The Elemental Sword Demon King
Episode 182: Alliance Welcome Party
"But after meeting you. I feel like I've changed."
"Maybe so, maybe."
"Either Tiana, Eve, or Aura. I consider them precious friends." Perhaps out of embarrassment, Victoria's face was as red as a blazing fire.
"Ah, yes." Kaizo.
"Umm, so, all this time I wanted to say this to you," Victoria's clad hand stopped as she stuttered. Then he raised his face as if it was very determined, "Kaizo, thank you." He spoke as if he were very shy.
"Victoria..." Kaizo quietly gulped a mouthful of air and replied, "the same for me."
"Huh?"
"If I had never met you, I would never have stood on the stage of this Sword Style Festival. Umm, it has absolutely nothing to do with the size limit of the team. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Yes. Alone, I don't think any of us can stand here" finishing the bandage, Victoria stood up. "Then, rest well for today," then he headed straight for the exit.
Looking at his back, Kaizo spoke, "Alicia might be coming to go after me. In the near future, maybe I should leave this place for a while."
Nephesis Loran, that monster will definitely unite with him. When the time comes, Kaizo is unsure if she will be able to protect Victoria and the girls given her current condition.
But Victoria shook her head firmly. "When the time comes, we will face them. Together, all of them from Team Salamander."
****
For dinner that day, a small party was held to celebrate the alliance with Rupture Division. On the dining table made of tree trunks, all sorts of delicious food were neatly arranged.
Honey is applied to bread. The cooked beans. Wild herbs and mushroom salad. Neidfrost soup. River fish pie. The dessert menu is a fancy party made from canned fruit.
"How amazing is this!" Karmila cried with surprise.
"Please help yourself for the food, there is no need to refrain from taking it."
"Can?"
"of course. After all, Karmila, you did help my slave." Answer Victoria by slicing a piece of fish pie for Karmila.
Apparently, they became very familiar while Kaizo was sleeping. Sitting there side by side, they looked like very close brothers. In addition, Victoria has continued her usual attitude towards Kaizo.
"Victoria, please help me cut the pie."
"Geez, how arrogant are you, daring to rule over the daughter of the Lionstein family?"
(Well, that's what I mean.)
"The main meal is ready."
The aura carried a large plate of grilled meat that was still sizzling. He must have roasted the whole venison whole. It looks pretty big from an ordinary deer.
"Seriously, you're actually hunting deer in the forest!?"
"Fufuu, of course it's mine, along with Fenrir." Aura puffed her chest with pride.
The soft and delicious roast looks very delicious. Along with slices of ginger and garlic, a special sauce flavored with spices, a rich aroma filled the table.
"Yes, the meat is really soft and tender. The meat is cooked perfectly."
"Fufuu, if you like, let's go hunting again?"
Poking fun with his half narrowed eyes, Kaizo stuffed the salad into his mouth, "No, it doesn't feel right to recklessly hunt wild animals in the reserve."
Under the dining table, Salamander and Aimorphy were also fighting over the roast.
On the other hand, Fenrir sat very politely in the distance, despite salivating when viewed up close. It seemed like the Neidfrost family was quite strict in educating their spirits.
"Hei Aura, it's fine to give some of his flesh to Fenrir, right?"
"It's usually not allowed. But I'll make an exception just for today." Granted his master's permission, a portion of meat was thrown at him, Fenrir happily pounced.
"Kaizo, I also want to eat meat."
"Ah yes, you like good food the most, Nyx."
"Like it, Kaizo."
"Wait a minute, Kaizo, you're spoiling Nyx too much."
"Fufuu, I'm dripping a little sauce on my chest. Kaizo, please help wipe it," accompanied by a sudden exciting sensation, Kaizo found her arm clinging to Tiana's chest covered in sauce.
"You can remove it yourself, right?"
"If I do it myself, it won't be thorough enough. If you don't want to remove it, you can lick it."
As his heart thumped, Kaizo extended his handkerchief towards the deep valley between his chest.
"mmmmmmm. Kaizo's finger movements are very perverted."
"Tiana!?"
After quietly walking behind Tiana, Victoria suddenly reached out and started rubbing Tiana's chest, "Allow me to wipe it off, Your Imperial princess Royal Highness!"
"Yeah!" Tiana's funny shout, and she asked, "What are you doing!?"
"Kaizo is my slave, okay, you can't rule him!"
"Hey, you committed a crime of contempt towards the imperial family!"
"Hmm, these cooked beans are pretty good."
Ignoring the two girls fighting at the dinner table, Kaizo grabbed the cooked beans and muttered. Although its appearance was simple, its soup had a rather gentle taste.
Hearing this comment, Eve's twintail surged in excitement, "Ka-Kaizo, I made it."
"Eve? Right, come to think of it, it feels like something you're going to make."
Expressing her modesty, Eve awkwardly played her fingers, "Although compared to Aura's cooking, umm, it feels a bit less stylish."
"No, no, although it seems simple, I'm sure it took a lot of effort to make it. After all, I know how to cook more or less. I can feel the effort and the feeling behind it."
"Really!? I-I hope you like it. I'm happy." Eve looked very shy as she wrapped the hair from the twintail around her little finger repeatedly.
"Kaizo, ji-if you want, let me feed you. Your wounds must still affect you."
"No, that's kind of embarrassing."
"There's no shame. So, say 'Ahhh'."
Seeing he had no choice, Kaizo opened wide to receive the spoon, "A-ahh."
"W-is that delicious?"
"Ah yes, very good."
"Eve, you stole our attention, you're so cunning!"
"Please try my cooking too!"
Tiana and Aura reprimanded Eve.
"Don't misunderstand me! I just realized Kaizo's arm was still hurting, so..."
Pasting her fork onto a piece of meat, Victoria thrust it out, "Then, I'll feed it too!"
"It was so hot, Victoria, and you poked me in the face! Ouch!"
Karmila watched the diner table commotion with a blank look.
"Karmila, what's wrong?"
Asked by Kaizo, Karmila replied monotonously, "I've never eaten anything like this."
"Didn't you eat together with everyone on your team, Karmila?"
"No, because my fellow knights all look after me very carefully." Karmila silently shook her head.
(Guaranteed very carefully, hmm?)
Instead of being appreciated, it means something different. As if trying not to damage or injure something fragile and keep your distance.
This thirteen-year-old girl had always lived a life of untouchable isolation. Like an offering on the altar, like a sacrifice.
"Karmila, you should eat as much as you can. If you don't eat right, you won't grow up." Victoria put her hand on Karmila's head.
"That's absolutely right. Well, it's a little late to be able to match Victoria's chest."
"Who are you talking about!?"
Watching Victoria and Aura quarrel, Kaizo does not fail to catch Karmila's very thin smile.
...
*Connected.....
*Note: This story is fictitious. If there is a similarity in the name of the character, the scene, or the story, it is a mere coincidence and there is no element of intentionality.