After Returning to the Country Arc – 1: The Weather Girl

“In regards to the medical alliance that was recently signed with the Republic...”

“Mom, it looks like that program’s about to start,” a child said.

“Yes, it is,” his mother agreed. “It really is a life saver.”

That mother and child had come to the fountain plaza to watch the Jewel Voice Broadcast. Recently, during the evening news program broadcast in the Kingdom of Friedonia, there was one segment that had become especially popular.

The beautiful half-elf news broadcaster, Chris Tachyon, turned towards the viewers. “Now, we bring you tomorrow’s weather. Nadeeeen.”

A cheery melody and song started to play.

What will tomorrow’s weather be?

Rain, my whiskers are telling me.

Later, the skies will clear at last.

Here’s the Friedonia Weather Forecast!

A girl in a black one-piece dress which looked like it had scales embedded in it made her entrance, singing as she came in.

This girl with an adorable face had long, black hair and looked to be about fourteen. There was a black lizard tail growing out of her rump, and her head bore antlers more magnificent than those of the sea serpent race.

Her name was Naden Delal.

This dragon had recently come from the Star Dragon Mountain Range to the Kingdom of Friedonia in order to marry Souma.

Even though she was a dragon, she wasn’t the usual Western-style dragon, but an Oriental-style ryuu. Her true form was large and serpentine, and when she had first descended on the castle in that ryuu form, the people of the castle town had panicked as if a monster was suddenly attacking. The panic had died down once the castle announced her ident.i.ty, though.

Naden bowed her head to the citizens who were watching the broadcast. “Good evening. I’m Naden, here with tomorrow’s weather.”

Then she raised her head, looked in Chris’s direction, and tilted her head a bit.

“Hey, I think this every time, but is there any reason for me to sing as I come on?”

“Because every weather program needs a song... is what His Majesty Souma believes,” Chris responded with a business smile.

“I-I see...” Naden had no choice but to accept that answer.

The people watched with relaxed expressions on their faces as this exchange occurred.

When it was first announced that Souma was bringing back a dragon fiancée from the Star Dragon Mountain Range, the people had been abuzz that he might be the second coming of the original King of Elfrieden.

The first king had been summoned as a hero like Souma, then built the precursor to the Kingdom of Friedonia, the multi-racial Elfrieden Kingdom, and taken a dragon as his wife despite not being from the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom. He was seen as a great hero by the people of this country.

However, Souma was very different from that hero, his reign being plain and steady.

The girl who became his fiancée, Naden, gave less of the impression of a G.o.d-beast and more of an innocent girl, so the people’s pa.s.sion had gradually faded.

Even so, it wasn’t that she was unpopular with the people. She actually had a deep-rooted popularity with the elderly population. They looked at her not as a future queen, but as they might look at a daughter or granddaughter.

Naden was enjoying life in Parnam in her own way, too.

Her position made her the second secondary queen, so she wasn’t confined to the castle, and often went down to the castle town to walk around and buy things to eat. Normally, they would have had to worry about her being abducted, but as a ryuu, there were no ropes that could bind her, so she was free to do as she pleased inside Parnam.

It was Souma’s intention that Naden, who was unrestrained and similar to the independent women of Souma’s old world, not be made to feel suffocated within the capital.

However, when she helped a lost child find his friends, played with them while she was at it, and then came back to the castle covered in mud, she did get an earful from Princess Liscia.

For Naden and dragons like her, most of their accomplishments were made on the battlefield. That she could act as freely as she did was proof of just how peaceful the kingdom had become.

That was something to be welcomed, but it was boring to have nothing to do until a crisis came. That, and she wanted Souma to rely on her for something other than riding on her back, too.

“Hey, Souma. Is there something I can do?” Naden had tried asking.

“Oh, good timing. There’s actually something I wanted you to do.”

And the job Souma had prepared for her was this position as a “weather girl.”

A ryuu’s whiskers were sensitive to the air currents, and it was said that just a slight gust of wind was enough for them to know the weather in that area for the next week. He had apparently been planning to put that to use and make a weather forecast.

The Jewel Voice Broadcast could only be seen with video in the large towns and cities where receiver equipment was set up, but even remote villages in the countryside could receive something like radio. Basically, broadcasting a weather forecast on the Jewel Voice Broadcast would communicate the weather to every person in the country.

“So, there you have it,” he had explained. “Can you do it, Naden?”

“Roger that. I’m on it.”

Thus, Naden was now this world’s first weathercaster.

And so, once again today, Naden was reporting tomorrow’s weather to the entire kingdom.

“Umm... For tomorrow’s weather, we expect there will be not a cloud in the sky, and it will be a generally feel-good kind of day. It should be a good day for doing laundry. In the Amidonia Region in the west of the country and around Altomura in the south there may be scattered showers along the mountains in the evening, so be sure to take the wash in early. Also, in the northeast, the skies over Lagoon City will clear tomorrow, but there is the possububbly... of thundershowers, so be careful.

Ah, she flubbed her line!

Naden tried to carry on as if she hadn’t misspoken, but the viewers smiled. They never tired of seeing this adorable queen-to-be.

Though she tripped over her words, Naden’s forecasts had a reputation for accuracy.

Those in the farming and fis.h.i.+ng industries were particularly grateful for her storm warnings. If a storm came, the produce they had worked so hard to grow might be blown down by the winds, and the seas might become so wild that going out in a boat would be a disaster that put their lives at risk. However, if the arrival of storms could be predicted in advance, it was possible to prepare for them.

For farmers, they could harvest their produce, or reinforce the plants so they wouldn’t be knocked over.

For fishermen, they could dry-dock the boats, and ensure they weren’t swept away by the waves.

This had led to an increase in the country’s food production.

There were even rumors that some fis.h.i.+ng villages had already begun to wors.h.i.+p Naden as a G.o.ddess that guaranteed good catches. Eventually this might be tied to Urup’s sea G.o.d wors.h.i.+p, and she would then become Ryuujin, the dragon G.o.d of the sea. For now, though, Naden was only a weather girl.

Now, how was Naden’s weather forecast produced?

Let us take a glimpse at the production process.

“Souma! Wake up!”

“Gwuh! Wh-What?!”

Suddenly, there was an impact on top of my stomach. I had been deep asleep until moments ago, so I was panicking, unable to process the situation when I saw Naden sitting on top of my belly. It seemed the impact had been Naden body-slamming me.

I glanced around with my head still fuzzy. This was... Right, the governmental affairs office.

Upon my return from the Republic of Turgis, Hakuya had given me a mountain of work that had piled up, so I’d been working through it until late at night. I’d gone to sleep in the simple bed in the office.

Even while in the Republic of Turgis, I had kept using my magic, Living Poltergeists, to move Factory Arm #1 and do paperwork, but no matter how much I did, more work for the king kept pouring in. Honestly... Here I was, finally back in the country, but I couldn’t even go visit Liscia who was resting in the former king Sir Albert’s domain.

That being the case, I was now very sleepy, and I didn’t want to wake up yet, but Naden wasn’t going to allow that. Turning sideways to form a cross with the bed in which I was sleeping, Naden stretched out and rolled back and forth on top of my stomach.

“Soumaaaa, wake uuuup.”

“Sorry, Pa*rasche,” I murmured. “I’m exhausted. I’m so very sleepy.”

“Who is Pat**sche supposed to be? Get up already.”

Like an elementary schooler trying to wake her father up on a Sunday, Naden shook her body back and forth. In this state, I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I reluctantly decided to get up.

Once I had sat up, I shot Naden a somewhat resentful look. “I was up late working last night. Let me sleep a little longer.”

“What are you talking about? If you don’t get up, I can’t do my job, you know?” Naden got off the bed and put a hand on her hip.

“Job?”

“I have to predict the weather, right?”

“...Oh, geez. Fine, I get it.”

It was an important job, after all, so I gave in and got out of bed.

Production of a weather forecast program.

When we began producing broadcast programs for this world, I had wondered if there was a way to make one a reality. In my old world, it was a given that there would be a weather forecast during news programs, so I had never felt all that grateful that it was there. However, having come to this world where people lived without a weather forecast brought me to the painful realization that it had been an incredible thing all along.

If they knew the future weather, people could be more active.

When was it time to do laundry? When was it time to sow seeds? When was it time to go out fis.h.i.+ng? When was it time to fix the house in preparation for a storm? By knowing the weather that would come in the future, it was possible to prepare in advance for these things. It would make people’s lives more efficient.

Now, the perfect person to make such a weather forecast had come to be with me.

In her ryuu form, Naden’s two long whiskers were very perceptive sensory organs, and just a slight breeze across them would tell her the weather in that place for the next week. That was why I was having Naden fly around the kingdom every few days and investigate what the weather would be like in each area.

In addition to Naden, there were people who had lived in those regions for generations who could predict the larger changes in the weather. It was okay even if it was just something like, “If there’s clouds around that mountain, there will be a pa.s.sing shower the next day.” We had them send that sort of information to us by messenger kui, and kept statistics in the capital.

By using Naden’s weather forecast as the backbone, and the reports of the people who could tell the weather in all of those different places to flesh things out, we were able to put together a reasonably precise weather forecast.

It was popular with the people, who said she was pretty accurate.

“La, la, la!” Naden sang.

If I were to raise just one complaint, it was that every time she flew around the country, Naden dragged me along with her.

I was riding on Naden’s back as she sang to herself and swam through the sky, my head nodding unconsciously as I was. .h.i.t by waves of drowsiness.

Those who had a contract with a dragon were protected by her magic, so I wasn’t affected by wind pressure or gravity, and I wouldn’t fall off. That meant it was very comfortable, which only made me more sleepy. It was like how sitting on the train as it swayed made you feel awfully sleepy.

Naden, for her part, felt good having me ride on her back when she flew. By having her contractor on her back, she had explained before, “It feels like it scratches an itch, or like something is where it belongs.”

It was a sense that was hard for a human to understand, but those were the sort of creatures that dragons were.

That was why I was being dragged along for this. That was also why Naden was singing so cheerfully.

In her ryuu form, Naden didn’t speak, she communicated using something like telepathy, so I could hear her singing right in my brain. Naden was surprisingly good at singing, and it was relaxing to listen to, which only made me even sleepier.

“And we’re here,” Naden said. “Hey, Souma. We’re over Lagoon City now.”

“...Huh? ...Oh, yeah.”

“Hold on, were you sleeping when we’re having such a nice skywalk?” Naden asked, sounding miffed.

Even with her ryuu face, I could tell she was puffing up her cheeks.

“It feels so comfortable on your back, I can’t help myself.”

“Grr, when you say it that way, it doesn’t feel so bad...”

I pulled a stack of paper, an inkwell, and a feather pen out of the bag hanging from my shoulder. “Now, that aside, let’s get to work.”

Naden still had a somewhat dissatisfied look on her face, but she must have s.h.i.+fted into work mode, because she was letting her two whiskers drift in the wind. Then...

“Lagoon City will be sunny today. All day tomorrow, too. It will be clear the day after, as well, but will cloud over in the evening. Three days from now, it looks like we’ll see light showers starting in the morning. Those will last all day.”

Naden was putting together a weather forecast for this area.

I wrote it down word for word, being sure not to miss a thing.

“Four days from now it will be cloudy, and five days from now it will also be cloudy, but will clear up in the afternoon. Six days from now it will be clear all day. Seven days from now, again, it will be clear all day.”

We knew the weather for up to seven days from now, which was to say a total of eight days.

In this world, a week was eight days, so we had our weekly weather forecast for this region done.

Putting away what I had written, I let out a sigh of admiration. “Your whiskers sure are convenient, Naden.”

“Hee hee! You can praise me more, you know?”

“Hey, you’re number one! Now, if we just knew the temperature for the next week, it’d be perfect.”

“That’s expecting too much!”

I tried teasing her, and Naden got mad. Expecting too much, huh... No doubt about that.

It was good fortune that Naden had come to be my fiancée. Not just for me, but for the whole country. If I forgot that, I was going to be punished for it.

I stroked Naden’s back. “I’m grateful. Thank you for coming to be with me, Naden.”

“Ohh... When you’re so straight with me, it makes me feel shy. Eheheh...”

“It’s how I really feel. Now, on to the next place.”

“Roger that! I’ll carry you anywhere, Souma.”

“Oh? Then the Republic of Turgis...”

“I hate the cold!”

While having those sorts of inconsequential conversations, we flew all around the country.

...And, well, that was roughly how the weather forecast was produced. Today, Naden was relaying that weather forecast to the people watching or listening to the Jewel Voice Broadcast.

“This is Naden. I will now report on tomorrow’s weather.”

After Returning to the Country Arc – 2: Kuu’s Stay in the Kingdom

— In the middle of the 7th month, 1547th year, Continental Calendar —

The roofs of the houses in the residential quarter of Parnam were uniformly orange.

If you looked down from Parnam Castle to see the center of the city, the castle walls that surrounded the city, and the small mountain near the city, it would look like a vast sea of orange.

There was a shadowy figure bouncing along on top of those orange roofs.

The figure was running as it bounded from roof to roof, but then stopped on top of one roof to wipe its sweat. It was around the time that the sun was high in the sky.

Summer had begun in earnest at this point, and the kingdom was now seeing hot day after hot day.

“Man, it’s hot,” grumbled the figure. “It’d never get this hot in the republic.”

It was the guest from the republic, Kuu Taisei.

It had already been two months since King Souma of Friedonia had formed a medical alliance with Turgish Head of State Gouran, and Empress Maria of the Gran Chaos Empire.

In order to see how Souma reigned and learn from it, Kuu had come to reside in Friedonia with his attendant Leporina and his childhood friend Taru.

He was staying for free at Souma’s place, but because he wasn’t a formal va.s.sal, he didn’t have any particular work to do, and he was spending most his time traveling around the kingdom to learn.

Kuu would submit a request to visit and learn about a place, and if Souma gave his permission, he had relatively free rein to look around inside the Kingdom. He had gone around to many places that way, and had registered as an adventurer along with Leporina, making a small amount of coin on the side by taking on quests.

Kuu crouched on the edge of the roof, looking out over the town of Parnam.

Still... I know I heard about it from Bro, but this country’s even more amazing than I expected.

There were things he had learned by coming to this country and living here.

The flashy things had caught his eye first. Initially, that was the broadcast programs of the Jewel Voice Broadcast. The idea of using the Jewel Voice Broadcast, which had only been used for official proclamations before, to provide entertainment for the citizens was amazing.

The singing program where many diverse loreleis sang, the news program where Chris Tachyon reported the events and incidents that happened in the country, the weather forecast run by one of Souma’s fiancées, and more... They were all new to Kuu, and drew his interest.

Of them all, the tokusatsu program called Overman Silvan was his favorite.

It was good stuff. Watching a hero fight for good and punish evil got him fired up.

Kuu was so into Silvan that, when he had watched them shooting the program in the castle, he had even gotten the autograph of Ivan Juniro, the actor who played the main character. It was incredible that, in an era like this, the son of a nation’s head of state would be begging an actor from another country for his autograph, though.

Now, as for the next flashy thing that caught his eye, it was religious functions.

Generally, nations that put a lot of fervor into their religious functions tended to be monotheistic, but the religious functions in this multi-racial, multi-religious state were surprisingly popular.

It seemed that ever since Souma had issued a proclamation saying that, “Any religion which registers with the government will be recognized as a state religion,” this country had gained a variety of state religions, and they had come to hold large religious functions to attract believers.

Furthermore, by turning those religious functions into national events, it was even possible for members of other religions and sects to partic.i.p.ate.

The result was that, with the exception of the most fervent believers, there was an increase in the number of citizens engaging with multiple faiths, and a cooperative relations.h.i.+p where different religions would lend each other s.p.a.ce for events was built.

This was because, if it was possible to hold multiple faiths, there was no need to fight to steal each others’ believers.

This sort of buffet-style approach to religion seemed like something that the comparatively tolerant Mother Dragon wors.h.i.+p might allow, but Lunarian Orthodoxy with its focus on unity through the belief in one G.o.d would hate.

However, the head of Lunarian Orthodoxy within the kingdom, Bishop Souji Lester, said, “Multiple religions? Eh, sure, why not?”

And with that one utterance, they were gradually worked into the buffet of religions.

Souji was as impious as ever, but his loose management had the support of Orthodoxy’s adherents in the kingdom. For the adherents who had lived in the kingdom a long time, even if it was the center of their religion, they hadn’t been happy about taking orders from the Orthodox Papal State about all sorts of things.

On that point, Souji had said, “If you keep things in moderation, you can do as you like,” and left them to their own devices, so it was easier on the believers.

In the kingdom now there was open religious dialogue between all faiths, and they were in an exquisite state of harmony.

If you went into town, one weekend there would be a Lunarian Orthodox festival, and the next weekend there would be a day of celebration for Mother Dragon wors.h.i.+pers, and then the following weekend the sea G.o.d wors.h.i.+pers would have a ceremony opening the seas... There was always some excuse for an event to be held.

And so, people would gather where there were events, and things and money would gather where there were people. Holding religious events was tied directly into increasing economic activity.

Well, it’s easy to look at the flashy things, but what’s really amazing is the stuff you don’t see.

Kuu stood up and began bouncing along on top of the roofs again.

Beneath, he could see the people of this country going about their lives. He crossed a commercial street where the wives were out shopping, and then down a craftsmen’s street where the sound of hammers echoed unceasingly.

As he ran, Kuu had a thought.

The really unbelievable thing about this country is how easy it is to live in.

The kingdom as it was now still had these orange roofs, which gave it a sort of retro appearance, but beneath that, it had become incredibly livable.

The large cities had running water and sewer systems, and garbage collection had been nationalized, leading to an improvement in sanitation. Despite this being a large city, the air wasn’t that bad, and the water used for daily consumption wasn’t contaminated.

There was a transportation network, and many people came and went. The result was that there was a distribution network for products, their prices were stabilized, and public order was good because the military could be quickly dispatched anywhere.

If a person lived here for even a few days, living in any other country would start to feel inconvenient.

The only country that could compete with this one for livability had to be the great power of the west, the Gran Chaos Empire. The Republic of Turgis wasn’t anywhere close.

Dad, we can’t just stay where we are.

They had formed an equal medical alliance between the three countries, but at this rate, an incredible gap would form between them someday. In order to prevent that, Kuu would learn how Souma ruled here, and find a path of development for the republic.

“For that... I need to take a good look at Bro’s country!”

Voicing his resolve, Kuu let out a laugh.

Then a sort of weak voice came from behind him. “Y-Young masteeeer. Wait for meeee.”

When Kuu stopped and looked back, a girl with bunny ears came over to him, wheezing as she did. It was Kuu’s attendant, Leporina.

“Sheesh, you’re slow, Leporina. What happened to your usual healthy legs?”

“Hahh... Hahh... I-It’s because you’re running on top of these roofs, young masteeeer. Unlike your snow monkey race, the white rabbit race aren’t used to running in high places. Besides, there are proper roads, so let’s walk on those.”

“It’s faster to cut across the roofs than to waste my time dragging my feet on the ground, isn’t it? I’m inviting Taru to lunch. If I don’t hurry, lunchtime will be over.”

Kuu was in a hurry because he was meeting with Taru.

Unlike Kuu, who was a freeloader staying in Parnam Castle, Taru was renting a house near the craftsmen’s street with a workshop attached. It would have been fine for her to live in the castle, but she had felt it would be a ha.s.sle commuting from the castle to the town every day. Kuu frequently dropped in at Taru’s house.

Kuu was about to take off running again... then stopped and asked Leporina, “So, where was Taru at again?”

“You were running without knowing that?!” Leporina looked at Kuu with disbelief.

“No, I know where her house is. But she’s gone to train the blacksmiths today, right? I dunno where that training place is... What was it called again?”

“It’s Ginger’s Vocational School,” Leporina answered.

Ginger’s Vocational School was headed by Ginger Camus, the former slave trader. It taught children to read, write, and do arithmetic on one hand, while also being an academic inst.i.tution where many fields of study and technologies which were in their dawning days were researched.

Of all the fields of study and technologies researched here, those deemed to have promise for the future were recognized, and if a number of researchers on a subject were able to be secured, an independent new specialized school would be created. For that reason, Ginger’s Vocational School was called a “school for schools.”

The field of medicine had just recently become independent, and the former capital of the Carmine Duchy, Randel, was now home to a school for doctors and nurses, the Randel Medical School.

Now that enough personnel had developed to the point that they could teach basic medical knowledge, Brad and Hilde were freed from their teaching duties. They had opened a medical practice in the new city of Venetinova, and so there was no longer any reason for them to be chained down to the capital.

The reason the school had opened in Randel was that there was a practice ground for the National Land Defense Force nearby, which meant an endless supply of soldiers with fresh wounds who would make good guinea... test subjects.

Incidentally, though Brad and Hilde had made their return to the field, like they had wanted, they were still occasionally called to the Randel Medical School to hold lectures. Though they had quit their positions as teachers, they were now living legends in the world of medicine inside the kingdom.

It seemed that Hilde kept refusing because she was currently pregnant, but once she gave birth and she had gotten used to raising her child, she was sure to receive multiple requests for lectures.

Let’s get back on topic.

Ginger’s Vocational School was the place where Taru was teaching blacksmithing techniques.

Leporina sighed and ran ahead of him. “I guess there’s no helping this. Follow me, young master.”

Boing! Boing! Leporina jumped across the orange roofs. It looked like, in the end, they’d be going over the roofs, after all.

“All right! Sorry for the trouble!” Kuu followed after her with a laugh.

With Leporina leading the way, Kuu came to a place with wide grounds surrounded by a brick wall with a number of buildings inside. This was apparently Ginger’s Vocational School.

When the two of them came to the gate, they saw a single maid inside the gate sweeping the ground with a bamboo broom. That maid was a beautiful girl whose triangular ears and fluffy tail were typical of the beastman races.

“Oh! I found me a cutie!” Kuu cried excitedly.

“Oh... Not this again...” Leporina’s shoulders slumped.

Kuu was into women who had fluffy beastman parts. If they had b.r.e.a.s.t.s, that was even better.

That was why he’d asked Tomoe, “Would you be my bride?” on their first meeting, and then set about trying to woo her. He’d have to hold out hope for the future in the breast department, though.

On that point, the beastman maid in front of Kuu was checking all his boxes.

“Ookyakya! I wonder what kind of beastman she is. Maybe I’ll go woo her right now.”

“...He says, despite having eyes for no one but Taru,” Leporina said under her breath.

“Huh? Did you say something?”

“No, nothing... Or rather, I’ll tell Taru about this later, you know?”

“Urgh... I-It’s fine to look, isn’t it?”

Kuu pouted. He was so easy to understand.

While the master and servant duo were arguing, the beastman maid who had been cleaning noticed Kuu and Leporina were there. The maid narrowed her eyes as if wary. Readying her broom in front of her chest, she approached them with determination.

“What business do you have at our school?”

““Huh?”” Kuu and Leporina, who had been in the middle of an argument, looked at her with dumbstruck faces as she suddenly interrupted them.

The maid gave the two a slight bow, never taking her eyes off them. “I am Sandria, a maid in service to Lord Ginger, the princ.i.p.al of Ginger’s Vocational School. Pardon me, but... what business, may I ask, do you have at this school?”

There was a dangerous tone in her voice. Like she was wary of them, or she was angry. Kuu paid no mind to the atmosphere Sandria was exuding, and casually gave his name.

“Hm? I’m Kuu. This here’s my servant Leporina.”

“I-It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Unlike Kuu, Leporina sensed the disquieting atmosphere and gave a more hesitant greeting.

Sandria held her bamboo broom with a backhand grip and pointed the end of it at Kuu’s forehead. “What have you come here for... is what I am asking you.”

Sandria’s brow was furrowed. That hostile stance got Kuu angry, too.

“What’s this, out of nowhere? Is this how your school greets guests?”

“I don’t think we call those who attempt to enter our school while armed guests.”

“Armed? ...Oh, I guess we are.” That was when Kuu finally figured it out.

Kuu had a cudgel slung over his back, and his attendant and bodyguard Leporina was carrying a bow and arrows on hers. Sandria must have been wary that they were brigands, here to attack the school.

Educational inst.i.tutes were the place where the wisdom of a country was gathered, and it was entirely imaginable that they would be targeted by brigands, or agents of other countries after their researchers and results. The two of them had been careless.

When Kuu realized that, he offered the cudgel he had been carrying to the maid. “Sorry to come so suddenly and surprise you like that. We’re just here to see someone.”

“That’s not how it looks, though?” Sandria said and indicated behind Kuu with her eyes.

When Kuu turned, Leporina had nocked an arrow and taken aim at Sandria.

“Wait, Leporina?! Why are you doing something so threatening?!”

“I-I thought my young master was in danger, so...”

Yes, she had immediately gone into crisis mode when thinking her master was in danger. That was the very model of what a servant should do, but... in this case, it was only making this conversation harder.

“Calm down! It’s just a broom!”

“Rest a.s.sured. This bamboo broom has something inside.”

With a flash, a blade about the size of a knife jumped out of the bamboo broom from the side she was holding. Sandria pressed the sharp edge to Kuu’s throat.

“It’s a cane-sword?! Why’s a maid carrying something so dangerous?!”

“There are many individuals carrying out unusual research at this school, you see.”

“Please, don’t move!” Seeing the cane-sword, Leporina drew back her bowstring even further. “If you move a muscle... I’ll fire.”

“...Very well,” the maid said. “I will, at the very least, kill your master before that.”

There were two beautiful women on either side of Kuu staring each other down. If it weren’t for the weapons, this would be a situation any man would be jealous of, but even Kuu couldn’t enjoy this one.

“Would both of you calm down already! Ugh, someone do something about this!”

Perhaps Kuu’s shout reached someone, because a young man came over. “Um... San? Just what kind of situation is this?”

There was a skinny, frail looking young man standing behind Sandria, and his cheeks were twitching as he looked at this scene in bewilderment.

“You mustn’t, master!” Sandria shouted, looking panicked for the first time.

His name was Ginger Camus. Despite his youth, he was the princ.i.p.al of Ginger’s Vocational School.

Ginger had just come over to invite Sandria to have lunch with him, but he’d panicked when seeing the situation near the gate.

Sandria had a broom with a knife on the end pointed at a young boy who looked like a monkey beastman, and a girl who looked like a rabbit beastman had her bow drawn and aimed at Sandria. Ginger had been taken aback by the dangerous scene, but...

“S-Stop, please!” he yelled.

The next moment, his body was moving. Ginger interposed himself between Sandria and the archer so as to block the line of fire, and even in his terror, he managed to spread his arms and shout at Kuu and Leporina, “This is a school sanctioned by His Majesty King Souma! Please, stop with this violent affront to it!”

“Like. I. Keep. On. Saying. This is all a misunderstanding...”

“Master?!”

Cutting off Kuu, Sandria threw aside her broom-sword, embraced Ginger, and spun them around to change their positions. She ended up exposing her back to Leporina who was still taking aim with her bow.

“Wait, San?! That’s dangerous!” Ginger shouted.

“I will protect you, even if it costs me my life, master.”

There was Ginger who was worried for Sandria, and Sandria who was risking her life to protect him. It was a scene that showed at a glance what their feelings for each other were like.

Having been shown that scene, Kuu awkwardly scratched his cheek as he said to them, “Uhh... Sorry to stop you when you’re all fired up, but we aren’t here to attack the place. Hey, Leporina. I’m free now, so how long are you going to keep holding that bow?”

“Huh...? Ah! Yes, sir!”

Leporina had been so focused on her task that only now did she realize Kuu had been released. She hurriedly lowered her bow and returned the arrow to her quiver.

With a laugh, Kuu turned to Ginger and Sandria and said, “Sorry to make a scene. I’m Kuu Taisei. I’m from the Republic of Turgis, but I’m currently freeloading at my bro Souma’s place. Well, think of me as something like his little brother. Bunny ears here is my servant, Leporina.”

“N-Nice to meet you. Oh, and sorry for the trouble.” Leporina bowed her head.

Ginger managed to pry Sandria off of him somehow, and stood in front of Kuu. “You’re an acquaintance of His Majesty’s, then. I am Ginger Camus, the one tasked with managing this school. This is my secretary, Sandria.”

“I am Sandria.” Sandria lifted the hem of her skirt a little and curtsied.

Her discomposure from earlier seemed like a lie, and she wore a look on her face like nothing had happened. However, she must have felt embarra.s.sed inside, because her cheeks were just a little red.

Still, the only one here who would notice that was Ginger, who had been together with her for a long time.

Kuu smiled and shook Ginger’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Ginger. You’ve got a good subordinate there who cares for her master.”

“Yes. She is a reliable partner.”

“Guess I can’t take her for myself, huh. Her looks are just my type, though.”

“Huh?!”

This sudden talk of taking her away and how she was Kuu’s type made Ginger panic.

Compared to that, Sandria didn’t seem fl.u.s.tered in the least. “I regret to inform you that I have already devoted my body, my heart, and every last drop of my blood to my master.”

“Whoa, San, what are you saying?!” Ginger cried.

“It goes without saying that if my master orders me to spend the night with him, I am prepared to bite back my tears and do it.”

“Don’t say things that make me sound bad! I’d never order any such thing!”

Ginger was panicking. That seemed to satisfy Sandria somehow.

Looking at Ginger get toyed with by his maid, Kuu found himself sympathizing despite himself. “I dunno how to say this, but... you’ve got it rough, too, huh?”

Now that Kuu thought about it, he felt like his bro, Souma, who was also the king of this country, had times where he couldn’t stand up to his fiancées, too. Were the women being stronger than the men a part of this country’s national character?

She’s too s.a.d.i.s.tic, so I can’t bring myself to ask if she wants to be my wife, like I did with little Tomoe... Wait, huh? Is that what she’s aiming for, maybe?

Had she been trying to keep Kuu from being interested in her by deliberately being s.a.d.i.s.tic to Ginger? So Kuu wouldn’t try to take her away from him? Considering the loyalty she’d demonstrated by using herself as a s.h.i.+eld to protect Ginger, it wasn’t out of the question.

Kuu thought that while looking at the two of them, but...

“Master... will you keep me by your side for life?” Sandria asked.

“Of course. You’re an important partner to me. I can’t run this school myself, after all. So... please don’t leave my side.”

“Those are not quite the words I wanted to hear, but... of course I will stay at your side, serving you always. Master.”

A correction, Kuu thought. It seems a good half of it was just Sandria’s personality.

Ginger seemed a little airheaded, so he’d been able to dodge it without recognizing her intentions, but if the maid had said that to Kuu, he’d have picked up on it, and she’d have had him right there.

“That’s one scary maid,” Kuu said to Leporina in a quiet voice.

Leporina giggled in reply. “That just shows how important Ginger is to her. Did you see that show of devotion, young master? If it’s for the man she loves, a woman can become as calculating as she need to be.”

“Is that how it works? ...I’m just a little afraid of girls now.” Kuu sighed. “Thank goodness my servant’s so simple.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about thaaaat,” Leporina said with a mischievous smile. “Do you think any simple girl would be allowed to serve as your bodyguard? You might not think it when you look at me, but Master Gouran regards me quite highly, you know?”

Leporina puffed her chest out with pride. Though her chest was being held down by the breastplate she wore, when she took that pose, it was clear she had more than Taru.

For an instant, Kuu almost stared, but the fact of her chest size fact rubbed him the wrong way, and he forced himself to look away.

“Hmph... Well, I’ll recognize your skill with the bow, at least.”

“It’s not just Master Gouran, you know? I’m childhood friends with Taru, too, and we get along great. When that time comes, I’m confident the two of us can get along.”

“...When what time comes?”

“That time is that time.” Leporina dodged the question with her usual weak smile.

That smile made a shudder run down Kuu’s back.

That was because, while he’d always been under the impression he was running Leporina around, she had become an important person to him at some point. If Leporina got fed up with him, that would hurt his relations.h.i.+p with Taru, who she was also close to. And at this point she had become so reliable a presence for him that he’d never dream of replacing her with another servant.

While Kuu was still confused, Leporina started giggling. “Hee hee, I’m just joking. You always run me ragged, so I wanted to tease you a bit. Sorry.”

“T-Tease me?”

“Yes. You don’t have to worry about what I said now in the slightest.”

O-Oh, so that’s how it is... Is it?

Kuu was almost satisfied, but there was a small part of him that couldn’t accept it.

Leporina said she was just teasing him, but Leporina’s position hadn’t changed. Kuu didn’t know anything about stories from Earth, but this must have been how Sun Wukong felt in the palm of the Buddha’s hand.

And, in fact, Kuu didn’t know what Leporina was really thinking at all.

Hm... the young master seems like he’s misunderstanding what I meant by “when that time comes.” While the confused Kuu glanced furtively at her, Leporina smiled wryly. Hee hee, I’d never do anything you wouldn’t like, Master Kuu. I know very well how you and Taru feel. That’s why, when the time comes, I’m confident I can get along with Taru. I won’t get in the way of the two of you, so don’t treat me badly, either. Okay, Master Kuu?

Leporina gave Kuu a troubled smile.

Noticing that smile, Kuu thought, Eek... Bro, I don’t get girls, after all...

He felt like he could understand Souma’s feelings just a little.

“What’s wrong, dumb master?” Taru asked Kuu, who had a slightly odd look on his face while they were eating.

When Kuu had explained to Ginger and Sandria that he had come to invite Taru to lunch, they’d suggested they all go together, and the five had gone to the cafeteria inside Ginger’s Vocational School.

Kuu laughed awkwardly and said to Taru, “Well, you know... A lot happened,” and glanced at Leporina who was standing next to him.

Kuu, Taru, and Ginger were seated at the table, while Leporina and Sandria were acting as servers. It had ended up with them in positions like it was a meeting, but Kuu and Ginger were able to have a rousing conversation about their respective circ.u.mstances.

“I see,” Ginger said. “You’re the son of the head of the Republic of Turgis. Even though she didn’t know any better, San... our Sandria... was awfully rude to you.”

When Ginger bowed his head, Kuu laughed.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s partly my fault for showing up without an appointment.”

“The dumb master was just being dumb. There’s no need for you to bow your head to him, Sir Ginger,” Taru said with a cool look on her face.

Taru was as merciless with Kuu as ever, but her behavior made Ginger’s eyes go wide.

“You’re a craftsperson, weren’t you, Taru? Aren’t you being a little too casual towards the son of your head of state?”

“Hm? The dumb master is just the dumb master. That is all.”

“She’s a childhood friend of mine, you see,” said Kuu. “We don’t stand on ceremony. I mean, she likes me enough she followed me to this country... Gwah!”

Kuu tried to put his arm around Taru’s shoulders, but Taru elbowed him.

She looked away from him, and in a sharp tone she said, “The dumb master has nothing to do with it. I came here at King Souma’s request.”

“Ouch... Honestly, you sure can’t be honest with yourself.”

“You’re just too honest with your desires.”

Seeing the lively exchange between Kuu and Taru, Ginger more or less figured out their relations.h.i.+p and smiled wryly. “Ahaha... I think I get the idea.”

Kuu munched on some bread as he asked Ginger, “So, is Taru getting along fine here?”

“Yes. The people in our blacksmithing techniques department are happy to have a talented craftsperson here.”

“The people here are pa.s.sionate about their studies. They have a long way to go, but I think they’ll master it eventually,” Taru said with a serious look on her face as she drank her tea.

It was moving for Kuu, who rarely ever saw Taru praise anyone, to see that face.

“You even have a blacksmithing techniques department...?” he said in amazement. “What other research do you do here?”

“All sorts, really,” Ginger said. “Sciences to technologies of all kinds. We study a wide range of topics, from things like agriculture that we know are important, to things that, at first glance, are not important at all. For an example, we even have a newly created Department of Dungeonology.”

“Dungeonology?”

“Yes. The study of dungeons, which exist everywhere on this continent, and are a place where monsters exist outside the Demon Lord’s Domain. We record and categorize the layout of dungeons, and the monsters that reside within. It was established with the sponsors.h.i.+p of His Majesty, who wanted to know more about monsters.”

“My bro Souma?”

If Souma was involved, there had to be some meaningful intent behind it. Monsters, huh... Kuu developed a pensive look on his face, but Ginger continued on without noticing it.

“We cooperate with the adventurers’ guild, and ask active adventurers to tell us about their experiences for our studies. Occasionally, we have novice adventurers use the gym here, and have veteran adventurers come to train them... Though, for some reason, San goes and joins them in training.”

“As one who serves you, Lord Ginger, I want to have at least a bare minimum knowledge of self-defense,” Sandria said unabashedly, causing Ginger to smile wryly.

“So that’s why...” Kuu felt like it finally made sense. Her moves when she had put that broom-sword to his throat were something an adventurer had taught her.

Kuu crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. Dungeonology, huh? Even that’s a subject for academic study in this country...

Scholars.h.i.+p. For Souma, whose policy particularly emphasized the importance of basic research, Ginger’s Vocational School was a clear representation of that. They were building up a pile of plain and possibly useless research. However, even if that research was seen as being useless, it was not meaningless. That pile of research would eventually become a driving force for the development of this country.

In his interactions with Souma, Kuu had gotten to the point where he could think that way. It’s a country that’s even more incredible than it looks. We can’t let them outdo us.

Then something occurred to Kuu. “Hey, Ginger. This school, could me and Leporina attend it, too?”

“Dumb master?” Taru asked.

“Young master? What are you saying all of a sudden?”

Taru and Leporina c.o.c.ked their heads to the side, but Kuu ignored them and made his request of Ginger.

“Please. I want to learn all sorts of stuff in this country, too.”

Having received such an earnest request, Ginger scratched his cheek.

“Erm... We don’t turn away anyone who wants to learn, but you’re from another country, right? I’m sorry, but I think you’ll need permission from His Majesty.”

Kuu stood up with a look of glee on his face. “Got it! I’m gonna go get permission from my bro right now!”

“Huh?! Right now?!”

“Strike while the iron’s hot, they say! C’mon, Leporina, let’s get going!”

“H-Hold on, wait, young master!”

Kuu took off, and Leporina rushed after him. The two had run off like a storm, and Ginger was left dumbfounded.

“What can I say? He’s a very decisive individual, isn’t he?” Ginger said at last.

“It’s always like this,” Taru said while quietly drinking the tea Sandria had poured for her. “Oh, Master Kuu... You really are dumb.”

However, when she whispered those words, she was smiling just a little.

Some days later...

“All right, Leporina, let’s go study in the Department of Dungeonology today. I hear we can see a dungeon relic provided by the House of Maxwell.”

“I-I get it, so please stop pulling. Geez.”

At Ginger’s Vocational School, there was Kuu, who had been attending with enthusiasm since receiving clearance from Souma, and Leporina, who he was dragging around with him, but who didn’t seem to mind that, and...

“Oh, dumb master, you’re so dumb.”

There was Taru, watching the two of them from a distance, with the corners of her mouth turned ever so slightly upwards.

What would they study in this country, and what would that bring about in the Republic of Turgis?

That, we would not learn for a while yet.