CH 79

According to Nyran, the fourth prince was his older brother, who had returned from the elf lands.

“Aaron. But you’re supposed to return to the elf territories.”

“The only people that need to go are Nyran and Kaider. I’m not even an Adventurer. Besides, since I’ve been away for so long, fewer people inland will know my face.”

Aaron replied to the king. Chiharu looked at him. No, they looked so much alike that anyone would see he was royalty at a glance. However, she kept this to herself. As for Maki, she was a little blunter.

“No, we don’t want to go with royalty. Can you please introduce us to someone who won’t stick out? Like a merchant.”

“You’re not satisfied with me?”

“Yes, well, not in that way.”

“So you are unsatisfied?”

“Yes.”

Maki and Aaron glared at each other.

“Wait a minute. Why are you acting like it’s already been decided that you’ll go at all? It’s too dangerous. And this is inland. I feel bad for the merfolk chief, but we can’t risk losing the Saintesses.”

Kaider said. Maki replied calmly.

“We don’t need your permission, Kaider.”

“What! You are being willful!”

“I know that I am! But sometimes you have to do things, even if it is willful!”

Now it was Maki and Kaider who were glaring at each other. However, Kaider’s eyebrows lowered.

“Please. Only be that way when I can protect you. I’m worried.”

He said.

“Kaider…”

“Maki…”

“Ugh, can you two do this some other time?”

Kilian interrupted them. Maki and Kaider quickly looked away.

“What should be done…”

Kilian said as he held his head. And then Edwy answered.

“It cannot be helped. We must send them out.”

“Edwy!”

Chiharu smiled. Yes. Chiharu looked cute when she laughed. Edwy almost smiled himself, but he forced himself to keep a straight face.

“They’ll just run away by themselves if we don’t let them go. So it would be better to just accept it now.”

He said.

“Maki. Aaron shouldn’t have too much trouble blending in with the inland people. In fact, he often runs away and disguises himself as a commoner in order to play around, just like you two. And so you should allow him to accompany you.”

Uh, run away and play around? How rude. Maki thought.

“And I will go as well.”

Edwy said, much to her surprise.

“Edwy. Uh, you’ll stick out too much.”

“What? I won’t stick out if I wear a hat.”

“But your eyes.”

“There are plenty of inland people with blue eyes. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

“But I do. In spite of what you might think, I’m used to living in town. Besides, what do you think I’ve been doing all of this time?”

Indeed. And so they were all in agreement.

“But, what about the elf lands?”

“I was just an extra anyway. Nyran is the main person who must go. He can just say that the Midland prince was tired from his dwarven journey.”

“Arthur will be very sad if something happens to you. You are his only son.”

Chiharu said quietly.

“But it was our world that took you two from your parents. If you two are going to be put into danger, then I cannot stand by and watch.”

Chiharu was surprised. Since when had Edwy become so strong? They stared at each other for a while.

“Hey, you two. So, in other words, you’re going to dress up as merchants and do a little digging, right? There shouldn’t be anything dangerous about that!”

Aaron said. Chiharu and Edwy looked away from each other.

“Then it will be me and Edwy who accompany the two saintesses. We can move around while pretending to be merchants. And then perhaps we can have a few more people come who won’t draw attention.”

Aaron started to say. And so Maki interrupted him.

“Um, that won’t do. It can’t look like Lowland is involved.”

“I know that.”

Aaron said with a grin.

“We’re just going as guards for the Saintesses. It is all just a coincidence that we were there.”

“It seems too extravagant for guards…”

Chiharu looked a little dazed. How had it come to this? They had wanted to go with some merchants.

“It’s perfect. I brought back a lot of Soluna oranges from the elf lands. We can sell those. They are very popular inland. Even if we stick out a little, people will be happy.”

Aaron said as if it had already been decided.

“Also, it will take three days by carriage to go to the mirror lake after we cross the border. And it takes three days to get to the border from here. So, what will you do?”

He asked Maki and Chiharu.

“We were going to ask Sauro and Saikania to take us. Of course, they would stick out if they went all of the way. So they would take us to a town close to the border. Then we would go by carriage.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. Aeris’s airship would draw too much attention, so we can’t use that… But I haven’t been carried by the birdfolk since I was a child.”

Aaron said with a chuckle. Maki laughed too.

“Well, no one is forcing you to come with us.”

“No, it will be a good experience for me. Besides, if I don’t go, you’ll have no shadow guards or Soluna oranges.”

“You’re petty.”

“Hmph. And you’re ungrateful.”

“We didn’t even want you.”

They glared at each other. Would they be alright? Chiharu was unsure.

However, Aaron was quick to move. Within the day, he ordered that the Soluna oranges be prepared to be taken out, and he sent out some guards on horseback to move ahead of them. This was so they would arrive at the border town at the same time as the birdfolk.

As their plans had changed so suddenly, Aeris, Kaider, and Nyran were incredibly worried. However, Aeris still had to take the airship to the elf lands. And he also wanted to see the dungeon with his own eyes.

Furthermore, he knew that as an elf, he wouldn’t be any help to them anyway. And while Kaider and Nyran wished their duty didn’t demand they be elsewhere, they knew that they couldn’t ignore it and follow the Saintesses. If they did, it was Maki and Chiharu who would be blamed.

And they had to think of all of the other people as well.

“Maki and Chiharu. I wish you didn’t have to go.”

Aeris said sadly. Chiharu took his hand and looked at his face.

“We’re not going in secret this time. And Edwy will be with us. So we’ll be fine.”

“Let me at least replenish myself of you first.”

Aeris said as he sat down and pulled Chiharu to his side.

“You too, Maki.”

And so Maki sat on the opposite side of him. Aeris held them on both sides in order to recharge from their energy, or something. And then he let them go.

Maki and Chiharu then moved over to Grudo and hugged him from both sides. Grudo then patted them gently on the hand.

“I’m not worried about you two at all. You should do what you feel is best.”

“Thank you.”

Kaider and Nyran watched on a little jealously, but they were not bold enough to say they wanted to be replenished as well.

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“And don’t work at night anymore.”

That was all that they could say.

“Yes, we won’t.”

“I’ll be careful.”

And so Kaider and Nyran had no choice but to look them in the eyes and cling on to those words.