Chapter 12: S-Rank Adventurer Stunned by the Mob Prince’s True Power
(From the perspective of Gaine, the S-Rank Adventurer)
“Wh-What are you…?”
I caught the dress-wearing girl’s kick, suspending her in mid-air.
What surprised me was her monstrous physical ability. Her movements were truly swift as the wind and quick as lightning.
If I hadn’t, it could have hit my side, causing a painful blow.
“Let go! Please let me go!”
My hand, which had caught her kick, was going numb. Even now, I was struggling to restrain the rampaging girl.
This one’s a real wild horse.
“Diana!? What are you suddenly doing to Master Gaine!? Did you forget our promise?”
“But, that man struck Onii-sama with his sword so hard…!”
“That’s sword training. It’s normal, isn’t it?”
“It’s not normal! Both Mother and I are very worried because Onii-sama comes home covered in injuries every day!”
The girl forcefully broke free from my grip, her hair standing on end like a cat’s as she threatened me.
“Diana will take you down! Prepare yourself!”
“…So, you’re the monster princess said to possess the blood of Dark Elf Royalty.”
Princess Diana, rumored to have been born with magical talent in stark contrast to her brother, and raised as the Empire’s ultimate weapon.
They say she repelled an Archdemon when she was only four years old, earning her the nickname “Monster Princess” among the people.
I heard that her magic was sealed outside the Prison Tower with a Magic-Sealing Collar, but…
She’s not just magically gifted. Isn’t her strength on par with an adult’s?
“Master Gaine, please don’t call Diana a monster princess. This girl is my beloved younger sister.”
At that moment, Luke released a chilling aura of anger.
Wh-What…?
For a moment, he felt like an even greater monster than his sister, but was that just my imagination?
“Kyaa! Onii-sama, I’m so happy! Yes, let’s beat this person together!”
Her tone was refined, but what she was saying was extremely dangerous.
“No. It wouldn’t mean anything unless I beat Master Gaine by myself, so go home first.”
Luke approached Diana and gently stroked her head.
Diana looked enraptured, snuggling up to her brother.
Looking at them, it struck me that they were about the same age as my daughter, Rena.
“…Sorry, Luke. That was my mistake just now.”
I apologized to Luke.
“I’m glad you understand, Master Gaine. Come on, Diana, apologize to Master too.”
“Muuu. But, this person did…”
“Diana!”
“I-I’m sorry for attacking you. Ms. Dandelion.”
Diana reluctantly apologized. When she did, she just looked like a normal girl her age.
“…Wait, what’s with the ‘Ms. Dandelion’?”
The bizarre nickname completely threw me off.
“Isn’t your alias 【Dandelion】? That’s why I called you Ms. Dandelion.”
“That’s true, but. Stop it, it makes me sound incredibly weak.”
【Dandelion】 means “lion’s tooth,” but it’s also another name for dandelion. It was given to me to mock me, the weed killer.
“Ms. Dandelion! Ms. Dandelion! If you’re so tough, try catching Diana!”
“Hmph, you’ve got a bad personality, unlike your brother.”
Diana clapped her hands and cheered.
“Listen up! If you bully Onii-sama, Diana won’t forgive you! I’ll call you Ms. Dandelion forever and make fun of you!”
Diana pointed her finger at me.
I couldn’t help but force a wry smile.
“I understand how scary it is to anger a princess. But, since I’ve accepted the job, I have to do it properly.”
“Of course, Master. Please don’t hold back during sword training.”
“…Muu. I’m worried about Onii-sama, so I’ve decided to watch every day from now on.”
“What…? Are you serious?”
“I’ll come even if you tell me not to, Ms. Dandelion.”
“Hey, are you going to keep calling me that?”
While retorting to Diana, I pondered.
If that’s the case, it will be difficult to kill Luke by staging an accident within the Imperial Court.
Ah, no, wait.
If I use this as an excuse to delay Luke’s assassination, and rescue Rena in the meantime…
For me, who didn’t want to kill Luke, Diana’s appearance was a godsend.
“Alright. Diana, I’ll let you watch from a special seat every day. Go get a chair.”
“What’s with you, suddenly talking in a syrupy voice…? It’s creepy, Ms. Dandelion.”
Diana made a dubious face.
※※※
Four days later, at night, I snuck into Empress Camilla’s villa to rescue Rena.
I had repeatedly demanded that Xylas confirm Rena’s safety, and had managed to gather clues about Rena’s location.
This is probably the right place.
Rena, as reflected in Xylas’s crystal ball, was always in a place resembling a noble’s mansion.
Empress Camilla had several villas. I gave money to a servant working at a villa I had guessed, and got information that a small girl had been brought in.
It took a while, but finally, Rena. I can finally rescue you.
As I reached for the basement door, unable to contain my excitement, I was suddenly called out from behind.
“Trespassing is not admirable, Gaine. Have you become a thief?”
“What!?”
When I turned around, Xylas, the old-mannered maid, was standing there.
For me to not sense her presence… She’s a woman with no presence, like a ghost.
“Your movements are being monitored. It’s better not to do anything reckless, for your daughter’s sake.”
“Sorry. I just wanted to see Rena in person to confirm if she’s really alive.”
I shrugged.
“If she’s here, can you let me see her?”
Once I know Rena’s location, all that’s left is to beat this woman and rescue her.
“You’re a suspicious man.”
Xylas took out a crystal ball and showed it to me.
Rena’s sleeping figure was reflected in it, but the location had changed. In a simple room, Rena was being made to sleep while seated on a crude chair.
…Damn it, was I being played from the start? Did she move the location knowing I was snooping around?
“Are you satisfied? Your daughter is not in this mansion.”
Xylas laughed through her nose.
“Focus on your work and don’t do anything unnecessary. If you do anything strange again, you’ll be facing your daughter’s corpse.”
“Guh…”
I gnashed my teeth.
Three more days passed without me finding a way out.
That morning, I was summoned by Empress Camilla.
“You’ve gained Luke’s trust enough, haven’t you?”
This woman probably received reports about me from Xylas, but knowing that I had no moves left, she had a satisfied look on her face.
“…That’s right.”
“Fufufu, then it’s the final stage. I’ve summoned a skilled Tamer from my family. Lure Luke into the forest under the pretense of giving him practical experience, and make him food for the magical beasts.”
Practical combat against magical beasts is too early for a seven-year-old kid, but… If I, an S-Rank adventurer hired by the Emperor, say I’ll accompany him, no one will object.
“If the magical beasts kill that brat, His Majesty will never find out that I’m the mastermind.”
“If I do that, you’ll release Rena’s magic and release her safely, right?”
“Of course. I’ll give you the remaining reward as well.”
It sounds incredibly suspicious, but I have no other choice.
…Sorry, Luke, Diana, hate me.
The next day, saying that we were going to hunt magical beasts, I took Luke and headed into the forest.
What Empress Camilla had the Tamer prepare was a B-rank magical beast that could fly, a Griffon.
It was an extremely dangerous magical beast that could manipulate wind magic and tear humans to shreds from a distance. She was using six of them, a real extravagance.
Seriously, to kill just one kid, she’s putting in an unbelievable amount of effort.
Luke has become surprisingly strong, but since he only has swords as a means of attack, it’s impossible for him to survive against six Griffons.
That’s what I thought, but…
On the second day after starting the forest exploration──
Six Griffons appeared simultaneously from the shadows of the trees and attacked Luke.
Three charged as the vanguard, and the remaining three attacked with wind magic as the rearguard, a perfect formation.
I haven’t taught Luke how to deal with magic yet. I thought it was completely over.
But…
“【Titan’s Sword】!”
The three in the vanguard were simultaneously cleaved in two by the ultra-large sword wielded by the giant that Luke summoned.
“What!?”
I was made to realize Luke’s true power.