to such a pitiful future this much!!

──Phew……

“Charlotte, you want to use me, right? That’s why you wished for me to become your friend. If we’re friends, there’s no hierarchy. We’re equals. You could frame it as simply receiving help from a friend. You thought you could rope in 【Dawn】 along with me that way, right? Am I wrong?”

“…Well, it’s not that I didn’t think that way at all…”

“What else is there?”

“Uh… Uum…”

“……”

“……”

“……”

The Princess’s flushed face returned a little to normal, but her ears stayed red as she glanced nervously at Marianne and the others. And for some reason, the three who had been my enemies just moments ago were silent.

I-I’m not disappointing them, right? They don’t think “this guy’s an idiot,” do they? It’s not true, right? Marianne, Carla, Astrea… W-we’re comrades, right?

“Ahem!! Well, ulterior motives aside, that’s fine. We understand Princess Charlotte the Second had her own intentions.”

“Indeed! We arranged this meeting knowing that full well. We overreacted.”

“Y-yeah, no need to make her spell it out. Finn, some things are better left vague.”

“…Is that so?”

Ah, so everyone already knew and just didn’t say it!? Guh… Yeah… that was obvious.

U-uuuwaaaaaah!! Exposing my uselessness so plainly is way too embarrassing!! I want to crawl into a hole right now!! And while I’m in there, I want people to say things like “useless trash” and “dead weight meat shield” from the outside! Shame-based humiliation masochism… It’s wonderful. Too wonderful…!

“…Charlotte.”

“Y-yes.”

“I’m sorry. I’m careless, and I lack everything needed to meet you properly.”

Status, words, behavior… Everything. Those things come from years of education and experience. Even nobles I don’t like have my respect for mastering them. That aside…

As expected of a Princess. Despite my blunders, she smiled gently.

“…It’s fine. Don’t worry about it, Finn-dono.”

“But—”

“I like it that way. I want you to stay as you are, Finn-dono.”

Really!? Then sorry to rush things, but could we start by borrowing some whips or collars from an SM shop? Of course, the setup is Princess and her subject. No! Better yet… Princess and a beggar! An evil Princess with a penchant of tormenting her people kidnaps me, a beggar, and no matter how I cry and beg, she won’t forgive me… Guhuhu, perfect. Alright. That’s enough for today.

“Alright. You’re kind, Charlotte.”

“Haha, I wouldn’t say I’m kind.”

“Now then, shall we return to the matter at hand?”

The relaxed air tightened. At Marianne’s voice, the Princess straightened her expression. The excessive tension from earlier was gone. So that was Marianne’s aim? The way she criticized me earlier…

…This was “politics.”

“Princess Charlotte the Second. I believe arrangements have already been made through the Cardinal.”

“Yes. I never imagined the Church… Especially someone like Cardinal Hector would seek ties with me. Was that your doing?”

“Though I am unworthy. I have no interest in the Bernstein Kingdom itself, but if we establish ourselves in the Royal Capital, I judged that having strong connections would be beneficial.”

“There’s little I can do.”

“That’s not for you to decide.”

…??

“The Cardinal approved. That alone is sufficient.”

“…Am I just a decoration?”

“Yes. Even so, power is power, is it not?”

“It is. As I am now, I have no power. I’m just a foolish girl. I will accept that.”

“We’ve already investigated to a degree. This was the work of the Count faction supporting the Second Prince. We will apply pressure… No, we will crush them.”

“…Already?”

“Yes. It wasn’t difficult.”

“I see…”

The Princess closed her eyes and let out a deep breath.

“How can I become strong?”

“…By thinking desperately, earnestly.”

“You mean prayer is important?”

“No. Not prayer. conviction.”

“Conviction… I see…”

For a moment, her gaze turned. Our eyes met.

“Don’t rush it.”

“…!”

Carla cut in sharply.

“You were just born. You may wish, you may desire, but do not overreach.”

“…Tsukamoto-dono.”

“I too am still halfway there. I don’t even know if I’ll reach the end. But… even so, keep believing. Keep running. At the end of that road, there will be a path.”

“That’s right. Not giving up is important. Even if the world looks gray, surely… someday, light will shine through.”

“Princess Astrea…”

The three who had been brimming with hostility spoke calmly now, their voices gentle. Receiving their words, the Princess bit her lip and looked down.

“Can I become strong too?”

“You will. Because you met Finn-san, didn’t you?”

Huh? Why did my name come up there? The conversation stopped making sense halfway through. What did they even understand? My ears weren’t malfunctioning. I heard the words just fine. Which probably meant I really had zero political sense.

Wouldn’t that be a problem when I’m getting whipped by nobles too? That… Would be an issue indeed. I need to learn…! At least enough to hold a conversation with the Princess…!

“I see… Is that so?”

“Of course. If you met Finn, then that means… It was your destiny.”

WHAT?!?!?! Astrea-san, what do you mean by that!? Me and the Princess meeting was destiny? That we were destined to meet?  

An unfortunate Second Princess and an ignorant Gold-rank commoner adventurer. Their love story begins here… By day the Princess is dominant, by night she’s dominant.

『So reliable with a shield, yet so gentle in bed… How cute…♡』

With a cruel smile and eyes like she’s looking at an insect, she gazes upon a pitiful man waiting on all fours…

“Struggle with all you have so you are not left behind. As long as you continue to struggle, you will not fall away.”

“Tsukamoto-dono…! Y-yes, I understand! I’ll struggle! I will struggle! I won’t let it end like this!!”

Was she that opposed to having destiny with me!? So much that she stood up and declared it!? Did I do something that bad? Sure, in my heart I committed enough disrespect to warrant the guillotine, but I never let it show… Wait!!

M-my master once told me… 『You look at things too much with your eyes.』 Co-Could it be… She realized it? She saw right through me!? That I’d turned the Princess into my toy in my mind!?

“I need your help! Please! Help me!”

“──Understood. I too—no, all of us feel the same. Let us become strong together. And…”

For a moment, Marianne looked at me.

“Let us keep believing. Let us struggle… In this world.”

Why did you look at me? Hey, Marianne? Why did you look at me!? Am I about to be kicked out!? Is this really bad!?

Carla and Astrea nodded with satisfied expressions.

What are you satisfied about…!? I don’t understand… I don’t understand anything…!!

So the Princess who was friendly with me at first would abandon a senseless guy like me and grow close with the three who understood her.

Lonely, huh. In the end, I’m just a farmer’s second son. Can’t be helped… Heh, hehe… How arousing! Will I be treated even worse now…!? Abandoned even as a comrade…!? That… That’s…The best, isn’t it…!?

“Let’s do our best. We’re comrades, after all…!”

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

T/N: There’s no ‘misunderstanding’ here since the ‘understanding’ itself doesn’t exist in the first place (TヮT)