Chapter 3: Elf Princess
I cooked a simple potato dish for dinner.
「Amazing!! It’s delicious master!! I have never eaten such delicious food! It’s on the level that you could even open a restaurant!」(Lucia)
「It’s not a big deal」(Naomi)
When I shake my head, Lucia quickly stood up. What happened?
「Even though you’re my master, I have not helped you at all」(Lucia)
To be depressed over such a thing.
「Well, I also have a lot to learn. Let’s do our best together」(Naomi)
「Yes!」(Lucia)
After finishing our conversation, a sound like fluttering clothing sounded out.
What could it be?
At the next moment, a black clothed person suddenly attacked me with a sword. However, since I was following the opponent’s movements with my eyes, I was able to sweep the sword away easily. Of course, I paid close attention to ensure the important potato dish didn’t spill.
Then, I heard a surprised voice.
「Im, impossible! Our Balk Kingdom’s spy unit is said to be the strongest in the continent and yet so easily!?」(???)
「Oi, it’s dinner time now. I will forgive you if you leave this place quickly」(Naomi)
「Don’t be stupid! Whoever you are, we cannot keep you alive now that you’ve seen us! Take this!」(???)
10 people immediately appeared and attacked me, but I completely destroyed almost all of them. This is so boring, I might even yawn.
「How is this possible!? We the intelligence unit of the Balk Kingdom were so easily defeated. At this rate the country will be destroyed…I’m not dead yet, I have to get away. I’ll remember you!」(???)
He tries to escape, but I’m not so soft as to let assassins escape. I quickly take a sword from one of the fallen assassins and throw it towards the one who was running away.
「Da, damn it…my country is…」(???)
Leaving such words, the last surviving member of the intelligence unit from the Balk Kingdom died.
「Oi, I can see you hiding over there」(Naomi)
The person hiding revealed their appearance at my words. Although the person was wearing a hood, their height was quite small. It appears they were not part of the intelligence unit.
「Thank you. Thank you for saving me」(???)
The person says as they remove their hood.
What appeared was an extremely beautiful girl, with long blonde hair extending down her back. Her skin was a glistening white. Yet, what stood out more than anything were her pointy ears.
「I apologise. I am Erin, the princess of the elven forest. Thank you for your help at this dangerous time. On behalf of my country, I would like to express my gratitude」(Erin)
「I did not help your country, just you」(Naomi)
Saying so, Erin thanked me once more with a tint of shyness.
「Is that right, for me instead of my country…Oh, then I will thank you personally. I’m really grateful」(Erin)
「Well, it’s not a big deal」(Naomi)
「No, it is a big deal. The people aiming at me were the strongest intelligence unit sent by the Balk Kingdom. Even S class adventurers would struggle against them. Yet in such a brief time, you managed to annihilate them all」(Erin)
「Well I’m not an S class adventurer, so I somehow managed」(Naomi)
I try to deny it, but Erin looks at me with glittering eyes.
「Ano, I’d like for you to tell my your name」(Erin)
As she asks, her cheeks are red for some reason.
「It’s Masatsugu」(Naomi)
「Masatsu…Masatsugu, it’s a wonderful name」(Erin)
「No, I think it’s pretty normal…」(Naomi)
Erin shook her head.
「Masatsugu….Masatsugu..is it?」(Erin)
She repeats my name over and over for some reason.
「I don’t know your circumstances, but since the threat has already left. Aren’t you okay now?」(Naomi)
As I say so, I turn my back to return into the orphanage.
「Ah, wait a moment! Please don’t throw me away Masatsugu!」(Erin)
Erin clung to me as she pleaded.
Fuu, I sighed.
「It can’t be helped, I’ll listen to your story over a meal」(Noami)
「Thank you very much～」(Erin)
Although she had tears in her eyes, she still voiced out words of thanks.
And after hearing her story…
「So to summarise, your hometown was burned to the ground by the Balk Kingdom, there is no elven forest anymore. Your subordinates who escape with you have already been killed. Erin is the last legitimate princess of the elven race?」(Naomi)
「That’s right. I carry the last of the elven royal family’s blood. Since I survived, I have to give birth to a child to spread my bloodline. For the record, it is not necessary for my partner to be an elf as well. I would prefer someone like Masatsugu, who has the power to protect other people and is gentle, that’s why…」(Erin)
As she says so, her eyes twinkle as she stares at me…
「That’s pretty serious. I’m glad to hear your feelings, but it’s likely due to being helped by me. Erin is still too young to have children, when you become an adult and think it through calmly, you will change your mind」(Naomi)
「I won’t change my mind! Besides I can make children right now! I’m serious!」(Erin)
「No, it’s likely the suspension bridge effect. Besides, you are still too young. You’ll understand when you become an adult」(Naomi)
「That means….when I grow up we can get married? It’s a promise!」(Erin)
「Nn? No that’s not the case…」(Naomi)
「We should have a spiritual marriage in front of the 10,000 year old spirit tree….ufufu」(Erin)
Lucia who had been standing quietly next to me suddenly spoke up.
「Ano, Erin. Master has already promised to make me his wife when I grow up. That’s no good Erin!」(Lucia)
「No, no way. I also want to marry Masatusugu! Besides he said it was ok when I grow up!」(Erin)
「It’s useless even if you say that! I was also told I would be his bride when I grow up!」(Lucia)
「No way, I won’t get married to anyone!」(Naomi)
Yare yare, I held my head.
That night, I fell asleep with nothing resolved. Erin who had also lost her parents had decided to stay at the orphanage. I was wondering if the argument would continue tomorrow as well, but the next day the two of them were smiling and talking. Apparently, they seemed to have signed some sort of secret agreement or something. Sometimes the words first and second wives come out, but I don’t know what they’re talking about.
In the meantime, it seems there are now 2 orphans in this orphanage.
(Note: The “suspension bridge effect” is also known as the “misattribution of arousal” it is a term in Psychology used to describes the process whereby people make a mistake in assuming what causes them to feel aroused. For example, someone feeling fear may incorrectly mislabel those responses as being romantic arousal. There was a study in 1974 where they sent a group of men across a suspension bridge towards a woman. The men assumed their fear responses such as heart beating faster and sweating were due to their arousal towards the woman, rather than their fear of the bridge. This is also why it’s a trope that after saving a woman from a disaster, they end up falling for the man who saved them. The fear from the incident is attributed to being arousal towards the man, causing them to develop feelings)