Upon hearing Emi's words, I paused briefly to consider the response, but it soon became clear that there was only one possible answer in this situation. I had already promised myself that I wouldn't make Emi cry again.
"Of course, I promise I'll be okay"
With a gentle smile on my lips, I confirmed my promise. It seemed that my answer brought relief to Emi's expression, as if my words had lessened her worries about me a bit. It was comforting to see that my words had this effect on her. We continued to chat as we shared food and drink, exchanging smiles and enjoying the moment. However, our tranquility was interrupted when a voice caught our attention.
"Ren"
Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw Emi's parents, accompanied by another couple. Though I didn't know who the newcomers were, the fact that they were in the company of the king and queen indicated that they must be important individuals. I responded to the king with courtesy.
"Yes? Do you need something from me?"
I asked the king, directing my gaze toward him. He then made a gesture with his hands, indicating that he was about to introduce the couple standing beside him.
"These are the king and queen of Belfri, Victor and Arabella, respectively"
The king announced, introducing the important couple. With courtesy, I made my introduction to both of them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ren Orchid Solaris, and I recently had the honor of marrying Emi, soon becoming a part of the royal family"
As I watched their expressions for a reaction, I was surprised to realize that my expectation was completely off the mark. I had expected them to act formally and perhaps a bit arrogantly, but to my surprise, both were looking at me strangely and concerned. Arabella, the queen of Belfri, was the first to speak up, revealing the even more unexpected turn of events.
"Oh my, I thought we were going to have a casual conversation, so I wasn't prepared for something so formal. Darling, what do we do?"
Arabella said, casting a worried glance at Victor, her husband and the king of Belfri. This unexpected scene left me speechless, and I noticed Emi was struggling to contain her laughter beside me. As I tried to process what was happening, I looked at the king and queen of Solaris, noticing that both had distinct reactions. The king seemed to find the situation amusing, while the queen displayed a smile that clearly carried apologies. With this doubt in mind, I finally couldn't help but question.
"What's happening?"
My question seemed to bring more clarity than I expected, as Victor looked at the king and commented theatrically.
"Cedric, didn't you warn him about this beforehand? It seems he wasn't expecting to meet us here"
Your initial irritated tone quickly turned into a joke. The king, who was now visibly enjoying the situation, explained.
"Hahaha, I apologize for that. I thought it would be interesting to address the situation this way. Ren tends to be quite formal when meeting new people, so I thought we could break the initial ice a bit like this"
The king shifted his gaze to me and continued speaking in a more relaxed manner.
"This isn't a formal conversation, Ren. So, feel free to relax. You won't get arrested or anything for saying something inappropriate. Also, Victor really wants to talk to you. I believe you already know, but the kingdom of Belfri has a strong focus on trade. One might say Belfri is the wealthiest country of them all"
The king said, displaying a smile. At this moment, Victor chimed in with a playful comment.
"Though it's also considered the weakest"
The king seemed to overlook the last comment and proceeded.
"Though you might not know, your inventions have significantly brought Solaris and Belfri closer. Your creations have contributed to an almost unbreakable alliance between the two realms. Belfri buys products from Solaris and modernizes, while Solaris, which already possesses an advanced technological base, becomes richer. In a way, it's a mutual gain"
The king explained with a smile. Victor, giving a brief glance to the king before turning to me, added.
"I really don't like the way he talks, but he's not entirely wrong"
Continuing, he addressed me directly.
"That's why I was so interested in you. When the revelation that X was a young person of my daughter's age came out, I was genuinely surprised. I think the genes of those born in a country focused on science and technology are truly different"
Victor pondered with a thoughtful expression. Even though I could sense the playful tone in his words, something inside me made me think that these were his sincere considerations.
"Hahaha, thank you for the compliment, but I believe it's all a matter of perspective. To me, Emi is a true genius"
I commented sincerely. These words exactly reflected what I thought about Emi. Unlike me, who based my knowledge on previous information, Emi created her own ideas and solutions from her brilliant mind. I would be overly arrogant to call myself a genius, considering this fundamental difference.
"Your personality is admirable as well, it's a shame Solaris beat me to finding you. You would be a perfect match for my daughter"
Victor commented with a brief sigh. I detected no hint of ulterior motives in his words, so he probably didn't express this with any specific expectations.
Our conversation continued for some more time, covering various topics. Victor and Arabella questioned me about my background, my parents, if I had siblings, and other similar information. In turn, they shared details of their personal lives, including information about their daughter, who seemed to be business-savvy as well.
In a friendly gesture, both of them invited me to visit Belfri, assuring me that I would be welcome in their country. Although I didn't have a concrete reason for an imminent visit to Belfri, I considered it wise to leave this invitation open. After all, as the saying goes, it's better to be safe than sorry, and you never know what the future might hold.