When we arrived back at the camp from which we had set out, people from both the imperial and Grand Duchy families were gathered in one place, looking at something and chatting.
The imperial hired hands rushed over as we drew near and took Demimore, who was being carried by Lucas.
Recognizing me and Theodore, the people of the Grand Duchy also rushed forward. Hestia looked like she was about to cry.
Grand Duke Estin released me from his embrace.
The people of the Grand Duchy gathered around Theodore and me and shouted encouraging words. It felt like we had become some kind of great general.
“What is it?”
I went over to see what they were looking at and why they were talking. It turned out that they were staring at the beast that Theodore and I had earlier captured.
We rushed to save Demimore after hearing he was injured, so I left all the monsters we had captured behind.
It was a really stupid thing to do, no matter how much I considered it. But it can’t be helped. If I could go back in time, I would save Demimore again.
As I looked at it with a puzzled expression wondering how it got here, Gilbert approached me and put his hand on my shoulder.
“The person who picked up Cameron earlier brought it with him.”
Who?
I turned to face Cameron when I saw X waving at me from behind him.
Even though I don’t pay much attention to manners, he can’t just wave his hand at me like that, can he? We aren’t even that close to be exchanging such a greeting. I don’t really like it, so it’s kind of annoying.
He seemed so happy to see me that it made me uncomfortable, so I just ignored him.
Cameron had a very displeased expression on his face.
Gilbert looked at Cameron with a disapproving face and whispered to me so only I could hear.
“Cameron insisted that he also had a claim in this too, because he was guarding what you and Theodore left behind.”
What kind of mentality does he possess?
It was a rather absurd argument, but luckily it seems to have been rejected. But how did they manage to persuade that troublemaker? This time, it was Aiden who told me.
“That person named X stopped him.”
Wow, how ridiculous.
Cameron’s aide was beside him, looking nervous while X didn’t even pay attention to him.
However, given that Cameron’s assistant is present, why does X continue to hang around Cameron?
“Good job, Mary. I am proud of you.”
Gilbert patted me on the shoulder. Aiden was stroking Theodore’s head, too.
Theodore fussed playfully, wondering why he was being treated like a child, then he turned to Grand Duke Estin and spoke in a serious voice.
“Oh, Father, I must tell you something.”
“Yes.”
“Eating poisonous mushrooms can turn a normal beast into a cursed beast.”
Estin, the Grand Duke, appeared surprised by Theodore’s remarks. He didn’t appear to be anticipating such a cause-and-effect connection.
Even Lucas joined in and engaged in serious conversation.
I continued to stare at the beast.
Didn’t I knock it out earlier? Did it survive? It had the impression of being sound asleep. Imagine if it stood up.
“Oh, you’re talking about poisonous mushrooms?”
I’m not sure when he came, but X approached Grand Duke Estin and asked in an intriguing tone while standing by him.
With a nonchalant expression on his face, Grand Duke Estin Duke Estin suggested that they eliminate all the poisonous mushrooms here.
Lucas left, being very cautious, suggesting that they should go back to the Grand Duchy and finish the conversation.
X shook his shoulders and returned to his original position. And where X went back, Cameron wasn’t there.
Demimore was lying on a makeshift bed. Cameron walked over to Demimore with a stern expression.
At that moment, the thought that Cameron must be worried about his younger brother crossed my mind.
Slap.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh was heard. It sounded so loud that I was bewildered. Demimore turned his head.
No, why would you hurt someone who is already in pain? I tried to approach them out of frustration, but Gilbert stopped me and shook his head.
He appeared to be telling me not to get involved. I bit my lip tightly.
“You’ve completely ruined everything for me!”
“…….”
“I’m telling you, when I ascend to the throne, the likes of you will be put to death! You were clearly born to ruin my life, born to a woman we don’t even know where she came from.”
The words grew louder and louder. Demimore did not respond to Cameron’s words, but remained still, his head turned away.
Even to the naked eye, the redness on his cheeks appeared painful.
The room went silent as everyone’s attention turned to the two brothers.
It would be great if someone could mediate. I cautiously grabbed Gilbert’s sleeve. Gilbert let out a sigh.
“…Did I ruin everything?”
“Yes!”
Demimore, who was still, murmured softly. Demimore’s fist shook as if he was holding back something.
Whether he knew it or not, Cameron responded in a rough voice to Demimore’s counter-questions.
“That’s how it’s always been, even now.”
Demimore’s fist was shaking, but his voice was surprisingly calm.
“Yes! Even today, you ruined all my plans!”
“Plans?”
“What?”
“You said ‘plan’. What kind of plan did you have?”
Demimore caught Cameron’s tail. Gilbert made a startled noise. Cameron’s expression turned red and blue.
“Why didn’t you share it with me? We’re supposed to hunt together, but I didn’t hear any of those plans.”
Unlike Cameron, who was speechless, Demimore continued to push him.
Listening to their conversation, I felt like I knew why Demimore was catching Cameron’s tail and stretching out, and why Gilbert made a sound of surprise.
Cameron has something up in his sleeve.
He did a cowardly thing, whether it was to sabotage me or not, and Demimore stopped him, and that’s why he was so angry.
Why did he go to such lengths to pull off such a shady trick? X broke up the confrontation between Demimore and Cameron.
“I know you guys are upset about losing the bet, but would it be right to ruin your friendship over this?”
Are those two friends……?
“Anyway, we lost, didn’t we?”
X looked at Cameron with a slightly pitiful look.
“It’s just a game we lost.”
“That’s because you, X…!”
“Be quiet. Try to at least make a good impression.”
I’ve been thinking about that for a long time, the relationship between those two was very bizarre.
Cameron, who was strong-willed and insensitive to others’ feelings, couldn’t say anything in response to X’s sarcasm and just let it go.
Cameron bravely stepped back. I ran to Demimore.
“Demimore, are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. I drank water with boiled herbs.”
“What about your cheeks?”
“Ah……. It hurts a little here.”
Demimore smiled with his eyes folded and raised his hand and stroked my head.
“How about you? Did you get that knee injury taken care of?”
“I’m fine.”
Demimore approached me. He had a gentle sweet smell mixed with the smell of earth.
Come to think of it, he said he was stung by a bee-like demon and he seemed to know Cameron’s plan…….
Scent.
A sweet smell.
“Wait, did you intentionally…… wear that kind of perfume?”
Demimore said with a grin.
“Oh, did I get caught.”
“Really? Are you crazy?”
“Don’t be so dramatic, I’m just kidding. How was I supposed to know?”
“Don’t dodge the question, just tell me. Is it true?”
“Mary. Good work.”
I tried to ask more questions, but Demimore cut me off and spoke softly. The soft scent emanating from him felt more pleasant than his voice.
“You caught something really great. I’m so happy that my fiancé is such a cool person.”
Demimore extended his arms to me after saying as much. I approached to hug him like I was possessed.
“Is that the reason you pretended to faint earlier?”
Theodore then appeared out of nowhere.
“What are you talking about?”
“You abruptly rose from Mary’s knee when I mentioned that her knee was hurt.”
Demimore appeared embarrassed after hearing Theodore’s remarks and pretended to sit down.
So you were just pretending to sleep earlier? Why on earth…? I was staring at the two, and suddenly there was a loud noise.
“Oh, my….”
All the people from the Imperial family left. Leaving Demimore and Jasper behind. Jasper himself shrugged his shoulders as if bewildered.
How could they leave a patient behind? As Theodore and I expressed our anger, Demimore laughed, as he was used to it.
“Do you want a ride?”
“Thank you.”
Now it was time for us to start preparing to leave. I went over to the area for transportation to examine the cursed beast I had earlier caught.
They said it would be taken to the Grand Duchy and asked Logan to do research about it.
“Mary, you’re amazing!”
“You should have seen the expression of the first prince.”
The people of the Grand Duchy approached me with exhilarated expressions.
Surrounded by people, I sighed as I looked around, feeling like everything was finally over.
I was about to genuinely rejoice that I had finally won the bet.
However, I noticed X there. He appeared to be moving slowly toward me in the applauding crowd.
I thought everyone in the Imperial family had left. He waved at me with an amused expression.
