Chapter 9 – Jumping to Conclusions
The bell rang, ending today’s class, and it became time to leave school.
『Oi, child. Are you done with school? If so, show me a little more of the Imperial City today.』
「Yes, yes…..tte.」
Well, even if I say I’m going home, it’ll be after several detours at the request of the Demon King.
I don’t mind a little diversion, I wasn’t refusing.
But…… Before that……
「Well, I can’t go home, I’ve become a supplementary lesson student because of you!」
『…… I am not at fault…』
「It’s really your fault!」
Yes, after all, the instructor was angry because I mentioned that absurd eye of the Great Demon King, so I’ll be staying for supplementary lessons after school.
I mean, if I thought calmly, the answer that the instructor issued should have probably been the right one, and yet… damn……
“…… Hey…… Earth.”
“Hmm?”
It was then.
In front of me as I was about to get up, there the princess was standing, coldly looking down at me.
“…… Uum…… Princess… Phianse…… What can I do for you?”
I asked the princess who suddenly stood before me, while recalling that addressing her as ‘princess’ or using honorifics would be no good.
No, it’s really sudden, isn’t it? As I thought…
“Ah… Earth. So, you’ve been intensely staring at me….”
“Hmm? Ah…”
“It seems you had something to say to me, so I came here straight away.”
In the class just now… no, I was caught in the flow of the conversation with the Demon King and just didn’t turn away, I wasn’t particularly gazing passionately at you….
“No, no, it’s nothing. Then I’m…”
For now, let’s get out of here before she complains about something. With that in mind, I slipped by Phianse’s side –
“D, don’t be shy! Well, I’m not blind or dumb, I understand! You have something to say. So I’ll listen to you!”
“Huh, eh, hold on, princess!?”
“Hey, don’t address me as ‘Princess’ now!”
I couldn’t slip past her.
No, really … what? She grabbed my shoulders as I tried to escape, and the usually composed princess was breathing heavily through her nose and drew closer to me.
What? Did I do something?
“L-Look, you’ve resolved yourself to do something, li, like confiding in me over this and that…”
“N, no, it’s nothing, really, nothing in particular…”
“Eeeh, don’t be embarrassed! No, are you? Is it no good in front of everyone in the classroom? I’m sorry, I didn’t take that into consideration! Should we go somewhere else? Maybe behind the school building? A- alright, if we’re going then let’s go! I’ll follow like normal!”
W-What? Behind the school building? Are we fighting? Is it duel? Or, why am I being challenged by the princess I’ve never beaten in a mock battle?1
“What, i, is it so hard to say? Are you thinking about the difference in status or something trivial by any chance? Then don’t worry. In the first place, your house is of sufficient status, my father and your parents are good friends, and they were talking about each other’s children in the future. In other words, there are no problems or obstacles, and the rest is up to us!”
No good, I don’t know what’s what.
No, really…… to not worry about the difference in status…. does she mean we can fight seriously?
Even so, during our usual mock battles, I always fight with all my power without worrying about the princess being a girl, and still lose…. is this person not aware of that?
“Hey hey, what do you mean?”
“Could it be, at last… Kyaaa!”
“Oi, are you serious?”
“What’s going to happen?”
“What? By any chance, is this it?”
“We are casually witnessing a historical moment that may determine the future of this country, aren’t we?”
And the unusual excitement of the princess was naturally the center of attention in the class, and it was an atmosphere that seemed interesting to the others watching the interaction between us.
“No, umm, I must go to the teacher’s office now for… the supplementary lessons…”
“Guh, coward! That much…… A-are you that afraid of me? S-such a trivial thing, i-it’s not like you’ll beat me anytime soon!”
Sorry that you’re a prodigy or whatever, but get off my case!
“Okay, Earth. This time… your match… the event to determine the strongest young warrior…… I’m sure you and I will be selected.”
“Ha, haha…”
“And, in my plan… well, the finals should be down to you and me, so intend to declare to everyone that I’m going to do something in the future. But you won’t even make the finals if you’re so timid!”
What? This princess, does she want to beat me up before the masses and declare her victory? Not sure that makes for a very good personality.
“E, even if you say that… basically, I’m yet to be selected.
“No, I’m sure you and I won’t have a problem. Or rather, the world will want to see ‘the battle between the children of the Seven Heroes’.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Yes, I said I’m not sure I’m going to be selected yet, but with my previous grades I don’t think it’s a problem.
Also, there is a trend that the world wants to see the event of “The Battle of the Children of the Next Generation of the Seven Heroes”, and as the princess says, she and I will definitely be selected.
We have the top and second spots.
But honestly, I’m really not keen on it. In the first place, I lost all my matches to the princess.
“Aah~, fine already! Goodness, such a coward…. When you’re selected, you’ll take it seriously then, right?”
“No, princess that…”
“Anyway! No, if you have something to say, then you’ll say it! Well, I didn’t think you would go about it in such a half-hearted manner, but, I want to be told…. I, I’ve heard it’s what a man would want to say. So, anyway man up and say it! Well then!”
And then, my replies and responses were completely ignored by a rough groan as the princess left the classroom.
That was the interaction between me and the princess.
“””””Haah!… good grief.””””
And, the classmates sighed in disappointment, and…
『I see… 』
By my side, the Demon King with his arms crossed…
『Though she seems a child prodigy, the princess was unexpectedly clumsy … while you seeming to be talented are an imbecile.』2
「Eh! W-what do you mean!」
『And, in addition, regarding you…you are so insensitive that I wondered whether you might be lacking something as a life form…rather than worrying me, you speed right past that into irritating me. You irritate me to the depths of my being.』3
「Ha!? 」
『Or rather, as you , despite appearances, fail to comprehend it, what would you know about a person’s heart?』
For some reason, I was viciously scolded and made a fool of.
[S1] Okay, should I add ‘Dense Protagonist’ to the tags as well? Because seriously…
[S2] There word used here was ポンコツ Ponkotsu, which wiktionary says mean ‘worn out’ and ‘no longer useful’. I figured ‘mature’ went better. Ignore. After re-edit, clumsy worked best.
[S3] This scalding take down is courtesy of nobaraotome over at reddit. My original attempt had the demon king more passive aggressively sparing Earth’s feelings. But him showing his disdain would mirror the reader’s feelings I believe.