The Princess Banquet, which lasted for three days and three nights, finally ca to an end. At the conclusion, the King of Oz took the opportunity to announce a major decision to the public—
As the third heir had co of age, it was ti to determine the candidate for the throne.
"How unexpected..."
Yvonne, blending in with the crowd, was looking at the announcent drawn out by the Biidori birds and couldn't help but exclaim.
She never imagined that the heir chosen by the King of Oz would be Shirushi.
It wasn't just Yvonne; the onlookers hadn't expected it either.
People thought it would be a choice between Ampu and Michel to beco the country's heir, but they never expected His Majesty the King to choose his youngest daughter, Shirushi.
In other words, this clever and intelligent princess would beco the country's first queen.
"I actually think it's within expectations. After all, Shirushi is an exceptionally talented child."
"But... in the original story, Michel was supposed to be the candidate for the throne..."
Seeing Yvonne's furrowed brows, Elsa couldn't help but cup her face with both hands.
"Don't dwell too much on the original story, Evie—what's about to happen is our story now."
"...&(@~! It's freezing—are your hands made of iron?!"
Yvonne was startled, but instead of pulling away, she pressed her own hands closer to Elsa's.
"Really... I told you to wear more in the morning. What if you catch a cold?"
Touching her hands, Yvonne's internal conflict dissipated sowhat.
That's right, this was their story now.
Whatever direction the plot took from here on out, it would be decided by them.
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"Today's task is to gather materials..."
"Isn't this kind of relaxed task quite nice?"
"Well, I'm not complaining..."
On the forest path covered with fallen leaves, the sound of leather boots crunching on them resonated.
It was only at tis like these that Yvonne truly felt the arrival of autumn.
The autumn clouds layered one upon another, like cotton floating above their heads.
A gentle breeze rustled through the trees,
She held down her long hair dancing in the wind and looked into the distance.
This season, the red and yellow forest was adorned with nature's gifts.
The forest was very quiet, with only the clear sound of migratory birds chirping overhead.
Co to think of it, it had been a long ti since she had appreciated such scenery—
In the past, they were always busy solving various imdiate issues, with no ti to stop and appreciate monts like this. Now, she felt that leisurely pausing with her lover had its own unique pleasure.
Their current random task was to collect a kind of light purple sage, a magical plant essential for making ink used in contracts.
Purple sage was a precious perennial herb plant, expensive in the market, and only blood during this season.
However, its flowers were very small, like grains of rice, and its leaves weren't particularly noticeable... mixed among other plants, it was indeed difficult to identify.
"...No good, my eyes hurt."
Although Yvonne had been diligently searching for this plant in the shaded undergrowth, after half a day of searching, she had only found one, and it was only half-blood... The quality was poor, and she wasn't sure if it t the task requirents.
"That's why I keep telling you not to read books so late at night. Take better care of your eyes—"
Compared to herself, who was practically blind without glasses, Elsa beside her was clearly much more capable. The bouquet in her hand was visibly growing at a rapid pace; she had already picked quite a few.
"Hmm... this should be enough, right?"
She stood up, dusted off her hands, shaking off the dust, fallen leaves, and weeds from her collection, then stored the materials in her inventory.
"—Evie! There are chestnuts around here!"
With this additional discovery, she called out excitedly, waving to Yvonne like a child.
"Ah... indeed, indeed."
Seeing Elsa pinching the prickly little balls with both hands, Yvonne was also quite delighted.
Inside the already ripe and split prickly shells, one could glimpse the plump brown chestnuts, which looked quite delicious.
Just looking at the raw ingredients, it was as if one could already sll that nostalgic aroma.
Speaking of autumn, of course it's candied chestnuts!
Rembering that sweet and soft texture, it imdiately made one feel incredibly excited.
"Mm-hmm, since we're here, let's bring so back with us."
"Okay~"
Elsa enthusiastically peeled the chestnuts and placed these autumn fruits in a basket woven from grass vines.
They collected quite a lot, only stopping when there was almost no space left.
"...Let's take a break now. Want to eat sothing?"
Before leaving, Yvonne had prepared a picnic lunch.
"Here, this is a sandwich."
Leaning against a large tree and spreading out a picnic blanket, Yvonne opened the wooden lunchbox and took out a paper-wrapped sandwich, handing it to Elsa.
Yuna had brought them so specialty trout paste from Erald Port. This fish at mixed with butter and mashed with a mixer had a taste similar to tuna sauce. Spread on bread slices to make sandwiches, it was quite delicious. The fish sauce had a fresh and delicate taste, with a subtle milky flavor. It was very suitable as a portable food for picnics.
However, after just two bites, Elsa started panting and sticking out her tongue:
"Evie—water, water~~~~~"
The trout paste Yuna brought had added sea pepper and horseradish, so the taste was a bit more stimulating.
"...Is it really that spicy?"
For Yvonne, this level of spiciness was just a slight numbing of the tongue, but it seed Elsa couldn't tolerate any spiciness at all. It appeared her taste buds were much more sensitive than Yvonne's.
Handing over the water bottle, Yvonne freed a hand to rub Elsa's back, worried she might choke from drinking too quickly.
"Why don't you eat this fried pork cutlet sandwich instead? It's not spicy. I'll eat the rest."
She took out a sandwich with pork and egg yolk sauce from the lunchbox and handed it to Elsa, naturally exchanging it for the half-eaten sandwich in her hand.
"Looks like you really can't eat spicy food... Ah, I was thinking of making hot pot next ti..."
Hot pot...
Hearing these two words, Elsa's heart trembled.
She had heard Yvonne ntion it before, that legendary big pot full of spicy spices, heavy oil, and intense heat, where thinly sliced ingredients are cooked—
In Evie's original world, this kind of food seed quite common, but eating sothing with such an extre level of spiciness would definitely kill her!!
However, thinking of Evie's satisfied expression when eating familiar food, Elsa beca very reluctant to disappoint her.
Coming alone to this different world must have been hard enough; Evie must miss the food from her hotown a lot, right?
"It's okay... I can eat spicy food!"
She gave a thumbs up, indicating she could do it.
...If she drank a lot of water while eating, she should be able to survive sohow!
"You don't have to force yourself to accommodate my preferences... If it's really not possible, there's also the option of 'split pot'."
Yvonne explained with a wry smile that if it's a split pot, it can be divided into spicy broth and clear broth, satisfying both those who eat spicy and those who don't.
"...I see."
Hearing that she could choose a non-spicy pot, Elsa finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This life was saved.
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After yawning widely, she began to collapse onto Yvonne as if her bones had lted.
After eating her fill, she started to act coquettishly towards Yvonne.
"E~vie~ Can I sleep on your lap for a while?"
However, before Yvonne could agree, she had already found her position on Yvonne's knees quite naturally.
Yvonne was sowhat helpless,
"...Are you that sleep-deprived? Also... sleeping right after eating will make you gain weight."
Spring laziness, sumr drowsiness, autumn fatigue, winter hibernation. Throughout the four seasons, there are always countless perfect excuses to want to sleep.
Elsa narrowed her eyes and pouted sowhat displeased:
"Hmph... It's because you've been keeping
up late every night recently that I'm so tired..."
Hearing such words, Yvonne's face reddened, and she coughed lightly:
"Ahem... Then I'll let you catch up on so sleep."
It seed she wasn't lying about being tired.
Lying on her knees, her breathing quickly beca even.
Her skin looked delicate and translucent, with a hint of adorable childishness.
This peaceful sleeping face seed to have escaped from all worries and troubles.
Just looking at her like this, Yvonne felt completely healed.
However, rely watching wasn't enough to fully satisfy the current Yvonne.
She couldn't help but reach out her hand, gently sliding her fingertips across Elsa's soft cheeks. With her gentle touch, Elsa's eyelashes fluttered a few tis.
Her fluffy head was round and plump, as if it could be cradled in one's palm.
On Yvonne's knees, she turned over, burying her face in Yvonne's stomach.
How long this life would continue, Yvonne didn't know, but aside from enjoying the present, she had no other thoughts now.
Hiss—
Hearing an unusual sound, Yvonne alertly pricked up her ears.
Rustle rustle...
There seed to be so movent in the nearby bushes.
It seed like so animals were stirring nearby.
Were they magical beasts?
And from the sound of it, it seed there was more than one—
Was this area the territory of magical beasts?
The outskirts of this forest were said to be quite safe according to the nearby residents... How could there be so many magical beasts...
Had they unknowingly ventured too deep?
"Mm? Evie... What's wrong?"
Elsa rubbed her eyes and climbed up from Yvonne's body.
"Did I wake you?"
"Are there magical beasts appearing?"
Yvonne nodded.
"...It seems so."
"Don't worry, if it's wild boars or sothing, I can turn them into barbecue on the spot!"
Elsa clenched her fists and said quite seriously, her earnest appearance actually made Yvonne laugh:
"Pfft... Although I'd like to eat barbecue too, it's better not to use fire magic here, after all, it wouldn't be good to start a forest fire."
Half-jokingly, the two stood up and headed towards the depths of the forest.
The unusual rustling sound was very close.
Whether it was due to the influence of the magical beast blood from before, she felt her senses had beco much sharper.
Besides the beast odor, there was also an unfamiliar sll of blood.
Yvonne had a bad feeling and couldn't help but quicken her pace.
The scene before her eyes made her draw in a sharp breath.
Several hideous magical beasts were baring their bloody mouths, drooling, and pacing restlessly around a pile of rags, occasionally letting out low growls.
Noticing sothing was amiss, Elsa stepped forward to shield Yvonne.
Then she stretched out her hand and cast a combined elental magic bullet towards the direction where the magical beasts were gathered.
Attacked, those magical beasts quickly tucked their tails and ran away sheepishly.
"Evie... There seems to be sothing under that pile of rags..."
Evidently, she had noticed it too.
"...Let's take a look anyway."
The sll of blood that could be detected was becoming increasingly strong.
Yvonne wasn't sure if the other party was still alive.
"Evie... There's a black beastfolk cub under there!!"
Elsa carefully picked up a small black dog from under the rags.
However, to be precise,
What was wrapped around this black dog wasn't so rag, but so kind of patterned beast hide.
It was the hide of a striped tiger!
Those low-level magical beasts earlier seed to have been wary of the sll on it, so they didn't take any further vicious actions.
"So light..."
The frail life gasped in her arms, feeling as if it weighed nothing at all, like air.
Elsa was also encountering this situation for the first ti and felt sowhat at a loss.
"Anyway, let
check."
"Mm."
Yvonne knew so dical skills and could better assess the injuries on this child.
"Whimper..."
After picking up the small beast, a painful whimper ca from its young throat.
...
The shocking wounds on this child made Yvonne feel distressed.
Most of the wounds on its body were abrasions. The source of the blood sll should be the torn wound on its abdon that was still continuously bleeding. Judging from the scratches left on the torn clothes, it seed to have been caused by so sharp weapon.
How cruel must soone be to inflict such heavy wounds on such a small cub??
The wound was too severe.
The recovery potion they carried could barely stop the bleeding.
"Anyway, Elsa—use the Silver Shoes for instant teleportation!"
"Mm!"
Elsa was already planning to do so without Yvonne saying it.
Saving a life was urgent!
Such a small child... What exactly had it been through?
With hearts full of questions, in the weightless surroundings, the two embarked on a journey of salvation.
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"...So you actually picked up an Anubis cub."
After completing the ergency treatnt, Brin let out a long sigh. This small-statured magic user pulled down her goggles and took off her blood-stained gloves, tossing them aside.
As an excellent alchemist and a dical practitioner well-versed in healing knowledge—
"...'Anubis'?"
The now calm black cub was grabbing one of her fingers with its paw and wouldn't let go.
Yvonne vaguely rembered that this na referred to the familiar dog-headed death god image in Egyptian mythology.
Brin told the two that Anubis was a branch race under the Pelo tribe.
"If you want to understand the situation... you'll have to go to the Pelo tribe's gathering place."
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