Chapter 6: A Forbidden Encounter

“Mmm… this is comfortable.”

The sky was clear once again this morning.

It felt as though the landscape inside my heart had poured itself into the sky.

Yes. Utterly refreshing.

I lounged on the large bed in my room, taking my time. The bright morning sunlight streaming through the windows tickled my eyes pleasantly. Heh.

I reached for a cookie from the basket on the bedside table and popped it into my mouth.

Mmm. The taste of victory.

…It had already been a month since that nightmarish attack by the Demon King’s army.

We had narrowly escaped Gaikoko Fortress, crossed the Black Forest, and pushed even further south, finally reaching the capital city, Torte, at the heart of the Sugarcreek Kingdom. Now, I was enjoying a life of seclusion in my private chambers at the royal castle in the center of the city.

Torte was nothing like the border town around Gaikoko Fortress where I had been attacked. The city was divided into multiple districts by layers of walls, its defenses strong enough that even the Demon King’s forces would struggle to penetrate them… I think. Probably.

Well, if the Demon King himself showed up, all these defenses would be no more than scraps of paper. But surely he wouldn’t personally venture this far. That was a worry I didn’t need to have.

Being the capital, Torte bustled with commerce and crowded streets. Its gardens were somewhat smaller than those I had seen near the border, but that was natural for a city.

Back at the castle, the high-ranking ministers were in constant commotion, holding meetings every day. Not that it was surprising.

Those who had escaped with me—Captain Postov and my maid Kamina—were being interrogated relentlessly about the Demon King’s current situation and our escape.

It made sense; in times like this, any scrap of intelligence on the enemy was valuable.

As for me, I had fabricated excuses—mental fatigue, feeling unwell—and was currently excused from attending those meetings.

I had, however, fulfilled my duty as the planner of our escape from Gaikok Fortress by sending a letter to my father, King Merkuma, summarizing the operation. Naturally, it was classified as a state secret. After all, a high-ranking minister and spy for the Demon King had betrayed our kingdom. This was hardly something to broadcast publicly.

Just last week, I received a reply from my father, still cautious of the Demon King’s forces along the border.

He wrote of how we had set fire to Gaikok Fortress and caused chaos among the already invading Demon King’s army, halting their advance at the border. He described how the knights under his command had used this window to organize defenses, turning the frontlines into a stalemate… and so on.

In his letter, he praised me as though I were a national hero. Heh. Kind of flattering.

Currently, the battle lines between our knights and the Demon King’s forces at the border had reached a deadlock, likely becoming a long-term engagement.

Well, if our knights were holding their own, that was certainly good news. Excellent, even.

…Though, honestly, it wasn’t really my concern.

Phew. Looking back, I had to give myself credit for escaping the Demon King’s grasp in one piece. My intelligence—and good fortune—deserved the highest praise.

Regarding Prince Silot of the Paptes Kingdom, my fiancé had reported that he had come through the chaos unscathed and was being treated carefully as an important hostage. Naturally, this would be something my father cared about the most.

…Well, the fact that Prince Silot hadn’t been injured was certainly great, but beyond that, I had no strong feelings. Unlike in the game, I was simply glad nobody had been killed.

I saluted inwardly, giving my mental respects to my fallen comrades.

With that done, I shook my head to clear my mind of trivial thoughts, grabbed another cookie from the basket, and tossed it into my mouth.

Recently, I had been observing the castle’s security and the schedules of the attendants, learning their rhythms well enough to slip out and return unnoticed. Honestly, the castle’s defenses were laughably lax. I often wanted to complain to the head of security.

Through the castle’s supply merchants, I had even managed to procure simple civilian clothing for disguise. For brief periods, I could sneak into the city to buy my own sweets.

Why, you ask? Simple. I wanted freedom—even a modern person like me needed personal time! Buying things also contributed to the local economy, so this little excursion was, in its own way, a “virtuous” activity benefiting both the kingdom and me.

But right now, I wasn’t sneaking out. I was inside the castle, checking myself in the mirror.

…Still, this dress is a pain.

I tugged at the hem of the skirt, thinking how tiresome and exhausting it was to constantly dress like this.

Even though I was excused from political meetings, I still had to attend dinners, gatherings, social events, and ceremonies with nobles and wealthy merchants for a few hours every day. So, it couldn’t be helped.

“Pardon me, Your Highness. It’s about time.”

“Mm. Understood.”

Kamina informed me respectfully.

It was about time. I rose reluctantly, left the room, and boarded the carriage.

“Your Highness, regarding today’s ceremony…”

Kamina began explaining in fine detail the etiquette, manners, and even the content of what I was supposed to say during the ceremony.

Ugh… tedious.

By the way, today’s ceremony was to celebrate my father, the king, temporarily returning to the capital.

By protocol, I had to meet him at the castle gate. Annoying, yes, but unavoidable. Acting as a princess during events like this—that was my current duty.

“…That concludes the explanation, Your Highness. Do you understand everything?”

“Ah—yeah. I think I got it.”

Sigh… I’m counting on you, Kamina muttered, giving a very obvious exasperated sigh.

Really, it’s fine. I understand, Kamina.

Thanks to her coaching in the carriage, I recalled all the ceremonial procedures and mentally recited the lines I needed to say when welcoming the king.

“Your Highness, this way, please.”

“Mm. Okay.”

It seemed we had arrived at the castle gate.

Lately, Kamina’s instructions had been unusually thorough—an overview a week ago, detailed explanations the day before, and now a final pre-event check. Was Kamina… not trusting me at all?

Feeling slightly dejected by the thought, I straightened my posture at the gate and waited for the king’s arrival. After all, I couldn’t keep such a distinguished guest waiting.

After a short while, a magnificent, imposing figure on a white horse appeared—King Merkuma of the Sugarcreek Kingdom, my father.

…Hmm. So that’s the king.

In the game, his CG didn’t exist, so this was the first time I’d seen him in person.

He was a proud man with a thick white beard, and his biceps… they looked as big around as my head.

That such a rugged man could father a delicate princess like me… well, that was just a quirk of the game. Although, considering my mother, maybe it wasn’t entirely impossible in real life?

As I pondered this, King Merkuma leapt gracefully from his horse and charged toward us with astonishing force. It was like a bull rushing forward.

…Sc-scary.

“Y-Your Majesty. I, Sonia, am truly overjoyed at your safe return,” I managed to say, my voice trembling slightly under the weight of his presence.

“Hmm. Well done, Sonia. Your efforts were crucial in defending the Sugarcreek Kingdom. I am truly proud to have such a wise and capable daughter!”

With that, my father hugged me tightly.

…O-of course it’s suffocating.

At the same time, the knights standing behind him erupted in cheers.

“Long live the Sugarcreek Kingdom! Long live King Merkuma! Long live Princess Sonia!”

A roar of celebration filled the air.

I barely managed to wriggle free from my father’s hugging assault and turned toward the knights, waving at them. I made sure not to forget to flash a smile.

““Oooohhhh!!””

Princess Sonia was immensely popular.

But, well, this was all just acting according to the script.

If this could boost the knights’ morale even a little, flashing a smile was a small price to pay. A bargain, really.

“Alright. Now, let us head to the castle!”

“Yes, Father.”

I followed quietly behind the king, and together we boarded the same carriage.

The passengers were King Merkuma, his secretary, and then me and Kamina—four in total.

“…How have things been in the castle lately?”

“Yes, Father… In the castle, all has been as usual. Even when I am unwell, I do my utmost to fulfill my duties as a member of the royal family, studying diligently each day to serve properly.”

“Hmm. A commendable attitude. But you have just returned from the battlefield. Do not overexert yourself.”

“Yes. Your kind consideration is truly appreciated.”

I answered with proper deference.

Along the way, I casually brought up other topics: tales of adventures with Captain Postov and Kamina, the recent meetings at the castle, and happenings in the city.

Apparently, my father and I had not spent much time together in the past.

Honestly, the lack of shared topics was rather convenient for me. I certainly wouldn’t know what to say if he suddenly asked about my childhood. I know nothing of it.

…Actually, Kamina had already instructed me beforehand on what topics I should bring up with my father. Thank you, Kamina! I’m completely dependent on her. She’s taken care of everything for me. At this point, I’m honestly tempted to push for marrying Kamina herself.

“…Huh?”

That was when, chatting idly, I happened to glance out the carriage window and saw the road alongside.

Because it was the king’s return to the capital, crowds of residents had gathered to catch a glimpse of the grand parade, jostling and pressing forward. And among them, my eyes locked onto a single figure.

W-why is he here?!

For a moment, my mind went completely blank.

This was a reality that shouldn’t exist, and my rational brain couldn’t keep up.

That black hair. That towering height.

And that absurdly handsome face, with piercing eyes that seemed to cut through everything.

Standing there, staring at our carriage, was the protagonist of this eroge world game—the Demon King himself.