Craig (2)

Craig looked perfectly normal.

Well, even before my regression, he was usually normal. I just never knew when his dementia symptoms would flare up and cause him to lash out.

“I see we have visitors from the outside. Welcome. I am Craig Khan, the leader of this place.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, Great King. I am Lost Cielo, an apostle from the Pantheon Temple. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“An honored guest has arrived. I will ensure you are treated with the utmost respect. However, it seems more urgent that we first provide a place for your companion to rest comfortably… What would you prefer?”

“Yes, that would be much appreciated.”

“Todd, please escort our guests properly. The one with signs of heatstroke needs a cool, well-ventilated room.”

“Understood, Great King.”

Following Craig’s orders, the orc called Todd began leading us away. Titan didn’t join us. Being royalty, he probably had immediate matters to discuss with his father.

Even if that wasn’t the case, both Titan and Craig must have had a lot to say to each other. As I hoped their misunderstandings would be resolved, I began thinking about how to persuade Craig.

“Would this room be suitable?”

“Ah, yes. This seems sufficient.”

“Very well.”

Looking around the room, I noticed a refreshing breeze coming through the window.

The pots of unidentifiable plants decorating the walls seemed to absorb humidity, making the room quite comfortable.

This must be the wisdom of those living in this kingdom.

Or perhaps these were arrangements made for Rosaria, Titan’s mother?

“This is nice. Now for my room…”

After laying down the heat-exhausted Ilina Crowley on the bed, I turned around to be shown to my room.

That was when I noticed that Todd, the orc who had guided us here, was nowhere to be seen.

I guess… by “sufficient” he meant one room was enough for all of us.

Even after opening the door and looking left and right, Todd was already gone, and I didn’t have the courage to wander around a kingdom filled with orcs who had never encountered humans before.

Since we came to ask for their participation in the war, I didn’t want to create unnecessary conflict.

If I waited, wouldn’t Titan or some attendant eventually come?

“Well, looking at this again, I can’t believe you’d pull off something so bold.”

“You’re awake, Princess?”

“Yeah, around when we entered the kingdom? The air felt much clearer by then, making it easier to breathe.”

“I see.”

If she woke up without any issues, that’s fortunate.

I didn’t need to react to her mischievous teasing.

I pulled a chair over and sat down near Ilina Crowley. I thought about reading a book with nothing else to do, but I wondered if I should just leave her be.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“I feel gross.”

“I imagine so. But you’ll feel better soon.”

“I want to shower.”

“Go ahead. There seems to be a shower room over there, so go ahead.”

“Oh, that’s allowed? Won’t you regret it?”

Ilina Crowley grinned slyly.

I could guess what she was thinking.

But would I really be flustered by something like that? I had no intention of falling for her petty provocations.

“What would I have to regret? Your health is the priority, Princess.”

“Oh, really? Alright then.”

But there was something I didn’t know.

That Ilina Crowley was a very different type of person from Línea or Eve.

She immediately went into the shower room.

Shortly after, I heard the sound of clothes being removed. And then the sound of water splashing everywhere.

“……”

I stared blankly at this natural sequence of events before finally coming to my senses.

Did she really just go to shower with a man clearly present in the room?

What was she planning to do when she came out?

If it had been Línea, she would have backed down the moment I said something like “go ahead if you dare.”

She was, despite her own thoughts, quite shy by nature.

That was partly due to the unfamiliar emotions of a girl pondering her first love.

But Ilina Crowley was different. She was bold and proceeded as if she didn’t care about the consequences.

“Oh dear…”

With what face should I greet Ilina Crowley when she emerges from the shower? Someone who went to shower because she felt gross wouldn’t come out wearing the same clothes.

But she hadn’t brought a change of clothes with her either.

Facing her as she emerged like this would certainly be awkward.

“Ah, just to check – you’re not going to run away out of embarrassment like some adolescent, are you?”

“……”

Ilina Crowley’s provocation.

I’m not a child to fall for such bait.

But I couldn’t just leave and wander around the kingdom on my own either.

I decided to ignore it and remained seated where I was.

“Phew… I was worried, but they have everything I need.”

Shortly after, Ilina Crowley emerged from the shower with just a large towel wrapped around her body.

“Hmm.”

She looked somewhat triumphant.

What could make her so smug when she was just covered by a towel?

Holding the towel that covered her body with one hand, and using her other hand to press another towel against her hair to dry it, Ilina Crowley pulled over another chair, placed it in front of me, and sat down.

She crossed her legs provocatively, clearly trying to seduce me.

Honestly, it was a little exciting.

But compared to how tense I had been, the excitement was less than I expected.

“Hey, what are you sighing at, you bastard?”

“Nothing at all.”

In a state where one is wrapped in just a towel, the curves of the body should be visible, but alas…

Unfortunately, she didn’t have noticeable curves to speak of.

That’s what made me feel disappointed.

That’s why I wasn’t excited.

She was more daring than the other two, but she didn’t possess the corresponding weapons.

“Hmph, I’m still confident in my legs though. Come on, what do you think?”

While spouting such nonsense, Ilina Crowley, while seated, stretched out her legs and began poking me with her toes. Glancing at them, they did seem worthy of confidence.

But I deliberately chose not to show any reaction and ignored her.

“I can tell all your attention is on my legs right now.”

“Princess, you must maintain your dignity. What are you doing with an unrelated man when you’re not even married yet?”

“Haha! You just sounded exactly like my grandfather.”

“……”

“Do you really hate it? If you hate it, just say so.”

“I do.”

“That’s not my problem.”

Wait, then why did she ask?

After I firmly rejected her, she continued exploring my body with her toes as if it didn’t matter.

Her right foot traveled from my shin up to my thigh.

I grabbed it to stop her.

“…You’ve been charming enough, so shall we stop here for today?”

“Hehe, really? I’ll let you off then.”

After I expressed my honest impression, Ilina Crowley finally got up from her seat with a smirk.

For a moment, my attention was drawn to her legs, but she climbed onto the bed as if she didn’t care.

Lying face down and swinging her legs provocatively, Ilina Crowley spoke with another smirk.

“Let me know if you change your mind. Unlike the other two, I won’t refuse any request from you.”

“……”

She keeps saying things that make me uncomfortable. She remained a formidable opponent.

“Princess Ilina.”

“Hmm? What, feeling motivated now?”

“Do you truly like me?”

“Would I be acting this way with someone I don’t like? Or do you think there’s no reason for me to like you?”

“No, that’s not it.”

That verification was already complete.

The fact that her feelings for me were genuine.

Well, she had been expressing her interest in me since we first met. From that starting point, I’d listened to her problems, shared in them, and helped her work through them.

In that process, I had hurt her, but she said she would forgive me. That was probably when it started.

She’d said that next time, she would face me in a new relationship, to show me her best self.

Thus, after reuniting with her and watching her get fired up by Línea’s provocations, somehow we ended up here.

Quite naturally, like flowing water, the seed planted in her heart had bloomed into a flower.

Yes, I no longer doubted her love.

And having received such passionate and consistent love, I found myself feeling attracted to her too.

“Just a verification check.”

“I see? Then the check is complete. I still like you.”

“I understand.”

I learned something from my experience with Línea – trying to manage a relationship from a detached position can make the other person anxious.

Would Ilina Crowley be any different? Compared to the other two, she had spent overwhelmingly less time with me.

That’s probably why she was being so aggressive in making herself noticeable.

I no longer intended to leave that anxiety unaddressed.

“As you know, Línea and I have already kissed.”

“……”

“Let’s be fair. Since you’ve said you like someone like me, I’ll give you an appropriate response.”

“Huh…?”

I placed one hand on the bed next to me and leaned over.

Then with my remaining hand, I supported Ilina Crowley’s head as she lay face down looking up at me, and kissed her.

After that brief moment.

When I straightened up again, I saw Ilina Crowley blinking with a bright red face.

Despite all her provocations and mischievous teasing, she apparently hadn’t predicted this situation.

In the end, she wasn’t any different.

They were all just clumsy in the face of the unfamiliar emotion called love.

“Mmm…”

Blinking her eyes, Ilina Crowley touched her lips with her finger, then raised herself up and gave me an intense stare.

“You call this fair?”

“Pardon?”

“This isn’t fair. Línea was still the first, after all. To be truly fair, this isn’t enough.”

Saying that, Ilina Crowley pressed her lips against mine as if pouncing.

This second kiss was a bit longer and wetter.

“Phew! I’ll let you off with this today. I’d like to jump you right now, but that wouldn’t be fair to Eve, would it? See how fair and righteous a royal I am?”

“…Princess Ilina, you should never become a ruler. You’d definitely be a tyrant.”

“Really? That works out well. I don’t plan to be a ruler; I’m going to be your wife.”

Ilina Crowley said this while licking her lips as if savoring the taste.

Looking at her confident expression, I decided not to tell her that I had already shared that kind of kiss with Línea as well.

*     *      *

At that same time.

Titan was having a private audience with Craig after a long while.

He had a lot to say, but when it came time to open his mouth, no words came out.

And it was the same for Craig. He just stared at his son who had returned after a long time.

“So, Prince. You went out into the world to master aura, what results do you have to show?”

In the end, Craig was the first to speak. He still approached Titan with the dignified appearance of a king.

Titan stared at Craig intently as he clenched his fist.

Wooong!

Golden aura surged forth.

The insignia of spirit magic inscribed on Titan’s body resonated with it, shaking the earth. Such was the scene just from revealing his power.

Craig looked at Titan’s power and then smirked.

“Haha! So you have it. Then, as you said when you left, will you challenge me for the throne?”

“……”

Titan’s goal was succession to the throne.

It was to relieve Craig of his heavy burden as he gradually deteriorated due to dementia.

Titan had gone out into the world and tried to master aura for that purpose.

Yes, all that power was ultimately just a means.

A means to forcibly usurp the throne from his father.

“No.”

But not yet.

Titan’s goal was still to become an excellent king, but he no longer had reason to rush as desperately as before.

Of course, Craig would soon reach his limit. He would become unable to oversee state affairs or even control his own body.

But he was still strong. He wanted to remain strong.

“Father.”

Titan knew this.

He understood his father’s pretense of strength.

After all…

“I notice you haven’t called me by name even once.”

“……”

He was trying not to reveal that he had forgotten.