VOLUME 1: Chapter 11 – The Evaluation Follows a Downward Curve

The next day the princess returned home safely. I was summoned by the King while I was preparing the princess’s tea.

Summoned by the King.

Normally, His Majesty, the King hardly summons me who is a mere lady-in-waiting. Within six years, I can only count it with my hand. Moreover, the reason was about the princess as expected.

As you can see, to what a lady-in-waiting A implies, I am the first lady-in-waiting of the princess. I am the one who works closest to the princess.

.... It is only I who was employed the longest.

In any case, the only reason why I was summoned by the King until now is about the princess. The most recent summon is about ‘that’. During the audience of the Hero where he was requested to save the princess.

At that time, the king did not know that I have pleaded to Greed-sama to rescue the princess, and I was called to explain the details of the abduction. Despite having listened to it all, I was grateful to Greed-sama who listened from the beginning to end of my explanation with a meek expression.

On the contrary, after his audience, he especially came to me and said, “I will certainly save your beloved princess. Please believe me and wait.”

....My heart throbbed suddenly.

That’s right. Because I am just an 18 year-old girl!

A good-looking guy saying such things, one must be dead if she can stay calm.

―――Oh, if I think about it, my evaluation of Greed-sama that time kept on rising!

The peak is when the princess is rescued and came back. That time, I was filled with desire to prostrate myself in front of Greed-sama. As expected of the Hero, I thought he was wonderful.

I was immature then.... No, though it was only one day ago!

I never thought that he, a natural disaster or a weapon, would propose to an ordinary person like me, and I can’t see through the thoughts the owner of the concept in breaking through the solid story.? Thanks to that, it went to a downward curve and cannot be evaluated anymore.

And again, it is a summon from the King.

I have a premonition that this is not about the princess. Because today, it is about yesterday.

Maybe I am not allowed to refuse....?

Huh? Isn’t that right? It is a summon of the King to not to refuse, right?....? Sigh.

“Ah, Aria. It is good that you came.”

I was called to the office. Opening the door and entering inside, reflected on my eyes, who bowed, was His Highness standing in front of a big window.

He greeted me with a smile. He was in a good mood. The King being in a good mood is a pleasant thing for a retainer, but for me, it is a situation that can make me feel bad.

I wish he had been in good humor because the princess was rescued safely. Well of course, the King would welcome back the princess whom he loves, and would also be delighted and relieved at seeing her safe and sound.

But I think that it is not what the king thinks of in this place now.

“Take a seat.” There was a smile on his good-looking, middle-aged face as he pointed out the luxurious sofa.

The King offered a seat to a mere lady-in-waiting. It can’t be a normal occurrence. Because it is common to declare the business while standing.

―――So he has already decided. There is no doubt that this meeting is about the Hero.

I sat down on the sofa as I was told while crying deep inside, “Noooo~!”

The King immediately sat at the table across my seat and opened his mouth, looking straight at me.

“Well, I think that you understand about the matter why I called you, it’s about the Hero――Greed-dono.”

Here it comes――! I thought.

“I think that everyone and I, including you, were surprised at Greed-dono’s proposal. However, it is a great honor for our country. I am extremely happy for Rufus-dono and Louise.” The King said in a good mood.

I see. Ugh.

I felt a little frustrated.

This country will be more advantageous than the other countries if it can become related to the Hero in addition to being determined to become related to the royal family of Elusion. As a King, it is a great achievement.

“It seems you’re putting your reply on hold, but I command you as a king to marry Greed-dono....”

The King spoke such scary words. It goes without saying that my face stiffened.

The King’s order is issued!?Or so it felt. I cannot escape this anymore. Because I’ll be charged with treason if I go against it. I clenched my fist tightly on my knee. I was prepared to be commanded. Since the king is only thinking about the country, I cannot hold a grudge.

I do not.... w-want to resent.

“However, Greed-dono expressly wishes to not to force you.”

I quickly raised my head at the final important words of the King.

Greed-sama.... He said those, didn’t he?

――Suddenly, my evaluation of the Hero got better.

“Therefore, I decided to leave it to your feelings. However, I earnestly want you to keep in mind that we would like to have a relationship with Greed-dono for the sake of our country.”

I apologize for using tsukkomi but, while saying that you will leave it to my feelings, you clearly forced the second half, Your Majesty....

“And I thought that I need to ask your father, Viscount Milford, about his opinion that you received a proposal from Greed-dono. I sent a messenger at once.”

A high-class envelope was placed on the table. That large envelope made from a parchment seems to have already been opened. However, what I am concerned with was the seal pressed on the wax. That is undoubtedly the crest of our Viscountcy of Milford.

My eyes widened. That’s because――

“Isn’t it a little fast....?”

It was just yesterday when the Hero proposed. Even if the messenger flew, the Viscount of Milford’s family seat is in the countryside at the edge of this country, and even if one rides on a fast horse, it will take at least three days one way.

Why is my father’s letter yesterday here today, even though it should take six days for a round trip?

“We had the royal family’s magician, Famir, fly to the Viscount of Milford’s estate.” The beaming King said. It is an expression that says,?I thought well.

The number of magicians is absolutely small, and of course, this also applies to this country. Their work encompasses the maintenance of the boundary of the castle and resolution of magic cases.

Famir-sama, who has the strongest power among those magicians, serves as a royal family’s magician. He is generally the adviser of royal guards and the consultant of magic and demons, but it was he who suffered the greatest damage during the princess’s abduction. The middle-aged macho Demon King forcibly broke the barrier of the castle, and dispelled the guarding magic of Famir-sama on the princess and abducted her.

As one would expect of a degenerate Demon King. Although it is a macho Demon King.

That broken magic backfired on Famir-sama, and he suffered a great deal of damage. It was unknown if how many days he would stay unconscious.

Recently, he finally returned but I heard it was hard for him to catch up in strengthening the barrier of the castle after he took a break.

To use Famir-sama as a messenger instead....

Noticing my silent censure, the King panicked and said. “It can’t be helped, because there were no other magicians who knew the Viscount of Milford’s estate.”

Magicians can transfer to anywhere in the world at any moment using the teleportation magic. However, this magic has drawbacks; the caster can’t go to places he does not know. He can only extend a magic circle to places he’d been to, to places he knows, and to places he can recognize. Because Famir-sama is friends with my father, it is natural that he knows Milford estate. However, it appears that magicians other than Famir-sama do not know the very rural terrain of Milford estate.

While thinking,?I’m sorry it was in the countryside, I noticed that it was not a problem.

“Why is there a need to hurry? You don’t even have to get my father’s reply.”

I think it’s better for a messenger to use a fast horse. Greed-sama and the others will stay in this castle for a while. There should be no problem if the letter containing the answer will be received after one week.

That’s what I thought, but I was astounded to hear the answer of the King.

“To tell you the truth, it was Greed-dono’s request. I have been asked to send the letter of Greed-dono in order to get permission to marry you from your parents. I thought that it would be desirable to get it as soon as possible, so I requested Famir.”

....My evaluation of Greed-sama dropped to the bottom at once.

Even though I have not yet given my reply, asking my parents’ permission to marry....

Telling me that you do not want to force me, yet what are you doing, Greed-sama?!

....That’s it, right? You’re removing the obstacles to your objective, aren’t you?!

Although you told other people not to force me, you’re actually that type of person who intensely charges, right?

But just say it clearly. It is compulsory!

Because it is no longer a national authority to send a letter through His Majesty, the King, for permission to get married.

It is the same as saying, “There’s no way you can refuse marriage that Your Majesty also desires, hmmm?”

How shall the Viscount decline??Ah, I thought with gloomy feelings.?I wish I could run away from this castle and stay missing.

At a later date―

It turned out that it was not Greed-sama’s true intention to get permission to marry me using the national authority.

It seems that Greed-sama was trying to send a letter himself, not through the King. However, the Prime Minister who heard it thought that if he ordinarily sent a letter of marriage proposal, Viscount Milford might refuse on the grounds of being bothersome, so he appealed to the King. The king, who showed a similar concern, decided to send Greed-sama’s letter to my father using Famir-sama.

It seems that Greed-sama himself is satisfied to use a fast horse for a messenger.

....However, my evaluation for him remains low.

Even though I have not given my reply yet, he’s still planning to get permission to get married from my parents.

Jeez, I’m concerned for the future.

Sure enough, this was only the beginning of the courtship behavior of the Hero towards me.