Magic Gems Gourmet

Chapter 198

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 198 – The Reason Why Ain Came Part 3

That evening.

The capital of Ishtalika was buzzing with activity, even though it was late at night.

With the harbor sealed off by the knights, many royal knights―as well as common knights and officials―arrived in a state of high alert.

The people of the capital watched with concern, wondering what would happen, but the only people who knew the situation were the knights’ families, and the reason was never explained.

“Father is so stubborn… He should have at least come to see you off.”

Olivia, standing with Ain, mumbled.

After Ain returned to the castle, Sylvird never spoke to him again, and he never approached Ain.

This continued even after the story had progressed to this point, and Ain had hoped to at least have a word with him, but… this wish was not granted.

“I know I’m being selfish, and there’s nothing I can do about it… Well, Mother. I’m going to leave now.”

“A-ara… It’s time already?”

She looked at Ain with tear-filled eyes and then opened her mouth in a pleading tone.

“Ain. Could you come closer?”

Olivia opened her arms and beckoned to Ain.

As the distance between them narrowed, Olivia pulled Ain into a tight embrace.

The warm softness of Olivia’s chest.

As usual, it was filled with a wonderful scent, and Ain took a deep breath to calm his heart.

Olivia wrapped her hands tightly around Ain’s head and back, reluctant to let go.

After a few minutes of this, the two naturally pulled away from each other.

“Hmm… I know I can’t compete with God’s blessing, but this is my blessing for you.”

Olivia’s face came closer, and she kissed Ain’s forehead.

However, Ain objected to her words.

“What are you talking about? Mother’s blessing is a more wonderful blessing than God’s. Thanks to it, I’ll be able to return to Ishtalika safely.”

“Fufu… I see. Then it was worth it giving you my blessing.”

“Thank you. I’m now sure of victory with all my heart.”

Despite the circumstances, Ain’s words gave Olivia a sense of security.

As she admired Ain’s reliability, Olivia’s expression changed as if she had made up her mind.

“――Ain. Be careful on your way. When you come back, I’ll brush your hair again.”

“…Yes! I’m off!”

After saying goodbye to Olivia, Ain turned around and headed towards the dock. After walking for a while, he met up with Krone, who had been waiting for him, and the two of them walked together.

“Hey, Ain.”

“Hmm? What’s up?”

In a complete change from the meeting, Krone spoke to Ain with a cheerful voice.

“Do you want my blessing as well?”

“Eh, yes―I want it, but…”

It’s hard to say that he really wanted it.

It would seem like he was lacking in principle, and he felt a little self-loathing.

But if he says he didn’t want it here, that would also be a problem, so after a little hesitation, Ain answers.

“…Why did you hesitate a little?”

Krone’s eyes change to a look of dissatisfaction.

“Well, I didn’t hesitate! I was just a little nervous…!”

――That’s a lie. He did hesitate.

There was no way he could say that, so Ain fudged it by saying he was nervous.

“Hmm… I see. But you didn’t plan to do it in the first place, did you?”

“So you’re not going to do it after all?”

“Ara, you look disappointed. Did you really want me to do it?”

“Yes, I did.”

This time, Ain answered immediately.

When Krone showed a dumbfounded expression, she looked at Ain as if she were a bit surprised.

“You answered so quickly…”

“I’m just getting used to it.”

“I-I don’t know what you’ve gotten used to, but… if you really want, shall I let you choose just one?”

She giggled and looked up at Ain like a naughty child.

Her eyes were full of expectation as if to say, “Hey, listen to me! Listen to me!”

“By the way, what are my options?”

“Do you want the blessing now? Or… this one. But after you get back, okay?”

Krone was talking about the second option.

What exactly was this “this one”? Ain didn’t understand, but he got it from Krone’s gestures.

Krone raised her index finger and pressed it against Ain’s lips.

Then, she immediately pressed her own lips against her index finger.

“If Olivia-sama gave you a blessing, there’s no point in me giving you the same one, right? That’s why I decided to let you choose your own reward.”

“Haha, I see. That’s just like Krone.”

“So you’re okay with that?”

“Yes. A reward isn’t that bad.”

Of course, they understood that they were flirting.

But since it was a situation like this, they hoped that they could be forgiven a little. The two of them made this compromise in their hearts.

“Well, I’ve come this far.”

As they approached the dock, Krone muttered and stopped.

“The battleship Leviathan. There is no room for it in this harbor. So you will be taken from here to the Leviathan in this small boat.”

“It was sudden… I guess there’s no choice.”

Looking out to sea, the Leviathan could be seen floating a few hundred meters away.

There were also several small boats floating around it, and the crew was heading towards it in the same direction as Ain.

The Leviathan’s overall shape could be described as that of a mountain, and the power units on its wings are independent.

Its streamlined body is a battleship of a shape that is rare even among the long-bodied Ishtalika.

“The crew members who can operate the White King have already left. So there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Thank you. Even though it was sudden, you helped too, Krone.”

“…It’s not just today, is it?”

Ain scratched his head as if to hide the fact that Krone just poked him in the side.

“That’s right. It was like that until now, and it will be like that from now on.”

“Yeah, that’s right. If you know that, that’s good. Well then, see you later. Bye.”

“I’m off… Krone.”

Ain entered the small boat.

His destination was Leviathan―the new battleship of Ishtalika, floating on the sea.

Ain stood on the deck and looked at the huge figure of the Leviathan.

“Wow… it’s huge.”

It was huge. That’s the only word for it.

Even for Ain, who has ridden the White King, the Leviathan’s appearance out at sea is far more enormous and full of presence.

“It’s amazing that something like that can move.”

Ain could be seen muttering to himself with his arms crossed.

Fortunately, the crew members stayed away from Ain, so his muttering was lost on the sea.

…However, a woman hesitantly approaches Ain.

“Um, I don’t know what to say. It starts with Olivia-sama, and then it’s Krone-san. I thought I should say something too…”

“Hey, Chris… why are you on this boat?”

It was Chris who called out to him.

Even though she was wearing a knight’s outfit, she wasn’t wearing any armor, so she was lightly dressed.

She had a sword at her waist, but she wasn’t dressed like she was going to a battlefield.

It seemed that Chris had been watching until Ain arrived at the small boat, wondering what she should do.

“I came to see you off. I’m sorry, but I’ve made the difficult decision to go my own way.”

“Haha… I’m sorry?”

Chris puffed out her cheeks slightly and told Ain without hiding that she was unhappy.

“Once you join up with Lloyd-sama and the others, we will attack from the port city of Roundheart. I will go there on Princess Olivia, so it will be a pincer attack after that.”

She spoke matter-of-factly, but she still looked dissatisfied.

“Well, I know this strategy is effective, but I’m the one responsible for protecting you, so I’m not sure if it’s a good idea for me to act separately…”

“…Yes. I’m sorry about that.”

By the way, it was Ain who came up with the strategy.

It’s an open secret that it was harder to convince Chris than to come up with the strategy.

“Please don’t worry about apologizing, but please make sure to meet with Lloyd-sama and the others and then meet with me, okay?”

Even if it’s a bit of a roundabout way, Chris had plans to meet up with Ain.

Therefore, unlike Olivia and Krone, there was no sense of desperation in her expression.

“Besides, the plan to sneak aboard the Leviathan hasn’t been abandoned yet, has it?”

“If you’re telling me, it’s not like you can sneak aboard, is it?”

“…If Ain-sama doesn’t find out, I think I can manage somehow.”

“You can’t abuse your power, you know?”

Chris’ face showed the first hint of sadness at Ain’s words.

“…And it all fell through.”

“Oh, yeah… I don’t feel like I achieved anything at all…”

He was unsure if he should reprimand Chris for thinking about doing something dishonest, but seeing how down Chris was, Ain decided to take pity on her.

“…T-there’s nothing I can do about it now! Please make sure you come back safely!”

“Yes, I know. I’ll do my best, so don’t worry.”

Ain enjoyed a lively conversation with Chris.

Suddenly, she noticed that the boat had slowed down.

“It’s time to go. Well then, Ain-sama… I wish you good luck.”

The small boat docked right next to the Leviathan. After connecting a simple ramp by hand, Chris leaves Ain’s side.

She probably still has some work to do. Thinking this, Ain bowed to Chris’ back as she left.

“Thank you, Chris. Well, I guess I’ll get going.”

The ramp shakes slightly, but Ain doesn’t do anything stupid, like fall into the sea and make his way to the Leviathan.

Inside, Dill should be waiting for Ain’s arrival. As a healer, Varra should have already checked the facilities in her room.

――Step by step, Ain steps onto the swaying ramp and finally boards the Leviathan.

“Have you said your goodbyes?”

“…G-grandfather!?”

Ain boarded the ship.

Then, Sylvird was standing by with Dill and several of the royal knights.

The appearance of someone he had hoped to talk to, even if only for a few words, took Ain by surprise, and he almost fell backward.

“What is it? There’s no reason to be so surprised.”

“N-no, no, I’m surprised! I can’t believe you’re here…”

“I have my own struggles. I may have behaved in a manner unbecoming of a king, but if that’s the case, then that was the limit of my abilities.”

Sylvird approached Ain.

Then he put a hand to his ear and took off the earring he was wearing.

“Laralua scolded me too. Hmph… a king who is scolded by the queen is a laughing stock.”

Laralua must have said something to him that Ain didn’t know.

Sylvird, who looked as if he was consumed by remorse, offered Ain the earring he had removed.

“Take it. I pray it will protect Ain’s life.”

After forcibly handing over the earring, Sylvird unboarded the Leviathan with a surprisingly energetic stride.

He moved forward with a powerful stride, stepping onto the same ramp that Ain had used.

“Your Majesty, please wait! We should go first…”

“No need. I’m not old enough to slip on it.”

The royal knight followed behind Sylvird, looking worried, and stood nearby to support him.

“Grandfather! Could this be…”

“Yeah, the Red Ruby of Earth―it is mine. But it should be Ain who has it now. I pray you won’t need it, though.”

With few words, Sylvird left Ain’s side.

When Sylvird reached the boat, he entered it with a tired expression.

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