It may have been the right choice not to kill Cecil...even if he’s a pervert. I put my hand in my pocket, took out the glass piece Nick made for me and stroked its surface as I held it up to the light filtering through the trees.
“Speaking of the shrine, have you heard? Saint Elise apparently formed a contract with the legendary heavenly beast of the east! I always knew she’d be someone special!”
Lou and I met eyes.
“She probably changed the story up a little,” Lou said. “So that you’re not targeted even more than you are now.”
Thanks, Elise... “Does Terl know that I made a contract with Miyu?” I asked Lou when Cecil looked away for a moment.
“Don’t worry. Usually, we four heavenly beasts would share information, but it’s impossible in the state he’s in. I don’t know what’s going on with Terl either.”
“Will Elise be in danger from misrepresenting herself as a contractor?”
“Elise is rather strong herself. And Kilama owes her, in a way. Miyu and Renza will protect her.”
Okay, so Elise has something like Miyu’s divine protection. Miyu kissed her too. They’re not contracted, but they’re like kindred spirits since they shared that mystical moment together.
“What would you do if your beloved Prince Gardner tried to use me?” I asked Cecil. “You would turn against me, right?”
“My sublime goddess Serephione would never be used, so that’s nothing to worry about.”
“Correct,” said Lou. “I see people can grow a lot in two years...”
“Could you give a letter to Alma for me?”
“A request from our Lady Serephione... What an unexpected joy!”
He hadn’t changed in some ways, at least. Realizing that put me at ease...even though he was a pervert.
While I waited for the prince to return, I took some stationery out of my Magic Room and wrote some letters to Alma. In the meantime, Cecil did sit-ups and push-ups. The meathead mentality was definitely Trundle...
“They’re back.”
A few seconds after Lou had pointed it out, they touched my barrier.
I looked over to the rustling noise to see Arthur, looking unruffled without even a crease in his clothes and holding a jumbo devilboar in his right hand, accompanied by Prince Gardner, whose clothes were torn to shreds and soaked in blood as he carried in a baby devilboar tied to his back with a rope. He came up to me, pale in the face, and collapsed onto the ground.
Cecil looked disappointed. “Your Highness, you shouldn’t be hunting animals that are still this small...”
Cecil got it. That would warrant punishment with Trundle.
“Did you...say something...?”
But the prince wasn’t in Trundle, so I decided to overlook it.
“Teach him how to dress it, Cecil. And no helping him.”
“Certainly!”
“Dress it? Me? Why?” the prince asked.
“You love thigh meat simmered in red wine, don’t you?”
“How do you know that?”
I was a contender to be your wife once upon a time. “This is what that’s made of. It can’t hurt to learn how the things you put in your mouth are made.”
The prince fearfully took the knife Cecil handed to him. Copying Cecil, he stuck it into the boar, and blood gushed out.
“A-Ahhh!”
By the time the sun had set, the prince’s catch had finally become meat. It was Arthur’s first time dressing an animal, too, but he didn’t make as much of a fuss as the prince. The scent of beasts and blood wafted around the area.
It was a nice sight—the prince was splattered with devilboar blood from his blond hair to his toes, with blood almost seeming to seep into the skin of his hands. The usually stylish and sparkling prince was a complete mess... I felt a dark kind of joy.
This is no good... The prince from this world has nothing to do with the one I knew...
“Sere...” muttered Lou.
“Prince Gardner, Arthur, good work today. The training is now over.”
“Huh?”
“This is fresh, delicious meat! Share it with someone special.”
“W-Wait! I want to know the goal of this training.”
“Independence. And experiencing getting dirty for yourself, I suppose.”
“Basically...the people and soldiers get bloody every day for the sake of the prince, right?” Cecil opened his eyes wide.
“You have blood on your hands!” echoed Cecil’s voice from the book in my heart. Now that I thought about it, the plot had really changed quite a bit.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget the scent of this blood...” Prince Gardner stared at his own two hands.
“How thoughtful of you...” Arthur looked at me admiringly.
Arthur seemed to be having an emotional moment, but I disregarded him and cast a quick cleansing spell on the dirtied forest. “All right, let’s head back!”
“Wait!” Cecil said suddenly. “He still hasn’t been given the all-important enlightenment ritual!”
“Huh? Cecil, what are you talking about?”
“The prince will still be hesitant until you do it! Please!”
“Does he mean...?” Lou covered his head with his paws and shook like a leaf!
Is Lou traumatized?!
“Please, Lady Serephione! I want to experience this secret technique of yours and be born anew!”
“Y-Your Highness! Please stand up!”
“Keep that posture, Your Highness,” Cecil insisted. “Okay, Miss, go for the jump!”
“Wait, Cecil! I don’t want to be guilty of disrespecting royalty all over again!”
“I’m asking for this! Of course it’s not disrespect!”
“Wait one second! If you have such a secret technique, I want it too! Give me the strength to protect you and His Imperial Majesty!”
“It’s not like that, Arthur! Can everyone stop kneeling?! Lou!”
Lou sighed. “Whatever, I guess it’s no big deal. Go for it!”
On the outskirts of the Galea forest, I sank my heel into the heads of two young men. They didn’t regain consciousness until the next morning...