“Since you’re still an apprentice, that means you’re still unfamiliar with the Dragon Knights. Well then, follow me.”
After he had uttered so, Listeard started walking while also leading Jill.
W, will this be okay? It’s as if I’m the one being escorted…
Moreover, he adjusted his pacing to Jill’s—he was a gentleman.
“Is Your Majesty Listeard familiar with the interior here?”
“I have visited this place once—about a year ago.”
“Your Majesty did?”
“I really needed to see it in order to create an inspection report regarding the Dragon Knights. Speaking of which, the Dragon Knights of Noitral are one of the best in the Rave Empire. There’s no way I would miss a chance to learn from them. Thanks to that, I also gained many connections—some of which could be called my true friends. I also meet my current lieutenant during that time.”
“…Doesn’t that mean you recruited him from here…”
Due to Jill’s tweet, Listeard turned around and grinned.
“Well, that was part of my learning from the Order of the Dragon Knights of Noitral, hahaha!”
It was amazing he could still show his face around there.
Despite so, his dignified attitude made it difficult to hate him.
The Dragon Knights in the hallway who seemed to recognize Listeard glanced at him with wry smiles. However, some of those Dragon Knights didn’t even bother to mask their dubiousness and hostility.
“Why is that person with His Majesty Listeard? Shouldn’t she be patrolling?”
When she headed towards the dragon stable, Jill noticed their misunderstanding. It seemed that said dubiousness and hostility were directed towards her.
Some of the apprentices, who seemed to be tasked with carrying straw, noticed Jill and subsequently gave her sharp stares. Zeke stopped working and called out to them.
“Who cares about them? Get back to your work.”
However, their gossip, along with sneers and laughter, never stopped.
“No way, is she about to be snatched away by His Majesty Listeard to join his Dragon Knights, too?”
“As if, she’s probably running an odd job as his maid.”
“Ah, well, she’s a girl after all. As long as she knows how to behave, she could have a lot of work to do.”
“All the apprentices over there, if you have something to say, come here and say it to me directly.”
Suddenly, Listeard raised his voice and the surroundings became quiet.
Looking back, Listeard quietly stared at the working apprentices.
“I asked her for guidance. Shouldn’t those complaints be directed at me, instead? Or am I mistaken?”
“…”
“What? What’s wrong? Why won’t any of you come and voice your complaints to me? Just because I am the second prince of this empire, there’s no need to be shy, right?”
“Well then, can I say something?” It was Zeke who raised his hand in a careless manner.
Jill shook her head, trying to tell Zeke she was fine. Despite so, Zeke still proudly came up to Listeard.
What are you trying to say, Zeke?!
Everyone watched the scene while gulping. Zeke stared straight into Listeard’s eyes and said;
“Do be careful. Don’t let her serve you any tea because the taste is otherworldly gross.”
Silence soon engulfed them.
Listeard was also blinking his eyes.
“…I see. …And you are? Who are you to her?”
“Just a colleague. Don’t be fooled by the bento she carries around. This person is really useless with regards to sewing and basically any other form of housework, I can confirm. She’s not the best person around here to take care of you, just letting you know.”
“I, I understand… alright, I will be careful. Thank you for your advice…”
With her face lowered, Jill snickered quietly.
Tonight, I will especially cook for this guy, then.
Of course, Jill herself shall eat the delicious food made by Hadith.
“But she’s proficient with a sword. So, never provoke her.”
After saying so in a low voice, Zeke went back to work.
What was he trying to accomplish, really…? Well, the mood has shifted, though.
The apprentices were resuming their tasks as if nothing had happened. Listeard put his hand under his chin as he gazed down at Jill.
“He’s not only telling me to behave, but also is basically warning me? …Are you two truly just colleagues?”
“Huh? Yes. After all, I am this kind of apprentice, no wonder he’s worried.”
Listeard didn’t answer and only turned on his heels.
“Umm, Your Majesty Listeard! Previously, thank you! I will be in your care!”
“I was merely speaking to them. There’s no need for you to thank me.”
Even though he was walking straight ahead, he still adjusted his pace to Jill’s.
He was a nice person—a smile crept to Jill’s face.
—then, she recalled the ‘future’, which happened before her time got rewound.
Listeard was executed when he attempted to stop Hadith. As for Elynsia, she decided to commit suicide so as to not became a burden to Hadith.
Even though it seems that the two of you want to be good siblings to His Majesty…
…but said feelings never got through.
Even though nothing had happened yet, she was already overcome by sadness.
—is there something I can do? No, I must do something about it.
“Brynhilde.”
While she was thinking, they had arrived at the dragon stables. It seemed that the saddle attached to the torso of the red dragon had been removed.
The red dragon in the square in front of the stable slowly turned around and stared at Jill—
—it had golden eyes.
“You know how to greet a dragon, right? Try saying hello to her.”
“Eh, right. Alright, excuse me…”
Puzzled because Listeard was suddenly rushing her, Jill stepped forward.
She could be attacked by said dragon.
But surely Listeard would stop the dragon, and she could use her lack of magical power as an excuse.
But, for the dragon to be intimidated of me… that’s unusual… could it be, I am actually terrifying?
She stopped and glanced at Brynhilde.
Her golden eyes were looking down at Jill. She thought that those eyes seemed wise.
What she was going to do, was to do it right.
What should she do to prevent the dragon from getting intimidated?
Since she was the Dragon Princess, the correct answer was to order the dragon.
But it was necessary to make a mistake—to protect Hadith.
“Hey, what are you doin—Hilde!?”
By the time Listeard called out, Brynhilde was already spreading her wings out and floating in the air. She suddenly averted her gaze and soared into the sky.
“…I, got ignored.”
Muttering so, she actually felt relieved.
With this, the fact that Rosa was threatening Jill before could be chalked up as the dragon being in bad mood or something along that line. Jill casted a hopeful glance towards Listeard.
“H, how could this be!?”
“Well …it seems that she has run away.”
“Ah, yes. She has escaped indeed.”
“Yes, Brynhilde, a red dragon with golden eyes, ran away after seeing a human being.”
—for the high-ranking red dragons, the humans were but pebbles along the side of road. There was no way they would escape at the face of one.
W, wait, could this be worse than me merely intimidating it!?
“Once, Brynhilde showed the same reaction—only that one time, though.”
Listeard, with a wrinkle between his brows and a steep face, closed the distance between them.
Slowly, Jill retreated a step as she maintained an amiable but stiff smile. Cold sweat drenched her back.
“Uh, uhm, it’s about time for lunch, and there will be a lecture soon, so this is it for today…”
“Hadith Theos Rave. Brynhilde had the exact same reaction when she saw my moronic half-brother.”
“Well then I shall excuse myself.”
She rushed out like a rabbit without a sound—but soon after, Listeard chased after her while kicking up some dust.
“You are running away—!? You sure that’s the best choice—!? Who are you—!? What are you hiding—!? Spit it out—!!”
“Kyaaaa—!!!”
Jill screamed and switched to full speed. However, not only was her physique that of a little girl, she also lacked magical power—while her opponent was an adult. She couldn’t lose him.
Their game of tag in the barracks of the Dragon Knights continued until Elynsia put a stop to it.