Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 317: Each of Them, Continued…
Aeris was visiting the royal palace.
She had asked Tauro to end the day’s request early because she needed to return to the Royal Capital. Recently, she had accompanied Marquis Van Dyne on formal visits to numerous noble households.
Her sixteenth birthday and coming-of-age ceremony were approaching. She needed to reintroduce herself properly to noble society and prepare for the large celebration that would accompany her formal debut.
A daughter of a high-ranking noble would ordinarily already have a fiancé. The long and publicly known conflict within House Van Dyne had made Aeris’s lack of an engagement understandable, but the situation couldn’t remain unresolved indefinitely.
Her current guardian and royal patron was one of the king’s most favored queens—the half-elf mother of Fifth Prince Fleue.
With such a powerful guardian, noble society naturally expected suitors and engagement rumors to begin surrounding Aeris.
On this particular evening, the queen invited Aeris and Marquis Van Dyne to a small private dinner at the palace.
Aeris remained surprised by how warmly the queen treated her. Prince Fleue had originally introduced them because of Tauro, and Aeris’s habit of answering questions directly rather than hiding behind elaborate noble phrasing had apparently made an excellent impression.
“Ho-ho-ho. I’m always pleased by how clearly you speak, Aeris.”
“My apologies, Your Majesty,” Marquis Van Dyne said with an amused smile. “My daughter spent so long adventuring during my absence that she occasionally forgets the behavior expected of a noble.”
He sounded more proud than apologetic.
“Father! I speak this way only because Her Majesty gave me permission.”
“Mother, Aeris is the companion of my friend Tauro,” Prince Fleue said. “Tauro sometimes writes about their adventures. She’s shown remarkable courage.”
The prince spoke proudly of both friends.
“I’ve grown greatly because of Tauro and the others,” Aeris said. “After returning to House Van Dyne, I intend to support the royal family faithfully as the marquis’s daughter.”
“Well, well. There’s no need for such formal declarations during a family dinner.” The queen smiled, then turned abruptly to her son. “Fleue?”
“Yes, Mother?”
“Would you consider becoming engaged to Aeris? I’d be delighted to welcome her as your bride.”
“What?”
Prince Fleue and Aeris stared at her in identical shock.
Meanwhile, at Drago and Ragune’s house in the dragonfolk village, Ragune was wrestling with worries of her own.
She had encouraged Ankh when he spoke about the party’s future, but she wasn’t nearly as calm as she had pretended.
Aeris’s planned departure saddened her deeply. Aeris was her first close female friend among humans and a companion who had shared almost every day of her adventuring life.
The decision had appeared sudden, yet Ragune had noticed Aeris becoming quiet or troubled at times. She had simply never known what to say.
Ragune understood weapons and battles far better than human emotions. When Aeris looked depressed, all she could do was attempt to brighten the atmosphere.
Ankh’s earlier confession about his own future finally helped her understand what may have been troubling Aeris.
None of them could remain adventurers together forever.
Until then, however, Ragune had regarded the party’s end as something distant and unreal. Learning that others had already considered such an important matter without consulting her left her wondering whether they regarded her as unreliable.
“Brother, am I still someone people can’t depend on?”
She asked the question when Drago emerged into the living room.
“What brought this on?” he replied. “You’re still inexperienced compared with veteran dragonfolk warriors. You already know that.”
“That isn’t what I meant. You could give me at least a little credit.”
Ragune puffed out her cheeks.
“Tauro, Aeris, and Ankh all depend on you. Tauro praised you only recently. He said your positioning and judgment have improved greatly and that you may possess the greatest potential in the team.”
“He praised me?”
Her expression immediately brightened.
“Ankh praised me recently too. Aeris has also said similar things. I see… Everyone really does rely on me.”
A pleased smile spread across her face.
Drago sighed.
“You moved from doubting yourself to becoming completely self-satisfied in a matter of seconds. I was beginning to worry about you as your brother, but apparently that concern was unnecessary.”
His rebuke was serious, but Ragune’s anxiety had already vanished. As usual, she seized the positive interpretation and recovered her confidence.