🦊 🦊 🦊
WHEN we returned to the castle, Embert and Janus were waiting in the reception room.
“I thought you all would be back soon,” Embert greeted us with a charming smile. However, his lips curled sinisterly upon seeing me. “…Well, it looks as though you made quite a splash.”
His frigid tone caused everyone to shiver, not just me. I held a veritable bouquet in my arms. Following the parade, a continuous stream of townspeople had given me flowers as a token of gratitude. That had continued until we left the city limits. The next thing I knew, I’d wound up with enough flowers to open a floral boutique.
“Y-You’re reading too much into this,” I stammered, panic garbling my explanation. “No one meant anything strange by giving me these flowers. After all, I even received some of them from women.”
Embert’s smile turned even more sinister. “In other words, you’re just as popular with women, is that right? Heh, this is quite a conundrum. Well then, shall we decorate your birdcage with the most beautiful ornamentations, Ally?”
Fear gripped me. Embert’s eyes gleamed wickedly, indicating his seriousness.
Wait, if he’s already discussing ornamentations, does that mean he’s actually going to build the birdcage?!
Panic-stricken, I flapped my mouth open and closed, unable to form words. Unable to bear the sight, Lauris came to my rescue.
“Ally,” he said. “Don’t you have something to give my brother?”
Nice one, Lauris! I cheered mentally.
“Oh, yeah, that’s right,” I mumbled, trying to ignore Embert’s grim expression. “Um, what should I do with these flowers, though?”
I couldn’t decide where to set down my bouquet. “Squishy!” the slime cheeped before devouring them all.
“Whoa?” I looked at the satisfied slime. “Squishy?”
I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Well, I suppose everything was all right based on how delighted he looked. With my hands now free, I shifted gears, taking out a crimson rose from my spatial storage.
“Here you go,” I said, holding out the rose to Embert.
Looking surprised, he accepted the rose. “What’s this?” he asked while staring at the flower.
“It flew towards me during the parade,” I replied. “Pretty, isn’t it? I kept it in storage this whole time to give to you.”
I’d caught a single flower during the parade. Lauris, Cita, and Rosario had done the same. Of course, they’d given their flowers to Julietta, Oreste, and Cia, respectively.
My words had stunned Embert, causing his ears to grow redder by the second. “Th-Thank you so much,” he said.
What a relief, I thought while basking in his adorably bashful expression. Looks like that cheered him up.
In a flash, Embert grabbed my hand and folded me in his embrace. “I’m truly delighted,” he said before kissing my cheek. “This flower symbolizes our everlasting happiness, doesn’t it?”
I hugged Embert back, his smile a clear indication of his joy. Secretly, I hoped this would take his mind off the birdcage.
✦ ✦ ✦
🦊 🦊 🦊
THE final day of the Founding Festival arrived. Today’s main event was the sword fighting tournament. The tournament had a large number of combatants, as anyone could participate, regardless of social status. The only requirement for entry was being an adult. As a result, Oreste hadn’t been able to register, even though he’d desperately wanted to.
The announcement of Giusto’s crown prince ascension would occur when the champion received their prize. Though the preliminary matches had already begun, Giusto would only appear in the arena for the final matches. Other members of royalty and invited guests would begin watching the tournament at the same time. As such, my friends and I decided to visit the stadium around then as well.
While returning to my room after breakfast, Embert called out to me. A moment later, he slapped the wall behind me and leaned in close. Why did having my back pinned against the wall cause my heart to race so fast? This sort of closeness was nothing new for me and Embert.
“Please don’t do anything reckless, Ally,” he said. “You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
I nodded, unable to meet his gaze due to my heart hammering in my chest. My breath caught as his lips came within an inch of mine. Nevertheless, Embert continued.
“You always claim to understand but still rush into danger without thinking. I can’t help but worry about you. We won’t be able to sit together this time, so please don’t do anything reckless. If you can’t promise me that, you’re going straight into a birdcage when we return to Gandolfin.”
“…I understand,” I replied, barely managing to utter the words.
“Then it’s a promise,” Embert responded with a radiant smile.
Afterward, he left with Janus, as they had something to take care of.
Finally free, I stumbled out of the dining room, where my friends were waiting for me.
“Embert means business when he has that look on his face,” Lauris said.
“I’ll do my best not to wind up in a birdcage then,” I replied.
No need to worry. I won’t do anything dangerous… probably. Gah, I can’t even speak confidently for myself!
“Squishy!” the slime cheeped encouragingly from atop my shoulder.
Likewise, Custode puffed out his fluffy chest from atop Lauris’s head. “I will always protect you,” the tiny dragon proclaimed.
As I smiled at the reliable little fellas, Oreste placed his hand on my head. “The rest of us are here too,” he said with a grin.
Everyone else nodded in agreement and laughed.