Aisha's red eyes were ablaze.
It was a scene she often saw, but now it did not sit well with her at all.
'Why am I like this?'
Aisha herself couldn’t define the reason.
One thing was for sure; she disliked seeing Siena clinging to Theo at this moment.
"Theo looks uncomfortable. It’s already a time when many people are around... look around, Siena."
Not Siena, but Andrew and Sally looked around at Aisha’s words.
As Aisha said, many people were sneakily glancing at Theo and Siena.
“Wow, is that the elf who was admitted to the Hero Department? She’s really pretty. It was worth coming here. She looks good in the uniform, too.”
“Isn’t that guy Theo? From the Waldeurk family. He's even more impressive in person.”
“Regardless, they really look good together. Their facial features are no joke. They seem to be drawn in the same style.”
“Lucky, damn it. While some dine with a man with bushy leg hair, that handsome guy dines with several women. I was wrong to believe the senior who said a girlfriend comes naturally just by wandering around during the festival.”
“Hey, idiot. He doesn’t need a festival or anything, women just attach to him naturally. Even if he wanders around as a scruffy mess for a month without bathing, fresh from dungeon exploring, women will still flock to him. Just take it easy. No point getting heated comparing yourself to a different species.”
“Even now, I’m tolerating it, senior. My throat is burning. Ah shit, why are the drinks already gone? Might as well drink till I'm dead.”
Nevertheless, Siena stayed glued next to Theo with a bright, beaming smile.
Her expression seemed even more joyous, as if to say, 'So what are you going to do about it?'
In look annoyed Aisha even more.
She took a deep breath inwardly before speaking.
“Siena, Theo is engaged.”
“Yep~ I know~.”
“Isn’t it strange for you to simply respond with ‘Yep~ I know~,’ Siena?”
Aisha snapped at Siena’s nonchalant reply.
Andrew and Sally, sensing the unusual currents flowing between them, glanced at each other with shakily.
Theo, furrowing his brows, peeled Siena off him.
“Back off, Siena, especially when Andrew and Sally are here. I don't want to have to say something harsh. What kind of crude behavior is this while eating?”
“Hehe, I can do anything for you, Theo. By the way, harsh words? Theo saying harsh words sounds cute too!”
While Siena said that, she no longer stuck close to Theo.
It was because Theo genuinely looked displeased.
Due to experience, Siena could roughly discern just how angry the expressionless Theo was.
Theo spoke.
"Andrew, Sally. I apologize for making things awkward during the meal. Let's continue eating."
"It's no big deal."
"Yeah, yeah! These things happen!"
Andrew and Sally nodded repeatedly, picking up their spoons again.
The atmosphere eased.
Theo and Siena also picked up their spoons, but Aisha did not.
Aisha looked at Theo with a peculiar gaze.
'He took my side just now... right?'
Understandably so, Theo was particularly weak towards Sienna.
Whereas with others, he always maintained control.
The idea of Theo challenging Siena for her was somewhat moving.
Sally, who was noisily enjoying her noodles, sneaked a peek at Siena.
"Um, but Siena... Can I ask you something? If it's uncomfortable, you don't have to answer!"
"Yep, ask away~!"
Reassured by Siena’s cheerful voice, Sally posed her question.
"Uh, Theo has a fiancée, right...? Are you really okay with that?"
"Yep, I really don't mind."
Siena responded immediately, without a second of hesitation, and continued.
"Hehe, it's natural for a wonderful man to have many women. And Theo is a future hero from a good family, right? It's not strange at all for him to have many wives~!"
"Uh, um...! More than that, I'm curious about your feelings, Siena. Usually, if you like a guy, you'd want him all to yourself, right? If there was another woman next to the man I like, I feel like I’d be... a bit upset. Of course, Theo is not married yet!"
Sally’s words made Aisha nod in agreement.
"That's right, Siena. Seriously, what do you think? I don't really understand why you act this way."
"Hmm~ What should I say."
Siena pondered for a second before speaking.
"Hehe, I dunno. I just like Theo~!"
Siena looked at Theo with honey-dripping eyes once again.
'‘‘‘...What in the world does that mean?’’’
Aisha, Andrew, and Sally all had the same thought.
Siena, smiling, asked back.
"Hehe, why are you all making such faces~? It's flattering when other women like my man, you know. I have no intention of stopping any woman who comes to Theo.
Humans only live for up to 100 years at most, right?"
Siena recalled the novel, 'The Rothschild* Chronicles,' which she had lived by hand-in-hand throughout her life in the Great Forest.
Having read it thoroughly every day for over a decade, Siena could recite it from memory.
The male protagonist 'Rothschild' in the novel was surrounded by many women, including the female protagonist, the elf 'Liri'.
However, most of the women other than 'Liri' belonged to short-lived races.
Thus, in the end, the woman left beside 'Rothschild' was 'Liri.'
She was also the one he leaned on and trusted the most in times of need.
Siena looked at the others, who were speechless, and spoke.
"Hehe, whether Theo has other women or not, it’s just a passing wind to me anyway."
"Hmm, but Siena. What you're overlooking is that Theo is a human who lives at most 100 years, not an elf who lives for 1000 years like you. Isn't it not just a passing wind from Theo’s perspective?"
At Aisha's point, Andrew and Sally nodded too.
Siena said,
"Ahh~ I'm thinking of asking Grandma Arte for a favor. If I insist, won’t she let Theo live for about 1000 years?"
"Arte...? You don’t mean Artemis, do you?"
"Hehe, yes."
As Siena mentioned a completely unexpected entity, the eyes of Aisha, Andrew, and Sally widened.
Artemis is an Ancient-class green dragon with a presumed age of at least 8,000 years.
If it's an Ancient Dragon, referred to as the origin of magic, extending life might be possible.
However, dragons in the Kyren Zena Continent are now beings that appear only in fairy tales.
It's been over 100 years since a dragon was last officially seen on the continent.
'...It doesn't feel real.'
Aisha, surprised by the unexpected dragon story, looked back and forth between Siena and Theo's faces.
Siena was still smiling, while Theo had an indifferent expression.
'No. Theo! You should at least be surprised!'
Aisha was rather more astonished by Theo’s lack of reaction.
"But Siena, how do you know Artemis?"
Siena opened her eyes wide and spoke.
"Ahh~ about 10 years? Grandma spent some time in the Great Forest. She looked bored, so I often went to visit~!"
Words that were hard to believe came out of Siena's mouth.
However, since the speaker was Siena, it somehow seemed credible.
...Thus, the dinner of the five ended with the unexpected news of an Ancient Dragon.
After dinner.
"Well, let's meet again if we get the chance. Now, I'll be going."
Theo bid farewell to the others and turned away.
His destination was the training ground.
‘It's gotten quite late; I should head to the Knight Department training ground.’
Although the Knight Department training ground is usually popular, it should be quiet due to the festival period.
As Theo walked toward the Knight Department training ground,
"Hehe, Theo, where are you going? Let’s go together."
"Me too."
Siena and Aisha trailed behind Theo.
Theo spoke.
"I’m heading to the Knight Department training ground. Don’t you two have other things to do? I thought you were busy practicing for the special stage."
"Hehe, whatever happens, will happen. There’s nothing more important than you."
"…Siena. Please don't say such things when I'm not around. If something goes wrong, I'll have to take responsibility."
"Hehe, then why is Aisha following too?"
"Well, I’ve already mastered everything! Don’t hold me back, Siena."
Siena and Aisha seemed ready to engage in a second fight, bickering back and forth.
An exasperated Theo spoke.
"…Can we go quietly, please?"
"Hehe, that’s difficult. I’m having too much fun today."
"It seems like it will only be quiet if Siena is."
Avoiding Siena, who kept trying to link arms with him, Theo arrived at the Knight Department training ground.
Creak─
Upon opening the door and entering, there was already someone in the training ground.
Aisha spoke in surprise.
"Uh······."
That person was Irene.
*I changed Rosdos to Rothschild, I think it is more accurate, but I don't know for sure, need to get a native speaker for names maybe. this novel's been okay but for the gacha novel (other novel i am translating), the names there destroy me.
