In this world, most countries were ruled by kings who possessed seemingly absolute power. However, that power was often illusory, merely a shadow on the wall, as it held true only about ninety percent of the time as there were some Ord users who ruled countries. One of the exceptions to this rule was the Emperor, who was a Special Exorcist, Head of the Yari Clan, and also ruled Britannia.

The Sun Kingdom, on the other hand, had a unique condition for its ruler. Only someone who had not yet awakened Ord could ascend to power. Consequently, the "power" in this case was merely a pretense, not a tangible reality. If it were to be revealed that Princess Wisteria was a weeb, she would be immediately disqualified from the race for the throne. This posed a significant danger for her, as she lacked genuine support aside from my clan. However, I wouldn’t even trust my own clan with a toy knife, as they would promptly begin to use it to extort candy from innocent children.

Nevertheless, the fact that if it got out that the future Queen was a weeb, it pretty much would torpedo anyone’s campaign as the royal family kind of rules with ‘power’ that was a shadow in the wall. Just imagine if it were to become public knowledge that the president watched anime... No, in this feudal state, the repercussions would be ten times worse. Imagine if it were revealed that the president indulged in hentai. It would really break that illusion of power and basic competency.

How should I handle such a delicate secret? It wasn't as though I could openly disclose it, as my clan would undoubtedly replace her with a clone if they discovered the truth.

Damn, my mother's demon's special ability was truly troublesome.

…

I woke up the next day feeling refreshed, determined to bury yesterday's events deep within my mind. Apart from my reincarnation, this would be my most closely guarded secret. No one must know!

To distract myself, I headed to the town after my training. After browsing for a while, I stumbled upon a secluded pastry shop and purchased some lemon cakes. They had a slightly acidic and bitter taste, but in a pleasant way. The waitress, an elderly woman, seemed to be running the store single-handedly. The dark circles under her eyes showed that she must have been working excessively hard. Although this world wasn't as advanced as my previous one, it still had corporations and other entities that harmed local businesses.

Well, it appeared that she wasn't out there competing with other shops. Someone like her should retire and enjoy life, although it seemed that the nobles hadn't implemented any retirement packages. This world was truly messed up.

Sometimes I contemplated conquering it and rectifying some of the issues. However, I quickly remembered how troublesome and time-consuming that would be.

Oh well, since I couldn't fix the world, I decided to focus on addressing the things that bothered me directly.

While savoring my third lemon cake, two women entered the shop, causing me to almost choke. The princess was in disguise, wearing sunglasses, a hat, jeans, and a black long-sleeved shirt. Her striking red hair stood out, but not many people knew exactly how the princess looked, and while crimson red hair like hers was rare, it wasn't exceptionally uncommon either.

Yara, the princess's bodyguard, scanned the surroundings, vigilant for any potential threats. Our eyes met, and she froze.

Was the universe mocking me? What were the chances of us meeting here? I would have preferred to battle an ultimate class demon rather than face the attention-seeking princess. I came here to escape her!

However, unlike her attendant, Princess Wisteria waved at me as soon as she noticed my presence. "Hey! Nok!"

I wanted to pretend I hadn't seen her, but that would only arouse more suspicion. "Hey, princess-"

Before I could utter what I intended to say, she swiftly approached and pressed a finger to her lips. Moving closer, she whispered, "I'm on a secret outing right now, so could you please refrain from calling me princess?"

"Okay, Wisteria," I nodded. Yara frowned, seemingly offended by my lack of respect. However, when her gaze met mine, any lingering anger dissipated.

"That sounds strange. Just call me Wis," she smiled brightly, reminiscent of the popular girl-next-door type, the kind that everyone had a crush on due to her lively nature.

Of course, I was well aware of her true nature—an introvert who preferred solitude. Someone who would go to great lengths to find a secluded pastry shop simply because there weren't many people around.

Wait, wasn't that what I was doing too?

Well, regardless, she was still stranger than me. "So, Wis, would you like to join me?"

She nodded and joined my table, though Yara seemed reluctant and avoided making eye contact with me. Even when she did glance at me, she strained her eyes as if staring at a bright sky.

"So here we are, two lovely ladies. What would you like to talk about?" the princess asked with a teasing smile. "Or have you lost your confidence now that we're finally so close?"

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She exuded confidence for a princess with a penchant for Chunni weeb culture. "How about discussing hobbies, likes, and dislikes? If you decide to settle here, we'll have plenty of opportunities to interact. Knowing each other's preferences would be beneficial for future gift exchanges."

"Oh, you flirt!" Wis waggled a finger at me. "I'm already engaged! My fiance is an immensely powerful and brilliant individual. He could defeat an exorcist like you with a single blow."

"Of course," I said, dismissing her accusations with a wave of my hand. "I do need to know, what kind of gift should I bring for your birthday? Otherwise, I could simply bring you something I enjoy, and you could reciprocate on my birthday."

Princess Wis regarded me with an inscrutable expression before smiling softly. "I have a fondness for classic literature, although I've recently taken an interest in playing the piano."

"Interesting, perhaps I'll gift you a piano to let you show off at the party," I suggested, trying to discern any hints of deception. There were none.

"Of course," she said, nodding along.

Her nonchalant response suggested to me that she was already proficient in playing the piano. She displayed remarkable functionality for a self-professed weeb. I'd witnessed her binge-watch anime for six straight hours, never skipping the intros. Who would have thought that someone like her also found time to learn the piano?

"Well, don’t tell anyone—but I'm secretly a fan of anime," I revealed conspiratorially.

Her eyebrow raised slightly in an expression of mild interest, and she politely replied. "I'll be sure to get you something anime-related then. Though, I have to apologize in advance if I make any mistakes, as I've never really delved into the world of anime myself."

How could she say such a thing with a straight face? A degenerate Chunni weeb princess.

It became evident that she wouldn't divulge anything through this line of conversation. Instead, I decided to steer the discussion toward a different topic. "By the way, you have quite the talent for disguises. I almost didn't recognize you. Fame certainly has its drawbacks. As a princess, you may be born into wealth, but your privacy is practically nonexistent."

Wis raised a questioning eyebrow and gestured for me to continue.

"Some people are driven by greed. They desire both fame and the power that accompanies it, but none of the negative consequences," I smiled, assuring her that I meant no offense.

Nevertheless, Wis frowned. "Was that an insult?"

I shook my head. "During my teenage years, I gained some notoriety as an exorcist. It was bothersome, so I went into hiding. Yet, I still enjoy the benefits of fame without any of its downsides."

Yara frowned. With her keen eyes, she should be able to sense when I was lying. However, what I had said was technically the truth.

Wis' gaze bore suspicion, but without Yara's confirmation of my deception, she reluctantly eased up and let out a sigh. "Well, now it's easy for me to uncover your true identity. You shouldn't have revealed yourself like that, exorcist."

It was difficult to take the Chunni Weeb Princess seriously after everything I had learned.

"You're not as incompetent as you pretended to be the other day," Wis observed mildly.

I shrugged. "I suppose you could say that."

"You would make for a powerful bodyguard. I could always use more of those—if you’re offering?."

"Why would I do that?" I tilted my head, widening my smile.

"Do it, or I'll expose your proclivity for anime to the world," she added playfully.

"Only if you agree to watch anime with me as well. Consider it mutual leverage."

Her expression froze, the first sign of vulnerability she had shown thus far. Feeling a twinge of pity, I added, "Don't worry, I'll still protect you. It's part of my job, after all. But watching anime together is non-negotiable—you'll have to do it. I do need some form of compensation, after all."

She snapped out of her daze and smiled. This time, her smile held a barely concealed excitement. Whether she was thrilled about having an additional guardian or eager to delve into the world of anime, I couldn't tell.

***

Miku woke up earlier than usual, at four in the morning. Yesterday, Kon had returned from his visit to town with a smile, prompting Miku to decide on an early wake-up call for the others.

She had been informed about recent events. Kon had taken it upon himself to protect the princess, at least for the time being. The reasons behind his decision remained a mystery. Was he driven by the promise of a reward or simply acting on a whim? Kon's intentions were always frustratingly difficult to decipher.

Kon had also brought back some peculiar items, such as anime DVDs and cartoon books called Manga. Why had he done that? Again, she had no idea. By now Miku had learned to stop questioning things.

With determination, Miku headed towards Pan's cabin, intending to rouse the lazy fellow first. They had an early meeting and needed to start earning their keep instead of idling around.

Approaching Pan's wooden hut, Miku noticed a humanoid figure swiftly leaping out of his window and vanishing into the night. Squinting her eyes, she struggled to discern the identity of the mysterious figure. Strangely enough, their Ord signature felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Could it have been Pan?

Initially considering chasing after the figure, Miku opted instead to enter Pan's hut. She vividly remembered the tarot card prank he had played before, and this seemed like an opportunity for payback.

However, upon opening the door, Miku found Pan lying on an old couch, engrossed in watching TV and munching on chips.

The cabin was too small for anyone to enter or exit without Pan's notice. Even if that were the case, why would someone sneak in here? Pan didn't possess anything of significant value. The only logical conclusion Miku could reach was that Pan had allowed someone to enter his cabin.

Curiosity piqued, Miku questioned why Pan would meet with someone in the dead of night. Her suspicions heightened, and she narrowed her gaze upon Pan.

What was this guy hiding?