“Sure was a quick decision…” Frank let out an exasperated sigh when Almelia agreed without even hearing me out.
Many people who became adventurers took various odd jobs for a living, so each day was different. That applied to more than half of them.
“…An adventurer?” King Randolf looked dubious.
When I brought the idea to him, he cocked an eyebrow, surely thinking it odd that Almelia was so pleased with the proposal. Almelia, Frank, and I were with King Randolf in his personal chambers.
“Yes. That’s right. Adventurers take different quests each day. And guild employees are the ones who choose those jobs for them.”
“Hmm,” King Randolf looked at Almelia. “She told me you’d forbid her from becoming one when she abandoned her public duties to visit you…”
I recalled that the princess had once forced her way into the Lahti branch’s office. That was likely what King Randolf was referring to.
“She abandoned her duties?” When I looked at Almelia, she awkwardly avoided my gaze.
“Uh, that was, um…,” she stammered.
“But the circumstances have changed, isn’t that right, Roland?” Frank said.
I nodded. “If I arrange quests for Almelia, I’ll make sure no two are the same. She’ll go to a different place each day. She’ll need to visit the guild office regularly, but I’ll be there to watch her during those times.”
King Randolf nodded, seeming convinced. “Within your sight, you say. That sounds better than having her perform official duties or work at the orphanage.”
“Mm-hmm. And she’ll have Frank with her. That should make it harder for the assassin than if Almelia were alone.”
“You overestimate me, Roland.”
“Almelia still lacks experience killing people.” I glanced at Frank, and he let out a dry laugh.
The man had come from poverty and worked his way up to officer, all with a single spear. Before taking up the weapon, he’d done all manner of things in order to survive, or so I’d heard.
“Almelia is reckless and a fool who overestimates her own abilities. However, you’re a veteran, so I know you’ll command your soldiers well and keep her protected.”
“I’ll do my best not to betray that trust,” Frank replied.
“Excuse me? Who did you just call a reckless fool?”
“What I meant is that you’re unrivaled when it comes to surmounting a difficult situation,” I corrected.
“A-all right, then. You could have phrased it that way from the start.”
“Wow, it’s all in the delivery,” Frank muttered in a voice too low for Almelia to hear.
I had no idea how long the Welger Company and Barbatos Guerrera’s people had considered Almelia a major obstacle to their schemes, but fortunately, they hadn’t made a move yet. Yet their inaction seemed odd in its own way.
“I’d like to keep an eye on Almelia myself for a while, considering this is an emergency.”
“You’ve never been this insistent about a matter like this before, Roland… All right, I’ll allow it. You may keep my daughter under your surveillance.” The king assented so readily that Almelia seemed dubious.
“Are you sure, Father?” she questioned. “What about my duties and work at the orphanage…?”
“You hardly do any of that as it is.”
“Grrr…” Almelia went quiet, evidently unable to offer a rebuttal.
Almelia’s most important job was to exist as a symbol of goodwill. As the hero who’d led the world to peace, she was the only person who could make the public feel secure.
“Also, Roland, torture proved fruitless against Barbatos. However, we did uncover another letter in his estate. We couldn’t manage to decipher it, though.” King Randolf produced several sheets from a drawer in his desk. “Can you?”
I looked through the missive he’d handed me. No ordinary person would’ve been able to comprehend the writing.
“It’s written in a modified version of an assassin cipher. It looks to be a report.”
I was familiar with the handwriting. Amy probably hadn’t considered that I, the only person who’d recognize her penmanship, would read these pages. Though the sender’s name was absent, the letter was for Barbatos, so it had to be from Amy. It detailed her activities taking underground guild work…and kidnapping a princess. It ended with her stating she would continue seeking jobs at the underground guild while observing her target.
“It’s from Amy,” I said.
“I knew it.”
“Wh-who is that…?” When Almelia saw King Randolf’s face cloud over, she looked at me.
“She’s the one who took me in and raised me to be the assassin I am now.”
Frank shivered and grimaced. “You’re not saying that your teacher is targeting Her Highness, are you?”
“I thought as much, and now this letter is proof. She must be.”
Frank sighed and whispered, “I suppose it’s time to write my will…” His shoulders sank.
“Roland’s teacher…”
“That’s how I know all her tricks,” I said. “Don’t worry, Almelia. Frank will protect you, even if it means risking his own life.”
“You’re killing me off already? Give me a break…”
Almelia looked more serious than before. Evidently, she understood we weren’t dealing with an ordinary person. This was a powerful foe, and vigilance was paramount.
Once we finished talking, I took Almelia and headed for Bardenhawk.
“Can we really travel there that easily?” she asked. It was a reasonable question.
“Just watch,” I answered, then I used a Gate, and we were teleported to Izaria.
Frank and his men would be traveling over on horseback, a journey that would take them several days. I would act as Almelia’s protector in the intervening time.
“That was instant… Wow.”
The princess looked around, and her eyes went wide when she realized her surroundings had completely changed. Together, we walked to the largest road in the city, which ran right by the Adventurers Guild.
“Is that one of the ones the demons used…?”
“Yes. I had the opportunity to learn it from someone. It’s a type of magic called Gate,” I explained.
“Oh? How useful.”
During our stroll I took a moment to update Almelia on what I’d been doing for work in Bardenhawk.
“You set up a guild here?” she asked.
“Yes. The queen requested it from King Randolf.”
“It looks like they’ve made a lot of progress rebuilding…”
The duchy had fallen during the war, and we, as the party of heroes, couldn’t stop its destruction. That likely still weighed on Almelia’s conscience.
“I doubt anyone holds it against you.”
She’d learn that soon enough. No one here was bitter over the past. More likely, they looked forward to tomorrow. They were optimistic people.
“So if I’m going to become an adventurer, that means I need to go through the application process here, correct?”
“Yes, but there’s no rush. You’ll stay by my side until Frank arrives in a few days.”
“By your side… Ohhhh.” Almelia made a strange sound as she clasped her hands to her chest and blushed.
“This is a perfect chance to train,” I stated.
“Huh?”
“This is a perfect chance to train,” I reiterated.
“It’s not that I didn’t hear you the first time…”
“I want you to be able to beat Frank without your skills or magic by the time he arrives in Bardenhawk.”
“Whaaat?! But h-he’s so strong. W-well, I guess to you, he’s nothing much.”
“Where did you get that silly idea from? I wouldn’t stand a chance if I faced him one-on-one with a spear.”
“You can’t beat him, but you want me to?” Almelia looked wholly displeased.
“Correct. If I was only armed with a spear and faced him directly in a solo fight.”
In any real combat scenario, I’d never engage Frank in such a reckless manner. I didn’t battle like a chivalrous dueling knight. I’d employ assassination techniques, and it would do Almelia well to get used to those types of maneuvers. Her would-be assailant had taught them to me, after all.
“Well, if I fought against him directly and neither of us used magic… I guess I could win?” She didn’t sound very confident.
“We don’t have long, but let’s practice together tonight.”
“F-fine. But I’m not happy about it…”
“Based on how your gait and where you’re carrying your body, it looks like you’ve put on a few pounds.”
“I—I have not! S-so rude!”
“You’re not as sharp as you were during the war.”
“Th-that’s not true…”
Almelia turned away, unable to meet my eyes.
She was quick to develop an attitude, but I was accustomed to that.
It was only natural for her to go soft since the war was over; I supposed that was fine. However, a new enemy had appeared, and she had little choice but to prepare. She couldn’t remain idle. I had to sharpen her up.
Almelia slowed down while we were walking, so I turned to check on her, only to find her scowling while pinching her waist. She’d grown taller, so I didn’t understand why her chest remained unchanged. It was practically the same as when we first met.
We headed to a clearing that adventurers often used for practice. It was situated far from the busy streets and residential areas, so the only light source was the moon high in the sky. The only sounds were the soft chirrups of insects.
“We’re alone together at night… Why did it have to be for training?” Almelia grumbled, looking put out.