CH 14

Episode 14: The beginning of a new life

Gustav – after all this time, I don’t have a family in this world, it seems.

After leaving the orphanage at the age of 12, Gustav joined the Guards Training Corps, a job he could have found on his own. He served there for two years, graduated from the training corps, and then spent three years on guard duty in the royal castle.

“After such a fierce battle. The injuries were severe, and it’s no wonder that his memory is impaired.”

In front of the guard dormitory in the grounds of the Royal Castle. The one nodding and agreeing with me was the captain of the guard unit to which I belonged.

I could leave the infirmary and immediately started preparing for the new Princess Leia escort mission, which meant I had to move from my old room to a room in the Royal Castle, close to the Princess’ room.

But, well, I have no memory of being Gustav. So I asked the captain, “Where was my room?” and he politely told me how I got to where I am now.

“Thank you for telling me all this, Captain.”

“No problem. I don’t mind, if it’s a request from Gustav, who is now a renowned hero. You must fulfil the great task of escorting the princess.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Haha, have you even forgotten how to reply? If you’re a guard, it’s ‘At the cost of my life!’ Right? ……. Oh, by the way, I got something from SIr Morgan for Gustav.”

“From Morgan-San?”

“Yeah, just a minute.”

The captain said this and withdrew into the dormitory, then handed me a large package wrapped in a cloth.

“Well, what’s this?”

“It’s material from the gargoyles that Gustav killed in the last one.”

“Material..”

“You could sell it to a blacksmith for quite a bit of money, right? Well, it’s up to you how you use it.”

“Oh! Thank you!”

Well, so the company I belonged to happily sent me off, and I moved into a room in the royal castle…

“Woah, isn’t it huge? It’s bigger than the room I rented in my previous life?”

The room had a luxurious layout, with one living room of roughly 10 tatami mats, a bedroom of 8 tatami mats, and a separate bath and toilet. Seriously, aren’t I being treated very well? In this medieval world, I was prepared for a one-room apartment without a bathroom, but the facilities were better than I expected.

“Carpeted carpet and sofa in the living room, fluffy bed in the bedroom. What is this place, is this heaven?”

As I finish unpacking my few personal belongings and enjoying the spacious room, I hear a knock on the door of my room, a kon-kon-kon. Who is it, so early in the moving process?

“Well, come in -?”

“Excuse me, Gustav-sama.”

“…Princess?”

Princess Leia opens the door to her room. This time, too, she was alone, without a maid.

“Well, why are you here?”

“Just to see how you are doing. Did you find anything missing in your room?”

“No, it’s good enough or rather, are you sure you want such a wonderful room?”

“Of course. Of course, you have such a big role to play.”

“Oh, I see. ”

Well, once again there is a lot of pressure to be told by various people that I’m going to be in a big role. Well, I guess it means that, at best, I should show a work ethic that is not inferior to this room.

“Thank you very much. I’ll fulfil my role as Princess Leia’s escort, I’ll make sure of it!”

“Yes, sir! I’m counting on you, Gustav-sama. Also, and …….”

Princess Leia said, slowly approaching me.

“Eh.”

Groping, she gently took my right hand. Both of those palms of the warm, soft princess wrapped my right hand. My heart jumped with a thump.

“This here, please.”

The princess blushed a little, but put something in my hand. What is this, cold, hard and flat, like a coin. I open my hand and look at it. It was a golden badge with an inlaid profile of a woman wearing a crown.

“Well, um, what is this?”

“That’s the badge of the royal family’s [Guard Captain].”

“Guard Captain?”

“Yes. It is a position that is rarely seen nowadays, but in times of war with other countries, royalty were sometimes sent to the battlefield to boost the morale of the soldiers. The direct troops that the royal family would have at their side at such times were called the SS.”

“Oh, I see.”

Suddenly the smell of subculture became very strong, but it seemed there was a proper history. Well, it’s an old custom, but I guess it was just right to classify my current position. Without such a mark, it would be hard to tell me, apart from the regular guards, who serve under Princess Leia’s direct command.

“Also, that badge isn’t just a decoration, you know?”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. The Guard Captain is also specified in the laws of the kingdom, and simply put, they have the same powers as the [chief of the guard] who is in charge of maintaining the security of the town, and the [captain of the guard], who can form his own unit.”

“Well, isn’t that pretty amazing?”

“Ufufu, yes. It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? I’m sure it will help you in your work from now on, Gustav-sama. But it’s also a very powerful badge that can be misused, depending on how you use it, so when I told my father that I was going to use it, he was reluctant to take it out.”

Princess Leia smiled mischievously.

“Even so, I really wanted to give this to Gustav-sama.”

“Why did you go to such lengths ……?”

Instead of answering, Princess Leia gently took the badge in my palm.

“Eh, Princess ……?”

“Please don’t move, okay?”

The Princess searched my chest with her hand to find just the right position, and then put the badge, the proof of her Guard Captain, on my left side of my chest.

“Gustav-sama, I am sure you will use this appropriately.”

“Princess..”

“I am not giving it to you because of your achievements. I am giving it to you because you have already protected me three times at the risk of your life. I give it to you because you are a kind-hearted Gustav. With my heartfelt gratitude, trust and respect.”

The princess said this in a gentle but very serious tone of voice. Those straight words …… scorned! and pierced my heart very cleanly.

“…. Princess!”

Something hot rose up in my chest, and I found myself clutching both of the princess’ hands with that momentum.

“Gustav-sama?!”

“Princess,. I’ll do my very best!”

I had never been trusted by people so much before. In my previous life, I rarely succeeded, and the only successes I had were in games. When Princess Leia is looking straight at me and expecting me to do well, I feel a twinge in the back of my nose. This is the scent of tears, of happy tears.

“I’ll protect the princess for sure! No matter if the Three Evil Heavenly Gods come or the Demon King comes, I’ll never let them touch the princess! I’ll protect you by your side for the rest of my life!”

“Yes, yes? Gustav-sama, that’s…!”

“As Guard Captain! I promise to live up to this badge! Even at the cost of my life!”

I will surely, surely repay the Princess’ trust in me!

I decided to salute her.

Then, the princess …… hmm? I don’t know. She seemed a little embarrassed and smiled vaguely.

“Ufufufu, that’s right, that’s what you mean, isn’t it? I was surprised. ……”

“Princess? You seem to be a bit red …… somehow?”

“Well, that’s not true, is it?”

The princess flapped her face with her hands and said, “Well,” and left my room. Apparently, she has a lesson to attend. I offered to walk her room, but she said, “You must be tired from moving. Please have a good rest today.” How kind. Princess Leia is a real angel.

“But even if you told me to rest, it’s still only noon.”

There is still time before night. I wondered what to do and remembered the gargoyle material.

“I can’t leave it alone for now, I guess I’ll take it to the blacksmith.”

I left the room with the large package containing the material.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

Gustav Lv 26.

Required experience points to level up – 237

Occupation: captain of Princess Leia’s ‘Guard Captain’ [NEW].

Gold in possession.

2,000G [NEW].

→Found during a move. All possessions.

(TL: I’m sorry guys, I missed adding bits of in the starting part and posted as it is)