Avalon's Dungeon

It was a big deal.

Come to think of it, there was no reason why the king of the country would not come to a festival that lasted so long as to be called a grand festival.

So Fransisca reluctantly went to the Lord's house in Austell, where she found an unexpected person waiting for her in the guest room.

「Finally you are here...」

As soon as he sees Fransisca's face, Alexis raises his hand lightly.

He was sitting on the fluffy sofa, eating the tea and pastries that had been prepared for him.

「Alexis-sama!?」

Fransisca was taken aback.

She had always thought that Alexis was the type of person who would not bother the most powerful people.

However, she was relieved.

「I thought the one who came to see me was the king」

「No, I heard that King Lygnus made a speech on the first day of the festival and left immediately. It's the 4th day now so we haven't even crossed paths. He must be very busy there too.」

He said so, sipping his tea.

「I see.」

Fransisca patted her chest, then the lord urged her, "Please, have a seat."

She thanks him and sits down beside Alexis.

「I'll bring you some tea. Please....」

The Lord called a nearby maid and told her to do that.

Meanwhile, Fransisca glances at Alexis' face, wondering the next question why he is here.

"Hmm, do you want it?" Alexis, noticing her gaze, pushes a cookie into Fransisca's mouth.

「Eh, no.」

She shields her mouth with her hand and her cheeks are stained with embarrassment. Just as she is about to say, she hears a laugh. It's from the lord.

「You seem to be getting along well with each other」

「Eh... well...」

Fransisca turned bright red and stared blankly.

At that reaction, Alexis finally realized that it was not a question of the tea cakes.

He starts to explain as if he understands.

「Well, I went to the lost and found center first because I thought maybe you were there...」

「The lost child center...?」

Fransisca's eyes widened.

「Yes. There's one next to the barracks. Lost children who can't find their guardians right away are usually gathered there.」

「Guardians...」

Fransisca had a complicated look on her face when she realized how Alexis was looking at her.

「But there's a lord's house right next to it. And it just so happens that the lord is here.」

「So, that's how it happened. I understand」

Fransisca nodded.

In other words, he was another one who had been discovered by the lord.

But this is a big blow to their plans for the sneak trip.

Now they might be received by the lord and introduced as a guest of honor.

But they don't have a proper outfit for that, Fransisca thinks.

Just as she is thinking this, a teacup filled with tea is placed on the low table in front of her. It was brought by the maid.

She looks up to thank the maid, and her eyes meet those of the lord.

「Well, what were you planning to do next?」

「Uh, we were just going to take a look around the festival, and after that, there was something else for the night... you know... I wanted to see that "thing"」

Alexis answered for Fransisca.

That thing? Fransisca thinks while the lord nods his head in understanding.

「Oh, that. It has a good reputation and royalty from all over the world come to visit」

「I see. So, we're not the only ones」

Alexis is laughing easily.

「Then, you'd better be careful not to bump into royalty from other countries by accident and have to take care of each other.」

「Yes, that's true.」

Alexis says this to his lord, and they laugh at each other.

At the sight of him in such a good mood, even though they have been discovered sneaking around, Fransisca is taken aback.

「...Alexis-sama, is it all right?」

She asked, and Alexis replied, "What do you mean?"

「Umm, you know...」

Fransisca stopped, not knowing what to say.

She felt sad. She wondered if the private time he had just had with her was not worth it to him.

But at that moment, Alexis smiled at her.

「After drinking this, we'll have some free time. Besides, the lord seems to be busy during the event and he can't take care of us anymore 」

「Eh? Ah, I see.」

Fransisca nodded her head, still not quite sure what to do.

* * *

Alexis left the lord's house with Fransisca.

Noon has long passed, and it is almost mid-afternoon.

「...I'm starving. After all, I've been looking for you without eating lunch...」

Alexis blurted out in front of the lord's house, patting his stomach, and Fransisca apologized, "Please forgive me..."

When he looked at her, he saw that she had a really sad expression on her face.

It almost makes him think that she can be forgiven a little.

「Gosh... That's what happens when you get distracted and wander off in the middle of a crowd like this. You've caused trouble」

At least he said what he was going to say.

Fransisca apologized again, so she knew she had done something wrong.

「Anyway」

Alexis sighs and strokes her silver hair.

「I'm glad you're okay. I was worried about you」

He hugs her lightly. It was good because he was relieved from the bottom of his heart.

At this hug, Fransisca's cheeks turned bright red.

She was a bit nervous about being seen, and at first, she lightly tried to push Alexis back. However, she soon changed her mind and hugged him tightly with her hands behind his back.

At the same time, a deep exhalation of the air fell on his chest.

「Oh, um... I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you.」

「Yes. If you understand, hold my hand properly. Don't go anywhere without permission. Understood?」

He's talking like he's talking to a child. Still, she nodded her head.

Glancing around, he noticed that passersby around him were giving them reserved glances.

Sometimes they look at them with envy, but it is only because Alexis holding a beautiful woman.

And since he doesn't want to show it off, he decides to leave moderately and walk through the crowd again to regain his composure.

This time, they hold hands tightly so that they do not get separated.

The anger he had felt when he was looking for her had completely subsided.

However, he wants to give her a sermon, or at least a spanking somewhere.

But right now, he wants something else.

「I'm hungry. Let's have a late lunch first.」

「Uh... Speaking of which, is that okay?」

Fransisca asks as if suddenly remembering.

「We left without a formal greeting to the lord and without bringing him any gifts. Not even a dinner.」

「Yeah, but that made me uncomfortable too」

Alexis laughs.

「Fortunately, the lord here seems to be a good-natured guy. He understood at once when I told him I was here as a personal guest. He said to have a "good time"」

「So that's how it was.」

Fransisca was relieved.

When she heard the answer to her request to overlook the situation, she wondered what would happen if they did not.

But it seems that the lord simply wanted to take Fransisca to Alexis.

「Still, we will have to arrange a meeting to thank him later.」

「Yes, indeed. It's a nuisance to cause trouble on someone else's land.」

「...about that, I'm sorry.」

Fransisca shrugged.