It's been around 15 minutes since the vote commenced, and the only one who had made her choice was Suzannia. Meanwhile, the others couldn't make up their minds for some reason.
Suzannia, growing impatient, attempted to yell at them so that they'd also choose to let Jogrin live with them, but before she could do that, Kapel, who was carrying her, covered her mouth and shook his head.
"We must not make them go according to your will. This is an important decision for them." He gently addressed Suzannia while patting her head.
Although Suzannia had already done something that might've make Naytia, Zanphia, and Zenover waver, there was no way to undo that.
"Father, I think you should vote too." Proxer spoke up.
"Rejected. While I am blood-related to the Maladins, I am a Kapel, I cannot be one of the voters."
Kapel was clearly against Jogrin going to the Maladin household. Recalling the rules set by Kapel, where even one vote of "against" would immediately mean Jogrin heading straight for the yacht and had his movements completely restricted.
In other words, by msking his vote, Kapel could easily manipulate Jogrin's fate. Despite that, he chose not to do that, to make the vote as fair as possible.
While it was really admirable of him, Jogrin thought that he was "too honest of a person." It could prove to be more of a bane than a boon, especially for someone of his rank.
"Grunmyt. Here. The pen too."
It appeared that someone else had voted. A folded piece of paper and a pen was handed back to Kapel.
"Thank you."
Zenover stole glances at Zanphia.
"No way I'm telling you!"
It seemed Zanphia understood the rules of a ballot: no spoiling which one she voted for. Zenover swiftly shifted his eyes back on the piece of paper, while having his pen an inch away from it.
"I'm done as well. Father."
Kapel handed his piece of paper soon after Zanphia did. It was then followed by Zenover who silently did the same.
Now, the only one left was Naytia, the mother of the household.
Proxer didn't dare to look at her in the eye, while the rest of the people present looked at her direction, which gave her a lot of pressure.
Frankly, the environment for this wasn't ideal, since one was supposed to cast their vote without other people literally standing next to them. Alas, it was too late to consider that.
After a while, Naytia looked and Kapel and wanted to say something. However, he already knew what she was about to say without even listening to her.
"I am sorry, but relinquishing your right to vote is not an option."
Naytia now felt even more stressed. She gazed at Jogrin with a face that looked like she was about to throw up.
'Is making this choice equivalent to being next to me while I activate my powers?' Jogrin wondered to himself.
Proxer had explained why Naytia had an abrupt change in attitude during their first meeting, when Jogrin told about his past. But... why exactly was she having such a hard time with this?
Jogrin didn't know. He couldn't understand the person named Naytia.
She was Proxer wife, mother of three, Kapel's niece.
She cared about every Maladin with all her heart.
She was wary of Jogrin, though it had declined to some extent compared to their first meeting.
"I... think I've made my choice."
After putting her pen on the paper and taking it away repeatedly, Naytia finally settled with a decision.
"Thank you, Naytia. Thank you as well, Proxer, Zanphia, Zenover, and Suzannia. My deepest gratitude to the Knights, for staying with us the entire time. Now, I shall announce the result..."
Kapel, who had been keeping all pieces of paper folded until now, unfolded them one by one.
"... Zanphia voted... 'for.'"
"Huh?" Jogrin, caught off-guard by the announcement of the first vote, inadvertently let out his voice.
"... Proxer voted... 'for.'"
This one came as no surprise.
"... Zenover voted... 'for.'"
Same as Zanphia, Jogrin didn't anticipate he'd also vote "for."
"Lastly... Naytia voted..."
Kapel stared at Jogrin for a moment. It appeared that he felt the same as Jogrin.
"... 'For.'"
"How is that even possible..." Jogrin muttered to himself as he skeptically stared at Kapel. He expected the result would be two "for's" and three "against's."
The result was drastically different from how he anticipated it.
"Then, does that mean..." Proxer couldn't hide his shock either.
"Including the vote made by Suzannia verbally, I conclude that: Jogrin will be moving in the Maladin household, with the condition of either Captain Ryov or me, as well as one Knight constantly supervising him."
Kapel put Suzannia down, and informed everyone present. He nudged Suzannia toward Proxer while nodding at her.
Suzannia, having taken some time to comprehend what just happened, brimmed with with enthusiasm. She grabbed Proxer's hands and jumped. She then noticed Jogrin looking at her with a troubled expression.
"Jogrin! Hehehe~"
She ran at him and hugged him tightly, which caused Jogrin almost losing balance. Jogrin and Kapel looked at each other, the former noticing the latter's similarly troubled expression.
The Knights also anticipated that one way or another, Jogrin would have to settle in the yacht, but they still prepared and brought along tents, and it looked like their preparations weren't wasted.
They weren't sure whether this was a good or bad thing.
Kapel, ignoring Jogrin, turned to Captain Ryov and spoke up.
"We will be embarking soon, with the destination of the grassland in the vicinity of Proxer's house, will that be fine?"
"Yes, by all means. Everyone, please get aboard."
With an astonishing conclusion, Jogrin and the others boarded the flying vehicle as instructed by Captain Ryov.
After that, Jogrin chose a seat in a corner, far away from the others. Soon, Kapel joined him by sitting next to him.
By the way, Suzannia had been beside Jogrin since she was clinging to him and didn't want to let go, but it seemed neither Jogrin nor Kapel minded her presence.
"Something on your mind?"
"A lot."
"Going to ask them now?"
"No, not now I am sitting here so I can supervise you closely."
"Right."
"Griston? Can you join them for the time being?"
During the exchange between the two of them, Captain Ryov beckoned at Griston to have him stay beside them.
Before they arrived at the household, the condition proposed by Kapel had already begun.
"Well, I actually want to inquire about one thing for now... Why 'angel?'"
When he caught those words, Jogrin flinched.
"I didn't come up with that nickname, whatever it means."
"Angel is angel!!"
Perhaps, only Suzannia would know why Jogrin was an angel to her.