Chapter 11 “For You”
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Part 1
The airship carrying Mia was approaching Empire territory.
Mia, who has been given a luxurious room, looks out the window restlessly.
Maids are stationed in the room and take care of Mia.
(I’ve only seen Knight-sama a few times since I got on the airship. I’ve told these people that ‘you can wait outside, too’, but they won’t leave.)
The treatment was so different from before that it was suffocating for Mia.
One of the maids approaches and places a drink on a nearby table.
The drink in the lidded cup with the drinking cup was fresh fruit juice.
The cup was made on the assumption that it would spill, since no one knows when the inside of an airship will shake.
When Mia was about to take it and take a sip——.
“Miliaris-sama! Get down, please!”
——One of the maids cries out and bends down to cover Mia’s body.
She let go of the cup and dropped it on the floor, and Mia wondered what was going on.
“Eh?”
What she saw outside the window was a flying battleship covered in metal.
It has a shape no one has ever seen before, but what caught her attention was the rust on the armor.
And it looks like a remnant that has been submerged at the bottom of the sea for many years.
The maids were panicked.
“Machines!”
“What are the soldiers doing!?”
“Calm down! He’s on this ship!”
The maids, in a commotion, try to evacuate Mia.
But along the way, a change occurred.
A huge flying battleship is launching an attack on something.
Several rays of light were emitted in one direction.
But such a flying battleship was pierced by a reddish-black light.
When the explosion occurs as it does, the inside of the ship shakes violently.
Amidst the screams of the maids, Mia kept low, protecting her head with both hands.
(Knight-sama, please help me!)
While Finn’s absence makes her feel uneasy, the shaking of the airship subsides.
The next thing she knew, the maids were now making a cheerful noise.
“I didn’t expect them to come.”
The maids around her look out the window with eyes as if they are looking at something divine.
Mia also got up and looked out the window, and there —— even larger than the flying battleship she had just seen, was a black airship flying in the sky.
It is so huge that for a moment one might mistake it for a floating island.
“What’s that?”
Mia asks, and one of the maids replies with a smile.
“That is the Empire’s trump card, the Flying Fortress. It is also called——”
When the maid tries to say its name, there is a reply from outside the window via an external microphone.
A small magic circle had appeared a few meters away from the window.
It’s a transmission magic circle that conducts conversations.
[I am Arcadia —— we have been expecting you, our princess.]
“Arcadia-san?”
When Mia tilts her head, the owner of the voice speaks to her in a gentle tone.
[I’m here to pick you up.]
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Part 2
After moving from the airship to the flying fortress, Mia was ushered into a room with a throne.
Accompanying her is Finn with Brave.
Mia is happy to see Finn for the first time in a long time.
She clutched Finn’s left hand and looked nervously around her.
“It looks like the inside of a magnificent castle.”
She looked around curiously, as if she didn’t feel like she was in an airship.
Brave looks around sullenly.
[It’s better than a bad castle.]
Finn, who is also wary, asks Brave.
“Is this Arcadia? It looks perfect at first glance, though?”
Isn’t it back in full form? Brave shakes his head at Finn’s question.
[It’s just the appearance. Some parts are empty on the inside. But more importantly, here comes Arcadia.]
Brave says, and the large door of the room opens and a huge eyeball comes in through it.
A huge magic creature nearly two meters tall was accompanied by many magic creatures as small as Brave.
They line up like soldiers, and when they enter the room, magic creatures surround Mia and the others.
Mia’s legs were trembling with fright in front of Arcadia, who had come before her.
When she hugs Finn tightly —— Arcadia opens its arms, which are small for its huge body.
[We have been waiting for you, Princess~~~!]
The magic creatures turned their gazes to the floor to bow their heads in unison.
It happened so much that Mia and the others were surprised.
“Eh? Ano, uh, etto!?”
“Calm down, Mia. But more importantly, why did you call us here?”
Mia hid behind Finn, and Arcadia asked, “Did I scare you?” and looked apologetic.
[The machines have been very active, so I personally went up to pick up the princess. Are you hurt?]
Mia, who had peeked out from behind Finn, says, glancing at Arcadia.
“I-I am fine desu.”
[Desu!? Princess, you don’t need to use honorifics with us. We are your loyal servants, Your Highness.]
Arcadia’s down-to-earth attitude made Finn, not to mention Mia, surprised.
But Brave is the only one who knows, and he seems calm.
Therefore, Brave explains the situation.
[Mia has awakened to the power of the new humans. That’s why these guys are so happy to have found a new master, and they are making a big fuss about it.]
Hearing that, Mia thanks Brave.
“That’s how it was. Thanks for telling me, Bu-kun.”
However, Arcadia’s attitude changes drastically upon hearing that.
While it remained respectful to Mia, it was different for Finn and Brave.
[How long will the core and the knight, who can’t even fulfill their duties, continue to pretend to be the princess’s guardian knight?]
Finn’s gaze sharpened as Arcadia glared at him with its single eye.
“Is that your true character?”
[True character? No, it’s not. Both are me. The princess is gracious, but not you. I hear you may have abandoned your mission. You will be punished immediately upon your return to the Empire——]
Hearing Arcadia’s words about punishing Finn, Mia jumped forward.
When she gets between Arcadia and Finn, she spreads her arms.
“N-No! Knight-sama is Mia’s Guardian Knight! P-Please don’t take the liberty of s-saying so!”
As she protects Finn in fear, the magic creatures that Arcadia has brought with it start to make a commotion.
[She covered him]
[The princess covered for him]
[What should we do? What should we do?]
Arcadia gives those noisy magic creatures a good scolding.
[Silence]
However, it immediately spoke in a gentle tone towards Mia.
[If Princess says so, I won’t press his sins any further.]
“R-Really?”
[Yes! This Arcadia can promise you that.]
“Thank you.”
Seeing Mia patting her chest in relief, Arcadia also looked relieved.
Arcadia was smiling, but the way it looked at Finn and the others was stern.
[I’ll let you off the hook this time because the princess ordered it. But when we return to the empire, you will work for a while.]
Finn wiped away a cold sweat.
“Work? What are you going to make me do this time?”
Arcadia gave the order with a troublesome look.
[You have to deal with the machines. They attack at all hours of the day and night, and it’s quite a hassle.]
Hearing that, Mia looked sad.
“Are you going to take Knight-sama?”
Then Arcadia explains, moving its hands desperately in an attempt to make excuses.
[I just give them the punishment. Otherwise, the others will not be satisfied. But if it is the Princess’s wish, the punishment will be short, and he will be returned to your side immediately.]
Hearing that, Mia gave a small nod, and Arcadia also looked relieved.
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Part 3
Early in the morning, Luxion suggested that I visit the royal palace.
In doing so, I needed to stop by the school’s boys’ dormitory, but I was too lazy to do so due to yesterday’s events.
“You’ve got to think more about timing.”
As I walk down the hallway of the boys’ dormitory, I’m swearing at Luxion, who can’t make the arrangements.
Luxion showed no concern at all.
[It was Master who gave the order to proceed with the preparations to remove the registry from the kingdom. We can take care of the problem before we leave, so please don’t complain.]
“There’s no need to go back to get knight uniforms.”
[It’s a matter of formality.]
“You’ll have to prepare it.”
[If Master collects them while stopping by the royal palace, there is no need to produce a knight’s outfit that will only be worn once.]
I’m in a good mood today, I thought to myself as I dealt with the artificial intelligence.
Then I arrive at my room, unlock the door and go inside.
——I became grumpy all at once.
“You tricked me, Luxion.”
[I didn’t trick you. I just failed in my mission.]
I take my gaze off my partner who is arguing and turns my gaze to the three people in the room.
Ange——Livia——Noel.
Of the three nervous-looking people, it was Ange who made the first move.
Unlike yesterday, she is standing proudly with her chest out.
“I’ve heard the whole story. You’re getting yourself into some incredibly troublesome stuff, aren’t you? Why couldn’t you have asked for our help?”
Not angry, just sad, Ange asks me a question.
It hurts my heart to look, but there is no point in breaking here.
“——This is my problem.”
“It’s our problem! Why are you always ——”
Ange’s eyes are moist with frustration, and she looks as if she is about to cry, but she seems to be holding back.
Livia, who had been silent, spoke up and pleaded to me.
“I am! —— We wanted Leon-san to rely on us. It didn’t matter if it was in whining or in a weak voice. We just wanted you to open up to us.”
Noel throws her anger at me.
“We are not irrelevant either. But you are acting like you are going to take care of it all by yourself. That’s what I hate the most about you, Leon.”
When they say they hate me, I snicker and turn my back on them.
“Are you done with your business? Well then, I have business, so I’ll go.”
As I was about to leave the room, Ange hugged me on the back.
She presses her forehead against my back.
I could feel Ange trembling on my back.
“Let me go.”
“Please, let us help you. If I part with you like this, I won’t be happy even if I survive. I want to live with you. So——”
Sobbing, Ange offers to help.
I let out a small sigh before replying, as Ange’s crying seemed to weaken my decision.
I kept my back to them so as not to weaken my resolve any further.
“If you’ve heard from Luxion, you already understand, don’t you? I don’t need the three of you to help me now. You’re slowing me down.”
I could hear a voice of Livia and Noel taking in their breaths.
Ange grabbed my back desperately and wouldn’t let go.
“Then we’ll help you on our own. Not for you. We will help you of our own volition.”
“——You can do whatever you want.”
I forced myself to walk away and left the room, away from Ange.
Luxion follows me, and finally Ange calls out to me behind my back.
“There is one move we can make. Leon may not like it, but we can bring the kingdom together and use it as a force for good. That way, we can help you.”
Ange says she’s going to unite the kingdoms to fight the Empire, but it seems impossible to me.
This is a country that has been unable to get its act together for so long.
It is hard to believe that a country that has been having internal conflicts whenever something goes wrong can come together under the current circumstances.
“It’s useless. It’s never going to be able to unite.”
“I’ll put it all together!”
“More allies now will only get in the way.”
When I say “get in the way”, Luxion gives Ange an extra helping hand.
[The more forces we have against the Empire, our odds of victory will increase even more.]
“——Even if that were the case, this country wouldn’t come together. I’m the one who’s had to do all the hard work until now.”
It would be a miracle if this problematic country could come together under the current circumstances.
However, Ange seems to believe it.
“It can be done. But this way will be a great burden for you. That is the only thing that pains me. So I really need your permission. At the very least, listen to what I have to say —— please.”
I could feel my determination dulling in the voice that seemed to be clinging.
As if shaking off my hesitation, I raise my right hand and wave it.
“I’ll give you as many permits as you want. ——Ange and the others can do as you please.”
My will is irrelevant now.
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Part 4
As Leon was leaving, Ange was extending her right hand to Leon’s back.
As it was, she wiped away her tears and changed the look in her eyes to change her feelings.
Getting fired up for herself.
“Leon’s permission was given. Now I can make up my mind.”
(Get a grip, Angelica Rafa Redgrave —— you decided to stand next to your hero, didn’t you? Then don’t keep whining about it. Crying won’t solve the problem. Crying wastes time. ——No matter how lonely and how sad you are, act now. Move now!)
Inwardly reprimanding and encouraging herself, she looks back to Livia and Noel.
In order to be strong in front of them, she tried to behave with dignity, even though her eyes were red.
“Livia, Noel, I’m going to be busy for a while. I want to do everything I can for Leon.”
Hearing Ange’s determination, Noel nodded.
“I’ve got some things I need to do, so I’m going to head over to Leon’s parents’ house once.”
Then Ange looks at Livia.
“Will Livia come with me?”
When questioned, Livia shakes her head.
When she raised her head, her expression was different from before.
There is a strong will in her eyes.
“I’ll do what I can too.”
“I see. Then I’ll be going now.”
Ange, Livia, and Noel —— each of them made a move for Leon.
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Part 5
On the other hand, Marie was on a floating island covered with overgrown trees.
“T-There it is!”
(Thank goodness. I guess aniki and others haven’t come here yet.)
After cutting through the grass and trees, she found a large, old, decaying mansion.
The old stone mansion, once occupied by someone, has lost its masters and those who managed it, and is now only rotting away.
Kara was following behind Marie, her legs shaking with fatigue.
“Please wait~, Marie-sama~”
Supporting Kara is an elf boy [Kyle].
Kyle, once Marie’s exclusive servant, happened to be in the royal capital on an errand.
He is now employed by the Bartofalt family and works in the mansion with his mother, [Yumeria].
This time he had come to the royal capital with Nix, which allowed him to meet up with Marie.
“What are you looking for by borrowing the airship from Nix-sama? I’m sure it’s a treasure anyway, but let’s think about the timing.”
Kyle is still cheeky as ever, but he is more soft-spoken than before.
His irritating nature is gone, and the only thing that is bad is his mouth.
His tone is gentler than before.
Marie put down her luggage and picked up the rifle she had brought with her.
“For once, it’s something I need. I have to retrieve it —— and I have to get it to Leo.”
After sitting Kara down, Kyle wipes the sweat off his face and talks about the current situation.
“I know you say so, but is it really necessary for you to miss class? Besides, it’s rumored that things with the Empire have been on the rocks lately.”
Marie only looks back with her upper body and looks at Kyle with a surprised look on her face.
“Who told you that?”
“Count Roseblade told Nix-sama. that when the foreign students returned, their attitude changed.”
Hearing that, Marie is in a hurry to retrieve the thing right away.
“Sorry you two, but we’ll be doing some exploration as soon as we’re done with our break.”
(We’re running out of time. I have to collect it quickly and deliver that thing to my brother)
A dizzy Kara would not want to move again, but she was willing to do so because Marie had ordered her to do so.
“L-Leave it to me. But please make the break a little longer, please.”
Kyle asks Marie, leaving Kara lying on the ground.
“It’s kind of weird to have a mansion in a place like this.”
Marie nods and talks about this mansion —— the dungeon.
“It’s the hideout of an alchemist called the Sage. In his later years, he set up his mansion on a deserted island because he wanted to get away from the mundane world and devote himself to his research.”
This dungeon, however, is a place that can be conquered in the early stages.
Marie had also visited there several times in that otome game, and thus had it in her memory.
Kyle looks impressed.
“Goshujin-sama is quite knowledgeable.”
“That said, I don’t think there’s much research results left. But as long as that thingis there, the rest doesn’t matter.”
“That thing? A lump of gold or something?”
Since Marie is obsessed, Kyle seems to think that they are here to recover some sort of treasure.
But Marie shakes her head and denies it.
“No. It’s a medicine that can make you very strong.”
(I can only help him like this, but I’m sure I can be of help for aniki, right? Because it had a great effect on that otome game.)
Using that item, even untrained characters could defeat powerful bosses.
Although it could only be used once, Marie has been helped many times.
Even with such a powerful item, that otome game could not be cleared.
(If I’ve pushed aniki into a corner, I need to take responsibility for that.)
Memories of her previous life flash back.
Marie furrowed her eyebrows and then tightened her expression.
(This time I want to be useful to aniki. I can’t keep dragging him down.)
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Part 6
“How’s that? Isn’t that great!”
[——Wah, it’s amazing~. Marie-chan is really amazing, I’m really impressed with you.]
When Marie visited a lab in Licorne, she showed Creare the medicine she had obtained.
In front of the liquid in a bottle-like container, Creare acted cheerful —— but with some stunned tone in her voice.
“But more importantly, is aniki really coming back?”
[Yeah, they finished the retrieval earlier than expected, so they’re going to come back once they’re done. The timing is so perfect it’s almost sickening. ——I didn’t think Marie-chan would get this one, of all things.]
Creare makes an electronic sound that conveys a sense of unwillingness, but Marie is excited to be of use to Leon and doesn’t care much about it.
“This stuff is really awesome. It’s an enhancement drug that can make even a small fry character stronger.”
[Right. I had a quick look at it, and it’s definitely an amazing drug. It’s so powerful that I was surprised myself.]
As they are talking, the door to the lab opens and Leon enters.
Luxion was with him, but his eyes were on the medicine on the table.
Leon looks at Marie and then turns his gaze to the drug.
“I never thought you’d find it.”
Leon seemed genuinely pleased as he picked up the bottle.
Marie holds her hands and smiles.
“I’m useful, too, right?”
“It’s a glorious achievement! More importantly, where was this?”
When asked by Leon, who placed the bottle on the table, Marie speaks with enthusiasm.
“It’s a dungeon in the nearby area. It’s an uninhabited floating island, though. With this, you can’t lose to Arcadia, right?”
With the drug she had brought, Leon would surely survive —— Marie believed so.
Leon smiles, puts his hand on Marie’s head, and pats her roughly.
“You’ve done a good job. Now our chances of winning have increased.”
Marie was a little happy to see Leon in good spirits for the first time in a long time, even though her hair was a mess.
“Hey! You should be nicer to me. More importantly, aniki——”
“What? If you want an allowance, I’ll let you settle your price with Creare.”
“You’re wrong!”
Marie is angry at being thought to be after money, but her expression soon becomes clouded.
There are more fresh wounds on Leon’s hands than before.
Underneath the clothes could be worse.
That is how much he is repeating something dangerous.
“Don’t be reckless anymore. I am also remorseful for relying on aniki so much.”
Marie says as she looks down, and Leon makes light of the situation in his usual tone.
“Being auspicious doesn’t suit you. But I really appreciate your help. Now that you’ve solved one of my problems, have Creare give you an allowance.”
Marie wanted to talk more with Leon.
But Leon is busy, and soon he and Creare are talking about the drug.
“Creare, I need you to make this drug usable. ——You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
Creare, who was able to read the intent, responds in a slightly stunned electronic voice.
[I’ll adjust it to Master’s body and make sure that a small amount is enough to achieve the desired effect. Even so, the maximum number of times it can be used is three, right? Neutralizers will have to be administered along the way.]
“That’s good enough. I’ve got other stuff to do, so I’m going now. Marie, go back to the school and be quiet with those five idiots.”
“Y-Yes.”
Saying that, Leon leaves the laboratory.
However, Luxion was the only one who did not follow Leon and remained in the laboratory.
When Leon is gone, he takes a stern attitude toward Marie.
[You did the unnecessary thing —— I warned you not to do anything.]
Marie is annoyed by Luxion’s words and turns her face away, puffing out her cheeks.
“Don’t you think that’s a little harsh? I did my best for aniki.”
[We were informed of the existence of this drug from the very beginning by Master, and we investigated and discovered it.]
“——Eh? But aniki said he couldn’t find it.”
[Marie really doesn’t understand what kind of stuff this medicine is]
Marie had a bad feeling about it.
Unpleasant sweats start to break out, and she wonders if she’s done something dreadful.
When Luxion turns his single eye to Creare, she takes turns explaining.
[Marie-chan, indeed, this drug is powerful. It can turn anyone into a superhuman.]
“Right. That’s why I did it for aniki!”
She has desperately searched for it to help Leon.
She wanted to be useful to her big brother.
[——Do you think there are no disadvantages to a drug that is so effective? It’s a powerful drug. If you use it like this, the consumer will die before the effect wears off.]
The price for the temporary strength gained from the powerful drug was the user’s life.
Marie is trembling.
“It’s wrong. Because if it were that otome game, they would have survived normally.”
[Maybe so. But what we have before us is a powerful drug. I’ll make adjustments for Master, but three uses of it, even with a neutralizer —— will result death.]
When she was told in no uncertain terms that Leon was going to die, Marie burst into tears before she knew it and dropped down into a sitting position, collapsing on the floor.
Luxion’s single red eye glows.
[If we get it, Master will certainly use it. Considering his current state of mind, I had decided that it would be best not to get it——]
Luxion was angry.
To such Luxion, Creare intercedes.
[But this is what Master wanted, isn’t it? Marie-chan didn’t know either, so there’s no point in blaming her.]
Luxion stops blaming and confirms with Creare about the drug.
[Can you reduce the effect?]
[That’s against Master’s orders. I’m sorry, but I’ll take Master’s orders over yours.]
[——How many times can Master’s body withstand the use of drugs?]
[The third time you use it, you will die for sure. Frankly, even the second time is dangerous.]
Hearing the conversation between Luxion and Creare, Marie bursts into tears.
“I——I —— just wanted to be useful —— for aniki.”
Her good intentions are going to cause Leon’s death.
Marie crouched down and sobbed, feeling terrible regret for the mistake she had made.
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