Ending Conditions of the Princess and the Knight

“As you wish.”

“What I want to do right now in the forest is cleaning. Monster cleaning. And ultimately, it’s dragon hunting. But the dragon is inside the castle. So, to catch it, I have no choice but to go inside.”

It was an almost lifelong wish, expressed directly but with a sincerity that was not lacking. If this didn’t work out, she would be unable to return home and would become lost in this other world. The confession was so truthful that it would be difficult for anyone to suspect her of lying.

Cleaning? Dragons? Hunting?

So the man across from her, who had been hit with this barrage of sincerity, was left staggering in the midst of chaos and confusion. Words with question marks danced furiously in his eyes.
Considering his state of mind, Taeri discarded the wine in his glass and poured him some water. Let him drink it to calm him down.

Taking it quickly, Claude gulped it down and set the thin glass down with a clatter.

“I need to confirm. Whether I heard correctly or not.”

“Yes.”

“The cleaning you mentioned, does it mean a massacre?”

“A massacre, really? That’s an exaggerated expression. I just meant subjugation…”

“And you mentioned a dragon. In that forest, no, in the castle, there’s a dragon?”

“That’s right.”

“Ha…….”

Claude was so shocked that he couldn’t even ask how she knew that.

His face was a little pale from the second and third blows of the hammer, but Taeri steeled himself and reiterated that it was the truth. He was destined to be a dragon slayer in the future anyway, and the first blow would hurt less.

“Have you ever seen a dragon in the forest, even a trace or a rumor?”

Claude’s face contorted with a look that seemed to question whether that was the right thing to say at the moment.’

“No, I haven’t. If I had seen it, I would have died right there, and if I died, there would be no rumors. If by any chance the dragon left its trace, it would be a sign of the forest’s destruction. What can we do about it? We just have to die.”

“I see. So it’s still around.”

“What do you mean still around?”

Claude had an astonished expression as if he was about to turn around, but Taeri slowly started the engine of the thought she had been harboring all along.

No matter how invincible the protagonist may be, games have levels, so it’s not possible to overcome all difficulties immediately. The obstacles that stand in his way will eventually disappear, but it won’t be easy right away.

However, what if she, who had already played the game once, helped him from the side? Couldn’t she help him leap from the first floor to the top in one breath?

“It’s not impossible.”

A speedy ending.

She saw one perfect possibility.

“Not everything, but I know a little about the curse.”

As she threw a tempting bait, as expected, his eyes instantly lit up, caught in the act.

“Valoran is the country of knights who worship the goddess of justice, Agatha. That’s why the Viceroy’s holy sword is Agatha’s sword.”

“That’s correct.”

“But we, mages, don’t rely on gods. We rely on science and the laws of mana for our lives. But that doesn’t mean there are no respected gods. Even here in Izarith, there is one being treated as a god, Babel.”

“The god of truth, Babel.”

Ah, so Babel was the god of truth? Taeri nodded her head, pretending to know naturally while swiftly devouring the knowledge she didn’t know.

“The curse of the Black Forest was cast by Babel. Have you heard the story that the calamity was brought upon Izarith when the king violated the divine prohibition? That’s Babel’s prohibition. And the dragon—”

“The symbol of the god Babel.”

“Well then, I believe you have a sufficient understanding of why the dragon remains within the castle. The dragon is the ultimate enemy that should be defeated in the forest, the very mark of the curse left by the god.”

All of this story was inferred from the dialogue spoken by the dragon itself during the final battle with the dragon, the last boss.

Taeri had tried to defeat the problematic dragon countless times and each time she was reborn and embarked on a new challenge, she always heard the same dialogue.

When she entered the room where the boss battle took place, she would come across a young boy reading a book. The child would be the first to give a warning, saying, ‘Knight, step back.’

Even if she chose to ignore the warning and proceed, the boy would instantly transform into a gigantic dragon and roar, and she would hear the line, ‘You have dared to invade the territory of my omnipotent friend.’

By connecting it with the numerous other breadcrumbs laid out earlier, a more accurate interpretation would have been possible. However, unfortunately, Taeri, being a gamer who was more focused on battles than the story, had reached the limit of the bait she could throw at this point. Still, she thought she could use this information to negotiate with Claude.

“I believe that if we can’t kill the dragon, the curse will never end. Without hunting the dragon, the restoration of the forest’s equilibrium is impossible.”

To restore the forest to its former peaceful state, the ecological balance of the forest must be restored. As she spoke, she thought it sounded quite convincing.

“So, will you join me… to slay the dragon?”

Claude, who was completely immersed in the storytelling, had an expression as if he had been punched in the face when Taeri made her proposal.

Claude hesitated shyly, fidgeting with his fingers, wondering what she was going to say. And when she suggested going to hunt the dragon. The atmosphere felt like a date proposal, but the words she spoke were more like, ‘Hey, buddy. How about we go to hell together?’

He was too drained to respond with astonishment, and the serene princess seemed to have placed a bomb on top of someone else’s head, or perhaps struggling to open a jar of jam on bread in front of her because her hand is slipping.

‘You can’t even open something like that, and now you want to go catch something.’

Without asking for anything, he abruptly took the bottle and opened it with a swift motion. Oh! She then applauded with a small cheer. Faced with such a reaction, he automatically felt annoyed and growled at himself while taking a deep breath.

You crazy fool, don’t enjoy this. What exactly do you like about it.

She, who received his unfriendly kindness, beamed with a wide smile.

“Have you thought about it?”

“I think I have.”

“Well, think about it a little more. I’ll make sure you won’t regret it.”

“I’ve been regretting it since I heard those words.”

“If you listen to the plan—”

“Don’t bother. I won’t listen.”

“Oh, come on. Please.”

Asking for a favor, huh? Do you think that’s all it takes?

He glared with boiling eyes, but when she said, ‘Just this once,’ and raised her index finger to shake it, his intense gaze softened slightly. It was not right to entertain such absurd nonsense, but the princess took advantage of his weakened state and quickly blurted out what she wanted to say.

“The plan is simple. We sneak attack through the hidden rear entrance of the castle and strike the dragon’s head. Do you think they would expect us to enter from there?”

You, woman, are truly…

“I know it may seem ignorant and bizarre, but it’s the only way. I know where the rear entrance is. The key to this plan is speed. Of course, we have to be prepared to risk our lives to slay the dragon. What do you think?”

“What do I think? It’s as you said, ignorant and bizarre. Did you really think I would agree to such a destructive plan?”

“What if there’s a reward? If I compensate you generously, wouldn’t you agree?”

“No, absolutely not.”

Why did I even give her a chance to speak? It’s my own fault. The princess is not to blame. I shouldn’t have forgotten that she is a mage who inevitably pursues fantasies. As a born knight, he was inclined to clearly distinguish between dreams and reality.

“I have no interest whatsoever.”

“Please, help me clean up the monsters first. Then I’ll give you what you truly desire.”

Even though I said that’s enough, she still continued without backing down, as if her confidence alone would be enough to shatter the dragon’s skull.

Giving me what I truly desire? Claude let out a small scoff.

“How do you know what I want?”

“Even though it’s a crumbling kingdom, there is still territory and status here. I noticed earlier that some people refer to the viceroy as the Little Duke of so-and-so. Isn’t that a title inherited from your parents? But if you accept what I’m offering, you could attain a position higher than your parents.”

“……!”

“Sonetti, the royal family that has ruled Izarith for a thousand years, carries tradition and honor in its name. So naturally, the rightful owner who receives this land will wield a corresponding power.”

“What… are you saying?”

“I’ll hand it over. The land and the throne. It’s a completely independent ownership, on a different level from what your Emperor would give. This is what you want, isn’t it?”

He wanted to interrupt and ask what she was talking about, but his mouth froze, refusing to move. The value of the item the princess was willing to give away was astonishing, and it was shocking that she accurately pinpointed exactly what he desired.

“Right now, you’re no different from a bandit wielding a sword. Moreover, the authority of the viceroy is merely delegated power from the Emperor. Don’t you want to break free from that sphere of influence? That’s what I thought you wanted.”

So how the hell do you know about that? It’s a desire I’ve never spoken aloud or revealed to anyone. The palm of his hand began to itch with intangible desire.

“That’s…… an extraordinary proposition you’re making.”

The words came out intermittently because the heat that spread from his heart was enough to make it explode. Upon receiving the princess’s request, Claude’s heart began to race like crazy.

If you go this far, what should I do? Should I resist the temptation or should I hold your hand instead of devouring you?

The red lips, heated by the fervor, looked enticingly beautiful as they curved upwards.

“You’re saying you’ll give me all of that. It’s too good to be true.”

“It’s not a lie, so you can feel excited without any burden.”

Don’t make me laugh. Do you think I would get excited? He made up his mind to say that, but as soon as he saw her clear face, glowing with the reddish star nestled at the corner of her eyes, his cheeks flushed.

Her unabashed smile was asking, “Don’t you want to go with me?”

‘Damn it, I’m excited.’