Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN) - Volume 13 - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: 22

13-22 . The Princess's Tea Party (2)

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I'm saved by the announcement that the little sister of Princess Shistina will come .

Stopping the anti-listening device, we clean up the spell documents and get back to a normal tea party state .

While feeling a bit like a secret lover of a married woman somehow, my eyes catch sight of a little girl who appears on the entrance of the room .

"Shistina nee-sama!"

The small princess hugs Princess Shistina .

Her name is Doris, born from the same mother as Princess Shistina, she's the twelfth princess who's only 10 years old . She's two years younger than Arisa, but her physique is no different than Arisa's .

Princess Doris is behaving like a spoiled child with her big sister for a while, after that she turns toward Mia and speaks in high tension .

"Mia-sama! I've brought an unusual harp and Hisui today for Mia-sama!"

The 'Hisui' that Princess Doris was talking about isn't a jade but a small songbird with feathers as beautiful as a jade . <TLN: Hisui=jade>

It's singing beautifully from inside a luxurious cage .

--I wonder what is this? I get deja vu like I know this bird .

"Mia-sama, please play this!"

Mia receives the harp, flicks the strings with her finger and confirms the music scale .

The harp looks mystical befitting to be an item of a princess of a large kingdom .

The strings that look like they're made from gold are arranged on the harp's jade-like main body .

In addition, a relief of a long haired woman is carved on its supporting part .

This female statue doesn't seem to be a mere decoration but it also serves as an echo pipe, Mia is doing trial and error with a serious face, trying to grasp the harp's characteristic .

Looks like Princess Doris is bored now that Mia isn't keeping her company, she steps toward me .

"I permit you to give your name . "

Princess Doris spoke so as if commanding me who was still sitting .

The way she's trying her best to look dignified is heartwarming .

"Nice to meet you your highness . I am Viscount Satou Pendragon, a retainer of Earl Muno . "

After that, I bow stylishly like a young nobleman would .

Normally I would only do this to a lady, but this kind of greeting should make a little girl who's trying hard to look like an adult happy .

"My! What a wonderful greeting, Sir Pendragyon--Viscount-sama . I am the twelfth princess of Shiga Kingdom, Doris Shiga . I'm born from the same mother as Shistina nee-sama's nano--desuwa . "

Princess Doris returned the greeting even while fumbling her words and using wrong speech .

After looking restlessly to my sides, she turns toward Arisa .

"Arisa, leave that space . "

"No way . "

Arisa rudely refused the order even though it was against a princess of a large kingdom .

It seems the princess didn't think that she would be refused, her line of sight loiters around restlessly .

Mia is sitting on the opposite side of Arisa .

After looking troubled for a while, seemingly unable to tell Mia to leave, she smiles as if she's realized something and then she holds both her hands toward me .

--What does she want me to do?

"Let me sit on your lap, Pendra--Satou . "

I see, she wants to sit on my lap huh .

"Doris, you're being impolite . "

"Princess, sit beside Princess Shistina . "

Princess Shistina and Princess Doris's close aide rebuked her, but she turns her clingy-like line of sight toward me .

"--I can't?"

"Understood, Princess Doris . "

I grab her waist and put her on my lap .

Mia and Arisa seem dissatisfied, but please let me off for just spoiling a cute child .

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After Mia has finished adjusting the strings, she begins playing the harp .

It seems the jade colored bird likes Mia's performance, it's chirping with the music .

--Un? I can feel wave of magic power .

According to information from AR reading, the crystal tree which the harp is made from has an effect on the emotion of the audiences .

Simply put, the item has an extra effect of making the listeners get more easily impressed .

In fact, the people here, besides me who've resisted it, are listening to Mia's performance in ecstasy .

By no means it's because my sensitivity has been gotten bad .

Well, it doesn't seem like it causes any harm anyway, I'll just listen to Mia's performance quietly-- .

Right at that time, I heard a bird's shriek, and then sound of metal bursting echoes in the room .

It's followed by the servants' screams, throwing the room into chaos .

Before my view, there's a monster spreading its wing on top of a broken cage .

An emeral green colored bird-type monster opens its bright red eyes .

Red-rope pattern magic circle is emerging from the surface of its jewel-like feathers .

--A red rope monster?

"Hisui's cage!"

"M-monster!"

"Y-your highness, please evacuate!"

I throw the three little girls to the corner of the room, and carry Princess Shistina to that corner .

"Your highnessssssss!"

I feel sorry for the maids who look like they'll faint, but I only have two arms .

I put down Princess Shistina to the falling point of the three little girls, and receive the coming little girls one by one .

I think Arisa is a big shot for trying to aim for my lips in this situation .

I felt that the presence of the monster trying to act when I was receiving Arisa, so I kicked one of the heavy sofas toward the monster .

"Mwu . "

"Why is a red rope pattern in this place?"

"Let's defeat it for now . "

Mia's and Arisa's questions are reasonable, but there are too many non-combatants here .

Removing the monster quickly is probably for the best .

"You can't! Don't kill Hisui!"

When I was going to eliminate the monster, Princess Doris stops me with her whole body .

So that's really what remain of Princess Doris's songbird .

"I'm sorry your highness . "

I apologize to the small Princess Doris and rush toward the monster .

Unfortunately, I lack preparation .

--KYURYEEEEEEE .

I block the bird's ultrasonic breath with [Air Curtain] magic chantlessly, and hit the monster's body with my palm .

"HISUIIIIII!"

Princess Doris's desperate scream is beating my back .

--I'm reflecting .

Even if it's unreasonable, I shouldn't give up easily .

Having nothing to lose in trying, I rob the monster's magic power with [Mana Drain] through my palm .

The red rope magic circle that protects the monster's body disappears .

So far it's just as planned, I'll leave it to luck from here on .

I search the magic core inside the mosnter's body with map search .

It's really not possible huh . . . .

--Wait, perhaps!

I consciously use the [Magic Essence Distribution Perception] that I've learned recently .

--Alright!

I can perceive the distribution of magic essence inside the monster's body .

It seems the magic sense is thick around the blood vessel and the body surface .

The thickest one among them is probably the magic core .

I pierce the monster's body with my arm and pull out the magic core inside .

However, my intuition tells me that doing only this much is the same as just killing the monster .

Then what should I do next?

Maybe I should remove the magic essence flowing in its body?

I execute that thinking .

If I can tear magic barrier with my hand, then I should be able to grasp magic essence too .

I grasp the magic essence together with the blood that's coming out from the wound opened from taking the magic core, and then carefully pull it out like pulling a root from the ground .

I feel like several hours have passed, but it's probably only a few seconds in reality .

I pulled around 70% of the magic essence from the monster's body .

The monster's body is shrunk, turning back into a bird .

"Hisui!"

"Princess, you can't . "

"No! Let go!"

--However, the damage is probably to heavy for a small bird to withstand .

The songbird's fire of life is disappearing .

I confirm the stock of magic potions in my storage .

Low-grade medicines are out of question . I think mid-grade medicine should be able to do it, but I don't have the conviction that it'll succeed .

Let's be careful here and use the best one .

I take out a small bottle of upper-grade magic potion from the storage .

It's been mixed with my blood so I can't use it to other people, but there shouldn't be anyone complaining if it's for a bird .

I sprinkle the magic potion on the songbird's wound, and put the rest into its small beak .

--Pi, pi, pu, piru, piru, pipirururuu .

The agonizing voice from the bird gradually turns energetic .

"Hisui! Thank god!"

As expected of upper-grade magic potion .

The effect is outstanding even though it's been mixed with my blood!

"A m-monster got . . . turned back into the original creature?"

I feel slightly guilty when I hear the feverish voice of Princess Shistina, but since this ended without Princess Doris having some strange trauma, I guess you can call this excellent .

Now then, what kind of excuse should I use .

"Your highness, the medicine that I used just now was called Nectar, an item that was found in the lowest floor of a certain labyrinth--"

Do your best [Deception] skill .

Tomorrow's peace depends on you!

●Characters

【Doris】

The twelfth princess of Shiga Kingdom . 10 years old . Born from the same mother as Princess Shistina's .

Her pet appeared at a glimpse in [12-18 . Tea Party's Intruder] .