Elizaveta and Rue were having a picnic in the garden with other Luinongs.
A basket filled with sandwiches.
A blanket spread over the grass.
While elegantly sipping tea, I glanced at the Villainous Princess, who was watching the cute little ones frolic.
Our eyes met, and the beautiful blonde Princess smiled softly. I was momentarily mesmerized by her appearance, dressed in a pure white dress, like a wedding gown.
“Edanant.”
The smile of the Platinum Princess felt like a painting. I felt a bit awkward in comparison to Elizaveta’s stunning beauty, a beauty rivaling that of the female lead in a Romance Fantasy.
Despite her engagement with the Hohenberc Family being on the rocks, Elizaveta was still receiving engagement offers from many prestigious families in the Empire. It was hard to believe she was seen as ‘divorced’ in the marriage market.
“Edan! Did you come to see Rue?”
“Of course.”
A girl with light green hair dashed over cutely.
With both hands outstretched, I lifted the little one high into the air.
“Hehe! So high!”
Rue flailed her arms and legs, squealing with delight. The Luinongs nearby also rushed over, lining up, wanting to be picked up in turn.
It would take some time to hug them all.
But since I didn’t know when I’d return after heading to the Holy Sanctuary, I decided to hug them all.
“It feels like a dad playing with his kids after a long absence.”
“…Maybe.”
A ‘dad’, huh?
If a third party were to witness this, they might misunderstand.
Then the Princess watching me play with the little ones could be seen as the mother. Perhaps she thought so herself, as she clapped her hands and watched me lift each Luinong one by one.
“Ugh, this is so hard! How on earth do you make it?”
“Pohang! Edan, you really are an idiot! How many times are you going to fail at this simple task?”
After indulging the Luinongs in their antics, I was now learning how to make a flower crown.
It was quite difficult. Every time I tried to weave the flowers, it ended up a tangled mess like knotted threads.
“Yikes! You feel sorry for the flowers, don’t you?!”
“You’re planning to turn a lush garden into a wasteland!”
The flowers I was trying to braid into a crown piled up like a mountain of rags. The Luinongs beside me, who had been chattering away, started to jump around, perhaps feeling a bit frustrated.
Damn it.
Being lectured by cute yet silly fairies?
I couldn’t help but wonder if my intelligence was below that of a dolphin.
“Got it!”
After wasting 30 minutes, I finally completed the crown.
Of course, it looked pathetic compared to the Luinongs’ crowning skills, which were of artisan level. But Elizaveta smiled brightly, leaning forward to accept the crown.
“Thank you, it’s really beautiful.”
“I made a crown for the first time today… It’s really tough.”
Both my hands smelled strongly of grass.
Elizaveta, who had watched the whole rather clumsy process, bashfully smiled while fixing the crown atop her head. I was soon enchanted by how beautiful the Platinum Princess looked wearing a crown made of various flowers.
“I heard from my sister. You’re leaving for a while… Is it very dangerous?”
“Yes, it might take some time.”
Elizaveta asked with a troubled expression. I stroked Rue’s head, who had tilted her head beside me.
It’s indeed going to be dangerous.
I might have to fight against the Holy Kingdom, or perhaps the entire continent.
I was proud of having overcome many dangers so far. But the risks I would face in the Holy Sanctuary could mark the most dangerous turning point I’ve encountered yet.
I honestly didn’t know if I could return.
I couldn’t guarantee my survival, so I showed hesitation when answering Elizaveta’s question.
“…Really?”
Did she sense an unusual atmosphere?
Elizaveta bit her plump lips, then stood up and brushed the grass off her skirt.
“I won’t stop you. I won’t hold you back. I don’t want to interfere with Edanant. Just…”
“……”
“Come back safe. You have to return for sure. Okay, that’s enough.”
“Of course.”
Her emerald eyes trembled pitifully.
But Elizaveta suppressed her anxiety and smiled brightly.
It was natural to feel uneasy.
Unlike me, Elizaveta probably wasn’t accustomed to farewells.
“Hawawa!”
“The beautiful princess is in my arms!”
The Luinongs, who had been gazing at Elizaveta with sparkling eyes, suddenly gasped in surprise.
This was because Elizaveta, after saying her goodbyes, suddenly spread her arms and hugged me tight.
It felt like a scene from a fairytale book.
The curious Luinongs squealed and stamped their feet.
“Have a safe trip, Hero!”
The beautiful blonde Princess whispered in an alluring voice. Then, she lifted her toes and softly pressed her lips against mine.
Smack.
It was a short and simple kiss.
Like a bird pecking with its beak, our lips met gently.
It felt like she wanted to leave a lingering feeling of longing. The soft sensation conveyed the complexity of Elizaveta’s inner thoughts.
“How dare you steal the Princess’s first kiss… You have to come back!”
“…I was the one who got stolen from, though.”
“Elizaveta said you had one with my sister last time! This is my first kiss!”
“…….”
Perhaps wanting to conceal her embarrassment, Elizaveta began to insist in an agitated voice.
So cute.
I wanted to poke her cheek playfully.
But I decided to leave that longing for our reunion. The stronger the longing, the sooner the reunion will come.
“Pl, please give Edan a kiss too!”
Rue piped up, tugging on Elizaveta’s dress, having witnessed the unexpected kiss.
What was she trying to do?
I knelt down to meet Rue’s gaze.
Having accepted Elizaveta’s insistence, it was now time to indulge Rue’s persistence. So, I just watched as the Luinong bounced around, preparing for something.
“Edan… you will come back, right?”
“Of course.”
Thinking of Maximilian, who had left without saying goodbye, Rue seemed anxious and teary-eyed, showing unease at parting.
“I will always believe in Edan…! I am his closest friend!”
“We are always best friends.”
The little fairy approached me, beaming a smile.
And then she kissed my cheek.
It was a kiss filled with affection.
I stroked her head, promising to return, feeling grateful for her heartfelt trust and patience in this unreliable partner.
I will definitely come back.
I made a sincere promise to my dear friend who always waited for me.
*
The Seven Heroes of the Warring States, representing various races and factions, were unique beings each pursuing their own justice and beliefs.
There was no room for compromise.
Only to defeat and subdue the opponent.
Had they lost their reason, consumed by the power of the absolute?
Most of the powerful beings belonging to the Seven Heroes rejected compromise and only desired war, behaving like lunatics. It would be utterly foolish to appeal for alliances while advocating for great causes among such madmen.
“It’s a holy war for the Creator Deity. So all must join this cause with the determination to die.”
A young man with red hair approached.
With androgynous features, he informed those gathered in the training grounds that it was a holy war sanctioned by the Creator Deity and commanded them to unite.
Dressed in magnificent armor adorned with platinum and wearing a red velvet cloak given to the Holy Kingdom’s guardians.
Upon the young man’s command, the surrounding Holy Knights stood at attention. The youth was ranked fifth in the Holy Kingdom.
“…Sirelle.”
Sirelle Beilred.
A member of the Seven Heroes and the current commander leading the Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom.
Maximilian, who had trained under Ilkeron Nebiaku, known as the Black Cardinal, shook his head in response to Sirelle. Sirelle glared at him with wide eyes.
“How dare a heretic who failed to properly serve the Second Saint appear before us! If not for the words of my master, I would have cut you down right here!”
“Hmph, the perennial second-place student has run his mouth.”
An enraged retort shot back.
Maximilian, however, responded with indifference and turned away.
“What?! You dare speak like that as a heretic?!”
Sirelle, seething with anger, grasped the hilt of his sword.
Surrounding Holy Knights rushed to restrain Sirelle.
“Those of the Holy Kingdom are all the same, ignorant fools.”
The conference room filled with commotion as many gathered.
A mesmerizing beauty sitting in a chair stretched her long legs, showing her disdain.
Fools who blindly adhere to the teachings of the divine.
That was how the Grand Magician of the Magic Tower perceived the Holy Kingdom.
The Magic Tower.
A powerful faction that has produced many Grand Magicians, including the Sage who is part of the Saintess Party.
The owner of the Magic Tower holds significant influence, comparable to the Emperor of the Valtarian Empire and the Holy Sovereign of Gael. She donned a dress that revealed an alluring amount of skin, while the Holy Knights recited scripture, struggling to remain calm.
“The world outside is so unpleasant. If it weren’t for the unprecedented catastrophe of the Disaster of Innocence, I would be in the workshop researching magical tomes as always…”
Querisa Nesserhane.
The head of the Red Magic Tower and a highly esteemed Grand Magician who has produced many renowned magicians of the Nesserhane family.
And part of the Seven Heroes.
The news of the Disaster of Innocence’s revival led to a temporary alliance formed between the Magic Tower and the Holy Kingdom, which had opposed each other for hundreds of years due to differing beliefs and interests. The strongest of the Seven Heroes gathered at the Holy Sanctuary.
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