“Pardon my intrusion.”

Lina, who uses such honorific speech when talking to me (I guess because of mistakenly associating me in some way with this whole Holy Princess business), had returned along with the man who had been standing guard outside the room.

I got up from the sofa and welcomed him.

“This is Sir Cainlot Dentavis, of the Knight Corps. He was chosen as Michiru’s escort and counselor.”

“Wow.”

I was instantly smitten when I took a good look at this guy Lina brought.

What’s going on? Is every guy in this world a total hunk!?

Just by standing there, he looked like there was triumphal music playing in the background for his grand entrance.

His handsome looks are too chiseled to be real. He’s almost like some sort of living, and walking game character brought to life!

Watching this tall, handsome knight in shiny armor, I just swooned.

How could I not? This is just like the start of those fantasy romance stories I used to love so much.

I may have ended up as the second banana in this crazy series of events, but looks my luck with guys seems to be on the up and up!

“So Michiru is your name, Princess? I am Cainlot. I belong to the Knights, but from today I shall attend exclusively to you. Pleased to meet you.”

His voice was manly and strong and had a nice ring to it, and he spoke with a sharp and fearless expression on his face.

You’re looking good, Mister Cainlot!

I won’t be forgetting your name any time soon, Mister Cainlot Dentavis!

He moved with sure, fluid motions, and his eyes cast a sharp gaze. His no-nonsense attitude seemed to match the personality of a fantasy novel’s serious and loyal knight type. The clothing beneath his armor plates was smart and sober, and fit his stoic demeanor to a tee. It’s often said that girls love guys in uniform. I was beginning to see why. And, of course, his slender-macho body build complimented it all.

And I haven’t even mentioned his hair! It’s a cool, brilliant ice blue. His long, silky hair reflected light around his handsome, chiseled face, and just looking at it made me a bit unsteady on my feet.

And if he wasn’t dashing enough already, his eyes were an astonishing dark blue, and shone like sapphires. Oh, he’s like a noble ice knight straight out of the Nordic sagas!

Exactly the character type I am most fascinated by just became real and walked up to me like the most natural thing in the world.

Wow! Talk about a sight for sore eyes after my earlier ordeal! Is it okay if I become your number one fangirl?

So anyway, I picked my jaw up from the floor and regained my composure.

“Oh, uh, pleased to meet you too,” I said with my best smile, which I deploy only at the best mixer parties. Unfortunately, no man has ever been caught by it. Anyway, never mind!

A good smile is important. You should always show your best smile to people you’re going to be involved with, to make the best first impression possible. Doubly important if you ever find yourself in a crazy situation like mine.

Cainlot, still a young knight, seems to be frowning at me a little, surely because he thinks I’m some suspicious otherworldly girl. Or, my special smile has failed me yet again. Ah, what was I expecting, though? I shouldn’t expect my girly smile to have enough punch to impress the likes of him.

Upon closer inspection, despite his cool ice-blue hair and sapphire eyes, he didn’t look like a very sweet person, and certainly not like the kind of guy who just lights up the place. He is a fearless, slender, handsome man with a Spartan attitude. The kind of personality that comes after a long time earning a living with a sword.

If I were to match his looks to a modern world type, it would be… a male dance idol? He is a knight, but agile and precise instead of brawny and overpowering. Yes, a beautiful fine slender-macho young man with compact muscles. Very nice! Nobody could say he isn’t the cool type at least.

So I guess that means he’s very popular with girls in this world, so a black-eyed, black-haired run-of-the-mill Japanese girl like me, I’m sorry, I lied, I’m not even that. I’m a plain “Zashiki-Warashi” ghostly girl, as you might recall. I guess I can say he is out of my league.

I know that. I better hold my horses.

A plain, ghostly girl like me should just huddle in the corner of her room and content herself with watching the hunky guys from afar. That’s enough for me.

“Sir Cainlot is a distinguished and skilled member of the Knights Group, and since he is an aristocrat, he also possesses extensive knowledge about this country and the world in general.”

Lina introduced him as so.

Wow, so, in addition to his amazing looks, his sword skills are the real thing. This guy is popular with the girls here, I bet. And that’s before even mentioning his nobility status.

I like cool aristocrat guys dedicated to honing their skill; it’s my favorite type. I definitely want to be friends. It’s ok if I’m in the backseat.

“I feel very reassured by your presence, Sir Cainlot. I suddenly found myself here, and I have yet to find my bearings in this world. To be honest, I am not a very brave person. If it is okay, I would like to learn a lot about this world from you.”

I said, with a friendly smile (yes, any smile can make you more likable, even if you’re plain and uninteresting! Full power, smile!)

He nodded “I see.”

“I will help you as much as I can, to my utmost efforts.”

Wow, unexpectedly kind words!

He made it sound a bit like a professional: “I’ll carry out my mission without fail,” but I’m happy to have him as an ally either way.

“Miss Lina may have introduced me as a nobleman, but in truth, my rank as such is low. Regardless, I possess a good amount of contacts and information that I can put to your service. I am in good standing within the Knights Group so you can count on them for any additional assistance you may require. Miss Lina is also a veteran maid who has been in the service of the royal family and has many talents. If you have any worries or concerns, ask us anything. Don’t hesitate to rely on either of us.”

When he said that, the severe expression he had maintained so far dropped and, surprisingly, nodded to me while his lips formed a faint, but genuine and gentle smile.

“Oh! Thank you very much!”

Wow, he looks really different this way!

I wasn’t expecting a cool, detached type like him to suddenly show a gentle, caring smile. So I was taken aback (Oh, this guy must be a very nice person deep inside, but maybe he keeps a cool and tough attitude to protect his feelings.) I felt a hot emotion running in my chest.

Why, because he made this pure, innocent, ‘years without a boyfriend = age’ girl blush, even though my smile had completely failed to impress him and maybe had even made me look uncool.

Wait, does it mean I turned out to be more simple-minded than Maki-chan? I shouldn’t judge her after this. However, Sir Cainlot is just so much my perfect type that, excuse me, if my heart is pounding like a schoolgirl talking to her crush.

For the first time, I’m glad I came to this weirdo fantasy world!

He seemed to be unaware of my wildly throbbing heart, thank goodness. And then he, without erasing that gentle smile off his perfect face, said in a serious and caring tone:

“Making the leap between worlds must have been tough on someone as young as you. You must be worried sick because you can’t be with your mom right now, right?”

“…? Excuse me?”

Such were the befuddling words poured into the ears of this girl who just a second ago was having the hots for and considering this hunk as her potential first love.

Young girl? Missing mommy?

“It’s okay, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you from the bad guys. Rest assured.”

“What? Eh? Eeeehhhh?”

Taking a step towards me, this tall man got on one knee and began to pat me on the head like I was a good little girl.

“It’s fine; everything’s alright, don’t be scared.”

“Ah, ah, excuse me…”

“It’s okay; there’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re being a very brave girl.”

The blue-eyed knight of my dreams, with his sapphire gaze and chiseled features whispers so sweetly to me. But these pick-up lines of his really suck!

“There, there, don’t worry, big bro Cainlot ain’t gonna let nobody be mean to you. You’re being so brave, not crying. Being a good girl away from your parents.”

I could only stand there, aghast, with my mouth open and staring into Sir Cainlot’s shiny dark blue eyes, as his big hand continued to pat me on the head. And he continued to crush my romantic dreams with the most soothing of voices.

<Previous
Next>