"A-ano!"
"Yes?"
A nervous male student called out to us. To be precise, to the Holy Empress.
He wore the familiar bulletproof athletic wear. I couldn't sense any magic from him, so he was either an esper or a normal person.
"C-could you possibly be the Holy Empress?!"
He was so nervous his speech was all jumbled up. I couldn't tell if he was trying to be polite or if he was in the military.
With sweat on his brow and his eyes darting around, he looked less nervous and more suspicious.
"...Hmm?"
I flipped a switch in my mind.
"Actually, I'm in the middle of a scavenger hunt..."
The male student showed us a piece of paper he was holding. On it, a single phrase was written: "A celebrity."
Well, this was a scavenger hunt for a Butei high school. Items you could get by just shouting in the schoolyard wouldn't be on the list.
The tasks were designed to test a Butei's skills and connections, requiring things that were well-known to the public.
"...So a celebrity is it?"
Yeah, I guess that makes sense.
"Ano, if it's not too much trouble, could you please come with me! I'm really bad at these kinds of tasks! If the Holy Empress doesn't come with me, I'll probably come in last place...!"
"...I understand. Is it alright if my escort comes with us?"
"Of course! Now, let's go quickly!"
The Holy Empress was about to be led away by the male student—but I stepped in between them and followed the student instead.
"Everyone, I'll be going now."
"Have a good trip~"
"Please be careful, okay?"
Justiana and La Folia waved with a smile.
"I'm counting on you."
"Master..."
"Understood. Senpai, you be careful too."
I nodded to Yukina and Kokkoro's words and started walking.
After following the male student for a while, I saw a parked HiAce van on the side of the road.
"Okay, please get in this!"
"You're well-prepared."
"I'm in the vehicle department."
He said this as he opened the door.
"...Shou-san?"
I grabbed the Holy Empress's shoulder, stopping her from getting in without a second thought.
"...W-what are you doing? Let's hurry—"
"Who asked you to do this?"
"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about...?"
Sensing something from my tone, the Holy Empress tensed up. She took a half step back, and her back touched me.
"..."
"..."
I stared down the male student's troubled face.
The scene, with a single woman caught between two men, looked like a lovers' quarrel. And the woman was an incredible beauty who, to anyone with a sharp eye, was the Holy Empress they often saw on TV.
Gradually, we began to attract attention.
Whether from the heat or something else, sweat trickled down the male student's forehead.
The next moment,
"Damn it!!"
The male student pointed a gun at us—
"Kya!"
"Gah?! Wh-what?"
At the sound of a gunshot so close, the Holy Empress nestled herself completely into my arms.
The male student—no, the man who might not even be a student—clutched his hand and glared at me with hatred.
His gun had been knocked away by an Invisible bullet before he could even aim.
"How did you know...!"
"Because a commotion was about to happen. Anyone with sharp eyes would be suspicious. Besides, that shop was prepared by Princess La Folia. There's no way a regular person would find us so quickly after arriving, is there?"
If I had Yuma Kuga's Side Effect that could see through lies, I could've said something cool like, 'That's a boring lie you're telling.' Unfortunately, I haven't acquired that ability.
"I thought you were suspicious, so I tested you a little. I would never let the Holy Empress go with someone she doesn't know. (Replica, what about the 'Echo' mark?)"
I questioned Replica, who was sticking out from my ear.
"(It has already ended. There are a total of five people waiting in ambush. Their locations are—)"
"(Hmm, hmm.) So? You haven't answered my question yet. Whose pawn are you?"
Three of them were in a position to attack me immediately. Two were inside the car. Including this guy in front of me, that makes a total of six.
"That's none of your business!!"
Immediately after, I felt ill-will directed at me from all sides.
"Dark Shadow!!"
A black shadow emerged from the ground. It spread its wings wide to envelop us.
"Trigger, on."
In that opening, I deployed BJ.
"Bound"
I formed a seal.
"Eh?"
At the Holy Empress's feet.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
" " "!!" " "
With a powerful trampoline suddenly appearing beneath her feet, the Holy Empress was thrown into the air, letting out a scream far from graceful.
I could tell that the people surrounding us were holding their breath at their target being launched into the sky.
"What, what is that guy thinking!"
"Catch her! Don't! Don't let a single scratch touch her!"
My attackers had stopped targeting me. They weren't even looking at me.
I released the Dark Shadow.
"Ha!"
" " "Guh!!" " "
I quickly knocked out the three people behind me.
"Hmm."
At that moment, an orange and light blue ring wrapped around my body. It seemed the two people in the car were mages.
Furthermore, the male student who had brought us here was holding the pistol I had knocked away and aiming it at me.
"No problem. Analysis is already complete."
"Bind."
I returned the same magic I had copied with my Black Trigger.
"Ugh?! D-damn it...!"
I restrained the remaining three, including the mages inside the car.
"—Hii!"
"Whoa."
Just then, the Holy Empress, whom I had launched into the sky, came back down. I caught her in a princess carry.
"Welcome back."
"Ah, h-huh?"
She was wide-eyed, not understanding what had happened to her.
In the space of a dozen seconds of aerial travel, all the attackers were defeated. The crowd that had been slightly stirring was now completely focused on us.
Their gazes were split fifty-fifty between me, who had knocked out multiple people, and the Holy Empress, whose dress had flipped up spectacularly when she fell.
It was only for an instant, so, you know? Of course I didn't look. Of course I didn't look! I didn't make the same mistake as I did with Yami!
"I-I'm so sorry. I was being careless... So these people were bad people. Thank you so much for saving me."
No, this is the part where you should be furious.
I threw you into the air because we were surrounded, but there might have been a better way.
"Wh-what a ridiculous thing to do... Aren't you supposed to be her bodyguard...!"
He was groaning about something.
Anyway, we need to leave here. We came incognito, so it'll be a hassle if the Bureau of Management or something shows up.
I'll contact the Holy Empress's bodyguards, those three I've seen somewhere before. They'll have to take care of this much.
"We're leaving."
"Eh? Ah—"
And so, I left the scene, still holding the Holy Empress in a princess carry.
---------
"Welcome back!"
"It seems you're both safe."
When we returned to the shop, La Folia and Justiana greeted us with their unchanging smiles.
"Was everything okay on your end?"
"Yes, nothing in particular."
"Both Master and the Holy Empress are safe. How did the competition go?"
"Well, there was no competition."
I explained the situation to everyone.
"Is that so..."
"That was a close call... Are you two hurt at all?"
"As you can see."
"No. He saved me again this time."
It seemed the Holy Empress was going to keep the part about being launched into the sky a secret. It wasn't because she held it against me, but simply because she understood it was an act to save her.
"(Everything went according to my plan...!)"
"(You're clever, Master.)"
Replica said something.
"Indeed. That was a splendid performance, Yozuki-san."
"La Folia-san?"
"With your skill, the Holy Empress will be safe. You're as good as my own bodyguards... I can't understand why such a talented person is completely unknown."
She said it as if she had seen it herself... or rather, she probably did see it. If not La Folia herself, then someone else did.
"Yes. I thought something might happen, so I had my bodyguards follow secretly. It seems my hunch was correct."
"La Folia, you! You did that without permission!"
The Holy Empress's face turned a little red. She might be embarrassed that she was so easily tricked.
I don't know how much detail she was told, but I was carrying the Holy Empress in a princess carry right up until we entered the shop. Depending on the situation, that might have been included.
"Hehe, what's wrong with that? It's easier to see things for yourself than to just hear about them. Besides, if something were to happen, my bodyguards would take care of it. And besides, it's good to know that your bodyguard is so excellent."
So she had a backup plan in case I messed up.
"And..."
"Huh?"
La Folia's voice was in my head? Telepathy?
"...that method is something no one would normally think of."
"..."
"Your skill at defeating the enemies was impressive, but... throwing your charge into the sky, hehehe, if I ever need a bodyguard, I'll have to be careful. Should I make sure to wear something appropriate under my skirt?"
Clatter!!
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Wha-wh-what do you mean?"
Everyone at the table except La Folia was looking at me. Especially Liones, who was giving me a look like I was a pervert.
"You're being so flustered, you can't possibly say 'What do you mean?'"
"Is there something on your mind?"
There is.
I want to know how much the princess laughing in front of me knows.
"I'm not going to spread it around, don't worry. It was only for a moment, and no one saw it except us who were watching from the beginning. Consider it a thank-you for showing us something so interesting."
"..."
She didn't just hear about it from her bodyguards, she must have seen a video or something.
La Folia smiled and tilted her head. Everyone else, who was unaware of my "conversation" with her, started talking normally as soon as I calmed down.
"She's one of my few friends, the Holy Empress. I'll do that much for her."
"Princess La Folia, did you know that man was suspicious?"
"Himeragi Yukina, please call me La Folia. I'll call you Yukina too. The same goes for Kokkoro-chan and Liones. We're not enemies, are we?"
"Uh, but..."
"That's too much..."
"Okay, okay! Then I want you to call me Justiana too!"
Justiana raised her hand excitedly.
And I wasn't included in the names she listed? Well, I guess that's how it is.
"If the Princess wishes it. I don't mind."
"...Understood, La Folia, Justiana."
Yukina and Kokkoro, who had been looking at each other, nodded in agreement after Liones accepted.
"It's nice to meet you all. Although we might not have many opportunities to meet again."
"I made so many new friends all at once, this is amazing!"
"You should be a little more aware of the dangers, you know? This isn't Landsol. You came without your Knight Order of NightMea guards..."
"Hehe, I was just thinking of going for a little walk on my own. It's lucky I was invited!"
That sends a chill down my spine. These two came to the meeting place earlier, but did Justiana really walk all the way here? It's a miracle she wasn't kidnapped.
I'm sure her bodyguards are in a panic right now.
"You should contact your parents. There are a lot of people here, so you never know what could happen, just like now."
"My parents..."
"By Justiana-sama's parents, do you mean the king?"
"That's right!"
"...Is that going to be okay?"
Justiana nodded to Yukina and Kokkoro's words.
The Holy Empress turned her face away. Oh right, we also snuck out on our own.
Amidst all this, only La Folia was smiling.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Shou's way of speaking is just so unique... It's okay. We've already contacted Landsol. Al-Diga is guaranteeing her safety."
"That's a relief...!"
If not, it would have been my job to escort her back.
"But with your skill, wouldn't you be able to protect three princesses at once? Right, Holy Empress?"
"That's right. I trust him very much."
"I'm so happy for Master when everyone praises him!"
"...Yes, I suppose so."
"That doesn't sound like it, Himeragi Yukina?"
"...That's not true at all."
Yukina reacts to Liones's teasing. Her dissatisfaction is palpable.
"So? How did you meet 'him'?"
"'Him'... He was involved in a certain incident. I can't really talk about it in detail..."
The certain incident was the "Butei Killer" case. It was an incident known only to a small number of high-ranking people on the island. Something she couldn't even tell La Folia.
Sensing her hesitation, La Folia stopped pressing for details about the incident.
Instead, she asked,
"So why did you specifically ask him to be your bodyguard? Even if he's skilled, that's a selfish request. Didn't Kikunojo-san object?"
"Grandfather didn't say much. If you want to know why... it's because there was something he said at that time that left a very strong impression on me."
"Holy Empress-sama, let's not, okay?"
At that time, I had just acquired a Stand and was a little "high"! Of course, it was my true feelings! But it's a little embarrassing to have exposed my true feelings too much!
"It seems he feels that way himself. So I'll refrain from asking for more, shall I?"
"Oh, so you're keeping your memories with him all to yourself?"
"N-no, that's not it, but..."
"Ooh, La Folia-chan, you're being so forward!"
"...Yes, you're right, Senpai."
"My foot hurts..."
Someone was grinding their foot on mine.
"I'm sorry. I've been hearing a lot of unpleasant things lately."
"Unpleasant things?"
"About my future spouse. My mother told me it's about time. My country is in a rather difficult position, you see?"
"Calling your own country difficult..."
La Folia sighed tiredly. Her figure looked elegant even when she was complaining.
"That's right. Al-Diga has a neighboring country..."
"Yes. Because of the Chaos Realm. It's a place where my future is without freedom."
"That is..."
The Chaos Realm is the country of the First Progenitor, "Ki Jurambarada," who appears in Strike the Blood. In this world, she is also known as a powerful vampire, and her power is enough to easily twist even a full-power Vlad.
Al-Diga is not at war with them, but they are not on friendly terms either.
Furthermore, a person with royal blood, like La Folia, has strong spiritual and magical qualities. It is her duty to have children for the sake of her country.
"You could say it's my fate."
"Same as the houses of magicians."
"I have no comeback for that. But isn't that how your country is established? ...Huh? Wait, I'm sure your mother chose her partner herself, didn't she? The current king used to be a mercenary."
So shouldn't La Folia be able to choose freely too? Liones asked.
"My mother didn't reveal her identity until just before the wedding. She apparently put herself in a situation where he couldn't escape."
"S-something like that is possible?"
"That's how serious she was, Yukina."
Well, I guess if they loved each other, it's not a problem... Wait, yes it is. Marriage is a major turning point in life, and to have a surprise reveal that you'll be a royal starting tomorrow? I'd pass on that.
"That's why my mother told me the same thing."
"Told you what?"
"That it's about time. That it's about time... to get ready if I want to be with the person I love."
" " "..." " "
"Well, I don't have a partner right now."
I, Yukina, and the Holy Empress were speechless.
"The princess of that country is quite something..."
Even Liones was a little taken aback.
"Does Justiana-sama's country not have anything like that?"
It was Kokkoro, who seemed the least affected.
"Hmm, my country doesn't really have that. Until recently, Landsol didn't have much contact with other countries, and while we have the Elf country next to us, we're on good terms."
"The Elf country?"
"That's right! Oh, Kokkoro-chan is an elf too, right? Please visit Landsol sometime! Nowadays, they don't dislike outsiders as much as they used to!"
"Yes. I will."
The Elf country, huh. Hmm, what should I be wary of?
"Well, in the Holy Empress's case, it might be the opposite, where she can't just choose anyone she wants."
"I suppose so..."
"It's Japan. You have to maintain a balance with other countries, not just rely on direct power. And your image matters, too."
"We are so unfree, aren't we?"
"That's so true!"
"Justiana? Do you really think so?"
While listening to stories we don't usually hear, time passed.
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