"Indeed, you and Lady Akari are close. But I wish you would have told me as well."
"I am sorry, Prince Aqua. …I will do so next time."
"Please do. I nearly had a heart attack."
He pulled her shoulders to him and embraced her.
He said that he had been so worried, and his hands ran over her as if confirming that she was not hurt. Her hair, her cheeks, her shoulders, and back. He buried his nose into her neck and chuckled.
"Tiara, you smell like the sea."
He said that it was strange and gently kissed her.
"Mm… Prince Aqua, you do as well. This place is filled with Queen Pearl"s power."
"That is true. I didn"t know that such a place existed. Now, there"s the exit. We have a lot to discuss when we return to the castle. Be prepared, there won"t be much sleeping tonight."
"…Yes."
The sweet atmosphere that was there seconds ago was gone. Tiararose could only nod as Aquasteed"s mood seemed to darken again.
-What had happened to Levy, anyway?
He had said that he would wait by the entrance, but he was likely gone as Aquasteed was here. It was possible that he had been found, but she didn"t think it was likely that that butler would be so clumsy.
"Elliot is waiting at the entrance."
"Yes."
Aquasteed pointed at the exit and said that they should hurry. Tiararose smiled with a nod. She felt a little bad for Levy, but she would return home for the day.
"I do want to drink some of Philiane"s tea."
"Yes, we can relax and…!?"
Aquasteed was leading Tiararose by her hand as they went outside. And then they saw that Elliot had collapsed on the ground. Aquasteed immediately moved in front of Tiara to cover her as he looked around to see what had happened.
But there was no one else here. The sun was starting to set, and it was a little dark. He could see well in the dark but decided that it would be unwise to stay here for long.
"Prince Aqua!"
"It"s fine. You stay behind me, Tiara…!"
In the next instant, a heavy blow came down towards Aquasteed.
He quickly grabbed his sword and blocked it with the sheath. His hand felt numb from the impact, but there was no time to care about that.
"You move much faster than I expected."
"Levy!?"
Levy was pushed back from the force of the attack but landed quietly on his feet. The man who wore an immaculate butler suit stood in front of them with a smile.
Aquasteed glared at Levy and unsheathed his sword. He calmed his breathing and looked at his opponent"s weapon. But there was nothing there.
-Was it magic?
But it didn"t seem like it. Aquasteed a.s.sumed that there must be some kind of trick behind it.
"I will take it from you."
"You want-Tiara?"
He would not allow that.
Aquasteed kicked the dirt and dashed towards Levy in a flash. If his opponent was not carrying a weapon, then it would be best to fight him close and personal.
He swung his sword, but Levy easily dodged the attack.
-He was fast.
It was possible to follow him with your eyes, but Aquasteed knew that it was not a speed that he could match. In that case, he must stop him with magic. And just as he was about to use it-a sharp knife came flying towards him.
"Wh…!"
"It"s not as if I don"t like close quarters combat."
Levy said as he continued to throw the knives at Aquasteed.
"Where did those weapons come from…"
He blocked them with his sword and scowled. How could so many knives be hidden in a butler"s uniform? Aquasteed began to sweat as he desperately hit the knives out of the air.
Don"t underestimate me, Aquasteed thought, as he unleashed his magic. He did not care for a one-sided defensive battle.
And the sword wasn"t the only weapon he was good with. He expertly dodged the knives and began to retaliate with magic.
Levy"s expression became troubled, but only slightly.
"…Let"s see how you hand this."
"I suppose that you are not one of those princes that leave everything to their guards."
Levy said with irritation. He pulled out another knife from his sleeve and launched it towards Aquasteed. Aquasteed hated how endless his supply seemed to be, but he could do nothing but dodge them until there were no more.
He hit the knives out of the air and concentrated on using powerful magical attacks.
And so he did not notice it.
That Levy was getting closer to Aquasteed, as if mingling with the knives.
And when he realized it, it was too late. A powerful blow went to his stomach, and Aquasteed fell to his knees.
"Well, then."
Levy spun around to look at Tiararose. His eyes dropped to her left hand.
He was after the Fairy Queen"s ring.
"Ahh!"
"…Tiara!"
Aquasteed"s voice echoed in the bay.
"Stop, Levy…! Why are you doing this?"
"Because I want to save Olivia."
"…What?"
She glared at Levy, but his answer surprised her.
-Was the sequel"s villainous daughter involved in some trouble?
She had never met Olivia in person, but she was a villainous daughter just like her. Tiararose could not help but be interested in this.
"But, in that case…why couldn"t you ask me? Maybe there was something that I could do to help her."
And so Tiararose talked to him with a calm voice-but his eyes looked at her coldly.
"I intend on helping her in the fastest way."
I don"t have time to collude with you.
He seemed to say.
With a speed that her eyes could not follow, Levy took the ring from her hand. However, even after taking the ring, his expression did not change.
"Why…"
He glanced back at Tiararose once and then walked away.