CH 25

Eleonora was overflowing with happiness.

“…Your Highness, do you know Ham-chan?”

Alexei blinked his eyes.

“…Did you hear about me, about Pie, from Ham-chan?”

Eleonora wanted to confirm that Alexei was Ham-chan’s close relative.

“…Would you allow me to see him briefly?”

She clasped her hands together in front of her as she asked.

(Your Highness, I wanna see Ham-chan! Ham-chan! My adorable little Ham-chan!)

Their surroundings were as noisy as before, with the ringing of the bell and the sound of angry voices. Within that chaos, only the three griffons, the beautiful Eleonora, and the cold and ruthless emperor Alexei seemed as if they were lost in their own world, full of happiness.

Then someone invaded that space.

“Your Highness! Are you alright?! As I expected, rather than as the prime minister, I want to protect you as an individual! Alright, magic beast, eat me!”

Sergei, who was supposed to have escaped from the roof, returned and jumped in front of the beasts, trembling as he screamed.

Alexei spoke out to Sergei who had his eyes closed and arms spread wide.

“What are you doing Sergei?”

Though shocked, Alexei didn’t think badly of Sergei’s will to lay down his life to protect him.

“Your Highness, I will protect you here!”

Alexei then began to explain the situation to Sergei, who still had his back turned.

“You’re misunderstanding. The griffon won’t eat you. In fact, they won’t eat humans. Only something like the three-eyed crimson bear would eat humans. That bear is omnivorous.”

(The emperor even knows about the three-eyed crimson bear-pe! That bear was the one that ate Ham-chan-pe! After I heard that story, I wanted to tear that bear into shreds and make hotpot out of him-be.)

“Your Highness, is that true? This magical beast is okay?”

“It’s okay.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?!”

Hearing their conversation, Eleonora spoke up.

“Prime Minister, Guri-chan would never do such a barbaric deed.”

“Guri-chan?”

Eleonora slowly nodded.

“…This child is Guri-chan the griffon——”

(I wanna tell him that Guri-chan came to see me-be. But the prime minister wouldn’t believe Guri-chan’s words. I might understand what the magical beasts are saying, but a normal person wouldn’t-pe.)

“Do you know this magical beast?”

(Even if I became Eleonora, you still came to see me-pe. Even if my appearance changes, you’ll still come to see me Guri-chan. How amazing-pe.)

Before she could acknowledge his question, Alexei answered.

“It seems she has the power to subdue magical beasts. This power must have just awakened some time ago. Since she was born after the annihilation of the magical beasts, she should only know about the ones recorded in books. What an amazing power! Even greater than the holy light from the saintess!”

(Your Highness, why are you lying like this?)

In the next moment, Eleonora understood.

(…! I see it’d be bad if I was friendly with the magical beasts-pe. They might think I’m using the griffons to attack the capital-be. I’m so foolish-pe!)

After she understood his intention, Eleonora gave him a look of acknowledgment.

“Eleonora. Can I leave the griffons to you?”

Eleonora nodded vigorously.

“Sergei. That’s how it is so I will now explain to the knights and cabinet ministers in the castle. Gather them in an open area. But first, tell them that the magical beasts will not, by any means, rampage. Any retainers who don’t believe me are not needed.”

Following Alexei’s instructions, the bell was stopped, and their surroundings became quiet once again. The knights who were knocked back toward the wall formed a line, kneeling on one knee before Alexei with their heads lowered.

“Do you believe my words? I am not afraid of magical beasts, remember that clearly.”

Then he drove the knights away and ordered the servants to exit, leaving just him and Eleonora.

He turned to face her once again. After a brief silence, Eleonora spoke.

“…Your Highness. Thank you for earlier.”

He narrowed his eyes at her words.

“No, I couldn’t make you out as the perpetrator.”

(These gentle eyes are exactly the same as Ham-chan-pe! Maybe he’s Ham-chan’s brother!)

“…Your Highness, you know Ham-chan right? Where is Ham-chan? It’s fine even if I can only glance at him from afar.”

Alexei’s eyes widened. He was dumbfounded that she didn’t realize that he and Ham-chan were the same person. In the next moment, he was struck by the fear that she would find out her precious Ham-chan was the emperor who walked the path of bloodshed.

“Eleonora. I met this boy you call Ham-chan a very long time ago. He told me a woman named Pie took care of him in the Magic Forest.”

Thinking that she would be able to meet Ham-chan soon, Eleonora’s shoulders fell. He had the urge to reach out and touch her thin shoulders, but he withdrew his hand and continued speaking.

“Now, from today onwards you will be acting as the only person who can suppress the magical beasts, is that alright?”

She nodded in response, a serious expression on her face.