Chapter 27 – The luggage role. (荷物役ですの。)

This is the POV of a squad leader in the Imperial Knights.

"Squad Leader, Isn't that Captain Daemon's sister over there? You know, from that recent game of tag."

As I was making my rounds within the royal palace grounds, a subordinate from my squad called out to me.

"Oh, you mean Miss Isabella? I heard she would be attending the tea party today, so... it wouldn't be strange for her to be here."

Some of the knights were going on about Captain Daemon of the first unit borrowing chains used for capturing earth dragons this morning, just to bring his sister Isabella to a tea party.

I see, so you can restrain that girl with the chains for earth dragons.

In the first place, what kind of 6 year old needs chains meant for earth dragons?

"But isn't it strange for a young lady from a ducal household to be moving a carriage? Shall we call out to her?"

"A young lady can't drive a carriage. Isn't there a coachman beside her?"

To begin with, it'd be faster for Miss Isabella to run than to go by carriage.

"No, that's not it... Sir, please have a look for yourself! There are no 'coachmen' or 'horses', Captain Daimon's little sister is literally moving the carriage!!"

Following those words, the others speak up.

"Oh, she's really moving the carriage. Hilarious."

"Wow, she's pulling a carriage. Amazing!!"

"Haa?!"

I hurriedly turned to the direction my men were facing, and saw Lady Isabella pulling a carriage and running at great speed.

"Wha-!! Hold it!! Hey! What are you guys standing around for!! Go after it!! Stop that carriage!!"

...Thank god. With the addition of a carriage, Lady Isabella was far slower than the last time, and we somehow managed to catch up.

The carriage got fairly close to the castle walls before stopping, though.

The carriage pulled by the young girl was surrounded by 4 Imperial knights.

"Miss Isabella, what are you doing pulling a carriage...?"

Even if there's no better way to phrase it, what kind of question is this?

Is that something you would normally ask a 6 year old young lady? "What are you doing pulling a carriage?"

Seriously, why are you even pulling a carriage!

While my mind was in a state of chaos—between the exhaustion of chasing after the carriage, and this baffling situation, I posed a question to the young lady. And when I did...

The girl who had caused this whole mess replied with a big smile.

"I'm playing with a friend of mine! I'm the horse!!"

"Miss Isabella is playing the horse, you say? And may I ask where your friend is?"

Who the heck is it?

A friend who would make a duke's daughter play the horse.

"In the carriage, of course. Her name is Allis-chan."

Allis-chan. So a girl then.

To make a friend pull a carriage... what a frightening child.

Well, to begin with, it's strange for Miss Isabella to even be able to pull a carriage.

Ughh, just what is going on here... I don't get it at all...

.......I wanna go home...

"Just in case, would you mind if we inspect the inside as well?"

"Not at all. Allis-chan~ the knights are going to open the door~"

"H-hweh?! Y-yes!! Go on ahead!!"

When the carriage door opened, there was a black-haired, red-eyed girl about the same age as Miss Isabella inside.

"A-a good day to you, sir knights. I am Lady Isabella's friend, Amaryllis. U-um.. The queen, along with our mothers have properly given their permission to this game of ours, so please pay it no mind."

Despite being evidently nervous, Allis-chan, aka Miss Amaryllis explains such to us, but...

We can't very well leave with an "Oh I see. Have fun and have a good day."

"In that case, we shall now confirm this with Her Majesty. After doing so, we shall accompany you ladies with your game of pretend horses, so as to ensure none of you gets hurt. Would you mind waiting for a moment?"

"Hiiie!! Well um, about that... it is fine to get the confirmation, but there is no need to accompany us."

You've been a stuttering mess for a while now, Miss Amaryllis.

With a touch of suspicion, I shifted my gaze to the inside of the carriage, and in the seat behind Miss Amaryllis...

There was a "sack" sitting there.

Yes, a "sack" was sitting there.

In terms of size, a child the size of Miss Amaryllis or Miss Isabella would fit nicely in...

No, I'll be blunt about it.

There's definitely someone in that!!

The sack is so obviously shaped like a person is inside!!

W-who is it?! Who is inside that sack?!

Why were they stuffed into a sack?!

And why are they just quietly sitting there in that state!!

I don't wanna do this anymore... I wanna pretend I saw nothing and just go home already!!

But now that I've seen it, I have no choice but to ask.

"Um... If I may, the child sitting at the back has yet to be introduced, who is it?"

"Eh?! Um.. Ummm... There is no one. I am the only passenger."

As if!

There's clearly a human-shaped sack sitting over there.

Miss Isabella, who had been silent until now, then entered the conversation.

"That kid plays the luggage role."

"The luggage role?!"

"That's right. That child plays the luggage role, and the only one playing the human role is Allis-chan here. In other words, there is no one in this carriage besides Allis-chan."

It's not even a living thing, is there a need for a "luggage" role?!

I just don't understand the games that kids play nowadays....

"So, who is playing the luggage role?"

"I guess there is no helping it. I shall properly give the introductions, so would everyone kindly gather around?"

With that, Miss Isabella gathered the four of us outside the carriage door.

"First off, I play as the horse. My name is Isabella, a lady of a ducal house."

I really wonder why this girl took on the role of a horse, even when she's a duke's daughter.

"And this is the one who plays the human role, Allis-chan. Go on!! Allis-chan! Introduce yourself in the moe-kyun way 'as planned'!!"

"Huh?! Do I really have to do 'that'?!"

"Yes!!"

What is it? "Moekyun"? And what do they mean by "that"?

"U-uuu... My name is Amaryllis. A-and..."

As she stammered with her face turning red and eyes getting teary, Miss Amaryllis used both her hands to make a heart symbol, and with a voice that highlighted a different brand of cuteness than before, she said:

"Amaryllis!! Lo~ves Big Brother knights♡"

Huh? What is she suddenly..... Erk!! ...Wha-?! No way!!

There's a sudden tightness in my chest!! Just what in the world is this!! These heartthrobs I'm feeling!!

The squad members around me collapsed, unable to withstand the attack.

"What... Just what did you do..."

"Allis-chan!! That person has a 'Resistance' to it!! But it's working!! Another one please!!"

"Y-yesh!! ...Sir knights, thank you for always protecting us～♡ Mr knight!! You're so strong and cool～♡"

Just what is this!! This angel!!

With her teary-eyed, bright red face, she's saying some adorable stuff right now!!

"Amaryllis-tan. So cute. Seriously an angel."

"Amaryllis-tan, my adorable little devil..."

The rest of the squad is down for the count!!

No! Something's wrong here!!

I couldn't stand the throbbings in my heart either, and fell to my knees.

"Allis-chan, let's go!! Close the door, and hold on tight!!"

"Yes!!"

Ah!! They're getting away!!

But my heart is beating so fast that I can't even stand straight.

Something's definitely wrong here!!

Just what is it? Come to think of it, Miss Isabella said something about "Resistance"...

"Gah!! Damn it!! This is a 'Charm skill'!!"

How could this be?!

That Miss Amaryllis girl!!

Even though she's still a kid, she has a high level "Charm skill"!!

There is a limit to how frightening she can be!!

But as long as I realise it's a "Charm skill", I can dispel it with some fighting spirit!!

All right, stand up!!

I have to go after those kids!!

And so I stood, but when I looked up, I saw...

The figure of Miss Isabella, "throwing the carriage" over the castle walls.

Wow......... It's flying so high. That carriage.

───Hah!! This isn't the time to be staring at it!!

Ha!! Wait just a minute!!

Earlier.... in the carriage....

"Noooooooooo!! Miss Amaryllis─!! Luggage role─!!"

T/N: For those who don’t know what [moe-kyun] is, a really really simplified explanation is that it’s used to describe something uber cute

Amaryllis calls the knights as [knight onii-tama] and [knight-tama], which is a cute-sounding way of saying [-sama]

Same goes for [Amaryllis-tan], it’s a cute way of saying [-chan]... which u should probably know if you’ve watched re:zero