124 Episode 124: "The Ribbon of the Princess Knight" suits the Knight of Justice very well. ".txt (2/2)

A knight's trust has no need for such a thing, sir!

Mr. Cutlass said, with a plump chest.

...... I'm seriously starting to worry about Mr. Cutlass's future .......

I'm not sure if it's because of the early morning hours, but it's because of the early morning hours that we arrived at the market.

Maybe it's because it's early in the morning, but there are a lot of shops selling fruits and vegetables.

We bought our food for the trip yesterday, so we don't need it. The water bags - we have some left over from what Rafilia and her friends left behind, so there is no problem. Weapons and armor are also unnecessary for now.

Maybe I should buy some gifts for Cecil and Rita.

I didn't tell them the details of the situation, so they might be worried about it. If you leave them alone, those two will go off the rails very quickly.

As cheap and cute as possible: ...... I think I'll get this one.

”Are you there with a ribbon?

The stall we stopped at sold ribbons and hair clips made from scraps of cloth.

............ pooh-pooh.

Mr. Cutlass?

”There's a ............ labyrinth at ...... Kyuto, and there's ...... ......

Mr. Cutlass looked at the ribbons lined up on the storefront with a dazed look on his face.

'Do you want ......?'

No, no, no, no, no!

Bum-bum-bum, Cutlass-san shook his head.

'A knight does not need any extra decorations, sir!

It's a personal hobby. It's okay.

'My mother used to berate me when I was little. A knight should be simple and robust. Pretty reds and pinks, lablabies and fluttery decorations are outrageous. ......

I see.

So that's how Cutlass-san's mother did her knight gifted education.

Then let's use that against her.

Your goal is to be a knight defending the people.

...... That's right, sir.

'Not so much the other knights?'

Huh. What? There are knights who put their nobility first. Of course there are knights who bully their own people.

You don't want to be associated with that, do you?

Of course, sir!

'Then wouldn't a ”knight defending the people” need to have a marker to identify him as such at first glance?

I bought three ribbons from the front of the store - including one for Cecil and Rita.

Mr. Cutlass' was the pink one. It's the one with horse and knight-like embroidery.

You'll be able to find out more.　Huh?　Yeah, yeah?

”It's like a trademark of the 'knight defending the people'. So that when the people see this ribbon, they know that it's 'on their side.'

I wrapped a pink ribbon around Mr. Cutlass' arm.

Yeah, it's nice. Nice.

”No, you don't. Because this symbol is the princess knight's.

I know.

It was neatly labeled ”Princess Knight's Ribbon” on the storefront.

Apparently, it's based on a motif of a princess knight who used to live in this country.

It's a pair of them. A pink one and a yellow one. Since it's such a hassle, I thought I'd get both...

Shhhhhhh!

”No, no, no, ...... and no, .......

Mr. Cutlass' eyes are starting to lose focus.

They're starting to blink. It's a sign of a change in personality.

”There's ...... and I have ...... and I have ...... and I have .......

Mr. Cutlass, come here.

I take Cutlass's hand and go into the alley.

I face Cutlass on the narrow, secluded street.

”It's strange. I shouldn't be happy about this.

It's okay. It's a hobby.

No, sir!　That's because I'm not supposed to be here, but I'm weak and my mother said I shouldn't be.

Mr. Cutlass?

U............ and ......

Mr. Cutlass's body is swaying from side to side.

Holding his head down, Mr. Cutlass is confused.

His eyes are slowly changing color. Right before her personality changes.

Can we go now?

The cheat skill delays Cutlass's personality change and makes her realize her 'girly' side.

That I like pretty things, and that I want something that's 'labrie' and 'kyuuto'. That it doesn't mean you have to feel guilty about it──.

Dang!

I pressed my chest against Mr. Cutlass' head and put my hand on the wall.

'Activate!　'Saving Heart Embrace 《Heart Healing Hug》, LV 1!

What?

The moment he activated the skill in a walled-off state, Cutlass-san's eyes widened.

'Saving Heart Embrace 《Heart Healing Hug》, LV1'

Skill to 'move' the 'heart' with the 'body'

The 'Salvation Embrace' is a skill I used to complete the Sea Dragon's Trials in the port city of Ilgafa.

It was made by combining the concept of the 'singing' skill Rita was using and the 'wrapped' skill of the Large Serpent.

It literally takes effect by pressing my torso against the target opponent. Hugging them is the quickest way to do it, but due to the fact that I originally dismantled the Large Serpent's skill, there's even a bonus that if you don't use your hands and just attach your torso to them, it quadruples the effect. As far as status recovery skills go, it's a cheat in a cheat.

This skill nullifies the target's 'Sleep', 'Enchantment', 'Stunned' and 'Confusion'.

When Ms. Cutlass notices ”something girly inside of her”, she goes into a state of confusion and then switches personalities.

Then you can nullify the confusion.

That way, only the state in which she realized her identity should remain...

I... What?　Huh?　Whoa, whoa?

Mr. Cutlass rolled his blue eyes and looked at me, then at himself.

He unfolded the collar of his clothes and looked at his own pure white chest.

Then - looking at each other's bodies that were tightly attached to each other.

Touch my chest, touch your chest.

Put your fingers at the base of your legs. And then, because we're so close to each other, you'll notice something a little different about me and you'll feel the touch of where you're going to touch me!　Wait a minute!

You are a boy. And I am a boy, aren't I?

Yes.

But no, sir!　I'm not a part of this world... ......?

It's not.

How could I not have noticed this before?　Why me?

Actually, Mr. Cutlass was cursed.

...... curse, is it?

The curse of not knowing one's gender.

I don't like it. I was brought up to be a virtuous son and daughter.　It's not a girl thing,

Ribbons look good on you.

Huh!

Mr. Cutlass slumped down, holding his chest.

'What is this feeling? It makes me happy when Arujidono compliments me on my ribbon!

And you know what they actually do to your hair.

I wrapped the ribbon around Mr. Cutlass's hair.

No, you can't do that! You can't do this! I can't...

We'll see.

'Hahahahaha!'

Mr. Cutlass has a bright red face and is holding his hair.

I put my fingers on the ribbon - I thought I was going to untie it - but I stopped.

You're going to be able to get the most out of it.

I'm not going to be the only one who can do that. I've been told by my mother that I shouldn't desire to wear such a thing by my neighbors and that if I ever found a girl I could give her the ribbon I wanted, she would beat me and then she would burn all of us to death.

I'm embarrassed to ask this, but...

Yes, sir.

Have you ever seen a 'boy' other than yourself naked or anything like that, Cutlass-san?

No, sir. It's because my mother forbade me to play with the neighborhood kids, saying 'you who will become a knight mustn't play with those bottom-feeders'. I'm not ...... really ...... playing with everyone, not ......!　Not so!　My mother raised me up to be a knight and she raised me up to be a... what?

With a plop, tears spilled from Mr. Cutlass' eyes.

'Huh?　Huh?　Why am I crying, sir?　And I'm so grateful to you. It was tough, but it was all for my sake and... oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.　It's funny, it's funny!

Hey, boy.

Why are you nodding your head, Aruji?

'Hmm. I wonder why.

I wish you wouldn't do that. I'm ...... a strong girl!　Become a knight, reveal yourself ...... and take revenge on the king who cast you out ...... Huh?　Huh?　Why ...... why ...... why did your mother do this ...... that?　Hareareare: ..................

──── After that, Mr. Cutlass sobbed for a while, and then he fell asleep while I kept nodding my head.

──── While I kept patting his head, he fell asleep.

And then...

Thank you. Thank you.

I woke up as the other Mr. Cutlass.

'I'm sorry. That might have been a bit of a rough treatment.

'I don't mind. The wall between me and Cutlass could only be broken down with that kind of power. It's as if she and I were divided by her mother's magical curse. ......

It's as if he's trying to protect himself.

Truly, it's as if such a 'curse' - had been placed on him, said the nameless princess.

...... I wonder if this has worked out for you.

I'm not perfect. I just noticed a few things.

The nameless girl held her chest, as if she were pleading with her other self.

'But Cutlass has realized that he's not a boy - and what he really wants. That's enough for now. A hole in the wall. That's when Cutlass found out who he is.

Oh, yeah, do you want to hear how I've been protecting him?　There are also some slightly naughty and funny stories. Do you want to hear them?

I'll stop at .......

In fact, I feel like I'm stepping in too far.

There might be some stuff about Mr. Cutlass' mother that I don't really want to hear.

So, what's going to happen to you?

I think you and Cutlass are becoming more and more one.

Is that how it works?

I'm like a residual thought from when Cutlass was little. When he no longer believes that he is a good little boy, all of his memories and personality will melt away inside of him.

Is that a good thing?

That's a good thing. Maybe it's better than waiting to walk blindly into a toxic swamp of royalty and aristocracy.

With that, the girl with Mr. Cutlass's face closed her eyes.

'Arujidono.'

What the f*ck?

How do I get paid?

Did we have an appointment?

Naming rights. You said you wanted me to have the right to give you a name.

If we're going to combine, why don't we just call it Cutlass?

That's my mother's name. It's a boy's name.

Because you're going to merge and become a girl?

Yeah. I hope you'll give Aruji a suitable name for it.

I don't remember what your mother called you.

The Void.

The unnamed girl murmured sadly.

'Yes. Something I shouldn't be there. Something I want to pretend I can't see. So an empty 'void'.

Then go to ......

I pointed above my head.

She looked up with a strange look on her face as she was grabbed by me and then suddenly realized that--

'Feen'?

”My shenanigans - it wasn't, they use the same letters for 'empty' and 'empty' back home.

I said.

The sky is bright blue and it's a beautiful day.

It's just the right time to pack up and leave.

'You wouldn't feel comfortable if you suddenly went with the exact opposite name. I tried to make it sound similar, something positive, and it was.

In our language, ”Aozora” sounds like ”Feen”. It could be 'Sola', but it's hard for people over here to get used to it.

...... That's right. The sky is empty ...... but it's wide and beautiful ...... I see, that's the kind of 'empty' you get too ......

She was looking straight up at the sky, and then she shifted her gaze to me.

Okay. I'm a 'fyn' from now on.

The girl with Cutlass-san's face - Fynn stretched taller, ”Hmmm,” she said pleasantly.

''Nah, that's really refreshing. It's like a lie that I've been floundering around inside Cutlass, trying to get her to notice me all this time.''

So, what are you going to do now?

'It's up to Cutlass. If she says 'I still want to become a knight', then she will. If not... then there's nothing to do.

That's nice. You've got nothing to do.

It's all empty.

Fynn puts his face close to my ear and murmurs, ”But you see, I have a dream.

'But you see, I - and Cutlass also has an unconscious - I have a dream.

The Dream.

'Yes. After giving my best smile to the person I love most in the world, I shyly said, 'Stick it! And then I said, ”I'm going to give it all away. You'll wield your sword for that person you love while being brought to your knees by love and pleasure.

It's very fractured, isn't it?

It can't be helped. She was raised by her mother.

Then 'Fynn' laughed.

'By the way, I wonder if you know of Arujido?

Hmm?

”'Feen' means 'something to wrap around' as well as 'blue sky', you know?

...... Yeah. I know.

You know what, Arujidono? ”You know what, Arujido, 'Feen' also means 'embracing'. Arujido, I'm going to make Arujido 'enfolded' by ......

Why do you say it three times?

It's okay if I don't think of anything else. It's okay if I don't think of anything else. B-B-Between...

Fynn smiles very nicely and hums a huff and a puff. I feel somewhat embarrassed, and I look up again at the blue sky that gave me my name.

There was less than two hours left until Cutlass-san's scheduled departure time.

Until then, we wait for Mr. Cutlass to regain consciousness.

'Well,'

I looked toward the main street.

The two men who were looking at me, their faces retracted with a jolt.

After a few moments, they came out, and I beckoned them to come out.

”Cecil and Rita, come here.

............ I'm sorry. Nagi-sama.” ”............ It's gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. We're just here to shop, too.

Okay.

You both seem anxious, so it's time to explain the situation to them.

Also, because I want you to make sure that when Mr. Cutlass wakes up, you're right about the 'girls'.

”Huh?　Wouldn't it be better for Arujidono to give a hands-on explanation of 'However, I'm not sure I'd like to be the one to explain 'However, I'm not?'

Fynn chuckled and said.

...... I'll refrain from doing that because it still looks like the hurdles are maddeningly high for both of you.