Chapter 27

Rushing into the throne room, the first thing that filled Aquasteed’s vision was a soft honey-pink.

The beautiful hair that floated gently made him always think that he wanted to dye it blue. The next thing that entered his vision was the fairy king who wouldn’t let it go.

"…Let go of Tiara, Fairy King."

"What if I say no?"

"Of course, I will take her back by force."

Tiara Rose’s body trembled at the exchange between the two.

She wanted to get off Keith’s lap, but she couldn’t because he was holding her waist. It was something that should never happen, causing the human king and the fairy king to fight because of her.

She said in a weak voice, "Please stop," but it didn’t reach their ears.

Even if Tiara Rose said to stop, Aquasteed could no longer back down. His beloved woman had been taken and placed on someone else’s lap.

He was driven by the impulse to yell at Keith to stop mocking him.

"Even if you are the Fairy King, I won’t allow you to lay a hand on Tiara."

"Hmph. You have plenty of other women, don’t you? Yet, you want Tiara back? How amusing."

"What— I need only Tiara."

Keith laughed and looked at Aquasteed with a relaxed expression. "Tiara has always been anxious," he said, kissing her hair.

"Fairy King…!"

Biting her lip tightly, she wanted to lash out, but because of Tiara Rose, she couldn’t do so easily.

Tiara Rose’s hair, eyes, and lips were all things that Aquasteed had long been infatuated with. He had finally managed to take her from Hartnights.

He never intended to let Keith take her, even if it led to a disaster for the country. Without hesitation, he would choose Tiara Rose.

"Keith! Let go!"

"…Women shouldn’t interfere in men’s battles, right?"

Tiara Rose’s voice was ignored by Keith.

Instead, he looked at Aquasteed as if asking for agreement, as if daring him to take Tiara back.

—If you want Tiara, try to take her back!

Standing up from the throne, Keith floated in the air and landed in front of Aquasteed. Tiara Rose, left on the throne, could only watch, unsure of what to do.

If only there was solid information, she thought.

A confrontation between Aquasteed and the Fairy King was something that should only happen in a game event. Otherwise, something that could involve the entire country shouldn’t happen.

Tiara Rose thought this, but Aquasteed, unaware of game events, acted according to his own will.

"Do you think a mere human can defeat the Fairy King?"

"Even if it’s harsh, I can’t lose—!"

With a swift motion, Aquasteed’s sword was aimed at Keith.

The quick, flashing blade narrowly missed Keith’s throat. "Hmm…" Keith praised and laughed.

"For a human, you wield a good sword."

"A weak king can’t support this country—!!"

"…Indeed. The kings of the past were also skilled in martial arts."

Two strikes, three strikes, four strikes… Aquasteed’s sword attacks came one after another.

Keith dodged them as if he were the wind. But in the next moment, Aquasteed’s heavy strike approached Keith’s face.

—Clang.

Keith’s fan intercepted Aquasteed’s sword.

He always kept it in his belt, and it stopped the sword. Aquasteed, surprised that a fan could stop his sword, jumped back with his sword.

"Next, it’s my turn!"

Keith waved his fan, creating a gale that attacked Aquasteed.

The Fairy King’s name was not in vain. Aquasteed quickly dodged, but the wind left a small cut on his cheek and broke through the wall behind him.

"…Cliff? So, this is near the top of a mountain?"

"Yes. The highest mountain. From here, you can see the entire country."

It was as if they were watching over the country. Both Tiara Rose and Aquasteed interpreted Keith’s words this way.

Of course, they couldn’t actually see everything. Being blessed by the forest fairies was very difficult.

"You’ll die if you fall."

"Hmph. As long as I don’t fall— Water!"

Aquasteed dismissed Keith’s laughter and wrapped his sword in water.

Wrapping magic around a sword was difficult unless one was skilled in handling magic. This alone proved that Aquasteed was proficient in both sword and magic.

Keith seemed to agree, looking at Aquasteed with interest.

He glanced at Tiara Rose’s position again. She was watching Aquasteed and Keith with a worried look, still in a seated position.

At this distance, she wouldn’t be caught in the attack.

When Aquasteed swung his sword, the water wrapped around it became a double-edged blade aimed at Keith.

Keith couldn’t dodge this time and deflected it with his fan. Aquasteed didn’t miss the moment of deflection and, using wind to speed up, closed the distance and swung his sword.

"…!!"

Seeing the intense exchange, Tiara Rose stood up from the throne with a thud.

She didn’t want either Aquasteed or Keith to be hurt. She wanted both to be safe. It might be selfish, but that’s what she thought.

A drop of blood from Aquasteed’s cheek fell to the floor. Even a shallow wound on someone important was something she didn’t want to see.

"Lord Aquasteed! Keith! Please stop!!"

She darted between the two, who were about to launch their next attacks.

Aquasteed, who had raised his sword, and Keith, who was about to cast a spell from his fan, both let out a sound that was almost a scream.

"…Gah!"

"St, stop…!"

Their actions were focused on one thing: not hurting Tiara Rose.

Aquasteed stopped his sword by grabbing the blade with his hand, reducing its momentum. Keith forced the trajectory of his magic to change, creating a strong wind that blew through the throne room.

"…Aah!"

Keith’s magic didn’t directly hit Tiara Rose, but the strong wind lifted her into the air.

She had jumped between the two fighting men, and of course, she was prepared for the worst.

However, the fear was much greater than she had anticipated. As she was thrown into the air, Keith tried to grab her, but unfortunately, he only caught air.

"Tiara!!"

"…!"

And the result that everyone had feared but hoped wouldn’t happen came to pass.

Tiara Rose’s body, blown away, fell through the large hole in the floor and was thrown to the ground.

"Wind—"

"Tiara!"

Faster than Keith could use his wind magic, Aquasteed threw himself through the hole, using wind to increase his falling speed and catch Tiara Rose, gently embracing her.

"A, Aquasteed…!?"

"—Finally. Finally, I can hold you."

Even as they were falling through the air.

Aquasteed was even happier to hold Tiara Rose in his arms. He held her tightly, as if saying he would never let her go.

"Aquasteed…"

"I made you anxious. I’m sorry for being weak."

"No, no— that’s not it. You always made time for me every day. It’s my fault for being jealous of Aishira."

Shaking her head, Tiara Rose told Aquasteed it wasn’t his fault.

"…You were jealous?"

Aquasteed whispered in Tiara Rose’s ear.

By the time she thought, "Oh no!" it was too late. A delighted Aquasteed kissed her ear, then her hair, and her cheek.

Tiara Rose panicked.

—In this situation!

Currently, Tiara Rose was being held by Aquasteed while falling through the air.

If they continued like this, they would hit the ground and die. Yet, why was Aquasteed so calm?

Of course, it was because he had Tiara Rose in his arms.

"Sorry. I’m glad you felt that way, even if it’s inappropriate."

"Aquasteed…"

He kissed her lips gently.

The soft peck tickled, and a sweet sound escaped Tiara Rose’s lips.

—I want to hear a cuter voice, but maybe tonight.

We need to do something soon, or we’ll really hit the ground and die.

"Tiara, hold on to me tightly."

"Y, yes!"

Pulling her close to his chest, Aquasteed narrowed his eyes.

Tiara Rose, as instructed, hugged Aquasteed tightly.

Strangely, the fear had disappeared.

She felt a sense of security, knowing that Aquasteed would protect her.

"Air fairies, answer my call."

‘You always do reckless things. Challenging the Fairy King…’

The air fairy, with wings on its back, responded to Aquasteed’s clear voice.

The exasperated tone was out of concern for Aquasteed.

Blessed by the air, Aquasteed considered the sky his territory.

In the sky, he was confident he could match Keith.

"Air, become wings to catch us."

"Kyaa…!"

Aquasteed infused his voice with magic, using air magic.

A gentle wind lifted them, and they soared through the sky like birds.

Tiara Rose couldn’t help but exclaim, "Amazing."

From this height, the country looked beautiful, and she wondered if anyone else had seen it from this high up.

—Aquasteed is working hard to protect this beautiful country.

Compared to her jealousy of Aishira, it seemed trivial.

She wanted to support the country with Aquasteed.

Thinking this naturally, tears overflowed uncontrollably.

"Tiara?"

"…No. I was troubled by something small. But from now on— I think I can work harder with Aquasteed."

Smiling shyly, Tiara Rose gently kissed Aquasteed.

Though she quickly pulled away, it was enough for now.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Please, don’t do something like this again!"

Puffing her cheeks, Tiara Rose scolded Aquasteed and Keith.

Though they both sincerely apologized, her lecture lasted for an hour.

"I’m sorry, Tiara. From now on, I’ll spend more time with you."

"Well, I’ll visit more often."

—That doesn’t sound right!

Aquasteed making time for her was nice, but Keith was clearly joking.

"Tiara’s time with me will be busy, so it seems unlikely that she will have time for official meetings with the Fairy King."

"Then, I’ll visit at night."

"In that case, we’ll share a bedroom."

The two argued, sparks flying.

Though it seemed like a joke, Tiara Rose didn’t think it was a joke. "Please stop!" she said for the umpteenth time.

"Alright, fine."

When Keith tried to touch Tiara Rose’s hair, Aquasteed swatted his hand away.

He no longer intended to hold back just because Keith was the Fairy King.

Tiara Rose watched the two from her seat on the throne.

—They seem to be getting along.

If the two kings worked together, the country would become even more prosperous.

The forest fairy, seeing this, spoke up.

‘Tiara, you look like a queen!’

The playful words made everyone in the room look at Tiara Rose.

Sitting on the throne, with Aquasteed on one side and Keith on the other, she looked like she was commanding the two kings.

"Hehe! Tiara is great."

—Interacting with humans can be fun sometimes.

Chuckling, Keith felt a bit excited about the country’s future.

Aquasteed worked hard…!