CH 58

— That evening, after the ceremony, the Great Hall of the Royal Castle was filled with a lively atmosphere.

A buffet party is being held to celebrate the defeat of the Demon King. The hall is lined with gorgeous-looking and tasty dishes, and the waiters and waitresses are constantly busy. The party-goers were forming their own groups and chatting and laughing.

“Hey Gustav, is it possible to take this food home for the kids?”

“Hmmm… I understand the sentiment, but no.”

“So, Gustav, would it be possible to take home some of that meaty chicken as material for witchcraft research?”

“Absolutely not. What kind of research is that?”

We SS members are also in one group, savoring the delicious food together …in the corner of the hall. Because there is no other group that we can approach.

…It’s difficult to be at parties like this. I’ve never even been to a wedding reception in my previous life, you know? I don’t know what face to put on to be in a space like this.

“Oooh…”

The guys in the hall are turning their heads in our direction and letting out exclamations of admiration. We attract attention even if we’re standing in the corner as if we’re hiding.

… well, mainly because of the presence of the other two people.

“I feel like I’m getting some unwanted stares from people around me, what is it?”

“……. so unconscious beautiful girls actually exist, huh?”

“Huh?”

In response to my reply, Nina tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

… isn’t that what it’s about? Nina is the one who gets half of the attention that we are getting.

The three of us had changed our clothes from the ceremony and were dressed in party clothes. In this situation, Nina is wearing a scarlet-red dress with boldly exposed shoulders. The hem of the long skirt is adorned with pretty ruffles, which fully highlights Nina’s age-appropriate girlishness.

“What a stunningly beautiful girl…”

“I’d love to introduce her to my late son…”

“Maybe I should ask him to the dance…”

Such voices can be heard leaking out from men who seem to be aristocrats looking at Nina from a distance. Well, I know how you feel. If I had a girl like her in my class at school, I would spend more time looking at her than at the blackboard during class. That’s how cute she is.

She doesn’t know she’s being stared at like that, and she just tilts her head… but that’s just so adorable and cute!

“Fufu, Nina is very popular, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, what are you talking about?”

“Well, what is it?”

While saying this, Spera drank the glass of champagne in her hand. It seems that Spera is not as dense as Niña. She seems to understand the meaning of the look. However──.

“So you understand and you’re dressed like that, Spera-san…?”

“Yes, that’s true, but…. It suits me, doesn’t it?”

She turned her chest back, as if daring to emphasize it. Instantly, “Ooooh!” and the aristocratic men surrounding her in the distance burst out in joy.

… Well, that’s the kind of reaction you’re going to get. Spera’s dress was, how should I say it, [a walking obscenity], very provocative. The dark blue dress, in a color like the starry night sky, was designed to emphasize the round shape of the breasts and their cleavage to the fullest. The skirt is mini and her fleshy white thighs can be glimpsed every time she moves.

“Please make me your wife! I want her for my wife!”

“I can’t resist! I can’t introduce you to my late son! I want her as my own!”

“Hahahahaha… maybe I’ll ask her to the dance too…”

The men of the aristocracy are still glued to Spela. From a moment ago, they were all trying to find the right moment to talk to her, but when they got close to the overwhelming presence of her breasts, they all bent forward and walked away… as if they were going back to being monkeys. It’s like Darwin’s diagram of evolution played backwards. Men are weak.

“But you, Gustav, you haven’t looked at me at all since a moment ago, have you? Hora, please look at my dress properly, does it look good on me?”

“No, I saw it earlier, so that’s all right.”

“Don’t say that. Look, how do you like it? I’m trying to attract you. You can crawl in it at any time of the night.”

“‘No, I’m telling you, that’ why I don’t want to!”

I’ve managed to stand next to Spera’s explosive body by using all the reason I can muster to turn my face away from her. It’s been a hell of a struggle, but if I don’t overcome this, I won’t be able to achieve my goal today. I have work to do. So I can’t become like all those aristocratic men who are still unable to return to their posture after bending forward so miserably.

“─ ─ Oh!”

At that moment, the hall was filled with a loud murmur. Everyone’s eyes turned towards the entrance. We also peeked out from among the extraordinary number of nobles.

“Wow, that’s amazing…!”

“Wow, she really is beautiful.”

Both Nina and Spela looked at the scene with their mouths open. The one who had the eyes of almost everyone in the hall all to herself was – Princess Leia. She was led by her maid and walked down the center of the hall in a pure white dress with floral lace around the bust.

“How beautiful…”

“It’s so heartwarming…”

“I feel so embarrassed to go and say hello-…”

The people who had been ogling at Spela’s figure earlier were stunned, as if their spirits had been drained out of them. No one moved, as if time had stopped. The princess’ appearance was that perfect.

However, some time after the princess stopped, a nobleman started to move, and many men started to move in unison.

“Princess Leia! I want to say hello!”

“Me too!”

“And me next time!”

Immediately, a queue of nobles waiting to greet Princess Leia formed in front of her.

“Oh, dear. That’s a lot of work, Leia.”

“Yes, it is. I’m getting tired just from greeting… is something wrong, Gustav?”

“Nah, I, it’s nothing.”

I replied and drank the glass of champagne in my hand in one gulp. As if to extinguish the sparks of fire smoldering in my heart.

I was so in love with Princess Leia that I couldn’t believe how far I had fallen in love with her. I never thought that my jealousy would be ignited even by the sight of noble men flocking to greet her.

After a while, live music by an orchestra began to play in the hall. The nobles with their partners began to dance gracefully to the music, while the men without partners began to look around in search of women.

“Well…”

I took a step towards Princess Leia.

“Gustav?”

I hear Nina and Spera calling me from behind, but I don’t look back. I just walk. Step by step with my big step, as if I’m cutting through the wind with my shoulders.

…I’m sorry, you two. I can’t sit still any longer. I’m going to go for a bit.

As soon as I left the place, the men of the nobility rushed towards Nina and the others as if on target. I’m sure they went to ask for a dance, but… daredevils. Nina and Spera are not so easy, are they?

Anyway, I walked. In a straight line to Princess Leia, not even looking at the long line of other nobles leading to her. Then I open my mouth to interrupt the Princess and the nobles, who are now talking feverishly, trying to get her attention.

“Princess!”

“Huh!”

At the sound of my voice, the princess turns to me with a start.

“G, Gustav… sama?”

“Yes. I am Gustav.”

Princess Leia’s forehead is lightly sweating as she turns towards us. Her voice, slightly raised in surprise, is also somewhat thirsty, and it is clear that she is probably tired from her constant conversations with the nobles.

“What can I do for you, boy?”

The bearded aristocrat who was having an ongoing conversation with Princess Leia, wrinkled his brows.

“As you can see, I’m talking to the Princess at the moment.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Then why did you interrupt me? I’m sure you’re not ignorant of the etiquette… and come to think of it, you’re a former commoner who, I believe, defeated the Demon King or something like that. If that’s the case, it’s no wonder you’re so rude.”

When the nobleman sneers at me like that, Princess Leia’s usually mild-mannered expression turns grim. I’m sure she’s trying to say something back to me… but before she does, I take her hand as if to stop such Princess Leia.

“Heh… gu, Gustav-sama?”

Immediately, the princess’ face turns bright red.

“Hey, you! To suddenly take the hand of His Highness the Princess… you’re being disrespectful!”

The nobleman pulls back the thin smile on his face and snorts. In contrast, I dare to turn around with a haughty attitude.

“The princess is tired.”

“What?”

“Of course she is, she has greeted several people in a row. She needs a break.”

“But, but, but… I’ve stood in line all this way…”

“Does aristocratic etiquette mean that you only push through your own convenience and have no regard for the feelings of others?”

“No, no…!”

“As SS commander, I will fulfil my duty to let the princess rest.”

As the nobles were unable to say anything back to my words, and were silenced, I pulled Princess Leia out of in front of the line of nobles, leaving the hand I had taken intact.

“G, Gustav-Sama…”

“Let’s go, Princess.”

“…but…”

“Princess, I want to stay with you.”

“?”

Princess Leia held my hand back tightly with a surprised look. Her face is redder than before, and the perfect dignified attitude that she had before when she came to the venue is gone now. She is changed to embarrassed, wriggling her body in a fidgety manner.

“Princess Leia…!”

From behind, the clinging eyes of the nobles followed her with such a voice. Princess Leia turns her head once in response and smiles at them, as if troubled.

“…I’m sorry, I seem to be a little tired.”

After saying this, she pulled my arm tightly around her and started walking side by side.