Magic Gems Gourmet

Chapter 289

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 289 – Though Her Vessel May Be Flawed, There’s Hardly Anyone More Valuable Than Her

“But I can make a rough guess. The fact that you just now formally declared it means you want to get closer to Ain. Is that what you’re thinking?”

“…Yes.”

“I knew you’d say something like that eventually, Chris-san. But I never imagined it would be today.”

Krone smiled awkwardly. She was indeed lovely, a phrase like “a flower would blush” fitting her perfectly.

Then, as if gathering her resolve, she clenched her hands tightly, looked down, and paused for several breaths.

“…Hmph.”

With her last breath, Krone finished her tea. Her face reflected a multitude of emotions: compassion, patience, frustration, and joy.

“To put it bluntly, I have no right to stop you. For a royal prince to take only one wife… I’m sorry to say this to His Majesty Sylvird, but it would be utter folly.”

“Yes, that is one of Father’s shortcomings, I believe.”

“Especially since Ishtalika is a great nation. Even combined, the three kingdoms of Heim, Rockdam, and Euro are still less than half its size. Therefore, for me to be his only wife… compared to other nations is an even greater folly.”

Following Olivia’s words, Krone voiced her own argument.

“Moreover, to be worthy of standing by Ain’s side, I began life in the castle as a child and received personal academic instruction from Prime Minister Warren-sama. Therefore, I have always held the conviction that monopolizing Ain would be an act of disloyalty toward Ishtalika.”

“…But I would never dream of taking him away!”

“I know very well how kind you are, Chris-san. Please consider what I’m about to say as nothing more than the selfish desires of a young girl who simply can’t accept it.”

Krone drew in a deep breath.

She glanced up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, then toyed with a strand of her silver-blue hair between her fingertips.

“As a woman, I have an above-average desire to possess Ain exclusively. I don’t want to share him with anyone. I don’t want him to look at anyone but me. These feelings arose after I came to Ishtalika. When I was born into the Grand Duke Augusto family, I never imagined I’d have such thoughts about the opposite sex…”

Then, Krone flashed a bright, youthful smile.

With a hint of self-mockery, she lowered her gaze and curled the ends of her hair.

The Star Crystal on her left arm reflected the light from the chandelier, and Krone embraced the warmth of Ain within that glow.

“These feelings are unnecessary for me to become Crown Prince Ain’s wife. But my inability to suppress them is a sign of my immaturity.”

“I-I don’t think that’s true! Even though I brought it up, it might be wrong of me to say this…”

“…Fufu. Chris-san really is kind, you know.”

Martha quietly poured tea into the cup.

Though the sound of dishes rubbing together was usually just noise, at that moment, it filled the space like a famous orchestra’s performance.

“—But I’ve changed a little since then. My feelings have shifted slightly.”

As Krone spoke, the air in the hall grew tense.

“I abandoned my homeland and risked my life for Ain. But during the Heim War, I realized that you felt the same way, Chris-san.”

“Ah, well, that was… just me being desperate—”

“They say a person’s true nature is revealed when pushed to the brink. Then that must have been your true nature, Chris-san.”

Therefore, Krone continued.

“I used to agonize so much that I couldn’t sleep at night. Another woman was risking her life, too—a woman close to Ain, whom I considered a dear friend. So I thought that if I stubbornly clung to my own feelings, it would be unfair not only to Ishtalika but also to that woman.”

Then, stopping the hand that had been playing with her hair, Krone rose gracefully.

“I was simply the one he chose first. So, I don’t mean to sound presumptuous, but if Ain accepts it, I believe I have enough emotional capacity to accept Chris-san as well.”

As the three women left behind watched Krone’s retreating back, they understood. She wouldn’t oppose the matter concerning Chris, but ultimately, it would depend on whether Ain would fall for her.

“Ah, but… Chris-san.”

Suddenly, Krone stopped and addressed her.

“After agonizing over it endlessly, I’ve finally sorted out my feelings. Accepting you is special, you know?”

“Th-thank you… very much.”

“Hah… That’s enough. I’ll stop exposing myself as an unruly woman now. Just think of me as this kind of woman, and that’s all I ask. From now on, I’ll show you how a woman marrying royalty should behave.”

“No, wait… It was me who came in from the side—”

Chris stood up and tried to approach Krone from behind. But Krone turned around and approached Chris, who was sitting on the sofa, with light steps.

“Chris-san.”

“Y-yes…”

What a wonderful smile. Just meeting her gaze made Krone, a woman, feel flustered.

That was why her reply came out high-pitched. Krone bent her waist into a gentle curve to meet Chris’s face and eyes. Then, she placed her hands on her hips and opened her mouth.

“Fufu—I have no intention of giving up on being Ain’s number one, no matter who the other person is. You understand?”

She tilted her head slightly at the end, as if to ask, “Do you get it now?”

Her hair swept back smoothly, accompanied by her unique scent and mannerisms. Not just Chris, but Olivia and Martha, too—all three were utterly transfixed by Krone’s presence.

Having captivated everyone, Krone headed toward the hall’s door. She announced that she was going to meet Ain, and then she left the hall.

Krone’s expression was utterly dignified and noble.

It even conveyed gratitude toward Chris, who had spoken her mind with integrity.

“I’m amazed. From the moment I first met her, I thought she was a remarkable talent.”

Martha, who had been staring at the door, let the words slip out naturally.

“Chris, May I share something with you?”

Olivia, who had also been captivated by Krone, regained her composure and spoke up.

“I think Krone-san always shows that side of herself to Ain. So, Ain has been accustomed to that side of Krone since childhood, right?”

“Yes. I understand perfectly why Warren-sama estimated Krone-san’s worth at decades’ worth of the national budget during the meeting with Heim.”

“Oh, was there such an incident? Hmm… If I were to estimate it now, it’d probably be even higher…”

All she could do was silently nod in response, once again feeling the sheer strength of Krone’s presence. Calling her a love rival, however, felt inaccurate.

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

“I’m sorry. Just water with ice, please.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“The mansion’s baths really are the best, aren’t they?”

“That’s the best part. All the effort to model them after the castle baths was worthwhile.”

The scene shifted. Freshly bathed, Ain walked down the hallway with Dill. They were on their way to the hall where Chris had just declared her feelings; they had planned to have dinner there.

Now in slightly more comfortable post-bath attire, Ain was in high spirits, perhaps influenced by the warm water.

“How was the bath, Ain?”

“Huh? Krone… Why are you here?”

“I wanted to come greet you, Ain. Is that okay?”

Sensing the tension, Dill quietly fell behind, keeping his distance.

Of course, Ain wouldn’t refuse, and he began walking arm-in-arm with Krone for the first time in ages.

“It’s rare for us to walk side by side like this inside the mansion, isn’t it?”

“Yes, today is special. Doing it after we return to the hall probably isn’t allowed right now.”

“Not allowed right now…? I don’t really get it, but, well, since everyone’s here, I guess it’s okay.”

Compared to usual, there was more tension in Krone’s arm. Deep creases formed in her clothes. Ain wondered what was wrong but said nothing, pulling her closer instead.

“Want to talk properly in my room later?”

“…Yeah, I really want to, but not today.”

“Ah, um… You too?”

“Yes. We just talked about it. If I don’t hold back today, I’ll become a terrible person.”

(Yeah, I don’t really get what’s going on.)

Still, she didn’t seem inclined to explain to Ain, continuing with her vague answers.

Needless to say, it was rare for her to speak plainly at times like this.

“You can be clingy today, but only for now. But starting next time, I won’t hold back.”

“Got it. I don’t really understand, but I get it.”

Just before they reached the hall, she slipped away from his arms naturally.

Ain was unsure why she was being shy, so he followed her lead, feeling confused.

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