Rubia opened her mouth on impulse.
“Why... did you help me?”
Her reason was advising her that it would be wise to keep quiet and go her own way, but her mouth ignored her reason and continued to speak on its own.
“You were running away from me. And with the self-defense magic stone you made for me, you should have been safe at least once.”
Rubia unconsciously wrapped her left wrist with her right hand and finished speaking. On her wrist was a bracelet with a self-defense magic stone that Auston had made for her. Auston was not so insensitive as to not feel the magic contained in Rubia’s bracelet. Even if she had fallen from the balcony a moment ago, she would not have been hurt because she was wearing the self-defense magic stone that Auston had made himself.
'Shit.'
In the end, Auston had no choice but to give only the answers that came to his mind right away.
“Well, it was natural that I avoided the Countess... Since I did such an unpleasant thing last time, I thought it would be uncomfortable for you to see me..."
Auston blushed in embarrassment at the sight of himself stammering excuses. He had been trying to avoid seeing Rubia for fear of seeing such a fool. Anyway, it was all over.
“It’s not unpleasant.”
"... Yes?"
Auston thought he was hallucinating and replied in a dazed voice. But Rubia looked at him straight in the eye and gently raised the corners of her lips.
The Demon King was a human in his previous life. It was too cruel a truth for a man who had spent his entire life fighting against demons and monsters at the front lines in the northern part of the kingdom, and who had even lost his family because of it. So she stared blankly at Randall's face, and then a question suddenly occurred to her, and her eyes furrowed slightly.
'By the way, how on earth are you going to reclaim the Demon King's throne?'
Sylvia had tried not to think too deeply about David's proposal, so she had not even questioned it until now. However, when she actually thought about it, more than one or two things came to mind.
'My back hurts...'
While Randall was away on his routine patrol, Sylvia was lying in bed, reeling from the aftermath of last night. Of course, it was good. In fact, it wasn't just good, it was damn good.
'The sheet is torn, so I've said it all...'
But that and physical fatigue were separate things. Sylvia closed her eyes, vowing not to move from her bed at least for today, until Randall came back at night. Exactly three seconds after she closed her eyes, there was an urgent knock on the door.
“Madam, madam! Are you awake?”
“Thelma?”
Sylvia sat up in surprise at the voice that was unusual for the usually calm Thelma. Thelma heard her call and came into the room. Thelma ran all the way to Sylvia's room, gasping for breath, and then said.
“Madam, on the first floor right now... the young lady of the Marquis of Seicrine...”
“Oh, I see Lady Seicrine is here. But why are you telling me so urgently?”
After clearing up the misunderstanding with Philia earlier, Sylvia had told Philia to be comfortable whenever she came to see her, so she didn't understand Thelma's reaction. However, her eyes widened at what she said next.
“Lady Seicrine... is crying.”
"What?"
Sylvia hurriedly changed her clothes and went down to the first floor. When she entered the living room, Philia, who was sitting on the sofa and crying, raised her head with a face full of tears.
"Ma'am..."
“Young Lady, what’s going on?”
Sylvia swore she could never have imagined that Philia could make such a face. Sylvia quickly walked over to Philia and examined her. Philia hugged Sylvia’s neck with both arms and cried bitterly, babbling nonsense.
“I, uh, mother...”
“Young Lady, calm down first. Thelma, can you bring me some water?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Thelma ran out in a hurry at Sylvia's words as she patted Philia on the back. After crying for a long time in Sylvia's arms, Philia finally calmed down after she drank three glasses of water that Thelma had brought her. Sylvia sat down next to Philia, held her hand, and asked her with concern.
“If it’s Young Lady’s mother... is it the story of the Marchioness Seicrine?”
“Yes... That’s...”
Philia tried to explain to Sylvia, who was embarrassed, by recalling her memories but then burst into tears again. Her mother's cold voice still lingered in her head.
"I don't know who that man is, but... Stop thinking like that, even now."
A few days ago, the Marquis Seicrine and his party returned to the Marquis’ residence separately from the Belfort party. The Marchioness, who had a gloomy face the entire way back, called out to Philia shortly after arriving at the Marquis’ residence. Philia sat across from the Marquis and Marchioness and asked with concern.
"Dad was there too. Mom, are you feeling unwell? Should I ask the maid to bring you some medicine?"
The Marchioness gazed at such philia with her eyes, then pursed her lips heavily.
"Philia."
"...Why is it so scary? Did I do something wrong again?"
"Marry Sir Osmond Limbert."
"What?"
Philia's face hardened in an instant at the sudden words. She asked back in confusion.
"If it was that marriage proposal, you definitely... didn’t you reject it? Dad said you wouldn’t let me get married if I didn’t want to."
"..."
"Dad..."
“Why... did you help me?”
Her reason was advising her that it would be wise to keep quiet and go her own way, but her mouth ignored her reason and continued to speak on its own.
“You were running away from me. And with the self-defense magic stone you made for me, you should have been safe at least once.”
Rubia unconsciously wrapped her left wrist with her right hand and finished speaking. On her wrist was a bracelet with a self-defense magic stone that Auston had made for her. Auston was not so insensitive as to not feel the magic contained in Rubia’s bracelet. Even if she had fallen from the balcony a moment ago, she would not have been hurt because she was wearing the self-defense magic stone that Auston had made himself.
Then why on earth...?
Rubea waited for Auston’s answer with a somewhat anxious feeling.
"That..."
When Rubia didn’t take her eyes off him, Auston rolled his eyes and moved his lips in confusion. Many excuses came to mind. Does she know how much that magic stone for self-defense cost? It wasn’t made for something like this. Or is she telling him to just watch someone fall right in front of him?
"That..."
When Rubia didn’t take her eyes off him, Auston rolled his eyes and moved his lips in confusion. Many excuses came to mind. Does she know how much that magic stone for self-defense cost? It wasn’t made for something like this. Or is she telling him to just watch someone fall right in front of him?
He's not that crazy about money. But when nothing came out, Auston groaned and wiped his face with one hand. Rubia’s guess was true. He knew that the magic he felt from her bracelet was his. It had been several days since he had been avoiding Rubia and instead had been focusing all his attention on her, so how could he not know? Then why on earth had he come forward?
It was so funny how he had been avoiding Rubia so persistently.
'Shit.'
In the end, Auston had no choice but to give only the answers that came to his mind right away.
“Well, it was natural that I avoided the Countess... Since I did such an unpleasant thing last time, I thought it would be uncomfortable for you to see me..."
Auston blushed in embarrassment at the sight of himself stammering excuses. He had been trying to avoid seeing Rubia for fear of seeing such a fool. Anyway, it was all over.
“It’s not unpleasant.”
"... Yes?"
Auston thought he was hallucinating and replied in a dazed voice. But Rubia looked at him straight in the eye and gently raised the corners of her lips.
Wait, are you laughing?
“I don’t feel bad about seeing you.”
"Uh..."
“And thank you for what happened last time. Even though it was a misunderstanding, I was tired because Lord Cubid kept bothering me so much.”
Rubia smiled faintly as she finished speaking. The light streaming in from the balcony illuminated her slightly flushed cheeks.
"Thank you."
At that moment, Austin's heart sank as he saw Rubia's face straight ahead. He sighed inwardly as he realized what that feeling meant.
'Oh, it happened.'
It seems he's started to feel emotions that he shouldn't have.
“I don’t feel bad about seeing you.”
"Uh..."
“And thank you for what happened last time. Even though it was a misunderstanding, I was tired because Lord Cubid kept bothering me so much.”
Rubia smiled faintly as she finished speaking. The light streaming in from the balcony illuminated her slightly flushed cheeks.
"Thank you."
At that moment, Austin's heart sank as he saw Rubia's face straight ahead. He sighed inwardly as he realized what that feeling meant.
'Oh, it happened.'
It seems he's started to feel emotions that he shouldn't have.
***
Rustle.
"Ugh..."
Sylvia, who had fallen into a deep sleep, let out a faint moan at the sound of people nearby. Then the sound suddenly stopped, but her consciousness, once it had surfaced, did not return.
“Randall...?”
“...Are you awake? I’m sorry.”
After calling Randall in a hoarse voice, a reply came after a while. Sylvia raised her upper body while raising her eyelids with difficulty. Randall’s hand came over and helped her to lean against the headboard, holding a pillow behind her waist. Sylvia blinked, regaining consciousness. She looked at the small table on the bed, then at the food on it, and then grimaced.
“Randall.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“...Don’t you think it somehow feels like deja vu?”
Sylvia said and stepped back slightly. That was understandable, the small table full of... bizarre health food had made her lose her appetite. Sylvia glared at Randall and muttered.
“It’s not like I’m giving you a bottle and medicine.”
“...”
"Ugh..."
Sylvia, who had fallen into a deep sleep, let out a faint moan at the sound of people nearby. Then the sound suddenly stopped, but her consciousness, once it had surfaced, did not return.
“Randall...?”
“...Are you awake? I’m sorry.”
After calling Randall in a hoarse voice, a reply came after a while. Sylvia raised her upper body while raising her eyelids with difficulty. Randall’s hand came over and helped her to lean against the headboard, holding a pillow behind her waist. Sylvia blinked, regaining consciousness. She looked at the small table on the bed, then at the food on it, and then grimaced.
“Randall.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“...Don’t you think it somehow feels like deja vu?”
Sylvia said and stepped back slightly. That was understandable, the small table full of... bizarre health food had made her lose her appetite. Sylvia glared at Randall and muttered.
“It’s not like I’m giving you a bottle and medicine.”
“...”
“You said you’d do it just one more time last night, and you tormented me until morning.”
“...”
Randall averted his gaze from Sylvia's, perhaps feeling guilty. But he now knew how to persuade her. He cut a piece of meat, put a piece on a fork, and offered it to her.
“This is a nutritious meal that the chef prepared early in the morning because he thought you looked tired lately.”
“Ugh.”
“That’s the juice that Delma ground herself, saying it’s rich in nutrients..."
“Ugh...”
When Randall mentioned the servants of Belfort Castle, Sylvia groaned in pain and put the nutritious food he gave her into her mouth one by one. She doesn’t like nutritious food, but she can’t ignore the feelings of the servants who think of her.
“...”
Randall averted his gaze from Sylvia's, perhaps feeling guilty. But he now knew how to persuade her. He cut a piece of meat, put a piece on a fork, and offered it to her.
“This is a nutritious meal that the chef prepared early in the morning because he thought you looked tired lately.”
“Ugh.”
“That’s the juice that Delma ground herself, saying it’s rich in nutrients..."
“Ugh...”
When Randall mentioned the servants of Belfort Castle, Sylvia groaned in pain and put the nutritious food he gave her into her mouth one by one. She doesn’t like nutritious food, but she can’t ignore the feelings of the servants who think of her.
Sylvia frowned and tried to raise her thumb while chewing her food. Randall, who was watching her, couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing, and she threw a punch in anger. In any case, they had a peaceful breakfast in their own way, and the two chatted about this and that while filling their bellies on the bed. Sylvia bit into the less disgusting fruit.
“By the way, what about Auston? Does he seem to be feeling a little better?”
“He still looks uncomfortable to eat. He was originally a long-lasting guy.”
Randall shook his head. A few days ago, when they left the capital and returned to the Belfort estate. The rain, which they thought was a shower, did not stop all night, and Randall and Sylvia were finally able to return to the group after staying up all night. Since the founding of the country, Auston, whose face was unusually pale, glared at the two of them and spoke.
"Thanks to some great people who disappeared without a word, I ended up sleeping rough, right in front of a comfortable and cozy castle. And I got caught in the rain."
"Ahem."
Even after returning to the castle, Auston strode down the hallway with a face that was gloomy and overcast. The couple, who were unaware of what had happened between him and Rubia, naturally assumed it was their fault and looked around. Randall sighed and shrugged.
“It’s fortunate that nothing bad happened while we were away. Otherwise, Auston would have had a lot more work to do.”
Fortunately, while Randall and Sylvia were away from the North, it was said that it was peace itself. There was no terrorism from the dark bugs, and there were no large numbers of demons and beasts coming from the twists to harm people. There were only the usual twists and the extermination of beasts, so in a way it was fortunate...
“Still, I feel uneasy for no reason. Considering the situation in the capital, I don’t think they gave up. It bothers me that they haven’t caught the leader in the end.”
Randall looked troubled with a displeased expression. Sylvia was also lost in her own thoughts. Unlike Randall, she knew who the leader of the dark bugs was.
"I will reclaim the Demon King's throne."
Crown Prince David and former Demon King Basis. However, Sylvia could not readily tell Randall about this fact. Just as she held David's identity in her hands, he also held Sylvia's identity in his hands. Sylvia had not yet decided whether to tell Randall about her past.
'...You probably won’t be able to accept it.’
“By the way, what about Auston? Does he seem to be feeling a little better?”
“He still looks uncomfortable to eat. He was originally a long-lasting guy.”
Randall shook his head. A few days ago, when they left the capital and returned to the Belfort estate. The rain, which they thought was a shower, did not stop all night, and Randall and Sylvia were finally able to return to the group after staying up all night. Since the founding of the country, Auston, whose face was unusually pale, glared at the two of them and spoke.
"Thanks to some great people who disappeared without a word, I ended up sleeping rough, right in front of a comfortable and cozy castle. And I got caught in the rain."
"Ahem."
Even after returning to the castle, Auston strode down the hallway with a face that was gloomy and overcast. The couple, who were unaware of what had happened between him and Rubia, naturally assumed it was their fault and looked around. Randall sighed and shrugged.
“It’s fortunate that nothing bad happened while we were away. Otherwise, Auston would have had a lot more work to do.”
Fortunately, while Randall and Sylvia were away from the North, it was said that it was peace itself. There was no terrorism from the dark bugs, and there were no large numbers of demons and beasts coming from the twists to harm people. There were only the usual twists and the extermination of beasts, so in a way it was fortunate...
“Still, I feel uneasy for no reason. Considering the situation in the capital, I don’t think they gave up. It bothers me that they haven’t caught the leader in the end.”
Randall looked troubled with a displeased expression. Sylvia was also lost in her own thoughts. Unlike Randall, she knew who the leader of the dark bugs was.
"I will reclaim the Demon King's throne."
Crown Prince David and former Demon King Basis. However, Sylvia could not readily tell Randall about this fact. Just as she held David's identity in her hands, he also held Sylvia's identity in his hands. Sylvia had not yet decided whether to tell Randall about her past.
'...You probably won’t be able to accept it.’
The Demon King was a human in his previous life. It was too cruel a truth for a man who had spent his entire life fighting against demons and monsters at the front lines in the northern part of the kingdom, and who had even lost his family because of it. So she stared blankly at Randall's face, and then a question suddenly occurred to her, and her eyes furrowed slightly.
'By the way, how on earth are you going to reclaim the Demon King's throne?'
Sylvia had tried not to think too deeply about David's proposal, so she had not even questioned it until now. However, when she actually thought about it, more than one or two things came to mind.
David is currently human, but he can control darkness. However, even that is far from what he was at his prime, and it is the same for her to look down on the Demon King.
'Are you trying to use the dark bugs? Even if you do, it won't be enough to deal with the incoming demons and monsters...'
As Sylvia continued to think, more and more question marks appeared.
'What on earth makes you so confident?'
It wasn't long before she learned the answer.
'Are you trying to use the dark bugs? Even if you do, it won't be enough to deal with the incoming demons and monsters...'
As Sylvia continued to think, more and more question marks appeared.
'What on earth makes you so confident?'
It wasn't long before she learned the answer.
***
'My back hurts...'
While Randall was away on his routine patrol, Sylvia was lying in bed, reeling from the aftermath of last night. Of course, it was good. In fact, it wasn't just good, it was damn good.
'The sheet is torn, so I've said it all...'
But that and physical fatigue were separate things. Sylvia closed her eyes, vowing not to move from her bed at least for today, until Randall came back at night. Exactly three seconds after she closed her eyes, there was an urgent knock on the door.
“Madam, madam! Are you awake?”
“Thelma?”
Sylvia sat up in surprise at the voice that was unusual for the usually calm Thelma. Thelma heard her call and came into the room. Thelma ran all the way to Sylvia's room, gasping for breath, and then said.
“Madam, on the first floor right now... the young lady of the Marquis of Seicrine...”
“Oh, I see Lady Seicrine is here. But why are you telling me so urgently?”
After clearing up the misunderstanding with Philia earlier, Sylvia had told Philia to be comfortable whenever she came to see her, so she didn't understand Thelma's reaction. However, her eyes widened at what she said next.
“Lady Seicrine... is crying.”
"What?"
Sylvia hurriedly changed her clothes and went down to the first floor. When she entered the living room, Philia, who was sitting on the sofa and crying, raised her head with a face full of tears.
"Ma'am..."
“Young Lady, what’s going on?”
Sylvia swore she could never have imagined that Philia could make such a face. Sylvia quickly walked over to Philia and examined her. Philia hugged Sylvia’s neck with both arms and cried bitterly, babbling nonsense.
“I, uh, mother...”
“Young Lady, calm down first. Thelma, can you bring me some water?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Thelma ran out in a hurry at Sylvia's words as she patted Philia on the back. After crying for a long time in Sylvia's arms, Philia finally calmed down after she drank three glasses of water that Thelma had brought her. Sylvia sat down next to Philia, held her hand, and asked her with concern.
“If it’s Young Lady’s mother... is it the story of the Marchioness Seicrine?”
“Yes... That’s...”
Philia tried to explain to Sylvia, who was embarrassed, by recalling her memories but then burst into tears again. Her mother's cold voice still lingered in her head.
"I don't know who that man is, but... Stop thinking like that, even now."
A few days ago, the Marquis Seicrine and his party returned to the Marquis’ residence separately from the Belfort party. The Marchioness, who had a gloomy face the entire way back, called out to Philia shortly after arriving at the Marquis’ residence. Philia sat across from the Marquis and Marchioness and asked with concern.
"Dad was there too. Mom, are you feeling unwell? Should I ask the maid to bring you some medicine?"
The Marchioness gazed at such philia with her eyes, then pursed her lips heavily.
"Philia."
"...Why is it so scary? Did I do something wrong again?"
"Marry Sir Osmond Limbert."
"What?"
Philia's face hardened in an instant at the sudden words. She asked back in confusion.
"If it was that marriage proposal, you definitely... didn’t you reject it? Dad said you wouldn’t let me get married if I didn’t want to."
"..."
"Dad..."
Philia called out to the Marquis anxiously, but he lowered his gaze and remained silent. Philia felt as if the Marchioness had persuaded him, and her anxiety grew. Then the Marchioness drove the wedge in.
"I don't know who that man is, but... Stop thinking like that, even now.'
"I don't know who that man is, but... Stop thinking like that, even now.'
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