To The Imperial Capital

“If nothing has been decided yet, why not come to the Empire with me until then? I, Patricia, would very much like to treat you, the greatest contributor to the slaying of the white dragon Lindwyrm.”

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeh!?”

Jonah involuntarily raised his voice at Patricia’s offer.

Of course. She is the First Princess of the Estraia Empire. That means Jonah would inevitably return to the Empire.

“Hm… Jonah, do you despise coming to the Empire with me that much…?”

Patricia, who is usually dignified, looked up at Jonah with a sad expression like a forsaken puppy.

This was unfair. Jonah thought so.

“A-awawawa, a-all right… I’ll accompany you to the Empire…”

“…! Really! Then as my guest, I shall proffer you the finest hospitality!”

Contrasting with Jonah, who dropped his shoulders, Patricia suddenly broke into a full smile.

Although he thought it was troublesome, seeing her happy left him unable to say anything.

That said, the Langheim family members he most wanted to avoid had their lands quite far from the Imperial Capital, and they rarely came to the capital except for official events. The chance of running into them was therefore quite low.

More importantly, Jonah already traveled to the Imperial Capital once a month for Günter’s examination. It was too late to complain about returning to the capital now.

Besides… if he went to the Imperial Capital, he might perhaps meet the important woman again.

Jonah thought of her and relaxed his mouth into a small smile.

“Then first, we must inform them over there!”

When Patricia snapped her fingers, a large hawk mystical beast descended from the sky.

“Princess Patricia, that bird is…?”

“Yes. It is my friend, Stern.”

Patricia gently stroked the head of Stern, the hawk mystical beast perched on her arm, with her index finger.

Seeing Stern looking pleased, Jonah’s cheeks softened.

“Now then… Stern, I’m entrusting this to you to the Empire.”

“Piiiiiiiiiiiiii!”

Patricia tied a letter to Stern’s leg, and Stern beat its wings and flew off south across the great sky.

“Um… Princess Patricia, I don’t think a hawk mystical beast is very suited to being a carrier pigeon…”

“No need to worry. Stern is intelligent. On expeditions and the like, I’ve had it carry letters like this before.”

Unlike dove mystical beasts, hawk mystical beasts do not have a strong homing instinct, and thus are almost never used as carrier birds.

Jonah pointed that out, but Patricia smiled and answered. If they’ve done it that way before, it was probably fine. Jonah didn’t ask any further.

“More than that, since we have the chance, I’d like to hear various stories from you until we reach Helsing. It seems this sort of thing may not be your first time.”

“Ahaha, if my stories are fine with you.”

Riding a horse together with Patricia, Jonah spoke.

About the wonderful people he’d met so far and the legends imprinted in the onyx of his eyes.

On the road to Helsing, the two never stopped smiling.

◇

“This time you have rightly slain the White Dragon and avenged our Kingdom of Karelia; I, Matthias, cannot express enough gratitude.”

In the throne audience chamber of the royal palace in the capital Helsing, which had fortunately escaped damage from Lindwyrm.

Receiving the report of Lindwyrm’s defeat by Patricia, the King of Karelia Kingdom, Matthias Kninga Karelia, who sat on the throne, bowed.

“King Matthias, please lift your face. I am here purely as a general of the Empire who accepted the request.”

“Ah, right… I apologize…”

At Patricia’s reproach, her brows furrowed, and King Matthias hurriedly raised his face.

Even so. King Matthias’s obsequiousness toward the First Princess Patricia was excessive.

However, considering the disparity in national power between the largest Western nation, the Estraia Empire, and the small northern border state Karelia Kingdom, it is understandable that he would be humiliated even if the counterpart was a royal, an eighteen-year-old girl.

But Patricia disliked that more than anything.

She believed that no matter how desperately she worked and how many achievements she accumulated, they were all overvalued because of the Empire’s prestige.

Because of that, she had endured much injustice until now.

Regarding Lindwyrm’s defeat, Jonah and Fafnir’s involvement was kept secret; it was presented as if the Empire’s forces led by Patricia had carried out the slaying.

This was Patricia’s consideration to avoid troubling Jonah and Fafnir and to ensure that, even though they refused to participate in the slaying, the knights and soldiers would not be punished for that.

“Then I shall return to the Empire. My subordinates will arrive in Helsing shortly; I would be grateful for a little kindness toward them and assistance for their return home.”

“Eh…? Are you… leaving already?”

“What is it?”

“…!? N-no! We will wholeheartedly serve the heroes…!”

It was ironic to treat knights and soldiers who had not participated in the slaying as heroes, but there was no time to fuss over such things.

Patricia bowed respectfully, left the audience chamber, and exited the palace.

“Ah! Miss Patricia!”

“Sorry, Jonah, did I keep you waiting?”

Jonah, who had been waiting in front of the palace gate, saw Patricia and ran up to her.

This slaying request had been accepted by the Empire, so it was unrelated to Jonah; he chose not to enter the stiff, uncomfortable palace and waited outside.

And Jonah’s manner toward Patricia had also changed.

On the way to Helsing, Patricia had made a request to Jonah.

She asked him to treat her not as the First Princess, but as a friend.

Jonah, being the son of a duke, knew his place. At first he hesitated to be casual with the Emperor’s daughter and First Princess, but he accepted after Patricia pleaded.

But, to be honest, Jonah was happy too.

Through Lindwyrm’s slaying, he had come to know Patricia’s character, and since she had become one of the important people to Jonah, her words meant a lot.

“Well then, our work in this country is done. Let’s head to the Empire.”

“Yes! …Though if we teleport with ancient magic, it’ll be immediate.”

“Heh, that’s right.”

Patricia returned Jonah’s teasing with a smile.

The two hid in the shadow of a building destroyed by Lindwyrm so no one would find them, and Jonah quickly drew a magic circle on the ground with his index finger.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes!”

Jonah and Patricia teleported to the Imperial Capital Vian.