Chapter 48 – Princess Rosé’s Turn

I was walking through town with Lady Demy.
“So you’ve already taken care of most of the purchases, have you?”
“Ah, yes. Only things like the magic kettle left”
I can’t help thinking about Mist who I left behind while answering.
I’m beat. I wonder if she could go home safely.
Well, that girl’s got her wits together, unlike Arina, so she’ll be fine, I think.
Rather, if she got angry and told me to go away, then I can’t complain, I guess.
“Um”
After a while, Lady Demy asked with an apologetic face.
“Going shopping with me… is boring…?”
“Eh?”
“Yuuki-san, you’ve been sighing a lot for a while,” she said, looking up at me with tears in her eyes.
“N, nononononono, it’s not that!!”
I tried to gloss it over in panic.
“Really?”
“Yes, really”
“I’m glad”
Lady Demy smiled wide, and for some reason linked her arm with mine.
“Wait…, what are you doing!?”
Not even Mist would go so far as doing this, definitely!
In fact, if Mist saw us like this it’ll surely turn into a bloodbath!
“This is not good I said!”
“You don’t have to be so embarrassed”
“It’s not about being embarrassed or not … this is bad you know, normally!”
“……. not allowed?”
“Not allowed! Let go of me!”
As I said that, Lady Demy …

“……. I see”

She said with a low tone and slowly let go of me.
It left a bit of a bad aftertaste, but at any rate, this is fine.
*Phew*, I let out a sigh, but then …

“By the way Yuuki-san. Being who I am, I have the power of the state, you know”

She started saying something somewhat dangerous.
“Ummm… Does this have something to do with just now?”
“Ufufufu, no, this has nothing to do with anything. Just a topic of conversation. If I were so inclined, I could seize your entire party from bed, take everything you have with you including that shining board, and throw you in jail, you know”
Did you know that? Lady Demy smiled.
If that happens I’d be dying in a ditch in another world.
“So you’re a tyrant. Lords like that don’t die a decent death, you know”
“Not at all. Just saying if I’m so inclined. It’s funny, isn’t it?”
What the hell is funny!?
To even bring political power into love affairs.
Ah, I see.
This girl’s the type that has a weird switch in her.
“Oh my, Yuuki-san, you’re looking pale”
Scary.
“Are you feeling well? Do you need to take a rest in the castle jail for a while? I kid, I kid. Ohohohoho”
Her smiling face is really scary.
“Umm”
I offered my right elbow.
“If it pleases milady, would you like me to be your escort?”
“Oh, no need to be so considerate”
“No, I insist”
As a matter of fact, it can’t be helped.
“Well, if you say so”
Lady Demy linked her arms and giggled, fufu.

“I’ve been wanting to do something like this”

Though she was smiling like an angel, the despot act from earlier still wasn’t gone from my head.
There’s Mist who launched a nude strike in broad daylight, and Princess Rosé who used political power as well, this is, how should I say…
“Both of you are just so self-interested …”
As I said that, the arm linked with mine suddenly became tighter.
“Even so, there is something I just had to have”
The girl snuggling up in my arm let out a soliloquy.
…… —— That’s hard to reply to you know.

“Huh?”
After a while, I noticed.
The town’s scenery had changed without me noticing, we’ve come to a somewhat dreary spot.
Traffic was scarce and it was silent as death.
Looks like we’ve left the shopping town and into the suburbs.
……. Is there a kettle store in a place like this?
“Is the store really this way?”
“Umm”
Lady Demy looked a little worried.
“…… I wonder if it is?”
“…….”
Uh-oh, this is …
“Um, Lady Demy, no, Princess Rosé. You did say you’d show me around, but have you ever been to town?”
“……..”
“…….”
She wouldn’t look me in the eyes, no she wouldn’t.
“I can read the words,” she said in desperation after being silently urged on by me.
“AAAAAH I KNEW IT!! YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE TOWN AT ALL!!”
If I think about it clearly, a royal wouldn’t mingle with the commoners and wander around town.
She’s not Lord Yoshimune, either.
Unlike Mist who knew the lay of the land to a degree, Princess Rosé doesn’t have a clue where to go or what to buy.
“I, it can’t be helped, can it!? I’m a princess you know! I’ve never gone to buy anything on my own!”
“Whaa! You‘re getting angry at me!? You’re the one who said you’d show me around!!”
“It’s because Yuuki-san got lost in that back alley! I don’t know what you’re really doing there, though!!”
Ugh, damn.
I’m 80% sure she knew what happened….
“A, anyway, we’re not going to solve anything by fighting. Let’s calm down a bit … um…”
I looked around and saw a small open café.
It seems to be just a tiny café.

“Let’s take a rest there and work out a plan”