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When Susie finished getting ready and arrived at Station One’s outpost right on time, August was already waiting with the team that would accompany her into the forest.

“Princess Susie!”
“Looking forward to working with you again, milady.”
“We’ve been waiting for you, young miss.”
“Susie! We were waiting for you!!”

“Aria?!”

The four standing there were none other than the members of Team Aria who had watched over Susie during her coming-of-age trial. Millie Bullet, Katy Forest, Ilta Lindman, and Aria Brook.

“Miss Susie, from here on, please act together with Team Aria. Anne-Marie, I’m counting on you as well.”
“Leave it to me, Village Chief.”

After introducing Susie to Team Aria, August turned his gaze toward Anne-Marie and gave a nod.

“Huh? Huh? Anne-Marie? What? Why?”
“Because it is my duty to attend to milady.”

Before Susie realized it, Anne-Marie had somehow changed from her usual maid uniform into exploration gear.

(When did she even change?!)

Susie’s eyes widened in shock. In reality, while moving through the halls of Amukham House, the other maids had helped Anne-Marie perform a lightning-fast outfit change…

The reason Susie never noticed was that the silhouette still looked like a maid’s outfit. Even so, Susie vaguely thought, (Huh? Did she take off the apron?)

Anne-Marie was wearing her usual maid dress paired with boots, elbow-length gloves, and an under-corset, the standard three-piece set for explorers. On top of that, multiple belts wrapped around her waist, each fitted with pouches and several knives. Without question, a battle maid stood before them.

The instant Susie realized this, she nearly fainted, but through sheer willpower and determination, she maintained a calm exterior.

(Anne-Marie?! Are… you… serious?! This is bad! A real-life battle maid is seriously too amazing!!)

Though outwardly composed, her inner voice was screaming.

“A-Anne-Marie, it’s been a while. Please take care of us this time as well…”
“Miss Millie, are you… acquainted with Anne-Marie?” Susie asked.

Millie Bullet’s voice had pulled her back from her internal frenzy of cuteness overload.

“Ah, y-yes! Anne-Marie and I attended the Miria Castell Boarding School together for three years.”
“It has been quite some time, Millie Bullet. I’m happy to see you again.”
“Eek!? W-when did you get behind me?! D-don’t scare me like that, Anne-Marie!! Y-you’re seriously terrifying!!”
“Oh my? We’re reuniting after so long as classmates, yet you’re being awfully cold, Millie.”
“Hiiih! Th-that’s exactly it! Y-you’re scary! So scaryyy!!”

At some point, Anne-Marie had moved behind Millie and was tracing a finger along the back of her neck. Millie’s face alternated between red and pale blue while her eyes spun wildly in panic.

(Hmm. Just what kind of relationship did the two share during their school days?)

Susie thought, stroking her chin.

(Could this be… a whiff of something precious and forbidden?!)

Letting her imagination run wild according to her own standards, she adorably flared her nostrils.

“So you’re the Bayros family’s hidden ace specializing in anti-personnel combat, huh…? I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do!”
“I look forward to working with you as well, Lady Aria. I am honored by the high expectations from the eldest daughter of House Brook.”
“It’s the modest ones that are the scariest. If possible, I’d love to spar with you sometime.”
“If I am sufficient for the task, I would gladly oblige at any time.”

For some reason, the two narrowed their eyes and laughed together.

“When Aria starts talking about ‘sparring,’ all I can picture now is something indecent.”
“Katy?! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

The sharp atmosphere and Aria’s cool, gallant grin vanished instantly as she suddenly launched into manzai-style banter, leaving Susie blinking in surprise. At that moment, August clapped his hands loudly and stepped between them.

“That’s enough introductions. Time is limited. You all know what needs to be done, correct?”

“Of course!”
“We understand.”

Aria and Anne-Marie answered immediately.
The other three silently nodded as well.

Anne-Marie moved behind Susie and, after quietly saying “Excuse me,” began tying up her hair.

“Miss Susie. From this point onward, you and Anne-Marie will enter Iroshio as members of Team Aria.”

August stood before Suzy and added, “Please continue listening just as you are,” before beginning his explanation. Tilting her head slightly, Susie looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

“For those of us who live alongside the Amukham Forest, strength is something to be revered and treasured. Everyone in the village knows of your power. The fact that you chose to remain here and live among us has brought joy to the entire village.”

At August’s words, Aria, Ilta, Katy, Millie, and even Anne-Marie nodded happily.

“We accept you, and we accept your power. But what of outsiders? To them, your strength would appear only as a threat. If they learn of your power, they will either seek to eliminate you or place you under their control.”

August’s gentle expression suddenly hardened. In response, Susie fixed him with an equally serious gaze.

“However, so long as you are one of Amukham’s people, we will protect you from anyone!”

August placed his left hand on Susie’s shoulder and pressed his right fist against his own chest as he made the declaration firmly.

“Even now, you have already begun to fulfill your role as the ‘Princess of Amukham.’ And that fact brings joy to every person in this village.”

In the remote frontier known as Amukham, bloodline was not what mattered when inheriting a family name. If a weak person inherited leadership, the house would quickly fall, and the village itself could perish. Since ancient times, the most valued trait has always been strength. For that reason, they had repeatedly allowed the strongest individuals to inherit leadership, regardless of blood relation. To Amukham, bloodline was unimportant. What mattered was the ‘house’ itself, the vessel that protected its people. Governance could be left to wise and experienced individuals. But the banner-bearer of Amukham must always be strong and stand at the forefront of the people. Otherwise, the village would easily be swallowed by Iroshio.

Because of this historical background, Susie was welcomed, and even revered, by the villagers as the ‘Princess of Amukham’.

Yet the person herself wore an awkward expression.

“Ehhh… a p-princess…? Th-that’s… uuuugh…”

Whether he noticed her discomfort or not, August continued speaking.

“From now on, we will protect the public face of that ‘Princess.’ And we will protect your ‘power’ as well.”

Strength entered August’s eyes. Noticing this, Susie met his gaze head-on once more.

“The Knight Order is directly controlled by the Royal Capital. If they learn of your power, then the Royal Capital will learn of it as well. That is something we absolutely must avoid. The Boss himself does not wish for it either. As a military asset, your existence is Amukham’s most closely guarded secret!”

The moment August said this, Anne-Marie finished tying Susie’s hair and draped a cloak over her shoulders, pulling the hood deeply over her head.

“Milady, my apologies if this feels a little stifling. I’ve tied your hair so it won’t come loose or be seen from outside. Please keep your hood pulled low so your hair color cannot be recognized.”

As she adjusted the hood, Anne-Marie smiled softly when Susie looked up at her from beneath it.

“Susie, after the trial, you took the class of a Seer, didn’t you? From now on, you’re Team Aria’s Seer. Understood?”

Susie nodded at Aria’s words.

“Oh! Right! Try not to speak too much if possible!”

“I apologize for the inconvenience, Miss Susie. However, we believe that with your power, you will surely bring the Boss back safely. And above all else, please do not let the knights witness you fighting at full strength.”

August explained that this was to prevent the repetition of a tragedy that had once occurred in the village.

(The Heroic Chronicles… perhaps?) Susie thought. (So something really did happen long ago between the village, the hero, and the kingdom… Still, well, I can’t actually fight at full power anyway…)

She thought as the image of the gouged-out mountain range surfaced in her mind. To hide the tension on her face, she pulled the hood even lower.

“We have horses prepared. Team Leader Trevor has already headed for the Hill of Lamentation and should be issuing retreat orders to the knights remaining there. Team Aria will rendezvous with him there and then proceed to Black Rock.”

According to August, village horses traveling without baggage should reach Black Rock in about four hours.

“Miss Susie… please… please save the Boss… I beg of you!”

August knelt before her, taking Susie’s hands in both of his and pressing them against his forehead. Like a prayer, like a plea, the words spilled from his lips. Susie quietly pressed her lips together and silently nodded to him.