The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 143

Suppressing the words she absolutely couldn’t say even just by lip movement without sound, she primly turned away from that hand and scanned the paper once more.

Magnificent. The three names Cassis had written were distinctly different from the letters she had written while practicing. Perhaps it was because he was a king, but there was a stirring emotion she had never felt from the printed text of other books she had looked at hundreds of times.

Does Lord Cassis conduct his work writing letters like this every day?

As Evelyn’s gaze remained fixedly glued to the paper where the ink had just dried, he burst into laughter.

“Evelyn, you know all the letters except for one, don’t you? Just staring at it won’t make you automatically learn what you don’t know.”

“Then…”

As her hand reached toward the thin book she had looked at extensively today, Cassis quickly snatched it away. Having urged her to study and then taking it away, Evelyn met his gaze with bewildered eyes.

“I came back early because I have something to tell you, Evelyn. Among the things I promised you, there was also a spring picnic, wasn’t there?”

“What? Wasn’t that asking too much?!”

Having thoroughly enjoyed the festival, she had completely let go of even her faint desire for a picnic. However, at his words of willingly arranging it, both her cheeks immediately flushed with joy.

Suddenly she thought he was mean.

This much should be enough, I should stop looking and be satisfied, if I get too greedy I’ll end up being completely devoured. Come on, let’s stop here, Evelyn. It was Cassis who stirred up and changed her heart when she tried to become well-behaved like this.

He kept making her expect things. Making her ignore that definition that firmly stated nymphs were beings led and protected by elves. She wasn’t useful in various ways like Nike, nor did she know how to do anything.

But her noble conscience that had been living and breathing in her heart died temporarily as if it had never existed. The moment Cassis reached out his hand first and spoke those words.

“Just tell me whether you want to go or not.”

“I want to go!”

Pleased with her joyful answer, the corners of Cassis’s eyes also curved slightly. He was on his way back from justifying three days of leisurely travel with legitimate procedures and irrefutable logic that no one could object to. Even that difficult senate couldn’t say anything once they heard his words.

—In this situation where many knights of the castle are absent, Your Majesty is saying you will leave the castle for three days?

—Mmm, that’s right. The nymph Evelyn and I will be going.

—Your… Your Majesty?

—I believe that the jasmine tree’s life and death has fallen into a stagnant state. If left as is, it will ultimately breathe its last without overcoming the two-year crisis as previously predicted, but I think we can soon consider preserving its life through other means.

—Oh, Your Majesty. What on earth might that be?

An elder with experience asked with a pleased expression. He was an ardent follower of the previous king who had laid down his crown, falling into self-reproach for being unable to do anything about the nymph extinction crisis. Cassis shook his head, thinking it wasn’t yet time.

—It’s difficult to reveal when the results aren’t certain. And on this trip, I will confirm whether that fragile nymph can endure well even at some distance from her tree. Besides that, I also include the purpose of personally seeing and reporting whether there are any unsettling movements near the grasslands. Wouldn’t this be sufficient reason to make the trip?

—That… those words are.

—Your Majesty?

—The place the nymph and I will visit is near the southern grasslands, not beyond the Vine River, so it’s not that far. If a serious problem arises, we’ll be in an area where spatial teleportation is possible within minutes, so contact us if necessary.

Hearing the unexpected words, the elders looked at each other’s faces.

The young king they newly served had deep schemes and possessed excellent abilities and insight, so anyone who got to know him truly respected him from the heart. Indeed, since he ascended to the throne, his merit was clear just in how he had comforted and encouraged Jupiter’s residents who had lost their nymphs. Even last month, there had been an incident where Brax’s reputation, who had quarreled with him over the crown, plummeted rapidly.

However, regarding the decision to bring the dying nymph, the elders’ opinions were divided more by sorrow than disagreement. When a tree withered, no matter how much effort was made, the nymph’s death was inevitable. But the king now seemed to have an attitude of coldly weighing the nymph’s life and death on scales.

When asked to explain the method he had discovered, he smoothly avoided answering and only replied to contact him if necessary—the atmosphere was quite different from before. But no one tried to blame or mock the king who had changed the policy direction, and their opinions were almost unified. Three days after the king’s return, that nymph might not come back. Even if that happened, it wouldn’t be the king’s responsibility.

The thoroughly mistaken elders nodded without adding unnecessary words.

—Understood, Your Majesty.

—Hmm, it would have been better if at least Lord Iel were here. What a pity.

—Don’t worry about taking Laocon along—prioritize the castle’s stability and discipline. I’ll omit my escort.

Having tied things up this neatly, there was no one left to interfere. Laocon was much more upright and inflexible in official duties than him, so he could clearly picture the residents who craved freedom making sour faces for three days. Recently, he had been wondering if Laocon’s personality had changed since he’d become much more talkative.

Serves you right. Cassis stroked her head with a warm smile.