Chapter 4: The Queen’s secret request.

After falling into the world of ‘Dungeon Princess’. I who had proven my own value at once with the broken cooking skill.

Inside the splendid room that seemed to symbolize my position, I lay face down on the bed and happily kicked my feet.

-Flap flap.

“Heheh~.”

‘For now it seems I passed day one well. This much was a perfect play. Hmm.’

My heart grew even more joyful at the luxurious fluffiness felt each time I kicked the bed with my toes.

Yet as a gamer I continuously pondered how to clear this game.

‘Then… Ha. If only the party does not go wrong I should be able to clear it. The final boss fight is worrying.’

My final goal was of course to defeat the boss, the Demon King.

Yet even as a veteran with a broken cooking skill I could not be certain of clearing it.

Because Dungeon Princess was a roguelike game in which the party composition and events changed with every playthrough.

There were fixed events like battles certain to lose in the early stages…

But basically this game was strong in randomness as befitting a roguelike. To the point that even the hero party composition most important for clearing could not be chosen at the player’s will.

No matter how much it was me, if I was unlucky and only trash heroes appeared there would be no answer.

‘…Well, let us think about this after seeing the other heroes selected a week later.’

Yet this was an element I could do nothing about.

According to what the king said at the banquet, the other heroes would only receive the Lord God’s selection after a full week.

I had no choice but to roll around in the royal palace for a week and pray that trash ones would not be selected.

‘Then for one week I should experiment with the performance of the cooking skill under the concept of the Lord God’s apostle.’

The thought ended with checking the performance of the cooking skill until I formed a party with the other heroes and set out on an adventure.

Having finished thinking I yawned stretchingly.

“Haaam…”

‘I used my head a lot so I am sleepy. Is it because the strength stat is too low.’

Only then did the fatigue that had been held back rush in.

…Originally I could stay up for about two days without trouble, but after coming here my strength felt a little weaker and my stamina a little lower. The Chinese cleaver was also a bit heavy.

My outward appearance had only the hair and eye color changed and was the same so I had not paid much attention, but thinking about it now my strength and stamina had clearly been lowered to match the character stats.

‘Yes. Let us sleep early for the first time in a while.’

-Tuduk.

Thinking I was tired so I should sleep early I began unbuttoning my upper garment.

The Head Maid had given me sleepwear as well, so I intended to change into that and sleep.

But,

-Knock knock.

-Halt.

The knock sound that soon came.

I stopped my hands at once and put on the mask named concept again.

…Role-playing, ON.

“Who is it?”

-It is I.

‘The king?’

When I asked in a gentle voice fitting the concept of the Lord God’s apostle, the now-familiar voice of the king was heard softly.

She had told me to rest comfortably yet came personally to my bedroom. What was the matter?

I set everything aside and quickly opened the door.

-Bang.

“Your Majesty, what is the matter.”

‘Wow, look at that outfit. Is that adult sleepwear?’

When I opened the door I saw the king in light clothing as if sleepwear.

It was a little strange that a woman would walk around in such defenseless clothes…

Yet the king who would soon turn forty looked outwardly like a pretty woman in her late twenties. If a beauty character of that level did that for me I could only be grateful.

I greeted her with a composed face as if I knew nothing lewd at all.

…The one who was not composed was rather the king side.

“W-wh-what…….”

“Your Majesty?”

“…I am sorry. I never dreamed you would be in the middle of changing. I will wait so tidy your clothes.”

Even while possessing the status of king she even brought out the words ‘I am sorry’ and turned her head.

Her face being dyed red as if burning was a bonus.

“Ah, I was about to change into sleepwear so I stopped. I am sorry.”

“…Sorry, rather I am grateful.”

“Yes?”

“Ahem. It is nothing. More than that, quickly tidy your clothes. Will it not be embarrassing.”

‘Making a fuss over a man’s chest being slightly open? You yourself have more revealed than covered.’

“Understood.”

I wondered why she was like that but since it was also a bit much to be in disheveled attire in front of the king I quickly fastened the buttons.

Only then did she let out a sigh.

“…Hoo. I apologize once more. I am sorry. Please forgive me.”

‘Why is the king coming out so lowly? Even if I am a hero that is too much. It is not as if the genders are reversed.’

“There is no need to be sorry. I am a man so I do not mind at all.”

“Haa. To be this pure.”

The king who repeatedly apologized as if seeing my chest was a far more important matter than her own authority.

When I revealed I did not mind she let out a deep sigh as if exasperated.

Why is she like that, really.

“At any rate. I believe there must be a reason you sought me out personally. What is the matter?”

“…Ahem. Yes.”

It was a little strange but thinking it must be that kind of character I decided not to think deeply for now.

When I changed the topic she brightened.

“I am sorry for interrupting your rest. I have a request to make secretly. It is an outrageous request to make of a hero but…”

“Please say anything.”

“…I too am a woman before being a king. If you are not tired, will you follow me for a moment?”

Saying so the king requested my company with an earnest face.

I immediately nodded.

‘What is it? A quest?’

“Yes. Gladly.”

“Thank you. Then follow me. I will guide you.”

Afterward she personally led me somewhere.

Secretly glancing at the provocative sleepwear and the chest that shook like well-made pudding with every step made the drowsiness vanish completely as a bonus.

After walking for a while the surroundings grew dark.

“…This is the inner palace where only the royal family and the servants recognized by the Head Maid may enter. The sleeping quarters of the royals.”

“I see.”

Soon the king revealed in a low voice that this was the inner palace where the royals slept.

…Saying this while dressed as if seducing a man felt a little ambiguous. It was as if she was luring me to do that kind of thing.

‘Well, this is an all-ages game so that will not happen.’

“So. What is the reason you brought me into the inner palace?”

“I will tell you now.”

Yet I dismissed inwardly that this was an all-ages game so it would not be that.

When I looked up with the meaning of ‘So what now?’, she placed her hand on an especially splendid door.

“The request I have for you is…”

-Creak.

Afterward the king slowly opened the door.

The most secret place in the royal palace where the royals would take their rest slowly opened its mouth…

And at the sight revealed inside the room, I raised my eyes.

“Mother…? Who on earth is that man…?”

“……The treatment of anorexia of my only daughter and princess, Elizabeth.”

Inside was a pink-haired woman who looked exactly like the king. Princess Elizabeth.

Yet her face was extremely haggard to the point that even dark circles had settled.

On top of that a powerless voice, trembling hands.

And above all… my hot dog that was growing cold on one side of the table, with only the tip slightly bitten.

As the king said it was clear that the princess was suffering from anorexia and refusing food intake.

‘Even if it is anorexia that is too much. Leaving that? With the cooking skill correction it tasted heavenly even when I ate it… Ah, did it cool while coming here and the taste drop?’

“It seems it has cooled and the taste has dropped. I will cook a new one. If you eat it while hot it will surely…”

“No need. I did not leave it because it tasted bad in the first place.”

“……?”

She even refused the offer to fry a new hot dog for her.

While bewilderment settled on my expression the king let out a deep sigh.

“She has been like that continuously for several months. If she continues like that she will clearly starve to death soon. In fact her heart stopped for a moment not long ago and the priests barely revived her.”

“…I see.”

“We tried forcing her to eat but she rather vomited it all and her condition worsened. The priests dissuaded us saying if we did it one more time she might truly die.”

According to the king’s explanation mixed with sighs, the princess’s anorexia was serious enough to even cause heart failure.

My expression grew serious along with it.

‘It is dozens of times more serious than I thought… Can I not see the status window? View!’

-Ding!

=====

Name : Elizabeth von Hohenstein (25 years old, Female)

Title : The only successor of the Hohenstein royal family

Stats : Strength [6.50] Agility [5.00] Intelligence [5.80] Luck [0.90] Magic Power [3.50] Divine Power [3.00]

Owned Blessings : Blessing of the Hohenstein Royal Family Lv.Max

Current Status : [Anorexia] [Malnutrition] [Lethargy] [Depression]

Preferred Cuisine : None

=====

‘……Tsk.’

I peeked at her information with the status window just in case, but there was no particularly helpful information.

She said she had no preferred cuisine so what could I do.

Moreover it was not that she had not eaten the hot dog, yet even after taking one bite she was in that state…

It must be a mental problem that ‘Over Heal’ could not treat. Probably.

‘It is regrettable but… that is something even my cooking skill cannot do anything about.’

“Your Majesty…”

Having grasped the entire situation I carefully tried to answer that ‘even I cannot handle that’.

I would make food a few times but it would be difficult.

———But,

-Ding!

[Scenario Quest – ‘The King’s Request’ has occurred]

[Mission Success Condition : Remove the ‘Anorexia’ status of Princess ‘Elizabeth von Hohenstein’]

[Reward upon Mission Success : Unlock ‘Shop’ function]

“………I will do my best!!”

At the message that soon floated before my eyes, I changed my words at once.

Eyes sparkling with excitement as a gamer.

“C-can you do it!?”

“No, there is no need to make futile efforts…”

‘Good heavens, the shop function? How can I endure that!!!’

In that way, the strange week between me and the anorexic princess began.