451 – Santa Sets Forth to Give Gifts -1-

Three days after the work was done.

“Sweet and ever so sweet, *ppang-yanggaeng*~”

After a long absence, I found myself at the Academy again, a bright smile gracing my lips as I strolled down the deserted hallway.

“Feels like ages since I’ve been here at the Academy during vacation.”

Not a student in sight.

The Academy was so devoid of life, not a single fresh-faced student to be seen, I could wail at the top of my lungs in the hallway and no one would bat an eye.

The reason for their absence was, of course, the vacation period, but the thought of avoiding unnecessary gossip made me feel rather cheerful. I continued humming, making my way toward my destination.

“Hmm hmm hmm~”

Lately, it seemed I was frequenting the Academy more and more. After being expelled with the young lady, I hadn’t dared even glance in its direction, but with Malik’s appointment as senior director, I was now forced to come for work, whether I liked it or not.

Although, today wasn’t for work, strictly speaking. Today, I was here to bestow a gift upon a star pupil.

-Thump. Thump.

My footsteps, once lost in reverie as I gazed into the empty classrooms, echoing memories, continued for perhaps another ten paces.

“Arrived, then.”

Halting before a massive door, a small smile played on my lips. I raised my hand and began to knock cautiously.

For within this room resided the recipient of my first gift today.

-Knock knock knock.

Always being in her room was a comfort, no need to inquire each time.

Rain or shine.

Come storm or calm.

This person was always here.

[Student Council President’s Office.]

-So, Guild Master, you really need to think this through. There must be a reason why the Crown Prince is being so quiet.

-I think he’s just overwhelmed. Just look at the mess in the West – there are so many things to take care of. Just dealing with that loose cannon Desmund would make anyone want to crawl into a hole, let alone do anything.

-Even so, Taeoh *is* the Crown Prince. He must have something up his sleeve.

-Doesn’t seem that smart to me…

As expected, lively debate poured from beyond the door of Shartia’s office.

‘This is troubling.’

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t want to interrupt such a vigorous discussion, preferring to wait until they were finished. However, with so many gifts to deliver today, I would have to commit an impolite intrusion.

-Tap. Tap.

“Is anyone in?”

Silence fell upon the office at the sound of the knocking. Moments later, the Guild Master, dressed in a maid’s uniform, opened the door and greeted me.

“Good day to you. I am Ricardo, the butler of the Lady Desmund Olivia. I’ve come to see the Princess. Would now be a good time?”

“Oh…”

The Guild Master, in her disguise, widened her eyes and smiled.

“Of course.”

“Then, if you’ll just give me a moment to wait… Huh?”

“‘Make yourself at home~’ Feel free to come right in. The Princess is already expecting you.”

Hmm…?

Taken aback by this unexpected hospitality, I offered an awkward smile, suspicion blooming in my mind. I hadn’t sent so much as a note, yet she welcomed me with open arms? Something seemed off.

Even though the Guild Master and I were old acquaintances, I was bewildered by the kindness of being let in so readily, and awkwardly stepped into the office.

Chartia, as if aware of this, spat out words laced with displeasure from beyond the wall.

-Just who is it that you’re letting in without my permission?

The Guild Master, wearing a beaming smile, spoke towards Chartia in an excited voice.

“It’s the princess’s… special someone~!”

“…!!”

“Didn’t you talk about him until I was about to get calluses on my ears?”

“Just… one moment.”

“I heard everything from your fateful first encounter to what happened in the sewers, so I thought it would be alright to just let him in.”

“Q-Quiet!”

“Haha!”

With hurried footsteps, Chartia rushed over, her face flushed, staring at me with wide eyes.

“Why did you come here so suddenly without even letting me know?”

Amused by Chartia’s flustered appearance, I playfully grinned and tossed out a joke.

“Ta-da…”

All with the most innocent smile in the world.

“I came because I missed you.”

“…!!!”

“Oh my…”

Silence descends.

It was just a joke, but she seemed genuinely disgusted, and I felt a little hurt. Shuen never reacted like that when I went to the convenience store for work.

-Pyongmin?

-Ta-da… I came because I missed you.

-I-Is this what the common folk call f-flirting…?

-Huh?

-I… I have no resistance to this…!

Sensing the awkwardness from the princess’s unexpectedly cold reaction, I let out a dry chuckle and mumbled. I felt like I would be arrested for royal slander if I teased her any more.

“I’m just kidding.”

“…You really are.”

“Oh my… such a mischievous fellow.”

Receiving a flamboyant reception from the Guild Master and Chartia, I lightly approached with the gift I was holding and offered a greeting.

“It’s been a while.”

“We met three days ago.”

“That’s a sufficiently long time. Our young lady has become a different person in those three days, you see.”

“The Desmund Duchess?”

“Indeed.”

-Chocolate…

-This is a water bottle.

-Eeeeeek!! Chocolate!!

“She’s become something other than human.”

Remembering the young lady who’d bite at anything black, I offered Shartia a small gift, a faint smile playing on my lips. One doesn’t visit someone empty-handed, after all.

“What’s this?”

Shartia accepted the present, her eyes widening as she voiced her question. As if to say, it wasn’t necessary, she’d have been happy with just the visit.

“It’s a cake.”

“…You shouldn’t have.”

“I couldn’t very well visit an Imperial Princess empty-handed. Rest assured, it isn’t poisoned. Feel free to enjoy.”

“Ha.”

Shartia chuckled softly, offering a quiet word of thanks.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“If you would.”

“And… thank you for that too.”

“Hm?”

Taking the tea offered by the Guild Master, I frowned, questioning Shartia’s gratitude and shrugged. I couldn’t recall doing anything recently that warranted her thanks.

My memories were filled with rough handling, scolding, and even threatening the Imperial Princess, so receiving this sudden appreciation left me feeling awkward. I scratched my head, forcing a smile.

“Was there anything else you’re thanking me for, besides the gift?”

“About the Chancellor.”

“Ah.”

“Thanks to the stand-in you created, things went smoothly, so I wanted to express my gratitude.”

I snorted, picturing Elicia crafting the Chancellor’s corpse from undead flesh, and waved my hand dismissively.

“You shouldn’t thank me. There’s someone else who deserves it.”

“Please give my thanks to them as well. But even then, without you, there’d have been no way.”

Being praised felt… surprisingly good. After being labelled a troublemaker throughout my Academy days, devoid of compliments, it seemed I’d finally shaken off that reputation.

“What do you think? Am I not a model student now?”

“Pfft… If you’d been like this at the Academy…”

“Late bloom, I’m afraid.”

“Whatever.”

Shartia chuckled and stretched, luxuriating in the moment. It seemed the always-hunted Princess was finally learning how to rest.

“Ahem.”

Shartia opened her bright eyes and turned to me. Not the tired eyes I was used to, but a gaze filled with a more resolute, inner light than ever before.

“Ricardo, listen.”

“Yes?”

She declared her ambition.

“I will be Queen.”

I snorted again at her words, lifting my teacup and waving my hand dismissively, implying such a declaration was hardly necessary.

“Is this really something that needs saying?”

“No.”

Shartia stared at me with the eyes of a ruler.

“I will be Queen.”

“…”

“And when I am, I will get sweet revenge on my damned brothers.”

“…”

“I’ll prove Father’s eyes were wrong.”

“…”

“A cause? A sage king? More than all that, I decided to become king because I wanted to.”

A subtle smile touched my lips at Chartia’s spirited declaration. I answered with a playful tone, proud of how she’d grown.

“…Then I’ll get some crumbs too, I presume?”

Chartia spoke, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“You might get the entire empire.”

“I don’t need that much.”

“You really are oblivious… ugh.”

“Was there a hidden meaning?”

“No. Forget it.”

Chartia sighed, then asked about a certain person’s well-being. She hadn’t seen him since the day he fell into the sewers.

“How is…Grandfather?”

“…You’re referring to the former Chancellor?”

“Yes.”

I offered her a wry smile. After all, this was one of the things I wanted to talk about.

“He said he had unfinished business.”

“…I see.”

“He left his hideout, saying he still had things to do. Vowing not to seek revenge in the same way as before.”

“Is that so…”

A hint of regret shadowed Chartia’s face.

“He could have at least said goodbye…”

I smiled faintly, smoothing the darkness from her expression. The most surprising reactions come when a surprise remains a surprise to everyone.

“So…”

“Yes?”

“I brought him along.”

“…Right. …Huh?”

Chartia’s surprised gaze snapped to mine. A knock echoed from beyond the office door.

“Are you insane?! What if someone sees him?!”

“The corridor is fine. I took care of it.”

“Even so!”

“Spatial displacement magic isn’t possible inside the office. Though, thanks to an acquaintance who planned to invade the Academy from way back, spatial movement is possible within the Academy, so he lived.”

“Is that something to be proud of?!”

-Knock knock.

Chartia stared at me in disbelief, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Really… I’m going crazy.”

I smiled faintly.

“Please open the door. Wouldn’t want to keep the worker waiting.”

“You really are… Haah… Never mind. I’ll only tire myself talking.”

“Hahaha… I am perhaps a person difficult to pin down, no?”

Shartia glared at me, a smile playing on her lips.

“You… you’ll have to be prepared later.”

“With pleasure.”

“Those words just spoken. No taking them back.”

I gave her workers because she was short on help, yet why was she acting like this?

“Quickly, then.”

Smiling at Shartia’s intense reaction, I looked past the opening door at the benevolent old man visible within.

“Grandfather…”

The Chancellor, dressed in the same neat formal attire as when he first appeared before Shartia, gazed upon the Princess.

“Your Highness.”

His eyes were glistening with tears and etched with resolution.

-Thump.

“Grandfather…?”

The Chancellor, kneeling before Shartia, began to speak his oath with a solemn expression.

“Leogard Eric. I have come to become a retainer of Your Highness.”

As when he had sworn fealty to the Emperor, the words of a loyal subject dedicated to the Empire’s peace echoed once more in Shartia’s ears.

“…Sniff.”

“Could you possibly re-employ this inadequate old man?”

“I thought you were really leaving….”

The moment Shartia’s approval was given, the Chancellor, wiping the tears from his eyes with his sleeve, spoke with firm resolve.

“Then, I shall draft a contract pledging my life.”

“Hmm…?”

“A traitor once loses trust, so with this hard-won slavery contract…!”

“You don’t need to do that!”

“A loyal subject is…!!!!”

He seemed like a jovial old man.

“A loyal subject is!!!! Sacrificing themselves!!!”

In a multifaceted sense, that is.