Chapter 148: Entrance to the Royal Capital (2) (1/2)

The power outage in my area has been resolved, so here’s the chapter!

“You ran away again, again, and again!”

“Oplice too!

Jude opened his mouth again after her single cry, and Adelia waited for Jude’s words with a face willing to hear what he was going to say.

“First of all, we did not run away. There was a reason why we couldn’t contact you.”

“What? Is it the Guardians of the Holy Cross again?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“It’s true.”

“What happened?”

“That is…”

Jude narrowed his distance from Adelia a bit before he delivered a made-up story.

‘Because she’ll restrict our activities if we talk about getting attacked by the Devil’s Hand.’

The probability that they would be confined to one place in order to be protected was high, just like what Count Hræsvelgr did.

Thus, Jude made up a story that they had spent more time than they had expected in exploring an ancient temple with the Guardians of the Holy Cross.

“What ancient temple?”

“The temple of Aerith, the goddess of life. Isn’t that right, Cordelia?”

“Yesh, yesh, hish right.”

Her pronunciation was a bit weird because her cheeks were still being pulled, but Cordelia enthusiastically replied. Adelia narrowed her eyes but she soon released Cordelia.

“Hwuah!”

Having regained her freedom after some difficulty, Cordelia covered her sore cheeks as she ran and hid behind Jude.

“What? Are you hiding?”

“I-I object to violence. I object to violence.”

When Cordelia timidly spoke, Adelia snorted and took a step forward. Cordelia then flinched and quickly hid her head behind Jude’s back.

‘So cute.’

Jude really wanted to watch the cute sisters’ quarrel more, but now was not the time.

“Si-sister-in-law.”

“I warned you in advance, so you’re at fault too, okay?”

“No, I mean, we didn’t run away from home…”

“But you should have contacted us. Do you know how worried our fathers were? Lord Gaël was also very worried. Of course, I did too.”

Jude and Cordelia were clearly strong.

Adelia had witnessed firsthand their activities in the wild lands so she knew it better than anyone.

But that didn’t mean she wasn’t worried.

There were many people in this world who were stronger than Jude and Cordelia.

‘No, that’s not the problem.’

Their strength wasn’t important.

Even if they were the strongest in the world, she couldn’t help but worry if she suddenly lost contact with them.

Maybe something happened. Maybe they got hurt somewhere.

Why did we lose contact with them?

‘Because we’re family.’

Adelia was Cordelia’s real sister. Jude was her brother-in-law.

“I’m sorry.”

Being more honest and sincere was better than excusing themselves.

Jude bowed his head and asked for forgiveness, and Cordelia bowed her head too.

“We were wrong.”

I’m sorry for not contacting you.

Adelia sighed at the sight of Jude and Cordelia bowing their heads together, and asked again after having calmed down a bit.

“Were you two injured?”

“No.”

“We’re both healthy and not hurt. Unnie, what about you?”

“What? Me? I’m always healthy.”

Adelia replied with a shrug, and she had a small smile on her face.

Because one way or another, she was glad to see the two again.

“But don’t you have a carriage or horse? Don’t tell me… you walked to the royal capital?”

“Eh? Uh… That is…”

Cordelia’s words slightly slurred at Adelia’s question, and she became hesitant and worried if she should talk about it or not. She eventually opened her mouth.

“I rode on Jude.”

“What?”

“No…that is…Jude carried me on his back… and then he ran?”

The more she explained it, the weirder she felt, but it was the truth after all.

‘I don’t want to lie anymore.’

But sincerity didn’t always work.

Adelia frowned and seemingly didn’t understand it so she said as she gestured with her chin.

“Try it out.”

“Huh?”

“Show me how you got here.”

But her mood was unusual.

Cordelia thought that her sister was trying to not be violent, so she couldn’t help but obey her.

“Umm, like this?”

She then jumped on the back of Jude who reflexively adjusted Cordelia’s position.

Their actions were so natural that anyone could tell they had done it countless times.

Adelia blankly stared at the two before she burst in an angry voice.

“Hey! Cordelia! Hey!”

You really came here on piggyback? You stuck close to him? Aren’t you ashamed?!

“Eek!”

Adelia approached her with a face looking like a goblin, and the terrified Cordelia covered her cheeks first with her hands, but it was futile. There were a lot of places that the other could pull besides her cheeks.

“Hey you! You!”

“Ah! It hurts! It hurts!”

Adelia pulled her ear and didn’t care if Cordelia cried or not from the pain as she continued to shout.

“You cheeky girl! You know what you did? You’re an unmarried girl!”

“Hey, he’s my fiancé! We’re engaged!”

“You’re engaged but not married, right? This unnie told you not to cross the line, right?”

“Oe here too! Come here and give me your ears! You’re Lord Gaël’s younger brother, so you’re also my younger brother now!”

As Adelia stretched out her hand, Jude reflexively retreated and was troubled.

How do we overcome this crisis?

‘Should I say that we haven’t crossed the line yet?’

He clearly didn’t know the extent of the ‘line’ Adelia was talking about, but he really didn’t do anything except for getting a lap pillow, hugging her at times, and giving her a piggyback ride.

‘D-did we cross it?’

Up to what extent is the line Adelia is talking about?

Jude broke out in cold sweat as Adelia signaled to him with her finger to come quickly, while Cordelia struggled and cried.

“Unnie too! Unnie did it too with brother-in-law Gaël! Mmmph!”

“Y-you’re going too far with your words!”

“Mmmph! Mmph! Mmph!”

Adelia quickly covered Cordelia’s mouth while her other hand continued pulling the ear, but Cordelia kept shouting.

“Mmmmph! Mmph!”

“W-we’re also engaged just like you, but Lord Gaël and I are adults, okay? You two are still children!”

“Mmmmph!”

That’s not fair!

Unnie, are you saying that it’s okay if you do it but it’s not if others do it!

Jude thought that this was enough at that point, so he tried to intervene again.

“Si-sister-in-law.”

“Huh? What is it!”

“You’ve refracted the light but…we can still be heard, right?”

Adelia was startled by Jude’s comment, and she looked around and bit her lips.

Because while she couldn’t see anything in particular, she could hear the sound of people murmuring.

“Uuuuh.”

Adelia’s face and even her neck turned red, and she quickly spoke in a hushed voice.

“B-be quiet. You understand?”

“Mmmph.”

Cordelia nodded in affirmation, so Adelia slowly withdrew her hands.

“Haa, that’s good. Let’s first move and finish our talk later. Because of you, I had to take a half-day today.”

“Half-day?”

“Half-day off. I took a half day off.”

Cordelia’s eyes widened in surprise at Adelia’s explanation.

If you want to rest, then you should take the day off. But what do you mean by half a day off?

“Unnie, is the Royal Guard Magic Corps a black company?”

“What is this kid saying? Stop being weird and quickly fix your appearance. Your hair is a mess.”

Having said that, Adelia straightened her clothes and appearance first.

‘Come to think of it, that’s the uniform of the Royal Guard Magic Corps.’

Adelia whom Jude had seen wearing a dress or equestrian uniform was now wearing the blue uniform of the Royal Guard Magic Corps.

Her upper and lower clothes were reminiscent of the blue beret and military uniform on Earth.

It had a fantasy feel but was still realistic as instead of a skirt, she wore pants and black combat shoes.

‘Her hair is tied in a ponytail too.’

She had previously let her hair loose.

‘Cordelia looks good in a ponytail too, right?’

Should I ask her to do it later?

While Jude was lost in his silly thoughts, Cordelia fixed her disheveled clothes and hair before seeing Adelia looking at her.

“Are you done?”

“Yes.”

“How are you done? Your hair is still in a mess. I’ll give you a hair tie, so just tie it up like mine.”

“Okay.”

Cordelia meekly received the hair tie and skillfully tied her hair together, and Jude recorded Cordelia’s appearance in his memory palace.

“Thank you, sister-in-law.”

Adelia suddenly tilted her head as she wondered what he was thanking her for before she walked to Jude.

“By the way, Jude.”

“Yes, sister-in-law.”

“You’ve suddenly…grew taller?”