Ryu: "Yeah, you said you'd come back, but you couldn't, huh?"

Sophie: "Yes, well, I'm a princess. After returning to the castle, I realized that I shouldn't be an adventurer."

Ryu: "I see. Well, that's probably right. How are Marie, Betty, and Alice?"

Sophie: "I sent them back to their families."

Ryu: "Why?"

Sophie: "There's no particular reason. It's just a personnel change."

Ryu: "Sophie, have you changed somehow?"

Sophie: "Is that so? I haven't changed at all."

Ryu: "Your way of talking is different. You used to be a 'noja-ko' (a girl who uses the dialect of 'noja'), right?"

Sophie: "If that's the case, it's probably because I realized that I shouldn't be as carefree as before now that I'm royalty. ...Noja."

Ryu: "That 'noja' sounds so forced. You don't have to use it."

Sophie: "Then, no noja."

Ryu: "...? Wasn't 'noja' more natural? You don't need to be polite with me."

Sophie: "No, I'm trying to speak in a more royal manner. If I drop it, it'll be difficult to correct it later."

Ryu: "I see. Alright, well... It's good that a royal person is taking their royal duties seriously."

Sophie: "I apologize for Gill's rudeness earlier."

Ryu: "That's why I came to the capital. I heard that the Royal Palace had issued an order to capture me."

Sophie: "Is that so?"

Ryu: "Do you know about it?"

Sophie: "Yes."

Ryu: "...? Did you explain everything about Viscount Gitt?"

Sophie: "I didn't."

Ryu: "Why?"

Sophie: "There are many customs and procedures, even for a simple report at the Royal Palace."

Ryu: "Customs and procedures, huh..."

Sophie: "I'll tell you everything at the trial."

Ryu: "Trial?"

Sophie: "Ryuujin, it's your trial. You'll be appearing, right?"

Ryu: "...This is what you call being bound by the constraints of royalty?"

Sophie: "Yes. Please do this for me, to save face."

Ryu: "...Fine."

Sophie: "So, I would like you to appear in court. Normally, people are detained before trial, but I'm sure you're not going to be captured, so I'll waive that."

Ryu: "...Alright, but when is the trial?"

Sophie: "I'll contact you later."

Ryu: "How?"

Sophie: "I'll tell the Guild Master in the capital."

Ryu: "...Banks?"

Sophie: "Then, I'll see you in court."

With that, Sophie got up and left.

Sophie walked out of the room, but she turned back at the door and whispered:

"Noja."

The smile she had when she said it was the same smile as the "noja-ko" Sophie from Mimul.

The remaining maids quickly cleared the tea and left, leaving Ryu alone in the room.

There was nothing else that would happen, so he left the room and went back.

Ryu walked through the castle alone.

He had imagined a castle as a livelier place, but it was eerily quiet.

He didn't meet anyone until he left the castle gate.

Sophie was oddly cold and distant. But maybe that's how it was in the Royal Palace, and maybe being royalty was difficult in its own way. Ryu decided to accept it.

After leaving the castle, he was followed. He assumed it was a watcher, but it wasn't pleasant to be watched all the time, so he teleported away as soon as he entered an alley. But when he returned to the inn, he was watched again. Well, maybe it was unavoidable.

He didn't know the date of the trial, so the next day, Ryu visited the Adventurer's Guild again.

Sophie had said she would tell the Guild Master. It wouldn't be the Adventurer's Guild in Mimul, so it must be the Guild Master in the capital, Banks.

He went to see Banks, but somehow he couldn't meet him. However, the receptionist, Mirei, had passed on a message about the trial. The date was three days later, and the trial would take place at a courthouse near the Royal Palace.

He had teleported away from his pursuer on the way to the Adventurer's Guild, but when he came out, he was followed again. So, he went into a blind spot in an alleyway and got rid of him again. The pursuer was running frantically, trying to catch up, but there was no way he could.

There was still time before the trial, so Ryu wandered the city again to kill time, but every time, he was followed. Every time, Ryu teleported away, playing with him. It was a little mean, but he was vaguely displeased with the current situation (Sophie's attitude), so it was kind of a way of getting back at her. The person assigned to follow him must have had a hard time.

Before he knew it, the day of the trial arrived.

Ryu entered the courthouse grounds.

He was surrounded by knights again before he entered the building.

Knight: "You're Ryuujin, right? I'll have to detain you! Don't resist!"

Ryu: "I'm just here to appear in court."

Knight: "We need to confiscate your weapons before you enter the courtroom."

Ryu: "I don't have any weapons."

Ryu raised both hands, showing that he was unarmed. All his weapons were in his subspace storage, but he didn't need to reveal that.

Knight: "Alright, restrain him!"

Ryu: "It's not necessary."

Ryu started walking towards the building entrance.

The knights hurriedly tried to subdue Ryu.

But all the knights who approached Ryu lost consciousness and fell. They regained consciousness as soon as Ryu moved away, but they couldn't help it because they would lose consciousness again if they got within 5 meters of Ryu.

Knight: "Captain, what should we do?"

Captain: "Alright, we have no choice. Just leave him alone. Guide him to the defendant's bench."

The knights gave up and led him into the courtroom.

Next Episode

Ryu is put on trial.

Stay tuned!