Chapter 163

The Discovery and the New Member
"Alice, what are you doing?"

I heard a familiar voice. When I turned around, there was Anon. She was wearing the equipment I had given her, while the rest of her armor seemed to be her own. I was curious as to why she was armed, but this was not the time to worry about that.

How was I found out?! My face was hidden, my hair color and voice were changed. I even concealed the imprint in my eyes, and Gladius and Dragon Staff I carried on my back were both subdued and disguised as an ordinary sword and staff with magic. There was no way she should have recognized me.

"H-Human error. I am the mysterious adventurer, Hollow."

"No way, you can't fool me. You're the First Princess of Arland and the Vice—Mmggh!"

Oh no, that name should not be spoken here. This was a public street. Alicia immediately abducted her and pulled her into an alleyway. The entrance was subtly blocked by people standing around, ensuring that no one else could enter. Those people were likely from the secret services. I had seen their faces about three times, so I was certain. After all, Arlandians had no interest in Ostland. There was no reason for people who were supposed to be in Arland’s royal capital to be supporting me here in Ostland.

But was it really okay for them to keep switching out people to avoid being noticed by me? No, that wasn’t the issue right now.

"My name is Hollow. That name must not be spoken. If it comes up in this country, it will cause problems, do you understand?"

For some reason, in Ostland, I was considered a saint. It was such a hassle. If they called me a saint, the Holy Church would become a nuisance.

"I get it, I get it. But why are you dressed like that? And that wolf beside you—is it a new familiar?"

"No. I am not the princess."

I had to deceive her somehow. Anon was fairly simple-minded, so she wasn’t a problem, but if Keena or Sharon found out, they would absolutely get mad. They’d tell me I shouldn't be doing anything dangerous. On top of that, if word got out in Arland that I was working as an adventurer, my overprotective guardians would drag me back. Lately, more and more people, both nobles and commoners, were telling me to rest and avoid dangerous activities.

Only a select few knew that I was working as an adventurer to earn money. If it were discovered, I would undoubtedly be forcibly repatriated for security reasons. Being an adventurer was dangerous in itself, but outside the kingdom, my safety could not be guaranteed.

For now, it was fine. People still thought I was in Arland. Most of my doubles were causing trouble in the castle, so no one suspected I was missing. That was why I was able to be here in Ostland.

As long as I stayed within the castle, it wasn’t a problem. Probably even within the royal capital, I would be fine. However, if I wanted to work as an adventurer, I had to leave the capital, and that was impossible.

Inside the capital, my safety was guaranteed. The risk of kidnapping was reduced to almost zero. But beyond the capital, that level of security could not be maintained. That was why I had slipped away and gone abroad.

"Hmm, well, you can't fool me. Sharon probably won't be deceived either. Maybe Keena, barely. She's so stubborn that she'd just assume there’s no way Alice could be here."

I agreed with that. Actually, I thought I had fooled all three of them.

"Alice, you know, when we first met, you had already changed your hair color and erased your eye mark. Also, you don’t usually show much expression, so even with a mask on, I can tell. Your presence is very talkative in its own way. You should be more careful in the future. Now, confess!"

Anon clung to me and started tickling my sides and other sensitive spots. Stop! People say I don't react much, but I’m actually weak to tickling. My body twitched.

"N-No... I'm not..."

"Alright, time to make you confess!"

Alicia, help me...! She had given up! No, it wasn’t over yet. There was still no conclusive evidence. Ah, my phone rang.

"W-Wait, I’m busy right now!"

I picked up the call while struggling with the tickling, but there was no response. Suspicious, I turned around to see Anon holding up her phone toward me.

"Why is it that when I called Alice, Hollow answered?"

Anon smoothly moved from behind me to stand in front of me. She held a phone in her hand. I hadn't expected her to be able to operate it without looking. I thought she was bad with phones.

"It must have been a mistake. The calls just came in at the same time."

"But this phone has 'Alicetia' written on the screen. Give it up already."

There was no way to deceive her anymore. I had no choice but to explain why I was here. Since it was getting in the way, I took off my mask.

"You're working to earn money?! That’s not something a royal should be doing!"

"Since when did you think I was just a regular royal? I am a royal who doesn’t perform official duties. I leave that to the Prime Minister and my subordinates."

The Prime Minister was quite pleased. He even did a hip-hop dance out of joy.

"Umm, Arland is really busy right now, huh. I heard you started a trading company, Alice."

"I just bought out an existing company. And since I'm a complete novice when it comes to business management, I don't interfere. I reign, but I do not govern. That way, things run more smoothly."

Heh. I've learned how to take it easy.

"But still—who goes out to work abroad? And can you even earn that much? I made a decent amount, but not nearly as much as you apparently need."

"If I release golems into the forest, they’ll hunt on their own. All I have to do is wait. Well, sometimes I fight too, since I experiment with magic."

Anon sighed and started stretching my cheeks. Stop, it hurts.

"I can pretty much guess why you kept quiet about this. Anyone would normally try to stop you. But why didn't your maid stop you? This is dangerous!"

"I never agreed to this, but Her Highness persists even when opposed. And if we tried to stop her, she might push forward even more recklessly. We absolutely cannot allow a repeat of last time, where she went off on her own. That’s why I’m accompanying her.

If you can stop her, please do. I am firmly against this. This is not something a princess should be doing."

"Y-you’re betraying me?"

The trusted Alicia had turned against me.

"Considering your safety, this is the only reasonable conclusion. I want you to stay in the royal castle, where unnecessary enemies—cough, ahem—where unnecessary trouble won’t approach you. That magic castle is secure."

"Magic castle?"

That makes my home sound like the Demon King’s castle!

"You did this to yourself, Princess, with all the reckless renovations. You installed all sorts of things, built secret rooms under the guise of research labs all over the place. The complaints are piling up—please stop mass-producing hidden chambers."

I see. It's only natural, given the surveillance cameras, pitfall traps, teleportation traps, and the identification tags needed to safely navigate the castle. I was just responding to the needs of the field. Also—

"If the hidden rooms were built by the ones who escaped, then just send them to the underground prison when you find them. Sentence them to forced labor."

As expected, my clone magic has mutated—I inherited it from Eibon. Unlike him, I can't freely control my clones. Well, I can, but I need to give verbal commands. Telepathy works too, but not over long distances. So, some have run away. I only ordered them to do underground labor until they disappeared, and they still tried to escape. Unforgivable.

Unlike Eibon’s, my clones don’t have physical bodies. They are golems formed from magic power, programmed to replicate my thoughts. The golems judge situations based on how I would likely act. We share knowledge, but since they are completely independent, they act "like me" even without commands.

Since they’re magic constructs, they cannot be killed. They never had life to begin with. Beheading them doesn’t matter, they don’t eat, and poison has no effect. They will keep moving until their magic supply runs out or their magic circuits are destroyed.

"Who in their right mind imposes forced labor so harsh that even slaves flee? The knights would cry."

"Alice, what exactly are you building underground…?"

"I'm making all sorts of things... Heh, do you want to know? It would take until sunset to explain everything."

"This is classified information, Your Highness."

I grinned while Alicia held her head in her hands. Still, it's fine to tell Anon. She wouldn’t understand even 20% of it. The fact that she still hasn’t upgraded her equipment proves it. Looks like she’s been skipping tests. What a waste—if she collected everything, it would be incredible. She could fly, shoot beams, teleport—like a hero’s gear.

"Hmm… alright! I’ll join you!"

"Why? I don’t mind, but it’s dangerous."

After thinking for a moment, Anon suddenly declared she was joining. My hunts usually involve mass extermination, so it’s risky. I’m mostly protected by golems, though. Disposable soldiers are great. No guilt whatsoever.

"I'm already C-rank, you know! I can protect you!"

"I’m B-rank. I hunt efficiently."

Impressive, right?

I showed her my adventurer’s guild card, and Anon looked frustrated. We're both sore losers, after all.

"But Alice, your endurance is low, right? You collapse after going all out. You should have more bodyguards."

"Ugh."

She has a point. When I go all out, I burn out in one battle. I’ve been analyzing clone magic to develop new spells, but my endurance is still lacking.

"Alice, do you… not like me? If so, I’ll give up…"

Anon looked at me sadly. But cut the obvious act. It’s painfully clear that you’re faking, and yet, it still tugs at my heart.

"Fine. I’ll make you the vice president of my party, Woof-Meow Club.

Also, tomorrow morning at 4 AM, we’re heading out to exterminate the wyverns nesting in Mount Lulie."

Mount Lulie is a rocky mountain about three days' walk from the capital. The elevation isn’t too high, just a bit larger than a hill. Apparently, the wyverns that fled during the last stampede have built a nest there. There are about fifty of them.

After I explained the request, Anon froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. She looked genuinely excited.

"Being with you is always fun, Alice. I’m going to bed early so I won’t be late! Also, since we’re in the Woof-Meow Club, should I get a dog-type or cat-type monster as a familiar?"

"They’d probably be too scared of Mr. Coote to be useful. Even the Puppers Squad is under his absolute rule. If they disobey, he eats them without hesitation."

"That’s terrifying! Wait, that is Mr. Coote? Okay, I’ll give him some jerky."

Mr. Coote sniffed it, then turned away. He’s been into fish meat lately. He’ll probably go back to jerky next week—he tends to cycle through favorite foods.

"Alright, see you tomorrow! Don’t leave without me!"

"Keep this a secret from Keena and Sharon, okay?"

"Don’t worry! I haven’t even told my family that I’m an adventurer!"

Is that okay…? Actually, knowing Anon’s personality, she probably wouldn’t tell them. I’d better not think too much about it. It’s probably fine.

And just like that, Anon became the vice president of the Woof-Meow Club.

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