When the beautiful garden, the pride of the Empress’s Palace, was ruined, she didn’t know how upset she was.
The walls collapsed, and the flowers and grasses were ruthlessly broken and died. Not only that, the trees fell powerless, and the glass house, which was perfect for enjoying the sunlight, also collapsed.
The garden, which was so ruined, has now regained its shape to some extent.
But Arundel’s heart was not happy.
‘…Why on earth.’
Arundel, sitting alone in the garden, sighed deeply.
Even though the garden was restored like this.
‘Why are you avoiding me…!’
Arundel complained with her head down on the table. A gloomy aura emanated from Arundel, who had her head down.
That’s right.
Arundel had been rejected by Zion for several days.
The development of the incident was that day. The day she visited Zion’s office to hear the explanation of the coronation ceremony from Cain.
Originally, she was supposed to have dinner with Zion.
[Let’s eat next time.]
With that said, he left his spot first. How devastated she was at that moment.
I was a little depressed that evening, but I understood Zion with a broad mind.
Yes, I could have remembered something I had forgotten, and there could have been a sudden change of heart.
But the problem was from the next day.
Because of Zion’s uncomfortable attitude that day, Arundel visited his office early in the morning.
However,
[I’m sorry. His Majesty the Emperor has decided to work in his bedroom today.]
Well, that’s possible.
Arundel, who didn’t know Zion’s usual lifestyle, just thought the timing was bad.
But the next day,
[I’m sorry. His Majesty the Emperor is in his bedroom again today…]
And the day after that,
[He’s in the bedroom…]
And the day after that,
[In the bedroom…]
[Well, then, I’ll go!!]
Unable to bear it, she blurted out.
She tried hard to calm his pounding heart. She hadn’t thought she would go to Zion’s bedroom on her own, but before she knew it, her steps were heading towards Zion’s bedroom.
On the way, all sorts of thoughts crossed her mind.
He’s not sick, is he? Or has he gotten tired of me in the meantime? Is there some unspeakable worry?
When she reached the door, a guard who recognized Arundel blocked her.
[I’m sorry.]
No way.
[His Majesty the Emperor said not to let anyone in…]
Thud.
His ominous premonition had come true.
But Arundel didn’t back down all at once and asked.
[Does that ‘anyone’ include me?]
The guard looked around and slowly nodded his head.
Arundel’s shoulders, shocked, seemed to sink into the ground. And she trudged back to the Empress’s Palace.
After that, Arundel was like this all the time.
‘When did you ever push me away like that…’
He used to tease people with a mischievous smile and try to kiss them all the time.
That him was now gone.
Arundel sighed deeply as if the ground was collapsing.
As she stared at the ground with unfocused eyes, she saw a shoe.
“Huh…?”
The well-finished, luxurious-looking black shoe belonged to a man.
At the sight of the unexpected men’s shoe, Arundel’s gaze traveled up the shoe. After passing through the sturdy body, it landed on a handsome face.
The purple eyes sparkled with joy.
“Arundel!”
“When did you come in?”
At Arundel’s sullen reaction, Hills made a puzzled expression.
“Why are you like that? You look unhappy.”
“No.”
I can’t say that I’m not feeling good because I’ve been ignored by Zion lately. Arundel replied sullenly.
“Do you have something that makes you feel bad? The problem must have been solved. Zion seems to have become a little gentler.”
“…”
“Besides, the divine power has returned a bit. If you’re not a great demon like me, you won’t have to worry about demons anymore.”
“…Right.”
Arundel responded appropriately to Hills, who was babbling in front of her.
But Hills looked worriedly at Arundel, who was not getting better.
“Why are you like that, Arundel? Should I crack a joke or something?”
“…”
Arundel didn’t answer at all, but Hills seemed to be preparing something in front of her, bustling around.
Hills, who seemed to be ready, grinned.
“Watch, Arundel.”
Suddenly, with a bang-! A cloud of black smoke rose.
As the thick smoke gradually disappeared into the air, there was a large…
“…Lizard?”
As Arundel tilted his head, the creature that looked like a lizard quacked.
“It’s a dragon!”
The unidentified creature covered in sparkling black scales claimed to be a dragon.
“Hills?”
“You’re just realizing it now!”
…The strange creature in front of her was Hills. She only noticed the purple eyes then.
“When you make it so small, it looks just like a lizard.”
She remembered when he had appeared as a terrifying villain for Zion’s execution.
His momentum at that time was that of a legendary monster.
Hills fluttered his small and insignificant wings.
“How about it? This is my true form! Isn’t it cute?”
The small lizard ran around excitedly by itself. Arundel watched this with a grimace.
“That insignificant creature was a dragon.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
At the sound of Arundel’s muttering, Hills came running.
As he ran hard with his short legs,
“Ah-!”
The mini dragon tripped over a stone and fell with a thud.
Hills quickly got up from his spot, as if he was not sorry for falling. Although he looked like a dragon, his awkward emotions were clearly felt.
“Pfft.”
Arundel quietly burst into laughter for a moment.
It was funny because of the disparity between his current appearance, which looked like a pet, and his huge and terrifying appearance that she had seen before.
The small dragon flapped its wings as if it was happy. The tiny wings fluttered.
Hills flew up in that state and flew to Arundel’s eyes.
“Arundel looks pretty when she laughs like that.”
And with a bang-! Black smoke spread out, and a tall handsome man appeared in front of her again.
Startled by Hills’ face, which was so close that their nose could touch, Arundel pushed his shoulder hard.
But he didn’t flinch at all, and instead, he leaned his hand against the wall behind Arundel.
She seemed to be trapped in Hills’ arms. When he slightly bowed his head, the fluttering purple hair tickled her forehead.
“What happens if I kiss Arundel like this…?”
Hills’ mouth was smiling, but his eyes were serious, unlike usual.
Arundel swallowed once.
“Of course…”
“Hmm.”
“It would be like this.”
He hit Hills’ chest with his palm filled with divine power. Hills quickly distanced himself from the tingling sensation that touched his chest.
“That’s too much!”
“You’re the one who said something weird.”
Arundel was startled for a moment,
‘Here we go again, this kid.’
She thought and quietly put away the divine power in her palm.
Hills cried out, rubbing his numb chest with a disappointed expression.
“But divine power is too much!”
“If I hadn’t done that, you wouldn’t have been pushed away.”
At Arundel’s correct words, Hills just pouted his mouth. But Arundel looked at Hills without caring at all.
“I’m curious about something.”
“What is it?”
Hills still looked pouty, but his expression gradually relaxed at Arundel’s words that she was curious about him.
Both of his ears were already listening closely to Arundel’s voice.
“Tell me quickly.”
Although he didn’t intend to, Hills looked even more curious. What Arundel was curious about him.
Arundel, who was stroking her chin and pondering, opened her mouth.
“…You were really strong.”
“Did you think I was lying?”
“No, I knew you were strong, but I didn’t know it was that much.”
As if recalling something, Arundel, who was rolling her eyes, stared at Hills.
“But it’s strange. Why didn’t I know you?”
“Huh?”
“That’s right. The first time I saw you was on that ‘ship’.”
Arundel, who was retracing her past memories, recalled ‘that time’.
The day she met a woman on the ship, that day he first saw Hills.
A woman and Hills.
The awkward combination naturally seeped in. Until the woman fell.
Arundel remembered the golden eyes trembling in fear.
‘So I did such a thing.’
Even now, that choice was very extreme and impulsive.
At the sight of Arundel thinking deeply about something, Hills waved his hand in front of her.
“Why are you suddenly thinking so much?”
“Oh, I just remembered something from the past.”
“Keep talking. So what are you curious about?”
Hills’ eyes were sparkling. He seemed to be expecting something.
“No, that’s all. I was surprised that I didn’t know a demon as strong as you.”
I knew all the reasonably strong demons.
Even if I didn’t want to know, I had to know.
Arundel had experienced many demons through two Heavenly Wars.
Among them, the exceptionally strong opponents were definitely remembered.
‘Hills…would be in the top five at least.’
Arundel, who had seen Hills’ true form, was convinced. Although she didn’t want to admit it, that was a power close to the Demon King.
I don’t know about the Demon God because I’ve never faced him. I saw the Demon King from the edge.
The energy that was shaking, and the magic power didn’t seem to be much behind Hills.
If I had encountered a demon with such strong power in a war, I would have definitely remembered it.
“You didn’t participate in the Heavenly War, did you?”
If he didn’t appear in the Heavenly War, it would make sense. Then I wouldn’t have met him.
“I participated.”
However, an unexpected answer came out.
“I’m upset.”
“…”
“And you don’t remember.”
And Hills muttered with a darkened expression. At the unexpected reaction, Arundel was gradually falling into a maze.
“Did you see me then?”
“Of course.”
Although flesh and blood was splashing, it wasn’t enough to not remember.
“…Did I have to face you then?”
“Huh?”
“No, it’s an old story, and it’s no use holding onto it.”
Hills, who had been muttering with a serious face, smiled as if he had never done so.
“By the way, Arundel. How’s my job going?”
“…Huh?”
I had forgotten.
Because Zion was avoiding her, she couldn’t afford to take care of anything else.
When Arundel subtly avoided his eyes, Hills spoke in a firm voice.
“By next week!”
“What?!”
“Get me a job by next week. As I said, a really cool and great position.”
Arundel frowned for a moment.
“If you can’t get me a job.”
“If I can’t…?”
For some reason, Hills’ expression, which looked serious, made me nervous.
“I’ll be Arundel’s slave…”
“I got it!!”
Arundel hurriedly cut off Hills, who was babbling nonsense again.
“I will definitely find your job by next week, so go away now.”
At Arundel’s stubborn attitude, Hills’ eyebrows drooped. But Arundel ruthlessly chased him away.
Arundel, who was left alone, sat down in the chair again with a serious expression.
‘I said it confidently… What job should I get for that guy?’
As she was pondering with her chin propped up,
[By the way, I’m worried that the knight captain’s position is vacant. I wonder who will fill that position.]
She remembered what Belle had said.
The position of the knight captain was currently vacant. It seemed that they were carefully selecting because it was an important position, but there seemed to be no suitable candidate.
‘But…doesn’t Hills wield a black whip?’
It was a fatal disadvantage to become a knight captain, but there were also unbelievable advantages.
He is strong enough to offset everything. At least as much as the military power of a country…?
‘Yeah. Let’s push it for now.’
Arundel banged the table and got up. And after roughly putting on her coat, she kicked the door and went out.
