「……By the way, Myne-dono, I’ve been curious since just now」
Hm?
「What’s that wolf child riding on your head?」
……Aah, that’s the natural reaction, I guess.
When I bowed, his figure, desperately clinging onto me as he dangled to and fro was seen.
I just felt admiration that we could have a serious conversation without laughing.
I feel like the knight leader is subtly enduring his laughter…….
The knights look like they’re very interested in the little Fenrir who was patting my head happily with its paw.
「……It was attacked by a bad monster deep in the forest so I saved him but……
As you can see, it’s become attached to me…….
That’s why, I was thinking of registering it as a support monster」
Un, I won’t tell lies!
I saved him from the attack from bad adventurers, so it’s not wrong! (TLN: Did you just equate those adventurers to monsters??)
「Oh, this is rare.
For a wild wolf to get so attached to you…….
But if you look at it this way, it’s quite cute, isn’t it?」
As one of the knights said that, he stared at the little Fenrir.
「Wafu?」
The little Fenrir who had been stared at tilted his head to one side and asked 『What is it?』
……Un, he’s awfully cute, isn’t he.
Including the knight who were looking from the side, a smile surfaced on everyone’s faces at that adorable gesture.
As everyone softened at the little Fenrir’s cuteness, one of the knights ran out from the forest and returned to the base camp.
「Leader-dono, the adventurers who are participating in the game for Claude-dono will soon return!」
Hearing the words of the knight while he was somewhat out of breath, the softened atmosphere became tense.
「……Understood. The time time to hand them their final notice has finally come.
All members, get to your positions! Prepare yourselves just in case they attempt to escape!」
Hearing the knight leader’s intructions which was filled with fighting spirit, his subordinates simultaneously ran to their assigned posts.
The way all the members put in their fighting spirit was amazing, and so was the knight leader.
「Myne-dono, the time has finally come.
This dangerous game you participated in is one big arrest.
Let’s settle this」
As he grinned broadly, the leader slowly walked to the open space where the verdict would be delivered.
『……Let’s go as well』
『I don’t really understand, but let’s goー!』
……My nervousness was ruined immediately.
Well, that’s how it is for this kid, I guess.
After all, it’s a conflict between humans, I don’t think a Divine Beast would have any interest in that.
THough I feel like my enthusiasm dimmed slightly, the little Fenrir and I chased after the leader in a half-jog.
Of course, the little Fenrir is on my head, and didn’t walk with his own legs.
……Well, that’s alright, I guess.
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
「Oh? Commoner, you didn’t run?
The knights were kicking up a fuss, so I thought you were eaten by a monster or something.
It’s good that you’re safe」
Claude called out to me, and is as disagreeable as always.
I wonder how long he’ll take this attitude with me?
「……Hm? You, what’s that wolf on your head?
Isn’t it quite the strange wolf…….
Fumu, alright. Give it to me.
Consider it an honour that I, a noble, will keep it for you! Fuhahaha」
……What did he say? Is this guy’s brain okay?
Although I was angry, I politely rejected him for now.
「This kid is an important member of my family.
I am sorry, but I cannot yield him to you」
As I declared that, Claude instantly raged like the day before yesterday.
「You bastard, you’ve are taking that contemptuous attitude of yours against me like the day before yesterday!
Who do you think I am? I am Claude Roselia, the next head of the Roselia family.
A lowly commoner like you is an existence who shouldn’t even wish to open your mouth!
……I’ll forgive your rudeness up until now if you hand over that wolf right now.
Hand that wolf over immediately!!!」
It’s no use…… I can’t have a conversation with this guy.
Any more than this would be a waste of time.
……As I glanced over to the knight leader, he returned a nod, and interrupted the conversation.
「Claude-dono, how many times do I have to say it?
Myne-dono is the Her Highness Sylphid’s fiancee who King-sama has approved of.
Have you forgotten that this game was conducted on King-sama’s permission?
If you are to act unreasonably to your opponent, a fiance of royalty, then……」
As the knight leader said that, he probably remembered last night’s circumstances.
He then reluctantly withdrew.
Because of his blunt attitude, I wonder how he is as a noble.
「……Well then, take out the monsters you’ve hunted from your storage bags.
Let’s start with inspecting Claude-dono and the other nobles’」
As the knight leader said that, the adventurer Claude-dono hired took out the dismantled materials one by one.
「Fuhahaha, how’s that! Look at this amoun!!!
A commoner who isn’t an adventurer can’t possibly hunt this much, can he? Without any dicussion, this is our victory!!!」
Claude announced his victory, but as expected all of the materials he submitted are obviously spoiled.
The knight leader who saw those materials, with an undisturbed expression, asked Claude.
「……Claude-dono, may I ask you a question?」
The knight leader used an indifferent tone and started verifying the damage onto the materials.
「……Damaged, you say? Even this commoner’s will be like that」
Hearing those words, I took out the materials from my storage bag in silence.
My materials are naturally in a freshly-dismantled state without damage, and its freshness is retained.
「……It looks obviously different though? In what way are they the same?
Furthermore, the materials the adventurers Claude-dono hired are holding…….
They are obviously deteriorated by time, are they not?」
As the knight leader said that, the nobles and adventurers looked around.
As they did that, the adventurers and nobles who knew what was happening, their behaviour visibly turned weird.
「Which reminds me, there were quite a few people hunting before the game, weren’t there?
The knights have properly confirmed this. Where are the materials from that time?」
Even their hunting beforehand has been said…… they clearly trembled.
Claude’s face also cramped somewhat.
「……You, what are you trying to say?」
The damaged condition of the materials you brought, and the fact that you hunted before the game started.
Don’t you think it is strangely coincidental?
Judging from its damaged condition, it feels like it’s been left alone for about a day?
Don’t you think that it’s really strange?」
「……」
「On top of that, we’ve confirmed the situation of those adventurers hunting during the game.
You hunted way less than the ones you brought out, right?」
……Huh, they fell silent.
I think that falling silent here means you agree, though…….
「Claude-dono, are you cheating in te game you personally proposed to King-sama?」
「……I did no such thing」
「For now, we’ll hear your excuse in the royal capital」
The adventurers who heard the knight leader’s words, fled at full speed.
……Well, that’s understandable.
If it is found that they cheated, the will naturally be judged.
Even if they explain with “I am only employed”, there’s a difference whether something can be done or not.
If they consciously did something which cannot be done, they’ll escape like this.
Thus, their escape…… is confessing their crimes.
「Do not let them get away! Arrest every single one of them!!」
The knights who heard the order started moving simultaneously to arrest the adventurers who escaped and the noble sons.
Claude also fled, but was arrested by the leader himself.
「L, let go of me!! You insolent fellow! Let go of me, I tell you!!!」
Claude who was struggling was pinned down by a few people, and was bound with a rope.
As I saw Claude who was raving loudly while being dragged off, I remembered.
「Ah, the debt for insulting my house…… I haven’t paid you back. Tohoho」
Thus, the curtain closed on this lengthy game.
AN (Author’s note, not mine):
Thank you very much for always reading.
Please take care of me from now on as well.
My head feels hazy, so I might tweak it after this.
I am sorry.
Now then, this is an urgent plan.
I’ll be taking suggestions for the little Fenrir’s name.
My favourite currently is “Pochi”.
Please think of a 【Cuter】 name than this.
The deadline is tomorrow at 8pm.
I will make an activity report article.
If no one submits anything, I will go with Pochi.
Please take care of me.
Sponsor: Michael B.
TL: Izzy