Surviving a Shounen Manga - Chapter 49

Cocoa and Chinuavi were already waiting for me inside our cabin.

As soon as I entered, Cocoa uttered a single phrase.

“No luck.”

“Eh?”

“With that woman. No luck.”

When I looked at Chinuavi, he also shrugged his shoulders with a smirk.

“We had to come back without even getting the chance to strike up a conversation. She’s really vigilant.”

“Why, what did she say?”

“Just to screw off.”

Chinuavi corrected Cocoa’s words.

“She didn’t actually say much. Just gave us a quick look-over and then up and left.”

“What’s with these little kids? And then she just snorted and left. She really is something else.”

Hmmm.

I’d thought it might be easier for some young kids to get close to her, but apparently, I’d been wrong about that.

Well, the thought of that woman hanging out with some little kids also painted a bit of an awkward picture.

“Alright, fine. This is better, anyway. You don’t have to try and get friendly anymore.”

“Huh? Why?”

I told them about my fantastic plan that I’d come up with a while ago.

Then,

“Awesome! Damn cool!”

“B-… big bro Squatjaw. What do you mean, you…”

The reactions were on the opposite sides of the spectrum.

“I’m gonna kidnap her. And beat her up a tiny weeny bit in the process.”

“Brother… She’s still the princess of a country. What’s more, isn’t she related to the Skull Empire? The Skull Empire is known even in the goblins’ lair.”

“Then we have to hurry. The assassins of the Skull Empire are after her, you know. When I say I’m kidnapping her, isn’t that in the end for her own protection?”

“That’s right, you stupid goblin.”

“Then wouldn’t she just hate you for no reason? Why not just stay by my side and protect her…”

“Because that won’t do anything to fix that temper of hers.”

“… Eh?”

“Alright, now, Cocoa. Can you find out where the princess is now?”

“No problem. There will still be traces left everywhere.”

“Fine. Then let’s move.”

Before long, we followed Cocoa’s lead out onto the deck.

And we found the princess sooner than expected.

She wasn’t really hidden, and didn’t seem like she was even trying to hide, except for wearing a hood.

And even,

“What?”

“… She’s with a party?”

There were some other people with her.

When a bit of embarrassment was creeping in –

“… Ah!”

I realized that it wasn’t such a strange sight.

It was easy to infer the identities of those standing together with her.

Those sent from the Skull Empire to persuade the princess.

In other words, those who’d been following the princess until now and being a bother.

It was clearly them. Who else could be there for the princess to talk to?

Presumably, she’d looked for them because of the assassins’ raid last night.

“I’ll go and check things out.”

“Huh? Then take me along too.”

“Your job is done. Go with Chinuavi and find a good place for the kidnapping. Besides, I’m going to use a goblin cloth to cover myself up.”

“Can’t you just attack her when she gets back to her place?”

“I’m never going back there, ever again. All that crap you can’t see, squirming and splashing… ugh. I’ll just try and catch her on her way back.”

Then, I cautiously approached the princess.

A total of five people were with her.

One old man, three young men, and one woman standing a little farther away and peering around.

I took a close look at them all.

‘Nobody with any significant combat power… except maybe the senior?’

Of course, I couldn’t be certain. It was just an estimate based on their equipment, bearing, gait, and poise. I didn’t even know if any of them had any unique abilities.

‘None of them seem like a threat…’

But I couldn’t just relax.

As long as there was a chance that they might be people with unique abilities, no matter what those abilities might be, I couldn’t let my guard down.

There is no such thing as an absolute advantage in a battle between people with abilities. That is the basic common sense of this world.

The reason I wanted to analyze their strength was simple. Because sooner or later they would become my enemies.

From the princess’ point of view, they were not enemies. They might be annoying and unpleasant, but they weren’t here to threaten her life. Rather they were obviously trying to protect her from the assassins.

And this meant that from the moment I tried to kidnap the princess, they were bound to become my enemies – enemies whom the princess might directly ask for help.

Naturally, I had no choice but to pay attention.

Anyway, after making a rough estimate, I decided that they wouldn’t be a big obstacle.

Rather, it was safe to say that the princess herself was the biggest obstacle. The power that I’d witnessed last night had been incredible.

Of course, she still wasn’t at my level.

“Hmm.”

There seemed to be nothing left to observe.

I quickly retreated to find out where Cocoa and Chinuavi were.

It was time to start getting ready.

Thermis clenched her teeth as she played back the conversation she’d just had in her head.

“That damned old man.”

Asking for help? As if!

She’d just been trying to get some information on the attackers. It was much better to go and take care of them herself than to be bothered while she was sleeping. And even if they hadn’t known anything, she wouldn’t have cared.

However.

“… Scolding me, those shits.”

What was up with their reactions?

The scene resurfaced in Thermis’ mind.

⁝

“Were they yours?”

They looked a bit bewildered at her sudden appearence.

“… Who?”

“What’s going on?”

Thermis spoke of how she’d been attacked at dawn. Judging from the attackers’ style of speech, they seemed to have hailed from the Skull Empire.

“Of course, they couldn’t even handle a single fist of mine, but… I’m now in a bad mood.”

“H-, how could that be?”

“How can we…”

“I’m not saying that you yourselves arranged it, but you might be able to guess who did. If you have any information, please pass it on to me…”

That was then.

“Princess Thermis, what are you talking about?”

The old man at the back of the group had stepped forward.

Even though he’d only been idly listening so far.

“Were you attacked? That’s not something that can be ignored so easily. Are you saying the assassins have started moving? They’ve been following you for a long time, most likely. They’ve decided to use this ship as the stage to act.”

“Yeah, I know that too. So, if you have any information, I’m telling you to pass it on. So I can prepare.”

“Information? Preparation? That doesn’t matter at all. There is no reason for Princess Thermis to know any information about the assassins. You just need to stay with us and be protected.”

“… Haah.”

“At least until the end of the voyage, you’ll be staying with us. I’m not going to bring up the marriage issue.”

That old man had a habit of always asserting his own ideas and drawing conclusions as if it were natural.

The first prince’s teacher.

Royal Teacher, Bataar.

An old man whom Thermis couldn’t help but hate.

“Forget it. I don’t need or want any protection from you.”

“Princess, please reconsider. That kind of behaviour…”

“In the first place, I don’t think you’re very different from them either. What do you mean I should believe in you? You’re all from the same empire. And one more thing. I’m begging you, could you please stop chasing me? You don’t want to kill me the same as them, right?”

Then, after venting a bit, when she was about to turn around –

“And why do you think do they want to kill you!”

Bewildered by the chill tone, she’d turned around to see that the old man Bataar’s face had turned red. Why was he so excited?

“Isn’t it simple? Because your death can be the beginning of a war.”

“…”

“What if the assassins kill you and then hide your body? The empire will blame the kingdom for your disappearance and declare war. And the kingdom? They will also respond by saying that they will avenge you, princess. That the filthy imperial bastards have finally revealed their ambitions.”

“W-, well, that…”

“Are you going to keep acting like a child?”

“… Tch.”

In the end, she could only leave the place as if she was running away, without even being able to respond properly.

⁝

“Hoo…”

How did it all end up like this?

Thermis sighed softly.

The current situation could be easily defined in a single phrase.

‘Tangled into a knot’.

Originally, the Skull Empire was not a target of Thermis’ hatred. Rather, it was a target of her envy.

From a young age, listening to the achievements of the past emperors of the Skull Empire, along with the saying describing her as ‘a child who should’ve been born as a son of the imperial family’, a seed of admiration had inevitably taken root in her heart.

Moreover, her gender meant the boys her age could never approach her.

Was it because of that?

Surprisingly, from the age of seven, Thermis had begun to imitate the environment of the children of the Skull Empire, even though no one had asked her to.

Play with the horse, eat with the horse, sleep with the horse.

She slept more in the stable than in her bedroom, and spent several dozen times more time running through the meadow with her horse than attending courtly banquets.

Even the royal family did not restrain Thermis’ actions too much.

Because she was born too ‘different’ to be expected to play a stereotypical role of a princess, and it was a period when the relation between the two countries was improving day by day under the umbrella of the coalition government.

There was no reason to regard Thermis’ dream, to be a ‘General of the Skull Empire’, as a mere joke.

Rather, if the princess of the Mainin royal family became a general in the Skull Empire, which revered the military, it might even turn into an opportunity to end the long-standing truce and prepare a new armistice agreement.

So, knowingly and unknowingly, she even received support.

Then one day, something unexpected happened.

It was the day the first prince of the Skull Empire visited Mainin Kingdom for the purpose of cultural exchange.

Originally, she’d had no plans to attend the banquet. It was not her job to entertain the distinguished guests, and she’d never been forced to attend as a ‘princess’ since around the age of nine.

However, she’d heard that the legendary general of the empire, ‘Mong’, had come to visit along with the first prince.

And at the banquet she’d attended with the intention of taking a look at him –

“Who is that woman?”

Apparently, the ill prince had pointed to her.

“Damn it, damn it…”

As she recalled that moment, her anger boiled over again.

Since then, nothing had gone properly.

She had to leave the palace as if running away from the first prince who was constantly chasing her, and she had to push away the royal family ministers and imperial negotiators who came to persuade her from time to time, and eventually she had to leave of the city on a horse.

Then, when she thought she was finally going to get some quiet, suddenly they catch up and say that she was going to cause a war?

“Haah…”

It was her first time experiencing a sense of helplessness.

Not too long ago, she’d thought herself above such mundanity.

Thermis clenched her fists.

Tight enough that they quickly turned pale from bloodlessness.

“… Last night was good.”

Thermis remembered the raiders who’d come at dawn.

The moment when the vitality she’d thought lost had come surging back.

It was a pity that there’d been only three of them. If they’d lasted a little longer, she could’ve unwound the knots in her heart a bit more.

“An assassination squad, is it…”

Thermis thought it was fine. Dangerous? What bullshit. It was a golden opportunity to release the anger that was boiling inside her.

Anyone, feel free to come. Anyone. I will crush you to dust.

While she was muttering as she walked –

Suddenly, she felt someone’s gaze in front of her.

Thermis raised her head and looked ahead.

There, a large figure stood still, looking at her silently.

He looked like a typical third-rate villain.

A very mean face, and a chin jutting so long it was almost touching his chest.

And even –

“Hey there, pretty girl. Got some time? Shall we go somewhere nice for a chat?”

Even his stereotyped actions and lines. It was simply amazing.

“Heh, if you follow me quietly, you won’t get hurt…”

“Yes, let’s go. I have time.”

“Huh?”

“There’s plenty of time.”

He looked a little perplexed.

“Uh… is that so?”

Thermis was thankful for this unexpected fortune. The target of her wrath had come to her on his own two feet.

This idiot didn’t look like an assassin, but that didn’t really matter. Right now, she just needed a scapegoat to vent on.

The place she followed him to was a surprisingly comfortable-looking warehouse. She’d thought he was going to lead her to a dark place, but he seemed to have an unexpectedly neat side.

“Heh, if you listen carefully to me from now on, there won’t be any problems…”

“Alright, are you the only one?”

“Huh?”

“Are you alone?”

The squat-jaw scratched his head, a stupid expression on his face.

“Uh… for now, yeah.”

“Hey, how bland.”

Thermis then rolled up her sleeves.

“But it’s fine, I’m in a good mood. Let’s start with you. You did this, right? You kidnapped me, right?”

His expression turned even more idiotic.

“…”

There was nothing more to listen to.

Thermis immediately rushed towards him.

‘I can’t have him faint at the first blow, so I’ll have to adjust my strength a bit…’

Then, with moderate force, she threw a fist towards the man’s jaw.

However –

Bump!

“… Huh?”

Her fist, was caught.

In the squat-jaw’s grip, her fist was rooted in place. In the grip of a third-rate villain.

Confused, Thermis unknowingly froze.

“What’s with the sudden attack?”

“…”

Let’s calm down.

It seemed that he had a hidden trump card.

Thermis rebuked herself for being careless and tightened her muscles. Then she pulled, hard.

But –

“What, what?”

Her arm, refused to move.

As if stuck in solid rock, it didn’t even budge.

No, it couldn’t be like this. This, this… it just didn’t make sense.

For a moment, Thermis’ face turned pale.

This Squatjaw was a monster. One whose like she’d never seen before.

“No, I haven’t finished talking yet. Listen well. If you listen carefully, you won’t get hurt. Yeah? I’m not that bad a guy.”

It seemed like he was still talking about something, but she couldn’t understand anything at all. She couldn’t make head or tail of this situation.

Nonplussed, Thermis could only utter a single sentence.

“You, you, you… Wh-, who the hell are you!”

The squat-jawed bastard grinned.

It was then that she looked at his face properly, and saw that it wasn’t that of some third-rate villain. No, his face was indeed like that, but the light in his eyes was definitely not that of a run-of-the-mill rogue.

A predator.

“Huh? What, didn’t you know?”

A huge palm inched closer and closer to her face, covering the entirety of her world. That was the last thing she saw before Thermis lost consciousness.

“I am a kidnapper.”

Editor’s Notes:

None for this chapter.