[– Something is wrong –]
The next morning, while Lumins kept the two occupied, I slipped out of the palace. Except for the first few days when we all went out together to buy essential supplies after arriving in the capital, this was my first proper outing in the city.
The capital of Faynance, the City of Blue Wings, Horlna. True to its name, the city’s buildings, sidewalks, and decorations all bear a shade of blue. It is said that this cityscape has remained blue for centuries, symbolizing the blessed land under the blue wings of the primordial dragon, Alfaynance. (Even the royal palace is blue.)
On the outskirts of Horlna’s bustling center lies a place often referred to as the “back alleys.” A darker side, hidden behind the vibrant streets…. This is where entertainment establishments and the urban poor are concentrated. Normally, with poor security and no reason to visit, I would have avoided this area entirely. But today, I had a reason that left me no choice. This is exactly why I couldn’t bring the others along, they would have dragged me somewhere safe instead.
I even took off my mage-designated cape and wore only a plain coat, just in case it caused trouble later. But still, this place is terrifying. I need to finish my business quickly before I get into any trouble.
“They said it was dropped near the tavern, right…?”
Recalling hazy memories from the game, I pondered. According to today’s event, Velkina gets lost and ends up on the outskirts of the bustling area. There, while searching for a lost item, she climbs a tree and almost falls, only to be saved by a teenage girl in her late teens. They end up looking for the lost item together, and the girl’s path includes these back alleys. So, while searching through the back alleys, Velkina runs into trouble with some thugs, only to be saved by Yugo Faynance, who happens to be passing by……
“Hmm, even thinking about it again, the first meeting story is so predictable.”
But when it comes to romance, predictable is usually best. I know Velkina well. She’s the type who would earnestly try to help others, even with things that aren’t her responsibility. And honestly, it’s only natural to feel affection for someone as sweet as her.
On the other hand, here I am fully aware that Yugo is a decent guy and yet I’m still trying to block my friend’s romance flag…
I’m sorry, Velkina. But hey, our Lumins is a great person too, you know?! Why not give him a chance and think it over?
Despite this mental debate, I diligently searched for the item the girl had dropped. My plan was simple: find the item first, head to the area where she was supposed to appear, and hand it over before she got into trouble climbing that tree. Then I’d simply wave her off with a warning to be careful, avoiding any need for her to meet Yugo Faynance, who would otherwise make his entrance later.
….It was a flawless plan, except for one problem. I couldn’t find the dropped item. It was a necklace, a keepsake left by the girl’s mother. (For context, the reason she climbed the tree in the first place was because crows are known to pick up shiny things, and she thought it might be there.)
The issue was that there wasn’t just one tavern in these back alleys, and wandering around in broad daylight while suspiciously scanning my surroundings made me look, well, extremely sketchy. Passersby kept glancing at me and whispering among themselves.
Let’s practice some good old individualism, people. Mind your own business, please!
Thinking I might have missed something while walking and looking down, I crouched and peeked into the dark corners between some stacked boxes. It was too dark to see clearly, should I use a light spell or something……
“…Hey, you, girl.”
Hmm, I don’t want to use magic and draw more attention, but.. huh?
“Hey, you over there. Are you deaf? If someone calls you, answer!”
Ack, what do I do? Did I accidentally trigger the trouble Velkina was supposed to run into in the game? Should I just use magic and make a run for it? But I need to find the necklace… What now?
With a mix of complicated emotions, I decided to smile and see if I could talk my way out of this. Standing up, I put on my best act.
“Oh- Haha! Were you calling me?”
“Yeah. What are you up to, lurking around here all suspiciously?”
“Well..”
As I lifted my head, I froze mid-sentence, unable to say another word.
Platinum blond hair, crimson eyes with a hint of stubbornness. His face, still youthful but somehow exuding a sultry elegance and undeniable nobility, belonged to an extraordinary beauty.
And that face, those crimson eyes, immediately reminded me of someone.
…..Yugo Faynance, the younger brother of Kalt Ashan Faynance.
W-Wait, meeting an enemy on a single log bridge?! No, not exactly an enemy, but still..
Even though his outfit didn’t scream “Royalty,” with its rugged and casual style, there was no hiding his innate elegance. Truly impressive. The Faynance royal genes were on another level.
“….? Answer me. Why are you just standing there like a statue?”
“Uh, um…”
Caught completely off guard by this unexpected encounter, my brain short-circuited. Before I could stop myself, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
“….Because you’re so handsome?”
“What?”
His eyes widened in shock, and then, as if the words had struck a nerve, his ears turned bright red. He took a step back, hastily covering his face with his arm, and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“W-What kind of nonsense is this girl spouting?!”
Oh.
Here it is. Yugo’s signature move, snapping angrily when he’s embarrassed…
It’s so blatantly tsundere that even I feel embarrassed watching it. But since his true feelings are so transparent, it’s also kind of cute… Watching him feels oddly healing and peaceful, you know?
That’s why my personal nickname for Yugo is “Prince Pigeon.”
“Hoho, you can be a little more confident in your handsome face! Anyway, I’ll be going now!”
However, I didn’t want to get too tangled up with him, so I replied casually and tried to leave.
“Hey, wait! You didn’t answer my question!”
Tsk… I thought I could brush it off.
“I’m looking for something. As soon as I find it, I’ll be out of here, so don’t worry about me.”
“That’s not the problem!”
He turned his head abruptly and muttered in a small voice.
“It’s dangerous here, even during the day, so wandering around alone is a bit…”
Wow… He’s worried about me? Seriously, does he have to stick to the tsundere template this much?
“Oh my, are you worried about me?”
“W-Worried? As if! You’re just annoying me, that’s all!”
Ah, even his reaction is predictable! It’s so peaceful! No matter how you look at it, “Kalt the Prince Sparrow” should learn at least 1/100 of your little brother’s cuteness, don’t you think!?
“If I’m annoying, I’ll find what I’m looking for quickly and leave. So? What exactly are you looking for?”
Wait… Is he actually trying to help me…?
“Oh my. It’s fine. You must be busy, so you don’t need to bother with me.”
“I told you, it’s dangerous here!”
“Oh-haha, so you are worried about me, aren’t you?”
As if he were caught in an endless loop from my teasing, Yugo’s face turned bright red as he thought about something before snapping.
“Fine, whatever! Let’s say I’m worried! Just tell me what you’re looking for already.”
“It’s a silver necklace. It’s not real silver, though…”
Feeling a bit guilty for teasing him so much, I answered honestly. Sigh, he’s just too fun to mess with, I almost forgot my original goal.
While avoiding him would’ve been ideal, there wasn’t much I could do since we’d already crossed paths. The sooner I finish my business, the better.
“Got it. Then you search over there, and I’ll check this side.”
“Alright, thank you.”
Like the former Crown Prince Kalt, Yugo’s face wasn’t widely known to the public. In Kalt’s case, it was intentional, but for Yugo, it was probably because of his rebellious streak. Wandering around in plain, commoner’s clothes like he was now was another sign of that.
Anyway, as we silently searched our surroundings, Yugo suddenly asked.
“Hey, girl. What’s your name? I can’t just keep calling you ‘girl’ forever.”
“Uh… it’s Senephin Cromwell.”
“Hmph, Senephin, huh.”
As I crouched down, carefully inspecting the gaps between the bricks, I asked in return,
“What about your name?”
“Uh..”
As expected, he hesitated for a long time. Well, it’s not like he could just flaunt his title as a prince here.
I really should stop teasing him, but why does he react so satisfyingly every time?
“…..Yugo. That’s my name.”
“Oh my, what a cool name.”
It seems he’s going with the commoner act by just stating his name. Honestly, though, even if his clothes are plain, his perfectly groomed appearance from head to toe screams wealth. But that’s none of my business.
“You-… you’ve been shamelessly saying I’m handsome or cool this whole time…!”
“Ahaha, is there any shame in stating the truth?”
He’s got a complex about his older brother and thinks poorly of himself, but honestly, he really doesn’t need to.
“…Thick-skinned girl…”
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t call me ‘woman’ anymore?”
“Don’t nitpick my words…!”
With Yugo’s help, we managed to find the necklace about 15 minutes later, just before it would’ve fallen into the sewer. Sighing in relief, I wiped the dirty necklace on my skirt.
“Phew, thank goodness. Thank you, Yugo Sir. I managed to find it safely thanks to you.”
“It’s not a big deal.. And stop calling me ‘Mr.’ or whatever. Just call me Yugo.”
Considering he’s a prince, it’s only proper for me to address him with respect, but..
Since I couldn’t exactly tell him I knew he was royalty, I scratched the back of my head and nodded.
“Alright, Yugo. Thanks again.”
“…Is that necklace important to you?”
“Uh… no, actually, it’s not mine.”
“What?”
He furrowed his brows. Oh no, does he think I stole it from someone? I quickly waved my hands in denial.
“Oh, um, I just saw some lady looking for it earlier. I thought I’d help her out…”
Well, I didn’t exactly hear her say it.. It’s just something I noticed in the game but it’s not a total lie.
“Anyway, I’ll just head back to where I saw her, so.. I’ll take my leave now…”
And just as I was about to make a run for it, Hugo followed along beside me.
“Let’s go together.”
“Oh, no. I’m just about to leave the back alley, so you don’t have to worry about—”
Hugo shot me a piercing glare. Was he suspicious I was lying and stealing someone else’s belongings…?
Ah, whatever. Who cares? Anyway, the lady who lost that necklace was crying hysterically and telling everyone she met about it. She’ll probably think I’m just one of the people she told.
“Fine, let’s go then. It was near the brook next to the forest on the outskirts.”
When we got near the forest, sure enough, there was the same woman I’d seen in the game. She was sitting on the ground, sniffling, in an empty clearing with no one else around. She’d probably searched this whole area thoroughly but hadn’t found it. I could understand the desperation that might make her want to climb a tree and look for a crow’s nest.
“Excuse me, miss!”
I ran over to her. I needed to return it quickly and put her at ease.
“Yes..?”
“I heard you were looking for a necklace earlier. Is this it by any chance?”
When I took the necklace out of my pocket and showed it to her, she gasped.
“Ah…! Y-Yes, that’s it!”
“Haha, I’m glad to hear that. It seems to be something precious, so you should have it repaired and keep it safe. It looks like the clasp broke.”
“Th-Thank you so much! I’d like to repay you somehow…”
“There’s no need for that. You look exhausted, you should get some rest.”
After thanking me multiple times with teary eyes, she bowed her head and walked back toward the village. Whew, I’m glad this ended well without anyone getting hurt!
“…Hmph. Wandering around dangerous places to help someone, what a strange woman.”
It was a mistake to run into Yugo Faynance, though…
“Yeah, haha! Thanks for helping a strange woman like me! Well then, goodbye!”
I’ll probably run into him again someday, but for now, the best option is to make a clean getaway.
“Stop.”
He spoke in a rigid, commanding voice.
“If you don’t want to die.”
“Huh? What are you tal—”
Before I could even properly ask, Yugo moved. He was so fast it was impossible to see him clearly. In an instant, he was in front of me, unsheathing the sword strapped to his waist.
“…Aura Blade!”
His sword sliced horizontally through the air, and a streak of blue, lightning-like energy shot forward. The direction of that energy was toward the shadowy forest.
Just before the aura slash struck the bushes, someone emerged, dodging the attack at the last moment.
“…Tch, how did you notice me?”
“It’s harder not to notice someone who can’t even hide their presence properly.”
Hugo replied, gripping his sword again in a relaxed yet confident stance.
…Ah, that’s right.
As expected from a character out of the over-the-top game Arlandast Saga, Yugo Faynance was no exception to its excessive world-building.
He was a being who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship and could release energy waves practically magic through his blade.
One of only seven Swordmasters on this continent…….
