105 – Friend

Baron (男爵)

The lowest and fifth rank within the Five Orders of Nobility.

The Five Orders being Duke (公), Marquis (侯), Count (伯), Viscount (子), and Baron (男) – titles of feudal lords,

and the most common designation of peerage.

And among those Five Orders,

the very lowest rank is, precisely, Baron.

Not to mention Dukes, practically semi-independent forces,

while technically part of the Empire,

or Counts, beings akin to administrators

appointed by the King or Duke,

or even Viscounts, who act as proxies

governing on behalf of the Counts,

the lowest rank of all, Baron.

Other nobles often dismiss Barons as mere titular nobles,

provincial gentry from the boondocks, but still

‘..They don’t realize that even that is

something commoners would be grateful for.’

To common folk, the title of noble

was something they couldn’t dare dream of so easily.

A life without the worry of money,

a life where one could order people about at will.

A life where one could embrace as many women as desired,

a life that wasn’t just living hand to mouth,

how many people wouldn’t yearn for such a life?

“So, first thing tomorrow morning, you must diligently prepare to adorn yourself—”

“M..Master is now..a proper

“So, a nobleman then? Oh… what a relief─”

“Lucky you~ Barely a Baron, but at our age,

you’re the first to receive a noble title─”

“….”

Though I can’t say I really wished for it.

This sort of life.

*

“I… I believe that young master suits

the color black best…”

“This man, already so dreary in black, perhaps

we could change the atmosphere with another color for that day─”

“Hmm… Your Highness, what are your

thoughts on something like this…”

How did it come to this?

Surely, this isn’t what we gathered for.

It started when Ella, declaring this was no time for that,

pulled some clothes out of my luggage.

The clothes I’d brought back with me from the Great Forest to the Empire.

Since the Great Forest expedition was a somewhat official position,

I’d brought along rather luxurious clothing,

clothing that, ironically, I never actually got to wear because of the affair,

and *those* were what she’d unearthed.

‘Hm? What are those clothes?’

‘Ah, Your… Your Highness, these are… our

young master’s spare clothes…’

‘I have eyes, I know that much.

What I’m curious about is why you brought them.’

‘Young Master… is to be granted a title tomorrow…

and it seemed proper to at least have the attire ready…

I.. I apologize if I’ve offended─’

‘Hmm…? How intriguing.

Could you bring them over for a moment?’

No matter who else was present, Kiana’s

station was, without a doubt, that of a Princess.

There was no way a mere commoner’s attendant,

acting as her maid, could defy her words.

‘Sino?’

‘Yes, Your Highness.’

‘Why don’t you join us, Sino?’

And a daughter of a family who’d served the Imperial Household since long ago

could hardly refuse such a request.

No matter that she was a daughter of a Duke’s house.

“Now, shall we see what sort of garments are available?

Oh…this seems to be a rather fine fabric, wouldn’t you say?”

“Indeed, that is my impression as well.”

“D-Dear Sir…”

“Here, would you try this one on for me?”

“….”

“W-Wait, are you changing here…?!

Ah… just put it on quickly, please…”

And it was the same for me, too.

No matter that, from the Empire’s perspective,

I was a man who’d accomplished tremendous feats,

ignoring the words of a royal was

near impossible.

I had no choice but to meekly obey her, and then…

“Hoo…it suits you better than I’d expected.”

“….”

“But couldn’t you do something about your expression?

You look far too obviously displeased…”

“…I shall endeavor to correct it.”

As a result, I have now become a department store mannequin, obediently

following her every command.

For approximately an hour now.

‘..Truly, there must have been a reason they say

one should never go shopping with women.’

“Ah, next I want you to try this on.”

“Your Imperial Highness, this would suit you well as─”

‘..I am weary.’

I wished to rest, yet rest was absolutely impossible.

It was a hellish sort of time.

“Oh? It’s time for a meal now.”

Only upon hearing those words did

the end begin to come into sight.

‘Finally…I can rest a lit─’

“His Imperial Majesty has sent me to convey that he has invited you to a banquet…Shall we head over soon?”

“…?”

“Ah, just one more change before you go.”

Of course, even that sliver of time,

that sliver with its end so clearly in sight, felt to me impossibly long.

*

‘Hmm…not entirely unpleasant, I suppose.’

From behind the russet door, the clamor

of several voices spills forth.

In this land, the most noble of bloodlines:

the princess, and Sino Charlotte, daughter of a Duke.

And before them, their servant,

Jenison, changing clothes again and again.

The voices of these four people

fill the room with a boisterous energy.

‘…Is it just because his face is…agreeable?

There are so few outfits that don’t suit him.’

Like some automaton, Jenison tirelessly changes,

again and again, right there before her.

It was a passing thought, that flickered through

the princess’s mind as she continued to stare intently.

‘It was just a thing I said on a whim,

at first, I didn’t think…’

“Try this one on, please.”

“…Yes, Lady Charlotte.”

“Hehe, it suits you so well…could you perhaps

unfreeze your expression when you speak?”

‘…Perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned it at all.’

She still recalls the moment his servant arrived with

a stack of garments.

And rather luxurious-looking ones, at that.

Now a commoner, it was said… how did he

come to possess such clothes,

and why was he bringing them out now?

She had asked merely out of curiosity.

‘…Indeed, Father has sent invitations, using

the banquet as pretext…’

Clearly, many other nobles will be in attendance,

and thus, all the more scrutiny shall be focused.

In that light, this servant must simply desire that his master

not be looked down upon there.

Despite being the same age as myself,

her consideration was overflowing,

and that made her appear so admirable.

“..Remarkable.”

“Yes…yes? I’m so…so sorry…

I couldn’t quite catch what you… I’m truly sorry─”

“Ah…it’s nothing.”

“Yes…yes, indeed…”

Even so, I couldn’t properly offer her a single word

of praise.

If I lingered any longer,

it felt as though her knees would buckle.

‘..Here it is again.’

It had always been this way, since the beginning.

People feeling uncomfortable around me.

They didn’t make it overtly obvious, but

surely, somewhere, murmurs of complaint would arise.

‘Ugh…seriously, because of that Kiana,

we can’t even be comfortable.’

‘Why, out of all the kids, did she choose me?

Ugh…I can’t refuse, being a princess…it’s burdensome.’

‘Co…comfortable? This posture right now

is so very comfortable and enjoyable…ha ha!’

A characteristic only manifesting within the bloodline of the Imperial Family,

the Eye for All Things.

Allowing one to see through the true nature of all creation,

an exceedingly simple trait.

Yet, perhaps because I had inherited the bloodline so strongly,

other things began to appear to her, little by little.

‘This person… *pfft*…

Since when have they been balding?’

She had come to see even the innermost thoughts and

feelings of others with her eyes.

‘This person seems to be in a bad mood today?

I wonder if something upsetting happened.’

Convenient.

This ability was.

Of course, it demanded a slight degree of concentration and

mana, which was a fact.

But being able to read the thoughts or true feelings of others

Knowing itself was tremendously useful,

she considered her ability a blessing.

Until she was ten years old.

“..Your Highness, please, if you run around like that,

it’s terribly difficult for us to keep up..”

“Heehee, follow me, everyone!!”

“..Ha, yes.”

“..Eh?”

Then, for the first time, she saw it.

A hostile sentiment directed at her.

At the time, it was so terrifying she

burst into tears,

but now, it means nothing to her.

Not everyone can like her.

However, still, like now,

if someone she wishes to befriend finds her

burdensome,

it stings her quite deeply.

“….”

Because of her status.

Because of this title, Princess.

Those who would willingly kowtow

to her continued to increase,

and equally, the number of people who found her a burden

also began to grow,

and as much as she could see their thoughts

becoming tainted with avarice,

there was no way she could make a true friend.

“..I just wanted to make a friend,

is that too much to ask?”

Someone who doesn’t treat her as an equal

cannot be called a friend.

A fact she realized too early.

“Wear this, too, please.”

“..Yes.”

‘..At first, I thought it would be impossible

to become friends with Sino, too..’

Though she couldn’t dare drop the honorifics

when speaking to her, insisting on using formal language,

her innermost thoughts, at least, didn’t consider her

Showed that he didn’t find it burdensome,

And after that, I kept remembering

How he was always the one to push forward.

‘…it’s a shame about that servant, but I’ll

Plan to have a separate conversation later…’

“Young Master, how about this one?”

“…It’s acceptable. I’ll try it on.”

‘…’

I observe him changing his clothes

Again, right before me.

What’s needed is a little focus,

And a handful of mana.

Just a touch, but I feel as though

My eyes are glowing,

And then, from his chest and his mind,

Letters wriggle and spring forth.

The letters springing from his chest

Signify his current feelings,

And the letters springing from his head

Mean his thoughts.

‘…a bit tired, perhaps?

And…a touch of annoyance…’

The result of combining all the letters

That come from him is annoyance, and fatigue.

‘…but still, I am a princess…

Isn’t that a somewhat insolent thought?’

“Young Master, just one last outfit—”

“Oh? Isn’t it time for the meal?”

The letters burst from him quickly

As soon as I finish speaking.

Relief, and the happiness of being able to rest.

“Father wished me to convey that you are invited

To the banquet…Shall we be going, then?”

“…?”

And again, as soon as my words are done,

The letters spring from him.

Bewilderment, and despair.

Even after all this, he shows no sign of

Irritation or complaint towards me.

Why is that?

It felt like only yesterday she had burned his arm to a crisp.

Even though he had almost lost both hands because of her excessive actions, he had forgiven her.

And even then, she hadn’t seen it.

Any sign of revulsion towards her.

Could this really be the same man who used to rant at her, drunk?

This new version of him, she liked it immensely.

At least he treated her like a person, not just the princess.

She even resented her past self for so readily judging him as a villain and trying to teach him a lesson.

And then, she thought.

Maybe she could become friends with this man.

No, she *wanted* to.

“Ah, before you leave, try this on for just a moment.”

“….”

The kind of friend you could tease and joke with,

that comfortable kind of friend.