Davier had suddenly disappeared, then just as suddenly returned by ship. Mia heard the news from the islanders right after she’d finished lunch. She rushed out of her house in a hurry.
I wonder if Davier is okay. I was worried when he suddenly vanished. While Mia and her mother had been taking a nap, Davier had left the island on a wyvern. Apparently, someone had come for him on the king’s orders. He’d apparently left Peppel Island and headed to Desnim, but no one knew the details, so Mia had been constantly concerned about him. What if that atrocious brother of mine gave him a new punishment and hurt him? Curse you, Bertrand! You’ll pay for this!
Mia wasn’t a good runner, so she was out of breath when she reached the beach. However, Davier nonchalantly disembarked from the anchored ship. He didn’t look hurt in any way—in fact, he had new clothes and overall looked neat and tidy. Mia looked at him in astonishment.
N-No fair! I also want new clothes! And to think she’d been so worried about him! How can he be so casual about this? Mia demanded an explanation.
“Davier! What’s the meaning of this?! You left without telling me a thing...” Mia shouted as she ran across the sandy beach. And yet, Davier remained calm.
“I have just returned, Lady Mia. You look well.”
“Where were you and what were you doing until now? I was shocked when you suddenly went missing!”
“I see you were worried about me. Oh, here’s a souvenir.”
“My, what beautiful silverwork— No, forget that! I was wondering what that blackhearted king might have done to you after taking you away...” Mia was unable to contain herself.
“I was negotiating to improve the island’s sanitation and have medical facilities installed. I also secured outside employment for the children born on the island.”
“Is that all?”
“Besides that, I gathered a bit of information and dropped by Polpystan.”
“Just what have you been doing...?”
Davier dodged the subject, using vague phrases like, “It’s fine.”
“I’ve brought some sweets you can only find over there, and plenty of tools too. I got enough for the rest of the islanders. Bertrand summoned me and worked me hard. Even if he’s the king, I had to receive my due compensation.”
“I’m not a kid anymore. You can’t entice me with sweets,” Mia said, feeling relieved. I’m glad Davier didn’t just get taken advantage of. In fact, she wished he’d given Bertrand and Leonardo even more trouble.
“So you don’t need the sweets, Lady Mia?”
“I do! All of those sweets are mine!”
Davier had always been quick to spoil Mia and try to butter her up, and she was very weak against him.
The goods Davier had brought back were unloaded from the ship one after the other. This afternoon on Peppel Island was a little more elegant than usual.