CH 266.2

Corneal groans as he watches what happens next. I can’t hide my surprise either.

(I thought he’s going for the front)

The prince now grabs only her butt and moves his hips back and forth violently. A moment later, his back bent greatly and his body trembled.

She must have felt the heat that broke the curse in her stomach, and the princess woke up.

The two of them separated and hugged each other tightly from the front.

I felt that the scene was strange and asked the man sitting next to me.

「He assaulted her from behind and she couldn’t see his face, but then she woke up and suddenly fell in love with him? What’s with that?」

To me, who was a beginner at this, Corneal taught me in a gentle tone.

「Please don’t mind that」

He said that since the dance was the main part of the performance, they had cut down the details of the story. It seems that the lack of explanation is inevitable.

(I guess that’s true, now that he mentioned it)

It’s the same with the opera I knew from my previous world.

Right after meeting each other, they talk about their love and decide to get married on the spot. When her surprised parents stop her, she fell into despair and commits suicide later that day.

(They’re too fast to throw away their lives no matter how you think about it)

I thought so at the time, but that was probably also because of similar circumstances.

『Dance for ballet and songs for opera』

The story was never the main part. That is why it can be enjoyed again and again.

Returning to the stage, the lovemaking between the prince and princess begins again. The maids danced in a circle, expressing their joy.

Soon, the music reached its climax, and the audience applauded.

「It ended happily ever after」

Corneal clapped his hands while giving his impression, and I also gave mine while clapping my hands.

「That prince… does he like unconscious women?」

I can’t help but to feel that way because of the way it was cut down the middle.

「The background description was a bit lacking, wasn’t it? Let’s just say it’s the prince’s hobby.」

After that, we talked about whether the prince would be able to hold on to his interest in the princess after she woke up.

Then the curtain, which had once come down, went up again. I thought it was an encore, but that wasn’t the case.

「It’s time to play with the dancers on top of the stage」

At Corneal’s words, I looked out into the audience and saw a well-dressed man and woman walking toward the stage.

「However, it is limited to those with special seats. It’s best to think of it exclusive for the nobles.」

He told me that we, the regular audience, would never get a turn.『Would you like to stay and watch?』, he asked, but I waved my hands to the left and right.

He didn’t seem to have any objections, so we both left our seats and headed out.

After leaving the Royal Theater, we both walked to the central square to have a drink and a rest.

「With that kind of applause, I’m sure it won’t be discontinued. It might even become a classic!」

Corneal said with a smile.

「At this rate, Dr. Slime is going to be a name that will go down in cultural history. Although, with 『Sin and Punishment』, I think it would anyway, even without the ballet.」

“I envy you”, is what he said, but I myself feel complicated about it. More than that, I was more interested in the taste of the ballet dancer.

When I asked him if there was a place I could try them out, the young pilot replied while scratching his cheek with his thick fingers.

「If it’s at their training school that doesn’t get picky about the customers, I think it’s fine.」

He doesn’t know where it is, but he heard that there is a place where young dancers learn to dance.

When I expressed my interest, Corneal warned me with a serious face.

「But I do not recommend it. The taste is too hard.」

He had once played with one of them on stage for the entertainment of the knight order.

His partner at that time was a semi-leading dancer, he said.

「Her body is soft, but that just means there’s a wide range of motion. Though it is by no means her body is comfortable to hold」

He said it was because every muscle in their bodies are trained without any wasted flesh, so their bodies basically consist of well-trained muscles.

「They’re just meant to be watched. Anything more than that, you have to have something you seek from them.」

What Corneal is referring to as 『To seek something from them』 is probably something like Cool-san’s obsession for 『First-timers』.

『A body that has been forged through daily strenuous efforts.』

It’s different if it’s someone who has a high value for it, but I myself am not really into it.

When I made a difficult expression, my friend shrugged his shoulders and gave me a few words.

「In terms of giving the best pleasure, I think Cione’s sideline is far superior」

What he said made me think of the magical girls. That was certainly a fresh and refreshing taste.

Nodding deeply, I looked up and opened my mouth.

「Then, how about we go to Cione today?」

Then, I think about the setting and continue.

「How about “crashing the fairies’ dance party and go on a wild rampage”?」

My friend, who was as perverted as I am, grinned widely and nodded vigorously.

「That sounds like a good idea. Let’s ask them to wear costumes that fit the theme while we’re at it.」

After lightly bumping our fists in the air, we started discussing how many women we should invite. The problem would be how much is inside Corneal’s wallet.

We continued to walk on the cobblestones, arguing whether to bring four or five people.

***

Just south of the Spirit Forest. Northern City, located in the northernmost part of the Empire’s territory.

The old man, who was working in a room of a building in the city, looked up when he noticed a pecking sound at the window.

「A messenger from Count Rosehip huh」

This skinny old man is the Knight Commander of the Imperial Army. He had moved in ahead of them from his tent outside the city, as the buildings had been restored.

When he got up from his chair and opened the window, a small white bird with a small piece of paper in its mouth entered the room. It raised its head and looked at the old man.

It probably urged him to read it.

「It has hind legs like a cat, but it looks like nothing but a bird from the front.」

He thought to himself as he picked up the piece of paper.

He unfolded the four folded pieces of paper and found a simple message written inside.

『Please feed it as a fee』

This request was made in advance by Count Rosehip. Therefore, there was no surprise in the meaningless letter.

「Making it do his work, giving it rewards. I don’t know whether he’s trying to be strict or sweet.」

With a wry smile, he went to the cupboard, took out some dried meat for snacks, tore it up and put it in front of the bird.

「It may not have magic powers, but it’s good meat, you know?」

The Griffon shifts its gaze from the dried meat to the old man. Seeing that the Knight Commander nodded, it lowered its head and poked at the dried meat.

He quickly finished its meal and turned its hips toward him.

「Give my regards to Count Rosehip for me.」

He doesn’t know if the words were understood or not.

The Griffon pushed its body into the gap between the windows and jumped energetically with its hind legs. As it leapt into the air, it spread its wings and flew away.

***

The office of the commander of the Imperial Army is located in a building facing the central square.

Since the shopping district had been burned down, many tents were now set up there and it had become a makeshift market.

「Hey, I wonder if you have a smaller one?」

A woman with the perfected beauty like a mannequin asks the owner of a drug store.

What she is looking for is a living snake. The snake has a variety of uses: as an ingredient in medicine, as a food source, and as a pet, but she’s going to use it as food.

Elder, who works in a brothel in the city, has black snake as a familiar who eats snakes.

「That size is good. Give me two of them please」

The shop owner put it in a glass jar and put it in a shopping bag.

(I wonder if there’s anything else we need to buy.)

Elda casually turned back while lost in thought. She heard the sound of flapping wings flying at low altitude.

What she saw was the figure of a small white bird. It was flying at an altitude of about her own eye level, trying its best to avoid people.

(What was that just now? It has hind legs)

She’s trying to figure it out, but the answer was already in her mind.

That was a Griffon. A spirit beast and the symbol of the fallen elven royal family.

(……Is there another survivor of the elven royal family here beside me?)

She quickly shook her head strongly and dismissed the possibility. There were only a few royalty, and she knew them all down to their last breath.

She’s certain that she’s the only one who managed to escape the Bloodless Revolution.

(But weren’t all the Griffons completely exterminated by a trap?)

The current leaders of the elves saw their existence as a threat because it was a symbol of the royal family.

They must have been relentlessly hunting them down with a strong obsession to eradicate them.

She doesn’t particularly like Griffons herself, but she sympathizes with them in that respect.

(Then, was it a Griffon from outside the Spirit Forest?　But if it’s in a human city, does that mean that the humans are recognized by the Griffon?)

It’s hard to believe, but it’s a possibility that can’t be denied.

The elves see the Griffons as a symbol of royalty, but it wasn’t the case for the Griffons.

If they feel threatened, they will shoot magic from its mouth no matter whether it’s a royalty or not.

(Will it still be alright staying in this city as is?)

She moved to the shadows to hide and thought.

The conclusion she came to was 『It should be alright』. Or more like, 『On the contrary, it’s better to stay』.

(I don’t know who has them as familiars, but they’re definitely on the side that was fighting the elves. If so, it would be a shame not to get a closer look at this interesting event.)

Elder was tempted to smile, but she held back, fearing it would crack her thick makeup.

(I have to tell him)

A Raven Snake that was probably currently curling up under the sofa. She thought of her familiars as she walked home with light steps.