“Aria-chan… You’ve gone and gotten yourself all battered up again, haven’t you?”
The moment I stepped into the shop, which was empty of customers as usual, the owner, Gelf, greeted me with that exasperated voice.
“It’s because I had this armor that I made it back.”
“Oh, honestly! If you say things like that, I can’t even scold you for being reckless! I’ve heard the details from Mira-chan, so I know. And this child here is Jesha-chan, right?”
“…Yeah.”
Gelf is a Rock Dwarf armorsmith, a man whose passion in life is crafting cute armor for women—for himself to wear.
I said there were no customers earlier, but he’s secretly popular among the female adventurers and knights of the Royal Capital, and it seems they place special orders for his far-from-cheap armor.
Gelf’s attire for today was a vermillion mermaid dress with an open back. His hair was tied up, and as he winked with his neatly groomed, bearded face, even the usually strong-willed Jesha froze, clutching the hem of my clothes.
“It’s okay. Gelf’s skills are reliable.”
“…That’s not it.”
“Such a fresh reaction. It reminds me of when Mira-chan first visited the shop a hundred years ago. You look like a Mountain Dwarf, but in a human country, we’re practically kin. I’ll specially allow you to call me Gelf-neesan.”
“That’s great, Jesha.”
“…That’s not it.”
Half the reason we came here today was to get armor made for Jesha.
She’s been wearing modified armor she found at the Evil Race’s fort, and I’m impressed she survived the Black Dragon fight without serious injury. Still, since we’ve received a reward, it’s better to have good armor made.
“First, shall I ask about Jesha-chan’s preferences? Your weapon is a two-handed axe? So, you’ve been using heavy armor until now?”
“Ah, yeah, that’s right. But since I sometimes dive into the enemy’s midst, I’ve been using light insectoid material.”
Perhaps getting a little used to him, Jesha finally let go of my hem.
“We don’t have any insectoid-type materials… That’s a material harvested in the Calfaan Empire. We can get it from Dungeons here too, but material large enough for you to wear is rare. …You have the face of a beautiful girl, but your shoulder width is quite something.”
Dwarves are short and well-built. Female dwarves are too, but smaller female dwarves don’t have that much muscle and are sometimes mistaken for human children. However, Jesha’s body has muscle and width similar to Dolton, a large male dwarf.
“In the desert, if you’re not strong, you get looked down on. Can’t be helped, old man!”
“Oh my?”
“…Neesan.”
“I like honest children. Anyway, full plate armor mixed with Mithril like Dolton’s would cost more money than you have. How about we reinforce Monster material with Mithril? Unlike me, you have height, so I think it would suit you. And then, I was thinking of exposing your navel, what do you think?”
“Spare me…”
In the end, it seems Jesha decided on scale armor made from the scales of a lesser dragon called a Wyvern. Wyverns are also high-grade materials, Rank 4 to 5, but they are still significantly cheaper than Elemental Dragon materials or Mithril.
Jesha will also use her share of over ten Black Dragon scales to have gauntlets made.
“And then there’s Aria-chan… Your appearance is becoming more like an adult’s body, so I was thinking of using some good materials.”
“I have the money, so I don’t mind, but…?”
At first, I thought about declining the reward since my companions came to save me. But I was advised that it would cause problems within the group, with the dynamic of saving and being saved, so declining the reward wasn’t allowed.
My body’s growth due to magic power has mostly stopped in terms of height.
The accelerated maturation of one’s appearance due to magic power is most intense up until an apparent age of around three. For males, this accelerated growth generally ceases when they look to be around twenty, and for females, around eighteen. At that point, the balance shifts from rapid growth to significantly slowed aging. In my case, my appearance has grown to that of a sixteen-year-old, so from now on, I should gradually become age-appropriate.
My measurements, like body thickness, will probably change when I reach about twenty, but apparently, adjustments can be made for that.
“Of course, I’ll take a certain amount for the cost. But regarding the materials, Mira-chan entrusted them to me.”
“Mira’s materials… The Black Dragon Wing Membrane?”
Mira had taken one wing’s worth of the Black Dragon Wing Membrane as her share of the reward. She said she would make her own equipment, but according to Gelf, being a small elf who doesn’t like excessive equipment, she only used about a third of one wing.
Using the remaining material for repairs would be fine, but considering the durability and regenerative abilities of dragon materials, the probability of damage is low. If it were to be used for several hundred years, it would apparently be better to remake it with different materials by then.
According to Gelf, since I only took a few scales and one Gekirin (Reverse Scale) from the Black Dragon, Dolton and Mira discussed it and gave the wing membrane to Gelf as material for my equipment.
…They didn’t need to worry about me. I’ve encountered countless horrible adults so far, but I’ve been truly blessed with the people I’ve gotten involved with.
The boots and gauntlets I received from Master are already over a hundred years old, so it was decided to make new ones for me on this occasion. He also said he’d make my main leather dress somewhat more mature to suit my current self.
And also—
“Aria-chan, if you have the money, why not make a dress? A proper one you can wear to parties. My Mithril fiber processing technique has improved, so I want to try it out. It won’t have regenerative power, of course, but it will have defensive power comparable to your current equipment and anti-magic performance comparable to the Black Dragon Wing Membrane equipment we’re making.”
“…I’ll think about it.”
After getting our measurements taken while placating Gelf, who had suddenly started indulging his hobby, Jesha and I finally left the shop, looking exhausted.
Our plan for today was to head to the Adventurers Guild for my rank update and Jesha’s transfer, but…
“Maybe we should call it a day?”
“Yeah… Hey, Aria. How about we grab something good to eat around here? You’ve lived in the Royal Capital for a long time, so you must know a few places, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Aria?”
I suddenly stopped and looked towards the castle, visible even from here. Jesha turned back with a puzzled expression.
That light I just saw… this presence… Is it him?
“Sorry, Jesha. We’ll eat some other time.”
“H-Hey!?”
With Jesha’s voice calling after me, I started running through the Royal Capital. Weaving through the crowd, I ducked into an alley, ran up the wall of a building, and leaped onto the roof, turning to face the royal castle once more.
“—Iron Rose… Real Breaker—”
“…You seem to be in a good mood, Karla.”
In the midst of an eerie atmosphere that would overwhelm an ordinary person, Elena stepped forward, and Karla’s lips curled into a somewhat amused smile.
“Oh my, Princess. How was your trip? It seems to have been quite a good journey… I’m pleased that we might finally be able to have a somewhat proper conversation.”
Lady Karla of the Count Lester Family. The youngest daughter of the Head Court Magician, a girl informally chosen as the Crown Prince’s second consort, and now, a dangerous individual acknowledged by all.
The incident where Karla massacred Holy Church officials and burned down the chapel went unpunished because the Holy Church, fearing the exposure of the training corps’ hidden side, chose not to pursue it. However, even if this fact wasn’t known to the common people, many nobles became aware of her dangerous nature.
There were noble families who tried to hold Karla accountable for her crimes, but they all disappeared. Literally, they vanished overnight.
This sent a great shock through the world of nobility.
For nobles, power meant authority, wealth, and the political and military strength born from connections between noble families. What Karla did fundamentally overturned that perception, and while the nobles wished for Karla’s death, they could only refrain from speaking out openly.
The royal family’s intention in making Karla, who cannot bear children, the second consort was to bring the Head Court Magician into their fold, thereby demonstrating that the Court Magician Division was aligned with the royal faction.
For that reason, they dealt with Karla’s incident before it became public, but as a result, she became feared even more than she drew in the Court Magician Division.
Karla’s way of being resembled that of a certain girl whom everyone present knew.
Just as the girl was feared in the underworld as the ‘Ash Covered Princess’ for massacring her opponents, Karla was shunned as the ‘Thorn Witch’ who destroyed noble families, to the point where even associating with her was avoided.
Indeed, they had long recognized her as a fearsome girl. But what was this aura emanating from her current form?
Compared to before, she had become so ominous that just looking at her distorted one’s vision, and even Sera, a Rank 4 expert with extensive combat experience, needed a great deal of courage to stand before her.
“…Karla. Are you allowed to be out and about already?”
“Yes. Now that you’re back, my house arrest has finally been lifted. Father seemed to wish I’d stay cooped up until I died, but since this is a rare chance, I thought I’d come observe his work.”
“…”
Elena couldn’t help but close her eyes and press her fingers to her brow at Karla, who had so brazenly come to harass her own parent. However, the reason for Karla’s good mood was likely because Aria had returned.
It was rare to see Karla this talkative with anyone other than Aria, but her statement about being able to have a ‘proper conversation’ was probably genuine.
Conversely… she didn’t see anyone else as a “person.” To her, those less than human were no different from livestock.
Thus, she exuded an aura that made one believe that even if everyone present, aside from Elena, were suddenly slaughtered, Karla would consider it a matter of course.
“Speaking of which, I hear El-sama is returning, yes? Along with that person.”
“…” “…”
At Karla’s next words, Elena and Clara, who already had that information, grimaced for different reasons. Though fundamentally similar, the objects of their worry differed.
“Shall I go see El-sama now? And if he’s acquired some strange Divine Protection and changed in some odd way…”
“What do you intend to do?”
The voice that suddenly interrupted Karla’s words sent a wave of tension through the surroundings.
“Hmm?”
Karla then, as if noticing her presence for the first time, fixed her violet eyes on Clara.
“Oh my, the princess of Dandole. What did you think I intended to do?”
“You may do whatever you wish to that girl. However, if you intend to lay a hand on him, I will stop you.”
Clara, though her face paled under Karla’s gaze, managed to say so.
Karla looked momentarily dumbfounded at Clara’s words, then smiled sweetly and took a step towards her.
“Step aside.”
Just one word… imbued with magical power and Intimidation, was all it took for Clara’s handmaidens, who tried to protect her, to fall to their knees.
They were not weak. As former assassins, they possessed skill equivalent to Rank 3 Royal Guards. However, their strength lay in indirect combat and subterfuge, not direct confrontation, and it was insufficient to stop Karla, known as the most wicked in this country.
“I… will not retreat!”
Though pale from Karla’s pressure, Clara withstood Karla’s Intimidation through sheer willpower and held her ground.
“Clara…”
Elena gasped involuntarily at the sight. Clara’s personality had changed as if possessed by something when she was eight. While her fundamental core remained Clara, it was as if she had been swallowed by adult knowledge, appearing to Elena as a completely different person.
However, her current appearance exuded the dignity of the Dandole princess that Elena had admired as a childhood playmate, a dignity that had seemed lost.
“What is it you want?”
As Elena instinctively took a step forward at that sight, Karla, without even looking at her, gestured with her hand.
“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything in particular. I just wanted to see if that resolve of yours was genuine, you see? Like this.”
In that instant, light erupted from Karla’s palm, arcing over the heads of Clara’s handmaidens who were trying to stand, and vaporized the expensive, intricately crafted glass window.
It was probably the fire magic, 【Holy Flame】. However, there should be almost no one capable of controlling Level 5 fire magic to this extent.
“Now then… Princess? Do you have the resolve?”
As Karla spoke those ominous words with gentle eyes, as if observing a playful kitten, Elena stopped Sera, who was about to rush forward, by holding out her arm.
Karla had no intention of killing Elena yet. Still, if Sera jumped out, she would undoubtedly burn her to death without mercy.
“Elena-sama!”
Just as a cry of pure concern for her, as if regressing to childhood, escaped Clara’s lips—
“That’s enough, Karla.”
The person who appeared from beyond the obliterated window captured all of Karla’s attention with that single phrase.
“Oh my, Aria. It’s been a while.”
No one had noticed her arrival until her voice was heard; it was unclear when she had appeared.
Unlike the usual maid uniform seen in the castle, Aria, clad in a worn-out dress that had seen countless battles, exuded an intense atmosphere, her Intimidation no less than Karla’s.
At the beauty of her appearance and the strength of her presence, Karla beamed like a girl in love.
“Aria, will you try to stop me here?”
“Karla, was this kind of place your stage?”
Overwhelmed by the Intimidation and Killing Intent of the two, the princess’s subordinate civil officials and court ladies fainted one after another and collapsed—then, suddenly, Karla stopped her Intimidation.
“Indeed, it’s still too early, isn’t it? Both you and I can become a little stronger, right?”
“That’s right.”
Aria replied coolly to the cheerfully speaking Karla, and Karla then directed her smile towards those present whom she acknowledged.
“Well then, Elena-sama, Clara-sama, shall we meet again? My anticipation for the academy has increased once more.”
＊＊＊
“A lot has happened, you know?”
After the cheerful Karla disappeared somewhere and Elena parted awkwardly with the remaining Clara, Elena returned to her room and recounted the day’s events to me, as if complaining.
Had today’s events placed such a burden on Elena’s mind? As her story went on endlessly, I glanced at my adoptive mother, but Sera merely offered a faint smile and said nothing.
“But, it’s good that His Majesty didn’t end up like that.”
“Oh my, Aria, you’re quite kind, aren’t you?”
Perhaps she was surprised that I said so when her story reached the part where His Majesty might have been disinherited; Elena smiled but gave me a light glare.
“If that had happened, I wouldn’t have been able to meet Elena.”
“…”
For some reason, after that, Elena silently averted her gaze and wouldn’t look at my face for a while.
Clara has grown a little.
Perhaps it feels like her original personality is starting to overcome the reincarnator’s memories.
Regarding the previous reward, I have made some slight corrections.
Next time, the Adventurers Guild and… I wonder if I can write up to the fake heroine-chan?