Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 117

Chapter 117

“But the Alponph Empire isn’t just a short trip away. Besides, you might not be able to return,” April said.

“I was prepared for that much when I decided to embark on this journey,” Isana replied.

“But!”

“Hey, sis. Aren’t you overstepping your bounds? It’s to save your brother, no less,” Lapis interjected.

April glared at him resentfully, but he retorted nonchalantly, “Do you think this is only for your brother? Among the nobles who can gather forces, your brother is the only one who can help this guy. So, we have to get him to come to his senses somehow. If we just stand by, it’s as good as asking for death.”

“Th-that’s…”

“And you seem to be unaware, but the curse of the Demon Follower erodes the mind of the afflicted. He might be holding up well now, but it will gradually collapse over time. In the worst-case scenario, he could become an idiot who can’t think at all. Would that be okay?”

“…….”

Of course, it wouldn’t be okay. The Duke was her only family. She was worried about her brother as much as she was worried about Isana, or perhaps even more. Her clenched fist turned her knuckles white. Isana, looking at the silently frozen April with pity, held her hands tightly.

“I’ll be fine, Sister.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Please believe in me. I will definitely bring back the Demon Sword and heal Brother,” Isana said.

At those words, April, unable to dissuade her any longer, bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. I, who had been watching anxiously, breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried about what would happen if this back-and-forth continued, but thankfully, it seemed to be resolved.

Lapis, the biggest contributor, looked at me as if asking how he did. Instead of answering, I quietly gave him a thumbs up. However, contrary to my expectation that he would be elated, he frowned.

“What’s wrong now?”

“Huh?”

“You always do weird things when you’re unhappy with me. But I was being nice in my own way. But it’s a little different from what I’ve seen before? What does it mean this time?”

“…….”

I recalled something that had happened once. The time when I was so angry that I flipped him off. So, he thought I was cursing him again, huh?

“Pfft!”

I felt like I was about to burst out laughing, so I quickly covered my mouth with one hand. Oh, my stomach! Someone, please save me!

“What? Why are you laughing?”

“Heh, heh heh! Ah, it’s nothing. Heh heh heh!”

Lapis looked at me as if I had eaten something wrong, wondering why I kept laughing. That made me laugh again. It felt like the day I had laughed the most in my life.

* * *

Although the schedule was set, there were still unresolved issues. The biggest problem was April’s whereabouts. She was on the run, and the magic to conceal her appearance alone was not enough to hide her. I asked Ifrit for help, but he refused as soon as he heard it.

“Are you crazy? How many times have I told you that our Merchant Guild is being watched? They’re even digging into our business partners. Do you think they won’t find out?”

“Hmm, but there’s no one else I can ask.”

“She can just come with us.”

“How can she do that? All our companions are men. It would be very uncomfortable for each other.”

“You’re so clueless. It’s even better from the woman’s perspective. Only she doesn’t know it, but our companions are no ordinary people. If she just latches onto one of them, her future will be set.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“This kid doesn’t know anything. The only way to prove a woman’s worth in this empire is to marry a good husband. A successful life means meeting a good man. Even I deliberately seduced several men when I first started this Merchant Guild.”

“…I’m telling Ellyuen everything.”

“Just try it. The moment you utter a word, you and I will die together.”

“…….”

At the suddenly murderous gaze, I could only nod obediently. I shouldn’t mention that Ellyuen occasionally checks my schedule. She might be listening to this conversation right now. If she knew, she would throw a fit and try to kill me on the spot.

“Hmm, should I leave her at the temple instead?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ellyuen’s temple, I mean. There’s fog around the mountain right now, so outsiders can’t enter. I think they’ll let her stay if I ask.”

Come to think of it, why didn’t I think of that method? Even a Demon Follower wouldn’t think of searching that place. Ellyuen’s priests wouldn’t refuse my request either, so it was the most suitable place for now. Just as I thought it was a pretty good plan, Ifrit’s thunderous voice echoed.

“No way!”

“Huh? Why not?”

“She’s a woman! Are you trying to shove a woman into a place full of men?”

“You were just saying she should be with men. And the people there are all priests. They wouldn’t do anything to a woman.”

“Still, no! If she stays at the temple, she’ll get bored, and if she gets bored, she’ll pray in the prayer room!”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“That’s why it won’t work! What if Ellyuen hears that prayer and takes an interest in her!”

“…….”

So that was the reason.

I stared at him in disbelief, and Ifrit glared back.

“What? There’s no rule that Ellyuen can’t descend twice to a place she’s already descended once, is there?”

“…You’re amazing.”

“O-of course. This much is basic.”

Ifrit’s face was as red as an apple. He must have been ashamed of his own actions. Seeing that, my heart softened, but I shook my head again.

“Sorry, let’s pretend I didn’t hear that. I think it’s better to leave her at the temple after all.”

“You!”

“Then what else can I do? There’s no other safe place.”

“…Tch, fine. Alright. I’ll take care of her. Is that okay?”

“Oh, really?”

“But there’s one condition.”

“Condition?”

Ifrit sighed lightly, looking puzzled. He had a face full of annoyance, wondering how he got caught up in this and had to worry about things he didn’t need to.

“As you know, I’m very busy. I have to go out of town for Merchant Guild business all the time, so I can’t respond immediately every time something happens to her. So, leave a guardian behind for emergencies.”

“Guardian?”

“Yeah, there’s a suitable guy, isn’t there? What are you going to do with something as useful as a dragon?”

“Ugh, you mean Lapis?”

As I frowned, Ifrit nodded, puffing on his pipe.

“If you’re going to leave April behind anyway, it’s better to use her more effectively, isn’t it? You have to think about the future too.”

“The future?”

“What’s the point of bringing the Demon Sword if the Duke dies in the meantime? She’s a much more important piece than you think. The current Duke of Clamore has no heir. The only direct descendant is April. In other words, if he dies, April will become the next Duchess. If she moves, it will be possible to gather the strength of the vassals.”

“Hee, I see.”

“Yeah. But as far as I know, April hasn’t received any heir training. A maiden who has grown up so gently without knowing anything won’t be able to do such a thing all at once. So, think of it as investing in the future and ask that dragon to help her. Then it’s good for me because I can reduce the time I spend on her, and it’s good for you because you’ll have a stronghold. What a great ending, right?”

“…Hmm, I wonder if Lapis will really help.”

“You have to persuade him somehow. Whether you threaten him or beg him.”

…I don’t think Lapis will agree even if I do that.

Even this trip was something he was unilaterally accommodating me with. He would definitely throw a fit if I asked him for this favor.

With a heavy heart, I called Lapis aside and carefully brought it up. As expected, he showed his displeasure all over his face.

“No.”

“Please, just help me this once?”

“You want me to be a babysitter for a human woman? Why would I do that?”

“You’re the strongest among us.”

“Do you think I’m as simple as you? I won’t fall for that twice.”

“Tch, how petty.”

“You’re the petty one. You hate me, but you’re only using me when you need me? I’m generous to you, but I’m not generous enough to accept that kind of heart.”

“What do you mean? Hate you?”

Lapis scoffed as I widened my eyes and asked back.

“It won’t work even if you pretend you don’t know.”

“No, I really don’t remember. When did I ever curse you?”

“Wow, you’re really shameless. Should I give you back what I received from you here?”

I nodded because I really couldn’t figure it out. No matter how much I tried to remember, I couldn’t figure out what I had done.

“Okay, so that’s how you’re going to play it.”

Lapis smirked and slowly bent his arms. I watched him nervously, wondering what he was going to do. At that moment, Lapis suddenly reached out his fist in front of me. I flinched, wondering if he was going to hit me, but I raised my eyes, wondering why nothing was happening even after time passed.

And I witnessed it. A splendid thumb rising up in front of my eyes!

“…….”

After a moment of silence, I stared up at him blankly. Lapis had a triumphant expression as if he had taken revenge.

Surely this isn’t the situation I’m thinking of. I tried to postpone the judgment until the very end and asked him.

“…Hey, is this what you mean by giving it back to me?”

“Can’t you tell?”

“So… this is the curse I gave you?”

“That’s right.”

That was the limit. As soon as I heard the answer, laughter burst out. My tightly closed lips were trembling as I tried to hold it back.

“Pfft! What, Lapis, are you… pfft!”

“What? Why are you laughing?”

Lapis had a bewildered expression. He seemed dumbfounded that I was laughing at his actions, which he thought were meant to make me reflect.

“You must think I’m easy to deal with because I’m being nice to you… !”

“Ahahaha, no! It’s not that… that’s not a curse?”

“What?”

He didn’t seem to understand the meaning of my words properly. Even a dragon with a brilliant brain seems to become clumsy in the face of stories from an unknown world. I wanted to tease him, but I decided to explain it properly at this point.

“There’s no such expression here. Raising your thumb is usually used in a good sense. When you tell someone they’re the best, or when you express that you’re very happy.”

“…The best?”

“That’s right. Why would I curse you in that situation?”

“…….”

Now that I see it, he must have misunderstood me and been sulking inside. Lapis didn’t say anything for a while. I was prepared to understand even if he quickly left this place or got angry. It was that embarrassing of a situation. But he stared at me intently without any sign of embarrassment.

“Hmm, so you were praising me back then? That I’m the best?”

“What? Ah, yes.”

“Hmph, I see.”

After muttering to himself, he looked at me strangely again. I was trying to analyze the meaning of his gaze.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll stay here as you wish.”

“Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

“So you don’t like it?”

“No, it’s not that, but… I’d really appreciate it if you did.”

At my sincere greeting, he frowned slightly as if he didn’t like something.

“Just that?”

“Huh?”

“No, well. You said there are other ways to praise someone.”

“……?”

I wondered what he was talking about and looked at him for a while, and I broke out in a cold sweat when I saw Lapis’s hand fidgeting. Even when I raised my thumb, I thought, surely this isn’t it.

But that was only a thought I could have because I didn’t know Lapis’s true nature yet. At the same time as I raised my thumb, a bright smile bloomed on his face like a flower in full bloom.

“So you still think I’m the best?”

“…….”

At this moment, I was convinced.

Lapis was the simplest dragon in the world.