I Became the Second-in-Command in a Romance Fantasy Novel - Chapter 59

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Mordor

◈ I Became the Second-in-Command in a Romance Fantasy Novel ◈

Chapter 59: Don't Try to Understand (4)

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Rias Territory.

It was one of the harshest regions on the Empire's borders, and House Rias, which oversaw the area, had protected it admirably for generations with its powerful military strength.

That was all I knew about it.

I hadn't needed to know anything more.

It was supposed to become an important main setting in the part after the Academy arc, but...

That was the romance-fantasy crew's problem.

I was planning to somehow drag our bastard prince back to the Kingdom and hole up there.

No matter how I looked at it, I believed it was a place with absolutely nothing to do with me.

Which was why...

"People live there?"

After hearing the special lecture on Rias Territory, I found myself wondering why anyone would live in a place like that.

"Hey. It's our territory, no matter what. Isn't that a little harsh?"

"But how do people actually live there?"

"Marie, you too..."

Even Flame-Slinger raised a hand and asked with a face full of pure curiosity. There were far too many things in Taylor's explanation of Rias Territory that made no sense.

"Even the natural wildlife is full of predators, and there are monsters everywhere."

"There are a lot of dungeons nearby, and unidentified dungeons appear periodically too?"

"On top of that, monster waves break out regularly."

"Hey, aren't you from the Empire?!"

Even Uncle Aryn had to say something. Rias Territory was not exactly a pleasant place for people to live.

"That's why the people of Rias are strong."

"So all the weak ones died?"

"Is that really right?"

Of course, Leon and Dale also had areas similar to Rias Territory.

If a nation was called one of the continent's great powers, it generally bordered a place like Rias.

But they designated those places as forbidden zones and managed them by periodically dispatching troops.

There probably wasn't another country that settled in one like Rias and governed it as a territory.

"Right. Only the Empire could do it."

As Uncle Aryn puffed out his chest with pride, Flame-Slinger and I whispered quietly.

"If you're so proud of it, why did you make such a fuss about beating Leon or Dale that we ended up coming here?"

"And Dark Mages break through all the time."

"More importantly, Rias is the one going through hell to keep it contained. Why's someone unrelated acting all smug?"

"Taylor, you bastard! You're supposed to take my side!"

Leaving Uncle Aryn and Taylor behind after they traded a hit each, I asked Taylor what I was really curious about.

"Is it okay to take students somewhere like that?"

No matter how well House Rias managed the territory, it was a place full of variables.

Most of the students were nobles, and this year's first-years included quite a few nobles from other countries.

If Prince Ellen or that magic-slinger's prince got hurt, it could become an international incident.

"It is a little dangerous by ordinary students' standards. But as I said before, the Academy believes in the talent of the current first-years."

If you looked at it coldly, the Academy's judgment wasn't bad.

If this world hadn't been a romance fantasy, that was.

"Isn't it dangerous when Daisy's there?"

"The Saintess? Well, I have heard there is a group targeting the Saintess. But don't worry. We're Rias!"

Taylor spoke with absolute pride, but sadly, it wasn't reassuring.

Because...

"That's what Uncle Aryn said too."

"Ghk!"

Before the Academy was breached, Uncle Aryn used to say things like that too.

Even after it was breached once, his reaction had been similar.

"That's right, Taylor. You need to watch out for the Saintess... Daisy."

Uncle Aryn seemed to have gained a decent understanding of romance fantasies, but unfortunately, Taylor had absolutely no understanding of them.

"What do you mean? Watch out for the Saintess?"

"Well..."

Uncle Aryn tried to explain, but...

"Aaargh!"

No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't explain what he had seen.

He could only clutch his head and scream.

"Anyway, what are you going to do?"

"W-What do you mean?"

Leaving the Empire duo to fool around, I asked Flame-Slinger what she was doing that afternoon.

After all...

"Today's the closing ceremony. It's your last chance for a date."

"Ghk..."

At that, tears began welling up in her eyes again.

Goddamn Flame-Slinger.

"W-Why are you looking at me like that?! You're the same!"

"No, I'm not."

"W-What?"

Why was she making such a shocked face?

"Of course not. I've got a date."

It was fucking unfair that someone who wanted one couldn't have one.

"And I have two of them."

"......"

I really didn't want to do either of them, but I had to.

* * *

-From this moment, the closing ceremony of the Founding Festival...

Along with an announcement echoing from far away, a large stack of firewood was set ablaze.

A campfire.

I'd seen them more in comics than novels, and more in school stories than romance fantasies.

...I still had no idea why they were holding a campfire in a medieval romance fantasy, especially at an Academy full of nobles.

But that wasn't important right now.

"Nobody's really paying attention."

When I muttered that quietly...

"Didn't I tell you to trust me?"

Thump. Lorellia patted her chest and gave me a confident smile.

Like she said, even in a space packed with students, I barely felt any stares.

There were a few from where the Flower Arrangement Club members were gathered, maybe?

Of course, two of those gazes were a little intense.

Still, they vanished soon enough with the fireworks that marked the end of the festival.

"Getting the final day makes me feel like I've won."

"What are two fakes even winning?"

"You call it fake, but didn't that side steal my fiancé from me?"

"Sounds like you wanted to return him yourself, though."

"That makes it even more unpleasant. He was taken from me when I didn't even want him. Doesn't that feel like a complete defeat?"

"So you got revenge?"

"Something like that?"

Seeing her hum as she nodded, she really did seem excited.

"That's why it's a shame. Only the first-years are going to Rias Territory."

"Word's already out?"

"It seems you know too, Adam. The rumor has spread among the student council and a few people involved. It feels a little buried because of the Founding Festival, but... after today, everyone who matters will know."

"When will it be announced?"

"At the first class next week. They want to maintain the festival mood through this week."

Hell would begin the following week.

"No wonder they said they were skipping midterms to celebrate the Founding Festival."

"They crammed everything into the study trip and finals."

"Why is a study trip an exam?"

"Didn't you know? The study in study trip means to refine one's learning. In other words, it's a journey of learning. In that sense, this first-year study trip will probably be the trip that best embodies that meaning."

Lorellia let out a quiet laugh, then held out her hand.

"A campfire calls for dancing."

"Do nobles enjoy campfires too?"

"Nobles are people too."

That still didn't make sense to me.

They didn't hold campfires at royal events in Leon.

Did the Empire?

I couldn't imagine them piling wood in the middle of the imperial garden and throwing a festival around it.

"Please go easy on me."

"Don't worry. This is my specialty."

She half-dragged me out, and we spun around several times.

Every now and then, I felt a few sharp gazes, but those people were dancing with other men too, so wasn't that a draw?

More surprisingly, Violet was also dancing with the other romance-fantasy male leads one by one.

It must have been common in the Empire.

"Hm, come to think of it. That friend you're watching. You pulled them over to Leon's side, didn't you?"

"Did Uncle Aryn already tell you everything?"

"He had to. This matter is more troublesome than you think. My father is moving personally."

"You're still helping me."

"Hm. It's a promise. And we were the ones who caused the trouble first, so we have no choice but to pay more attention to it."

"It seems more like your father is helping than you are..."

"I had to act cute with my father for the first time in a long while to make that happen. Do you know how hard that is at my age?"

I understood that, but...

"You know this is a disaster you brought on yourself, right?"

At my question, Lorellia smiled.

"I do. So come play with me in the disaster."

She said something incredibly ominous.

* * *

After my first date ended, I headed to the meeting spot for my second.

Naturally, Daisy was waiting there...

"You're here."

No, it was Princess Hestia, holding a sword.

"You've been doing a good job running away until now, haven't you?"

"I haven't run away."

"Did you think I wouldn't know you ran off after dumping Ellen on me?"

The princess was sharper than expected.

"Coming from someone who seemed to forget about Ellen because she was learning from the Sword Emperor."

"......"

At that, Princess Hestia looked away.

After arriving at the Academy, she had been so thrilled to receive daily lessons from the Sword Emperor that she had even neglected things she needed to do.

"H-How did you..."

How did I know?

"Senior Lucia was crying while looking everywhere for you, Princess."

Even if Senior Lucia was only the figurehead president, there were limits to handling tasks that only the princess could do.

So whenever Lucia wandered all over the Empire looking for Princess Hestia, the Intelligence Bureau agents accompanying her naturally came to me asking what they should do.

"L-Lucia, honestly."

Was she really blaming Senior Lucia here?

Once we returned, the Commander was probably going to be swamped with Senior Lucia's resignation letters for a while.

"A-Anyway! That was all training to defeat you!"

Whoosh.

Princess Hestia raised her sword and tossed the sword in her other hand toward me.

"Come at me."

Her confident expression was unchanged, but...

"Why are you thinking about sword fighting at another country's festival?"

Honestly, I had no reason to fight.

"What, scared?"

She made an aggressively provocative face, but there was no reason for me to take the bait.

"No, seriously. And we're going back home after the second semester anyway. I'll beat you then, so why don't you go watch the closing ceremony, Princess?"

Maybe my sincerity reached her. The princess frowned and lowered her sword.

"I saw it earlier. All they do is go around in circles near a burning pile of wood. Isn't sparring more fun than something that boring?"

"Everyone from the Empire seems to enjoy it. Why don't you try it once?"

"Dancing is like swordsmanship. You can't do it alone. Or are you planning to be my partner?"

"Well, I can do that much."

I'd just danced with my fake lover a moment ago anyway.

For the princess of my own country, a simple dance was...

"Then why are you holding a sword?"

I was going to dance with her, but this woman raised her sword again the moment I said I would be her partner.

"In Leon, we dance with swords."

"......"

Taking her stance, Princess Hestia grinned and looked to one side.