Chapter 108
Belzeon hadn’t expected to get this angry.
Of course, Chesha had braced for a bit of a scolding.
After all, the plan was to behave quietly in the Holy Empire, but Chesha had ended up using power anyway.
Still, after some internal calculations, Chesha had concluded that Belzeon would cover for it sufficiently and acted accordingly…
But Belzeon was acting out of character.
He raged wildly about killing Lemil right in front of the cardinal, and he was genuinely furious at Chesha too.
His gaze was so terrifying that Chesha couldn’t help but shrink and glance around nervously.
It was even more so because Chesha didn’t know exactly why he was angry.
It was while vaguely guessing the reason for his rage.
“What do you think of me?”
Chesha was rendered speechless.
Without waiting for an answer, he continued.
“If you see me as your brother, then never step in front of me again.”
Though he pressed sharply in a commanding tone, the words he added at the end were damp, like a rainy day.
“Please, don’t do anything dangerous…”
Chesha froze solid like ice.
‘He was angry because I was in danger!’
Realizing the mistake belatedly, Chesha squeaked in the unfamiliar situation.
And understandably so, because by Chesha’s standards, it hadn’t been dangerous at all.
‘Of course, I’m a baby right now, but still.’
Kierne must have told Belzeon that Chesha was a fairy.
Even knowing that Chesha was an extraordinarily powerful fairy, Chesha never imagined he’d get this angry over it being dangerous.
Looking at those red eyes that seemed ready to burst into tears at the slightest touch, Chesha was reminded of the boy who had been curled up alone in the corner of the study.
Suddenly, Chesha’s heart ached as if squeezed tight.
Swallowing the pain, Chesha quietly opened both arms to him.
Then, as if he’d been waiting, Belzeon hugged Chesha back.
Given the size difference, it was less a mutual embrace and more like Chesha fitting snugly into Belzeon’s arms.
Chesha stretched out short arms as far as possible, hugging Belzeon tightly, and apologized.
“I’m sorry.”
Even while mumbling the apology, Belzeon said nothing.
Feeling guilty for many sins, Chesha tilted the head this way and that, trying to gauge Belzeon’s expression.
But because Belzeon was gently pressing down on the crown of the head with his chin, Chesha couldn’t see his face.
After a long silence with his face resting on Chesha’s head, Belzeon suddenly spoke.
“Ishuel said that. Because of you, he’s become strange. I thought the twins had changed a lot too.”
“…?”
“I’m the same. No different.”
Belzeon murmured.
“Because you changed me…”
The one who was always rational had committed something irrational.
He poured out emotions he had always hidden and suppressed, without holding back.
The one who had changed Belzeon to reveal his raw, true self was undeniably, clearly Chesha.
How had it come to this?
A relationship once filled with wariness and suspicion had somehow become bound by a sturdy thread.
But Chesha didn’t dislike the threads the Basilian men had tied around.
They were tougher than expected, heavy like iron chains…
And sometimes it felt like they were tied too tightly.
Still, Chesha liked the Basilians too.
It wasn’t unpleasant that they saw Chesha as the youngest and stepped up to protect.
It felt like being real family.
‘We’re not blood-related, but this is close enough to real family!’
No, perhaps even better than real family?
Without a point of comparison, it was hard to say.
Chesha promised Belzeon.
“I’ll listen to you well, brother. I won’t do anything dangerous.”
While saying that, Chesha extended a pinky finger.
It was the hand gesture done when making promises with Hata.
“……”
Belzeon silently linked his finger with Chesha’s.
Then, pressing his thumb down like a seal, he urged Chesha.
“That crown or whatever, you don’t need a single one, so absolutely don’t overdo it.”
It seemed he also disliked how Chesha had wiggled up to Aran Skaya in an attempt to do something.
“If you get even a single scratch trying to get one crown.”
Belzeon paused mid-sentence and looked at Chesha.
The interruption made it even more unsettling.
Chesha cautiously asked him.
“Wh-what would you do…?”
Then Belzeon let out a faint laugh.
His well-shaped fingers lightly pinched Chesha’s soft cheek.
“This time, should I blow up the main temple?”
“……”
He clearly meant it as a joke, in his own way.
‘But it sounds completely serious…’
If Chesha didn’t want to see a bomb go off in the Holy Empire, it seemed best to just be careful from now on.
The duel between Benji and Theo was conducted quietly.
For the Holy Empire, there was no gain regardless of the outcome, so they subtly managed it to avoid any noise.
As expected, Theo claimed a decisive victory.
The first thing Theo did after overwhelmingly defeating Benji was to rush to Chesha.
“Lady Chesha…!”
Covered in dirt and sweating profusely, he ran over and earned a glare from Ishuel.
Normally, he would have been intimidated by Ishuel’s piercing stare.
But the overly excited Theo paid it no mind.
“I won. Just as you said, Lady Chesha. Benji was nothing. I, really, Benji…!”
Babbling in joy, Theo looked so endearing that Chesha praised him.
“You did great!”
For some reason, that made Theo even more emotional.
“It’s all thanks to you, Lady Chesha.”
He said he wouldn’t have had the courage without Chesha and attributed his hard-won victory entirely to her.
Ishuel, displeased by Theo fawning over Chesha, sneered.
“The Marquis of Nemeia must be pleased too.”
As expected, the mention of the marquis immediately darkened Theo’s face like gathering storm clouds.
Having successfully ruined Theo’s mood, Ishuel pretended not to notice and smiled primly while hugging Chesha.
Unaware that Ishuel had done it on purpose, Theo responded innocently.
He forced a smile, lifting the corners of his mouth, and replied obediently.
“The marquis will probably scold me for doing something unnecessary.”
“Who cares about that.”
Chesha stepped in for the可怜 Theo’s sake.
Fluttering the ribbon Ishuel had tied in the hair, Chesha approached him.
Theo bent his large frame to look down at Chesha.
Chesha, craning the neck to look up at him, said.
“I’m happy that Theo won.”
“……”
“And you?”
“…Me too.”
Theo hesitated for a moment.
But the hesitation didn’t last long.
The big bear cub smiled happily.
“I’m happy too.”
Chesha smiled back, following Theo’s lead.
As the two created an atmosphere where flowers seemed to bloom all around, Ishuel revealed his extreme discomfort.
“A bear, of all things…”
He muttered it openly, as if meant to be heard, but at least he didn’t torment Theo any further.
That was fortunate.
‘I want to tell Kierne too.’
Though he acted as if it was a nuisance, Kierne had subtly taken care of Theo.
Under the pretext that Basilian couldn’t afford a defeat, he had even sparred with Theo a couple of times to check his swordsmanship.
He’d surely be satisfied to hear Theo won.
‘But he’s been busy lately.’
Chesha recalled the day after returning from that day’s gathering, when going to find Kierne.
Belzeon had conveyed the first task of the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly to Kierne.
Upon hearing the task to ‘ponder what you can offer to the divine and bring something unique in the world,’ Kierne openly sneered.
It was an irritated sneer, but subtly mixed with a hint of amusement.
“To give such a task to Basilian… The Holy King must be senile.”
While saying that, he leisurely reassured Chesha not to worry.
Up to that point, it had been peaceful.
Until hearing that Chesha had nearly died because of the cardinal.
Belzeon reported Chesha’s actions in great detail, and the smile vanished from Kierne’s grinning face.
After hearing the full story, including how Chesha had stepped in to stop the rampage, Kierne muttered expressionlessly.
“Our Chesha doesn’t listen to Daddy at all…”
Of course, the promise was not to use fairy powers in the Holy Empire.
But if Chesha hadn’t intervened then, everyone might have died.
However, there was no chance for excuses.
Chesha was promptly kicked out of the study, and Kierne and Belzeon had a long conversation just between the two of them.
‘And after that, I haven’t seen his face properly.’
Chesha worried that Kierne might have taken on some strange resolve.
Since there was still no news of the cardinal’s death, it seemed he was at least acting rationally.
‘He must be really angry after all.’
Chesha fell into solitary contemplation.
To even have a conversation, they needed to meet…
Even after that, meeting Kierne wasn’t easy.
And without having a proper conversation with Kierne.
The Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly began.
