kscans

Chapter 264 - The Princess

Having finished their work at the cafe, Hayato and the others logged in once more.

Naturally, it was now night in the game, but from outside the room, cheerful voices unbefitting of the hour reached Hayato's ears.

Figuring Esha and the others would log in later, Hayato left his room first and moved toward the sound of the voices.

This mansion had many rooms separated by fusuma sliding doors. Hayato opened the fusuma of the room the voices were coming from just a crack and peered inside. There, Ney's group and Mist's group were dressed in what looked like yukatas and having a banquet.

It wasn't their usual buffet-style party. This was a banquet where they sat on zabuton cushions on the tatami mats, with individual meal trays set before them. And at the head of the room, a girl who looked just a little older than Ren sat primly on a stack of several zabuton.

Simon was sitting nearby, so Hayato guessed that she must be the Princess.

(But, is it okay for a princess to be in a yukata and haori? I was sort of expecting a more flamboyant kimono... well, everything but her clothes is flamboyant.)

The girl who appeared to be the Princess was wearing a yukata covered in a light blue pattern, just like Ney and the others, with only a navy haori over it. However, her pink hair was tied in a side tail on the left, and the scrunchie-like thing holding it together was a flashy red. Overall, she was probably quite flashy.

"Hey, Simon. This is fun and all, but is Hayacchi still not here? The Princess is a little miffed from waiting."

"Hayato is likely still sleeping in his room. We have brought him here on a matter of some urgency, so please be a little more patient. I believe it would be more befitting of a princess to maintain a more composed demeanor."

"Is that what being a princess is like...?"

(Looks like they were waiting for me. Might as well make my entrance. I'm not in a yukata, but that should be fine.)

Hayato opened the fusuma.

For a moment, the room fell silent, but then everyone welcomed him. The most welcoming of all was likely the Princess at the head of the room.

"Ooh, could you be Hayacchi? Um, in times like these... right, you have our leave, approach!"

The Princess was beckoning to him with a smile from her seat on the zabuton.

She showed a frank smile even to Hayato, a stranger, and he found that smile charming.

"Princess, there is no need to force yourself to use words you are unaccustomed to. Hayato, if you would, come over here. This is the princess of the Eastern Country, Benitsuru Azuma-sama."

Hayato bowed his head to the beaming Benitsuru.

"My name is Hayato. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Looking forward to working with you! Oh, yeah, Hayacchi, thanks for the kimono! I don't have many highest-quality kimonos, so I was really happy. Super awesome!"

(This girl's pretty laid-back. Is she really the Princess? Maybe an imposter?)

When Hayato sent a questioning look to Simon, Simon nodded.

"Hayato, I know what you want to say, but the person here is without a doubt the Princess."

"The Princess has a hunch that you're saying something incredibly rude, Simon. Oh well, it's fine. I'm in a good mood today, so let's throw etiquette out the window. Hayato, sit next to the Princess. I actually want you to tell me a lot about other countries!"

"Um...?"

"Hayato, my apologies, but could you keep the Princess company for even a little while? The Princess is always in the castle and rarely gets to go outside. This time, thanks to you giving her a highest-quality kimono, she was able to come here as a token of her gratitude. That is why her spirits are a little higher than usual."

"This is just a little higher?"

"Hayacchi, you've got nerve! Off with your head!"

(Winking with a smile, sticking her tongue out, and holding a sideways peace sign near her right eye... what she's saying is scary, but her vibe is like a student's.)

He wanted to avoid being beheaded, so Hayato sat down next to Benitsuru, on her right side. On her opposite, left side was Simon.

Almost immediately, a meal tray was brought before Hayato. The people who brought it appeared to be servants of this mansion. The tray was lined with so-called Japanese-style dishes, and the colorful array of food was fun just to look at.

At Simon's urging, Hayato took a small bite. They weren't five-star, but they were four-star dishes, and each one tasted delicious.

"You live in the Royal Capital, right, Hayacchi?"

Hayato put down his chopsticks and nodded at Benitsuru.

"My headquarters is near the Royal Capital, yes."

"Aww, come on, you don't have to talk like that. It's not like you serve me, so let's be more friendly!"

"Oh, okay? Then I'll do that. By the way, 'Hayacchi' is me, right?"

"Yup. It sounds more like we're friends. You can call me Benny, okay?"

"Got it. So, Benny, are you always in the castle?"

When Hayato said that, Benitsuru's expression turned to one of considerable surprise. Simon, sitting next to her, was so surprised he dropped his chopsticks.

"Huh? Is something wrong?"

"Whoa, Princess is shocked. I've told people they could call me Benny before, but everyone just calls me Princess or Benitsuru. You're the first person to call me Benny, Hayacchi! Well done!"

"Well, it is fine for now, but it would be best not to say that in front of the other Ten Holy Demonic Swords or the country's samurai. They will cut you down without a second thought."

"Isn't the Eastern Country kind of dangerous?"

"It is dangerous, super dangerous. And I'm the princess of that dangerous country!"

Benitsuru said that, clutched her stomach, and started laughing, kicking her feet. Simon watched her with a somewhat exasperated look.

(She's laughing so happily. They say some people laugh at the drop of a hat at her age, and she's a perfect example. She's laughing from the bottom of her heart, and her smile seems to be infectious, making everyone else look happy too.)

Benitsuru, who had laughed so hard she started coughing, had her back rubbed by an exasperated Simon. Once she finally calmed down, she let out a big breath and looked at Hayato.

"By the way, you came to destroy the cursed blade, right, Hayacchi?"

"That's right. I haven't seen the sword yet, and I don't know if I can actually do it, but I came here with that intention. Simon-san helped me a lot over there, so I'd like to repay that favor if I can."

Basically, as long as your skill level is high enough, you can break down equipment into materials. However, that's only for normal weapons and armor. A cursed blade is a cursed sword. He didn't know if he could actually break it down into materials.

Before coming here, he had asked Ren if he could break down one of her unnecessary cursed items into materials, but she replied with a serious face, "There are no unnecessary cursed items."

He wasn't about to buy a cursed item from an auction or shop just to test it, so this would be his first attempt, but Hayato thought he could probably manage.

"Since we are the ones who requested it, there is no favor to repay, but if you feel that way, we are grateful. Well, you should be fine, Hayato. A blacksmith who can make five highest-quality swords in a single day. Destroying a cursed blade will be a piece of cake."

"Whoa, dangerous. The Eastern Country is dangerous, but aren't you dangerous too, Hayacchi?"

(Am I that dangerous?)

Hayato wasn't quite sure about that part, but he decided that by this country's standards, he probably was.

After chatting with Benitsuru and Simon for a while, the fusuma of the room opened.

Esha, Ash, and Ren were standing there. Esha was in her usual maid outfit, but Ash and Ren were styled in yukatas and haoris.

Benitsuru's eyes widened at the sight of the three.

"A handsome man, a beautiful girl, and a kunoichi are here!"

"Hold on. Those three are Hayato's companions, not spies. We discussed this beforehand, did we not?"

"Oh, right. Whoops, Princess forgot."

Simon lightly tapped Benitsuru on the head with the scabbard of his sword. The three were taken aback, but sensing something, they sent Hayato a look that said, "We're counting on you," and sat down in an empty space.

Hayato thought for a moment.

He figured Ash was the handsome man, but he wasn't sure who was the beautiful girl and who was the kunoichi. By his standards, both were beautiful girls. He would never say it out loud, but that's what he thought.

However, a kunoichi is a female ninja. Neither Esha nor Ren looked like ninjas in any way.

"Um, who's the kunoichi?"

"Eh? Isn't the maid a kunoichi? I was taught that they're members of an intelligence agency that appear all over the world to gather information. And they're super strong. It's common sense in the Eastern Country to assume a maid is a spy."

"The Eastern Country is seriously dangerous, isn't it?"

For the time being, Hayato understood just one thing, the Eastern Country was a little strange.