"My Lady, are you sure about this?" asked the captain of the knights protecting the princess.
She nodded without hesitation. "Yes, he will be under my care for now."
The knight looked conflicted. Faced with the authority of his master, he had no choice but to accept her decision.
"Princess, I don't think that's a wise choice," Leon spoke up. That protagonist from before. "That man is clearly a perverted sicko. Not only did he try to spy on my friend yesterday, but he also tried to assault her in the carriage they were in. Even when she was clearly trying to help him."
The fact that Leon had left his friends tents and came all the way here to interfere told me everything I needed to know. He was interested in her. Tsk. Protagonists and their endless lust for the most beautiful girls. It didn't matter how many they already had. Bring some more around and they'd still want them. Even your wife wasn't safe. You could get NTR'd. You could even get killed trying to win her back and be labeled a villain in the process.
There was that green-haired girl from before. Also, that psycho bitch with pink hair. And the other one who stayed silent the whole time I was there. But he still aimed for a princess. If this didn't prove he was the protagonist of this world, then this world must be fucking trolling me.
"Is that so?" Lyla—the princess—glanced at me with a blank gaze that told me she was not happy. Then she looked back at Leon with his self-righteousness burning so bright I was squinting just to get a good look at the fool.
"It's true. He can't even deny it," Leon said.
I just shrugged. Lyla sighed.
"It's fine. I can protect myself," she stated calmly. "If he tries anything unprincipled, I will take it upon myself to strike him down."
The conviction in her voice baffled me. She didn't look anything like the horny princess from yesterday. The one who had deceived everyone by claiming she was going to have me in her tent to continue healing me after she got some rest. Instead, she'd used sound runes to cover the whole tent. Then she got me drunk with her healing magic and ended up riding me through the night.
Yes. That was how it really happened.
It took a while, but I was finally remembering it. The part about taking me in and getting me drunk with her ability was something she told me herself. I had a feeling she said that to make me realize how dangerous she was.
"But Princess—!" Leon tried to protest again.
She cut him off. "I understand your concerns, Leonard, and I am thoroughly grateful. But it's my decision to ensure this young man doesn't die for no reason. The only way to ensure that is to have him with me." She paused, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Now, enough with all that. We have a long journey ahead of us, and I presume your friends are waiting."
Leon glanced at me. He wasn't showing it openly, but he wasn't hiding it well either. I could see the hidden glare and annoyance simmering beneath his expression. This guy was a die-hard hero type. Fuck. I just hoped I didn't end up becoming some kind of cannon fodder or minor villain on his path to building a harem.
"Let's go," Lyla announced. The knights nodded in unison.
I could still see Leon as he headed for the other carriages, sending stares my way the entire time. Lyla got into the carriage and gestured for me to follow. I climbed in after her. The door closed behind us.
The next instant, she closed her eyes. When she opened them, the whole carriage suddenly felt calmer. Wait. Did she just use the sound runes again? But I didn't see her inscribe them anywhere.
When her eyes opened fully, I saw a glare directed straight at me.
"You really have turned into something else," she said coldly. "Not long after you lose your memory, you become a sex junkie?"
"Everything he said wasn't true. Trust me," I said quickly.
She smirked. "Oh, I trust you. I trust you a lot."
Then she stood up.
Okay. What the fuck was going to happen next?