"Why that reaction..."
Complaining about Ileina's slightly excessive reaction with a somewhat lacking confidence, Elashia said quietly:
"I... am the Empress of Elasia... isn't it normal for knights to protect the empress?"
"..."
This time it was Ileina's turn to stare at Elashia without speaking.
"Uh..."
Feeling a bit unsettled by Ileina's stare, Elashia scratched her head.
"Anyway... don't worry... the only person I've truly confirmed a mutual relationship with is you... there's no one else besides you..."
After hearing Elashia's unconvincing explanation, Ileina still asked Elashia alertly:
"So... exactly how many people have... those kinds of feelings for you..."
"Well... there shouldn't be many..."
Elashia scratched her pink-haired little head and turned her head away somewhat embarrassedly.
"The consul you mentioned before who was betrayed by the people, and that great mage who was persecuted by the old Elasian government, that knight lady who swore to protect you for life, and also..."
"Stop, stop..."
Elashia buried her little head beside Ileina like a little ostrich.
"They... are all pillars of Elasia... they don't have such a deep relationship with me..."
And looking at Elashia, whose small face had turned completely red and was buried against her, not daring to lift her head, Ileina suddenly smiled.
Little Shia... she's just that kind of person...
She never thought about whether others were unfair to her, her heart was always full of giving and care, and facing someone like her, she would even think there was something wrong with herself...
Ileina was very clear that Elashia was absolutely not a casual person.
Ileina also knew—faced with Elashia's cute and delicate appearance and kind, gentle heart, no one would remain unmoved.
How could she, Ileina, blame Elashia for this?
"Alright..."
Nuzzling Elashia's forehead that was buried beside her with her small face, Ileina's tone was as gentle as if treating a fragile item.
"I was just joking with you..."
"When I left you when you needed me so much, how could I complain about others falling for Little Shia's charm?"
"I know very well... no one could dislike Little Shia."
"Little Shia, you're so beautiful, and so gentle and kind, the most adorable existence inside and out... and you're also the Empress of Elasia, with power and influence while being so beloved by the Elasian people..."
"You're even the princess of humanity's strongest nation, the future core of the human alliance..."
"There's absolutely no one in this world who wouldn't like you..."
"Master told me everything you did in Elasia before..."
"Under your management and influence, Elasia, which was full of internal conflicts, stabilized in less than a year..."
"Especially during your goblin incident... do you know? At that time, Master was actually watching the scene of the Elasian army defending Radiant Emperor City from a small mountain in the distance..."
"After discovering that the Elasian royal family's reputation among the people had reversed, she went alone to Radiant Emperor City, wanting to see what this wise and kind Empress was like..."
"Then..."
Ileina smiled at Elashia:
"She was captured by your knights when she returned."
"According to Master, because the government's credibility in Elasia improved to historically rare heights in an extremely short time under your efforts, those rangers who had fought alongside her for so many years almost instantly betrayed her, and even worked with your knights to trap Master..."
"Well..."
Hearing Ileina suddenly bring this up, Elashia smiled somewhat awkwardly.
This was all Aelia and Cecilia's fault, she, Elashia, wouldn't take the blame!
"So... how could I be jealous?"
Ileina looked at Elashia gently.
"I left you when you needed me most, I don't have the right to make such demands of you in the first place..."
"And also..."
Ileina's smile became somewhat mischievous.
"If I got jealous over such a small thing, I'd be soured to death..."
In Ileina's understanding, there were only two types of people in this world—those who liked Elashia and those who didn't know Elashia.
If she got jealous just because others liked Elashia, she'd have to be enemies with all of Elasia...
She, who had left when Elashia needed her most, was now a special existence to Elashia—wasn't that enough for Ileina?
She had already hit the jackpot...
In Ileina's heart, even if Elashia wanted to kill her for revenge after meeting her again, she wouldn't be too surprised...
"Shia... I know, besides me, there must be countless beings in this world who love you..."
"If I wanted those people's feelings to go completely without any response... that would be too unfair to them..."
"And... Shia, I know... you are the bond for all humanity against the future Undead Calamity."
"You are the Empress of Elasia, the princess of the Iron Empire, and also my beloved... if I wanted you to have only me in your heart, that would be absolutely impossible..."
"So... I'm already very satisfied with this..."
"To you, I must be a very special existence..."
"This is already very good..."
"Lena..."
Hearing such words from Ileina, Elashia's small face became even redder.
She really didn't expect Ileina to think this way...
She thought Ileina was going to criticize her harshly...
But objectively speaking, she, Elashia, really hadn't done anything inappropriate...
Even if there had been a little ambiguity before, it was just as an empress comforting and interacting with her subordinates... right?
"Thank you, Lena."
Not daring to look at her, Elashia still buried her head deeply beside Ileina.
"Actually... you can ask me for more..."
"What?"
Hearing Elashia's words, Ileina was stunned.
"That is... not just limited to kissing... you can ask me for more..."
"Not just... limited to kissing?"
Ileina's breathing became rapid again from Elashia's meaningful words...
Not just limited to kissing... wasn't the meaning behind these words clear enough...
"Then... I... can I do those things I want... want to do now?"
Ileina's speech was more stuttered than ever before.
"Mm."
Elashia sat up, then lay down on the bed.
"Do what you want to do."
"I..."
Ileina stood up.
She knew—opportunity doesn't wait!
However... just as Ileina was about to act, the door of the Holy Princess Palace was knocked...
"Princess Ileina, I have matters to report."