Chapter 169: Like a Blue Morpho Butterfly…
King Adom and Queen both lightly bowed their heads to Tetrin, then greeted him. Seeing this, Tetrin smiled awkwardly.
After that, King Adom looked at me, let out a tired sigh, and beckoned me with a light wave of one hand.
Following the instructions, I approached King Adom, and Ariusha Queen handed a scroll to King Adom.
King Adom received the scroll, glanced at my face with a knowing smile, and said:
"Do you know what this is?"
"...I have no idea."
"Simply put, it’s the contents of the punishment. At first, I tried to reward you with a title for your achievements, but... various parties objected, so I abandoned the idea."
"Thank you. And I’m sorry. Perhaps I really don’t have the talent for it."
"Hah, as you can see, I knew you’d refuse, didn’t I?"
When I showed a troubled expression, King Adom playfully waved the scroll in one hand and smiled wryly.
Honestly, while I spoke of merits, only Sharle and the Kingdom had actually acted.
I only offered guesses and speculations, so giving me a title would have made those around me pitiful.
Furthermore, I can only protect those I care about, and I have no intention of doing so.
Because I am fully aware that my talent as a noble is limited, I have continued to refuse.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Roy’s face, which seemed not fully satisfied with the situation.
While I was seriously pondering this, King Adom, who had been smiling wryly and sighing, handed me the scroll.
I accepted the scroll with both hands and looked at King Adom’s face; he signaled with his chin for me to open it.
While widening the scroll with a puzzled expression, I smiled bitterly upon reading the contents that jumped into my eyes.
"Letter of Consent, you say? And this is..."
"Sharle and the rest, 132 elite agents. All their names are recorded on this scroll. Among them, 11 members including Sharle decided the content. This is the punishment for you."
"I want to see Sharle and the others’ appearances. As for my relations, they may show themselves at will... Forgive my rudeness, but are you sane?"
"Kuhaha, you have a good face. Just seeing that face is enough for me, but it seems Sharle and my daughters aren’t satisfied either."
At that moment, the sound of the door opening came from behind. When I turned my head, Princess Ariales and Princess Retia entered, dressed in elegant gowns.
Behind them, Felica and Karinal appeared.
Felica was still in her original outfit, while Karinal had been changed into a thin pink party dress.
...Isn’t her chest larger than her profile suggested? Not a pear, but a melon, right?
The four entered the garden and looked up in surprise at the blooming Fairy Tree, then turned their gazes to us and walked toward us.
Although they were walking briskly, the relaxed manner of their movements gave the impression that they were in no hurry.
Even though they were tomboys, that grace was truly their nature.
"Father, what on earth is this?"
"And you were already starting without us?"
"That tree was done by Raide again... Since it surprised us, we started as payback. Sorry."
"Ah, again..."
"It’s an agreement, after all."
Princess Ariales pressed King Adom a little and quietly spoke to Princess Retia.
Then, with a troubled smile, she looked at me and let out a small sigh.
...Even if you’re a princess, do you sigh while looking at other people’s faces?
Next, both Princess Ariales and Princess Retia noticed Tetrin drinking wine with a strange smile and let out a rare stunned expression.
Since it wasn’t King Adom, I could forgive the girls for their reactions.
More importantly, I asked King Adom seriously:
"King Adom, this content is too heavy for me, isn’t it?"
"You have no veto power. If you refuse, accept the title for the sake of those around you. A royal who gives no rewards even though you are raising achievements, how could anyone look at that?"
"...That’s cowardly, isn’t it?"
"Kuhahah! Even now? You knew that, didn’t you?"
King Adom laughed with delight, narrowed his eyes at me, and silently asked if that was why I hadn’t approached him much.
I wanted to say, "Yes, exactly," but I couldn’t.
I smiled with resignation and offered the scroll to King Adom... but it was gently taken by someone unseen.
Looking up, I saw Sharle, and I was stunned.
King Adom and the others saw my reaction and laughed happily, and Sharle spoke with a joyful voice.
"Is it all right to accept?"
"...Yes, I accept."
"I have received your approval from Raide. I would like to call this ’Promise’."
"’Promise’...?"
Before I could ask what I wanted to know, Sharle covered both my eyes.
Although nothing unexpected happened, I tensed up.
When I remained still, the hands were removed, and when I looked at the person standing before me, I was surprised and opened my eyes wide.
Her height was about Felica’s. Her light-blue hair reached past one eye, the rest reached her waist and was tied at the tips with a ribbon.
She had a beautiful face that gave a cold impression, a slender body, and breasts larger than apples.
She wore a gray robe with a bit of exposure.
What was most striking was the beautiful wings in a blue morpho butterfly pattern growing from her back.
"Sharle?"
"Fufufu, nice to meet you, Raide-sama. No... it’s been a while."
Sharle touched the necklace around her neck with one hand, and my gaze naturally turned to the necklace.
Attached to a thin silver chain was a small wooden ring, decorated like a child’s toy.
The moment I saw it, I understood everything. I recalled.
I had sensed it was likely, but she shouldn’t have been in the capital.
While noticing that my voice trembled slightly, I tried to ask anyway.
"You didn’t go to the Northern Forest...?"
"...Yes."
"Everyone else?"
"They are all safe. Look..."
When I looked behind Sharle with only my face, following her pointing finger, there were the figures of those she had taken from the capital at that time.
They were all smiling happily, their blue morpho-like wings fluttering with joy, and among them were some with tears of happiness.
While watching them wave quietly, I muttered with a confused head working hard.
"If you see too much, words won’t come out."
"We were the same when we found Raide-sama’s appearance."
"I see..."
"Yes."
There were countless things I wanted to ask, but my words wouldn’t come together.
I couldn’t even notice that King Adom and the others were laughing happily at my reaction, or that Felica, Tetrin, and the others were there. My mind wasn’t working at all.