The Day After Tomorrow .
　I spent the morning working on Anna's request for a C-rank adventurer's guild, and in the afternoon I had a half day off.
　It's rare that I didn't have any particular plans.
　So I was wandering around the market without any particular destination.
　As usual, the market was crowded with people. Then, as if to weave through the crowd, a person came running from across the street.

　It was a little girl. She was dressed in cloth.
　She was probably around ten years old.
　She had a fine, feline face. Her eyes are as big as crystal. She looks like a doll, a lovely, ethereal beauty.
　I don't know why she had this desperate look on her face.

"Hey!　Somebody!　Get that kid!

　A voice that came over the girl's shoulder.
　--What?　Could it be that someone is trying to kidnap a little girl?　
　I thought so, but when I saw that it was the owner of the store, who I knew, who had requested the girl's capture, I decided which camp I was going to be in.
　As the girl tried to walk past me, I caught her foot. I held out my right arm to support her as her center of gravity crumbled forward.
　I took her slender frame in my arms.

"Let go of me!　Let go of me!　Fool!

　I've got a girl in my arms, flailing her legs around, trying to fight back. But she's no match for running.
　Before long, the owner has caught up with me.
　I put my hands on my knees and breathe over my shoulder.

"Huh. Haha. ......
What's going on here?
No. She ate all my merchandise. She grabbed an apple from the counter and ate it.
"I didn't do this dastardly act of running away with my food!　I didn't know it took money to eat an apple!
What do you mean? And I asked the girl.

　She said...
　I was walking in the market and there were apples lined up in front of the store.
　I was just hungry, so I took one. I didn't know you had to pay to eat an apple from the store. Then I said to the owner, "Hey! He was so surprised that he ran away as soon as he could.

I don't see how that excuse can be used.　You thieving girl!
What--!　You think I'm a thieving girl?　You're kidding me!　Shopkeeper, you, I'm going to have to take that back!
If you want it back, you'll have to pay first!
'Uggh ....... I don't have money ...... ......
Then I can't help you!　I'll have a knight on patrol come by. Call your parents and ask them to pay for their food poisoning.
'Ki, I don't want you to call a knight!　For God's sake.　If they call your parents, you're not going to be any better off.
What's that? How could I be in a bad way?
Yeah, that's ......
"f*ck. You don't have to try to scare me. If you want me to stop reporting you so badly, you'll have to pay for the apples first.
So, I'm telling you, I don't have any money!

　The conversation was going in circles.
　At this rate, I'm sure the owner would have to call in a knight. And then the girl will be squeezed tight.
　That's a pity. ....... It's just the way it is.

Well, I'll pay for this one.
"What?

　The girl and the owner look at me at the same time.

"Mr. Kaiser. Are you serious?

　The owner asks me if I can believe it.

"Yes. I don't think she has any money. It's like she's being reminded of something. You'll have to excuse the situation to my face.



　I said so and let the owner hold the money.
　Nearly ten times the price of an apple.

This much ......?
Well... Think of it as an annoyance fee.
"If you're the patron of the patronage, and you say so: ....... Hey, little girl. You can thank Mr. Kaiser for that.

　The owner apparently forgave her.
　When he gestured to the girl as if to swat away a fly, she looked away and peeked her tongue out of her eyes and said, "Nveh.

"d*mn it!
Shut up!　Barbarca!

　The girl agitated the owner and ran away from the front of the store. When she had gone a while, she said to me.

"I want to thank you. I owe you thanks for saving my life.
That's good.
'But why did you pay for me?　You and I are strangers. You don't have to pay me to do this.

　The girl is flabbergasted.

'Are you ...... a pedophile?　Are you trying to ingratiate yourself with me ...... and do dodgy things in return?
No way.

　I chuckled.

"I wouldn't have been able to get that place to go away without it. Besides, you didn't know you'd have to pay for the apples, did you?　Then I wouldn't be doing it again in the future, and I thought it would be too much to call my knights and parents.
You know I could have told you a makeshift lie.
If you were, you wouldn't be asking me that. And I can see in your eyes that you're not a liar.

　It's an adventurer's instinct.

'd*mn ...... hahaha!

　The girl suddenly burst out laughing loudly.

"You're a funny guy. I love it!

　He likes me.

What's your... What's your name?
It's Kaiser.
Yeah. Is it Kaiser-- Hmm?　Kaiser?　You ...... maybe have a daughter named Elsa?
'Elsa is indeed my daughter, but ....... Do you know her?
You don't know what she is.

　Just as the girl was about to make out some words.

"Master Prim!

　A familiar, dignified voice sounded.
　I looked and saw Elsa in her knight's armor running toward me.
　Prim--is that her name?

''Prim-sama. I've been looking for you. You snuck out of the castle again. The people at the castle and the whole Order were in a panic.
Mmm-hmm. I did everything I could to keep them from finding me.
Don't be so proud.

　That's where Elsa found me, next to Prim.

"Father. What are you doing here?
No. Just a little. Who is this girl?　Do you know him?
I mean, I know him, or rather, .......

　I don't know what's going on. I don't understand why she's so cryptic.

"Elsa is my Kingsguard.

　Prim answered for Elsa.

'Kingsguard?　Which means: ......

　Elsa nodded.

'This one--Prim-sama Prim is the princess of the land.
What?

　You mean - you're a princess!
　Daughter of Her Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen.

"Yes. Yes." "My name is Prim Wagenstein. Only daughter of the great King Sodom Wagenstein.


"Master Prim. I'm going back to the castle, my dear. They're wondering where you are.
'Hmm. ....... There's so much more I wanted to do. I guess we'll just... I guess we'll just stick to the straight and narrow for today.

　Prim said that.

"Kaiser. Thanks for your help today. I'll see you later.

　And then he left.

Your Highness!　Please wait!

　Elsa hurriedly chased after her. By the looks of it, she's probably being pushed around by the princess as a member of the Kingsguard on a daily basis.

　--I didn't think she was a princess. .......

　If the shopkeeper had called the knight and had decided to call his parents, we'd be in trouble now. The most powerful person in the country is coming. If things are not done right, the owner's head could be on a stick.
　Maybe the princess didn't want to get reported because she didn't want to be seen as a defender.
　I thought I was helping Prim, but as it turned out, I might have saved the shopkeeper's life as well.