“My sentiments are the same as Lady Nady’s, Lady Mizuha.”
“It sounds perverted when you say it, Lex, so I’m just gonna ignore that remark.”
“Wh-Why is it only perverted when I say it?!”
Of course his compliment makes me happy, but I wish he understood how I feel having that said to me in public by a member of the opposite sex. My insensitive knight can wait. I return my attention to Nady.
“Anyway, I’m sorry for not helping you sooner.”
“It’s okay. You came when I needed you most.” She’s so pure and precious. I won’t admit out loud that her troubled face was adorable even if someone tried to torture it out of me.
“I’m a bit late, but congratulations on the medal, Nady.”
“Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you, Mizuha.”
“I didn’t do anything. It’s all you.”
“No, it’s because you were with me.”
We constantly try to give each other the credit for it and never reach a consensus. It’s been like this since we vanquished the dragons. We start laughing because it’s become a running joke. At least we found a good middle of the road compromise with “we did it together.”
“So that’s the medal? Looks kinda…old,” I note, staring at the medal pinned to Nady’s chest. Even my untrained eyes can tell it has been delicately decorated with goldwork embroidery. But the base material has darkened with time, which gives it a less than glamorous impression.
“It was crafted a great many years ago,” Cia explains. “Bronze makes up most of the material used.” That’s a royal for you—they’re well-informed about the medals they bestow upon people.
“They should make you something new, but that’s a tall order considering the era we live in,” I say, shrugging.
“While it is certainly antiquated, the value is far from small. You might even say it has become more valuable with time,” Cia states proudly.
So it’s like an antique that goes up in value with time. I haven’t a clue what the value of such an item is in this world, but it’s invaluable to me as proof that Nady was recognized by the entire kingdom.
“Though I’ve got to say, it’s bulky.”
“Yeah, I think it’s too heavy to wear all the time, which is unfortunate.” Nady smiles sadly as she strokes the medal.
“You don’t have to wear it,” Cia interjects. “There is a lot of weight behind being bestowed a medal. If a commoner is awarded one, they rise in rank to a knight.”
“I heard that. But is it really all right for me to be given the rank of knight?” Nady asks.
“I can guarantee it will be essential in protecting Lady Mizuha in the future,” Lex assures her with a smile at almost the same time an irritatingly familiar voice utters my name.
“MiZUha!”
This ball is for everyone who participated in the dragon vanquishing quest. It goes without question that Keith had been there.
I turn around thinking yet another annoying person has shown up, but Keith’s already being apprehended by soldiers.
“Having a title, if only in name, will allow you to remove this kind of flirtatious nobleman from Lady Mizuha’s presence without getting into trouble,” Lex explains coolly as he watches the soldiers restrain Keith. “Apologies, Lord Rowadan, but I request your immediate exit of this venue.”
“You dare intervene in my love again, Lex Irvine?! I was about to relive the dramatic and touching moments from the quest with MiZUha! Unhand me! You rotten soldiers!”
I barely spent any time with Keith that’s worth reliving… His delusions grow more outrageous by the day. He struggles and whines as they cart him off. Even the normally passive Cia is exasperated as she frowns and says, “There is no helping that man.
“Ahahaha,” Nady laughs dryly. “Y-You might be right about needing that title.”
It’s a bit questionable that her primary use for it will be anti-Keith, but I’m ecstatic she won’t receive any unjust punishment for dealing with pesky nobles in the future.
“Nady, can we talk?” someone asks in a hard voice after the commotion with Keith is settled. A group of five Lucor men have approached us. They look like they have come to discuss something very serious.
“What’s the matter?” she asks.
“Er…rry…”
“…Come again?”
“I said we’re sorry!”
He sounds frustrated, but I can tell he’s sincere from the awkward look on his face. After the first young man apologizes, the rest take turns to say their part too.
“Sorry for calling you worthless and talentless.”
“And for constantly saying you get special treatment for being the Chieftain’s daughter.”
“Also for calling you a giant, bigfoot, beanstalk...and the like.”
“O-Oh, that stuff. It doesn’t bother me,” Nady says dismissively.
“How could it not? Don’t dismiss it—”
“Because it’s the truth,” she crisply responds, her brows furrowed. She’s so different from the depressed girl they knew, the Lucor men blink repeatedly as if they’ve got the wrong person. “You weren’t wrong to dub me as powerless among our people. I’m still lacking.”
“Yeah, but you took down the dragon our arrows couldn’t even reach!”
“Even so, I couldn’t have done it alone. Mizuha gave me the courage to release that arrow, and it only hit its mark because everyone distracted the dragon. Which reminds me, I never thanked you for that.” Nady smiles softly. “Thank you.”
The Lucor men are blindsided by her dazzling smile. Some even blush.
“You’ve changed.”
“I have?”
“Yeah, you have. I don’t know how to describe it…it’s like you’ve gotten…better?”
“…Hm? That’s good, I guess?” Nady’s smile remains as she cutely tilts her head. The Lucor men visibly avert their eyes from her.
I wonder if this is a case of boys picking on a girl because they like her. I’m not sure if that same logic applies to nonhumans in another world, but…it certainly seems like it to me. I thought they were all pigs who enjoyed badmouthing Nady, but they’re kind of cute like this. Strange.
“A-Anyway, that’s all we wanted to say. Later.”
The Lucor men scurry away with that curt farewell. Though Nady was confused by their awkward interaction from beginning to end, her expression is soft, likely because they confronted her in a respectful way.
“Sorry about that, Mizuha. I just made you witness a strange moment among my people.”
“I don’t mind. More than that, it’s great that people aside from your father have come to accept you.”
“Yeah! Maybe now I can proudly proclaim that I’m your bodyguard,” Nady exclaims, her whole face lighting up. She sounds so gung-ho about becoming my bodyguard, but I’m still hung up on that fact.
“Are you really sure you want to become my bodyguard? Aren’t the rest of the Lucors returning to your village soon? Don’t you want to go with them?”
“I already made up my mind. Besides, I realized during the fight against the dragon that I have mastered the bow to protect you, Mizuha.”
“Nady…”
“I’ve already spoken about it with Father…and I told Mother.” Nady returned to her village the other day. I thought she went to inform her mother ahead of time about being awarded the medal, but it sounds like that wasn’t the only reason.