9. Black and White Princess and Soul Dress [3] – part 1

At present time,

「……」

「……」

I was alone with Ria-san in her room.

「……」

「……」

Sitting on a wine red carpet, we sank into silence.

The silence felt almost suffocating.

To the point where the sound of the second hand of the clock ticking second by second could be heard clearly.

(……How did this happen)

As a result of that duel that gambled each other’s human rights, she became my slave. No, she was forced to become.

(A princess from one country became a slave of a stranger while studying abroad. If this was leaked to her home country… Not just at the level of troublesome but – a terrible uproar will occur…)

To be honest… I really want to be done with this.

Why do I have to suffer through this…

(Haa…)

I sighed in my heart for the umpteenth time.

After that duel, Leia-sensei brought us here halfway forcibly, saying, 「Slaves have to dedicate everything to their master!」

And then she said, 「I’ll arrange to move all of Allen’s baggage here tomorrow, so that’s the plan!」and she went off somewhere.

She really is like a tempest.

(…But in light of the academy rules and the common sense of society, Leia-sensei’s behavior is not wrong.)

That’s right.

At first glance, she seems to be doing whatever she wants, but in fact, she has only done the obvious thing as the duel witness.

In the first place,『duel』 is a serious sword fight that stakes ones’ pride, and the conditions and promises decided by both parties beforehand must be kept. A weak person who breaks this is not a swordsman, but a brute who has strayed from the moral road.

This is the first thing we learn at the Academy of Swordsmanship in Elementary School, and probably the swordsmen of this country – no, every single swordsman throughout the world have inscribed it in their hearts.

In fact, even Dodriel kept his promise.

That high-pride man bowed his head and firmly apologized and withdrew his rash remarks towards my mother and I.

A promise in a duel holds that much weight.

(That’s exactly why this situation is bothersome…)

Because of Ria-san’s personality, if I said「We can forget about slave contract」, she wouldn’t obediently back down and say「Thank you!」.

If she was such a character, then at the moment Leia-sensei said,「You lost the duel」, she would have ran away from that fact.

In other words, the only way to cancel this slave contract is for her to win over me in a duel.

(But, it’s already too late now…)

Ria-san’s attack pattern.

Attack and evasion tendency.

Thought process during battle.

Such important aspects of an opponent in a battle, was exposed to me in the previous battle.

Even if she had one or two hidden trump cards – it might be a hard fight, but in the current state, I don’t think I’ll lose. I have one or two hidden trump cards of my own too.

(Haa…… Should I just lose on purpose…?)

For a moment, such a stupid idea crossed my mind, but I immediately shook my head.

That is absolutely no good.

I’m also a swordsman.

I can’t deviate from the path of a swordsman, such as losing purposely in a duel.

If I did that, I won’t be able to face my mother or Paula-san anymore.

(…What do I do from now on)

Although I say「What to do」, at the current state there is nothing I can do. Thus, racking my brain would just be a waste of time.

I finally arrived at the conclusion that「it’s useless no matter what I do right now」, and looked around the room without being noticed by Ria-san.

(… it’s a surprisingly cute room)

Her room has a sense of unity with white as the base color and pink as the accent – a very girlish room.

Since she is royalty, I thought she would bring in more chandeliers and extravagant furnishings, but I don’t see anything of the sort.

It’s a very normal – lovely girlish room.

(And it kinda… smells nice…)

It smells different from a perfume or a detergent.

Of course, it is not strong enough to choke, but a gentle and natural scent that smells sweet when you concentrate your consciousness.

Then, as I looked around the room, I found something interesting.

(Hee… so she likes stuffed animals?)

There was a cute bear and hippo stuffed animal at the bedside.

(Fufu, so she does have a cute side)

And while I was observing her room,

「I-It’s embarrassing, so don’t stare too much… please.」

She muttered those few words while blushing.

The honorific attached at the end was probably because she is supposed to be my slave.

「So-Sorry…」

I apologized for the time being.

I shouldn’t have looked so intently at the room of a teen girl.

Even I understand that much.

However, this is a big achievement.

Only after coming to this room, was it possible for us to communicate – successfully.

I decided to start the next conversation, before this speaking atmosphere died down.

「Say, err…」

「W-What could it be…?」

「How do I put this, umm… why don’t you quit with the honorifics?」

Honestly, honorifics don’t suit Ria-san at all.

I think this is probably because I just saw her『elementary』side awhile ago.

「… I think it would be strange if I, as a slave, don’t use honorifics to address Master. Moreover… I have my own will and pride as a swordsman. I can’t differ from my promise.」

And she turned her face away.

She was a much more stubborn person than I expected.

(Even if you say that… After this, we are going to live together to a certain degree, I would feel suffocated if you keep using honorifics while talking…)

To be honest, I don’t particularly hate her.

Rather, I just hope to get along as a good friend.

Certainly, she has a bad mouth and feigns friendliness while in public – but she still kept her duel promise as she does now, and also has dignity as a swordsman.

I can’t say that our relationship is very good right now because of so many things, but…… I want to get along with her in the future.

(Besides… she can even use soul dress)

I also wanted to ask a little about things like the secrets of expressing soul dress.

(In order to get along with her, I first need to get her to quit the honorifics.)

Language shapes actions and relationships.

As long as she keeps using honorifics, it would be difficult for us to get along.

On the other hand, by removing honorifics, the distance between us will become surprisingly shorter.

If the honorifics disappear and we become able to have casual discussions, our actions and ideas may also be pulled together and we would see each other as equals.

(This stubborn and head-strong Ria-san has to quit honorifics… so, I have to use that)

It is a little aggressive of a technique, but this time it can’t be helped.

I looked straight into her eyes and said in a slightly stronger tone.

「Well then… I order you. From now on, I prohibit you from using honorifics towards me.」

「I-Isn’t that cowardly…!?」

It was within my expectation that she will refute in this way.

That’s why I speak the answer I had prepared in advance.

「Isn’t it one of the master’s rights, to forcibly make the slave do something they don’t want to?」

The logic is a little weird, but it makes sense.

And then,

「…I understand…*cough* – Understood. But, it’s really okay, right? You can’t withdraw that order, ok?」

Ria-san tried to confirm it just in case.

「Aa, that will be fine.」

Honorifics don’t suit her.

After all, the rough manner of speaking suits her best.

「If that’s the case, Allen also stop using honorific …It feels kinda unpleasant.」

She was blushing a little.

「Is that so? Then, I will do so without reservation.」

I’m not very good at honorifics either.

If Ria, the princess, allows me, then I will gladly accept her kind offer.

Anyway, when I was able to get rid of honorifics safely, I decided to touch upon a subject.

「Anyway… something this ridiculous happened right after enrolment.」

「Fuun, just whose fault is it I wonder…?」

「That’s… a tricky question? Certainly, I was wrong for seeing it, but I think Ria is also at fault for changing in the men’s changing room.」

「…Eh, what are you saying? I was changing in the women’s changing room」

「…Ha? No, that isn’t possible. That was definitely the men’s changing room.」

「N-NO Way!? But, I carefully checked before entering!」

No, when I entered, there was no doubt that the men’s changing room label was hanging over there.

Seeing Ria’s…, after accidentally seeing Ria, I firmly confirmed that it was the men’s changing room. I remember clearly.

Ria was taken aback and opened her mouth wide, as though realising something.

「Maybe… Leia’s doing?」

「…It’s possible」

Thinking back on it carefully, Leia-sensei’s appearance was too timely.

And now that I think about it「I had a premonition that something interesting would happen. So, I was lying in wait nearby!」was what she said.

I don’t know what the purpose is, but I’m sure she is undoubtedly involved in this.

「Kuu-, she got me! But why!? What is her purpose!?」

「I don’t know the purpose… But I learned that person is a big problem in a single day.」

And then,

「「…haaa」」

We both sighed simultaneously.

「…hey, don’t imitate me.」

「No, I was a fraction of a second earlier than you.」

「No no, I was ー」

Then, Ria and I enjoyed that meaningless empty talk.

As I thought, the distance between us got closer when the honorifics disappeared.

Then the wall clock began ringing out “Dong Dong Dong”.

It was already 11pm.

It’s time to sleep in preparation for tomorrow.

「Aa… it’s already this late」

「Un… We have to get ready for bed soon.」

「Yeah, Ria, go take a bath first.」

「…That is a perverted way of saying.」

I was being considerate just in case, but for some reason she was glaring at me.

「…Nn? Which is perverted?」

I don’t think there was anything perverted in what I just said…

「Th-That is… m-mou… it’s nothing!」

Ria walked toward the bathroom, while blushing for some reason.

「I-If you peek this time, I will never forgive you…!」

Then, she closed the divider curtain and began to undress.

「Aa… it’s absolutely fine, so don’t worry.」

After that, I took a bath after Ria got out.

Just before going to bed, there was a problem with the question,「Who will sleep where?」.

Well, it’s obvious, but this room has only one bed.

I said I was the man and would sleep on the floor, but Ria said,「It’s strange for the master to sleep on the floor and for the slave to sleep on the bed」while nodding her head.

Since there was no choice, we decided to sleep on the right and left ends of the bed together as a compromise.

(I feel that she trusts me a little too much, and her guard is too low… well, it’s fine)

Then I used the remote control at the bedside and turned off the lights in the room.

「Goodnight, Ria.」

「G-Goodnight… Allen…」

I was tired that day, and I immediately lost consciousness and fell into a deep slumber.

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