Chapter 1: Heroes, Assemble

──Even though I’d gone through all the trouble of being reincarnated in another world, I turned out to be an ordinary person.

Well, to be fair, I was born into a fortunate position.

After all, I was born as the Second Princess of the Kingdom of Saripa.

The Kingdom of Saripa is a peaceful small country, and as long as there isn’t a famine, the food supply stays stable.

Being born a girl also meant I had nothing to do with succession disputes.

In other words, I was in a position where I could laze around and live in luxury off the taxes collected from the people.

…You might think, “Then you’re not ordinary at all!” And I get that.

But I will proudly and loudly object to that notion.

Just because someone is royalty doesn’t mean they’re exceptional. It’s actually pretty common to find royals who, in terms of ability, are just plain average.

And now, let me tell you just how thoroughly average I am.

“Today, we will be measuring Lady Rishali’s magic power.”

“’Kay.”

That happened on the day I turned five years old.

I was brought to the church by my old man butler and made to touch this thing in a back room called a “Magic Power Meter.”

Apparently, it could determine my latent magical potential.

…I’d already recovered my memories from my previous life by this point, so when this event came around, I was practically buzzing with excitement like, Here it is! This is it!

Maybe my magic power would be so high that the device would explode.

Or maybe I’d have barely any, or some unfortunate attribute that would get me kicked out of the palace.

I remember fantasizing about all sorts of “classic” plot twists like that and getting hyped.

“Here we go.”

“This is…!”

But when I touched the so-called Magic Power Meter, all that happened was a soft blue glow appeared on the stone-looking part.

Isn’t that a bit underwhelming? I stared at it for a while, thinking that, and then—

“From this glow, I’d say… Rank C, perhaps. Your primary attribute is Water. Congratulations.”

“Ooh! How splendid! As expected of Lady Rishali!”

“Uuh?”

Seeing the old butler’s exaggerated praise and the Sister’s pleasant smile…

I realized that my magic power result was exceedingly average.

Apparently, a Magic Rank of C is just a little above average in terms of total magical energy.

Magic power is ranked from A to G, based on the intensity of the glow.

So a C rank is like, “Hmm, not bad.” That’s how people would see it.

But my older sister (the First Princess) had apparently scored a B rank.

So yeah… I lost.

“Is water magic strong?”

“It’s very convenient. I’ve often wished I had the water attribute myself.”

“Hmm?”

And it turns out that water magic is another super common attribute.

Roughly one in four magic users have it, apparently.

And its properties are, well… kinda lame.

Fire is good in war, Earth is great for construction and civil engineering.

Water, on the other hand… It’s useful for “travelers” and “adventurers” who need to source water themselves, or for professions like “chefs” and “maids” who use water a lot.

In short, it’s a magic attribute that’s very geared toward common folk.

At the very least, it didn’t seem like something a princess like me would have much use for.

Alright then. I get it. I don’t lack talent for magic, but I’m not going to dominate the world with it either.

In that case, I’ll just have to find another kind of strength besides magic.

This world has martial arts too. Just because I’m a princess doesn’t mean I’m legally banned from becoming a physical powerhouse.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to become a martial arts master—even as a royal.

With that thought, I began training my body. But as for how my physical strength turned out…

“Haa… haa…”

“It seems that physical activity is not Lady Rishali’s strong suit.”

“Please don’t push yourself. Do rest up properly.”

…I was even worse at that than I was at magic.

Maybe I inherited it from my short mother, but I was smaller than other kids my age.

I was slow, weak, and got out of breath easily—a triple threat of uselessness.

When I tried doing the whole “10,000 gratitude punches a day” thing, I gave up after the fifth one because my elbow started hurting.

If physical ability were ranked, I’d probably be around E or F.

Apparently, physical activity isn’t my forte either.

But I didn’t give up.

Because when I thought it through carefully, I realized—I already had a cheat.

Which’s what you’d call modern knowledge.

“Currently, we use farming tools like these to produce grains.”

“I see…”

It was around the time I turned ten, when I began learning various subjects from a private tutor.

That’s when I realized the level of technology in this world was stuck in the medieval era.

“At Saripa’s livestock ranches, they’re known for producing high-quality milk…”

“Wow…”

The people of the Kingdom of Saripa mainly sustain themselves through agriculture, livestock farming, and hunting.

Apparently, their livestock techniques are fairly advanced, but their crop cultivation is still pretty underdeveloped.

──This is it. In this world, I could become the King of Invention.

That’s what I thought, and I threw myself into my studies.

I would invent a new farming tool, revolutionize their technology, and spark an industrial transformation.

And then—surely—everyone would revere me.

“...If I remember correctly, it was something like this…”

With that in mind, I sat alone in my room at night, trying to draw up a blueprint for the senbakoki.

The senbakoki was a revolutionary threshing tool that dramatically reduced the labor needed for threshing. It was such a disruptive invention that it caused job losses and earned the nickname "widow maker."

If I could recreate it here, I figured I’d be praised as a genius.

“…Hmm. How does it even thresh?”

But, sadly—very sadly—

In my past life, I hadn’t studied much at all, so there was no way I could sketch out a blueprint for a senbakoki.

I mean, what even is a senbakoki?

I assume it uses a thousand teeth to do the threshing, given the name…

“I don’t know how it threshes at all!!”

In my previous life, I was a lazy slacker who hated studying and had no ambition.

Because of that, even my general education was pretty shaky in places.

Me, becoming the King of Invention? That was impossible from the start.

Even if you carry modern knowledge, it’s meaningless if you don’t have the brains to use it.

In other words, it was a waste of a perfectly good cheat.

I always assumed that if I reincarnated into another world, I’d get some kind of special power.

Like infinite magic, or insane combat strength, or even an immortal body.

At the very least, I thought I’d be able to steamroll the world with knowledge.

But if a lazy, average person reincarnates, it doesn't change anything.

An ordinary person is still just an ordinary person, no matter where they go.

Over a decade since my reincarnation, I had finally learned that the hard way.

And then, by the time I turned fifteen—

I had already given up on a lot of things.

In this world, I wasn’t some kind of special existence.

Sure, I was royalty—but beyond that, I had no real worth.

“Our Kingdom of Saripa lacks in mineral resources. We cover most of our needs through trade with the Deken Empire.”

“I seee.”

“Ahem. Lady Rishali, please use more appropriate language in the royal palace.”

“I seee, indeed.”

To begin with, the Kingdom of Saripa was a very weak country.

Right next door was a nation called the Deken Empire, and well…

“The Deken Empire is very progressive. Among the nobility, polygamy is completely normal.”

“Woooow, indeed.”

“It’s common custom to bring jewels when entering a marriage alliance…”

This country, by the way, is absurdly huge. To be specific, Deken’s territory is about twenty times the size of Saripa.

We wouldn’t stand a chance in an actual war—it’s an overwhelmingly powerful empire. But thankfully, Saripa and Deken currently have a good relationship.

Our dear father, King of Saripa, sends tribute to Deken every year without fail, humbly singing the empire’s praises.

Perhaps impressed by his humble attitude, the Deken Emperor once sent a letter declaring, “I grant you the right to govern the Saripa region.”

──That’s right. Saripa is a vassal state of the Deken Empire.

We’re only left alone because we know our place and act accordingly.

Well, with all that, it’s not hard to guess where my own future is headed.

My older sister, the First Princess with B-rank magic, will likely stay in the country.

But me, the Second Princess with just C-rank magic? I’ll probably be married off in a political deal to some Deken noble.

“Lady Rishali is quick to grasp things and has excellent academic motivation.”

“You’ll have no trouble finding a good marriage partner.”

“I’m honored, truly.”

No doubt the reason I’m being made to study Deken’s culture is for that very purpose.

So yeah—being royalty doesn’t mean everything is sunshine and roses.

It just means I’m doomed to a life where I don’t even get to choose how I live.

Back in the day, I used to dream that getting reincarnated in another world would let me become some unbeatable hero.

But in the end, convenient worlds like that only exist in stories.

I’ll probably be married off in a political alliance to some noble in Deken.

Live out my life without ever being in the spotlight, and die an ordinary person.

It’s a deeply bittersweet fate—

But for someone like me, who never put in any effort in my past life, maybe it’s exactly what I deserve.

And so, I came to terms with living as an ordinary person.

At the very least, I decided I wouldn’t have any regrets in this life, and threw myself into my studies as a princess.

“Lady Rishali. Next week’s lessons will be canceled.”

“Oh? Is that all right?”

“Next week marks the entrance exam for the Royal Palace Knights. We’ll be called to supervise the testing, so we won’t have time to teach you.”

“My, I see.”

Lately, I’d become fully capable of conducting myself as a proper princess.

I’d made my debut in high society, and now I was at the stage of searching for a marriage partner.

My older sister, the First Princess, was apparently proceeding with marriage to a noble within the country.

She would solidify internal ties, while I, the younger sister, would forge bonds abroad.

Then, once Father dies, our eldest brother will probably take the throne in a tidy succession.

“The examination site for the Royal Palace Knights will be at the training grounds next to the palace. If you're interested, would you like to observe?”

“No, I’m fine.”

The future of our kingdom looks bright. I’m being married off to another country—but that’s just how it is.

For a princess, engagement is part of her official duties.

After living a life of luxury funded by taxes since childhood, running away from a political marriage would be shirking those duties.

“I’ll take a stroll around the palace.”

“Please, do make sure not to leave the premises.”

“But of course.”

In case of the slightest incident, I wasn’t allowed to leave the palace grounds.

If I got attacked by some thug, everything that had been invested in raising me—at enormous cost—would go up in smoke.

That would be a betrayal of the people who’d paid all those taxes.

So the only time I was allowed to walk around town was when I was surrounded by guards.

“…Phew, it’s been a while since I’ve had a day off.”

But as long as I stayed inside the palace, I was free to go wherever I wanted.

After all, the only ones allowed inside the Royal Palace were royalty, permitted nobles, and the Royal Palace Knights.

The Royal Palace Knights, in other words, were the palace’s elite guards.

Their abilities were top-tier—apparently, it’s common for them to have A- or B-rank magic.

…Which meant, obviously, that I didn’t stand a chance against any of them even if I tried standing on my head.

If I ever screamed “Kyaa!” inside the palace, those monsters would come rushing in instantly.

“Maybe I’ll do that thing again today…”

The royal family is thoroughly protected.

That’s why, as long as I stay within the palace, I’m perfectly safe and secure.

“…Alright, gotcha! Caught a real nasty one!”

That’s right—despite being such a model, obedient princess, my hobby was bug catching in the palace courtyard.

Insects in this world were pretty different from the ones in my previous life, and that made them fascinating.

“This is a Buttslicer Beetle larva. Judging by the color… it’s probably a Red Buttslicer.”

For example, this Buttslicer Beetle I just caught feeds on animal feces—but that’s not the crazy part.

What’s wild is that this little guy has a habit of trying to parasitize animals by entering through the anus and crawling into the intestines.

Since it feeds on poop, it apparently evolved to invade the very place where poop is made.

“Yikes… even as a larva, those are some sharp-looking mandibles.”

So, if you’re out in the woods doing your business, a Buttslicer might leap into your backside and take a bite.

Even if you avoid getting parasitized, people often end up with anal fissures. No joke.

Just imagining it makes this thing a top-tier nightmare bug.

“Sorry, but you’re gonna end up as fish food.”

Because they’re that nasty, Buttslicers are classified as harmful pests and must be exterminated on sight.

They’re especially bad for livestock, so farmers even apply repellents around their animals’ rears.

It’s a truly terrifying insect that underwent some mysterious evolutionary path in this world.

“...Huh? Did something just touch my butt?”

Thanks to pests like this, I couldn’t exactly go bug hunting in my usual royal gowns.

Right now, I was geared up in thick farming trousers, a straw hat, and a padded coat—fully prepped for the hunt.

“That’s an adult Red Buttslicer. Alright, brace yourself.”

It wasn’t exactly how a princess was supposed to look, but I was allowed to get away with it since “At least she stays inside the palace, unlike the First Princess.”

…Chances are, my older sister tried to sneak out every now and then.

Between that and me just catching bugs in the courtyard, I was probably seen as the easier one to deal with.

Besides, as long as I stayed inside the palace, no outsiders would ever see what I looked like, no matter how I dressed.

“Bug extermination time!”

And so, bug hunting became one of my few sources of solace.

Which is why, on my days off, I always changed into my farmer gear and went out with my net.

The royal palace is safe. The Royal Palace Knights guard it—it’s a total safety zone.

And by exterminating Buttslicers, I was, in a roundabout way, protecting someone’s rear end.

“Um, excuse me…”

“Hmm?”

And so, while I was completely absorbed in bug hunting—

“I seem to be lost… Could you tell me where the Royal Knights’ exam site is?”

“Hnnn?”

Before I knew it, there was a young man behind me I didn’t recognize.

Wearing a troubled expression, he had spoken to me.

…My thoughts froze.

This was the Royal Palace.

Only select nobles and members of the Royal Palace Knights were allowed inside—this was a sacred domain for royalty.

There was no way some random person could be here.

“Uh, um… You’re one of the palace gardeners, right?”

“Ahhh…”

“My name is Takeru. I came to take the Royal Knights’ entrance exam, but I…”

Just as I was about to shout for help, thinking he might be an intruder, the young man began introducing himself, looking flustered.

And from the way he acted, he seemed to think I was a gardener.

“…”

“Umm, hello?”

Now that I thought about it, they did say the Royal Palace Knights were holding their entrance exams today.

The location was supposed to be the training grounds next to the palace.

He was probably a test-taker who had accidentally wandered too far.

“Takeru, was it?”

“Y-Yes.”

“I heard the training grounds next to the palace were being used as the test site. But this here is the Royal Garden.”

“Wait, really?”

However, given the time, the exam had likely already begun.

Even if he went now, he’d probably be disqualified.

Honestly. At the very least, confirm the exam location and time properly.

“…They told me the test site was changed, and that I should come to the Royal Garden at this time.”

“The exam started quite some time ago. Who told you that?”

“What…?”

“There’s no way examinees would be allowed inside the Royal Palace in the first place. Right now, you could be arrested as an intruder, you know.”

“Eeeeh!?”

When I said that with an exasperated tone, the young man paled dramatically.

Then, with a hopeless look on his face, he dropped to the ground in shock.

“N-No, really! I was told that directly! I mean, I heard it from…”

“Who exactly told you that?”

“It was one of the exam proctors. A noble, sir. I swear he said…”

The moment he said noble, something clicked.

I looked him over again, this time more carefully.

“…Wait. Are you a commoner?”

“Y-Yes.”

Generally, only nobles are allowed to enter the Royal Palace or take the exam for the Royal Palace Knights.

They can’t just let someone in without a verified background.

“I won a martial arts tournament recently. The prize granted me the right to apply for the Knights’ exam.”

“…”

Still, winners of the martial arts tournament are granted a special exception to take the exam.

And if they pass, they rise to a status close to nobility.

It’s the ultimate Cinderella story for commoners in the Kingdom of Saripa.

That’s why so many commoners with talent in the martial arts challenge the tournament each year with everything they’ve got.

“That’s why, for today… My family and friends worked together to get me the best gear they could.”

“…”

“My mom even sold my grandparents’ heirloom jewels to scrape together the money…”

The boy’s appearance was ragged, and both his sword and armor were battered.

It looked like the absolute best gear a commoner could possibly afford.

But in stark contrast to his worn-down equipment, the young man himself had a powerful physique.

Muscles bulging, posture unwavering—he was built like a fortress.

“Excuse me a moment.”

“Huh?”

Out of curiosity, I took his hand in mine.

It’s said that magic power faintly flows from a person’s hands.

By doing this, I could get a rough sense of his mana.

“...!!?”

—Abyss.

That was the moment I finally understood just how insane this guy was.

This wasn’t someone you could measure with something like a C or B-ranked mana level.

A boundless, undisturbed flood of magical energy was silently engulfing the entire palace.

…Is he even human?

“Uh, Miss Gardener?”

“...Phew. I see now.”

Come to think of it, there are a lot of nobles who look down on commoners.

It wouldn’t be surprising if someone like Takeru, a dirt-poor commoner, had been toyed with.

From that noble’s point of view, it was probably just a harmless prank—giving him the wrong date and time for the test.

“I think I understand the situation. You’re Takeru, right?”

“Y-Yes.”

And if I had screamed just now, the Royal Knights would’ve seized Takeru and possibly executed him on the spot.

No matter how much he shouted his innocence, no one would believe a commoner.

Because of one spiteful noble, a warrior this capable might be kept out of the Royal Knights?

That would be an absolute waste!!

“For now, let me guide you to the test site myself.”

“Ah, thank you so much, Miss Gardener.”

“Think nothing of it.”

I took Takeru’s hand and led him toward the exam grounds in a rush.

This man possessed the kind of power I had long since given up on.

“In exchange, if everything works out for you… would you grant me one little selfish favor afterward?”

“Eh? If it’s something I can do, gladly!”

“Good.”

If I truly was just an ordinary person, then I’d simply use my status as a princess to recruit this cheat-level monster to my side.

That’s it—I’ll make this beast my personal bodyguard.

With him around, I could repel pretty much any would-be attacker.

“It’s a promise, okay?”

I may be a nobody in ability, but at least I have my noble birth and a halfway decent face.

When I gave him a soft smile, I thought I saw a faint blush rise to Takeru’s cheeks.