My Beloved Princess ~The Boy Called Incompetent Rises with Only a Sword and the Princess's Devotion~ - Chapter 059: The Princess's Conspiracy

A single bed with two pillows.

Pressing close together to avoid falling off the narrow bed.

“Mm, this somehow puts me in a naughty mood.”

Ōka cast her gaze at the bed and voiced this impression with flushed cheeks. While slipping her arms through white sleepwear that served as nightclothes, Kuroyō tilted her head quizzically.

“Why?”

“I mean, normally girls don’t sleep together. So doesn’t it make you imagine? A boy lying beside you.”

Pointing at the two pillows lined up on the bed, Ōka showed a somewhat devilish smile. Recalling last night’s events, Kuroyō’s face flushed. Thinking back, she’d done something rather bold.

“Ah, I wonder what Yō-chan imagined?”

Catching sight of the meager expression changes imperceptible at a glance, Ōka teased with a grinning smile. Having her improper imagination seen through, not just her face but even her ears grew hot and red. Kuroyō looked down bashfully and answered honestly.

“I recalled last night’s events.”

“Huh? Last night’s events?”

Of course, Ōka didn’t know about last night. She surely couldn’t dream that Kuroyō had pushed her way into the boys’ dormitory.

“That’s right. Last night, in Kishō’s room—”

At that point, Kuroyō recalled something and withdrew a single soiled dragon robe from her small wardrobe. A blue and white dragon robe. Male student uniform. Clutching it lovingly:

“Kishō’s dragon robe. I borrowed it a bit.”

When she announced this with flushed face, Ōka immediately grasped the intent and grinned broadly.

“So, how was it?”

“It smelled like a male.”

“Huh? Which way is that?”

“My heart pounded intensely.”

“Ehhh!? That means—”

Perhaps in sympathy, Ōka’s face seemed to redden too. Judging from the heat, her own face must be considerably red as well. While thinking such things, Kuroyō nodded confidently.

“No mistake. As expected, Kishō is truly suitable as my master.”

She’d heard from Ōka before.

The body odor of compatible members of the opposite sex smells pleasant.

After hearing such talk, it was a maiden’s heart to want confirmation. Were the two truly compatible? She’d been constantly curious. And last night, when visiting Kishō’s room, she’d encountered that chance. Before the dragon robe carelessly placed on the bed, there was no hesitation.

“When leaving Kishō’s room, I casually brought it back.”

“Wow, Yō-chan is bolder than I thought.”

“I actually wanted to smell him directly, but was refused.”

“Huh? Directly meaning what!? Wait, speaking of which, why were you in the boys’ dormitory!? Last night means… ehhhhhh?”

Ōka had been talking in carefree mode, but finally seemed to realize the truth, eyes widening to their limit in shock. In contrast to that frantic shriek, Kuroyō spoke with a cool attitude as if it were natural.

“If I offer this body, there’s no need for roundabout behavior.”

If they formed a bond, she could smell him as much as she liked. At that provocative content, this time Ōka truly recoiled in shock, backing up one step, two steps, catching her foot on the bed’s edge and toppling backward. Rising up onto the hard bed sheet, she spoke in an accusing tone:

“Sleeping together before marriage is wrong.”

“No, that’s not so. It’s common sense in Upper School. It happens everywhere.”

Kuroyō declared firmly, puffing out her chest.

Sensitive Ōka’s complexion colored with shock and embarrassment.

“Ehhhh? Such shamelessness… wait, did Yō-chan see it happening?”

“No, I haven’t seen it.”

“Huh? Then who told you?”

“Kōran.”

“Kōran-san? The person who opposed Shō-kun over you?”

“That’s right. She said Upper School boys are in heat like monkeys, so stay away from them.”

Ōka’s eyes became half-lidded.

“Eh, somehow that lost credibility all at once…”

Ōka’s shoulders drooped dejectedly, looking extremely disappointed. While Kuroyō’s intuition worked remarkably well regarding malice, she was dense about this type of emotional subtlety. Failing to understand a girl of appropriate age’s intellectual curiosity, she tilted her head in confusion.

Then, ding—divine inspiration descended above her head. It was a brilliant flash of genius.

“My apologies. I monopolized it.”

So saying, she offered the dragon robe in her hands like a tribute. Ōka, sitting cross-legged on the bed, fluttered both hands as if not understanding the meaning.

“Huh? Why are you trying to pass it to me?”

“You also want to know your compatibility with Kishō, right?”

“Huh? Huh? I don’t.”

“It’s fine. I understand. You’re just embarrassed.”

No means yes—she’d learned that from Ōka before. Even if saying no with words, in truth, one’s inner feelings didn’t match. Since she trusted Ōka completely, Kuroyō honestly accepted that teaching.

“When you tease me, I get embarrassed the same way. So I understand.”

She thrust out the soiled dragon robe. Ōka pulled back looking extremely reluctant.

“Wah!? Stop! Stoooooop!!”

“No need to be embarrassed. Come, take it and smell it without reservation.”

Ōka retreated across the bed, sliding on her bottom with a scraping sound. Kuroyō also placed one knee on the bed and leaned forward in pursuit. Cornered against the wall like that, Ōka protested with teary eyes.

“Don’t you know Shō-kun’s a heavy sweater!?”

“? Doesn’t that make it richer?”

“Don’t tilt your head cutely! It’s sticky with sweat, so obviously it stinks.”

“No need to worry. Surely you’re also compatible.”

“We’re not communicating!? Ugh, I understand Shō-kun’s feelings a little now…”

“Don’t hold back. Come.”

“Why are you defective in weird ways!?”

The word “defective” hurt Kuroyō a bit. Her shoulders drooped dejectedly, her pursuit slackening. Taking advantage of that opening, Ōka created distance along the wall while saying:

“Besides, I already know Shō-kun’s body odor. Even today—”

“Even today?”

Kuroyō echoed the meaningful words questioningly. But Ōka hastily fluttered her hands:

“N-nothing!”

Turning red as a boiled octopus, she clamped shut like a clam.

Kuroyō found that attitude strange, but not suspicious. Since Ōka wouldn’t budge from her absolute refusal stance afterward, Kuroyō reluctantly returned the soiled dragon robe to the wardrobe.

“Speaking of which.”

After extinguishing the lights and both slipping into the same bed, Ōka spoke while gazing at the ceiling.

“I wonder if Shō-kun is still standing watch in the cold.”

Currently, Kishō was staking out the teachers’ dormitory to discover Eleshia Ignosius’s identity. Kuroyō also suspected with near certainty that the killer lurked among the teachers, but couldn’t yet definitively identify the culprit.

“Kishō is a [Ki] specialist. If anything moves, he’ll surely notice.”

“But to keep doing this not even knowing if anything will happen. Apparently Shō-kun’s willing to do this every day.”

Thump—her heart raced. Kuroyō placed a hand on her chest as she lay face-up.

“He’s standing watch so we can sleep in peace.”

Ōka rolled over toward her. While gazing at Kuroyō’s refined face’s outline floating in the darkness, she said:

“Yō-chan looks incredibly happy.”

“Yes, very manly.”

Following Ōka’s example, Kuroyō also rolled over and met her eyes using night vision.

“Protecting the pack is a dragonkin male’s duty. Whoever threatens the pack, he’ll thoroughly eliminate them. Indeed, dragonkin males must be like this.”

Kuroyō couldn’t suppress her excitement, making a fist and speaking passionately.

Perhaps that enthusiasm transmitted, as Ōka spoke with melting eyes:

“Lucky you. Being protected by someone you love makes Yō-chan so happy.”

“What are you saying? Kishō isn’t trying to protect just me.”

“Ehh, I’m not relevant… maybe I am.”

As if something occurred to her, Ōka stirred in the darkness. Kuroyō sandwiched her best friend lying beside her’s cheeks between both hands and bumped foreheads together with a bonk. Her warmth transmitted to Kuroyō’s cold forehead.

“Besides, this strategy is exquisite in that it can also protect you.”

“Huh? I’m staying with you intending to protect you though, Yō-chan.”

Hehe, Kuroyō laughed.

“You’re truly an accomplished dragonkin. I’ll definitely repay the debt for yielding the head consort position.”

“I told you, I don’t mean it that way…”

That’s not true, Kuroyō said.

“The head consort’s rank always remains highest. Other consorts may face demotion, but the head consort is special. Even if separated by death, no other consort can assume that position.”

An absolutely immovable position. That was the title of head consort.

Since the master decided who became head consort, strictly speaking, “yielding” was an odd expression. But having been raised to value pack harmony, Kuroyō felt psychological resistance toward coming along later and forcibly assuming the head consort’s seat. That’s why she’d asked Ōka to yield it, but considering the head consort title’s nature, readily accepting would be extremely difficult. Precisely because of that:

“It’s understandable why Kishō holds affection for you.”

“I told you, Shō-kun and I aren’t like that!”

Her reddening, embarrassed face was faintly visible in the darkness.

Kuroyō knew this was just hiding embarrassment.

“I respect you. You’re my very ideal.”

“Being told that… it’s embarrassing. Yō-chan always exaggerates.”

“Call it honesty instead.”

Ōka giggled. Kuroyō’s expression also softened in response:

“However, I have one dissatisfaction with the current situation.”

Kishō’s attitude from their engagement until today.

“That man steps forward manfully, but won’t express his affection.”

“Ah, I get it, I get it! Shō-kun isn’t honest, after all…”

Then. The Princess floated an extremely wicked smile that would leave Kishō speechless if he saw it.

“So I devised a strategy. A special strategy.”