CH 165

Half a Year Later 2

While the state of affairs had calmed down for now, even after half a year had passed, Prince Norfe was still in no position to be able to take on the responsibilities of the country.

“Hmm.”

“You must be very tired, Arthur.”

Aeris said to the king of Midland. Recently, his airship had become a taxi, and he regularly traveled back and forth between inland and Midland. You had to be quite tough to be able to easily travel between countries while being carried by the birdfolk, and Edwy and Maki were about the only people who could manage it. That being said, a unit of humans and birdfolk was being created with Lowland as its main base.

“I’m sorry. This has taken you away from the research you care so much about.”

Aeris was a researcher. He had been the one who thought of the structure of this airship, and finished the design. However, ever since the Saintesses had been summoned, he had become very busy with matters concerning them.

“What are you talking about? My days have been incredibly amusing. And Chiharu is staying in Midland. What more could I ask for?”

“Aeris. You really are ridiculous.”

Arthur sat down on the sofa and chuckled. Out of the two Saintesses, it was clear it wasn’t Maki, who flew around everywhere, but Chiharu, who his heart was leaning towards. Just like how Prince Kaider of the dwarf lands had little interest in Chiharu.

“Aeris. You are usually the one who has others wrapped around your finger, so it must have been amusing to be wrapped around Maki and Chiharu’s instead.”

“You are being foolish, Arthur. When have I ever had someone wrapped around my finger?”

“Are you serious?”

“Well, I do not remember doing anything like that, but I will tell you, it feels rather good to be wrapped around someone’s finger.”

Aeris said with a grin.

“Sometimes I feel nervous due to not knowing what Chiharu is thinking, while at other times I am annoyed at her lack of awareness. But when we are standing side by side and looking at the same sky, I feel like I don’t need anything else in the world.”

“It sounds like love to me.”

“Love.”

Aeris repeated the words in surprise.

“Love. Is that like how you return to your room, and some woman has come into your bed without permission?”

“Hey, hey, Aeris. Is that all you have experienced in life?”

And you have lived for three hundred years. Arthur was about to say this, but didn’t.

“So, I’m the one who is in love now, does that mean it is my turn to go inside Chiharu’s bed?”

“Bffha! Hey, Aeris! No, calm down! The airship is tilting to the side!”

Arthur had spat out all of the tea he was drinking.

“S-sorry. But it’s because you would say such ridiculous things, Arthur.”

“It’s you who made such a ridiculous leap, Aeris.”

Aeris’s eyes had looked unsteady at first, but he soon returned to normal, and the airship became stable again.

“When you’re in love, you know, you feel excited when you’re with them. And you enjoy their company and…”

Arthur had to wonder how he had gotten to be in this position to explain what love was to someone who was not only older than him, but three hundred years old.

“You’ll want to touch their soft cheeks and hold them in your arms and never let them go. But at the same time, you’ll want them to do anything that they want. Something like that?”

“Yes. So you do understand, damn it.”

There was no need to explain it any further, and both Arthur and the servant who was there sighed in relief.

“In that case, it’s been like that ever since I met Chiharu. No matter how long I’ve lived, old age never came to me. And yet now, time has started to move for me. This time, unlike the other humans that I saw off, we will grow old and die together. The thought of that fills me with deep emotion.”

“Wait, wait.”

Arthur put his hand out and stopped Aeris. But Aeris didn’t even look at him.

“What?”

“Aeris. You know that you’re in love, but you aren’t going to do anything?”

“What can I do but spend time together and protect her?”

“What can you do? There is…”

Arthur looked towards the servant but then turned away.

“Well, you know. Up until now, you saw people go. But this time, you will age together and die together. In other words, you will be able to face Chiharu, not as an elf, but as a human.”

Aeris narrowed his eyebrows.

“But no one would refuse the proposal of a Saintess. But the women of their country are so modest. It’s unthinkable in the elf lands. But Chiharu is…”

“You really shouldn’t overthink it.”

Arthur shrugged. There were some things that faded away if you didn’t acquire them quickly.

“Overthink it?”

“In other words, will you be fine if Chiharu were to marry someone else? For instance, Nyran.”

In his heart, Arthur felt bad for using Nyran in this way. It was likely that Nyran had no such intention to begin with.

“Lowland royalty.”

“Or the birdfolk.”

“Ah. That is impossible.”

“It’s not like there isn’t any precedent. Or even Norfe.”

Aeris looked quite surprised by this.

“While I have lost my wife, I am still young. Besides, I am quite handsome and also a king.”

Silence ruled the airship for some time after that. Eventually, the airship crossed the mountain borders and entered Midland territory.

“I don’t have any feelings regarding Nyran or Sauro. But you, Arthur, I would abduct Chiharu myself before I let you take her. That’s what I thought.”

“That’s because you don’t see those young men as a threat. However, no matter how imperfect the young are, they are often drawn to each other. You should not let your guard down.”

“Ah, I see. Yes.”

Aeris agreed. And then he became silent again as he controlled the ship.

“I suppose Edwy is a candidate as well.”

“In a way, he cares for Chiharu more than anyone.”

“As family. As a younger brother.”

“I too had thought that I was fine with being family.”

And how had those feelings changed? When Chiharu fully recovered her health, it was Aeris who suggested that they go out on a trip.