I Was Kicked Out of the Hero’s Party Even Though I’m His Girlfriend

Two hours later.

When Maru finally met the princess at breakfast, he froze in place.

“That woman from… yesterday?”

“Not ‘that woman,’ but Audrite.”

The princess, beautifully dressed, lifted her skirt with both hands and gave a sly greeting.

“Nice to meet you. Mr. Geeziar who claimed to have traveled with a nameless hero.”

Edward tilted his head.

“You two already knew each other?”

“We happened to meet on the street yesterday.”

“Oho, I see!”

“But I just found out he was staying in our palace. I was quite surprised by this incredible coincidence. Just now.”

Audrite gave something of a mischievous smile.

Maru covered his eyes with his hands and let out a sigh.

‘Good heavens.’

The events from yesterday flashed through his mind, making him want to tear his hair out.

Inside the palace, he was supposed to be playing the role of an ordinary administrative officer with no martial arts skills.

Yet like an idiot, he had blurted out TMI to the princess about supposedly being active in a hero’s party.

It was a major blunder that would interfere with his future plans.

‘Let this matter be known only to me, you, and Edward. The fewer people who know a secret, the better. You must keep absolute silence about this even to the Queen and Princess.’

The breakfast between the three that followed their greetings was unusually quiet.

Only the sound of silverware clinking filled the room in the silence.

Edward, who somehow felt suffocated alone, looked at Maru trying to lift the mood.

“Maru. What do you think of my sister’s beauty? Surely you haven’t fallen for her?”

Audrite quickly responded.

“Don’t ask strange questions in front of me.”

“W-was the question strange? Ahem.”

Edward cleared his throat politely then looked at Audrite again.

“Audry, Maru was counting the days until you…”

Maru, who had been staring at his plate until then, hastily raised his head.

“I did no such thing.”

“Oh, is, is that so?”

Edward laughed awkwardly.

“Then shall we just eat quietly? This has its own charm too. Haha…”

Shortly after, he wiped his mouth with a cloth and stood up.

“I should go get more bread.”

“Have someone else do it.”

“It’s fine, Audry. I prefer choosing delicious bread myself. I’ll be right back.”

When Edward left, the dining room became even more desolate.

Only the sound of utensils clinking could be heard.

Audrite kept glancing at Maru and finally, seeming frustrated herself, let out a sigh.

“Are you upset because I teased you by calling you a geezer?”

Maru mumbled a response while eating without looking at her.

“No.”

“Then why are you acting like this? You were talking so much yesterday it was almost noisy.”

“I’m usually quiet in the mornings. Don’t mind it.”

“……”

Audrite stared at Maru, who maintained his blunt attitude, then slowly smiled.

“After returning from a month in the provinces, I heard some interesting rumors. They say Edward, who couldn’t do anything before, has changed a lot recently.”

Maru internally flinched thinking ‘here it comes,’ but showed no reaction as he calmly drank some cold water.

“And apparently the turning point was after the arrival of a royal administrative officer whose background and origins are unknown. Doesn’t something smell fishy?”

She just arrived yesterday but has already finished investigating me?

“What smell? This is delicious. Try some.”

“Thanks, but I’ll pass. I’d rather have a conversation right now than eat. Anyway, you two go bandit hunting alone. It would be better to take royal soldiers with you. Strange.”

“I heard the royal soldiers tend to look down on the prince.”

“With lives at stake, wouldn’t more people be better, is that really a reason?”

Audrite gave a mischievous smile.

“Ah, and I heard this too. I clearly remember you telling me yesterday that you were from a hero’s party, but people in the palace know you as a completely incompetent person with no martial arts skills. Which is true?”

“The latter is correct. I really am a geeziar. A geezer plus a liar.”

“Finally admitting it?”

“Yes.”

“That makes it even stranger though?”

Maru scratched his head vigorously and stood up from his seat.

“Thank you for the meal.”

He wiped his mouth with a cloth and looked at the princess.

“It was nice meeting you today. Goodbye.”

As he turned to leave, Audrite’s voice rang out.

“Where are you going? We’re not done talking.”

When Maru kept ignoring her, Audrite called out firmly.

“This is an order as princess! Stop right there!”

Click.

Maru stopped and turned around.

“Did you have something to say?”

“Come sit here. Talk with me until I say we’re done.”

“I’m sorry, but only the prince can give me such orders.”

He bowed politely then left the dining room.

Left alone, the princess wore a displeased expression.

“Geezer.”

When the dining room door opened again, the princess looked up with a bright smile.

Edward came in carrying a plate piled high with bread.

He was munching on a well-baked piece of bread.

Audrite’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“Mmm it melts in your mouth. Audry, want to try one?”

“I’m fine.”

Edward was the same as ever, before and now.

Audrite narrowed her eyes while fixing her gaze on the table.

“Definitely suspicious.”

Back in his room after the meal, Maru wiped his chest in relief.

“Oh jeez. I survived. Somehow got through that.”

He shook his head and slumped down in a chair.

“I shouldn’t have gone to that restaurant yesterday.”

As he tilted his head back and stared blankly at the ceiling, suddenly the King appeared in his mind.

A muscular shirtless King was driving his fist straight into Maru’s abdomen.

“YOU FOOOOOL! I told you absolutely not to get caught by the princessssss!”

“GUAACK!”

He snapped out of his delusion as he flew into the atmosphere from the punch.

“Hah… since it’s come to this, just do well from now on.”

He should avoid running into the princess if possible.

It seemed like it would only cause troublesome situations.

He sighed deeply and turned his thoughts to other matters.

What’s done is done, and worrying would just waste time.

He looked at a book lying on the desk.

‘Troop Command Manual’

He had been reading it since last night.

In the past while living with his mother, he had received various advanced education from the kingdom’s excellent instructors.

However, he had forgotten much of it doing only physical labor while with Kiera.

He started studying again recently because of Edward.

It seemed insufficient to just eliminate bandit groups.

He was looking at it whenever he had time to teach Edward at least the theory of martial arts, even if he had given up on the literary arts among a prince’s essential accomplishments.

“Where did I read up to yesterday?”

Time flew by as he read the book.

Soon it was time to go bandit hunting with Edward.

Maru closed the book and changed his clothes.

When the appointed time came, he left his room and headed to the stables.

“Right on time. Unlike your appearance, you’re good at keeping promises?”

Unexpectedly, Princess Audrite in white pants was waiting with a smile.

Beside her, Edward in light armor was scratching his head looking troubled.

“She kept insisting she wanted to come along… haha… well.”

“I want to see Edward beating up bandits. It’s fine if I come along, right?”

“The princess seems quite curious.”

Though internally troubled, Maru maintained an outward composure as he looked her up and down.

She wore an outfit that felt like riding clothes with her long golden hair braided into a princess style.

The tight white pants that showed off her hip curves without restraint were striking.

The gap between her thighs was visible due to their slenderness.

Overall she exuded elegance and femininity.

The bandits would go crazy for her.

“Won’t it be dangerous wearing that?”

“Edward will protect me. They say he’s good at fighting now, right? Right, Edward?”

Edward whistled while pretending not to hear.

“Or you’ll protect me. You did travel with a hero after all.”

Maru just smiled silently at her words.

It was a smile of complete resignation.

‘I don’t know either.’

He didn’t oppose her coming along.

The three of them each mounted horses and headed outside the castle.

But their destination changed.

Maru stopped his horse in a scenic forest.

“Why are we stopping here? Isn’t this just forest?”

When Audrite questioned this, Maru jumped off his horse and took hold of her horse’s reins.

“I’m sleepy. Let’s get some fresh air for a bit.”

“How are you already sleepy when we just started?”

Edward let out a long yawn.

“Ooh I’m tired too. Let’s lie down for a bit.”

Maru and Edward acted as if they had planned this beforehand.

They chose a spot with a good view, sat down, and started chatting about trivial things.

“The head servant was saying yesterday…”

“Ah, really?”

Watching these people who said they were going bandit hunting leisurely passing time, Audrite got slightly annoyed.

She had been standing behind them but seemed to make up her mind as she strode over and sat cross-legged facing the two.

“Did we come here to play?”

“Oh right, need to sleep. I’ll take a quick nap. You two chat.”

Edward quickly passed the buck and lay down on the ground, falling asleep immediately.

“snore snort…”

Audrite let out a small sigh while looking at Edward, then turned to Maru.

“What is this about? Wasn’t our goal to eliminate bandits?”

Maru just smiled with a blade of grass in his mouth.

“People need to rest while working. Can’t live intensely every day.”

“Didn’t you rest plenty before coming here?”

“Ah princess, you don’t know because you just arrived yesterday. Both the prince and I lived very difficult lives before.”

“Are you trying to mess with me right now?”

“Who is?”

“You and Edward.”

“How could we?”

Audrite stared at Maru with slightly petulant eyes.

“Then tell me the truth. You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

“Did you figure it out?”

“Come on, tell me. What are you hiding?”

Maru changed position from sitting to lying on his stomach and crawled toward her.

At a distance close enough to feel each other’s breath, he looked straight into her eyes and spoke softly.

“That my heart is pounding because you’re so beautiful. Could it be you noticed?”

“…!”

At this unexpected confession, Audrite’s eyes wavered unable to find their bearings as she blinked several times.

“D-don’t lie.”

“It was a joke.”

Maru smiled and sat back.

“I don’t make lovers anymore.”

Audrite placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath in and out.

Once her emotions settled, she frowned.

“I hate jokes like this. People who play with others’ hearts are the worst… Ouch!”

Startled by Audrite’s sudden scream, Maru stopped moving and looked at her.

A snake had suddenly bitten her left thigh and was now fleeing in a zigzag pattern.

“Princess!”

He jumped up and rushed to Audrite.

Two small holes were punctured in her thigh through the white pants.

Snake fang marks.

Audrite was confused and thoroughly frightened.

“D-did I just get bitten by a snake?”

“Don’t move! The venom will spread!”

Maru immediately tried to remove her pants.

But Audrite held them tightly and wouldn’t let go.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“I need to suck out the venom! We have to hurry!”

Seeing how urgent Maru’s expression was, Audrite reflexively let go.

Maru pulled her pants down to her knees in one motion.

Her pure white triangle underwear and slender white thighs came into view.

The bitten area was turning purple like a bruise.

If left alone, not just the thigh but the entire leg might swell up horrifically.

Maru quickly bit down on the thigh.

He repeatedly sucked hard to draw out blood then spat it out.

“suck spit suck spit!”

Audrite wiggled her toes while continuously moaning.

“Ugh… ah! Ow, it hurts! Nnngh… ah…!”

“suck spit! Bear with it! suck!”

Meanwhile, Edward was happily deep in sleep beside them.

“Your Majesty, I’ve cleared them out again. Hahaha… mumble.”