NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4
S-Class Adventurer Certification Ceremony
“Sasha… you’re soooo beautiful!!”
“Ah, thank you… Piasora, um, you’re too close.”
At Piasora’s regular tailor shop, Sasha changed into a dress and had her makeup done.
The dress, sparkling with an overwhelming radiance, looked like a doll created only for beauty, chasing nothing but perfection.
Sasha wore a light silver dress matching her hair, with exposed shoulders and a thin veil draped over her. It didn’t show too much skin, but still gave off a seductive charm.
Her accessories were simple: a necklace, earrings, and a hairpin, all intentionally kept minimalist.
Her chest was somewhat emphasized by the design, which was Piasora’s instruction… of course, Sasha didn’t know that.
Sasha, perhaps conscious of her chest, kept her hand over it. The dress, which emphasized the line of her body, made her large chest stand out for someone who was sixteen.
“Ah… what a beauty.”
“P-Piasora… this dress… doesn’t it show too much of my chest?”
“No, no, not at all!! This dress is perfect the way it is!!”
“Ah, I… I see…”
Sasha was overwhelmed by the intensity of Piasora’s enthusiasm.
Then, Reynolds, Tycoon, and Robin, who had changed into more conventional formal wear, entered. Robin, dressed in a simple dress chosen by Piasora, was the first to speak.
“Wow!! Sasha, you look amazing!!”
“Oh…”
“…Isn’t it a little too flashy? This is a formal ceremony, after all. Too much exposure might not be appropriate.”
“Shut up, you damn glasses!!”
“U-uh, damn glasses?”
Piasora shot a murderous glare, making even Tycoon only clear his throat and say nothing.
Robin was excited, but Reynolds seemed mesmerized.
“Reynolds? What’s wrong?”
“Oh, uh… you look great, Sasha.”
“Really? Hehe, thank you.”
“Y-yeah…”
Sasha smiled brightly. Reynolds smiled back, and a sweet atmosphere formed between them.
Just then, Piasora cleared her throat.
“Ahem!! Sasha, the carriage is waiting outside. Let’s go to the castle!!”
“Ah, right.”
Piasora shot a glare at Reynolds.
Sasha and the others got into the carriage bound for the royal castle.
◇◇◇◇◇
They arrived at the royal castle, where Reynolds helped Sasha out of the carriage and escorted her inside.
Their movements were natural, and Sasha responded in kind.
Their beautiful actions made them look like a handsome couple, as if they were lovers.
They got off the carriage and headed for the grand hall of the royal castle, where the ceremony would be held.
“S-Class Adventurer, Brynhilde, Sasha-sama, has arrived!”
Brynhilde.
That was the title given to Sasha.
She entered the grand hall and bowed, prompting applause to break out.
“───!”
Sasha noticed that the applause was coming from the nobles, including the guildmaster, Geist.
Reynolds and the others stopped, and only Sasha was guided forward by a knight.
“S-Class Adventurer, Dark Stalker, Haise, has arrived!”
“───”
Sasha gasped.
No applause followed.
She couldn’t turn around.
Haise, guided by the knight, stood beside Sasha.
Then, three figures appeared in the upper part of the grand hall.
“Salute to His Majesty the King!!”
At the Prime Minister’s command, everyone present saluted.
King Barbalos of the Heiberg Kingdom, former S-Class Adventurer.
By the way, all members of the Heiberg royal family are required to become adventurers.
“S-Class Adventurer Sasha.”
“Yes.”
“S-Class Adventurer Haise.”
“Yes.”
“May the blessing of the First King Zea be upon you both.”
““We are honored.””
Both of them spoke in unison.
Barbalos exchanged a glance with the two standing on either side of him.
First, a young man about eighteen years old stepped in front of Sasha and unfurled a parchment.
“Heiberg Kingdom issues a request to S-Class Adventurer Sasha.”
“I humbly accept.”
“The task is to defeat the Crystal Golem that has appeared in the Crystal Mine in the southern Heiberg Kingdom. The First Prince, Cress, will accompany you to carry out this task.”
Sasha raised her eyes.
The young man standing in front of her was a handsome youth with bright golden hair.
He was Cress Zea Heiberg, the First Prince of Heiberg Kingdom.
“I humbly accept.”
Of course, there was no other answer she could give.
Then, a girl around sixteen years old stood before Haise.
“Heiberg Kingdom issues a request to S-Class Adventurer Haise.”
“I humbly accept.”
“The task is to gather the Moonlight Grass, which is an ingredient for Elixir, from the sacred mountain Gagazia in the eastern Heiberg Kingdom. The Second Princess, Myuane, will accompany you for the task.”
Haise raised his head.
Standing there was a girl with short wavy hair. She was Myuane Zea Heiberg, the Second Princess of Heiberg.
“I accept the request. However, I cannot allow the Princess to accompany me.”
“Eh?”
Myuane responded in disbelief, and Sasha couldn’t help but look at Haise as well.
It wasn’t just Sasha. The King and the nobles all looked at Haise in shock.
“Why not?”
“There are many dangerous magical beasts on Mount Gagazia. While the beasts themselves are not a problem… if I must protect the Princess as well, the success rate of the mission will only be about eighty percent. In other words… it would put her life at risk.”
“Ch-… What about your team? Your teammates?”
“I have no team.”
“Eh?”
“I don’t have a team.”
“……….”
“Your Majesty, it is impossible to have the Princess accompany me. Is that acceptable?”
“…Ha, hahahaha!! Of course, that’s no problem. Then, S-Class Adventurer Haise, I entrust you with this task to complete alone.”
“Wha!? F-Father!!”
“Myuane, step back.”
“…..”
Myuane glared at Haise, but stepped back.
“Now then, the formalities are over. It’s time for a pleasant dinner.”
As the King spoke, the doors opened, and tables and dishes were brought in one after another.
Glasses were distributed, and with the King’s greeting, the standing banquet began.
◇◇◇◇◇
“Ha, ha, ha!! Geist, this boy’s quite amusing, isn’t he?”
“Ha… I had a feeling something like this would happen, but I never expected him to act like that here.”
“……A truly unprecedented situation, indeed.”
King Barbalos, Guild Master Geist, and Prime Minister Bonet were gathered around a table enjoying wine. By the way, these three were the same age, fellow adventurers, and best friends who had once been on the same team.
Geist had warned Barbalos in advance, saying, “Haise might say something strange.”, which is why Barbalos was now laughing.
“Your Majesty. I apologize for the trouble caused to the Princess.”
“Don’t worry about it. That little rascal has already gone to see Sasha-dono. It seems she hasn’t given up on joining the S-Class Adventurers.”
Barbalos’s gaze fell on Myuane, who was greeting Sasha.
◇◇◇◇◇
“Good evening, Sasha-sama. I’m Myuane.”
“Your Highness, it’s an honor to meet you.”
“Hehe, we’re the same age, so let’s skip the formalities. Is it okay if I call you Sasha?”
“Huh? Ah… yes.”
“Yay! Hehe, we’re friends now!”
Apparently, this was Myuane’s true nature.
Just then, Cress appeared behind Myuane.
“Hey, Myuane. You came here to ask if you could join the mission, didn’t you?”
“Wh-what are you talking about, big brother?”
“I know exactly what you’re thinking. Oh, sorry, Sasha-dono, I’m not ‘I’ anymore… I’m Cress.”
“…I’m Sasha. Your Highness, you don’t need to worry about formal speech.”
“Ah, really? In that case, I’ll speak casually… Sasha, I’ll be staying in your team for a while, so please take care of me.”
“Y-yes.”
“Hey, that’s not fair, onii-sama!! Sasha, I… I mean, I want to join too!”
“Uh, well… I think it should be fine.”
“Yay!!”
“Hey, hey, Sasha, are you sure about this?”
“She’s the Princess’s order. Besides, with our team, I think it’ll be fine.”
Sasha called over Reynolds and the others from a distance and introduced them to Myuane and Cress.
“So, Your Highness, the Princess… um…”
“You can just call me Cress. We’re adventurers, so let’s speak as adventurers.”
“Me too!”
“…Well, if you say so. I’m Reynolds.”
“I’m Robin. Nice to meet you!!”
“I’m Tycoon. I look forward to working with you.”
Cress and Myuane quickly became friends with the group.
While they were talking, Sasha suddenly noticed a boy standing on the balcony.
“…………Ah”
It was Haise.
He wore a black formal suit, and… a large eye patch that hid his missing right eye and scars.
He had been standing alone on the terrace, avoiding everyone.
For a moment, Sasha’s heart skipped a beat, not from excitement but from nervousness.
But just then—someone approached Haise.
It was Myuane, the Second Princess, who had just been speaking with Sasha.
“Hey, you.”
“…………What is it?”
“What was that about earlier!?”
“Earlier? What do you mean?”
Before they knew it, the entire team had turned their attention to Haise and Myuane’s conversation.