1: Sequel: The Golden King and the Platinum Princess

The sunlight shone down, causing the polished blade to sparkle. The razor-sharp sword had taken countless lives and bathed in a sea of blood, but not even a single smudge tarnished its length. As it sliced through the air, streaks of light trailed in its wake.

It was a truly a deadly weapon, with even a glancing blow from it proving fatal, but it was also terrifyingly beautiful.

The incredibly sharp blade cut unerringly through the very air itself. It arced with all the elegance of a gifted dancer, an impression likely aided by the good looks of the man wielding the brilliant red long sword. His ice blue eyes were fixed straight ahead in a chilling gaze, biting just as keenly as his weapon. Even as he mixed in slight movements of his eyes as feints, the swings of his sword displayed not a hint of hesitation.

That all too dangerous sword dance was entirely directed at a single opponent. And though the blade came from every direction imaginable, that foe dodged every swing without any trouble at all. The man even switched up the tempo on his swings ever so slightly as to throw off his opponent, but he wasn’t able to scratch so much as a single hair.

It may not have been a match to the death, but it was far too dangerous to be called just training... and it had spectators.

“Super mad.”

“Do you mean ‘very angry,’ Vint?”

“Yeah.”

The spectators, one girl and one beast, shared that rather mundane exchange in quite relaxed tones.

Having offered his brief acknowledgment, the pup then started wagging his tail and continued, “That’s super mad huff.”

“Huff?”

“More super mad.”

“Hmm... So even angrier than just ‘very angry’?”

“Yeah.”

They may have been in the familiar backyard of the Dancing Ocelot, but Latina and Vint seemed like they were completely unconcerned with the spectacle unfolding before them. Still, while the aloof pup may be a different matter, it would probably be a bit harsh to scold Latina about that.

“Cut it out already!”

Though he’d been constantly dodging that relentless longsword, Dale still had time to whine, showing that he wasn’t exactly being pushed to his limits.

Latina didn’t have any real combat experience to begin with, and the swordsmanship unfolding before her was of an insanely high level, so it was completely beyond her comprehension, as if existing in a different world entirely. Plus it was all just so perfectly performed that she couldn’t really sense any danger about it, either. And that was only reinforced by the fact that Dale had become an extraordinary demon, raising his physical abilities to such a degree that even such first-rate swordsmanship didn’t seem to cause him any significant trouble.

It was then that another calm voice spoke up from behind Latina.

“To think that he would show such anger. Very well, by all means, continue.”

“I think that you’re probably the reason Sir Gregor is angry, Chrysos. And hearing you say that makes me upset, too.”

“Mad?”

“Yes, mad.”

Perhaps due to the vocabulary being used, it was hard to detect even a bit of actual anger from that exchange.

The voice from before was that of Chrysos, who had just emerged from the Ocelot’s kitchen in quite a good mood.

In her own attempt to make her feelings clear, Latina fixed a firm gaze on her sister. Before long, though, her attention drifted back towards the spectacle in front of her.

Then, all of a sudden, Latina leapt to her feet and ran into the kitchen, as if she’d remembered something. However, she wasn’t gone for long.

With a small metallic clink, the sparkling silver blade was returned to its crimson scabbard. Perhaps as an indication of the man’s extreme mastery of such combat skills, even sheathing his blade was an act of beauty.

“...It really does feel better, getting a proper workout,” said Gregor to his friend, after sheathing his weapon.

“You’re certainly looking refreshed...” Dale replied, breathing heavily but looking far from spent.

It was then that Latina came running up to the pair and offered the heavily sweating Gregor a freshly washed hand towel.

“I really am sorry for all the trouble, Sir Gregor,” Latina said with a bow of her head, because she knew that her elder sister was the initial cause of all of this.

Then, she held out a glass of cold water on top of a tray for him.

“There’s no need for you to apologize. Dale’s, well... he’s Dale,” Gregor said with a strained smile after indulging in Latina’s kindness and quenching his thirst by downing the glass in a single go. It was a pretty awful way to talk about his friend, but considering the trouble the man was always causing him, it was entirely reasonable. After all, that was just the way things were.

“I tried to stop her, but well, Chrysos said she wanted to come visit since she was coming this way anyway...”

Latina was talking about the fact that just the other day, a group of envoys from Vassilios had arrived in Kreuz.

Gregor was in charge of protecting the camp that acted as the midpoint between Laband and Vassilios, but the guard for a group of envoys including the ruler of a nation couldn’t just be left up to low-ranking soldiers. As such, Gregor left the camp to the adventurers and some of the soldiers, and took charge of protecting the envoys alongside his own troops.

Since it was on their way to the capital, the envoys were sure to stop in the town of Kreuz after passing through the forest that served as home to a great many magical beasts. So from Laband’s point of view, that made it the first place they would be welcoming the group from Vassilios into their nation.

Since Kreuz had a very open policy towards outsiders to begin with, there was a welcoming mood in the air in regards to the visit from the beautiful young ruler of Vassilios and her envoys. It was really no surprise that they would be given such an enthusiastic welcome.

And as that was going on, Dale and Latina went out to see the festivities along with Chrysos.

The regulars of the Dancing Ocelot included both guards charged with maintaining public order in Kreuz, as well as gatekeepers tasked with protecting the city walls.

“Looks like the advance party has arrived, and the envoys from Vassilios will make it here tomorrow. Plus there’s the location of the gates. We’ll have to ensure their path from the southern gate to the local lord’s manor is secure, so we’ll be real busy tomorrow.”

The captain of the guards let that slip with a grumble, largely because he felt a greater sense of duty towards letting someone who should be at the center of that group know these things than he did towards keeping such things under wraps. The girl in question, though, just nodded with a brief, “Yeah,” while spinning around a water jug she seemed to have taken a liking to.

The jug Chrysos was holding was full of water and fragments of vegetables that still retained their roots. It was questionable if they would ever reach a point of being edible, but it was still plenty enough to stimulate her curiosity, and she seemed to be quite fond of observing the roots steadily growing out as of late.

Meanwhile, Latina, who was seated next to her sister, tilted her head a bit.

“It’s true that the southern gate is closest to the forest, but still... They decided to enter from that direction, even though it’s a bit of a rough area?”

“It just doesn’t seem plausible to have them circle around to the east or north. There was an alternative plan to send them through the residences in the western district, but now that their arrival is the talk of the town, we can’t simply ignore all the folks saying that they want to see the envoys.”

“I see... The people of Kreuz sure do love their festivities, and everyone seems to really be looking forward to it...”

“In that case, how about limiting traffic on the street in front of the place for today? It’ll have a big impact on the amount of customers we have coming and going, though...” Kenneth muttered, then shot his overly serious employee, that adorable waitress, a gentle smile. “That would mean the shop would be open but effectively not conducting business, right? Well, there’s no need to worry about the folks who are always hanging around, so it shouldn’t be a problem if you go out to see.”

“Wah...!”

Latina brought both of her hands up to her cheeks, seemingly shocked to find that her inner desire to go out and see the sights had leaked out. She even went a little red with embarrassment.

Kenneth’s words prompted an apologetic look from Latina, but Chrysos was clearly full of enthusiasm. Her big golden eyes went wide, and she looked to be thinking about something.

“Hmm... Perhaps it would be better to have my countrymen come to this place rather than going out to see them.”

“But Chrysos, there are going to be a whole lot of people, so that would be dangerous...”

“A demon lord cannot be harmed by anyone but a hero, so there should be no issue.”

“That’s not what I meant...”

“Latina, even if we didn’t go, I’m sure Chrysos would head out on her own. You’ve got to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t wander off and get lost in the crowd,” Dale chimed in, making a face that clearly showed he had already given up. But it was better for his mental health this way, rather than risking something happening where he couldn’t see.

In addition, Dale claimed that he wouldn’t lose sight of Latina, no matter how crowded it got. It was hard to tell if that was a power granted to him by the name engraved on his left hand as her retainer, or simply a matter of his own unique skills.

“Well then...”

Latina was a very curious girl by nature, so there was no way that she wasn’t interested seeing the town in this sort of festival mood.

“Plus, we’ll have to give Adelina’s group a break during that time, right?” Dale said, looking over at a group of three girls completely collapsed on a table. The girls had been run ragged watching over a free-spirited demon lord, possessed of both nimble footwork and an utter unpredictability when she wasn’t at either the Ocelot or the manor. It was difficult to imagine the results of releasing her into such a large crowd of people. But though it was hard to say just what Chrysos would do, the toll watching over her had taken on Adelina’s group was readily apparent.

Latina certainly seemed to be in agreement, giving Dale a troubled smile as a response.

“Me too, Sis!”

“I’d really prefer not to pile on even more baggage for me to look after...”

“As his parent, I won’t ask you to go through all that trouble. Don’t worry about Theo.”

“I don’t want Dale. I want to be together with Sis!” the young son of the store’s owners bluntly stated, but unfortunately neither his father nor Dale paid him any heed.

Then, two days later, just as they had been informed, the envoys from Vassilios safely arrived in Kreuz.

A group of Labandese soldiers led the procession down the street after passing through the southern gate. And the throngs of people were neatly parted to either side of the road. The path from the southern gate to the lord’s manor in the central district was under strict watch by a great many guards and specially assigned adventurers, to such a degree that not even a stray kitten would go unnoticed.

The flag held by the soldiers leading the way displayed the coat of arms of the great noble Eldstedt clan. Behind them was the only member of the party on horseback, a young black haired swordsman. Catching a glimpse of the youth tasked with both leading and protecting the procession was also something that had drawn the crowd. After all, he was a champion who stood alongside the Platinum Hero, and was next in line to become duke.

As he sat atop his splendid black war horse with his chilly gaze fixed forward, the swordsman really did have the air of a champion about him. Still, there were some women amongst the crowd who couldn’t help but sigh upon seeing him, perhaps because they saw that the tales of his beauty in the epics sung by the bards were no exaggeration.

He was followed by the group of devil envoys, with their wonderful horns of all shapes and hues on clear display. The loose clothing they wore was of a sort not seen in the nation of Laband. The decorations dangling from their horns and their necklaces made from a dazzling rainbow of gems and beads were a novel beauty to the people of Kreuz. As the two nations had no contact up until now despite being neighbors, the sight of these envoys from Vassilios was one of great curiosity for the townsfolk. The particularly quick-witted merchants from amongst the crowd were already planning out arrangements to start selling Vassilios-style accessories in the back of their minds. After all, if this friendly mood between the two countries continued to rise, such things were sure to become popular.

When they saw the elaborately crafted vehicle the devils were surrounding, excitement rushed through the crowd like a wave. After all, it was no mere carriage.

It was being pulled along not by horses, but by a scaled reptilian magical beast of a sort not seen in Laband. Its scales sparkled in the sunlight, changing color based on how the light struck them. And it seemed to have no problem at all dragging along the vehicles affixed to it. It may have been traveling at a leisurely pace, but you could sense its strength simply from the way it moved.

The magical beast alone would have been enough to draw the eye, but the vehicle itself was truly splendid, too. It gave the impression of a massive jewel case, with minute decorations adorning the chassis alongside the countless gemstones.

It was clearly a vehicle meant for nobility, having the air of a work of art about it.

One person sighed at the sight of the elaborate decorations, while another’s thoughts ran wild at the thought of the young, beautiful ruler riding inside.

“Well, they are using it to carry their luggage,” Chrysos threw out there without even a hint of hesitation.

“At least have your double ride in it!”

Normally, Chrysos should have been the one at the very core of this procession. And yet here she was amongst the crowd, standing next to her sister and holding fruit juice and a skewer she had bought from a stall.

“Ah, this skewer is delicious. It was seasoned with just the right amount of salt. And just what spices did they use, exactly...?”

For the time being, let’s put aside the fact that her sister was acting rather unconcerned, too.

“It would be possible to secure some degree of food locally, but transporting the supplies was crucial. It was a rational decision to make.”

It was hard to deny that, hearing it put so bluntly.

It was certainly pretty to look at, but that magical beast and carriage seemed pretty sturdy. Even ignoring its ability to transport a VIP, it must have also been capable of traveling along the still-undeveloped roads through the forest. Plus Chrysos, the one who was supposed to be riding in it, was already here, and if it would otherwise be empty, this was a more sensible thing to do.

Normally, it would be standard for the leader of a nation to have at least one vehicle of their own serving as a symbol of their authority. But in Vassilios it was different, as there was no need to ostentatiously flaunt one’s right to rule. The leader of the nation was the demon lord, who was selected by the gods. As the country of devils, Vassilios abided by the gods and the nation was also ruled from the shrine, making it a sort of religious state.

For that reason, the First Demon Lord’s authority was absolute, so there was no need for them to display it more than was absolutely necessary. That was why Chrysos didn’t think anything of riding in a mere wagon despite possessing such an extravagant vehicle.

After thinking things through from that angle, Dale too was satisfied.

“Well, first impressions are important. Based on advice from Rose and Sylvia, I had a vehicle that might be popular over here repaired. Though the reaction is even greater than I had expected.”

“I feel like you don’t see things that flashy in Vassilios very often though, right...?” Latina asked, tilting her head.

“That is certainly true,” Chrysos immediately agreed. By nature, the people of Vassilios weren’t fond of elaborate furnishings or gaudy baubles.

“It was a hobby of the previous demon lord... Or I should say, of his favorite mistress. He had many such things built in order to attract her attention. Though it was damaged, it had been preserved in the recesses of the shrine, since it could someday serve some use. Well, it seems to have served as a perfect example of a ‘local specialty’ of my nation.”

Vassilios had a harsh climate and was unsuited for farming, but it was blessed with abundant resources beneath the earth. The vehicle was really doing a good job of advertising that fact through the gems adorning it, as well as the decorative skills possessed by the nation.

“Did you prepare any gifts to present to Laband or anything...?”

“This visit is ultimately just the preliminary stages of negotiations. Once we have officially established diplomacy between our nations, I shall prepare such things,” Chrysos responded to Dale. “Well, I shall prepare at least the minimum, at least, if such a thing is only natural.”

“Well it’s not like you’re becoming a vassal state or something, so I guess it’s pretty tricky to figure out how far to go with it, huh?”

“The differences in values between our two nations also makes deciding such matters quite complicated.”

“Yeah, I can see that.”

Dale and Chrysos chatted away in the middle of the crowd over a topic that would be hard to call mere idle gossip. It was then that Latina butted in, her voice trembling.

“Dale... I think I just locked eyes with Sir Gregor. Was I just imagining it, maybe...?”

“Hmm?” Dale then shot Latina a dry smile and shook his head. “Nope, you weren’t imagining it. He totally noticed. See, he’s a little shaken right now, right?”

“I can’t tell.”

“Nor can I.”

Since he had known Gregor for so long, Dale was the only one that could tell, as his friend didn’t exactly wear his emotions on his sleeve.

At any rate, the splendid parade solemnly advanced along towards the center of town. Once the envoys were out of view the crowd started dispersing on its own, its constituents excitedly chatting away. There didn’t seem to be anything dangerous to the air about the scene at all. And looking at the state of things, there were sure to be all sorts of fresh rumors about the envoys floating around town.

As such thoughts ran through his head, Dale hastened Latina and Chrysos back to the Ocelot. They took a minor detour to the skewer stand once more, though, to indulge Latina’s curiosity.

Not long after that, Gregor snuck his way into the Dancing Ocelot. Then, he drew his blade, wanting to land at least one blow on Dale to start with.

“I’d expect not, but do you have any idea of the state in which I was left, realizing the person I was supposed to be guarding was already at our destination?”

“I told you, don’t blame me.”

“Well I certainly can’t blame the person in question, here. Besides, it was hardly a punishment, having you accompany me in such light exercise.”

“Hahaha. Normally you wouldn’t call someone with your level of skill coming at you with a drawn blade ‘light exercise,’ would you?”

“If you know my level of skill, then you should also know that I wouldn’t land a fatal blow if it wasn’t necessary.”

“That doesn’t exactly bring me peace of mind...”

As he chatted along with Dale, Gregor vaguely sensed the source of the discomfort he had sensed since the battle with the Demon Lords of Calamity: Even after the man had dodged his onslaught of slashes, Dale wasn’t showing any real signs of exhaustion. He decided that apparently his friend had passed beyond being classified as a mere “person” by this point.

The First Demon Lord has become his sister-in-law, but he shouldn’t have met her until after he went to Vassilios...

Gregor was well aware that one could easily surpass the abilities of a normal person by becoming a demon lord’s retainer. But since a hero was a demon lord’s antithesis, Gregor wasn’t sure if one becoming a demon was even possible to begin with. Still, to the First Demon Lord, Dale was her sister’s partner. He couldn’t rule out the possibility that she would want him as her own retainer.

Well, he wasn’t fully satisfied with the matter, but he also couldn’t force a hypothesis as to what had happened at the moment. Plus, considering his friend’s personality, he was sure he would hear about it, one way or another, eventually. That’s why he didn’t feel the need to grill him right now.

As he thought to himself, Gregor tossed out a bit of a half-joke.

“Well, I really would like have a proper life-or-death battle with you someday, you know...”

“And I sure wouldn’t,” Dale immediately replied, shooting him down.

The fact that he sounded disinterested rather than angry actually told Dale how serious Gregor was, which was rather frightening. As a pure swordsman, Gregor aimed for ever greater heights and polished his skills. Or to put it bluntly, he was honestly a bit of a battle maniac. But Dale knew that overtook his calm rational side, so he breathed a sigh rather than giving any sort of overblown reaction.

“You’re the type who doesn’t show his true strength in training or mock battles, aren’t you?”

“Really...?” Latina said, reacting to Gregor’s statement. She was tilting her head because ever since she was little, she had seen Dale continue to diligently polish his skills, never neglecting his training. And so, she didn’t think she had those sorts of ups and downs to him.

“Dale is the sort of man who can’t display his true strength without a firm goal to work towards,” Gregor bluntly stated, not bothering to mince words. Dale grimaced disapprovingly at his friend’s comment, but he must have known it was true, as he didn’t offer a rebuttal.

The reason for Dale’s ups and downs were because he was deeply dedicated to the idea of protecting others. Since there was certainly no chance of losing something he held dearly at the moment, his true strength was nowhere to be seen. Dale didn’t see any value in the fame that could be gained from victory, nor was he concerned about his pride being hurt by a loss.

And it was no surprise that Latina wasn’t aware of that other side of Dale. After all, she was the symbol of all that he wanted to protect. Whenever he was standing before her, he was always full of motivation. His pride drove him to never want to fail in front of her, ever since back when he was just her guardian.

“But still...” Gregor started, looking like he was a bit at a loss for words as he wiped his sweat. His eyes were fixed on the girl with the golden eyes standing nearby.

Meanwhile, Chrysos looked back at Gregor, who she had seen leading the procession when she went to see the envoys. As she had been informed about the Eldstedt clan, the most powerful noble family in all of Laband, she was well aware of the sort of position this man held.

“No matter where I may be, I am simply Latina’s elder sister, Rhyso,” Chrysos suddenly declared.

“Huh?” Latina questioned, tilting her head.

“How blunt.”

Dale and Gregor shared strained smiles.

“Depending on your intentions, you might wish to pray to the gods.”

“Indeed,” Gregor briefly responded, understanding what Chrysos was saying. He didn’t kneel to her or anything of the sort.

He observed the two sisters while taking care not to be rude, and then gave a sigh of admiration.

“Just as the rumors stated, you two really do look quite similar.”

“Their personalities are totally different, though... Well, not totally, actually. There are some similarities, I guess.”

If Dale had to point something out, it would be they were both seriously aloof girls who had been raised in ignorance of the outside world.

“I wish you would consider how it made me feel, when I went to greet the Golden King’s procession at the relay point...” Gregor grumbled, a rarity for him to do so openly.

Dale ruffled his own hair and responded in a bit of a troubled tone, “I’m telling you, there’s no use telling me that...”

“None should exist who know of my face, though.”

“Couldn’t you at least try to hide just a little bit?”

Despite the fact that he had just denied his involvement, Dale couldn’t hide his astonishment at that statement from Chrysos. Meanwhile, Gregor was looking like he had started considering the far-off future instead.

“First off, the adventurers there noticed the king was missing. I had broken out in a cold sweat, worried I might soon be facing a mob.”

Nobody said a word.

“I hadn’t realized at first myself, but still... The soldiers were left wondering why the adventurers looked like they were about to start running wild. Really, I was left racking my brains trying to figure out how to get the situation under control.”

Everyone remained silent, still.

He had felt like he could hear the intense, bloodcurdling shouts of the regulars of the Ocelot, which served as a sort of relay point between Vassilios and Laband.

It was certainly true that none of the adventurers had ever seen the Golden King. However, they were all plenty familiar with her identical twin sister.

The soldiers had no idea what was happening when a lament of, “We were seriously looking forward to at least getting a glance...!” was raised by the adventurers, as Gregor was the only one of them who was acquainted with Latina and knew her background.

“So it was that dangerous of a place, was it? Perhaps my decision happened to be quite fortuitous after all, then...”

When the very cause of all this boasted so openly, Dale couldn’t help bowing his head to his friend.

“If it’ll serve your needs, then I’ll be your sword-fighting opponent whenever you wish.”

The root of the problem here had been his sister-in-law, after all.

“Anyway, Chrysos...” Dale started, getting his thoughts back in order.

“What is it?”

“The envoys have arrived.”

“Yes, I went along with you to go see them, did I not? Are you going senile already?”

“You said you were going to join up with them here in Kreuz, didn’t you?”

“Gah.”

“And since they’re going on to talk with the leaders of Laband, you can’t exactly leave that up to a double, right? Before things are exposed, you should return to your role as the Golden King—”

“＊＊＊＊、＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊”

“Hmm...?” Dale questioned, tilting his head in response to Chrysos’s rapid words that he failed to pick up on. Meanwhile, Latina had a troubled look on her face.

“Chrysos, even if you say that...”

“＊＊、＊＊＊”

As Chrysos gave that reply, she hid behind Latina. Then, she stayed like that, not saying a word.

Dale was left dumbfounded for a moment, but then he thoroughly wrinkled his brows as he realized the meaning behind Chrysos’s actions.

“Hey,” Dale stated in a low, displeased sounding voice, but Chrysos showed no signs of coming out from behind her sister. And Latina was looking seriously troubled, trapped between the pair.

“You’re not a kid, so stop being so unreasonable.”

“＊＊、＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊”

“And stop pretending you don’t understand our language whenever it’s convenient for you.”

Despite Dale’s firm tone, Chrysos didn’t budge. Then she childishly puffed up and turned away, an action without a hint of the dignity you’d expect from someone known as the Golden King.

“Chrysos...” Latina said, turning around to face her sister, who was now throwing a serious hissy fit. Chrysos went ahead and spoke up first though, as if trying to seize the initiative.

“Platina, do you not find it difficult to be separated from me?”

“That’s not the case at all...”

Having been asked that, there was no way that the good-natured girl could take a firm stance against her sister. She really didn’t want to part ways, either. Her twin was pretty much her other half, more precious to her than almost anyone, and she didn’t want to lie about those feelings.

“I will not ask that you accompany me all the way to Vassilios. I realize that it is still too soon for you, Platina.”

“Yes... I’m sorry, Chrysos. I still just can’t...”

“I shall strive my hardest to get rid of those dregs causing problems known as the elders, so that I may welcome you back as soon as possible. I shall drive all those who call you a sinner not just from the temple, but from the entire town.”

“Isn’t it bad to be basing stuff like that on your own personal feelings...?” Latina asked, breaking out in a cold sweat. She didn’t know the state of things in the shrine, but she prayed that her sister wasn’t on the verge of beginning a reign of terror.

Meanwhile, Dale had no clue about the specifics of the situation either, but he thought it would be only natural for Chrysos to make good on her words. After all, anyone who acted cruelly towards his adorable little Latina deserved to be put to death.

Well, if Latina had never been exiled as a sinner, I never would have met her, so I’ve got mixed feelings on the matter... Dale thought to himself.

He would never truly let his dedication waver, though.

Ignorant of what Dale was currently thinking, Chrysos continued her discussion with Latina.

“Would it not be acceptable if we at least stayed together while I was in Laband? I have waited for so very long, wondering when I would be able to see you again.”

“Rhyso...” Latina said, her eyes growing cloudy as she called her sister by her childhood nickname. “I feel the same way... But there’s work that only you can do as the king of Vassilios, right? And so...”

“That is true...”

Chrysos gripped Latina’s hand tight, all the while bearing the feelings welling up inside of her. Her gaze that had once fallen lifted back up. Latina looked straight at her sister, who seemed to now understand her position.

“In that case, you shall accompany me, Platina.”

“Wah?” Latina gasped in surprise.

“I was told that you were coming to the capital with Dale, right? Then you’d just be moving your schedule up a bit, correct?” Gregor chimed in.

“Huh? I haven’t heard anything about that. What’s going on?” Latina questioned, clearly bewildered. This all a bolt out of the blue for her.

“Ah, I forgot...” Dale muttered while breaking out in a cold sweat.

He had completely forgotten to tell Latina about the duke’s “request.” It had been given to him at the same time he learned of the Vassilios envoys arriving, but the shock of Chrysos’ sudden appearance, among other things, had wiped it from his mind.

“Platina, you do not wish it to be known that you live here in this city, yes? Then simply stay by my side as my younger sister, the princess.”

“Huh? But you’re going to meet with some really important people, right...?”

“Well of course they wouldn’t have petty officials meet with a foreign ruler,” Dale chimed in.

“Of course my father will be one, and His Majesty is scheduled for a meeting as well,” Gregor added.

With that, Latina flew into an even more obvious panic. After all, in her own mind, she was essentially a commoner.

“If it came down to it, could you simply not act as if you did not understand the language?” Chrysos suggested.

“I’ve met Sir Gregor’s father before, though...” Latina replied, pointing out a key issue with the rather crude plan.

“I have also prepared fake horns, so that you may blend in with those of us from Vassilios, Platina.”

“Chrysos, does that mean... You intended to get me mixed up in all this from the very start?”

“Devil eyes could tell they were fakes, but they used the shape of my own horns as a model, so the results were quite good.”

“Chrysos, you can’t just change the subject like that to cover things up...”

“Actually, I think that she may not even be trying to do that...” Dale said with an astounded look on his face, but he didn’t even try to rein in Chrysos. Realizing what he was thinking, Latina turned towards Dale with a bit of a sad look on her face.

“Dale...”

“No, you see, I got that order, and then I gave my consent, so... I’m seriously sorry that I forgot to tell you.”

Considering Dale’s position, it would have been very difficult to turn down a request from his employer, the man who held the greatest power in all of Laband. He may have been an extraordinary hero and a demon who blazed his own trail forward, but he still needed to at least exercise discretion in official matters.

Without saying a word, Latina turned her gaze from Dale to Gregor. From what he had said before, he was in agreement with Chrysos. That meant that nobody here was on her side, which made her sweat even harder.

By the way, Vint had already grown bored of this exchange and left to go play. Though even if he hadn’t, it was unlikely that he would have added much leverage to her position.

The conclusion the now-panicked Latina reached was that she needed time to compose herself, which she wouldn’t get by staying here. And so, she quickly made an about-face and fled straight into the kitchen. Without even a moment’s hesitation, she continued on through the Ocelot’s storefront.

“Ah, she ran for it,” Dale casually muttered.

By his side, Chrysos’s eyes showed a twisted glint of humor. Though the two were identical twins, such an expression would never be seen on Latina.

“Do not allow Platina to escape!”

Dale realized who that shout was directed towards when he saw the state of things inside the shop. The regulars were all barring the exit, leaving Latina standing there dumbfounded.

“Why...?” Latina asked in a trembling voice, because the regulars of this shop were only second to Dale in terms of always being on her side.

“Sorry, little lady... It got decided by committee,” Sylvester replied to the now ghastly pale Latina while making a face like he was swallowing a bug. That expression was only natural considering how many years the regulars had been soft on their favorite adorable waitress. But even so, he gave no sign of budging.

Nobody present needed to ask what sort of committee he meant.

“How naive, Platina. Grasping control of the hearts of others is a simple matter for a king. Or did you think I was doing nothing at all as I visited this place?”

After casting a sideways glance at Chrysos as she bragged about her victory, Dale bluntly asked Sylvester, “How did she buy you off?”

“She... she asked if we wanted to see the little lady dressed like a Vassilios noble...”

“Platina will not wear Vassilios formal wear on her own. The people of this shop are quite soft on Platina, so she proved an excellent bargaining piece,” Chrysos stated, brimming with confidence.

“I can’t deny that,” Dale agreed after thinking on it for a bit.

“You can’t, huh?” Gregor chimed in with a sigh, resignation in his voice. “Now that I think of it, the news that the ruler of Vassilios had a beautiful twin sister caught the attention of the portrait painter who frequents my family home...”

“If it involves not just myself but Platina as well, it will surely serve to foster the friendly mood between our two nations. After all, she is the Platinum Hero’s Fairy Princess.”

“Shall I have a copy sent here once the portrait is finished...?” Gregor muttered, only for the regulars to go wild before even Dale.

Considering the circumstances, Latina was already on the verge of tears. It was a sight that really ignited a desire to protect her, but Chrysos had seized control of the moment, so sadly no one there would lend a hand to save her.

“Ah. Should I proceed with ending the bodyguard contract for those three?” Rita pondered with her usual expression on her face, completely unbothered by the commotion.

After that exchange, even a naturally bright and energetic girl like Latina was left sulking in the corner of the Ocelot. And seeing their adorable waitress in such a bad mood, the regulars couldn’t help but feel guilty, and ended up silently keeping their distance.

Dale, meanwhile, had retreated to the depths of the kitchen upon seeing those big, teary grey eyes silently staring at him, perhaps due to pangs of guilt. Well, no, since it was Dale, he may also have been at risk of passing out at how adorable her sulking was, or at losing his self-restraint in the face of her glaring. After all, his usual response to such situations was to absolutely smother her in affection, which he couldn’t exactly do in front of other people. And perhaps due to the chilly reception Chrysos and Gregor had shown him, even he felt the need to restrain himself for the time being.

Meanwhile, the demon lord with the unparalleled sister complex was deep in thought, wondering if there was any way to bring the water culture jar she had carefully tended back with her. As such, she didn’t have any time to pay attention to her sulking sister.

All that was in the container she was holding were some mere chunks of ordinary vegetables that had started budding. But even so, she had grown rather attached after observing them day after day. It really did make for a strange sight, seeing the ruler of a nation treat some vegetable scraps like a precious treasure.

“How about bringing back a bulb?” Rita asked, noticing the state Chrysos was in.

“Hmm?”

Rita grabbed hold of a nearby paper and pen and started sketching out a visual aid as she explained her proposal.

“You can raise a bulb by immersing just the ends of the roots in water like this. Apparently you need to keep it nice and cool until it starts budding, though... It might be tricky due to the warm climate of Vassilios, but I think you may be able to manage by employing magic.”

“Indeed.”

“If you put it in a glass or some other sort of clear container, that would be perfect for observation, and you may even be able to count it as an example of Labandese handicrafts when you take it back.”

“Yes...”

Chrysos was now fully enraptured. She was incredibly curious by nature to start with, after all. It was actually something that both sisters shared, the way that whenever something new caught their interest, they would devote their full attention to it.

“How terribly intriguing, to see plants grow so vibrantly with water alone...” However, her interest in aquaculture was out of more than curiosity. “If we continue with this research, it may be an agricultural boon even in a barren nation such as Vassilios,” she said, clearly speaking as the leader of a nation. “No matter how skilled we devils may be at magic, it simply would not be possible to entirely quench the thirst of our parched land. But if it was just in a limited area, it would be possible to keep a clear stream flowing. The issue is what plants would take root... I suppose it will also be necessary to verify if plants without bulbs can also be grown in just water...”

The way her thoughts raced like that was just like her twin sister, too. And so, Rita gave an awkward smile and continued on.

“Apparently the divine protection from Quirmizi often won’t activate if they’re not in contact with the earth, so that cultivation method isn’t typically used in Laband, but... There are eccentrics anywhere and everywhere, so I’m sure there are some scholars out there who have done some research into the matter. After all, that’s how knowledge of this bulb gardening method spread to begin with.”

Rita and Chrysos were both absorbed in their conversation, so neither of them noticed when Gregor silently came up beside Latina, who had been left all on her own.

Latina looked up, noticing his presence. While he was Dale’s friend and someone she was acquainted with, he wasn’t someone she was especially close to, so she tried to put on her best face.

“I believe it would be rather convenient for you to accompany your sister,” he said, throwing out a statement she couldn’t ignore, without any lead up. Latina was very upfront about things at her core, so her attention openly turned entirely towards Gregor.

“Huh?”

“You and Dale have become engaged, but that isn’t known to the world at large, right?”

“That’s... Yes.”

It was common knowledge amongst her friends and the regulars. And besides, Dale and Latina were so obviously clingy that it would make plenty of sense to call their engagement obvious in general.

But since the “world at large” Gregor mentioned included high society amongst a great many others, it would be best to say that it wasn’t known.

Dale was extremely famous as the Platinum Hero, but all that was known at large about his private life was that he had a lover known as the Fairy Princess. Too much of it remained a mystery to the public, so the image presented by the bards and general populace was steadily growing.

On the other hand, the fact that his actual deeds sounded like they were from the realm of pure fiction themselves only further confused things.

“So I’m saying, in high society there are a fair number of nobles who are after Dale.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t mean that in a bad way... Well, I suppose I can’t quite say that, but quite a few have set their eyes on him as a result of his abundant wealth, religious influence, connection to Tislow, and of course his fame as the Platinum Hero. I don’t believe I need to explain that it’s common practice for such folks to use any means necessary to try to win him over.”

From Gregor’s matter-of-fact tone, he didn’t seem to be including any strong personal feelings in the matter. And so, he just seemed a lot more persuasive, talking about things objectively rather than arguing a position.

When Gregor first mentioned people aiming for Dale, Latina’s face went pale, but as she began to understand his point, she started to go beet red instead.

“And it’s not just lower-ranking nobles, but higher ranking ones as well... Well, there’s certainly a trend amongst those who have nothing but a family name behind them, but still, there are also those who are greatly valuing Dale’s personal abilities and thus planning proposals.”

“Dale is engaged to me... He wouldn’t accept those proposals,” she said in a surprisingly sharp tone, a bit of a stern look on her face.

To start with, Dale had far more jealousy and a desire to monopolize his partner than most. That hadn’t changed since she was little. It just made sense that she came to rely on him with all his strength when she was just a child who had lost everything she had, but Dale had answered those feelings, leaving a strong impression on her.

His doting on her usually far exceeded her dependence on him, so she just couldn’t imagine him causing such trouble.

But to her, the thought of Dale being surrounded by noble ladies without her around certainly wasn’t a pleasant one.

“Naturally, Dale isn’t paying them any heed,” Gregor continued on, declaring his friend’s innocence.

He had predicted Latina’s reaction, but seeing her so earnestly show how she was feeling, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. But still, as a member of the powerful ducal family and an elite of Laband trying to push forwards friendly relations between the two nations, he saw great value in dragging the Fairy Princess to the negotiating table. He was confident that it was best to use his friend to peacefully bring that about, but her reaction was just too much for him.

Naturally, Gregor was well aware that Dale was paying no heed to the various nobles who were after him. Dale already had a younger fiancee he was deeply in love with, so any attempts to pair him with another woman, even through an official marriage request, would only be rewarded with anger.

However, facts were still facts.

“Folks like that won’t give up so easily, even if they learn that Dale has a fiancee. And I certainly can’t say there aren’t haughty, arrogant nobles out there who would think that a marriage to a commoner could be easily annulled.”

Latina’s cheeks puffed up, the same pouting she had done since she was a child. For someone who had survived high society and politics as a member of the ducal family, manipulating her was as easy as taking candy from a baby.

“I don’t think even such unreasonable nobles would dare to raise a hand against the younger sister of Vassilios’s ruler, though.”

As a result, the sulking girl, her thinking a commoner’s through and through, nodded her own head in agreement.

†

As the local lord who ruled Kreuz, Count Kleinmifel ended up being the first noble of Laband to welcome the group of envoys from Vassilios, the neighboring nation they had no exchange with up until now.

The government facilities in Kreuz were all located in the town’s center, starting with the lord’s manor. And so, that was where the envoys had headed after passing through the southern gate. The Golden King who had arrived in a vehicle so splendid it could be called a work of art, was wearing a dark gauze veil. Even the count wasn’t able to lay eyes on her rumored beautiful countenance.

The ruler of Vassilios, the First Demon Lord, also ran the temple of Banafsaj, the most revered god in that nation.

Humans didn’t have much faith in Banafsaj, and hardly any knew of the god’s rituals. And they didn’t even know of the nation’s customs to start with, so when they were told that the nation’s ruler was a religious symbol and didn’t let herself be seen outside the temple, they just had to accept it.

Apparently that was only when dealing with an indeterminately large number of people though, and didn’t apply for conferences or welcome banquets.

The one tasked with guiding the envoys was the third son of the prime minister, Duke Eldstedt, and was in his own right a famed champion and swordsman. Based on his proposal, two extra seats were prepared for the welcome banquet.

There wasn’t a person alive unfamiliar with his sworn friend, the Platinum Hero. And he was the one who was tasked with guiding the ruler of Vassilios.

And when one heard that the Platinum Hero would be accompanied by a famed beauty, the Fairy Princess naturally came to mind.

When the count saw the Golden King and the Fairy Princess together at the banquet, he forgot to even breathe for a moment. Aside from the color of their eyes they were utterly identical, so there was no need to explain their relationship.

Both the young ruler and her sister had similarly shaped sleek black horns, and they wore dangling from them similar gold and silver decorations with plenty of jewels all delicately crafted in a foreign style. And their clothing was in an entirely different style than that of Laband, but from the finely crafted sashes and smooth, brilliant material, it was clear that they were outfits fitting for such noble personages.

“＊＊＊、＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊”

The beautiful princess with grey eyes then translated the words of the golden-eyed king.

“The king expresses her gratitude for this welcome.”

Her gentle smile charmed even the aged count, and not solely due to her beauty. The man had been friendly towards other races to begin with, but this caused him to rethink the matter even further.

A great many nobles and people at large felt nothing but terror and chills down their spines at the term “demon lord,” but seeing this Fairy Princess in front of them would surely turn that sort of thinking on its head. The Golden King was naturally no less beautiful, but with the unbelievably gentle air about her, her sister had a different sort of charm entirely.

Members of the city guard in Kreuz were charged with watching over the banquet, but even they forgot their duties, distracted by the sight. It was hard to blame them, considering how overwhelmingly beautiful she was.

To start with, it had been reported that a great many members of the guards had offered to give up their day off in order to take on this mission. Considering their enthusiasm towards their work, they could be forgiven for the momentary distraction.

The captain in charge of the guards was at the age where he would soon be retiring, but apparently he was deeply moved by being assigned a task of such honor at the end of his career.

When the Fairy Princess smiled at him and thanked him personally, he was just so overwhelmed that he ended up wiping the corner of his eye with a handkerchief.

As they were both guests at an evening party in the capital, he was already acquainted with the black haired and garbed Platinum Hero. After offering a perfectly composed Labandese-style greeting, the man smoothly moved to escorting the princess from Vassilios.

With every little movement, the princess’s sparkling platinum hair swayed along. The way she smiled warmly at Dale made it clear where the “Platinum” in his nickname came from.

It would seem that the Platinum Hero and the Fairy Princess were every bit about as close in reality as they were in the epic sung about them.

This also made it quite obvious how a hero had become acquainted with the Golden King, a demon lord.

A hero who played the leading role in defeating the demon lords called calamities, and a demon lord’s younger sister... They really were a shining symbol of the new relationship between Vassilios and Laband.

Well, that was all what Count Kleinmifel thought, but the reality of the situation was ultimately just a bit different.

“I can’t, I can’t, I just can’t...!” Latina said, desperately pleading her case to Dale as her previous smile shifted to a firmer expression.

“That’s not true at all. You’re behaving yourself like a proper princess,” Dale responded, comforting Latina in a low voice while his smile tempered through high society remained firmly in place.

“Chrysos, you didn’t say anything about persisting on pretending you don’t understand the language...”

“It is simply more convenient in several ways if I do not employ Western Continental,” Chrysos responded, sounding disinterested. Not once had she ceased carefully observing the Labandese guests. The aloof girl from the Ocelot was now nowhere to be seen, replaced with a resolute visage befitting the ruler of a nation.

“Dale, you’re different from normal, too...”

“Well... After a while I got used to behaving myself in places like this, I guess...”

While the usual level of intimacy between the two was missing from the conversation, by the standards of the world at large they were still acting sufficiently familiar.

Latina had thought herself sufficiently prepared to act as princess of Vassilios, but it turned out this was all too much for the girl so used to life as a commoner.

†

A bit before Latina appeared at the banquet at the lord’s manor...

After Latina accepted Gregor’s proposal and strengthened her resolve, things moved forward at a breakneck pace.

The envoys had already arrived at the manor, so there was no time to spare. The thoughtless girl who was supposed to be at the core of that group needed to be returned to her proper place as soon as possible.

Normally, it wouldn’t make sense to say that the Golden King couldn’t be seen publicly for religious reasons. However, she hadn’t officially shown herself before the townsfolk back in her own country, either. Of course, that had been solely for security reasons. While the Second Demon Lord was still alive and well, she only interacted with the bare minimum people possible and was only ever informed of anything through writing, and not only her appearance but even her gender were kept secret.

Alongside the news of the hated Second Demon Lord’s demise, information about Chrysos herself had start to spread throughout town, but everything was still only just getting started.

For now, though, Chrysos decided to use the situation to her advantage.

Dale and Latina couldn’t help wondering if her free-spirited antics would continue, but they didn’t dare speak their minds. After all, the way they lived their mundane lives despite their growing fame was hardly different.

To start with, several of the devil envoys visited the Ocelot in secret. Normally such a secret visit wouldn’t be very easy for envoys from another nation to pull off, but their guide Gregor and the guards tasked with patrolling were also in on it. While they felt bad, as he was supposed to be the top official in Kreuz, they figured it was best not to let the count know, the sudden development likely not being good for his elderly heart.

When the members of the envoy group arrived, they got down on their knees before Latina and started to cry.

Faced with such an abrupt reaction in the middle of the store from people they had never even met, Dale, Kenneth, and the regulars all looked bewildered.

Latina, meanwhile, tilted her head a little, then looked like she suddenly remembered something and got down on her knees too and took their hands, looking flustered.

“＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊. ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊”

“＊＊＊＊... ＊＊＊＊、＊＊＊＊＊＊”

“＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊...＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊”

They seemed to be apologizing over and over while sobbing, while Latina responded to them in a gentle voice while wearing a bit of a troubled smile on her face.

The one to explain the situation to everyone left dumbfounded turned out to be Chrysos of all people.

“Our parents held relatively high positions in Vassilios.”

Their mother was the priestess who held the highest authority in Vassilios due to the lack of a demon lord, while their father was a guru who taught a great many people who held influence in the nation. And so, the “relatively” Chrysos had used was a bit of an understatement. However, the folks listening had no way of knowing.

“There were many who regretted being unable to protect Platina and Rag when my sister’s exile was decided. Rag’s last request was that his students stay in his homeland and help me, and they agreed, but... Even so, it always ate away at them.”

A flicker of regret crossed Chrysos’s face. As an adult, she now understood that her father and sister left on their own so that she could have even one ally more as the ruler of the nation.

And so, in order to fulfill the wishes of their dead master, they pushed forward in aiding with the country’s reforms, so that the nation’s young ruler wouldn’t be derided as someone unreliable.

“When Platina stayed in Vassilios, she didn’t see more than a small fraction of the court ladies serving there, yes?”

“That’s true,” Dale agreed, knowing first hand from all the time he spent clinging to Latina while she was recuperating. Or, more accurately, the people meeting her were limited to reduce how many people saw the deplorable hero fawning over her. Of course, there was no way Chrysos was about to mention that.

“When my visit to this country was decided, there were a number who wished to come along and see that Platina was alright with their own two eyes. That is how it is.”

That meant the students of their father, as well as the caretakers who helped take care of the twins when they were young. The girls had been raised in an environment where they saw very few people, but that also meant that the few they did see were especially trusted by their late parents.

“There were people who worried about me... Why did I not realize something so obvious when I was little...?”

Latina started to tear up a bit too, perhaps crying in sympathy, causing some of the regulars to break out in awkward smiles. They couldn’t simply sit there unmoved by the sight.

“That’s just how it is when you’re a kid. I’m glad, though. There were other people out there thinking of you, besides just Chrysos,” Dale said in a gentle tone.

“Yeah...” Latina replied with a joyful smile.

You could tell from her gentler, kinder expression relative to Chrysos that her life had not been entirely hardships.

The tears from the envoys, meanwhile, showed no signs of stopping.

As the emotional scene carried on, the owners were having a quite discussion amongst themselves.

“What a schemer...”

“Well, I think this was more a matter of opportunism than the main objective here...”

The pair were whispering about the fact that Chrysos had orchestrated this tearful reunion, but though their words were a touch harsh, they didn’t really hold it against her.

The members of a certain non-profit organization in Kreuz were Latina’s largest-scale group of allies. And if they learned that there were devils who were seriously concerned about her, that would have a very positive impact on relations.

Now that negotiations were kicking off between Vassilios and Laband, a town this close to the border was of utmost importance. And the impression the locals had of the neighboring devils was likely to dramatically affect that. And though it may not apply to the whole race, the men with tough faces who frequented this shop and doted on their favorite adorable waitress would at the very least speak highly of the devils who served under Chrysos.

“Now then...” Chrysos stated, calling to attention the court ladies present from amongst all the tearful voices.

“Hmm?”

“I shall carry out the pledge I have made.”

“Huh?” Latina questioned, tilting her head.

In an instant, the platinum-haired girl was surrounded by court ladies and was taken into one of the Ocelot’s guest rooms under Chrysos’s orders.

Latina had no clue what was going on, but Dale knew exactly what Chrysos meant, prompting a different question.

“...What about you?”

“I am fine. I shall simply change for the banquet,” Chrysos bluntly replied.

Apparently, she must have found such things tiresome.

The second Latina showed herself again, the inside of the Ocelot erupted into pandemonium. Describing it as a wretched sight of wailing and lamenting didn’t quite capture it properly. But still, words fail to sufficiently describe the chaos that erupted.

At any rate, Dale had fainted immediately. It was an instant kill attack (though he wasn’t dead). He was the most powerful, ultimate, extraordinary of heroes, but that blow had simply proved too intense. And so he started writhing in agony, then fell to the floor with a crash. Just when it looked like he was about to pick himself back up, he simply smiled weakly and gave a thumbs up, as if to tell the court ladies they had done a good job.

Still, he was a hero who was famous the world over, so the word “deplorable” didn’t even begin to cover his actions.

It was easy to guess at the reactions from the regulars, too.

However, this time the men from the group of envoys joined in, too. They saw not only how the young girl they once knew had grown, but also a glimpse of her mother, the priestess, and they started sobbing once again.

And at the same time, the men were also cherishing the sight of the Fairy Princess. They truly needed no words, and the barriers of race and age may as well have not existed. The thoughts of everyone there joined together as one. In a way, it may have actually been a rather harmonious sight.

The girl known as the Platinum Princess was undoubtedly living up to the “princess” part of that nickname right now.

Atop her painstakingly combed platinum hair sat seven colors of sparkling gemstones. And the gold and silver ornamentation dangling from her seemingly restored black horns jangled as they swayed ever so slightly.

The sash she wore had foreign patterns woven into it, with the color seeming to shift depending on the angle from which it was viewed. And the Vassilios-style dress she wore elegantly followed the contours of her body, accentuating her feminine beauty.

“Ah, the makeup technique is different too, isn’t it?”

“There’s definitely a different feel about her. So that’s it?”

“It’s totally different. I see... The coloration on her cheeks and eyelids positively sparkles, doesn’t it?” Rita said, expressing her admiration in a completely different manner from the men. Furthermore, she shot an astonished look at her husband for his dense remark. There was another person far more deserving of that reaction than her husband, however.

“If Dale was going to have this big of a reaction, maybe it would’ve been better to show him in advance.”

“Yeah...”

It would have been utterly unbearable if he had reacted like that while attending the banquet at the lord’s manor.

Concerns of that nature continued to run through the minds of the Ocelot’s owners as they saw Dale and Latina to their carriage. As for Chrysos, the plan was to have her ride along with them and slip into the manor amidst the hustle and bustle.

Incidentally, the eldest child of the Ocelot was inconsolable for the entire night after learning that he had missed the chance to see his beloved big sis all dressed up.

Further incidentally, the aloof pup who had left to play with the boy was soon found curling up and sleeping next to Latina in the lord’s manor, as if it was only natural. None were entirely sure how he had gotten in, he simply appeared there abruptly before anyone had noticed. When they saw him, Dale unwittingly gave a sigh, while Gregor looked simply dumbfounded.

This having been the same as his appearance in Kreuz, it seemed that the aloof pup’s infiltration skills were truly frightening.

†

At the peak of nervousness before the dinner began, Latina grabbed hold of her fork and knife. While her actions weren’t rushed, she was clearly feeling incredibly awkward. It looked that way to Dale’s experienced eye, at least, though she was certainly managing to avoid seeming rude. As a matter of fact, she was demonstrating the elegant table manners one would expect of royalty, her natural grace shining through.

Even so, Latina seemed to have remembered her previous concern, as whenever a dish was carried out, she explained its ingredients and cooking method as thoroughly as possible to her sister and the envoys.

“See, you can simply explain everything about every dish that concerns you by being here with me, Platina.”

“We’re being treated to such a nice feast, but I’m so nervous that I can’t really tell what I’m tasting, which is a shame...”

The sisters were talking in the devil tongue, so Dale’s limited vocabulary kept him from understanding the entire conversation. And yet...

I don’t know what they’re saying, but I figure Latina must be saying something unfortunate... Dale thought as he continued to eat, the formal expression on his face softening into a bit of an awkward smile.

“Hmm...”

“Why are you making such a face?”

“I can more or less tell what seasonings they used, but there seems to be some sort of hidden flavor... But even so, it’s not like I can just ask them what it is...”

“For you to go so far, would that not perhaps be a bad habit of yours, Platina?”

“I mean, when it comes to meals, if I just know how something’s made, then I can make it myself...! And delicious food is important!”

Ah, yeah, she’s definitely saying something really regrettable...

Dale felt rather hapless, having picked up on the gist of what they were talking about from the expressions on their faces as well as those of the envoys.

There were seats prepared for chatting after the banquet, too.

Latina was seated next to Chrysos in order to translate, as the Golden King was currently “unable” to understand Western Continental. Though Dale was far from a stranger, he remained stunned by how beautiful the twins were. The ongoing stares from Count Kleinmifel and the other influential guests came as no surprise.

Some attempted to approach and speak to them, wanting to get even a little bit closer, but Latina fended them off in an inoffensive manner. The knowledge of acting like a lady that Rose had once hastily pounded into her was seriously proving useful at the moment. And apparently the people she was talking to assumed her slight awkwardness was due to her being from a foreign nation, so they thought nothing of it.

Even so, she still occasionally let slip some complaints.

“Geez, I want to go home... I want to go home... And if I can’t, then I at least want to snuggle up under a blanket...!”

Ever since she was little, she had a habit of bundling herself up in a blanket when something scary happened or she was feeling uneasy.

“You’ve still got a long ways to go...” Dale said with a strained smile, fully aware of her situation.

He turned and looked at Latina’s face, seeing that she was on the verge of tears. Once he saw that face, Dale, with his unbounded affection for Latina, had no choice left but to pamper and comfort her. He took a step closer in order to scoop her up in his arms and console her as always... but then he noticed Gregor shooting him a meaningful look.

He stepped back to their previous distance, acting like nothing at all had happened.

“Well, I get that you’re not used to this, but I’m right here next to you... And I know Chrysos was the one who said it, but if you’re in trouble you can just pretend you don’t understand what they’re saying and smile.”

Dale earnestly believed that if Latina just shot them a fleeting smile, most folks would shut their mouths.

Perhaps it would be a bit blunt to say aloud, but he couldn’t deny that it was a likely possibility.

After Dale helped Latina calm down a bit, the music shifted with the count’s signal, and the ball began. The men and women in flashy outfits who advanced to the center of the hall took each other hand in hand and spun around with light, graceful steps.

Just as Count Kleinmifel had suggested with a gentle smile, Latina and Chrysos seated themselves so that they could have a good view of the dance hall.

Apparently this was set up to allow them to enjoy the sight of a foreign dance.

When she learned that she didn’t actually need to dance, Latina felt overwhelmingly relieved. After all, she had completely lacked any sense of rhythm ever since she was a child. If she were invited to dance in the middle of such a huge group of people, the results would be catastrophic.

“...With that said, you do not look all that interested, Platina,” Chrysos said with a bit of a teasing tone.

“That’s not true at all. This is the same sort of sight I admired so much in my picture books. Watching beautiful people in such lovely dresses... I’m enjoying it,” Latina replied, not looking away from the dancers.

The grace with which they danced made their complex steps look deceptively simple. They were far from it, however, but the ability to make something difficult appear simple to others was a true sign of mastery.

If Latina attempted to join in and mimic their beautiful dancing, she would undoubtedly trip over her own feet and fall flat on her rear. Just picturing it was discouraging.

Latina frowned slightly as she considered that at least when it came to peeling vegetables, she could do that smoothly and gracefully.

“I mean, I can’t dance... It’s just not possible...”

Rose may have taught her manners, but those lessons hadn’t extended to the subject of dancing. After all, even if she admired balls, she never dreamed of actually attending one like this. She hadn’t practiced because she didn’t see the need, but if she had at least learned the basics, maybe things would be different now...

Latina pouted a bit at that thought, glancing at Dale. Normally he would never leave her side, but thanks to his position, it was absolutely necessary that he dance with a number of noble ladies. Dale had been well known in high society to start with, and his meteoric rise in fame caused a sudden explosion of people wanting to socialize with him.

Seeing Dale making faces she had never seen as he took the hands of ladies she didn’t know caused Latina to feel an ever so slight tightness in her chest.

“I know there’s no helping it because it’s for work, geez. I won’t throw a tantrum about it like a child, geez.”

The way that she was ending every sentence in “geez” made it clear how much Latina was sulking.

Chrysos looked at her sister, seeming a bit astounded.

“I do not believe most would be able to offer such open lip service, with both their words and expression...”

Dale wasn’t able to hide the fact that his smile was forced and his reply nothing but a formality, and was clearly, openly displeased about being dragged away from Latina. But with that said, at least on the surface he was still minding his manners, so it wasn’t a big enough blunder for anyone to call him out on it.

While Chrysos couldn’t help but be impressed. When she saw such clear dissatisfaction on her sister’s face, despite Dale’s openly innocent motives, she couldn’t help thinking how alike the two really were.

†

After the group of envoys departed Kreuz, they moved onwards towards the capital.

Dale had traveled the path many times before, but as Latina’s previous trip through was spent flying atop Vint, this was her first time taking this route.

After coming through the forest it was possible to restock at the towns alongside the highway, so there was no need to be concerned about being able to resupply. And so, the beautiful magical beast-led carriage was able to fulfill its original purpose of transporting the elite.

The luxurious, cozy inside of the vehicle served as a private space just for the twin sisters, cut off from the outside world. There was a relaxed, easygoing atmosphere inside, without so much as a guard in sight. And the pup nonchalantly sleeping at their feet only strengthened that feeling.

That faithful hound occasionally wagging his tail was actually quite a capable guard. Since he was there, there was no need to have another person accompanying them at the moment.

“Hmm... This really is tricky, after all...”

“It certainly may be difficult, but once you memorize the rules, it shall become a good bit easier. What about this one, Platina?”

“Um... the spelling here is a little different... It’s pretty interesting studying language, isn’t it? Maybe I should use the opportunity to start learning Eastern Regional...”

The twins were holding a study session inside the vehicle, as they decided it would be a waste to spend the long journey doing nothing but idly chatting away.

Latina could speak the devil tongue, but she couldn’t read or write it. As an ideographic language, the devil language had a vast number of characters, and its grammar was also quite complex. Since she had left her home country when she was young, though, Latina had never had a chance to study the characters. And no matter how clever of a girl Latina may be, there just wasn’t anything to be done about that considering the circumstances.

Chrysos was still studying the human language, Western Continental, too. She had grown rather skilled at conversing, but she was still learning the writing.

And so, the two of them decided to study the written languages together.

After hearing that, Gregor was impressed by their dedication, but Dale looked dumbfounded. The twins really were workaholics to the core, not able to feel at ease unless they were using their time in a meaningful, efficient manner.

Latina and Chrysos were the only ones riding in the vehicle pulled by the magical beast, while the group of envoys were riding in a carriage prepared for them by Laband.

Unlike the route to Kreuz which required blazing a trail down trackless paths, the route to the capital had a properly maintained highway, so it was possible to travel by carriage. And the Laband side prepared one out of consideration for the Vassilios side, due to the long journey they were making.

Dale and Gregor were primarily tasked with guard duty, so they were part of the procession on horseback.

The stunning, beautiful carriage, combined with the fact that they were also accompanied by soldiers on foot, made it clear that this procession was no normal convoy of merchants. It was hard to call it unnecessary, though, even with the combination of Gregor’s excellent leadership and Dale’s solo horseback skills and extreme vigilance.

But with that said, there were no signs of an attack by an opposing faction, which was what they had been worried about.

The one spearheading the movement for friendly relations between the two nations was Duke Eldstedt, the prime minister. And there was no way that Gregor’s father would allow guests of the state to be exposed to such a shameful sight.

And though the assailants would have no way of knowing this, even if there was an attack, it would result in an absolute overkill retaliation by the human weapon known as the Platinum Hero, wiping them out entirely. After all, pointing a blade at the envoys was the same as pointing a blade at Latina, who was at her sister’s side. It needn’t be said that she was the person most important to Dale, who was already a person deeply invested in protecting others.

Anyone attempting such an act would receive an overwhelming demonstration of his abilities.

That in mind, the duke’s attempts to cut off any such attacks in advance were the far more humane solution.

There were towns dotted along the path between Kreuz and the capital.

When ordinary travelers headed from Kreuz to the capital, it would take them nearly a week by carriage. The towns alongside the well maintained highway were well equipped for handling travelers, so folks riding the carriages would plan around resting at inns along the way, avoiding the need to camp outside.

When the envoy group arrived in the town where they would be spending the night, they found a welcome banquet waiting for them.

That sort of reception was only natural when it came to greeting guests of the state, both from the point of view of the nation and from that of the local lords running such towns.

And when she saw that friendly welcome, Latina...

“It’s plenty spacious in that carriage, so I can just sleep there.”

Started completely shutting herself off from the others.

“It’s not like I don’t get how you feel, but I don’t think you can do that...”

“I’m fine sleeping outside. It’s actually kind of fun, since it’s something different than usual.”

“I’m telling you, it’s no good...”

“And I wouldn’t be worried as long as you were with me, Dale, so...”

A silence filled the air.

“Should you not be firmly scolding her all the way through to the end?”

When the “princess” made the suggestion of prioritizing comfort and camping, Dale should have immediately admonished her and said it was impossible considering both her safety and her position, but he quickly fell prey to how soft he was on her.

Gregor having to always be the the voice of reason when Dale was being foolish was a far greater task than those around them may have realized.

Neither country involved had ever expected that someone who undoubtedly held the position of “princess” would have such a common way of thinking.

Still, Latina was skilled at anything and everything, so she was able to pull through these days, somehow. The exhaustion definitely did pile up, though, as by the time they arrived at the capital, Latina was positively listless. Naturally, that was more mental exhaustion than physical, though.

As a result, even though she was completely and utterly a commoner on the inside, the people around her had an incredibly high opinion of her, even more so than she thought.

When they were welcomed at each town she greeted them with a stiff smile fixed to her face, with only Dale able to recognize her awkwardness due to knowing her so well. But from his point of view, she was sitting there with that forced smile precisely because her nervousness had reached its peak. To anyone who didn’t know her, though, she must have just seemed a gentle-mannered and mature princess who assisted her sister.

It also helped that Chrysos was seated next to her, giving off a genuinely regal air. The twins may have looked identical on the outside, but they really did each have a different feel about them. And when added to her charming looks, fitting for the heroine of an epic tale, those around her regarded her as some sort of reclusive princess.

Seeing her lost in thought in the corner at the banquets fanned a desire to protect her in a great many of the men from the Laband side.

If her protector, the famed Platinum Hero, wasn’t by her side, it wouldn’t be strange at all for plenty of self-proclaimed devotees to form a line to express their regard.

“Dale...”

“Hmm?”

“I want to polish pots...”

“I don’t know that you should be saying stuff like that where people can overhear...”

That was the rather deplorable reason she was really looking so troubled and distant, but none of the other people attending were aware of that fact.

“I want to polish pots, and clean, and wipe down the floors... I want to polish them with wax so they’re nice and sparkly... I would even be fine trading places with those maids and making round trips to and from the kitchen...”

“I really do need to study the devil language, but still, I get the feeling that I’m better off not knowing what you’re saying right now...”

There really was a huge distance between the reality of things and the image those around her held.

As a result, Latina’s exhaustion reached its peak (though nobody blamed her for it), and she was completely worn out by the time they reached the capital.

Waiting for her there, though, was someone that Latina knew quite well: Her etiquette instructor, Rose.

Rose was quite fond of Latina, but unlike Dale, she could also be strict when need be rather than constantly pampering her.

While Latina stood there dumbfounded at the sight of her when they met at Duke Eldstedt’s manor, Rose gently smiled back, and then called out, “Ms. Latina.”

“Wah!”

There was a chill behind Rose’s voice. And since she was so sensitive to that sharp tone, Latina let out that strange sound and then stood up straight.

Standing next to them, Dale felt like it was the sort of relationship you would see between a superior and their subordinate in the military.

“In this place, I will always refer to you as ‘Ms. Latina.’”

Rose made sure to lay that fact down in advance, since Latina’s current standing was that of the younger sister of Vassilios’s ruler. And it simply wouldn’t make sense for a lower-ranking noble like Rose to act like the superior of a princess from a neighboring country.

However, Latina and Chrysos were already rather close to Rose on a personal level. Those attending from the Vassilios side, including the court ladies and guards waiting on Chrysos, were all acquainted with Rose from the time she visited Vassilios, so they showed no sign of finding fault with the matter.

And of course, as someone who was so strict about manners, there was most certainly a reason why she wouldn’t call Latina “princess.”

“You will be having an audience with His Majesty, so make sure not to act so foolish in front of him.”

“Um... Um... Lady Rose...”

“Your sister, the king, is not familiar with Labandese manners. There surely exist those who are ignorant of that and would view any missteps harshly.”

Rose was now fully acting as a mentor in etiquette and giving her guidance. Her deep indigo eyes were casting a stern gaze toward Latina.

“Ms. Latina, I believe you are the only one familiar enough with both Vassilios and Laband to stay by your sister’s side and protect her.”

That’s way too big of a responsibility... I just can’t...

“There is no time for complaining.”

“Right!”

Rose had managed to clearly chastise Latina, even though she was only thinking to herself. But Latina’s earnest nature made her exceptionally easy to read, so that was no surprise.

Rose was certainly a bit of a strict teacher.

“And so, I was thinking I would have you attend a tea party hosted by Sir Gregor’s elder sister, her highness Lady Fania.”

“Huh?”

“Be at ease. Lady Fania was my own mentor in proper etiquette, and she is aware of your circumstances to some degree.”

Gregor’s half-sister Fania was the one who doted especially hard on Rose when she was brought into the Eldstedt family at a young age.

Before she was known as the princess of Vassilios, Latina’s name was spread about those in the duke’s camp as the foster child the hero directly under the duke was thoroughly doting on.

Even though Fania had left home upon marriage, her father served as the nation’s prime minister, and it certainly wasn’t as if she had grown estranged from her family.

“I’m sure that Lady Fania will play along with your ‘rehearsal,’ Ms. Latina...”

“Wah... Huh...? Um, Lady Rose...”

Realizing she had no place to run, Latina’s gaze darted from side to side.

Sparing a glance at her sister in that state, Chrysos bluntly stated, “I shall be having a briefing session with those from Laband, and handling final adjustments, so we shall have to say farewell for the time being, Platina.”

Officially Chrysos didn’t understand Western Continental, so that did make a certain amount of sense. It was impossible to tell who could be watching in the capital and the royal estate, so she couldn’t exactly treat it as a pleasant jaunt with Latina as she had been thus far.

Regardless of her feelings on the matter, right now Chrysos needed to prioritize her official position.

“...If I recall correctly, your elder sister Lady Fania was crown princess?”

“Officially, His Majesty has not yet named his successor, so she’s the consort of the second prince.”

“That certainly sounds dubious, in all manner of ways...”

“In actuality, she holds the second greatest authority of any woman, after only the queen.”

It was no surprise that Dale’s expression suggested this whole affair was a pain, as he couldn’t help but think there was some sort of meaning behind the fact that the second prince was considered heir apparent of the throne. The continual delays only further supported his suspicions, as a successor would normally have been named by now.

It was only natural that the place be called a den of demons. Dale really preferred to live within his means as a commoner, and would just as well have nothing to do with this world if he could help it.

And with her commoner mindset, Latina felt much the same.

Dale and Gregor’s explanation had been meant to calm Latina down, but ended up having the exact opposite effect.

When she realized that she was going to be dealing with a serious big shot, Latina became so panicked that it was written clearly on her face. And naturally, that reflected poorly on her.

Rose looked straight at Latina, a perfectly ladylike smile on her face.

“It would seem that there is need for a thorough review, yes?”

“Wah...! Um, ah... Yes, please...”

And so, Latina ended up undergoing some unexpectedly spartan training in court etiquette.

Rose led Latina to a section of the palace that was under the jurisdiction of Fania, the consort to the second prince. Well, it was called a “section,” but it was an entirely separate manor where she and the second prince lived.

Normally, when faced with such a beautiful sight like something out of a picture book, Latina would’ve darted around restlessly as she looked at everything, her mouth hanging open. But sure enough, this time around Latina successfully composed herself, remembering her earlier training.

She was seriously frightened by the indigo eyes of the girl standing next to her, whose utter lack of warmth betrayed the smile below them.

They were lead by a servant into a beautiful garden full of proudly blooming flowers. There was a great variety on display, and it seems like even the way the colors were laid out had been perfectly calculated. Even the ironwork arch was in perfect harmony with everything else.

“Wah...” Latina unwittingly let slip, overwhelmed by the beauty and sweet aroma. “Lady Rose...”

“Within the palace, your status is higher than my own, Ms. Latina. You mustn’t abase yourself towards me.”

“Hmm... It’s just that you taught me magic too, Lady Rose... But I’ll try my best.”

Seeing Latina having trouble due to her natural politeness, Rose couldn’t help but give a strained smile.

Then, Latina continued on, “They didn’t have a flower garden like this in the temple in Vassilios... Would it be possible to make an opportunity for Chrysos to visit a place like this, too?”

“Yes, that nation has an arid environment, does it not? So there are no places where flowers blossom?”

“There was a place where they were grown to be used in rituals for Quirmizi... But that was pretty limited, and you couldn’t ever enjoy being surrounded by this many flowers.”

“In that case, let us inform Lady Fania. Perhaps that knowledge will be useful when welcoming guests from Vassilios in the future.”

Latina felt like this conversation leaned just a bit more towards normal, but when she noticed the person waiting for them in the gazebo in the middle of the garden, she stood up straight. The woman didn’t look all that much like Gregor. Her hair was a honey-colored blonde, she had an oval-shaped face, and the overall impression she gave off was completely different than that of her half-brother, completely lacking his martial discipline and foreign feel. But they certainly were similarly attractive, if nothing else.

Though they otherwise didn’t look too much alike, Latina felt satisfied when she noticed the woman’s willful, unusually refreshing ice-blue eyes. She was glad to find proof that this woman really was related to her acquaintance.

“I am truly grateful for your invitation at this time,” Latina said as a greeting to the owner of the garden, ever so slightly grabbing the hem of her swaying Vassilios-style skirt. It was a more restrained action as it lacked the plentiful drape of a Labandese dress, but the woman in front of her didn’t seem to mind, and in fact gave her a pleasant smile back.

“You really are a princess every bit as adorable as a fairy, just as the rumors say.”

Latina just smiled, having trouble knowing how to respond, so Rose said, “Lady Fania, this is Princess Platina Muto Cori Mov. Thank you so much for listening to my unreasonable request.”

Latina had been given the role name of “Muto” in Dale’s home village of Tislow. Since Dale used his role name of “Reki” in place of a family name, Latina did the same and combined it with her real name of Platina to get the name of Platina Muto.

The devils of Vassilios didn’t use family names, but it was normal to refer to themselves as “child of X,” with that X being their mother’s name. And so Rose followed that tradition and introduced Latina using vocabulary in Western Continental that meant “daughter of Mov,” but Latina herself was left looking utterly puzzled.

It took a couple of seconds before she even realized that Rose was referring to her.

Normally she just used “Latina” (even though it was originally supposed to be a nickname), and she lived in the rougher part of town, so she didn’t have a need to introduce herself using a family name. And so, it took her a bit to realize that her “real” name had taken that form.

By the way, Chrysos hoped to introduce herself as Chrysos Vassilios Cori Mov, inserting the country’s name to indicate that she was its ruler. There was no such custom in Vassilios, but when she heard that Latina’s “Muto” was a role name from Tislow, she wanted something similar to express her role as king.

She really did have quite the sister complex, wanting everything to match like that.

“So that’s what my name’s like now...” Latina muttered absently.

“Ms. Latina?”

“It’s nothing!” she quickly responded.

“Well then, let us practice your greeting for when you have your audience with His Majesty. Lady Fania will explain in detail about how to greet lords and ladies.”

“Rose informed me about you in the past. I looked forward to this meeting. She praised your memorization skills, after all,” Fania said with a smile. Her words were completely friendly, but still, Latina’s attempts to maintain her composure left her sweating.

Please don’t expect so much out of me...

She really did think like a commoner, for that thought to come to mind.

And with her graceful beauty and gentle manners, Fania really was Rose’s mentor.

The first thing that Latina had thoroughly pounded into her was how to properly bow like a lady. It felt harsh even to someone like Latina, a member of the hardy devil race who had also spent day after day running all about the Ocelot while waitressing there.

Despite their brilliant surroundings, the coaching was as intense as that of a professional sport.

It was only when Latina’s knees started to give out that she was finally allowed to take a break to drink some tea.

“You seem to have gotten down the basic process, yes?” Fania said, giving the girl a passing mark.

“Thank you,” Latina responded with a smile while holding a teacup.

The tea had been carefully prepared with high class tea leaves, and it made for a wonderful flavor with very little bitterness to it. The snacks provided alongside it weren’t overly lacking in sweetness, and struck a perfect balance when eaten together with the tea.

Latina wasn’t able to pay attention to the flavor and ingredients though, as she had to devote her full attention to eating in such a way that not a single crumb fell down, which caused her to shed tears in her heart.

“Still, Labandese manners certainly do seem difficult in foreign attire, do they not?”

“You think so as well, Lady Fania? The outfits from Vassilios are terribly beautiful, so I would have liked to let those present see her in one, but it certainly wouldn’t be easy...” Rose replied, only for a playful, mischievous expression to flash over Fania’s face. Latina, meanwhile, was completely enraptured by the fine decorations applied to the snacks, so she wasn’t paying attention to their conversation.

“I hear tell that Princess Platina and her sister, the king, look quite alike.”

“Yes. And the two get along quite well, so I am certain that if they were to wear matching outfits, they would become the main topic of conversation amongst the lords.”

“We should be certain to create such an opportunity.”

It was starting to seem that Latina’s debut as a princess in the capital wouldn’t be limited to just one evening party.

“In that case, how about inviting the envoys to this garden? I believe that would make them quite happy, as Vassilios has quite limited plant life, and such a place would thus feel quite unusual to them.”

“Oh, my. That is a terribly fine idea.”

Thanks to their long years of living like real sisters, the difference in their positions couldn’t be felt very strongly in the conversation Rose and Fania were having.

Having given her ready consent with a smile when Rose raised the desire Latina had voiced just a short while ago, Fania then called over her maid. She then gave an order to adjust the schedule for the near future.

“If you were to wear a foreign outfit when attending the banquet after your audience with His Majesty, it may leave quite the strong impression. And you have strived to learn the manners of our nation, so would it not be good to use the opportunity to display them?”

Despite the grin on Fania’s face, Latina didn’t realize the situation she would soon find herself in.

Fania had a previous record of finding Rose so adorable when she was young that she would frequently treat the girl like a doll and dress her up in gaudy outfits.

There was a need to first have Latina wear a dress, in order to further practice Labandese manners. Or at least, that was the logic presented as to why she needed to pick out an outfit befitting her royal status, while also giving an even stronger impact than her nickname of Platinum Fairy Princess. Those were the prerequisites she was given.

“I know that you prefer subdued colors, Ms. Latina, but I believe a deeper color would look even nicer on you.”

“Vassilios nationally reveres Banafsaj, do they not? Perhaps a violet would be good, then. Ah, but we also must consider how it pairs with the outfit of her sister, the king, yes?”

“Hmm...?”

Latina finally noticed that Rose and Fania were happily chatting away, but she still had yet to realize what would happen to her next, so she simply tilted her head in confusion.

There was a chandelier brilliantly illuminating the banquet hall. It was made by combining delicately crafted and polished, elaborately cut parts, and it alone was enough to demonstrate the prosperity of the nation.

As it was meant for entertaining guests, the banquet hall was especially extravagant, even for the already luxurious royal palace. And that only made sense, as it was a key weapon in the war known as foreign relations, meant to display the strength of the nation.

The most treasured color in Laband was that of their patron god Ahmar, red. And so the banquet hall was colored in a deep, subtle crimson, accompanied by a shade of gold.

Adorning the ceiling was a painting depicting the nation’s founding. It was a heroic, cheerful tale that praised the nation’s majesty.

The banquet hall itself really was like a flawless piece of art.

The banquet held there to welcome the envoys was a small-scale affair, meant to take place before the two nations officially opened diplomatic relations. It was only described as “small-scale” because of the number of people participating, though. Both the prestige of those in attendance and the splendor of the event itself were more than sufficient for demonstrating Laband’s prosperity to another nation.

And as for the Laband side, when they saw Vassilios’s ruler the Golden King and her sister the Platinum Fairy Princess enter the hall, they were so overwhelmed that even sighs of admiration caught in their throats.

While she was clad in beautiful foreign attire, it was more the elder sister’s long platinum hair and strong-willed golden eyes that her nickname was derived from that drew the gaze of observers.

And her sister the princess had the same platinum colored hair, only hers was done up. She wore a darkly-colored Labandese dress, and was greeting the various lords with absolutely perfect manners.

The sisters possessed such overwhelming natural beauty that any mere decoration or piece of art paled in comparison.

Behind them, Rose (who had served as an unofficial ambassador to Vassilios) was acting as an interpreter so that Fania, consort to the second prince, could have a friendly chat with the Golden King.

Very few in Laband possessed comparable beauty to the twins, or similarly great renown, so their presence brought immediate vibrancy to their corner of the room.

And when a certain someone saw them...

“Latina’s even more amazing than I thought...” Dale murmured from a short distance away.

“Should you not be standing at her side?” Gregor asked his friend, wearing an outfit fitting for a member of the ducal family.

“If you mean that it’s rare for me to not be right next to her, then just come out and say so clearly,” Dale said in pointed response to Gregor’s roundabout comment, before turning to look at Latina again.

No matter how you looked at her, she was an absolutely perfect princess. It really was something, since even Dale couldn’t help but think that despite being thoroughly acquainted with how she was normally.

It was hard to imagine that behind the facade was a commoner girl who enjoyed polishing cookware.

“She said she was rehearsing, or undergoing special training or something... Normally something that last-minute doesn’t work out so well though, right?”

“She gives off a rather delicate impression, but I believe she certainly has some guts as well.”

“Well... Yeah, I’d definitely say that’s true, seeing how she faced off against those gruff old-timers without flinching even back when she was just an adorable little thing...”

Dale gave a sigh, in the back of his mind he was thinking about the night before. Latina had buried herself in a heap of pillows in the guest room in the palace that was assigned to her, sobbing away. It was sort of like she had returned to being a little kid after being pushed to the limit of what she could emotionally handle.

Dale’s doting idiot nature couldn’t help overruling any reservations he had about where they were, considering how thoroughly exhausted she looked. It was clear to him how harsh her special training must have been.

Truthfully, it wasn’t just the training, as the way she had been forced to change into one dress after another had also contributed greatly to her exhaustion.

In other words, the dress Latina had borrowed to wear today was the end result of those countless other trials. It really spoke to the skill of Fania’s personal seamstresses, the way that it fit Latina so well that you couldn’t even tell that it had been borrowed. However, it was also necessary for her to put on a corset, which she never normally wore. When the maids squeezed her tightly into it, she couldn’t help but think that if one of those girls happened to be a hero, she would have been defeated then and there.

There were no past precedents of a demon lord being killed by a corset, and if it happened, it would probably never happen ever again.

Whether the fact was fortunate or not, Dale knew nothing of the personal fashion show that Fania had Latina hold. If he had seen it, he probably would have fainted on the spot in spite of all the important people from around the country watching, which would make for a truly deplorable display. And if he learned that he had missed the opportunity to see such a thing, he would surely stamp his feet in frustration and make a real nuisance of himself.

But since he just didn’t know, he was acting normally, at least for the time being. That act of moderation had naturally been Rose’s decision, and was the perfect way to handle the matter.

“Well, that’s for the best... That place is scary.”

“Yes, that’s certainly true...”

The men were daunted because that place was like a microcosm of the palace at large, a place for women to fight.

It went without saying that Rose was grading Latina strictly, even while she was being attended to by the maids. And in the palace, there was no division between men and women, as everyone harshly judged each and every action made by everyone else.

On the surface, it looked like Chrysos and Fania were just having a pleasant chat. However, naturally that wasn’t all there was to it. All the while Fania was making sure to act with restraint towards the nobles from her own country, while also keeping an eye on Latina and the others from Vassilios, who were not fully familiar with high society in Laband. And she also carried out her duties as the consort of the second prince, in order to use these new friendly relations with their neighboring country to strengthen her own position.

Meanwhile, faced with such a lady of character from Laband, Chrysos acted as an ambassador of goodwill between the nations, all the while making sure to use lines that wouldn’t cause her country harm.

This was the sort of terrifying place Latina now found herself in, needing to act as expected of a princess.

Even if Dale was expected to act according to his station, swinging a sword out in the wild suited him better. Considering that, it was only natural that he found his current straits daunting.

“My elder sister seems to be quite pleased, having made the acquaintance of the Golden King,” Gregor said while looking over at Fania. It was also showing now and again on his face that he certainly didn’t want to get any closer. As he was born to a renowned family, Gregor was raised closer to high society than Dale, but he still placed greater importance upon his life as a warrior.

The pair gave long sighs in perfect tandem.

“Well, Latina seems to always let her guard down when I’m nearby, so I’ll stay just a bit further away...”

Dale was first and foremost when it came to the people that Latina let dote on her. Right now her nervousness was at its peak, but he couldn’t go and stand by her side and risk tipping her over the edge.

“Besides, it’s better that I’m the only one who gets to experience that cute side of Latina’s.”

Dale really never did waver in his beliefs. In a way, it was almost admirable.

At any rate, Latina carried out her duty of playing the role of a sheltered princess from Vassilios, not letting her occasional bouts of airheadedness show on the surface whatsoever.

As for the girl herself, though, inside her head she was like a quivering little bunny with tears in her eyes from start to finish. Everyone around her remained blissfully ignorant of that, however.

And considering she was a princess from a country they’d had no interaction with, she came across as quite knowledgeable about their language and customs. Latina herself was the only one who didn’t realize she gave that impression to those looking at her objectively.

And Dale had no intention of telling her that the opinion of the Platinum Fairy Princess was seeing a meteoric rise amongst Labandese high society.

“It’s over... It’s over...”

Right now, despite her position as the sister of a foreign nation’s king, she was currently in the corner of Duke Eldstedt’s kitchen, polishing silverware with a cloth while shedding tears and looking like a girl possessed. Of course, since this was the kitchen of the foremost noble family in Laband, everything was already neat and tidy, so there were no stained pots that were truly worth polishing laying about.

I’m at my limit...

Seeing her like that, the corners of Dale’s eyes grew warmer and tears of sympathy subconsciously began falling down his cheeks.

†

The audience with the Labandese king ended without incident, bringing the greatest task for the envoys to a close, but Latina’s job as a princess in the capital still wasn’t over just yet.

One task awaiting her related to something Gregor had told the regulars. Which is to say, a portrait painter of Duke Eldstedt’s patronage had heard of the beautiful twin sisters, Vassilios’s ruler and princess, and became quite interested in them.

The last time Latina visited Duke Eldstedt’s manor, a portrait was painted of her. And when a noble was as influential as the duke, it was only natural for him to offer his patronage to artists whose skills he recognized. One of them had been so taken with the sight of a girl with a mythical beast, like something out of a legend, that he firmly requested to be allowed to paint her himself.

“Hmm? Could that be...”

“I know.”

“Ah... So he really is the person we met last time, isn’t he?”

“Yup.”

When Gregor introduced the painter to Latina, she was certain that she recognized him, commenting on that fact to Vint.

Vint hadn’t been able to follow her to the royal palace, so when she was finally able to pay him some attention in the garden, his tail was wagging enthusiastically.

“Hmm?” Chrysos questioned, tilting her head.

“Vint and I got painted together. It’s a little embarrassing, but I was glad that it turned out to be such a pretty picture,” Latina said, providing a supplementary explanation. She gave a bit of an embarrassed smile as she reminisced back on the past.

“Hrm...”

From Chrysos’s reaction, the topic certainly seemed to have caught her interest.

Chrysos may have been the king of Vassilios, but if she showed clear dissatisfaction on her face, then the painting could never be drawn. The first hurdle that needed to be cleared was showing the painter a relaxed expression.

Still... Dale thought to himself, watching the sisters talk from a distance, Chrysos’s replies are all pretty short, but now that I think on it, they still seem to be communicating just fine.

“Smell, kinda weird.”

“Smell...? Ah, of the paint?”

“Don’t hate or love.”

“That’s an unusual reply.”

Vint’s response had been unexpected, but Chrysos’s face looked like she had just seen something amusing.

“Oh yeah, is it really alright for you to be having such a carefree conversation when officially, you’re not supposed to understand Western Continental?” Dale asked, having suddenly realized that.

The one to look dissatisfied at that and respond, though, was the aloof pup. “Don’t know devil language. Don’t like.”

“I do not believe there should be any issue when it is a conversation between myself and Platina, though.”

“No. Don’t like,” the aloof pup firmly asserted. Apparently he couldn’t accept Latina and Chrysos having a conversation that didn’t involve him, probably because it felt like he was being ignored.

“Sir Gregor and the duke already know that Chrysos really can speak Western Continental... I don’t think there’s any fooling them now.”

“It will also serve us to display the culture of Vassilios within Laband, wouldn’t you say?” Gregor offered as a reason for the painting, and Chrysos nodded in agreement.

“That coincides with my goal. Right...” she said, holding up one finger. “Draw me together with Platina. Then present me with a copy as well, and I shall readily comply.”

“Chrysos?”

“We cannot live together. Can I not at least seek a memento of you, Platina?”

Seeing her sister sulking like that, Latina fell silent with embarrassment. Then Dale suddenly brought his hands together.

“In that case, could you make a reproduction for Latina too and send it our way? It’ll be like a matching pair.”

“You just want it for yourself, don’t you?”

“I’m satisfied just having the real Latina always by my side.”

“You look a little questionable to me right now, honestly.”

Gregor made an exasperated face, but Dale showed no sign of being bothered.

In that way, it was decided that a portrait of Chrysos and Latina would be painted while they were staying at the duke’s residence. They were clad in exquisite outfits from Vassilios, and the various goods the envoy group had brought along to serve as gifts now acted as a backdrop.

As the king of Vassilios, Chrysos planned to use herself as a billboard for her nation, using this one portrait as a sort of catalog to introduce others to a portion of their customs.

“Hmm...?” Dale questioned, tilting his head a bit as he looked at the pair lined up in front of the painter. And then when he realized just what felt off to him, he tilted his head even further. “That’s rare. You’re wearing different outfits.”

In part due to Chrysos’s desires, the two were dressed in matching outfits at nearly every banquet they had attended in Laband. However, the colors they were wearing were completely different this time around.

“My name and Chrysos’s hold the meanings of ‘platinum’ and ‘gold.’”

The dark blue attire Latina had on created a deep coloration through countless layers of thin cloth. And the silver thread delicately embroidered throughout the top layer weaved complex foreign patterns.

“In devil language, each and every character carries a meaning. And the characters for platinum and gold contain the characters for ‘moon’ and ‘sun,’ too.”

“Put another way, while Platina’s name and my own correspond to our titles of ‘Golden King’ and ‘Platinum Fairy Princess,’ they also include the meanings of ‘sun’ and ‘moon,’” Chrysos continued on, picking up the explanation from Latina. She was clad in a bright golden yellow outfit, matching her eyes. The numerous layers of her skirt created a steadily deepening color, and the extravagantly wide hem reached a color close to a crimson. It was light on embroidery, but in exchange, she had on accessories with layers of beads in a style that was unique to Vassilios, as well as golden bracelets.

“I see, so it’s like a moon in the night sky, and the colors of daybreak,” Dale said, looking satisfied.

With that, Chrysos shot him a wicked grin.

“It is only logical to present a variety of outfits in order to better display the culture of my nation, and attaching meaning like this only attracts more attention, does it not?”

Chrysos’s plot certainly bore fruit.

The portrait of the beautiful twins drawn with such an exotic style became a hot topic of discussion amongst the Labandese nobles, who were especially alert to all things novel, and it led to a fad surrounding those sorts of accessories.

Both the portrait itself and reproductions of it were treated as precious, and spread throughout the nation alongside poetic words that compared the lively twins to blossoming flowers.

And that trend wasn’t limited to just the nobles, as it soon started spreading throughout the cities, too.

It went without saying that it also made it to a certain corner of Kreuz, and Dale then heard the poetic words that had been spread: “Vassilios holds a great fortune. Two flowers, akin to the sun and the moon. These twin blooms are revered as the most valuable of all treasures.”

“Yeah, but one of them wasn’t even in that country, though...” Dale couldn’t help but quip.

With that said, the “flower” in that nation undoubtedly held the “flower” elsewhere as the most precious treasure imaginable.

And though the matter had already spread on such a large scale, Dale ultimately decided not to inform Latina about it. Hiding it wouldn’t overturn the reality of the matter, but for the sake of the girl and her commoner mindset, he chose not to make a big deal out of it.

Dale was denying reality a bit himself too, but well, there was no helping that.

†

Having completed their schedule and learned of Labandese culture, the envoys had become forerunners towards future friendly relations between the nations and safely completed their mission.

And so, the procession was to head back down the highway, then return to Vassilios by way of Kreuz. Unlike the trip there, though, the Golden King would really be among them.

The beautiful magical beast-led carriage was stopped on the highway outside of Kreuz. The envoys received a warm welcome from Count Kleinmifel and plentiful attention from the residents when they arrived on their return trip, but that quieted down once they were outside of town. Meanwhile, Chrysos insisted on staying holed up inside the carriage, surrounded by soldiers acting as guards.

“Chrysos...” Dale muttered quietly outside of the vehicle as the Golden King glared at him. With both of her arms, she was hugging her twin tight. She was clearly resisting because she realized that if she let go, they would be separated once again.

“I’m sorry, Chrysos...” Latina practically whispered to her sister.

“...There is nothing to be done about the fact that you do not wish to return to Vassilios, Platina,” Chrysos replied, understanding what her sister’s words had meant.

For Latina, her old home of Vassilios was not a place that she wanted to return to. Her kind parents were already gone, and since she was raised in secret in the depths of the temple, there weren’t any acquaintances there that she could have a friendly conversation with.

Her memories of being unreasonably exiled and losing everything were far stronger than any happy ones of the place.

That was precisely why Chrysos wanted so badly to change the country that she ruled. But at the same time, she also understood that it would take time to do so.

“I will make it into a place that shall accept you with open arms, without fail.”

“Um, Chrysos... I’m sure I’ll come visit you eventually. I think it would probably be easier for Dale and I that way, after all...”

The lifespans of demon lords and their demons were incomparably longer than those of humans. Surely it would be a lot more convenient in a number of ways to live in a country of devils, who had long lifespans to begin with. Or at least, that was what Latina thought.

“So I don’t consider this a true goodbye.”

“I understand. And if I wish to see you, I simply need to head out once again.”

“Hey, Chrysos, is it really alright for a king to be leaving her country so lightly?” Latina asked with a serious look.

Yeah, no way, Dale thought to himself, but he kept the quip inside out of consideration for the sisters saying farewell.

“As long as you cannot return to Vassilios, that is the only method that we may spend even a brief time together.

“I see... Sorry, Chrysos...”

Don’t go accepting that so easily, Dale quipped inside.

She really was just way too earnest for her own good.

“Just make sure to let us know beforehand next time, alright?”

“My movement is highly classified, so that shall be difficult.”

“It’s a given that you should do that much...” Dale muttered, no longer able to hold back. However, nobody seemed to notice.

Up until the bitter end, the twins paid no heed to the fact that in spite of how she got there, there was a problem with a nation’s ruler staying in a bar on the outskirts of town.

Latina and Chrysos held each other’s hands tight, then brought their faces so close that their foreheads were almost touching. Their flowing platinum hair intertwined, such that it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.

“Don’t push yourself too hard, alright?”

“And I do not wish to hear of you ending up in anything but the best of health, Platina.”

“That goes for you too, Chrysos.”

Both thinking of one another, they broke out in slight smiles at the same time.

“＊＊＊＊＊”

“＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊”

After that secret exchange, they slowly released their grasps, reluctant to part.

As Latina reached the side of the waiting Dale, she looked at him as if she felt she had done something wrong. Before she could say anything, though, he ruffled her hair, just a bit roughly.

Realizing that he was doting on her as always and showing that her feelings could go unspoken, Latina smiled at Dale with tears in her eyes. Dale, meanwhile, responded with his own strained smile.

The magical beast started walking, and the wheels started slowly, heavily turning as the vehicle finally got moving.

Chrysos wore the same exact expression as Latina as she moved further and further away, until she was no longer visible. But even so, Latina kept on standing there, seeing the procession off. There was a sorrow that could be spied about her from behind that words alone couldn’t express, so Dale put his arms around her shoulders and gently embraced her.

“Shall we go back?”

“Yeah...”

As if spurred on by the sad smile on Latina’s face, Dale held her tighter and smiled back.

With that, they turned around and headed back towards Kreuz, to return to their normal everyday lives. In order to spend their days awash in as much happiness as possible, they headed back.

With that said, it wouldn’t be too much longer until a certain demon lord really did become a regular at a bar on the outskirts of town, just as she had claimed she would.