Queen Viola will take care of King Ray. Flos immediately goes into hiding to prepare the ointment for Queen Viola's bruise on her neck. With King Ray by Queen Viola's side, Scale and Rhythm choose to go with Flos. Doctor Aver is curious about how Flos will prepare the ointment, so he chooses to follow Flos too.
Flos has plenty of time to make the ointment after getting her item box, but she truly has forgotten about this task afterwards. Her mistake, she will rectify it now.
"It is not Flos's fault," Scale really thinks so, "None of us remembered to remind you about the ointment,"
Flos is sure she had thought about the mark on Queen Viola's neck before, but she did not remember making the ointment when they were making the sachets. Anyway, Flos will quickly prepare the ointment as soon as possible for Queen Viola!
"Only when Flos knows she is in the wrong that she will be motivated like this," Rhythm just has to comment on this energetic childhood friend of his
Seeing Flos moving around working on the ointment, without being able to help because he doesn't know the steps and Flos has no time to instruct him, Scale smiles, "After hard work, Flos should rest well,"
Rhythm squints his eyes at Scale in disapproval, "You are really spoiling her,"
"I don't spoil her that much," is what Scale thinks. To this extent, it really is not much.
Rhythm shakes his head, unable to believe this man in front of him. This is not much, he says. But it is already more than what Flos deserves. Instead of spoiling Flos to stay as a layman, isn't it better for Scale to encourage Flos to study well?
This is a set-up by Rhythm for Scale, Flos will say if she knows about her childhood friend's thoughts. Because Rhythm knows Flos does not want to study, he plans to encourage Scale to push her to study. Isn't it the same as Rhythm encouraging Scale to brave into Flos's minefield?
Maybe Rhythm does not have bad intentions, but he will surely be punished again by Flos plus his family members for his indiscretion in breaking up this pair again. Rhythm has already done that once, and it seems like he hasn't learned his lesson.
Fortunately for Rhythm, Scale is more interested in discussing with Doctor Aver what Flos is doing instead of continuing to talk to him. If Rhythm really makes his thoughts known by everyone, for sure, Flos will keep Rhythm inside Picky Eater's mouth as the next stage punishment.
After finishing the ointment, Flos finally feels relieved. Now, she has the time to pay attention to other matters. Putting everything down, Flos runs off, leaving behind the words, "Bathroom break!"
Because they have used the bathroom in the morning, Flos knows where the bathroom is now. After using the bathroom, Flos leisurely walks back to the room where others are waiting for her. Looking around, Flos can see the maids and butlers are back to their original job, since the heavy rain day has passed and the sunlight has never felt so warm on the skin.
Fortunately, Queen Viola survives.
"Miss Flos! Please wait!"
Midway, Flos sees Blue chasing her in a hurry. Flos stops walking to wait for the arrival of the Queen's Knight who is still in full body armour. Once Blue catches up with Flos, he asks, "Do you know where Mister Scale is, Miss Flos?"
"I know," Flos nods and resumes walking, followed by Blue, "The King looks for him?"
"Yes," Blue nods, pausing briefly before explaining the task, "His Majesty asks for Mister Scale to...work,"
Flos can't tell whether she approves or disapproves of King Ray's arrangement for Scale. Work sure needs to be done, but can't the King let Scale rests 1st? Although Flos is well-aware that Scale can persist in working without rest because of his power.
In any case, Flos leads Blue to the room where others are waiting, letting Blue conveys King Ray's instructions to the intended person and hands over the box of ointment to Scale, to be given to Queen Viola.
Scale accepts this task from Flos and also the task from King Ray. Leaving the words with Average, "Take them back to my house and let them choose the rooms themselves," Scale then waves at Flos and Rhythm, with a parting sentence, "Get some more sleep and eat well," as he leaves to attend on some works
Flos put a hand on her hip, watching Scale leaves with Blue whilst muttering, "Telling us to eat while skipping breakfast himself?"
"Scale tends to be too busy to have proper meals," Average also disapprove of this lifestyle of Scale's, but he can't do anything on this matter since it's about work, for the Kingdom
Rhythm releases a yawn, utterly unconcerned, "We will do as he says: sleep and then eat. You can send him lunch later anyway, Flos,"
"I will do that," Flos frowns for a bit, before clearing the expression on her face
Average waits until Flos finishes tidying up the desk and her item box to suggest, "Shall we go to Scale's house now?"
"Let's gooo!" Rhythm answers enthusiastically with Flos agreeing through a nod
~~~
Once Scale meets up with the King and the Queen, who is sitting on the sofa in the guest room they used to sleep together last night, Blue heads off to attend to other work. Scale 1st greets the Royals before handing over the box of ointment from Flos to Queen Viola whilst giving King Ray the piece of paper he worked on last night.
Opening the folded paper, King Ray sees the symbols and frowns, asking his aide, "What's this?"
"Your Majesty, this is what I stitched from the marks on the dog tags," Scale reminds the King of the dog tag found from the variant beast reported by Blue, the Queen's Knight who escorted Flos and Rhythm. Scale also makes clear the source, "From the variant beasts invading the Castle yesterday,"
"That's why you dissected their corpses," King Ray rolls his eyes once he understands why his aides did something unusual yesterday, which scarred some of his and his beloved Knights
"We usually just disposed of the corpses without knowing there's something in there," Scale explains his reason for dissecting the corpses, "I didn't know where to find the dog tags in the corpses, so I had to cut the bodies apart to find the dog tags," with a sigh, Scale mutters bitterly, "The dog tags weren't in the same place for each variant beasts either,"
King Ray passes the paper for Queen Viola to see as he asks Scale, "You're interested in that young woman from the countryside?" out of the blue
Although caught off guard, Scale still replies honestly, "Yes. I have already invited Miss Flos out on a date, with the plan to ask her to be my girlfriend,"
King Ray hears Scale's words and does not respond much. Just a hum of acknowledgement. Scale is somewhat confused about why King Ray would bring it up, but he still informs the King, "Your Majesty, Duke Lanchester came to find Her Majesty yesterday,"
"I know," King Ray nods, casually leaning his body on Queen Viola, "I allowed him to come,"
Queen Viola glances at her Husband, but keeps quiet. Scale continues then, "Duke Lanchester said Miss Flos is similar to a certain Royalty from the Kingdom of Star,"
"Did he really say that?" King Ray raises an eyebrow in surprise. King Ray has seen the Royalties from other Kingdoms before, but he did not see someone who is similar to Flos. Perhaps, because by the time King Ray met them, that person was already gone?
Scale nods, answering King Ray's question, "Miss Flos seems to be similar-looking to the late 2nd Prince from the Kingdom of Star,"
That's a person King Ray had not met before, so it isn't surprising for him to not realise who Flos looks like. As for why Flos, possibly a Royalty from the Kingdom of Star, is here, in his Kingdom of Sun as a villager girl, King Ray does bother to find the truth about her identity.
What King Ray cares about is: "Will you leave with her if she is from the Kingdom of Star?"
Scale smiles, "Naturally, I will follow Miss Flos," but it's not like Flos is fond of the thought of being Royalty. He has asked and she has responded so.
"Even though you 2 may not be together?" King Ray feels Scale is being reckless
"I know this is too soon to say," Scale disregards King Ray's pessimism about his relationship with Flos, "But I hope I can be with Miss Flos for a long time,"
Not forever. Not in life and death. Just for a long time, Scale hopes they won't ever be bored with each other.
Staring at Scale, King Ray asks a critical question, "Has she agreed with you?"
Scale just smiles, no longer replying.
"You're unexpectedly interested in their relationship?" Queen Viola remarks lightly as she folds the paper again
"Yeah," King Ray slumps his body, leaving most of his weight on Queen Viola, "I want to find a handle on that villager girl,"
Scale raises his eyebrows in surprise, "Your Majesty plans to use me to blackmail Miss Flos?"
"Vice versa," King Ray has no qualm in using Flos to blackmail Scale too, "What're you gonna do about it?"
King Ray is getting sleepy. He doesn't bother to wait for Scale's response as he drifts off to sleep. Scale too, doesn't bother to respond. After all, King Ray wants him to take over the throne, which Scale has declined politely after he found out about it some time ago.
Just to spite his family, King Ray will make a person not of their bloodline be the next King who rules this Kingdom of Sun. And the person chosen as King Ray's heir is Scale, an orphan who is good at running the Kingdom.
Scale can't help but sigh. It's not like he is wholly uninterested in King Ray's offer. It's just... Too much work on his already high-pressured workloads. Plus, now that Scale wants to be with Flos, and Flos doesn't want to stay in the Capital or be a Royal, Scale's interest in the throne is diminishing fast.
If King Ray holds Flos accountable for Scale's rejection of the throne, wouldn't things become much more troublesome?
Scale trails his eyes to look at the Queen, seeking help. Queen Viola receives Scale's hint and nods, whispering so as to not disturb the sleeping King, "I will ask Ray to find another heir,"
Although Queen Viola thinks Scale is suitable as a new King of this Kingdom, since the young man does not desire the throne, then they should not impose this role on the young man.
A little relieved, Scale retrieves himself from the room, leaving the married couple alone.
The tranquillity in the world of 2 people is then pitched by a sentence from the King, mumbled in his sleep, "It's such a shame to let him leave with that woman,"
Queen Viola changes King Ray's position so that he can lie down comfortably with his head on her lap. Running her hand through his hair, seeing the tired state of King Ray who is still damp and dirty, Queen Viola murmurs, "We should not do something that will cause the separation of lovers, when it is uncalled for,"
"Thy ain't lo'ers ye," burying his face on Queen Viola, King Ray's voice comes out muffled
"Just because they haven't officially confirmed the relationship, it doesn't mean you still have the chance to break them apart," Queen Viola knocks on her Husband's head to knock some sense into his head, "You don't want Scale to detest you, do you?"
If Scale comes to detest King Ray, then the work that he has given to Scale will have to be done by King Ray himself. Of course, he doesn't want that. Still, to do nothing but let Scale and Flos be happy together? King Ray is reluctant to be so nice.
What? Can't King Ray add some little trials to strengthen their feelings for each other?
Hey, isn't that a brilliant idea? As expected of himself, King Ray's high intelligence is indisputable.