Chapter 32: Summoned to the Castle
「Father, I have a very important request.」
Living room at home at night.
Elsa cut me off as she came over to me.
I look up from the newspaper in my hand.
「Hmm? That's unusual. Elsa asked me for a favor. That's fine. You can ask me anything. I'll help you in any way I can.」
「Thank you. Actually, I need you to come to the castle tomorrow.」
「The castle? Me?」
「Yes, Prim-sama would like to see you father.」
Prim is the name of the princess of the royal capital.
The other day, she came to the market in secret and was being treated as a runaway eater, but I paid for her and saved her.
「She's been acting up all day. The whole castle was in an uproar because they was being pushed around. So I was wondering if father would be so kind for a visit......」
Elsa's expression was exhausted.
Elsa, a member of the Kingsguard, is the princess's chaperone, so to speak. I can see that she must have been pushed around a lot by the selfish Prim.
Elsa has a lot on her plate......
I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
「It's my beloved daughter's request. I understand.」
「Really! Thank you!」
The cloud hanging over Elsa's face cleared up quickly.
She put my hand on her large chest and she breathes a sigh of relief.
I had planned to go to the adventurer's guild tomorrow, but when I told Anna what had happened, she told me to give priority to Elsa.
☆
And the next day...
I had gone to the castle with Elsa.
There was a drawbridge in front of the grand castle in the center of the royal capital. At the castle gate in front of it, knights were standing on either side.
When they noticed us, the knights rushed over to us.
There is a deep dark circle under their eyes.
「Oh! Kaizer-san! I'm so glad you're here! Thank goodness......! Now the princess won't go wild anymore......!」
「Come! Please have an audience right away! 」
I just visited and they thanked me so much.
I wonder how much Prim was spoiled yesterday......
Elsa, smiling wryly, leads me into the castle.
We walked down a marble hallway with a luxurious-looking carpet and up a flight of stairs.
She then opened the luxurious double doors that led to the King's Chamber.
「Elsa, Thank you for you hard work」
It was Prim who greeted her. She was sitting with her legs crossed on the throne where the king should have been sitting.
She was dressed in a dress instead of the cloth she used to wear when I met her.
(T/N: Raw: 以前の布の服ではなく、ドレス姿に身を包んでいた。)
When I look at her like this, I really feel that she is a princess. Inside a single girl, dignity and splendor live in perfect harmony.
There was also a hint of royal dignity in the air.
「Oh dear~, are you Kaizer-san?」
(T/N: Raw: あらあら～ (?ω?))
A woman sitting next to Prim spoke up.
She was dressed in a delicate lace dress.
She is a beautiful woman who exudes a calm and relaxed atmosphere.
Her Majesty the Queen of this country, Sonia Wagenstein.
(T/N: Raw: ソニア?ヴァーゲンシュタイン)
「Your Majesty, it's a pleasure to meet you.」 I said as I knelt down.
「You don't have to be so reserved. Just relax and feel as if you are home.」
That's unreasonable.
There was no way I could relax in this solemn king's room.
「I've heard from my daughter ~ She said you paid for her without demanding anything for exchange. You must have had a hard time with her being so selfish.」
「Its nothing......」
「Thank you for taking care of my daughter. Knight-san. Please give that thing to Kaizer-san.」
「Yes!」
The knight who responded to Sonia's voice came over to me.
He holds out a leather bag.
It was packed full of gold coins.
「This! I can't take it!」
「Oh? Would you have preferred a land?」
「Its not like that! There is no need for a reward」
「I can't do that. If I don't thank you for saving my beloved daughter, it will affect the prestige of this country.」
「If so, please donate the money to the church.」
「Fufuu, I understand. Let's do as Kaizer-san says. You don't seem to be a very greedy person.」
Sonia said, smiling and addressing her hand to her cheek.
(T/N: Example at the Translator Corner!)
「Elsa's sincerity was inherited from her father. Fufu. You've been raised by a wonderful person.」
「Thank you very much.」
Elsa smiled shyly.
「Mother, may we return to the subject at hand?」
「Oh dear, I'm sorry」
When Sonia gave up control of the conversation, Prim looked at me. Then she said with a tone of authority that made it hard to believe she was only ten years old.
「Kaizer, I, Prim Wagenstein summoned you, of all people to become mine.」
「Eh?」
「I like you. It is in my nature to make anything I like to become mine.」
「Prim-chan, isn't that way of speaking are a bit rough.」
Sonia rebuked her softly and smiled at me as if she was troubled.
「She seems to like you very much, Kaizer-san. My husband passed away five years ago. I think she's longing for a father.」
Is that so...
The king of this country had died of illness five years ago.
「Prim-chan said she want you to her but as for me, I want Kaizer-san to be a tutor.」
「A tutor?」
「Yes. I want you to teach her about her studies and the outside world. As for me, I feel that I can leave it in the safe hands of Kaizer-san, who is Elsa's father. What do you think? Will you accept my offer?」
「I'm honored to hear it......, but I have other jobs as well. It would be difficult for me to devote all my time to it.」
「Of course, you can come as often as you like. It's fine if you just want to come and visit.」
I don't think I'll feel like just wandering over to visit......
However......
Prim lost her father when she was very young.
Maybe the reason she are being so selfish and unrestrained is because she are actually lonely.
She wants attention. I'm sure of it.
「If I can help you, I will.」
「Really?!」 Prim's face brightened.
「Kaizer-san, thank you very much. I know she's a bit of a handful, but please take care of her for me.」
Thus, I took on the role of tutor for the princess.
Now, in addition to being an instructor at the Knight Order, an adventurer, and a part-time lecturer at the Academy of Magic, I had acquired a fourth job.
It's a horrible parallel work.
I wonder if I'll die of exhaustion one of these days......
I couldn't help but imagine such a thing.
Read latest chapters at f(r)eewebnov𝒆l Only