Chapter 140: Intruder

He was a tall youth, with the typical blond hair and blue eyes. His back was slim and long too, an ideal body with just the right amount of muscles. You could even say his body looked a bit like Lyell’s. He had an aura of nobility drifting all around, that’s just how handsome he was.

Actually, I feel like I’ve seen him before… But I can’t remember where.

“Umm, and you might be?”

“Ah, my apologies. I witnessed such a stunning sight, I did it without thinking. I am Elliot, a temporary teacher starting from this term.”

He followed up his apology with an elegant bow. That action made it look like the most wondrous painting. However, contrary to his graceful manners, he was making me feel strangely unpleasant.

“Good day. I am Nicole. I do not have a last name.”

“I am Letina Winne Yowi. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Still, he introduced himself, so it would be bad manners if we didn’t do the same. Letina and I introduced ourselves while returning a noble bow of our own. Still, a guy named Elliot, and that appearance. Where have I…

“Ah, Elliot Gritnir Stolla Tryad?”

“Ohh, so you know my name, Princess Nicole?”

“Hey…”

Elliot Gritnir Stolla Tryad was the name of the current king of the united three nations of the north. Back when I was alive, we found the royal survivor of the three northern countries destroyed by the Evil Dragon, and united the countries under him.

He was still around five when I died. That should make him about 25 years old now, huh? His appearance does match that age.

“Wait, ‘Princess’?”

“Are you not aware that I have asked your hand?”

Now that he mentioned it, the main reason why we took refuge in Raum was that, wasn’t it? In other words, he is the root of all evil? No, the root of all evil was Lyell since he told him about me.

“Ly… Dad told me a bit.”

“Excellent. I wished to meet you one time, but we couldn’t come to an agreement… And then you enrolled in the academy. As such, I decided to approach you by becoming a contract teacher here.”

“You’re a bother, go back.”

“Oh, how cold! But that’s fine.”

“No, it’s not.”

Elliot looked up at the heavens dramatically. But I won’t be deceived by those jests. He was too overacting and unnatural, actually.

“Why is the king in the academy, in the first place? Don’t you have your duties as the king to attend to?”

“I did my best to allow myself the next two years to live as I like!”

“Direct that hard work towards a better goal.”

The United Kingdom that had appeared through the uniting of three, once-ruined countries, was still facing countless problems even now. Each of the three countries’ varying customs made the matters difficult enough, but they have been destroyed by the Evil Dragon once.

No, maybe I should say that having been destroyed is what allowed them to unite. Still, that didn’t mean everything would go on smoothly. Putting him, the survivor of the Tryad Kingdom at the top did not make the leaders of the other two kingdoms any bit pleased.

To suppress the sparks of such opposition forming, we Six Heroes were constantly moving between the kingdoms.

So what the heck was he, the cornerstone of all of it, thinking to have skipped work and come here?

“King you may be, I can not say I admire you skipping work.”

“There is no need to worry. I have resolved all the problems at hand, the rest I left to my trusted vassal. I came here to handle the most important matter to a King. my vassal was quite on board too, you know?”

“The most important matter?”

“I am talking about the heir.”

His brisk declaration gave me goosebumps. True, an heir was the most important and highest priority matter for the kings. And my name was among the candidates of becoming his queen, so this was bound to happen.

That said, I was still a guy on the inside. Making an heir for him needed me to do that with him. Me and Elliot…? No f̲u̲c̲k̲i̲n̲g way. Not just him, I would never, ever share a bed with a man.

Still, would a king normally just barge in like this?

“In the first place, I’m certain that mom and dad did not give you the permission?”

“Of course, I did it in secrecy. Ah, I got proper permission for assuming the teacher’s post from Lord Maxwell, okay?”

“That s̲h̲i̲t̲t̲y old man…”

He did that knowing I was Reid’s reincarnation. He did it knowing what would happen. He probably planned to get not just me but even Lyell and Maria involved as well and amuse himself.

“Sorry to say, but I am not considering such things yet.”

“Of course, I am well aware of it. You are but a bud yet. But seeing you has convinced me. One day that bud will turn into a big flower. It’s as clear as day to my eyes.”

Get them checked, you dumbass! I almost screamed that aloud but managed to hold back at the last second. With me on the inside, even that deed alone, necessary for making an heir, was intolerable as-is.

But this dumbass couldn’t hold back his excitement. Following that, he started talking about our earlier performance.

“Princess Nicole and Lady Yowi’s performance was a sight to see. It was as lovely and wonderful as a song of fairies, and it managed to steal my heart once again.”

“Though, even our teacher is puzzled at my performances…”

I was just playing the piano to improve my finger flexibility. Something done with that goal in mind could not possibly have the essential emotions put into it. The teacher even claimed that my performance was ‘mechanical as if it’s coming from a music box’. Clearly, there were no artistic emotions behind it at all.

Then, I noticed someone pulling on my sleeve. It was Letina who stood next to me. She drew her mouth closer to my ear and asked.

“Do you know him?”

“Yeah, but only by name.”

“Who is he?”

“The king of the northern United Three Nations.”

“K-King? His Highness!?”

Hearing who he was made her exclaim in a tight voice. She was a nobility herself so his title of a king had her overwhelmed.

“M-My apologies, Your Highness. I am the daughter of Marquis Yowi, Letina.”

She hurriedly grabbed her skirt and did a polite bow befitting of a noble. She was Raum’s resident, though, so all they had to do was to be polite. Besides, she already greeted him earlier.

“Oh, please don’t mind it. And I am traveling incognito now, so I would appreciate it if you keep it a secret.”

“Is that so. However, why would you…”

“Someone was trying to mediate between Miss Nicole and me. I was also interested and approached a bit ahead of time.”

“W-With Nicole?!”

“Rather than me, they are aiming for my parents.”

I calmly explained it to the startled Letina. Given that I was the hero’s daughter, a lot of nobles sought me for such relationships. But the United Three Nations had the King that stood above the nobles, so there were almost no attempts from there.

If they laid their hands on me, they could be turning both the heroes and their own king to their enemies.

Such individuals started appearing more after I came to Raum. Perhaps this was one negative side of leaving my hometown.

“Ah, it’s already this late, so we would be excusing ourselves, Your Highness.”

It had already turned 4 PM before I noticed. The only thing I had left to do for the day was the secret training with Cloud, but honestly, it was bothersome to keep talking with Elliot.

It was a little early, but I decided to break up for the day. Elliot looked at me reluctantly as I grabbed Letina’s hand and fled from the music room.