How did Eryngium end up here?
Sylvia couldn’t believe it, so she didn’t even think to wake Felix. No matter how she looked at it, it was definitely Eryngium.
There was another reason she couldn’t say anything. It wasn’t just Eryngium.
“……Daisy, Clover, Poppy, Asta, Kalmia, even Lupinus.”
Her throat felt tight. As she struggled to figure out how to react, Sylvia felt something was off.
The fairies that had reappeared didn’t react to her or Felix. They didn’t even say a word.
They just fluttered around, brushing past each other as if they were strangers.
“……Eryngium.”
Even so, she couldn’t help but call out. She had missed them so much……
She knew that the fairies were a part of Felix, but she had longed for them terribly.
But she couldn’t tell him. They were creations he had made during his most difficult times.
So even though she missed them dearly at times, she never said anything.
“E-Eryngium!”
However, even at her call, the fairies only flew around the small house.
As Sylvia rose from the bed, Felix reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“……You’re already up?”
At the sound of his low, husky voice, Sylvia finally burst into tears.
“Hic……”
“What’s wrong?”
Felix, who noticed her small sob, quickly sat up. Only then did the fairies enter his line of sight.
He was just as shocked as Sylvia, and he froze awkwardly.
“……Fairies?”
“Hic, but, something’s wrong……”
Frozen in place, Felix quickly embraced her as she cried.
“Shh, don’t cry.”
“They don’t recognize us!”
Sylvia expressed her frustration in his sturdy embrace. She had longed for them so much, but she hadn’t wanted them to be just empty forms.
As Felix quietly patted her back, he silently observed the flying fairies.
He had one guess.
“……I think these fairies were created by Siri, by you.”
She didn’t even remember the desert they visited yesterday, yet she had created it.
Creating a place she had visited once as a child likely meant she had unconsciously missed it.
In the same way, Sylvia, who had longed for the fairies, could have caused this situation.
“……Me?”
“Yes……”
How much had she missed them for them to naturally blend in when she created what she desired in such a desperate situation?
Sylvia wiped away her tears and slipped out of his embrace. As she got off the bed, she used wind magic to bring the fairies, who were still flitting around, right in front of her.
Reaching out toward the fairies, who flapped their wings vigorously with confused expressions, she felt the familiar touch at her fingertips.
It was the same as before.
She grew the fruits that the fairies used to enjoy and offered them one by one.
The bewildered fairies stared at the fruits in their hands before taking a small bite.
Although they didn’t speak, they showed joyful expressions as they ate the fruits.
Only then was Sylvia able to barely lift the corners of her mouth.
Felix, who had come up behind her, wrapped his arm around her waist and asked.
“You missed the fairies that much?”
“……Yes.”
“I see.”
He quietly listened to her and then kissed her cheek with a grin.
“Then, should we take them with us?”
As he spoke, he felt his second heart beating wildly.
The bond was intense.
Like having two hearts, he always had mixed feelings toward his wife.
A possessiveness that wanted to make her see only him, and a love for her free-spirited nature constantly battled within him.
Sometimes, he couldn’t control it and it would surface, but he didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Seeing Sylvia suffer by his side was even more horrifying.
“……No.”
However, Sylvia gave an unexpected answer. Felix’s eyes widened slightly, as he had assumed she would agree.
Without taking her eyes off the fairies, Sylvia continued.
“They’re not the ones I knew, right? I think they’d be happier living here.”
“Alright, if that’s what you want.”
“So, what should we have for breakfast? Oh, I’m curious about what might be in the nearby valley, should we go check it out?”
“Sure.”
Felix was relieved that Sylvia had regained her energy so quickly. He immediately followed her lead and headed for the valley.
It had a beautiful, winding shape. With the refreshing sound of the flowing water, fish swam energetically in the clear water.
“It’s beautiful……”
“Indeed.”
The two of them floated above the water using wind magic and looked down below.
As Sylvia peered into the water, she used the wind to lift the creatures living inside.
They caught a variety of fish and some small creatures.
“What is this?” she wondered.
Sylvia placed the small, reddish creature in her palm.
“Freshwater shrimp.”
“And what is that?”
In this place, seafood was practically nonexistent, so freshwater fish were even more rare.
“This is called shrimp. Do you remember when we had coconut crab last time?”
“Yes. That was a very tasty fellow.”
“Hehe, that’s right. It’s a similar type of crustacean. But these small ones live in valleys or rivers, and there are shrimp that live in the sea too.”
“I see. Is this something that existed in your world, Siri?”
“Yes, I like them.”
“I like you.”
His sudden declaration made Sylvia blush. Unlike before, he had become more open with his emotions, and while it was a bit embarrassing, it also made her happy.
“Me too.”
◆
Sylvia caught plenty of freshwater shrimp. After a light breakfast, she planned to fry the shrimp as a snack.
“Natural shrimp chips.”
Amazingly, they tasted quite similar to chips. Having tasted them before, Sylvia licked her lips and took out the shrimp she had caught.
She gently washed the freshwater shrimp, then mixed them with flour, starch, and a bit of salt.
Then, she placed them in the heated oil. As the sunlight hit the oil, the shrimp fried beautifully, turning golden and crispy.
Using fire magic to maintain an even temperature, she fried the shrimp until they were just right, then took them out to cool.
Once more, she fried them until they were perfectly crispy.
“Smells good,” Felix said, his nose twitching as he watched from the side. Even though it was a scent he had never encountered before, it made his mouth water.
“Ah.”
He quickly opened his mouth. The fried shrimp he bit into was wonderfully crispy.
“Mmm!”
It was incredibly savory. Along with a subtle sweetness, the taste was simply delightful.
“Let’s eat these while we’re on our way.”
“Alright.”
Sylvia dismantled the small house. After packing up their belongings, she grabbed the paper bag filled with fried shrimp and flew off with him.
However, the fairies that had been circling around them earlier followed. She had assumed they would only stay here, so it was strange.
Even as they ascended higher, the fairies continued to chase after them. Finally sensing something odd, Felix looked at the fairies.
Their gaze on Sylvia was different from before.
“Maybe…”
Felix remembered that the creator of these fairies was Sylvia herself.
Just as he had created them before, perhaps…
“Oh, come on, how could you follow us all the way here? You should live where you belong.”
Sylvia also felt perplexed. She waved her hand, thinking she should use wind magic to send them back, but Felix stopped her.
“Sylvia.”
“Yes?”
“Just leave them.”
“…Why?”
“Just… because.”
Felix wanted to let Sylvia do as she wished. However, Sylvia genuinely missed the fairies.
If his guess was right…
So, he decided to conduct a little experiment. If the fairies continued to follow them, then it had to be acknowledged.
That they recognized their creator.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Felix grabbed Sylvia’s hand, pulling her along as she kept glancing back. Even as she occasionally popped a fried freshwater shrimp into his mouth, she kept checking behind her.
The two of them slowly toured their newly acquired territory. Although Duke Sabelisa screamed in agony through the magic communication device at some point, the long-awaited trip was so sweet and enjoyable.
Arriving at a mountain adorned with beautifully colored autumn leaves, Sylvia marveled in admiration.
“Trees with yellow and red leaves… They’re beautiful.”
Felix also seemed to appreciate the scenery.
The two of them descended to the ground and walked for a while, still munching on the remaining fried freshwater shrimp.
It was then that a voice was heard.
“Oh, Captain! This is too tiring!”
“How can you complain about being tired while looking at such a beautiful view?”
“Just how far are we going to explore?”
“How would I know? Only Sylvia, who created this, would know…”
Sylvia’s eyes widened in surprise as people suddenly appeared. At the same time, Felix frowned.
Why now, of all times?
“My goodness! It’s Lady Sylvia! Is this mountain a place where wishes come true if you speak them?”
Jeremy approached with a bright smile, and Ethan waved awkwardly.
Ethan still couldn’t understand. Why did Felix always glare at him like that whenever he saw him?
He thought they got along well enough.
“Oh my. Sir Ethan, Sir Jeremy!”
“It’s so good to see you!”
Jeremy, in his excitement, tried to take Sylvia’s hand, but Felix stopped him.
“She is now the Empress of Capitis Empire. Do not touch her carelessly.”
Leave a Reply