Well, I'm not sure that happened.

　That evening, I told him that Mr. Kilt had been courted by Mr. Illtimina while she was teaching him the official language of the dollar continent.

　Incidentally, Mr. Kilt himself and Solstice went to the bath together.

　We're the only two in the guest room right now.

　I didn't really want to tell anyone about Mr. Kilt.

　But.

"?　What's wrong with you, Merle?

　Somehow Mr. Illtimina found out that I was hiding something from him.

　She was too worried, and Kilt-san hadn't even stopped me from telling her, and I thought Iltimina-san would be okay with it, so I decided to tell her.

　After listening, Iltimina-san rolled her crimson eyes.

　But.

If that's what Kilt has decided to do, then there's nothing for us to say about it, is there?

　He finally nodded.

(Hmmm?)

　I thought that kind of trust was very mature.

　I stop my hand from writing the dollar continent word in my notebook and ask.

'Do you think about getting married or something, too, Illtimina?'
What?

　She looked at me in surprise.

　Then she nodded.

'I'm a woman too, you know. 'Of course I've thought about it,'

　Oh, right.

It's just that I can't have kids.
..........
Once I learned about it, I was conscious of not thinking about it too much.

　So smiled a little sadly.

(............)

　I don't think I'm getting married because I want kids....

　But I wonder if that's because I'm a child?

　Maybe Mr. Illtimina, an adult, thinks differently.

(What do I do?)

　After this, I was going to do 'something' for Illtimina-san, but I was in a bit of a bind.

'?

　Miss Illtimina shook her beautiful hair and tilted her head.

'Merle?　Do you still have something to hide?
Ugh.

　I've been detected again.

　What do we do?　What do we do?

(YEAH, keep saying that!)

　Half-heartedly, I prepared myself.

　I straighten my posture and turn to her.

'Miss Illtimina,'

　With blue eyes, I stare straight at her beauty.

　Perhaps sensing something about it, Illtimina-san also corrects her posture.

''Yes.''

　Crimson eyes stare back at me.

　I said.

'Actually, I have something for you, Illtimina-san.
Is that what you want to give me?

　Illtimina was surprised.

　I rummaged through my pockets and pulled out a small cloth bag.

'Here you go,'

　Yes, I offer it to you.

　Miss Illtimina takes it.

''........... Can I take a look inside?
Yes.

　He untied the cord that had been tightening the mouth of the cloth bag.

　White fingers pulled out the contents.

"Here, ha-

　Illtimina's voice choked.

　-- Her white fingers plucked at the 'silver ring'.

　Actually, this is something I asked the decorator to make with me when I had Solstice's hair ornament made.

　When I was preparing a gift for Solstice, I wanted to give something to Illtimina-san, who has always been a great help to me.

　That's when I asked the craftsman to make me a ring as well.

(Not made by Orichalcong, as expected.)

　But made of pure mithril silver.

　A rare metal in this other world.

　I asked Arnold to exchange my lido coin for the currency of the Vega nation.

　The price of the ring is about 10,000 lido - that is, one million yen.

　Illtimina looks at the ring with a passionate gaze.

　Then she asks me in a trembling voice, "Marl....

Marle. Well, what is this?
Well, you know.

　I did my best to put my inner thoughts into words.

'In a year and three months, I'm going to be the 15-year-old I was promised.
..........
But there's a year and three months until then.

　That's a lot of time that I'll definitely have to protect until I can officially go out with Illtimina, but it seemed like a very long time.

　........to be clear.

　I'm nowhere near as good a match for Mr. Illtimina as I am now.

(Illtimina-san is a really mature and really nice person...)

　I'm a kid, and I don't look good at all.

　That's why I sometimes worry that there's someone else out there that's more suitable for her than me.

　Of course, I'm not doubting Illtimina's feelings.

　Of course I'm not doubting your feelings, of course, I'm just trying to do my best.

　But if in a year and three months, she finds someone she cares for more than me, it will be frustrating and sad, but I have to accept that.

　But.

But, you know...

　I looked at Illtimina.

'I wanted to tell you the best I can right now. I wanted to keep it in a tangible form.
..........

　Mr. Illtimina didn't say anything.

　She just stared at my face.

　..........

(After all, did she think I was childish?)

　But that's okay.

　There is not a single lie in my love for Miss Illtimina.

　So I won't look away.

　Ms. Illtimina stared at the Silver Ring.

　She changed the angle, and then she suddenly realized.

''.........''

　White fingers traced the wording dug inside.

'To my beloved Illtimina.'

　I had my precious heart engraved there.

''Well what can I say?''　　

　Ms. Illtimina muttered softly.

　Her face looked like she was either laughing or crying.

　I replied.

'You don't have to say anything but I just hope you can take it if you can.'
..........
..........
Yes, sir.

　She nodded.

　Her long, beautiful dark green hair swung like a veil, hiding her beauty.

　Sssh.

　I put a ring on the ring finger of my white left hand.

(............)

　I'm very nervous, I am.

　Illtimina looked at it and gave a small smile.

'It's a perfect fit,'
Yes.

　I secretly checked the size of her fingers when we were in a hug.

　She exhaled heavily.

"Thanks, Merle.
Nope.

　I hope you enjoyed it.

　Her moist crimson eyes stared at the 'silver ring' fitted on the ring finger of her left hand.　

　Then she looked at me.

　Her white hands were on my cheeks.

"Hm.

(What?)

　Suddenly, the beauty approaches and kisses me.

　Her long tongue splits my lips.

　Wow, that feels so good.........

　After about ten seconds, her lips slowly parted.

　Throbbing.

　My heart is beating painfully fast.

　Mr. Illtimina, who looked debauched, was staring at me for some reason.

'Marle is a terrible girl,'
What?
'This kind of surprise.......do you really enjoy torturing my reason so much?

　No, no, I didn't mean to...?

You don't know if you can't take it anymore, do you?
..........
But....
..........
But I'm glad.

　A thin, fragile voice announced quietly.



　My hand was unconsciously placed on her cheek.

　Our gazes rose and we stared at each other.

　Once again, this time our faces were closer to each other and our lips met.

　Tut, amh.

　A mature kiss.

　I got carried away and dropped the notebook with the official language of the dollar continent that I was carrying.

(Ah.)

　I ask.

'Well what do I do with the rest of my studies?'
Forget it today.
..........

　Yeah.

　Me, who smiles bitterly.

　Illtimina, who has turned into a woman's face, asks for my lips again.

　Until Kilt-san and Solstice come back, we've been enjoying an adult kiss in the red room at dusk for a long time--.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　-- Time flew by in the blink of an eye.

　Two months after we defeated the 'Demon Shards' of the Vega Country, we were returning to the port city we had first visited when we received a report that we had completed putting the 'Demon Corpses' on the king's ship.

''Good work, Mr. Colontude!
Hmmm.

　Solstice is a labored salute to Mr. High Elf when they meet again.

　There was also a fluffy blonde little girl beside Mr. Colontude.

　I approached her.

"Good job, Poe. Did you have any problems?
... (laughs)

　Poe nodded.

(Right.)

　I laughed and somehow stroked her head.

　The blonde's hair was soft and felt so good.

　Poe, too, narrowed his light blue eyes.

As for transporting the "Devil's Corpse", Mr. Columcude was very active this time.

　To transport the dead body, which weighs several tons, 20 beast carts had been prepared, but thanks to his gravity reduction magic, they were able to move the body earlier than expected.

　Moreover, he also used the 'Time Stopping' spell to prevent the corpses from rotting.

''........I can't believe it.

　Solstice was stunned by the magic circle carved into the back of the truck.

　She said that the magic to manipulate time can only be used by 'Colon-Tude Resta' even if it is the world's largest.

　That's how difficult it is to use magic.

(Even Solstice, the girl genius, couldn't do it?)

　I'm a little surprised.

　But comparing a 14 year old wizard to a 1000 year old wizard is a bit of a stretch, isn't it?

　Still.

One day I'm going to get there, too!

　The girl was motivated.

　Yeah, that's what I'm talking about, Solstice!　Come on!

　And so, thanks to Mr. Colantude, the loading of the "King's Ship" was finished, and we would be leaving the port city of Vega Country tomorrow.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　That night, they were having a farewell dinner in a room at a rented luxury inn.

'You guys have been so good to me,'

　Mr. Arnold said, holding a cup with the beast's fangs scraped off in one hand.

　Mr. Kilt laughed.

'That's mutual. Thank you, too, for your help.

　With his free hand, they exchange a firm handshake.

(...........)

　It was a relationship that was rejected after a courtship, but there didn't seem to be a rift between the two of them.

　I knew they were adults.

　And then I thought.

If you have a change of heart, you can come to me. I'll be waiting for you.

　Mr. Arnold, he said with one eye closed.

　Mr. Kilt chuckles.

'Don't wait. 'Don't wait,' he said, 'find a better girl than that.

　...........

　I'm not sure if he's serious or a joke.

　By the way, I've already greeted His Majesty the King of Vega, His Majesty Shyamarn, when I left the capital city of Karanka.

　He was really an old man with a gentle manner.

　One of his burdens was gone, and his expression seemed to be more genial than when I first met him.

(He was a lovely king.)

　I felt like I was too kind to rule the country, but it was better than a king who wasn't kind.

　Remembering that, we eat.

　And.

Are you eating well, Merle?

　Iltimina approached me.

''It's a dish from the dollar continent that we rarely get to eat from now on. Let's make sure we enjoy it while we can.''
Yes.

　I smiled and nodded.

　Illtimina-san smiles at me as well.

　--The ring finger of her white left hand has a silver shining ring on it.

　................

　I'm kind of happy and embarrassed.

　Noticing my gaze, Illtimina-san's cheeks also blushed, and with a sigh, she stroked the ring with the fingertips of her right hand.

　But still.

Tomorrow, we'll be on the water.

　And so, after two months of sailing, we will return to the Kingdom of Shumuria.

　Will there be another opportunity to come to the Vega Kingdom and to the Dollar Continent?

　When I think about the days since I've been here, I feel a little sad.

(Yes, let's get a taste of the food over here, let's make sure we enjoy it.)

　Or so I thought.

　And that's when we were eating like that.

　Thud thud thud.

　I could hear the sound of hurried footsteps coming from the hallway.

(Hmm?)

　And.

　dangling

　There is a knock on the door of the room.

　Everyone stopped eating.

'What the hell?'

　Arnold-san opened the door.

　There was a beastly soldier from the Vega Country standing there.

　In his hand, there is a long, thin tube.

　Saluting, the soldier said.

''Excuse me. ''We have received an urgent call from the Shumuria Kingdom.''
What?

　What is your emergency?

　Mr. Arnold received the letter and immediately checked its contents.

　Surprise flashed across the lion's face.

'Huh?'
What's up, Arnold?　What did it say?

　Mr. Kilt asks.

　He hands the letter to her.

　She takes it and Ms. Kilt's eyes examine it in person.

'Oh...'

　She, too, let out an exclamation of surprise.

　Then, turning to us who were staring, Kirt-san told us.

''The Arun Divine Kingdom has contacted the Shumurian Kingdom.

　Huh?　Arun?

I heard that they have discovered an undiscovered monument in the region, and with the help of Rapt and Lectoris, they have managed to obtain a new set of God's armor.

　............

''New divine armor!

　I couldn't help but shout out loud at the significance of this.

　Everyone else looked surprised too.

　Kilt-san nodded.

''By the way, Marle, you want to come to Arun to return the divine armor that you lent to the 'Divine Fangirls' and the others.''

　To Arun.........

　The faces of my compatriots in that nostalgic 'divine world', the faces of the beautiful female black knight and the bear-like general, come to life behind my eyes.

　I put my hand in my pocket.

　There is a metal ball about three centimeters long - a coro of divine armor.

　It's one of three parts.

　The contents of the letter, in other words, means that he wants to return two of them that he gave to Rapt and Recto Alice to me.

　If I return to one, the 'Divine Armament (Coro)' will also regain its original performance.

　I looked at Kirt-san.

"Kirt-san.
"Mm.

　She nodded broadly and told him in no uncertain terms.

'Our plans to return to Shumria have changed. The straws will cross the sea directly from this land of Vega to the Arun Divine Kingdom.