Chapter 8

In the summoning room where I had rushed, an abnormal miasma, unlike anything I had ever seen, enveloped the space.

The dark, foul air made me want to cover my nose, and the knights who had arrived earlier were grimacing in discomfort.

"Ah!? Why are you here!?"

It was the voice of His Majesty. I saw that Ai, with a worried look on her face, was holding onto the king's clothes in front of a large black vortex.

"Ai! It's dangerous! Come over here!"

Just as I was about to grab Ai's arm and pull her away,

A strange, creaking sound filled the air, and the space distorted, as a pale hand emerged from the vortex.

I instinctively hugged Ai, shielding her. No matter what, I had to protect her from the monster!

"Protect Edeline and Ai! Don't let them be harmed in the slightest!"

The king's roar echoed as he drew his sword. The knights immediately surrounded us. Before us, a creature—or rather, a human—slowly emerged from the vortex.

"M-Mama...?"

Ai, in my arms, whispered softly.

"Huh?"

I looked at the human who had emerged from the vortex.

It was a pair of a man and a woman, both older than me. They were wearing the same unusual clothes as Ai, but their eyes were bloodshot, and they exuded a disheveled aura.

As I was surprised, they seemed to have noticed Ai.

"Ai, you! Where have you been all this time!?"

"That's right! It's all your fault we got arrested! If we stay here, we'll be arrested, so let's go home now!"

They shouted incomprehensible things and tried to approach us.

"---That's enough. If you touch Ai, I won't hold back."

The king, with a graceful flash of his sword, blocked their path.

"Who the hell are you! You're wearing weird clothes... I'll call the police!"

"That child is ours! Give her back!"

But the king continued to glare coldly, unmoved. The woman, taken aback, shouted at Ai.

"Ai! Come here! Let's go home with Mama! If we go home, there will be delicious cake!"

Ai, trembling, clung tightly to me. I shouted.

"Be quiet! You have no right to call yourselves her parents! Ai is our child!"

"What do you mean, you're so high and mighty...! You're just a kidnapper! Ai! Stop being stubborn and come home now!"

Blood rushed to my head. I couldn't stand it any longer, so I handed Ai to a knight and walked up to the woman. Then I shouted.

"Fine, call it kidnapping! We'll spoil Ai, pamper her, and make her happy, so don't worry about it! Get lost!"

Then, with all my strength, I pushed the woman with both hands. If they came from the vortex, they should return through it!

"Kyaa!"

As planned, the woman lost her balance and fell into the vortex.

"You...!"

The man standing next to her was about to punch me. But before his fist could land, the king punched him in the stomach. Then, in a fluid motion, he delivered a brilliant roundhouse kick, sending the man into the vortex.

The king shouted.

"Ai! What do you want to do? Do you want to be our child!? Or do you want to return to the other world!?"

Ai was crying. Through her tears, she shouted with her small body.

"I... I want Edeline to be my Mama! And I want His Majesty to be my Papa!"

The moment Ai shouted, the vortex exploded with a loud noise and dissipated. The people who claimed to be Ai's parents had disappeared. Only the people of this country and Ai remained.

"Ai!"

I immediately ran to Ai and hugged her small body. Ai clung to me tightly. The king gently stroked her head.

"...Ai, I'm sorry you had to hear such a harsh thing. In return, we will cherish you. We will make you happier than your real parents, no, many times happier."

At those words, Ai nodded and cried. She let go of me and hesitantly, but firmly, hugged the king.

As I watched with a smile, the king turned to me.

"...Edeline, would you... would you become Ai's parent with me?"

"Of course. I am the king's wife, even if only in name. I will serve with all my heart."

But at my words, the king hesitated. Hmm? Wasn't this the answer he wanted?

"Actually... that... I want to stop being just a figurehead... would that be alright...?"

"Huh?"

As I looked at him in surprise, the king's face turned red.

"No, I know I'm asking for a lot. ...But I want to be a real husband and wife with you. A loving, real couple."

The king, who was usually so composed, was blushing all the way to his ears.

As I understood the meaning of his words, a warm feeling spread through my chest. I couldn't help but smile.

"Of course, Your Majesty—Yuri-sama."

Ai, watching us with a smile, suddenly grabbed my arm with her small hand.

---At that moment, a shock ran through my body again.

"Un!?"

"? Edeline?"

Once again, words flowed into my head.

'Saint Ai: Learned the skill Telepathy. Target: Queen Edeline'

...Wait, what is this now!?!