“…Stop.”
Click!
Rohan locked eyes with the princess, whose one pupil had shifted into the shape of a heart.
It was both captivating and menacing at the same time.
Scary, very scary.
The magical power condensed into the bullet along with the skill was anything but ordinary.
Still, it didn’t seem like she was about to pull the trigger right away.
The princess simply looked confused while Rohan quickly scanned their surroundings.
No allies nearby. So she didn’t bring a sniper-type weapon? Or is someone hiding behind a wall?
For now, the fact that the princess wasn’t holding her main weapon was the one saving grace.
Even if the worst-case scenario happened, that one condition drastically increased the likelihood of his safe return.
“I’ve stopped. Now, let’s talk with the gun lowered.”
The noble air exuded by the girl reminded Rohan of Ichinose and Noah.
Rohan happily decided to match her with polite speech.
“…….”
As Rohan acted that way, the princess showed a hint of conflict but did not lower her gun.
Her behavior was correct.
Rohan had anticipated this scene; no matter how he approached it, her wariness was inevitable.
A human had appeared out of nowhere, informed her about the tracking device, and then tried to leave without rhyme or reason, even though she had thought he was the guest she’d been waiting for.
There was no way to figure out whether this was an act of goodwill or not.
“If it were me, I’d draw my gun too.”
As Rohan nonchalantly grabbed another macaron and replenished his sugar levels, the princess broke the silence with her voice.
“Who are you?”
“For starters, I’m not the guest. And the ones who were originally supposed to come aren’t coming either.”
“You killed them.”
Rohan nodded his head at the princess’s guess and affirmed it with ease. He even replied in a refreshingly clear tone.
“Well, something like that happened.”
“This isn’t a matter to dismiss so lightly.”
As the princess shot back, Rohan smiled as if he found it all funny.
The girl’s finger on the trigger trembled faintly.
“Anyway, let’s just say we never met. You waited, but no one showed up… something like that?”
Rohan offered her the box of macarons, as if to say that she should have one.
The princess briefly glanced at the box before glaring fiercely at him.
“Why should I?”
“It might help you learn things you don’t know, just like now.”
“…….”
A reflexive action.
The princess fidgeted with the tracking device that was as small as a fingernail following Rohan’s words.
“I don’t understand.”
“How do I know about that device, you mean?”
“And everything else too.”
Rohan knew.
The princess’s mind was likely spinning furiously. Her head was ablaze with the frustration of unsolvable questions.
“You must have a lot of questions that don’t seem to have answers.”
“!”
“What exactly happened to the elves who lived in the Tigrova coniferous forest?”
The princess’s eyes sharpened, and her presence became fierce as she stepped closer to Rohan.
The muzzle of her gun was now pressed right up to him.
“…Tell me everything you know.”
“I need some time to gather more information myself.”
“So you’re asking to leave safely?”
“Yes. I’m a bit busy.”
“Incredibly shameless, aren’t you?”
“It’s a necessary skill for survival.”
Rohan had no intention of spoon-feeding all the facts to the princess.
Just as he had only revealed the existence of the tracking device, it was better to deliver information in small, digestible portions.
“Are you telling me to let a stranger of unknown intention walk away from here?”
“I see no problem with it. There are even elders who put tracking devices on people and summon unusual groups, aren’t there?”
“You even know about the elders…”
Rohan didn’t bother answering that question.
Instead, he lightly teased the princess, who was trying to act tough but occasionally couldn’t hide her naivety.
“If it were me, I’d have at least asked, ‘Who are these elders you speaking of?’”
“…….”
The princess lacked shamelessness. She wasn’t skilled in deception or acting.
That’s why overloading her with information was out of the question.
Unnecessary confusion would only make her behavior awkward and provoke the suspicions of the old elves.
Take it slow.
The conclusion he needed to reach was simple.
Rohan needed time and an opportunity to eliminate those elder elves.
When the moment came, it would be enough if the princess didn’t pull the trigger.
“When I dealt with those so-called guests, I wouldn’t have minded leaving.”
“And?”
“The fact that I voluntarily came here should tell you a lot.”
“…….”
“If you pull the trigger now, regardless of whether I live or die, you’ll never get the answers you’re seeking.”
The princess closed her mouth at those words.
Rohan who was confident she wouldn’t fire bit into another macaron and debated whether to buy a bottle of water.
Whoooosh—
The sound of the wind filled the silence of the night sky.
The princess’s eyes returned to their normal state.
The barrel of her pistol slowly lowered to the ground, and the condensed magical power dissipated.
“For the second time, I’ll say this. You’re shameless.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Hah… fine. I’ll let you go.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Rohan’s question, even after being granted freedom, made him look a bit ridiculous.
But in this moment, it was the most important question he could ask.
Rohan stood silently while observing what the princess had to say.
“Don’t be mistaken… My decisions and intentions don’t require the elders’ permission.”
“Is that so?”
“If I decide to do something, the elders must comply. If I choose not to speak, it doesn’t matter. All the authority rests with me.”
Those words weren’t directed at Rohan.
It was a murmured affirmation of her own resolve. It was a determination not to lose the faint remnants of her authority.
Rohan nodded quietly in agreement.
What she said was, in fact, correct. By design, the elders were meant to obey the princess’s commands without question.
She’s aware that the situation is abnormal.
That was enough. It was a satisfactory answer.
The princess needed to hold onto that mindset to the very end.
Click.
The princess returned the pistol to its place and gazed steadily at Rohan.
Then she asked,
“I have one question.”
“Yes.”
“What are you trying to achieve by providing me with this information?”
“If I said I was an ally trying to help you, would you believe me?”
The princess shook her head slightly at Rohan’s words.
“No, I wouldn’t believe such a convenient story.”
“That’s what it is.”
“I understand. You think I won’t believe you no matter what you say.”
Rohan didn’t reply.
In time, the truth would reveal itself.
“By now, you should have an idea of how to use that tracker.”
“…….”
The princess looked down at the small device in her hand.
The fact that she hadn’t smashed it upon discovering it meant she already had some thoughts brewing in her mind.
“Do you have paper and a pen?”
“Why are you asking about that…?”
Uncharacteristically, the princess trailed off.
“I’ll give you a contact number.”
The princess didn’t own a smartphone. All she had was a radio connected to the elders.
To make a phone call, she’d have to go to the city and use a public phone.
“Paper and a pen, you say? As it happens, I picked something up on my way here.”
“?”
Rohan blinked. He was confused by her words.
The princess, for the first time, averted her gaze and opened the pocket on her vest.
Click!
The button was released and the inside was revealed.
Rohan’s eyes widened when he saw the item.
“Ahem…”
The princess hesitated as she pulled out a notepad decorated with a crying dragon and a goofy-looking shark, along with a pen.
The characters were familiar to Rohan as well.
“…. I thought I might need it, so I brought it along. Lucky, isn’t it?”
She insisted she hadn’t bought it but merely picked it up.
However, no matter how firmly she stated that, the excellent condition of the items made it obvious to anyone that the princess had bought them herself.
Rohan accepted the notepad and pen, then briefly looked at the cover.
Isn’t this the one Ichinose likes?
Even Rohan hadn’t known the princess had such tastes.
This kind of detail felt like one of those hidden settings you’d only discover if she were released as a playable character.
Suppressing the urge to comment, Rohan acted as if he wasn’t curious and opened the notepad.
There were notes the princess had diligently written scattered throughout, but she didn’t mention them.
She simply wrote down a number.
“As you know, I’m taking on significant risk by doing this, right?”
“……”
Rohan said this, but it wasn’t as if he was giving her his number thoughtlessly.
He had already considered the slim possibility that the princess might reveal it to the elders; or that it might be discovered even if she didn’t speak of it.
Causing a commotion in the Academy City and drawing attention was the last thing those old elves would want.
The self-preserving elders were unlikely to take action beyond hiring someone to deal with it.
Inside the city, Rohan had no shortage of ways to handle such matters.
With a casual air, he handed over the notepad containing the number he had written.
“Anyway, it was nice meeting you. I’ve also noted the times when I’m generally available, so feel free to call. Even if it’s not for anything urgent.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“If you’re feeling troubled, or you’re craving something sweet, or even if it’s something trivial. That’s what I mean.”
“Are you trying to extract information through casual conversation? That won’t work.”
The princess’s wary demeanor didn’t faze Rohan. He simply smiled and urged her to take it lightly before hastening to prepare for his departure.
I’ve done what I could.
What the princess needed at this moment was either an escape route for when her spirit was pushed to its limits or something that could help her endure her circumstances.
Rohan had planted as many subtle clues as he could within reason.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
“Gathering information, is it?”
“That’s part of it, but… I also need to study and head to my part-time job.”
“Hmph, so you have no intention of revealing anything about yourself.”
The princess’s mistrustful eyes met his eyes.
Oddly enough, that was good in its own way.
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