A New Title

For an entire week, Principal Kakerukun had banned me from entering the residential district.

Apparently, the reason was that the academy would be receiving external coverage, so they needed to prepare for it.

I was bothered by why they would try to exclude me just to prepare for an interview, but…

In any case, I had been used to this kind of unreasonable treatment since the previous principal’s time, so I thought, whatever.

But I could not allow any scheme that would harm the animals of the forest, like back when the previous principal was around.

I decided to spend the week I was banned from the residential district patrolling the forest.

Thanks to the fact that I also went around catching animals to turn into livestock, the ranch became quite lively.

Or rather, the inside of the fence had become packed with livestock, to the point that it started to feel cramped.

While I was thinking that it was about time to expand the ranch, the day of that coverage arrived.

On the day itself, I was ordered to take remedial lessons, so from early morning onward, I was stuck with Sir Vibe and subjected to training under the name of class.

That continued until late at night, and I returned home completely exhausted.

In front of the house, a bonfire like a campfire had been lit, and there were many silhouettes there.

Wondering what was going on, I approached, and there stood all the familiar members who always helped me with farmwork.

When everyone noticed that I had returned, their faces happily softened, and then they all prostrated themselves at once.

“Hey, hey, what in the world happened? All of you gathered like this so formally…”

Then Monaka and Kotone, who had been prostrating themselves at the front, raised their faces.

The two of them spoke with tearful eyes that reflected the bonfire’s flames and blazed like the setting sun.

“Leo-kun!”

“Master!”

Then the people behind them continued.

“We… have become the Leopin Royal Guard…!”

“Wha… whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?!?”

I, who usually surprised everyone else, had ended up being surprised by everyone.

“Does that mean you formed an Alliance…!?”

“Yes!” came a perfectly synchronized reply.

“What? But forming an Alliance should require the principal’s approval, right…!?”

I found it utterly unbelievable that that principal would approve an alliance with me.

Monaka and Kotone excitedly, yet in coordination as perfectly matched as sisters, continued.

“Yes! Today, we asked the principal, and he officially approved it!”

“With this, we are now able to serve you openly, Master!”

Judging from the looks of it, Monaka and Kotone seemed to have been the main ones who moved things forward.

“What on earth did you do to make that principal approve it…?”

As I muttered that, I glanced at their attendants.

The trio of Onesuko, Shinobuko, and Tomoe were prostrating themselves with reluctant looks.

If that trio, who should have been in a position to oppose it with all their strength, was staying silent… No way, could it really be…!?

“But are you really sure about forming an Alliance with someone jobless like me? Monaka and Kotone, won’t it damage your family names…?”

“Leo-kun is not a stain at all! I’m sure my elder sister will understand too!”

“Even if the people of our houses oppose it, we have decided! We will serve you, Master!”

“We cannot bear for you to go unacknowledged any longer!!”

“I want to tell everyone! That Leo-kun is this amazing!”

“Master is someone more worthy of respect than nobles and royalty… even more than Heroes and Sages!”

The two Saints of East and West had a desperate intensity.

People from distinguished families were normally desperate only to raise their own names and wanted to attach themselves to Heroes or Sages.

And yet these girls were working so hard for the sake of jobless me…

Come to think of it, there was another girl like this too…

I remembered the promise I had made with that girl.

Before I knew it, Kotone was clinging tightly to my leg.

“Please, Master…! Please let us stay by your side…!”

A little later, Monaka timidly pinched the hem of my pants.

“Or are we a nuisance…? Leo-kun, do you hate us…?”

I placed my hands gently on the heads of the two girls, who looked as if they were about to burst into tears at any moment.

“Of course not. You two must have gone through a lot, right? Thank you, truly, for doing this for me.”

Even though the two of them had thrown away family standing and public appearances and mustered this much courage to set everything up…

If I refused to take their hand after that, I would not be much of a man…!

I raised my face and declared loudly.

“All right, I’ve certainly received your courage! From today onward, you are my official comrades!”

“L… Lord Leopin!”

Monaka and Kotone hugged my waist as tears spilled from their eyes.

Everyone who had been prostrating themselves raised their faces like blazing flames.

“Th… thank you very much! Lord Leopin!”

My comrades spoke in unison, as if becoming one with my heart.

Then my house behind them began to shine with a radiance that did not lose to the blazing flames.

Then, a phenomenon that had never happened before occurred.

My house, which had been shining, began to wrap my body in particles of light like the Milky Way.