Kuro no Maou

「Fuhahaha!」

From the front door, echoed the sound of laughter he had heard just yesterday.

「Don’t tell me it is......」

「Yes, it is we, the son of—–」

Certainly, it was the Second Prince of Spada, Wilhart.

The sound of his voice, and sound of walking reverberated.

Simon, stopping his work temporarily, went ahead to meet this somewhat unmanageable prince.

「Erm, is there something you need here?」

Reluctantly, Simon opened the door of the laboratory, in front stood the slender Wil accompanied by single maid.

「Oh, you finally appear, the Micro Alchemist “Simon Friedrich Bardiel”!」

「What is that nickname!?」

Moreover, a somewhat rude nuance was included in it.

「Mu, well that was quite a good reaction you gave there, Fuhaha, as expected, a child is always filled with energy」

「I’m already an adult!」

Wilhart taps Simon’s head while haughtily laughing.

「So, what business do you have here?」

While fixing the messed up hair, caused by the tapping of Wilhart, Simon once again asked Wilhart for his reason to be here.

The maid behind him didn’t show any reaction of being concerned. The fact that she is Wilhart’s bodyguard is already a famous talk within the Royal Spada Academy, also, for someone of his status, having a bodyguard follow him around is not a strange thing, this even Simon, who is indirectly related to a noble family, knows and thinks of it as common sense.

Though she wasn’t there yesterday, but she might have been hiding somewhere near, or so Simon guessed.

「I came here today too for deepening my friendship with Kurono, but, seems like he didn’t come here」

「Onii-san is not a student of our school, so no way would he come here everyday」

In truth I want him to come here everyday, without saying that secret desire on his mouth, he told Wilhart to visit『Cat’s Tail』, the chances of meeting him there are high.

It is a perfect personal information release, but with the other party being Wilhart, hiding something from him would only lead to displease his mood and would later become a toruble.

Furthermore, Wilhart has a definite identity of a royalty, telling him this is completely different than telling someone whom Simon doesn’t now, a complete stranger.

「I see, if he hasn’t come here then it can’t be helped—–」

Good, now just leave, Simon judged he would leave now, and moved his thoughts back to the construction of mass produced Rifle.

However,

「In that case Simon, I shall deepen my friendship with you」

「Eh?」

To the unexpected request, Simon stiffened.

「Hahaha, haven’t we both already sit at the same table and exchanged the cups of sake!」

Table, or more like they just sat on the same floor, in place of cups of sake it was cups of tea, brewed by Simon.

But, seems like, to Wilhart, just that much was more than enough to become friends.

Simon was dumbfounded at the sudden friendship declaration, but maybe realizing it or not, Wilhart opened his roundabout speaking mouth and starting proceeding smoothly.

「We had heard yesterday about this weapon called gun which ‘doesn’t use magic’, Simon, haven’t you did great deed with this gun you made and used against the Crusaders, so will you show it’s power and your talent to us?」

Thanks to the conversation yesterday, Wilhart already knew how much of achievements Simon got in the Alsace defensive battle.

Though not to the extent of Simon, Wilhart, who is not great at using martial skills or magic, had grown an interest in the weapon called gun which could kill several tens of people.

「Hmm, well it is fine......」

Simon was originally a shy person, but curiously he had a favorable impression on gun, having Wilhart say this much about gun and him, he didn’t feel bad.

And more than anything, this was the best opportunity to sell the guns to the Spada Royalty.

Simon didn’t had a reason to decline the request of Wilhart.

「Alright then, let’s head to the maneuvering grounds. Now, show me the power of the threat which pulverized the heads of many Crusaders!」

Saying that, Wilhart moved towards the entrance at a quick pace, while laughing as usually.

I’m happy you have expectations for gun, but that manner of speaking is surely tiring for the person hearing it, while thinking that, Simon opened the door of laboratory to pick up the sole Rifle present currently『Yatagarasu V2』

When meeting Wilhart he didn’t had the Rifle in his hands, but normally he would always grip on to it, as he loved that feeling.

Though rank 1, Simon too was an adventurer, so it was a habit to keep the weapon near him at all times, and after experiencing the nightmare at Alsace, his awareness is further increased.

Like that, the moment Simon took hold of『Yatagarasy V2』lying on the table,

「Simon-sama」

「Uwaaa!?」

He was called out by a voice from behind, which caused him to be surprised to the extent of jumping like a spring.

Holding the Rifle in position and bearing to not pull the trigger, he turned around to check the owner of voice, there stood the bodyguard maid of Wilhart.

「I, Seria Ranboule, is appointed as the bodyguard of Wilhart the Second Prince, please call me Seria」

「I-I see, thank you very much......」

Just what work does this maid has to do, thinking that Simon sent a suspicious glare to the beautiful maid in front of him.

To Simon giving an vigilant gaze to her, did not cause her blue eyes to flicker and she stared back at him.

「On the other hand, you can also called Prince Wilhart as Wil, or rather I want you to call him as that」

「Is, that so」

Simon somewhat relaxes to the somewhat friendly conversation.

He even thought he would be yelled at for not being to overly familiar with the prince.

「To put in frankly, Wil-sama has got no friends, not even one, so it would be lot better if you be friends with him」

「Y-yes......」

Even while being astonished by seeing the attitude of Seria which kept on getting colder the more she said words, Simon understood that the rumour of Second Prince being friendless is true.

First Prince, Aisenhart, graduated some years before and was intimate with many students to the extent of being called an idol, compared to that, the popularity of Second Prince was nil.

The marvelous position of Second Prince and that strange manner of speaking makes him unapproachable, but the main reason he is neglected is because of the strength he possesses is in no way comparable to that of his brother.

This was a lethal strike in Spada which was pride for it military prowess.

In spite of the Third Princess being the role model of selfish younger sister, she is really popular just because of the power of her magic.

「He himself is quite hurt by that, so friendless is a taboo word」

「That is true, I understand」

Simon showed an intense agreement.

Being friendless and lonely was a situation same for Simon.

Currently by having Kurono as an understanding person, he didn’t had to feel much indebtedness, but still he understood the isolated feeling more than enough, to the extent that affinity rose up within him for Wilhart.

Not only that, by conversing yesterday Simon understood that opposite to that manner of speaking, there was no haughtiness or arrogance of a royalty or nobility.

It is the same for his relation with Kurono, it would have been natural if he said to Kurono that him being a noone rank 2 adventurer should feel honoured with him talking to Kurono.

Wilhart’s attitude on the other hand, gave a good impression to Simon, and that is a truth.

「I too want to deepen my friendship with Prince Wilhart—–no, Wil」

That’s why, those words were not honeyed words, but his true feelings.

「I see, thank you very much」

「Um」

「What happened?」

「Can you please stop stroking my head」

On the head of somewhat shy Simon, was the hand of Seria stroking his glossy ashen-colored hair.

「Sorry, the hand moved on its own」