Chapter 158: Troublesome Child

"What a troublesome child you are~"

The Queen said while stroking my head. I don’t remember causing Her Majesty any particular trouble though? What could be troublesome? From her expression, I could tell she wasn’t calling me a hopeless child. I knew that the previous Prince Robin was considered a troublesome child that everyone had given up on. I had heard that so many times I was sick of it.

"I had only heard unfortunate rumors about Robin-sama, but when I actually met you, my expectations were pleasantly betrayed. The more time I spend with you, the deeper my affection grows. I really don’t know what to do."

The Queen spoke with deep feeling. The maids listened with bitter smiles.

"Now that I think about it, it is truly a shame that Robin-sama must go to the Mainz Kingdom. However, there is probably no one more suitable for the role. Sigh, I think Lord Richelieu had a very good eye for you. But still, sending you to the Mainz Kingdom at such a young age worries me terribly."

Excluding my family, she was the second person after the old man from the Anderson Ducal Mansion to worry about me. Was Lord Richelieu also concerned?

"Let me give you one more skill as a parting gift. Is it really all right to give you so many? No, there isn’t much else I can do for you, and I need you to return to this country and make yourself useful. Actually, I heard that the King has approved the dispatch of the ambassador to the Mainz Kingdom. The time has finally come for you to depart. That’s why I set the final restaurant outing for five days from now. Please take care of me until then. There will probably be an appointment ceremony for the ambassador around that time. Once the ceremony is over, you will likely have to leave immediately."

She told me all this while continuously stroking my head. Was something entering me from her hand? Through my hair into the roots? Were my hair roots okay? I didn’t need to worry about that.

So the day I would go to the Mainz Kingdom had been decided. These warm, comfortable days would soon come to an end. Before that, there was the restaurant trip with the Queen, but I wondered whether Cantoner’s hair would fall out first.

The walking training (or stroll) continued with the Queen walking steadily while the maids began to struggle. They didn’t complain out loud, but some were breathing heavily and others were clearly in pain in their legs. At this rate, some maids might drop out. Maybe I should be more worried about the maids than the Queen. In that case, Lily and Stevie would likely take over as her attendants. Today, the Queen ultimately walked two miles. I think she sat in the garden not because she was tired, but to drink something. Or was it just to have me massage her feet?

Everyone was surprised by how much she walked — was it thanks to the drink’s effect? Since the Queen showed her intention to drink it again tomorrow, it must have had some real effect.

After parting with the Queen and returning to my room, Cass was waiting.

"Robby-sama, we received word from the Mainz Kingdom that you may come. The ambassador appointment ceremony will be in four days, after which you will depart."

"Yeah, the Queen already told me earlier."

"Oh, is that so? Has the date for the meal with Her Majesty been decided?"

"Yes, five days from now. So departure will be after that. The Queen said it’s fine to leave after the restaurant visit."

When Cass heard that the departure schedule depended on the Queen’s convenience, she looked a bit pouty, but seemed to accept that the Queen took priority.

"I see, understood. Since there isn’t much time left until departure, today will be your last day at the Accounting Bureau. There are many other things you need to do."

Why was she glaring at me? Was it because I looked happy going there every day?

"Got it. I’ll say my goodbyes when I go today."

"Please do. It would be good to acquire as much as possible about the Mainz Kingdom’s history, language, sword techniques, magic, and so on."

"Even so, there isn’t much time, and sword techniques or magic aren’t things you can suddenly improve or master. For now, I should prioritize history, language, and etiquette, right? You could come teach me at night, Cass?"

For a moment, Cass made a displeased face, then replied,

"That’s true, but Robby-sama is still a child, so you must sleep properly at night. There will be no nighttime study sessions."

Cass’s response was as cold as ever!

"In any case, we will cancel magic and sword technique studies. Robby-sama couldn’t acquire any magic at all despite trying. Why is that? I don’t think you lack talent, and most members of the royal family can learn even simple spells. It’s strange."

Ugh, why did it feel like I was being dissed?

"Even if you say that, I’ve been learning for a long time and still couldn’t make it my own, so it can’t be helped."

I also suspected the teacher’s method was bad. After all, I received beginner magic from two of the teacher’s disciples.

"That’s true. Maybe a normal teacher isn’t enough? But it’s too late to find one now. If you could acquire even one, it might be useful someday. Do you have anyone in mind?"

I felt bad for Cass, but if something doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. Until I received the Lost Life Transmission Technique, I couldn’t acquire anything at all. So I wasn’t expecting anything from a magic teacher now. Besides, I was already receiving skills from the magnificent Queen.

When I checked the skills the Queen gave me:

『Lost Life Transmission Technique　Sword Technique 6　Spear Technique 1　Fighting Technique 4　Healthy Legs 4　Quick Legs 3　Fire 2　Light 1　Water 2　Stealth 4　Concealment 4　Appraisal 2　Detection 2　Purity 1　Deception 2　Sexual Technique 2　Mana Bag 4　Poison Vision 4　Berserker 2　Strength 2　Mental Magic Resistance 6』

No new skills, but Mana Bag and Poison Vision had risen to 4. From what I knew, skills higher than what I already possessed could be absorbed as nourishment, but lower ones wouldn’t enter. Also, the Lost Life Transmission Technique probably required touching someone on the verge of death or being extremely close. The skills the Queen gave me were all for self-protection — were these the skills needed for her to survive as Queen amid the political intrigue of the Royal Palace and Rear Palace?

I would look forward to receiving something after the restaurant visit when she says "Thank you for your hard work!"

In the afternoon, I went to the Accounting Bureau and told the director,

"It was only a short time, but I will be going to the Mainz Kingdom. Today will be my last day. Thank you for everything."

I bowed my head. The room became noisy. Comments like "Where is Robin-sama going?", "What is Robin-sama going to do?", and "What is this about?" filled the room. So news of my trip to Mainz hadn’t spread yet.

The director seemed to already know and said,

"It was short, but thank you for your hard work. I wish you great success in the Mainz Kingdom."

He bowed his head.

As I walked to my usual desk, Marin-sensei was staring intently at me. Thank you for everything. And even now, you occasionally take a little care of me. If I could learn invisibility magic, I would love to sneak into Marin-sensei’s room and watch her marital activities up close. Maybe the "walls have ears, doors have eyes" type of magic would work too.

Marin-sensei, who was staring, said nothing. Maybe she had heard from her husband?

I sat at Anisee-san’s desk.

"Robin-sama, you are going to the Mainz Kingdom?"

Anisee-san stared at me and asked.

"Yes. I’ll be leaving soon. So today is my last day working here."

"I see. It will be lonely."

Anisee-san was usually quiet, so that was quite a substantial comment from her. I’d be happy if it meant she had feelings for me, but it was too late for that now.

When I first met Anisee-san, I wondered if some event would happen, but in the end nothing did. As expected, it’s harder for events to occur with someone close in age and unmarried. Maybe my self-defense instincts kick in because marriage or trouble seems likely. Wait, but then a married woman would be an even more dangerous bridge to cross, wouldn’t she?

I worked steadily, thinking today would end quietly without incident.

Then,

"Robin-sama, I’m sorry to ask, but could you finish up at a good stopping point and take these boxes to the warehouse?"

The director asked. There were over twenty boxes stacked where he pointed. They weren’t cardboard but wooden crates. I had been wondering about them as they gradually piled up.

"Understood."

I approached the boxes and casually stored them all into my Mana Bag. "Whoaaa!" voices rose throughout the Accounting Bureau room. I didn’t think it was that surprising. Even I was impressed with how well I could use the Mana Bag now. It felt like it expanded the more I used it, and receiving it from the Queen seemed to have improved its usability even more. I wonder if I could put living things inside?

"I was going to bring a cart, but I didn’t realize you had a Mana Bag, Robin-sama."

The director said with a sigh, wishing she had known sooner, then added,

"Robin-sama, I’m sorry to trouble you further, but if you have a Mana Bag, could you take those boxes over there as well?"

There were another ten-plus boxes where she pointed. No problem at all, I thought — but after storing them, my Mana Bag was finally full. It was full, but I felt no weight. That’s the cheat nature of a Mana Bag for you.

"I just need to take these to the warehouse, right? But where is the warehouse? I don’t know the way."

When I asked the director, she turned to Anisee-san and said,

"Albina, please go with Robin-sama to the warehouse and put these boxes away."

There it was! The event had come at the very last moment!