#27
“Dad, wait… … .”
“No surprise. We’re just talking short stories.”
To Yuri, who took a step forward while tilting her fine eyebrows, the king responded with such a calm tone.
“… … I’m doing this because I don’t think that’s all.”
Yuri, with long blonde hair, added in a low voice. He nailed it because it was just a relationship that barely crossed Hansako’s friend’s threshold, but the king may have another strange misunderstanding. There is a possibility that they may be kicked out of the country before even a single word of greetings can be exchanged.
─… … .
The hall became very quiet. Ezio Kranil, King Sigrid, and Princess Yuri, who looked at each other at a similar eye level, were surrounded by dozens of pairs of gazes. There was weight in the silence.
The king turns to his daughter and opens his mouth.
“Yuri, trust this father. Never do anything that will harm you and your friends.”
“… … .”
For a moment, the woman’s eyes met in the air.
“… … okay. Instead, it shouldn’t take really long.”
“Thank you.”
After Yuri let out a sigh as if he had lost, the king smiled loosely and asked Ezio a question again.
“What would you do? You can specify.”
“… … .”
How many people will be able to proudly express their will of refusal in this position? Ezio thought about it for a moment.
“Is it possible, my lord.”
There probably wasn’t one.
#28
“… bit someone Therefore, no one will come around here for a while, so you can talk comfortably as you please. No, I wish I wasn’t too formal to Jim.”
The king led Ezio into a corridor on the side of the palace. On the right, instead of a wall, arched columns were regularly arranged. The warm and faint sunset light fell through the wide gap and loosely illuminated the wide corridor.
“Is the castle doomed?”
Tock, tock-
Ezio opens his mouth one after another.
“It can’t be, my lord.”
The scenery outside the window was a garden. court courtyard. A place where thick green grasses are in harmony. The landscaping was pretty good.
But why does it look somewhat lonely? Is it because I can’t even see a butterfly flying over a flower in full bloom, let alone people running around in that beautiful garden?
“… … Are you also savvy?”
“Yes?”
“It has been My daughter told me not to prolong the conversation, so I don’t want to break my stubbornness. Do what you feel comfortable with.”
“Sung is a delusion-”
“Oh, everything else is fine, could you please refrain from that? Hearing those words with your face makes me feel very strange.”
“… … Okay. majesty.”
“Well.”
Tock, tock-
“Did you say Ezio Cranil?”
“That’s right, my lord.”
“It is Jim, not my daughter, who has called you here. Did you know?”
At the king’s words, Ezio kept his mouth shut for a moment.
“… … I expected it.”
“Did you expect it?”
“That’s right. Because from the beginning, I didn’t think the Princess would invite me… … .”
“You can call me Yuri. Aren’t you supposed to be friends?”
“… … It can’t be, my lord.”
“You’re right about being savvy.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear.”
“… … I’m sorry.”
Ezio coughed for a moment in embarrassment.
The king wiggled his hand and opened his mouth.
“Because it happened. … So, I couldn’t thank you earlier. Let me take this opportunity to thank you for helping me arrange the funeral of my son. Without you, the child probably would not have been able to rest forever… … .”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. and… If His Majesty the Princess had not been there, the recovery of the deceased’s body as well as our lives would have been unclear. Not only us, but His Majesty the Princess also clearly had the virtues.”
“I know Jim. However, I also know that you were the one who made the biggest contribution. Therefore, you are also fully qualified to award a reward in the name of the royal family.”
“… … Excuse me.”
“I said it was enough, but I haven’t talked about giving it yet, but what if I apologize already?”
“… … I also apologize for this, Your Majesty.”
“Such.”
The king shook his head nervously.
In the next moment, Ezio said.
“majesty.”
“Speak comfortably.”
“I don’t think it’s too late, though. I am deeply sorry for this… … .”
Tock, tock-
widely.
The king suddenly stopped walking.
“You don’t have to say it in words. Because you were more serious than anyone else at the funeral of a stranger who would have never had a face-to-face ceremony. More than anything… … .”
He gazed at the court courtyard with his eyes open calmly.
“Since I first let the child go, I have already experienced a lot of regret. So it’s hard to accept even your regrets. … Now only pray for the child to rest in heaven.”
Ezio thought for a moment. Does the king know the truth? or do you not know Was it the words he murmured knowing that the prince’s soul was no longer in the sky or under the earth? He probably didn’t know.
If so, Ezio couldn’t help but add it. Because Yuri didn’t say it on purpose. Even the contents of the last quarrel between Eidel and Yuri.
Ezio, who followed the king around the courtyard for a while, spoke plainly.
“… … You must have been to a good place.”
The king nodded his head.
“I will. If it were that child.”
If a great person as great as Prince Eidel cannot go to heaven, who is the one who is worthy of knocking on the gates of heaven? … .
“My dear.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The king suddenly summoned Ezio. And then I looked back. A young man with gray hair in a black suit stood there.
The king sighed and said.
“Jim and the queen saw you for the first time at your daughter’s entrance ceremony. Do you know how Jim felt?”
“… … .”
Ezio was silent, and the King continued.
“I thought my heart stopped. He was old and sick, so it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any time. Jim has been experiencing death for a while.”
“… … majesty.”
“But in the end, I couldn’t die. It’s thanks to seeing my grown daughter first and then realizing again that ten years have passed since then. If he had been alive, he would have been in his thirties by now. Therefore, you, who resemble the child from ten years ago, will be proof that you are not Jim’s son… … .”
“… … .”
How long did you walk and how many conversations did you have?
The end of the long corridor was visible.
“My dear.”
“… … Yes, my lord.”
“Daughter, did you say that you and Yuri are friends?”
I was asking the same question as Halton.
There is no other reason to deny it. Ezio shook his head without thinking.
“That’s right.”
“Well.”
The king, who shed a strange sigh, asked the next question.
“then.”
“Yes.”
“What do you think of Yuri?”
“… … Yes?”
Moment.
Apart from the question, Ezio was startled.
‘… … What just happened?’
Ezio tilted his head and looked back, recalling the king’s words that he had bitten someone, then turned his gaze forward again and rolled the words in his mouth.
‘… … I think I should give a good answer.’
What’s wrong with the kid?
If you make fun of your mouth, you could be beheaded on the spot. Ezio coughed and a cold sweat broke out on his back.
“Just a good friend… … .”
A really stupid daughter would be satisfied just to say anything good about her daughter, but in reality, the king didn’t seem to like the words of his mouth that much. In the same vein, even a modest compliment would be dissatisfying. If so, I wondered if there had to be some sincerity.
“… … I always thought it was old, but now it’s a little different.”
“Now is?”
“Yes.”
Ezio, who shook his head, continued.
“From the first time I saw you, your Majesty the Princess hated me so much that even making eye contact with me would terrify you.”
“… … .”
“… … However, I have always wanted to be friends with the Princess, who hates me so much, and I finally managed to be friends with her. It is thanks to the princess who recognized me.”
“Hmm, I don’t think my daughter is like that at all.”
“… … Isn’t His Majesty the Princess being so honest? There are parts of us that don’t want to admit things that are embarrassing or embarrassing.”
“haha. Glass has that side. On the other hand… … .”
The king, who was laughing haphazardly, said suddenly.
“You’re so honest that you feel badly.”
“… … I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
“I said it was bad, but I didn’t say it was really bad. It’s ok, keep talking. Jim is willing to be honest with the honest.”
It didn’t look like he was really offended. Ezio glanced at the loosely raised lips between the king’s beards.
“… … .”
Ezio, who was looking for something to say, finally opens his mouth.
“I trust Yuri.”
The king’s hand that had been stroking his beard stopped suddenly.
It was not because it was not the answer Ezio had hoped for, but rather because it was an answer that was a bit far from the expected answer.
“Glass is strong. Although weak, he is a really strong friend. In fact, it doesn’t even look that weak. Because Yuri always has a thorn. That’s why other people can’t treat the glass badly. Even if it’s the other way around… … .”
“… I am the person who eventually became friends with Yuri, who is so picky. In fact, when you become friends, you get to know more about each other. So naturally I also learned that Yuri is actually a really strong person. I also learned that she has been constantly striving to become stronger without ever stopping.”
“Strong people are trustworthy, and trustworthy people are trustworthy. That’s why I have so much confidence in Yuri.”
“That’s how strong the glass is. I had to be strong. He’s such a strong and wonderful friend… … .”
“… … It looks very unstable now. Even though he looks weak like before, he’s not strong. Even though he looks strong, he’s actually weak. That’s why I think Yuri needs help now more than ever.”
“Yuri was definitely a good friend to me.”
“Now— a precious friend.”
“… … I can’t wait to see a friend like that crumble like this. I don’t know if we weren’t Yuri’s friends, but as long as we’re Yuri’s friends, we want to be her strength. I want to be by the side of Yuri as much as possible.”
“We know that Yuri is strong enough, and we believe in her too, but at a time like this, I think the role of friends like us is even more important.”
“together… … I dare to think that maybe I can do the best in that role. majesty.”
The sound of footsteps stopped at the end of the corridor.
At some point, I was walking down to the shadows where the light was not very good. The king’s face was shrouded in shadows, making it difficult to identify.
“The conclusion is something.”
“Your Majesty the Princess is my precious friend.”
Not a lie. You can tell by looking into Ezio’s eyes.
… … But.
“It’s getting really wicked. Wasn’t he saying that to Jim because he was afraid that his daughter might not be able to return to the Empire?”
Ezio bowed his head politely.
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t even deny it. ttt.”
The king clicked his tongue lightly.
and.
“Are you saying that you resembled that child again in such a brazen way? … .”
After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth and said.
“Yuri is Jim’s only daughter.”
Talk quietly in the shade.
“I had a letter with him until relatively recently. There was your story mixed in.”
“… … .”
“It was mostly gossip. I was full of anger and anger. My feelings of anger towards you have been transmitted to this point.”
Ezio felt a bit shaky.
Indeed, it was… … .
“It was the first time I had such a harsh evaluation of my classmates.”
The king raised the tip of his chin slightly upward.
“It was the first time I mentioned a man I was so shy about.”
“… … .”
“As a parent, you don’t care. Of course, I had no choice but to look into the details. Who the hell is that ‘annoying guy’ that my daughter mentions in every letter? So I personally found out.”
At that moment, the king turned to Ezio.
It was a silent look.
“It was you. Ezio Cranil.”
“… … .”
“This is the first time Jim has spoken to you. But it feels very strange. I feel like I should have full confidence in whatever you say. So, you naturally have a kindness that you shouldn’t have. Jim doesn’t want to send his daughter to that perilous place again… … .”
A low-pitched voice leaked out.
“This feeling that Jim feels when he sees you, the queen and his daughter must be the same… … .”
The king was looking at Ezio right next to him, but he was drawing a little further away. He seemed to be projecting something beyond his gaze. Ezio remained silent, unable to find anything to say to him.
“By the way, the last thing you said was–”
… … at that time.
Whoops, whoops-
“What are you two doing here?”
“… … Well?”
Suddenly, from the corner of the corridor, someone walked out.
“I told you not to take long.”
“Oh, it’s already time… … .”
It was Yuri in a dress with both hands on her waist.
“What already! please come soon Because of my dad, everyone can’t even eat and wait!”
It sounds like it’s screaming, but it’s actually a small voice. Yuri’s chirping voice quietly echoes in the hallway. From Ezio’s point of view, it’s been a long time since I’ve been there, so I was even happy to hear that.
The king slowly raised his hands and said.
“Okay, okay. Now go.”
“Anyway… … .”
So, the next moment.
“… … you, come quickly Wait, kids.”
“… … ?”
When the eyes that had been lashing out at the king suddenly met Ezio in a straight line, Yuri secretly avoided his gaze.