Chapter 433 – Empire Again

Eclair returned to his mansion after a meeting that might bring about great changes in the empire and gathered his family.

The younger brothers gathered in large numbers wearing light clothing.

Eclair patted the heads of her younger siblings once in a while and then sat down to deliver the news.

“Eclair.”

“Well, thank you.”

I put the teacup that Lily’s provided for me in front of me.

Eclair, feeling everyone’s eyes on her, slowly opened her mouth.

“Today, during a meeting related to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I heard something related to Roman, although it was not directly discussed.”

“!”

Please skip this short sentence so you don’t have to worry.

Eclair calmed down the girls whose eyes were shining with excitement and hunger.

The story was told at a very slow tempo.

“···So, the saintess will come to the convention with the federal government. Then, Roman will also come along.”

“Well, then you are going to meet your brother?”

Even though the word truce was mentioned several times, everyone’s attention was focused on Roman.

Maybe it’s because I don’t feel much about the war.

It was clear that everyone here was as blinded by affection as Eclair herself.

“I’m not going to meet Roman, it’s just work… But in the end, that’s it.”

“Sister Eclair.”

“Hmm?”

When Rike, who had been listening quietly, spoke, Eclair’s eyes moved.

“Even if I want to follow you, it’s impossible. Can you at least deliver a letter to my brother?”

“Even if you can’t do it, I think you’ll have some leeway, so try your best.”

There is a possibility that he may return with Roman.

However, if you are not sure and have something to say, a letter is a good way to do so.

“After class tomorrow, shall we all go to the general store to buy stationery? I want to write on something pretty rather than just plain white paper.”

– Hiss!

The three people agreed with Alice’s recommendation and nodded at the top of their lungs.

As if Ricke’s words had sparked a spark, everyone was already shaking their butts at the thought of writing a letter.

“Sister. Let’s go out and have lunch tomorrow. Don’t cook and just rest.”

“Hehe. Then shall we do as Seria says?”

“Eclair, is it okay for lunch tomorrow?”

“Lunch tomorrow will probably be okay.”

Seria naturally attracted Eclair and Liline.

She stuck to Chloe and whispered, her face telling her she had a good idea.

“Chloe. Should we put a lip print on our letter and send it to her? In novels, when you look at the scene where you write a letter to your lover, that happens a lot. Like spraying perfume!”

“Eh… Oh, will your brother be happy?”

Chloe’s face turned red at Ceria’s bold recommendation.

However, it was impossible to deny that her offer was tempting, as her eyes were shining brightly.

“My brother will definitely be happy.”

“Right!”

After gaining her confidence, Ceria causes a commotion by asking Liline to borrow her cosmetics.

Rike moved up one space from her and took up the position next to Eclair.

“Are you planning to return the same day?”

“Probably so. Everyone is busy, so we’re planning to return within a day. Still, it’s hard to say for sure, since it’s an agenda item, so there’s a real possibility.”

Of course, it is absurd to conclude the ceasefire issue in one sitting.

This is currently impossible between the Empire and the Commonwealth.

We both know that well.

So, the scheduled day is the place to agree on the draft of the non-aggression contract. At the first event, the emperor will not move from the capital and will not be present.

Since the federal government is also represented by the Yongin tribe, who oversees the administration, the people participating in the empire are the prime minister and high-ranking government officials who have lived their entire lives based on a battle of wits.

The Silver Wing Knights, led by Eclair, will be located there.

“Sister Eclair.”

“Hmm?”

Rike placed his hand on the back of Eclair’s hand and tapped it.

Let’s turn to the skinship and make eye contact. Rike smiled and expressed gratitude for Eclair’s hard work.

“Thank you always.”

“···Suddenly?”

“Everyone knows that Eclair is struggling to fill her brother’s shoes. She understands her sister’s worries and concerns, but try to lighten her shoulders a little.”

Eclair, who had hit the nail on the head, avoided Ricke’s eyes and smiled bitterly.

“I thought his behavior was no different from usual, but it was noticeable…”

“Hmm~ Just a little.”

As Rieke said, Eclair had a lot of thoughts in other directions, not just the immediate task.

If it doesn’t end in one day, Roman and I won’t be in the mansion.

She was wondering what to do with it, but it seemed like she had already been caught by Rike.

“If something happens, you can send a signal to your brother right away, right? And it might be funny if you hear it, but I don’t think we have the ability to just protect you forever.”

“I don’t think it’s funny at all, and it actually makes sense. It’s just me worrying too much.”

Ricke, who turned over the eclair’s hand and clasped it, made a light joke to change her mood.

“Well… Anyway, that’s what I mean. Don’t worry and come back comfortably. It’s okay if you clear up the story with your brother first.”

Eclair’s face turned red as she understood the true meaning of what Rike was saying.

Isn’t this something that I thought of as a delusion from the moment the schedule was set?

I was even more ashamed because I felt like my desires in my heart had been clearly read.

“Uh, I’m going to work, so that will never happen.”

“It must have been hard for you to endure that overwhelming desire, and isn’t it getting harder for you too?”

“···.”

Here, speechless silence is affirmation.

Eclair’s shy expression with her lips pursed is truly a work of art.

‘You’re really cute.’

Rike really liked Eclair’s pure appearance, as she couldn’t lie and couldn’t even admit it due to her shyness.

– Sister Alice. How about this?
– It looks too red. I wish it was a little softer.
– But why is this a delicious-looking color? Oh···! It smells good too.
– Ceria! You can’t eat that!

A pleasant commotion begins to arise in Lily’s room.

Rike stood up holding Eclair’s hand and asked her to go with him.

“Sister Eclair.”

“I’m listening.”

Rike before moving her location.

She left a comment to end the serious story.

“I would like to write a letter to the saint, but can you deliver that too?”

Eclair nodded his head without hesitation.

Rike hugged Eclair tightly with gratitude and left a mark of her lips on her cheek.

*****

“Atra. Are you ready?”

“Yes···.”

“Just in case, I’ll check to see if I forgot anything.”

Roman, carrying a horn and a backpack with Jelly’s lower body sticking out, began to look around the room again.

Atra quietly watched the back with her complicated face.

“It’s neat. Let’s go.”

“···.”

Today is a historic day when representatives of the Empire and the Federation will meet and discuss their opinions on the ceasefire.

Atra walked with Roman and looked back on her happy past.

‘It was good… I was really happy…’

She was confident in her feelings and was incredibly happy every day she spent with Roman.

A good excuse to use every day is to go for a walk with Roman and go out to eat under the pretext of going out to eat.

She felt like that was enough for her and that she was going to drown in joy.

But at the same time, this feeling was painful and scary.

Time will not walk behind her, but will only move forward, and the days will come when she will feel that she is being harsh.

If that day comes, shouldn’t we consider it a punishment for hiding her feelings and satisfying her greed?

‘I don’t know anymore…’

A feeling of despair pouring down like heavy rain from inside Atra.

It is a time when you become confused about what kind of life you should find satisfaction in in the future.

I am not sure whether faith and service alone can make me feel the same sense of fulfillment and smile as before.

With such complicated thoughts, she walked away from the building she stayed in and got closer to the gate.

A considerable number of dragons, led by Varian, were seen waiting.

The air gets cooler as we get closer to the sound of footsteps.

Varian saw Roman and Atra approaching and bowed his head first.

“Ah! The saint and Roman have arrived. The preparations are complete.”

“Thanks to Varian, I had a very comfortable stay.”

“Thank you.”

There were other races mixed in sparsely in the group.

The impression of the Yongin people was so strong that they could not even be seen.

“This is nothing. Someday, I want to show you two the proper treatment of the dragon people.”

“I hope that the relationship between the two countries improves and an opportunity for that arises.”

“I am also interested in the empire and its culture, so I hope I will have time to observe it.”

Varian and Atra boarded the gate at the front, having a superficial conversation.

Farsten, the city the two visited when they set foot in the Federal Bureau.

Passing there and crossing the border was an instant.

“I don’t know how long it’s been since I set foot in the empire. This is my first time since I briefly crossed over in the past due to border issues.”

“It’s been quite a while.”

“Does it seem like it’s been over 10 years?”

As Varian looked around as if he had a new feeling, he saw a group of knights coming from the Empire to meet him.

Seeing her standing at the head in her gleaming armor, Varian looked at her face with interest.

“This is the famous Eclair Dritna.”

Varian’s words of admiration, saying that her skin stings just by looking at her, did not reach Atra’s ears.

‘···.’

Atra was able to intuit it.

The fact that Eclair and Roman, seen in the distance, are only looking at each other.

I was the only one caught between that affection, and I could feel it even if I didn’t want to feel it.