CH 69

“I ordered him to stop you. He only faithfully followed my orders, so I will take the blame for it.”

So that his anger no longer goes to Blenn. So that the grudge feelings of the two don’t get worse anymore.

Serdel stepped up.

“Are you defending him?”

It was something she did because she was concerned that things would get bigger, but Serdel didn’t have to respond.

Tsk. Falden looked down, clicked his tongue. Just in time, he made eye contact with Serdel, who was raising her head.

“Please let go of me now.”

“…What?”

“Everyone will arrive soon.”

“So?”

“Your Highness.”

He was terribly arrogant, whose judges were twisted tightly. Serdel’s voice sank to a low level. 

Blenn gave strength to the hand holding the sword.

Fearing that he might attack, Serdel reached out to mean not to move.

“Stay calm, Blenn.”

Ugh. Blenn bit his lips. 

“Let me go, Your Highness.”

“You’ve only received my help so far, so why? You don’t need it anymore?”

Perhaps the wounds stimulated by the emperor had not yet subsided, he groaned bitterly.

A low sigh came out naturally.

“Yes. I think it will be if I meet my brother.”

There was no saying that it wasn’t.

Serdel spoke more coldly.

“In the first place, it was just that we had no choice but to move together, right?”

“Young Lady, were you always this kind of person?”

“I’m supposed to be worse than this. So don’t be clingy, okay?”

“…What? Clingy?”

Ha! He laughed in vain as if he was dumbfounded.

“Clingy? Say it again. Clingy? Me?”

“If it’s not clingy, what is it?”

Ha, Ha! Ha! 

“I can’t believe I’m clingy. I can’t believe it—”

[Nunaaaaa!] 

Just in time, she could see Redan running with Dell from afar.

[Uwaaaaa! Uweeeeng!] 

As soon as he saw her, Dell burst into tears. The boy’s tears flew away madly in the wind. 

The boy who came running stopped right in front of her. 

Then he glared at Falden and entered the border between them. 

[Wuuuuu—]

The boy’s snout twisted.

Hiik, Dell stood on its hind legs and raised its fur.

Growl. Growl.

He even raised his tail.

[Nunaaaaa. Uweee….]

With his outstretched front foot, he pushed Falden’s shoulder away.

Grrr, grrr, grrr! 

[Get away. Get away. Get away. Get away from my Nuna!] 

“Ha, now—”

As he was getting angry, he saw Serdel’s cold gaze.

Tsk! He clicked his tongue and eventually let her go.

He looked at Dell, shaking off the dirt off his shoulder.

“Is this boy the same beast that the young lady said? I knew that a dog had been secretly following us from the Count, but that’s this kid? It seems like something has changed in size?”

As expected. He seems to have noticed Dell’s existence in advance.

Serdel simply turned a blind eye to Falden’s curiosity.

Now, sharing the emotion of the reunion was a priority.

[Unggg. I’m glad to see you again. Dell was really scary. I’m afraid I won’t be able to meet you. Dell is afraid to be alone again. I was so scared. Dell doesn’t have a mom or dad—]

She wiped away Dell’s tears with her hands.

The one who had been acting cute for a while under Serdel’s hand glanced at Redan. 

[Nuna. You know. This stupid guy is really worried… That… I hate this stupid guy a lot but… Hyung really worried a lot about Nuna. A lot.] 

Before she knew it, the title of Redan was naturally upgraded.

Amid the sense of unity that had been lost, he seemed to be getting close enough to eat the food he gave him in a snap.

Serdel with her head raised saw him standing in the distance. Two big eyes on a face that was bruised by worry about her.

He only glanced at her, but didn’t readily approach her

Contrary to usual, she didn’t like the way he looked dazed.

“Brother.”

Startled. 

His gaze gradually went down.

“I’m fine. I didn’t get hurt anywhere.”

Serdel took out a pocket containing medicine from the magic bag.

“I took the medicine while I was away.”

“…I’m sorry.”

With his fists clenched, he quickly raised his face and looked straight at her. 

He looked like he was about to cry.

“Sorry, I’m sorry. Because I’m so arrogant, I—”

He stuttered and apologized.

“Yeah, you’re arrogant, really.” 

“…Huh?”

At him, who was in a daze, Serdel smiled enthusiastically and shook her head.

“But I don’t think— I hate that arrogance anymore.”

“Serdel—”

“So it’s okay. Brother.”

It’s not like Cartal, Addis, and Redan’s actions were not burdensome.

Since they had been at odds with the atmosphere in the past, this was unavoidable.

It’s been a few years.

Only a few months. There was a change in their relationship. Therefore, the wounds she received were not shallow enough to be easily forgotten. 

Even if it is not in the memory of the three, it is clear in one’s mind as if it were yesterday.

To be honest, at one time, she also thought that the interest of the three people in her was pretentious.

However, as time went on, she learned a little bit about the pain of the three, and she felt strange. 

She couldn’t treat them harshly. 

Because she’s tired and lonely to do that.

She didn’t want to get hurt and hurt three people who were equally tired and lonely.

Biting his lips, Redan hugged her.

‘You’re this big.’

At this moment, he was like a child.

For the first time he looked small as he shed tears as he swallowed his sobbing.

Serdel wrapped his arms around her and stroked his trembling back.

******

“Then we’ll go this way. Your Highness.”

Since Serdel and Falden met with their respective teams, they had to finish their vague expedition and take a proper look at the forest for the rest of the time from now on. 

But it seems that Falden’s thought is different.

“Let’s move together. I think that would be better. Don’t you think so, Young Lady?”

He blocked the front of Redan and looked at Serdel.

He bent down and put his mouth close to Serdel’s ear.

“I see the same thing, but I think Young Lady’s ‘eye’ is better when I see you finding the cave faster when I enter the forest first.”

Serdel raised her eyes and met Falden’s gaze.

There was tension between the two people who were stuck together without a gap.

His eyes gleamed like sharp blades. A hot breath brushed her cheeks.

“We went too deep. You don’t know what kind of danger you’ll face. It would be less burdensome for Young Lady to move together.” 

“Aren’t you looking for a rather dangerous situation?”

He may be wondering what she got from the cave.

He’ll want to check it out with his eyes.

In response to a straightforward question as to whether or not he had proposed this for that, Falden, who had taken a straight posture, shrugged.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The smile on his face as he looked down at Serdel grew deeper and deeper.

And there was no specific reason to refuse.

“Okay, let’s move together.”

At the same time as the answer, the golden and silver airflow that guided them to the Manastone Mine reappeared. 

“Can you see it?”

“I can see it. Let’s go.”

Falden, who nodded, took the lead.

[Nuna. Get on Dell’s back.] 

Dell shook his tail.

[You’re going to ride on Dell’s back, right?] 

‘Yes. You will work harder a little more. I’m sorry, Dell.’

It was several times faster to travel by Dell than to walk.

[Ehehe. You don’t have to be sorry]

As soon as she climbed on his back, Redan and Blenn stuck close to each other.

Siri and Terra also stood behind.

The Count’s knights formed a tight line and surrounded them.

“What are you guys doing? Why don’t you protect me? It’s been a few days since we saw each other.”

Falden grumbled at his servants with a complaint.

“Ey, what do you mean.  Your Highness has to protect us. You’re stronger than us. Why are you exaggerating?”

As the big man jokingly responded, the people standing next to him burst into laughter.

They seemed quite relaxed compared to the Count’s knights, who looked stiff with tension and determination.

“Damn it. I can’t afford loyalty!”

“What are you talking about! If we weren’t loyal, would we have followed Your Highness? To be honest, you’re not that rich, and you’re not good-tempered!” 

“This cocky punk! Tsk!”

Falden clicked his tongue.

Thanks to this, the rigid atmosphere here has been relieved a bit.

‘You did that on purpose.’

If all the strength goes into their body, it will be difficult to use their skills in a crisis situation.

Serdel nodded her head in gratitude to Falden, who had softened the sharpness of the Count’s knights.

He sent a hand signal that they were going to leave, replacing the answer with a smile. 

Along with him, Falden flew his body sleekly.

Everyone followed after him.