201-Episode 199: Princess Sofia is swayed by a brave man




Princess Sophia's point of view.

Sofia, please come with me.
Yeah, but...
 I'm forcibly pulled by the heroic Makoto.

'Come on, come on!'
Yes, sir.
 His hand squeezes my hand.
 Ugh........my face is hot.
I suppress my agitation with my 'cold blood' skill.

 Where is he taking me?
 You didn't think you were going to do something like that alone with me?
 No, no, no.
 I'm a priestess, I have to be pure.

 ........But the Water Goddess (Eil) said to me, "Sophia-chan, it's okay if you f*ck Mako-kun to the end☆ You can continue as a miko! I have received a sign from you.
 Eil-sama, please be a little more stern with your announcements.

 Eil-sama has given me permission, so I don't mind... what are you thinking, Sophia!
 Such insolence at a time when the people are terrified of the resurrection of the Great Demon King!

 But if the hero, Makoto, were to force me to do it....
 In that case.....



 ◇



Okay, I'm here.
What?
 I arrived at my destination while I was in my head, thinking in circles.

 In front of me was a strange mansion built by magic on the side of the Highland Castle. 
 The mansion's materials are glittering ice and crystals.
 The owner of the mansion is the third highest ranking wizard in the Highlands and the best wizard on the continent.
 It was the mansion of the Great Sage.
 Why is he here?

Then let's go.
Wait, Mako the hero!
What's going on?
 What's the matter with you?
 Why are you forcing me to pull you to the Great Sage's place!
 A place where we can be alone more like this... but not like this!

The Great Sage does not like people. Have you made an appointment in advance to meet him today...?
 A man who hates people to begin with and rarely gives permission for visits.

'No? I don't have an appointment, sir?
What?
Hey, Great Sage.
 He opens the door without permission and enters.

Yoo, heroic Makoto?
 Eeeeeeee!
 Now, you said you didn't have an appointment!
 You're dealing with one of the most powerful men in the Highlands!
 There is even a story of a nobleman who was so rude that he was taken down!

Wait, wait.
 I hurriedly stop him as he tugs on my hand and moves forward slowly.

'Sophia?'
Let's go back! You will incur the wrath of the Great Sage Teacher!
 I tug on the arm of the hero Makoto, being careful not to speak too loudly.

'What, look who it is, it's you guys.
"Yikes!
 I noticed that a doll in a maid's outfit was standing close by.
 That voice was the voice of the Great Sage Master.

''Grand Sage-sama, do you have time now?''
I was asleep, but that's all right. Let's get in there.
Sorry to disturb you.
....  
 The permission to visit him was easily granted after the fact.
 I heard from Princess Noel, but the Great Sage-sama really has a soft spot for the heroic Makoto.
 ........There are even rumors that she's his mistress, but that should just be a rumor.
 No roots.........right?

 The interior of the Great Sage's house is dark, lit only by the dim light of a magic lantern.
 The puppets controlled by the Great Sage lead the way.
 The brave Makoto and I followed them.

 As we proceeded, the tension grew.
 In the past, when I was studying in the Land of the Sun to be educated as a priestess, Grand Sage-sama was the one who taught me magicology.
 
 He is a person who is fearful just to talk about it.
 I've heard that even Noel-sama has the same perception.
 I shouldn't be allowed to go to see him so casually.......
 I walked, stiffening myself with nervousness.


''You're here.
Yes, sir.
'Sorry to disturb you, my dear sir. Great Sage.
 We entered the room, greeting the Great Sage Master.
 Brave Makoto is assigned a seat next to Grand Sage-sama.

''So, what do you want?''
 The Great Sage-sama, with his cheekbones and his red eyes glowing with a sullen look.
 ........This is scary.

''Actually, I'm in trouble, Grand Sage-sama.
 Much closer to the Great Sage, our nation's state-certified hero.
 Oh, you shouldn't be so familiar with him....

''Ho, the spiritist who did a good job in defeating the Demon King. I've heard that you've received countless offers of marriage proposals. Sofia is always at a loss for words.
No, no...
 Although he denied it with his mouth, the Great Sage was right.

 Senior nobles from the Land of the Sun, the Land of Commerce (Cameron), and the Land of Fire (Great Keith) are swarming to take aim at the brave men of Roses, who have achieved great success in defeating the Demon King.
 They are all nobles with assets no different from the Roses royal family.
 

''Great Sage-sama, isn't it Sakurai-kun who did the defeating of the Demon King? I didn't do anything.
Oh, honey...
 To the words of the brave Makoto, the Great Sage Master replied, "a**h*le.

 This is just as the Great Sage-sama said.
 The story goes that the brave man of light came over just before he was about to lose his life and saved Grand Sage-sama from danger.
 If this isn't a credit, what is it?

''I was helpless against the Beast King's attack. To be honest, I was too slow on the uptake.
But with your magic, the magic power (mana) of the brave men of light has been restored. I'm proud enough.
'Well, it doesn't matter. The problem is that the Great Sage has said I'm not allowed to go out because the Great Sage has said I'm the one who did it or something. I'm in great trouble.
Oh, my God!
 I have turned blue.
 I always thought of myself as someone who wasn't afraid of the powers that be, but that's an exaggeration!
 I was trying to stop the Great Sage before he got angry.

'Ho, my bad? So what do you want me to do?
'Why don't you use your power, Great Sage, to set me free? I'm locked in a hospital room and I can't leave without permission.
Hmmm, my power, I'd say...
 The Great Sage Master doesn't look angry at all at the rude words of the brave Mako.
 He folds his arms and is distressed.

 In the magic class I learned in the past, though, there was a harsh spanking for the rude people.
 Mainly, though, it was the brave man of lightning (Gerald) who was receiving it.


'Well, how about this?'
 The Great Sage Master holds up a finger as if he had a flash of something.


'Will you be my guardian knight, spirit user?'
Guardian Knight?
What?

 Eeeeeeeeee!
 I am astounded by those words.

 In the past, a thousand years.
 I've never heard of a guardian knight attached to the Great Sage Master.
 It's a good thing that they're not the same as their former companions, Savior Abel or the legendary magical archer Jonny.
 There was no one else who could stand up to them.
 It's a tremendous honor.

"No, Great Sage.
Hmm, you think?
"Why did you turn down the offer?
 You throw away the greatest honor just for that?

I'm the knight in shining armor of the Goddess of the Moon's maiden.
'Yeah, right. But you can duplicate as long as the 'type of contract' isn't covered. What is the type of contract you're making now?
What kind of contract?
 He twists his head.

'You ... you don't think you know what you're signing up for, do you?
'Brave Mako you can't do that.
 The Great Sage Master and I were dumbfounded.

''Show me the Soul Book.
Huh, huh...
 The brave Makoto holds out a sheet of paper.
 Hmmm, the great sage looks it over.

I'm not going to be able to get it right. Well, I thought so.
"Sofia, what's the word contract?
A verbal promise. It's the lightest of all contracts.
Wow.
 Haha, you have been morbidly practicing water magic, why don't you have this elementary knowledge.......

''Spirit Master, there are five types of contracts. The one you have signed is two of them. If you want to become my guardian knight, you can use the other three. If you become the guardian knight of the Great Sage of the Highlands, there will be no one to mess with you.
 The Great Sage Master explained to the heroic Makoto.

'Two? The only person I have a guardian knight contract with is the princess, right?
'Brave Mako, the covenant is not always with the guardian knight. You have an apostolic covenant with the goddess as well, don't you?
 I added.
 Doesn't his goddess teach such things as well?

Did I have a contract with Master Noah?
The covenant between God and the people is a 'covenant of the soul.' The people offer their faith and God gives his blessings. It's common sense, but........because the spirit user is from another world? Didn't you know that?
 The heroic Makoto nodded his head.

''Other than the 'Contract of the Word' and the 'Contract of the Soul', what else do you have?'''
''The rest is a 'blood pact,' a 'body pact,' and a 'life pact,' brave Mako.
If you want to make a deal with me it will be a 'blood pact'. Each side should drink at least one drop of the other's blood.
So, all the usual.
Yeah, all right.
What?
 The Great Sage Master jumps on the heroic Makoto with a snap and puts his arms around his neck.
 It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with your friends. 
 I'm sure you'll be able to get a good idea of what to expect.  
 The blood of the heroic Makoto is being drunk.

''Isn't a sip enough?''
No, you're my guardian knight, aren't you? Indulge me.
Okay.
 The brave Makoto has his hands behind his back as he strokes the Great Sage-sama's head.
 The great sage also has his hands tightly entwined with his neck.
 Just like two lovers........

(Yes.........)

 At that moment, I had a fiercely bad feeling.

 There was no way that a great person like the Great Sage could have anything to do with a commoner.
 I had assumed that.
 

(Sofia, you're too late.)
 Oh, Master Eil!

No! You can't be too careful! You're a natural gigolo, Mako.
 Jeez, Gigolo?
 What is that?
 No, more importantly, what did you do with this call?
 What's the emergency?

(Hmm? (No - I'm just here to imitate Noah and make small talk*)
 Huh, huh...?

Don't let them get to you, Mako.
 With that said, Eir-sama's voice was no longer audible.
 Recently, I have been able to hear His voice easily.

 I'm grateful for that, but I'm also afraid.
 It seems that the brave Mako goddess frequently speaks to me.
 Doesn't she get tired of being nervous?

"Here, lick my finger. Then we have a 'blood pact'.
It's kind of weird, isn't it?
 When I noticed, their contract was already nearing completion.

Hmmm, now you are my guardian knight, Spirit Master. I'll tell Noel later and let him know. The number of nobles who bother you will be greatly reduced.
'Yay! Now we can go out!
 The heroic Makoto who is hailing the words of the Great Sage Master.
 
 Even so, I signed the contract with little hesitation, but do you understand the 'risk of the contract'?
 Our nation's state-certified heroes are anxious because the crucial part is sometimes missing.......

 We thanked the great sage and left the mansion.




 --The way back.



You really are an insane person, aren't you?
Yeah?
 Me and the brave Makoto walked side by side, talking to each other.
 To be honest, my heart almost stopped a few times.
 When it was over, I can say that the connection between the Land of Water and the Land of the Sun was strengthened.......

''Although the Great Sage-sama was kind to you, what would have happened if you had gotten angry. You need to be a little more brave....
Sofia, would you like to get a bite to eat?
Don't listen to me...
 Really!
 You can't fool me!

What would you like to eat?
Just whatever you want to eat.
All right, let's go to that place Fujiyan told me about.
 The brave Makoto grabs my hand and pulls me languidly.
 Hey, was he such a forceful person?

Sounds like fun.
It's been too long since I've been out!
Yes, it was, wasn't it?
 He couldn't get out of the hospital, and I guess he was stressed out.
 I decided to let him escort me out.

 He took me to a small tavern in a back alley in the Third Ward Street.
 This is the kind of place you find in the Third Ward, the city of the aristocracy.
 I can't see any customers yet.
 Maybe it's before business.

 A wooden desk and a barrel chair.
 It was a tavern that the adventurers seemed to patronize.
 It was completely different from the eating places I usually use.

'I've never been to a place like this before.
I heard it was inspired by a commoner's tavern.
Did you make it?
 Does that mean the owner is an acquaintance of the brave Makoto?
 Just then, someone came from the back of the store.

Summer.
Oh, you're Nina, Lord Fujiwara's wife?
 A rabbit-eared beastman.
 He is an old acquaintance of the brave Makoto.

Nina-san, I'm here!
Master Makoto! If you're going to bring Lady Sophia with you, please let me know in advance!
Hi, sorry. I'm not in business yet. I'll come back later.
The master will scold you if you go home without serving the princess anything! I'll have it ready in a minute!
 With a huff, he walked back to the back of the store without making a sound.

'I'm sorry about that,'
"You are being too haphazard, brave Makoto.
I'm sorry...
 Makoto nodded.

The next time you're feeling down, be more careful...
 I tried to follow up in a hurry.
'Lord Tuckey! Lady Sophia! Welcome!
Oh, Fujian.
 He was back to his normal face again.
 ...Pretending to be sorry... wasn't it?

This is a humble tavern for the nobility of the Highlands, where civility is discouraged and you can enjoy yourself. Have fun with it!
Fujiyan's recommendation, please.
I'll take care of it! 
I'm sorry.
 Your friends are angry with you.
 Of course. 

 And then he served me a creative meal that featured the characteristics of both the Land of Water and the Land of the Sun, and it was a very delicious meal.
 It was a very good meal.
 Mako and I got to talk a lot and had a lot of fun.
 I was satisfied with the meal.



 ◇



 After we finished eating, we returned to the hospital room.

You're late, Makoto. We ate before you did.
Hey, where have you been? Takatsuki-kun and Sophie-chan
 When I returned to the hospital room, I found Lucy on the brave Mako's bed with Aya tying her hair.
 The two of you are really good friends.

 They seem to get a little acrimonious sometimes when it comes to the heroic Makoto, though.
 Does that mean that you are friends who can fight with each other?
 I don't have any friends like that.
 I'm a little jealous.

''I've gone to the Great Sage-sama's place.
Our hero, Makoto, has been appointed as the guardian knight of the Grand Sage. Seriously, that's a very shortened lifespan.
Wow.
'That's great! Mako.
 I sighed and explained to Aya and Lucy what had happened.
 It was then.


'What?'
 The voice came from the door.




 --Kalan Karan Karan........




 The metal container fell to the floor.
 There stood a stunned-looking Moon Goddess priestess with a stunned expression.

''Shah! Nah, nah!
 Food that looks like cat food is scattered on the floor.
 A black cat is angrily snacking on the food scattered about.
 Oh, it's so cute.


What did you say.........now.........what did you say.......?
 The moon goddess maiden's voice is trembling and she's not speaking well.
 I've never seen her so distraught before.
 In comparison, the heroic Makoto doesn't notice her condition, or maybe he looks the same as usual.
 Brave Makoto is always calm.
 A cunning man.

'Ah, princess. I'm going to be the guardian knight of the Great Sage Master from today........

Traitorooooooooo!

 An enraged Moon Goddess priestess (Furiae) grabbed onto the heroic Makoto.