12-4 Part 1
Prince Ashley and Adventurer Kachua
- The Prince and the Country Girl -
Translator : PolterGlast
Even though that Tank was injured, he stubbornly defended
the cargo to the death, just like an adventurer of Ratatosk. Therefore,
when we returned to the town, we paid 20% of the treasure to the guild, split
the rest evenly, and immediately parted ways.
A party being annihilated in the labyrinth isn't that rare
of an occurrence; even though they were attacked by monsters and a slasher,
they returned to their original lives as if it were a matter of course. The
injured can receive treatment at the guild. But with my share in hand, I had no
choice but to hole up in this inn.
Leaving the second son aside, Yord might come for
revenge for his frozen arm and the arrow wounds, after all...
「Shinza, show me your wounds.」
「I don't like receiving treatment.
Why do I have to experience pain?」
「It's to heal them, come on, hurry
up.」
「Muu... Understood...」
I took off my coat and showed Kachua the wounds.
There are scrapes and bruises, as well as a cut from Yord that can't be
called shallow or deep. The gunshot wound I received before left a scar, but it
has already healed.
「I want to ask the opposite, how can
you be fine in this state...」
「Is it that bad?」
「It's bad! You're battered!」
「Then I ask for first aid.」
When I left the wounds to Kachua, she wiped them with
a cloth soaked in distilled spirits. This stings quite a bit. The scrapes in
particular hurt with a burning pain, making me want to run away.
「Haa...」
「What is it this time?」
「It's nothing. Haa...」
「Well, we certainly met with a
terrible experience. A slasher holding a magic sword, and what Zirant
calls the ancient slaughter doll, the Cherubim Armor. It's a wonder we're alive
like this.」
「No, um... Shinza. N-No, or
rather, should I call you Ashley-sama...?」
Being called by that name by Kachua, a sigh welled up
within me too. Because of those two, I have lost something precious. Once it's
known that I'm royalty, associating like we have until now will probably be
impossible...
「Hey, are you listening...?」
「Ah, sorry... If possible, I'd like
to remain the same Shinza as always, though.」
「I
(Ore) feel the same way, but... But... You're a Prince, right, Shinza...?」
「For the most part. My name is Ashley
Gnose Urgos. The seventh son of the current Emperor. But there are very few
who acknowledge me. Even my heart is that of a commoner. ...Ugh?!」
Kachua finished
disinfecting, and this time began smearing a pale green ointment—a folk
medicine of unknown nature—onto my wounds. It's a medicine I've never seen or
smelled before; I wonder if this is really okay...?
「Ahaha... This is troubling... The difference
in status is huge, isn't it...」
「That's why I said for the most part.
It's something that was only recently acknowledged, and my position is terrible
anyway. My true essence is Shinza; I beg you, treat me the same as
always...」
Kachua didn't reply
to my request. Maintaining her silence, she spread the medicine over my limbs.
「Haa... I never heard anything about you being a Prince... This
wasn't in the plan... Haa...」
「No, why are you getting depressed, Kachua?」
It seems that question was the wrong one to ask. Kachua
glared at me sharply and gritted her teeth in frustration.
「Because I never heard anything about
a Prince! Even though I (Ore) have been admiring you the whole time, Shinza!
You should have told me! A Prince... doesn't that make you an absolutely
unreachable partner!」
「Wait, Kachua! It's not
necessarily safe outside!」
She dashed out of the inn without listening to me trying to
stop her. Her destination—maybe around that grand cathedral? If it's there, Yord
won't approach...
「Good grief, you did a pitiful thing.」
「...The meddlesome Dragon-sama has
come out again, huh. If you just want to chat, I—Ugah?!」
「I cannot treat you without
materializing. Be still.」
Zirant rubbed
the ointment remaining on my skin into the wounds as if gouging them. It hurts.
Isn't this woman doing this on purpose...?
「It hurts...」
「Of course it does, you idiot. Even
though Wagahai told you to retreat so much, you stayed behind, so you
brought this upon yourself. Honestly... I feel sorry for Kachua...」
「Right, tell me. Why is Kachua
so angry...?」
「...Haa. For an idiot like
you, it is something you will never understand in your entire life.」
「That's a terrible assumption to
make.」
「The terrible one is you.」
Perhaps because I was imprisoned in the tower from a young
age and raised by Jii and my wet nurse, I just don't really understand a girl's
feelings. Come to think of it, the first girl to me must be Atomina-aneue...
「The topic is jumping, but Ashley.
That magic sword Yord was holding, there is no mistake it is what the
White Knight of the Abyss gave him. What will you do, attach an escort to Georg?」
「No, Aniue is stronger than
me. There's no way he would lose to a sword like that. However... with a normal
steel sword, the outcome might be getting cut down along with the sword...」
Even if he tries to attack Georg-aniue, there are
Imperial soldiers around him. If royalty slashes at royalty, Yord will
be the one held accountable for the crime.
While I was pondering the unlikely possibility of Aniue
losing, Zirant roughly slapped my back.
「What is it?」
「It is done. Go find Kachua;
or rather, Kachua's presence still remains in this inn.」
Saying only that, the capricious Zirant vanished. If
she hasn't left the inn yet, she must be at the tavern downstairs.
Since I was also getting hungry, I put on my clothes, put on the silver-rimmed glasses I was starting to like a little, and went downstairs.
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