Chapter 142 The Empire’s Princess Comes Calling
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It was late morning on a holiday.
Elisabeth Adrastea, princess of the Adrastea Empire, showed up at my manor without so much as an appointment.
I’d been out in the courtyard since morning, putting the finishing touches on my newly completed Exclusive Weapon. She arrived just as I was wrapping up.
A rather abrupt visit.
Her coming here was, of course, welcome.
But I shot a glance toward the two little princesses playing in the garden. The dwarf princess Eil was one thing – but I wanted to avoid outsiders finding out that Liliana-hime, Asgard’s “Angel,” was currently staying at my manor.
Elisabeth was fully on my side by now. The thought of her betraying me never even crossed my mind.
But secrets have a way of leaking – from somewhere, somehow, at any time.
Take, for example, the possibility of someone using mind-reading magic to extract information. I couldn’t rule it out entirely. Not that I thought anyone would dare pull such rudeness on the Empire’s princess herself – but there was still the risk of those sycophants surrounding Violetta, that villainess I’d only recently broken and trained, running wild.
Even if the probability was less than one percent – infinitesimally low – I wanted to eliminate any and all possibility of unforeseen complications.
(…Better move Liliana somewhere else for now, just in case. But if I say it outright, she’ll probably get sulky.)
Treating her like an inconvenience would definitely make her throw a tantrum. So I devised a little plan.
”A visitor? Understood. Show her in immediately. Tell her I’ll be slightly delayed.”
I relayed the message via Communication Magic to the guard stationed in the manor’s waiting room. From there, word would pass to the butler, who would receive Elisabeth properly and escort her to the reception room.
I could leave that to the servants. In the meantime, I’d deal with this little princess.
”Actually, I have an ‘extremely important mission’ I’d like to entrust to the three of you – Mina, Kuuko, and Lumia – right now. And that is -“
At the words “extremely important mission,” all three tensed up. I continued, delivering the instructions.
”An exploration of the Demon Lord’s castle in the Demon Realm. Can I count on you to head out now?”
”Yes! Leave it to us, Master!” Mina declared, her voice brimming with determination.
”Nya~!” Kuuko chirped.
”Gao~!” Lumia growled enthusiastically.
My request, sounding perfectly legitimate, made their faces light up with a solemn sense of purpose. They accepted with vigorous enthusiasm.
The three were raring to go.
But among the close-knit group of four, the only one not called upon – Liliana – puffed out her cheeks and spoke up.
”Now, hold on just a moment!” she exclaimed, her voice carrying that aristocratic lilt. “The Demon Realm’s castle, you say? I worry about Mina and the others going alone~! This one shall accompany you as well!”
Perfect. Just as planned, Liliana had volunteered herself.
”Is that so? You’ll come with us? Having you along makes us stronger,” I said, offering a satisfied nod.
”Heheh~!” Liliana beamed, her eyes sparkling with self-importance. “This one shall serve as the captain of this expedition, and lead us to triumph in this most important mission!”
Her face seemed filled with eager anticipation for the unknown adventure ahead. As expected – kids do love adventure.
I formed a circle with Mina, Liliana, Kuuko, and Lumia, and we clasped hands together.
Then, using Teleportation Sorcery, I sent them in an instant to the Demon Realm –
To the bedchamber of the Demon Lord’s castle master.
”Gh – !? What, it’s you.” Myuril’s eyes narrowed as she registered my presence. “…Hey, who in the world are these? Humans?”
There stood Myuril – the faithful guardian of the Demon Realm’s princess, Lucifiel, and a beautiful girl in a maid uniform.
Perfect timing.
”Sorry, Myuril. Could you keep an eye on these two and these two for a while?” I asked, gesturing to the group. “Is there a room where they can play?”
”Hah.” Myuril let out a long-suffering sigh. “This castle isn’t a nursery, you know. But fine. It’s you asking. No one without the princess’s special permission can go above the third floor. If it’s up there, you can let them play. I’ll show them to an empty room.”
”I owe you one,” I said, offering a grateful nod.
I left Liliana and the others – our cheerful, excited team of four explorers – in Myuril’s care.
Then I Teleported back to my own manor.
”To keep Elisabeth-sama waiting this long!” Freya’s voice cut through the air like a blade as I stepped into the reception room. “This is inexcusable rudeness, you bastard!”
The princess’s overly loyal knight glared at me with sharp eyes, her hand twitching toward her sword hilt.
I’d only kept them waiting a short while, but she, who clearly had no love for me, was thoroughly irritated.
”Stop it, Freya.” Elisabeth’s cool voice carried a note of gentle reproach. “We’re the ones who showed up unannounced.”
”I’m terribly sorry for the wait,” I said, offering a proper bow. “I was actually having a new sword made until just a moment ago.”
What Elisabeth said was true, but I still offered a proper apology and gave an honest explanation.
”Oh my.” Elisabeth’s eyes widened as she caught sight of the scabbard at my hip. “What a magnificent design. It’s absolutely beautiful~.”
The sheath was adorned with intricate patterns woven from silver thread. Neither overly flashy nor drab, it possessed a quiet elegance – strength and refinement coexisting in its subdued tones. At the center was a small magic stone carved with the Grimlock family crest, catching the light with a soft gleam.
Every detail spoke to the skill and aesthetic sensibility of the blacksmith, Eil.
”So then,” I said, steering the conversation back to business, “what brings you here today?”
Her visits to my manor were no longer unusual. But showing up without setting a prior appointment – that was a first.
Was this something urgent – or more likely, a troublesome matter?
”Well…” Elisabeth’s expression grew serious. “I received an urgent dispatch from my homeland the other day. It said: ‘A highly serious anomaly has been detected on the western front. Request immediate intelligence.’ We were hoping you might know something, Xenos-sama.”
The western front from the Adrastea Empire’s perspective. In other words, something unusual was happening at the frontlines of the long-standing conflict with my territory – the Margrave Grimlock domain.
”Unfortunately, I have no leads,” I admitted, shaking my head slowly. “But I’ll look into it promptly.”
Detailed information from the frontier never reached my manor here in the distant Royal Capital.
Not just because of physical distance. That scheming old man – my father – truly despised me, and he was deliberately cutting off my information flow.
If I wanted intel, I’d have to dig it up myself.
”Hmph!” Freya’s voice dripped with contempt. “Useless as always…”
”Enough!” Elisabeth’s tone sharpened, cutting through her knight’s insolence. “That’s quite rude! Show some restraint, Freya!”
Well, these familiar exchanges – they were only possible because we’d grown close. It had been nearly a year since they’d started casually visiting my manor like this.
I found myself quietly reflecting.
Time truly did fly.
—
Summary:
Xenos receives an unannounced visit from Princess Elisabeth and her hostile knight Freya, prompting him to quickly evacuate Liliana and the other children to the Demon Realm under the guise of an exploration mission. After returning to his manor, he learns from Elisabeth that a serious anomaly has been detected on the western front, but admits he has no information due to his father deliberately cutting off his intelligence network. The chapter closes with Xenos reflecting on how much time has passed since Elisabeth and Freya began visiting him regularly.
—
Trivia:
Xenos’s manor is located in the Royal Capital, far from the frontier territories.
The Grimlock family crest is carved into a magic stone on Xenos’s new sword.
Eil the dwarf princess crafted Xenos’s Exclusive Weapon and is currently staying at his manor.
Liliana is Asgard’s “Angel” and her presence at Xenos’s manor is being kept secret.
The Demon Lord’s castle has restricted access above the third floor requiring Princess Lucifiel’s permission.
Xenos has been cultivating relationships with Elisabeth and Freya for nearly a year.
Violetta, recently broken and trained, has sycophants who might act recklessly and cause trouble.
Xenos’s father actively blocks information from reaching him, forcing Xenos to investigate matters himself.
Notes:
• Elisabeth – Princess of the enemy Adrastea Empire, Prince Liam’s fiancée, and the game’s main heroine. Dignified and diplomatic even when cornered or falsely accused, she is targeted by Violetta’s assassination plot. While Xenos exchanges opinions with her, her heart has shifted from Liam to the protagonist, showing visible relief at his arrival while unconsciously avoiding relying on her fiancé.
• Liliana – Known as the “Angel of the Asgard Kingdom” for her golden hair and sky-blue eyes, this princess is the younger sister of Prince Liam and Elenor. While maintaining a refined, angelic public facade, she is a manipulative mastermind who wields explosion magic. As Serena’s liege and the true culprit behind recent assassination attempts, she carefully hides her dark nature behind whispered, noble asides.
• Lilia – Xenos’s fiercely loyal, trauma-resilient Head Maid is a lovely, pale, busty woman with long dark hair, a chest tattoo, and a nullified crest. Dressed in a black uniform, she maintains refined, icy elegance when disciplining others, especially Elenor. While formal and efficient with guests, she masks deep, jealous anxiety for Xenos, finding her greatest joy in serving him and sleeping by his side.
• Eil – Dwarf princess and skilled artisan. Energetic and earnest with a bright, hopeful demeanor. Works alongside her four attendants to forge weapons and build a smithy. Shows shy vulnerability when confronted with romantic advances.
• Violetta – Daughter of Duke Azalea. The orchestrator of the tea party trap, using poison to frame her romantic rival. Displays refined superiority and honeyed cruelty. Possesses a sharp, calculating mind wrapped in elegant manners.
• Kuuko – Beastkin staying at the theater. Already asleep in the staff quarters.
• Lumia – Beastkin staying at the theater. Already asleep in the staff quarters.
• Mina – A personal maid for the Grimlock estate, serves Xenos with childlike devotion. With soft brown hair and a playful bunny kigurumi over dancer’s attire, she uses cheerful gyaru speech and remains oblivious to tension. She shares a loving bond with her brother Kai, cares for Lumiá, Kuuko, and the estate kitten, and holds a deep affection for Cecilia, recently announcing Serena’s arrival.
• Myuril – Faithful guardian of the Demon Realm’s princess Lucifiel. Appears in maid uniform. Serves as caretaker of the Demon Lord’s castle. Pragmatic and somewhat sarcastic.
• Freya – Guard knight assigned to Xenos. She acts as a direct subordinate and protector, showing familiarity with Xenos through her casual speech. Her composure breaks upon learning of the military threat, revealing her investment in the situation and concern for Elisabeth’s safety. Loyal knight and personal guard to Princess Elisabeth. Has fiery red-brown hair and a strong, prideful demeanor. Secretly longs for both Elisabeth and Xenos, hiding her desires behind professionalism. Princess Elisabeth’s loyal knight. Openly hostile toward Xenos. Sharp-tongued and protective of her charge. Shows intense loyalty to Elisabeth.
• Grimlock – Xenos’s family name.
• Xenos – Job: Heir to a high-ranking noble house; Relationship: Owner of Lilia; Has romantic connections with Elenor, Cecilia, and Lizel; Item/Magic: Summoning magic, [Substitution Collars]; Note: Was caught up in a Royal Palace explosion and missed three days of school. Pragmatic and calculating personality. Job: Noble of Grimlock family, protagonist; Relationship: Manipulator of Princess Liliana, pursuing Serena; Item/Magic: [Ring of Transformation]; Note: Reincarnated villain with game knowledge, calculating and arrogant. Job: Theater Owner and noble of Grimlock family; Relationship: Fiancé to Cecilia; Item/Magic: Game knowledge/metaknowledge; Note: Reincarnated villain protagonist who knows the original game script.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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