Chapter 10 The Unmindful Princess

That very same day, the figure of Belvant walking with Marietta surprised everyone who saw it. The shape of the well-muscled man easily carrying the princess under one arm was the spitting image of a great king of demons abducting a delicate fairy.

For Belvant, the decision to carry Marietta wasn’t particularly based on some desire to flirt or dally. If they were walking side by side, he would be forced to bend quite far over to converse evenly with the small Marietta, and would also need to maintain a comfortable walking pace between the both of them. By holding her close in his arms, they would be able to travel without issue. Utilizing these reasons and more, the beautiful girl remained in his arms.

Marietta, embraced by that snug arm, was ecstatic that she could be glued to her beloved Belvant.

Ah, and again, this supreme fortune! To be this close to Sir Belvant.

Feeling just a smidgen embarrassed, but happy, Marietta’s face faintly reddened as she clung a bit more tightly to his arm. A fleeting glance at Belvant’s face revealed his usual expressionless look, focused forward as he walked, but when he caught sight of her gaze, his lips twitched just the faintest bit. Just that was enough to send Marietta spiraling towards heaven, and her feelings blossomed across her honest face like a brilliant flower. The sight did not escape Belvant, and the general’s breath caught in his throat for an instant before he tensed his face into a scowl and turned away, struggling to pin down his conflicting, innermost feelings.

And thus, the beyond brilliant smile of the fairy and the fearsome lord of demons completed their image.

“This is the royal kitchen.”

Belvant’s guided tour included places that were a bit different from where one would normally bring a young lady. The previous stop had been the stables, where they had fed Mistral some carrots, and now it was the kitchen.

“Oho, is this not General Fargus?”

“What are you being so formal for?”

“Hahaha, Belvant, did your belly start to ache? Or, rather, who’s the lovely little lady? Don’t tell me you kidnapped her from somewhere and brought her here? A bit of the spoils of war, some extra booty?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Questions poured from the well-built, red headed man apparently in charge of the kitchen, his eyes wide.

“Kidnapped? This is the princess that will be my wife.”

“WIIIFE? This small child? You, no matter how much of a hero you are, a crime’s still a crime!”

“You have any sweet pastries? She likes them.”

“Listen to what I’m saying, darnit! Little Miss, you shouldn’t follow unknown old men like this, even if they promise you sweets. Otherwise you’ll be eaten yourself.”

“Um, well…”

Am I ‘little miss’?

Marietta’s bright blonde hair glimmered as she sweetly tilted her head.

“Ach, so adorab… If you want pastries, I’ll make you as many as you want, just please get away from the old man there!”

“Who’s an old man. Don’t touch Marietta.”

The red headed man stretched out a hand as though to rescue Marietta from Belvant’s arm, and Marietta was quickly raised out of his reach. Lifted high, high into the air, Marietta let out a small “Eep-!” and gripped at Belvant’s arm.

“This person is truly my wife. Her age is no issue because she is eighteen. If you’re satisfied, bring out some pastries.”

‘My wife’… ‘wife’… Kyaa, I’m so embarrassed!

Marietta blushed, floating midair.

“She’s eighteen? Why you, you’re carrying her with one hand like a kid, you know! It’s all sorts of misleading!”

“Hurry up with those pastries.”

The red headed man grumbled complaints even as he stuffed Marietta’s hands full of sweets, warning her “tell me if he tries anything funny. I’ll stuff his mouth full of chili powder, alright?” with a mean grin and a chuckle, before turning around to Belvant with a belated “congratulations!”

“That man, he has been providing my meals since I was a mere underling.”

“My, in that case, you might say that your wonderful physique came about thanks to his assistance, right, Sir Belvant?”

Saying as much, Marietta’s small hands gently stroked along his shoulder’s deltoid, his pectorals, and around to his back to his trapezius, admiring Belvant’s firm bulges and swells.

“But this well tempered body is the result of Sir Belvant’s habitual training, no?”

“Well, I guess.”

Belvant’s complexion remained steady as Marietta freely touched him, but, even though the girl held in his arm meant no ill will, the smell of her sweet scent and the feeling of her gliding touch promoted a turbulent mood within the healthy adult man.

What is this? I must still be lacking willpower.

“This way is the practice ground!”

With his face stiffly facing forward, Belvant set off for the first location he thought would reduce his chances of doing something completely inappropriate to the princess.

At the practice ground, the knights of Oltair were busy training. Tasked with exercising both their bodies as a whole and individual muscles for a solid foundation, each individual trained with a practice sword. With the gathered men wielding massive swords and jumping about with fast, practiced footwork, the odor of sweat hung heavy in the air, giving the room an excessive stench of men.

And here, the number one swordmaster of the country, the general himself, arrived with a young woman many would mistake for a girl under his arm.

In mere moments, the knights started a commotion.

“What? Why would someone bring a noble lady somewhere like this?”

Having arrived earlier when he separated from the general to practice, Adlan was shocked.

“You idiot, your date route is absolutely wrong if it leads you here.”

Even Belvant himself managed to notice his mistake somehow, but the man certainly had his circumstances.

“Just wanted to move my body a bit.”

Belvant stepped across towards a crude bench in the shade and, laying down his jacket, set Marietta down. With only a thin shirt covering his torso, Marietta’s heart throbbed at her nigh unrestricted view of Belvant’s tight muscles.

How is his body so dreamy? Ah, I wish he would just hug me.

The girl’s delusions ran full throttle, but since her own experience only went as far as kissing, her thoughts didn’t advance too far. Getting a hug was virtually the extent.

“Take a good look at the skills of the knights that protect this country.”

Belvant, not seeing Marietta’s sweet internal desires in favor of covering up his own, hefted a practice sword.

“I will. Take care, Sir Belvant!”

“Some small injuries are no trouble.”

“If anyone gets injured, I will gladly offer treatment.”

It could not be helped that, in that moment, several wicked thoughts floated through the minds of the gathered knights. Belvant turned to the knights and spoke with a voice low enough to rattle the earth.

“You knights, I will not allow injuries.”

Because if you’re injured, you’ll be killed!

Filled with dread, the knights restarted their practice.

Being both under the eyes of a beautiful lady and able to spar against the powerful, famous Belvant, the knights’ morale was relatively high. They overcame the fierce glare directed their way for the slight chance to test themselves against his strength, but even drawing forth all the strength they could muster against Belvant, the general’s ability with a sword was too dreadful.

“Next!”

Desperately holding on against the drive, the power, the unflinching cruelty of the man who earned the title ‘Fierce God’, the knights could only sink to the ground. As their sweat and perseverance strangely seemed to encourage them to train even harder, Marietta’s lips slightly parted at the men’s blazing battle. Though, perhaps it would be more appropriate to say her attention was mostly on Belvant’s performance.

To the side, Adlan was agape.

Come on, this isn’t the sort of thing to show a sheltered young lady, you know?

While there were a few outliers, this was pretty much a big brawl between brawny, macho human meatballs. Put simply, it definitely wasn’t a lovely sight. Moreover, General Fargus was the most ferocious of them all. Catching a glance of Marietta’s wide-eyed stare, Adlan sighed.

“Even at the best of times you look frightening, but right now you look like the most terrifying thing on earth, you know? Damn.”

Far separated from Adlan’s worry, Belvant’s dynamic, gallant figure and bursting muscles had Marietta engrossed. Perhaps following the age-old adage that opposites attract, Marietta was drawn to his rugged glamour, yearned for his powerful, sturdy body.

Amazing! So powerful! You are so lovely, Sir Belvant!

Even as her eyes grew misty and her breath slightly ragged, she scorched the scene before her into her eyes.

Belvant’s castle tour continued in the afternoon, after he took a short rinse and Marietta had eaten lunch, this time to his office.

“Please excu-huwha?”

Some uniformed subordinate entered on business, only to raise a surprised voice. On the other side of the office desk sat Belvant, the tiny Marietta sitting upon his lap.

“Say, are you certain I am not hindering your work?”

“It’s no problem.”

Making good on his words, Belvant silently tidied up the nearby papers.

“Considering the state of the desk work today, the princess isn’t much of a hindrance. At least, not simply sitting on a lap, I think.”

She’s not a kitten though, Adlan added as he entered with fresh tea.

“But, well, it seems like work is actually progressing thanks to the princess.”

“Do you truly think so?”

It even seemed like Belvant was having no trouble handling his wicked power, appearing as quite a capable man.

“However, today I also learned many pleasant things about my dear husband.”

With a soft poof, Marietta’s face dyed and she ducked her head.

“D-dear husband… Um, Adlan-“

“Ah, well, I’m going to take a break; back in an hour or so!”

Sensing an atmosphere, just like that Adlan left the room, and somehow, for whatever reason, locked the door from outside.