Chapter 2

Son-con – Vol . 4 Ch . 02

Nier mounted her horse and rode by my side, looking forwards without saying anything . Sigh… I thought she’d show me she that she missed me a little or something upon my return, but instead, she hasn’t said a word . After politely greeting me, she’s worn a poker face and ignored me . Doesn’t she feel anything after the heroine saves the hero event…?

I smiled and said to Nier who was by my side: “Nier, you haven’t changed at all in the one month I haven’t seen you . ”

Nier turned her head to look at my eyes and without any facial expression said: “Yes . But you have changed . ”

I paused . I looked at Nier and out of puzzlement asked: “I’ve changed?”

“Yes . ” Nier looked at me and nodded . She then turned back to face the front and calmly said: “I do not know what you experienced with the elves, but I can tell that your gaze has changed . You have lost a fair bit of that useless gentleness “

I paused for a moment and then touched my eyes . Puzzled, I asked: “You can tell?”

“Yes . You can see if someone has resolutely resolved do something from their gaze . ” Nier nodded and then said, “I do not know what you want to do, but as long as there is something that you want to do, I will not hate you . ”

“I thought our relationship had improved quite a bit after what happened previously……”

“Please do not think like that . My opinion of you has not changed much after what happened last time . I do not have any intent of improving my relationship with you . Please don’t misunderstand . ”

Nier swiftly cut me off . I smiled helplessly . It looks like Nier hasn’t changed at all . But it seems that Nier no longer feels hostile towards me . Yeah, I did quite a bit that one month, so Nier’s opinion of me has improved a fair bit . It’s much better than her hateful gaze she had for me at first .

The two of us rode our horses into the palace . When we dismounted, servants came over to take the reins . Nier, standing next to me said: “Your majesty, please head to the inner court and greet her majesty now . Or did you want to go to the outer court to get changed first? I think that your current attire isn’t appropriate for seeing her majesty . ”

“I think I’ll go and see her majesty now . I don’t think these clothes are bad . ”

To ensure that I was clean for today, I took a hot bath in the inn I stayed at last night and changed my clothes, so I think I should be alright .

Nier pointed to the coat of arms on my cape, frowned and said: “That’s the elves’ coat of arms . You are currently wearing elven attire . I do not think her majesty would want to see you in elven attire . ”

I nodded, looked at Nier and asked: “Ah…… True . I’ll go to the outer court and change first then . Oh, right, is Luna here?”

Nier stood still for a moment . She then shook her head and replied: “I don’t know . Luna is at the outer court while I stay at the campsite, so we don’t see each other . ”

“Really? …… I thought you two were friends……”

“Why do you think that I want friends so desperately?” Nier continued in a frustrated tone, “I am a Valkyrie . I belong to her majesty, so I don’t need friends or whatever, nor do I want to have positive feelings for someone . My sword will not slow down due to emotions . ”

“…… Nier, you really haven’t changed at all, huh……?”

“I haven’t . ”

I smiled helplessly as I looked at Nier . Nier was alone, but she had her hand pressed on her sword handle proud as she stood before me and casually nodded . Nier has always been insistent about everything to do with her . She was proud and resolute . While I can’t understand her thinking from my perspective, that’s Nier’s everything . It’s what she believes to be correct and her belief .

I have no right to question somebody with a firm conviction . She shone with brilliance to me . Perhaps it was because she possessed the determination beyond what a normal person has . She said that she could tell if a person had a resolve or not . I seem to understand that a little when I see her .

I slowly walked to the outer court . As soon as I pushed the door open, voices from inside called out in unison all of a sudden: “Welcome home, your majesty!”

I got a fright . I smiled helplessly as I looked at the maids lined up neatly and said: “Thank you . Thank you for everything… but… were there always so many maids? It’s the first time I’ve seen you all……”

“There were not so many last month . However, her majesty ordered us to increase our staff numbers . ” An elderly maid looked at me, elegantly saluted me and said: “Your highness, it is the first time we are meeting . Previously, there were very few servants here at the outer court . We have increased the number of servants, and we will be in charge of taking care of your daily living needs . I am the head maid . If you have any requests, please do not hesitate to speak . ”

“Ah, thank you… . . But I don’t think I need so many people here to help just me alone . We should just continue as we did before with Luna looking after me . ”

I scanned the maids . Luna is relatively easy to recognise, but I couldn’t spot her right away since all the maids had black and white uniforms with their hair and ears covered with a head cloth . That said, I quickly noticed a small head at the back of the line smiling at me .

The head maid looked at me and said: “Your majesty, if there is only Luna, Luna will have too many tasks to handle alone . In the future, Luna will only take care of your daily needs, while we shall handle the rest . ”

“Alright, thank you for your hard work . ”

“It is our duty . ”

The head maid bowed deeply and then waved her hands . Following her wave, the maids all bowed deeply too before leaving . I guess she’s right . Previously, it was cold and empty in the outer court . There were only a few servants . There were enough of them to look after me, but there was no one to clean and manage the other rooms . There should be enough people to clean the other rooms now too, right? Moreover, it’ll be easier to see guests; otherwise they’d need Luna to help in the kitchen too .

The maids all went off to carry out their duties leaving only Luna standing before me with her bright smile . She looked at me and bowed deeply . She then smiled and said: “Welcome home, your majesty . ”

“Uhm, I’m back, Luna . ”

I walked up to Luna and she looked at me with a smile . She then looked left and right before opening her arms and saying: “Your majesty, can I hug you for a bit? I… really missed you……”

“Alright . ”

I smiled and nodded . I then hugged the beautiful body standing before me, and Luna responded with a smile and a hug . But there was no sexual lust behind this hug . It was purely a hug of friendship and comfort . We gently embraced and felt the warmth of each other .

It was a very short embrace as we immediately released each other . Luna blushed a little . She adjusted her hair and then said: “I shall take you back to your room then . Your majesty, you must be tired from your journey . ”

“I’m alright . I’m used to it . ”

“Is that right? Are the elven lands… the same as before?”

“I’m not too sure what you mean by how it was before . ”

“Is that so… . ? Well, that is only right……”

Luna let out a soft sight and then seemed to realise something . She immediately turned her head around, smiled as she waved her hand in front of her and said: “No, no, no . Please do not mind me, your majesty . I honestly do not want to go back . I am a bit happier here than I am there . ”

“I don’t mind, but I’ve brought you a present . ”

I pushed the door to my room open . My room hadn’t changed at all . Wood was in the fire . I could hear the flickering of the flames in my room . The warm air brought life to my somewhat cold limbs . My clothes were neatly arranged on my bed . Luna stood behind me . She reacted surprised and asked: “My present?”

“Yeah, wait a second……”

I placed my backpack aside, removed the commander sabre for Nier from my belt and then took out a simple head cloth from my pouch I always carry with me . This was the most common head cloth in the elven markets . I saw Lucia wear it before, so I bought a similar one .

“This is……”

Luna looked at the head cloth before her slightly shocked . She looked at me with disbelief . I smiled and said: “I couldn’t find anything from the elven kingdom to bring back for you, so I bought this . I know that you may not be able to return to the elven kingdom, but nobody can forget their homeland . I think that this hairpin will help you feel like your homeland isn’t a strange unknown place when you think of your home . ”

Luna looked at me blankly . Her green eyes slowly started to tear up and then tears started to run down her face . However, she wore a blissful and nostalgic smile on her face . She grabbed the head cloth tightly and held it against her chest as though she was protecting her most cherished treasure .

“Thank you… your majesty……”

“You don’t have to thank me . ”