Chapter 301: “We’re Like Brothers.”
Shien was indeed cursed.
And it's an unknown curse at that.
The evidence is the mark on his hand. It didn't disappear even after several days have passed.
This really did make Shien a bit scared.
"isn't it just a kiss? It's not like you didn't agree to it yourself, right? Why else did you close your eyes first?"
Shien felt like he was the innocent party here.
He did feel great at the time. After all, it was his first time taking the absolute initiative. Not at all like the previous two times where he was the one being forcefully kissed. Yet, if the cost of a moment of joy is actually that huge, then Shien really does want to back step now.
As for relying on his resistance skills and just ignoring it, that's completely impossible for him.
Who knows if resistance skills will actually work on it?
If it does work, then why did it not have any effect at all when he was being bitten?
Shien strongly suspect that the princess in question has certain abilities to nullify resistance skills.
Thus, during the next few days, Shien constantly tried to get some information out of Lucy without making it seem like that's what he's doing. Unfortunately, he failed every time.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
The princess just pretended to be innocent, making Shien grind his teeth hatefully.
Of course, what Shien doesn't know is that Lucy was also grinding her teeth even more hatefully at him.
The reason for that is because the day after the kiss, Lucy asked him something without showing a hint of what she's thinking.
"So what are we to each other right now?"
The meaning behind those words were unbelievably obvious.
At the very least, Shien could feel that if he just put a bit more effort into it, then it shouldn't be hard for him to completely push the princess down.
Only, if he really did push the princess down, then Shien feels like he's definitely going to end up directly engaged and forced to marry that girl.
That's how love among royalty is. Everything directly progresses to marriage from the very start. There's no word at all about dating or anything. It just progresses directly to marriage. Otherwise, they'll have to break up. There's no other possibility aside from that.
Shien really doesn't want to directly progress into marriage negotiations.
At the very least not yet.
Otherwise, he'll end up completely entrapped by this Kingdom and be forced to willingly work himself to death for them.
Thus, Shien gave a strange response.
"We're like brothers."
That day, Shien was beaten up by Lucy.
This is what "No do, no die" means.
Lucy held a grudge in her heart for that. That's something completely normal.
Thus, Shien was unable to get any answer the entire time and was forced to give up in the end.
"I refuse to believe that you'd curse me dead."
With such a thought, Shien just set this matter aside.
Although it's supposed to have been set aside, Shien's own feelings toward Lucy has definitely changed.
Naturally, Lucy is also unable to consider Shien the same way as before.
That kiss created a change in the two's relationship.
Even if neither brought the matter up, some things don't need to be said for everyone to understand.
Thus, afterwards, Shien felt like the times when he's consciously and unconsciously looking at Lucy had obviously increased. Lucy too would similarly finish her work ahead of time as if by unspoken agreement so as to purposefully clear out time to stay with Shien for two or three hours.
However, the way the two act together didn't change at all. Just like with before, sometimes they'd quarrel, sometimes they'd complain to each other, sometimes they'd chat and laugh, and sometimes they'd act awkwardly like they're little kids. They continued acting like they always have.
The only change is probably that the two started acting even more daring and unrestrained with each other?
For example, previously, Shien's teasing previously was restrained to just words, but now he dares to get hands on with her. As for Lucy, her own acts of pulling, dragging, grabbing, or hugging Shien became far more frequent like she no longer held back anymore.
If any outsider were to see this scene, then their eyes would definitely fall out of their sockets in shock.
For one, they really are acting too much like close lovers.
For two, for the Treasure of the Kingdom to act so defenseless toward someone of the opposite gender is something that would shock the entire world.
With all that going on, it's not like nothing else was happening.
For example, Shien had already sent Lasha off to deal with the residence. He was certain that on the day of the ennobling, he'll have a magnificent banquet waiting for him.
For the sake of the banquet, Shien had handed a full thousand gold to Lasha, telling her to make it as big and magnificent as she can.
It can't be helped.
"No matter what, it's the house that the princess gave me, so I can't let the banquet be too poor looking."
If it's too poor looking, then the ones to lose face wouldn't just be Shien and Lucy, but also the royal family.
After all, this residence was originally the side residence of the founding Hero Mitra. It has a direct relationship with the royal family.
If anything unworthy appeared there, then the royal family would definitely feel shamed.
It's even to the point where they can't let too few people come to the banquet, or for those people to have too low statuses.
Those are all possible issues that could bring shame to the residence and the royal family. It's not something that can be allowed.
As a result, Shien himself was forced to write up a number of invitations out to invite a number of highly placed nobles to join the banquet.
"Shit. Why do I feel like things have just gotten more and more complicated?"
Shien really wanted to slam his head into the wall.
"As I thought. A princess's lips aren't something so easily tasted."
But what else can he do?
He just had to give it his all then!
Thankfully, it's not like Shien doesn't have anyone to invite within the Capital.
"First of all, I definitely have to invite Mister Megis. Although he's an honorary marquis and among the top of the Kingdom's administrative nobles, and thus most normal viscounts wouldn't even have the right to try to invite him. That said, Mister Megis would definitely accept my invitation."
"And if Mister Megis is willing to accept my invitation, all the noble vassal families of the Latrard family will also accept, so I'll sent them all an invitation as well."
"Besides that, I should also invite everyone who was on my side during the audience."
"Alright, that's what I'll do then."
After finalizing his plans, Shien discovered that he really did have a lot of people to invite. They aren't lacking in status or authority either.
This basically counts as Shien's connections in the Capital.
The invitations that Shien sent out had also ended up in the hands of the intended recipients without any issues.
"I'll definitely personally come when it's time."
Megis easily made such a promise.
The rest of the people invited were the same. Each and every one of them gave Shien a great deal of face.
This let Shien finally know that he didn't just have enemies in the Capital.
Although some of them were just banking on his future potential. They knew that Shien had a bright path ahead of him, and so they want to establish connections, and that's why they so easily agreed to show up. Shien doesn't mind that however.
It's just forming connections. Shien wouldn't mind that much.
If they really want to deepen those connections though, that would require further considerations then.
Just like that, the matters on Shien's side progressed very smoothly. There were practically no issues at all.
On the other hand, the fact that Shein was planing on living in Mitra's resistance obviously made huge waves with the outside world.
"Why!?"
"A mere viscount is actually moving into the center of the noble district?"
"Does he plan on looking down on all high class nobles?"
"No! This cannot be allowed!"
Those nobles who disliked Shien from the start finally lit up in rage.
It's a matter that affected their own status and prestige. Never mind the fact that the person in question was someone that they disliked from the start, even if it was someone they liked, those nobles would flip their lids without hesitation after learning that someone climbed over everyone's head "without any humility" like that.
However, just as they were about to make make problems, a piece of news arrived.
It was an announcement from Lucy.
"It's my gift to Shien for his ennobling. You may come find me if you have any issues with that."
That single statement made a vast number of nobles lose their voices.
It's not that they're not angry, but that they don't dare to speak even if they're angry.
If the person in question was anyone else, even if it's the King himself, they would still dare to petition him and beg him to rethink things.
But with the person in question being Lucy, they had no idea what to do.
Lucy might not be the king, but her authority is even heavier than that of the King within the Kingdom.
"Shien is someone that I personally recognizes. He achieved two great merits while at such a young age, and even has the capabilities to tame the black dragon of Ataru. Does everyone really think such a gift is too much for such a talented individual?"
It doesn't matter if the nobles were willing to accept those words that Lucy tossed out, given that the citizenry accepted it.
"Since it's someone that her highness considers important, then that's not too much after all."
"Besides, he really did achieve a great deal despite being so young, so He's indeed worthy of her highness's consideration."
"Compared to those nobles who just knows to intrigue and quarrel every day, that adventurer named Shien instead got so far on his own strength. It's only natural that he's worthy of such treatment, right?"
"That's right."
The citizenry had slowly accepted this point despite their surprise.
All the nobles who understood all this seriously wanted to loudly tell them something though.
"Do you not know that the person that you're supporting now may very well steal her highness away?"
"Consideration? Of course she has high consideration for him! He's the only one that her highness is favoring here!"
"Do you not know how close they are normally?"
"They even stay in the same room all day by themselves. And every single stay ends up going the entire day!"
"Your beloved princess is on the verge of being stolen here, and yet you're still supporting him? You foolish peasants!"
Those nobles were mad enough to spit blood.
However, they really do not dare to recklessly say such things.
If they did, then the Capital may definitely end up experiencing a riot.
When that happens, as one of the parties who provoked it, they won't be able to carry the weight of such a thing.
In the end, those nobles could only swallow their bitterness while secretly planning to show Shien what for in order to get him to withdraw from that residence.
There were even a portion of them who planned on sending some people to go and make trouble in order to force Shien out.
They had no idea what kind of hell awaited them though.
That's because…
"Roar-!!!"
Following a draconic roar that rang out through the entire noble district, a pitch black dragon excitedly flew into the extremely large residence.
"Yulin!"
Shien stood in the garden and waved at Yulin, who was up in the sky.
"Roar!"
Yulin excitedly roared out again like she was venting her frustration from being trapped in the northern district's stables during all this time. She then charged into the grounds, flapped her wings, and descended while creating great gusts of wind.
"Haha!"
Shien hugged Yulin's head, which impatiently nuzzled him. As he loudly laughed, he also pushed wave after waves of magic power into Yulin's body.
Yulin's comfortable and excited roars rang out over and over, not stopping for some time.
Airi then leaped down from up on Yulin's back.
"So this is where you'll be staying from now on huh?"
The little girl scanned that residence while hugging her pillow before nodding in satisfaction.
Hn. Not bad. It can nearly match up to her own home, so it's quite suitable for her to stay in.
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