Chapter 137
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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 137 – I Hate It!
Dill finished the tour.
Then he went to the White King and told everyone how the tour went.
Of course, he told in detail who he had given the tour to and so on.
This meant that not only Tigre’s but also Logas, Grint’s, and Elena’s names had to be mentioned.
When they heard this, the people of Ishtalika all had different emotions.
The one who seemed to be the calmest was probably Olivia.
After everyone had thought for a while,
Olivia approached Ain and whispered in his ear.
“…I’m worried about Krone-san, so why don’t you go for a little walk?”
After hearing Dill’s report, Krone seemed calm on the surface, but it was hard to tell what was really going on inside.
That’s why Olivia was worried about Krone and made that suggestion to Ain.
Ain thanked her for the words, and after he had calmed down a bit, he thought he would go for a walk.
After dinner, he called Krone and left for a night walk.
“Phew… the wind feels good.”
Even though it was night, the location of the island must have an effect because it’s not completely dark yet.
The sun was still visible on the horizon.
“It’s perfect. It’s not too cold, just cool.”
Krone let her long hair blow in the gentle breeze.
Ain looked at her and answered Krone’s words.
“By the way… Hmm. What’s going on? All of a sudden.”
“All of a sudden? What do you mean?”
He feigned ignorance, even though it didn’t really make sense.
He was worried… but it’s kind of embarra.s.sing to tell her so directly.
“Hmm. So that’s how you feign ignorance.”
Krone said, walking happily along the beach.
“Well, if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. …Are you okay, Ain?”
She turned around, took a light step, and asked Ain about this.
“It seems I was able to sort things out more than I thought. I don’t know what will happen when I actually meet them, though.”
Ain thought about Logas and Grint, whom he heard about from Dill.
In fact, he was mentally stable, even though they were so close.
But as he just said, he still didn’t know what would happen when he actually met them.
“That’s right. You can’t know what’s going to happen just by hearing about it.”
Even without a detailed explanation, Krone was able to understand Ain’s thoughts.
Ain felt that this kind of relationship with Krone was a comfortable one.
“How about you, Krone? I was worried about you.”
“Oh, you were worried about me?”
Krone giggled, raising her voice like a naughty child.
“I think I’m okay too, surprisingly.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s true. …There’s no point in lying about something like that now, is there?”
When she asked Ain for his agreement, Krone, who had been walking a few steps ahead, started to walk next to Ain.
“We are family. So there are things I think about. But I’m already more like an Ishtalikan than I thought.”
Krone continued to speak matter-of-factly, with a slightly sad tone in her voice.
“I don’t know if that’s cold-hearted or heartless, but what I’m thinking about now is Ishtalika first and foremost. If my mother becomes an enemy, there’s nothing I can do about it… I can think like that.”
“…..”
Ain listened quietly to the words that came from next to him.
But Ain also thought something similar. That’s why he could agree with Krone’s words.
“The reason I came after you was because I wanted to follow you, but now Ishtalika is my home. I have some nostalgic feelings for Heim, but nothing else.”
“Me too. I came to Ishtalika for a different reason, but I understand how you feel.”
“Fufu… I know, right? Ishtalika is a good country.”
Even without technology and culture, Ishtalika was a pleasant place.
That’s something they felt even walking through the city of Magna.
“Now that I think about it, I guess I’m almost indifferent to Heim.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, you’re right.”
“Right? Maybe it’s a story from another world… is it something like that?”
“I see. So we’re going to meet people from another world…”
“Geez… Ain.”
The conversation turned strange, and they both smiled.
With this smile, Ain was relieved that Krone’s feelings had calmed down.
“The most annoying thing is that there’s this prince.”
Then Krone sighed and began to think about tomorrow’s meeting.
“Do you think he’ll say something?”
“Of course he will. I think he’ll say something about taking me back.”
“That’s not good. What did Warren-san say?”
Krone’s reunion with Tigre will throw a wrench into their previous relationship.
So he was curious about what Warren had said.
“He said, ‘If there is a kidnapping or something like that, we will attack Heim on the spot’…”
“I see. That’s rea.s.suring.”
They spoke about it as if it were a joke, but Warren probably wouldn’t let it go as a joke.
“To prevent that, do you think it would be better if you said ‘My Krone’ like you used to?”
“Ugh… what a nostalgic story.”
Thinking back, it was the time of Heim’s letter.
And since they were talking about it today, the day before the meeting, Ain couldn’t help but feel a connection.
“Aren’t you going to say it?”
Krone looked up at Ain with a mischievous smile on her face.
“Well, there’s a chance I might say it.”
“A chance? I’d be happier if you said it for sure.”
As Ain said this, Krone drew closer.
Then, taking a slight step forward, she leaned close to Ain’s chest.
“Even though I’m right here?”
The distance between them was so close that Krone’s chest was pressed against Ain’s.
So close that he could even feel her breath.
“Krone…”
He spoke her name naturally.
He put his hands around her back and gently pulled her close.
Without embarra.s.sment or any sign of nervousness, he pulled her close with all his strength.
As if it was the most natural thing to do, Ain’s body moved involuntarily.
“Yes.”
Krone, sensing this, pursed her lips and slowly closed her eyes.
Then, as if lured by her glossy lips, Ain moved his face closer.
The distance between them was such that he could see every single one of her eyelashes.
If they moved a few more inches, their lips would touch.
——At that moment, they heard a voice they didn’t want to hear.
“d.a.m.n it, d.a.m.n it! What the h.e.l.l is that guy Dill up to?”
“Yo-Your Highness, please calm down…”
Ain recognized the voice.
They were the two people he had met in Euro.
Why now, of all times?
Ain thought, but when he pulled Krone, he hid behind a tree.
“…A-Ain?”
“Probably. I think this is the first time I’ve been so full of murderous intent.”
Hiding behind the tree, he pulled Krone close to him back so the two people in question wouldn’t see them.
It’s almost as if they’re trying to get in the way, and Ain’s frustration was growing.
“W-who is it?”
“It’s someone Krone and I know well. It’s Tigre and Grint.”
When they were pressed against each other, Ain told Krone to be quiet, and Krone shuddered for a moment.
“Truly, Ishtalika is full of people I don’t like…! The crown prince, his guard…!”
“Y-yes. You’re right!”
Tigre continued to complain, not even noticing that the Crown Prince was nearby.
“And the crown prince’s a.s.sistant, too!”
When she heard the word ‘a.s.sistant,’ Krone, who was being held by Ain, twitched.
“The Crown Prince’s a.s.sistant?”
“Grint, don’t you remember? The one who sent us such an unpleasant letter!”
“An unpleasant letter…?
Grint, who had no idea what he was talking about, asked Tigre.
“It was the person who wrote a letter that seemed to look down on people and sent a high-handed reply!”
“Yes, I remember.”
Ain and Krone listened to the conversation in silence.
Krone, in particular, was so quiet that it seemed she wasn’t even breathing.
“Hah… not good. Thinking about it, this frustration is even worse. Let’s go back, Grint!”
“Y-yes!”
Then they came like a storm and went like a storm.
Although she had confirmed that they had left, Krone did not move from Ain’s side.
“Hey, Ain. Can I ask you something?”
“Um, yeah. Sure, but what?”
I don’t like the letter from the Crown Prince’s a.s.sistant.
The writing is not good. Just thinking about it makes me angry.
The conversation between the two of them earlier was all about the crown.
“Is my writing strange?”
“No, it’s really beautiful. Warren-san approves of it, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right. I thought I wrote it pretty well.”
She mumbled as if talking to herself.
“After interrupting us, that lawsuit…? What was that all about? I think it’s a bit much to pick a fight with someone.”
Ain agreed with Krone without a single mistake.
“I said he was an annoying prince, but I take that back. He’s a prince I never want to have anything to do with again.”
With this incident, Tigre’s already low reputation had fallen even further.
He would probably have to pay the price tomorrow.
“Ain, turn your cheek this way.”
“Hmm? That’s fine.”
He obediently turned his face to Krone and held out his cheek.
Then she held Ain’s head close to her and touched his lips.
“Mmm… kiss.”
There must have been something she couldn’t let go of.
The atmosphere from before was gone, but she kissed Ain on the cheek.
It was only a brief moment of contact, but Ain would never forget the warm, soft feeling that touched his cheek.
“I’ll just have to endure this for now…”
Then she buried her flushed face in Ain’s chest.
And as if to release this frustration, she repeatedly pounded her fists into Ain’s chest with both hands.
“…Okay.”
Neither of them could get into the mood they had been in a few minutes ago.
Therefore, Krone also seemed to have given up.
Ain continued to stroke Krone gently for a while.
＊＊＊
The first day of talks began the next day in dull, cloudy weather.
Both countries had been preparing for the meeting since early morning.
…And then, just after 10 a.m.
Heim’s group was the first to arrive at the main conference room.
“We’re the first… It’s not a good feeling to have to wait. Don’t you think so, Tigre?”
The man who just called out to Tigre.
His name was Ralph, the current king of Heim.
He wore a thick cloak made of gold thread and a magnificent crown.
His appearance was unmistakable.
He was about the same height as Ain, and his body was neither too thin nor too fat.
He had a beard of the same color as his precious blond hair, and he sat back with his legs crossed.
“Yes, you’re right, Father.”
There were five important figures from Heim.
Starting with Ralph, they were Tigre, Grint, Logas, and Elena.
In other words, they have gathered the important people for Heim.
Behind these five, the knights of Heim stand in a line as if to protect them.
Among them were people from the Lance family.
Perhaps influenced by the debt he owed to Logas, the head of the Lance family, Ricardo Lance, had his son Livain act as Grint’s attendant.
“It looks like they’ve finally arrived.”
As Ralph said this, Tigre looked to the door on the Ishtalika side.
The double doors began to open, and the first to enter were knights.
“So those are the Ishtalika Royal Knights.”
“Father? You knew about them?”
The words Logas spoke out loud reached Grint, who was sitting next to him.
“I’ve never seen them before, but their movements are so refined. There’s no doubt they’re no ordinary knights.”
Grint then turned his attention to the Ishtalika guards, following his father’s example.
“It is true. They don’t seem to be ordinary knights.”
The movements were orderly yet powerful, and it was clear at a glance that they belonged to a strong person.
…And when the guards had finished advancing, the last person to enter was Chris.
Once inside, Chris stood at a seat near the center and waited for the person to sit down.
“Hmm… she’s a fine woman. Not bad at all.”
Ralph looked at Chris and seemed to like her at first sight.
He looked her over, from her feet to her waist and then to her chest and neck.
Chris noticed his gaze and clicked her tongue softly.
“Oh, sorry to keep you waiting, people of Heim.”
After the knights had all entered, Warren was next to arrive.
He smiled softly as he entered the large meeting room.
“Our partic.i.p.ants will be here shortly. Please wait a moment.”
Warren then sat down and began to take out some doc.u.ments from the bag in his hand.
“I don’t like his att.i.tude. Tigre, what kind of man is he?”
“Hah… That man is Warren. He is the Prime Minister of Ishtalika.”
“Hoh, that old man. Huh… It looks like it’s going to be an unexpectedly easy meeting.”
Ralph said this, but on the other hand, Tigre didn’t think it would be easy.
This was because Tigre had once talked to Warren in Euro.
He had been unable to do anything and had ended up getting upset.
Thinking back to that bitter past, Tigre could only increase his vigilance.
“Your Majesty, please come this way.”
“Yes.”
Then, two men entered.
Lloyd entered first and led Sylvird.
When Sylvird sat down beside Warren, Lloyd stood behind Sylvird.
“As far as I can see, the Crown Prince is not here. Is he absent this time?”
After the man called ‘Your Majesty’ sat down, Ralph opened his mouth and asked Ishtalika.
Hearing his words, it was Warren who answered.
“No, he’ll be here. I think he’ll arrive soon, so please wait a little longer.”
“Aren’t you making us wait too long?”
Tigre complained, but he didn’t get an answer.
Warren remained silent and looked at the doc.u.ments in his hands.
——Thump, thump.
As this happened, footsteps could be heard on the cobblestones.
It was the sound of two people walking, and the sound was getting louder.
How long will we have to wait? The members of the Heim muttered such complaints, but the Isthalika group didn’t pay any attention to them.
“They seem to have just arrived. We’ve kept you waiting. Those who have just arrived are…”
A man and a woman appeared in the meeting room.
The man wore a long sword at his waist and was dressed in the formal, silver-based robes of the Ishtalika royal family.
On the other hand, the woman was dressed in a black uniform from head to toe and stood next to the man as they entered the meeting room.
“This is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and his a.s.sistant.”
Warren grinned and introduced the two people who had arrived.
Hearing this, the two people spoke their own names.
“I am Ain von Ishtalika. I am the Crown Prince of Ishtalika.”
“My name is Krone Augusto, and I serve as the Crown Prince’s a.s.sistant. I apologize for my rude behavior the other day.”
At the end of their introductions, Krone added a little something about Tigre.
After that, Krone looked at Tigre with a big smile on her face.
As an extra note, she had also asked Warren for permission, so there was no problem.
Unlike the Ishtalika side, who looked happy, the Heim members were all in a state of shock.
Among the Heim members, four people, in particular, clearly showed their emotions.
The two former family members who had finally been reunited with their loved ones, and Ain, who had grown up so much.
The last person was Elena, who had met Ain in Magna.
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