Chapter 148 - Episode 10: "Don't Go Doing Such Complicated Things!"
Greetings! It is I, Violia Nico Fortesia!
The 5th and 8th princesses have completely transformed after drinking the medicine. Even though their reason is only at the level of 'slightly excited,' their arrogance is quite something! They have become two princesses who are so arrogant they seem to think of themselves as gods or something, and yet are extremely aggressive; I am truly impressed! It was something I did after receiving advice from Chesta, but I didn't think it would be such a great success. I must praise Chesta for this!
"What are you doing! A mere daughter of the lowly Fortesia! Don't touch us!"
"You've been quite insolent to us all this time! Apologize for that discourtesy and die right here, right now! Right now! Die!"
Where did their gentle and frightened appearance go? The princesses, dominated by a sense of omnipotence, anger, and vitality, are in a truly terrible state. For now, they've become tomboys to the extent of complaining to whoever appears before them, and incidentally poking or striking them; well, I can't help but enjoy it.
"Now, Princesses. I shall return you to the royal castle."
"That is only natural! Do it quickly!"
"Do you intend to leave these collars as they are!? Do you think it's permissible to make us, the noble ones, into slaves!?"
Even if I talk to them, most of it doesn't become a conversation. Since attacks come first, communication is difficult... Well, fine. For now, after having Saki-sama remove their collars, I used the Spatial Bag to store them both. After that, I headed for the royal capital on a dragon!
Now! Let the princesses, who are troublesome to possess, play the important role of reducing the allies of the royal family!
If I'm going to move, it should be while it's still light out. After landing as if hiding in a forest on the outskirts of the royal capital, I immediately put away the dragon and headed for the capital. The fact that a dragon landed nearby should have been visible to the royal soldiers as well. But I proceed without hesitation!
By circling around the royal capital and infiltrating from the gate on the opposite side of the forest, I didn't even run into the soldiers who came looking for me. I head straight for the center of the royal capital without stopping!
The plaza in the center of the royal capital is full of vitality today as well. There are many people, and it is truly lively. I entered an alley near that plaza... and there, I took the two princesses out of the bag!
"Wha... What is it!? Suddenly there's light...!?"
"What did you do to us! I won't forgive you!"
The two who were stored in the Spatial Bag are completely furious. Ohoho.
"Look, Princesses? Take a look around you. What you see over there is the plaza of the royal capital."
However, the princesses, who had been furious, looked around, saw the plaza beyond the alley... and their expressions brightened!
"We did it! We've returned!"
"It's only natural! It's only natural to treat us with courtesy and grant our wishes, isn't it?"
While carrying on an indescribable conversation, the two princesses are rejoicing together. Their stupidity is truly being exposed in an indescribable way...
"Is it quite alright, Princesses?"
At that point, I spoke to them. The two princesses glared at me as if it were their natural right, but I continued anyway.
"Do you know why you are being released?"
When I asked that, the two princesses looked at each other... and then immediately began to speak out!
"Because it's only natural! Because it shouldn't be that people like us are harmed because of someone like you!"
"Even though it's your fault that we were in a state of confinement, you speak as if you've saved us! I don't like it!"
"Because you have no value."
...But, once I said that one thing, both of them fell silent.
"Because you two have no value. Therefore, I am releasing you. It's of no use even if you are here."
The two princesses seemed unable to understand my words for a while. But, as their understanding gradually progressed... the moment they tried to shout, I said it as if to cut them off!
"After all, isn't it so? What use are two mere women who have no power, no skill, are stupid and vulgar, and incidentally don't even have particularly good faces?"
There probably isn't any case where a royal is insulted to their face. Therefore, it seems to have been a huge shock to the two of them. Smiling at the two who were opening and closing their mouths like fish, I left quickly!
"Well then, 'valueless' Princesses, good day to you."
Of course, I'm not going home? After turning the corner of the alley, I climbed onto the roof of a house and continued to observe the state of the two princesses from there! The two princesses started moving a while after I left. The anger from the insult they received from me finally rose to its peak, becoming as high as it could be. Those two princesses, while revealing their anger, headed toward the royal castle... that is, toward the plaza.
"You're in the way! Move!"
Now, the princesses, whose anger was exploding, began to take it out on the commoners who were in the plaza! The commoners were surprised and had faces asking what was happening, but there's no way the princesses would care about such foolish masses.
"Truly useless foolish masses! Even though we were in a dangerous situation, you're living so carefree! It's impolite!"
"The one who just bumped into me, step forward! I'll have you executed! It's execution!"
...With the princesses starting to shout in such a manner, the commoners finally began to feel something abnormal. They would doubt if these princesses were fakes, or some might even think it was my doing.
"Restrain yourselves! You're being insolent! We are the princesses of the Orchesta royal family!? Why don't you kneel!?"
However, they themselves are announcing their names, and from the fact that the soldiers who rushed to the commotion are flustered and unsure of what to do, it's being proven that they are the real princesses. Yes. I left the princesses' clothes as they were. I could have stripped them all before returning them to the wild... but after all, if they're going to show an unsightly appearance, it's better to do it in luxurious dresses while wearing necklaces and bracelets where the royal crest shines brilliantly, isn't it?
"Princess, what is the matter!?"
Now, one of the commoners, surprised by the sudden change in the two princesses, rushed to the 8th princess with a worried look.
"Don't touch me! You're filthy!"
However, the one who rushed over out of concern for the princess was brilliantly kicked away by the princess.
"What are you misunderstanding!? Why did you think you could touch me!? Ah, you arrogant fool! It was always painful to put on a smile for you foolish masses! Ah, how filthy!"
"To crawl to us only when it's convenient, you're a failure as a citizen! Soldiers! Are there no soldiers!? Behead this insolent person! What are you hesitating for!? Do you mean to say you're hesitating to kill a single commoner!? Where has your loyalty to the royal family gone!?"
It's an order from the princess, but the soldiers naturally cannot move, and the princesses get even more angry, and the commoners only become more and more terrified. On the other hand, since they are princesses, they can't be handled roughly, and yet even if they are left alone, the damage only continues to expand... Well... to put it mildly, it's a hell of agonizing cries!
...And so, until the soldiers took the two princesses back to the royal castle, the two princesses were shouting at the commoners, acting bossy, and exposing their unsightly figures. After the show in the plaza was mostly over, the commoners, looking exhausted and worn out, each went home. While whispering to each other about the princesses, you see. I was also watching from the top of the roof, hidden in the shadow of a chimney... but, e-err, how should I put it, they were a bit more flashy than I thought? It was a bit different from my expectations, or rather... it seems the true feelings of the princesses were quite in tune with the situation...
...Yes. I'll confess. I! As expected! I didn't think! That the princesses would transform this much!
"I was able to return them safely..."
"Good work."
After waiting for nightfall, I took off on the dragon and returned to the hideout. And I, already, have become tired... for now, I'll rest on the sofa at the hideout!
"Truly... I will never kidnap a princess again."
"...You're quite tired, aren't you?"
Yes! I am tired! How should I put it, a life that goes exactly as expected isn't interesting, but jumping out of expectations in a direction like this time is not interesting and just plain exhausting!
"Yo, Violia. Was my talk helpful?"
"It was too helpful. Yes. Drug addicts of the world indulge in terrifying things, don't they..."
I don't know if it was that because I gave them Dragon's Heart, or if the true nature of the princesses was like that... but for now, drug addicts who want to use Dragon's Heart and leaves together are truly dangerous people!
"Yawn"
"You look sleepy."
"I don't just look sleepy, I am actually sleepy."
After all, I've been working through the night since Carol's banquet, then went to the royal capital, then waited for night and came back... I'm overworking myself. Yes. Furthermore, I saw the transformation of the two princesses on top of that, so I'm also mentally exhausted. But for now, I can rest...
"Good night..."
I lay down on the sofa and fell asleep just like that! Because I'm sleepy! I'm very sleepy!
...And then I slept just like that and woke up, the next morning... or rather, it's noon. Yes. When I woke up, Keeb was reading a book on the opposite sofa.
"Oh, good morning."
"Good morning. You slept well."
"Yes. I slept veeeery well. What time is it now?"
"1 PM."
...I was sleeping for about 15 hours. Yes. No wonder I feel refreshed. Yes.
"Aren't you hungry? I bought some bread, so you can eat whatever you like."
"I see. I think I'll have something after I take a shower."
What a thoughtful boy. When I peeked into the paper bag he pointed out, there was cheese and cranberry bread inside. I love this. I'm happy.
"...By the way, you're reading a book on magic potions?"
"Yeah."
By the way, when I happened to peek at the cover of the book Keeb was reading, I found it was a book about magic potions. Judging by the author and such, is it something close to alchemy or something?
"Chesta told me that something incredible happens when you ingest Dragon's Heart and cannabis together, so I'm looking into it."
Eh...? That guy, he's not trying to increase the number of drug addicts, is he...?
"You know. I've never studied before... but studying about poisons and medicines is interesting."
...But well, it's fine. Keeb looks happy. If Chesta's words became the trigger for his interest and it expanded Keeb's world, that is a good thing. Well, of course, I won't forgive him if he turns Keeb into a drug addict too!
It was while I was taking a shower, brewing tea, and giving a lecture on magic poisons to Keeb while having bread in the living room of the hideout.
"Ah, Ojo-san. Just at the right time."
...Giovan came. Yes. Giovan came. He arrived with a somewhat slightly panicked expression. ...This. This is definitely a precursor to something not good!? I know it!? I know that when Giovan approaches like this, it's definitely a time when he brings bad news! I know it!
"What is it!? Just what kind of bad news have you brought!? What kind of trouble is it!?"
"What, Ojo-san. You're saying all the news I bring is bad news?"
"I wonder if there has ever been a time when you brought good news...?"
"Maybe not. So, about the main topic, they say Prince Dactor has disappeared."
See! It's just as I said! It was bad news after all! What is with that prince! What do you mean by 'disappeared,' that prince! Aaaaah! Don't go doing such complicated things!