After a few minutes of being rocked by the carriage, they reached the royal palace.


    While Princess Irene and Alisa were talking together, they seemed to be getting pretty close to the royal palace.


    It wasn''t long before they decided to talk again in the evening.


    ''Alisa-sama, I''ll talk to you again in the evening!


    Yes, yes, ma''am.


    Princess Irene with a twinkle in her eye, who must be looking forward to it very much.


    Alisa retreated a little, but replied politely.


    ''''Good for you, Alisa. It looks like you and Princess Irene are going to have some fun together.''''


    I said in a small voice as everyone but me and Alisa got out of the carriage first.


    ''''Don''t say that lightly. Why would the princess of a country and I, a mere maid, be alone at night...''''


    Alisa looked a little tired and worried about the evening.


    ''I guess Princess Irene didn''t have much to talk about with women close to her age either. Just like me.''


    "...Christo.


    I''ve recently made a good friend named Eric, but I guess Princess Irene doesn''t have that kind of same s*x friend.


    So maybe that''s why she seemed so happy and excited to be able to talk to Alisa.


    ''Besides, you''re actually having fun too, aren''t you?''


    ''''Well yes, Princess Irene is a very good person.


    Looking at the way they were talking earlier, they seem to be surprisingly on the same page.


    Alisa is also a maid and has been working at the royal palace for a long time, and she doesn''t have a lot of friends her own age.


    ''''Don''t be rude,''''


    Of course.


    If it was Princess Irene, she''d forgive me for a little rudeness, and Alisa wouldn''t be that rude, so it should be fine, but just in case.


    ''''I''ll tell her a lot about how embarrassing Christo is.


    Hey, don''t do that.


    I didn''t miss Alisa''s small muttered words just before I got off the carriage.


    Dozens of guards surrounded us as we walked into the royal palace.


    Anne, the head of the Magic Knights, and the other soldiers are very tense and tense.


    This is because the moment we get off the carriage, we royalty are supposed to be visible for a moment in the city.


    Normally, we would enter the royal palace with the carriage and get off there, and we wouldn''t be visible in the city.


    But me and my father are here as bait.


    Me and my dad are especially easy targets while we''re in this country.


    And we''ll take advantage of that and make it easier to target.


    Besides the Lindow Empire that swooped in before, there may be others who are targeting us.


    So I dare to make it easier to aim and sear them out.


    Me and my dad will play a particularly dangerous role, but I''m prepared for it.


    Anne, who was guarding him, said that while looking around her without being unnatural.


    If that was the case, then it means that there is no magic attack for now.


    If the soldiers are so tightly packed around you, it should be difficult for them to approach and attack you.


    But even so, we can''t let our guard down.


    There is a possibility that they will hide their appearance with magic and come closer.


    Hm?　No, since I don''t have a magical response, it''s impossible to hide my appearance with magic.


    When I thought that and let my guard down........


    ''''--!


    Anne, who was walking in front of me towards the royal palace, turned vigorously to the right diagonally back.


    It seems as if she sensed something, so the others and I look in that direction too.


    In particular, we could see a normal city, and nothing seemed to have changed.


    ''Anne, what''s going on?''


    ...No, it seems to be fine. I''m sorry to have startled you.


    Anne answered my dad''s question by letting her guard down as she did so and started walking again.


    I glanced in my current direction again, but I didn''t see anything in particular.


    Since Anne, who is able to sense magic power sensitively, reacted so much, something must have happened.


    However, Anne said, "It seems to be okay.


    That means something happened, but it''s already been dealt with.


    After that, nothing special happened, and we entered the royal palace and closed the main gate as normal.


    The guards also seemed to be in a somewhat reassuring mood.


    I also took a breath, and Arisa next to me had her strong shoulders lowered as well.


    ........A few years ago when I was almost attacked in another country, Alisa went in front of me even though she didn''t have anything to fight with.


    I managed to get away without getting hurt, which was good, but I got really mad at her afterwards.


    It may have been the first time I was that angry at Alisa.


    But no matter how angry I was, I kept my willpower and said, "I''m sorry, but I don''t regret it.


    I''m honestly glad you''re protecting me.


    But if it''s going to be Alisa''s sacrifice, then it''s a different story.


    I''m not going to be happy about it, even if it means being protected, if it means sacrificing Arisa.


    --You''ll be able to find a lot of people who will be able to help you.


    ''Christo?　Are you okay?


    ''　Oh, yeah, I''m fine.


    Alisa looked into my face as she looked into my thoughts and said this in a small voice so the others couldn''t hear her.


    I don''t want anyone else to sacrifice for me anymore.


    I turn towards the main gate that is closing and look somewhat in the direction of Anne''s reaction.


    If Anne didn''t deal with it and said it''s okay, then maybe you did, right?


    Hey, Eric.


    Please don''t make the sacrifice for me.