Tech Hero in Another World
Chapter 62: [61] A gift that makes you worry

Chapter 62: [61] A gift that makes you worry

(Princess? Is she... that Hornet Princess? She’s out of her cocoon!) Ren held his breath, a wave of shock and relief crashing through his chest. It was painfully clear—without the appearance of that small girl, his life would’ve ended seconds ago.

The tiny girl stood still, as if her presence had pierced through the madness of war and silenced all the noise of the world. The antennae on her head moved gently, vibrating softly, as though trying to connect with Veskar, who remained frozen in front of her.

But Veskar didn’t respond. Though his gaze had lost its feral edge, his eyes remained blank. The remnants of the slave magic still clung to him like invisible chains, binding a mind already pushed to its limit. He was only half-conscious—half-controlled.

The little princess seemed to understand. Without hesitation, she flapped her translucent wings and gently lifted into the air like a petal carried by the wind. She drifted closer to Veskar—slowly—hovering right in front of the near-ruined warrior’s face.

Then... she reached out her small hand. With remarkable gentleness, her fingers touched the cracked, rough surface of Veskar’s forehead. The moment their skin met, it was as though time paused. The wind stopped blowing. The light around them dimmed, as if the world itself held its breath.

A soft vibration pulsed from her touch—not magic, but something far older. A bond. The connection between a queen and her knight. Between a child and her protector. A gentle aura spread from her fingers, seeping into Veskar’s skin, reigniting the dying ember of his awareness.

A faint glow enveloped Veskar’s body, and in an instant, the dark magic surrounding him crumbled like dust in the wind. The magical chains twisting his will—the slave spell—cracked, then shattered in a silent chime.

Veskar trembled. His breath caught. The beast-like fire in his eyes faded, softened. He dropped to his knees without a word... and for the first time since the battle began, the world felt quieter.

Ren could only watch, speechless, as that tiny miracle unfolded before him. One touch from the winged girl had ended the nightmare consuming Veskar—and in an instant, the monster was once again a knight.

"Veskaar..." the princess whispered in her small voice, soft as a breeze.

"Aaah... Princess, I... I..." Veskar’s voice cracked with emotion, his battered body trembling with guilt and relief all at once.

"It’s okay... I’m sorry I troubled you," she replied gently, her smile small but sincere.

"What are you saying... Protecting you is my duty," Veskar said, trying to stand tall, but his body had no strength left to obey his will.

"That’s enough... you can rest now, Veskar," she said, and there was soft authority in her tone—the voice of a young queen.

Veskar bowed his head slowly, accepting the command without question. In silence, he collapsed to his knees, and within seconds, the sharp, insect-like glow of his eyes dimmed—he had fallen asleep.

The princess turned, now facing Ren, who still sat slumped on the ground. His shoulders rose and fell with uneven breath, and for some reason... he didn’t want to get up. His exhaustion ran deeper than his wounds—it reached his soul.

"Thank you... for not killing him," the princess said softly.

"You’re wrong, little girl. You saw him—he almost killed me," Ren replied with a tired voice, half trying to joke but too drained to actually smile.

The girl simply shook her head slowly, not replying, her eyes still filled with deep gratitude. Ren’s humor clearly didn’t land. She just inhaled deeply and turned away, as if reminding herself there was still a war to deal with.

But before he could rise, a soft humming sound grew louder. Ren turned slowly—and his eyes widened.

The sky in the distance was filled with the silhouettes of the Hornet legion—now flying to their side.

"Don’t worry... the others are here," the princess said calmly.

Ren exhaled, finally realizing that much of the battlefield had been obscured by forest and hills. He had only heard screams and steel, never knowing how the rest fared. But now, everything felt different. The human forces were retreating. The screams of war shifted. The sky bore witness to the turning tide.

"Aah... finally... I can rest," Ren whispered, then let his body fall back onto the warm, dusty ground. He stared up at the clear sky above. The sunlight was blinding—but somehow, peaceful.

The war had begun when the morning sun was just a spear’s height above the eastern horizon—and now, as it hung directly overhead, the chaos was calming. Three hours of battle... that had felt like a lifetime.

But the peace didn’t last long.

From Ren’s blurred point of view, a small face suddenly appeared above him—the Hornet Princess leaning over. Her cheeks were round, flushed, and her antennae twitched slightly with every breath.

"Umm... what?" Ren asked, suspicious of the odd look on her face.

Without warning, the little girl leaned in fast and pressed her mouth to his.

Ren nearly had a heart attack. His body tried to react, but exhaustion had robbed him of any defense. He could only stare wide-eyed.

"Mmphh?! WHAT—?!"

The girl pulled back calmly, her expression completely serious. "My nectar."

Ren blinked. "Huh?"

With his head still resting on the dirt and a strange sweetness lingering on his tongue, Ren blinked a few more times, trying to process what had just happened. The last few minutes felt like a nightmare merged with a fever dream—and now, only one burning question remained in his mind.

"Nek...tar?" Ren mumbled, half-stammering.

His breathing was still heavy, but his mind began stitching together the scattered logic pieces. Nectar... from a bee? But not from a bottle or a crystal pouch... she gave it directly... mouth to mouth?

Ren turned weakly toward the little princess, his expression a mix of exhaustion, shock, and pure confusion. "You just... fed me like... a mother bird?!"

The small girl nodded calmly, not the slightest trace of guilt on her innocent face. "It’s a sign of thanks... and also... for faster healing," she replied in a flat tone, as if this was a perfectly normal tradition in her culture.

Ren covered his face with one hand, letting out a long sigh. "That doesn’t make any sense... Why didn’t you give it to Veskar instead, little one?"

"Veskar already received it from my mother," she answered seriously.

Ren opened his mouth to respond... but his tongue gave up halfway. "That’s... not what I meant... Ugh, forget it. I’m too tired to argue."

He laid back down, gaze fixed on the midday sky, now shifting in color—thin clouds drifting overhead as if the heavens themselves chuckled at what just happened.

(And please... let Kiriya never find out about this... or I’ll be called a lolicon for the rest of my life.) Ren thought bitterly, sinking deeper into the dirt as the ridiculous image crossed his mind.

Yet, deep down—whether it was the nectar’s effect or simply the battle’s end—Ren felt lighter. The pain in his bones began to ease.

"Man... this world is seriously insane," he whispered softly, then closed his eyes for a moment.

---

The great war had finally ended. King Yordan had been captured, along with several high-ranking officials and elite commanders who failed to escape. The rest—soldiers who managed to flee after the Hornet army descended from the sky—scattered in every direction: either returning to their homeland or wandering aimlessly in the border forests.

More than two thousand lives had been lost on both sides since the conflict began—a number that would carve itself into the long, scarred history between humans and elves. Buildings had crumbled, ancient trees had fallen, and the smell of scorched earth still lingered around the outer walls of the Alfheimr palace. But despite the fresh wounds, victory had finally gone to the guardians of the world tree.

Meanwhile, Ren—known within the palace as Lord Nico Mustang—was granted a place of honor. He now rested in the most luxurious room of the castle: a glass-ceilinged chamber with silk curtains and golden-embroidered carpet. But the opulence wasn’t what kept him from relaxing... it was the two noble figures constantly hovering near him.

Princess Elaria of the elves sat by the bedside, enthusiastically feeding him slices of apple, while on the other side, the hornet princess—who had only recently emerged from her cocoon and clung to him like a kitten—watched with large, sparkling eyes, as if waiting for Ren to open his mouth.

"Uuh... Princess Elaria, sorry, but I’ve had enough," Ren groaned, turning his head slightly toward the silver fork still hovering in front of his face.

"That’s no good, Lord Nico!" Elaria replied with a half-pout, half-scolding tone. "You need to eat more fruit! Healing magic doesn’t work on you, so proper nutrition is crucial!"

Ren sighed. "Urgh... in that case, can we mix the apples with bacon and melted cheese? Or fried rice?" he muttered weakly, nearly surrendering to this royal treatment.

The hornet princess, sitting cross-legged while watching him, nodded along as if that strange food request made perfect sense. "I want to try that! What is fried rice?"

Ren just pulled the blanket over his face, trying to hide the mix of resignation and a quiet laugh. Despite the exhaustion, the wounds, and the post-war chaos... this moment felt like a warm irony he never asked for—but perhaps, secretly, was grateful for.

As Princess Elaria stood, she began gathering the dishes and utensils with practiced grace. Her hands, though noble, handled the tray with care. She could’ve called a servant with a single bell ring, but chose instead to carry it out herself. She felt that Ren needed quiet. Maybe... a little space to breathe.

Her steps were light as she walked to the door, careful not to disturb the peace too much. But before her hand reached the doorknob, a small voice broke the almost-comfortable silence.

"Hey... don’t you want my nectar again?" asked the Hornet Princess innocently, still seated on the floor with her head tilted. Her wide eyes sparkled like fresh honey, full of curiosity and unfiltered sincerity.

Ren, still lying with the blanket half-draped across his chest, froze instantly. A long pause followed. His breath hitched before he finally answered in a soft but clear voice.

"Ah... no, thank you. And... please, let’s not talk about that ever again."

"Why?" the little girl blinked, genuinely confused, with no teasing in her voice.

Ren covered his face with his arm, groaning in quiet frustration. "Because it could destroy my social life!"

The hornet girl blinked once, twice, then sat back casually. "Social life...? Hmm... is that also food?"

"No... not like that!" Ren nearly sat up, but the exhaustion pulled him back into the mattress. "Forget it. Just treat it like something that only happens once in a lifetime, okay?"

The hornet princess nodded obediently, though she clearly didn’t understand human logic. Meanwhile, Elaria, still standing in the doorway, let out a soft sigh—a tiny, nearly invisible smile playing on her lips as she slowly opened the door and slipped out. Whether she was amused... or simply understood that Ren needed more than just rest to recover, she said nothing more.

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