My Beloved Princess ~The Boy Called Incompetent Rises with Only a Sword and the Princess's Devotion~ - Chapter 85: A Fated Reunion

In the early morning dining room, Tsukino was feeding firewood to the fireplace.

Kishō opened his large mouth and bit into the sandwich she had prepared: bacon, eggs, and lettuce tucked between slices of bread.

The temperature indoors had completely cooled down in the early morning, making the air sting the skin with cold. Looking outside the window, light rain had already begun to fall.

“I am sorry. It was poor planning on my part for Tsukino to have to do such a thing.”

It was the coldest time of the early morning. When Kishō, who had low cold resistance, started to tremble, Tsukino took the hint and lit the fire. Apparently, pure-blooded Dragonkin do not typically light a fireplace for something as minor as the cold of early winter.

“No, no, you don’t need to worry about that. If I’m cold, I’ll do it myself.”

“It’s not like that. Tsukino wants to be of use.”

Tsukino declared this, brimming with motivation. Behind her two fists clenched in a victorious pose, her chest—laden with fruit—was prominently asserting itself. Hurriedly directing his gaze upward, the hair trimmed to her shoulders entered his vision. Raising his gaze a little further, Kishō said in a light tone:

“Maybe you should cut your bangs a little, too. They’re half-covering your eyes.”

“Does Master like it short?”

“No, not like that. I just thought it might be bad for your eyes.”

“But, if I cut my bangs, I will see even things I don’t want to see.”

Scornful gazes directed at oneself. Kishō remembered the days in the Lower School.

“Sorry. That was a careless remark.”

“No, it’s not like that. It’s just, if I cover my vision like this, it becomes hard to see unpleasant things. That’s why Tsukino—”

Beckoning her to “Come here,” he patted the head of the girl who approached timidly.

“Why was Tsukino praised?”

“You did well holding on alone until now. It’s okay. From now on, I am together with you too.”

It wasn’t that he felt no anxiety about taking Tsukino in.

However, now that he knew his feelings were connected with the Princess, he no longer felt anxiety. If he cooperated with his excellent wife and tackled matters, he was sure he could make Tsukino happy. The Princess had enough trust and achievements to make Kishō convinced of this.

“But, there is no need to try to look forcibly. When an environment where Tsukino can look around with peace of mind is ready, at that time please show me those lovely eyes.”

“If I am told I am lovely… I am too embarrassed to look at Master’s face.”

Tsukino’s bangs, as she looked down, were an impregnable curtain, covering and blocking everything. Tapping the head of Tsukino, who had dared such a full-power guard, lightly,

“It seems the master can decide the rules of the flock. So let’s do this.”

Holding up one index finger, Kishō grinned.

“Meals are to be taken together with everyone in the flock.”

◇◇◇◇◇

Today was the second day. The class schedule announced to Kishō was only swordsmanship class; classroom lectures were not included. Therefore, after finishing breakfast, he had plenty of leeway in time. While watching the firewood burst in the fireplace, Kishō enjoyed after-meal black tea and talked about various things with Tsukino.

The topic was exclusively experiences since meeting the Princess. Time passed with such talk, and since it became about time, he locked up firmly and left the special dormitory.

The light rain that started falling from early morning was faintly wetting the streets.

The breath he exhaled was white, rising up to the dormitory’s roof.

On the way to the Main School Building, Tsukino explained the academy to him.

“Upper School compulsory subjects are conducted jointly for all grades. There are three in total per week, and it takes the form of attending one of them.”

“So that’s why I didn’t see Sōsetsu in breath class yesterday. Even though we are the same first years, I thought it was strange.”

“Yes. Therefore, rumors about Master might already be known throughout the Upper School.”

“That is convenient.”

Kishō’s face, with the corners of his mouth curled up, looked extremely belligerent.

The fighting spirit heightening in preparation for the coming second round was proof that he was unmistakably a Dragonkin. He did not yet know the reserve strength a Dragonkin demonstrated when backing something that should be protected.

◇◇◇◇◇

At the entrance, after hooking his sandals for indoor wear at the designated shoe rack, Kishō was heading toward the indoor arena where the swordsmanship class was held, accompanied by Tsukino.

On the way, he found a small shop, and partly because the prices were reasonable, Kishō was considering purchasing something. In the midst of that, Tsukino waiting behind him let out a short scream, “Kya!” Next, an angry voice, “Don’t just stand there idly, lowly slave,” echoed, and Tsukino’s voice apologizing, “I was sorry,” was heard. Returning the warm tea he had taken in hand to the product shelf,

“You got a problem with my Tsukino, you bastard—”

Dragonkin instinct trying to protect a comrade of the flock. Those words, released as he turned around with a raised voice, were erased midway by an unexpected shock. Being unable to continue the second phrase, he felt his cheek twitching. And, making a face as if seeing something unbelievable—was the same for the other party.

“W-Why are you here.”

A beautiful girl with twin tails said with a trembling voice. Her face, which was once bright and full of vitality, was distorted in disgust, and pale as if seeing a ghost. The girl who was laughing happily was no longer there.

“I, I was decided for provisional enrollment in the Upper School…”

His chest ached, and his head spun dizzyingly. His palpitations intensified, and he received an illusion as if the ground was undulating. Sense of balance was lost, a state where standing was barely possible. It was as if he was dreaming.

Even so, Kishō clenched his teeth and squeezed out a voice.

“Yotsuba, you too… why are you in the Upper School.”

The girl with whom he once pledged love made a face as if chewing a bitter bug. The same face as that time when the engagement cancellation was notified. The former fiancée who should have disappeared from the academy was now in front of his eyes.

“To cut ties with you completely, I asked Papa to write a letter of recommendation. Because if I stayed in the Lower School as it was, we didn’t know what kind of rumors would rise, you see.”

The girl who planted a deep trauma in Kishō declared arrogantly with her hands on her hips. In terms of the magnitude of agitation, both were fifty-fifty, but in speed of recovery, she was superior.

“Why… Yotsuba’s grades shouldn’t have been that good…”

“My Papa is a great person. He sent a letter accompanied by a strong protest text, enough that even His Majesty the Dragon Emperor cannot ignore it.”

“Going that far… you wanted to place distance from me?”

Confirming there were no silhouettes around, Yotsuba lowered her voice.

“Naturally, right. I said it would become a stain on me, didn’t I.”

Yotsuba asserted flatly.

There was a saying—time heals—but it seemed Yotsuba’s opinion hadn’t changed even now, after more than half a year had passed.

Kishō, too, didn’t think he wanted to get back together. But, even so, he had a feeling of wanting to reconcile. Knowing that possibility was completely cut off, he hung his head powerlessly.

Even in front of such a dejected figure, Yotsuba did not feel guilty at all and questioned him in an interrogating tone.

“More than that, what about you. Provisional enrollment to the Upper School, you say… you shouldn’t have had any talent other than swordsmanship.”

Suspicious, scornful eyes were directed at him. At that nostalgic sensation, familiar from the Lower School, Kishō shook his head regretfully.

“That swordsmanship was recognized, and provisional enrollment was decided.”

“Liar. As I thought, you are a swindler, aren’t you? There is no way you can go up to the Upper School with just a sword.”

“Even Yotsuba, you went up with a single letter of recommendation, right?”

“Haa? Intending to be sarcastic? Generally, don’t call me by name without honorifics familiarly.”

Was the crack entered between the two such a large thing? At the depth of that unrepairable rupture, Kishō sighed greatly.

“At the beginning of enrollment, it was fun. I think I was able to have a good dream.”

“For me, it’s a nightmare I don’t even want to remember, though.”

“Ah, it’s so for me too. It was like seeing a nightmare all the time. But that is why I was able to meet that person. Now I even think it was good that you dumped me. If we had stayed together forcing ourselves like that, we would have become unhappy together, after all.”

“Hmph. A man who was crying telling me not to throw him away acting high and mighty! I wonder where exactly the princess on a white horse came to pick you up.”

Tsukino, who sensed the atmosphere becoming threatening, looked back and forth between the two.

The expression ‘princess on a white horse’ was funny, and Kishō laughed. Yotsuba’s face, having sarcasm returned with a sneer, flushed with anger.

Then, Tsukino raised a loud voice as if seeking help.

“Ah, it is Kōran-san!”

Tall stature and a sharp glint in her eyes, recognizable even from a distance. The girl dressed in the gorgeous dragon robe of the Upper School, with black hair gathered into one behind her, swaying, was unmistakably Kōran. Walking in the center of the wide corridor as if she owned the place, she stopped her feet in front of Kishō.

“What are you doing? Class is starting.”

“Nn, that’s right. Tsukino, let’s go.”

“Yes!”

Kishō, who decided to break with the past, tried to leave the place accompanied by Kōran and Tsukino.

“Wait a minute!”

A hysterical shout chased from behind.

“Don’t tell me… don’t tell me, your new girlfriend isn’t Kōran-san, right.”

“That’s right.”

“No, wrong!?”

Since Kōran answered immediately without even a 0.1-second pause, Kishō retorted instantly.

“R-Right. There is no way Kōran-san would deal with such a bottom-tier.”

Yotsuba was muttering something, but it did not enter Kishō’s ears.

“Oi! Was the fait accompli operation still continuing?”

“Naturally. If I marry Onee-sama, I also possess (haunt) you as a set. Give up already.”

“No, no, don’t do something like a vicious tie-in sale!? Or rather, the kanji for ‘follow’ is wrong, that. It’s completely the mood of an evil spirit, isn’t it.”

There Kōran nodded “Fufun” triumphantly for some reason,

“I hate men, but if Onee-sama loves you, it can’t be helped. If I can’t kiss Onee-sama, I just have to kiss indirectly via you. Right? Good idea, isn’t it?”

“Not a good idea at all!? It’s been a while, that madman move.”

There Kōran trembled her whole body as if hugging both arms.

“Via your lips, I want to become one with Onee-sama right here now!”

“You don’t have to become one!? Or rather, even if you kiss me, you can’t become one with Kuroyō, right? That’s just your imagination.”

“It’s fine. Because it’s a matter of mood.”

“Not fine!? Mainly for me!”

While making noise, the party left.

Gazing at those back figures blankly, Yotsuba sat down on the spot with a thump.

“Lies, right… Not just Kōran-san, do you say even Kuroyō-sama yearns for that man? Lies. Impossible… impossible. Because that man is a half-dragon with no aptitude attribute, you know. That person extolled even as a prodigy once in a millennium… that the overwhelming charisma of the Upper School would come to like such a man… it’s a situation that shouldn’t be.”

Yotsuba’s muttering echoed coldly in the chilly corridor.