We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Oz is taking a stroll through the detached palace.
“His Highness has returned!”
“Everyone, fall in!!”
As the Royal Knights see them off, a wyvern with blue scales carrying Grave and Rubia lands in the detached palace’s courtyard.
Following them, Revalia, carrying us, descends with a fierce flap of its wings.
In the sky, the Wyvern Knight Order circles, celebrating the Crown Prince’s return, while on the ground, the Earth Dragon Knight Order is also lined up.
“Thank you for coming to greet us. Grave, I have returned.”
Grave, as if accustomed to it, thanks the people who came to greet them and offers his hand to Rubia.
“Whoa. You were really a prince, huh?”
“Didn’t I tell you yesterday? I am the First Prince of the Yorttenitos Kingdom.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t quite feel it, did I?”
While being led by Grave, Rubia descends from the wyvern, her gaze darting to the right, to the left, and even to the sky. Each time, she lets out a sigh of admiration.
“So many people. Are all these people your retainers?”
“That’s not exactly right. They are vassals who serve the King and the country. I am not yet the ruler of the country.”
It took two days to travel from the Nine-tailed Fox Shrine to the Yorttenitos Kingdom.
Revalia could have flown there in less than two days, but it seemed a bit too much for the blue-scaled wyvern.
Well, it was a leisurely itinerary, considering Rubia’s stamina, as she was riding a wyvern for the first time.
“Madrine!”
Following Grave and Rubia, we also dismount from Revalia.
At that moment, a Miko who had come to greet us rushes over.
“I apologize for being away for so long and causing worry. However, I have fulfilled my duties safely.”
With that, Madrine shows the great staff she was carefully holding to the welcoming Miko.
The staff, adorned with decorations befitting the ultimate treasure of the Yorttenitos Kingdom’s Great Shrine, is fitted with an equally magnificent jewel.
Upon seeing the restored staff, the Miko sheds tears of joy.
“And I have brought back someone who will guide the future people of the Yorttenitos Kingdom.”
At this, Madrine introduces Rubia.
Those who had been buzzing with gossip, wondering who the beautiful woman returning with Grave was, all showed surprise.
“Madrine, will it be acceptable to discuss the detailed circumstances later? I must inform His Majesty of my return.”
“In that case, I will also go to greet His Majesty the King.”
The King, a symbol of power, and the Head Miko, who stands at the center of faith, are in a sense on equal footing.
However, Madrine had been away from the kingdom for a long time, so she needed to greet the King upon her return.
Well, we’ve met many times in the Demon Race’s Country, and we understand each other’s circumstances.
A formal ceremony is necessary to maintain appearances.
“Then, what about me…?”
“Rubia, you’ll come with us too. It’s okay, the King is a good person.”
“Elnea-kun, that’s His Majesty the King, so shouldn’t you be more respectful…?”
“Aren’t you, Ruiseine, also happily following along?”
“Fufufu, you must be mistaken?”
No one stops us as we enter the detached palace, following Grave and Madrine.
Of course, Charlotte, who is unfamiliar, and a suspicious fox are accompanying us, but no one points it out.
Instead, we can hear cheerful conversations like “Layla’s appearance is missing,” and “I wonder what kind of disturbance will happen this time.”
“Wow, it’s amazing.”
As we enter the corridor where sunlight streams through the glass doors, Rubia sighs while looking around the luxurious and splendid detached palace, and follows Grave, who is leading the way, with admiration.
She’s completely smitten with Grave now.
But that can’t be helped.
The first man other than me she met was Grave, with his noble and elegant appearance. Moreover, Grave is a real prince, and the place she was brought to is more luxurious than anything she has ever seen in her life.
Is there any woman whose heart wouldn’t be swayed by this?
However, Rubia also possessed a calm side.
While gazing at the lavish decorations lining the corridors and the flower arrangements adorning the windows with inlaid glass, and being impressed by the immaculately clean marble floor, she asks a question.
“But why is your residence located so far away, not within the large city?”
“Uh, well, that’s because…”
“Rubia, you saw it from the sky, didn’t you? Originally, the Royal Palace was supposed to be on the open land spreading in the center of the capital city. Not only did he destroy that completely, but he also created this labyrinth underground.”
“Who are you talking about!?”
Priscilla-chan isn’t here!
Rubia stares at me with wide eyes as I play dumb.
“Rubia, please rest assured. I’ve heard that the neighboring Armēdo Kingdom was obliterated along with its capital by Elnea-kun.”
Madrine says.
“That’s not all. It was also Elnea-kun who half-destroyed the Demon Lord’s Castle where His Majesty the Demon Lord resides.”
Charlotte, who naturally follows us around, also says something outrageous at this opportunity.
Unable to bear it, I stop the two of them from their slanderous remarks with gestures.
“Madrine, you shouldn’t say that! Or rather, you were the one who blew away half of the Demon Lord’s Castle!?”
Honestly.
This extremely wicked demon is trying to make the Demon Lord’s Castle incident my fault too!
“Elnea-kun can be scary when angered, can’t he?”
“Oh my, oh my, that’s not true. Elnea-kun rarely gets angry.”
The vibrant capital city. The detached palace built with the utmost luxury. And the many people who live and work there.
For Rubia, everything must be a sight she has never seen before.
However, even while captivated, she observes the key points and has her own opinions.
I am confident that if Rubia continues to train while getting used to her new environment, she will surely become a wonderful Miko.
However, that is a story for a little later, and for now, I want her to purely enjoy the new world.
We proceed towards where the King is waiting, matching Rubia’s pace as she is drawn to various places and things.
Grave also seems to want to show Rubia around the detached palace. As we have visited and stayed here many times, we know that he is taking a roundabout route.
After spending time touring the detached palace, we finally entered a building standing by the artificial pond.
“Grave, welcome back. And Madrine, thank you for your hard work.”
“Your Majesty, I beg your pardon for my unwarranted absence.”
“Your Majesty the King, it has been a while. You look well and seem to be in good spirits. I, Madrine, have been away for a long time, but I have finally returned.”
They exchange greetings befitting people of high status.
However, the King quickly cuts short the formal greetings and looks at me with hopeful eyes.
“Uh, Lyra is staying behind this time. Instead, I brought a letter.”
Upon learning that Lyra isn’t here, the King’s expression visibly clouds over. However, when he learns that I have brought a letter, he immediately regains his good mood.
My word, the King’s affection for Lyra is so over the top it’s almost comical.
I immediately take out the letter from my pocket.
I think it was around here…
I haven’t dropped it, you know?
I take out the letter. Then, another piece of paper falls out of my pocket along with it.
“What is this?”
Grave picks it up casually.
“That’s Priscilla-chan’s wish list.”
I haven’t forgotten about this either.
Once I finish various errands in the capital, I need to buy souvenirs for everyone staying behind in the forbidden territory and for Priscilla-chan.
I have a little bit of money on hand.
“Hmm, they are all lovely things. Alright, as a token of my gratitude for your daily efforts. Leave the souvenir matter to me.”
“Eh, really!?”
“Of course. It would be a disgrace to the royal family if I couldn’t repay kindness with kindness.”
With that, Grave leaves the room, having barely greeted the King.
It seems he intends to prepare them himself, rather than leaving it to his retainers.
“He’s a good person, isn’t he?”
“He is.”
Rubia, your eyes are sparkling like the stars in the night sky!
We smile at each other, seeing Rubia’s hidden, or rather, unhidden, feelings of love.
Meanwhile, I unforgettably hand Lyra’s letter to the King.
Of course, the letter to the Queen as well.
The King carefully tucks the letter into his pocket, intending to read it later.
Then, he turns the conversation to the unfamiliar woman, that is, Rubia.
“So, Elnea, who is this beautiful woman?”
“That’s right. This is Grave’s future… No, Madrine has approved of her…”
The King, having finished his administrative duties in the morning, seemed to be relaxing in the detached palace in the afternoon.
So, he listened to our conversation leisurely too.
He did slightly twitch his face at Charlotte’s presence.
“I see, I see. That must have been difficult.”
The King is vaguely aware of Madrine’s journey to retrieve the staff.
After all, it proceeded in parallel with “It’s summer, it’s an adventure, it’s a male journey!” and we talked about it when we joined forces at the end of the journey.
Then, we talk about Rubia’s family duties.
Of course, the location of the Nine-tailed Fox Shrine and the fact that the one enshrined there is Charlotte are kept secret.
The King orders drinks and snacks to be brought and serves them to us.
Rubia, perhaps eating delicious sweets for the first time, enjoys them with a blissful expression.
“To think there’s such delicious food! The city is truly amazing.”
“Don’t be shy, eat as much as you like.”
“Rubia, if you fill up on sweets, you won’t be able to eat the more wonderful dinner, you know?”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
It sounds like I’m explaining things to Priscilla-chan.
But Rubia is that innocent, and she’s constantly moved by everything she sees, touches, and tastes.
“I heard you will be undergoing training at the Great Shrine from now on, but feel free to visit anytime you have free time. Grave will surely be happy too. No, rather, come by often. Yes, Madrine, I will prepare a place for Rubia to live here. How about it?”
“Your Majesty, you’re going too far!”
The King, by now, seems to have understood Rubia’s feelings from her earlier demeanor.
So, in place of his clumsy eldest son, he has started making various arrangements.
“Fufufu, then I shall accept His Majesty’s kind offer. I also thought it wouldn’t be beneficial for Rubia to be confined solely to the Great Shrine. She will learn much by commuting between the detached palace and the Great Shrine every day.”
“Whoa, Madrine is saying something reasonable!?”
“Muki! What do you think I am, Elnea-kun?”
“Along with Yufi and Nina?”
Nodding, I, Ruiseine, and even the King!
Perhaps finding our reactions amusing, Rubia laughs cheerfully.
Somehow, even if I think about it, Rubia has a fearless personality, doesn’t she? To be able to be so natural in front of the King.
Normally, if you brought any citizen of the kingdom before the King, they would surely become tense and stiff.
If Rubia continues with this personality, there will be no problem even if she stands beside Grave.
I can’t help but imagine the future of Rubia and Grave.
“Fufufu, as for me, I can imagine Elnea-kun joining the ranks of the Demon Lords alongside His Majesty.”
“Yes, that fantasy will not come true! How many times do I have to refuse?”
I have formally refused!
Even the true ruler of the Demon Race and the crimson yojo acknowledge my position.
So, bringing up that topic is forbidden.
“Hey, don’t you think you should be going back soon?”
“Oh, and why would that be?”
“You abandoned your post until recently, so if you’re absent for several days again, you’ll get in trouble.”
“There is no need for such worry. Those who direct hostility towards me, I shall kill them.”
“No, no, no, the Demon Lord will get angry!”
“Then, if we invite His Majesty, there will be no problem, right?”
“No, please don’t do that!”
The King screams at the conversation between me and Charlotte.
Yes, I don’t want that either. If we invite the Demon Lord here, it seems like another disturbance will occur.
I’m scared that the Giant Demon Lord and Charlotte might smile and do something as wicked as stealing the staff that was just recovered.
“In that case, perhaps we should leave sooner?”
Yes, that would be good.
We have properly dedicated the Orichalcum Mirror, and Madrine and the staff have been safely delivered to the Yorttenitos Kingdom.
So, our mission is successfully completed.
Besides, if we stay too long, it might interfere with Rubia’s training. Or rather, there’s a high chance of getting caught up in the trouble Madrine causes.
Perhaps reaching the same conclusion as me, Ruiseine also gets up.
However, someone tightly grasps my hand.
“Elnea, didn’t I tell you before? Next time you visit, I will personally entertain you with all my heart.”
“Kyaa! Someone, scold the King!”
The King’s smile, revealing a grin, was terrifying.
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