After that, I suggested to Ula that she return the ring… but she just shook her head and wouldn’t take it.
I pleaded with her countless times as we made our way back through the forest, but her answer was always the same.
Ula stubbornly refused to return the ring that granted command of the covert unit, “Sora-Magic.”
“That’s Rest’s.”
“No, that’s why I’m not the head of the Lavender Barony…”
“Entrusted.”
“No, it’s not entrusted…”
“Then, until the child is born. I’ll have it returned then.”
“Child, you say…!”
Rest recoiled at the words, which were spoken as if they were a done deal.
At this rate, he really would end up marrying Ula.
It’s not that he disliked her. He thought of Ula as a friend, and she had taken care of him. Personally, he didn’t think she was a bad kid.
But… he wanted her to think about it.
For example, let’s say there was an elementary school girl living nearby. Someone five or six years younger than you, and one day, you were told that she was your fiancée.
How many people would be able to wholeheartedly rejoice, “Yes! I got a cute fiancée! Hehehehe!”
He didn’t dislike Ula, but that was a different matter.
“Probably, His Majesty will allow it too.”
“His Majesty the King… no, we won’t know until we try…”
“You’re putting up a poor resistance.”
“…………”
Indeed, he was putting up a poor resistance.
This might be how the aristocratic society worked, but he couldn’t accept it so easily.
“Ah, well… let’s talk about that again later. I’ll consult with my father-in-law, Marquis Rosemary, too.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Yeah… that’s great…”
Just as Rest answered in a dry voice, we exited the forest.
There, the Lavender Barony’s carriage was waiting, and a maid standing in front of the door bowed her head towards us.
“Welcome back, you two. And… how was it, my Lady?”
“Perfect!”
“That’s wonderful. It’s a banquet today, isn’t it?”
“What’s with that conversation? Was there some kind of plan going on that I don’t know about?”
Ula and the maid… her name was Arly, if he remembered correctly.
He felt like he couldn’t ignore what they were saying, but they both shook their heads in unison.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s nothing at all. Lord, please, into the carriage.”
“…………”
The maid urged him into the carriage.
Rest felt uneasy, but he entered the carriage.
The Diamond Bear’s carcass was also loaded onto a following carriage and carried by the Lavender Barony’s people.
With this, the main dish for the meat course was secured.
There had been many twists and turns… truly, many things had happened, but his mission in the Lavender Barony Territory was now complete.
“Liquor, fish, and meat… we have enough ingredients.”
With such a variety of delicacies, the party wouldn’t bore the guests.
They should be able to serve the finest cuisine and liven things up.
“That’s right… I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve accomplished what I was supposed to do. I haven’t made a single mistake…!”
“By the way, my Lady. It’s alright for us to share a bedroom tonight, right?”
“Of cour… bath.”
“Yes. We’ll take a bath together too. Then, shall we have something that will give us energy for dinner?”
“Looking forward to it.”
“…………”
The women’s conversation unfolded inside the carriage.
Why, even though he hadn’t made any mistakes and had completed all his missions, did he feel so cornered?
“I’m going to run away… with all my might.”
Rest decided that if the time came, he would not care about being rude or impolite, and would flee this place with all his strength.
――――――――――
I have posted a continuation of this episode in the limited recent updates.
If you like, please read it as well!