I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [235]
"Now then… please head to bed quickly. Good night, Princess Alice."
"Good night."
The door closed, leaving Alice alone in her room.
This was Alice's chamber—spacious and luxurious.
Each day, maids spent considerable time maintaining it, ensuring it was immaculately clean and orderly.
The bed was large and soft, big enough to accommodate four or five people with ease.
Today, the capital had been abuzz with activity because the Demon King's army launched another nighttime assault.
The city's garrison and adventurers, seasoned by such incidents, swiftly organized a defense and thwarted the attack, preventing any significant damage to the capital.
Everyone was remarkably capable. Even Claire looked thoroughly worn out when she returned.
After all, while the capital's adventurers were powerful—some wielding divine weapons and blessed by the goddess as heroes-in-training—they weren't without their flaws.
As Claire mentioned, although these adventurers were indeed formidable, they excelled more at solo combat than teamwork, making them a headache to coordinate.
Alice walked to the window, her small feet sinking into the soft carpet. She gazed out, taking in the view.
The vantage point was excellent; she could see the streets below lit by a scattering of windows, the walls guarded by sentries, and far beyond that, the shadowy outline of mountains draped in the night.
She was the princess of this kingdom, cherished by her parents and brother, living a life of envy and privilege since birth.
Yet…
Her heart felt hollow.
There were things she longed for but could not obtain.
As the kingdom's most esteemed princess, everyone revered her. Born with exceptional magical and combat talent, she was admired by all.
But because she was royalty, she wasn't allowed to leave the capital on a whim. Every action she took had to exemplify the grace and dignity of her royal lineage.
Though she enjoyed the privileges of being royalty, she had lost the right to act on her whims. She understood well that any indulgence in selfish desires would cause significant trouble for those around her.
When she first learned of adventurers, her initial thought was:
How wonderful…
Indeed, though she stood as the kingdom's most exalted princess, Alice envied adventurers.
Claire saw adventurers as unruly, rough, and disorderly.
Alice, however, saw their freedom, independence, and daring strength.
"Fighting powerful monsters, exploring uncharted lands, making new friends… Adventurers truly live enviable lives."
Alice's understanding of adventurers was incomplete, likely because the adventurers she encountered in the capital were already screened—skilled and well-mannered.
But Alice genuinely envied them.
"…Oh dear, I've been daydreaming for quite a while," Alice murmured, snapping out of her thoughts.
"No, I need to sleep quickly. I have Lady Reine's magic lesson tomorrow morning…"
She should have climbed into bed, tucked herself in, and drifted off to sleep, just as she had countless nights before.
Then, she would continue living her gilded life—unchanging, like a caged songbird pampered and admired by all.
But that night…
It was as if a sudden, unexpected element was jammed into the machinery that had run so predictably for over a decade.
The change Alice had yearned for came amidst chaos.
Boom!
The ceiling shattered, debris scattering everywhere. Dust billowed up, obscuring the room.
"Cough! Cough, cough, cough…"
Alice's drowsiness vanished instantly. Clad only in her thin nightgown, she covered her mouth and coughed as the swirling dust irritated her throat.
Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?
The three philosophical questions ran through Alice's mind.
It seemed… something had fallen from the sky, crashing through her ceiling?
Alice's room was at the highest point of the castle, chosen for its security. Any would-be intruder would have to bypass layer upon layer of defenses to reach it.
No one had considered the possibility of something falling from above.
Lacking experience with such situations, Alice was utterly bewildered.
After all, she was only a 12-year-old girl.
Amidst the chaos, a bright yet melodious voice rang out through the dust.
"Hmm! Very good! This pleases me greatly! Naturally, my entrance must be grand—descending from the heavens best showcases my magnificence!"
A sudden gust of wind blew through the room, scattering the swirling dust.
And there she was, revealed in the dim moonlight—a stunning figure cloaked in fiery red.
Her golden hair, as radiant as the sun, was tied back with a crimson ribbon, her emerald green eyes brimming with confidence so dazzling that Alice couldn't meet her gaze.
She wore a fiery red dress that accentuated her shapely figure, though part of the hem was translucent white. From Alice's vantage point—directly in front—she could even see the base of her thighs.
In short, she was a girl as brilliant and beautiful as the sun itself.
Alice stared at the figure, and the girl noticed her in turn.
After all, the spacious room held only the two of them.
The stunning girl placed one hand on her chest, extended the other toward Alice, and, with the grandeur of a singer on stage, declared loudly:
"Servant—Saber! Nero Claudius! Hmm! Beautiful young lady, are you my Master?"
"…Huh?"
Alice's mind spiraled further into confusion.
Suddenly, Nero frowned slightly, as though recalling something, and muttered.
"Hmm? Ah, I remember now. I'm no longer on the battlefield of the Holy Grail War, so I have no Master at the moment… But just now, with that dramatic atmosphere, I couldn't help but emulate Saber and Shirou's first meeting. Hmm, hmm!"
"But! Even so, this was my brilliant entrance! To think that the audience captivated by my radiance is just one person? Surely this doesn't do my magnificence justice!"
"Flowers, cheers, lights, applause… Where have they all gone?!"
Despite her dramatic entrance, Nero rambled on about things Alice couldn't comprehend.
Yet…
"So dazzling…"
Alice couldn't help but mutter in awe.
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T/N: OMGGG NEROOOOOOOOO!!!!!! MY LOVE