The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

At the Outermost Layer of the Imperial Capital.

I came to visit Gai at his dojo together with Finne.

“Yo, Gai.”

“Oh, Al. Finne-sama as well, welcome! Please come in!”

The treatment he gave was so different that my cheeks cramped up while going inside the dojo.

There were no children inside the dojo today.

“Your day off?”

“Nah, I was teaching some children earlier but they left early today.”

“Why?”

“Recently, there’s a guy playing a chivalrous thief and giving away a lot of things. Well, it’s fine and all but since there are some bad guys out looking for that thief right now I am trying to get the children home early. It’s dangerous out there after all.”

“I see. Then this is just right. We came here to look for that chivalrous thief. Do you have any clue where we can find him?”

“Nah, not at all.”

Gai said while averting his eyes away.

He surely knows something.

Letting out a small sigh, I tell Gai about our secret agenda.

“Last night Sebas brought back evidence of wrongdoing from those evil merchants and we already handed them over to the city guard. They will be arrested soon but next is that thief’s turn. Stealing is stealing no matter who you stole from. If he isn’t under someone’s protection he will be arrested you know.”

“………You aren’t here to arrest him?”

“Do I look like such a straightlaced person?”

“Well, not at all.”

Saying so Gai scratches his head and sits down in a seiza position.

Then after mulling over things for a while, he turns to look at me.

“While you and Leo were out of the imperial capital, those shady merchants started harassing people of the outermost layer, ripping them off a lot of things. They might have had an idea to earn some small changes while all the big merchants are competing in the succession war. With that being the case, the thief didn’t choose his methods and set out to get back all the items and money that have been taken away from us. To the people of the outermost layer, he’s a hero.”

“I know that. We don’t have any intention to do anything bad to him.”

“Al-sama just has something that he wants that person’s help with. Please tell us where we can find him. Do you have any idea where he might be?”

“……I don’t know specifically where he lives but there’s one place that might be possible.”

“Where?”

“It’s a recently abandoned house but little kids started bringing food there lately.”

“I see. Can you guide me to that house?”

“I don’t mind but the outermost layer of people are protecting him. If you are not careful you will get mobbed, you know?”

“Don’t worry about that.”

Saying so, I look at Finne.

Seeing that, Finne gives me a strong nod.

Gai who doesn’t understand what we are intending to do was left stunned but we went out regardless.

“Everyon-e! We still have a lot left to give away so you don’t have to push okay!!”

Finne said so as she stood in front of the outermost layer people while wearing an apron.

The staff and guards of the Ajin company are surrounding her. There are some knights standing guard nearby as well.

“You are distributing food to attract the people’s attention huh. By the Blue Seagull Princess herself on top of that.”

“We didn’t intend to do that at first though.”

“Hm? Really?”

“This is kind of a compensation for them. Those shady merchants ripped off and threatened the poor of the imperial capital, taking their money and valuables away from them. Now that we know what has been going on, we intend to make it up to them.”

“Directly from you guys? Not from the country?”

“Don’t worry. The Ajin company is the one who pays for all this. This will serve as an advertisement for them and it will spread the word of Leo’s kindness as well. It’s a necessary expense. By the way, you can consult about things like this at the castle too but it will take some time before they can move though.”

“I see. Both sides have something to gain huh.”

Saying so, I and Gai head to the abandoned house, our objective today.

After walking for a while, the ragged wooden house came into view.

“I will enter first.”

“Be careful. He’s a guy who can go toes to toes with Elna. Well, I am not here to start a fight with him though.”

As to not alarm him, the only ones here are me and Gai.

Elna might say that I took too much precaution but if we make him put his guard up against us here everything might come to naught.

Moreover, I am confident that we will be fine.

“It looks like he’s away.”

“He’s not here?”

Hearing Gai, I entered the house.

This place certainly looks like someone has been living here and it’s not wrong to say that no one’s here. After all, there’s no human being inside the house.

However, there’s a but.

“………..”

“………..”

A small bear stuffed animal is sitting on the shelf.

Brown fur and rounded eyes, no matter how you look, that would only look like a stuffed animal to you.

However, what was impossible yesterday can be possible today.

I started speaking to the thief.

“It’s totally obvious already so stop doing that.”

“……..”

“Hou? You really going to keep pretending to be a stuffed animal?”

“O, Oi……….Al. You alright there? Suddenly starting talking to a doll like that.”

For some reason, Gai is looking at me worryingly.

If he couldn’t understand from the current situation then this dude is quite thick in the head.

“Shut up for a bit.”

“Eh? Ah, yes……..you just wanted to talk to it right……”

Isn’t his understanding kind of off the mark? Well, whatever. I was really surprised last time after all.

I look around the room. If this guy is going to pretend to be a stuffed animal then I have my way of doing things as well.

“It looked like you were about to have lunch. It’s a waste so I guess I will eat all this instead huh.”

I grabbed a piece of bread left on the table and bit it in front of him to show it off.

Although it is not a high-quality bread, eating for others to see still makes it delicious.

I feel that the expression on the small bear slightly changed. He’s getting angry with just this huh. Alright, let’s push him a bit further.

“Let’s do some self-introduction shall we. I am Al. Arnold Lakes Adler. This country’s Eighth Prince. I acted as a decoy yesterday to catch you.”

“A, Al…..are you really okay?”

“You are noisy, shut up.”

“…………Okay. self-introduction is really important in things like these after all.”

Gai is looking at me, his gaze filled with pity.

Really, this guy……….

I almost continue eating in front of Gai instead but unfortunately, my current target is not him.

I turn my eyes back to the bear.

“The bad guys you were dealing with have already been caught. If the investigation proceeds like this, next will be your turn. No matter who you stole from, stealing is still a crime after all. That being said, I am here to scout you. Cooperate with me. If you do that I will put you under my protection.”

“Oh, I see. You are practicing what to say to the thief right. Sorry, I thought you went nuts and started feeling sorry for you.”

“Shut up. I am talking to this guy.”

“Sorry….hm, you were really…., I’m really sorry……..”

I ignore Gai who is looking at me as if I was already beyond saving and look at the small bear.

This is the person that raided us yesterday without a doubt. It would be nice if he is interested in my proposal but there’s no movement from him at all.

I have never heard of a demihuman that looks like a talking bear before so there must have been a reason behind his current appearance. The reason he is so cautious is probably because of that.

I have to get him to trust me somehow huh.

What should I do? How can I make him open up to me?

While I was desperately thinking up a way to do that, the door opens.

Then, Finne showed up.

“Al-sama, Gai-san. Is Mr.thief here?”

“Nah, it seems he’s out right now.”

I was distracted just for a short moment during Finne and Gai’s exchange.

When I returned my eyes back to the bear, he’s already gone from the shelf.

Crap!? He took the chance to escape when Finne opened the door!!

I thought, but when I looked at Finne.

There’s an unexpected sight.

“Hello, beautiful young lady……..it must be fate that we meet here. Can you tell me your name?”

“Ah, what a cute little Mr.bear. I am Finne von Kleinert.”

Smiling brightly, Finne gives him her name.

But isn’t that reaction too strange?

Normally a person would,

“A, a bear just spoke!?”

“I told you. That guy is the thief.”

“So it was true……sorry, I was thinking about consulting with Leo to see if we could do anything for you.”

“You are really……..whatever. Right now I have business with this guy.”

“Can you tell me your name?”

“My name is Siegmund Eisler. My friends call me Sieg. Please call me Sieg too, Finne-sama.”

After hearing his name, mine and Gai’s expression changed.

The two of us look at each other. For us to react the same like this, this is probably not a misunderstanding.”

“There’s an S-rank adventurer with the same name right?”

“Yeah, among all the adventurers on our continent, Siegmund is known as the strongest spearman.”

“Hou? So you know me as an adventurer huh. If you know what I can do then scram. I am having a talk with this fine young lady here.”

Sieg said so and turned to Finne with a smile.

I have heard about him before. His thrust was dubbed the godspeed and known to be unavoidable. He is a warrior who is known to be very strong in interpersonal combat.

If you count only the skill, he is among the top five most skilled adventurers.

Still, there is another rumor about him.

“I heard that Siegmund is a big skirt chaser and famous for making his moves on various women. However, around six months ago, Siegmund disappeared. Moreover, he is supposed to be a human though…….?”

“He might have got entangled with some women related problem huh.”

Naturally, a human wouldn’t be able to transform into a bear.

If this guy is the real deal then he would have transformed himself with some kind of magic or medicine. Still, I don’t think he can revert to his original form at will. Something women related must have happened to him.

While making such speculations, I stomp on Sieg who was trying to hug Finne.

“Ugh!?”

“Oi, womanizer. Answer my question.”

“What are you doing to me, brat!? Are you so depraved that you can stomp on a lovely little bear like me without mercy!?”

“You are originally a human right.”

“You hear that!? Finne-sama! This guy is bullying m～e.”

He said so and tried to hug Finne again but I put the collar I brought on Sieg’s neck.

It’s one of Gramp’s priced items. You can’t remove it unless you use the key I have.

“The heck is this?! Are you trying to ruin my lovely appearance!? Get this off me!!”

“It’s a magic tool. You can’t remove it without a specialized key. I didn’t want to use it but you left me no choice.”

“Ha! What of it! It’s your failure to not attach a chain to this thing! I can just run away with it!”

Saying so, Sieg tried to escape outside.

Despite being a bear cub, his dexterous movement on two feet is really surreal.

Moreover, he’s quite fast. His figure is gradually going farther and farther away.

“So? What’s the effect of that magic tool?”

“Wait for it and you will understand.”

Looking at Sieg who has been running away on two legs, he has now switched to running on all four. Moreover, his movement is now slowed down to a crawl.

Although it may look ridiculous from others’ point of view, this is the effect of that collar. The farther away you are from the key holder, the heavier your body becomes.

After waiting for a while, Sieg dropped his shoulders and returned.

“Are you willing to cooperate with us now? It’s way better than getting caught right?”

“Yes…..please allow me to cooperate with you…….”

“But Al-sama. It will be inconvenient for him to look for a person for us while wearing that collar isn’t it? Moreover, he is somehow pitiful isn’t he?”

“The weight can be adjusted by the key holder. And you don’t need to feel sorry for this guy. This guy is undoubtedly a good for nothing you know.”

“Why!? I may have this kind of body now but I did my best for the people of the outermost layer you know!”

“Is that right. Then tell me, what’s that?”

I point to the thing hidden under a cloth at the corner.

I already knew before I came here.

The items that this guy stole were given back to all the people of the outermost layer but he also stole the money from the merchants and the amount he distributed back doesn’t match with the amount he stole.

I take off the cloth.

There, a large amount of money was hidden under it.

“If you really tried to help the people then aren’t you supposed to return all the ripped off money to the victims?”

“Well……about that. Being a hero of justice for free is a little……”

I look at Sieg who averts his eyes while saying that.

Together with Gai, I confiscate the money.

Then, Sieg clings to my leg.

“Please forgive me! I was going to use that money to ask the princess of this country to break the curse! I beg you～Think of it as helping this old man out!”

“By princess, do you mean Zandra?”

“Yes, yes. The green-haired princess that giving off bad vibes.”

“Then give up. She indeed loves studying forbidden magics but she doesn’t help people. She will just use the treatment as an excuse to experiment on you.”

“Don’t say something so scary……but, you really know your stuff huh? Are you really a prince?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Didn’t I just introduce myself earlier?”

“Well, you don’t have that kind of aura at all so I thought, Nah, no way.”

For some reason,

Although I am already used to it, when it came out of this guy’s mouth, it kinda pissed me off.

With that in mind, I hold up Sieg.

Hm, isn’t he quite pleasant to hug like this?

“Stop it! I have no hobby to get hugged by a guy!”

“It can’t be helped right. It would be weird to see a bear cub walk around wearing a collar so just pretend to be a stuffed animal for a while. We will talk about the details at the castle.”

“NO!! Ah! Finne-sama! If you stroke me like thaーt!!”

“You are so fluffy.”

“Oh! His fur really does feel great.”

“Stop! A man shouldn’t touch me like that! I’m only reserved for cute young ladies! Stoー!”

After Finne and Gai pat him all over, I carried the tired Sieg away.

The feelings his fur gave off was godlike. While deciding that I should let Christa and Rita feel him later, I put Sieg in the carriage.

TLN: Yes, we now have a mascot. I’m not too sure about leaving it alone with Christa though……