Chapter 74: 75

“IT’S LIILYYYYY!” 

Pedro, who had turned into a wolf, hopped around me excitedly as if he was going to faint. The commotion of a 32-year-old man was so severe that the knights waved their hands and tried to disuade him.

“Be careful, Commander. You’ll break your tail again!” 

“The last time you came to pick up supplies, you said you would go to the Princess and you end up breaking two carriages!”

“Argh! Commander, don’t bite! I’m dying!” 

In the midst of the chaos, I rolled my eyes and smiled as Hugo sneaked up behind me.

“It’s noisy. I apologize on behalf of Brother, Lily.”

I wanted to say it was okay, but I couldn’t. Because my mouth was buried in broad shoulders.

Alan was on one knee, hugging me deeply.

I felt buried in the arms of a beast, despite the fact he had abandoned the uniform that had been torn when he turned nto a black leopard and changed into simple clothes.

Slowly feeling like I was going to suffocate, I tapped his forearm. 

“You know… Dad?”

“….…”

Alan didn’t let me go easily. It was as if our body temperature was imprinted on each cell.

He, who made no movement like a stone statue, suddenly whispered.

“…I missed you.” 

Those words were filled with a desperate longing that would be difficult to explain to one who didn’t listen to them directly. 

Nike, who was watching us, even wiped away some tears.

However, Hugo, an emotionless wizard, spoiled the atmosphere at once.

“Father, let her go.”

“……”

“The weather is quite chilly, so I am concerned about Lily’s health.” 

Alan, who seemingly made himself deaf to those words, jumped up and hugged me.

Even though I was no longer young enough to be embraced by my father like this, there was no time to stop him.

I looked for Benny over his shoulder as we were leaving the spot.

Elevated from a slave to a war hero in an instant, Benny was surrounded by bouquets of flowers.

I couldn’t help but be surprised to see him face to face after four years. 

At 16-years-old, Benny was no longer a boy, but a young man.

His height was equal to that of Alan, his shoulders were wide as if he had been drawn with a ruler, and his clear facial features and proportions harmonized with his characteristic indifferent expression, creating a beautiful and manly atmosphere.

Perhaps because of his beauty, there were many girls around the same age who blushed in the crowd.

Benny, who had taken off his breastplate and handed it to the servant, suddenly looked back at me.

He bowed his head, greeting me. And that was the end of my meeting with him. Benny quickly looked away, and I rode the carriage with Alan.

Michael was nowhere to be seen as he had left the place early.

The moment the carriage was about to depart, a large hand slipped through the crack in the door.

“Father, I want to ride with Lily too!” 

The ceremonial carriage I was riding on was not that big of a ride.

Still, Pedro shoved his huge body into it.

After that, even when Hugo came in, I felt like I was running out of oxygen. 

“It’s too narrow. Lily seems to be suffocated, so Brother, please leave.”

“Do you think the seat would be just right for you?”

Even after four years had passed, the brothers continued to fight over trivial matters.

Alan, who wrinkled his brow like he was angry, pulled me closer to him.

“…It’s noisy, you guys. Both of you go out.”

“We’re setting off, Duke!”

Despite Alan’s complaint, Nike closed the door and started the carriage.

As I twisted around in the swaying carriage, somehow there was enough space for four people to sit.

Mostly because Alan put me on his lap.

“Have you been well?”

Alan took off his black gloves and stroked my hair.

I nodded right away. 

“Yes, what about you, Dad? You weren’t hurt?” 

“Lily, I’m not hurt either! I’m fine!” 

Without needing me to ask, Pedro waved his arm and announced first.

“I’m not hurt either.” 

Hugo, too, did not want to lose.

How did it become a competition again? 

Ignoring the chatter of his two sons, Alan answered,

“I’m fine, Lily. Rather, I was more worried about you.”

What do you mean you’re worried about me, I’m not even in the war zone? It was something I didn’t quite understand.

“Me? Why?” 

“There are so many things to worry about. Maybe, when I was away, you stubbed your toe on the edge of the desk, or cut your hand on the paper…” 

…I didn’t think this was a big deal compared to fighting all the evil spirits.

“On a cold day, I couldn’t sleep because I was worried that you might catch a cold.”

Alan sighed in relief. Hugo, who was sitting next to him, jolted as if he felt the same way.

“But I’m glad the battle didn’t become drawn out.”

“Right, Benimus was amazing!”

Pedro burst into laughter. Hugo kicked his tongue and glanced at him.

“Brother, please refrain from talking about that monster.” 

It seemed that Hugo had not yet opened his heart to Benny. 

Well, for me, I just wanted to compliment Hugo for not killing Benny in the four years he spent with him.

“Is Benny okay?”

Since we were on the topic, I quickly asked about Benny.

Hugo nodded, and let out a groan before answering with a grin.

“He is very fine. Even if those who survived were seriously injured, he was able to regenerate himself well. No wonder, he’s a monster…”

“W-Was he hurt that much?” 

“Hugo.”

Alan glared at Hugo and the young man shut his mouth.

Alan patted my head and said sweetly.

“Don’t worry about that kid.”

‘Does this mean that I don’t have to worry, or that I don’t have to pay attention?’

It felt more like the latter. 

“Rather than that, Lily, let’s talk about you.”

Occasionally, there were knights who returned first from the Western Continent for reasons such as injuries, and they would more often than not talk about their own useless stories whenever they opened their mouths.

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But the three men gathered here seemed to be more interested in my story. 

When their eyes focused on me, I felt a little self-conscious.

Although I had been very busy, there were few anecdotes I could share with the Bauners.

“So… I…”  

Alan and the two brothers stared at me.

I ended up putting the invitation I received a while ago on a chopping board.

“…I got an invitation from the imperial family. Are you all going to the Imperial Palace banquet tonight?”

At my words, Pedro and Hugo exchanged blank glances.

“Oh, crap. There was that…” 

“We did receive the invitations while we’re on our way here. But we forgot about the banquet as we only thought about Lily’s debutante.” 

It was an important banquet to celebrate the recapture of the Western Continent at the Imperial Palace… You forgot about it?

“I’m worried that participating in someone else’s banquet might disrupt the preparations for your debutante.”

Alan openly showed signs of annoyance.

‘This is why it’s difficult for me to do this.’

Contrary to their dull response, the imperial banquet was a big event. A victory banquet at the Imperial Palace was a big event, so much so that it was no less than a crime of treason if they didn’t go.

This banquet was even prepared by the emperor herself for the duchy. There was no option not to go in the first place.

‘It’s not that I haven’t learned noble etiquette for four years.’

I slyly lied to motivate the three unmotivated men. 

“I want to go! I was wondering what kind of banquet it was.”

“…If my angel said so.” 

“Hm, I can’t help it then.” 

“Okay, Lily.”

At my word, all three of them made their decision.

Alan added lightly. 

“Don’t expect too much. It’s more of a simple banquet than your debutante that will be held soon.”

***

‘Is this simple?’

The night scenery that unfolded before my eyes was more splendid than the daytime.

Wizards in blue robes floated in the air, their feet tapping like fairies’. 

Wine and milk gushed out of the huge fountain, and triumphal arches with magic stones were erected everywhere.

I was confused as to whether I was in heaven or in reality.

To be honest, the former was more convincing. I didn’t even have my feet on the ground.

The Bauner family and Benimus, war heroes who recaptured the Western Continent, entered the palace on elephants provided by the Imperial Palace.

“The Duke has arrived!”

Bang! Bang!

The sound from the cannons of celebration resonated here and there. And shouts louder than that erupted.

The nobles who filled the expansive garden raised their cups.

Elephants could be seen in the square, and the thunderous cheers of the people were heard from that side as well. 

Although Alan, who sat next to me, looked unmoved no matter how much people praised him.

‘…M-Motion sickness!’

Even though my body was firmly fixed in place, my stomach was getting more and more wobbly. 

The elephant’s back was shaking harder than expected.

I took a deep breath to hold back the motion sickness. But Alan seemed to have interpreted it strangely.

“Lily, are you having fun?” 

‘No, I’m going to die.’

“If you like elephants, I’ll bring them to your debutante. Then you will be able to ride on one all day.” 

‘No! That’s abusing me and the elephant at the same time!’

“Until now, the land was narrow, so there were few of such animals, but now that we have retaken the Western Continent from the evil spirits, we will see more and more of it.”

“It’s, it’s okay. I really don’t need it…”

The elephant stopped in place just as I was stopping Alan with all my might.

It seemed we had reached our destination. 

Alan ignored the servants who laid a set of stairs and jumped to the ground, hugging me.

Barely out of breath, I rubbed my face and refocused my blurred vision. 

The place where the elephant took us to was not a banquet hall, but a vacant lot surrounded by giant poles.

The nobles who were attending the banquet were looking at us from afar.

Pedro and Hugo came closer and stood behind me.

As I looked around, a bright white light appeared in the center of the vacant lot. 

The shining thread grew bigger and bigger and soon took the form of a gigantic woman.

Again, shouts erupted from the nobles.

“We greet Your Majesty the Emperor!” 

“Your Majesty the Emperor!” 

‘Whoa, the shouts grew louder.’

Igdrasil, who appeared in the vacant lot, calmed them down with a single gesture and spoke to Alan.

“You did a great job, Duke.” 

“Someone else has contributed more than me.” 

Alan’s response was blunt. 

Igdrasil laughed ​​and pointed to Benny who had just gotten off the elephant.

“By ‘someone else’, do you mean that kid? Indeed… he’s none other than the hero.”

Igdrasil gazed at the Bauner family and smiled benevolently.

“Did you like the elephant? Originally, a divine beast would be created with the magic of the imperial family, but this time, as an exception, real animals were used. Since the evil spirit boy can’t ride a figure created by the magic of the spirit.”

“I see.”

“This victory will be a stepping stone for the Empire to leap forward. Duke, especially, your contribution is huge. Without you, the evil spirit boy would have been executed four years ago.”

“It’s overrated.” 

I didn’t feel a single ounce of joy from Alan’s blunt reply.

Igdrasil laughed cheerfully and sat down in the air.

“I feel that just a banquet is not enough to praise your deeds.”

Alan raised an eyebrow at those words. That was the expression he made when he was annoyed by something.

Mainly for bad reasons… 

“For a very long time, the imperial family and the ducal family of Bauner have been in an alliance through marriage.”

Igdrasil spoke with a laugh. 

At the moment Alan’s expression turned harsh, she declared with her arms wide open as if to attract attention.

“You will give your daughter to the Crown Prince.”

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