My Beloved Princess ~The Boy Called Incompetent Rises with Only a Sword and the Princess's Devotion~ - Chapter 039: The Princess's Future Plan

There were various thoughts about the harem.

However, since actually raising the pack banner was at academy graduation, Kishō postponed this problem for now. Because there were related matters requiring urgent countermeasures.

“Hey, Kuroyō. I think you know this, but I’ll say it once more. My grades are at the bottom of Lower School. Literally rock bottom without exaggeration. I also think Upper School students wouldn’t deal with someone like me, but before that in the first place, I don’t even have qualifications to marry you.”

Kishō was also a man. Having become engaged at the sacrifice of the Princess’s reputation, he intended to take responsibility. However, with such stark status difference existing, he didn’t think he could marry her by orthodox means. Naturally what crossed his mind was the elopement plan he’d once proposed to the Princess that didn’t come to fruition.

But simultaneously he thought:

When they’d met under the Dragon King Tree, she’d asked Kishō crushed by despair:

Should he fight fate, or flee from it? Which should be chosen?

When Kishō answered “We should fight,” the Princess had agreed with satisfaction.

Probably for her, elopement constituted fleeing from fate. So she couldn’t choose it. Because she’d decided to fight.

“I can’t force my plan on Kuroyō who decided to fight. But—”

Then exactly what kind of plan had she made?

“I don’t think this, but you don’t actually think I can seriously become Upper School valedictorian, right?”

“Of course. You can do it.”

Receiving eyes like “I don’t doubt you one bit. I believe in you,” Kishō retorted with full strength at the dreaming maiden:

“No, I can’t!? Are your eyes knotholes!?”

The Princess made a sulky face. Even that face with puffed cheeks was beautiful.

“As I mentioned before, there are two conditions for marrying a princess. One is marrying as a consort to someone of Dragon Duke rank or higher. However, this option needn’t be considered. Though you’re a swordsman of Dragon Duke class, in overall ability you’re still far from reaching Duke level.”

Having said that much, the Princess added as if supplementing:

“It’s fine. Dragonkin enter their growth period at fifteen and continue growing until one hundred. Therefore, even if you can’t win now, you’ll eventually be able to win.”

“No, I’m not aiming that high.”

“It’s not aiming high. With your ability, eventually your hand will reach not only the Duke but even the King.”

The Princess’s eyes were still sparkling. Thinking it would be bad to pour cold water on those expectations that broke through the heavens, Kishō fell silent. She continued explaining:

“Now suppose you had power equal to a Duke at this point. However, even so, you still couldn’t become a Duke. Because the conditions for promotion to Duke stipulate a pack scale of five thousand or more.”

Peerage referred to titles granted to dragonkin males who were pack masters. And simultaneously, they also became indicators representing dragonkin males’ strength.

According to the Princess, up to fifth-from-top Dragon Heaven could be promoted by pure ability alone, but to become Dragon Saint corresponding to nobility or Dragon Duke corresponding to high nobility apparently required pack overall strength included in assessment too.

What was the pack’s overall strength? Simply put, economic power and military power. And if one could operate a large pack while maintaining independence, overall strength was judged high.

To obtain Dragon Saint rank required a minimum of one thousand people. To obtain Dragon Duke rank required a minimum of five thousand people.

These were the conditions.

Since packs didn’t grow overnight, the Princess asserted accomplishing this was absolutely impossible. And—

“So it naturally becomes necessary to satisfy the other condition. Do you remember?”

“Of course,” Kishō declared proudly:

“I need to marry as First Consort to an Upper School valedictorian, right?”

Answering confidently, “Wrong,” he was denied by the Princess. She carefully corrected word by word:

“You need to marry as First Consort to someone of Upper School valedictorian equivalent rank.”

For a moment, he didn’t understand the difference. Only subtle nuances in details differed.

The Princess’s already-close face pressed even closer. His back reflexively leaned away.

“Listen. This is important for our future, so please listen carefully and understand properly.”

Gazed at with serious eyes and told such things by a beautiful girl, he couldn’t help but feel his heart skip as a man. Wasn’t this just like a married couple? Well, they were engaged, but.

“I-I got it.”

Swallowing saliva, Kishō nodded. Buggy sense of distance. Sweet breath blew on his neck. His reason’s restraints nearly got carried away in an instant, but he endured firmly. If he embraced her now, surely she’d be angry. He listened silently.

“Simultaneously with academy graduation, all dragonkin males are granted peerage. Lower School students receive Dragon Warrior, Lower School valedictorians receive Dragon Fierce, Upper School students receive Dragon Knight—and Upper School valedictorians receive Dragon Flash.”

He recalled the nine peerages in his head.

Dragon Emperor, Dragon King, Dragon Duke, Dragon Saint, Dragon Heaven, Dragon Flash, Dragon Knight, Dragon Fierce, Dragon Warrior.

Then Upper School valedictorian was sixth-from-top peerage.

He voiced his impression:

“It’s not as high as I thought.”

“That’s right.”

The Princess’s face was starting to redden slightly, perhaps from excitement. She tightly gripped the fist placed at her chest.

“The precise condition for marrying a princess is marrying as First Consort to Dragon Flash or higher. And Dragon Flash itself isn’t a high rank. However—”

According to the Princess’s explanation, it went like this:

Dragonkin graduated from academy at eighteen and simultaneously made packs and became independent.

Making a pack meant needing to welcome a wife. And the first wife became First Consort. In other words, to take a princess as First Consort, one must have reached Dragon Flash at graduation.

“Meaning, you need to graduate as valedictorian.”

There the Princess grinned.

Seeing that suggestive smile, Kishō noticed a loophole in the system.

“I see. So that’s why you said a valedictorian equivalent was necessary.”

The current logic assumed making a pack simultaneously with graduation.

If that premise collapsed, difficulty would drop drastically.

For example, if one climbed to Dragon Flash rank without making a pack, then took a princess as First Consort, there’d be no need to be valedictorian. What was needed was the Dragon Flash peerage, not the valedictorian title.

However, ordinary dragonkin males couldn’t exploit this system loophole. Because for dragonkin, not making a pack after graduation was extremely dishonorable conduct. In human terms, like an unemployed debtor playing around.

But Kishō, who had no attachment to packs, was different. He had no sense of it being dishonorable in the first place.

“Then the talk’s simple. I just need to get promoted to Dragon Flash then come get you.”

The quickest way to raise peerage was participating in war as a mercenary and earning military achievements. If ability was recognized, peerage would rise naturally. Though Kishō was a dropout at the academy, he had some confidence regarding combat. And Dragon Flash wasn’t an unreachable peerage.

However, the Princess shook her head sadly.

“Ah, you could certainly satisfy the conditions. But that way, though you could marry a younger princess, you couldn’t marry me. Because I must marry simultaneously with academy graduation.”

Not joining a pack and not becoming independent was dishonorable.

That was the same for the Princess as a dragonkin woman. Waiting for an unreliable man wasn’t permitted for her of noble status.

Thinking about it, that dragonkin tried to make packs with same-age males and females was probably the result of avoiding this dishonorable blank period—he realized belatedly.

When Kishō was dumbfounded at his fatal lack of dragonkin sensibilities, the Princess offered follow-up:

“However, the perspective isn’t bad. That just having Dragon Flash rank is sufficient to hit the mark.”

This time Kishō truly furrowed his brow greatly.

The plan of getting promoted to Dragon Flash after graduation was denied. Given that, he needed to have reached Dragon Flash at graduation, which should only be fulfilled by graduating as valedictorian. If there was another path, it would be a plan to reach Dragon Flash while still a student without waiting for graduation.

“While a student, you can’t obtain peerage no matter what. You know that, right?”

Peerage could only be obtained at academy graduation.

And those without peerage wouldn’t be promoted no matter how much military achievement they accomplished.

Meaning, taking peerage to Dragon Flash while a student was impossible.

However, as if that objection was also anticipated, the Princess nodded exaggeratedly.

“That’s right. So after graduating from academy and being granted peerage, you can have someone qualified separately promote your peerage.”

They’d be granted peerage simultaneously with graduation, but wouldn’t marry that same graduation day. Meaning, they’d use that time difference to raise Kishō’s peerage all at once, apparently.

“What kind of exploit is that?”

Half-doubting. Could such a thing really be done? Questionable.

But watching the confident Princess, strangely he felt like it might work.

“So, who’s qualified?”

“Those with noble rank, meaning Dragon Saint or higher peerage, are granted appointment authority. Peerage that can be appointed goes up to two ranks below one’s own. Meaning, in Dragon Saint’s case, they can appoint up to Dragon Flash.”

“So basically any noble can appoint a Dragon Flash.”

“How about it? Hope is welling up, right?”

That the Princess was an extraordinarily competent talent, he’d painfully realized from the Beast King Forest incident. That logic had not a fraction of a gap. Perhaps it really was possible. Kishō held faint hope.

“Yeah… but how? Surely you can’t just casually ask.”

“I just need to ask. Father.”

“His Majesty the Dragon Emperor!? Isn’t that too much?”

“Why?”

“Dragonkin’s selling point is meritocracy, right? Connections are bad, connections.”

“Not connections. I’ll facilitate, but your ability will be properly evaluated. Then judge whether Dragon Flash is appropriate.”

“I see. But you notice there’s a fatal problem?”

“Problem? There shouldn’t be any.”

“I’m happy you rate me highly. But whether I actually have Dragon Flash equivalent ability now is questionable.”

“You have it.”

“No, doubt it a little!?”

“I said it before. In swordsmanship alone, you rival Duke class. Someone who can wield Duke-class swordsmanship couldn’t possibly stumble at mere Flash.”

As expected. The Princess’s trust in Kishō was high at god-worshipping level. That excessively high expectation he’d felt as a burden before—having become her fiancé, he must bear it. Borrowing the Princess’s words, if he stumbled at this level, he had no qualifications to marry a princess.

Gripping his fists, he declared:

“Understood. I’ll train more than ever and master swordsmanship. And I’ll demonstrate the ability everyone accepts and marry you, Kuroyō. Definitely.”

Red and white dragon robe sleeves danced through the air. The Princess’s delicate body collapsed toward him. Reflexively supporting those shoulders with both hands, the Princess’s beautiful face was at his chest. Her glossy black hair smelled good.

“Wh-wh-wh-what? What’s wrong!?”

Between embracing himself and being embraced, a difference in reaction arose by the amount of resolve. In short, this man chickened out.

Slender arms wrapped around his waist, and the Princess’s body pressed tightly. Soft sensation and sweet breathing sweetly stimulated the dragonkin instinct seeking a mate.

“Strongly, embrace me more strongly. And absolutely never let me go.”

Timidly, he wrapped arms around the Princess’s slender waist.

A sweet voice whispered at his ear:

“Besides, I think if the aptitude attribute problem can be cleared, orthodox strategy—even Upper School valedictorian graduation is possible.”