Magic Gems Gourmet

Chapter 288

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 288 – When Speaking of Feelings That Were “Too” Warm

Later that evening, Ain and Chris noticed how warm Strohm felt.

Having been in Baltimore until just yesterday, the outside air in Strohm felt warm to them.

The biting cold had subsided, and they no longer had to hunch over to shield their chests from the wind.

They climbed into the waiting carriage as if it were only natural, catching their breath from the journey while gazing at the scenery outside.

“Even though we haven’t lived here that long, it feels like… coming home.”

The royal capital. It would be easy to imagine that feeling being even stronger upon returning to the castle itself.

The sun set early, and the boundary between orange and lapis lazuli had already shifted; the deep lapis lazuli now enveloped the streets of Strohm. Feeling playful, Ain rested his elbows on the window frame and smiled at the bustling cityscape.

“There’s been quite a bit of commotion lately, but Strohm is still as lively as ever, isn’t it?”

“It’s a new city, and we’re grateful that merchants gather here.”

Additionally, Warren’s plan would be executed by next week. The fake red dragon egg would be presented to the royal family.

After arriving at the port city of Magna, they would head north, passing through Strohm on their way to the royal capital. Tigre would lead the way and deliver it to the capital, where King Sylvird awaited.

(I suppose that must be Warren’s kindness.)

Not everyone was favorable toward Tigre. After all, there was the matter of Ain and Olivia abandoning Heim and returning home. Even if something was orchestrated behind the scenes, the common folk wouldn’t simply accept it.

Warren’s kindness here simply created an opportunity for Tigre to present the treasure to Sylvird and bow his head.

Now known as the Duke of Heim, Tigre’s demonstration of loyalty would undoubtedly prove beneficial, regardless of the pretext.

From Ain’s perspective as a friend, this act was utterly despicable.

“Come to think of it—”

Suddenly, Ain started talking about what lay ahead.

“I… think for a while there’s not much I can do, right?”

“Yes, I think so too. Knights and civil officials will be dispatched, but Ain-sama should focus on governing Strohm for a while.”

“Yeah. Chris is right…”

The information he gathered from Sylvia has been compiled. It had already been processed and would be delivered to the capital before he boards the carriage.

Warren would soon make his move and consider his next step, perhaps even today. He was not the type to be caught off guard.

Soon, an investigation team would be formed, and, without Ain knowing, they would begin their work.

“There’s a mountain of work, you know? First, there’s the festival that doubles as a strategy. Then, there’s the matter of the fruit bearing Ain-sama’s seal that stalled a bit—and then…”

“I…I know! I’ll do it! I won’t ask to go on long trips just because I feel like it anymore!”

“Yes, I trust Ain-sama more than anyone.”

What a heartfelt, wonderful smile. Ain often thought her smile could outshine jewels, but lately, it seemed to have gained an even greater polish.

In any case, Chris’s words just now drove home the point: “You really shouldn’t do that, you know?”

“Since your two classmates are working so hard, you should focus on what you need to do.”

“Well, I mean…sometimes I wonder if it’s really okay to just leave things to those two…”

“Um… What exactly do you mean by that?”

“I mean, won’t Batz and Leonard get into dangerous situations? Knights and civil officials are the same in that regard, but Batz isn’t even a Royal Knight yet, and Leonard is purely a civil official.”

“I know how kindhearted you are, Ain-sama. But when you were younger, you killed and absorbed the sea dragon, didn’t you?”

Hearing this, Ain averted his gaze from Chris and turned it toward the streets of Strohm.

Then, in an unusual move, she pulled his arm, forcing his face toward hers.

“You did, didn’t you?”

Ain nodded weakly into her sapphire eyes, a wry smile forming at his inability to argue.

“…I did. But I had Cain-san and the others’ power…”

“Those two were delighted to be entrusted with work by Ain-sama. So for Ain-sama to worry like that…perhaps it’s rude.”

They were both old enough to be considered adults. Therefore, worrying excessively might be considered rude.

“Yeah,” he murmured in agreement with Chris. Then, he turned his gaze toward the mansion, which was gradually coming into view.

“It was a busy job, but Chris, you have tomorrow and the day after off, right?”

“Yes, that’s right, but there’s a bit of fighting. Or rather, some important matters I need to attend to…”

“A fight?”

The word sounded harsh. Ain frowned and looked at Chris again.

“Ah—well, it’s more like personal matters, I guess. It’s something I have to handle myself, so you really don’t need to worry about it!”

She frantically waved both hands and shook her head, her long hair swaying.

“Does she not want me to talk about it?” Ain wondered secretly.

“Is it work-related? If it’s tough, I can help. Let me know if anything comes up.”

“Ahahaha… Thank you…”

Chris answered bashfully, her cheeks flushed and her inner thighs fidgeting, to Ain, who knew nothing of the fight’s details.

“Please wait a while before telling him that,” she thought. She had only just taken that first step. On the way back to the mansion, her mind was occupied with what she should say to Krone about it.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Ain and Chris were greeted by the mansion’s residents—Krone, Olivia, and Dill—who praised their efforts. Although it was past dinnertime and everyone was hungry, supper would have to wait.

Martha suggested that Ain, who was weary from the long journey, take a bath first, and he readily agreed.

After parting ways with Ain, Chris spoke with Olivia and the others in one of the halls.

“—That’s how it was,”

Chris said, recounting what had happened along the way.

Though they had been informed by letter, hearing it directly from Chris lent an added sense of tension. However, perhaps thanks to Sylvia’s advice, everyone breathed a sigh of relief that the situation wasn’t as dire as feared.

The room held four women.

Dill wasn’t present, likely because he insisted on guarding Ain outside the bath, even though Ain was bathing.

Only Chris, Krone, Olivia, and Martha were there.

“…”

As silence fell the moment she finished speaking, Chris twitched her mouth unnaturally.

Noticing this, Krone tilted her head slightly and asked if something was wrong.

“Chris-san? Are you feeling unwell?”

“N-no, no, no! Actually, my body feels fine. It’s more like… inside my heart… or… how should I put it?”

Just say it. She wanted to follow Sylvia’s advice, but she hesitated over how to make the promise.

Even though she was the captain of the royal knights, she must have seemed small to Krone, who stood before her. All her years of sword training were useless now. It was only natural, but sweat beaded on her clenched fists.

“Inside your heart…?”

Even to another woman, Krone’s bewildered expression was undeniably adorable, more beautiful than the Blue Fire Roses.

Back when she attended the academy, she was well known for captivating many male students and nobles, but all of that affection and grace was directed solely toward Ain.

Could she really handle a woman like that? Could she slip into her heart? Countless anxieties flashed through his mind.

Then,

“Could it be about Ain?”

“Huh—?”

Chris was caught off guard. Krone said it as if it were the most natural thing. Chris stared at her, eyes wide.

“Ever since you returned from Balt, you’ve seemed even closer than usual.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. If you hadn’t noticed, it must be unconscious.”

Of course, it was unconscious.

Did Ain realize it? If so, she hoped it wouldn’t bother him.

Facing Krone, her heart pounded even harder.

Chris eventually realized that this situation couldn’t continue. Remembering Sylvia’s encouragement, she opened her mouth.

“There’s something I need to talk to you about. It’s just a little while before dinner, but could you hear me out?”

“Yes, I’ll listen.”

Chris’s aura shifted, and Krone straightened her posture and looked at her.

She set the cup of tea she was holding on the table and rested her hands on her thighs, her legs crossed at an angle.

Immediately, tension ran through Olivia and Martha, who were seated right beside her.

“…I…”

She took a breath. The scent of the tea calmed her nerves a little.

She exhaled steadily and finally spoke to Krone.

“I like Ain-sama.”

She had finally said it. It was the first time she had ever expressed her feelings so honestly. Even though Ain himself wasn’t present, a strong tension settled over her entire body.

However, she didn’t feel embarrassed or regretful. Instead, she felt a sense of relief and clarity wash over her.

“…”

Suddenly, Krone fell silent.

Chris’s heart ached at having blurted this out so abruptly. She thought she was a terrible woman. She felt a twinge of self-loathing for not being able to stop herself. The words were out now, and she couldn’t lie to herself.

“…”

Next, Olivia, seated beside her, also fell silent. Martha, standing behind them, was equally silent, staring wide-eyed at Chris.

How long did this moment last? To Chris, it felt like hours, but it finally ended when Martha spoke first.

“Chris-sama. Would you like a refill of tea?”

“Wh-what…!?”

“Ara, may I have some, too?”

“Certainly. I’ll pour for Olivia-sama first.

Just as the conversation seemed to resume normally, Olivia accepted a refill from Martha.

Martha had asked her, too. But why did Chris choose this moment to speak up with such an insensitive remark? That puzzled everyone.

“Martha-san. May I have some, too?”

“Yes, understood.”

“W-wait! I just said something important! Why are you dismissing it so lightly?”

She felt brushed off, and even Chris was saddened by it.

But why did the three of them react that way? The reason was soon revealed by Martha.

“You’re talking about something that everyone already knows, yet you’re expressing it with such seriousness. I thought for sure that something had happened to Ain-sama, and that you were there to support him.”

“…H-huh?”

She sighed instead, and Chris looked around nervously at the three of them.

Olivia and Krone seemed to feel the same way, vigorously nodding in response to Martha’s words.

“Even if you give me that ‘How did you know?’ look, it’s not like it’s some big secret that Chris likes Ain. We’ve known that since the beginning.”

“Y-you knew…?”

“We could tell just by watching your attitude. Have you forgotten everything you’ve done up until now?”

“…Well, um, Chris-san…”

Olivia pressed on, but Krone couldn’t help but speak up apologetically.

“When Ain went to Balt for the first time… On the way back, didn’t Chris-san say it? That you wanted to be by Ain’s side. There was also that other thing, and you summoned Arche-san for Ain’s sake…”

Now that she mentioned it, her attitude had been quite obvious.

However, Chris was confident that no one had noticed these things. After all, they could all be dismissed as a knight’s loyalty. She had never considered that they might be interpreted as romantic feelings.

“You only let down your hair, which you stubbornly kept tied up, after you could be near Ain, right?”

“Hmph… Well, yes, that’s true!”

“I looked into it before. Elves only use the phrase ‘offer a magic stone’ to someone they truly care about, right?”

She remembered blurting that out when she summoned Arche.

That was right. When it was pointed out to her, she realized how obvious her actions had been. Her face flushed scarlet as she covered it with both hands.

The only saving grace was that the ritual in the audience chamber hadn’t been witnessed.

“Sylvia-sama mentioned it, too, but I never thought it was obvious!”

“I’m sorry, Chris. I never thought you were trying to hide it. In fact, I thought you’d already declared it?”

“I’m terribly sorry, but I actually felt the same way. I was certain you meant it when you said it, so I wasn’t particularly surprised by your declaration just now.”

The situation was completely different from what Chris had imagined.

But Krone took a breath and composed herself.

“That said, I apologize for my somewhat rude response. Well, then.”

She cleared her throat gracefully, lifted her face, and looked straight into Chris’s eyes.

Chris found himself naturally drawn to her amethyst-like, jewel-bright eyes.

“The real question is, since you love Ain, what do you want to do, Chris-san?”

“…Yes.”

It didn’t matter much if they knew her feelings.

The problem was what came next—she had to speak about what she wanted for herself.

Seeing Krone’s soft smile vanish and her posture become stern, tension returned to Chris’s face.

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