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“…And with this…” 

When Leila said this, the mechanism moved, and a rumbling sound rang, showing stairs going underground. 

It seems like the condition to activate is to move a number of rocks -that at a glance don’t seem to be for anything- to set locations. 

With this, it would be impossible for people who don’t have the knowledge of it. 

I peeked inside the stairs, and a cold wind came up from the darkness. 

And then, the bronze color walls that were clearly not part of a natural cave entered my sight. 

Looks like these are the ruins we will be diving into, the Shickdi Ruins.

“Then, I am counting on your protection!” 

The Prince Charming-sama took a step into those stairs first and, with a shining smile, he spoke…to us. 

Our operation entering the 2nd phase was far faster than planned, but aside from that, it is still going as planned. 

After that, he soon made arrangements with Leila to explore the dungeon, and had her accept us being bodyguards that will accompany them in their exploration. 

He will most likely be stabbed if he were to talk with a female member, so it was actually going to be formed of male members, but because Sazan ran away, the members ended up being Mitsuki, Ringo, and I. 

By the way, the reason why Maki alone wasn’t coming…

“…Eh? I am totally fine with not going. Cause you know, it is not like we have not gone out several dozen times together despite being childhood friends, and I am not so conceited as to think I am cute… Ah, my hand slipped.” 

She said that while hitting the ground with a mace as if she were trying to intimidate here. She didn’t seem fine at all, so she ended up staying. 

I was worried about the reaction of Leila, but she simply furrowed her brows at the female members, and she didn’t show much of a reaction even when seeing me. 

She probably is already so into him that other men don’t enter her sight. 

As for me, what worried me more was if we would be okay exploring a dungeon for level 130 with only 5 people, but that was needless worry. 

“Leila, at my back!” 

“Y-Yes!” 

He jumped out against the Ogres that suddenly showed up while fluttering his knight clothes. 

3 Ogres in total. 

Jumping into a 3v1 is insane. 

But he didn’t hesitate. 

He ran to where the 3 enemies were without dropping his speed once and…

“Hm!” 

He cut the leg of the Ogre at the front with a light slash. 

No, saying ‘light’ isn’t exactly right. 

It was a slash that overflowed with half-heartedness that was hard to believe was the swordsmanship of a hero, and there’s nothing to be called a style there. 

I couldn’t call it elegant even in my eyes. 

But maybe because of how haphazard it is, it was fast. 

The moment the enemies had taken battle stances, he had already cut down the second Ogre. 

“Gaaaaah!!” 

The remaining Ogre swung down the club in its hand while raising a roar. 

He avoided that as if he had read the trajectory of it beforehand. 

The club passed by a whole breath after as if tracing the line where he was before. 

Even if it missed, it was a powerful hit that even I felt shivers from just looking at it. 

However, a big swing also creates a big opening. 

Of course he would deal one big hit on the Ogre that had its posture broken…or not. 

He did it so naturally as if saying ‘there was a really nice spot, so I cut it’. He easily cut off the arm of the Ogre that was holding the club. 

It is an attack that, no matter how you see it, would be impossible to be a fatal hit. 

But the Ogre that got hit by this eventually stopped moving and disappeared into light particles. 

“There’s a lot of uses to gra…”

He muttered something I didn’t really get while coming back as if nothing happened. I don’t know how many times I have gulped my breath today while looking at him. 

—He is strong…overwhelmingly strong. 

It goes without saying that his basic stats are high, but that’s not all. 

His fighting style has been polished to a degree where it doesn’t feel human. 

I could tell after seeing his swordsmanship. 

He doesn’t take into account things like hitting your attack cleanly or creating as much momentum as possible, which a normal swordsman would consider. 

It is true that you can deal damage as long as the attack hits, and you can defeat them if the damage is high. 

If you have enough attack power, you don’t have to go out of your way to hit the middle of the enemy’s body. It is enough to just cut the tip of the fingers or the toes. 

But that’s just in theory. 

When you actually fight, you end up instinctively going for the chest or the face, and even if there’s no need to go that far, you would end up swinging till the end. 

Just how many battles do you have to go through in order to reach that domain of his? I can’t even begin to imagine. 

Moreover, according to him, this is the first time he has seen this monster. 

Even so, he read through the attack of the enemy as if he had seen them dozens of times, and counterattacked with precision. 

(So this is the ‘real deal’, huh…) 

I have shut myself in and continued fighting and have already obtained enough power to be worthy of the title of hero when it comes to the sword, or at least that’s what I assumed by myself. 

However, it seems like my training was in the end just child’s play. 

I have been clearly shown my own conceitedness in my narrow world view.

(But that means I can become even stronger!!) 

There’s no time to be getting all dejected. 

I will take this as a chance and steal away at least a technique of his in this exploration. 

“Loic, thanks for protecting me!” 

“You are doing the puzzle solving here, so we are helping each other out.” 

“T-Then, we are a really good pair!” 

I resolved myself to do so while glaring at the two who were flirting at the front. 

 

…But, unfortunately, there was no chance for me no matter how much time passed. 

He would cut down the monsters that come from the front, and I couldn’t even find the monsters that came from the back. 

When I think Mitsuki, who is by my side, disappears every now and then…

“Excuse me. There were 2 Ogres following, so I cut them down.” 

She would return a few seconds later and report this nonchalantly. 

She is also an anomaly in her own way. 

The mechanisms of the ruins that would show from time to time seemed complicated, but they would all be solved by Leila, and I didn’t have anything to do even on the exploration side…

“This is the deepest area of the Shickdi Ruins. The throne room…”

The final part of the ruin exploration was about to enter its last stage. 

“The throne room, huh…” 

This room is gigantic to a point where other rooms can’t even compare. 

There’s several dozens of bronze colored pillars as if protecting the outer circumference of the room, and the central part of the room towers up like a small mountain as if to oversee this. 

“Wow.” 

What we should pay attention to is the color of the material.

Within the ruins that are a dull bronze color, only that place was shining gold. 

And then, at the peak of that golden mountain, at the center of the room, there’s a big treasure chest that’s decorated all over with jewels. 

It is true that it wouldn’t be strange for this to be called the throne room with how fancy this place is. 

I nodded as I looked at the shining golden mountain. 

If even I am this moved by such a view, Leila, who has been searching for this place the whole time, must be quite elated. 

Thinking this, I looked at her and, contrary to my thoughts, Leila was showing a sad look.

“It is finally time.” 

It seems that wasn’t my imagination. 

She hung her head down even more at the happy words of Loic. 

(I see. Once the ruin exploration is over, he is supposed to be leaving…) 

What that means is that, rather than her interest in the ruins that she has been pursuing her whole life, her attachment to him is more important. 

The moment I thought of this, Leila asked him. 

“…Loic, is your hometown that far of a place?” 

It seems like he was flustered by the sudden question, but he eventually made distant eyes. 

“…Yeah, my hometown is far. Far far far away. It is in a place that’s not easy to get to.” 

…Wait, oi! 

Don’t just add more elements to the story!! 

Don’t just suddenly say thoughtless stuff like ‘far far far away’! 

It is just deep in the mountains that can be easily reached by foot! 

“I-I see…” (Leila)

It seems like that wasn’t the response Leila wanted. 

But Leila is not the kind of woman that would withdraw here. 

She soon raised her head and asked again. 

“T-Then…if I were to say I wanted to follow you, w-would it trouble you?”

“That’s…” 

The Prince-sama understandably hesitated there and…

“…Ah.” 

We made eye-contact. 

His face warped into a teasing grin. 

Shivers ran down my spine, having a bad feeling about this. 

Oi, stop it! 

Stop getting ahead of yourself. 

I directed that gaze at him desperately. 

But his grin stayed plastered on his face. 

Don’t tell me he is about to say something horrible here since it is someone else’s business, right?! 

I won’t forgive you if you do something like that!! Ever!! 

“…Right…”

I don’t know if my message reached him or not, but he created a blatant pause there and said…

“If you pledge absolute loyalty, will always prioritize me no matter the time, and never hurt me no matter what, I don’t mind.” 

No, just how impertinent can you get? -is what I thought, but I at the same time sighed in relief. 

You normally would refuse those unreasonable conditions. 

It seems like even she didn’t want to accept so easily here. 

I was about to put a hand on my chest in relief, but…

“Got it!! I-I will do my best!” 

O-Oi! 

Leila was smiling and nodding as if saying ‘I am glad he didn’t refuse~’!! 

That guy’s face was also visibly stiffened at this. 

“M-More importantly, this is the throne room, right?!” 

He quickly diverted the topic. 

He really is good when it comes to this. 

“…Yeah. Let’s take our time later, right?” 

Leila added her own interpretation of it and agreed.

I am kinda scared of them. 

But leaving aside the circumstances, we are finally in the climax of the ruin exploration. 

“We will wait here.” 

Following the advice of Mitsuki, we observe as the two go up the gold stairs. 

“If the research of my father is correct, this is an ancient civilization that was brought to ruin by the Evil God…” 

There’s happiness and excitement in the voice of Leila. 

The long years of pain from father and child will finally be rewarded. 

A smile showed up in Leila’s face and…

“Watch out!” 

Right after that shout rang…

—The golden mountain exploded.

The golden that formed the former mountain flew about in the air as a thunderous sound rang, crashing onto the ceiling and making sounds that resonated on the pit of my stomach. 

The fragments reached all the way here, and I reflexively covered my face. 

I was on the verge of panicking from the sudden development and…

“—Souma!!!” 

A sharp scream that I hadn’t heard once from Ringo before pierced my eardrums.

(Right! They are…) 

There’s fortunately no harm on this side. 

I moved aside the hand that was covering my face and desperately searched for the two. 

But the center of the room had been completely blown from the inside, and not only was there no one moving, there’s nothing standing at all. 

“No way…” 

I was dumbfounded by all this, and Mitsuki stood by my side.

“No, the two seem to be unwounded.” 

“Eh?”

When I look at the right wall of the room where Mitsuki was pointing at, there’s certainly that guy holding Leila and waving over here.

“…Whew.” 

I rub my chest in relief, and he walks over to our side, carrying Leila who still has her eyes wide open from the shocking experience. 

“That was my first time about to let someone die. I got cold sweat there.” 

It seems like he noticed the mountain was going to explode a second before it happened, and jumped to the side while carrying Leila. 

When I asked him how he found the trap…

“When I looked at the side, I felt as if there was some small processing…a warp in the world.” 

When I asked him in more detail, he said: ‘It is said to be impossible in theory, but when you move your focal point when there’s a big trap or monster, a very small gap or delay happens in the world’.

The words of a master really are on a plane of its own.

“There was obviously a trap there, so I am glad I was careful. More importantly, see, treasure really did show up.” 

Being told this, I directed my gaze at the center of the room where there was once a mountain of gold. 

There was a big hole there, too big to have been made from the explosion, and a bronze colored treasure chest rested at that location. 

Inside the treasure chest, there were important documents that Leila and her father apparently were searching for the whole time, gold and silver, and also the magic book that we were looking for. 

He only took the magic book as agreed, and after promising to meet Leila again tomorrow, we dispersed once. 

“Just in time, right?” 

He spoke to me with a magic book in hand once we returned to the mansion.

“Yeah… I am glad I can finally say bye to this appearance.” 

I spit that out and he showed a bitter smile. 

“I was a bit happy to have become this handsome of a guy though.” 

“Yeah right!!” 

The moment I shouted this, the effect of the item ran out…just in time. 

“Oh…!” 

The appearance of the man in front of me changed while raising his voice. 

The red hair and red eyes were dyeing black, and the contours of the body and face, and even the small details of the skin were returning to their original appearance.

I can’t see it directly, but the same change must have happened to me. 

The moment that change reached its end…

“…You really saved me there, Loic. I am sorry for making you disguise yourself and do something as troublesome as creating an alibi.” 

The one in front of me was a black haired and black eyed man; a true hero, the Sinking Prince Souma. 

Yesterday, what this hero-sama called the Sinking Prince Souma had requested of me with the secret technique scroll as reward was…to exchange appearances and create alibis. 

When you use an item called Transformation Glasses, you can have the same appearance as the person that used it. 

But because the height doesn’t change, the disguise won’t work well unless it is someone with a similar appearance to yourself. 

And so, the arrow flew onto me, who is of similar height and age to him. 

I did have my own thoughts about deceiving a girl, but I want the secret technique scroll of my pops. 

Also, I felt a bit of pity towards him to a certain degree, so I accepted this request. 

That’s why he got along with Leila as Loic today, and by staying at the side of ‘Loic’ as ‘Souma’, we gave the impression that Souma and Loic are two different people. 

Honestly speaking, it was a whole lot rougher than I imagined. 

“But well, that will end tomorrow morning.” 

The next day, we will meet Leila in our original forms, and once Leila gives me the item called Eye of the Heavens, our operation will be a success. 

According to Souma, once you give the Eye of the Heavens to someone, you can’t give it to someone else. 

And so, as long as Leila gives me the Eye of the Heavens, he told me that it would be okay to tell her this time’s plan if it comes to it. 

He also said that it would make him happier if it is possible to hide it until the very end though. 

I have only been watching for a day but, to put it bluntly, the love of this girl called Leila is too heavy for me. 

I feel bad for him, but it would be impossible for me to act like the Prince Charming Loic in front of her. 

As my last duty to Souma, I returned to my house without saying anything to Leila. If she really does come asking for me at my house, I am thinking of telling her about what we did. 

I…don’t really want to think about what kind of reaction she will have after hearing that. 

I was seriously wishing for tomorrow to not come while I fell asleep.

 

And then, the next day. 

Morning came mercilessly, and the 3rd stage of the plan, the last scenario, began. 

“Ah, Loic!” (Leila)

The promised location with Leila. 

Souma, who had returned to his original appearance, was watching over this from behind, and I welcomed Leila awkwardly with my hand.

“Y-Yeah, Leila, good m—” (Loic)

“Loic!!” (Leila)

Maybe because the so-called ‘phases’ have advanced, Leila looked like a completely different person from the first time I met her. 

There was a bright smile in her usually covered face, the luster of stars resided in her eyes, and it felt as if a trail of light was left behind at the place she passed through. 

The people in the city let out sighs of admiration after seeing Leila. 

But her eyes didn’t reflect the people around.

Once the distance between us allowed us to see each other clearly, Leila accelerated. 

Leila ran over here as if she couldn’t endure a single moment more. 

I made an awkward smile and was about to receive Leila…and she passed by my side…

“Loic, I wanted to see you!!” 

She jumped onto Souma who was behind me.

“Eh? …Eh?” (Souma)

This is the first time I see that guy panicking. 

I froze there, unable to understand what happened. 

But, within all this, Leila was the only one maintaining a big smile. 

“Your appearance right now is the same as the time I first met you! Yup! I like this appearance more!!” (Leila)

She went full force on Souma and…

“Ah, right! This is my family heirloom, the Eye of the Heavens! It is something really important, but…no, it is because it is super important that I will give it to you! Think of this as me and keep it at your side forever, until death do us apart, eternally, for the future and beyond!!” (Leila)

She pushed a sparkling jewel onto him as if it were the finishing blow. 

“…Haha…Hahahaha.” (Loic)

Seeing this from the front row seats, I thought two things. 

First, people really can’t do bad things. 

And the other is…

You damn womanizer! Serves you right!!!!

 

…And this concludes my unbelievable two day grand adventure. 

Looks like Leila had seen through the disguise of Souma from the very beginning, or more like, she only thought of that disguise as fashion. 

Of course, the plan ended in complete failure. 

And so, my role is now over. 

The plan failed, but Souma faithfully gave me the secret technique scroll. 

Not only that, he felt bad only giving me the secret technique scroll, so he told me he would be giving me something extra. 

I obviously refused, but he might be an unexpectedly good guy to say that even when he is feeling down. 

“Hmm.” 

Now that I think back on it once I safely returned home, I feel a bit bad for laughing out loud at his misfortune. 

I think I have seen a realm above my own thanks to him, and I obtained the special technique scroll that I have always wanted…

“Right! The scroll!!” (Loic)

I jumped up as if sprung forward, and took out the important scroll that was inside my bag -the special technique scroll that my old man left.

“Hehe, are you watching, Pops? I have reached this far!” (Loic)

All of my hardships have been for the sake of this. 

I opened the scroll with heart racing and…

…It began with this written in it:

{To Loic: 

Unfortunately, there’s no easy to understand battle technique or special attack that you are seeking for written in here. 

But as your father and as a warrior, I am thinking about leaving behind something even more important to you.}

“Pops…” (Loic)

Those nostalgic expressions of his made my chest tighten. 

This is certainly something that was written by my pops. 

And I could honestly accept what he said about something more important than battle techniques as someone who has seen that guy. 

I don’t really feel good about admitting this, but that Souma guy taught me a lot of things as a role model and a teacher. 

He made me grow a bit in those 2 days. 

Ready to accept the teachings of my pops without letting even a single word escape, I corrected my posture and continued reading. 

{You have been overflowing with talent in martial arts since long before, and you have put your everything in trying to obtain my techniques. You are my pride and joy. 

But you were alone in everything you did, so you can’t become a true strong one. 

That’s why I left this secret technique scroll in this cave that…can’t be cleared alone no matter what…

That’s right, it means that coming together with your comrade to obtain this secret technique scroll is proof of the Power of Bonds. This is the true special technique—}

“Ugaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!” 

Unable to endure it, I slam the scroll onto the ground.

That guy…that guy…

—Souma really is the worst piece of crap!! 

——

Author: Double Kill!!

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