The Little Demon King is Too Bothered by Her Brave Dads - Chapter 94

The border with the demon race seemed to be the reason, as Carlo appeared to have much stronger military defenses than an ordinary city.

But then.

“Miss Tati, are you that happy to meet Lakius?”

Cesar’s eyes curved into crescents as he tapped his index finger on his lips.

“You’ve been smiling non-stop for a while now.”

What?

I unconsciously touched my lips.

I could feel the corners of my mouth lifted high.

“Ah…”

After a moment of embarrassment.

I smiled brightly at Cesar.

“Third Dad, you’re smiling too, you know.”

“…Am I?”

Cesar opened his eyes wide, as if genuinely surprised.

‘What, it seems he didn’t know?’

I mischievously opened my mouth.

“Are you that happy to meet Laki?”

When I threw his own words back at him, Cesar frowned in disgust.

“Don’t say such nonsense.”

“Come on, why is it nonsense?”

I stuck out my tongue at him.

“Third Dad, you’re Laki’s teacher, aren’t you? Isn’t it natural to miss your student?”

“Unlike you, why would I miss that dark-skinned boy?”

Meanwhile, as we were conversing.

The carriage diligently entered the city.

A clean cityscape that, while not luxurious, seemed perfectly comfortable for living came into view.

The attire of people walking on the streets was clean.

While there didn’t seem to be any particularly wealthy people, there also didn’t appear to be anyone starving or shivering from the cold.

Above all, their expressions were bright.

Those people must at least have hope for tomorrow.

It seems Lakius is doing even better than I thought.

The carriage crossed the city and stopped in front of a three-story building with a neat garden.

It was the lord’s residence where the lord stayed.

‘…So, Lakius is inside there?’

As soon as I thought that, suddenly the back of my neck stiffened with tension.

Oh, what should I do?

Thinking about seeing his face after 5 years, I’m suddenly feeling nervous!

<Even if we meet later, don’t act awkwardly. Okay?>

…Why am I remembering the contents of that letter Lakius sent now?!

Just then, Cesar stood up first.

“Let’s get off for now.”

I stepped onto the ground with Cesar’s escort.

As Cesar was looking around with a fresh gaze, I casually threw out a question.

“Come to think of it, Third Dad, you’ve been to Carlo a few times before, right?”

“I’ve been here about twice… but somehow the scenery changes every time I come.”

“Really? How has it changed?”

“It’s considerably better than before. It seems the population outflow problem has been mostly solved, and supplies seem to be stably provided. All in all, it looks like Lakius has done a good job.”

Cesar spoke with a somewhat excited voice, praising Lakius like that.

I smiled with my eyes as I listened to him.

“Is that so?”

“…”

For a moment, embarrassment spread across Cesar’s face.

He cleared his throat unnecessarily and added.

“Well, it seems Lakius isn’t completely incompetent.”

“Ah, you always have to add something like that, don’t you?”

But then.

The door of the lord’s residence swung open.

A tall, blonde, red-eyed young man strode out.

Behind him were a couple of administrative officials.

‘Ah.’

I blinked blankly.

‘It’s Lakius.’

I had always been curious.

What Lakius, approaching his twentieth birthday, would look like.

If he had grown much taller if he was healthy.

…If he was no longer lonely.

And now, the Lakius standing before my eyes.

Was truly a young man who lacked nothing to be the protagonist of a world.

The fact that this perfectly beautiful young man was once my friend we used to call each other by our nicknames.

It was simply unbelievable.

“My Lord, today’s schedule…”

“The documents you need to review after returning…”

The administrative officials gave various explanations to the young man.

Lakius listened to those explanations with an indifferent face, then suddenly raised his gaze.

At the same time, his red pupils grew slightly larger.

“…Tati?”

Lakius called my name with a doubtful voice.

As if suspecting that I standing in front of him might be an illusion.

At that moment.

My heart started beating wildly.

‘Oh no, at this rate, they’ll be able to hear my heartbeat!’

My mouth went dry.

‘Why am I suddenly like this?’

Is it because I’m nervous about meeting him after so long?

But it’s Lakius, not just anyone else.

My best friend, I mean.

“La… No.”

I reflexively tried to call Lakius by his nickname, but quickly caught myself.

I noticed the two administrative officials standing next to Lakius.

‘Ah, right.’

Officially, I was the princess of Orleans, and Lakius was the 1st Prince of the Decartes Empire and the lord of Carlo.

Since eyes were watching, it would be better to observe proper etiquette here.

I slightly lifted the hem of my dress and curtsied.

“Tatiana von Orleans greets Your Highness, the 1st Prince.”

Good, it was a perfect movement.

I felt proud inside.

It’s worth it to have diligently received etiquette education, isn’t it?

“…”

Lakius bit his lip as he looked at me.

He had a hurt expression.

Then he strode towards me, and…

“Eek!”

Suddenly he pulled me into a tight embrace!

“It’s real.”

“…Uh, what?”

“It’s really Tati.”

Lakius murmured in a wet voice.

“I thought I was dreaming again…”

“…”

Somehow, my chest felt heavy.

I grumbled mischievously with a voice mixed with laughter.

“…Really, who else in the world could be Tati besides me?”

But we couldn’t savor that touching moment for long.

Because a gloomy voice, as if it had crawled up from the deepest part of hell, resonated.

“Separate.”

That person was none other than Cesar.

He had completely abandoned his usual polite speech, and I can’t describe how terrifying he looked.

“Gasp.”

Lakius and I hurriedly separated.

“Lakius.”

Those light gray eyes glaring at Lakius were like ice…

Cesar tilted his head and smiled as brightly as a magnolia flower.

“You seem to be very comfortable these days. Shall I give you a good thrashing for old times’ sake?”

Lakius immediately deflated.

“I have committed a mortal sin, Master.”

“Then why don’t you atone with your life?”

“No, why go as far as life… Ouch, ow! Stop hitting me! Is it okay for a High Priest to be this violent?!”

Sigh.

Somehow, nothing has changed even after 5 years.

I watched the friendly(?) scene between the two with cloudy eyes.

***

After various commotions.

Cesar and I were guided to the drawing room.

“Tati, if you had let me know in advance, I would have gone out to greet you!”

Lakius said to me with sparkling eyes.

Somehow, it reminds me of a dog wagging its tail vigorously.

I smiled brightly.

“I wanted to surprise you. How was it, were you surprised?”

“If that’s what you were going for, then you succeeded. I was very surprised.”

Lakius joked.

“By the way, Lakius.”

Cesar looked Lakius up and down and narrowed his eyes.

“You seem to have lost some weight since before.”

…Is that so?

I was a bit puzzled.

To my eyes, he just looks like a slender and fit young man.

“Lakius, you are now the lord governing the Carolingian territory.”

Cesar continued in a stern voice.

“How many times have I told you that you must take good care of yourself before others can take care of you?”

“Um, Master?”

Lakius, sensing something ominous, carefully gauged Cesar’s mood, but.

It was already too late.

The nagging began to flow endlessly…

“Are you taking the nutritional supplements I sent you properly?”

“…”

Somehow, I can feel the bitter taste of Cesar’s special nutritional supplements in my mouth…

It seems Lakius feels the same way.

He stiffened his shoulders for a moment, and then immediately made a disgusted face.

“Really, we meet after a long time and you start with scolding?”

“I scold because there’s reason to. With those dark circles under your eyes… Tsk, you look terrible.”

Well, he does look a bit tired, but.

It’s not bad enough to click your tongue like that, is it?

I was puzzled again.

Meanwhile, Lakius seemed to feel that dissonance too.

“Um, Master.”

Lakius stared at Cesar with a suspicious gaze for a while, then asked back in a doubtful voice.

“…Could it be that you’re worried about me?”

“How could that be?”

Cesar frowned, even his eyebrows twitching, and spoke seriously.

Then he abruptly stood up.

“We’re going to meet the Deputy High Priest, so Lakius, you go back to work.”

“What? But you and Tati have come all this way…”

“Well, is it okay to keep dallying like this?”

Cesar shrugged his shoulders.