Chapter 144 - One Awkward Question

Valdrova's enormous dragon form gradually drew closer while simultaneously shrinking.

She was polymorphing as she approached.

"Luri."

"Yes Lady, Ferda please close your eyes."

"Why?"

"When Lady Valdrova comes closer, she will arrive in her human form. You would end up seeing her face."

She had a point.

So Ferda asked cautiously,

"Couldn't I take just a quick look?"

"...I take that back. Please turn your whole body around. If you even turn your head, I'll be giving you a full scrubbing."

His unnecessary greed had only made her more wary.

Following Luri's advice, Ferda turned around, and the gusts that had been approaching suddenly vanished.

Instead, he heard the soft sound of someone landing gracefully on the ground.

"Master, I'm here."

"Mm."

Along with her clear voice came the faint clinking of something being set down.

Sneaking glances at Ferda, she quietly asked Luri,

"L-Luri... I don't look strange, do I?"

"You always look like this. There's nothing for you to worry about."

"Um... There's nothing weird stuck to me... right?"

"I don't see anything with these eyes of mine, so there's no need to worry."

"H-How does my voice sound?"

"Why would it have changed?"

"Mmm! Right! Ahem! Ahem!"

She cleared her throat, letting out the heat of her racing heart.

His back was turned.

Not his ears.

Her trembling voice made Ferda's own heart tremble as well.

The anxiety in her voice was contagious.

"It's all right now."

At Luri's words, Ferda turned around.

Before him sat a breathtakingly beautiful woman wearing a mask.

Gone was the valiant dragon who had fought so fiercely only moments ago.

Instead, there sat a shy young woman with fearsome horns.

It felt strangely new.

He had always seen nothing but Dragon Dragoon Armor sitting at this tea table.

Now that there was a small, beautiful woman there instead, it made him nervous as though they were meeting for the very first time.

I still can't believe it.

To think he had danced beneath the moonlight with someone like her.

"It is an honor to meet Your Grace, Grand Duchess."

"Y-Yes, Mr. Ferda!"

She put far too much force into those simple words.

She was the first to speak.

"A-Are your wounds all right?"

"Yes. Back then and now, there's nothing for you to worry about."

"Uuu... I'm sorry... I got so excited that I..."

"It's nothing serious. You simply overreacted a bit, and I was the one who ended up flustered."

Ferda desperately tried to reassure her.

Surprisingly, his efforts were motivated by his own desires.

They had finally progressed from merely holding hands to embracing.

He couldn't let the distance between them grow again.

He would rather risk having his heart pierced and hug her once more.

That was Ferda's resolve.

Just as Ferda felt that way, Valdrova felt the same.

"N-Next time I'll definitely come up with a proper solution! One where I don't stab you, Mr. Ferda!"

"Um... couldn't you simply hide your horns?"

Ferda cautiously suggested a solution.

Didn't Luri hide her dragon traits?

Other dragons had concealed their appearances to mingle with the world for ages.

So he assumed Valdrova could hide her horns and tail as well.

"I wish I could... I can do something about my tail, but I can't hide my horns..."

If that was impossible, there was nothing to be done.

It was truly heartbreaking.

He soothed his disappointment with a sip of black tea.

"Um... what did you think?"

"What do you mean by that...?"

"I mean... when you saw me fighting the Monsters... What did you think?"

Battles always felt roughly the same.

Overwhelming.

Brutal.

Merciless.

Valdrova had fully lived up to her title as the Aspect of Strength.

The overall pattern was similar, but to Ferda, she always showed him something new.

"You carried yourself exactly as your Aspect deserves. If the people of Hestia Village had witnessed it, it would have stirred their love for their homeland."

"Really?"

Valdrova didn't actually know what "love for their homeland" meant.

She simply assumed it was something positive.

But that wasn't the real reason she had asked.

Her fidgeting fingers betrayed her true intentions.

"Then... um..."

Swallowing her embarrassment, she finally asked,

"Did it..."

"Did it?"

"...Turn you on?" 1

"Pffft!"

Instead of answering, Ferda spectacularly sprayed his tea everywhere.

Rather than saying anything, he covered his face and turned away.

Even the one who had dropped the bomb panicked.

"M-Mr. Ferda! Are you okay?! What's wrong?!"

Valdrova panicked while Ferda couldn't bring himself to speak.

Watching the entire exchange, Luri's eyes sharpened.

"Master... did you know what that phrase actually means?"

"Huh? Um... I heard that's what men say when they like a woman..."

"And do you know just how vulgar that expression is?"

A shadow fell across Luri's face.

"Do you also know that it's something even a Monarch must never say?"

"Uh..."

"And that it's something a woman should never say to a man?"

"I... I didn't know... Mr. Ferda... did I offend you?"

Ferda lowered his head without answering.

The black tea still in his mouth dripped slowly from his lips.

"Look at him. He's so shocked that he's completely speechless."

"I-I'm sorry! Mr. Ferda... I was rude again... I'm such an idiot..."

"N-No... cough... It's just that the tea went down the wrong way... Please don't take it to heart..."

Ferda couldn't bring himself to look at Valdrova's face.

Thinking she had earned his hatred, Valdrova swallowed a painful groan.

Amid the awkward silence, Luri spoke like a mother.

"For now, please return to the cave. We shall continue this... conversation there."

"Uuuu..."

With her shoulders drooping, Valdrova slowly flapped her wings and flew away.

After she left, only the cold wind atop the peak remained.

"Lord Ferda. Master has left."

"...Right."

"Now then, please stand up. Don't you have work to attend to?"

"I do..."

He said that.

Yet Ferda couldn't bring himself to stand.

Seeing his unusual behavior, Luri tilted her head before cautiously asking,

"...Don't tell me... you really were turned on?" 3

"..."

Ferda couldn't answer.

***

A message arrived from the Blue Eye Magic Tower.

"We've purified the contaminated land near the waterway. We'll reopen the route toward the Far East soon."

They called it purification.

In reality, they had simply excavated the entire area and covered it with fresh soil.

Regardless, clean water would soon begin flowing again.

And when the citizens heard they would no longer have to drink water contaminated by the Land of Demons, they would surely rejoice.

"And there's one more thing we'd like to propose."

"Please, go ahead."

"We'd like to make a serious investment in Vernel Marquis's Essence Extractor this time. What are your thoughts?"

"We would be grateful for your investment. But what would you like in return?"

"Nothing major. Since we're allies, we'd simply appreciate it if you mentioned that we also cooperated in this development. You could think of it as a small favor."

In other words—

They wanted to save face.

The Dragon Spawn had failed to accomplish what the Aspects of Water could not.

Purifying the polluted water had dealt quite a blow to their pride.

Vernel Marquis's value just keeps rising.

"I have no objections. You're our allies, and you're offering support. However, I'll need to discuss it with Vernel first."

"Of course. After all, it's also a matter of scholarly pride. There's no need to rush."

Erika didn't pressure him.

Acting calmly when the matter wasn't urgent was simply the basics.

"By the way, we also contacted the High Elves."

It was about deciphering the records left behind by Linne, the Dark Elf research director.

Secretly hoping they would ask him to come immediately, Ferda waited for her next words.

"Unless it's an urgent matter, they asked us to contact them again this summer."

"Is something happening over there?"

"We don't know either. When it comes to Elves, if they feel like it, they'll casually skip ahead ten years."

Ten years...

Hearing it put that way made waiting until summer feel incredibly short.

"That's actually good news. Things are already moving here, so I wouldn't be able to leave for a while anyway."

"Even when the Continent's stability is at stake, they're still like that. They really are High Elves. Long-lived creatures who only care about linking minds together while acting all secretive."

"Aren't you long-lived as well?"

"Do we really look the same as those lazy creatures to you?"

There was venom in her voice.

Then again, just as humans would dislike being lumped together with Orcs simply because both were short-lived races, the Dragon Spawn likely felt the same.

"Very well. I'll inform the Administrator."

"We'll bring you more good news soon. Please continue taking care of things on your end as well."

The communication ended.

Soon afterward came news that the massive procession of nobles traveling alongside the Imperial Army had safely entered the Imperial Nation.

The one who reported it was William.

"How was the banquet?"

"Magnificent. Everyone kept saying it couldn't even be compared to the one held at Valdrova Castle."

As the Regent, Ferda found that rather unpleasant to hear.

At the same time, he couldn't deny it.

That was the entire point from the beginning.

Alexander had probably gone to considerable lengths to erase his disgrace while simultaneously demonstrating the greatness of the Imperial Nation.

The excitement of entering the Imperial Palace—a place most people could only dream of visiting.

Then a banquet grand enough to exceed all expectations.

Compared to that, the banquet at Valdrova Castle had likely been made to look like nothing more than a village festival.

"So the atmosphere is good?"

"On the surface, yes..."

William spoke awkwardly.

"But I think trouble is coming."

"What do you mean?"

"His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince has been acting rather strangely."

From William's perspective as an observer, this was what had happened.

Alexander Arken, the Crown Prince, personally greeted every noble and Knight who arrived at the city gates.

He praised them as true heroes and patriots of the nation.

Even after the banquet officially began, he continued showering the nobles with praise.

For those who dreamed of the Empire Dream, it was enough to fill them with pride.

"Rather than simply honoring heroes, it feels like he has another objective."

"I believe so as well."

The benefit of praising them was obvious.

He was gathering supporters.

Alexander was effectively trying to win over the 250 young noble sons and daughters.

At the moment, there was nothing Ferda could do.

"Continue observing and report back tomorrow."

"Understood."

The Mana within the Communication Crystal dispersed.

Ferda stared at the crystal for quite some time.

Why is Alexander trying to gather allies...?

There were plenty of possible reasons.

People had cursed him as a servant of the Demon Race.

An entire legion under his command had been annihilated.

Those were obvious reasons.

But Alexander wasn't the sort of man to act for reasons that obvious alone.

He would use those as a public justification while concealing another, deeper motive.

What is it?

Olivia... perhaps.

No matter how he thought about it, the most likely explanation was that Alexander was laying the groundwork to stop her.

Knowing Olivia's extraordinary intellect, it would be hard to believe she hadn't already anticipated something like this.

How would Olivia respond?

Whatever happened...

She would surely resolve it skillfully.

That was simply the kind of person Olivia was.

***

The following day,

William reported in a far more serious tone.

"As expected, trouble has broken out."

"In what way?"

"Her Highness the Princess's achievements in this war have been severely undervalued in the official merit evaluation."

Yesterday's concern had become reality.

"Tell me everything."

William explained the situation.

After the banquet, there had been an award ceremony where medals were presented based on each person's contributions.

When Olivia reviewed the list and the evaluation criteria, she immediately objected.

Ferda wondered just how badly they had undervalued her.

"Her Highness the Princess was credited with only 3% of the total merit for this operation."

That's... rather excessive.

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