Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 436: The Night After the Unveiling
Despite several extraordinary surprises, the unveiling gathering ended successfully.
Most members of the opposition faction had been captured before they could act. The dragonfolk had also eliminated nearly all of the Assassins’ Guild remnants in the capital; only the vice leader commanding the survivors remained at large.
Tauro loosened the collar of his elaborate formal clothes, drew a deep breath, and stepped into the castle garden.
Most guests had already retired to the rooms prepared inside the castle or to nearby inns. The garden was nearly empty, although a few couples had found privacy beneath the trees. Tauro politely pretended not to notice them.
“There you are.”
A woman called to him from behind.
“Aeris. I thought you’d already returned to your room.”
Servants were still cleaning the hall, and Tauro had been delayed by the remaining guests. He hadn’t noticed Aeris following him outside.
“I told you that we needed to talk, remember?”
She laughed softly.
Her long blond hair had been arranged in an elegant bun and secured with a jeweled ornament that complemented her red eyes. The white dress embroidered with gold was unmistakably expensive, yet entirely appropriate for the daughter of a marquis.
Moonlight made her appear even more beautiful than Tauro remembered.
“Ragune told me that your leg has completely healed. Is that true?”
Aeris had moved naturally throughout the gathering, but Tauro wanted to hear the answer from her directly.
“Thanks to the treatment of the [True Saint] Ragune brought to me, I’m perfectly well.”
She demonstrated with several light dance steps.
“I’m glad.”
Tauro relaxed, then remembered why she had followed him.
“What did you want to discuss?”
Ragune had mentioned that Aeris seemed troubled, but hadn’t explained why.
“First, congratulations on your successful unveiling. What will happen now that you have surrendered the position of heir to Haku?”
Although Aeris had requested the conversation, she began by speaking about Tauro.
“I suppose things have simply settled where they needed to. Thanks to this arrangement, I won’t be bound by the duties of the heir, and I can continue adventuring.”
Tauro looked genuinely relieved.
“Ragune and the others said the same thing. You’re still yourself, even after everything that has happened.”
Aeris held a hand above his head as though measuring his height.
“You’ve grown, though.”
“Have I? You have returned to your former life, gained a younger brother and sister, and matured considerably yourself.”
Tauro intended it as sincere praise.
Aeris looked toward the moonlit garden.
“Perhaps. Mei—my new mother—said something similar recently. But sometimes I wonder whether noble life was always this quiet. Was it always this dull?”
“Perhaps that’s simply what returning to an ordinary life feels like.”
“I don’t know. I’m happy with my family. Watching my younger siblings grow is wonderful. But I constantly remember our adventures with you and the others.”
Her voice softened.
“Those days were exciting, even when we were close to danger. Sometimes I dream about them, and when I wake, I want to cry.”
Tauro couldn’t immediately answer.
Aeris still possessed duties as the daughter of a marquis. Missing the freedom she once enjoyed didn’t erase those responsibilities.
“It’d have been easier if you had joined our side of society,” she said. “I can’t believe you gave up the position of eldest son and escaped back into adventuring.”
“It wasn’t exactly planned. Besides, the decision prevented a conflict that might have divided the territory.”
“Count and Countess Graunewald must have been disappointed.”
“They were, but they understood.”
Tauro laughed awkwardly as he remembered persuading them.
Aeris lowered her gaze.
“Then… what should I do?”
“Aeris?”
“My leg was injured, so I retired and returned to noble society. Then the [True Saint] healed me completely.”
She drew a slow breath.
“I also learned a great deal from the [True Saint]. When I began accepting adventurer work in the marquisate to test what I had learned, all my memories came back.”
Tauro finally understood where the conversation was leading.
“You won’t come to the noble world, and I’m jealous of everyone who still travels beside you…”
“Aeris…”
“I was offered an engagement to Prince Fleue.”
The sudden statement startled him.
“You were?”
“The prince refused. He said that accepting would be bad for both you and me.”
“For us?”
“You regularly send him letters about your adventures, do you not?”
“Yes.”
“He said that he looks forward to those letters. But if he, a member of the royal family, married me, he’d draw me permanently into his world and remove one of the characters from the story he enjoys reading.”
“Prince Fleue said that?”
“He believes it’s regrettable that I already left the story.”
“You had no choice at the time.”
“But the circumstances have changed. My younger siblings have been born, so House Van Dyne no longer depends entirely on me. My leg is healed, and I’m healthy.”
Aeris faced him directly.
“Tauro, will you take me adventuring again?”
“What does Marquis Van Dyne think?”
“Father told me to choose the life I want.”
Marquis Van Dyne actually agreed?
Tauro had never expected the protective marquis to permit his daughter to return to a dangerous profession.
He considered the question only briefly. In truth, he had never wanted to refuse her.
“Welcome back, Aeris. Black-Gold Wings will be delighted to have you.”
“Thank you, Tauro!”
Aeris threw her arms around him.
Tauro stiffened in surprise, then felt the sincerity of her joy and embraced her in return.
“I’m glad you’re coming back.”
“You’re going to make me cry…”
From a short distance away came several voices.
“Welcome back, Aeris,” Ragune said warmly.
“It’ll be good to have the original healer watching our reckless leader again,” Ankh added.
“I’m so happy for you, Tauro-sama!” Zion exclaimed.
The three had watched the conversation from the shadows and could no longer remain silent.
Thus, on the night of the unveiling, Black-Gold Wings grew from four active members to five.