The capital of the Univance Kingdom, 『Univance』.
The castle, built on hilly terrain, has undergone repeated expansions and renovations with each generation. It lacks charm, but it’s said to be so solidly fortified that no one can easily imagine a way to bring it down.
Spreading out from the castle is the castle town, protected by multiple layers of walls and gates.
She passed through the town in her family’s carriage, went through the castle’s main gate, was asked to dismount, and stepped down from the vehicle.
For today, she had prepared a pale purple dress.
It wasn’t a hand-me-down from her older sisters. She had whined to her father for three whole days, 『It’s work at the castle, so buy me one～』, and this was purely the result of careful negotiation. Definitely not because her father gave in to his daughter’s selfishness, she firmly believed that.
She told the soldiers the reason for her visit, was verified, and then guided inside the castle.
Walking behind the maid who was showing her the way… she gently pressed a hand to her modestly endowed chest, trying to keep her excitement in check.
Her new superior would be… that third prince.
The hot-blooded man who, at the wedding, had openly argued face-to-face with the Empire’s great general and the republic’s finance minister.
Above all, he was the one who had married this kingdom’s symbol of terror, the 『dragon slayer』.
According to rumors, he apparently pets that dragon slayer all over like a cat.
She had thought it was just gossip, but when her 『big sister』, who rarely visited the capital manor, happened to come by, she asked for confirmation and got an even more intriguing reply: 『Something like that did happen. Those two… are really amazing in all sorts of ways.』
Ahh! I want to meet him soon.
Desperately calming her skipping steps, she let her imagination run wild about the impending meeting.
Since he’s said to be hot-blooded… he’s probably a rugged, muscular man who would look great in armor, right?
She regretted not asking her sister about his appearance while confirming the rumors.
But her work at the castle was a secret from her sister.
She didn’t quite understand why… but her sister hated the idea of her younger sisters working in the castle.
She had heard from her much older sisters that they were unilaterally disliked and harassed into taking on tough royal guard jobs, so maybe her sister didn’t want her younger siblings to go through the same hardship.
She truly was a beautiful, kind big sister, the very model of a lady, and someone to be proud of.
「This is the room.」
「Thank you.」
She gave a light nod to the maid who stepped aside respectfully by the door, then took one deep breath in front of it.
From here… starting now, her new first step would begin.
Knock knock.
「Excuse me!」
Believing momentum was key at the start, the girl flung open the door and bounded energetically inside, only to see a muscular, shirtless man straining with all his might to open the lid of a jar.
-0-
The story goes back a little.
「I want something sweet.」
「Something sweet?」
「Yeah. Don’t you ever get in the mood for it when you’re using your brain like this?」
「No… I don’t really…」
I deliberately slump my shoulders at the shy, cheek-scratching reaction from the boyish Inel-kun.
That’s why the youth these days… are such a disappointment.
「If there’s anything you want to eat, I’ll go buy it right away!」
His flustered panic at my obvious reaction is adorable.
He’s 14 years old and very petite, a boy named Inel von Huegram.
He’s Newbie No. 1, who started working under me yesterday. No. 2 is apparently coming today.
「There is something.」
「There is?」
「Yeah. But the lid won’t open.」
I take the troublesome jar out of the desk drawer.
It’s nut jam. A tart, delicious one made by simmering something like wood berries.
Spreading this on biscuits has been my recent obsession… but this jar I bought the other day simply refuses to open.
「Is it sealed or something?」
「Here, try.」
「…It’s not sealed.」
「Right? But it won’t open.」
If only Noie were here right now, it’d be solved in one shot.
At worst, she might just smash the whole jar… but if it comes to that, so be it.
「How about eating something else?」
「Hmm～ It’s frustrating to have it right in front of me and not be able to eat it.」
I hate being in the position of a dog teased with a treat just out of reach.
「Arg～ Hurry and put these documents together for me, super urgent.」
I hurl the jar at the idiot who’s come barging in with a friendly tone and an obvious headache of a task.
He catches it effortlessly with one hand.
「Open that.」
「…You can’t even open a lid like this?」
「Quit complaining and open it. In exchange, I’ll look over those papers.」
I lean back arrogantly and say it, only for him to punch the documents with a right straight.
What a narrow-minded brother. I’ll tattle to Noie about him later.
「…Estimates for the provincial inspection tour?」
「Rough figures. Aniki’s nagging me to get it done quick.」
「What’s this? 『Tributes』?」
「You need them for courtesy visits, right?」
「These barrels of liquor?」
「The household servants are the best for gathering info, you know?」
「…And 『amount for my discretionary use』?」
「Exactly what it says.」
「Rejected. Go back to the day before yesterday, idiot aniki.」
「You little… Your job is to cleverly fudge it and make the estimate work!」
「Wrong, moron! We’re in charge of running Noie’s squad! Besides, the amounts are way too high! That onii-chan of ours won’t approve it.」
「…Jeez. Aniki’s too straight-laced.」
Even while grumbling… the lid in his hand still hasn’t budged an inch.
「So, when are you opening it?」
「Looks like the day has come for me to show my true power!」
Suddenly stripping off his shirt and pumping his muscles to full flex, the royal guard captain… began showing his serious side to the unopening jar lid.
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