76 - "A certain dwarf and a little sister" between the acts

"Zoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

A few days after Helian's group went to the border city and finished the encounter with the blue knights.

Robin, who had been dispatched to the Ratestwood, uttered such words at the temporary command post that had been built near the large box.

It was a lament for the impermanence of the world.

"......What is it this time, Lord Commander? Are you having your usual seizure again?"

Robin is met with a look of dismay by his second-in-command, Merzel.

He looks up from the large box construction schedule he has been staring at and looks at his boss with a disturbed look.

What's with the usual fits and starts?　I'm in perfect health!"

"Didn't you say your limbs shake if you hold back on your naughty bits?"

When Merzel asked with half-open eyes, Robin responded by turning away. Robin responded by turning away from him, because she remembered having made such an excuse in the past.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Merzel resumes his work of staring at the process chart. The sound of chains clanked as she moved her hand to hold the pen.

"...... hey. I know it's a little late for this, but I don't think I'm being treated too well. I'm a corps commander, you know.　I'm the highest-ranking person in the Seventh Legion, remember?"

The boy leader complains that he sees the source of the sound.

Robin's right arm and Merzel's left arm are each fitted with a bracelet that emits a dull gleam, and the bracelets are connected to each other by a sturdy chain.

They were, to all appearances, nothing more than a pair of handcuffs used to restrain Robin.

"I think that's a very appropriate treatment for a bad boy who never learns, no matter how many times I tell him."

"I oppose wrongful arrest. Merzel must release me immediately!"

Ignoring Robin's grumbling and complaining, Merzel runs his pen.

Robin continued to boo beside her for a while, but soon grew tired of it and began to tease her by drawing the letters on the floor. He sometimes glanced at Merzel from a downward angle. The meaning of these glances may be attributed to the unintelligible exclamation at the beginning of the story.

Overcome by the gaze that insisted, "Ask me, ask me," Merzel uttered the question with a sigh of resignation.

"......, what's so sneaky about it?"

"I'm glad you asked me that, lieutenant!"

Do you want to hear it?　Do you want to hear it?　Do you really want to hear it?　I was annoyed at my boss, whose eyes were twinkling, but I couldn't stay mad at him at every turn.

Merzel tries to keep her composure and replies, "Please tell me.

"It's my sister Lee who is the sneaky one!　No, I'm always doing interesting things with the king and I'm sure I'm always sneaky, but this time I'm not even talking about that!"

"......Oh, you mean the case. I heard that you were able to defeat a mythological threat (SS rank) single-handedly.

This is a scoop that has not yet been made known to the public, but was known to some executives.

The fact that a mythical threat existed in the expeditionary area was a surprise, but the fact that it was defeated in an encounter for which they were ill-prepared and by a single horseman was even more shocking. In any case, a mythical threat is an entity that should be challenged after careful preparation, tactical planning based on solid information, and sufficient forces.

The first corps commander's feat of defeating a threat that ideally should have been conquered by multiple corps commanders, even with the king's help, single-handedly, was a great accomplishment, as one would expect from the "three bodies of the beginning. When this information is made public, he will be praised together with the king for his great achievement.

"Yes, yes!　And it's right in front of the king!　He saved the king from a pinch and played a big role!　That's so cool and super sneaky!　I want to be a rioter too!"

The leader of the boys' group complains loudly at every turn.

It was very noisy for Merzel, but considering his feelings, it was understandable to some extent.

After all, he had failed to play any part in the battle the day after the inter-world transition had occurred. While the other corps commanders were fulfilling their duties, he alone was left out of the equation.

After all the fighting was over, it was none other than Merzel who announced the end of the war to him while he was waiting in the main square of the headquarters, and the look on his boss's face was extremely amused - or rather, extremely painful. The look on his face, as if it were the embodiment of despair, is still a source of great joy, or at least a tightening of the chest, when I think back on it.

"No. My true feelings."

I tried to hide it, but I couldn't.

It seems that I am a bit tired, perhaps because I am also engaged in the unfamiliar task of inter-country exchanges.

"After all, it's not my main job. ......"

To begin with, I am from a technical field.

I have the ability to interact with others, but only to the extent that they can interact with me.

The fact is that I was appointed as the deputy head of the delegation that pioneered the first exchange between nations in this world.

When I was told of this assignment, my honest impression was that it was out of my field.

However, when I was told the name of the person in charge, I was convinced. It was my own boss (Robin) who had been appointed as the head of the delegation.

He said that he had been chosen with the aim of resolving the various problems including the verification of Fafnir and with an eye on the future prospects of the project. There are not many people who can control this runaway dwarf.

"...... I, on the other hand, am not so sure that I can control him.

At best, we can reduce the number of victims.

The only people who can be truly controlled are the "three bodies of the beginning," consisting of the first corps commander, the second corps commander, and the third corps commander.

First of all, the Commander of the First Corps also has the authority as the Commander of the General Corps, and is able to judge each corps commander to some extent at his own discretion. Robin without Fafnir is nothing but a helpless lamb in front of her who is well versed in the language of the body.

The commander of the 2nd legion is a man of character who respects discipline, and is a leader in restraining the demons who tend to run amok. In a sense, he is Robin's worst enemy. Incidentally, the two do not get along well.

And the leader of the Third Army is a saint whom everyone recognizes, and whom even the ephemeralist Robin has no choice but to be cautious of. It is said that there was a time in the past when he was unable to exercise self-restraint, and the incident seems to have been traumatic for him. He was not good at the Third Corps Commander, at least to the extent that he tried to play the good boy in front of her.

Such are the members of "the first three", but it is absolutely impossible for them to take care of their boss (Robin). All three of them are in charge of their own heavy responsibilities. There is no room for anyone else in the current situation in Alkimaira.

"I've heard that the commander of the Third Corps, for example, is even showing signs of death from overwork. ......"

It is only a rumor, but it is proof that the work is so hard and demanding that it is rumored. The 1st and 2nd corps commanders are not much different in terms of the severity of their responsibilities.

Thus, through a process of elimination, I am the one who was left behind, and I am thus serving as a watchman for my troubled boss.

Anyway, since I have been appointed to a position of responsibility, I must fulfill my duties. Organizing the reconstruction assistance and managing the construction of the large boxes are also within the scope of his job as deputy director. Merzel returns to the task of examining the timetable to ensure that the king's expectations are met.

"What?"

Then, I was struck by a strong sense of discomfort.

I noticed that the room was filled with silence.

The concept of quietness is something that is the opposite of that of his boss.

With a bad premonition, Merzel looks at the end of the chain extending from his bracelet.

"...... got me."

At the end of the sturdy chain, only a dull, shiny bracelet remained.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

With his high skill (DEX) for nothing, Robin is free and heads for the small castle.

The purpose was to perform his usual routine.

What he always does, in other words, is <>, and <> is to be kept.

The king himself said something like that, I am sure of it.

In other words, it is my duty to do this, and it is not a kind of distraction or stress-relieving activity.

It is to keep the .

So, hooray!

Robin sprinted down the corridors of the castle, shouting the usual lines and going about his business as usual. That is, skirt-snatching for the ladies who work at the castle.

As one would expect from a prank like this, the ladies' guards have tightened up, but not to the extent that Robin's skill is exceeded. His skill (dex), the best among the eight grand corps leaders, is not a fluke. As soon as Robin slips in front of the lady's feet with his agile movements, he returns the favor and pulls up her skirt to inspect its contents.

"No, no...!"

"Careful, I'm coming to you...

"A swarm of frogs is coming from the ceiling ......!"

"Calm down, it's just a toy!　Instead, prepare for an attack on the--Caaaah!

With a high-pitched scream in the background, Robin runs down the hallway.

It's the winds of freedom.

It quickly leaves the scene of the crime, leaving behind its many victims.

The embodiment of freedom catches sight of a figure around the corner of the hallway.

"Mwah!"

Halfway pointed ears. Half-up white hair. White skin. White tunic. Although I could not see her face because her back was turned to me, I recognized her uniformly white figure.

It was Lilifa-Lum-Latestwood, the sister princess of Queen Leifa, who ruled Latestwood.

"...... hmmm."

Hiding in the shadows, Robin was lost in thought.

According to the information he heard via the League of Deviousness (Camilla), she is a princess in this country. And now that the first princess, Leifa, has been crowned queen, she has been moved up to the first rank in the line of succession to the throne, and is said to hold the second highest position in the country.

However, what Robin was told was not quite clear to him.

To begin with, the concept of the right of succession to the throne is not clear to him.

［For the demons who have lived in the world of Tactics Chronicle, the king (player) is an immortal being, and there is no need for generational change.

Although a king may be usurped by a rebellion, such an event as handing over the throne to the next generation did not exist in a country ruled by a king (player).

"Speaking of great people other than the king, the commander of the legions, ...... this is different, isn't it?"

Probably not.

A corps commander is required to have more or less fighting ability. And even if he is one step behind others in terms of combat ability, he must be able to more than compensate for it.

However, as far as I can see from lurking in the shadows, she does not seem to have the ability to fight. She did not seem to have the superior skills like myself or the excellent information processing ability like Camilla.

The way she was chatting with the courtesan in the hallway, she appeared to be nothing more than a little girl.

"Hmmm ......"

Anyway.

She must be a .

The respect the ladies are paying her is a sure sign of that.

And that's why Robin is confused.

His mind is occupied with the vexing question of weighing risk and pleasure, namely.

"To prank or not to prank, that is the question."

"You've got to be kidding me!"

Robin, with a philosopher's expression on his face, is struck by Merzel, who has caught up with him at full speed.

He manages a deft imitation of gasping for breath and shouting in a whisper, then questions his superior with a devilish expression on his face.

"Commander, do you really know what you are talking about?　You should at least be able to tell who you can and can't mess with, no matter how hard you try. To put it bluntly, it's unfashionable. ......!"

"Well, you know..."

Not "because. ......, you've had your fill by now. Let's go home. I have to ask the Commander to review our workflow, checklists, and so on. I also have to submit a budget application for the preparation of Fafnir's sortie, inspect the large boxes, etc. ......Ah, and also compile a report on the exchange activities with the local people. ......"

"You're so detailed, Merzel. If you think like that all the time, you'll go bald in the future.

If you had done your job properly, you wouldn't have to worry this much!

Meltzel screamed with a force that cut the blood vessels in his head.

It was a roar from the depths of his heart, a roar that unleashed all the frustration he had felt over the past few days.

The exclamation, which he did not even remember to frown, caused Lillipha and the ladies, who had been chatting and laughing, to turn their heads in unison.

"Oh, ......"

It was too late for him to realize his blunder.

Merzel's eyes locked with Lillipha's, and sweat dripped down her cheeks.

"Uh.........uh...is that you, Mr. Merzel?"

Yes, yes. I am Merzel, sent from the Alkimaira home country. Princess Lillipha, you have a good day.

He somehow manages to utter the words of civility he has studied.

As she looks at Merzel, Rilifa asks an honest question with an innocent expression on her face.

"What are you doing at that ...... place?"

It was a simple question that even the princess language had forgotten.

When asked, Merzel stiffened.

The way she was hiding in the shadows, looking at the situation, was suspicious.

............That is, isn't it?

Merzel was at a loss for words.

After all, they were in the middle of the castle of a friendly country.

It would be impolite to speak honestly about the current situation, but he could not come up with any convenient excuses.

He was not good at improvising in such situations.

The two men continued to freeze up, but suddenly the equilibrium was broken.

In the midst of this unexplainable tension, Robin Harnaldewergh himself took a few random steps forward.

However, he had a serious expression on his face, which Merzel could not remember seeing only a few times.

"----"

Robin never exchanged words with Lillipha.

In fact, this was the first time they had even met face to face.

Through Merzel's tireless efforts, arrangements had been made for them not to run into each other.

But words were unnecessary.

A glance was enough.

At the moment their eyes met, the genius (Robin) sensed with an understanding that is impossible to explain to others.

He knew that she was just like him, that she was a definite .

Robin smiled and Merzel heard a rush of blood.

"Hello, hello, hello, princess!　I am Robin from Alkimaira!　Feel free to call me <!"

"...... Let's see. My sister has told me to treat the military commanders as princesses, not ...... as I've been offered."

"As for me, don't worry about that, I'm fine, fine, fine!　The king also told me to be friendly with the people of Latticewood, so let's be more frank, Frank!"

Robin talks to Lilliput with a big smile.

Lillipha, on the other hand, was taken aback for a moment, but when she realized once again that <> was being friendly to her, she took the opportunity to respond with a cheerful smile on her face.

The two of them then proceeded to have a smooth conversation, focusing exclusively on Robin's pranks.

The half-elf courtesan in the background was giving Merzel a "please stop it" look, and Merzel was feeling the same way. Although she had read the dialogue manual beforehand, she had not expected such a situation and did not know how to treat her as a princess.

As a result, the two of them started a conversation without being stopped by anyone, and the conversation eventually took a catastrophic turn.

"Ha-ha-ha, that's so funny!　Master Robin--or rather, Mr. Robin, did you really do that!"

"Of course I did!　I still remember the look on Garu's face when he sat down in the chair and leaped through the ceiling into the sky!　I was so mad at him afterwards!"

"But how does a flying chair work?　It's a magical tool, right?　Wouldn't that be difficult to make?"

"Hmmm...you listened to me, princess. But there's nothing I can't make!　Because I'm a genius!

"Amazing!　Oh, you can call me instead of .

"Then let's call her Rilifa!　It's been a long time since I've met a girl I could hit it off with like this. Would you like to be my friend?"

Please don't do this," said all but two of them in unison.

Against their wishes, however, Lillipha smiled broadly and took Robin's offered hand in hers.

This was the moment when the two bad boys representing both sides joined hands.

"Oh, yeah. I'm going to play a fun game, would you like to join me?"

"Interesting games?　What is it, what do you do?"

"Mmm-hmm. That's--"

Lillipha's eyes sparkle with anticipation.

Robin lets out a deliberate sneer in front of her.

The sight of the two of them gave everyone, except the two of them, an inexpressibly ominous feeling of foreboding.

And then--

+ + +

"Hyah!"

"Hyah-ha-ha!"

Two small shadows sprint down the hallway.

One belongs to a small boy and one to a girl with a young face.

Both run like the wind through the corridors of the small castle, shattering the tranquil air that should have been there.

"Ri, Rilifa-sama ......?　What do you mean, hiyaaaa--!"

First, one of the maids of honor was sacrificed.

She was distracted by the princess who leaped in front of her, and while she was distracted, a dwarf crept up behind her and lifted up her skirt.

The unprotected princess was attacked by the dwarf, who even delayed to hold up her skirt, and was carefully inspected by Robin.

"Yay!"

"Yeeeee♪"

The two underlings high-five each other to celebrate their success.

And by the time the victim came to her senses, her feet were already running off in search of the next victim.

"Oh, Robin!　There are more of them over here this time of day!　I can flip a lot!"

"Yes, sir!　Yes, yes, the princess and the legionnaire are coming through!　Yee-hah!"

The two run down the corridor with their own faces, exchanging lighthearted conversation.

No one can stop their barbaric behavior.

With Princess Lillipha, a powerful woman from a friendly country (Rattlestwood) on his side, even Merzel had no way to stop Robin.

And so the mischievous children of both countries, now on the loose, rejoice in their good fortune to have a new friend and spread chaos all over the castle.

"Oh, ......, it's having a bad influence on Lilifa-sama's education. ......"

Wenli, the chief of her school, mutters with a sad expression on her face.

Then, feeling a strong sympathy for her crumpled body in the corridor, Merzel goes around handing out apologies to the victims with a weary expression on her face.

Later, the two of them would go on a rampage under the name of the "League of Pranksters," a name that is a bit of a headache, but that's another story.