Translator: Nox

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

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The atmosphere at the banquet was more relaxed.

Of course, that didn't mean the heads of the three families were gathered, chatting and laughing.

It was more like the people from different families weren't trying to kill each other.

"……It's my first time trying seafood from Argenta. I didn't know the Endless Sea had seafood."

"Of course. It's the same as how food is gathered from Alloze's 'Endlessly Spreading Forest'."

I could hear the knights talking like that.

If they had met elsewhere, they would have been hostile and on edge, but now it was the time of the gathering.

It was an unwritten rule that they wouldn't attack each other during the gathering.

Even during times of war between the three families, the unwritten rule was kept, and during the gathering, even those who had clashed swords until yesterday would raise their glasses and enjoy the gathering.

As such, the atmosphere was bound to be even better now that it was relatively peaceful.

"Krua Alroze, no, Krua Argenta!"

But there was someone who was even more cheerful.

A girl running up with sparkling eyes.

"……Wasn't that the one behind the Cartiel family head earlier?"

That kid?

The girl, running with her emerald hair shining, looked genuinely innocent and cheerful.

"That's right. I'm Elin Kartiel."

She grabbed the ends of her dress and slightly bent her knees.

The curtsy was brief, and her sparkling eyes revealed her personality at a glance.

She was a mischievous girl who didn't fit in with such formal occasions.

"Nice to meet you."

"Me too! There's something I've been wanting to ask you since earlier……."

I blinked at her words.

I wondered if she knew she was drawing attention by deliberately leaving the table where the Cartiel people were gathered and coming all the way over here.

"What is it?"

I answered, looking around.

The Cartiel people were shaking their heads as if they had given up, and the Argenta people were watching Elin with a mixture of wariness and curiosity.

And among them, there didn't seem to be any girls her age to talk to.

The closest was me?

I could see why she had run over to me.

I was the only one who could play with her.

"Can I really ask you?"

Elin asked me repeatedly.

I didn't know why she was hesitating so much about what she wanted to ask.

"Of course."

I'll answer anything except what I can't!

When I answered, Elin, looking somewhat relieved,

"Do you really love Duke Alroze?"

Dropped a bombshell question.

Dielo, who was sitting next to me, as well as many people who were watching this way, turned their attention to me.

Of course, everyone in this place knew that Dielo and I had a political marriage.

They would know that I was Dielo's Pero.

But this girl didn't seem to know yet.

"Argenta and Alloze didn't get along well, right? My uncle said that even if you two got married, it would take time to fall in love."

As she said that, Elin looked towards the Cartiel family head.

Siete Kartiel had a somewhat stiff expression, unlike before.

It was clear that he hadn't expected Elin to run over and say such things.

"But if you don't love each other, how can you live as a couple? Isn't it…… uncomfortable?"

She blushed as she went on to talk about sharing a bedroom and so on, looking like a truly innocent girl.

By that time, I felt that not only the Cartiel people but also the Alloze people were watching this way.

Of course, everyone knew it was a political marriage.

But they, too, must have been curious.

Really, are the Argenta couple in love?

Is that why the Lily was removed?

Elin might not know, but this was nothing short of a test.

Then Dielo put his arm around my shoulder.

"If we didn't love each other, it would have been uncomfortable to be this close."

His gentle voice echoed in my ear.

Elin looked up at him.

She blinked and burst into laughter.

Her cheeks were flushed.

"You look closer than my uncle and aunt!"

It was obvious who she was referring to as her uncle and aunt.

She must be referring to Siete Kartiel and his wife.

"Hahahaha……."

"Duke Kartiel, what do you think about that?"

Laughter flowed through the crowd.

Even Duke Alroze smiled and spoke to Duke Kartiel.

"……There are many things in married life that children cannot see, are there not?"

Duke Kartiel said, taking his Pero's hand.

It was the first time he had held her hand.

But why did Elin call Siete "uncle"?

If they used the Kartiel surname, they must be related.

Was she from a collateral line than I thought?

"Thank you."

Meanwhile, Dielo smiled gently. Elin giggled.

"But how did you get so close?"

Then she stood on her tiptoes and whispered softly.

"I actually have a crush on an older brother too. I want to get closer to him."

It seemed she had come to get some dating tips.

"How can I…… love?"

Elin asked shyly.

I wished it would end as just a child's shy question, but this was bound to be another test.

To others, it was nothing short of a question asking 'whether they had really fallen in love' and 'how they had come to be that way'.

In other words, it was a good opportunity to find out if we had really fallen in love enough to erase the Lily from Dielo's body.

Elin was the only one who was innocent in this place.

"Well…… I don't know how Elin can get closer to that older brother―"

"Then what about Krua?"

In the end, she wanted me to tell her a story about first love.

At her persistent question, I finally racked my brains.

I should have thought that such a question would come up.

"We……."

Should I make up a plausible story about first love?

Well, the first thing that came to mind was Dielo standing on the sea.

Of course, he was standing on the battlefield.

Even though it was a battlefield covered in monsters, blood, and screams, I seemed to have only seen him for a moment.

Looking back, that was how it was.

The droplets of water on his black hair, his Blue Eyes wide with surprise.

Me reflected in those Blue Eyes.

"I fell in love on the water."

I answered without realizing it. Then I realized my mistake.

If I said "we," it meant that Dielo had fallen in love too?

But Dielo was fortunately listening to the story with a soft smile.

As if the first love story he didn't know was a real story.

"On the water?"

"Yes."

Fortunately, I wasn't bad at making up stories, so I continued to speak as things came to mind.

"As you know, Dielo is the Argenta of Fire. I thought he would naturally hate water since he controls fire."

I turned to him and smiled. Of course, it was all acting.

A sweet smile! A smile of being in love!

Fortunately, Dielo's faint smile was enchanting enough to help me smile back.

"He willingly came into the water to spend time with me."

—Drip.

Even back then on the battlefield, I seemed to have heard the sound of water dripping from Dielo's hair.

I said, recalling that time.

"It felt like it was just the two of us there."

If nothing else, this was true.

It was true that I had been captivated by him.

"Wow……."

Elin's eyes sparkled.

But at the same time, she looked a little disappointed.

"Weren't there any monsters? Or did he save you from danger……."

There were.

But I saved Dielo.

Instead of telling the truth, I shook my head.

"Love doesn't only blossom between such intense events. Right?"

I turned to Dielo.

Dielo gently stroked my violet hair with his arm around me.

"Yes. That day, I learned for the first time that water could be so beautiful."

Dielo said.

The lines were long for someone who couldn't act.

Did this person practice in the meantime?

"Argenta has the destiny to defend against the Endless Sea. Therefore, the sea, water, was only my enemy."

The corners of his lips curved into an arc.

His voice, so sincere and gentle that it was impossible to think it was acting, echoed.

"I had never seen water shine so dazzlingly."

His whisper reached my ear.

I blushed without realizing it.

"It was so flashy and beautiful that I couldn't take my eyes off it."

Dielo's words, spoken in such a ticklish way.

Even though I knew it was acting, I was momentarily captivated.

He had surpassed all expectations.

"Kyaa!"

Elin covered her face with both hands. A gentle laugh flowed through the banquet hall.

"Now, for the sweet newlyweds!"

Duke Alroze raised his glass with a satisfied face.

There seemed to be no lies on that face.

That meant we looked that sweet together.

Duke Alroze must have thought that I had succeeded in seducing Dielo according to his plan.

It's good. It's good……!

I would be fooled too, even me!

I lowered my head without realizing it, my face flushed, and then belatedly raised my glass.

—Clink.

Dielo's glass lightly touched my glass, making a sound.