_________________________________________________________________
It all started 13 years ago. The Weiz Empire was gathering and nurturing people with extraordinary talents and dignity. It was at that time that a commoner born girl entered the Weizsäcker imperial academy, however, it all went awry.
That girl’s name was Flora. With a charming name similar to a flower, it was said that she was a charming girl.
Even though the door was open to those inside and outside the country, fundamentally, those who had magic — meaning, those with noble lineage, who used to be the only ones allowed to enter the academy, were different from the girl; who despite being a commoner, was endowed with a vast amount of magic power.
Even without inheriting a royal bloodline, Flora was able to display a large amount of magic power that destroyed the measuring device at her magical examination during the first day of school. After entering the academy, she continued to exhibit her magical prowess and conspicuously stood out from her peers.
If it was just that, it would have been a heart wrenching success story.
The problem that followed were her actions, and that of those around her.
She had a massive amount of magic power, however, she was able to considerably get along with the other students, even though she had a different sense of values than those of the nobles. It was then that the newly enrolled first imperial prince at the time, the prime minister’s son, the son of the head of the knight’s legion, and even the prince of a neighboring country, who were all at the top of the academy’s caste system, one by one fell in love with Flora.
The ones who received the brunt of this situation were the fiancés. Among them, there was the daughter of the Harkenberg marquis family, Claudia, who was decided to be the prince’s consort. The first imperial prince, who was her fiancé, suddenly had a change of mind, and one-sidedly and forcefully broke off the engagement. In those days she was hailed as the rose of academy, and so the proud Claudia sought to admonish the persistent prince. However, rather than complying, instead he played a pivotal role in trying to banish her from the empire.
The academy had strong extraterritorial rights that even the emperor couldn’t interfere with. Once Claudia’s family had found out about the situation, it was already over. She had been thrown outside the academy gates with barely any personal possessions.
As the sheltered Claudia roamed the streets listlessly at night, she was assaulted by a burglar. In a disastrous turn of events, she had gotten pregnant. No longer having the option to return home, she relied on a servant who was also her childhood friend and went down into the lower city to live among the commoners and at the end, she gave birth to a daughter.
On the other side, the furious marquis family launched an investigation to severely impeach the princes. And then, what they found was that, starting with the prince, a large number of people at the academy had fallen under a charm spell casted by Flora. And in fact, Flora herself actually only had a small amount of magic power — though it was still rare to find among the commoners —, she had used her charm ability on the officials to fabricate her results. Her ultimate goal was to become the handsome and knowledgeable head prince’s consort.
Having everything come to light, the empire mobilized a large amount of people to search for the young marchioness, however they were not able to find her. The only remaining information left on her was that she had lost her life during childbirth.
Thereafter, there was no infants in the empire that would be named 「Flora」. Even Leo, who was born at an orphanage knew this much information, that was the extent to how big the incident was.
「……No no no, why is Claudia’s daughter, who the entire imperial army couldn’t find, living here in the middle of the empire!?」
This is Ricard, the Weiz Empire imperial capital. Leena just shrugged.
「Obviously they were waiting for her to come back after everything had cooled down. Okaa-sama is a hide and seek genius! The way in which she assimilated herself in the lower city, continuing on through 13 years, now she’s progressed to a legendary level.」
「Wait a minute, you mean she’s still alive!?」
「You see her everyday don’t you? The bakery’s hostess, that is okaa-sama.」
「SHE’S THE AUNTIE?」
Leo thought without a doubt that she was adopted by the bakery or something.
「With the skill to wield the power of the white flame that could even kill a dragon, The ‘Dear Deer Bakery’ flourishes even today! Thank you for your regular business.」
「Why are you baking bread with white flame! Speaking of which I’ve been curious since some time ago, what’s with naming it ‘Dear Deer’!?」
「By the way the assault by the burglar was a fabricated rumor. My shrewd former servant otou-sama shares a hot and steamy relationship with okaa-sama even today! The roasted chestnuts that he makes are also piping hot.」
「HE’S THE UNCLE THAT GAVE ME ROASTED CHESTNUTS EARLIER?」
Leo dizzily recalls the repeatedly told tragic tale of Claudia-sama, the story of the ‘Disaster of Flora’.
「Well, now that we got the uninspiring and monotone retorts out of the way, let’s continue.」
「No you can’t just tell these things to a barely independent young boy, it’s overwhelming.」
Leena’s tone suddenly dropped.
「Our family was living a simple, happy and frugal life. Nevertheless, the dragon’s curse comes to split us up, as if pulling us into a deep pit of sorrow.」
The reddish brown eyes seemed to carry a deep sorrow that he never saw before as his own body.
「The Weizsäcker imperial academy — the empire’s prized academy, do you know why talented people continuously gather one after another? Even though there are other academies to go to. That is solely because the school uses to dragon’s curse to ensnare those that carry the imperial blood line.」
「The dragon’s curse…?」
「That’s right.」
Leena raised her face, staring intently an empty space as if she was looking at her enemy.
「The blood carried by imperial family is the blood of a dragon. Those who carry the magical blood, no matter who they are, where they are, in the fall of the year they turn 12, before the night of the school’s entrance ceremony they will be forcefully summoned against their will.」
「Summoned…」Leo repeated to himself.
「That’s right, this year I’ll be turning 12. Even though there was so many things I wanted to do, I can’t hide the dragon’s blood that flows through that body. Once the time comes, there will be a reaction in the blood, and I’ll also be summoned along with it. If we get found out even once, my parents set up preparations for when the blood revealed itself, but my life here in the lower city will be over.」
「No well, I want to ask, do you actually enjoy the messy lower city life」
「Once the blood reveals itself, my life here in the lower city will be over」
Leena repeated again to emphasize what was important.
「I see…well, how unfortunate but, those summons? Does it only happen once? If so, why don’t you try going to the academy once to explain your situation and return after? 」
In bewilderment, Leena almost chocked at that response. And then she gently put both her hands on Leo’s — well, Leena’s previous beautiful face.
「Are you an idiot?」
The boy’s hand softly caressed the girl’s cheeks. Since that hand movement was strangely alluring, Leo slightly gulped.
「Even if you stayed up all night, the signature violet eyes of the Harkenberg family will continue to be beautiful and moist. No matter what kind of bad eating habits you have, your skin will stay transparent and white. No matter how much you cut, the black glossy hair will grow back with magic. Who do you think would let go of such a perfectly beautiful girl? 」
「…………」
Leo had a distant look in his eyes. Everything that was said about her private life was fairly intriguing but boastful. However, definitely once he looked in the mirror, he had to accept that she was fairly beautiful.
「You don’t believe me? Let me tell you, if you walk around town with this defenseless appearance, everyday other than my father, uncultured swine’s would come up to you while panting furiously. Dogs would try to mount you, rodents would circle around excitedly as well. Thanks to that, since I was I born, I’ve spent my life without leaving this shed as I read books, dealt with wild delusions night after night, and punctually ate three meals a day.」
「Aren’t you just enjoying a shut-in life!」
Leena let out a listless sigh.
「Something like a school is a den full of men who think of nothing but of their own sexual desires! If I were to be tossed into a place like that, would I be able to slip out safely? Rather than live a prison-colored life dealing with scum panting furiously and trying to woo me around the clock, I want to hop around the fields freely as a grasshopper.」
Even though there were hints of sarcasm in her speech, there was a serious tone to her voice. Since he didn’t understand the problems of someone who had beautiful looks, all he could do is trust her for now.
「Well, that sounds really rough. But putting it frankly I have nothing to do with it. So can you return me to my original body now? 」
「…………」
The young boy Leena grinned.
「Do you believe in destiny or fate?」
「……Hey.」
「Us getting our bodies switched at a time like this must be the work of fate. That’s why, as is, How about you go enjoy school life while I stay here and enjoy orphanage life in the lower city! 」
「Hey.」
「Come on, the people who graduated from the academy are the elites of the empire! You’ll have great success in life! What you have in front of you is a rose-colored future! 」
「Didn’t you say it was prison-colored」
「Everything will be okay. I don’t have much experience in physical labor, and definitely don’t have confidence in violence but, I am confident in my intellect. No matter what, instead of being a replacement for a young scrooge, I will be able to prominently raise the Hannah Orphanage to new heights! You can be at ease, do not worry.」
「Don’t just casually diss other people’s lives!」
Leo suddenly stood up and grabbed Leena by the arms and shook them. She — no, all he did was looked away.
(I can’t even that bad feeling I had is coming true) thought Leo.
「I don’t want to think it but…..You won’t say something like we can’t return……right? 」
「……I won’t say it? 」
「That’s not what I wanted to hear!」
The young boy Leena gave a slight chuckle seeing Leo’s face.
「It’s just, since I used all my magic power preforming the body swap spell, it’ll take juuust a little while before the magic replenishes, or something like that.」
「……How long will it take to replenish.」
Leena made a duck face while suspiciously saying 「hmm」, however making that expression with Leo’s ordinary face is seriously not cute at all. As Leo got more threatening, Leena reluctantly started speaking.
「Well, there’s more or less an approximate amount of time. That’s right, loosely speaking, from about a week till…」
「Till?」
「I guess about a year?」
「That’s way too loose!」
Frustrated, Leo shouted. Leena just shrugged her shoulders as if to say 「there’s no other way right」.
「Anyway, generally speaking this was your fault wasn’t it, Mr. Retort.」
Once he was told that he calmed down slightly but he still couldn’t get rid of the bad feeling in this stomach.
(Even though I just wanted to help someone, why do I have to suffer through this?)
「Bastard…Don’t you bullshit me. To so brazenly cause trouble for other people’s bodies……If that’s the case, it’ll be fine if I strip naked and walk around town right? 」
「Whaat!? What are saying, don’t do that! Talking like that, are you sure you’re from the Hannah Orphanage!? 」
Here in Ricard, the Hanah Orphanage was cut above the rest in terms of order and discipline, it was famed for its attentive training and education. Particularly with Hannah’s policy, the children don’t have to worry about their future, each person is taught a skill for their future job — but now is not the time to be talking about that.
「There’s no need to apply the moral code to illogical people. Ah, that’s right, since I’m going to be naked might as well do a dance. I’ll show you a good one with my agile steps.」
「Stop it!」
The young boy Leena was on the verge of fainting. Both hands were perplexed and furiously shaking. At that moment, feeling something shake in her chest, she suddenly stood up. Taking out an old gold coin that was hanging beneath her clothes, she gave it Leo.
「Karlheinz Raimund gold coin!」
It was the official name of the gold coin Leo always had on him. It was a large amount of money that commoners would only get a chance to see once every 5 years. To preciously stow it away and not use it was a very Leo-like thing to do.
「What about my Kar-sama?」
Leo affectionately and respectfully called the tediously long named gold coin.
Taking back the gold coin that he always carried, he hung it around his neck, which was that of young girl’s now. While watching with a cramped face as Leo gentled caressed his gold coin, Leena offered —
「Go to the academy in my place, it doesn’t matter if you go for one or two days —, once you come back I’ll give you another one of these gold coins」
「Alright. I’ll think about it.」
Leo immediately stopped resisting.
Towards that swift change of attitude, this time it was Leena who was dumbfounded.
「Is it okay……?」
「Huh? If you pay. I’m saying this now but I’ll have you sign a written pledge for this」
Leo gave a sharp look while saying ‘violation of the agreement will result in 10% interest every 10 days’, towards which Leena nodded vehemently.
「I’ll sign I’ll sign! And speaking of which I’ll pay I’ll pay! Though it may not seem like it Dear Deer will be fine making that amount of money.」
「That’s your parent’s money though right.」
Giving a light sigh, Leena unconsciously murmur’s —
「……That’s right.」
And then, giving a small nod,
「It can’t be helped.」
_________________________________________________________________
It all started 13 years ago. The Weiz Empire was gathering and nurturing people with extraordinary talents and dignity. It was at that time that a commoner born girl entered the Weizsäcker imperial academy, however, it all went awry.
That girl’s name was Flora. With a charming name similar to a flower, it was said that she was a charming girl.
Even though the door was open to those inside and outside the country, fundamentally, those who had magic — meaning, those with noble lineage, who used to be the only ones allowed to enter the academy, were different from the girl; who despite being a commoner, was endowed with a vast amount of magic power.
Even without inheriting a royal bloodline, Flora was able to display a large amount of magic power that destroyed the measuring device at her magical examination during the first day of school. After entering the academy, she continued to exhibit her magical prowess and conspicuously stood out from her peers.
If it was just that, it would have been a heart wrenching success story.
The problem that followed were her actions, and that of those around her.
She had a massive amount of magic power, however, she was able to considerably get along with the other students, even though she had a different sense of values than those of the nobles. It was then that the newly enrolled first imperial prince at the time, the prime minister’s son, the son of the head of the knight’s legion, and even the prince of a neighboring country, who were all at the top of the academy’s caste system, one by one fell in love with Flora.
The ones who received the brunt of this situation were the fiancés. Among them, there was the daughter of the Harkenberg marquis family, Claudia, who was decided to be the prince’s consort. The first imperial prince, who was her fiancé, suddenly had a change of mind, and one-sidedly and forcefully broke off the engagement. In those days she was hailed as the rose of academy, and so the proud Claudia sought to admonish the persistent prince. However, rather than complying, instead he played a pivotal role in trying to banish her from the empire.
The academy had strong extraterritorial rights that even the emperor couldn’t interfere with. Once Claudia’s family had found out about the situation, it was already over. She had been thrown outside the academy gates with barely any personal possessions.
As the sheltered Claudia roamed the streets listlessly at night, she was assaulted by a burglar. In a disastrous turn of events, she had gotten pregnant. No longer having the option to return home, she relied on a servant who was also her childhood friend and went down into the lower city to live among the commoners and at the end, she gave birth to a daughter.
On the other side, the furious marquis family launched an investigation to severely impeach the princes. And then, what they found was that, starting with the prince, a large number of people at the academy had fallen under a charm spell casted by Flora. And in fact, Flora herself actually only had a small amount of magic power — though it was still rare to find among the commoners —, she had used her charm ability on the officials to fabricate her results. Her ultimate goal was to become the handsome and knowledgeable head prince’s consort.
Having everything come to light, the empire mobilized a large amount of people to search for the young marchioness, however they were not able to find her. The only remaining information left on her was that she had lost her life during childbirth.
Thereafter, there was no infants in the empire that would be named 「Flora」. Even Leo, who was born at an orphanage knew this much information, that was the extent to how big the incident was.
「……No no no, why is Claudia’s daughter, who the entire imperial army couldn’t find, living here in the middle of the empire!?」
This is Ricard, the Weiz Empire imperial capital. Leena just shrugged.
「Obviously they were waiting for her to come back after everything had cooled down. Okaa-sama is a hide and seek genius! The way in which she assimilated herself in the lower city, continuing on through 13 years, now she’s progressed to a legendary level.」
「Wait a minute, you mean she’s still alive!?」
「You see her everyday don’t you? The bakery’s hostess, that is okaa-sama.」
「SHE’S THE AUNTIE?」
Leo thought without a doubt that she was adopted by the bakery or something.
「With the skill to wield the power of the white flame that could even kill a dragon, The ‘Dear Deer Bakery’ flourishes even today! Thank you for your regular business.」
「Why are you baking bread with white flame! Speaking of which I’ve been curious since some time ago, what’s with naming it ‘Dear Deer’!?」
「By the way the assault by the burglar was a fabricated rumor. My shrewd former servant otou-sama shares a hot and steamy relationship with okaa-sama even today! The roasted chestnuts that he makes are also piping hot.」
「HE’S THE UNCLE THAT GAVE ME ROASTED CHESTNUTS EARLIER?」
Leo dizzily recalls the repeatedly told tragic tale of Claudia-sama, the story of the ‘Disaster of Flora’.
「Well, now that we got the uninspiring and monotone retorts out of the way, let’s continue.」
「No you can’t just tell these things to a barely independent young boy, it’s overwhelming.」
Leena’s tone suddenly dropped.
「Our family was living a simple, happy and frugal life. Nevertheless, the dragon’s curse comes to split us up, as if pulling us into a deep pit of sorrow.」
The reddish brown eyes seemed to carry a deep sorrow that he never saw before as his own body.
「The Weizsäcker imperial academy — the empire’s prized academy, do you know why talented people continuously gather one after another? Even though there are other academies to go to. That is solely because the school uses to dragon’s curse to ensnare those that carry the imperial blood line.」
「The dragon’s curse…?」
「That’s right.」
Leena raised her face, staring intently an empty space as if she was looking at her enemy.
「The blood carried by imperial family is the blood of a dragon. Those who carry the magical blood, no matter who they are, where they are, in the fall of the year they turn 12, before the night of the school’s entrance ceremony they will be forcefully summoned against their will.」
「Summoned…」Leo repeated to himself.
「That’s right, this year I’ll be turning 12. Even though there was so many things I wanted to do, I can’t hide the dragon’s blood that flows through that body. Once the time comes, there will be a reaction in the blood, and I’ll also be summoned along with it. If we get found out even once, my parents set up preparations for when the blood revealed itself, but my life here in the lower city will be over.」
「No well, I want to ask, do you actually enjoy the messy lower city life」
「Once the blood reveals itself, my life here in the lower city will be over」
Leena repeated again to emphasize what was important.
「I see…well, how unfortunate but, those summons? Does it only happen once? If so, why don’t you try going to the academy once to explain your situation and return after? 」
In bewilderment, Leena almost chocked at that response. And then she gently put both her hands on Leo’s — well, Leena’s previous beautiful face.
「Are you an idiot?」
The boy’s hand softly caressed the girl’s cheeks. Since that hand movement was strangely alluring, Leo slightly gulped.
「Even if you stayed up all night, the signature violet eyes of the Harkenberg family will continue to be beautiful and moist. No matter what kind of bad eating habits you have, your skin will stay transparent and white. No matter how much you cut, the black glossy hair will grow back with magic. Who do you think would let go of such a perfectly beautiful girl? 」
「…………」
Leo had a distant look in his eyes. Everything that was said about her private life was fairly intriguing but boastful. However, definitely once he looked in the mirror, he had to accept that she was fairly beautiful.
「You don’t believe me? Let me tell you, if you walk around town with this defenseless appearance, everyday other than my father, uncultured swine’s would come up to you while panting furiously. Dogs would try to mount you, rodents would circle around excitedly as well. Thanks to that, since I was I born, I’ve spent my life without leaving this shed as I read books, dealt with wild delusions night after night, and punctually ate three meals a day.」
「Aren’t you just enjoying a shut-in life!」
Leena let out a listless sigh.
「Something like a school is a den full of men who think of nothing but of their own sexual desires! If I were to be tossed into a place like that, would I be able to slip out safely? Rather than live a prison-colored life dealing with scum panting furiously and trying to woo me around the clock, I want to hop around the fields freely as a grasshopper.」
Even though there were hints of sarcasm in her speech, there was a serious tone to her voice. Since he didn’t understand the problems of someone who had beautiful looks, all he could do is trust her for now.
「Well, that sounds really rough. But putting it frankly I have nothing to do with it. So can you return me to my original body now? 」
「…………」
The young boy Leena grinned.
「Do you believe in destiny or fate?」
「……Hey.」
「Us getting our bodies switched at a time like this must be the work of fate. That’s why, as is, How about you go enjoy school life while I stay here and enjoy orphanage life in the lower city! 」
「Hey.」
「Come on, the people who graduated from the academy are the elites of the empire! You’ll have great success in life! What you have in front of you is a rose-colored future! 」
「Didn’t you say it was prison-colored」
「Everything will be okay. I don’t have much experience in physical labor, and definitely don’t have confidence in violence but, I am confident in my intellect. No matter what, instead of being a replacement for a young scrooge, I will be able to prominently raise the Hannah Orphanage to new heights! You can be at ease, do not worry.」
「Don’t just casually diss other people’s lives!」
Leo suddenly stood up and grabbed Leena by the arms and shook them. She — no, all he did was looked away.
(I can’t even that bad feeling I had is coming true) thought Leo.
「I don’t want to think it but…..You won’t say something like we can’t return……right? 」
「……I won’t say it? 」
「That’s not what I wanted to hear!」
The young boy Leena gave a slight chuckle seeing Leo’s face.
「It’s just, since I used all my magic power preforming the body swap spell, it’ll take juuust a little while before the magic replenishes, or something like that.」
「……How long will it take to replenish.」
Leena made a duck face while suspiciously saying 「hmm」, however making that expression with Leo’s ordinary face is seriously not cute at all. As Leo got more threatening, Leena reluctantly started speaking.
「Well, there’s more or less an approximate amount of time. That’s right, loosely speaking, from about a week till…」
「Till?」
「I guess about a year?」
「That’s way too loose!」
Frustrated, Leo shouted. Leena just shrugged her shoulders as if to say 「there’s no other way right」.
「Anyway, generally speaking this was your fault wasn’t it, Mr. Retort.」
Once he was told that he calmed down slightly but he still couldn’t get rid of the bad feeling in this stomach.
(Even though I just wanted to help someone, why do I have to suffer through this?)
「Bastard…Don’t you bullshit me. To so brazenly cause trouble for other people’s bodies……If that’s the case, it’ll be fine if I strip naked and walk around town right? 」
「Whaat!? What are saying, don’t do that! Talking like that, are you sure you’re from the Hannah Orphanage!? 」
Here in Ricard, the Hanah Orphanage was cut above the rest in terms of order and discipline, it was famed for its attentive training and education. Particularly with Hannah’s policy, the children don’t have to worry about their future, each person is taught a skill for their future job — but now is not the time to be talking about that.
「There’s no need to apply the moral code to illogical people. Ah, that’s right, since I’m going to be naked might as well do a dance. I’ll show you a good one with my agile steps.」
「Stop it!」
The young boy Leena was on the verge of fainting. Both hands were perplexed and furiously shaking. At that moment, feeling something shake in her chest, she suddenly stood up. Taking out an old gold coin that was hanging beneath her clothes, she gave it Leo.
「Karlheinz Raimund gold coin!」
It was the official name of the gold coin Leo always had on him. It was a large amount of money that commoners would only get a chance to see once every 5 years. To preciously stow it away and not use it was a very Leo-like thing to do.
「What about my Kar-sama?」
Leo affectionately and respectfully called the tediously long named gold coin.
Taking back the gold coin that he always carried, he hung it around his neck, which was that of young girl’s now. While watching with a cramped face as Leo gentled caressed his gold coin, Leena offered —
「Go to the academy in my place, it doesn’t matter if you go for one or two days —, once you come back I’ll give you another one of these gold coins」
「Alright. I’ll think about it.」
Leo immediately stopped resisting.
Towards that swift change of attitude, this time it was Leena who was dumbfounded.
「Is it okay……?」
「Huh? If you pay. I’m saying this now but I’ll have you sign a written pledge for this」
Leo gave a sharp look while saying ‘violation of the agreement will result in 10% interest every 10 days’, towards which Leena nodded vehemently.
「I’ll sign I’ll sign! And speaking of which I’ll pay I’ll pay! Though it may not seem like it Dear Deer will be fine making that amount of money.」
「That’s your parent’s money though right.」
Giving a light sigh, Leena unconsciously murmur’s —
「……That’s right.」
And then, giving a small nod,
「It can’t be helped.」
