The King remained silent. And after a long while, he opened his mouth.
"...I have one question to ask."
The King slowly opened his mouth.
"Was Aden happy?"
It was a question he had held in his heart for a very long time.
Eve gazed at the King in silence. Her wrinkled eyes were filled with unerasable sorrow. Eve slowly parted her lips.
"Yes."
"..."
"I believe he would have been happy. He used to resent poverty as well."
He complained about why humans had to enter the beast world and live like sinners himself.
But she was happy. Because her father made it that way.
He held her tightly and told her he loved her, and every night he told her this and that and put her to sleep.
Eve thought that was her father's happiness.
"..."
How can someone make the exact same face as "Aden"?
The King smiled sadly and slowly nodded his head.
"Alright, fine. I'll return the key."
The King drew a line in the air. Something emerged from the gap. It was a palm-sized key.
The key flew toward Eve. Eve carefully caught it.
"... Thank you."
It was just as she was about to leave the castle after exchanging greetings.
“Sometimes.”
A weary and exhausted voice, having endured many years, held Eve back.
"Could you... at least show your face once in a while? Once every few months, or even once every few years would be fine."
The steadfast and unwavering King was like a flame about to crumble out at any moment.
Eve pulled her lips away.
"Yes, if you allow it."
At those words, the King laughed sadly.
"...I have never once refused to allow it."
The King smiled as he looked at Eve.
"Come visit anytime."
Eve nodded and left the castle.
Like her father who left this place, she moved forward to save the person she loved.
Eve quickly left the castle. She walked only forward without looking back.
Slowly, the outside began to come into view. As she quickened my pace, she saw that person.
Noelier was gazing at the sky. The blue sky was reflected in his red eyes.
Eve ran to his side and hugged him tightly around the waist.
" ... Eve?"
Noelier carefully put his arm around Eve's shoulder, appearing flustered by the sudden hug.
"Did something happen to you? Did the King do something to you...?"
Eve shook her head without a word. She simply rubbed her face against the wide, warm embrace before lifting her head.
"No. Nothing happened."
"..."
"I just met my family."
Family. Noelier's eyes trembled violently. He parted his lips as if to say something.
Eve spoke again before he could finish.
"Let's go back, Noel."
"..."
"My place is by my family's side. By your side."
The anxiety that had lingered in his red eyes vanished. It felt as if a fragrant breeze was blowing across his chest.
Noelier hugged her tightly and nodded.
***
The beastmen of the South were bustling about.
Once Lady Eve returned to her original form, a wedding had to be held.
'Before she knew it, she was in the middle of a wedding.'
This was precisely the beastmen's goal.
Their ulterior motive was to force the marriage in a flash, leaving no room for recourse.
"That's not it! We don't have enough flowers! Bring some more colorful ones!"
Under the leadership of Marie, the kitchen staff and the soldiers were busy at work.
"Preparing for a wedding. What a lovely sight."
A strange voice suddenly interrupted.
Marie, who was commanding the beastmen, turned her head with a sour expression.
A black cat was lying on a large sunbed, leisurely basking in the sunlight. It was Miya, who had transformed into a cat.
"Southern sunlight is the best, after all. The West hurts my skin!"
Miya raised the glass in her hand as if toasting to the sun.
“You think so too, right?”
King!
Edgar, who was standing nearby, barked in agreement.
'Why isn't that damn guy leaving?'
She couldn't understand why the Chief was leaving him alone, considering he was the one who took Eve to the East.
'Do they have something they're relying on?'
Marie glared at Miya. She didn't like the look on her face.
"Hahaha, Miya is cute."
However, seeing Young Master Zion like that, there was nothing she could do to intervene or say anything.
Marie let out a sigh and turned her head again.
"You have to polish the apple so beautifully that it shines. Do you think Lady Eve will like it if you do it like that?"
The one that was most cautious among them was the apple tree.
Under the apple tree, Rachel and Zion were weaving a wreath together. The baby wolf was curled up in a ball, fast asleep.
"What kind of flower would suit my sister?"
"My older sister likes pink."
"Okay, then let's go with pink."
The small hand wiggled and moved.
“It’s done.”
Rachel skillfully made a wreath. Zion also appeared to have finished making one. He held up the wreath in his hand.
“Ta-da ”
"What? It's too small."
“Hmm?”
"I don't think it would suit her."
Zion nodded at Rachel's words.
"That's right. This isn't my sister's."
"Huh? Then whose is it?"
Zion rose from his seat without a word.
A moment later, something gently landed on Rachel's head.
It was the wreath that had been in Zion's hand just moments ago.
“It’s yours.”
"..."
At that moment, a warm breeze blew.
The sound of leaves rustling echoed like background music.
Rachel's face flushed bright red, as if it were about to explode. Zion smiled warmly, like the morning sun.
"Hahaha, as expected, you look pretty. It really suits you, Rachel."
Rachel, who had been staring blankly, came back to her senses.
"What. What, what are you doing? Why are you giving this to me...?"
Rachel just gaped for a while, but eventually, she clamped her mouth shut. After muttering for quite a while, Rachel hung her head low and mumbled something.
"... Thank you."
“Huh? What?”
"...I said thank you."
"Uh-huh, I can't hear you well."
"I said thank you! Thank you!"
Rachel screamed.
Zion, startled by the loud voice, jumped up, blinked, and giggled. Rachel averted her head.
It was then.
A wind began to blow that was incomparable to what it had been just moments ago. It was not the usual southern wind.
Everyone present looked up at the shadows filling the garden full of flower petals.
Someone appeared with a red dragon. The sunlight was pouring in backward, so they couldn't see well, but they immediately recognized who it was.
A woman as white as snow was held in the dragon's arms.
For some reason, she was wearing a red cloak.
“Lady Eve?”
The people who were busy preparing came to a sudden halt.
I was sure Eve had turned into this wolf?
'Then who is this wolf?'
The beastmen looked back and forth at the baby wolf and Eve.
Eve bit her lip as she watched them in confusion.
Now it was time to honestly reveal everything.
But she was afraid.
Will they continue to treat me this kindly even after knowing that I deceived them?
Is wanting to stay in the South just my own greed?
Rachel, who had been looking at them with a bewildered expression, suddenly stood up from her seat as if she had realized something.
Eve flinched without realizing it.
It felt like Rachel, having figured everything out, would resent her for deceiving her.
"...Sister."
At Rachel's voice, which was different from usual, Eve involuntarily squeezed her eyes shut.
But nothing happened.
Feeling puzzled, Eve slowly opened her eyes.
What caught her eye was a wreath woven of pink flowers.
"Rachel...?"
"I made this for my older sister."
Rachel was just like a girl confessing to her first love.
Rachel, blushing shyly, held out the flower crown.
“Please take it!”
It was the exact opposite of what she had imagined.
A large, white hand came into Eve's hesitant field of vision. The hand belonged to Noelier, who had returned to his human form.
He smiled gently, gesturing with his eyes as if asking to be held.
Eve looked at Noelier with anxious eyes. Noelier pulled her hand away as if to say it was fine.
She carefully placed her hand on Noelier's. As if waiting for this moment, a burning heat seeped into her body.
Then, Eve let go of the hand she was holding, approached Rachel, and bent down. Rachel then placed a wreath on her head. It was the same crown that Rachel was wearing.
'The same flower crown as mine.'
It feels just like a wedding. Rachel's heart pounded.
As her cheeks flushed again, Eve gently stroked Rachel's cheek.
"Thank you. You're so pretty."
"...If you are grateful."
Rachel mumbled and turned her gaze to the floor.
"If you're grateful, please give me a hug."
Eve stood up from her seat, holding Rachel in her arms.
And then she took Noelier's hand again. She held it tightly, as if determined not to let go.
Eve slowly parted her lips as she looked at the bewildered beastmen.
"I have something to tell you all."
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