10 Years After – 121
Eric and Philly
I wasn’t about to apologize.
Eric should feel all the embarrassment and then some.
“Ah, Eric. I’m glad to see you here.”
“Uh, yes.”
“So, Milka. The really amazing thing about Eric is…”
“Now-now-now. Ruck, wait a minute…”
“What is it, Eric? I’m just getting to the good part. Please don’t interrupt.”
“I’m right here you know? This is getting awkward.”
“Oh, don’t worry. Milka didn’t even know about you before, so I have to tell her. Don’t I? It’s common knowledge.”
“Bah, I wouldn’t say that, and there is no need for people to know.”
What was he going on about? He was the king and a Hero.
Of course, people should know.
“In any case, not in front of me. Please.”
“Fine. You really do complain a lot, Eric.”
And with that, Eric sighed with relief.
“Are you finished talking now?”
Philly said as she appeared from behind Eric.
She was the fifth child of Marquis Mastafon and a genius alchemist.
Her parents had been taken hostage and she was forced to create the Fool’s Stone.
“Ah, Philly. It’s been a while.”
“I was allowed to stay in the palace until things settled down.”
Philly’s tone seemed to have softened since I last met her.
Maybe her parents had scolded her while they lived in the palace.
“Well, I’m glad to see you. Am I right to assume that you’ll be living here from now on?”
“I’m afraid I will have to impose on you.”
“Don’t worry.”
It seemed like she and Eric had used the secret passage to come here from the palace.
It was best that the dark ones did not know where Philly was living.
Her whereabouts was just as much an important secret as Lord Gerbera’s address.
Still, the way she talked now bothered me.
Perhaps it was how all highborn ladies talked.
It wasn’t something I knew much about.
“By the way, where’s Tama?”
Tama was Philly’s loyal and beloved dog.
He was a big dog, but still smaller than Grulf.
“Tama is…at the palace.”
“Is there a reason why?”
Eric answered this question.
“I told her that she should bring Tama. But the Marquis and his wife were hesitant. They didn’t want to inconvenience you too much.”
I understood how they felt.
It was one thing to send your daughter to live with someone, but sending the dog as well seemed like a lot.
“No, they really don’t need to worry about that.”
“Do you really mean it?”
“I do.”
“Then I shall bring him with me.”
Philly was about to run out of the room.
“Hey, wait. Philly, you haven’t been registered at the door yet, have you?”
“N-no, I have not.”
And so I headed to the secret passage with her and had her registered.
“Now you can enter the passage. However, you will need a different key to enter the palace…”
“Then I will go with her.”
“Alright. Thank you.”
“Oh, I couldn’t. You must not waste your time on my behalf, Your Majesty.”
Philly said modestly, but Eric brushed this aside and they both headed back to the palace.
And I returned to the dining room.
“Grulf, do you want some cookies?”
Koko wa Ore ni Makasete Saki ni Ike to Itte kara 10 Nen ga Tattara Densetsu ni Natteita
