Chapter 38

The Villainess Is Being Doted on by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country 38

Grail liked Pearl.

Pearl liked Grail.

This was without a doubt, something true and concrete, but–this romance did not seem to be going very smoothly.

Tiararose was relaxing in her room and drinking tea while trying to think of a way to help them.

–But, then again, it is probably not a good thing for me to intervene in the matters of the Fairy Kings, is it?

She recalled what had been said to her during yesterday’s tea party.

“What happened? You look very troubled.”

“Philiane… There are two people who clearly have feelings for each other, and I wished there something that I could do.”

“Oh…”

Well, well. Philiane replies.

“Do you not think that that is part of the fun of it all?”

“Hmm…”

Indeed, this might be nothing but a bittersweet memory for them one day, but they were currently completely at odds with one another.

It did not seem very fun for them at all.

–I think that King Grail should be more aggressive in courting her.

Philiane watched as Tiararose brooded over such things, and chuckled.

“Until now you had so much to worry about in regards to yourself, it is nice to see that it is no longer the case.”

“That’s true… Until now it was all I could do to worry about my own affairs.”

Her and Aquasteed were now an official married couple, and so she could relax like this. She was reminded of just how much Philiane had worried for her from the first conviction event.

“Speaking of which, you are going to go out shopping soon, are you not? I shall adjust your schedule–”

“Oh, I decided not to go.”

“You are not…?’

Tiararose weakly shook her head before Philiane could finish.

She had been planning to go with Aquasteed and Grail in order to buy Pearl a present…but she had realized that this was not a good decision based off what Pearl had told her in the bathtub.

–Indeed, you wouldn’t want the person that you had feelings for, to go shopping with someone else.

Aquasteed would have been there as well, but it seemed that Pearl did not care about that point.

“I will have to tell King Grail about this quickly…”

“Oh, did you call me?”

“What…!? King Grail!”

“I came to talk to you about shopping!”

What incredible timing. Tiararose thought with a sigh. She had thought to send a message through Aquasteed, having him come directly here on the next day was quite unexpected.

She was used to Keiths actions always being so sudden but had not known that Grail was also the type who rushed through things as quickly as possible.

–Was this because of just how special Pearl was?

Thinking of it like that, King Grail seemed absolutely adorable. All girls who were in love became adorable, Tiararose thought.

Well, in regards to Grail, he was a man inside…

She sent Philiane to go and call Aquasteed, then she prepared some sweets and tea in the kitchen that was connected to her room.

Tiararose meant to reject his invitation to go shopping, but she was not about to be rude to a Fairy King who had paid her a visit. The Fairy King’s would always have a much higher status than humans.

“Hehe, poor Aquasteed. He does not like it when we are alone together. His desire to keep you to himself is much too strong, don’t you think?”

“Oh, umm…”

Tiararose could only chuckle uncomfortably at this.

She had never found it to her distaste, in fact, she would even want him to be more possessive sometimes—it was very bad.

Grail saw that Tiararose had become quite red, and he laughed with an ‘Oh, dear.’

“My concern was unwarranted it seems. You two are happy, and for that I am glad.”

“…Thank you.”

“I must try my best and pick out a present for Pearl! But I just do not know how to pick out a present for a girl.”

Grail seemed to be looking forward to going, it made it very difficult for her to say–that she could not go with him.

But on the other hand, she couldn’t be honest and tell him of Pearl’s jealousy either.

Just as she was wondering what to say, Aquasteed appeared.

“I didn’t expect you to come back so soon… Tiara might grow tired. I wish you would be more prudent.”

“Oh, my. It’s completely escaped my mind. I am so sorry, Tiararose.”

Hearing Aquasteed’s words, Grail offered her a sincere apology.

As the Fairy King, he did not get tired unless under some extraordinary circumstances. His power and vitality were much stronger than any human.

“No, I am fine. –But, the thing is…”

“Tiara?”

“Tiararose?”

Somehow, she had to tell him that she could not go with him. Tiararose clenched her fists and faced Grail.

“This present shopping for Pearl, I will…not be able to go with you.”

“…But why? Do you not like me?”

After hearing Tiararose’s words, the air in the room became a little tense.

As the Fairy King of the sky, he had an effect on the air and the sky.

Tiararose shuddered, and Aquasteed quickly pulled her closer to him and remonstrated Grail.

“Why don’t you listen to her until the end? You are frightening her.”

“–Yes. I am sorry, Tiararose.”

“N-no! I could have phrased that differently. I am sorry for causing a misunderstanding.”

She apologized to Grail before continuing.

“It is only that I feel that another woman should not go with you when you are buying a present for a woman that you like. She will be much more happy if it is something that you have chosen.”

“Is that what it was… But, Pearl already hates me?”

“Even so, this is something that women do not like.”

Part of this was just her own personal view, but thankfully, it was only Aquasteed and Grail who were present.

She would have no problem pushing forward this personal opinion, as a representative of all womankind.

And as a handmaiden, Philiane wouldn’t enter the conversation.

“That is what women think, huh…”

Grail looked surprised as if he could never have considered such a thing.

And after pondering over this for a while, he nodded.

“In that case, I must go shopping on my own! Thank you, Tiararose.”

“No, I am sorry to have gotten your hopes up.”

“But I am very happy. I hope that we can continue to be friends?”

“Of course!”

Aquasteed sighed as he saw the two, chatting away, excitedly.

Even if he looked like a woman now, Grail was, in fact, a man. He would have to complain if Grail became overly familiar with Tiararose…

◇ ◇ ◇

“Shopping all alone, it is such a new experience.”

Grail had parted ways with Tiararose and was now in the town’s shopping district.

Aquasteed had told him of a store that the royal family often used, and he decided to find something for Pearl there.

The roof of the building was a sepia color and beautiful accessories were on display behind the show window of glass.

Everything here was sophisticated and would look splendid on a queen like Pearl. Grail could not help but smile.

He walked into the store and saw that there was so much more inside.

And among all of it, some coral accessories caught his eye.

–Corals were a good match for Pearl.

Her clothes were eastern, and so something colorful and vibrant would suit her.

Grail’s heart became very warm from just imagining her wearing these.

“Hehe. I hope she will like this.”

“Welcome to our store. Are you looking for a present?”

“Yes, that is right. I am thinking about something made of coral.”

A clerk in a black suit addressed him politely.

The accessories were taken out of their showcase and lined up in front of Grail.

“What color should I choose. …Red is beautiful, but this sky and sea colors are also nice.”

So should it be white or blue?

A pure white would also be pretty. Pearl would look good in just about any color, Grail thought.

“In that case, we also have ones with a color gradation.”

“Oh, how pretty…”

The clerk took out a hair ornament that started with a blue coral and was combined with corals of gradually lighter colors.

It was made so that the coral would ring when you put it on.

The bottom part was pure white, so it would look great on darker clothing.

“This one great! I will buy it.”

“Thank you very much.”

Grail chose it in a heartbeat. And then he looked around for something else—an adorable brooch caught his eye.

“Oh, my! This floral brooch is so cute. I think it would look wonderful on Tiararose! Please wrap this one up for me as well.”

“Yes, of course.”

“That’s right. We are good friends now. Maybe I should get one for myself to match hers.”

There were many color variations of the flower brooch.

The one he had chosen for Tiararose was of a pink flower. It would go well with her honey pink hair.

–But would Aquasteed be jealous if he gave Tiararose a present?

He considered this, but the present had already been wrapped up by then. So he decided to buy it anyway.

It was just as Grail was trying to find one for himself that he felt a disturbing sensation.

“What—? This feeling, the sea is raging…?”

Something must have happened to Pearl. Grail immediately ran out of the store and looked in the direction of the sea.

The people of the town had not seemed to notice yet, due to the distance from the sea.

–But, why?

Grail bit his lower lip.

Grail had happily bought Pearl a present.

Even now, he had no idea that Pearl had assumed that he meant to give everything to Tiararose, and had gone wild with rage.

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