Konosuba Dust Spin Off 6

“Wait a minute! Let’s not trouble Sir Vanir with this. I mean,
it’s still business hours, after all. Sir Vanir might be busy.”
Paying a visit to Sir would be bad. He’d be able to tell who Lynn
really is at a glance, and knowing his personality, he’ll definitely
tease me over it.
Negative emotions from humans are a great treat to devils like
him, after all.
“But the magic item shop is almost always deserted.”
“W-Well, that might be true. Ah, right, you don’t want to go
there either, right? You said that Sir Vanir rubs you the wrong
way, right!?”
I grabbed Faitfore’s shoulder and turned her around… Only to
see her with her cheeks stuff full to bursting with food.
White Dragons have the holy attribute, so they don’t get along
well with devils. I’m sure she’ll agree with me.
“Glup… I’m fine with going there.”
“Why!? You said you felt strange when you went there the last
time, didn’t you?”
“I gave him one of my hairs, and he gave me a lot of sweets.”
“When did you get paid off!? No, wait, when did you pay a visit
to him in the first place?”
“I thought I smelt something bad, but when I followed it, he
gave me a lot of sweets.”

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I did find it odd that every so often, she’d come back saying that
she wasn’t hungry, but to think that Sir Vanir was the one
feeding her.
I need to properly lecture her someday not to be so easily taken
in by food.
“Snacks in return for a strand of hair, huh? Sir must be making
money hand over fist.”
The body parts of white dragons are highly prized as materials.
A single hair or nail clipping could go for quite a sum.
Thanks to the wasteful spender of a shopkeeper that Sir Vanir is
tied to, he’s always hard on for money.
If he could get a strand of white dragon hair in exchange for a
few snacks, he would do it without hesitation.
Actually, if I did the same thing, I would probably be able to
make a small fortune myself.
I placed a hand on Faitfore’s head, who was staring longingly at
the empty plates on the table.
“What is it?”
“Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing.”
Nah, I wouldn’t want her to go bald or anything. I can make a
fortune by hitting it big at one of the games without having to
do such things.
“Then, there’s no problem, right? I’m curious about this Vanir
person too.”

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“Eh? You’ve met him before, haven’t you?”
“Err… Well, it has been a while.”
“That’s because you don’t get along with Sir! You never visit
that store if you can help it.”
I quickly tried to cover for the princess’s misstep.
Please don’t carelessly say such things. There’s Lynn’s safety to
worry about, of course, but the absolute worst thing that could
happen is if others found out how similar the two of you looked.
The people I know will definitely pry into what exactly her
relationship is with me.
And if the people in power found out that such a perfect
doppelganger of the princess existed, we’ll definitely be dragged
into trouble.
“I want to eat sweets, so let’s go.”
Despite just having eaten, Faitfore seems to already be
hungering for more food and eagerly jumped up and headed for
the exit.
Yunyun left some money on the table before hurriedly chasing
after her.
Princess Leonor stood up and headed for the exit after her, so I
grabbed her by the shoulders to prevent her from leaving.
“Let go, this is really rude to a princess.”

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She shot me a glare, but I’m long past the point where such
tricks would work on me.
“You’re Lynn right now, so that doesn’t matter. Anyway, make
sure you properly pay up.”
“Er, well… Can you go with me to a pawn shop?”
Seems like she doesn’t have enough money to pay for the meal
without selling something.
“Oh, fine, I’ll cover what you can’t pay with the money we
earned from the quest. The interest rate is 10%.”
“Huh, you’ve changed but you’re still the same in that respect.”
“I have no idea what you’re saying.”
“I’m talking about your kindness.”
I feel like if we keep talking, I’ll be swept up into her pace.
Turning my eyes away from her, I left the store after Yunyun
and Faitfore.

↲

52 | P a g e

Chapter 1: Part 7 ↲

“So this is the store you’re talking about.”
Standing in front of the magic item shop that Sir Vanir works
at, Princess Leonor crossed her arms.
It seems like her sense of curiosity has been sparked by the
information that Faitfore and Yunyun told her, and she didn’t
try to suppress her mischievous smile at all.
“A shop run by a mysterious masked man and a beautiful
female shopkeeper. Apparently, they aren’t a couple or dating,
but there’s no way there’s nothing going on between two young
people of the opposite sex sharing the same roof.”
“Sorry to rain on your parade, but the relationship between
those two isn’t as sweet as you are imagining. And the young
people part is dubious too.”
Sir Vanir is a greater devil whose age is all but unknown, and
while I don’t know Wiz’s exact age, she’s at the point in her life
where she’s fretting about getting married so she can’t be that
young.
While we stood chatting outside the store, Yunyun and Faitfore
disappeared off somewhere…
“Have they already gone into the store? Anyway, I should warn
you, Sir Vanir is a greater devil who can see through anything,
and he enjoys the taste of humans experiencing dark emotions,
so be careful around him.”
Hearing my advice, the princess frowned and fell into deep
thought.

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“You mention a devil so easily… Say, just what is up with this
town? Succubi run a shop in this town, and here we have a
magic store run by a greater devil. Don’t you think it’s strange?”
“I’ve gotten used to it. There’s even a crazy girl who needs to
unleash Explosion magic once a day living here, a noble lady
who loves getting beaten more than she values three square
meals a day, and a priest whose running joke is that she’s
actually a goddess.”
“That’s a little too much. I know of a few nobles with strange
personalities, but I’ve never come across such an oddball. And
there’s no way a priest who proclaims themselves to be a god
could exist. Also, Explosion magic is the spell that consumes
way too much mana to be worth learning, right? The number of
people who can use it in the first place is rare, and using it every
day would beー”
Princess Leonor was interrupted by a sudden tremor and the
rise of a column of smoke in the distance.
“Eh, what was that!? Is it an attack by the Demon King’s
army!?”
“That’s one of Axel’s local attractions. Guess the power of her
Explosion is just average today.”
The self-proclaimed Explosion connoisseur, Kazuma, claims he
can tell the physical condition of the caster from seeing the
explosion in person, and after experiencing it so many times, I
am starting to get a feel for it too.
“I-I see. That’s why no one is panicking.”

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The princess looked around and let out a wow of admiration.
Everyone who lives in this town has gotten used to it, so nobody
batted an eye.
“You’re taking this really well. Most people go into a full-on
panic upon experiencing that for the first time.”
“I am surprised, but I don’t dislike this kind of unexpected
behaviour. A fun, lively, noisy town like this suits me!”
She sure took it in her stride.
“Well… It’s a good town to live in once you get used to it.”
“Right? If only the capital back home was as lively as this~.”
You really shouldn’t do that. The entire city would be thrown
into a panic.
I ignored her dreadful statement and strode into the magic item
shop, and she followed me in while gazing admiringly at the
distant column of smoke.
“Sir, sorry to bother you.”
“If you are here to bother me, then please leave.”
“You are as cold to your customers as always, Sir.”
“Someone who doesn’t buy anything cannot be considered a
customer.”
I’m used to receiving this kind of cold treatment from him, so I
paid no heed to it.

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“Oh, that was close.”
I almost tripped over something under my feet.
I glanced down, and it turned out to be the charred, white eyed
remains of Wiz. She must have bought something useless again
and got punished by Sir.
“Eep, a corpse!”
Princess Leonor let out a frightened shriek.
“Ah, right, this is the owner of this store, Wiz.”
“She is… Now’s not the time to be calmly explaining things to
me! We need to get a priest here quickly!”
“It’s fine. This happens all the time, so there’s no need to
worry.”
“Happens all the time!? Eh? B-But, she’s charred black and
doesn’t seem to be breathing. And I think she looks a little
transparent too.”
Well, I suppose anyone would be surprised upon seeing this
sight.
She crouched down and carefully poked Wiz with her finger.
“Oh, you are a lot more lively than usual, guardian of this
delinquent. Hmm? You look a little different than usual… Oh,
my, what’s this?”

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The masked Vanir brought his face close to Princess Leonor,
which caused her to lean back.
As expected of Sir, he saw through that in an instant.
“Well, isn’t this an interesting situation. Now, then, miss
lookalike, are you looking to buy something?”
“Miss lookalike?”
Yunyun, who was browsing the wares in the shop, seemed to
have overheard that.
“Oh, hey, this necklace says it’ll make you more popular just by
wearing it.”
“Really? Let me see!”
She immediately bit on the bait I dangled for her, and pushed
me aside to get at the necklace.
I’m really lucky that she’s so easily fooled.
“That masked man sure is amazing. He saw through me with a
single look!”
The princess leaned close to my ear and excitedly said, causing
my eardrums to hurt a little.
“Sir, please keep this a secret. It’d be really troublesome if
others learnt about this.”
“Rest easy. Moi has a reputation for being tight lipped in this
neighbourhood. However, if you were to buy this item, my lips
might become even tighter than usual.”

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He held up a mysterious item whose purpose is completely
unknown.
“Okay, okay, I’ll buy it, so please, I’m counting on you.”
“Thank you for your patronage.”
Shelling out here hurts, but there’s no telling what will happen
if I refuse here. Sir Vanir is a man of his word, so I suppose it’s a
good thing that I can ensure his silence with just a bit of money.
“By the way, what did you come here for? Oh, no, you can come
here as often as you like. There’s no need to worry about paying
me back. If dining here for free weights on your conscience and
you must pay me back somehow, a few strands of your hair or
nail clippings would do.”
“Okay.”
Sir Vanir said towards Faitfore who was seated by the window
while enjoying tea and snacks.
He probably sees her as a gold mine, though as long as he
doesn’t request anything too overboard, I suppose it’s fine.
“I don’t really have anything in mind. Leo… Lynn said she
wanted to see this place.”
“Oh? So even you can’t raise your head in front of that lookalike
princess. If she becomes a regular customer, we stand to make
quite a bit of profit… Very well, if you ever find yourself in
trouble, you can come to me for help.”

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It’s good to have Sir Vanir on my side, but as a greater devil, he
has his own quirks or two. Many times, I’ve ended up losing out
after Sir lent his power to me.
“I’ll be counting on you, Sir.”
“Leave it to me. And feel free to bring that big eater with you as
well. Moi will treat her well.”
“S-Sure.”
Seems like who he really wants as a customer is Faitfore.
I feel like if I stay here any longer, I’ll get dragged into
something troublesome, so I suppose it’s time for us to leave.
“Wiz-san, is it true that this necklace will make you more
popular just by wearing it?”
Yunyun excitedly asked Wiz, who had come back to life while
my attention was away.
“Yes, it’s true. It’s a lucky item that I just recently bought that
will attract others to you if you wear it.”
“I’ll buy it! Please tell me how to make use of it!”
“If you wear it around your neck, be it men, women, young, or
old, every creature will become attracted to you. Even monsters
will…”
The excited voices of those two could be heard even from the
other side of the door.

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… Leaving Yunyun here will probably be good for the store’s
business, so I think I’ll leave her be.
“The sun is about to set soon, so let’s get back to the guild and
have a drink.”
“Sure, that sounds very adventurer-like.”
Princess Leonor often snuck out of the castle because the
disciplined life of a royal just didn’t sit well with her.
She’s always looked up to adventurers who were able to live
their lives freely, so such activities will probably satisfy her
enough.
On my right is Princess Leonor, and on my left is Faitfore.
When the three of us are together like this, I can’t help but
become nostalgic.
On the way back to the guild, my thoughts drifted to Lynn.
“Maybe I should’ve asked Sir to divine how Lynn is doing right
now.”
It’s a little late now, but I should probably ask Sir about it the
next time I pay him a visit.

↲

60 | P a g e

Chapter 1: Part 8 ↲

“Dammit, where did she go!? Search every corner of this place,
from the curtains to the drawers in the closet! Make sure you
don’t overlook the trash cans or the toilet! Her ability to hide
herself shouldn’t be underestimated!”
I was woken up from my sleep by a bunch of angry voices and
stomping feet coming from the hallway.
“Did a criminal escape or something?”
This has got to be one of the worst ways to be woken up.
I even rented a room in a slightly more upscale room than I
usually used, and was planning to enjoy my day off…
An escaped fugitive, huh? I have a bad feeling about this.
“They aren’t looking for Dust, are they? If he really got into
trouble again, I’m going to blast him into next week.”
I took up my staff and went to the door, and the sight that
awaited me on the other side was beyond anything I could’ve
imagined.
In the hallway stood an elderly man sharply dressed in what
can only be a butler’s outfit along with several maids, all of
them diligently searching for something.
There were also a few people dressed like soldiers searching a
short distance away.
“What is going on?”

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This might be a slightly more upscale inn, but it’s not the kind
of high class establishment that nobles with their entourage of
maids and servants would stay a night at. And I don’t think I’ve
ever seen these people in town before.
“Make sure you check the attic and under the carpets too.
Knowing her, it wouldn’t be impossible for her to hide in such
places. Throw away your common sense and search. If you find
her, notify me immediately. Do not try to approach her alone.
And don’t listen to a word she says. She’s a prodigy at
psychological warfare and acting.”
Looks like a little too much to catch just a thief. In the first
place, I have no idea why butlers and maids would be out
looking for thieves anyways.
It doesn’t seem like they are talking about Dust, and it feels like
it’d be best not to get involved. I still feel a little sleepy, so I
suppose I can catch a few more hours of rest.
The moment I moved to close the door, my eyes met with the
elderly butler.
He pointed a trembling finger at me.
I thought that perhaps there might be someone behind me, but
turning around revealed nothing.
I turned back to face the butler, who was in the middle of taking
a deep breathー
“We’ve found the princess! Everyone, secure her!”
With that, all the maids and soldiers turned towards me.

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“Eh, wait, what!?”
Everyone lunged at me at the same time.
I tried to close the door, but the maids grabbed my hands
before I could and refused to let go.
“What’s the big idea! I didn’t do anything! This isn’t because of
something Dust did, is it!?”
“What kind of nonsense are you saying? Princess Leonor, you
should learn when to give up.”
“Wait a minute, did you just call me a princess just now? I’m
Lynn. An adventurer. Take a closer look, I don’t look anything
like one, right?”
If I’m being mistaken for a princess, then it should be simple
enough to set things straight.
The butler and maids leaned in close and stared at my face. I
know I was the one who suggested it, but it is still a little
embarrassing.
“Well, you know you’ve got the wrong person now, right? So
hurry up and let meー”
“No matter how I look, you’re Princess Leonor. Did you really
think you could fool me by just turning your hair brown?”
“Could it be some high level technique where she’s trying to
pass herself as someone else by just changing her hair colour?”
“Knowing the princess, it wouldn’t be unexpected from her.”

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The maids and butler seemed to grow more suspicious of me
rather than less.
“Hey, that’s enough. Let’s pay a visit to the guild. You’ll be able
to verify if I’m an adventurer or not in an instant.”
“We won’t fall for that. Everyone, please carry the princess to
the carriage!”
“Understood!” x4
Ignoring my words, the maids wrapped me up in ropes and
lifted me onto their shoulders. Carrying me like a piece of
luggage, they brought me to a carriage waiting just outside the
inn.
The interior of the carriage is filled with cushioned seats, and
from the opulence on display, I can tell that the person who
owns it is someone of great wealth and means.
“H-Hey, you’ve really got the wrong person! I won’t get angry,
so release me now!”
“Princess, please give it up. Having served you since you were
born, there’s no way I could mistake you for someone else. Do
you think my eyes are just for show?”
“Yeah, they probably are!”
They wouldn’t listen to a word I said, and the carriage set off to
places unknown.
Just what is going to happen to me now?

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At times like this, that idiot’s grinning face appeared in my
mind. It really doesn’t sit well with me, but…
Dust, come save me!

↲

65 | P a g e

The Truth About That Escape
Chapter 2: Part 1 ↲

TL: Cannongerbil
Editing: Striker, Ulti

“When talking about adventurers, you can’t forget about nightly
celebrations! The way it swishes around my mouth is quite a
novel experience. I think I like it!”
Princess Leonor, still disguised as Lynn, let out a satisfied sigh
after downing a glass of neroid.
We went back to the guild’s tavern after visiting Sir Vanir, and
since then we’ve been drinking and celebrating.
“Hold back on the alcohol a little. It’d be bad if your true
identity gets exposed. Well, Keith and Taylor aren’t here, so it’s
fine now, but…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine, you know I’m a heavy drinker, right?”
I’m very well aware of how big a drinker she is despite being a
princess.
I honestly couldn’t count the number of times she got drunk,
started something, and had me dragged into it.

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And every time that would happen, I’d be dragged in front of
the king and the butler and forced to endure another one of
their long-winded sermons.
Whenever alcohol and the princess are put together, the only
things that result from it are bad memories…
“That’s precisely why I’m so worried.”
“By the way, how far have you gone with Lynn? Have you
already done it?”
“Pfffft! What are you asking all of a sudden?”
“Ugh, how dirty.”
I couldn’t help but do a spit take after hearing such a strange
question from Princess Leonor.
I think some of the booze went up my windpipe.
“Judging by your reaction, have you not gone that far yet?”
“Oh shut up, what does that have to do with anything?”
“Even though you look just like a thug, I suppose some parts of
you are still pure.”
“Leave me alone.”
“You have at least kissed her, right? Or held hands? Why are
you looking away? Eh, wait, don’t tell me, you aren’t lovers? It’s
not a one sided crush, is it? According to my research, you’ve
been passionately going after her.”

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I wanted to ask her what kind of research that is, but I’m afraid
she’ll say something like “I used the country’s spy agency to
keep tabs on you” or something even more terrifying, so I think
I’ll leave it be.
Really, I’m just bad at dealing with her. The more reluctantly I
acted, the more she tried to pry about my relationship with
Lynn.
She had a smile that felt like she was genuinely enjoying herself.
And stop elbowing me in the ribs.
“Still, I’m a little relieved. I thought you might end up a
homeless wanderer after getting chased out of the country, but
it seems like you’re living quite a fulfilling life.”
“Thanks to you.”
“That seems like a sarcastic comment, but it seems like you
really mean it. I see, even without me, you can live a fun life.
Ah.”
For some reason, she gave me a sullen glare.
Why is she getting angry now? I’ve never been able to follow her
thoughts.
“While I was still locked up in the castle living in a strict
environment, Rein was out there living a free and easy life. Sob,
sob.”
“Stop making weird noises with your mouth. You’re not even
crying.”

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She put up an act in front of me, but I’ve seen enough of her not
to to be taken in.
After her act was seen through in an instant, she gave me a
frown.
“You aren’t cute at all. And to think, back then you were so
uptight and so easy to tease, but now you wouldn’t even give a
good reaction.”
“I had a lot of practice thanks to a certain someone.”
“I’m glad to be of help to you, ohohoho.”
She brought her hand to her cheek and purposely let out an
upper class laugh.
The reason why I was expelled from that country was because I
took her on the run.
The princess and the dragon knight that ran away with her.
That formed the basis of the story that Yunyun and Iris were so
obsessed over.
However, the truth isn’t something that would capture the
imaginations of young maidens.
If anything, it’d be best described as the comedy of the stupidly
serious dragon knight who was pitifully toyed with and put
under the sway of the tomboy princess.

↲

69 | P a g e

Chapter 2: Part 2 ↲

“That’s enough!”
Hearing the commander’s voice, I lowered my stance. Around
me were several knights collapsed on their knees and backs.
“Dammit, I couldn’t lay a hand on you this time either.”
“Senpai, you are way too strong!”
A fellow dragon knight and a cadet glared at me as they gasped
for breath.
One of them was a look of begrudgement, while the other was
one of admiration.
“Look at that, he just won a mock battle against multiple
opponents. I suppose the title of prodigy isn’t just for show.”
“He doesn’t even seem worn out. It’s almost unbelievable.”
The praise of the knights watching this match seemed to be
tainted with just a hint of fear.
“Everyone should learn from Rein and improve themselves!
That’s all for today’s training!”
So that’s it for today.
As my companions headed back to the dormitories, I alone
turned towards another direction.
“Princess Leonor, Princess Leonor, please wake up.”

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The princess, who was said to be drop dead gorgeous when she
kept quiet, was curled up against the white dragon, using its tail
as her pillow.
Normally, a member of royalty shouldn’t even be near the
dragon stables, never mind sleeping there, but by now I’ve
gotten used to it.
Even the way she scratched her belly and spread her thighs are
sights I’ve become used to by now, so rather than being
surprised or disillusioned, I simply thought it was a very Leonor
like way to sleep.
“Uggh, five more years… Now that I’m asleep, I won’t be able to
resist even if you attack me, mumble mumble...”
“Don’t say such scary things in such a clear voice. I have no
intentions of doing that, so hurry up and wake up. Aren’t you
supposed to be taking lessons right now? Are you aware of your
position as a princess? As a member of the royal family, you
should be more… Ah, hey! Don’t crawl under Faitfore! If your
clothes get stained again, the one who will be scolded will be
me!”
I grabbed the princess by the leg before she could crawl away.
“No~, Rein is going to stain me~.”
“You are the one staining yourself! …Oh, very well, Faitfore, you
can nibble on her. Don’t do it on the face or anywhere that’s
visible, though.”
“Ah, wait you can’t! If my beautiful skin were to be scarred, it’d
be a loss to the entire country. No, wait, cut it out, Fore-chan!
Stoooop!”

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As the princess poked her head out in a panic, I grabbed her
and pulled the still resisting princess out from under Faitfore.
“How could you insult a princess like this? I won’t forgive you!”
She tried to pull on her authority as a princess, but seeing as
she’s still covered in dirt, it doesn’t quite have the same sense of
majesty.
“Yes, yes, in that case, please relieve me from the duty of your
servant.”
“That’s impossible. There’s no one else as fun to tease as you.
Plus, there’s no other knight who is close in age to me.”
“Sigh.”
I let out a heavy sigh.
After being recognized as the young prodigious dragon knight, I
thought my future would be bright and full of promise, but I
never expected to be assigned as the personal bodyguard of the
capricious… Pardon me, the rumoured princess.
If she kept her mouth shut, she would seem like the ideal
princess, but the moment she opened her mouth, she’d say
nothing but dissatisfactions about life in the castle. Outside of
formal settings, she’s selfish, willful, and does whatever she
wants.
I was completely taken in by her appearance when I saw her
during the dragon knight inauguration ceremony. I really
wanted to go back to when I was over the moon after being

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chosen to be her personal bodyguard and punch myself in the
face.
“Why are you clenching your fist and shaking it for? Oh, I see,
you’re regretting not making a move on me when you saw me
sleeping, aren’t you? Sigh, being too beautiful is such a sin.”
I ignored the princess who said such things while covered in
dirt and instead went to wipe down Faitfore.
She closed her eyes contentedly and nuzzled her face against
my cheek.
Unlike a certain someone, you are a good girl.
“Hey, aren’t you doting on the wrong person!?”
“Princess, are you done with your nonsense?”
I turned back towards the princess as she started stomping on
the ground.
“I’m really mad at you, you know?! If you want me to forgive
you, then stop calling me princess and call me Leonor instead.”
“Please don’t ask for the impossible.”
“Our positions might be different, but I consider you to be an
equal. That’s why I keep asking you to address me by name
when we are alone together.”
I wish she’d stop asking for the impossible. No matter what,
there’s no way I would be able to call the princess of the country
by name.

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Plus, if someone heard me address her in such a way, it’d
definitely become a major incident.
I walked up to the princess who does nothing but trouble me
with her willfulness and wordlessly raised my hand.
“W-What, are you raising a hand towards your master!? Err,
umm, please say something. Umm, you look really scary right
now. Okay, I get it, I’m sorry, please say something.”
The princess tightly closed her eyes, and I started patting her on
the shoulder.
“Eh?”
“There’s no telling what they’ll say if I let you go back while
covered in dirt like this.”
I’ve gotten rid of most of the more noticeable stains, but there is
still quite a bit of dirt left.
She always flings me around at her whims, so I think a little
payback is in order.
Knowing that she was tricked, the princess opened her eyes and
puffed up her cheeks in anger.
However, almost immediately, her face shifted to one of
thought, and she let out a sly smile.
She’s definitely up to no good.
“You got rid of the dirt for me? Thank you. But, I think this part
is still a little dirty. Do you mind cleaning me up there too?”

75 | P a g e

She leaned forwards and cupped her chest between her hands,
emphasizing the dirt still remaining on her chest.
If it was me from before I met her, I would probably be a
blushing mess right now.
“Well, it is a little dirty. Very well.”
I patted the upper part of her chest without hesitation.
Despite being the one who tempted me in the first place, it
seemed like she never expected me to actually go through with
it, and she stiffened up in surprise.
“I think it looks much better now.”
“Hey, hey! What’s with that tepid reaction after touching a
lady’s chest!?”
“Those things are just fat filled sacks, aren’t they?”
“… As a woman, I can’t let that slide. I’ve thought this for a
while now, but you are too indifferent around women. Sit down,
I’m going to lecture you.”
Afterwards, she lectured me on how important the chest is to a
woman until the sun set.
As a result, for not sending the princess back until late in the
night, I was severely punished.
Though the princess ended up being lectured alongside me, it
seems like the others knew that I was only swept up by her, and
so they released me early… Though by then it was already late
in the night.

76 | P a g e

Even as the king and the knight captain lectured me, they
occasionally shot me apologetic looks.
It seems like the King assigned me to be the princess’s
bodyguard in the hopes that my serious personality would rub
off some of her excesses.
Looking up from the courtyard, I could see lights still flickering
in the audience room. It seems like Princess Leonor was still
being held there. After angering the king that much, I’m sure
she’ll learn her lesson…
… That’s probably wishful thinking, but still…

The next night, the Princess once again appeared before me.
She seemed pretty well behaved throughout the day, but when I
came to check on the dragons in the stables, she was standing
there besides Faitfore.
She was lectured for far longer than me, so I have no idea how
she could so casually pop into the stables.
“Didn’t the King tell you not to take a single step outside your
room tomorrow?”
“It’s fine, yesterday’s lecture went past midnight, so it’s still the
same day.”
“What kind of chop logic… If you want to get lectured, then
please do it by yourself.”

77 | P a g e

“Don’t you think together as one is a great phrase?”

“No I do not.”
“As a comrade, I don’t mind you calling me by my first name.”

“I do mind, so I won’t do that.”
It doesn’t seem like she’s reflecting at all.

She’s always been free spirited and willful, but she’s escaped a
lot more often as of late.

In the past, having her show up at the dragon stables twice a
week was considered an unusual occurrence, but now she’s
showing up here almost every day.

Though, I have an inkling about why she shows up here with
such frequency. It must be about that thing she always asks
while here.

“Hey, isn’t it about time you give me a ride on the dragonー”

“No way.”

I immediately answered before she could fully complete her
question.

She asked the same question that I anticipated, so I gave her a
prepared answer.

“Why not!? Here I thought you’ve become less blockheaded as
of late.”

What the princess said isn’t entirely false.

78 | P a g e

In the past, my companions and the captain constantly say that
I’m too serious and blockheaded.
But recently, my captain told me that I’ve become a little more
flexible in my thinking. For better or worse, that’s all thanks to
Princess Leonor’s influence.
After being appointed as her personal bodyguard and being
toyed with by her unpredictable whims, I had to become more
flexible whether I wanted to or not.
I’ve become more personable and easier to talk to, so my
reputation amongst the other dragon knights has gone up. I’m
thankful for that, at least.
“I take pride in being a Dragon Knight. That’s why I can’t let
you ride one for fun.”
“This is an order from your princess, so listen to me!”
“That’s impossible. It’s quite dangerous in the first place, and
outside of an emergency, I can’t let you ride one without
permission.”
“Can’t you make an exception? I’ll give you my freshly removed
panties.”
She slipped her hands under her skirt right then.
“I don’t need it. It’s dirty, so please put it away.”
I immediately answered before she could finish.

79 | P a g e

It’s probably a joke, but it could end up being a serious matter if
I don’t nip it off.
Even so, I feel that Princess Leonor was much more sensible
and restrained than when she was when I first met her… She
wouldn’t have stopped with just that back then.
I suppose we both ended up having an influence on each other.
“Have you lost your sex drive at such a young age? Oh, you poor
thing…”
“Please don’t pity me. As a knight, I should always be an
example for the citizens, so I keep my desires restrained, with
honourー”
“Oh, give it a rest with all that honour stuff already. Serious
knights aren’t in fashion nowadays, you know?”
“Leave me be.”
There are a few people who criticize my way of life, saying “Why
don’t you learn to have a little fun?” and stuff like that. I really
don’t see what’s bad about being serious.
Particularly so with the embodiment of everything wrong with
living free and easy standing in front of me.
“Hey, are you thinking of something suspicious?”
“Hahaha, of course not.”
I continued taking care of Faitfore while averting my gaze.

80 | P a g e

Honestly, having Princess Leonor circle me while staring
intently at me is rather distracting.
Still, she’s a lot more straightforward today. Also, I feel a
strange tension in the air compared to how it usually was.
She was staring intently at me, but the moment I looked in her
direction, she immediately averted her gaze…. Just what is she
planning?
She continued wandering around the stables for a while more,
before suddenly coming to a stop.
“Rein, you know I don’t have much time left, right?”
Unlike earlier, she spoke in a subdued voice.
“… …”
“The day after tomorrow, I’ll be married off to the partner my
parents have picked out.”
That’s only to be expected for women who are born into the
royal family.
The price for being born into such wealth is duty and freedom.
Princess Leonor is rebelling against that by acting as she does…
Though I feel that more than half of it is because of her
personality.
“But I can’t bear to spend the rest of my life with a man that I’ve
only met a couple of times. I want to know what true freedom
feels like, not this pretend play. Rein Shaker, please, take me
and run!”

81 | P a g e

Gripping my hand tightly, the princess’s met my eyes with a
sincere look.
Though she said it as a command, her hands and voice were
both trembling.
I can’t just brush her off this time. If she’s being this serious, I
should reply in kind.
“I…”
If I let my feelings get the best of me and took the princess
away, it’d end up being a huge problem. At the very least, I’ll be
stripped of my position as a dragon knight, and at worst I’d lose
my life.
I should refuse. I know that.
“Princess Leonor, Iー”
“Rein, you know who I really want to be together with… Right?
Just one day would be enough. I want you to show me a world
that I’ve never seen before.”
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the princess’s tearful gaze.
After hearing her say that much, even a blockhead like me can
understand what she’s trying to say. Actually, no, in truth, I’ve
always had an inkling of it.
Both the princess’s feelings, and my own.
If I reject her, this would end with us having a simple master-
servant relationship. There’s nothing to agonise over.

82 | P a g e

She’s a princess and I’m but the heir to a poor and declining
noble family. I’ve long known that I’m not a worthy fit for her.
That’s why, as a vassal of this kingdom, and knight of the
princess, I should do my duty.
However. I…
Wordlessly, I attached the saddle to Fairfore and got on.
Then, I extended a hand to the princess.
“… It’s just one day, alright?”
I reluctantly forced those words out. If it’s just for one day, we
should be able to barely make it in time for the wedding
ceremony.
“Thank you, Rein!”
She said excitedly, at the same time grabbing my hand and
jumping into the saddle.
Then, she wrapped her arms around my waist and tightly
gripped me.
Turning back, Princess Leonor was giving me a wide smile.
Realizing how easily persuaded I was, I couldn’t help but sigh.
Even though she’s always messing with me and giving me
impossible tasks, I’ve been charmed by her carefree smile and
kindness.

83 | P a g e

By doing this, not only will I lose my position as a dragon
knight, I might even be executed.
Even so, if I can make the Princess’s dream come true, I have
no regrets.
“Ah, wait a minute. We need to take this with us.”
She let go of me and jumped off Faitfore to retrieve a backpack
she had hidden away in the corner of the stables.
“Princess, what is that?”
“You need some supplies if you want to run away, right? I took
these from the treasury.”
She opened the bag, and inside was filled with gold and gems.
It seems like she’s made preparations to run away today, no
matter what. She flashed me a hopeful smile, her previous
meekness nowhere to be found.
“They say the early bird gets the worm! Now, let’s take to the
skies, Faitfore!”
She placed a hand on her waist, her other hand splayed out
towards the sky.
… I might have been a little too hasty.
“Perhaps we really should cancelー”
“A knight never renegades on a promise he makes, right? What
happened to your honour?”

84 | P a g e

“Ugh.”
“If you go back on your promise, I might be so heartbroken that
I’d shout in a loud voice that Rein broke something important
of mine!”
“Please stop saying things that can be easily misunderstood!”
No, nevermind, I can’t really back out now.
“Rein, don’t worry. You’re worried about being blamed for
running away with me, right? Don’t worry, I properly left a
letter behind.”
After seeing Princess Leonor’s gentle smile, I relaxed… As if I
could do that. After knowing her for so long, I can tell that she
definitely did something troublesome.
“May I ask, what exactly did you write?”
“Ahem. ‘In order to find my true love, I’m going on a journey
with Rein. Please don’t search for me. I definitely did not write
this under threat from Rein. So, please don’t chase after me or
search for me. I don’t want to be killed.'”
“… There’s no way that will work! No matter how you look at it,
that letter definitely casts suspicions on me! Go back and
retrieve the letter right now!”
The people who are close to the princess would probably
understand that I was only swept up into this matter, but for
the people who don’t know what her personality really is will
definitely think I kidnapped her.
“Sorry, Rein, it’s too late.”

85 | P a g e

“What do you mean…”
“I can’t believe I found a letter from the princess here! You’re
kidding me! She’s eloping with Rein-sama? And…
I heard the scream of one of the maids that were close to the
princess.
Despite her surprise, she continued reading the letter in a loud
and clear voice. Almost as if she wants the people around her to
hear it.
“… Princess, how much money did you give to her for her to say
that?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. Teehee~.”
She tapped herself on the head and stuck out her tongue, but I
didn’t have the time to appreciate it.
What should I do? Can I still explain things if I turn back now?
“Dammit, I can’t believe that bastard got that far! He always
pissed me off!”
That angry voice was the voice of my self proclaimed rival, a
troublesome fellow dragon knight.
“Oh, my, judging from that voice, I doubt anything you say will
get through to him. He might even treat you as a criminal and
attack on sight.”
This girl!

86 | P a g e

She leaned in closer with a wide smile plastered on her face.
Was this part of her plans too?
“… But, if you really don’t want to, we can stop here. I’ve had
plenty of fun already. I’ll tell father it’s all an elaborate joke. At
the end of the day, he does dote on me, so he’ll probably let you
go.”
The princess shrugged and smiled.
If you show me such a forlorn smile…
“What are you doing? We are leaving.”
I once again grabbed Princess Leonor’s hand and pulled her
onto Faitfore.
“Is it really okay?”
“You sure are long winded today. That isn’t like you. Anyway,
let’s go.”
“Yes!”
As tears welled up in the princess’s eyes and she tightened her
grip on my hand, I felt that her face has never shined more
brightly.
I gently patted Faitfore’s neck before gripping the reins.
She reared up and went out through the exit of the stables
As she did so, I could see several soldiers and fellow dragon
knights running over in my direction.

87 | P a g e

Fairfore spread her wings wide, kicking up a large cloud of dirt
as she took to the skies.
“Rein, it’s not yet too late! Don’t do anything stupid!”
“Return the princess to us! You’re just swept up in her whims
again, right!?”
There are some people who seek to stop me, and others who
seem to understand what is going on.
But there’s no way I can call it off now.
After all, sitting behind me was the princess frolicking around
like an excited child.
A white dragon parting the night skies.
And on top of that dragon rode a young knight and princess.
It looked like a scene straight out of a fairytale.
“Uwaaah~! This is amazing! Look, look, the people below look
just like ants! Ah, that naggy prime minister is over there, so
why don’t you use your breath to scare him a little? Just a little
bit?! Come on, just a singe!? Hey, are you listening to me?”
As she repeatedly patted me on the back and chattered non-
stop…
“Did I mess up?”
Farewell, my bright future. Hello, the road of hardships in front
of me.

88 | P a g e

Reality is a harsh mistress.

↲

89 | P a g e

Chapter 2: Part 3 ↲

After we’ve been flying for some time, the princess finally
quieted down.
We were worried that the other dragon knights might give
chase, so we cut all the reins and saddle belts in the stables that
we could find. Fortunately, none of them seemed to be coming
after us.
Incidentally, the one who cut them wasn’t me, but the princess.
“Is there any place you’d like to go?”
I was focused on getting as far away from the castle as possible,
so I didn’t consider where exactly we should be headed.
Well, she is a girl, so she’ll probably want to go to some place
with a great view or something.
“Hmm, well… For now, let’s get out of this country. It’s dark
out, so it’s still okay for now, but a white dragon really stands
out. Above all, it’s easy to get caught in this country. Let’s get
out of this place and head to a village by a large forest or
something. Fore-chan would be able to hide out there… Ah,
wait, I really want to sell some of the gems I took, so it should
be a village of a significant size.”
Well, that sounds nothing like what a girl her age would come
up with.
Still…
“Princess, did you have other escape plans prepared if I had
refused back then?”

90 | P a g e

“Of course. I had five other plans drawn up.”
… I really don’t want to count how many times I’ve regretted my
choice. Even if I hadn’t helped her, she would probably be able
to find a way to escape on her own.
“But, you know, getting you on board with the plan had the
highest success rate… and would be the most fun. Plus, I had
faith that you will help me.”
I had some complaints, but they died in my throat after hearing
those words.
Even I thought I was being a little naive, but that still made me
happy.
“I know of a place where Faitfore can hide herself. There’s a
town nearby too, so let’s head there. I visited that place while I
was on a mission before.”
“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”
Alright, no more regrets. It’s not like they’ll forgive me if I
turned back now.
“By the way, can’t you fly faster than this? It’s fine to go faster,
you know? I’m getting bored of cruising around at this speed.
Even a dragon carriage can go faster than this. Guess white
dragons and prodigious dragon knights aren’t that big of a deal
after all.”
I only kept this speed for her sake, but she’s saying such things
while wobbling around behind me.

91 | P a g e

If you want to go fast so badly, then let’s give you a taste.
“Faitfore, show me what you can do. Princess, please hold on to
my waist. Otherwise, you’ll get shaken off.”
“You are exaggerating. It’ll be fiiiiiiiiiiー!”
Faitfore flapped her wings once before falling into a steep dive,
and at the same time, the princess let out a shrill scream. Seems
like she’s enjoying herself.
“Wait, wait, waaaaait! You can, you can go a little slooooower!”
“Eh? Sorry, I can’t hear you very well. Do you want to go faster?
Understood, I’ll give it my all.”
“Stooooooop!”
Princess Leonor seemed to be saying something, but I ignored
her and sped up.
It’s definitely not me pretending not to hear her because of her
previous words and actions.
As an added service, Faitfore did a mid air loop and barrel roll
as well, and the princess finally fell silent.
With this, we can finally enjoy the rest of the flight in silence.
Soon after, we reached a hut built next to a steep mountain, and
carefully let a groggy eyed Princess Leonor down from Faitfore.
“I think I love the ground.”

92 | P a g e

She crouched down and seemed to be muttering something to
herself.
I planned to call out to the residents, but before I could, the
door to the hut flew open.
“What’s the matter? It’s so late in the night… Gyaaaaaah!”
“Old man, why are you screaming in the middle of the night?
Have you finally gone senile? I’m not going to take care of…
Gyaaaah!”
The elderly couple that came to the door let out a terrified
scream after laying eyes on Faitfore.
“It’s a dragon ghost!”
“Please calm down. It’s me, Rein, the dragon knight that came
here to hunt monsters not too long ago.”
I put my arms out in a placating gesture in order to calm the
elderly couple down.
The startled pair glanced between Faitfore and me before
looking at each other.
“Oh, you are Rein-sama!”
“Ah, the heroic knight that saved me when I was about to be
attacked by a monster!”
“It seems like you remember me.”
Not too long ago, I saved the two of them from a monster while
I was passing through the area during a mission.

93 | P a g e

“I’m escorting this young lady as part of a top secret mission.
I’m sorry to trouble you, but is it possible for you to find a place
for my dragon for a while?”
“We do have a spare spot in the barn right now, so I don’t
mind.”
“If it’s a request from Rein-sama, I’ll be happy to comply.”
“That’ll be a great help. I’m terribly sorry to ask for more, but,
even if it is just a corner of a room, could you provide us a place
to rest until sunrise?”
Personally, I don’t mind making my way to town right now, but
Princess Leonor is probably getting close to the limits of her
endurance.
Under normal circumstances, she would’ve taken the initiative
to negotiate with them, but the fact that she has remained silent
the entire time is a sure sign that she doesn’t have much energy
left.
The elderly couple provided us with a room, I gratefully helped
Princess Leonor to the bed before sitting on the floor.
It seems like I was more exhausted than I realized, for the
moment I let myself relax, my consciousness went out like a
light.

“It sure is refreshing to be able to walk around freely in another
country’s town.”

94 | P a g e

“Please avoid doing anything that stands out.”
I gently warned as I walked besides Princess Leonor.
She had changed into a plain dress rather than the royal dress
that she usually wears. It seems like one of the maids prepared
it for her for use during her escape.
Faitfore, along with the large bag of necessities that the princess
brought along with her, are currently under the care of that old
couple living in the mountains while we paid a visit to the town
about an hours walk away.
It’s just a small countryside town, but the princess was gawking
about like a country villager paying a visit to the big city for the
first time.
“By the way, the way you dyed your hair is as amazing as ever.”
“Fufu, as long as I have this disguise magic item, Color Changer
Number Five, it’s but a simple task.”
She produced a metal rod from her pocket. That magic item
could instantly change the color of anything it touches, not just
her hair, and she frequently uses it for graffiti and other pranks.
Incidentally, she thought up that name on her own.
“Rein, do you want me to dye your hair too?”
“My hair has always been dull, so it’s fine.”
Having bright blonde hair might cause people to suspect you
are a noble or royalty, but my hair isn’t that bright, so it’s fine.

95 | P a g e

“Princess, after we’ve seen the sights, we should head back.”
“No way, after coming out all this way and dressing as a regular
citizen, I want to do something more fun. And don’t call me
princess. If I’m exposed, this entire show will be over.”
“Then, Leonor-sama.”
“Real names are no good either. Though, if you insist, I
wouldn’t mind you calling me by just my first name.”
“Then, let’s come up with some fake names.”
When I said that, she puffed up her cheeks and sulked. Why
does she care so much about me using her first name?
“Fine then, let me take two hundred steps back and think of a
fake name. Umm, what about Francoise?”
“Where did that name come from? It sounds much more
aristocrat-like than your actual name. What about… Rene or
something instead?”
“It’s kinda meh, but I’ll take it. From today onwards, I’m Rene,
got it?”
Seems like I managed to convince her.
Now, then, where should we go in order to satisfy this willful
princess?
Last time I was here, I came with the knights on official
business, so I don’t really know any famous local sights or
anything. I don’t even have any knowledge about any places of
entertainment in town.

96 | P a g e

“Oh, yeah, now that we have the chance, why don’t we try
becoming adventurers?”
“Don’t joke around, I can’t let Prin… Rene-sama be exposed to
such danger.”
She glared at me when I almost said her title, and quickly
corrected myself.
“Ugggh, fine, I’ll leave becoming an adventurer to next time.”
What do you mean by next time? We are supposed to go back to
the Kingdom of Brydle after spending one day outside.
And tomorrow, she will be married off to another country.
Normally, after such an incident, the marriage would be
canceled, but I’m pretty sure they’ll do everything they can to
suppress news of what happened from spreading.
“Then, let’s go someplace where we can exchange these gems
for money.”
“That means either some jewelry store or a general goods
store.”
I had no reason to object, so we went to the most jewelry store,
which also happened to be the most elaborate building on the
street, and sold a necklace with the smallest gem on it that we
brought.
Even though it was the cheapest item we brought, it was still far
superior to the items they had on display in the store, and we
got a fair bit of money for it.

97 | P a g e

“With this, we don’t need to worry about travel expenses.”
“I don’t really have an eye for jewelry, but is that really
something that was safe to sell?”
“Well, they did say something about it being considered just shy
of a national treasure, but I’m sure it’s fine.”
It’s definitely not fine… But I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.
After we secured the funds, our next step was to wander the
streets along to the Princess’s whims. She spent the entire day
in town, and seemed quite content.
“Rene-sama, it’s about time we should start heading back to the
castle.”
“Hmm, I want to say a little while longer, but it’s probably not
good to be more willful than this. Okay, let’s head back..”
Oh, she’s surprisingly agreed without a fight.
Seems like she really just wanted to experience a day of
freedom. I felt a little ashamed to have suspected her to have
some ulterior motive.
“I do want to have dinner with you one last time. Is that okay?”
When a girl like her looks up at a man with upturned eyes like
that, I doubt there’s a single man in the world who can refuse.
I let out a small sigh.
“Of course that will be fine. Let’s find a place to eat, then.”

98 | P a g e