The perfect | TBATE X COTE

Chapter 12: In the kingdom of Elenoir

They then began to cry and hug each other.

I became aware of a stinging sensation in my eyes. With Tessia and her parents' emotional reunion, I couldn't help but miss my family. My loving mother, my stupid father, and my serious brother were all missed. I'd lost count of the number of times I questioned what they were doing.

I suppressed my tears and gave Tess and their reunion a sad smile, not wanting to ruin their mood.

I also noticed an old man and a young girl my age walking slowly in the distance. She was looking at me with her dark green eyes, but when she looked at Tess, her face brightened with a small smile. Her hair was darker, and her eyes were darker, but she clearly resembled Tess. Her sister? She hadn't mentioned having a sister, so she could just be a friend.

They were both approaching. The little girl walked quietly and hugged Tess as well. The old man gave me a sidelong glance before shrugging his shoulders and concentrating on his meeting.

The elfin man pulled himself together and cleared his throat after a period of tearful greetings, during which I only stood awkwardly to the side. "I apologize for my anti-aesthetic stance, but we were concerned about our daughter." His voice was proud and refined as he spoke. "My name is Alduin Eralith, and I am the king of Elenoir. Please allow me to take this conversation to the castle so that I can know more about what has occurred, and thank you for bringing our daughter home."

Despite the fact that his prayer was created as a request, it sounded more like a command.

"I would be honored." I said, trying to be as polite as possible.

The king nodded and started walking. His wife joined him, as did the old man. I stayed behind, escorted by the guards, as they appeared to be discussing something. We walked under the curious gaze of a confused crowd, and as I considered my next move, Tess approached with the girl from before. Tessia grabbed her hand and dragged her along with enthusiasm.

"Meet my best friend, Aeris" Tess pointed to the girl who was staring at her with amusement.

I gave the girl a quick glance and noticed that her robes were almost as luxurious as those of the kings, so I quickly deduced that she was some sort of noble, and I gave her a polite bow and a friendly smile. "My name is Arthur Leywin, and I'm delighted to meet you."

Aeris, the girl, narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled. "Oh~ Nice to meet you, Arthur." She used the hem of her dress to create an extremely precise bow, which is unusual for a girl her age. "Aeris Edevane."

We continued walking after the introductions. The streets were stunning, and my tour guide, Tess, enthusiastically narrated everything she saw, and Aeris only smiled slightly at her enthusiasm. Finally, a huge tree could be seen in the distance, bigger than any I'd ever seen, and it surprised me even more when I realized it was the city's castle, according to Tessia's narration.

When I entered through the massive double tree doors, I was expecting something more rustic, like a spiral staircase leading to some hammocks or something. However, the interior was absolutely incredible; formality combined with extravagance in a magnificent way, and as a former king, I couldn't help but admire the exquisiteness of the details.

The king offered to let me rest, but I insisted on telling them everything all at once. He agreed, and after climbing a few marble-looking stairs, we arrived in a room. The King sit down, with his wife and Tess beside him. The old man and the other girl sat on the opposite side, both looking at me with interest.

The king asked, his hands clasped. "What did you say your name was, child?"

I bowed in a formal curtsy, one hand on my chest and the other on my back. "My name is Arthur Leywin, and I am from the remote village of Ashber in the kingdom of Sapin. It's a pleasure to meet you."