Volume 4 Chapter 105 Who Are You Searching for
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Summoned to another world and burdened with a skill absurdly named “Love Hotel,” I’d managed—through the help of my wives and companions—to remodel our old ship into something far greater. Now, at last, I had my long-dreamed-of airship.
Leaving the earth behind, I soared across endless oceans beneath a sky of drifting white. The sea shimmered like glass below us, clouds like fields of snow rolling above.
For a while, I simply enjoyed the quiet voyage through the open sky. Yet in the back of my mind, one question refused to fade.
The Sky Continent.
A land said to have once floated high above the world. Even with my magic tool—the Spirit–Seeker’s Compass—I’d never been able to locate it.
Every time I saw thunderheads rise in the far distance, a thought would whisper: Maybe the continent is hidden inside those clouds.
Lost in that daydream, I heard Tifi’s voice behind me.
”Mr. Taro, you’re still thinking about the Sky Continent, aren’t you?”
”…Yeah.”
So much for hiding it. I’d tried to move on earlier, but she saw right through me. No surprise—she’s my wife, after all. Still, it was a little embarrassing.
Legends about the floating continent existed across the world. Surely, somewhere, a trace must remain—a clue, a record, something.
”Even if it vanished,” Tifi said softly, “it was vast. Records or legends must exist somewhere. Perhaps in royal archives, or in the great temples. If we look there, we might find a lead.”
”The royal family, huh…”
I leaned on the railing, eyes on the hazy horizon. I had no ties to any temple—but the royals? Maybe.
”The Kingdom of Nakuos was said to keep many ancient records… or so it used to.”
A bitter truth. After the coup and the fires of civil war, most of that knowledge was lost. The royal line, too—snuffed out. A dead king, and a missing princess.
I remembered her then—the princess of Nakuos. Golden hair. Eyes like blue glass. The one who’d summoned us as heroes. The one who’d spat on my “Love Hotel” skill and cast me out.
She’d started a needless war against the demon realm, they said. The hero summoning had only been a means to that end. She used Yomi and our classmates like weapons, luring some of the men with seduction and throwing them away when they’d served their purpose.
But such tyranny breeds enemies. My own schemes had halted her war with the demon race—but by then, she’d already sown the seeds of her kingdom’s ruin. The nobles and heroes rose up, and the coup devoured her throne.
Amid the chaos, she vanished. No trace since. The nobles still hunt for her like hounds after blood.
I’d avoided thinking about her all this time. I didn’t hate her enough to seek revenge, just… didn’t care to know.
But if she knew anything—anything—about the Sky Continent…
Then maybe she was worth finding.
There were no other leads. Why not chase the ghost of a fallen princess? It couldn’t hurt.
Princess of Nakuos—or rather, former princess, now that her kingdom lay in ruins. The nobles had split the land among themselves; even if she returned, she’d have no throne to sit on.
Now, two factions fought over her. The “Princess Faction,” wanting to use her as a symbol of legitimacy—and the “Noble Faction,” wanting her erased entirely. A pitiful fate. No one cared what she wanted.
Still… with my compass and this airship, finding her wouldn’t be hard.
We’d met only once, but this magic tool could track her down.
I activated the Spirit–Seeker’s Compass and focused on her image: fair skin, long golden hair, a white dress—though that last part might have changed.
Light raced across the compass face, and the needle spun wildly before stopping—pointing true.
Got you.
That direction… far, but reachable in a single flight.
I ordered the brownie crew to set our course toward the compass needle. The airship turned, slicing through the clouds.
We stayed hidden in the upper air, wrapped in mist. If she noticed us, she might run.
”This area…” Yomi unfolded a map. “It’s here.”
The region lay in northern Nakuos—once a domain of the Princess Faction. Remote, but still within the kingdom’s old borders.
The compass pointed toward an old mansion, alone amid the forest’s green. Was she inside?
”A lonely place,” I murmured.
”Likely a noble’s summer estate,” Lifia replied. “Perfect for hiding someone important.”
”Shall we storm it!?” Kéa barked eagerly.
”Or sneak in! Leave that to me!” Korukona grinned.
”Easy,” I told them. “We’ll observe first.”
Once their excitement cooled, we began to plan.
* * *
When night fell, we lowered the airship’s altitude, gliding silently toward the mansion. Airships existed in this world, but so rarely that no one would think to watch the skies.
With Lifia’s wind magic, a fairy alighted gently on the roof, slipping inside through the dark.
Through the “Love Hotel” keycard she carried, information streamed to my menu. The display flickered to life—a dim room, a long table lit by trembling candlelight, and voices.
”Count, have we still not gathered enough forces!?”
”Your Highness, patience. To rush now would invite disaster.”
Two figures came into view—a young woman and a middle-aged man.
No doubt about it. Princess Exil Rona Nakuos herself.
Her hair shimmered like spun gold, catching the candlelight. Pale skin glowed in the dark, and for a moment, I couldn’t look away. Her sapphire eyes burned with anger—but they hadn’t lost their light. Her lips were soft pink, trembling with fury yet shaped by stubborn pride.
Even her posture was flawless. Chin slightly raised, gaze cool and imperious—every motion radiated the grace of royal blood.
She was beautiful, yes, but I remembered too well what lay beneath that veneer. The cruelty. The arrogance. The reckless politics that destroyed her kingdom. Few in this world would speak kindly of her name.
The man beside her was a corpulent noble, his face twisted like a toad’s. Though he spoke soothingly, his eyes crawled with greed. So he was the one who’d been hiding her all this time.
The princess was found more easily than expected. The real question was—what to do with her now.
If I passed this information to Marquis Castanove—my occasional ally—he’d take care of things neatly enough.
Take care of, meaning assassination. Or perhaps a quiet execution. With one word from me, he’d likely interrogate her too—ask about the Sky Continent, the knowledge I sought.
At first, I thought that was fine.
But now, seeing her like this with my own eyes, the thought unsettled me. Whatever her crimes, I didn’t want her dead. Being the cause of someone’s death, even indirectly, leaves a taste you can’t wash away.
Reporting her, letting them seize and question her, then meddling in her fate afterward—that didn’t sit right either.
There was only one thing I truly wanted from her: information about the Sky Continent.
…No. There was one more thing—something that could never be allowed to spread.
Knowledge of the hero summoning ritual.
That art had been lost in the chaos of the last war. Yet she might still remember it.
I wasn’t particularly interested in summoning magic myself. But if that technique resurfaced in this world, it would be dangerous. I couldn’t allow it.
Right now, my skill—Love Hotel—made me untouchable. No one could threaten me or my family.
But if someone summoned new heroes, things would change. The “True Hero” born from such a ritual… might one day stand against me.
I had to protect our peace—mine, and my wives’. No one could be allowed to recreate that ritual.
Both the Sky Continent and the summoning secret were too great to be left unchecked.
Marquis Castanove could be trusted to a degree. But not all nobles shared his restraint. If that magic fell into their hands, it would become my enemy soon enough.
There was only one conclusion.
The princess must belong to no one. Her knowledge, her secrets—they would be mine alone.
Capturing her would be simple.
One of my fairies had already slipped into the attic. With her help, I could open a Love Hotel doorway straight into the mansion.
At any moment, I could step through and bring the princess with me. No trace, no witnesses.
Still, I kept an eye on the fat noble who sheltered her. Disgusting though it was, he might have learned something from her about the summoning. It paid to be cautious.
The display showed the dining hall, lit by a flickering candelabrum. The toad of a man sat before a plate, speaking to his butler.
”How fares the princess?”
”She has finished her meal and retired, sir. The drink seemed to please her as well.”
”Excellent. Guhehe…“
His grin twisted his face into something truly vile. So he’d drugged her—and now planned to enjoy himself.
Damn it. If we’d come a day later, she’d already have been this monster’s prey.
Not that I felt any noble duty to save her. But watching a young girl’s purity—probably—torn apart by a lecherous pig? Even I had limits. Just basic human decency… that’s all.
”Who are you trying to convince?” Yomi’s flat stare stabbed into me.
”What? I’m just saying—”
”You just want her because she’s hot, don’t you?”
”Wh—what!? No! That’s not—”
”Sure.”
I glanced around for help, but Lifia and Tifi only smiled wearily.
”If Master wishes, I’ll assist,” Lifia offered, her tone far too amused.
No faith in me. Tragic.
Meanwhile, the toad shuffled down the hall—straight toward the princess’s bedroom. He didn’t even bother to hide his footsteps.
He lit a candle, the flame swelling in the darkness.
”Nn…? Eh—Count Gloth? What is the meaning of this!?”
She’d awakened. Sitting up in bed, her voice quivered with fear and outrage.
”Why, Your Highness,” the man crooned, “I merely thought it time you rewarded your savior.”
”…Reward? I promised you honor when I restored the kingdom, did I not?”
”Do you truly believe that day will ever come?”
His grin bent into something obscene.
”You’ve been abandoned, Your Highness. All you have left to offer… is that body.”
”W–what…?”
So even her own faction had lost faith. This man, seeing her fall from grace, had turned his eyes toward the only value she had left.
The princess rose from bed, tried to flee—and faltered.
”M–my body…? What is—?”
”Heh. Seems the drug’s taking hold.”
”You… poisoned me!?”
He laughed coarsely and shoved her down. His hands clawed at her gown.
”Someone—!”
A tearful cry. Fragile. Hopeless.
”No one will hear you,” he sneered. “I sent them all away. Scream as much as you like.”
He chuckled, the sound wet and cruel. His hand reached her skin—and froze.
”That’s far enough.”
I seized his collar and wrenched him backward.
”Wh–who the hell—!?”
”Go to sleep.”
My hand struck his neck, swift and hard.
”Guh—!”
He collapsed in a heap, out cold before he hit the floor.
The princess stared up at me, blue eyes wide in the candlelight, confusion and fear tangled together.
Well. No turning back now.
”Hyah—”
I swept her up into my arms—a proper princess carry. She was light. Softer than I expected. Whatever else she was, she was still only a girl.
”H–how dare you! Do you know who I am?”
Her words tried to bite, but the drug dulled her strength. Even now, she clung to her royal pride. No gratitude, though. Typical.
”Of course I know. Exil Rona Nakuos, princess of the fallen kingdom.”
”The Kingdom of Nakuos has not fallen! I will return to the royal castle and—eh?”
Her words stopped mid-sentence.
Her gaze locked on something beyond me.
There, a door glowed—my Love Hotel portal.
Beyond it stretched a radiant space: red carpet flowing like silk, walls gilded with impossible splendor, light pouring from the vaulted ceiling. More opulent—and more alien—than any palace in this world.
”Wh… what is this…?”
Her whisper trembled between fear and wonder.
Still holding her, I stepped through.
The door closed behind us, severing the world outside. No one could interfere now.
The princess was mine—and it was time for answers.
”You… who are you?” she asked softly.
Her eyes—blue as ice, fragile as glass—searched my face. The warmth of her body pressed against my arm, her breath faint against my chest.
A body that had once enchanted men—heroes, even—only to deny them everything. A body that lured and destroyed.
Notes:
• Kingdom of Nakuos – The nation where the protagonist and companions were summoned as heroes.
• Korukona – A cat-eared girl with amber eyes. She is brave but vulnerable, showing honesty and gratitude. Taro rescues her from the pirate and plans to send her to her village.
• Gloth – The corrupt noble hiding the princess exil Rona Nakuos, with vile intentions.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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