*Neferian has become the Royal Guard of Wolfram von Lohengrin.** **】**
I glanced at the system message and nodded.
This is a system that opens in the middle of Eve’s route.
Kelter’s final class is 【Royal Knights】—and the step before that is 【Royal Guard】.
Once this happens, the Royal Guard title is granted, and the好感度 of ‘Eve’s allied faction’ increases across the entire academy.
But since Nefty is *my* Royal Guard, what does that mean for me?
My allied faction…? Does that even exist?
Hm. I’m not sure.
I don’t really get it, but good things are good things.
“Take care of me from now on, Neferian.”
“I will devote my whole heart to my liege… yes. I will serve my liege.”
“Hm.”
Hearing her call me “liege” is a bit awkward.
How should I put it—I know this is a fantasy world with a medieval-themed cultural and chronological mishmash, but my sensibilities haven’t flown back to that era.
“Don’t use the title ‘liege.’”
“But isn’t that what a Royal Guard calls their master? I believe the national law also stipulates it that way.”
“……”
Well, that’s true.
What should I say?
Ah.
“Nefty.”
“…Yes, my liege.”
“Once we leave Zefflin, there will be more days when you call me ‘liege’ for the rest of your life, won’t there?”
“That’s true.”
“The time you can call me ‘senior’—there’s only a year and a half left.”
“…As expected of Senior! You’re telling me to cherish the time I have now. That time is not an infinite resource—is that what you mean!”
“…Hm. Yes.”
As I said that, Nefty looked at me with her round eyes sparkling.
It was a rough line, but it landed well.
Thank goodness she’s simpler than I thought.
—
On the way back.
Nefty started walking right beside me, sticking close.
“Don’t you think it’s hot?”
“The sea breeze is cool. Senior?”
“…Well, I suppose so.”
“Besides, if you with Stamina 2 trip and fall while walking, I as your Royal Guard would have to offer my life.”
Well, that’s not entirely wrong, either.
“Besides, protecting Senior is my duty.”
Yeah, sure.
Since I’m the one who made you my Royal Guard, do as you please.
The interesting thing is—in this moment when Nefty is sticking close to me as I walk, I feel surprisingly little discomfort.
Rather, it’s more comfortable than walking on my own.
This is the Royal Guard’s special ability.
When Nefty stays within a certain distance of me, it has a positive effect on my actions.
In the original, Kelter covered Eve’s weaknesses, allowing Eve, a pure mage, to gain at least some mobility.
For me, it’s just immensely grateful that my movements become easier—but since this is reality, of course it looks like she’s supporting me like this.
It’s a bit awkward to use in actual combat.
“We’re almost at the campsite. Let go.”
“That’s a shame. Just a little longer…”
“Let go. That’s an order.”
“Ugh… Yes.”
Nefty released me, then went “Ah” and nodded.
“Ah, right, Senior.”
“What now.”
“…Please accept this.”
She said that and took off the necklace she was wearing and handed it to me.
“What’s this?”
“It’s something my late father made for me when I was young. I was able to endure hard times using this as a charm.”
“A treasure, then.”
“…Hehe.”
“So. Why are you giving such a precious treasure to me?”
“My dream has changed from being a guard of Gluco Village to becoming a Royal Guard. So I’m no longer worthy to wear this.”
She said that and handed me the necklace with a refreshing smile.
Well, well.
She has a habit of overthinking everything sometimes.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“Excuse me?”
“I clearly said that the direction I look is the direction you look.”
“…Y-yes.”
“Then why are you putting a difference between the direction you look and the direction I look?”
“Wh-what…?”
“Don’t think that following my purpose means denying your dream. That’s the way of thinking of a fool.”
I said that and placed the necklace back into Nefty’s hand.
“Having to give up something to gain something—that’s ultimately a second-rate life.”
“Yes… Senior.”
Nefty put the necklace back around her own neck.
And then—
“…Didn’t you say the campsite was right ahead? Why are you sticking even closer?”
“Hehe. What’s wrong with it, Senior! Let’s strengthen the bond between lord and retainer!”
—
That evening, everyone gathered at the campsite.
Millefeuille and Rudika had caught animals and gathered plenty of wild vegetables, while Nefty didn’t even think about moving from my side.
Lastly, Eve, who had returned at some point, was preparing the hunted animals together with Patrasche.
“…Why am I even doing this?”
“Hahaha. You’re the child of an old friend. Isn’t this also a good experience?”
“Ugh, ughh… Ugh. I got blood on me.”
The dressing of the hunt was actually decided by rock-paper-scissors, and talent has a big influence. In the end, a pure mage has no choice. Blame your own low talent.
Anyway, the meat was cut a bit crookedly, the edges were slightly burnt, the vegetables were cooked haphazardly, and I have no idea how we’re going to prepare all that fish…
We even set up traps woven with holy light spears, black crystals, and fireballs here and there to keep monsters from approaching in the middle of the night.
But actually, Rudika of the Abyssal Dagger took care of all that preparation, so don’t worry. Although a strange bloody scent does waft up from somewhere.
Anyway, we were able to enjoy dinner by the sea safely.
Just as the meat was placed on each of our plates and a round of cool drinks was passed around—
“While we’re eating, I have something to report to everyone.”
Nefty, wearing an active swimsuit, cleared her throat and spoke.
Everyone’s attention focused, and Nefty stuck close to my side.
Hey. Hey. Don’t stick so close.
Nefty smiled brightly, stuck close to me, and extended her arm while making a V-sign with her left hand.
“I, Neferian, have become Senior Wolfram’s Royal Guard.”
“Oh, you’ve made up your mind! Congratulations!”
“Yes! From now on, **I aim to become an excellent Royal Guard who will protect Senior beyond even family!** ”
“I see. Hehe. Thank you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, that’s because **—since you’re Wolfram’s Royal Guard—it means you’ll also be protecting me as a result, doesn’t it?** ”
At the innocent Ayla’s words, a slight shadow fell over Nefty’s expression.
That’s odd. Where in the previous conversation was there any room for that?
“Well, a Royal Guard is officially recognized by the imperial family as a guardian, but you can’t expect them to protect the principal from all dangers, can you?”
“Senior Rudika?”
“Hm. Rudika thinks this: rather, if I operate in the shadows and deal with crises before they even approach, then the Royal Guard won’t have to work hard.”
“…I, I see. So that’s how you think, Senior Rudika.”
“Yes, but?”
Strange.
Even though it’s summer and warm, even at night, it’s incredibly cold here.
Is this abnormal weather? There was no such terrain effect in the heaven-blessed heights I knew.
“Take care of us from now on! Please protect me and Wolfram, Nefty!”
“…Yes. As your Senior’s exclusive Royal Guard, I will do my best.”
“Don’t worry. If it’s too much, Rudika will help. Nefty.”
The content of the three’s conversation was clearly heartwarming, so why is my body trembling so much?
“I, I’m neither a fiancée, nor a Royal Guard, nor an assassin…”
And why is Millefeuille looking this way with teary eyes after stopping her meal?
—
Dinner was finished.
But despite eating while looking at the sea, the atmosphere was somehow awkward.
This could be a problem.
Of course, Ayla, who moves freely without reading the room at all, was smiling brightly and looking up at the sky.
“What a nice island.”
“Right.”
“Yes. Wolfram, where on earth did you find a place like this?”
That’s a great question.
“I see. Then let me tell you an interesting story. It’ll be quite exciting.”
Everyone gathered around the campfire in small groups, enjoying the warmth.
Dinner was over, but there was still a little time before we went into our tents to sleep.
At times like this, stories from an adult who knows the world well are incredibly enjoyable.
“Good. It looks like everyone’s ready to listen. Then let’s begin. Everyone, what do you think of this heaven-blessed height?”
“It’s a pretty island. I’d like to come again sometime.”
“Yes. It’s a really nice island.”
“It’s a wonderful island. So wonderful that I’d like to come here with just the two of us.”
“Rudika thinks so too. This is a good place. The deeper you go toward the center, the more you’ll find excellent opponents for training.”
“…Yes. And there are monsters that even my magic power can’t easily handle.”
……
Nefty and Ayla, and Millefeuille gave fairly normal answers, but what about Rudika and Eve?
Anyway, there’s no doubt everyone thinks this island is wonderful.
“Then one question arises. We came here through a warp portal—where does this island exist in reality?”
“……”
At my words, everyone tilted their heads.
The first to speak was Eve.
“Hm… Could it be the southern island zone?”
“No.”
“Ah, then the east?”
“That’s also not it.”
A few rounds of questions and answers went back and forth, and I shook my head at all the answers the kids gave.
“I don’t know. Where on earth is this island?”
“Zefflin.”
“Excuse me?”
“Past the southwestern jungle of Zefflin, past the coastline, and about an hour by boat—that’s where this heaven-blessed height is.”
“……”
“Isn’t that interesting. Rudika, with your talent, how long would it take to pass through the entire southwest?”
“At a leisurely run, about four days.”
“Right. Just that much. If you run in a straight line from the center toward the southwest, you can get there in four days. Zefflin is ultimately an island. Compared to the entire continent, it’s a tiny island. And yet—no one has set foot on this island for three hundred years. That means the six of us here are the first visitors in three hundred years.”
“I see.”
“Well. It means we know nothing. Zefflin—just step a little outside, and it’s a world full of treasures.”
I didn’t say anything more.
Because stimulating the children’s imagination is what adults do.
“To the east forest, there are golems. In the sleeping mountain range, there are enemies. In the snowy plains, there are snow fairies. In the desert, there are dragons. And just take a slight detour, and you find an island like this. …We call it a place of learning, a place that determines our whole lives, yet we know nothing about Zefflin.”
“…That’s true. We know nothing.”
Eve picked up my words, and a moment of contemplation followed.
At the end of that time, it was Eve who broke the silence once more.
“…I see. So the reason you brought me—no, all of us here—was because of such a hidden reason.”
…?
“To show us a new world, and to make us realize that we’ve been looking at the water in a bottle and mistaking it for the sea? …For a Wolfram, that’s awfully arrogant.”
“I had no such intention.”
“So you’re saying we should crawl and live, not stand and die. Isn’t that it, Wolfram?”
“How many times do I have to say I had no such—”
No, that’s really not it.
I just wanted to break the ice and open up a little since everyone was being so awkward…?
“Fine. Yes. If you’ve shown us this much, I have no choice but to accept it. This time, I, Eve von Lohengrin, will step back. Wolfram.”
“…?”
“Starting from the end-of-term closing ceremony, I will relax the **access restrictions to all forbidden areas of Zefflin** for Wolfram von Lohengrin and the following four: Ayla Tri-Star, Rudika Hassan Shadow, Millefeuille von Sabre, and Neferian.”
Eve declared so.
“So it came to that after all. As your Royal Guard, I will devote my whole heart.”
“The first group allowed to go on adventures while being recognized by Zefflin—that’s us.”
“…The four here under Wolfram’s command—including Rudika.”
“Yes. Finally, the start of our wing-flap rebellion against the old system!”
I see.
If the student council approves, that’s reassuring for me too.
After all, I planned to keep having adventures with these guys.
I need to thoroughly allocate our schedules and plan out the adventures.
“But there’s one condition. I can’t release you completely.”
“Tell me.”
“At least once every two weeks, you will go on an adventure. And you will write a report and submit it.”
“…Two weeks?”
“Yes.”
Hey, Eve.
Do you even know what my stamina stat is?
“Understood. That’s not difficult. I’m a Royal Guard, after all.”
No, *you’re* a Royal Guard, but *I’m* a struggling Stamina 2 loser.
“Rudika could do it every week, though?”
I can’t, though?
“Senior, let’s do our best together!”
If I do my best like that, I’ll die.
“So, Wolfram. Where’s our next adventure spot? It’s time to spread the wings of rebellion!”
I’ll break those wings right here and die.
