Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

This is Satou speaking. Everyone makes mistakes. What truly matters is how skillfully you recover from them.

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I informed Princess Sistina that the divine nectar was an item that could no longer be obtained, and that I kept it a secret to prevent ugly battles over it.

I also fabricated a story explaining that the reason Jade had returned to a small bird was probably because it had just transformed into a monster and was still unstable.

To bolster the story’s credibility, I showed her a luxurious brass knuckles made of Orichalcum that I had jokingly crafted before, claiming it was a magical weapon that scattered magic power.

Feeling that wasn’t enough, I invoked the name of a famous historical document to concoct a basis for the monster transformation reversal.

“The ancient manuscript said so.”

“Satou-sama, you are truly knowledgeable,” Princess Sistina said, her eyes sparkling with heart-shaped pupils as if I had just fulfilled her long-cherished goal right before her eyes. She nodded eagerly at everything I said.

Her chief lady-in-waiting seemed to understand how abnormal the situation was but chose to respect her mistress’s wishes, refraining from questioning me.

Most of the close attendants apparently closed their eyes and cowered in a corner while the monster rampaged, so only the two ladies mentioned, young Princess Doris, her nanny, and I were present to witness the room’s condition.

“Jade! I’m so glad,” Doris said.

“Doris, you should thank Satou-sama,” the nanny urged.

“Yes, sister, thank you, Satou-sama,” Doris responded.

“You’re welcome,” I replied.

For now, Doris’s attention was solely on Jade’s safety, which was fine, but she might be the biggest trouble source going forward.

I hope Princess Sistina can skillfully guide her reins.

“Princess, Jade might become a monster again at any time. I’ll take responsibility for her,” the nanny insisted.

“No!” Doris insisted stubbornly.

As the little bird struggled and fluttered, seeking help, embraced tightly by Doris, a pop-up window appeared overlapping Jade’s image.

＞ Unit name “Jade” is requesting membership. Grant permission? (YES/NO)

—What is this?

Feeling uneasy, I chose NO for now.

Jade looked sad with tears in her eyes but I steeled myself.

Because I had a strong feeling this was going to lead to trouble.

“Hey, little princess, if you hug her that tightly, the little bird we just saved might die.”

“Uh-oh, danger,” Arisa and Mia cautioned, prompting the princess to loosen her grip on Jade.

Seizing the moment, Jade slipped from the princess’s arms and flew out the window.

“Ahhh, Jade got away!” the princess wailed in tears over her own mistake.

I placed a marker on Jade so she could be retrieved later.

She probably won’t fly at night, so we can catch her then.

Though the nanny worried, Jade’s chances of becoming a monster again should be low. We extracted so much demonic essence earlier that unless manipulated artificially, she should be safe.

“Zado, catch Jade!” the crying Doris clung tightly to the hem of my clothes.

“Princess, even for a viscount, catching a flying bird is impossible.”

“No! Jade!”

At that moment, a new visitor appeared.

“What’s wrong, Doris? Did Jade escape?” a man asked.

“Brother Soltric, please catch Jade!”

It was Soltric, the 32-year-old first prince of the Shiga Kingdom, and Sistina and Doris’s full brother.

“I’ll take care of it. You all, grab nets and go catch the bird. Bring along a skilled wind magic user,” he ordered one of his attendants to arrange capturing Jade.

Unlike the handsome and suave Prince Sharoric, the third prince, the first prince gave off an honest soldier’s impression—perhaps because of his strong eyebrows.

He looked around the room, still messy from Jade’s monster rampage, suspiciously.

“Tina, what happened in this room?”

“My brother, a monster appeared here,” Princess Sistina answered straightforwardly.

If I didn’t intervene, the saved Jade would probably be put down.