Late Night Conversation

The night grew late, and at a time where everyone else would normally be asleep Aquinas stood alone on the terrace, looking up towards the starry sky while holding a glass of wine in one hand.

After taking a small sip, he lightly closed his eyes.

Aquinas: 「..To think that you would return to this country」

He said as he stood there, as if speaking to himself. Then a small shadow appeared from behind him. Her face, illuminated by the moonlight, could be clearly seen.

Aquinas’s eyes widened slowly, as though he knew about this individual, and spoke.

Aquinas: 「..Liliyn?」

Yes, the one who had appeared was Liliyn.

Liliyn: 「Hmph, I didn’t return because I wanted to」

Aquinas turned to face her. With the way she frowned as she spoke like she was in a bad mood, he could see her as nothing more than a child.

Aquinas: 「Hmph, but I’m surprised. To be together with an individual like that. What kind of strange turn of events brought this on?」

Liliyn: 「Why would that concern you?」

Aquinas: 「What a harsh thing to say to your own brother」

Liliyn: 「Don’t kid me. I’ve never thought of you as my brother」

Aquinas: 「Hmph.. You’re the same as always. ..Hm?」

Aquinas, as though he had noticed something, focused his gaze behind Liliyn. Liliyn however, as if she already knew about that existence, lightly shrugged her shoulders.

Liliyn: 「It’s fine to show yourself」

The one who appeared from the shadows, obeying his master’s words, was Silva.

Aquinas: 「..It seems like you have a capable guard as well」

Aquinas looked towards Silva with admiration.

Liliyn: 「Hmph, he’s just a worrywart」

Silva, unlike his usual self, kept quiet and stood near Liliyn with a serious expression. It seemed like he had noticed Liliyn leaving her room and followed after her as a guard.

Aquinas: 「..To think you’d come back on your own despite hating this country so much.. I guess that goes to show the calibre of the one known as Hiiro」

Liliyn: 「Who knows? Think about it yourself」

Liliyn chuckled as she gave a vague answer. After looking at her, Aquinas smiled kindly.

Aquinas: 「..Hiiro’s gained the attraction of a rather troublesome person」

Liliyn: 「W..W-W-W-W-W-What do you mean by attracted!? W.. W-W-W-Why do I have to be a-attracted to a g-guy like that!? No way! Impossible! I demand you take back what you said immediately!」

She pointed and yelled at Aquinas, her face beet red with embarrassment, but Aquinas only looked surprised.

Aquinas: 「This is.. I only said it half-jokingly to tease you a little, but it seems like I wasn’t completely wrong」

Liliyn: 「D.. D-D-Don’t act like you just understood something! Listen, what you’re thinking of right now is completely impossible without a single doubt!」

Aquinas shrugged as he looked at the girl in front of him shout a barrage of excuses. However, he knew saying anything more than this was pointless so he changed the topic.

Aquinas: 「By the way, I haven’t asked you yet」

Liliyn: 「Haa.. Haa.. Haa.. Ah? About what?」

Aquinas: 「The reason you returned to this country」

Liliyn: 「Hmph, relax. I don’t plan on starting anything in this country. I just had something to do nearby」

Aquinas: 「..You did?」

Liliyn: 「Yeah, if anyone has a reason to be here, then that would be Hiiro」

Liliyn told Aquinas about how Hiiro wanted to read everything that was found in the 《Basement 5》 of the 《Fortuna Grand Library》.

Aquinas: 「I see. So Her Highness was telling the truth」

Aquinas had heard from Eveam that Hiiro wanted an entry permit for the library as compensation for his assistance in the war.

Aquinas thought that Hiiro may have been lying about risking his life just for the sake of reading books, but he was surprised that Hiiro had actually participated with books as compensation.

Aquinas: 「If it’s about the entry permit then it should be issued shortly, so be at ease」

Liliyn: 「Obviously. Because that was the promised reward」

Aquinas smiled at the girl who answered in a manner similar to Hiiro.

Aquinas: 「That’s right. In that case, will you be in this country for a while?」

Liliyn: 「I probably will」

At the very least, she couldn’t leave until Hiiro got bored of reading the books in the library.

Aquinas: 「I see..」

Liliyn glared at Aquinas, who looked like he was thinking of a serious matter.

Liliyn: 「Oi, I don’t know what you’re thinking about, but if you plan on binding Hiiro to this country then you better stop while you’re ahead」

Aquinas: 「..Oh? And why is that?」

Liliyn: 「He’s the kind of person that doesn’t like being restricted, and I can’t think of anything in this country that could be used to bait him」

Aquinas: 「..」

Liliyn: 「If you try to forcibly make him stay in the country, then the country will become his enemy」

Aquinas: 「..」

Liliyn: 「Furthermore..」

Aquinas: 「..?」

Liliyn: 「If you try to do anything like that..」

Liliyn’s red glare intensified.

Liliyn: 「I won’t just stand by quietly. Understand?」

Aquinas eyes slightly widened as Liliyn glared at him with obvious killing intent. He also noticed that Silva behind her was also full of hostility.

Aquinas: 「He really is an interesting person, that Hiiro」

Aquinas was surprised that Liliyn would be so attached to another, and a 『Humas』 at that. Furthermore, he had never seen her defend someone that wasn’t her servant.

Aquinas didn’t show it on his face but he was shocked at how much Liliyn had changed. His interest in Hiiro, who had caused her to change so much, grew even more.

Of course, with his participation in the war, there were many things that Aquinas wanted to know about Hiiro in addition to his character.

He had also noticed that Eveam held feelings towards Hiiro that was stronger than that of a mere friend. It was natural that she would develop an interest in Hiiro, who had already gained Aquinas’s attention despite having met a limited number of times.

Aquinas also understood that from the partners Hiiro brought with him to the audience today. Nikki, despite being so young, stood in front of Hiiro to protect him when Marione glared at him with hostility.

Mikazuki just hid behind Hiiro, but that goes to show how she believed that she would be safe if she was near Hiiro. Plus, the two in front of him.

Aquinas: (Now that I think about it, it seemed like Marione had also accepted Hiiro all of a sudden)

Aquinas began to feel that the existence known as Hiiro attracted those around him merely with his presence.

And despite being a 『Humas』, he had allies that were 『Gabranth』, 『Evila』, and even mixed races.

Aquinas: (This guard also looks like he’s got a few stories to tell)

Aquinas hadn’t noticed that Silva was a 『Pheom』, but he could determine that he was not an average being.

Aquinas: (To gather this many people of different races together.. He really is an interesting individual)

As he thought that, he matched gazes with Liliyn who was still glaring at him.

Aquinas: 「Liliyn, let me ask one thing」

Liliyn: 「..What is it?」

Aquinas: 「Have you still.. not given up?」

Liliyn folds her arms arrogantly and shouts,

Liliyn: 「Of course I haven’t!」

Aquinas: 「..I see」

After asking that, Aquinas had nothing else to talk about. His expression was one of understanding, but was also sorrowful.

Liliyn also had nothing else to say and so left.