—Hello! I'm Chocorina, nice to meet you!
She closed her eyes, showing a childish smile. Her main objective had to be fulfilled at all costs, and she would do whatever was necessary to achieve it.
A few brief seconds passed when Chocorina noticed there was no response. It was somewhat disconcerting for her, as people usually returned the greeting even if it was out of courtesy.
To her surprise, the person in front of her simply did not move. Her green eyes did not leave the elf girl for a moment.
Fearing the worst, the little princess of Lugunica slowly opened her eyes.
—I'm sorry... What is it that you want?
—Uh...
What a cold way to say it...
She was surprised that a girl with such a calm appearance could respond so frankly and disinterestedly. She had rarely dealt with people who were so straightforward and cold in attitude. At that moment, she remembered that her father called these types of people "Tsundere."
—Haha... Well...—She began to get nervous. Unconsciously, she started to touch her hair— I-I was just wondering if you were interested in...
—No, thanks.
—But you didn't even let me finish.
—Nothing good can come from someone who acts suspiciously like you—A heavy sigh escaped her mouth as she stood up from the soft grass where she had been sitting. In her right hand, she held a peculiar book, and Chocorina briefly read the title, noticing it was quite a complicated book.
Oh well, that's what she thought, since she didn't understand the meaning of the words in the title.
—Ah... Wait!—The princess tried to stop the girl who began to walk away from her—You haven't told me your nam...
—Celia—She responded curtly while turning her back.
The brief conversation between the two girls was broken in a few seconds. Chocorina simply couldn't believe it. What the hell had just happened?
Had she done something to offend her?
She lifted her gaze to see the vast green field that covered much of the area. Initially, she had come to this place as part of an errand from her mother, the queen.
Everything had gone perfectly, and she just had to return to the castle. However, along the way, she couldn't help but be interested in the strange girl who was reading a book alone, away from the other children.
She didn't even seem older than her.
—Ah! I really messed it up! We were so close to becoming friends!
Chocorina's words couldn't be further from reality. For her, relating to children her age was complicated, mainly due to the prejudice and fear they had towards the nobles.
Even as a little girl, Chocorina was aware of the evils of this world. People could do detestable things to gain some power or money, and nobles were no exception.
—I must return to the carriage, or they'll start to worry.
And so, the strange encounter between two completely different girls became a turning point that would affect Chocorina's life later on.
Something she herself would be aware of in the future.
—You left Betty behind!—the complaining voice of the great spirit deafened Chocorina's delicate and fine ears—It's very dangerous to go without Betty!
—I'm... I'm so sorry...
—Do you have any idea how many times they tried to kidnap little Chocorina, in fact!
—Ugh... I have no idea.
The elf princess could do nothing but lower her gaze in a sign of repentance, hide her elf ears, and repeat "I'm sorry" every so often. After forming their contract, Beatrice usually accompanied her everywhere, even when she bathed. She didn't condemn her clingy actions; after all, deep down, she was still a little girl who liked to be pampered by her parents.
—Haaaa...—Beatrice's critical voice slowly faded back to her normal tone—You're lucky you didn't inherit Subaru's bad luck, I suppose.
—Dad always says that bad luck ends up benefiting you one way or another.
—What kind of thinking is that?—Beatrice asked, rolling her eyes—On the other hand, what did you want to tell me, in fact?
—Oh! I met a very strange girl on the way home!—Chocorina began to recount her peculiar encounter with Celia—She completely ignored me even though I greeted her!
—Isn't that what most kids your age do when they see you?
—Guh! You didn't have to say it like that!—Chocorina was betrayed by her own spirit—It's because of my status as a princess! Nobody wants to play with me because they're afraid of repercussions!
Beatrice simply sighed as her new contractor's complaints continued. She was extremely interested in telling her the "Other" reasons why people sometimes looked at her strangely.
Although Emilia had ascended to the throne, eliminating discrimination against non-humans wasn't something achieved overnight.
Thanks to the constant efforts of Subaru and Emilia, discrimination was drastically reduced in various parts of the kingdom of Lugunica. However, remnants would always remain, which would grow back over time.
The current situation of the elves was a very delicate issue for all those who formed Emilia's social circle. After ascending to the throne, the dragon's blood, which was the main reason for her candidacy, was nonexistent. No traces of it remained. Day after day, they sought methods and solutions to defrost the Elior Forest and return it to its original state. Although the freezing of the forest and its inhabitants wasn't the only problem the elves faced.
Finally, the queen of Lugunica had to accept what was inevitable.
The defrosting of the Elior Forest wouldn't happen soon.
Nonetheless, far from being depressed and resigning to her goal, the half-elf began to lay the foundations for the arrival of the elves. She would find a way to defrost them even if it took many years.
—Beako?—Her brown eyes settled on the blonde-haired girl. Her unusual attitude caught her attention.
—Chocorina... do you know anything about the elves?
—Uh? Beako, I am one...—unconsciously, she pointed to her pointed ears.
They weren't as sharp or long as her mother's, but one could certainly notice their strange shape.
—That's not what I meant, in fact—she looked inquisitively at her contractor—What I meant is... do you know what happened to the other elves?
Beatrice doubted she didn't know something. Emilia and Subaru generally told Chocorina stories of their past, especially Emilia.
—The other elves...?—Chocorina thought for a second—Well, mom told me they lived in a sort of sanctuary faaaaar away from here...
—Betty was very naive to expect anything from her.
—Eh?
Probably her parents had considered that the little princess couldn't process the complicated problems of her race. Or they were simply too overprotective of her. Whatever the case, Beatrice wouldn't be the one to tell her the harsh truth.
—Ah! Beako, I have to go!—She immediately headed to the room door—Could you take me to the main hall?
—Sure—Beatrice replied while still keeping her gaze fixed on Chocorina, worried about her total ignorance of the world—Don't forget to return with sweets for Betty.
—Yes!—Her hand clung to the door—See you later, Beako
—Mom? What's happening?
—Uhmmmm...—The silver-haired woman didn't answer her daughter's question, she was too focused on observing the younger one's hair.
Her long, white fingers slid through the silky hair of the younger girl until they reached her shoulders.
—Yes! You've definitely grown sooo much.
—Is that what you wanted to check?—Chocorina didn't know what to think. Her mother had suddenly called her after her etiquette classes just to check her physical state.
On the other hand, Emilia still wore a smile on her face as she held her daughter's shoulders. Despite the years, Emilia still looked at Chocorina with total fascination; she was the ultimate display of love between Subaru and her.
Every day spent with her husband and daughter were days filled with happiness. Each memory with them brought a smile to her face that no one could erase. They were her family... One she loved with all her heart.
—Mom? Are you okay?—Chocorina rarely noticed this strange behavior in her mother. The hands that were on her shoulders moved to her neck, encircling her.
—Yes... I'm feeling very good—she spoke while closing her eyes—I just wanted to hug you, can't I?
—N-No, it's not about that!—afraid she might have hurt her mother, she said nervously—It's just that it's unusual for you to call me just to hug me, mom...
—Haha... I'm sure it is—she let out a subtle laugh while still hugging her daughter—I... wanted to see you. Work has increased recently, and I haven't been able to spend much time with you... I'm so sorry, Chocorina.
—Don't worry, mom!—she replied nonchalantly—I'm always with Beako, so I don't feel lonely if that's what you're thinking.
Emilia felt guilty. Even though she herself had experienced loneliness, she was unconsciously dragging her daughter to the same fate.
She was aware of the difficulties her daughter had in relating to others and the reason behind it.
Sometimes she felt that the burden Chocorina carried on her shoulders was too much for her. Was she educating her correctly? Would she be able to lead the kingdom? Was she overprotecting her?
Seeing her reminded her of a time when everyone treated her like a doll that needed to be kept out of danger, and that was something Emilia didn't like.
She trusted her daughter as a Queen, but her maternal side indicated uncertainty about her future. How difficult it was to be a mother and a Queen at the same time.
—Mom... Why are you crying?
—Huh?—She opened her eyes, realizing that fine droplets of water were running down her cheeks, many of which had fallen onto her daughter's body.
Chocorina couldn't remember a time when she had seen her mother cry. Her father always made sure to make her laugh and keep her happy.
But right now, she was seeing a side of her mother she didn't know.
—Ah... haha, I'm sorry... It seems I got too emotional—she smiled, trying to wipe away the tears that had escaped her eyes—How about we take a bath together? It's been a while since we did that.
—Alright! But... are you really okay, mom? I don't want to see you sad...
Emilia didn't respond and continued hugging her daughter.
—Mom is acting strange...
She couldn't imagine why her mother would start crying. Had something terrible happened?
—Oh!—this time, the older elf started the conversation. —I almost forgot... In a few weeks, there will be a very important meeting with the Council of Sages.
—The Council of Sages?—Chocorina grimaced upon hearing those words. She didn't like that so-called council at all.
In the eyes of those men, she could only see malice. Didn't her father and mother notice? Or were they simply pretending not to?
Despite her position as a princess, she had only interacted briefly with them once in her life. However, that brief interaction left a significant impression on her.
What was the reason for the meeting? If she asked, they would probably evade the question with a rather obvious lie.
Her mother was terrible at lying, although she herself wasn't much different. Her mind would go blank when she tried to lie about something important.
—Chocorina...—The younger girl paid attention to her mother's words, which emanated a feeling very familiar to her.
—I love you.
—Wait! Wait!—For the first time in a long time, he felt like his life was in true danger—Why am I the target!?
—What's wrong? Don't you trust your own daughter?
—It's not about that!
—Go ahead, Chocorina!
—Wait!
Before Subaru could react, a strong yet fine gust of air flew over his head. The small ball above him was literally split in two and fell to the ground.
Subaru couldn't even scream because everything had happened so quickly. A few meters away were Chocorina and Beatrice, who had different reactions. The former had a guilty look showing remorse, while Beatrice analyzed the power and precision of the attack that had grazed Subaru's head.
—I'm sorry! Beako made me do it!
—Don't drag Betty into this, in fact!
—Ahh... Those horrible memories come back to me—feeling that his head hurt, Subaru lay down on the fine grass. He was seriously considering that this training session had been a terrible idea.
At first, he was genuinely interested and excited about his daughter's progress in magic. Unlike him, she had high magical potential and a well-refined gate.
Subaru felt quite proud of them. However, once again, he realized how incredibly strong the people in this world were.
—How is it that my own daughter is already faster than me!? She's only 9 years old!—Out of pure curiosity, he had challenged Chocorina to a race, with Subaru's defeat being the result.
—Don't feel bad, dad...—The girl sat next to her father—To be honest, I used a bit of magic to make myself faster.
—Cheater!—Subaru complained.
—Even without the spell, she would have beaten you by a little, in fact—Beatrice gave her sincere opinion.
—See? I would have beaten you by a little.
—That doesn't make me feel better!—As revenge, Subaru decided to grab his daughter's body and attack her weak points.
—Hahaha! S-Stop! Hahahaha! Dad-! Hahahaha! H-Help Hahahaha!
After tormenting his daughter with a series of extreme tickles and letting her rest on his lap to catch her lost breath, Subaru found himself deep in thought.
—I didn't know such magic existed, is it something Beako taught you?
—Betty must remind Subaru that it was he who taught this to Chocorina, or at least the idea, I suppose.
—Me?—He didn't remember mentioning anything to Chocorina about speed. Where did she get that idea from?
—Don't you remember, dad? You told me that if I wanted to go faster, I should eliminate the air around me.
—I didn't mean it literally!—Subaru rolled his eyes. Eliminate the air? That was crazy... Did she eliminate the air around her... Or did she?
—Earth dragons have a blessing that gives them a similar effect to Subaru's description. However, people don't have this.
—So how...?
—Chocorina created a layer of air around her that allowed her to achieve a similar effect, in fact.
—Yes! Now I can go sooo fast!
—Are you sure you weren't inspired by Patrasche for this!?
Subaru was still impressed. Had his daughter created her own spell? He wasn't sure whether to classify it as such since dragons technically did something similar. However, this didn't stop him from feeling proud of her.
—I understand! So my daughter is a genius!
—Give Betty some credit at least!—A bit annoyed at being left out of the equation, Beatrice exclaimed.
—Dad, you're hugging me too tight! It hurts!—The princess complained while being hugged.
—Haaaaa... My lovely daughter with Emilia-tan is so smart.
—Stop ignoring Betty!
—So what do you think, Beako?
—Betty's contractor learns quickly, that's my final assessment, I suppose—Beatrice replied while watching Chocorina conjure some ice spells.
—I didn't mean that, Beako.
Subaru's voice changed in an instant, and Beatrice immediately realized what he meant with his previous question.
—Betty still believes your worries are unnecessary, in fact. Since forming a contract with Chocorina, I haven't felt anything strange within her; her mana and gate function correctly. Much less the presence of miasma like you suspect.
—Her having miasma doesn't concern me in itself; it worries me that it might be an indication of something worse—Subaru's voice suddenly sounded a bit nervous.
—Subaru... Betty has told you thousands of times. Abilities and authorities are not hereditary.
—But there's still the possibility, right?! You know I'm referring to Return by...
—Return by death—Beatrice finished the sentence of her former contractor.
The atmosphere tensed at the mention of that frivolous but cruel word. A few years ago, a select few had been privy to a revelation that even today was hard to believe.
The ability to rewind time, putting as a condition the user's death. It sounded like a great ability to have, but its activation was simply cruel.
—Betty doesn't want to hear that word again, in fact. It only brings back bad memories.
—I'm sorry, Beako.
—Although the most affected by this was Emilia, I suppose.
—Yes...
Subaru still remembered the day he was finally free from the witch's taboo. At that moment, he just wanted to vent without worrying about the possible consequences.
What a fool he was...
As a consequence, Emilia, his now wife, ended up crying while almost suffocating him with hugs and laments.
It took a lot to calm her enough to explain the situation to her. Everything that had happened and all that he had suffered came to light for a few of the people closest to him.
—It's been a long time since I used it, I don't know if I still have it, and if not, then...
—You have no way to verify it, I suppose.
Subaru fixed his gaze on his daughter. The mere thought of her having even a single fragment of that horrible authority terrified him.
Under any concept, he wished she would never know something as cruel as death since it wouldn't be the end for her but the beginning of a nightmare that would haunt her even in her dreams.
He had long known the relationship between miasma and return by death. He theorized that if she didn't emit miasma, it meant she hadn't activated Return by death, if she had it at all.
—It's impossible for Chocorina to have that "Authority", I suppose. Unlike you back then, she hasn't shown any signs of stress or self-harm.
—I know, but... I'm scared, Beako—he clenched his fists in frustration, feeling so useless for not being able to do anything but wait—The possibility that Chocorina possesses that power makes me sick.
—Betty doesn't like it either.
He was seriously considering telling Chocorina about the existence of that cruel authority he used years ago. However, was it really the right thing to do? He wondered if Emilia would agree with that.
She was also quite paranoid and nervous about anything related to Return by death. When he mentioned the possibility that Chocorina could possess it, even if it was just conjecture, her face turned completely pale in an instant.
—Beako, please don't leave her side... And protect her...
—Could you stop asking Betty to do such obvious things?—Beatrice sounded indignant—If necessary, I would put my life on the line.
—What are you talking about?—Chocorina asked as she approached, having finished conjuring the spells they had asked her for. Unknowingly, this had just been an excuse to talk alone—More importantly, what did you think!? Am I as good as mom now!?
She waited expectantly for the opinion of the two judges who were evaluating her. Subaru and Beatrice looked at each other, having completely forgotten that they were supposed to evaluate the princess's magic.
—Approved by Betty, I suppose—The spirit commented with a smug face.
—9.9 points for magical talent, 20 points for the cuteness of the caster, and 100 points for being my adorable daughter.
—That's not how points work, dad!
Chocorina was a bit annoyed; when would he take her seriously when she was trying to make an effort? She thought for a moment and concluded that it was her fault for being so spoiled with him.
Maybe she should start being a bit more reserved with him so he would notice her maturity.
—Dad, stop making fun of me!—she unconsciously puffed her cheeks while looking at him with feigned seriousness.
—Look, Beako! She's even more adorable when she's angry!
—Dad!—While her father laughed and Beatrice held back her own laughter, Chocorina realized that no one in her family really took her seriously.
She wasn't going to allow it!
—I see, so you ended up playing all afternoon until she fell asleep.
—Emilia-tan wouldn't call our training a "game"—the black-haired boy responded, looking into his wife's eyes.
The white-haired woman, wearing a thin dress, was walking behind her husband toward one of the castle's rooms.
—Moooh, at least you could have come to dinner. I was very lonely, you know?—She complained, placing her hands on her hips.
—Haha! I'm really sorry! One thing led to another, and we decided to take a walk. It's been a while since we had a father-daughter moment... ahhh, my daughter is so adorable.
—I think you meant to say "our" daughter.
—Is Emilia-tan jealous of my relationship with Chocorina?—Subaru asked in a mock-surprised tone.
—Idiot!
Emilia, who had scolded Subaru over his silly assumptions, lowered her gaze to look at her daughter, who was being carried with her head resting on her father's chest. She hadn't seen her so tired in a long time.
—Love, I suggest you don't raise your voice. Chocorina is still sleeping.
—Are you trying to tease me with the "Love"? You know I like it when you call me Emilia-tan.
—Why do you like that?—He had never directly asked her the reason, so he wanted to know.
—I don't know, but it feels more special than "Darling," "Love," or "Dear."—She felt a little embarrassed saying that. She had confessed her preference for nicknames a long time ago, but it was always a topic that embarrassed her.
They were heading to their daughter's room to let her rest after a long day. Emilia hadn't even been able to see her awake, and that disheartened her greatly throughout the day.
—She's a good daughter, isn't she?—Emilia ran one of her fingers through her daughter's sleeping hair. Every time she saw her, her mood improved.
—She looks a lot like you.
—But her attitude and eyes are like yours, Subaru.
Emilia had long noticed that her daughter resembled her father more than it seemed. She might have inherited her appearance, but her personality and behavior were definitely inherited from her father.
—When I see her like this, I almost don't want to leave her in her bed.—Subaru commented as they continued walking through the long hallways.
—What if we sleep with her tonight?—Emilia suggested. She also wanted to hug her daughter until she fell asleep.
—Great idea, Emilia-tan! Unfortunately, Beako must be waiting for Chocorina to sleep. You know she can't sleep without our daughter by her side.
—You say it as if Beatrice were a child... ah.
The half-elf soon realized what Subaru meant. In the black-haired man's eyes, Beatrice was like another daughter, even a younger sister. It was natural for him to treat her that way, given his perspective on Beatrice.
Finally, Subaru arrived at the princess's room. He slowly entered the room while Emilia watched as he laid their daughter in her bed and kissed her forehead, wishing her good night.
Beatrice merely gave an exasperated look; it seemed she had been waiting for Chocorina for quite some time and was nearly at her limit.
When the couple was finally alone, Emilia was the first to speak as they headed to their main bedroom.
—Subaru...
—Uhm?—He couldn't even respond in time before being silenced by soft lips.
It had been a long time since Emilia stopped being an innocent and inexperienced girl in matters of love. Now, it was much easier for her to express her feelings. Consequently, her displays of affection were much bolder, without losing the gentleness and softness that characterized her.
After a few seconds, they parted their moist lips and gazed deeply into each other's eyes.
Subaru could clearly decipher Emilia's intentions, and he was happy to fulfill his role as a husband.
Neither of them would go to sleep early that night.
But that's a story for another day.