CH 47

─Rodo’s side─

“Ryodo, Sarez, ask, go, first?” (Ryodo, can we go to Sarez first?)

While I was talking to His Majesty and the Chancellor, I heard an insistent voice from my arms.

Kou said he’ll be my magician, but given his power, he has a future of being Marihect’s lead magician.

He has a unique power and a different way of healing.

──if Kou had seen you before, he could even put back a missing limb.

It goes without saying that His Majesty and the Chancellor wanted Kou’s power.

Using that power not just for me but also for the country…in a sense, it can’t be helped.

But I have no intention of letting Kou go nor moving from the Third Corps.

Because I’ll marry Kou and live happily.

“I’m not going to live apart from my mate. Do you guys know what happens if you take him away from me?”

If I’m robbed of Kou, I’ll kill them, even if it’s His Majesty.

My priority is not His Majesty or the country, but Kou.

It’s my happy time to spend it with Kou.

If someone interferes with it, I will not forgive anyone.

Suddenly, I turned my gaze back to the one in my arms at a slight hiccup I heard, Kou was crying for some reason.

“Kou?”

Is it because I ignored him?

Or did he not like that we’re arguing?

“What’s wrong?”

Why are you crying?

Kou just shook his head when I called out.

Though he didn’t do anything else, whenever Kou cried, I’d get flustered.

“Kou, sorry.”

I don’t know why Kou is crying but words of apology came out of my mouth.

When I picked him up, Kou just shook his head and put his head on my shoulder.

When this happens, I can’t see Kou’s face.

(Did he want to go to the tower early?)

Was it because I didn’t answer when he asked when we’ll go?

Kou rubbed his face on my shoulders.

He stopped crying…I wonder why?

“Kou, walk. Down, okay?”

As expected, he didn’t like being picked up very much after looking like this.

We’d often hold hands instead.

As soon as I put him down, Kou held my hand.

“Would you like to go to the Tower of Sarez?”

“Hn.”

Kou, who nodded, looks younger than usual, partly because he was crying.

“Live in the castle during your stay.”

His Majesty said as we tried to walk away, so I inadvertently became suspicious.

It’s not normal to let them stay in the castle.

Even messengers from other countries spend their time outside.

In the rare chance that I stay, I always sleep in the barracks.

I have never used the castle as an inn.

“…the castle? Are you seriously saying that?”

Unrelated people cannot live in the castle.

Even His Majesty’s family is not in the same castle.

Their family residence is in another location.

There are only escorts in shifts and servants who take care of His Majesty’s personal belongings.

The Chancellor also lives in a different place.

There seemed to be many rooms for naps, but only His Majesty can live in this castle.

Moreover, I’m an Akinist who’s said to be stronger than His Majesty.

I’m not thinking of rebelling, but the king of a nation should still be wary.

…as expected, is Kou the reason for saying such a thing?

“…castle, Ryodo, Kou, is?” (Are we staying in the castle?)

A cheerful face looked up.

I wonder if I’m the strange one for not using the castle as an inn.

“Yes. King, said.”

“…Sarez, Tower, what about?” (What about the Tower of Sarez?)

That Sarez again…

Do you want to go so badly?

“Now, go.” (We can go now.)

“…King, also?” (The king also?)

(Eh?)

This time, I tilted my head.

“King, work──”

“Can I go with you?”

I tried to say that he’s working, but apparently, he’s going.

(The magicians are going to make a fuss.)

Because His Majesty rarely goes to the tower.

Kou nodded, though he didn’t let go of me.

He’s still scared since he’s still trying to get closer to me.

…looks like he really wanted to go to that appointment.

“I’ll get ready, so wait.”

I’ve never seen His Majesty run in such a hurry.

The escorts also chased from behind him.

…for some reason, even the Chancellor.

But, is he also coming?

…is it okay to leave the castle like this?

“King, childish, see.” (I saw the King acting childish.)

Meanwhile, Kou is giggling.

Calling the 632 years old His Majesty “childish”…

Only Kou would say such a thing.

“King, already, scared, no?” (Not scared of the King anymore?)

Kou didn’t look scared of His Majesty today.

I’m still not sure why he’s afraid of His Majesty, but I don’t want him intimate enough to get closer to Kou.

For now, only Renneiga and my parents can approach without Kou’s wariness.

Then he’d talk to everyone else with a polite smile.

He also looked like a child and would sometimes be stroked.

In particular, many Tower people tried to stroke him.

But he says that the Akinist is the cutest.

Kou’s the only one who’d call an Akinist “cute”.

I’m sure no one knew why he thought so.

“King, a little, scary. Before, then, scary, no.” (The King is still a little scary but not as scary as before.)

That didn’t mean he’s not afraid anymore.

However, there’s a possibility that the fear will disappear from now on.

Seeing him smile at everyone, I’m worried to death.

──seems like I’m the only one who could hold his hands and he didn’t want anyone other than me holding him.

I wanted to go to the Tower of Sarez and go back soon to prepare for our marriage…

If we’re going to stay for a few days, that will be postponed.

I wanted to get married soon.

I wanted to make him my own as soon as possible.

“…Kou?”

I noticed my hand being released and called out, but on the contrary, Kou didn’t leave and just leaned into my arms.

Maybe it’s because of the height difference that made him lean his head on my arm…

But what happened?

…are you just spoiling me?

When I stroked his head with my freed hand, he’d rub his head against my hand.

Recently, he’d often behave like this.

──it’s as if my reason is being tested.

I kept thinking he liked me as a “marriage partner” and it’s easy to misunderstand.

But Kou still thinks of me only as a “guardian”.

The number of times he said “like” increased, and that shy expression is too cute.

And I’m about to get my hands on him.

I never imagined that I would love someone so much until I met Kou.

Because he’s my mate…no, rather, I feel like that because it’s Kou.

“Sarez, Tower, go, thought, town, there, house, go? Home, before?” (I thought we’re going to the Tower of Sarez and then to your parents’ house? Did it change?)

After going to the Tower, Kou asked if we could check on my parents before we go home.

Certainly, if we’re staying in the castle for a while, it’s okay to go there before going home.

Moreover, it seems like His Majesty and the Chancellor will come with us to the Tower and we could also take some things back to my parents’ house.

Because of the gathering of three Akinists, it’d be a nuisance if His Majesty is also there.

…well, my parents will do something somehow.

“Home, before, go.” (We’ll go there before going home.)

“I see.”

Kou said while leaning on my arms.

He didn’t seem that interested in my parents, so what is it?

What is he thinking about now?

“…King, slow, right?”

He said such a thing after a while.

Why is he in such a hurry to go to the Tower of Sarez?

Is it because the Representative of Trik is waiting?

Is it because he wanted to see the magic that can only be used by the Representative of Sarez?

He said he’d do his best to study the language, but the current situation is that communication entirely depends on Kou’s efforts.

I also wanted to learn Kou’s language, but it seems that my intelligence is too different, and I’m not confident that I can learn as much as Kou in about three months.

Even though Kou doesn’t speak his language that much, I can’t even follow a word at this point.

Moreover, even when I can distinguish it, I have no idea what it means.

Why is Kou so intelligent?

He said he’s normal in Niho, but is that true?

For me, Kou is just being humble and was quite excellent.

─Rodo’s side end─

Translator’s note:

Okay, it’s often said that he couldn’t hear it but I just translate it as he couldn’t understand it.

Remember when you’re hearing a foreign language for the first time? You don’t even know if they’re saying just one word or multiple words and it’s all just gibberish. That phrase meant that he couldn’t distinguish the words and even if he could, he didn’t know what it meant. Just an FYI.