I don’t want to earn achievements; I don’t want my abilities to be exposed.
I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.
I’m prepared with this.
I was thinking day and night, so an idea flash in me shortly.
I had blown off the mansion before I came here, I went out without telling anyone as it was, and there wasn’t any news from me for four days.
It should be in the form of a bad disappearance.
Let’s just say that I was possessed, or something.
If I said, that I was being possessed and manipulated, I could explain that it was my power that defeated it. In that case, I can say that my power have also been boosted, so I’m going to make do with that.
In addition, I can even say that I have no memory of it.
“……I can go, I can go with this setting”
I’ve come to feel that the more I think about it, the more I can go with this.
The fact that it disappeared immediately after my rampage, may have a good effect for the ones who came here.
In order to further increase the credibility of me being possessed ―― let’s knock down the soldiers.
Pretending to be running wild, let’s beat the hell out of everyone.
The other party are general soldiers, so if I return to my senses later, and was ask to pay a compensation, or expressions of sympathy, it’ll be concluded.
Rather, I could pay them a lot of money in order to hide my blunder as an aristocrat.
It’s like having the Canoe family cover up my mistakes.
Yup, it’s getting better and better.
Alright, let’s go with this setting――.
“Your Highness! It wasn’t an optical illusion; the Dragon King’s shadow has been defeated.”
“That guy, that bloodstained guy seems to have done it!”
The moment I tried to swoop down to a soldier, at their exact words, I stopped moving. (TN: LOL)
…… Your Highness?
I stood still, and stared at the group of just under 300 soldiers.
A man who looks like the commander, talks to me while feeling timid.
“My name is Shou Za Aegina. The third prince of the Kingdom of Aegina.”
……Prince?
By prince, do you mean that prince?
The third son of the king, are you saying it’s that prince?
I couldn’t raise a hand against them, in that moment.
No matter how much I am being possessed with something, if I harm the prince, there is a possibility that the house would be crushed.
I can’t knock them down; my choices have disappeared without a trace.
“I’m sure you are, Hermes Canoe, aren’t you”
Furthermore, the prince knew me!
“Eh, well……”
“How did you defeat the Dragon king’s shadow with a single blow?”
Even worse, he was clearly aware of it.
Kuh, will my stock go up with the prince as the other party?
☆
“……In other words, I didn’t see it, is it?”
Near the corpse of the shadow of the Dragon king.
Keeping the soldiers at a distance, I talk with the third prince, Shou Za Aegina, with just the two of us.
Rather than saying it, I requested him earnestly.
I who thought that I couldn’t deceive him anymore, straightly, said that I was the one who defeated the shadow of the Dragon King, but I sincerely asked him not to tell it to the others.
“Yes”
“Why is that. I know about the Dragon king’s Shadow. If you have defeated it, you’ll be praised as a hero.”
“My apologies, Your Highness. Please forgive me.”
I didn’t say my reason, but by breaking through to him a single point that it’s no good somehow, I requested Shou earnestly.
At first, Shou asked me why, but I said “At any rate, it’s no good”, so as he gradually gave up, twice the emotions of shock appeared on his face.
“Fuh …… it’s just like the story I heard from Lina.”
“From Her Highness Lina?”
“Ah, you have the power, but you try to hide it for some reason. That’s what I heard from her.”
“For now, I’m the only one who have heard that story, and it should be the case.”
“I,is that so”
I don’t know if it really is, but I have no choice but to believe him.
And if he has listened to Lina’s story, we might be able to match our talk a little.
That’s why I, with all my might, requested him with the momentum as if I’m begging. (TN: LOL)
“Please, Your Highness! Please!!”
“……I understand”
“The,then!?”
“Ah, I won’t tell anyone. Of course, so as to not stimulate the Dragon King’s shadow, we have guided it well and have kept it away from human habitations. Even if it died, it doesn’t change much in the sense that it won’t appear in human residency. Rather, that threat was as good as being permanent to aristocrats.”
“Really?”
“You’re being repetitious. I won’t overturn what I once agreed on. The words of a Royal family are heavier than the mountains.”
“Thank you very much!”
I bowed my head in a flash.
Well, I understand this prince’s story.
Shou said that he will keep this matter in his own heart.
There’s one more person who knows my strength, but if he won’t spread it, it would be the same as not increasing.
As is the case with Lina, a royalty can be trusted when the word “Royal family” comes up in them.
I was relieved ―― at that moment.
The corpse of the Dragon King’s shadow began to wriggle.
I heard a bubbling sound of a boiling liquid, and I and Shou looked at that direction simultaneously.
The mouth I tore open further splits, and a black shadow pops out from it.
The shadow attacks Shou.
I have to save him―― no, it’s bad.
Like that, I hesitated for a moment, but thinking about it, Shou already knows that I’m “somewhat strong”, so I don’t need to hesitate in front of him.
As I check the surroundings for a while only, the soldiers were far away, have turned their backs, and weren’t looking over here.
This is all good.
“Excuse me”
I pulled out the longsword from Shou’s waist, and slashed the flying shadow.
The blow couldn’t cut it, the blade slipped through it.
It seems that it isn’t a physical entity.
If that is so, I’ll fire a second attack like a Swallow Counter*. (TN: Tsubame gaeshi, I somehow remember an anime with this)
This time, it’s a slash that is effective against spiritual bodies.
Then, the black shadow was cut in half, and it disappeared without a trace like smoke.
This sort of guy is——
“It looks like it’s trying to take over His Highness.”
It’s just a guess, but it shouldn’t be too far on the mark.
That may be the true identity of the Dragon king’s shadow, which was possessing the dragon.
Well, I’ve defeated it, so it doesn’t matter anymore.
Just like when I was returning scissors, kitchen knives, and so on, I pointed the blade of the longsword towards myself, and presented it to Shou.
“I’m sorry for doing something impertinent …… Your Highness?”
I noticed that Shou was staring straight at me.
His expression is serious.
……This is bad! He was here!
“You saved my life.”
“No, that is ――”
“I’m the third prince of the Kingdom of Aegina, Shou Za Aegina.”
“So, Your Highness. Promise me that you’ll keep this a secret.”
“Umu, a royalty never goes back on his words. I’ll bring the matter of the subjugation of the Dragon King’s shadow to the grave. However”
Kah, then Shou opened his eyes wide.
“If I don’t give my gratitude to the one who save my life, I’ll be a disgrace to the royal family.”
is what he said.
Ah, I can’t stop this anymore ……
I had to resign myself.
Fortunately, Shou told me that he would keep the matter about the Dragon King’s shadow a secret.
That’s the blessing in disguise.
☆
――there was never such a thing, but rather, it has the opposite effect.
The same with Lina, Shou sent me a second Order of the Xiphos Cross for subjugating the Slime Lord.
Two cross medals for subduing the Slime Lord.
It clearly resulted in adverse effect.
Is there something about the man named Hermes?
Like that, a rumor grew in the kingdom on the contrary.