Conney: Lady Hilda Karlyle.
Hilda Karlyle: –?
Di Qi Ju: ……
Breman: ……
The interruption came from the sudden appearance of Conney at the side of Hilda.
Hilda Karlyle: …it’s almost done.
Conney: Given your powers of perception, this seems like an inordinate amount of time spent on a applicant when compared to the previous ones.
Conney: Is there some kind of danger present on his body that you can’t see through?
Conney: Should I request the help of other clergymen?
Hilda Karlyle: …
Hilda Karlyle: ……
Hilda Karlyle: Don’t tell me you wish to involve the inner ring clergymen over an initial examination?
Conney: There are plenty of clergymen in the middle ring who are better at appraising than you.
Conney: This delay is making me worried especially considering your previous mission…
Hilda Karlyle: –that’s enough.
She interrupted her mid sentence, her voice laced with dissatisfaction and a hint of sharpness.
Hilda Karlyle: As you are aware, I have an interest in drug research. I was merely interested in the drugs this teenager has come into contact with.
Hilda Karlyle: The examination is over, congratulations on passing the initial examination, Di Qi Ju.
Hilda Karlyle: When the time comes for the next examination, Conney will pay you a personal visit, please faithfully make your preparations.
Di Qi Ju: Mhm…
Conney: In that case, will the two of you follow me, I’ll lead you out of the examination hall.
Breman: Alright, I’ll be in your care.
I immediately caught up with the departing Conney, putting the grand hall behind us. My eyes adamantly looked forward, not daring to give the grand hall a second look until we completely left the building behind us.
The matter of that “forced kiss” wasn’t on my mind at all. Instead, my head was filled with a lingering fear.
Hilda Karlyle: …
Hilda Karlyle: ……
Hilda Karlyle: *spit*
……
……
Only after we rejoined the masses on the street did I finally heave a sigh of relief.
Breman: Oh my…that was an unexpected development.
Breman: How did you hook up with that Hilda Karlyle? Oh…was it during that time in the Grand Ravine–
Di Qi Ju: –no way…
Breman: I even heard her mention another woman’s name. Aren’t you a sinful one, Di Qi Ju.
Breman: However, I suggest you give up, clergymen in the middle ring can’t marry.
Di Qi Ju: I’m aware of that…wait! It’s not what you think!!
Breman: You’re younger than me by two years and yet you’re already on the cusp of being an adult, I’m not sure if I should be happy or sad about that…
Di Qi Ju: …where should I even begin to tsukkomi?
First off, I’m not on any cusp of becoming an adult! Hilda definitely did not have any sexual intentions when she “checked out” my tongue!
There’s no sinfulness to speak of either! I’m not a playboy yet!!
And you Breman, what’s with that arm around my shoulder and that teasing?
Have you become one with your male identity or should I say your ‘setting’?
Don’t you see those women staring at us with red faces while pointing at us!?
Come to think of it, shouldn’t he be more concerned about the “mark” Hilda Karlyle mentioned??
You…
Di Qi Ju: Sigh——!
A thousand tsukkomis, condensed into one deep sigh..
Breman: However, at least you managed to pass the initial examination. If you aren’t even able to pass this, I would not know how to show my face in public.
Breman: Next, it’s time for your school registration. Reitdarke’s education system is actually pretty renowned.
Di Qi Ju: …alright.
Breman: I’m still unsure about your gift for studying so as a precaution, I found the best institution and teacher for you.
Di Qi Ju: About that, is it going to be expensive?
On Earth, the best would often mean the most expensive education.
Breman: …
Breman: Haha—such a pragmatic reaction, I’m sure you’ll be a great wife in the future!
Di Qi Ju: Between the two of us, exactly who is the man and who is the woman…
Breman: You don’t have to worry about money, Di Qi Ju.
Breman: By the time we leave, we’ll be laden with wads of cash.
Breman: I’ll guarantee that.
Di Qi Ju: …?
??: —you b*tch! You dare to trick me?!
??: F*ck, do you know how embarrassing this wound you’ve given me is!?
Di Qi Ju: …!?
Breman: Oh, someone seems to be quarreling.
Within the bustling main streets, the crowd had started gathering around the commotion, ready to watch the scene unfold.
All we could hear was two men bellowing with no response in earshot.
I would’ve mistaken this for a play of sorts if not for the sight of two youths boorishly blocking a teenage girl.
One of these youths had a couple of noticeable cuts on his face as if a razor had punctured his cheeks a few times.
In front of them was a teenage girl with blue wavy locks. She was a short girl of around twelve to thirteen years of age. Her uncommonly beautiful dress was a clear indication of her influential background and status.
She stood there, casually picking at her nails as if she hadn’t heard a single word from these youths who might even be twice her age.
Compared to these two, this unusual girl seems a lot more interesting.
Di Qi Ju: Should we involve ourselves in…this matter?
Breman: —of course we will.
Breman stared intently at the girl’s dress.
Breman: My ability isn’t acting up so that means this isn’t a trap. Plus, she looks like a potential investor.
Di Qi Ju: ……
—saving a rich man’s daughter as pretext for asking for his investment? I seemed to have gained an ability to read into his acting…
Bellowing Youth A: Go on, say something b*tch! Are you mute or something?
Blue haired girl: ……
Bellowing Youth B: Pretending to be a mute? Don’t think for a second that I won’t peel the skin off your head and stab a couple of holes in your face like those on mine.
Blue Haired Girl: ……
Blue Haired Girl: You guys are dead once Carmen gets back.
Bellowing Youth A: Huh?! You won’t be alive long enough for your reinforcements to arrive—
*swish swish*—the pair of youths took out a gleaming dagger in succession and brandished them in front of the girl.
Crowd: —AH!
The crowd retreated several steps, clearly spooked by the weaponry; a normal quarrel had just turned into a potential assault or murder case.
Breman: I say—isn’t it foolish to show such murderous intent in Reitdarke’s Corridor?
Bellowing Youth A: …huh?
Having determined that this was the best time, Breman stepped out of the crowd, maintaining a body’s distance from the pair.
Bellowing Youth B: Hmph! Someone actually dared to interfere!
Breman: As long as you aren’t first-time visitors of this country, you should know that everyone in this country has the right to arrest you,
Bellowing Youth A: Arrest? You? A weakling like you should just stay out of this!
Bellowing Youth B: We just have to completely humiliate her and finish exacting our revenge. We’ll leave this damned place before anyone can arrest us.
Breman: There are plenty of ways of humiliating a person. Just look at the way this little lady is acting, don’t you feel that the one’s being humiliated is you guys instead?
Blue Haired Girl: ……
Her eyes suddenly lit up as she stared at Breman with an impassioned look. Her hands clasped totally in a worshipful, praying stance.
Blue Haired Girl: Big Brother, save me! They’re going to hurt me!
As she said this, she gently skipped to his side and elegantly and purposefully “clung” to his body.
However from this angle, I could clearly see that her body hadn’t touched him one bit.
Bellowing Youth A: Ha ha, another guy that got cheated by this b*tch!
Bellowing Youth B: I suggest you get rid of her as soon as possible, just look at this wound on my face, that’s one of her handiworks.
Breman: No matter what, assault and battery is a bonafide crime.
Bellowing Youth A: Screw you—you’re asking for a beating!!
Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Breman turned around and flashed me a dashing smile.
Breman: Di Qi Ju, I’ll leave it up to you.
Di Qi Ju: ……
Di Qi Ju: Aren’t you screwed if I choose to ignore you?
Breman: If you were such a person, I would’ve been smashed to bits already.
Di Qi Ju: …alright, alright.
I immediately rushed in between Breman and the angry youth and separated the two.
Di Qi Ju: These two brothers—it’s not good to resort to violence over an argument, how about stowing those weapons and having a civilized chat instead?
Bellowing Youth B: I already know that you’re together with that blond gigolo!! Don’t try to act like you’re not!?
Di Qi Ju: !!?
He raised his hands and viciously brought it down towards the side of my body.
This guy…has he gone mad?!
I instinctively stretched out my arm to block the blow however that knife took an odd angle and instead stabbed right into my waist.
*stab*
Di Qi Ju: —!
Breman: !?
Blue Haired Girl: ……
I’ve been stabbed.
Bellowing Youth B: ……
While I wasn’t afraid of his razor sharp knife, I had forgotten about a very basic problem.
—I didn’t know how to fight at all.
In the face of his sudden attack, I instinctively shifted my body to block the incoming knife, however, this novice move was easily evaded by my opponent.
In other words, if it wasn’t for the fact that my life was exceptionally durable…I might not even be able to take on a normal civilian in a real fight.
A weakling like me actually dared to step in and take a knife blow for someone else…
Exactly how disappointingly stupid am I…
Di Qi Ju: Sigh…
Bellowing Youth B: This…
Bellowing Youth B: This is all your fault! I wasn’t trying to kill you at all!
Bellowing Youth B: I didn’t murder anyone! I didn’t!!
Bellowing Youth A: What are you afraid of! You’ve already done the deed..at most we just have to run!!
Bellowing Youth B: …that’s right…run!!
Bellowing Youth A: Hey! You actually ran?! Wait for me—
Di Qi Ju: ……
Breman: ……
Did these potatoes…mistake my sadness as a sign of me dying?
You actually had the guts to take out a weapon in public with this amount of bravery? A little shock is more than enough to befuddle you!
??: —Princess! What happened?!
A silhouette weaved through the packed crowd with astonishing ease and with a leap, landed right in front of the blue haired girl.
It was a woman clad in a butler-esque uniform sporting a tiny ponytail at the back of her combed hair. This must be the “Carmen” she was talking about.
Blue Haired Girl: I’m fine, Carmen. These two helped me resolve the problem.
Carmen: Is that so…
Breman: “Princess”?
Blue Haired Girl: That’s right! I’m the daughter of Reitdarke’s king, Naysis Ferne.
She gave us an elegant curtsy as she introduced herself.
Breman: Sigh—it’s a member of the royal family.
Di Qi Ju: ?
That interest in his eyes seemed to be diminishing.
Di Qi Ju: What’s…what’s wrong with the royal family?
Breman: Nothing much…it’s just that they are poor and probably won’t invest in us.
Di Qi Ju: That’s…pretty direct.
As both of us were whispering to each other, the princess known as Naysis had just finished explaining the situation to her butler Carmen and was currently walking up to Breman.
Naysis Ferne: Mister Prince, my savior, may I know what’s your name?
Di Qi Ju: …
Even though I’m the one who took the blow, the dashingly handsome Breman is more like a prince than me?
Shouldn’t I be the follower on the verge of death right now? Why isn’t anyone paying attention to me?
Is it because he’s handsome? Is it because she only looks at the handsome ones?
Carmen: Kid, are you alright? How’s your wounds? Did your organs get injured? Have you performed emergency treatment on it? Should I bring you to the hospital?
Di Qi Ju: ……
Di Qi Ju: …*sob*
Carmen: Hm? Why are you crying?
Di Qi Ju: No…I’m fine…really…
……
……
Breman: My name is Breman, Princess Naysis Ferne.
Naysis Ferne: Master Breman…I have an unreasonable request to make of you.
Naysis Ferne: Will you be my boyfriend?
Breman: ……
Di Qi Ju: ……
Carmen: Sigh.
For some reason, only the two of us seemed to find this development strange, everyone else had an “as expected” look on their faces.
Breman: Princess, I’m sure you will be able find a more suitable boyfriend once you reach a more mature age.
Naysis Ferne: Ah, in my country, I’m already an adult.
Breman: …is it alright of me to inquire about your age?
Naysis Ferne: 15
Breman: 15 huh…right in the spring of youth.
Naysis Ferne: Then you—
She cupped her hands and stared at him with fervent expectations.
Breman: —oh wait, I have no interest in life forms with an age gap larger than two years from me, Princess.
Breman: Whenever you catch up to the 18 year old me, I’ll be more than happy to consider your request.
Naysis Ferne: ……
Carmen: ……
Di Qi Ju: ……
I, Di Qi Ju, am an avid reader of books. While they are mostly limited to educational ones, I do partake in romance novels from time to time.
In my entire life, I have never seen a more impressive rejection than that.
Especially that second line.
Naysis Ferne: ……
Naysis Ferne: Master Breman, may I know what’s the name of your follower?
While she was thoroughly saddened by his rejection, she recovered an instant later.
Breman: This is Di Qi Ju, one of my most trusted subordinates.
Naysis Ferne: Di Qi Ju…
Di Qi Ju: Hm?
After a short build up later, her eyelids shot open, revealing a pair of puppy dog eyes that stared right at me with a serious look.
Naysis Ferne: Will you be my boyfriend?
Di Qi Ju: ……
Breman: ……
Carmen: Sigh…
This princess…
While your tender and adorable appearance is extremely endearing, do you even have any standards?
Do you???
I, Di Qi Ju, having lived for so long, have never seen a woman confess to different people in such a quick succession, within such a short span of time.
Exactly how do you defeat such a strong foe?
Breman had already used that vicious move so I can’t use his move once more.
Then…
Di Qi Ju: Ha…
Naysis Ferne: Hmm? So you agree to it?
Di Qi Ju: …I’m sorry Princess.
Di Qi Ju: —I’m already dating Breman.
Breman: ……
Carmen: ……
Naysis Ferne: …………………
Footnotes:
Credits:
Special thanks to Steve Granger!!
