Arifureta After III Tortus Travel Journal ④
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AN: The Tortus Travel Journal at the last episode
- Hellina looked like she was going to become the demon king’s possession
- Randell was sunk down in a flash by Shirasaki mother and daughter, but he showed his guts.
- Liliana was a black-hearted superior. The knight commander too looked like she would become the demon king’s possession.
- Hellina came to inform that Queen Luluaria’s preparation was finished <- We are here right now
The place Hellina led Hajime and others at was a small garden in the palace.
There was no various flowers blooming profusely or trees that were artistically pruned like the previous garden. It also had no size that was ideal for small children to play hide-and-seek.
However, it was a garden that was vaguely giving a gentle atmosphere that blew refreshing cool breeze that calmed down the heart that was continuously blazing with zeal for the country’s restoration.
Hajime and others sat surrounding pure white long table that was placed in the middle of such garden. A bright voice that invited jovialness was resounding with tea and sweets in front of them.
「My, Sumire-sama. If you speak more than that, Hajime-done won’t be able to recover anymore.」
The one who was elegantly speaking with a pleasant, high-pitched sound while placing her hand in front of her mouth was Liliana in ten more years……it was a beautiful woman who could be mistaken like that.
Luluaria S B Heiligh――she was Liliana’s mother and the current queen dowager of this Heiligh Kingdom.
This year she would become 34 years old, but her figure sitting side by side with Liliana at the head of the long table looked like they were sisters. She was clad in gentle and kind atmosphere that was similar with Liliana.
Although, unlike Liliana, perhaps because she was a queen she was overflowing with grace and dignity that ought to be expressed as the lady among lady.
With the death of the king of the kingdom, her husband Eliheid, the destruction of the capital, and then the matters related to the reconstruction, her heart and body were exhausted from all the hectic situations. She looked thinner compared to before, that was why she was really looking forward to the future of her daughter Liliana.
「What are you saying Luluaria-sama. My son will be your son-in-law, so there are a lot more things that I want you to know about――」
「Kaa-san, just be silent already.」
Hajime’s entreating voice interrupted the words of Sumire who was going to continue talking gleefully.
Sumire sent him a dissatisfied looking gaze that said 「Even though it will be the good place from now」. Ahead of her gaze there was the figure of Hajime lying face down on the table with an atmosphere like he was wounded all over for some reason.
「Even if there are things that her majesty the queen should know about, it’s not my black history by all means.」
Yes, after they finished with self-introduction and idle talk, Luluaria asked about how Hajime was at his home. Since then until now Sumire kept talking about Hajime’s black history――how he tried to fire Kame○meha at the garden while yelling in high spirit when he was a child, how he was feeling that he was being targeted by a mysterious organization when he was in elementary school, how he wouldn’t stop playing game until he collapsed forward while sitting down when he was in middle and high school.
In the middle Hajime tried to intercept, but Shuu intercepted the intercept. Furthermore the wive~s who were eager to know about Hajime in the past no matter what it was about blocked Hajime using all the skill that they had, so in the end Sumire kept talking until Hajime’s soul was slipping out from his mouth.
Like that, seeing the maids who were desperately holding back their laughter and Hajime who looked like his soul was going to leave his body because of the demon king’s unexpectedly, cute (she wouldn’t say it was painful no matter what) past that they heard from his mother, Luluaria finally extended a helping hand for Hajime.
Luluaria nonchalantly changed the topic even while smiling joyfully. The demon king-sama sent her a grateful gaze as though he was looking at messiah!
「Nevertheless, it’s a relief to know that Sumire-sama and Shuu-sama are kind people. Everyone else are also good people that surpassed my imagination. Now I don’t have any doubt about the happiness of my daughter’s future.」
「Oh no, that’s really exaggerating……not!」
「Ha-ha-ha-, I’ll warmly welcome a good child like Lily-chan!」
Sumire-mama and Shuu-papa weren’t timid at all even when it was a queen they were talking to.
Even though Tomoichi and the others shrunk back timidly from the overflowing grace and dignity of the queen when she introduced herself, these two were the only one whose eyes brightened right from the start.
An encounter! With the seriously real queen of another world! Thank you lord, thank you!
That was how they were acting. It went without saying that the expression of Luluaria was slightly convulsing seeing that.
Tomoichi opened his mouth a bit reservedly.
「About that……your majesty, you don’t feel any dissatisfaction or anything that your daughter‘s partner has relationship with other women?」
「Wait, dear」
Kaoruko elbowed her husband chidingly. Kaori was looking at her father with her eye pupils contracting into a dot. Tomoichi-san was trickling out sweats like waterfall.
Luluaria perceived the feeling of a father from such Tomoichi and she answered while making a small smile.
「From the beginning, people with high social status are often surrounded with mistress or lover, and when it come to royalty and nobility, it’s something natural to accept mistress. My husband――Eliheid didn’t have a concubine was a rare case.」
「Ugh……I see, certainly there is an image that royalty and nobility are like that.」
Tomoichi nodded with a bitter expression. It was hard for him to accept. Even though he was thinking that perhaps he could increase his ally with Luluaria, something like ‘How can my daughter not be the first wife when she is a princess!’……. It was completely obvious that he was thinking such thing.
Hannya-san stand b~y. A strange aura was rising from Kaori who was staring with her pupils contracting into dot.
The smile of Luluaria who was sensing the habitual quarrel of father and daughter was deepening further, and then she gently caressed the head of Liliana who was sitting beside her.
「Originally, this child has no freedom to marry based on love. A marriage that isn’t useful to the country’s interest is against the duty as royalty. Such thing cannot be recognized no matter what.」
It was a sense of value that wouldn’t be found in the modern age Japan. Tomichi and others unconsciously held their breath hearing Luluaria who was sternly asserting that without dressing it up.
「But, fortunately my daughter fall in love with “the godslaying demon king”, and that feeling is accepted. The love and country interest coexist in this case, and not just that it’s a peerlessly good opportunity that cannot be matched by any other. Even if she doesn’t become the first wife, there is no reason to object at all. That is just how great an existence Hajime-dono is for this world.」
Hajime who was the godslaying demon king and the savior of the world in the common recognition of Tortus’s people had the standing that was above the royalty of any country. Therefore, even if a princess only became his concubine or even just a mistress, that would be an unequalled honor and fortune……that was the thinking of the people in this world.
Putting aside Tomoichi who was making a difficult expression, Luluaria continued 「Besides……」.
「This child went through a lot of hardships because of my worthlessness. As a mother, I want her to go to the side of a gentleman that she love without being concerned of something like the country’s interest.」
「O, Okaa-sama isn’t worthless. I have never thought that I went through hardships!」
Luluaria looked apologetic from the bottom of her heart. Liliana gripped her hand tightly while responding with words of denial.
Certainly, it was Liliana who was publicly grasping the popularity and the heart of the people. It was also Liliana who was managing the diplomacy with the empire.
However, it was Luluaria who brought together the nobles after the king and top authorities died and the kingdom fell into chaos. She was also shouldering the majority of the burden regarding government affairs. Although Liliana acted as the substitute of the king, but until now it was Luluaria who was playing the role of the unsung hero.
Luluaria directed a loving expression toward her daughter who was vehemently arguing against her while asserting that because of such reason she had no complaint even if Liliana wouldn’t become Hajime’s first wife.
「Besides, this child is saying things like this but, it’s a fact that she is burdened with many things. Perhaps because of her strict upbringing, she become someone who completely prioritized duty above all things……even if she actually entered a political marriage, I’m worried that if it’s this child she will keep work and work and won’t be able to build a good marriage life.」
Liliana looked at Luluaria with a shocked gaze.
At the same time, the figure of the knight commander who they met just now crossed the mind of Hajime and others. The knight commander Kuzeri who was like a pitiful office lady who was cornered both in body and mind by a black company.

