Chapter 62

"Oh, Princess Tiara Roses... Is something the matter?"

"Philine, no, it's nothing."

Tiara Roses and the maids were preparing for Acali and Hartnitz's wedding. Tiara Roses, however, felt a strange discomfort in her finger while watching them.

--Something feels off with my ring.

On her left ring finger, the "Starry Ring" created by Aquasteed and given to Tiara Roses seemed to be faintly glowing. It felt as if it was seeking something.

If it were just any ring, Tiara Roses wouldn't have paid much attention. She might have thought it was just a reflection of light and left it at that. But this ring was not something to be dismissed so easily.

As Tiara Roses stared intently at the ring, Philine asked, "Are you feeling nostalgic?"

"It's almost been two years since you last visited your family in Lapislazuli. It feels like it went by in a flash..."

"Yes, I plan to stay for a day and talk a lot with Father and Mother."

"Yes."

There was also the need to check if any new pastry shops had opened. She wondered if it would be possible to try all the new sweets if there were any.

"By the way, it seems that Lady Acali's position has become quite stable."

When Tiara Roses said it was good, Philine's expression turned sour.

--Ah, she's still angry.

Acali had once sneaked into Tiara Roses' bedroom to obtain Aquasteed and injured her. While Tiara Roses no longer held a grudge, Philine still did. The same went for Hartnitz, who had harshly broken off the engagement with Tiara Roses.

"Even now, I know that the relationship between you and Lady Acali is good. But she injured your face! Even though the scar is gone, it was still a terrible thing to do."

"Yes, that's true."

"Besides, it's quite something that Lord Hartnitz invited his former fiancée, Lady Tiara, to his own wedding!"

"Well, considering that we are close neighbors..."

Thinking about it made Philine clench the handkerchief she had taken out.

"Let's have some tea to calm down, shall we? I recently bought some honey, and I can serve it with scones."

"Princess Tiara... Yes, I'll prepare it right away."

"And a portion for Philine too. Let's have tea together today?"

"Thank you."

Tiara Roses smiled, thinking it was important to relax, and Philine relaxed her shoulders and smiled.

The bite-sized scones had a fresh, fragrant aroma. The honey, jam, and cream cheese served with them were all things Tiara Roses had recently enjoyed.

"By the way, Philine, I've noticed that you've added more accessories recently?"

"Yes. Many hair ornaments and brooches have been brought in to complement the design of your ring."

"I see..."

The dress Tiara Roses was wearing also had a gemstone design on the neckline that matched the ring. She was impressed by the attention to detail, and it made her genuinely happy.

"This is proof of the strong support you have from the people of Marin Forest."

"Yes."

It made her very happy to know that she was accepted in Marin Forest. She wanted to do more for this country.

Philine looked proud, even happier than Tiara Roses herself. She felt blessed to have both a husband and a maid like this.

"That's why I think our separation was for this. Now, I try to think of it that way."

"For this... Indeed, that's true. You look the cutest when you're with Prince Aquasteed."

"Stop it. But thank you, Philine."

◇◇◇

The ring, true to its name, glowed like a star. It flickered, and the Starry Ring shone.

"It wasn't just my imagination after all."

While reading in her private room, the ring clearly started to flash. It wasn't like before when she thought, "Did it just glow?"

--Is there something with this ring?

It seemed to be seeking something, almost as if it was calling out.

"Does His Highness Aquasteed know anything about the ring?"

She thought he would know if there was something with the ring, but it didn't seem to be the case. She had thought it wasn't something to worry about, but maybe she should consult him.

However, he was currently resting, using her lap as a pillow, saying he needed a short break. It was afternoon tea time in her private room.

"...You look so cute when you're sleeping."

She couldn't get tired of seeing his sleeping face every day. She gently stroked his peaceful face and turned a page of her book.

"Reading a book while looking at His Highness Aquasteed and having sweets..."

Aquasteed was on her lap. She sank into the comfortable sofa and read her book. A cup of tea and macarons were placed on the side table next to her. This was truly a moment of happiness.

She smiled at the luxurious situation, thinking it was almost too good to be true. Recently, Aquasteed had been busy with work. He was doing a lot of work in advance because they were leaving the country for Acali and Hartnitz's wedding. As a result, he had been coming home late. There were times when Tiara Roses fell asleep waiting for him and woke up in the morning.

--As a wife, I shouldn't fall asleep first!

She thought this many times.

However, Aquasteed said it was fine for her to sleep first. Philine also tried to get her to sleep, saying that staying up late was bad for her beauty, so she couldn't resist.

It would be unfair to burden Aquasteed with more worries. She looked at the ring, wondering what to do. If she kept quiet, she would definitely be scolded later.

"When His Highness Aquasteed wakes up, I'll tell him that the ring sometimes glows."

She didn't want to wake him up when he was tired. He had said he still had work to do after this, so he would be busy for a while. She just wanted him to rest now.

While thinking this, Tiara Roses gently stroked Aquasteed's hair. His eyebrows moved, and his eyes opened.

"Did I wake you up...?"

"No. Something is coming."

"Huh?"

Despite still looking a bit sleepy, Aquasteed sat up. Tiara Roses felt a bit lonely losing the warmth of his knee, but she wondered what he meant by "something is coming." However, the answer came quickly.

A bright light appeared in front of her, and a letter fluttered down.

"Whoa!"

She instinctively caught it and saw that it was addressed to "Lady Tiara" in cute handwriting. She immediately recognized it as Acali's and couldn't help but smile wryly. Aquasteed, who had been watching, muttered, "I knew it," and returned to Tiara Roses' lap.

"Tiara and Miss Acali really get along well..."

"Yes, especially recently."

"If she can contact Tiara so easily, I might get jealous."

While smiling wryly at his petulant tone, Tiara Roses opened the letter. What could it be at such an important time, just before the wedding? She peeked at the contents, which were a simple greeting in the world's language and a happy note about looking forward to the wedding.

"What does it say?"

"Lady Acali says she's causing a commotion with Lord Hartnitz and that she's looking forward to the wedding day."

"Is that so... Hartnitz must be having a hard time. I bet he'll do something on the day too."

"His Highness..."

He said he was already tired before even going, thinking Acali might do something outrageous. Agreeing with him, Tiara Roses read the bottom of the letter, which was still written in Japanese.

--What could have happened this time?

Maybe she found a secret passage in the Lapislazuli castle. It simply said, "I made a great discovery!! Let's solve the mystery together." As usual, it was an Acali-centric message, and it didn't mention what the great discovery was.

This left Tiara Roses unsure of what to do. It didn't say anything about extending her stay to solve the mystery together. However, considering her enthusiasm for the game, she must have found something significant.

While she was deep in thought, Aquasteed reached out and stroked her cheek, asking, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, no... It seems to be a letter from Lady Acali. She says she made a great discovery, but she doesn't mention what it is."

"Indeed, that's very much like Miss Acali. I hope she doesn't involve my Tiara too much."

"Rest assured, I won't be diminished."

"I know. But you're also going to visit your family in Lapislazuli. Since it's Acali's wedding, I don't think you'll have much time to spare."

"That's true..."

Acali, the main character of the wedding, couldn't be wandering around before and after the ceremony. While Acali didn't seem to care, Hartnitz's stomach might suffer. However, Tiara Roses thought it might be good for her to go through some trouble.

But Aquasteed knew Acali's character well. He sighed, thinking that something would likely go wrong, whether it happened or not.

Please look forward to the book version of "I, the Demon King—Somehow, I'm Doted on by the Hero," which was released on September 29.

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7934dg/

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A story about a hero who accidentally falls in love with the demon king and takes her home. Please note that the hero is a pervert.