“For the meantime, maids, fix this.”
Whether the boy knew that or not, no, he definitely knew, he pointed at the long path that he casually created with his spell and just as casually told them to fix it.
“What!? W-Weren’t the people supposed to just presume that this was the Tenkorius’ doing!?”
The crater that he made near the entrance of the forest was one thing, but this almost covered the whole area from where they stood to the foot of the mountain.
Asking them to fix it – even with magic – was indeed an unprecedented tedious task.
That’s why the princess repeated his words in an attempt to softly refuse him, but…
“Nah, it would have been one thing if it were at some corner of the forest, but this is just too much. There’s going to be a huge commotion if it’s not fixed before the sun rises… Anyway, I’m sure you can do it. Good luck.”
The boy cheered the maids on with an expressionless face.
Apparently, the damage had already surpassed the acceptable range.
Above all, they were astonished to see that they’d still underestimated the nastiness of the boy’s character.
They looked at the princess and the head maid as though to inquire what they would do, but they just powerlessly shook their heads.
These superiors of theirs calmly calculated that if it were them, who were the least tired, then perhaps it was possible as long as they made frantic efforts.
“Start from the foot of the mountain, which is the most problematic. I’ll be nice and send you there.”
“Wait──”
“A mo──”
But before they could even agree, the boy’s fingers snapped, and all the maids other than the head maid were sent away via teleportation magic.
“…I wonder if everyone will be okay?”
“They seemed to have arrived safely, so I’m sure they’ll manage until dawn. More importantly…”
“What is he going to make us do?”
The princes and the maid habitually analyzed the destination of the teleportation before shuddering in fear as they thought of what might be asked of them.
“I want to hold a memorial service for those two, but… Should I bury them or cremate them?”
But the boy’s next focus was on the young Tenkorius, who had at some point moved next to him.
It seemed he too didn’t know the Tenkorius’ practice when it came to this matter, so he asked her to decide.
The young Tenkorius seemed to remember something.
“Umm, if I recall correctly… My dad told me to bury him if he died naturally, but in the unlikely case that he is killed by someone else, then… We should follow the law of nature.”
“I figured that might be the case…”
The boy seemed a bit hesitant when he said that, then he patted the young tenkorius on the head and said that he had a request.
“After you’re done bidding them farewell, I want you to go to Lillisto’s mountain side gate and stand on the highway. We should be able to buy some time if you block the road. You can even come up with some excuse if you want and send them away. There’s no guarantee that people will only leave after dawn, after all.”
“I understand! Please leave it to me! Ah, but… My parents…”
“Can you leave it to me? I’ll be sure to handle it properly.”
Despite having responded in such a lively voice, she looked alternatingly between the boy and her parents’ remains.
But the boy’s next words seem to have touched her, so she ran to where her parents were.
Then, as if to say goodbye, she rubbed her body against them several times to remember their scent before turning around and calling out to the boy.
“I’ll leave everything to you! Also, there’s something I would like to talk to you about, so please give me some of your time later!”
“Yeah, I got it. I’ll make some time later.”
“Thank you so much,” the tenkorius bowed her head deeply then turned around and ran off for Lilisto.
They didn’t say a word until she was completely out of sight.
“…I’m sure you’re aware already, but from the way she’s acting… Could it be?”
“Don’t say it… Just let me run away from reality for now.”
Stella said that because she believed that the tenkorius couldn’t hear them anymore, but the boy stopped her from talking any further.
None of that gentle expression he showed the tenkorius could be seen on him anymore.
His expression and voice was weak and sorrowful, so Stella too didn’t say anything more.
Of those remaining, only Stella, who was in a similar position to the boy and who had a deep knowledge of the tenkorius’ habits, was able to guess what the tenkorius most likely wanted to tell him.
For the first time, the boy truly appeared timid, as though he knew how problematic that was.
Stella could sympathize with him. Even she didn’t want to witness a boy with S Rank in skill forming a master-servant relationship with the most powerful monster beast, the Tenkorius.
It was such a nightmarish combination that she didn’t even want to know that such a thing existed.
“Sigh… Now then, of those left behind… Let’s start with you two.”
“Y-Yes!”
“What is it?”
But the person in question just put the matter aside and spoke in his usual tone.
Unlike the princess who answered nervously, however, the head maid answered calmly.
Apparently, the boy’s timidness reminiscent of a child had already blown away all of her tension, and she could not even find it in herself to put her guard up.
“First of all, do something about your appearance. The way you look now isn’t fit for public. I’m sure you have some spare dresses in that 4-D maid uniform of yours, right?”
“Ah!”
The boy did feel odd saying that when he was responsible for their sorry state, but when the princess had that pointed out to her, and she looked down to see herself, she panicked.
Though her wounds have already healed, her dress armor has been completely destroyed, while the battle clothes she wore underneath were also heavily damaged, revealing some of her skin.
Above all, her face and hair were covered in mud and blood.
“We’ll be meeting the town mayor of Lillisto. Though not officially, the mayors have – for generations – been the people monitoring the tenkorius. We need to hide that you people are guilty, so we need to make sure our stories match.”
“Y-Yes! Stella!”
“I understand. But we can’t go back to the lodging right now. We left together, so it would be too strange if we were the only ones who returned. Records might still be left behind even if were to return through teleportation.”
As the people who wanted the truth exposed the least, nothing would be more painful than if they were to be probed somewhere painful.
They needed to avoid any actions that would make them stand out.
But of course, it was a bit late for that since they’ve yet to return despite having checked-in and despite it being this late.
“…So, in other words?”
“I will have to fix your appearance here. Please endure it.”
“Uu.”
The princess looked at the men with a tinge of embarrassment. Kite just tilted his head, but the boy shrugged his shoulders and picked up Kite then turned around and walked away.
“W-What? Wa wa!?”
“Weren’t you going to give me your everything?”
“Hau!”
Those irresponsible words pricked them in the chest.
The damage was surprisingly deep because it felt like he was calling them a liar.
Though they did consider the possibility of such deeds, for some reason, she did not think that the boy would ask for her in that sense.
That’s why she was bothered about changing in their presence, but…
“Lilisha-sama, he’s joking.”
“I-I know! Anyway, hurry up and erect a barrier to conceal sight and sound already! And make me look like a proper Earthgant princess!”
“I understand… It will take some time.”
“Huh?”
She seemed to be refusing her order in a roundabout way, so the princess became suspicious, but in the next moment, she was enveloped in a barrier that hid her from others and obstructed the sound.
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