Chapter 21 Plans
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The golden-haired girl stood with her chest held high. She was a princess with beauty that drew every eye. Marina was quick to think, carried strong duty, was loved by her people, and could accept both good and bad sides of life. If one had to name one more strong point, it would be her firm way of making choices.
She made a clever plan that even counted her own life, and when she saw a chance to gain something, she raised her bet at once.
”No… wait? Did I hear you wrong?” Yuuri asked.
”Haah… Yuuri, you are so cruel. You want me to swear loyalty to you twice?”
If she had a flaw, it was maybe that she made choices a bit too fast. She may have reached a clear answer quickly with her sharp mind, but to a normal person like Yuuri, it felt like she jumped many steps at once.
”I refuse,” he said.
”Eeeh, why!? I’m a princess, you know? It’s me! How can you not want me as your servant?” Marina said, sounding sadly upset. It looked cute in a strange way, but he did not let it fool him.
Even if she reached her answer with deep thought, she should still explain it clearly to people like him.
”Look, I already got ready to be hit when I took in the Count’s daughter. If I also take a princess as my servant, then what? Next stop, the chopping block? Are you telling me to die? I don’t want more trouble. I won’t take any more servant,” he said.
To put it simply, he could not take that much duty. He was already full with Ashley’s life alone. Even if he trusted Marina and owed her, he could not join her plan.
”You are too soft, Yuuri. You think it will all be fine if the Count accepts you and Ashley? Things won’t end that easy.”
He did not expect her to push back after he turned her down. She put her hands on her hips, pointed up at him, and began to lecture him. Still, one good thing about Marina was that she explained things from the start, even if she already knew the end.
”Listen, okay? If the Count accepts your bond with Ashley, then he will learn about your skill, right? And after that, do you think he can hide it? …No way.”
”Can’t he… you know, use noble power to cover it up?” Yuuri asked, knowing it sounded shallow, but he needed to show what he did not understand so she could teach him.
As expected, Marina lowered her eyes and shook her head.
”Think about it. This is a Count’s house. One of the top noble families. And you, a commoner, will join as a son-in-law. From that moment, every noble in the land will think you must have a very strong skill. When that happens, the Count can’t hide it. Nobles are locked by rights and power. If someone waves a chance of gain at them, the Count will have no choice but to show your skill. This isn’t about feelings. It’s about gain and loss.”
He could see she was right. But if so, then the moment they asked the Count to accept Ashley and him, all secrets would be gone anyway.
She must have seen that thought on his face, because Marina smiled that bad little smile again.
”That’s why, Yuuri. Do you remember my first question? I asked if you would come greet the Count. You nodded. You even said, ‘A man does not take back his word,’ right? Ah, I’m so happy. A runaway noble girl falling into ruin… I hope that stays only in plays.”
”Ugh… My feelings won’t change! I won’t let Ashley feel sad! But how is that linked to you becoming my servant?”
Like a teacher pleased a weak student had learned something, Marina nodded with a proud face.
”I’ll go step by step. First, when I learn of a skill as strong as yours, I must tell my father, the King. If I tell him late, I will get in trouble. So, through the Count or through me, your skill will not stay secret. Then what happens? Just like you fear, nobles all over the land will bring girls to you. And of course, the royal family too. They will give you a girl close to your age as a wife… and that girl would be me!”
”I can see some sense in you being a servant. But then why not just say you won’t take a wife from anywhere?” Yuuri asked.
As if she had expected that reason, Marina raised both hands and shook her head.
”You could do that if your skill only raised your own ability. But Familial Workshop affects many people. There is no limit on how many servant you can hold or how many skills you can get, right, Ashley?”
”…No. Shelm-sama did not say there was such a limit,” Ashley answered.
Yuuri wanted to ask the god why the skill was made so wild. If he was the best user for it, it would be much easier with only one servant.
”Let’s say the Count declares that his daughter will be your only servant. Then what? Rumors of betrayal will spread in the palace. I know none of you mean that, but to clear the doubt, many will say each house should give a girl to be your servant. Sadly, the Count does not have the power to stop it.”
”So, you want to become my servant to stop that?” he asked.
Marina lowered her head a little and shook it.
”Sadly, even if I join you, the royal family can’t protect you. If your servant are only me and Ashley, it makes the Count’s house and the royal house too close. The Count is my ally, yes, but not the strongest. There are Marquis families with more power. If I marry you, we would not be able to refuse when those houses ask to join as servant.”
”The more I hear, the more hopeless it feels,” Yuuri said.
It felt like they were trapped. He just wanted to live with Ashley. Why was that not allowed?
Marina must have felt his mood, because she gave a small, sad smile.
”By now you understand. The problem is that you don’t have power, Yuuri. You can’t push back when others force you. So you must gain power. Enough to tell nobles and even the royal family, ‘If you don’t like it, then that’s fine.’ …And I think I know one way. Can you guess?”
”Well… maybe Ashley can get strong and protect me? It sounds weak, but that’s all I can think of,” he said.
”Not quite,” Marina said with a bright smile. It felt like they were near the answer.
”If you only gain fighting power, people will think you plan to rebel. We don’t want a clash with Marisio’s side. There is only one way to make others agree and keep things calm. You must show them a benefit. When you can show gain and also protect it, then they will treat you as an equal.”
He saw her point. Right now, the only “benefit” he could show others was as a tool to make their family blood stronger. If he pushed back, they would doubt his loyalty, and he would not be able to refuse their “kind offer” of shared gain.
”What a useless skill. It only pulls trouble, and I can’t even protect myself with it. …Ashley is the only good part of it,” he said.
”Yuuri…♡” Ashley whispered.
”Yeah, yeah, love talk later. So, here is the real point. Yuuri, you need to use Familial Workshop to gain power. servant will help a lot with that… but Ashley alone won’t be enough,” Marina said.
So she needed to become a servant too. What kind of hard mission needed that much effort?
”What are you planning to do… no, what are you planning to make me do?” he asked.
Marina smiled like she had waited for that question. With the pride of a golden princess, she gave her answer.
”Yes. Let’s clear the ‘Royal Capital Labyrinth.’”
…
……
…Sorry, what?
For a moment, he nearly asked her to repeat it. Royal. Capital. Labyrinth. He knew all the words, yet together they made no sense.
”No way. No, no, that’s impossible. We don’t even know how many floors it has.”
”Right, so I’m thinking we cheat a little. If I find a floor where you think we can reach the end, you’ll join, won’t you?”
Yuuri’s heart shook at the offer.
If he could guide a party to the “Labyrinth Core,” the end of the maze, it would be the highest honor for a labyrinth guide. Any guide could show known paths. A top guide used all their skill to open a new one. The Royal Capital Labyrinth had been mostly mapped for years. Was it right to sit on that comfort and earn small coins, without trying new ground?
With Ashley by his side, he no longer feared using his skill. The real question was: what should he use it for?
”So… how? I’ve never heard of any way to know the lowest floor of the Royal Capital Labyrinth,” he said, trying to hold down his excitement.
Even with all his time at the guild, he had never heard of such a skill. Not even Familial Workshop could get that info easily.
With his eyes full of hope, Marina cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted into the air:
”Heh heh heh, we do this! Hel-looo, Shelm-sama! If you tell us the lowest floor of the Royal Capital Labyrinth, Yuuri said he will make me his servant!”
”I did NOT say that! And what if it’s too deep and I refuse? Then what!?” Yuuri shot back.
Maybe calling on a god was right for a miko, but this prayer had zero grace.
Ignoring his tsukkomi, the descent began. Marina’s body lost strength, her knees buckled. Yuuri stood at once to catch her, but her body did not fall—it floated.
Someone was here. That awful one had come down.
”Fufufufu… kukukuku…!”
Marina’s limp shoulders shook. Yuuri wanted to run away with Ashley, but since Marina risked herself, they needed the info.
”Faaahaha! servant! servant!”
The goddess’s mood was insane. She danced with open arms, yelling rude words, like she wanted to start a fight.
”You finally got a servant, Yuuri-kun! You naughty boy! Congrats, Ashley! Now I can trust my miko to you!”
”At this point, I’m allowed to punch her, right?” Yuuri muttered.
”Please don’t. That is Her Highness’s body. …Also, thank you very much,” Ashley said.
He hated that they had to thank this goddess. Yes, she caused trouble, but thanks to her, Ashley and he understood each other and lived.
”Yes, yes, I love your thanks too… Worship your god more!”
”Shelm-sama can read hearts,” Ashley whispered in his ear.
It did not help much, but she warned him anyway. Of course the one who gives skills could do that. Still, she could stop bragging about it.
”So, how many floors are there? We’re busy, so give Marina back,” Yuuri said.
”Kufufu, you can’t wait to get her body back, hm? Fine, I’ll tell you right away.”
Empty mind. He needed an empty mind. If he reacted, this would take forever.
”But sad news. The labyrinth isn’t mine, so I can’t say the exact number of floors. Don’t glare. I have a hint. Ahem. I can’t tell you about the labyrinth. But I can tell you what a trash four-eyes the labyrinth’s god is.”
It was rare to hear the goddess speak so rudely about another god. They must not get along.
”That guy is too stiff. Humans will beg gods for help if you put them in a small pinch, right? But he says it’s wrong to get power that way. What a joke.”
Empty mind. Empty—
”And he is crazy about numbers. The labyrinth is full of number rules. That guy will marry numbers one day. Hahaha! Okay, hint’s over! Let Marina-chan think about it. She’ll be close to right. Bye!”
Maybe she saw the future and knew Marina would find the answer. After saying what she wanted, the goddess left.
This time, Yuuri caught Marina gently as she fell.
”…When she threatened me, she seemed like a calm and wise being,” Ashley said.
”In my case, she first showed a mood much more like this,” Yuuri said.
Ashley stared at him. He thought back and understood. She wondered when he first met the goddess.
A secret with Marina. About how they were both reborn in this world. He felt that one day, he could tell Ashley too.
Notes:
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
• Shelm – Wicked Goddess, reincarnated Yuuri, manipulative, wants him to use his power.
• Marisio – Princess Marina’s older brother who already holds the right to the throne.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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