Chapter 204 – Chapter 204 ― Close (5)
Episode 204 ― Closer (5)
I know it’s not an appropriate situation to ask such a question. But you must ask.
Roan pulled her body out, gently stroking the nape of her neck with the back of her hand as if nothing had happened.
“She was always wearing a necklace.”
“Ah… Yes.”
“Didn’t you do it today?”
“Today…”
Ernear blushed in her face.
“It’s an important day♡”
A day when you only have to wear the accessories you need.
Or the day you have to take everything off.
The meaning that her heart moved only without it could mean that the necklace was interfering with the capture.
“Your exposed neck is pretty. Shouldn’t I wear such jewelry?”
Surprised by her sudden question, Erenia looked at Roan with her eyes wide open for a while, then burst into laughter.
It was almost like seeing her laugh out loud like that for the first time, so Roan also stared blankly at Erenier.
“Whoops… Roan, you are cute♡”
Erenia gently brushed Roan’s curly hair.
“Maybe, if Roan wants that, sometimes… But can you understand? That necklace is important to me.”
“Did the Grand Duke give it to you?”
I guess that was the correct answer.
Hearing Roan’s question, Eleanor’s expression darkened a little.
“Huh… It’s your father’s thing.”
The wariness that had risen at her words softened a little as she added her words.
“It’s also my mother’s talisman.”
“Mother.”
It was the first time she had heard Ernaire speak of her mother.
“She said her father told her not to take off her necklace. It is an object containing the power of darkness that gives strength to my magic, and it is also a trace of my mother.”
Roan’s eyes narrowed.
Even her necklace has a story.
(Former) The demon lord might have known these things first. Is that why she told Roan to beware of Erenier?
Because it’s a target that can’t be captured, and the darkness that opposes Roan’s power is approaching?
When Roan seemed lost in thought,
Ernear caught her breath as if she wouldn’t bother disturbing him, then quietly pulled up her blanket.
Roan, who finally came to his senses at her actions, wiped her cold skin.
“The sword I own is also a keepsake of my mother. That necklace must also mean a lot to you.”
“Knife… Oh, so…”
Have you ever heard of such a fact?
Eleanor looked a little surprised.
If it was the (former) Demon King’s attitude, of course he would never have said it.
“That’s why Roan always carried a sword.”
Roan, who lay down beside her with her arms around her and looked down at him, and Erenia, who met her eyes, smiled softly.
“Actually, I heard that my mother is a bit peculiar. Although she died right after giving birth to me, so I never really met her.”
“Singularity… ?”
Then Erenia hesitated for a while.
She seemed to be trying to say something difficult.
Perhaps she had made up her mind soon, Erenia opened her mouth again. However, her words that jumped out of her were something that Roan did not expect.
“My mother said she was human.”
Roan’s eyes widened.
“How did humans come all the way here and give birth to the grand duke’s child? When I think of that, it’s both strange and strange. But my father has nothing more to say about it. All that remains now is that necklace.”
When there was no reply from her Roan even after she concluded her words, Erenea put on a subtle expression as if a little regretful.
“… Roan, uh…”
Roan replied reassuringly.
“Are you okay. I have no intention of discriminating against whose blood you mixed with. Even my concubine is not human. Whether your mother is a human or a demon, it doesn’t matter to me.”
Roan quietly hugged Elenir.
Why did he stay still
Because everything she said was true.
There are many people who would hate it if it was known that the empress of the demons had half human blood mixed in. More than anything else, a remark that could be a weakness for Erenier himself.
However, Ernear revealed to Roan the great secret of what she was determined to do.
Was it a whim because it was the first night?
Or maybe he was influenced by Roan’s gentle attitude.
“… The Grand Duke seems to have worked hard to hide this fact. Can’t you tell me this?”
Ernear answered seriously to Roan’s question, which she joked with.
“Roan is now my guardian.”
A smile spread across Roan’s face.
“Yes.”
“My father said that Roan would hate it, and that it was better to keep secrets a secret… I don’t want to keep cheating.”
“… Eleanor.”
It was a strange word.
I don’t want to cheat.
This means that Erenir herself is also aware that she does not reveal everything about herself to Roan.
The higher the level of attack, the more her wall might be breaking down.
That would be nice.
“When Erenia says something like that, I feel like I have to confess a secret too.”
Hearing Roan’s words, Eleanor laughed softly.
“What? Roan, whoops. He speaks like a child.”
“I agree with what you are saying. I don’t want to fool Rain, who should always be by my side.”
Indeed you,
Or other people.
If you know all my secrets, will you understand me?
That kind of fear has been there since the first time I came here.
Even if I can’t reveal everything
At least I don’t want to keep lying.
“Maybe it’s a power that doesn’t match Elenia, but you already know that I have the power of Goddess Laurecia.”
Eleanor’s eyes contained surprise.
“Why are you talking about that… ?”
“I am that power… I take divine power seriously.”
“What… , You mean, Roan?”
“I intend to use the power of the goddess to change the future of this country.”
Erenia, who had been looking up at Roan blankly, carefully raised her body.
She had a hunch that what Roan was saying wasn’t meant to be just a bedtime joke.
“Could you elaborate a bit more? Are you changing the future?”
Words I hesitated to say before bedtime.
However, after hearing Erenia’s confession about her mother, Roan made up her mind.
She reveals the source of his powers,
She decided to move without lying to her anymore.
It is said that kings and queens often unite for political reasons, but in the end, it is not easy to lead Evirzio as Roan wants if he does not coordinate his hands and feet in moving the country.
“I know that the land of this country is desolate.”
“Yeah, fortunately, less in the south, but… The two lands above the Southern Dark Ridge are not suitable for farming, and the north is too cold.”
“That I am solving the problem.”
“Yes, the Count made a wonderful discovery…”
Erenia, who continued her words, hesitated for a moment and shut her mouth.
“… Wait, that Roan solved that problem.”
Roan looked at Erenir with his mouth shut. Tell me what you guess
“Astor that the Count discovered, is it related to Roan?”
Roan nodded slowly and briefly confessed what had happened.
Being able to use the power bestowed by the goddess,
That was a big hint for finding a decision.
In addition to crystals, I have been able to use that divine power to solve quite a lot of problems,
The biggest solution is to know the reason for the devastation of this country.
“Devil… The devil made this land like this…”
Erenia looked shocked.
Her magic is the power of darkness.
Roan had never seen her use her magic before her eyes, but those who had seen her powers in her warfare said she borrowed and used her demonic powers.
That’s why Roan’s power is at odds with Eleanor’s.
However, Erenia became the empress of this land.
When she learned that the reason why her crops couldn’t grow in the country she ruled had to do with the source of her own magic, Erenia put on her face, as if she couldn’t help it.
“My demon art is a power commonly used by wizards of the Southern Dark Spirit. But if that power is causing Evirzio’s problems…”
“Don’t leap too far. Maybe it’s some other power.”
As if to comfort her, Roan brought her up.
“I do not know the source of your power. So I don’t know how the forces I want to block are connected. But what is clear is that I intend to stop the forces that try to suppress this land. Either borrow the power of Astor or the power of the goddess.”
“… Okay.”
After a moment of silence, Erenia gave her answer.
“Okay. For us, this country comes first.”
Everyone in Evirzio will rely on our couple.
“Whatever the method, I will support Roan if he can pull it off.”
And fortunately, Erenier came up with this answer.
At her words, Roan’s expression, which was worried about seeing the red concentric circles, brightened. If that had happened, after all, Roan wouldn’t have trusted her all her life.
“With the power of the goddess, you can bless the land. Humans can increase their harvest that way.”
“So you were trying to settle the humans?”
“Okay. Their skills and holy power are more useful in this land.”
“I didn’t know… It was.”
Erenier muttered.
“Humans are close to the power of the goddess, but the very existence of a goddess is too much for us…”
“I’m not used to it.”
“Yeah, I’m not used to it. I didn’t even think that I would be able to give Evirgio the power of the goddess. If there is a god, why did she abandon her demons? That kind of question is something that all demons who have mastered magic or studies have thought about at least once.”
“I left…”
(Former) It is still a unique case that I, who was a human, nestled in the body of the demon king and used my holy power.
The Goddess said that she did not specifically limit her power to her demons, but her demons had no way to know that, right?
Thousands of years is enough time for even the forest elf to forget something. She must move diligently to make her realize that the goddess has not yet abandoned this land. Because she got something from the goddess.
“I wouldn’t have abandoned it. So I must have this power.”
Roan lightly hugged Elenir.
When Roan’s hot body temperature touched his chilly body on a spring night, Elenia crouched down happily and rubbed her cheek against his body.
“This country will change.”
“Okay. Because you are our emperor.”
Cradled in Roan’s arms, Ernear briefly recalled a conversation she had with her father.
The day I first received Astor powder.
The power that the Grand Duke and Elenia felt were disparate was the power of the goddess.
And it was Roan who discovered it.
Her divine power dissipates Erenia’s power.
It was not a long life,
The fact that the divine power of the goddess, which can weaken the magical power she has accumulated so far, comes from none other than her husband, which made Erenier feel ironic.
‘Why, Roan.’
Eleanor felt a little sad.
Because her magical powers were the most decisive powers she was recognized as the grand duke’s daughter.
‘But Roan said I’m okay with being me.’
Even if you don’t change your tone or attitude.
Then, even if I don’t have this power, will Roan love me as I am?
Erenier looked at Roan blankly.
As if she understood her thoughts,
Roan silently kissed her on the forehead and stroked her hair again.
She was completely different from the way she had been aggressively coveting her own body in bed,
Erenia smiled to herself.
‘… I think I’ll fall for you again.’
It’s been years since I’ve been engaged and seen him in the castle, so why have I recently discovered a new side of him when I look closely at him?
Even though she said that she had divine power, which she had been so uncomfortable with, the image of her saying that she would use that power to raise the country and the people up was so lovely and trustworthy.
— Try not to make stupid mistakes.
The Grand Duke’s cold words came to mind.
However, Erenia lightly bit her lip.
Mistake.
‘Father, this is not a mistake.’
Ernear felt her own will clearer than ever.
Her mind was clear,
She couldn’t even hear the loud voice that always disturbed her.
‘It’s my will.’
Eleanor said she no longer felt the need to tell her father about Roan’s powers.
Trapped in his arms
Eleanor felt her freedom.
“Roan.”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you for trusting me.”
There are no lies in Erenia’s whispers.
Roan simply hugged her wife tightly with a light smile.
But that faith seemed to be tested the very next day.
“Your majesty.”
What Diobe brought was the maid who was to serve on Elenia.
She is the head of the ladies-in-waiting, most closely related to the empress.
“Her Highness’s room… Strange.”
