NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: The Lolibaba Arrives!!! (Part 1)
[At the Lord’s Mansion]
“Fufufufufu, it’s finally here…! The peaceful days I’ve longed for!”
Just a few days after moving in, I thoroughly enjoyed my peaceful days.
“Ahh~. Drafted into the military at twelve and fought for eight years…”
At that time, our “Weiss Empire” was at war with all the surrounding countries (were they idiots?).
It was completely like the end stage of the Nazis.
They ran out of soldiers, so even village kids like me were dragged into it.
For eight years…
In those deadly times, I awakened my magical talents and was dragged into various battlefields.
…The “Black Wing Mountain War,” where thirty thousand of our troops fought against three hundred thousand enemies, was hell.
“Even after winning, there was no time to rest…”
The enemy was plentiful. It was like, “Congratulations on surviving! Now, off to the next battlefield!” – a relentless cycle of fierce battles.
–After such days of hardship, all wars finally concluded two months ago.
After sorting out various aftermaths, I was honored with the title of a baron for my achievements.
“Phew. I was almost in tears when I received a territory next to the enemy country, but it’s surprisingly peaceful~.”
Looking out the window over my territory…
I saw the impoverished people, to whom I had provided clothing, food, and shelter, energetically working on various tasks.
“Hey, keep it up, everyone. Develop the territory for me… to ensure my happy life as a lord…!”
Fufufu. My life, filled with hardships, is finally being rewarded.
I was thinking about living peacefully like this when suddenly a knock appeared on the door.
“(Hmm!? What is it?)”
“What do you need?”
“Sir! The great star of the Black Wing Mountain, shining in the sky, our Captain!”
Stop with that silly greeting!!!
“State your business.”
“Sir, there’s a guest for Lord Alvatros…!”
A guest, huh?
Who could it be– Before I could ask, the door opened, and someone exclaimed, “Here I am!” Wait, what!?
“Hey there, Alvatros. It’s been a while.”
“…Trude?”
The one who entered was a loli dressed like a typical witch.
Her name is Trude Tot Tote.
She’s the boss of the large merchant company “Turu-ya” and has long served as a logistics merchant for the military.
I knew her through that connection.
“Hehe, as always, you’re quite the man. You have a certain aura about you.”
“Hmm… (Really?)”
I need help understanding the aesthetic standards of this world.
Everyone here is Western, so to me, a former Japanese, they all seem to have nice faces.
There are exceptionally beautiful girls like the guerilla BBQ Nina-chan and Trude here, but I don’t think I’m that much.
“Heehee, you’re always so quiet. You’re young, be more lively!”
“Uh… (Lively…!)”
Despite her appearance, this woman was not as young as she looked.
She’s a practitioner of the “Preservation Technique,” slowing down cellular degradation to the extreme.
That’s why she still looks like this despite being over two hundred years old.
“Don’t expect a comedy act from me (I’m socially awkward). So, Trude, what brings you to this remote place?”
“Well, I heard you had a conflict with Jean-Jacques von Shurehito, the Count of the Frontier.”
Oh, she knows about that.
“…You’re well-informed. Did the count spread the word?”
“No. On the contrary, Count Shurehito is keeping his mouth shut. After all, being utterly defeated by the popular ‘Hero Alvatros’ would make him the pitiful villain in the minstrels’ songs.”
Eh, am I that popular?
I knew I was somewhat respected on the battlefield, but I needed to be made aware of my popularity among the general public.
After all, I had always lived on the battlefield.
“So, Trude, how do you know about it?”
“Heehee. The flow of goods is the flow of people, and the flow of people is the flow of information. When you’ve been the head of a merchant company for over a hundred years, you develop ears everywhere.”
That’s… frightening! With that kind of information-gathering ability, I can’t buy anything risqué… I’d get caught…!
“Well then. If you need help dealing with the Frontier Count, procuring supplies from his lands must be awkward, right? So, the kind and beautiful young girl I am has come to deliver supplies directly!”
Oh, I see. That’s why you came, Trude!
“I’ve brought everything from fresh food to medical supplies! I’ve applied my ‘Preservation Technique’ to them, so their condition is top-notch! Here, praise me, praise me~!”
“Ah, I sincerely thank you, Trude. Having a wonderful friend like you is a pride of my life.”
“Gah!?”
Hm? I thanked her as she asked, but she made a weird noise?
“What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing! I just didn’t expect such an exaggerated compliment…!”
“It’s a fair assessment. I’m truly grateful to have met you.”
“Nyaaah~!?”
What’s with her holding her face?
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“Ugh, shut up, you stupid hero! Always so straightforward…”
I praised her, but somehow, I was called a fool. I don’t get it.
“Sigh… Well, it’s typical of you to end up in such a situation. You might have guessed, but let me tell you.”
Trude’s expression turned serious, and she continued.
“You are–hated by the royal family to the point where they wish you dead.”
Huh????
[Characters in this chapter]
Trude-chan: A stylish and cute loli witch. Has a certain feeling for Alvatros-kun. Brings unbelievable news to Alvatros-kun.
“Well, I guess you’ve figured it out…”
Alvatros-kun: Whaaaaat??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (Completely blindsided and stupid)