Sneaking into the princess's house was surprisingly easy; there wasn't even an alarm system. I could understand why, though. A visible security measure would attract attention and suggest the building's importance.
However, the lack of any protections made me question whether they had a hidden alarm and defense system, or if they were simply careless.
Inside her room, which was larger than most people's apartments and occupied most of the second floor, there was no extravagant display of wealth. She had three TVs, a half-filled bookshelf, a regular shelf, and a painting in the corner featuring her and her family.
Despite the opulent furnishings in her room, there was a subtle touch of simplicity that set her apart from the typical image of a spoiled princess. The edges of her plush armchair were worn, revealing the slight fraying of the fabric, as if it had been lovingly used for years. On her vanity, a collection of delicate trinkets and baubles were meticulously arranged, each seemingly with a story and sentimental value, showcasing her appreciation for cherished memories rather than mere material possessions.
Could she be just a normal girl? Was I being too suspicious?
My doubts vanished when I opened her drawer, causing a cascade of books. Swiftly, I caught them before they hit the ground, making any noise. The door creaked open, and my heart skipped a beat, as someone was about to come in.
How hadn't I heard their footsteps? Instinctively, I gathered the books and slipped into the shelf they had fallen from, surrounded by the scent of even more books.
Why would she keep books here when she had a half-filled bookshelf?
The princess entered, followed closely by Yara, still wearing the same clothes from their visit.
"I'm exhausted," the princess groaned, collapsing onto her bed. "Being an introvert, talking to people drains my energy. I just want to escape from here with my riches and immerse myself in manga and anime. This sucks!"
Yara smiled, seemingly accustomed to her complaints. "I’ve told you, if you disappear, whoever ascends the throne won't spare your life. They wouldn't want any threats to their authority."
I positioned myself, ready to evade her gaze. Yara shouldn't be able to see me since I was in the opposite corner of the room. She could only sense someone's Ord when directly looking at them. If necessary, I could activate a special ability, although I doubted even Perfect Me could hide me from her penetrating eyes if she focused on me.
"Kekekeke, they're fools if they think they can handle my power," the princess exclaimed, rising to her feet. Her hand covered her face, and her deep blue eyes shimmered. "This dark power sealed within me will be unleashed! Ashura Final!"
However, nothing happened, even after her chant. Was this really my fiancé? A chuuni princess?
"Anyway, princess, make sure to get to bed early tonight. You stayed up too late last night, and it was quite difficult to wake you up," Yara said, walking away with a slight smile.
"Don't simply ignore my defiance against heaven's will!" the princess declared. But as soon as Yara left, she flopped onto the bed and pouted. "Humph, who is she to stop me from watching anime?"
Then she discarded her extravagant attire, opting for a simple loose tank top and shorts. She switched on all the TVs, and anime intros began playing simultaneously on each screen.
The princess had a smile on her face as she swayed her head from side to side.
She's a weeb too? Damn, how do I escape without her noticing me?
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Surrounded by books, any attempt to leave would cause some to fall and create enough noise to alert her.
Examining the books around me, I concentrated the Ord in my eyes, allowing me to see through the darkness. Yep, these were all manga. She's not just an ordinary weeb; she's a super weeb. She's almost at the same level of weebdom as I was in my previous life, but I don't see any light novels. There was another level of weebness beyond what I had achieved, but I'm not sure if it existed in this world—the fanfiction level.
Even to myself, I would never admit that I had reached that level. It was too embarrassing.
...
Six hours passed, and my body cramped up as I remained in the literal closet. But the physical pain paled in comparison to the anguish within my soul.
"Yamate! Don't do it! You can't die, Kita-chan!" The princess shrieked as one of the main character's new teachers fell victim to a cat monster. She burst into tears at the sight.
In private, she uttered some words in Japanese, causing secondhand embarrassment to inflict direct damage to my soul. From that moment on, I knew I would never be the same. Both my body and mind felt tainted.
After watching the 14th episode of an anime that day (without skipping the intros!), she suddenly clutched herself and hastily left the room.
Emerging from the closet, I arranged the books and stealthily exited through the window, ensuring no one saw me. Once outside, the sound of the anime the princess had left running abruptly ceased. It seemed like some sort of two-way sound-blocking barrier or, perhaps, just a well-soundproofed room devoid of any magical signature.
That explained why I couldn't hear the princess approaching the room.
Upon returning to my cabin, a ridiculous scene greeted me. Bear anxiously chewed on his nails, resembling a worried wife whose husband was staying overnight at another woman's house. Yet, to my knowledge, Bear was male.
Pan dozed on the couch, while Miku held a tarot card representing death in her hand. She murmured, "How did I draw the same card thirteen times? Tarot is a sham... is Kon really dead?"
Did she just mention my real name?
Approaching them, Miku turned to look at me and exclaimed, "Ahhh! A ghost!" Ignoring her, I went to check on Pan, the only one cunning enough to orchestrate such a prank.
"Ugh," he grumbled, lazily opening one eye, as I retrieved a deck of tarot cards from his pocket. Each and every card bore the image of Death.
"I expected better from you," I glanced at Miku, who resembled a startled deer.
She scratched her head. "I got a bit worried when you didn't return for over six hours."
It was comforting to know she was genuinely concerned. I decided to keep the deck, confiscating it for my own future use.
"D-Did you find anything? Was the princess concealing something dark and dangerous?" Miku hastily inquired, clearly attempting to shift the conversation away from her embarrassing moment.
Those words stirred up memories I had been trying to suppress. "I wish it had been just a sinister and deadly secret..."
With a somber expression, I headed to my bedroom. Today had been peculiar, and these secrets were ones I would carry to my grave.
***
A chill ran down Miku's spine. Unlike the others, she knew who Kon really was. Among the legends that emerged from the recent war against Shuten Doji, one stood above the rest.
Despite Agon's victory over Shuten Doji and his reputation as a vessel of Yamata No Orochi, with news spreading about his training under the Sage, many believed his win was not legitimate. Shuten Doji had already been weakened by others before Agon had the chance to kill him. Even the news of Chariot slaying an ultimate class demon in single combat was met with skepticism, as there were supposedly no eyewitnesses.
However, there was one person whose victory against an ultimate class demon in single combat was widely acknowledged: Kon. He was considered to be on par with the Sage. Recent rumors suggested that many were dissatisfied with the fact that Kon had not been appointed as a Special Exorcist, blaming it on the corrupt system. The fact that Kon hadn't made a statement since the war only fueled the speculation.
Now, if someone of Kon's caliber wished that something had only been "dangerous"... Well, they were all in serious trouble.
"We need to be prepared for anything," Miku said.
She delivered a punch to Pan's stomach, jolting the young man awake with a gasp for air. She didn't care about his discomfort. Whatever Kon had discovered, it was undeniably dangerous. His evident unease told them that they were all potentially facing an insurmountable threat.