Plain Girl Hero of Darkness
Chaos in Fort Astra!

[Farnesse Kingdom, Royal Capital Fizz]

The capital of the snow-capped Kingdom of Fizz is bustling with life due to the first festival held here for many years. In the square where the statue of the Emperor (?) the founder of the Kingdom of Farnesse, Julius Zu Farnesse, stood in the center, a dancer dancing to the rhythms of the flute and the drum. His thin clothes that showed off his skin from time to time made the men watching from below the stage cheer.

It is a traditional dance with a long history in the Kingdom, the Lion Ritual Dance.

“Consideration! Don't just look at the dance, look at my merchandise too! The famous Roasted Lion Ball in the Royal Capital! Buy five free two!”

A man with a bandana held up a roasted omelet skewer high as he promoted his stall out loud.

“Get your Pleiades Lion bracelet here! Limited stock, get it now!"

A woman held up her right hand high, marketing the merchandise she was wearing.

The plaza was filled with stalls, and the owner shouted loudly to draw customers in.

St Square. Germu was so lively because of the successive victories of the Seventh Army in the south and north. Poets have turned the exploits of the Seventh Army into popular songs, and sing them wholeheartedly.

After all, the threat of the Empire still enveloped them, and the war went badly for the Second Army at the Central War Theater. People ignored the harsh reality for a while, and broke away in the short celebration of victory—

“... We have to hurry, Second Lieutenant Katherina.”

"Yes sir!"

First Army aide Brigadier General Neinhart made it through the crowd, while his aide, Second Lieutenant Katherina Reiners followed in haste.

They attend this festival on their way back to the city.

“They actually held the festival. It's as big as the Lion King Festival."

The Lion King Festival is held annually at the Royal Capital Fizz before the start of the war. But, it was canceled after the war situation became grim.

Katherina seemed to be interested in the happenings in the square, and directed her eyes to it from time to time. The audience grew excited, and more and more people began to dance.

“-How about dancing together?”

“Ehh !? A-What do you mean?”

Katherina was shocked when she heard that, and she blushed a little. He combed his shoulder-length hair and muttered "What should I do ~" Neinhart was confused by this, and said:

“What else can be meant? You want to dance with the girl there, right? She's a famous dancer in the capital, so I can understand. Don't worry, we still have time.”

Katherina puffed her cheeks even before Neinhart finished.

“Ah ~ I understand, I understand. It was my fault for expecting something. I'm so stupid. I don't want to dance, let's rush to the castle."

“Are you sure? If you are worried about jobs—"

"Not needed!!"

Katherina shouted loudly, then ran away, leaving Neinhart. The girls who heard their conversation started to whisper.

(Laki likes that gapeka.)

And for some reason, they looked at Katherina with sympathetic eyes.

“... Does he want to shop at the stall only?”

Neinhart muttered and chased after him, but Katherina had already gone far away.

Leticia Castle, Neinhart's Office

(Sigh. Your Majesty is very stupid ..)

As soon as she reached the office, Katherina opened the window angrily. As she looked at the mirror on the table, Katherina smiled at him.

(Hmm ~ I think I look fine. Is my hairstyle too boring?)

Katherina tied her hair and imagined. At this moment, an ice-cold wind swept across his nape.

Katherina shivered, and closed the window she had just opened.

"Figur ... That should be enough for ventilation."

Katherina made an excuse that she did not take a shortcut, and curled up near the fireplace. He took out a bonfire from the restroom, and hurriedly lit a fire.

After warming himself up there for a while, he heard the door open behind him.

“No, you're too fast.”

Neinhart answered without thinking, and immediately took off her coat, hanging it on the sofa. He then sat down next to his desk, and began to look through his pile of documents.

He had forgotten what happened at St. That germu.

(Your Majesty may not even know why I'm angry.)

Katherina sighed in her heart, and shifted Neinhart's coat to the right place, and sat down near her own desk. He began to tidy up his documents like Neinhart.

Silence envelops the office—

“Hmm?”

Katherina's startled voice caught Neinhart's attention.

"Is something wrong?"

Katherina did not answer directly, and instead gave her the documents. Curious Neinhart looked at him.

“Request for audience? - So Lieutenant Claudia and Major Olivia are in the Capital…"

(Audience is simply a formal meeting between the higher-ups of the kingdom and others. Usually the higher-ups have no audience. Eat them 'ask' instead of 'invite'.)

"Maybe. Why are they looking for you? "

Katherina is no stranger to the name Claudia Jung.

A graduate of the 275th grade of the Royal Military Academy, he is the cousin of Neinhart, and the heir to the Jung family who produced many knights. Claudia is a knight and is said to be beautiful.

The other person was the new elite that the Imperial Army feared as the God of Death, Olivia Valedstorm. Katherina was surprised that the two who were famous for these various reasons were asking for an audience.

"Who knows. Then today— "

“His Majesty's schedule for today is so dense that I can't even put a cat in it.”

“... Cat?”

“I misspoke. I can't even put an ant in. "

Katherina said first with a smile.

“... Can't you reschedule something?”

"Impossible."

“Making it is probably an aide duty—”

"No way."

Katherina rejected him mercilessly. He took revenge for what happened in St.'s square. Your germ. After Neinhart was promoted to Brigadier for her contribution in the Battle of Iris, she grew busier.

So, it is not surprising that the schedule is full.

“... They came all this way to see me, so that must be an important thing. I hope stiff can help me make arrangements, Second Lieutenant Katherina."

Katherina knew very well that Neinhart was very stubborn when she adopted that tone. He had studied it after working as an assistant for so long.

“Sigh. I can delay your 2pm inspection in the southern zone of the Kingdom until tomorrow. Would you be okay if I put an audience into that empty slot? "

“It will work. Sorry for always troubling you, Second Lieutenant Katherina. "

"It's okay, I'll arrange it."

Neinhart agreed, and began to sort through the documents again. Katherina took out a notebook to change the schedule, and peeked at him.

(Gosh, he always smiles at me gently at times like these. Really crafty.)

Despite her complaints, Katherina felt a warmth in her heart as she turned the doorknob.

...****************...

...To Be Continue's...