Volume 2 Chapter 31 My Home
The succession war was already over.
The winner was Ms. Nemophila.
It seems that thanks to Rose delivering Ms. Kikrys at full speed, they were able to thwart Crocus's plans. Freed from the weakening magic tools, Ms. Nemophila displayed overwhelming power and defeated Crocus.
The spectators who witnessed this were genuinely astonished by her true abilities. I learned all of this from Ms. Kikrys when we reunited.
I'm really glad we made it in time.
After that, with the testimonies of Ms. Nemophila and Ms. Kikrys, along with the undeniable evidence of the magic tools, Crocus's misdeeds were exposed.
By the time I arrived, Crocus, with a swollen face, was being denounced by a large crowd in the courtyard. They were going to investigate Crocus's wrongdoings in detail and reveal everything.
As for his punishment, they said it would be decided later.
With that, the second day of the succession war ended on a sour note, and Lady Clematis made an announcement in front of everyone.
'I'm suffering from a serious illness and have been told I have little time left. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the throne succession war, and the winner of the succession war will be our third princess, Nemophila.'
She then exchanged glances with King Capucine and continued.
'Thus, as of today, the succession war is officially over. I apologize for the sudden notice to all the gathered parties. Instead, we are planning a modest luncheon and ceremony for tomorrow, and I would be grateful if you could all attend.'
Lady Clematis's words signaled the end of the succession war. Naturally, everyone present was left in shock, their faces blank with disbelief.
Crocus, who had been listening nearby, opened his eyes and mouth wide in shock. He must have heard for the first time that Lady Clematis was withdrawing and, even more so, that she had only a short time left to live.
If he hadn't raised any unnecessary objections, he could have easily become the first in line for succession without going through the Succession War. He hung his head deeply, filled with regret.
That was the outcome of the Succession War.
* * *
Two weeks have already passed since that Succession War.
I'm at home now, relaxing to heal the fatigue from my long work. My home really is the best. After an unprecedented long job, I cherish this peaceful time even more.
Just then, Cosmos came over to visit and asked about the Succession War, so I decided to share the story as a casual chat.
"I see. So you managed to elevate the third princess to a great position, and now you're receiving praise from the royal family and enjoying all sorts of nice things... how wonderful!"
"...Were you even listening? I said it was really tough. And I haven't enjoyed that many nice things."
That's quite a presumption. Besides, Ms. Nemophila hasn't become the king yet. The Succession War only reaffirmed the order of succession, so the official abdication is still a future matter. Because of that, I don't really feel like I've elevated Ms. Nemophila at all.
...But what's up with Cosmos? She seems a bit grumpy. Is it because I forgot to buy her a souvenir?
"By the way, since you came back here a week ago, you returned to Hyamars' town pretty quickly. I thought you would stay in the royal capital for a while after the Succession War."
"Ms. Nemophila and Lady Clematis both said they wanted to thank me for various things regarding this matter. I was allowed to stay at the royal castle for a long time. But both of them seemed really busy, and I didn't want to be a bother, so I turned them down and came back. I had my own Nurturer responsibilities too."
So, I don't think I got to enjoy the nice things Cosmos is thinking about. Now that I think about it, I barely got to attend the luncheon after the Succession War.
The first prince, Crocus, had just been exposed for his misdeeds, so I was stuck in a separate room that day to give various testimonies. Rose and Ms. Kikrys were with me too.
Well, that luncheon was mainly held for the upper-class people who came to watch. Plus, I've already received my thanks in the form of my rewards as a Nurturer. So, I don't really expect to receive anything else or have a special gathering prepared for me.
"More than anything, the guest room at the royal castle is so luxurious that it's hard to feel at ease. I also had this feeling of wanting to go home quickly. After all, my home is the best. Even 'Rose,' who was invited to the royal castle, said she felt 'nervous'."
"..."
As I honestly shared my thoughts with a laugh, Cosmos suddenly narrowed her eyes. She started to stare at me with a piercing gaze and then unexpectedly got off the chair across from me.
For some reason, she circled around to right behind me, grabbed my silver hair from the back, and started to mess it up as if she were ruffling it...
**Rustle, rustle, rustle!!!**
"W-What, what, what!?"
"Why didn't you contact me at all!?"
With a voice full of complaints, Cosmos was messing up my silver hair. After a while of ruffling, she returned to her chair, looking a bit tired. My hair was a complete mess, like I had just woken up.
"...Um, what's going on here?"
"Why did you only contact 'that girl' and not me when you were in trouble!?"
'That girl.' It was clear she was referring to Rose without needing to say it.
It seems that Cosmos is not happy about the fact that when Ms. Kikrys was kidnapped, I only asked Rose for help. The slight moodiness she's been showing for a while now might be because of that.
"Was I not reliable enough...?"
"I-I'm not comparing Rose and Cosmos or anything! I just thought Rose was the only one who could come right away in that situation, so I contacted her. Even if I had asked Cosmos for help, would she have been able to run from Hyamars to the capital in just a few hours?"
"...Ugh, I know that's absolutely impossible, but it just doesn't sit right with me!"
Cosmos is letting out a frustrated groan for what seems like an unreasonable reason. She probably feels like she was left out.
After all, I didn't contact her at all. I could have picked up Cosmos along the way, and Rose could have carried her while running, but it was such a tight situation that I didn't want to take that extra step. So it's not that I think Cosmos is unreliable.
"I think Cosmos is strong enough. I really see her as a reliable presence, just like Rose."
"...R-Really? Well, if that's the case, then I guess it's fine."
When I honestly expressed my feelings, Cosmos seemed a bit pleased, a smile creeping onto her face. Maybe that cheered her up, as she finished her tea looking somewhat satisfied.
It seemed like she was getting ready to head to the adventurer guild, so she gathered her things and headed to the entrance.
"Well then, next time, make sure to ask me for help too, okay? I want to repay you for making me stronger and everything. I'll take down any opponent in one hit!"
"...U-um. Let's save that for another time."
While her words were reassuring, I felt like if Cosmos really got serious, there could be all sorts of complications. I decided to be careful about when to ask for her help.
Just then, Cosmos, who had opened the door to leave, peeked her face through a small gap.
"...Also, I'm sorry for messing up your hair."
She quietly apologized for her earlier outburst and then closed the door.
...She's quite a busy one.
Feeling the familiar atmosphere of Cosmos, I realize once again that I've returned home.
The time I spent on the cultivation request from Ms. Nemophila felt both long and short. I never imagined that I would receive a request from a princess and end up helping her become a queen.
Finishing one request brings that familiar sense of achievement bubbling up inside me. At the same time, I'm experiencing a loneliness that feels almost like emptiness, something I don't usually feel.
"..."
Maybe it's because Ms. Nemophila has become a distant figure, unlike Rose or Cosmos.
In the future, she will be the next king, leading a nation and its people. I would be happy if she could casually drop by like Cosmos did today, but that seems very difficult now.
As I feel that loneliness creeping in, I start tidying up the table when...
**Knock, knock, knock.**
"Huh?"
Suddenly, someone knocks on the front door.
I tilt my head in confusion.
"Did I forget something...?"
Thinking that Cosmos might have forgotten something, I hurriedly rush to the front door. I find nothing that seems out of place, which makes me wonder, but I decide to open the door anyway.
And there...
"...Huh?"
It's not Cosmos.
Instead, a huge figure looms before me, completely opposite to her small stature.
As I gradually lift my gaze to look up at this figure, I'm met with the familiar sight of vibrant blue hair.
"Long time no see, Roezé."
"..."
Standing there is Nemophila Amicus, the next king of the Compost Kingdom.
...She really came to visit.
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