Volume 7 Chapter 2 The Princess and the Ogress
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The girl who appeared was a beauty even by this world’s standards. She looked to be a human between ten and twelve years old, her hair styled in golden ringlets.
Judging by her fine clothes and refined speech, she was likely a noble, and there was a woman behind her who looked like a maid. It was my first time seeing a maid outfit that wasn’t just cosplay.
This wasn’t the kind of place where commoners wandered around, so in that sense, too, the likelihood of her being a noble was high.
It had been a while since I’d dealt with a noble—practically my first time in this life—so I got off my chair and knelt. Even if she was the one who barged in, I couldn’t risk being charged with lèse-majesté¹.
Behind me, I could sense Mercedes kneeling as well.
”You there. What is that?” the girl asked.
”Yes, Your Ladyship. They are handmade sweets,” I said.
”Hmm. I think I’ll have some.”
”You mustn’t, Your Highness!” the maid cried.
Crap, she’s royalty? This must be the VIP Mercedes mentioned.
The Princess reached for a honey cake, but her attendant stopped her. It made sense; you don’t just eat something when you don’t know what’s in it.
I hadn’t poisoned them, obviously, but if she so much as got an upset stomach, I’d be facing assassination charges.
She was a total knockout, sure, but she was also a walking magnet for trouble. I just wanted her to leave.
She was way too young to be in my strike zone, so I didn’t even have any impure thoughts. Though, just to look at, she was undeniably, flawlessly cute.
”It is quite alright,” the Princess said. “My intuition tells me it’s safe—it says they look delicious. That knight over there was eating them, too.”
”But, to put something in your mouth when we don’t even know who made it…”
”Then you taste it first. If you’re fine, then it’s fine, right?”
”Eh?! No, I mean…”
”If you won’t eat it, I will,” the Princess said.
”Urgh… Fine. I understand.”
The Princess turned to me. “You don’t mind, do you?”
”Not at all. Please, help yourself,” I replied.
The Princess was a real piece of work; the maid had it rough, being forced into the role of a poison tester.
At this point, it was best to just let her eat so she’d be satisfied and leave. That seemed like the quickest way out.
The maid looked miserable as she took a honey cake and brought it to her mouth.
She shot a glance at the Princess, probably hoping for a last-minute change of heart, but the girl just nodded her on. Resolving herself, the maid took a big bite.
”Well? How is it?” the Princess asked.
”It’s delicious. The honey is used lavishly, yet the balance is so exquisite that it isn’t cloying. These are undeniably wonderful, Your Highness,” the maid replied.
”See! My Sweets Radar is never wrong!”
For some reason, the Princess puffed out her chest with a look of pure triumph. What the hell is a Sweets Radar? I’m pretty sure that’s not a real Skill.
Also, since she was a flat-as-a-pancake girl appropriate for her age, her puffed-out chest was a total level plain.
My Cooking Skill, which I’d picked up ages ago, had maxed out long ago, so things got crazy if I got serious.
I’d held back a bit on these, but they were still probably better than anything you could buy on the street.
I figured the high-end stuff the royals and nobles usually ate was more elaborate, using all sorts of fancy ingredients, though.
”Then I shall partake as well! Nom!”
In a total departure from royal etiquette, the Princess bit in grandly and started munching away in silence.
”Dish ish… a fravor I’ve never tasted befowe…”
”Your Highness, your manners are showing!” the maid said.
Munch, swallow.
”Ahem. You, tell me—are you a confectioner?”
She’d been doing the exact same thing as Mercedes—talking with her eyes sparkling and her mouth full—until the maid called her out on it.
But she just acted like it never happened. She had a heart of steel, that one.
”No, I’m an adventurer,” I said.
”An adventurer? Nonsense. No one could make something this good and just be an adventurer. Surely you jest.”
”No, really. Here is my adventurer’s tag.”
”It really is… and you’re B-Rank, too,” the Princess said. “But being an adventurer is so unstable, isn’t it? If you quit your job and become a pastry chef, I shall take you into my personal service.”
”Your Highness! You cannot take someone of such unknown origin into your service!” the maid cried.
”I don’t care what you think! I’ll hire whoever I want!”
They started bickering over whether or not to hire me, but I had zero intention of saying yes.
A normal baker would probably be crying tears of joy right now, but court life was a hard pass for me. I’d had quite enough of being tied down in my previous life.
”Your Highness, it is an honor far beyond what I deserve, but if I were hired just because I got lucky with one batch, it would only earn me the resentment of the professionals,” I said.
”Is that so? Since everything I’ve eaten is delicious, I find it hard to believe it was a fluke.”
Of course, it wasn’t a fluke or a stroke of luck. It was just a convenient lie.
But the Princess was sharp in a weird way, and she was getting a bit obsessive. She must have really taken a shine to those honey cakes.
I was glad she liked them, but it was going to be a problem if she didn’t give up.
”Your Highness, so this is where you were.”
”Oh, Martina! Why don’t you join us? They’re simply divine!” the Princess said.
”I’ll pass.”
Martina-sama walked through the door that had been left open. It looked like she’d been searching for the Princess.
It had been a year since I’d last seen her. Long time no see, boss.
”The carriage is waiting, and we cannot keep His Majesty waiting any longer,” Martina-sama said.
”I wanted to eat more… but I suppose it can’t be helped. You there—I’ll give up for today, but if you change your mind, you are to come to me.”
”I am deeply moved by your consideration,” I said.
Apparently, she had a full schedule involving the King, so she finally gave up on pestering me.
I had no reason to stop her, so I bowed and watched the Princess leave. Even if she told me to come, I didn’t even know her name. Best not to worry about it.
The Princess was gone, but for some reason, Martina-sama stayed behind. The tension didn’t let up.
God, she was as beautiful as ever. Her eyes were sharp, sure, but those long, toned legs, that tightly cinched waist, and those moderately sized breasts that were—
Glare.
Whoops, scary!
I’d been staring a bit too closely, and she caught me. She’d glared at me like that a few times a year ago, too. Talk about nostalgic.
She’d really taken care of me back then (in my fantasies).
”You. Daisuke, was it?” she asked.
”Yes. I’m honored you remember me,” I said.
”Your gaze is as disrespectful as ever, but I’ll let it slide this time. I heard you made B-Rank. I suppose that’s to be expected of someone with the Blessing of the Green God. If you achieve some truly remarkable merit, I might consider taking you into my service. Keep at it.”
”I am grateful for your kind words,” I replied.
Naturally, I had no intention of serving her either, so I kept my answer vague enough that I wasn’t making any promises.
Martina-sama was a total catch, but the inner workings of the kingdom sounded like a massive headache.
Besides, she only said she’d consider it, so she probably wasn’t that serious. It was probably because she already had her hands full with problem children like the Hero Party and Yuko.
Actually, she definitely realized I was looking at her with perverted eyes. That was close. I’m glad she let me off the hook.
I watched Martina-sama leave, and finally, I could breathe.
”Phew… That was stressful,” I said.
”Really?”
Mercedes had been uncharacteristically quiet, but I’d been too busy being stressed out to notice. But why the hell was she so calm?
”I thought you were quiet because you were nervous, but why aren’t you?” I asked.
”The ‘uncharacteristically’ was unnecessary! I’ve been told to keep my mouth shut in situations like that and let others handle the talking. If I don’t have to talk, I don’t get nervous. Oh, can I have a refill?”
I don’t know if it was Captain Emily or Günther-san, but that was some solid advice.
They probably drilled that into her because they knew their own jobs would be on the line if they let her speak. I kept the conversation going while I handed her more sweets.
”Here. Try not to overeat. Still, I didn’t expect the Princess to just barge in like that,” I said.
”That was Her Highness Rosemarie,” Mercedes said between bites. “I heard she was attending today’s inspection, but… gulp …looks like it’s over. These really are good.”
Princess Rosemarie was the King’s sixth child, and she was… ten, I think? I never expected to meet royalty, so I hadn’t really looked into it that seriously.
Unless your job directly involves the royals, most people don’t really know what they look like or what they’re like as people.
And even if they did, they couldn’t exactly badmouth them. That’s lèse-majesté, and if you’re a merchant, your reputation would be toast.
Maybe if she were some legendary figure whose deeds would be remembered for generations, she’d be famous enough for people to recognize her, but that’s a tall order for a ten-year-old.
I’m sure I could have found a portrait of her if I’d looked, but I just wasn’t that interested.
Princess Rosemarie had attended today’s troop inspection to boost morale for the upcoming monster subjugation.
Apparently, anyone vice-captain rank or higher had to be there. Mercedes, being a mere grunt, was actually pretty bored.
”Whew, that was delicious. Thank you. Captain Emily should be free soon, so shall we head out?” Mercedes asked.
”Isn’t someone coming to get us?”
”If we aren’t in the room, she’ll figure out we went to see her.”
”You think?” I asked.
”Yeah. It happens all the time.”
”Fair enough. Still, I haven’t met the Vice-Captain yet. Are they coming with us on the hunt?”
”Yeah,” Mercedes said. “Vice-Captain Cassandra is a total dried-up old maid who’s past her prime.”
”Huh?”
We were chatting as we left the room, and she just blurted out something crazy without me even asking.
”She’s super loyal and her skills are top-notch, though. But she’s terrifying because she’s always coming down hard on neat and dignified beauties like me, or cute and lovely girls like I was a little while ago. Everyone calls her Cassandra the Ogress.”
”I mean, I get it… Wait, no I don’t. Is it really okay for you to be saying that?” I asked.
”It’s fine! I’d get chewed out if she heard me, but she’s probably not coming this way! Even if someone comes for us, it’ll be some junior grunt. She might be an old maid, but she’s still a Vice-Captain!”
I couldn’t tell if she was just a strict teacher or if she actually bullied the juniors. With Mercedes, either one seemed equally likely.
”My, what an interesting conversation you’re having.”
Thud.
”Eek!”
A hand reached out from behind and grabbed Mercedes’s head. The one who grabbed her was a beauty with short brown hair, maybe in her mid-twenties.
For the record, I’d noticed her, but I didn’t feel any malice, so I just let it happen.
”Gah! Vice-Captain Cassandra!” Mercedes cried.
”Gah? That’s quite the greeting. It sounded like you were talking about me?” the woman asked.
The woman who had Mercedes in a death grip was apparently the rumored Vice-Captain Cassandra. She definitely looked like the strict type.
”O-Oh, you know! I was just telling him how you’re my ideal senior—so strict, yet so cool and dignified!”
”Liar! I heard every word!”
”GYAAAAA!”
Mercedes’s lie was immediately exposed, and she was treated to a brutal Iron Claw to the skull.
Captain Emily had said Mercedes had the highest Level among the recruits, but she couldn’t even budge. That was some serious strength.
”I’m going to put you through the wringer later, so get ready!” Cassandra said.
”Ow-ow-ow-ow… Come on, wasn’t that enough punishment for now?”
”You want to complain? I can give you another one!”
”No! I’m good! I’m good!”
”Hmph!” Cassandra snorted.
If even a dunderhead like Mercedes was this scared of her, she must be one hell of a senior.
I figured life would be easier if she just didn’t say things that would get her in trouble, but then again, that wouldn’t be Mercedes.
”So, is this the adventurer you were talking up?” Cassandra asked.
”Yes. This is Daisuke-san, a B-Rank adventurer,” Mercedes said.
”Nice to meet you. I’m Daisuke.”
Whatever she was like on the inside, she was an older woman I was meeting for the first time, so I kept it polite. Good manners wouldn’t exactly make her fall for me, but first impressions are everything.
—
Summary:
Daisuke has a tense encounter when Princess Rosemarie and her attendant barge into his room to sample his maxed-out honey sweets. Despite her attempts to recruit him as a royal confectioner, Daisuke manages to deflect the offer just as Martina arrives to escort the Princess away. Following their departure, Mercedes’s loose tongue about Vice-Captain Cassandra leads to a painful confrontation as the ‘Ogress’ herself appears to reprimand her. The chapter establishes new social hierarchies and upcoming military preparations while showcasing Daisuke’s struggle to stay out of high-stakes political circles.
—
Trivia:
- Daisuke’s refusal to be ‘tied down’ in this life hints at a stressful or restrictive past life in Japan.
- The Princess’s ‘Sweets Radar’ suggests that characters in this world may have unique, non-combat latent abilities or intuition.
- Martina’s mention of the King’s tight schedule and the ‘monster subjugation’ indicates an upcoming major conflict arc.
- Cassandra being able to restrain Mercedes, a high-level recruit, demonstrates that high-tier knight ranks are backed by significant physical stats (STR)
—
Character Insight:
Daisuke maintains a wary, respectful distance from royalty and high-ranking officials to preserve his freedom. His dynamic with Martina is colored by past interactions and his perverted internal observations, while his relationship with Mercedes is more casual, acting as a ‘straight man’ to her ‘idiot’ antics.
—
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The concept of ‘Lèse-majesté’ exists as a severe legal threat. Royal and noble children are seemingly sheltered, with ‘poison testers’ being standard protocol for trying unknown food. Adventurer Ranks (like B-Rank) hold weight even in royal circles.
—
TL Notes:
The term ‘Ogress’ (Kijo) was chosen to reflect both the literal demonic folklore and the figurative ‘scary female superior’ trope. ‘Strike zone’ is a common Japanese baseball metaphor for s*xual preference/attraction age range.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Mercedes – Brown semi‑long hair, white frilled one‑piece dress; elegant yet “disappointing beauty” of the Royal Palace Knight Order. High‑ranking noble, Home Secretary of Maultasche, mother of Patrizia, skilled in combat, destruction magic, shield teaching, leads parties, sees dungeons as divine trials. Despises goblins/orcs, feeds Daisuke’s party intel, seeks a Reincarnator boyfriend (often rejected). Subordinate to Captain Emily, terrified of Vice‑Captain Cassandra, stressed after the Hero Party incident, loves sweets.
• Rin – Tall, large-breasted B-rank adventurer with long shaggy hair and thick chest armor, exuding a cool-beauty façade; quiet, blunt, and intuitively brilliant at drawing, she’s deeply fond of Camilla—playing with her, shielding her fiercely, and feeling indebted to a rescued beast-man child. She dominates Daisuke’s group, belongs to “Yamato Nadeshiko,” wields ice magic for first aid, and is profoundly sensitive to slave mistreatment. Weekly, she visits Camilla and subtly expresses interest in Daisuke through an indirect kiss via chopstick exchange.
• Martina – Martina-sama, daughter of nobleman Fritz Gilman, is a striking beauty with sharp sanpaku eyes, a slender‑curvaceous figure and a C‑cup chest. As a high‑ranking Gilman heir and instructor for summoned beings, she commands with seductive poise in high‑slit cheongsam dresses, holds top noble status and is a leading Prime Minister candidate. She rivals the Home Secretary, who secured Yuko’s apprenticeship.
• Daisuke – Mid‑40s Japanese reincarnated adventurer, B‑Rank (Lv69), blessed by the Green God. Dressed in Radiant Iron gear and a vintage watch, he uses Earth/Wind magic, stealth and high‑speed combat. Manages slaves Ilse, Liese, Camilla; mentors Rin, dates Ines, pursues Regina & Dietlinde. Owns a Royal Capital house, runs a growing harem of lovers and subordinates, cooks expertly, wields Item Box, Transformation and cleaning magic, and harbors a lecherous inner monologue.
• Yuko – 17‑year‑old high‑schooler, reincarnated from a 40‑year‑old Earth civil servant and former tech‑track professional, wears a half‑up hairstyle, thin chest armor, stands 160 cm with a standard build. Polite but low‑motivation, poor etiquette. Apprentice to Lady Xaveria, acquaintance of Daisuke, battling entitlement and stress.
• Günther – Commander of the Maultasche Kingdom’s Knight Order, he wears polished silver armor etched with the royal crest, a stern gaze and a scar across his left cheek. Trusting yet authoritative, he can open the Sealed Vault and mentors the Hero’s Party, serving loyally under Martina and the King while wielding healing magic.
• Emily – Captain of the guide knights, about 30, sports a striking purple wolf‑cut hairstyle and radiates a powerful aura. He also serves as a Knight and chaperone for a high‑school girl party, but is frequently late because the Knight Commander overloads him with work.
• Rosemarie – The King’s sixth child, roughly ten to twelve years old. A human with golden drill-curl hair. She is assertive, possesses a ‘Sweets Radar’, and is described as flat-chested.
• Cassandra – The Vice-Captain of the knights, in her mid-twenties with short brown hair. Known as ‘The Ogress’ for her strictness and physical discipline, such as her ‘Iron Claw’ technique.
• Ren – Second‑year high‑schooler reborn as a Saint, healer and buffer for the Hero Party. Cynical and observant, he wears a plain school uniform with a faint halo, draws on MMO tactics, and rejects caretakers like Shouta. A Saint from another world, he joins the Hero Party, nursing resentment toward Otto’s forced mentorship.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply