HowDeadTL: Side Story 1: Let's Go Undercover!

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The Duke's Daughter Goes Her Own Way

[Let's Go Undercover!]

Translated by: ME

Author's note: *Disclaimer* This story is not intended to denigrate sexual minorities. Please read it with the understanding that it is a story about that world.

ME's note: This chapter was posted after chapter 11 but has no number on it so I will put it as as so.

The need to experience the lives of the people firsthand is sometimes necessary.

When royalty goes on inspection tours, there are those who put on a false front for the occasion. It is often these people who are involved in shady dealings or businesses they can't talk about.

In order to see things as they are, I sometimes go out into the city incognito, separate from official inspection tours.

During official duties, knights restrict traffic on the streets and arrange for no other visitors at the places we visit. That is important in its own way. After all, official inspection tours are under strict time constraints. It would be inexcusable to be late for the next appointment.

However, there are things that cannot be seen in a city so neatly arranged.

The everyday lives of the people.

During official inspection tours, the people form a crowd at a distance to watch me as I inspect. Instead, I want them to go about their 'normal lives' without stopping or paying attention to me, even when I am present. That is where I want to see the city's safety, prices, and the expressions on the faces of the people.

However, I am royalty, a Crown Prince. If something were to happen, it would be a major problem.

I cannot go without guards. Usually, I ask His Majesty the King to lend me about two people from the shadows. In addition to that, I also have a guard knight accompany me. With them around, a situation in which I would be harmed is unlikely to occur. Besides, I myself have no intention of deliberately rushing into dangerous places.

On this day as well, I was taking one of my several annual incognito walks through the city. On holidays, there are too many people out and about, which is hard on the guards, so it was during the daytime on a weekday.

I wore a wig of brown hair, which is common in this country, and a hat on top of that. To hide my face, I wrapped a cloth around my mouth like a muffler. Well, it looked like something you could get away with as fashion. My clothes were something that would make me look like a child from a slightly wealthy family. With this, no one would recognize me at a glance.

I walked down a street slightly off the main thoroughfare. If I strayed too far, the public safety would be a little questionable, so I couldn't go any further in. I'll have to do something about that area eventually. In this area, there are many shops whose wares are shady. The store I passed a little while ago had something like dried goods hanging in front of it, but what was that...?

As I walked, my eyes were drawn to someone ahead. A little girl and a young man in his twenties. ...However, there was another man at the young man's feet, and the young man's foot was firmly planted on the man's face.

What is that...?

[Please wait here for a moment, Leon-sama,]

Noel, who was also disguised like me, said, and I nodded obediently. If I went ahead and got entangled with strange people, it would be too much for them to handle.

[...What are you doing?]

Noel called out to the two of them. The young man and the girl looked at Noel.

[Oh, Lord Gray.]

The girl said as she looked at Noel. ...Eh? No, no way... But, that voice...

[Huh?]

The girl smiled brightly at Noel, who let out a slightly surprised voice. She was a girl with reddish-brown hair in braids, wearing a cotton dress that could be seen anywhere. She had freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks, and had a lovely face.

But. There is only one thing that cannot be changed, no matter how much you disguise yourself. That is the color of the eyes. The girl had very beautiful, bright, fresh green eyes, like young verdant leaves.

[...Ellie?]

My voice, which I blurted out involuntarily, echoed louder than I expected. The girl smiled brightly at that.

[Oh, even Leon-sama. What a coincidence to see you in a place like this.]

I couldn't help but rush over to the girl—Ellie—who said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Even up close, you wouldn't recognize her as Ellie at first glance.

What is this! Even for a disguise, the technique is amazing!

[Really, Ellie...?]

[No, I'm not. Right now, I'm Ellie-chan.]

Her serious expression convinced me that she was indeed Ellie. You're the only one who can say something so absurd with a straight face, even after knowing who I am...

[No, before that...]

I looked at the man whom the young man, who seemed to be with Ellie, was stepping on.

[What is this situation...?]

[Oh, this guy's a thief.]

The young man grinned cheerfully as he ground his foot into the man's face.

What is this situation...?

[He's an impudent fellow who tried to steal the pocket money that Ellie-chan worked so hard to save.]

Ellie... 'Impudent fellow'...? And she's still 'Ellie-chan'...

[...So, miss, what do you want to do with this guy?]

The young man ground his foot into the man's face again.

[Hmm..., should we leave him to the patrol?]

[I'm fine with anything.]

[These kinds of guys are just going to do it again anyway. There's not much of a punishment for pickpocketing...]

Ellie, who had been pondering with an [Hmm...] as if she had an idea, raised her face as if she had a flash of inspiration. Her expression was a very nice smile.

[Let's dump him in the territory!]

[A land you don't know when you wake up, that's romantic.]

Ellie nodded, smiling as well, at the young man who was laughing cheerfully.

[Indeed. It's a classic start to a fantasy.]

The young man burst out laughing at Ellie's words.

[That's a fantasy with no dreams or anything!]

[There are dreams called 'nightmares' in this world, too.]

...What is this conversation...?

As I stared in amazement, the young man took out a flute from his pocket and put it to his lips. He seemed to be blowing it, but there was no sound. As I was wondering, Ellie looked at me and smiled brightly.

[It's an ultra-high-pitched flute. Humans can't hear it in their audible range.]

I could hear a dog barking in the distance.

[Animals can hear it, so they react and bark.]

I see... I appreciate the explanation, but all I can think is, why do you have something like that...?

As I was thinking that, two men came down from the top of the building right next to us.

[Did you call for us?]

Ellie nodded magnanimously at the man who said that as he looked at her.

[Take this scoundrel and dump him somewhere appropriate in the territory. It would be perfect if you could make it a wonderland of dreams and despair.]

What kind of world is that!!

...The Macnagan Dukedom has a very low crime rate, a mild climate, and is supposed to be the most comfortable place to live in the country. It shouldn't be a 'wonderland of dreams and despair'.

[Understood. ...He's not a very good-looking guy, is he?]

[I'm sure there are people who like that kind of thing.]

[Well, yeah, I guess so. Hey, Dee, move your foot.]

[Sure thing.]

The young man removed his foot from the face of the fallen man, and the man who had come down from the roof hoisted him onto his shoulder.

[Well then, I'll go dump him in Gaunty.]

[Please do. Make sure you talk to Candy-san properly.]

[Understood.]

With just those words, the pair of men left. Their attire was that of townspeople who could be found anywhere...

[Who were those two just now...?]

[They are my family's secret agents.]

[What will happen to that thief?]

I felt like I shouldn't ask, but I was curious.

[He will be sent to the Macnagan Dukedom. He should arrive tomorrow night.]

Yeah, well, that's probably right. It's reasonable in terms of distance and time. But that's not what I wanted to ask.

[There is a district called Gaunty in the Macnagan Dukedom. It's a small community, located quietly on the edge of the capital.]

[No, it's not 'quiet' at all, that place. It's all about self-assertion.]

[It's not on the map, so it's fine if I call it quiet.]

The fact that the community is not on the map means that it is really just a place where people have gathered. There are some places like that in this royal capital as well. Ellie looked at me and gave me a really nice smile.

[It's a hellish place for people who don't have those kinds of hobbies, where sexually perverted people naturally gather.]

...Huh!?

[Everyone has one or two fetishes that they don't want others to know about. It's a place of relaxation for people who have no intention of hiding them.]

Relaxation... Can you relax there...?

[For example, what kind of things?]

Are you asking, Noel!!

[Well, normally, sadists and masochists run stores based on their shared interests. There are stores for men who want to wear dresses, and conversely, stores for women who want to dress as men and be fawned over by women.]

...Wait a minute. The 'normally' in the preamble is already beyond my comprehension...

[There are bars that serve as meeting places for homosexuals, and inns exclusively for homosexuals. It's a place where people in businesses that would be slightly persecuted if they were done in other places can huddle together and live happily.]

Happily... Well, I guess it's probably fun for the residents there...

[Ah! We prohibit minors from working there! Also, we crack down on forced labor!]

Yeah, that's important, but...

[People from other countries and territories hear about such places and gather with like-minded people, making it a very vibrant community!]

Well, I guess so. I've never heard of such a community anywhere else...

[Perhaps Lord Gray, are you interested?]

[No, I am not.]

For some reason, Ellie muttered [Is that so...] with a disappointed look at Noel, who answered firmly and immediately.

[Well, that's the kind of wonderful community it is.]

Wonder, ful... I don't know whether to nod or not... No, it is important to protect those who are an absolute minority from persecution and the like, but... I don't know, I can't just nod...

In this country, homosexuality is not prohibited, but there are countries where it is severely punished if discovered. In reality, even if it is not prohibited, the majority of people are disgusted if it becomes known. Persecution of such people is not uncommon. The Macnagan Dukedom's efforts are wonderful. But...

[We decided to throw him in there.]

You have a nice smile, Ellie...

[Maybe some new fetish will blossom! Wouldn't that be a joyous thing for him!?]

[Well... I don't know...?]

Please, Ellie. Don't ask me for my agreement... I'm doing my best just to understand. I feel sorry for that man... No, it's definitely a crime to pickpocket other people's money, and it's only natural that there should be a punishment for that. He just picked the wrong person... If he had been caught by the patrol normally, he would have gotten away with a small fine and a few days of unpaid labor... [Maybe it would be happier for that man to have a new fetish blossom. ...What, that punishment? That's too awful!]

After that, I heard stories about how Ellie's disguise was done by the servants, and how the people accompanying her were servants from the Duke's family. And I, just from hearing that, became exhausted and decided to cut short my walk around town and return to the castle...

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