“…Sheesh. I didn’t expect you to just jump out of the carriage… I won’t delve into that now. We’ll talk about that later,” Garm said to Cain before heading towards the assaulted carriage.
“Garm von Silford Gracia. The seal on this carriage belongs to the family of Duke Santana. Is everyone all right?”
Cain knew that the carriage belonged to an aristocrat, but he was surprised to learn it belonged to a duke. Dukes stood at the top of the aristocratic hierarchy.
In response to Garm, one of the knights opened the doors of the carriage. Two girls, supported by a handmaiden, stepped out of the carriage. All three were visibly shaken.
The two girls were about the same age as Cain, and they were holding each other’s trembling hands. They glanced around at the carnage before them. Their faces immediately paled as they saw the corpses of orcs strewn everywhere.
One of the girls had orderly blonde hair that reached her knees. She looked like the daughter of a noble. The other girl had light purple hair tied to the side and was also likely the daughter of a noble. They were both stunningly beautiful.
Upon seeing their faces, Garm was temporarily taken aback. He immediately got down on one knee and bowed before the girls. Cain hurriedly followed suit. Sarah and Reine also copied Garm and knelt before the girls.
“Princess Telestia, Miss Silk, it’s good to see that you’re safe.”
Cain had assumed that they were both of noble descent, but he didn’t expect the blonde girl to be a princess.
“Lord Garm, thank you for saving us from the crisis we encountered.”
Telestia and Silk, while still leaning on the handmaiden for support, offered a polite and elegant greeting. After, the two girls began sneakily glancing at Cain, seemingly curious. Garm, noticing this, introduced him.
“Cain, you stand before Her Highness the third princess Telestia Terra Esfort and the second daughter of Duke Santana, Silk von Santana.”
Cain stood up and introduced himself.
“I’m Cain von Silford, third son of Garm von Silford. I’m glad that Your Highness Telestia and Miss Silk are safe. This may be overly forward of me, but would you mind if I cast some calming magic on you?”
Cain gathered mana in his fingertips and began to chant. “Relax.” Light enveloped the two girls and the handmaiden. It then vanished. “You should feel better now.”
Cain had used a type of light magic. When he was adventuring in the forest, seeing the innards of the monsters he had slain would gross him out. He created this magic to help sooth his nerves.
The girls stopped trembling. Noticing the change in themselves, they looked over at Cain. He had a dazzling smile on his face. Telestia and Silk blushed.
“Sir Cain, I am Telestia Terra Esfort. Thank you for saving us from the crisis we encountered. It was very scary. I thought it was the end for me.” Telestia approached Cain and cupped his hands in hers. She had teary eyes and a faint blush.
“Ah! No fair!” Silk stole Cain’s hands away from Telestia, enveloped them with her own. “Sir Cain, allow me to thank you as well! I saw you from the window of the carriage! You fired magic like the wind, and your swordsmanship was very cool as well.”
The third princess of the kingdom and the daughter of a duke were fighting over Cain’s hands. Garm couldn’t stop himself from scowling at the scene.
Afterwards, the handmaiden accompanying Telestia was introduced, and she also thanked Cain. Of course, she didn’t latch onto Cain’s hands the way the other two girls did.
“The knights who were protecting us fell one after another… I had thought that this was the end for Silk and me. You’re very strong, Sir Cain. You defeated thirty orcs all by yourself. I was captivated by both your magic and swordsmanship,” Telestia said.
“I have to ask, what brings you to these parts?” Garm asked with an awkward smile. The two girls were completely glued to Cain.
“Teles—ah, Her Highness Princess Telestia had come to visit me at Maalbeek, and we were on our way back to the capital. Her Highness and I are both scheduled to make our debut there this year.”
“Is that so. We are also on our way to the capital for the same purpose. If you are willing, we could head there together.”
“Yes, that would be most acceptable.”
The two girls immediately nodded and accepted Garm’s offer. The knights escorted Telestia and Silk back to their carriage, then set about clearing away the surrounding carnage. They disposed of the monster corpses and laid white sheets over the fallen knights.
“I can help you transport the monster materials and fallen knights to the Capital,” Cain offered.
“That would be most welcome, but how do you plan to transport this many…?” asked a knight.
“Well…” Cain glanced at Garm, who wordlessly nodded. Cain reached out and placed his hand on one of the monster corpses, upon which it immediately vanished.
“Item Box!” the knights shouted in unison.
“Yes. This isn’t too much for me to transport.”
Cain began to store the monster corpses one after another. He also stored the fallen knights covered in white sheets.
The captain of the knights thanked Cain.
“We are in your debt. I thought we might have to bury them here, but with your assistance we can deliver them back to their families.”
“Let’s get moving. We’ll lead the way,” Garm said to the knight as he returned to his carriage. Cain began to follow after him, but Telestia and Silk stopped them.
“Um… Do you have a moment?”
“U-um…We don’t feel safe with just the two of us. Would it be possible for Sir Cain to accompany us in our carriage?”
“That’s…” Given what they were asking, Garm did not immediately respond. However, the request was coming from a princess of the kingdom: he could not simply refuse her. After thinking for a bit, Garm nodded.
“Very well. Cain, ride with them in their carriage.”
“…Okay.”
Cain glanced back at the Silford Family carriage. As expected, Reine was clenching her fists and shaking in rage. She must have overheard the exchange. Cain pretended he hadn’t seen his sister’s reaction and followed Telestia back to her carriage.
“Please sit here,” the handmaiden said.
Cain followed her instructions. For some reason, he was sitting in the middle sandwiched between Telestia and Silk even though the seat in front of him was completely free.
“It might be a little cramped if all three of us sit together. How about I sit in front instead?” Cain suggested.
“No way. Please sit next to us. I’m still scared and having you by my side helps me stay calm,” Telestia said as she entwined her arm with Cain’s.
Should you really be doing this, Your Highness?!
Cain had to settle with shouting internally, as he couldn’t exactly say those words out loud. Mentally, he had lived as a high-schooler in his previous life, so he was naturally not interested in a ten-year-old. No matter how beautiful she was…
“No fair, Teles! Let me join in!”
Silk latched onto Cain’s arm from the other side. With both of his arms spoken for, Cain could no longer move. The three of them stayed like that the entire way to the capital.
The trip took several days, and the girls would tremble from time to time, perhaps recalling the attack they had experienced. Cain calmed them down each time using magic. After two days, the girls seemed to have sufficiently recovered.
Cain, who was still sandwiched between two pretty girls, really wished to be freed from his situation. Unaware of his feelings, the two beautiful girls chatted excitedly.
“Sir Cain, please call me Teles.”
“You can just call me Silk, too.”
“Th-that would be improper of me, Your Highness.”
“Call. Me. Teles! Understood?”
“…Very well, Lady Teles.”