The revelation that the culprit who hard Xenon’s right hand was a mber of the Council of Elders was already a significant shock, but an even more attention-grabbing rumor had surfaced.
The rumor was about Xenon and the Queen of Alvenheim, being in a romantic relationship with each other. In other words, it was said that Arwen and I were in a relationship.
As soone who was rely munching on popcorn from a distance, this was an incredibly absurd rumor. I have no idea why such a rumor started, but according to the newspaper, an imaginative soone nad Fieren said it as a final act of defiance.
However, there was enough truth to that, since I passed on a speech to Arwen and provided various forms of assistance. Since there’s nothing particularly wonderful about trying to compete with Arwen and she has also been of great help to . Nevertheless, it seems that Fieren has simply concluded that Arwen and I are in a romantic relationship based solely on these reasons.
[Ters Kingdom. There was no Xenon Cloud in the Hask region. The villagers had never heard the na before…]
[The Council of Elders in Alvenheim has undergone dissolution procedures, and the Grand Councilor Fieren Gerit Stormwalker received the punishnt of having both ears severed. Additionally, the three individuals, including Kalas, who directly attacked Xenon, will remain imprisoned for eternity…]
[Kalas’ confession. The pact was false, and all information about Xenon is lies. So, what about Xenon’s right hand now?]
Furthermore, there were investigations into Xenon’s information spread by Fieren’s final stunt, but naturally, nothing turned out to be true.
From the perspective of the Ters Kingdom, they must have been disappointed as they rrily made their way to the Hask region, only to find nothing. Perhaps they felt really unfair..
Fieren once again beca the laughingstock after suffering another setback, but Xenon’s identity once more turned into a mystery. While it’s ‘true’ that the right hand was injured, the situation was rather confusing, as Kalas and his group invaded and ended up being countered, creating a tangled scenario.
[The Queen of Alvenheim would have noticed this fact in advance and inford Xenon. All that was needed was a pretext.]
[Will it end in tragedy like Kair and Elisha, or will it continue like Xenon and Mary?]
[In a situation where the attention of many people, including the citizens of Alvenheim, is focused, Queen Arwen is avoiding answering, stating that state affairs are a priority.]
Of course, more than half were paying attention to my relationship with Arwen. At first, I thought it would just be baseless rumors, and that it would quickly dissipate like bubbles after a while. But as ti went on and neither side provided any explanation, signs of them trying to establish their own conclusions were gradually appearing.
If things continue like this, they might really conclude that Arwen and I are lovers, so I hurriedly sought opinions. First and foremost, it was Marie and Cecily. Marie didn’t stay at the mansion and imdiately returned, only to co back as soon as she heard the news.
In the end, because we didn’t know what else might happen, we decided to have her stay at the mansion for the ti being. My parents were aware of the situation and readily accepted.
“Using this situation might not be a bad idea, right?”
After the three of us discussed it, surprisingly, Marie presented a positive opinion. It was even more surprising because she had conceded a step to Cecily, and her expression showed unexpectedness. It seed that Cecily felt the sa way.
“For what reason?”
“After all, it’s not like you’re really dating, right? If we use it well politically, it should work out. It’s a gain for the queen too, not a loss. It would be easier to think of it as a strategic marriage concept.”
I nodded as I listened to Marie’s explanation. Indeed, making use of rumors in a strategic marriage fashion didn’t seem like a bad idea. Arwen could maximize her popularity among the citizens, and I could easily play along with such a narrative. However, we needed to clarify matters before revealing my identities.
If we were to disclose our identities, it would be necessary to acknowledge the fact that Marie and I were engaged, not to ntion Cecily too. Otherwise, there was a risk that unfavorable rumors could spread.
“But Marie, Isaac is only 17 years old. Isn’t it too young to label him as an elf’s lover?”
Cecily, who had been pondering deeply, expressed a slightly negative opinion. Her concern stemd from the fact that the rumors about and Arwen being lovers were circulating due to my undisclosed identity.
Although there were occasional speculations that I might be an elderly sage, opinions had gradually erged suggesting that my age might be surprisingly young, starting from the contamination of the World Tree’s roots. Prophets or regressors didn’t necessarily have to be old.
“Again, I’ve never said they would be in a romantic relationship. They just share a ‘connection’; but never held feelings for each other. Ti-wise, it’s not an issue. Rember when Isaac coincidentally t the Queen during the previous exhibition? We can spin the story around sothing like that, right?”
“A story?”
“Yeah. Sothing like, ‘We t when I was around 10 years old, and we’ve been in touch ever since. Oh, the Queen also likes reading? What a coincidence! We’ve been recomnding books to each other, and it’s evolved into this over ti.’”
“Hmm…”
It feels like strange rumors would be circulating more and more. For instance, situations like confessing to Arwen after growing up from my childhood, or the opposite scenario, and so on.
These kinds of situations are common even among the sa humans. The story of a kid growing up and confessing to the adult they’ve had feelings for since before. It’s often explained as a situation where the roles were reversed.
If it were in my past life, it would have been seen from various perspectives, but in this world, most things are just accepted and moved on from. Moreover, with the increasing prevalence of love between different species, even the seemingly impossible isn’t entirely out of the question.
Still, there doesn’t seem to be a better solution for the current situation.
“It seems okay. But I should ask Arwen for her opinion as well.”
“Should I call her right away?”
“Yeah. But I need to get permission from my parents first.”
“Just be careful not to let Da Adelia find out.”
As I got up from my seat and headed outside, Marie cautioned from behind. She had also learned the fact that Adelia had beco my guardian knight.
Then, there was a subtle expression change as if she sensed sothing. Most likely, being astute as she was, she might have caught onto the fact that Adelia had so favorable feelings towards .
For now, she’ll continue to see us as close siblings, but if Marie were to find out about Adelia’s true status and background, I don’t know how she’ll react. Knowing Marie’s personality, she’ll probably show understanding.
‘Still, it’s not the right ti yet.’
I’ve heard sothing subtly from Mother. If I really want to accept Adelia, I should decide after hearing her choice when I reveal my true identity in the future.
I am not a fool, so I know very well what that choice is. It’s probably closely related to the Kingdom of Ters. Even though she is currently keeping her distance and watching from afar, human hearts are prone to desires. Especially considering Ters’s status as a cultural powerhouse, they will surely make efforts to establish a connection with sohow.
There’s a strong possibility that by granting Adelia the title of royalty rather than a commoner, they can link to her. Furthermore, the fact that we were known to be close adds to the strategic advantage.
‘Once my identity is revealed, things will beco truly difficult.’
We recently faced a crisis, but luckily we overca it and even managed to create the best situation. The rumors about Ardwen and were unexpected, though.
Afterward, I explained everything to my parents. They told to handle it as I see fit and respected my decision.
When I asked where Adelia was at one point, I was told that she finished all her training and is currently taking a bath. Since there’s plenty of ti to talk, I can set a later date for our conversation.
With my parents’ approval, I returned to the bedroom where the two won were waiting. Even in my absence, it seems they were engaged in a lively conversation; their expressions were as bright as sunshine.
“What were you talking about?”
“Nothing important. So, did you get permission?”
“Yes. They said we could talk privately. Father also ntioned that from now on, I can handle matters related to on my own.”
After this incident, my father said he wouldn’t intervene unless I directly asked for help. Well, this ti he was just a collaborator; he didn’t formulate or execute any part of the plan, after all.
I walked towards the desk, carrying a piece of magic paper to summon Siris. Cecily had seen it many tis, but Marie was seeing it for the first ti, looking at it with an expression of fascination.
“If you tear that, you can summon [soone]?”
“Yeah.”
Rip-
I briefly answered and tore the summoning paper without hesitation. The torn paper imdiately transford into blue particles and scattered into the air.
“Did you summon ?”
Soon, Siris was summoned in mid-air. She greeted politely with her distinctive husky voice.
Marie’s expression of fascination at seeing a Dark Elf for the first ti in her life didn’t last long. She was taken aback by Siris’ revealing attire. Even though she was wearing armor, it was practically no different from underwear, so it was only natural to be surprised.
“Is, is she really a Dark Elf? But her clothes…”
“It’s because of the Dark Elf’s abilities. You’ll get used to it as you see more.”
“Ugh…”
Surprisingly, Marie seed weak in situations like this. She turned her gaze elsewhere, embarrassed. However, with Siris’ figure being what it was, she occasionally peeked and eventually stared openly.
Cecily gently smiled, her eyes twinkling, as she softly stroked her hair while she found the ntioned story amusing. Siris herself didn’t seem to react much.
Taking a brief mont to admire Siris’s impressive figure, I cleared my throat to break the atmosphere and made a request to her.
“Siris, could you possibly call Arwen for a mont? If it’s too taxing, you could even assu the role of a ssenger. The conversation might end up being a bit lengthy.”
“Understood.”
Upon hearing my request, Siris promptly teleported away. During her absence, I didn’t forget to play a prank on Marie.
“Marie, are you really shy about it?”
“Well, still… this attire is…”
“But you wore sothing even more revealing on our first night.”
“I, I covered up everything important back then! That’s not armor, just underwear!”
With a bright red face, Marie let out an embarrassed squeak. Sitting beside her, Cecily watched this unfold with an enigmatic smile.
If Marie found out that Cecily had donned a garter belt during our first night, what kind of reaction would she display? I wanted to play a mischievous prank, but I decided to leave it at this level.
“…Isaac.”
“Yes?”
“Do you happen to like this sort of thing?”
“I don’t dislike it.”
“…I see. So, you actually enjoy this kind of thing…”
It sohow feels like I’ve given Marie unnecessary motivation, but let’s just overlook it.
“Isaac.”
“Oh, you’re here.”
A little while later, Arwen appeared with Siris. As soon as Arwen appeared, Marie quietly stood up from her seat.
Although it was not an official occasion but rather an informal gathering, Arwen was still the queen of another country. Moreover, this was their first eting, so it was important to make a good impression.
“Hello, Your Majesty. I am Marie Hausen Requilis, the daughter of Duke Requilis. It’s an honor to et you.”
“I am Arwen Elydia, the queen of Alvenheim. It’s a pleasure to et you.”
The two won exchanged greetings according to the customs of their respective countries. Cecily had t Arwen once before, so a brief exchange of glances was enough.
Eventually, they all took their seats around the round table. However, Siris remained standing beside Arwen.
“So, what is the reason for summoning to this place?”
“Well, actually…”
I conveyed to Arwen the story I had told her before. She seed startled when she heard the rumors that were currently circulating, but soon she listened attentively as I explained one thing after another.
After a while, when the explanation was over, Arwen displayed a contemplative expression. Occasionally, she would et my eyes and seem like she wanted to say sothing, her lips moving as if about to speak, but I patiently waited in silence.
About a minute had passed like that. At around that point, she seed to have judged what things were better than she thought and nodded her head. It was a sign of agreent.
“It’s a good approach. We don’t have to deny the rumors, but we should make it clear that it’s not a romantic relationship, just a simple connection…”
“Simply showing goodwill towards each other should be enough. But we should draw a clear line.”
“How so?”
“Maybe sothing like having an engagent partner?”
“An engagent partner…”
Arwen looked at Marie at the ntion of the word “engagent partner.” Marie smiled beautifully as soon as their eyes t, then lowered her head slightly.
It was sowhat amusing how she was making an effort to divert her attention from Siris. Her hand, clenched into a fist under the table, was trembling slightly.
anwhile, Arwen glanced at Marie with a subtle expression, then turned her head to the opposite side and looked at Cecily. Her face beca even more complex and intricate.
What could she possibly be thinking? I waited quietly until she decided to speak.
“…Alright. Let’s decide to do that, then.”
“No issues, right?”
“Issues with that… Isaac.”
“Yes?”
Arwen gazed at with gray eyes resembling galaxies. After her lips quivered once more, she spoke with effort.
“When you see a glass filled halfway with water, what kind of thoughts co to your mind?”
“What?”
“I asked what thoughts co to your mind when you see a glass filled halfway with water. I want to hear the opinions of not just Isaac, but also all of you.”
Arwen also sought the opinions of Marie and Cecily. Since it was an unexpected question, both the won on my sides, and , showed slightly startled expressions.
However, Arwen seldom spoke unnecessary words. Surely, there must be aning behind that question.
While I pondered deeply, Marie promptly expressed her thoughts.
“I lack the insight to understand what the Queen is asking with such an ambiguous question. Is there any significance to it?”
“Let’s start with trust.”
“Trust… I cautiously offer the opinion that it might an to have a drink and regain composure, rather than just a glass of water.”
“…”
Marie spoke her mind without hesitation. Arwen’s reaction to her words was quite interesting to observe. Her already pale complexion seed to whiten even further.
anwhile, Cecily, who had been thinking deeply, offered another perspective.
“Could it an that it varies depending on one’s perspective? So might think the glass is only half full, while others might see it as half empty.”
“Hmm…”
With a hint of hesitation in her voice, Arwen nodded while lowering her voice. It was a sign that things were sowhat fine but not entirely clear.
The only remaining person was . Since it was called a “trust,” there must be so significance to it.
I can’t help but wonder what kind of joke Luminous might have played again, but at least I should offer so positive words, like interpreting it as a premonition rather than just a dream. Otherwise, I might feel unnecessarily down.
With that in mind, I looked straight at Arwen, who had an expectant look in her eyes, and voiced my opinion.
“It’s ambiguous, but it could have various anings. It could an filling up the remaining portion of the cup, or on the contrary, pouring the water on the ground. Depending on one’s intentions, they could choose to fill it or empty it, right?”
“Filling it up or emptying it…”
“It could indirectly express the idea of making a choice. It might not be about filling the water, but rather smashing the cup altogether. It’s so vague that even I’m not sure.”
“… …”
Arwen, having listened to my response, seed to deeply contemplate for a mont before raising her head and looking into my eyes.
For reasons unknown to , the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, showing a relieved expression.
“I understand. It seems I did well by seeking opinions from your companions.”
“So, can you tell us what kind of question led to this trust being bestowed upon us?”
In response to my question, Arwen’s smile grew even brighter.
“It’s a secret.”
She gave a response that could sound sowhat teasing or alluring.
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