CHAPTER 15
Just then, Lethe opened the bedroom door.
Even the corners of Lethe’s mouth were more relaxed compared to the first day Ares arrived.
“The young lord is kinder than he looks.”
“Right…”
“Or maybe he’s just lucky enough to have some sense.”
Lethe suddenly made a dizzy expression.
Like someone worn out by a mountain too high to climb.
“If only we could fix that speech habit of his.”
“…”
“Still, I am Lethe Epikus—I have my pride! I’ll teach the young lord how to speak properly!”
“Ahem. Mm. Ahem.”
Honestly? I couldn’t even offer empty encouragement to Lethe.
That seemed about as hard as capturing Cerberus.
As the cool evening breeze blew, the maids of the Persen Palace prepared a spot in the garden.
Not just Ares—even the adults looked excited.
All for a moon-viewing that would last only a couple of hours, and they’d prepared all kinds of desserts.
‘But still, that little brat made such a fuss about playing outside… and now he’s not even asking for more?’
I thought Ares would shout, “Let’s race to the tree!” after dragging us outside.
But the boy just kept picking something from the garden.
I gave up trying to understand him and looked up at the sky.
‘Wow. The full moon is so bright.’
That beautiful night sky didn’t look any different from what I’d seen in the Divine Nation.
The only thing that had changed in this world was me.
‘It feels… a little lonely.’
As if the “Great Saintess” had never really mattered to the world at all.
But I didn’t have time to wallow in that feeling.
“W-Wha?!”
Mysterious white specks began to fall in front of my eyes.
I thought they were giant flying bugs and instinctively covered my head, close to tears.
“Wh-What is this?!”
“Hmph. Who cries while watching the moon?”
“Ares!”
“You weird princess.”
I turned around and saw the culprit standing there, looking arrogant.
With a face like he was absolutely disgusted with me!
‘Ugh! I even let him win the card game, and this ungrateful brat—!’
I’d once heard you shouldn’t trust anything with hair.
I didn’t think that included kids, too.
‘You little punk, do you even know what kind of temper your big sister has? Huh?!’
Why else did the priests always badmouth me behind my back, calling me a “strong-willed and rebellious girl”?
‘After all the trouble last time, how have you not improved at all?!’
My old fiery temper started to stir.
I clenched my little fists, ready to punch him in the gut again.
“Wh-What did you do to me—huh?”
That’s when I saw what I had stepped on.
My hair, my clothes, and the white petals scattered at my feet.
Ares had picked a bunch of white, star-like flowers and dumped them all on my head.
When I picked one of the petals from my hair, Ares frowned, looking even more annoyed.
“If you’re gonna look at me, do it properly. Why’re you looking somewhere else, Sion?”
“…What is this?”
“It’s what you give when you apologize.”
“Huh?”
Do demons dump flower petals on your head when they apologize?
Ares crossed his arms and looked away.
“The old man at our house does this when he messes up with Mother. Though the flowers are bigger then.”
“Ares…”
“About that time… hmm. Can’t just let it slide, or I’d lose face.”
“…”
I gently gathered the small petals drifting in the wind.
They looked like fallen stars—so pretty.
‘This kid has a weird way of getting to people’s hearts.’
…Still, I cautiously asked the more important question.
“Ares.”
“Hm. What.”
“Who’s that ‘old man’ of yours?”
Listen to this brat’s mouth.
Before Ares could answer, Lethe walked over and clutched her forehead.
“You can’t call the former Duke that…!”
“Come on, teacher. Just let it slide.”
“No, absolutely not! Both of you, go eat your snacks first!”
One part of the garden had already been arranged like a lovely picnic spot.
I admired it quietly as I enjoyed some pudding.
‘Ugh, I really don’t want to admit it… but demon cuisine is amazing!’
Or maybe my taste buds were just too deprived.
Minte, watching my face, gave a sweet smile.
“Princess, do you like the dessert?”
“Y-Yeah!”
“In that case, should we make a pond next?”
“A pond…?”
“Yes! We can plant pretty water plants and even float boats on it to play!”
“But wouldn’t that take a long time?”
“Ah, it won’t! We can do it right now!”
“Oooh…?”
I was secretly excited by how confident Minte sounded.
‘Do demons have some special technique?’
Minte even reached for her sword, as if she were really about to use it.
“With my sword energy, a pond’s no big deal!”
“Stop! You idiot sister! Please grow up a little!”
Lethe’s face now looked ready to shatter.
She clung to Minte’s arm desperately, grinding her teeth.
“The young lord is already enough! Minte, just stay put!”
“What?! What did I do?!”
“…Pffft.”
That’s when everyone turned to look at me.
I tried to cover my mouth, but it was no use.
The moonlight was beautiful, Ares was cute, the snacks were delicious…
Watching the Epikus sisters bicker was fun…
And for the first time in my life, I felt a moment of pure joy.
Laughter just came pouring out.
Lethe brushed some petals from my hair.
“Princess, are you happy today?”
“Yeah. Very much…”
“That’s good. In the end, it was a good thing the young lord came.”
“…Why?”
Minte, who had been smiling wistfully, answered in her place.
“Because, thanks to him, you’re talking again.”
“…”
“And smiling more than before.”
“Mm. That’s true.”
Of course, Ares had touched the soft part of my heart.
But—
Avoiding Ares’s increasingly pouty stare, I whispered to the sisters:
“I like Minte and Lethe more.”
Because I could see glimpses of my old family in them.
The two of them then smiled brighter than I had ever seen.
…Yep, I was doomed.
After Ares arrived, Erebus received a report from the Epikus sisters.
He saw Lethe’s face shining with joy and murmured,
“I see. Elysion has brightened up a lot.”
“Yes. She even laughed out loud this time.”
“She… laughed out loud?”
Even he, her own “father,” had never seen that.
His daughter, the cutest in the world, just like her mother, laughing aloud.
His mouth shut tight with bitterness.
Lethe, unusually excited, let her guard down.
“She was just so adorable!”
“…”
“And we’re just grateful that she said she liked us.”
“…I see. She’s expressing herself more… That’s good. I’ll count on you from now on.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Erebus watched Lethe skip out of the room.
He was happy, but an inexplicable sadness ached in his chest.
‘Elysion almost never smiled at me.’
…She never once called him “Dad.”
“Ah…”
The Demon King let out a sigh filled with frustration.
He still felt like he, her father, was the most distant from her.
Feeling foolish, Erebus wiped his face with his hands.
‘At this rate, I’ll drop even further in her heart’s rankings.’
No. That must not happen, no matter what.
He looked at the calendar hanging in his office and made a decision.
“Right. Time to start preparing.”
‘Is today some kind of celebration in Tartarus?’
Why is there such a luxurious tea spread in front of me?
Custard cream tart, macarons with neatly placed strawberries…
I was so confused, I rubbed my eyes with my tiny fists.
‘This is a hundred times prettier than what I saw in Persen Palace.’
But no matter how much I rubbed my eyes, the delicious food didn’t disappear.
“Why? Is there nothing you like?”
“N-No, that’s not it.”
And the man studying my expression—the Demon King—was right there as usual.
It was a warm autumn day, and I was having tea time alone with the Demon King.
Heides Palace had a more elegant feel than Persen Palace.
In the magical greenhouse, beautiful flowers bloomed year-round.
But more than anything, I was so flustered, my eyes darted around.
‘Why did he make sure no one else could join us?’
