Editing/Standardisation: Medicine Melancholy
Original Translation: Medicine Melancholy
Iris
There might be a way to return to our world… We were overjoyed to hear that such a possibility exists.
But we still had a long way to go until we could seize that possibility.
All we could do now was to solve the problems in front of us, one by one.
A huge threat was still looming over this town at the very moment… but I was still confined to bed because of my poor health.
Seeing everyone moving in a hectic manner, I was stricken with guilt.
Two days had passed without me able to do anything helpful.
“How’s it…?”
I watched in bated breath as Lenny-san stared at the small glass rod.
“…It seems that your fever has gone down.”
“Then..!”
Lenny-san was holding a thermometer not unlike the mercury version found in our old world.
At her words, I looked up in an instant.
“Yes, you’re able to go outside now. Once you’ve changed your clothes, I’ll go get Saul-sama and the others… Reiji-san’s already here, in fact.”
“I-Is that so?! I hope they’re getting proper rest…”
Nii-sama had been holed up in the office inside the mansion I was staying at, which served as a temporary base, while Reiji-san was running everywhere to help setting up the defense perimeter…
Both of them had been incredibly busy as of late.
“Mmm… Shall I prepare a really cute outfit for you to celebrate you Thgetting well?”
“Normal, please! Normal clothes is fine!”
Why does she sound so happy about making me her dressing doll?!
I think my face is heating up again…
After I got dressed and Lenny-san left to call the two of them over, I scrutinized my current outfit.
It consisted of a white blouse with frills in various places and a long skirt. Since it was still chilly, I also wore a bolero over the blouse and a shawl to match.
My hair was tied up neatly in a half-up style.
“…This is totally the virgin-killer style, isn’t it?”
Not to be confused with that virgin-killer sweater (I would never, ever wear such a thing), it’s a style that brought out my ladylike qualities, with an emphasis on prim and proper.
It really suited my current appearance, but well, it sure felt a bit embarrassing to wear.
I quickly took out my usual poncho to cover myself…
“Can I come in?”
“Eep?! G-Go ahead!”
The door opened and Saul-niisama entered the room.
As soon as he saw my current state, a grin cracked on his face.
“Reiji, you might wanna see this.”
“What are you talking about, Sau-”
Are you plotting something again, Nii-sama?!
Without elaborating, Nii-sama pulled Reiji-san from outside the room and pushed him in front of me.
Reiji-san was complaining while he was being dragged, but froze up on the spot when he saw me.
…Oh god, just say anything, please! I can’t bear this silence!
“…Cute. Yeah, that outfit’s really cute on you.”
“I see…”
“Okay, you two, stop staring at each other so intensely. We have a lot to do today.”
““AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?!””
Reiji-san and I retorted perfectly in sync.
“So we need you to have one last health checkup to see if you’re completely fine or not, then if you’re okay with that, we’ll pay a visit to the defense perimeter in construction.”
“You still won’t let me do anything by myself…”
The joy of finally going outside… was short lived.
I’m only going to get in everyone’s way if I go alone, aren’t I? That’s why those two have to keep me in their sight at all time…
“Oh come on, don’t be so gloomy. You just got out of sickbed, so I think this is the best course of action.”
“Ouch?!”
Reiji-san flicked me lightly on the forehead.
“Considering the enemies this time, you’re indispensable in the battle ahead of us.”
“We have to make sure you’re in the best shape when it happens. I hope you understand.”
“I know…”
Holding my pained forehead, I reluctantly agreed.
“Alright then, let’s get going… Iris?”
My body suddenly trembled.
I wanted to go outside so badly, but when the time actually came, I felt a deep shiver in my leg, as I remembered the second time I was kidnapped.
Seeing my hesitation, a large, familiar hand patted my head.
“Don’t you worry. As long as I’m here, nothing’s gonna lay a hand on you.”
“Reiji-san…”
“…Hmm? Did something happen?”
“I-It’s nothing. Y-Yeah, let’s get going!”
The words I heard in that half-dream was replaying in my head, and I couldn’t look directly at Reiji-san’s face anymore.
I urged those two to hurry up.
My legs had stopped shaking before I knew it. Rather, my heart was beating so hard from the sense of shame and other things I didn’t understand that I couldn’t feel anything else.
“I’m going to open the door, then… Uh oh. Iris, try not to be too shocked.”
“Nii-sama?”
The door to the hallway was opened, and for the first time in days, I stepped outside of my room-
“…!”
A dozen or so people had already lined up in the hallway as if waiting for my arrival.
Dressed like knights but without the armor since they weren’t in combat, all of them made a perfect salute upon seeing me.
I stopped dead in my track from sheer astonishment.
An elderly man with a robust physique and fine white beard stepped forward… I’d already heard about him from Nii-sama.
Just like Aini-san… Ashley-san was a game character I’d seen many times, who turned out to be a real person in this world.
But unlike her… he played a mayor role in my backstory as “Iris”.
“Congratulations for your safe recovery, Princess.”
“Thank you for your concerns. I’ve been able to have a good rest because everyone’s made great efforts in safeguarding me, and I’m sorry if I’ve caused you worry.”
I picked up my skirt, bent my knees slightly, bowed my head, and smiled at the knights lined up in front of me… Is this the way to do it?
Until now, the only people who treated me like a princess was Lenny-san and a couple others, but this is the first time I’d faced with so many highly professional knights.
This wasn’t a simple princess roleplay like in the game, I had to act my parts perfectly, but I was completely lost on what to do.
So I decided to try my best at it… Fortunately, Lenny-san, who was following a bit behind me, didn’t have any complaints, so I guess I got a passing mark.
…Some of the knights seemed to either look away from me or shrug their shoulders though, is that alright?
“Your wellbeing is my utmost concern. So, I would like you to evacuate, if possible, before danger arrives…”
“My apologizes, but I can’t do that.”
“…I’ve already expected that answer. We’re well aware of your desire to save this town, so we, the Shadow Regiment of Nordglacier’s Sorcerer Knights, shall gladly lend you our strength.”
“Thank you very much… Eh, the Shadow Regiment?”
Why would the Sorcerer Knights, the most elite of Nordglacier’s army, be in such a remote area? And more importantly, I didn’t know there’s a Shadow Regiment within their ranks.
In the game lore… there’s the Light Regiment, which maintains the security in the royal capital, the “Ice Regiment”, which maintains the security of the magical railway connecting the royal capital with the Central Business District, which is the closest city to Acropolis, and the “Flame Regiment”, which is sent to various places in case of emergency… I think those are the only three…
“Pardon me, Princess, while we understand your circumstance, I hope you’re able to uphold the dignity of this country’s royal family even on the first try… Alright, men, you can make yourselves comfortable now.”
Behind Ashley-san, someone slightly older than the rest of the knights was giving out instructions.
“Thank god… I’m no good with formal stuff like this.”
“It’s the reason we’re often sent to the middle of nowhere after all.”
“Well, that just how we are, so you don’t have to stay on guard too much around us, Princess… Ack?!”
The last person, who smiled and waved his hand at me, was smacked by their leader for being too comfortable around the Princess a.k.a me.
I could only blink my eyes at the sudden change in atmosphere.
“…Please excuse their behavior. I have no doubt against their capabilities, but this counterespionage regiment is made up of people with commoner background, who may have difficulties with etiquette and manner.”
Said Ashley-san, who had completely softened his mood and was watching his men like a grandfather to his grandchildren.
“I-I actually prefer it this way, because…”
“You lost your memories and lived as a commoner once, that I already heard of in the reports. Rest assured, everyone’s taken it into consideration. Leaving that aside…”
Ashley-san, with his hand on his chest and tears in the corners of his eyes as if filled with emotions, bowed his head.
Right… I, no… “the game’s Iris” was sheltered until his roof for a while before she could be identified, and this person before me, who acted as her guardian, was like a grandfather to her…
“Once again, I’m glad that I can see you alive and well like this. I thought I’d never see you again.”
“I… I appreciate your concern, Ashley-sama.”
For a moment, I saw the image of my own grandfather in my old world.
My grandparents were always strict, but there was a gentleness behind their eyes… the elderly knight before me was the same.
My subsequent medical checkup went without a hitch.
In conclusion, although I had some trauma-induced fear, as long as I was with Reiji-san and Saul-niisama, I seemed to be able to go out without any problems.
That didn’t mean my symptoms were getting any milder, though…
“…There’re so few people around.”
The town was much more sparsely populated than before.
I thought not many people would be around at this time of day, but even so, the silence covering the entire town was unnerving.
“They’ve mostly been evacuated in order to prepare for the upcoming attack. People with poor health, young children and the elderly are being taken care of at the eastern garrison and the clinic near the east gate, while the rest are further relocated to the campsites outside the town.”
“That’s a pretty fast evacuation, isn’t it?”
“I hate to say it… but the recent attack sure helped create a sense of urgency among the people here.”
Said Ashley-san, who was walking beside me with a complicated expression on his face.
As a side note, Nii-sama was also beside me, just in the opposite side, while Reiji-san followed close behind.
I’m glad that Reiji-san wasn’t side by side with me. I would be reminded of that half-dream if he did.
As a side note, there’s another reason for the evacuation.
We didn’t want others to notice that a certain someone of a supposedly extinct race was going to join the fight.
In the meantime, we arrived at the west gate of the town.
The gate, which had been repaired, albeit as a temporary measure, was still open, but there were now several layers of fences in front of and behind it that were not there before.
“…It’s much more heavily defended than before.”
“To be honest, I don’t think it’s nearly enough. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough material and time to mount a decent resistance.”
“If there’s a silver lining to all of this, Gantz-san still remains in the tunnel, and he’ll be sure to inform us when the enemies start moving.”
It could be tomorrow, or it could be this very moment.
Tension filled my body.
“Um… Can I take a look from atop the walls?”
“Of course. Please lend me your hand.”
“Eh? Okay…”
I quickly took the knight’s hand, which he held out to me, and he pulled me back and escorted me up the stairs.
…Why is Reiji-san staring at me so intensely?
“Thank you very much… Nii-sama! Reiji-san too!”
“…Huh?”
“…Yes?”
Unable to bear the gaze, I called out to the two of them. I appealed to the knights with my eyes that I had something important to discuss with them, and they immediately understood and moved away.
“What’s it?”
“Well… the knights are being awfully friendly to me, whom they’ve practically never met before, don’t you think?”
I might be the Princess of this country, but I’d been gone from this world for several years, and they hadn’t even tried to confirm my identity.
Despite this, they were very friendly towards me.
“Well, the current Nordglacier royal family didn’t have any female except for the queen. Now that their lovely princess has returned to this world, I’m sure those knights are pretty excited about living the dream of escorting a princess.”
“Answer me seriously please, Nii-sama.”
I did recall something like that happened.
The current king’s daughter had been married off to the southern continent… There was even an in-game event for that. By the way, although it was a political marriage, the story was a proper love marriage… Since then, like Nii-sama said, there was no longer any “Princess” in this country.
But I felt there’s something more to it than that.
“Okay, okay, I think I have an idea. Iris, do you remember the effect of your ‘Princess’ subclass?”
“Um… increased success rate of monster taming, granting permanent buffs to the surrounding players and NPCs affiliated with the home country, and…”
Ah. My “Princess” subclass certainly had this effect.
“…Increased initial value and growth of affection from NPCs affiliated with the home country.”
“That’s the one. My own ‘Prince’ subclass also comes with improved command effectiveness over people from the home country.”
“Then, do you think it’s causing the knights to like me so much?”
“I don’t know exactly, but at this point, anything can happen.”
“I’m not a fan of this. It feels like I’m messing with people’s minds.”
“Same… but let’s not worry too much about it. Maybe that’s just how princes and princesses normally look in the eyes of the common folk.”
“Reiji-san…”
“You guys may have mixed feelings about it, but those knights genuinely want to protect the people important to them, and that’s fine. Besides, we still have places to visit, so let’s move on.”
“You’re right, we should check the defensive positions while we can. The enemies may attack us at any moment.”
I still had some thoughts about that matter, but it’s just like Reiji-san said, we shouldn’t worry too much about it.
I decided to put it aside and followed the two of them again.
…Nevertheless, I vowed to myself to never forget this feeling of gratitude to the people who fought for my sake.
APM - Translation 