Chapter 191: Early Alumni Reunion

―――― The 31st day of training.

It’s the day of the hero selection meeting at the royal castle to decide who will be the hero of Adelheit. We live in the same mansion, so we are going together. So, in the morning, the servants were lined up to see us off when I, Nell, Haru, and Chinatsu were going to the royal castle. Even just getting out of the mansion, they see us off like this each time. The gazes I feel on my back are itchy.

「So, how was it? It seems that you were doing various things last night.」

「Well, it was really troublesome. I secretly went to Joseph to talk about it.」

「Ara, friends sure are good things to have.」

「He gave me a very annoyed look though. Well, I maybe have no right to say this because I forgot about it, but I’ll keep my promise with Haru. Even if the outcome is obvious.」

After Nell’s sudden remark last night, I was running around trying to set things up even though I just came back from our honeymoon. ‘What the hell are you doing on the night before the event?’ Joseph was giving me a cold look. My glass heart was trampled and almost shattered. However, this is for the sake of my cute disciple and beautiful wife. I continued to work with all my might and finally did it. What, there’s no need to hold back. You can praise me more for accomplishing it.

「Well, the castle is in sight.」

「Finally! Chinatsu-chan, let’s do our best!」

「It’s good that you’re motivated, but don’t forget to go easy on them, okay?」

Chinatsu calls out to Haru who runs out. It seems that even the worrier Chinatsu does not think that Haru will lose this time. Rather, she’s worried that the opponents will be injured.

「Well, wait a minute. We are going to meet someone here. We’ll enter the castle afterward.」

「「Meet someone?」」

We waited for a few minutes next to the road leading to the main gate of the castle. In the meantime, the soldiers passing by on the road were looking at us to see what we were doing, and some of the more serious ones were calling out to us. But as soon as they saw Nell and Chinatsu’s faces, their expressions changed to a customer service smile while sweating. After they gave a light salute, they immediately turned around and left.

「Not having to explain is nice, yep.」

「What?」

Then we waited again for a few minutes.

「Ohoho! Ohohoho!」

We heard the sound of a carriage heading to the castle and loud laughter at regular intervals. It seems that they finally arrived. The carriage is pure white and has a unique design that’s easy to tell even from a distance. Could it be that the carriage has been running through the town like that? …… That’s crazy.

「That carriage, that funny laughter―― Therese-san?」

「Ara! If it isn’t Haruna-san and the others! Maa maa! Even Nell-san is here! Everyone, hello desuwa!」

「You’re looking well, Therese.」

「Yes! As you can see, I’m well enough to come from Genius desuwa!」

While standing next to the coachman, the person who was laughing loudly saw us. Therese Batten, the daughter of the Batten family, is as energetic as Haru today. More importantly, why are you standing next to the coachman? The coachman is bewildered… no, that expression, is he getting used to it? This coachman is getting used to it!? Hey you, you are a servant of the Batten family, aren’t you!?

「Hey, why did we stop here? The castle is still ahead, right?」

「Also, Prez Therese’s laughter has stopped~」n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

「No, it’s here. This is where we’ll meet up with Deris.」

「Yes. Haruna-san, Chinatsu-san… and Knight Leader Nell are also here…」

「「Eh?」」

When the carriage stopped, the door opened and boys and girls came down one after another. So far, I’m sure there’s no need to tell who were in the carriage. Starting with Prince, Weerel, uh… the white-haired bad girl who was defeated by Chinatsu, and muscle. Since they played an active role at the graduation festival, I invited them to the castle. Also, some of them get jobs for the Knight Order and the Royal Palace Magician, and I have to fulfill my contract with Prince. With their solid results at the graduation festival and with the consent of Knight Leader Nell and Mage Prime Minister Joseph, even the king can’t refuse to let them into the castle.

「Waa! Wee-chan, long time no see!」

「Long time no see….」

It’s a reunion since the graduation festival. Each of them is exchanging greetings as they please. I want to discuss the future with Prince now, but there’s a boy blocking the way in front of him.

「Deris-dono, could it be that you’ve forgotten about me?」

…… Who is he again? Was there a boy who was using honorifics when talking to me? Ahh, ehh, uhh… I feel like there was someone next to Prince… Help, help me, Prince.

「I remember you, of course. How could I forget your loyalty toward Prince? (*Glances*)」

「…… Yeah, Noct is my best friend and my best aide. I can’t thank the Noland family enough.」

「You heard him, Noct Norland-kun?」

「Prince Dias, you’ve gone to such lengths for me…!」

I somehow managed to remember him thanks to Prince’s quick thinking. He’s Noct-kun who lost to Haru at the graduation festival. There are many with unique characters in the Golden Generation that he’s not standing out, so I almost forgot about him. Also, it’s because he suddenly starts using honorifics.

「Deris-dono, I apologize for my rudeness earlier.」

「No, you don’t have to worry about it. I was also rude to you when we first met.」

「… I know that I’m being rude, but I’d like to confess something to you. I’ve done some research on Deris-dono. I heard that you were a very skilled adventurer who retired a few years ago. I was unable to obtain much information from the Adventurer Guild, but I was able to hear it from some adventurers who know Deris-dono. Without knowing that you were a famous adventurer, I made a terrible mistake back then――」

Noct-kun’s talk is long. Well, even if he wants to investigate it, I forbid the guild to speak about me, and rumors from adventurers are only vague information. Even so, imagining my achievements from the information he has gathered, he’s started to use honorifics toward me.

「Knight Leader Nell, I’m looking forward to working with you! Please use this Dry Van’s trained magic and muscles on the front lines to your heart’s content!」

「No, I’m sturdier desuwa! Please use me as a shield to your heart’s content!」

Therese and Muscle, who have been decided to join the knight order, are gathered at Nell’s place. What are they competing for? They are saying something that can make others misunderstand.

「Fufu, both of you are very enthusiastic. After you officially join the knight order, should I have you fight Vice Leader Chinatsu first? Come on, Chinatsu, greet them.」

「Ah, yes. The one who has become the vice leader, Chinatsu Rokusai here. It’s been a long time.」

「Maa, Chinatsu-san, you are already the vice leader? As expected desuwa!」

「A match with the winner who defeated Weerel and karua, no, with Vice Leader-dono, huh. This Dry will fight with the intention of learning from you!」

「No, well…」

Chinatsu is overwhelmed by the two who are horribly positive. I feel like Chinatsu will have more hardship.

「You see~, Weerel is aiming to be the next Mage Prime Minister, and I’m aiming to be her aide~. Isn’t it nice?」

「I and Karua… are going to work at Grandpa’s place…」

「Waa, that’s nice!」

It’s so peaceful over there. Okay, we are all here now. Let’s see, one, two, three――

「―― Hm? Come to think of it, weren’t there two more of your friends? You know, the boy and girl who lost to Haru and Chinatsu in the graduation festival qualifiers.」

「Are you talking about Kiel and Solte? If it’s them, they headed to Solte’s hometown after graduated. Kiel enthusiastically said something about joining the Machete family and rebuilding the household.」

「In other words?」

「They are engaged.」

……… They can just go explode.