Before we put up the wooden wards, Leon telepathically spoke to me.
"Rio, let's leave this place for a moment. Once we are away from the Crown Prince kid, we will be able to use our full strength."
"All right. I'll put up some wooden boundaries to make sure they can't see us."
After we left, I activated Recognition Inhibition, and Leon and I were transferred to the 50th level along with the goblins that had been chasing us. I had used my Transference Magic.......
Upon seeing us, the twin-headed dragon, the last boss, exclaimed, "What! You came again?" But as soon as he saw the goblins, he revealed his true brutality.
"Even if we leave the goblins alone, he would take care of them. Let's leave him alone and get out of here while we still can."
Deploying a transfer magic circle.
Behind us, we could hear sounds of the goblins' demise and a few other noises we didn't want to hear, so we decided to get out of there as soon as possible.
Once again, we emerged in a familiar place.
"I can't help but end up back here, can I?"
This is the Rose Garden in the forest of the estate.
"Rio must really like it here."
"Yes. And by the way, Leon. I haven't had enough fluff. Please let me fluff just a little bit."
Leon shrugged his shoulders and changed into his cat form.
After giving Leon a good fondling in his cat form, we returned to the original 20th level.
We ran back from a short distance away, as if we had defeated the goblins by attracting them to a different location.
"Rio! You're safe. Thank God!"
Looks like things have already been taken care of here too. Chris hugged me.
"I've managed to beat them."
I gently patted Chris on the back.
Dragging Charlotte, who was still holding on to him and wouldn't let go, the Crown Prince walked to Leon's side.
Even so, I started to feel sorry for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Enough, already! Charlotte.
"Leon. I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"
"Umu. I'm unharmed. I'm glad you are all right."
The Crown Prince bowed to Leon, then turned around and bowed to me as well.
"I am sorry Rio. For making you fight. ......"
"Please raise your head, Your Royal Highness. You are the Crown Prince of this land. How could we possibly put you in harm's way?"
Though I made it sound reasonable, I didn't feel the need for thanks since I was able to fluff Leon because of it.
"That's right. It is the duty of the subjects to protect the Crown Prince. Richard, you should not worry about it."
Charlotte interjected unnecessarily. Ah. This is bad. Chris is about to lose her temper. I held Chris in my arms and didn't let her break loose, thinking she was going to hit someone at any moment.
I secretly whispered to her, "Just bear with it, if you can, you can pet Leon later." And Chris's strength relaxed a little.
Her gaze coldly fixed on Charlotte, who clung to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Everyone was furious.
It would be best to return to the surface quickly before everyone loses their temper.
Even after leaving the dungeon, Charlotte did not separate from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and on the contrary, she collapsed.
Since it was impossible to leave her there, the Crown Prince carried Charlotte to the campsite in a princess carry.
Because of this unforeseen event, the orientation was cancelled.
"She was definitely faking it."
Chris's mouth curved into a smile as she fluffed Leon.
"Well, in my opinion, it was a great feat to fall backwards with the realization that she might've hit her head."
With a grunt, Charlotte had fallen backwards with an "'Ahh!" She must have calculated that the Crown Prince would be there to catch her in his arms. If she had not made the right calculation, she would have hit the ground and it would have been a catastrophe.
"Well, he's my brother, after all. He is a gentleman in a strange way. He should have just shoved her off and joined the fight."
"I admire Charlotte's courage. Even in the face of death, she refused to let go of the Crown Prince."
"Hey, Yurie. Did you really lose to that feeble-minded girl before you came back?"
Tojurou-san asked, sipping his tea while munching on veggie dumplings.
"Before returning, I had been so absorbed in my magical studies that I never took any interest in her."
However, Tojurou-san was wrong, Charlotte has never been feeble-minded. But above everything else, her obsession with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is incomprehensible. What made her so obsessed with him?
"Whatever, but why have you come all the way here Kikuno-sama?"
"I was feeling a bit pissed off about what happened at noon, so I decided to vent some of those feelings."
After the orientation was canceled, we disbanded and rented out Ayano-san's store for a tea party.
"Rio. Did you appraise those goblins?"
Leon opened one eye and looked at me while Chris fluffed him.
"Yes. There were too many of them, so I was curious about them and did an appraisal."
No matter how many species that attack people in groups, there were too many of them at that particular time. Although the dungeon is large and there should be monsters here and there, it was clearly an anomaly.
"I was fighting the goblins while keeping my barriers up, so I didn't have time to appraise them."
Although Tojurou-san and my brother defeated the goblins that came at them one after another, they were not able to handle all of them. The goblins that flowed to the rear were then handled by Kikuno-sama and Chris.
"Me, too. It was hard for Sieg and I to handle that many goblins. If only we had the Crown Prince's Fire Magic."
"Did you notice that Kikuno?"
Kikuno- nodded in affirmation to Leon's question.
"The goblins were under ''abnormal status,'' correct?"
Kikuno-sama was right, all the goblins were found to be "abnormal " in the appraisal results.
"What caused them to be 'abnormal'? No poison was used, I'm certain of that."
Tojurou-san's question was valid. There was no poison of any kind used against us. Spreading poison is dangerous in a dungeon, let alone applying it to swords and arrows. Unless you are well equipped.
"I can only guess, but those goblins were male. I think they were bewitched by Charlotte's skill."
"The Demonic Enchantment! Don't tell me it works on monsters too?"
No wonder Chris was surprised. After escaping from the dungeon, while fluffing Leon in the Rose garden, I had surmised the same thing. I don't know if Charlotte was unaware of this or if it was intentional.
"Hey! Don't tell me that the girl was manipulating them?"
"That's a possibility, too. However, since it was an accident that she fell into the 20th level, it is possible she is unaware of it."
Kikuno-sama also appraised Charlotte in the midst of the melee. The result was 'magic attribute: light, skill active'. However, she could not confirm whether she activated it intentionally or unknowingly.
"You can never be too careful," he said, "I wish I could get some more scales of the dragon god race to distribute to the other students. Shall we pull off all of Ron's scales? If it's his scales, it doesn't have to be reverse scales."
Leon is muttering something disturbing.
"How long do the scales of the dragon god tribe last?"
"It will last as long as the owner of the scales is alive. I would say forever. The Dragon Gods are immortal and sturdy."
It lasts forever. That's amazing! Scales of the Dragon God Tribe.
"Hey! Now where is that stupid cat that's trying to pull all my scales off?"
Speak of the devil. It's Ron-sama and Sylphy-sama.
"Hmph! So, you heard me."
"The Dragon Gods have good ears."
"Then it's time for a chat. Give me your scales."
Is Leon going to turn Ron-sama into a dragon without scales? That's terrible.
"Why not make Ron's scales part of the school emblem? That would require only a small amount, wouldn't it?"
Sylphy-sama, who was selecting rice cakes, made such a suggestion.
"What is a school emblem?"
"I see. There are no school emblems on this side of the world. Don't you have something to symbolize your magical academy?"
"Our symbol is the phoenix."
I showed Sylphy-sama the student handbook of the Magic Academy.
On the cover of the student handbook, the symbol of the school, a phoenix, was stamped in gold foil.
"I think Ron's scales could be fitted over the phoenix's eyes, don't you?"
"But it would be expensive to make an emblem for the school. Do you think the upper echelons of the Magic Academy would approve?"
The suggestion of Sylphy-sama is very good, but Ron-sama is right in his objection.
"No," he said, "I think it's a very good idea. I know a guy who can make a big impact in the upper echelons of society."
The anomaly occurred the day after the orientation.
The Crown Prince and Charlotte were close to each other.
If only that were the only thing, it would seem that Charlotte is getting closer to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince than she should. ......
"Rick. I want to have a cup of tea at a cafe on my way home."
"Sure," he said, "Shall we go? Lottie."
The two of them referred to each other by their nicknames.
"What are you talking about? Brother, today is hardly another cabinet meeting! You said you were going to leave early and attend the conference with Father."
Chris admonished but the crown prince merely grunted.
We hastily appraised the Crown Prince.
The result was "magical attribute: fire and wind, abnormal condition."
What we had feared had happened.
When we looked to see if the Crown Prince was wearing a tie, we saw that his tie pin was missing!
He always wore the tie pin. Why!?
"What's wrong, Rio? Were you frustrated when you saw me with Lottie?"
"It's all right. Even if I marry Lottie, I'll make you my second queen."
A laugh that contained mockery, a laugh that he showed me when I was being executed.
No doubt. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has fallen under the spell of Charlotte's skill, "Demonic Enchantment"!
On the first day of my transfer to the Magic Academy, His Highness the Crown Prince showed me around the school building, and from time to time I would steal a glance at his face.
Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a perfect appearance. A prince charming.
"I have met Richard-sama twice before. Do you remember me?"
"Of course. Once I visited the Baron Campbell family when I was ten years old. The second time we met at a tea party after my sister's magical attribute assessment."
You remembered me as I thought.
"Charlotte-sama did not enroll in the Academy of Magic at the age of thirteen, is that right?"
"Yes, indeed. Since I was a non-attributed person, I did not enroll in the Magic Academy, but instead received training to help out in the family business."
"But now you have awakened to the Light Magic attribute?"
I didn't just awaken, I snatched it away.
"That's incredible. No one has possessed the attribute of Light Magic for over 200 years."
It is customary for women with light or dark attributes to be welcomed by royalty. Their status is not questioned. Regardless of their status, even if they are commoners.
But albeit a baroness, I am a member of the nobility. Ever since I was a child, I have worked hard at my studies, which I hate, to become the Prince's bride.
Right now, I am the closest among the noble daughters to be a candidate for the Crown Princess.
"In the future, I would like to do my best to serve His Highness, Richard-sama."
"That's encouraging. I look forward to working with you."
As the Crown Princess next to you.
The S class I transferred into is a class for those with special magical attributes or those with more than one magical attribute.
So, class members don't change much until graduation.
When I entered the school, relationships were already formed and factions were already decided.
Not many classmates would talk to me, as I transferred in halfway through the year.
The male students often talk to me because I have the rare Light Magic, but the female students only send me cold stares.
In particular, Adeline, a member of the Marquis de Trevazes family, has a strong prejudice against me, and she harasses me at every opportunity.
Today, when I arrived at school, she came to my desk with her cronies in tow.
"Good day to you, Charlotte-sama. Could you please prepare the potion for first period? It's your turn today."
Adeline-sama was the class president of the S-Class.
"Today is the first time I have heard about this. If you had called me yesterday, I would have come to school a little earlier."
If I go to get ready now, I'll be just in time. Miss Adeline knew that and deliberately did not contact me. She was obviously trying to harass me.
"Oh, my. I forgot. I'm sorry."
"I would appreciate it if you would contact me the day before next time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready."
As I was leaving the classroom to go to the room where the magic potion is kept, I was followed by three boys from the same class.
"Charlotte-sama. Let us help you. We know it's hard for you to do it by yourself."
"Thank you very much, gentlemen. But I'm the one on duty, so I'll do it alone. You should return to the classroom as soon as possible. Adeline-sama might be watching us."
The male students who have just offered to help me are all below a Count level house. They are no match for Adeline, the daughter of a marquis.
It is said that the Magic Academy is equal regardless of status, but in reality, the ones of higher status have an advantage.
In the S class, only Victoria, Duchess of Vilierberg, and Angelica, Duchess of Ashbury, are better than Adeline.
The two are good friends with Princess Christina and Katariona, the daughter of the Marquis de Grandeur, both of whom are in A class. Though it is said that they are currently studying abroad.
I hear that everyone in A class gets along well with each other regardless of their status.
I wonder if I could have made friends with them if I had been transferred to A-Class.
No. If I become the Crown Prince's fiancée, I can choose all the friends I want. Even if it's only on the surface. Because aristocrats are such creatures.
One day, I met that woman when I was being accused by Adeline on the staircase landing.
I met Katariona, the daughter of the Marquis de Grandeur, who is said to be the Crown Prince's love interest. ......
I was not in the capital and did not know it, but I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince declared his engagement to Katariona at the Royal Ball.
It was unforgivable. My gut was churning.
She is the daughter of the prestigious Marquis de Grandeur. She has a dignified and beautiful appearance. As Adeline said, I can’t compete with her in either family background or in appearance.
There is no other factor that I can beat her in other than the fact that I have the Light Magic attribute.
That's right. Let's just say I fell down these stairs and that woman pushed me down.
Fortunately, I can use light magic to heal myself. Even if I fell downstairs, I would only feel pain for a moment.
So, I dived off the railing.
However, that woman also jumped down the stairs. She also covered me and reversed herself so that she would fall first.
Just before I fell, a gentle breeze enveloped me, but I was stunned as I was carried to the emergency room.
I fumbled for words in the aid room and complained to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that Katariona had pushed me down, but there were witnesses and I couldn't bring that woman down.
The witness was a beautiful, white-skinned nobleman with silver hair like Catriona's, so he must have been her brother or relative.
To keep His Royal Highness the Crown Prince away from Katariona, I would invite him to lunch, and after school, I would invite him to a cafe.
He would accompany me to lunch, but after school, he would refuse because he had to attend to his work.
At first, I thought they might be meeting in secret, but Katariona is often with her friends or that nobleman, and there seems to be no sign of such a meeting.
At the orientation for new students, I was made to attend because I had just transferred, and I was lucky enough to be on the same team as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
However, a new student on the same team got stuck in a transfer magic circle and fell into the lower levels of the dungeon.
Some of them were injured in the fall and I was forced to use my healing spell.
I was so scared that I clung to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and the Silver Noble was furious with me.
"What are you doing? You can use Light Magic, can't you? Go and heal the wounded."
"Plant Magic: The Guardian of the Dryads, the Spirits of the Trees."
Soon vines stretched out from the ground and wrapped around the injured male student like a sort of palanquin.
"Among the various types of plant magic, there is also the special kind of healing magic. However, it is not all-powerful like Light Magic, as it only encourages the natural healing that humans possess."
"Plant magic is a derivative of Earth magic. I only knew it as magic used by gardeners, but I didn't know it could be used in this way."
"Richard-sama. What is the name of that silver-haired man?"
"Leon? That is Leon Paulford. He is the adopted son of the Duke of Paulford, but apparently, he was originally related to the Marquis de Grandeur."
After all, he was a relative of Katariona.
He is a very attractive-looking man; however, I find his beauty to be somewhat out of this world.
When the treatment was over and we were waiting for rescue, monsters attacked us. They were goblins.
But for some reason, they were after me.
I was so overwhelmed by the horrifying goblin that I ran away.
What's more, I think there are more of them than before.
Just as I screamed, I saw a human figure. Probably a rescue.
I run to them to ask for help.
Among those who came to the rescue was Katariona. And she was wearing a sword. She can use a sword.
The Crown Prince's eyes were fixed on Katariona. Those eyes are the eyes of someone in love.
I clung desperately to the Crown Prince's arm because I didn't like it.
But the goblin attacked again.
In order to draw them away, Katariona and Leon, who were in the rear guard, broke away.
Behind them, there was a Plant Magic barrier.
Depending on how it is used, it can heal, defend, or even attack.
I had thought it was silly, but plant magic may be rather versatile.
After a while, the goblins were all defeated, and we waited for Katariona and Leon to return to the surface via the transfer magic circle.
The feeling of freedom and tension is making me feel like I'm going to faint.
Directly behind me is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. If I fall like this, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will catch me.
So I collapsed onto my back, and just as I had hoped, a warm arm caught me.
I was carried to the first aid station near the dungeon where I pretended to wake up.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince accompanied me.
"Richard-sama. What is wrong with me?"
"You fainted," he explained, "You don't seem to be hurt, so let's take you home in the carriage."
In the carriage arranged for us, I sat down facing His Highness the Crown Prince.
Suddenly, something shining on the Crown Prince's chest caught my attention. A white object attached to a tie pin.
That strange luster was vaguely familiar. Could it be?
"Richard-sama. That tiepin is very nice."
"This one? This is a token of our friendship."
Is it a gift from a friend?
"It's really nice. May I see it for a moment?"
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince removed the tie pin from his tie and handed it to me.
"Hmm? Is everything alright? I feel dizzy."
The Crown Prince rubbed his eyes with his hand.
"Are you all right, Your Highness? I'll cast a healing spell."
Tucking the tiepin into my uniform pocket, I sat down next to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and grasped his hand.
Soon after, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince squeezed my hand back and looked at me with a passionate gaze.
"'...... the owner of light magic ....... Are you the woman of my destiny? Charlotte-sama."
"Please, call me Lottie."
It seems that the tie pin was also a magical tool for " magic inhibition" after all.
Fufufu. Now the Crown Prince is mine.