First Year First Semester – J of Hearts (Part 2)

Note: Please don’t read it in the little pop-up for the reader. For some reason it doesn’t reflect my later edits (which I often make a lot of after publishing), so please click ‘view original’.

TL Note: If any of you read Yomigaeri no Maou, then please check my status report when you have time.

---

In just a little while longer, we’ll have finished the lap around the lake and have reunited with His Highness.
Camille and I have walked as far as a place close to the rest spot.
Having walked this far, we can see His Highness and Miss Beatrix between the gaps in the trees, but there’s no sign of the villains making their move.

It might be a poor catch this time.
When I was thinking this, and was about to make my way back to His Highness, from the trees in the opposite direction of His Highness that we were, came the presence of a number of people.

Miss Beatrix who was beside His Highness glared towards the presences with a severe expression. Her hand was against the grip of her sword.
When I ran towards the presence of the villains, Camille surrounded His Highness with magic traps from between the gaps in the trees. Camille linked complicated magic from a long distance… Lately, she’s been becoming more and more inhuman.

Behind His Highness from the shade of the trees appeared roughly twenty men. All of them were dressed in black.

“You are Prince Royce, aren’t you?”

“That’s right?”

At the same time that His Highness gave a stupidly honest answer, the men all attacked him together. I wish His Highness would choose his words just a little better.

“Your Highness, behind me!”

Miss Beatrix covered His Highness behind her back, and drew her sword. It was a largish curved sword.
However, before Miss Beatrix had a chance to step forward, Camille activated her traps.
The ground parted, thorny vines stretched out, and coiled around the black clothed men. The men who couldn’t even move.
…It looks nothing but painful.

The men who were lucky enough to run from the vines were all struck about by my wind magic. Of course, I made sure not to take any lives.
While watching them all, His Highness smiled happily as he spectated the event.

“Achille, you can’t kill any, okay?”

“Of course I know that. The only one who would make a blunder like that would be Camille, you know?”

In the blink of an eye, the villains  were all rounded up. It really ended too quickly.

“They underestimated us too, huh~ For them to have thought they could do anything with assassins of this caliber.”

“Truly. It was so easy that on the contrary I’m worried about it though.”

His Highness sent off a communication spell towards the academy. He’s probably contacting his subordinates to have these knaves taken away.

“Royce-sama! I’m glad you’re safe!”

Camille came flying on a quill.

“You’re safe too, I see. Your vines this time were well done.”

“Ehehe~”

Camille was twisting and turning her body in happiness. It’s completely the picture of a dog being happily praised by its owner.
I tore away the fiancée who had the right demeanour for infidelity.

※

After a while, ten of His Highness’ subordinates came running.
We handed over the villains that we caught. After this, they’d probably be harshly interrogated.

“Even though I invited you all the way here, Beatrix, it ended up quite a picnic, huh. I’m sorry.”

“No…”

Miss Beatrix shook her head.

“You’re kind… Next time I’ll give it my all to make sure you have fun, so won’t you give me a chance to do this over?”

Just whose mouth is this coming out of…? I’m in awe at His Highness’ shamelessness.

“Your Highness.”

“Or could it be that because assassins will probably come after me, that you don’t want to go out with me anymore?”

“There’s no way! That kind of thing-”

Miss Beatrix was flusteredly denying it… Even though it would’ve been fine to just say yes.

“Thanks, Beatrix.”

His Highness gave his trademark smile, and grasped Miss Beatrix’s two hands.

“…Hahh.”

Whilst looking troubled, Miss Beatrix was being coaxed by His Highness.
However, it’s my first time seeing a young lady who isn’t swayed by His Highness’ sparkly attack.

After making sure Miss Beatrix made it to the Diamonds dorm safely, His Highness headed to the castle with a number of his guards. He’s going to deal with the aftermath.
Unfortunately, Camille and I who aren’t formally his aides, are relieved of our duties as of this moment.
Camille looked like she had regrets, and was repeatedly glancing at the back of His Highness who was leaving with other guards.

“Achille…”

Camille suddenly muttered.

“The incident this time, did you know about it beforehand?”

“Yeah.”

When I brought Camille to the lake, she probably realised something.

“I knew it. We didn’t bring the usual guards, after all… Why was it only me, that was left out?”

Camille was pouting just a little.

“Because, if we told you Camille, you’d start acting suspiciously, right? The plan this time was to lure out the criminals.”

“Uu… Then you’re saying that this time Royce-sama volunteered to play the bait?”

“Right. I was given an order, so I had to obey, after all. Starting from now, at the castle they’ll be sniffing out the mastermind behind this, it seems.”

That has nothing to do with me, though…

“It’s frustrating, isn’t it.”

Camille let out a rare sigh.

Camille and I are still in the position of students.
And in the end, we’re nothing more than “people His Highness have taken a liking to”, and are by no means his “official aides”.
At times like these, I feel vexed by the line drawn by our positions. Camille is probably feeling the same.

At first, I thought Camille was just going to continue her job without going to any school.
She’s like her father in that she loves magic and jobs that deal with them, after all.
But the moment His Highness decided to go to school, she immediately decided on entering as well. Whilst saying “I have to determine what kind of person the heroine is” or something nonsensical like that.
Even now, she should be wanting to immediately follow His Highness.

“Camille, let’s head back to the dorm.”

“Yeah…”

When I held out my left hand, Camille naturally took it.
I’m in no position to be saying this after making a move on her myself, but really, what defencelessness.
Has she noticed it?
That normally, as long as a man and woman of our age weren’t lovers, we wouldn’t be holding hands like this…

*imouto*

---

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>