Prologue

The stage was set in the imperial capital of the Laverio Empire, where winter was fading and spring was approaching. There stood a mansion belonging to the noble and most ancient house of Orkluv, and on this day it was being visited by a lone Hero. It was an honorable Hero stout of heart, treasured throughout the empire both for his good deeds and his strength that put him in the top one hundred strongest warriors in the entire Empire. His name was Wataru.

“Welcome, Wataru.”

“It is good to see you again, Dyne.”

Dyne Orkluv, the head of the elven house Orkluv, welcomed Wataru to his home. Dyne was a warrior noble who bore the long ears emblematic of his race, and his feats in battle earned him a title spoken in whispers across all the empire: The King of Beasts. The title, of course, was inspired by the sight of him charging into battle accompanied by his summoned beasts. It was commonplace for babies to be named Dyne in honor of his accomplishments. He was also one of the relatively few that Wataru recognized as his superior.

...Incidentally, Wataru was not visiting Dyne to be entertained as a Hero, nor had Dyne summoned Wataru merely to meet him. It was just their work that brought them together. In order to pay back the two-thousand-three-hundred gold coin debt—the equivalent of two-billion-three-hundred-million yen in Japan—that a certain town chief had over him, Wataru was taking work directly from both the founder of the Empire and the head of the entire Adventurer’s Guild, Haku Laverio. This visit was regarding one such job.

“So, I have heard that the forces acting against the princess are growing in strength and numbers.”

“Yes. It was just the other day Lady Haku rushed to my home and left with the Divine Mattress. There are quite a few individuals throwing a fuss over that... Good grief, what miserable fellows.” Indeed, it all happened a few days ago. Haku, looking to be in a blood curdling panic, ordered Dyne Orkluv to relinquish the Divine Mattress to her. As her retainer, Dyne Orkluv accepted the demand and provided the Divine Mattress guarded by his family at once.

It seemed that Haku had still not returned, and a faction of nobles were declaring her actions to be tyranny despite the fact that the Divine Mattress had merely been entrusted to the Orkluv house for protection, not granted as a boon. And despite the fact that Dyne Orkluv himself felt no ill will from it, knowing that he had been protecting the mattress for precisely this kind of emergency.

“Sounds rough.”

“Very. I would like to crush them all as traitors to the Empire, but alas. Politics are tedious precisely because one cannot do that. Haku is technically entrusting the Empire to Emperor Lionel, after all.” But still, in the Empire it was never odd for those protesting the decisions of Haku Laverio to be eliminated. Only essential figures could complain and keep their lives.

“We have gotten off topic. You are here on Haku’s orders, I understand.”

“Yes. I was told to ‘bring Emmymephy’ with me on my next job.” His next job being traveling to Goren to give Keima a noble title for taming a Dragon.

Now, about Emmymephy. Her full name was Emmymephy Laverio. She was the beloved daughter of the current emperor, Lionel Laverio, and in situations like this, being told to bring her on a job did not mean exactly what it sounded like. It meant bring someone with the name Emmymephy—in other words, there was an implicit understanding that he was to bring her body double.

“Very well. I will bring out the body double at once.” Dyne Orkluv clapped his hands twice, and a lone girl who had been waiting in a nearby room entered.

“I have arrived. Sir Wataru, I will be in your most honorable care.” The girl was wearing a simple dress designed for freedom of movement. She had bright red eyes that resembled Haku’s and exuded a high class noble’s aura from every inch of her body. Her light blue hair, the color of clear water, was braided behind her head. She looked exactly like Emmymephy Laverio, and...

“...Uh. Dyne?”

“Listen, Wataru. There are extremely high level politics in play behind this decision. Indeed, this is a political decision, and you have no authority in such matters. In short, be silent. Understood?”

...It wasn’t the body double. She couldn’t fool Wataru’s eyes. Before him stood Emmymephy Laverio herself.

There was no mistaking it. He had met Emmymephy many times before, and more than anything else, her actual body double was Shikna Orkluv—the daughter of Dyne Orkluv, and an elf. They were of similar height, but their hair color, eye color, and even the shape of their ears were all different. Shikna could serve as Emmymephy’s body double despite those many differences because she had the natural beauty of an elf, and used a magical potion to change her hair and eye colors when on duty. There was a special potion brewed for that specific purpose.

There was also the strategy of confusing pursuers by having the body double flee in her own colors rather than those of the true princess. At those times it was important to look more real than the real thing—in other words, Emmymephy’s body double was not expected to look like her, but rather to have captivating beauty visible at a glance. Wataru knew that if not for her elven beauty, a problem child like Shikna Orkluv would never be tasked with serving as a body double. Emmymephy’s ancestor Haku was rumored to be a High Elf, so an elf with seemingly everlasting youth and beauty appeared more like a princess than the actual princess.

“...Er, but I mean. This is actually Princess Mephy.”

“I know how you feel, but don’t say anything. Keep all your concerns to yourself. Silence your tongue. And... between you and I, this has Lady Haku’s direct approval.”

“That’s right, I say. The First Empress said she’s fine with it. The royal will decrees that I am just a body double,” declared Emmymephy while puffing out her washboard chest that did not resemble Haku’s whatsoever. Neither Dyne Orkluv nor Wataru could refute a declaration like that. They weren’t allowed to, status-wise. And really, if Haku was sanctioning this, then she had some goal in mind with sending the real Emmymephy with Wataru.

“Dyne, I...”

“Wataru, say nothing. I already know.” Dyne Orkluv gave Wataru’s back a supportive slap before sighing. His feelings about matched Wataru’s. “Incidentally, while on the job, treat her as a body double doing her job as a body double,” he continued, which confused Wataru.

“I can’t just treat her like who she actually is? Now I’m getting really confused.”

“This is something I suggested myself. You have a higher status than a body double, so you will be more capable of keeping her under control.”

“...Ahhh. I see, thank you.” Wataru gave him a handshake, full of gratitude.

“...Though do not go so far that you will be punished later.”

“It’ll be fine, as long as the princess doesn’t do anything crazy.”

“You have my prayers. Good luck.”

“.........” Even with his {Ultra Good Fortune} skill, Wataru’s faith trembled a little. “Errrm, anyway, where’s her usual body double? Is Shikna going to take the princess’s place in the imperial capital?”

“I would... rather not put her in the public eye. She is, ah, somewhat of an embarrassment, perhaps. What say I send her along with you as a maid? A fine woman to take care of the princess’s needs.”

“No need, I say!” Emmymephy declared. “I, as royalty... or rather, as one trained to appear as royalty, I have studied the art of ‘camping’ and ‘country living.’”

“...Well, you heard her.” The founding emperor of the Laverio Empire was originally an adventurer, so all members of the royal family were taught how to survive outside on their own. Of course, they were also taught to fight. Somewhat.

“I am no match for Sir Wataru, but I am still quite the fighter!”

“Of course.” Emmymephy was grinning with confidence, but she could beat a couple of Goblins at best, putting her on the same level as a D-Rank adventurer on a good day. She didn’t even come close to Wataru—though really, Wataru was the strange one for being able to duke it out with Dragons. “Well... I’ll be fine as long as you don’t put yourself in danger.”

“Naturally! You can count on me!”

“Please flee to a safe place when necessary, Princess Mephy.”

“Teehee! Naturally, I say!” Emmymephy beamed a smile, to which Wataru scratched his head. That was a smile that had no intention of listening to him.