Nagai Koto Chapter 002

The Long Journey Until I Reunite With You

The Same-Aged and Persistent Princess

「Excuse my entrance!」 (????)

Suddenly, the door of my house was opened immediately after it was knocked on. Since it’s made of wood, it’ll be broken if you’re careless right? However, the one who entered did not care in the slightest.

「I’ve heard, Velt! You made a mess during yesterday’s practice examination! If you have an excuse, let me hear it!」 (????)

I let out a sigh from the bottom of my heart. With long blonde hair and a dominating aura, she had the hot temper and looks of a noble’s daughter. She wore a black one piece dress underneath a red mantle with an emerald brooch as an accessory. Her face was really cute, but she had an attitude where she looked down on other people, and she was just ten years old. Well, she’s the same age as me though.

「Oh? Princess Forna, welcome.」 (Bonapa)

「Good day, Princess. We’ve just started lunch, would you like to join us? Today I’ve made consommé.」 (Aruna)

My parents greeted her like it was completely normal, it seems she was generally liked. Then, the moment the brat looked at me, she let out a smile.

「Ah, obasama, I will accept your offer.」 (Forna)

「Also, will Guard Captain Galva join us as well?」 (Aruna)

「Well now Aruna-dono, I am grateful.」 (Galva)

And then, for some reason or another that person appeared. It was a giant man packed with muscles in red armor nodding with a smiling face. What a pain.

(TN: Literally “troubling (things) have come,” but it doesn’t translate well from Japanese to English.)

「By the way, Velt. I heard about yesterday’s matter. You’ve continued to refuse my special training invitation for magic to this extent, and therefore that would be the result wouldn’t it?」 (Forna)

「Whatever, just shut up already. I can’t do anything with magic, and I ain’t interested either.」 (Velt)

「Don’t joke around! For example, in the future you will need the minimum magic techniques related to working in the fields! With great trouble, I’ve requested approval from father as well as the headmaster of the school for your enrollment.」 (Forna)

「You’re noisy.」 (Velt)

「*Muu* Velt you dummy! Are you not planning to work in the future? Am I going to be the only one working once we’re married?」 (Forna)

「Wait, why do we have that relationship?」 (Velt)

「If I won’t do it, nobody else would to marry you! For the sake of mankind, it is unforgivable to neglect the continuation of your family.」 (Forna)

The nation is at peace, and this is a good example of what comes from it. Even though it’s a fairly large country, the princess of the whole country is regularly visiting the house of a commoner. Of course, a guard had come along. This girl, Forna Elfashia, this country’s princess, is my childhood friend of the same age. When she was around five, she willfully escaped from the royal capital and got lost in the fields, having us take care of her until she was escorted back to the castle. Then, she often came by to drag me out along with her. But, that was back then, and when I recalled my memories as Asakura Ryuuma, I just thought of her as a elementary school kid. Dealing with her has been troublesome.

「Velt-kun. I think that learning the minimum degree of magic would be better, don’t you? You often fight with your classmates and make them cry, and in any event if you faced someone who has learned how to use swords and magic, the outcome is obvious.」 (Galva)

「Uh huh, even though you’re just a guard, you’ve been eating in someone else’s house from the beginning haven’t you?」 (Velt)

「T-this is tasting for poison, Ah, no, it’s not like I don’t trust Aruna-san you know! It’s just, since my favorite food is consommé.」 (Galva)

Generally I assumed that those of higher social standing wouldn’t associate themselves with commoners. However, in this world, this country was different. The relationship I have with Forna made me somewhat famous, the royal capital’s soldiers pass by giving me friendly greetings, the nobles, and even the king calmly invited me to the castle. It was that kind of happy life. Yet, even then, I couldn’t smile from the bottom of my heart.

「So, what are we going to do about them?」 (Velt)

When I noticed, my father and the guard captain had been enjoying themselves since noon.

「Ooh, is that true?」 (Galva)

「Well, that’s how it was. Velt announced that he was able to use fire magic, took a match and without permission my treasured alcohol. Then, he held a bit of it inside of his mouth, and since he in one breath blew upon the lit match, burnt a straw doll. Well, although you’ll be dizzy after using up all your magic, since the teacher’s pupil collapsed after drinking, the teacher came to me in tears.」 (Bonapa)

「Hahaha, that’s real exciting. Velt-kun’s heroic tales always make me smile.」 (Galva)

That’s some serious neglect of duty. The two were laughing with red faces while holding a conversation, they completely looked like close friends.

「Stupid old man.」 (Velt)

「Stupid guard captain.」 (Forna)

The ten year old kids were disgusted by the development. Or rather, will this country really be okay?

「Jeez, if papa and even captain Galva are going to be like this, then they’ll continue forever. How troublesome～」 (Aruna)

And yet it doesn’t seem like you’re going to stop them, mother, right now you’re committing the same offense you called troublesome. Then, from the kitchen, my mother took out a sack of wheat flour the size of a child.

「Hey Velt. Can I send you on a little errand?」 (Aruna)

「Eeh? Sounds like a pain.」 (Velt)

「Please～ Look, this time it’s a request from a proprietor who opened a restaurant in the imperial capital. The proprietor doesn’t have enough wheat flour and contacted me for a direct delivery of it.」 (Aruna)

What a bother. Going to the capital on foot as a child, I’d rather not go that distance. But as I was going to somehow refuse, I was hit on the back of my head.

「Stop being irresponsible, Velt. If you’re a man, you can do at least that much.」 (Forna)

「T-this kid.」 (Velt)

「Who are you calling a kid?! You’re the one who’s being an unreasonable kid! And by the way, obasama, I will be heading out with Velt. Please let us know the name of the shop.」 (Forna)

「Aah, princess, as always thank you very much.」 (Aruna)

「No, it’s alright. This is also because of how Velt is, so there’s nothing else I can do. It’ll be no good if I can’t keep Velt under control.」 (Forna)

「Fufufu, if the princess holds him down, then Velt’s future will be secure. Then, please accept my request.」 (Aruna)

The conversation forcefully continued without my approval. When I was Asakura Ryuuma, I didn’t do anything like requests.

「Umm, if I recall correctly from the neighbor that handles the magic tool shop, the name of the restaurant is 『Tonkotu Ramen』.」 (Aruna)

(TN: I’m fairly certain this is referencing Tonkotsu Ramen, minus the s.)

「...What?」 (Velt)

I don’t get the name.

「What kind of food do they serve?」 (Velt)

「That is, well, I don’t quite know. But, from what I’ve heard it seems to be a dish that nobody has eaten before.」 (Aruna)

Something that nobody has eaten before? That’s kind of suspicious. Honestly, food is the only thing that hasn’t changed between my life now and my life as Asakura Ryuuma.

Beef, pork, fish, and vegetables, there’s even rice and bread. There’s also salt and sugar for food, and now I’m thinking about my past world. If I’m talking about luxury, I’ll be happier if I had soy sauce and miso, but I don’t know how to make it, so it’s pointless to think about it.

「Well, even though I don’t know anything about it, I got it. I’ll be your gofer.」 (Velt)

「Obasama, We’ll be off now. Galva will call for someone to pick us up afterwards.」 (Forna)

All things considered, a commoner accompanying the country’s princess on an errand is pretty ridiculous. Rather, what the hell do I do if we get attacked? There’s no meaning in having the guards then. Well, it’ll be hard to track us down in this country full of peace-loving idiots.

No, or is it that this is how the culture of this world is? Ever since I recalled my actual identity as Asakura Ryuuma, a few things seem to have become strange.

(TN: Princess Forna uses 'obasama' which usually refers to another person’s mother. 'Mother' in English can be used when talking to the mother of the person you're married to. Forna and Velt aren't married, nor is there any indication they are betrothed, but Forna uses the word anyways.)

Previous Chapter | Chapter List | Next Chapter