Absolutely Do Not Touch Eldmia Egga – Chapter 83

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Hamster.

No, it was an undeniable fact that the academy became much more pleasant as soon as I started accompanying Esmée.

Her nickname of “Iron-Blooded Princess” seemed to be no joke, as the only ordinary action students could take was simply greeting her.

No one approached my vicinity anymore.

It was as if some kind of pest control had been sprayed, preventing anyone from even coming within a certain radius.

“I didn’t insist on accompanying you for nothing.” Esmée said.

With Esmée officially joining us, Sieg decided to avoid accompanying us for a while.

The reason was that even in the academy, the family relationships between the princesses weren’t in the best shape.

As a result, an unexpected division of labor occurred where Lagnis, who had originally come to meet the hero Sieg, ended up moving with Sieg’s group, separated from me.

When Esmée informed her of this fact, Lagnis wore an expression as if she had just been told the sky would fall tomorrow.

But in the end, she gritted her teeth and agreed to move with the hero’s group.

As time passed and lunchtime inevitably arrived, we were enjoying a normal walk after finishing our meal in the school cafeteria.

Honestly, at this point, I thought there might not be a need for an escort, but Esmée naturally linked arms with me as if it were expected.

I decided not to say anything, silently praying for the well-being of her shoulder muscles.

“The attendant is with the First Princess, while the Margrave herself maintains a relationship with the hero. Wouldn’t other envoys consider this a golden opportunity which they couldn’t obtain, even if they wanted to? Yet the Margrave doesn’t seem pleased at all.” Esmée said.

It was indeed so, but… somehow Esmée’s tone seemed closer to teasing and playing tricks on Lagnis rather than genuinely lacking understanding.

Was that attitude why Lagnis had been so upset?

Still, the kid was a noble after all.

She wouldn’t lose control of her emotions over just that, would she?

It was truly puzzling.

“Anyway. It’s a good situation for everyone, so there’s nothing to be concerned about. Even for me, this is a first, but it’s quite nice.” Esmée said.

Despite Esmée’s broad smile, I couldn’t help but think differently.

She was only 18 years old.

Because of her genius, she had even skipped the academy and entered the political world, fighting to solidify imperial power for four years.

The foundation for this must have been laid much earlier, meaning she had undoubtedly lived a life of intense struggle and tension, even amidst abundance.

To say that she solved everything easily because she was a genius seemed incorrect, given that she had already mentioned feeling nauseated even from simple tasks.

Seeing how much she was enjoying herself now, it was clear that despite being a genius, she was by no means devoid of emotions.

Just as I was running non-stop for my revenge, she too was running non-stop to become the emperor.

Thinking about it that way, I couldn’t help but find her incredibly impressive.

Even I couldn’t have lived like that if it weren’t for my reincarnation.

“Isn’t your work difficult?” I asked.

Unable to directly ask if the blood-draining political battles to become emperor were tough, I brought up the topic of work.

Esmée looked at me with a subtle smile for a moment before answering as if it were nothing.

“There’s nothing in this world that isn’t difficult. If one has good abilities, it might be a little less difficult… but in the end, work befitting those abilities also comes along” she said.

“With your abilities, couldn’t you avoid difficult tasks?” I asked.

I wondered how much of my question she would understand and accept.

I wasn’t a genius, so I couldn’t know.

I just asked casually as if it were light small talk during our time together, and waited for her answer.

“The future emperor doesn’t avoid things. They only push through” she replied.

“No, you’re talking about the future emperor, aren’t you? You should tell me about Esmée”

It occurred to me belatedly that this question could have led to a response like ‘How dare you suggest that I am not fit to be the future emperor! Bring the guillotine!’

But fortunately, nothing like that happened.

I felt a slight increase in pressure on the arm she was holding, but given that it came from Esmée’s small body, it was hardly noticeable.

“Well. I’ve never thought about it until now. I am a princess, and I have abilities that are more than sufficient to become the next emperor. In fact, I’m a genius with abilities far more suited to being emperor than my other siblings”

If I hadn’t known her, I might have wanted to give her a knock on the head for being an arrogant little brat, but having already established her as my hamster, even such words were unbearably cute.

The fact that Esmée herself uttered these words with utmost seriousness, and that they were actually true, was the killing point.

“I thought it would always be that way… but, it seems I’m starting to have some, very small doubts”

Esmée blushed and squirmed, as if embarrassed by the fact that she had such doubts.

In the end, she was still a child.

It was natural to have such doubts, but she was in a situation where such things weren’t supposed to be natural.

I was barely managing because I had at least pretended to live a normal life in my previous life.

Fighting endlessly for years, training, and preparing for the future was never easy anywhere.

“Esmée.” I called out.

“W-Why are you calling me?” she asked.

Once I reached a conclusion, my actions were swift.

“Esmée, you’re ultimately here under the academy’s rules as a student, and I’m also here in a form similar to an observer, but essentially as a temporary student, right?”

“That’s… right?”

She agreed, nodding as if somewhat puzzled.

To get a definitive answer, I bent slightly at the waist to look her directly in the eyes and asked once more.

“In other words, until the day I return to Itisiel, both Esmée and I are students, right?”

“Y-Y-Y-Yes, that’s right” she stammered.

Note to self… Small animals… and hamsters… are too scared to handle close facial proximity…

“Then, shouldn’t we do something that can only be done at this moment to truly enjoy our status as students?”

“W-What exactly are you trying to do, building up suspense like this and seeking my agreement? S-Something that can only be done now…!”

I couldn’t understand why her face was turning so red as if it might burst at any moment, but the answer was already decided.

I lifted Esmée up and placed her on my shoulders.

Unable to process the sudden change in situation, Esmée sat blankly on my shoulders for a few seconds before showing a normal reaction.

“Eep?! W-What are you doing?!”

Despite maintaining proper balance and even holding her hand just in case, Esmée clutched my head as if terrified.

To calm her down, I answered without hesitation.

“We’re skipping class!”

“….What…?”

Skipping class.

Self-declared holiday.

Playing hooky.

An action only students could take.

Therefore, wasn’t it the most student-like behavior?

“Let’s go have fun!”

“What do you… Eek! Don’t, don’t run! Stop running!”

Not a chance.

We’re heading straight to the mansion.

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“W-What on earth have you done, Sir Egga?”

At the mansion, where I had run to with all my might, even using mana, I was greeted by Renisa, whose jaw had dropped in astonishment.

Her gaze was fixed precisely on Esmée, who was still sitting on my shoulders, hugging my head.

Hmm.

As expected of a knight, she must have memorized the face of the imperial princess as a matter of course.

“Are you k-k-kidnapping the p-princess now…!”

“It’s merely part of my duties, Renisa. Therefore, please call the maids and have them select some modest clothes suitable for the princess to wear.”

“If it’s work, I understand. I’ll do that.”

What’s with this woman?

She’s scary.

With just one word, the person who was about to exclaim in shock and mention kidnapping instantly disappeared, leaving only the extremely calm and businesslike knight Renisa.

And Esmée naturally followed Renisa and disappeared, as if we had planned this beforehand.

Hmm.

Honestly, I thought she would be flustered and demand an explanation, but this was unexpected.

Could it be that the trust a man like me inspires is actually formidable?

The reason I ran here was simple.

The dark purple dress Esmée was wearing was so expensive that it couldn’t help but stand out.

In this world, dark purple was an extremely difficult dye to obtain, to the extent that having just a single handkerchief dyed dark purple could make you a super insider in high society.

But to wear a dress made of it?

Even a princess of Itisiel would be politically lambasted for excessive luxury if she did that.

This was truly a symbol of power that only descendants of the imperial family could wear.

How could we go out for a stroll wearing such a thing?

Naturally, my current attire was the knight uniform of House Levien, the same as Renisa’s.

I had also changed into casual clothes that I had received initially but never had a proper occasion to wear.

I only carried a wallet and a longsword at my waist.

As I came out, I started to form a concrete plan for our outing by asking the servants I encountered about the imperial sightseeing tour they had been enjoying for the past three days.

The wait wasn’t long.

“E-Eldmia. I’m ready,” Esmée said.

Although her beauty and white hair were inevitably eye-catching, Esmée’s attire had become infinitely more modest.

In modern society, someone might criticize this as a one-dimensional idea, saying that a world-class beauty doesn’t become a neighborhood ajumma just by wearing ordinary clothes.

But here, it was sufficient.

More than anything, I wanted to applaud the person who had skillfully coordinated an outfit that suited Esmée well without making her look too young, despite her exceptionally small stature.

With that level of fashion sense, couldn’t they open a clothing store?

I approached with a satisfied smile and lifted Esmée onto my shoulders again.

This time, even though I didn’t lift her as quickly, Esmée accepted my gesture without resistance.

Sitting on my shoulders, she hesitated before speaking.

“D-Do we really have to go like this?”

“Even if we’re skipping class to go play in the city, I can’t possibly let the princess walk, can I?”

“T-This seems more problematic for the princess’s dignity…”

“That’s the good part. Who would dare imagine a princess wearing plain clothes and sitting on someone’s shoulders, striding through the streets?”

We have to do things that are unimaginable for a princess to attract less attention.

I answered confidently as I walked out of the mansion’s door.

“Now, from this point on, I’m Eldmia Egga, an adventurer from the Kingdom of Itisiel. Esmée, you’re a neighborhood girl who’s become close to me. I’ve finished a request and earned some money, so I’m taking you out to play.”

“E-Eldmia? D-Did you just say ‘you’…?”

“Are you ready to relax and experience life as a commoner, Esh?”

I asked, glancing at Esmée on my shoulders.

She stared blankly for a while with her eyes wide open and mouth agape, then finally managed to speak after fidgeting awkwardly.

“I-I am ready.”

As expected of the quick-witted princess.

This reminds me of when I went on a tour with Lagnis and Ogwen.

Things are starting to get fun.

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[Lagnis is gona fuck Egga upppppppp Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster Hamster ]