“Masayoshi-sama!”

“Whoa.”

Sara clung to me, even over my armor. Tears overflowed from her eyes. With Darga and Gina gone, she must have been holding back a lot. She may seem mature, but she’s still younger than me.

In the end, the king accepted my request. Having all the fame and money go to Pazia and gaining a favor from the country was advantageous for me.

Right now, the others were treating the guards I had defeated. It seemed the suppression skill had worked properly, as none of them had suffered serious injuries. Once treatment was complete, we would begin our journey to Basil Plains, the site of the duel. While they were being treated, I had a brief conversation with Sara.

“…Honestly, I didn’t want to rely on you, Masayoshi-sama. But please, save my father and my brothers!”

“I know you didn’t tell me about the duel because you didn’t want me to get hurt, Sara. But now that I know, there’s no way I’d stand by and let you die. Leave it to me. I’ll protect your family while I’m at it.”

To be honest, I wouldn’t mind leaving her brothers behind. But for Sara to ask me to save even those who had once tried to kill her… she really was kind.

“Thank you. But please, promise me one thing. Never push yourself too far. If your life is in danger, run away or surrender without hesitation.

If even you can’t win, Masayoshi-sama, then no one in this country can. I can’t bear the thought of you getting seriously injured or… dying!”

“…I understand. I promise.”

That being said, I wouldn’t know until the time came. But Sara worrying about me even in this situation made me all the more determined to save her.

At first, I had only saved her by chance when she was being attacked by bandits. Later, I learned she was a descendant of the Grand Mage, and I protected her from the first and second princes as a form of repayment for the power I received from the Grand Mage.

Then, when she tried the cake from my original world and ate it with such delight, I was happy too. From then on, I started bringing treats whenever I visited. I realized I truly loved the peaceful days at that mansion. No matter what, I wanted to protect that happiness.

“Alright, Fūsuke, I’m counting on you to watch over Sara.”

“Hoo!!”

“Fūsuke-chan!”

The small Fūsuke, who had been perched on my mask, suddenly grew larger and landed on Sara’s shoulder.

“Fūsuke can use barrier magic. He’ll protect you, Sara. With him by your side, I can fight my opponent with everything I have.”

“Fūsuke-chan can use magic!? That’s amazing!”

“Hoo♪”

Fūsuke looked delighted at the praise. Of course, my Fūsuke was both adorable and incredible!

“By the way, Darga and Gina aren’t here, are they?”

“Ah, yes. When the duel was decided, I dismissed all the mansion staff. To be honest, our country’s chances of victory were extremely slim. I don’t believe the mansion staff would have been punished even if we lost, but I did it just in case.”

I had overheard this before using my eavesdropping skill at the mansion. But it was a little surprising. I had thought Darga and Gina were the type to follow her no matter what.

“…Actually, those two insisted on coming with me until the very end. So last night, I asked the head chef, Fara, to put sleeping medicine in their food and left them behind.”

“………………”

…Yeah, those two were stubborn, but Sara could be just as immovable when she made up her mind. They probably never imagined she would go that far.

“Then we need to go back to the mansion and apologize to them.”

“…Yes, you’re right! Once we return, I’ll make sure to properly apologize to them!”

Good. Sara’s expression had brightened a little. That’s right—I had to win this battle and bring back the peaceful days at the mansion where we could all enjoy delicious food together.

Basil Plains stretched endlessly into the horizon. There was nothing particularly remarkable about the landscape—it was chosen as the duel site simply because it lay between Bardon and Edwards Kingdoms.

It was far from the main roads connecting the two countries, so there was no risk of civilians getting caught in the fight.

In the distance, a large group of people appeared. Just like our side, they were accompanied by dozens of knights in armor, surrounding a luxurious carriage as it approached.

Both sides came to a halt, and the knights stepped back, allowing the royals to step forward and face each other.