Avalon's Dungeon

There are things in life that cannot be accomplished even with the help of the devil.

「Hah...」

Alexis has been sitting on his desk in his study since this morning.

He hates the fresh sunlight that is streaming in through the gaps between the bookshelves.

「It never ends...」

He looks up at the ceiling amidst his papers.

It's no wonder. The mountain he thought he had finally broken down. One after another, they are brought in by high-ranking officials.

「So there was a formidable foe here that even the Avalon conquerors couldn't match. Yes... it's a document. More merciless than the Moon God...」

He said this as he stared up at the ceiling.

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「What are you talking about, Alex?」

A voice reaches his ears, half-recoiling.

He turned his head and saw Fatima standing there.

She is wearing the robes of a high priest today. Although it has been a long time since her standard maid's uniform has been seen, it suits her well.

「Are you all right? Are you working too hard to think straight?」

She walks up to him, asking him that.

Alexis smiles at her with a faraway look in his eyes.

「Look, Fatima, I lost the battle. I lost the battle with myself.」

「That's all right. You're going away with Her Majesty the Queen, aren't you? Why don't you get ready for your trip?」

Fatima pulled up a chair next to Alexis and sat down.

「No, how are we going to go? With a never-ending work schedule?」

Alexis retorts, and she gives a shallow sigh of exasperation.

「...That's what I'm here for...」

Hearing those words, he was thrilled.

「Fatima...!」

She looks like an angel.

Alexis stands up and takes the blonde official in her arms.

"Hyaa," Fatima says in surprise.

「Um, Alex, no. Your Majesty...」

Fatima's voice sounds troubled.

When she calls Alexis that, the scene is set.

But then, Cough! a loud, deliberate coughing sound reaches their ears.

「I don't know, High Priestess. I thought you were finally getting into the swing of things these days, but you still don't seem to know your place, do you?」

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An elderly dignitary with a deep furrow between his brows and a new document in his hand stood at the door.

Alexis gently removes his hand from Fatima's.

「...I'm getting old, huh?」

Alexis is not aware of the presence of a third person...

Still, he folds his arms and nods deeply. This time he has no excuse.

"No, I think you're just tired," Fatima follows up in a whisper.

「Well, the Princess-Maiden is waiting for you. We would not wish to have a high official so lightly touched. I hope you'll leave the castle soon before they get any ideas.」

Alexis was surprised to hear the official say this with a difficult look on his face.

「Are you sure?」

「Fatima just said that. That's what we're here for.」

「Oh, Benedict!」

Alexis called out the name of the high priest and ran up to hug the elderly man in front of him.

The priest who was hugged by Alexis looked more reluctant than usual.

「Indeed, the Priest-King is a very troublesome person. He is so tired that he touches everyone with impunity.」

「Yes, I agree with you. I never thought the day would come when I would be hugging a man.」

Saying this, Alexis opened up to him.

The official still looks reluctant.

「...Anyway, please don't hug me anymore. You must go and stretch your wings slowly.」

「Okay, thank you. I'll do that.」

「Thank you... and take good care of the Princess-Maiden...」

"Yes, of course," Alexis responds.

「I protected her in the dungeons of Avalon. We would be even safer in other places, wouldn't we?」

「Of course, I trust you with it more than I trust anyone else.」

Benedict smiled as he said this.

* * *

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The carriage leaves Sagrado Castle and finally starts to drive away.

This time, they did not use a castle carriage. Instead, a small, plain, and simple carriage with a wheelbarrow, which is used by the common people, is pulled by a commoner's hired horse and a coachman.

Alexis himself did not wear any clothes that would identify him as a king.

He wore tunics, pants, coats, and belts made of dyed cotton, no different from the common people. Fransisca, too, is dressed very roughly in a dress, cape, and long boots, and is seen to be having a good time.

「I'm new to this kind of dress」

She says in a cheerful voice.

Well, she has been dressed as a princess both on and off duty. And looking back, Fransisca is now a princess in her own right. She is, for better or worse, a princess like a princess.

「Does it suit me?」

She turns around and gives Alexis an innocent amethyst look, which makes Alexis want to avert his eyes.

It would be a lie to say it did not suit her. But it would be embarrassing to say it did.

「...Well...」

So, he replies vaguely and looks out of the carriage.

Still, she seems to know Alexis' intention from his facial expression or something, smiling and happy.

「Isn't Alexis-sama excited to wear something different from usual?」

Asked to agree, he answered, "Yes." This time, he replied with his true feelings.

「But I'm used to wearing this kind of thing.」

He used to be an adventurer. So, he spent more time in the same clothes as the common people.

「Ah... that's true too.」

Fransisca sounded satisfied.

She is probably remembering Alexis' rough clothes during the Avalon conquest.

There is a reason why he has left in such an outfit today. It is because he is going out on a "secret" trip.

The position of a king or queen is a difficult one. If people are aware of it, they are afraid to be around them.

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This is true even within the country, especially when the destination this time is outside Sagrado.

This time, the problem of diplomacy arises, such as "what is the matter with the king of a foreign country visiting us and not giving us a warm welcome," or "why he visited us and did not show his face to us."

In other words, making people aware of their position is, at that moment, formal.

So, the only way to make a visit is to make a secret visit, if they want to take it easy and relax.

「How do you feel?」

A man called out to them from the coach stand.

He alone knew the true position of Alexis and Fransisca, even though he was a commoner.

「You have good skills. Even though it's small, it doesn't shake much and it's not a bad ride.」

When Alexis replied, he received a polite, "I'm sorry."

Listening to his reply, he thinks that it would have been better if he had been with a person whose identity he did not know.

However, as expected, the high official did not allow them to be so flexible and they refused to do so.

However, he was surprised that there was not much opposition to his going on a secret trip.

「Are you going on a secret trip? Of course, you should do so.」

He was surprised to receive such an answer from Benedict, a high-ranking official when he told him about the plan again. After all, he had expected that he would not get a good look from him.

However, he readily accepted it. Well, it is not so unusual for the royal family of Sagrado to visit outside the castle on their own.

「So it's like a custom?」

Alexis was surprised, but Benedict raised his eyebrows.

「No, it is not a custom. But, well, traditionally, it is a common practice」

His way of slurring his words was somewhat puzzling.

「...I can't give you official permission. But, the Sagrado royal family has many traditions. The priests understand a little that it is a stifling position to be in without such things.」

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And it was Fatima, not Benedict, who spoke in such a respectful manner.

Fatima had just brought Fransisca to Alexis after she had finished her preparations.

It was refreshing to see Fransisca dressed in a commoner's style, which is not usually seen. Seeing her like this, Alexis suddenly became concerned.

「...Don't tell me that Fransisca has been sneaking out too?」

Fransisca smiled and tilted her head slightly, and Fatima answered for her.

「As for the queen, that rarely happened.」

「Really?」

When he let out a laugh at the way she said "rarely," Fransisca turned her head down in embarrassment.

But, there was no need to be embarrassed, Alexis thought.

「I-I don't behave like a delinquent... Not often.」

Fransisca, who covered her mouth with her hand and whispered in a low voice, was kind of cute.

Benedict was smiling at that moment, so it seems that even this hard-headed dignitary shares the same feeling.

* * *

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At any rate, the trip was approved without any problems.

He was a bit disappointed because he had struggled so much to get the job done first, thinking that he would make a bad impression on the high official if he didn't talk about it after that... but it turned out to be a good thing.

Besides, no one escorts them.

The trust of an Avalon conqueror is still valid even against a high-ranking Sagrado official.

Eden was disappointed, but for once she refrained from doing so.

Instead, he was required to carry a weapon made of magic crystal.

（...well, it's a crude weapon. Although I have no experience with it, it's good enough...）

Alexis touches the hilt of the magic crystal sword hanging from his waist belt as the carriage rocks along.

It is now in a black leather scabbard, so it is hard to tell from its appearance that it is made of magic crystal.

The spear sword and shield, which he originally used, have been widely known as the weapons of the conqueror because they are rare weapons. Therefore, carrying a sword was one of the camouflages.

Seemingly noticing Alexis' gesture, Fransisca called out to him, "You are wearing the same sword today, aren't you?"

She smiles at him, pointing at the sword that she also has on her waist.

Alexis smiled and said, "Yes, you are right."

Thus, with the two of them on board, the carriage heads toward its destination.