CH 19.2

The Princess Runs with the Wolf

“And I definitely don’t agree. Her Majesty’s scolding will be even longer if you keep saying this, you know? You will be spanked again.”

“Ugh… but I hate going by carriage, it’s so uncomfortable. Coote doesn’t shake so much.”

“You agreed to go knowing that from the very start though, Young lady. Which country’s noble young lady rides around on her familiar?”

“You can’t be a Dragon Knight if you don’t ride on your familiar.”

“You are not a Dragon Knight, Young lady, and this is a wolf!”

“It’s not ‘this’ it’s Coote.”

Aletheia doesn’t get along with Coote. Even though she’s a half blood, she’s still a fox beastgirl. She instinctively dislikes him, I think? No, I’m sure there’s something that makes them incompatible, and they’ve been glaring at each other for a while now. Alright, time to force my way through. We won’t make any progress like this otherwise. There won’t be a problem if I get on Coote and just leave.

“I won’t let you.”

Yep, it wasn’t possible. There’s too much difference in our physical ability. I’m just six years old… I’m just a little girl and I won’t direct my magic on Aletheia, so when I tried to scoot over to Coote, she grabbed me by the sides and lifted me up.

“Don’t wanna~~~”

flap, flap

I was lifted!! I’m not a child!! I hate being lifted like this. No, I’m just a kid but not like this.

“Yesyes, let’s go back.”

“Absolutely not!!”

“Let’s have a match then.”

What!! There’s no way we can do something so dangerous.

“… No way.”

“If you win, you can ride the dog. But, if you lose, you must promise me to obediently ride in the carriage. As for the rules, anything goes as long as no one dies. You can heal most of the injures after all, Young lady.”

I don’t want to do anything so dangerous… but if I defeat Aletheia, I can go by the more comfortable vehicle, namely Coote… let’s steel my heart and defeat Aletheia. I was able to stop Mr. Albert in his tracks, and I cannot win against Aletheia any other way, so let’s try that on her once.

“Let’s begin then.”

Aletheia put away her kukri sword and took a bare-handed stance.

“Gravity…!!”

When I used Gravity Press to suppress her, Aletheia suddenly took out a knife and directed it towards her tail… hey! That’s dangerous, you will damage the fur.

“If I lose, I will shave my tail and never let the fur regrow. I will hide it in my pants.”

Surely not… this…

“……… Threatening me is cheating.”

“What are you going to do? If you beat me, I’m not going to let you touch my tail again, Young lady.”

“Nggggh.”

What do I do? Aletheia’s fur is slightly better than Coote’s. I don’t like the idea of not being able to touch it again. But, I also don’t like the idea of riding in a carriage. Just what am I supposed to do…

“Time is running out.”

Aletheia was about to cut the hair on her tail.

“Stop! It’s my loss, so anything but that!”

When Aletheia heard my declaration, she was in a good mood and put away her knife… she must have anticipated this result. I didn’t stand a chance from the start. I was being made to dance in the palm of her hand. I fell to my knees and hands on the ground and cried out in shame.

“Sniff, you… coward.”

“As long as I win. There is no way I’m going to give you the conditions to win, Young lady. Now let’s go back to the carriage. Please don’t resist. You are not one to break your word, are you?”

Thus, Aletheia carried me to the carriage like luggage.

“… Coward.”

“If we get serious, I stand no chance and I would be punished for treason by aiming my sword at you, Young lady.”

That’s definitely out of question. I don’t think people usually threaten a princess of a country like this, though.

“Besides, Her Majesty gave me orders. ‘You can tie her up if she doesn’t listen.’ I wouldn’t normally resort to that, but you have a tendency to act too free, Young lady. I have been given the authority to punish you to a certain extent.”

“I will bathe today alone. I can’t live with warden.”

That’s only natural, I don’t want to live under surveillance, even if it’s Aletheia.

“I’ve been ordered to stay with you at all times, except for the restroom break. If you run away, you will be deported back to the country and given a special lecture by Her Majesty.”

That’s too scary. I wish I had been born a commoner. Where can I find freedom? If it is the deepest part of the dungeon, I want to attack it as soon as possible. And Aletheia, you sometimes say strange things, and although I don’t want to part with you, I’m tired of being with you 24 hours a day.

“I’ll wait outside when you are in your room, so you won’t see me that much.”

“… I hope so.”

Then I asked Aletheia a question that I had been thinking about for a while.

“Why am I already tied up?”

“It’s my hobby and for practice.”

“You mustn’t abuse your authority.”

I guess Aletheia shouldn’t be given any privileges… she quickly abused her authority, which is usually punishable by death. Well, I don’t want Aletheia to die, so I can’t tell anyone.