Episode 127 – The Secret Rendezvous Carriage

*

The day after meeting Robin,

I found myself aboard a carriage, moving aimlessly.

This carriage, driven by a magic-infused doll, was circling around various parts of the city.

This carriage, a form of public transportation that takes passengers to their desired destination for a set fee, was said to have its magic developed by Jennifer.

Looking around the city, not just the carriage, I could see that the numerous spells she left behind had developed the streets to a noticeable degree compared to 20 years ago.

I rested my arm on the carriage’s armrest, propping up my chin as I thought of Jennifer.

She, who incited Robin and made him obsessed with vain desires, was herself an ambitious person.

From the special handcuffs that sucked her magic to Rose, who took her life.

Ironically, Jennifer was killed because of her own great inventions.

I found that quite funny, and I chuckled without realizing it.

The carriage slowed down and came to a gentle stop.

However, it wasn’t the destination I was looking for.

From the start, my destination was this carriage itself.

The carriage door slowly opened, and a blue-haired girl in a comfortable dress with a white apron, her face full of playful smiles, climbed into the carriage.

,Good morning-Ed,

“…Ellie.”

I knew she could disguise herself with magic, but I was taken aback by the unexpected blue hair and asked.

“What’s with the hair color?”

“I thought you might like blue hair.”

“…?”

“Ahb-buh-buh-it’s nothing.”

Ellie stuck out her tongue slightly and carefully sat next to me.

As soon as she sat down, the carriage started moving again.

The sudden movement of the carriage caused Ellie to lose her balance and fall forward.

I reached out and supported her chest.

“You have to be careful.”

“Hehe, thanks.”

Ellie regained her balance and sat down properly.

We met to talk, so why is she sitting next to me instead of across from me?

I looked at Ellie with a puzzled expression, but she only smiled and didn’t answer.

I sighed and changed the subject.

“By the way, meeting in a moving carriage. That’s a great idea, Ellie.”

At Ellie’s suggestion, we had agreed to meet in this carriage.

The carriage would continue to run without stopping until our conversation was over, and since the coachman was an automated doll made with magic, there was no need to worry about someone eavesdropping on our conversation.

Although it’s different from its original purpose, this carriage is the perfect place for a secret rendezvous.

“How did you think of meeting in a place like this?”

“Oh, it’s not exactly my idea. It’s famous here.”

“Famous?”

“Yeah, as a way for nobles to have affairs without being seen.”

“…Ah, I see.”

No wonder there were wine glasses on the shelf above the seats.

Ellie playfully wrapped her arm around mine and said.

“So, sitting next to you is the correct way to use this carriage, you see.”

“…Hah,”

I pressed my throbbing temples with my index finger, physically smoothing out the wrinkles between my eyes.

Ellie subtly enjoyed these kinds of stories.

Well, no matter how clever she was, she was still a woman in her prime at 22 years old.

Moreover, in this empire, if you’re still unmarried by 22, you start to hear whispers of being an old maid.

Of course, there wouldn’t be any big-mouthed bastards who would dare say that to the princess’s face.

I sighed and said.

“I didn’t necessarily want to know that the sexual ethics of the country I risked my life to save have become so corrupt.”

“Oh my, for someone from a rough otherworld, you have a pure side. Are you perhaps sensitive about women’s chastity?”

“…I’ve become sensitive.”

“Ah, I see.”

Ellie quickly stiffened her expression and immediately stopped talking, as if implying Mella, Lara, and Robin.

Despite everything, Ellie was quite considerate of me.

I was well aware that her playful attitude, which felt out of character, was also deliberately adopted for my sake.

I tapped Ellie’s hand and said.

“Let’s get down to business.”

“Right, I called you here because I thought it would be better to talk in person rather than through the music box. What did you decide about the date?”

The right to host the Victory Day commemorative banquet, which I received from Robin.

Ellie was asking me about the date.

“It depends on Robin’s… or rather, Mella’s condition, but if nothing goes wrong, it’ll be the weekend in two weeks. If that’s the case, we’ll have to send out invitations by next week at the latest. And prepare for the banquet. It’s going to be busy.”

Ellie looked puzzled at my words.

“Two weeks? Victory Day is a month away.”

“If Mella knows that Victory Day is the date of my funeral and the day Robin killed me, she probably won’t be able to attend the banquet at all.”

“Ah, I see.”

“And…”

“…Hmm?”

“There won’t be a Victory Day this year anyway.”

Seeing my resolute tone, Ellie trembled slightly before wrapping her arms around mine again and saying.

“Okay. You can do as you please.”

“Are you sure? It’s one of the biggest holidays in this country.”

“This country wouldn’t have been established if it weren’t for you anyway. It’s enough to have believed in a fake founding myth for 20 years.”

“…Okay.”

Ellie’s words were very quiet and soft.

But for some reason, those words effortlessly seeped into me.

Just as water sprinkled on soil seeps down between the grains of sand, Ellie’s calm words were sprinkled like water on the seeds in my heart.

It was an unexpectedly comforting thing to say.

If Deborah’s comfort felt like it was warmly embracing me, Ellie’s comfort was like a shock that pierced the core.

I closed my mouth to feel that warm sensation for a moment.

Ellie asked slowly.

“…Are you planning to reveal your true identity to the world?”

I shook my head.

“I don’t intend to, but I’ll have to see what happens that day.”

“…”

Ellie closed her mouth for a moment, then put her finger to her chin and fell deep in thought.

Already familiar with the fact that this was her habit when concentrating, I remained silent so as not to disturb her thoughts.

Perhaps because of the rattling carriage, her chest kept touching my arm, which she was holding.

Whether she was aware of it or not, she was quietly lost in thought.

However, her face seemed to be a little redder than usual.

After a few minutes, Ellie finally took her hand off her chin and opened her mouth.

“Ed.”

“What.”

“…Hoo, never mind, let’s just say it. Ed.”

“So, what is it?”

“…You know. Ed… W-won’t you… become my royal consort?”

*

“R-Royal Consort?”

“Ahb… Th-that is to say.”

Royal Consort.

A title given to the husband of a queen or empress, received when marrying a female leader of a country without ascending to the throne as king, and also a position.

In other words, to put Ellie’s words in a more common and popular expression, it would be like this.

“Won’t you marry me?”

“…Huh?”

Ed was so shocked by the sudden confession that he dropped his jaw.

Ellie, seeing Ed’s expression, blushed but did not avert her gaze, looking into Ed’s amber eyes.

Although she thought about it briefly, Ellie, who had the ability to think quickly, felt like she had been pondering for more than 10 minutes.

Of course, all she had been thinking about during that time was

Should I say it? Should I not? Should I confess? Should I not? over and over again.

Ed was staring blankly at Ellie with his mouth open, unable to answer or even ask what she meant.

Ellie raised her hand, closed Ed’s jaw, and said.

“Ah, no, well. I feel like all of this is slowly coming to an end. I was wondering if it wasn’t time for you, Ed, to think about what comes next.”

“…”

“You know? If you marry me, as your status rises, there will be fewer people who can approach you carelessly, and we might be able to hide the fact that you’re a demon… Th-that, and… also…”

“…”

Ellie twirled her hair with her finger.

Looking at the blue hair wrapped around her snow-white finger, Ellie continued.

“If you marry me, you can see Deborah often, too.”

“…Deborah?”

“Yeah, you enjoyed spending time with Deborah, didn’t you? She looks distinctly different from when I saw her before.”

“…”

“And also, I need you in many ways… No, I’ll stop beating around the bush.”

Ellie took her hand off her hair and grabbed Ed’s shoulders, pushing him back.

Ed’s head slid down and touched the soft seat cushion.

It felt even as comfortable as a bed.

Indeed, Ed thought that this famous place for affairs must be a place where more than just secret rendezvous took place.

Of course, Ellie was a princess, so she wouldn’t do anything vulgar like exposing her skin in a carriage.

Ellie laid Ed down, pressed down on his shoulders, and looked down at Ed with a face flushed to the limit and watery eyes.

Unlike Lara’s attacks, the weak force that could be easily resisted was trembling in Ellie’s small, white hands, which even felt quite cute.

“I’ve only ever thought about what’s needed, what’s useful, what’s effective, so this is embarrassing, you know.”

“…”

“It’s not like that.”

“Ellie.”

“You know, Ed. I like you. I’m fond of you. I want to see you for longer.”

Ellie said slowly in a trembling voice.

She seemed unusually nervous.

Ed looked at her without a word.

“I said before that I want my own people, people who will be on my side. It’s different from that, too. I’ve never felt anything like this before.”

“…”

Ellie took her hands, which were struggling to hold Ed down, and brought them to Ed’s neck, embracing him.

Ellie’s hair fell next to Ed’s cheek, and her hair fluttered, covering and tickling Ed’s cheeks and forehead.

Ed glanced sideways at Ellie, who was hugging him.

Because she was buried in Ed’s shoulder, Ellie’s face was not visible, but her slightly exposed ear was dyed red like a salvia flower.

Ellie’s mouth, close to Ed’s ear, slowly whispered.

“I want to be yours.”

“…”

Ed slowly raised his upper body while still holding her.

The two, now facing each other with Ellie on Ed’s lap, stared into each other’s eyes for a moment.

Within Ellie’s eyes, which looked like green emeralds sparkling every moment, were reflected Ed’s dull but sharply shining amber eyes.

Ed closed his eyes tightly and said.

“I-“

“Don’t say it.”

“…”

Ellie cut him off as soon as Ed’s mouth opened.

“I’m not asking for an answer right now.”

“…”

Ellie stroked Ed’s cheek and said.

“You were planning to disappear once your revenge is over, weren’t you.”

“…”

“Mella, Lara, no, you probably won’t be able to love anyone again, will you?”

Ed held his breath.

Ellie had always used honorifics when referring to them, even when they weren’t present, always saying ‘Saintess-nim’ and ‘Lara-nim’.

But now, she was openly calling their names and continuing with a burning momentum.

Her expression even seemed determined.

“You probably can’t settle down in this world that’s 20 years in the past, can you?”

“…”

“I know everything. I can see what Ed is thinking just by looking at Ed’s expression. I can see everything.”

Ed avoided the beautiful green gaze falling directly on him and looked at her red lips, which were opening and closing repeatedly.

Her beautifully shaped lips were glossy and sparkling, and her teeth and tongue, which were slightly visible as she spoke, also seemed to have a moist color and a sweet scent.

A determined voice flowed from between her lips and teeth.

“I’ll show you. That you’re wrong.”

“…Ellie.”

Ellie placed her hand on Ed’s chest and said.

“I’ll make you love again. I’ll make you settle down in this world again, I’ll be Ed’s place to be.”

Ellie, who had poured out words like a woodpecker, took a breath.

Then, she suddenly blushed even more and started trembling.

“Hoo, hoo-“

“…?”

Ellie took a deep breath, then covered Ed’s eyes and whispered in his ear.

“A-and… I… that ‘sexual ethics’ that you’re sensitive about… are completely intact.”

“…You crazy bitch.”

Ed burst out laughing.

Ellie frowned with a red face and pounded Ed’s chest with her clenched fists.

“Why are you laughing!”

“I, I never thought you’d act so, hehehe, foolishly.”

“No, how hard I’ve been trying…”

“Thank you.”

“…Th-then?”

“No, not that.”

Ellie pounded Ed’s chest once more.

This time, it was a straight punch.

Ed stroked the solar plexus that Ellie had hit and thought.

Following Ulgaros, now Ellie too.

He had been told by the leaders of both worlds that they wanted to be with him.

It felt like the size of the reward, 20 years late, was growing too large for him to handle.

Ed asked.

“But, why. Me?”

“…Wow, you’re asking that?”

“Shouldn’t I ask?”

“You haven’t even accepted my heartfelt confession, and you’re asking me to tell you why I fell for you? You’re a sadist, Ed.”

“Sorry. Don’t sulk.”

“…”

“I’ll consider it positively.”

“That’s what you say when you’re rejecting someone.”

“No, it’s when I’m putting it on hold. Let’s think about it when everything is over.”

“…I understand for now.”

Ellie got off Ed’s lap and sat next to Ed again.

Ellie’s slender fingers dug between Ed’s fingers.

The carriage continued to run through the city streets for a long time after that.

.