The situation wrapped up at an unbelievable speed.
Elizaveta… well, to be precise, it was the Goddess possessing the Princess who declared her surrender.
She collapsed as if she had seen a ghost. Her look of sheer terror was so pitiful it almost elicited sympathy.
Then the Goddess raised both hands high and declared her surrender.
“You, you! What the hell are you! How can a mere human…!”
“…….”
Watching her act like a fool in Elizaveta’s form filled me with displeasure.
Frowning, the Goddess let out a scream.
No, to be exact, she was astonished at some unseen presence behind me.
Then she recoiled as if facing a fierce curse, hesitant even to mention it.
Trying hard to pretend she hadn’t seen anything, she broke into a cold sweat and lowered her head.
“Ahem…! I was just a little surprised.”
“Doesn’t seem like just a little.”
The Goddess took a deep breath to calm herself.
Just moments ago, she was trembling pitifully, and now she cleared her throat, trying to show a noble demeanor. As the creator of paradise and the Luinong, she seemed determined to uphold her pride.
She dusted herself off.
Then, straightening her clothes, she regained her posture.
“It was just a simple prank, but you fell for it…! Humans are so foolish, aren’t they? You fell for it spectacularly!”
“Who would have thought the Goddess who created the Luinong could be so silly?”
She spun around, putting on an air of pretentiousness.
It was a desperate attempt to brush off the humiliating appearance she had shown before humans.
Time to play nice.
It wouldn’t do to provoke the Creator Deity for no reason.
Besides, there were things I wanted to ask.
“I know. You said you would take the lovely children of paradise outside.”
With piercing insight, the Goddess chuckled and replied.
Truly, she was a Goddess.
The show she had put on was indeed pitiful.
Yet, sensing she had the upper hand by seeing through my intent, she crossed her arms and raised her nose high. Showing her arrogant side, she leaned closer to me.
“Alright, do as you please.”
“…That’s an unexpected response.”
The Luinong had lived in a closed environment for a long time.
If they go out into the world, they would certainly experience great chaos.
It wouldn’t be easy to adapt.
They might start crying, wanting to return to paradise.
Even so, the Goddess cheerfully accepted the proposal.
I was taken aback by her decisiveness, as she accepted outright without a hint of hesitation.
When I expressed confusion with my gaze, the Goddess shrugged.
“My lovely children should start becoming independent. I can’t keep them under my skirt forever, right?”
“Whoa, I’m surprised. I didn’t think you’d have such a bold idea…”
“What a rude thing to say, human. I am always the Goddess who worries about the future of my lovely children.”
“……”
She loved the fairies she had created so much that she went ahead and created paradise.
Could that be the reason?
The Luinong became a race entirely devoid of independence.
Watching the Luinong repeat their limited experiences in a confined space, I felt a sudden fear. No matter how much time passed, their unchanged state was strange even for a creator who was overly protective.
They would become independent.
Surely, someday they would strive for independence….
After thinking so vaguely for hundreds of years.
Finally, an oddball filled with curiosity about the outside world, ‘Rue Luinong,’ was born.
“Observing Rue grow wonderfully through joys and sorrows made me realize. Blind overprotection was actually blocking my children’s growth.”
“In the end, the foolish creator was the problem.”
“…Did you really need to ruin the mood like that?”
“It’s the truth.”
There are degrees to foolishness.
To have created a perfect paradise yet desire independence for her children was quite ludicrous.
Had the irregular named Rue Luinong not been born, the Luinong would have lived forever as beings lacking independence. This was the disastrous result of irresponsible overprotection.
“Broyan. My name is Broyan. I’m late to introduce myself due to the chaos.”
“Edanant von Hohenberc.”
I introduced myself briefly.
Upon revealing my name, Broyan burst into laughter.
“It’s like a parent entrusting their children to a teacher. I never expected to experience this.”
“The analogy is a bit weird, but it isn’t wrong.”
I promised the Valtarian Imperial Family and Hohenberc Family to protect the Luinong, who would begin their journey to independence, to the excessively protective parent. Broyan boldly nodded.
Now that I had taken them on, I had to do my best.
Of course, taking care of nearly 50 little rascals wouldn’t be easy.
Should I create a Hohenberc kindergarten…?
Hmm.
That didn’t seem like a bad idea.
“May I ask why you want to take the children with you? Of course, I assume it’s to utilize the Power of Mystery.”
“Because there’s a lack of hands in the territory.”
Thanks to Rue’s abilities, who had assisted with paperwork at the Hohenberc Family for a month, I learned that the Luinong possessed excellent intellect.
Their mental age was only twelve.
However, the Luinong had talents and potential akin to prodigies.
That’s because they were creations, bestowed with divine status by an excessively protective Goddess. Thus, unlike humans, who exhibited extreme disparities, all Luinong were exceptional.
“In any case, you’re saying you have special measures to cultivate the Luinong as members of society?”
“Of course. I am quite meticulous, you see.”
“Hmmm… The beautiful Princess is starting to take interest in a man, huh?”
“What do you mean by that?”
She asked as if she didn’t understand.
To which Broyan sinisterly smirked and placed a hand on her chest.
“Didn’t you know? The beautiful Princess is filled with thoughts of you.”
“Don’t tell me silly jokes…”
“May sound like a joke, but it’s true. The Princess’s feelings are quite complicated. She feels guilt for falling in love with her fiancé’s brother. Hmm, it’s quite intriguing, isn’t it? I’d love to observe it closely… Agh!!”
“……?”
As Broyan sharply exposed Elizaveta’s complicated feelings, she suddenly let out a scream.
This was because her right hand suddenly began to pull her hair.
The two selves existing in one body clashed.
Stop babbling and give back control.
The fierce grip yanked her hair, as if expressing her furious heart.
Ah, the Villainous Princess’s self has emerged.
It seemed her strong intent was to stop the exposure, even if it meant self-harm.
Broyan, who was crying in pain, ultimately declared surrender again to Elizaveta, marking the second time today.
“Gyaaaah! Okay! Just give it back, alright!”
Broyan yelled loudly.
Simultaneously, the beautiful Princess’s body lost balance and wobbled.
I stretched out my arms and caught the Princess.
The body that had been moving energetically just moments before became limp like a marionette with cut strings.
Soon thereafter, her eyes opened.
The emerald eyes, no longer the violet ones of Broyan, shone brilliantly.
Elizaveta had returned.
I gazed intently at Elizaveta’s face, which appeared as if she had just taken a deep sleep. Soon, she turned to look at me.
“…Ugh!”
The moment her emerald eyes regained focus, her alabaster face flushed bright red.
Elizaveta’s full lips began to twitch. It was as if she wanted to say something, but struggled to find the words.
“E-Edanant…! This is too close!”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Seriously, men are all so lewd.”
“…….”
Elizaveta jumped back like a startled bowstring and escaped my embrace.
She covered her crimson cheeks with both hands, exhaling roughly.
“I had the unpleasant nightmare of being toyed with by a nasty woman. Being teased about the noble heart of the Princess while grappling with some trifling spirit! So, I yanked my hair as hard as I could!”
“……”
Was it a coincidence?
Or was there some connection?
The Valtarian Princess and the Goddess who created the Luinong bore quite a resemblance.
Especially their assertive behaviors and the ability to fluster others quickly were similar.
“You must have suffered.”
“Tell me about it. I never want to experience that again.”
I extended my hand to the Princess, now seated on the floor.
Elizaveta hesitated for a moment before accepting my hand.
“I plan to gather the Luinong and persuade them in the morning… If Your Highness could help, it would make things go much smoother.”
“Sure. If Edanant wishes it, I’ll help.”
The Luinong, who were peacefully sleeping, would awaken come morning.
The softly glowing crystals, resembling a gentle nightlight, indicated that it was still quite late.
I couldn’t sleep.
I had broken a sweat dealing with the rambunctious Goddess.
Now, what should I do to pass the time until morning?
I sat on a pile of stones and gazed at the darkened scenery of paradise. Elizaveta, too, sat beside me on the stone pile and joined me in watching.
Maybe it was because we were so close.
The reddish hue on the Princess’s cheeks stood out particularly.
Elizaveta subtly reached out her hand that had touched the floor. It was as if she was expressing her hidden desire to softly hold my hand like lovers.
*
The Red Dragon of the Empire and the White Dragon of the Holy Kingdom stood guard over the Marquisate of Hohenberg, waiting for news of Edanant.
When would he return?
Was he carrying out his mission safely?
A heavy sigh escaped, revealing the anxiety hidden within.
Ludmilla and Zebeline refrained from their usual rivalry as if they had agreed to a cease-fire. This was because Edanant, the prize of their contention, was not present.
“Hmph, I can’t let this chance slip while Edan is away for a prolonged time.”
Creak.
She quietly opened the door.
Then Zebeline sneaked in, akin to a stealthy cat.
The place she crept into was surprisingly Edanant’s bedroom. If the Cardinals of the Holy Kingdom had seen this scene, they surely would have scolded the Saintess for her extremely indecent conduct.
“Normal guys would stash some naughty books under the bed… Edan must be the same.”
She pulled out a long rod she had taken from the corridor.
Then she slipped it under the bed and began scratching the floor.
But there was nothing to be found.
The space beneath the bed was spotless, lacking even a speck of dust or any magazines.
As her curiosity and anticipation waned, Zebeline soon wore a disappointed expression. Then she pouted her full lips and began to grumble.
“Tsk, a vigorous man should have a mountain of adult magazines piled up… But it seems he’s too ascetic like a monk, not even budging for a lovely girl’s unwavering love.”
“What a hopeless person.”
“To go so far as to make me anxious.”
At this point, she had no choice but to activate her plan to rouse Edan’s sexual desires.
‘Good thing I prepared in advance.’
Zebeline unfurled a bundle and began to take out several items.
They were adult novels.
Items covertly delivered by a subordinate.
“After School with the Cheeky Junior”
“Secret Tutoring with the Neighboring Little Sister”
“Punishment Game with Childhood Friend’s Younger Sister”
Each piece featured younger heroines.
From the content of the works, it was easy to discern the Saintess’s ulterior motives.
Zebeline, like a spy hiding confidential documents, tucked the adult novels beneath the bed. Then she hummed a tune as if nothing had happened and exited the bedroom.
“Hmm, as expected, nobody’s around. It’s not cleaning time yet.”
How much time passed after that?
Perhaps about ten minutes later.
Someone other than the Saintess, who had infiltrated before, quietly entered.
The intruder was Ludmilla.
As if with the same objective as Zebeline, she shut the door and immediately began rummaging under the bed.
Soon after, Ludmilla found adult novels that repulsed her, just by looking at the cover.
It must have been placed there by the sneaky Saintess.
The space beneath the bed had been spotless just yesterday.
“To leave this kind of trash lying around… How pathetic for the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom.”
She tossed the adult novels in her hands into the trash.
Then, she picked up the items that the royal knights had secretly delivered instead.
“Hot Affair with the Sweaty Senpai”
“Sister’s Secret Bride Training”
“Audacious Temptation by the Older Femme Fatale”
The intention was identical to Zebeline’s.
Except all the heroines in the adult novels were older.
Placing them beneath the bed.
Mission accomplished, Ludmilla quickly vacated the scene.
Moments later.
The maids entered to clean, wielding broomsticks and buckets.
Crash.
The maids dropped their cleaning tools in shock.
They were stunned by the sight of adult novels littering beneath the bed and in the trash.
The maids, their faces pale, averted their gazes, and decided to overlook the young master’s hidden preferences.
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