Episode 117
Flinging the door open was fine, but a problem arose.
This was clearly Benio's room, but he wasn't alone.
Inside the room was also an unfamiliar middle-aged man, who stared at Flora with wide eyes.
"You must be the Young Lady Lucifer,"
The man said, finally regaining his composure after staring at Flora in surprise for a mont, and smiled.
"Pleased to et you, Young Lady. I am Count Lenz. I've just arrived with an invitation from Marquis Eisollen."
At his calm voice, Flora lowered the hand she had used to open the door and neatly clasped her hands together.
As Basilian cautiously let go of her shoulder, she smiled kindly and greeted him.
"Pleased to et you, Count. My na is Flora Lucifer. I heard a good invitation had arrived and couldn't contain my excitent, so I ended up showing you an embarrassing side of ."
She spoke as crisply as an average adult, but Flora was currently seven years old, making her actions seem even cuter.
Count Lenz, unable to hold back the smile forming on his lips, replied warmly.
"Not at all. Seeing you welco the invitation makes feel good too. It seems the Young Lady would like to visit the Marquis's territory, is that correct?"
Flora nodded vigorously in response. Count Lenz then turned and spoke to Benio, who had frozen behind him.
"Young Duke, since the Young Lady also wishes for it, why not take this opportunity to visit the Marquis's territory? You've never been there before, have you?"
"To be precise, I couldn't go."
At Benio's answer, Count Lenz gave an awkward smile.
'The atmosphere isn't bad?'
Seeing Benio interact with Count Lenz more comfortably than expected, Flora quietly observed the two and listened to their conversation.
"Then wouldn't this be a good opportunity to visit? You'll be able to stay much more comfortably than at Duke Bellasia's castle."
"I'm not sure we can be certain of that either."
"And the Young Lady seems to want to go..."
As Count Lenz spoke, both their gazes turned to Flora. She pretended not to know anything and smiled brightly.
"Oppa, it's a good opportunity, just as Count Lenz said. If not now, when will we ever get to go?"
Most noble families despised the Lucifers or drew a line when dealing with them. How wonderful would it be to form a connection with a Marquis's house, no less, and one that maintained neutrality?
'Yes, yes, this isn't just about my desire to escape Bellasia; it's all for our family.'
Flora clasped her hands together and looked up at Benio with sparkling eyes. Overwheld by the earnestness in her clear eyes, Benio seed at a loss before finally nodding.
"Alright. As the Count says, it's a rare opportunity, so it seems right to accept the invitation."
But her joy at the positive response was short-lived. For so reason, Benio's expression didn't look very happy.
'Is he going against his will because of ?'
Even so, they'd only be there for a day or two. Could that schedule be such a burden?
Worried she was being too selfish, she was about to ask them to wait a mont.
But the Count, his face visibly relieved, bowed his head and placed the invitation directly into Benio's hand.
"An excellent choice. Both the current Marquis and the late Marquis will be very pleased! I will inform Duke Bellasia, so how about departing as soon as today?"
"Today is too soon. Let's depart tomorrow. I must bid farewell to Duke Bellasia properly, so I will speak to him myself."
Before she could object, the matter was quickly settled. And they were leaving tomorrow.
Count Lenz left the room with a refreshed expression, as if a toothache had been cured. His farewell, saying he'd see them tomorrow, couldn't have looked more cheerful.
"...Oppa, if you don't want to go and are being forced because of , it's okay not to go."
In the quiet atmosphere, Flora crept closer, watching his reaction, and hugged his leg.
"Bellasia's castle isn't so bad either. I t a boy nad Walter today too. He seed interested in and was being nice, right? I won't have ti to be bored, so don't worry about , Brother. You can do your work."
"...The Young Lord ca to see you?"
"Yes, he suddenly ca and started talking to . His face looks kind, but inside he's a bit... no, that's not it. Anyway, I'm fine."
Flora put on an innocent expression and smiled brightly. Even so, she carefully observed Benio's condition.
She was still young, so she could throw a tantrum, but seeing her constantly watching his reaction was almost pitiful.
'Right, we had to visit eventually anyway. If not for this opportunity, we might never have set foot in the Marquis's territory.'
Benio stroked Flora's soft hair, then lifted her up high. Holding the lower part of her body securely in his arms, he looked straight into her eyes as if to tell her not to worry and smiled brightly, just as his sister had shown him.
"Anyway, my work here is finished, so it's fine."
"Your work is done?"
This was different from what Walter had said, who had semi-threatened her by saying there were still many etings left and they'd have to stay at Bellasia Castle longer.
'That guy really lies every ti he opens his mouth.'
As expected, there wasn't a single person among the heroes' descendants worth getting close to.
"I finished it all today. We received the compensation Lucifer is due for the damages and an apology for the incident, and we've sufficiently discussed future asures. Anything more would be a waste of ti. There might be an issue of whether they let us go or not, though."
"Why would they try to keep us? Having guests costs a lot and is botherso since they have to pay attention."
At her sigh, uttered as if she didn't understand, Benio smiled awkwardly. Yes, even though Benio didn't answer, Flora knew the answer to this question.
'Why? Because they're much richer than Lucifer, so guests like us are no burden at all.'
The reasons for detaining them would be varied.
Perhaps they were planning to tarnish Lucifer's image, or they were trying to erase their achievents.
'Of course, Oppa won't say it.'
She could only roughly guess; she didn't know the exact answer. It wasn't sothing she was particularly curious about anyway, so she had no intention of pressing further.
"If it's an invitation from Marquis Eisollen, even Duke Bellasia won't be able to keep us, no matter how much he might want to."
"Really? What a relief."
Flora clapped her hands happily.
'I guess the Marquis's power is greater than I thought. For a Duke to be this careful...'
She didn't know how the letter arrived at such perfect timing, but she truly was lucky.
'I'm glad I don't have to see the faces of those wretched Bellasias anymore.'
Feeling relieved, she smoothed down her chest, only to make eye contact with Basilian, who had entered the room at so point.
"Oppa, Basil can co with us, right?"
She expected the usual agreent, but an unexpected reply ca.
"Hmm, about Basilian... wouldn't it be better if he didn't co?"
"What?"
Benio showed reluctance and refused Basilian's accompanint. Shocked, Flora looked at him with wide eyes, as if asking how he could say such a thing, then quickly turned around with a start.
'What if Basil gets hurt!'
He had just been looked down upon by Walter because of his status, so he might take this rejection as being for the sa reason.
Flora urgently opened her mouth to say it wasn't like that.
"Basil, that's not..."
"I think that would be best too."
But before her words could finish, Basilian was nodding in agreent with Benio.
"See? Then Basilian should return first..."
As the two tried to move on quickly before Flora could even process it, she grabbed hold of her senses and asked.
"...Why? Can't we stay together like we are now?"
Despite her voice dripping with disappointnt, the two didn't change their opinion. They just looked at each other and nodded slightly as if there was no other way.
"Flora, no matter how precious and good a friend Basilian is, you can't take him everywhere with you."
"...But Basil is mine."
"Basilian belongs to himself, not to you. Basilian has his own life to live, so he should return to it."
"He can take a break from rcenary work... No, he can just be my guard."
As she pouted and spoke, Flora was inwardly surprised.
'I guess I like Basilian more than I thought.'
It seed the fact that they would be separated again after finally eting and being together was quite saddening.
Seeing this reaction co out naturally.
Flora let out a big sigh.
"Do you think I'm such a child that I wouldn't know that? I just said that because I want Basil to rest a bit more! I have no intention of forcing him to stay!"
Then, to ensure the two wouldn't feel sorry or watch their words around her despite not having done anything wrong, she deliberately answered in a cheerful voice.
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