CH 112

Excuse me."

"Please have a seat over there."

The four of us, including myself, Fara, and two guards, were to come to Eltia's room, but I asked the two guards to stay outside the room.

The only three people in the room now were Eltia and us.

Fara and I sat down on the sofa as Eltia suggested.

We were sitting across the table from her. Looking at us, Eltia suddenly said,

"So, how can I assist you two?"

"Yes. First of all, I would like to thank you for having our backs earlier."

When I finished, I bowed to Eltia.

I smiled when I looked up and said

"So, from now on, I would be happy if I could call you , mother-in-law."

"What ......?"

Eltia seemed to find my words unexpected and looked stunned.

But she quickly returned to her usual expression, coughed, and said, "

',...... I am disconnected from Fara. I am not qualified to be called mother-in-law by Master Rid. Besides, you are not yet married. I am afraid that statement would be considered indiscreet."

"I am sorry, but that is a very strange thing to say, mother-in-law. You say that you have broken off your relationship with the Princess Fara, but that is not possible. Your mother-in-law and Princess Fara are a part of the royal family. You cannot cut ties with her on your own."

She furrowed her eyebrows at my words and gave me a dubious look. I continued.

"the marriage has not yet taken place, but now that His Majesty Elias and my father have given their approval, I believe that the marriage between me and Princess Fara is definite."

"Well,...... I am sure that you have beaten Norris to the punch on the spot,...... and I will leave it to you to decide what you want to call me, Master Rid. But I said that even though I am related by blood to the royal family, I meant that I and the Princess Fara have no parent-child relationship"

Eltia gave me a cold, sharp look, and then she gave Fara that look as well.

Fara looked frightened by the look, but looked at me at the same time as I strongly grasped her hand.

Fara nodded her head and took a deep breath before looking at me.

I took a deep breath and looked at her. I spun the words that I had decided to talk to her about before visiting Ertia's room.

'...... I do not know what Mother is thinking when she says such things. But Master Rid told me that Mother never hated me. So I believe in my mother, whom Master Rid believed in ...... , and I believe that one day ...... you will talk to me one day ........ ...... ...... so .... For me, Mother will always be Mother ...... ."

Fara's small but dignified voice echoed in the silent room.

Hearing those words, Eltia's ears seemed to twitch for a moment.

Eltia looked at Farah's face with sharp, cold eyes as she finished, and said, as if to shun her

'...... foolish thing. Master Rid and Princess Fara like pretty things very much, don't you? Love and kindness cannot protect anything. You should be more careful in your ability to see through people."

"Mother-in-law, I am afraid to tell you this. Love and kindness give people the resolve and strength to protect others and their families. If a person has neither love nor kindness, nothing will protect them and they will simply run away from the situation."

[......]

Eltia didn't argue, just stared at me with her still, cold, piercing eyes.

'What I wanted to tell you, Princess Fara and I, is that no matter what your mother-in-law says, to us, Eltia is always mother-in-law."

'...... I will believe you, Mother, and wait for you. I will never do anything to break off our relationship, no matter what you say."

Fara and I looked at Eltia with strong eyes.

When she saw us, she let out a sigh and said in dismay,

'Hah,...... then do as you please. If the two of you have decided, I have nothing to say. If you want to believe it, believe it on your own......."

"...... , yes, Mother. Thank you ."

Fara must have gained something in her own way from the current exchange.

The darkness that was there when she was being consulted was no longer there.

Hearing Fara's words, Eltia coldly said

", are  you done, then leave ?'

"I understand. I will be leaving today."

◇

Fara and I decided to leave the room as Eltia had said.

We had already accomplished our goal.

Our objective was to convey in words that we believed in her .

When I heard all of Fara's story, I felt that Eltia did not hate Fara.

She also said that she did not know how to deal with Eltia.

If that was the case, I told her that I would trust her.

There are many things about Ertia's behavior that I don't understand.

But she never did anything to make Fara unhappy.

So I told her that I would believe her.

Farah also said,

So we decided to wait until one day Eltia would tell us everything, .

As Fara and I were about to leave the room, Eltia stopped us.

"...... master . Ridd, if you don't mind, can we have a little talk alone?"

After I heard Ertia's words, I looked at Fara as if to confirm.

She looked at me and nodded quietly.

After confirming Farah's nod, I smiled and said to Eltia

"Yes, it's okay. "

Eltia stopped me and I sat down again where I had been sitting before.

Why am I alone?　

As I was thinking this, Ertia suddenly said to me.

"Master Rid, let me ask you one question. Why do you care so much about me and Fara?　I beg your pardon, but I know this is none of your business."

She had a very strange expression on her face.

For some reason, I thought it might be okay to talk about it with Eltia.

I thought so, and began to talk.

"I want you to keep it between me and you, my own mother, Nanalee Bardia, is suffering from a deadly disease called 'magic depletion."

"Magic Depletion Syndrome ......"

I explained to Eltia about the disease.

Nikkiak had told me that there were only a few cases of the disease in Renalute.

Without telling her the important parts, I told her that she could lose her life at any time.

I told her that we had managed to prolong her life in various ways.

Eltia just listened to me in silence.

Finally, I told Eltia and Fara what I was thinking.

"I don't know what kind of feelings there are between you and Princess Fara. But I couldn't help but think of the two of you as strangers. I am sorry for my intrusion."

Finally, I bowed my head, apologizing for what I had just said.

I knew it was tactless for me to enter into the parent-child relationship between Fara and Eltia.

But I couldn't leave it alone.

As I bowed my head with this thought in mind, I was suddenly embraced in the arms of Ertia.

I was taken aback, and it took me a little while to realize that I had been embraced.

"What's going on, Miss Eltia?　What's wrong?"

It was so quick that I called her Eltia instead of Mother-in-law.

Eltia spoke to me softly.

'...... I know that your mother, Lady Nanalee, would be very proud of you, Master Rid. Please, have confidence in yourself."

'Is that so,......?

". Yes, I am sure there is no mother who would not be proud to give birth to a child like Rid. Please be strong in your heart."

"Thank you, ......."

I felt a warmth that I had never felt before.

And tears naturally overflowed.

Eltia held me gently until I stopped crying.

It was very loving, just like my mother used to be to me.

◇

I apologize, Master Rid. I was thinking about what Lady Nanalee was going through, and I got too emotionally involved. ......"

"No, no, I'm fine. Well, thanks to you, Miss Eltia, I also feel a little relieved".

Eltia looked a little embarrassed by my words, but then she cleared her throat, her expression dignified, and she said

"I understand your feelings, Master Rid,., but I have my own ideas about what I can do to help her . , b I hope you understand that."

". I and Princess Fara are both expecting Eltia-sama to talk to us someday. We are waiting for that time to come."

Hearing my words, Eltia smiled kindly, as she had never done before, and said,

'...... please take care of Fara for me, ...... Master Rid .'

"I will make her happy, I promise. I

I went back to Fara's room after I finished talking with Eltia.

"I can't go into detail, but I told my mother-in-law that I would make sure to make you happy".

"What?　What do you mean?'

She was blushing and flicking her ears up and down.

This cuteness of hers has become a bit of a tradition for me.