Epilogue: Towards the First Trip Abroad(F)

..So, there you have it, it's been decided I'm going to the Star Dragon Mountain

Range."

It was a few hours later. I had gathered my companions in the conference room

for the announcement.

Present were my four fiancées, Liscia, Aisha, Juna, and Roroa, as well as Prime

Minister Hakuya, Captain of the Royal Guard Ludwin, Finance Minister Colbert, my

honorary little sister Tomoe, and the maids Serina and Carla, for a total of eleven

people, including myself.

"You'll be going out of the country, right? Are you going to be okay?" Liscia asked,

sounding concerned, so I nodded.

"I'll have the Black Cats watching over me from the shadows along the way. Mind

you, I really can't have them enter the territory of the Star Dragon Mountain Range

with me. Still, once we're in the Star Dragon Mountain Range, there probably isn't

anyone who'd try to mess with us. Besides, I've been given permission to bring a few

companions with me into the Star Dragon Mountain Range. Hakuya, how many was

the limit again?"

"Up to five was what the letter said."

Nodding in response to Hakuya's answer, I turned to face the rest. "That being

the case, I want to bring about five people. We're going incognito, so I don't want to

stand out, but it's outside the country, and we don't know what might happen. That's

why, as much as possible, I want people who are capable warriors. Aisha, I definitely

want you with me."

"Yes, sir. I will protect you with my life, Your Majesty."

"That's no good," I said. "You're already recognized by the people as a candidate

to become my future second primary queen. I know it's weird for me to say this

when I'm the one who needs protecting, but don't say you'll give your life for me.

Make sure you protect yourself properly, too."

"Y-Yes! Understood!" Aisha bobbed her head up and down, nodding.

Next I looked to Liscia. "On the other hand, the one person I can't take with me

this time is Liscia."

"...Can you give me a reason?" Liscia asked with a look of discontent on her face.

She clearly wasn't satisfied, but she was willing to hear me out first.

"If I'm the top authority in this country, you're number two," I said. "We estimate

the trip abroad will last about a month. We can't have the top authority and his

number two both away for that long. I'm sure there's no risk to our lives, but think

what would happen if something delayed our return. In the event that happens, I

need to have left behind someone who can run the country for me."

"...You're right. It's unfortunate, but... I can accept that," Liscia said with a sigh.

I regretted it, too. She was a reliable girl, and I really did want to bring her.

Liscia brought a hand to her chest, as if trying to shift her mindset. "I'll hold down

the fort while you're gone. In exchange, can you try not to be too reckless?"

"Yeah. I'll be relying on you."

With Liscia having accepted it, I turned to Juna next.

"As for Juna, who can handle both fighting and intelligence gathering, I'd really

like to have you along, but we can't take you off the educational program for too

long, now can we?"

"...That's right. It's a shame."

"Oh, oh! Me! Me! I wanna go!" Roroa raised her hand and started hopping up and

down trying to get my attention.

Colbert immediately pinned her arms behind her back. "Y-You can't, Princess!

We've expanded to so many different enterprises, I need you here to help manage

them all! Besides, you have to appear with Juna on the educational program, don't

you?"

Roroa's shoulders slumped. "Aw... but I wanted to go on vacation with Darlin',

too."

"It's a trip abroad, okay?" I said. "We'll all go on a family vacation together

eventually."

"We'd better, darlin'!"

Of the remaining members, I looked to Carla.

"Carla, I want you to come as a bodyguard, too."

"M-Me?!"

"Out of everyone here, I'm looking for someone with martial ability and nothing

important to do, so you're the most appropriate choice."

"U-Understood, Master!" Carla cried.

"Carla, take care of Souma for me, would you?" Liscia walked over to her and took

her hand gently.

Carla let go, took a step back, and saluted her. "Leave it to me, Liscia. I swear my

master will come back unharmed!"

While watching that exchange between two friends out of the corner of my eye, I

addressed the group.

"For the rest, they're not here, but I think I'll take Hal and Kaede. Hal's martial

prowess comes guaranteed, and I know him well. Kaede's a powerful earth mage,

too, after all. For now, I think I'll take those four as my companions. Everyone, work

on that assumption and..."

"U-Um! Big Brother." Tomoe hesitantly, but using a clearly audible voice, raised

her hand.

"Tomoe? What is it?" I asked.

"T-Take me with you, please!"

"""Whaa?!""" everyone cried out in surprise.

The timid Tomoe, who did everything she could to stay out of the way of the

adults in the castle, was suddenly acting aggressive. Maybe the only one who wasn't

surprised was her teacher, Hakuya.

"Um... it's outside the country, you know?" I said. "It could be dangerous, too..."

"I-I want to see more of the world! Not just the castle. I want to see more of

everything, and to eventually be someone who can support my big brother and

sister!" Tomoe clenched her fists tight as she made her appeal.

We had been protecting Tomoe up until now, but she'd said she wanted to be

able to support us. Tomoe was eleven years old now. If she'd been a boy, it'd be a

period in her life where she'd still be doing stupid stuff; and as a girl, she was about

to hit a sensitive period. I was happy to see this change in her as a member of the

family, and also concerned.

"Sire..." Hakuya said. "If possible, I would like you to take your little sister along."

I was still at a loss for words.

"During this period, I have judged that broadening her horizons will help her to

grow," he continued.

"Well sure, even in my world there was a saying, 'If you love your child, let them

go on a journey,' but still." I crossed my arms and thought about what to do.

"Please, Big Brother..." Tomoe pleaded with teary eyes.

When she asked me with those cute puppy dog eyes that reminded me of this old

commercial with a chihuahua, I really struggled to come up with my answer.

We had things covered in terms of martial ability. With Aisha and Halbert there,

we could respond to almost any situation.

But still... it could be dangerous...

I was conflicted between my concern for her as as her big brother, and my desire

to grant her wish as her big brother. After nearly two minutes of agonizing over it...

in the end, I gave in to the earnest look in Tomoe's eyes and raised the white flag.

"Okay... I'll allow it. But only after you've gotten permission from Tomoko." That

was Tomoe's mother. "If you can't get her permission, I can't take you with me. Also,

none of us will be talking to her about this matter. You need to convince your

mother on your own. Is that still okay?"

"Yes!" Tomoe energetically nodded.

I don't know what happened between Tomoe and Tomoko after that. However, in

the end, Tomoe managed to convince her.

When Tomoko appeared alongside Tomoe later, she must have been worried

deep down. "Your Majesty, please take care of my daughter," she said, and bowed

her head to me resolutely.

It seemed the apple didn't fall far from the tree. I meant that in a good way, of

course.

Well, my companions for the trip were decided.

Off we would go.

Onward to the country of dragons, the Star Dragon Mountain Range.