CH 365

Chapter 365 – Fellow Travelers

The R&D department is on a death march now, but unfortunately, I can’t just sit around with them. I will be away from Merinesburg for a long time again, so I have to give guidelines to the Merchant’s Guild, the Adventurer’s Guild, and the canned food and instant noodle factories in my absence, and most importantly, I have to keep in touch with Elise, Conrad, and the little harpies. I also have to serve the rest of the group.

“No, I’m sorry, okay?”

“What is there to be sorry about? There is nothing to be sorry about.”

“Maybe, but I think the timing was bad.”

“Of all the things to be sorry for, having all three of us here at the same time is… worst, isn’t it?”

The three of them, Shumel, Bella, and Tozume, are sitting in the big chairs I made for them, and they are saying this apologetically.

Maybe you can guess what’s going on. Well, it seems that all three of them are pregnant. Congratulations. What was there to apologize for?

“Don’t worry, I’ll go with you instead.”

It was Isla who looked very satisfied when she said that. If the Oni girls were not going to be my escort, I would need someone else to be my escort. Sylphy and Melty are stuck in Merinesburg―I am officially going to the Dragonis Mountain Kingdom in place of Sylphy the Queen―so Isla has decided to accompany me.

The beastmen maids I have do not have enough fighting ability to serve as escorts, and Gerda, who will accompany me as their leader, is not strong enough. One hundred members of the Magic Rifle Squad are supposed to accompany the goodwill delegation, but they are too many and too imposing to be my personal bodyguards.

I thought that Gerda and Grande would be enough for my escort. I thought about it too, but for the people of the Dragonis Mountain Kingdom, Grande, who was transformed from a dragon into a dragon-man to fight with me, a human, is like the second coming of the founder of their country. I am sure that there will be opportunities for Grande to be away from me, as she will be the center of attention and be entertained in that place.

So, after much thought and consideration, Isla will accompany me as my escort, as the court magician of the Merinard Kingdom, and as the director of the Technical Development Department.

Isla’s individual combat ability is actually very high. Her physical ability is low, and her body is not at all robust, but her amount of magic power and magic ability, along with her alchemist skill and genius sense, made Melty say, “I don’t really want to fight Isla seriously. Because you never know what might come out of it.”

In fact, the other day, she protected me from an assassin’s attack, and this time I’m bringing a lot of technological products to show our national prestige, so it’s convenient for her position as the head of the R&D department.

“I’ll take my time getting to know them over there. It is my turn next.”

Isla herself was very excited. Her nose is wrinkled with excitement. In many ways, she is ready to have her way. Unlike the other girls, Isla is not a physical monster, so as long as she is careful with the suspicious drugs, she will be fine.

“I think those two are going to get impatient soon.”

By “those two,” we mean Sylphy and Melty, right? When they heard that Shumel and the others were carrying a child, they congratulated Shumel and the others, but their smiles were narrow. The same goes for Isla, who still can’t have children, but this time she seems to be congratulating the three of them because she can accompany me on my long business trip.

“We elves have a hard time having children, don’t we?”

The one smiling as she says this is Driada-san, who will be accompanying me on this trip, as well. As a member of the Merinard royal family, she will accompany me and support me as I am not familiar with royal behavior and etiquette. By having not only me but also Driada-san, Sylphy’s sister, accompany me, we want to show other countries that we value our diplomatic relations with the Dragonis Mountain Kingdom.

“It also means that we need time to nurture our affection for such a long time. Please take good care of me, will you?”

“Uh, yeah. Yes.”

Driada-san’s plump fruit is pressed against my arm as she leans in close. Yes, Isla is a little softer… when she does the same. Yeah. But rubbing against it won’t help, so let’s not.

“Mmm, I feel the distance. I feel sad, even though, in many ways, we’re not really strangers anymore.”

“No, yes, of course. Of course, it is, isn’t it? I’m kind of in awe of it.”

“Let’s correct your tone. You only speak in such a reverent tone to my mother, don’t you? Besides, isn’t it a little late to be in awe?”

“That’s true. That’s true, isn’t it?”

Driada-san’s appearance could be described as that of an orthodox elf princess. She has beautiful golden blonde hair, pointed ears peeking out from her beautiful blonde hair, a white, neat dress that fits her well, and a generous bosom that lifts her chest.

Speaking of elves, there is a vague image of them having small breasts, but she has large breasts that are equal to… or even larger than Sylphy’s. She looks like a goddess of beauty and fertility. 

“I feel a little awkward because I have been in such a relationship with Driada-san for some time now. And I don’t know how to describe it. High class… no, not unapproachable either. I don’t know how to describe it, but I’d say you’re an extremely beautiful woman, and I’m not used to that.”

“It’s nice to get compliments on my looks, but when you put it that way, Sylphy, Melty and the other girls are all pretty too, aren’t they?”

“Hmm, that’s true! What can I say?”

I couldn’t explain it well to Driada-san, who tilted her head and said something supremely correct, and I winced. It’s true. If Driada-san is too beautiful to be feared, then, of course, Sylphy and Melty are too beautiful, as well as the other girls. Seraphita-san is an exceptionally beautiful woman, and Ellen is also a stunningly beautiful woman.

“Driada-sama is too quick to close the distance between the two of you. You haven’t followed the steps, so even though you are physically connected, you are not emotionally connected.”

“Wait!”

Isla’s insensitive tone made me unintentionally nervous. No, well, maybe Isla is right. Just a little more in the way of saying it, you know?

“Hmm, that’s pretty direct, isn’t it?”

“But it’s the truth. Kosuke and I are not only connected physically but also emotionally, just like everyone else. Driada-sama doesn’t have that. That’s why you’re being held back.”

Saying this, Isla leaned her body against my arm as if to lean on me and closed her big eye. Is she trying to relax and show her connection to me? Well, I don’t feel bad about her leaning against me unprotected.

“Uh, well, why did you try to get so close to me, Driada-san? I’m just stuck on this part.”

When I asked that, Driada-san looked up at the ceiling, closed her eyes, and thought for a moment before turning to me with a serious expression and opening her mouth.

“Kosuke-san, you are indispensable to the Merinard Kingdom. It is my duty as a daughter of the royal family to keep you in this country, even if it means using my own body.”

“Ah, yeah. Yes.”

In a world of royalty and nobility, political marriages are commonplace, and if the partner is someone of exceptional characters, such as a hero or visitor like me who possesses useful power, for a girl like Driada-san who has a good bloodline and good looks, it would not be surprising to see her use her own body to keep such a talent in the kingdom. It seems to me that it would not be surprising if they tried to keep such a talented person. I see.

“…That’s the premise.”

With her eyes still closed as she rests her body against mine, Isla murmurs in a whisper.

“Huh? Premise?”

I’m about to turn my head back to Isla’s words when I feel a soft touch on my right arm.

“It’s not fair, is it? I was a sleeping beauty for 20 years, and when I woke up, Sylphy-chan, who was so small and cute, had a boy and was so happy! And with such a cute boy! It’s not fair!”

Saying that, Driada-san puts her hand on my cheek and turns me towards her.

“Um… yes?”

I don’t know what she means.

“I was holding back, thinking that Sylphy-chan went to a lot of trouble to save us, too. But wouldn’t it be terrible if I had done that, and then my mother just got so close to Kosuke-san?”

“No, Seraphita-san would have been in danger if she hadn’t.”

I involuntarily turned my head to look up at Driada-san, who brought her face close to mine as she heated up. However, Isla is holding my left arm as if she is holding me with her whole body, so I cannot escape any further.

“But still! It’s not fair! I want to be like this with Kosuke-san! If it’s okay with my mother, please take me the same, too!”

“Eh… maybe, Driada-san, is that the way you are?”

“I don’t really understand, but I’m talking to you right now without pretending, right? The reason I’m hitting on Kosuke-san is because I just like Kosuke-san. Hair as black as the night sky, the same black eyes, your height, your not-too-muscular body, your voice, your personality, everything.”

“I-I see?”

“If it hadn’t been for Sylphy’s hands, I would have taken you at any price.”

“At least you have it.”

“I had to put up with it, you know? I’m a big sister. But is it weird that I have to put up with it when my mother doesn’t?”

“Hmm… sure.”

I can understand the feeling, aside from the ethical issues. The person in question smiles when she hears my answer and says, “I know, right?”

“I was so positive that I went for it. With the intention of challenging the dragon.”

“You mean with determination?”

“That’s right! I was a virgin. I thought it was immodest, but if I withdrew, that would be the end of it.”

“In that respect, Iphrita-sama is not very good.”

“She’s not very honest, you know.”

I’m not so stupid that I don’t see the point of talking about Iphrita here. The fact that they say that means that’s what they mean. Well, yes. But I didn’t get a glimpse of it.

“But is it okay? You’re only acting like this towards me.”

“If you are talking about a political marriage, there is no problem. We have a long life expectancy. Mother will be in service for a hundred or two hundred years, and Sylphy and I will be able to serve even longer. We can have our daughters or sons perform such political marriages.”

“It is a hundred times more advantageous to have Kosuke in your life than to be married to a worthless noble.”

“That’s how it is, isn’t it? That’s why Kosuke-kun, please take good care of me for a long time.” [T/n: She changed it to Kosuke-kun here.]

“Yes.”

This is the one where it makes absolutely no sense to say no. In a way, Driada-san’s situation was like, “Oh my God, I can’t help it anymore☆,” yeah. In a way, isn’t Driada-san the most troublesome?

“Well, if we travel together, the distance between us will be shorter, of course.”

“That’s right. I hope you get to know each other well. Oh, and by getting to know each other, you mean this, right?”

Bella, don’t put your right index finger in and out of the loop you made with your left index finger and thumb. It is indecent.

“Stop it. Don’t do that to a princess.”

Tozume, perhaps thinking the same thing as me, slapped Bella’s hand to make her stop the obscene gesture. Well done.

“You can count on me.”

Driada-san, stop sticking the tip of your thumb out between the index and middle fingers of your clenched fist with a smug look on your face. It’s vulgar.

“So please take care of me.”

Driada-san says, smiling. Yeah, I get it, so let’s stop with the fig sign, okay? I get it already