We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Elnea, Seventeen Years Old, Winter
As expected, the side with Lyra, who was on the way to the Yorttenitos Kingdom, caused a tremendous uproar.
It was so noisy you could tell from a distance, and Revalia absolutely refused to get close to Lyra. Lyra was also getting into the mischief, flying this way and that. Steep dives and sudden ascents were commonplace. When she did an aerial twist high above the clouds, everyone riding with her was thrown off and screams echoed. Of course, Lyra rescued everyone, but they must have been absolutely terrified.
My companions, Mistral and Lyra, watched the chaotic Lyra’s side from afar and headed for the royal capital.
I was really glad it wasn’t *that* side!
As for us, Lyra, who is good at getting ahead, was riding with me, but Mistral kept a close eye on her, so we had a safe and uneventful journey through the sky.
Revalia flew like the model student this time, as if to say, “Don’t lump me in with those fools.” Usually, she flies fiercely, scaring us or terrifying those on the ground with her mischief.
And so, we who departed from the eastern fort after noon arrived at the royal capital by evening of the same day. Led by the Wyvern Knight Order, the guardians of the royal capital, we landed in the courtyard of a palace near the royal capital. Then, while greeting those who came out to meet us, we waited for Lyra and the others who were arriving late.
“…Priscilla-chan, please, enough is enough.”
Ruiseine, tears streaming down her face, dismounted shakily from Lyra’s back. Following her, Madrine-sama dismounted, her face pale.
The people of the royal palace had no idea that Madrine-sama, the Head Miko, was riding on Lyra’s back, so neither the Miko nor the Shinkan came out to greet them. Therefore, inevitably, Ruiseine, despite her own exhaustion, lent her shoulder to Madrine-sama.
“Ah, that was fun!”
“Ah, that was enjoyable!”
“Um, I want to play more!”
As expected, these three had enjoyed themselves even in that situation. It goes without saying that Yufilia, Nina, and Priscilla-chan dismounted energetically.
“Huh? Where’s Carly-san?”
One person was missing from those dismounting!
When I looked around, Carly-san was sprawled out on Lyra’s back. Oh dear. She didn’t get any care from the women, did she? I had no choice but to gently lower Carly-san from Lyra, and then a palace miko, who had rushed over after noticing Madrine-sama’s presence, took her.
“As usual, what a fun family.”
“King, good evening. Or rather, good evening, I suppose?”
“Welcome. Judging by the atmosphere, the problem in the east has been resolved, hasn’t it?”
“Yes. Thanks to the efforts of Lyra and Prince Friel, we were able to resolve it safely!”
“Hou hou, tell me the details.”
Among those who came out to greet us was, naturally, the King. Even from a distance, the large Revalia and the crimson-scaled Revalia were conspicuous. And it was mostly Lyra who rode Revalia. The King must have come out to the courtyard upon sensing Lyra. Lyra diligently attended to the King. The person assisting the King also willingly passed on his duties when Lyra drew near the King. As I walked into the palace alongside the King and Lyra, I recounted the disturbance that had occurred in the world further east of the Yorttenitos Kingdom.
It seemed like we would be staying at the palace tonight.
Despite our unexpected arrival in the evening, we were provided with a room where the entire family could relax leisurely, and a bath to warm our bodies and souls.
Ruiseine, Madrine-sama, and Carly-san were initially exhausted, but after soaking in the hot water and warming their bodies, they regained their energy. I suppose this is what you’d call battle-hardened veterans. As a side note, while I was in the bath, Madrine-sama apparently tried to rush in and caused a commotion with my wives. And unfortunately, due to this incident, Madrine-sama was taken away by the miko from the Great Shrine who came to investigate.
Hmm, I’m glad I wasn’t rushed. And too bad for you, Madrine-sama.
And then, once things settled down, it was time for the long-awaited dinner.
“Wow, this stewed meat is incredibly delicious.”
“Elnea, is it better than my home cooking?”
“Eh? I can’t compare it to Mistral’s cooking! Both are delicious, and the seasonings are different, to begin with.”
“Hahaha. This is a dish prepared by our proud court chefs. Eat to your heart’s content.”
“Um, this is bitter.”
“Ah, Priscilla-chan, this was still too early for you. This is for adults.”
“You know, Elnea-kun, I think you actually dislike it too.”
“You know, Elnea-kun, I think you can’t actually eat it either.”
“Gasp!”
“Elnea-kun, you’re still a child.”
“Th-that’s not true! See, I’m an adult, so I can enjoy this deliciously… ugh. It’s bitter.”
Chef, I’m sorry. But I really can’t handle adult food that spreads bitterness in my mouth. Still, I couldn’t spit out what I had put in my mouth. I had no choice but to swallow it down with my drink. Then, everyone laughed. Apparently, I made a rather strange face.
It turned into a fun dinner. When our family gets involved, even dinners with royalty and nobility become lively. We cheerfully surrounded the table with the King and enjoyed a luxurious meal.
Prince Caster, the third prince, also joined us, and we talked about the Mimicho Race and the Giant Tribe, and reminisced about our adventures. Caster-sama showed a hint of regret that his brother Friel was having such a grand adventure. But that couldn’t be helped. After all, Friel is in the middle of his year-long journey. Even royalty prioritizes their personal pursuits over official duties during this period. “Tch. When he returns, I’ll load him with troublesome duties,” he said, and was admonished by the King.
“Elnea-kun, I’m going to bed now. Staying up late is not good.”
“Ruiseine, good night.”
“Well then, I suppose I’ll go to bed too. I can’t keep up with the twins.”
“Mistral, good night.”
If Yufilia and Nina have alcohol at these kinds of gatherings, they’ll drink until morning. Perhaps anticipating this, Mistral and Ruiseine seemed to be leaving early. Priscilla-chan, perhaps tired from playing with Lyra during the day, fell asleep soon after eating her fill, so Mistral took her away when she left. Carly-san, although revived from her terrifying sky journey, wasn’t quite at full strength either and retired early after enjoying the human food.
“Prince Caster, your drinking is too mild.”
“Prince Caster, there’s still a long way to go!”
“Wait, Twin Princesses. I have work tomorrow.”
“We don’t care about that.”
“That’s irrelevant.”
“Gah. I wanted to hear about Elnea’s adventures and battles…”
As the night grew deeper, Yufilia and Nina, with flushed cheeks, started to pester Caster-sama, who was also drinking. Consequently, I and Lyra ended up conversing with the King.
“…Hou hou. The Giant Tribe, you say? I only encountered them once when I was young.”
“Whoa! Where was that!? And more importantly, what kind of adventures were you on!?”
The King is not to be underestimated. I don’t think there are any Giant Tribes living around here, so perhaps the King has also set foot in the eastern lands? If so, how did he interact with the Mimicho Race of the Great Forest?
“Hahaha. Elnea, the world is still full of secrets that you don’t know.”
“That’s true. I’ll work hard to have more adventures and be able to boast to you, Your Majesty.”
“Elnea-sama, I will accompany you then.”
“Yes, please do.”
“Mmm, it’s wonderful that you are so close. In that case, I look forward to your children next.”
“Hahahaha, Your Majesty!”
At the King’s words, Lyra’s ears turned bright red, and she became bashful. But perhaps she wasn’t entirely displeased, as Lyra hugged my arm and acted affectionately.
Goodness, I can’t tell if she’s shy or bold. With my cheeks slightly flushed, I embraced Lyra.
“May you always be happy. That is my only wish.”
“No, no, Your Majesty. Aren’t you also looking forward to Grave-sama’s marriage, or the succession?”
“That’s… He’s had arranged dates, and has been narrowing down his prospects recently, but who knows how it will turn out. Friel, on the other hand, seems likely to get married first.”
“What!?”
This is the first I’ve heard of it! I wonder who Friel’s partner will be!? Lyra and I leaned forward, pressing the King for information about Friel’s partner. Apparently, Lyra didn’t know either. Friel, how dare he proceed with his romance while hiding it from Lyra and me! The King laughed merrily at our insistence.
And so, the conversation continued late into the night, and we had a great time. The King always wanted to hear our stories, and Lyra wanted to stay by the King’s side for as long as time allowed. Yufilia and Nina, with drinks in hand, made Caster-sama their entertainment. However, I was starting to get sleepy. I’m sorry, Lyra, but I excused myself from His Majesty. Lyra then followed my example and bid the King good night.
“Good night, Your Majesty.”
“Mmm. Come again another time, and tell me more. I want to hear leisurely.”
“Yes.”
Lyra and I left, leaving the Twin Princesses behind.
“I will guide you to your room.”
Then, a servant was waiting for Lyra and me in the hallway. Even without being guided, I knew where Mistral and the others had returned to sleep. Despite Lyra’s and my confusion, the servant somehow took the lead as our guide. We followed the servant, feeling a strange sense of unease.
But that was a trap!
“E-Elnea-sama.”
“Th-this is…!”
The luxurious room we were led to was empty. There was no sign of Mistral and the others who had returned earlier, nor did we feel their presence nearby. That’s understandable. This was a different place from the room initially assigned to us. Specifically, we had been brought to the opposite end of the palace. It seemed to be the King’s scheme.
“Good night, Elnea-sama, Lyra-sama. Hohoho.”
The servant said, with a meaningful smile, pushed us into the room, and quickly closed the door. Then, with a click, she locked it from the outside. I tried to open the door in a hurry, but it seemed to be a special room, and the lock couldn’t be undone from the inside.
Come to remember it, he said he wanted to see children. I recalled the King’s words. But I never imagined he would resort to such a method! Lyra and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“It can’t be helped, can it? Shall we sleep here tonight?”
“Y-yes.”
I took Lyra’s hand and led her to the futon. I discreetly searched for presences around us, but there were no signs of any watchers.
“Lyra.”
“Elnea-sama…”
Lyra and I gazed at each other on the bedding. The only illumination was from the magic crystal stone emitting a faint glow by the pillow. Even so, I could see the color of sakura bloom on Lyra’s cheeks.
Tonight, Lyra and I…
I wrapped my arm around Lyra’s waist and pulled her close with a gentle but firm grip. Lyra offered no resistance. I slowly brought my face closer, and Lyra closed her eyes. Tilting my chin up, I met her soft lips. I gazed into Lyra’s eyes. Lyra shyly closed her eyes. A sweet sigh. Lyra hugged me tightly. I felt the sensation of her abundant breasts against my chest.
I covered the light magic crystal stone by the pillow, plunging the room into darkness. I reached for Lyra’s jacket, intending to take it off, my hand extending towards her firm, plump chest.
“Ah, Elnea-sama…”
Lyra’s voice, usually unheard, was sensuous.
“Lyra.”
At my whisper, Lyra’s body trembled. Enjoying Lyra’s reaction, I moved closer to her lips. In the darkness, Lyra shyly fluttered her eyelashes, her eyes closed.
Finally, we were about to…!
“Gu-guf!”
The moment I thought that. I was overcome by a sudden, intense sleepiness and sank into Lyra’s ample bosom. Th-this sleepiness… is from Ares-chan…
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