Chapter 95: 95 Parting.

It’s been a while since the two girls, Iris and Silvia, were aware that the two men were gone from the group.

They shifted their attention sideways, but found no trace of them standing or talking with other groups.

Iris’s brows furrowed together, her ears twitched as she noticed shadows appear from the inside of the castle.

“Jin? And”.

“Father and Lucya, where have you been?”.

Silvia ran past Iris with gusto. She approached Jin and the girl, exchanging small greetings before the unfamiliar girl walked to her side.

Her straight blonde hair bounced every time she hopped closer, Iris gulped in watching those large blue eyes filled with wisdom and a bit of a mischievous side, pressed on her.

The girl stood before her, sweeping her body as if peeling the layer of her clothes.

“Woah, this is my first time meeting an Elves. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lucya Eira”.

Lucya extended her right hand. Iris darted her gaze toward Silvia beside them and grasped her smooth hand that settled perfectly on her palm.

“The pleasure is mine. My name is Irisdina Everleaf”.

“Everleaf? Are you some sort of noble in your homeland?”. Lucya shook their joined hand with brows knitted in ponder.

“Yes, but I have thrown away my right, so if you may, please, just call me Iris”. Iris parted her moist lips, mesmerizing the girl and Silvia beside her.

“Iris, you are too beautiful?”.

Lucya’s sharp remark prompted the silver-haired girl beside her to nod furiously.

As the world knows, Elves who lived close to nature and were said to be the descendants of the Fairy race in legend, possessed an extraordinary appearance that could topple even a country.

Elves had longer lives compared to other races, which lasted thousands or even more. They also possessed an innate ability to master spirit magic.

That was why the Elves who received this many blessings in their lives became arrogant and looked upon other races as nothing but someone below them.

Many other nations that wanted to reach out and create strong bonds with Elves were refused in front of their homeland, and now they had become a reclusive race.

But, of course, not all of them were narrow-minded; there were many Elves who belonged to the category of open-minded, like Iris, who dared to fight the rules and explore the outside world.

“Is that so? Hehe, thank you”. Iris’s ears clapped like wings, painted in deep red. “But, in my eyes, Lucya is beautiful too, along with Silvia over here”.

Lucya struck a pose with both thumbs and index fingers, placing them under her chin.

“Well, well, to think that an Elves would compliment my looks. As I thought I’m beautiful”.

“Fufu, you still haven’t changed, Lucya”. Silvia giggled and cast her soft gaze toward the two of them, who etched a deep impression in her life.

She joined the fray, and the three unchained girls. They created a bustling atmosphere with their nonstop chirping, making Jin and Duke from the side, could only offer a bitter smile in response.

“Jin, where have you been?”.

Marina’s soft voice broke the awkward tension surrounding the men, as they looked toward the source and found that both mothers had approached.

“Nothing, I just have some matters to deal with”.

Jin shook his head, making his mother’s brows furrow in a tight frown.

“Hmm, playing secret are we?”.

The boy flung his head sideways in panic; he never intended that a few comments would light a fire in his mother’s heart.

“No, mother, it’s just we couldn’t openly reveal the content, so”. Jin looked to the side, watching the old man Sullivan avert his gaze to the side, and he pointed at him. “You can ask the Duke for more details”.

“Hm!?”.

The Duke twisted his neck to the source and found the boy’s pleading gaze. He alternated his gaze toward the boy and the Viscountess, then exhaled. ’Well, I brought the boy into this. ’

“I will tell you later, more importantly,” Sullivan glanced at Jin and said. “Hurry to the Airship, it’s about time to be launched”.

“It seemed so”.

Jin turned to the floating airship that was as big as a whale. He noticed there were no other kids besides them who were still loitering around with their parents.

“Mother, I’m going”. He stepped toward his mother and wrapped his hands around her back.

Marina nodded and hugged the boy’s robust waist, and said. “We will attend the Entrance Ceremony, so behave yourself and don’t go around causing trouble”.

The woman reluctantly separated the warmth in her body and traced the boy’s cheek, noticing that his face had become more developed and sharper, like his father’s.

“Go, don’t forget to send us some letters if you have time”.

Seeing the boy nod and slowly detach from her embrace tightened her heart, but at the same time, another emotion swelled in her chest.

Marina felt a tinge of sorrow clouded her expression, but also an overflowing joy emerged, watching her son’s growth to become such a figure.

She felt proud of herself for raising him to such an extent. His back could handle a heavy burden on his own, reassuring her heart that he would be fine now. ’Go, Jin, explore the world and walk your own path’.

“Um, Lady Marina”.

A sheepish voice broke the woman from her daze. Marina turned to the source and saw the Elven girl clasping her palms together with a lowered gaze.

“What is it?”.

Marina’s voice was calm, yet it turned the Elven girl into a statue, rigidly lifted her gaze before snapping into a deep bow.

“Thank you for everything, and for letting Nina become a part of your house. I… I,”. Iris’ voice became tearful with shoulders trembling and tears fell on the ground.

“Stand up, Irisdina”.

The Elven girl stiffened at first, but gradually straightened her posture, before suddenly Marina approached, closed and coiled her hands on the girl’s back.

“L-Lady Marina?”.

Iris’ eyes widened in shock, feeling the warmth of someone older. The figure she had always yearned for, ever since she left her hometown. ’Mother!?’.

“You did well enough, Irisdina”. Marina’s soft voice, followed by a gentle caress on Iris’s back, calms the girl’s trembling body.

“Well done for raising Nina on yourself, for I know how hard it is to raise a child myself, so”.

Marina released Iris in her embrace and wiped the tears that streamed down the girl’s cheek.

“Leave, Nina, to me. We will take care of her like our own daughter in the house, and in exchange, take care of my son, please, Iris”.

The girl’s eyes shook, barely holding a sob with tears that started to wet her cheeks. Marina loosened her facial muscles and exhaled in relief.

For how long, she wanted to convey that to the girl who always struggled herself. But because of how awkward Marina was toward strangers, she couldn’t strike the first conversation before the other did, and the result was.

After crying for a minute, Iris wiped the tears from her eyes and looked toward Marina with a smile blooming on her face.

“I’m going, Mother”.

“Hmph, you are too early to call me that”.

Marina playfully smirked and pinched the girl’s cheek, letting it stretch and saw her walk toward Jin.

“Lady Marina”.

Two voices overlapped each other, making the woman turn to the source and find Silvia and Lucya together.

“Lady Silvia, and Lady Lucya, take care of yourselves”.

Marina blinked as she noticed the two of them fidgeting for some reason. Lady Silvia, with her lips curled and hopeful expression, opened her mouth.

“Um, Lady Marina, you don’t have to use honorifics with me. Just call me Silvia, please”.

“Very well, Silvia. Is that enough?”.

“Um, thank you”. Silvia nodded and wanted to say something else, but noticed her mother gave him a stinging grin that irked her. “I will be going, and don’t worry about Jin. I will definitely protect him if anything happens”.

“Um, I am counting on you, Silvia”.

The silver-haired girl darted toward Jin and Iris who waited at a long distance, leaving the princess alone, who alternated her gazes back and forth.

“Um, Lady Lucya, is there something you want to ask me?”.

Lucya flinched, but soon faked a cough to regain her composure. “Lady Marina, can you please shake my hand?”.

Marina raised her brows and watched the girl extend her right hand, her shoulders trembling.

“Sure”.

She held the girl’s delicate palm, shaking it several times, but when she planned to retrieve it, the girl refused to let go.

“Um, Lady Lucya?”. Marina noticed the girl’s eyes were lowered while gasping for breath. “Can you release my hand?”.

“Actually, I’m your big fan, Lady Crimson Witch”.

As the sudden nicknames that had been thrown at her face, Marina’s expression hardened at the cringeworthy names that rang in her ears, burning her cheek hot in shame.

“I-Is that so?”. Marina forced the word out from her throat, feeling a bit embarrassed and happy at the same time. ’To think a princess of a nation would idolize me’.

“Um, thank you for granting my wish. I hope we can meet again later”.

The princess shook their interlocking hands and slightly bowed her head, then dashed away toward the group, who were pretty far away, screaming. “Wait for me!”.

Marina stood still, her gaze lingered on the shadows of the children who left their nest and her hand. She chuckled while muttering. “Have fun, guys”.

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