CH 73

Leaving Chloe’s house, Wind, who had been lying down on its stomach by the door with its eyes shut, suddenly got up as it saw Latina.

“Sorry for making you wait.”

Hearing her words, it replies with an energetic swing of its tail.

As soon as the girl and animal, started to walk, side by side, Latina noticed that person. It was a young woman. What caught her eyes, was her outfit that looked like a traveler. You don’t really see many travelers in this part of the working town. This was also a part of the commercial area in the Eastern District, but apart from the people who live here and some select adventurers, it was normal for most of them to use the outer shops.

“Is she lost?”

“Wafu?”

The reason she muttered that, was because she had once gotten lost in this working street before. She recalls the hopelessness she felt back then. The place here was as convoluted as a maze. It was understandable.

The girl stopped walking as she restlessly looked around her surroundings. Seeing how she was acting, it seemed that her deduction was correct.

“Um…. are you alright?”

“Eh?”

The woman turns her head, shaking her deep, chestnut-coloured hair. As soon as she saw her face, Latina opened her mouth unconsciously, gaping.

(Fuahh…. What an incredibly beautiful person….)

It seems that the other person was also surprised about something, but Latina didn’t seem to notice that and was thinking about something else instead.

(Hmm….? Where have I…..)

As she was immersed in her thoughts, she looked at the deep, pronounced blue eyes of the woman in front of her. In that instant, she remembered.

“Rose….”

“Oh my! It’s the Fairy Princess, right?!”

Latina was surprised. She couldn’t help jump.

“Fueh?”

Letting out a pathetic noise, she looks at the girl in front of her. She was a beautiful woman, with gentle facial features more mature than her own. Her blue pupils under those long eyelashes, glistened impishly. Even though she possessed a slim, elegant figure, and a delicate appearance, she didn’t leave the impression of being a sheltered princess.

*

That’s right. A princess.

Her characteristic hair colour was different to when I had last saw her, but — Perhaps, she was hiding it. Seeing her like this seemed somewhat unnatural — I remembered her face and eye colour.

What kind of joke is it that, she, someone who should be a noble princess, would even call a normal citizen living in the working parts of the city, me, a 『princess』.

*

In front of 『her』, who was smiling as she placed her white, silky hands in front of her chest with a, boomph, Latina’s head was in chaos, going around in circles. It seems that her shaking was seen by the other person, and she seemed to find it funny and her smile blossomed even further. Her gentle eyes left an even deeper impression.

“….It’s embarrassing, so please…. Stop calling me that…..”

In the end, what Latina managed to squeeze out was, just that one sentence.

“I was the rude one. You were even cuter than the rumours said so, without thinking I….”

“Fuaahh…. Da-Dale…. What is he saying in all these places….”

Pressing both her hands onto her cheeks, it was clear that she was feeling flushed.

She had known that the regulars who thought she was cute had given her a nickname, 『Fairy Princess』. She was still considered quite the 『little girl』 in that shop. Which is why, she could still understand being treated as a “Girly” and as a “Princess”, and being doted on in that shop.

Dale had certainly said that this girl was an 『Acquaintance of a friend of his』.

Which meant that, since he would mix that pet name into his normal speech, he would also probably talk about it with that 『Friend』. I wonder what they would talk about.

At any rate, there was no doubting that it was embarrassing.

“….Are you the…. Rose-coloured Princess?”

“My…. you know about me?”

Judging from how she was smiling happily, it didn’t seem like she was making a misunderstanding. Latina looked around at the surroundings several times. She couldn’t find a person guiding her.

“I’ve seen you, once before. ….Are you by yourself?”

Hearing Latina’s question, she looked at her with a calm gaze. It made her feel like she couldn’t calm down, like she could see all the way down into the depths of her heart.

“Yes. There was no one guiding me, so it seems that I made a mistake with the gate. It would be faster to just ask you, wouldn’t it…… Could you please take me to Dale Reki-sama’s location?”

It was unnatural.

Yes, she understood immediately. She could feel that this was most likely related to something bad.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t find a reason to refuse. Latina was silent for a few seconds, and although it was a forced, she showed a smile.

“Dale, should be out working right now. In any case, I’ll take you to the shop where Dale stays at.”

“Thank you very much.”

As she smiled towards the glowing Rose-coloured Princess, Latina bent over. She whispers quietly to Wind, standing nearby.

“….Wind, inform Kenneth about this. I’ll be fine.”

“Wafu?”

“After that, if possible, could you go find Dale for me? He should be in the southern forests.”

“Wan.”

Saying that, before Wind took a step forward, it brushed its tail against Latina with a puff. Latina shows it a slightly bitter smile as if telling it to do it properly.

The southern forest of Kroix, was a playground to Wind. It appears it would sometimes slip away from town and play there. It seems it was quite mischievous, because when Wind first went out to play, Dale had scolded it, “If you keep that up, I’ll have to deal with you.” From then on, it had said that it would play further away from town.

Rather than relying on someone else, it was probably quickest to just leave it to Wind.

“What a strange animal.”

“He’s a very smart child.”

As she answers, Latina took another look at the surroundings. The reason she looked around this time, was to check whether or not there were any suspicious people. She had a hunch that there wasn’t anyone looking over here suspiciously. In any case, it was probably okay for the time being.

“I think that it was good that you came in from the Eastern gate.  ….Since there are quite a few rowdy people at the Southern gate. ….Shall we head over towards the main street? Or would it be better to go to a more private place?”

“Well.”

She let out a voice as if she was slightly surprised, and once again changed her expressions to a gentle smile.

“I’ve shaken off the people chasing me, so I think that it’ll be okay. But, it might be better to head towards a place with less people.”

As I thought, it didn’t seem like something good was happening.

With a stiff smile plastered on Latina, she guided the Rose-coloured Princess and started to head home.

“You sure brought home an unexpected gift, even though I just told you to go shopping….”

Kenneth was waiting in front of the store with an astonished look. It seems that Wind had done his job properly, and warned him ahead of time.

“Did Wind go?”

“Yeah. Although, that guy doesn’t really listen to anyone other than you anyway Latina….. It helps that he told us.”

It seems that Kenneth had thought that it would be best to call Dale home as well. He didn’t reject Latina’s judgement.

“Anyway, come in first. There’s room inside.”

“Understood. ….Please, over here.”

“Thank you very much.”

Saying so, it seemed that the smiling Rose-coloured Princess, didn’t feel uncomfortable being at a shop located in the lower parts of town, the 『Dancing Ocelot’s』, which definitely was not a top class shop.

Her sitting posture was elegant as well, as she straightened her back on the hard wooden chair, however she didn’t really look like a 『Noble princess』.

“It would be best, I believe, if I told you my story first, before Dale Reki-sama returns. I’m sorry for the late introduction. My name is Rose Cornelius. The Cornelius family has a territory as well as court rank, however my personal standing is with the Shrine of 『(Indigo God) Nili』. So please, you don’t have to be too respectful around me.”

Smiling like that, Rose was definitely a gentle girl with a relaxing atmosphere floating about her. The shrines of 『Nili』 open their doors to the town, and has been a facility that treats the sick and wounded. If she was working in that sort of place then, her friendly, easy to talk to demeanor, unlike that of a 『Noble』, was probably due to that as well.

“I’ve heard that you have a high-ranked 『Divine Protection』, and that you were famous as an extraordinary priest.”

“I’m not that exaggerated a person, but since I have had 『something special』 with me ever since I was born, I stand out, whether that’s a good or bad.”

Saying so, she touches her hair. Looking closely at her, that dark chestnut-coloured hair appears to be a wig.

“As a result however, no one, realises that it’s me if I hide this.”

Rose chuckles, as if she was a child playing a prank.

“….What do you need from Dale?”

“I want him to pass on a message for me. Since I haven’t made acquaintance with the lord of this city, the chief.”

Rose answered without looking uncomfortable even towards Latina, whose caution was beginning to show itself. Instead she revealed a smile with a trace of calm belonging to that of a woman above her age.

“Why are you, specifically, looking for Dale? In the first place, you don’t seem to be a 『Princess』 who would go to a place without a plan right?”

Kenneth’s voice also had a hint of caution. After making a face as if that was obvious, Rose quietly answered.

“I, until the just other day, was by the side of the 『Second Demon Lord』.”