"Ohh! These are amazing!" ［Grey］
"Un! They're very beautiful! And fluffy too!" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! Thank you very much!" ［Marianne］
Giggles and squeals of amazement were about in the air, a couple figures standing side by side. Raised high above to the air was a small object, furry and fluffy with tiny black dots serving as its eyes, a mouth of brown thread smiling ever so happily.
Of course, the object was none other than a stuffed teddy bear, one children would love to cuddle in their sleep. It is one of Marianne's creations, full of intricate beauty and fluffy cuteness. A perfect combination.
It wasn't just a teddy bear. If one were to look around the workshop, one would see various handicrafts littered around on the shelves and atop the tables. From stuffed toys to wooden merchandise, everything was present.
All of which were done by the married couple, Ross and Marianne. It might have taken them some time to get used to the new equipment and get back their previous rhythm, but as soon as they did, they dishes out masterpiece after masterpiece with hands fast as lightning.
"What do you think, Grey? Yuna? Do you like it?" ［Ross］
"Of course! They're all beautiful! I'm sure everyone would love it!" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha! I'm glad to hear that." ［Ross］
Ross was laughing now, but at first, he was nervous. After all, it has been a long time since he and Marianne did something of the sort. But having overcome such fear, all that was left was their long forgotten love and passion for making things.
Well, they didn't just back on their feet, they have also started moving forward as well. Previously, Ross' skill was only focused with woodworking, but now he's also starting to learn jewelry and metalworking, making accessories out of silver and jewels.
Marianne had also started using new materials as well, from various fabrics, fur, hide, and even some monster drops. They were a lot tougher, but that only makes finishing them even more satisfying. Both were learning at a rapid rate.
"But enough praising, shouldn't you two start heading out now? You'll be late if you stay here any longer." ［Ross］
"Ah, you're right... Then, we'll be going now. Thanks for everything." ［Grey］
"Bye, Missus Marianne! Bye, Mister Ross! And say hello to Bella for us!" ［Yuna］
"We'll surely do so. Take care, you two～!" ［Marianne］
Hands were made and goodbyes were waved. Two figures exited the workshop, a pair of clicks and clacks resounding in the air as they headed out the open streets, taking a final look at the city before they head out again for a month or so.
It has been several days since Erdea had extended their invitation, and though the festival was still some time away, like usual, Grey and Yuna wanted to experience the city on their own as much as they could. It was a festival which only happens every nine years, after all.
With excitement brewing in their hearts, there was no time to waste. Grey and Yuna quickly veiled themselves from the public eye, and with a wave of his hand, Grey opened yet another gate. They vanished into thin air soon after.
As soon as the light faded, a grandiose scenery greeted them, but it was nothing new to their eyes. Rather, they were quite used to such a grand sight, acting nonchalantly as they walked under such massive and spacious corridors.
"Hmm... It seems everyone is busy..." ［Grey］
"Right... I wonder where Iris is..." ［Yuna］
Of course, their destination was none other than the Royal Castle. They won't be the only ones heading towards Erdea, after all. Along them would be Iris who is aiming to expand her horizons as she observes the culture over at Erdea.
Clack Clack Clack
And like usual, the whole castle was very busy. Knights marched around the corridors and the servants carried out their task, hall after hall. In fact, it was even busier than ever, panic seemingly painted on the faces of the knights.
Well, not that it has anything to do with them. With illusion magic veiling their figures, they simply continued walking down the corridors, heading straight towards where Iris was with the help of Grey's eyes.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Count Mills. I will be absent from the Royal Castle for quite some time so I'm afraid it would be difficult to fulfill your request." ［Iris］
"I see... That's unfortunate..." ［Count］
"But worry not, Count Mills. If it is just regarding the documents about the northern mines, I believe Her Majesty would be most knowledgeable. I can relay a message for you if need be." ［Iris］
"That would be delightful, Your Highness. I would very much love that." ［Count］
Surely enough, as they followed Grey's lead, they soon arrived at the halls where the Princess Royal was conversing with a count. She was unlike her usual self, much more dignified and formal to suit the mood.
They have been spending so much time with Iris that Grey and Yuna had almost forgotten what Iris previously was. Seeing her act so proper and dignified makes them once again realize that she was a princess.
"Then, I'll leave everything to you, Your Highness." ［Count］
"Yes. You can rest assured." ［Iris］
Soon enough, the conversation between the Count and the Princess Royal finally reached its conclusion. The Count went on ahead his way back whilst Iris remained at the corridors, heaving a lengthy sigh.
"Iris～!" ［Yuna］
"E-Eh?! Elder Sister Yuna?!" ［Iris］
She didn't even notice her approaching. Before Iris could move her foot, a sudden embrace came from behind, followed by a familiar voice. Of course, it was none other than Yuna who was now snuggling her face close to hers.
And behind Yuna was Grey whose footsteps were silent as the dead. Joining Yuna's cuddling, Grey reached out his hand and patted her head gently. She may be a princess, but to them, she was just a young child.
"Are you ready to go?" ［Grey］
"Y-Yes! I've already prepared everythingー But, ah! There's something I must do first. Would that be fine?" ［Iris］
"About Her Majesty, right? Don't worry, it's fine." ［Yuna］
"Eh?! You heard us talking?!" ［Iris］
"Un! And our Iris was so cool～!" ［Yuna］
It was unintentional, but Grey and Yuna still eavesdropped on their talk. Learning about such a fact, Iris couldn't help but feel shy, embarrassed a little bit. Especially with all the praise from the two. Her cheeks were flushed.
But all the teasing aside, everyone soon headed to where the Queen was. Well, not just the Queen, the Crown Princess, and, of course, the Little Princess. They were having a little tea party, enjoying their morning break to the fullest.
"Big Bro! Big Sis! Aunshie!" ［Natalia］
With her little legs, the Little Princess rushed towards the three as fast as she could as soon as she saw them. She was full of excitement, a few cookie crumbs still on her cheeks as she gave each of them a tight hug.
"Little Princess, it's good that you're energetic, but you shouldn't run too fast like that. You might get hurt." ［Yuna］
"No worry! Nalia, shtrong!" ［Natalia］
"Oh? If that's so, then... let's see if you could defeat the tickle monster!" ［Yuna］
"Hehe! Hehehe! Hehehe!" ［Natalia］
Soft and cute giggles soon resounded in the air as Yuna tickled the Little Princess' sides. She was twisting and turning enthusiastically as the spectacle continued to unfold, kicking happily from time to time.
And what came after the tickles as another round of snuggling. Yuna lifted the Little Princess up and carried her in her arms. She then grabbed candy from her storage ring and fed it to her, to the latter's delight.
"Are you getting Iris now?" ［Talia］
"Yeah, but before that, we have a couple something for everyone." ［Grey］
"Oh?" ［Talia］
There was no time to waste. With Yuna entertaining the Little Princess, Grey then went straight ahead to business and took out a "couple" things from his inventory, laying them down the table one after another.
A jeweled silver hair comb, wooden figurines, stuffed toys, a thin and beautiful shaul, silk handkerchiefs, and many more. Each item was unique and masterfully made, all beautiful to their own, sparkling like stars in the sky.
"My... Which artisan made these? They are all so beautiful..." ［Natasha］
"They truly are... Especially these carvings... They're very subtle but intricate... I've never seen these before..." ［Talia］
Commented the Queen and the Crown Princess as they inspected the items. They have seen many handicrafts and accessories before, and with their eyes, they could tell how valuable and beautiful each one is.
And not just them, even the Iris who isn't usually interested in such things were now glancing at them with curious eyes. She especially fancied the silver comb, holding it in her hands with her eyes sparkling ever so brightly.
"Waah～! Big Sis, look! Puppy!" ［Natalia］
"Fufufu! That's right. It's a puppy." ［Grey］
"Waah～! Play? Can Nalia play?" ［Natalia］
As for the Little Princess, she already went ahead and hugged one of the stuffed toys which resembled the familiars. It was just as fluffy and adorable as the real things, a bright smile blooming on her face as she played with them.
"Where did you buy these, Grey? Or did you make these yourselves?" ［Talia］
"Hahaha. You're giving us too much credit, Your Majesty. These are works of Mister Ross and Missus Marianne. It took them a lot of effort to make them." ［Grey］
"They surely did. One can't find something this beautiful just anywhere." ［Talia］
The Queen had already known Ross and Marianne were craftsmen during the beach outing, but she never knew they were such masters of their crafts. Now, she is full of praise for them as she admired their works.
"Then... Since you're showing these to us, I assume you want our seal of approval for these, am I wrong?" ［Talia］
"Well, that's part of it, but we also just wanted to give you a couple presents before we go. Do you like it, Your Majesty? Your Highnesses?" ［Grey］
"Fufufu! Very much so. These are all so lovely." ［Talia］
"I agree with Mother. I think nobles would love these things." ［Natasha］
There was no opposition, only sincere praises. Everyone approved of what Marianne and Ross made with bright smiles on their faces, checking them out once more as they tried them out. It was a huge success.
And with the business side of things done, things quickly progressed and Iris had also reported to the Queen about her conversation with Count Mills just a couple moments ago. The latter was easily accepted without much thought.
Things went smoothly, and before long, Iris had already done preparing, changing outfits and storing the important things in her storage ring. As for the other luggage, they were stored inside of Grey's "Inventory.
"Then, we'll be going now, everyone." ［Grey］
"Good luck on your journey, and we leave Iris in your care." ［Talia］
"Fufufu! Don't worry, Your Majesty! We'll take good care of her." ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! I'm glad to hear that." ［Talia］
Everything now settled, the three then gave their final goodbyes before they left. Though Grey had already given them a telephone, it would still be separated for more than a month. And before long, they finally headed out.
BANNGGGG
... Or so that was the plan. But before they could even open up the doors, it suddenly opened on its ownー or rather, someone forcefully slammed it from the outside. It was none other than the Prime Minister, who for some reason, was sweating bullets.
Not only was he sweating bullets, he was also panting quite heavily with a panicked expression on his face. His eyes were shifting left and right as if looking for a certain something, not even noticing everyone else due to panic.
"Anderson, do you perhaps need something from us?" ［Talia］
"A-Ah, Your Majesty! P-Pardon the rudeness! I didn't see you there." ［Anderson］
"No, it's fine. But you seem panicked. Did something happen?" ［Talia］
"Oh, that is... Have you perhaps seen His Majesty, Your Majesty?" ［Anderson］
There isn't even a need to ask any further. With a question like that as a response, everyone could vaguely tell that the King has caused the Prime Minister yet another slew of problems. Big, big problems at that.
And it was even worse than they thought. Not just the King, but the Crown Prince had skipped their work, not even showing up for the day. This nor only slowed down the processing of paperworks but other duties as well. It was a disaster.
It wasn't the first time such a thing happened. Nine years ago, when the festival of Hearts was on the horizon, the King tried to head out to Erdea as early as he could so that he could skip work. And now, he's doing the same thing again. He has yet to learn his lesson.
"Is that perhaps why the knights looked busier than usual?" ［Grey］
"Yes. I ordered them to find His Majesty. With the rate things are going, we will have to delay the appointments again..." ［Anderson］
The Prime Minister heaved a lengthy and exasperated sigh as he ended his words. He was just about the same age as the King, but with all the stress he experienced each and every day, he looked like he's already in his sixties. Truly pitiful.
Thankfully, they had just the man for the job. With his eyes, Grey could easily find where the King and the Crown Prince were. In fact, he already found them, and they were in a pretty familiar place as well. All that was left was to catch them.
"Your Honor, I think I know where they are." ［Grey］
"I-Is that the truth?!" ［Anderson］
"Yeah, please leave it to me." ［Grey］
There was no time to waste. With the things already as chaotic as it is, Grey couldn't just leave things be. He wanted to help out of pure concern and not because he still wants revenge for the other day. No, not all... Not at all...
...
Basking under the glorious sun was a city far and wide. Thousands upon thousands of people roamed about the place as they went on with their busy days. And at the center of such a city was a castle, one standing proud and grand as one can be,
The castle was massive, hundreds of rooms and corridors extending out towards the distance, with beautiful gardens and balconies livening the place up. But perhaps the most beautiful room was the Royal Kitchen where all sorts of tasty foods for the Royal Family to enjoy are made.
In that very kitchen, in the pantry, chilled and dry, were mountains upon mountains of ingredients, ranging from meat to spices and everything in between. Well, it wasn't just ingredients, as right now, two silent figures could be seen inside the said pantry.
"Father, are you really sure about this?" ［Galleus］
"You're worrying too much, Galleus. I might have failed before, but the same won't happen again. I have a plan this time." ［Ernes］
"I see... Then I'll be following your lead." ［Galleus］
And as one would expect, they were up to no good again. In fact, both of them are planning to escape from the castle and skip out on work using the upcoming Festival of Hearts as an excuse.
Just for the sake of the plan, the King even went as far to memorize the schedule and shifts of the knights and servants just for this day. He was brimming with confidence, reviewing his plan with his son.
Clop Clop Clop
"Galleus, stay still. Someone is coming." ［Ernes］
Silent as the cemetery winds, the King whispered to the Crown Prince. They moved like ninjas, not making any unnecessary sounds and listening closely to the sound of approaching footsteps. Footsteps which stopped as the doors creaked open.
"Waah～! It's been some time since we've been here!" ［Yuna］
"Haha. I suppose that's right. Though we should probably start cooking soon. I'm sure the Little Princess is hungry." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! That's right, isn't it?" ［Yuna］
Familiar voices, the sound of knives chopping, the faucet gushing water forth, and the sound of metals clanging. An ever so familiar symphony played out in the air, giving the kitchen life as the flames started scorching soon.
Soon, an aromatic and appetizing fragrance wafted throughout the kitchen. And not just the kitchen, if wafted through the pantry as well, the smell of heaven caressing their noses, making their stomachs grumble.
"Galleus... Endure it..." ［Ernes］
"Yes, Father...." ［Galleus］
But all the King and Crown Prince could do was endure. No matter how delicious the food Grey and Yuna cooked may be, they needed to focus on their goal. Just a small mistake is all it would take for their efforts to go to waste.
"Oh my! This is so good! I could eat these all day!" ［Talia］
"Um! Yummy!" ［Natalia］
"Natalia, slow down a little bit. Here, I'll slice it for you." ［Natasha］
One side was filled with happiness and warmth, while the other only with darkness and despair. The more they listened to the other side enjoying themselves, the more unbearable it became. Their patience was running thinner by the moment.
"Oh? Is the food not to your liking, Iris?" ［Talia］
"Ah, no! Not at all... I'm just... I want Father to enjoy these too..." ［Iris］
"My... That would be quite difficult. He's busy with work right now. But... You'll also have to depart today, huh... This is a problem, indeed..." ［Talia］
"A-Ah, no... It's fine..." ［Iris］
Or so she says, but there were clear traces of gloom in her voice. Words which could easily sting the hearts of those who listened to it. Especially to the King, it was the last straw which drew out his patience.
"Wait, Fatheー" ［Galleus］
BANNGGGG
"Don't worry, Iris! Your father is here!" ［Ernes］
Before the Crown Prince could even try to stop him, the King suddenly stood up and opened the pantry doors as loud as he could, a loud bang echoing in the air followed by his confident declaration.
What greeted him was a smile, But rather than a warm and bright one from Iris, what he got instead was a very sinister and frightening one from the Prime Minister. A smile so cold it immediately sent the coldest shivers down his spines.
"My, Your Majesty, I didn't expect to see you here." ［Anderson］
"A-Anderson, w-we can talk th-this out. I-I have a r-reason." ［Ernes］
"A reason? For what, Your Majesty? Did you do anything wrong?" ［Anderson］
The Prime Minister was smiling, but his eyes weren't. There was only intimidation in his eyes which spelt imminent doom before them, carving fear in their hearts as they were backed towards a corner.
It was over. Without much resistance, the King and Crown Prince were both dragged away by the Prime Minister. They tried to ask for help, but no one reached their hands out towards them. They have been abandoned.
Well, even if in the slightest chance they did want to help, neither of them can look the Prime Minister in the eyes and stop him. Even Grey and Yuna had never felt such terror and intimidation before. He was really scary.
"So, umm... Would anyone like some dessert? We have plenty around." ［Grey］
"Ah, then can I have that parfait from before?" ［Talia］
"I would love some ice cream, please." ［Natasha］
"Cookiesh!" ［Natalia］
Instead, everyone unanimously decided to just ignore everything, acting as if nothing happened. They all enjoyed a variety of sweet treats and told each other stories as they enjoyed the rest of their morning together.
"Oh? Your Majesty, Your Highnesses, I didn't know you were here." ［Carlton］
"Haha... It's a long story..." ［Grey］
CHAPTER 259 END