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Chapter 314 – Warming Up An Old Friendship
This free collection trip is scheduled for three days and two nights.
Today, the first day is a travel day. We will spend the whole day tomorrow collecting and returning the day after tomorrow. The members were supposed to be me, the three oni girls and three harpies as guards, and Grande and Aquawill-san.
“A royal daughter going out without a caretaker is out of the question. It is also outrageous for a girl to go out overnight with a gentleman.”
“You say so, Seraphita-sama.”
“I see. I’ll take you to the collecting grounds.”
“Mother!
After a farce-like exchange of words, Aquawill-san protested vehemently, and two maids were assigned to accompany her as caretakers and escorts.
And now, we are preparing to leave for the castle parking lot, which is mainly used for loading and unloading the carriages.
“Ahaha, it’s been a long time.”
“It’s been a long time. It’s good to see you looking so well.”
One of the two caretakers and guards was a large woman who I recognized. The brown-furred, rounded ears could be seen twitching busily on her head.
“But a maid
 A maid?”
“I-I am a maid, in case you were wondering.”
As I tilted my head, Gerda twisted around with a troubled expression on her face. It is true that the apron dress is of a plain color, but she wears a breastplate on her chest and metal-reinforced arms. I don’t know what’s inside her skirt, but judging from the sound she makes when she walks, she seems to be equipped with at least a leg brace reinforced with metal.
The most prominent features are the custom-made steel tower shield on her back and the long steel mace beside her. I made that one before and gave it to her. I can see scratches and dents in places, so there must be no mistake.
If I had to describe her existence in one word, I would say that she is a maid, but a fantasy battle maid. And she is a power-type battle maid.
“You’re different from the maids I know.”
“I belong to the Royal Guard now, you know.”
“I see?”
Is this some kind of specialized position among the Royal Guard to guard female royalty? Rather, you mean you’re now a Royal Guard
?
“Does that mean you’re getting a promotion?”
“Ah, yes. I used to be an ordinary heavy infantryman, so being selected as a member of the Royal Guard is a promotion, isn’t it?”
“Congratulations. But I haven’t seen you at the castle until now, have I?”
“I was only appointed three days ago. It was my first assignment after moving into my quarters at the castle.”
“Haha, I see.”
As I was warming up my old friendship with Gerda, the other guard walked up behind Gerda and slapped her on the buttocks. A good sound was heard.
“Ahin!”
“Don’t stand there talking forever. Get to work, get to work.”
The woman looking up at Gerda’s face with glare is a woman I’ve seen in the castle a few times. I don’t know her name, though. She stands out a lot.
“Kosuke-sama, please don’t spoil our newcomer too much.”
“I understand. By the way, may I ask your name?”
“Speaking of which, I have never told you my name, have I? My name is Leviera. As a member of the Royal Guard, I am mainly responsible for the protection and personal care of the female royal family. Please take care of me from now on.”
Leviera-san bowed politely as she said this. She was a stereotypical devil-looking woman with bluish-gray skin, bat-like black wings, a thin tail with a pointed tip like an arrowhead sprouting from her waist, and a twisted sheep-like horn on her head like Melty. Her eyes were black in the whites, with bright red pupils.
Because of her distinctive looks, her presence was firmly etched in my mind even though I had no particular connection with her. In any case, I should return the greeting. According to one theory, it is written so in the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters). I don’t know if it’s true or not.
“Best regards. I am――”
“I know Kosuke-sama very well.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Leviera-san nodded.
She is one of the many people who work at the castle, although her distinctive looks make her stand out from the rest. However, I am the spouse of the head of the country, and I do not hide the fact that I am a visitor. It is safe to say that there is no one who works at the castle who does not know my face, name, and position.
Naturally, she knows me very well.
“I’m sorry to have caused you so much trouble.”
“No, it’s part of the mission. Also, there is no need for you to be so formal with me. Kosuke-sama is the prince consort of Her Majesty Sylphiel, and we are the Royal Guard to protect the royal family.”
“Since I’m just a complete commoner, I’m not very good at acting like royalty or anything like that. 

 Well, I would appreciate it if you could let me off the hook for that. Yes.”
“I think you’d better get used to it. I don’t mean to be rude, but depending on how you behave, it’s possible that Her Majesty Sylphiel may be looked down upon.”
“I will do my best.”
Hearing my reply, Leviera-san
 Leviera bowed deeply to me and walked with Gerda in tow toward where the air board that would be our footing was parked. She said something to Gerda, and Leviera’s tail occasionally swatted Gerda’s buttocks. That tail seemed to be able to move quite freely.
“Are they rivals?”
“No, I don’t think so. They are Royal Guards, aren’t they?”
“Well, what do you think? Gerda seems to have been in love with Kosuke ever since she was in the Liberation Army, and she transferred all the way to the Royal Guard, right?”
“So, she has been chasing after him? It is pure love, isn’t it?”
“Wait a minute, I think I have just received a shocking piece of information.”
Gerda has been in love with me since she was in the Liberation Army? Oh, no, I think I heard something about that when a bunch of guys got together and had a chat, but I wasn’t sure if it was true or not, so I just passed it up completely.
“You’re a sinful man, aren’t you?”
“I guess that means Aquawill-sama is next in his sights, right? Is he a royalty-con?”
“Maybe Leviera too. Well? As the prince consort of the Merinard kingdom, it may be possible to embody the harmony of races without dividing them, right?”
“That’s not my intention. Not at all.”
The oni girls look at my declaration with suspicion.
There is no such thing. I simply didn’t want to continue to be in an awkward situation with Sylphy’s sister, and since Seraphita-san told me to do so, I did my best to get her to accompany me on this collecting trip with the intention of making it a little less awkward. There is no royalty-con or any such evil intention. I mean, is Iphrita already judged to have fallen in your mind?
I feel like it’s too much to say
 there’s nothing between Iphrita and me at the moment, but there’s nothing definitive. No can do.
“By the way, where’s Grande?”
“You’ve just changed the subject forcibly, haven’t you?”
“Shut up!”
“Ouch!”
I slap Bella’s ass, who is grinning at me. Bella’s ass, with its well-developed muscles hidden deep inside, is a good place to slap. I’ll slap her ass the next time she does something wrong.
“If it’s Grande-chan, she’s already asleep on the air board.”
“I guess everything’s packed, so let’s get going.”
It seemed that Aquawill-san had finished moving out all the stuff she had prepared. A large number of wooden boxes, each about the size of a large bag, were piled up. What in the world is inside?
I headed for the air board with my head tilted. The question is whether they can all fit on the air board
 If it’s too cramped, we can just bring out two air boards. Bella can drive one, and I can drive the other.