At noon, after completing my quota of mountain ox hunting, I was sitting in my room in the mansion looking at my fan.
Princess Helene’s fan. The fan I’ve had on my belt ever since I received it.
(What is that? )
The magic sword asked in my head.
At first, she was very insistent on letting go of me, but after the raffle, I don’t know what she was thinking, but she didn’t say that much anymore.
「It was given to me when I saved someone’s life.」
（Love at first sight, huh.）
「Uuuu」
I was at a loss for words. That may be so.
From the first glance, I was struck by her beauty.
She has long blond hair, a gentle manner, and a graceful demeanor.
A person who is like a「princess」in every way.
「I hope she’s okay.」
（Are you worried about her? Then why don’t you go see her? Using the feather.)
「I don’t know where she is.」
I took out my feather and tried to warp to Princess Helene’s location, just to be sure, but it just did nothing.
Maybe I need to decide on a clear「location」.
「Master.」
I heard a knock at the door and Miu’s voice.
「What’s the matter?」
「Please excuse me. Uh, the master has a visitor.」
「Guest? What kind of person?」
「Um…… princess? I think she is?」
「Eeeeh」
My heart raced.
A princess? No way.
I snatched the magic sword and walked out of the room. Miu said as she rushed behind me.
「I’ve taken them into the parlour.」
I walked quickly to the parlour.
When I went inside.
「Ah……」
I couldn’t help but shout out.
It was not Princess Helene there.
It was her sister, Iris Teresa Mercouri, Princess Iris.
I was a little disappointed ── though.
「Kakeru.」
That was blown away when he saw the troubled expression on Princess Iris’ face.
「I need you to go help my sister.」
As soon as I sat down on the sofa, Princess Iris said something like that to me.
「By “sister,” you mean Princess Helene? What’s going on?」
「She’s on the front lines now.」
「Aah, I think she said something about a consolation trip.」
It reminded me of the time I saved Princess Helene.
「Yes, the battle to defeat the barbarians, the front lines. Since most of the area had been pacified, someone from the royal family was supposed to go there to offer comfort and take care of things after the war. That’s why my sister went there……」
「But?」
「The local commander has defected to the barbarians. That turned the whole affair on its head.」
「Defected, then what about Princess Helene?」
「Her guardian knight, Fotis, sensed something was wrong just in time and helped her escape. Right now, it seems that a small army is holed up in a nearby fortress – I want you to go there.」
「Me?」
「That’s right. Of course, we’ll send reinforcements, but they’re taking a while to organize. First, I need you to rescue my sister at least.」
The words “my sister at least” were sincere.
Reading between the lines, she wants to save Princess Helene even if it means leaving all the soldiers in the siege to die. I felt such a sense of urgency from Princess Iris.
Strong feelings, no doubt. So I felt a certain doubt.
「Are you sure? Are you sure you want to do this? If you’ve just been betrayed, wouldn’t it be normal to ask for someone more trustworthy?」
「That fan.」
Princess Iris pointed to my waist. There is Princess Helene’s fan that she keeps close to her skin.
It’s my sister’s, isn’t it? When I first met Kakeru, and even now. You’ve kept that fan on your hip the whole time. Like it’s important. I figured that Kakeru would be the one.」
「I see.」
I touch the fan. Yes, this is important, and its owner ── Princess Helene ── is even more important.
If you ask me to help her, of course I will risk my life to do so.
That made sense, I thought.
「Besides」
「Un?」
I tilted my head in confusion and looked at Princess Iris.
Besides ── what?
Princess Iris looked straight at me.
With a straightened back and a face without hesitation.
「I can trust Kakeru.」
It took me by surprise. The look on her face was fearful.
When people look at me like that, I have no choice but to live up to their expectations.
I was on horseback.
Departing from the city of Roizen, I rode my horse as fast as I could to the next city, Reyus, where I changed to a new – fresh – horse that Princess Iris had arranged, went to the next city, and changed again to a fresh horse.
We changed horses one after another and headed at full speed for the fort in the Euboea region, where Princess Helene was said to be holed up.
At the town closest to the fort, I changed horses and got more maps.
And so I arrived at the fort.
It was small, a simple fort surrounded by a wooden fence.
（Smoke rising. Is it too late?)
The magic sword says in my head.
I strained my eyes. With my improved vision, I could see that the fort was under siege and under heavy attack.
I was relieved.
「Resistance is persisting. We’re just in time.」
(Oh, yeah.)
「I’m going to use you.」
I tighten my grip on the magic sword. She is a noisy weapon, but right now she is reliable.
(All right. In return, you’ll get to listen to one of my wishes later.）
「If you’re asking me to let you go or harm anyone, I won’t listen.」
I remind her.
（Fuuu. Use my power to the fullest.）
A black aura began to leak out from the blade of the magic sword.
Similar in appearance to when Mari’s body was taken over. Of course I haven’t been possessed.
But I can kind of understand. This one’s stronger now than before. She is getting stronger as a sword.
Grasping my magic sword, I dismounted from my horse and plunged into the enemy.
I ran in a straight line towards the gates of the fort.
The soldiers who saw me were confused, but I ignored them and proceeded to cut down anyone who got in my way.
After a shout of「enemy attack」, soldiers swarmed the area with obvious hostility.
「You small fry! Get out of the way!」
I swing my magic sword and cut down anyone who comes at me.
Slash and slash and keep moving forward.
After slaying about a hundred of them, I reach the gate of the fort.
I saw a familiar face on the other side of the gate.
「Fotis!」
「You’re──!」
The knight who was there when I saved Princess Helene. Fotis was surprised by my appearance behind the gate.
I could feel the soldiers closing in on me from behind. I don’t have much room.
「Princess Iris asked me to come! Open the gate for me.」
「Her Highness, Iris? But…」
Fotis was unsure. He was questioning himself as to if it was really okay to open it.
「Kuuuu」
An enemy soldier attacked me from behind, so I turned around and cut him down.
I fought with the gate to my back.
This is the point where the most enemy soldiers originally swarmed. The intensity of the fight there is nothing compared to when I broke through the rear of the enemy.
The pressure of enemy soldiers surging in like a wave was incredible, no matter how hard I slashed.
Just when I thought I had no choice but to fight them until they were wiped out.
「Fotis」
It was a familiar voice. I didn’t need to look back to know who it belonged to.
Princess Helene. I was relieved to hear that she was okay.
However, Fotis was impatient.
「Your Highness! It’s not safe here. Please leave──」
「Open the gates.」
「But──」
「Open it.」
「……at your will.」
After the exchange, I heard the gate open.
「Come on, while you still can.」
「All right. OOoooooo！」
I held the magic sword in both hands and slammed it down – directly over my head – onto the ground.
The ground shook with the sound of an explosion. A large crater was made where I slammed into it.
The enemy soldiers lost their footing. They were confused by the crater and couldn’t proceed.
In the meantime, I entered the fort and the gates were safely closed.
There she was, Princess Helene.
「Princess Helene.」
「Kakeru-sama.」
We stare at each other for a moment.
「I’m here to save you.」
I said, putting all of my heart into it.
The princess smiled at me as if a large flower had bloomed.