On the way home, I again had Elizabeth accompany me in the carriage back to the royal palace. Elizabeth’s cheeks were stained red with her gaze downcast, just like Miss Lisha’s earlier.

The road from the academy to the royal palace is short. While I was wondering what I should say to her to make her relax, the carriage slid through the palace gate.

Lars, whom we haven’t seen since this morning,……, has his ankles in mother’s grasp.

“Are you going to keep him like this all the …… time?”

“Well, I don’t want to take my eyes off of him in case he runs away. He might head for Elizabeth.”

“Then, thank you very much for your hard work.”

The reply with a straight face made me take her words at face value, but what she meant behind her words was, “I’m holding back from seeing Eli-chan, too. I’m not going to let him enjoy the company of Eli-chan while leaving me in distress.”

Next to mother, Lord Domenic was standing. “You’ve been at it…… all morning?” He was looking at mother’s hand with a look of rare surprise, so it seems that it is very difficult to seal Lars with magic.

As expected of the Queen who was called a …… de-miracle once.

“So, did Lord Domenic find anything about Lars’ situation ?

If it was just a report, he would have told father and be done with it. But he is still waiting for me so there must be some things he wants to reveal to me.

When I turn the water on him, Lord Domenic comes back to his senses from the surprise and straightens his back.

“Yes, let’s start with the magic circle left at the Druids’ mansion. ……”

According to Lord Domenic’s investigation, the magic circle was intended to revive the evil dragon.

However, since the evil dragon is sealed up tightly, it is impossible to revive it completely. It is only possible to offer up both the body and soul, and then use the miasma that barely leaks out to turn oneself into a dragon.

“Both body and soul are offered to ……”

It simply means that Lars can no longer return to being human.

It is true that there is one being called an evil dragon in our country. That is all, it was sealed a long time ago, so we weren’t worried about it rampaging on our country. But if an evil dragon appears, we must defeat it as the protector of our country.

“But the magic built into the magic circle was not limited to summoning.”

Turning to the pale Elizabeth, Lord Domenic raises his eyes to look at her, which simply means, the story is not over yet.

Lord Domenic’s brow wrinkles deeply. After a moment of hesitation, he opens his mouth as if he has made up his mind.

“The magic circle contained a contract between the evil dragon and Lady Elizabeth. This dragon is now under the control of Lady Elizabeth.”

“……!”

Elizabeth’s eyes widens.

“Normally, any human would not be able to make a contract with an evil dragon, but we found a strand of blonde hair on the magic circle that I believe belongs to …… Lady Elizabeth, which was used as an intermediary.”

“Oh ……!

‘He grabbed my dress and pulled my hair. ……’

Suddenly, I remember the words Elizabeth told me when I asked her about Lars. Ten years before now, she had a fight with Lars. Lars was a proud and stubborn man, but his love for her was so complicated that he threw himself into the arms of an evil dragon.

Did he take the blonde hair when he pulled her hair that was entwined in his young hands? And he even kept it for all these years? Isn’t he just a pervert?

The evil dragon, which is supposed to look at me as an enemy, quickly averted his gaze when I turn my cold gaze on him. It seems to know that its predecessor has done something wrong.

“I see, so that’s why it appeared in a straight line to Elizabeth’s room.”

The contract was necessary to locate Elizabeth and stay with her.

A dragon or any kind of divine beast becomes a guardian of a human being when it enters into a contract with him or her.

“So there is no danger if you are ……. As long as they are absolutely obedient to Lady Elizabeth’s orders, there is no need to defeat Lars.”

I sigh in defeat.

On the contrary, it means that Elizabeth will be in charge of Lars’ life and death. Father must have told Elizabeth to do as she wished.

It would have been easier if it had been an order from the royal family.

“What now, Elizabeth?”

Elizabeth looks up at me at my question. Her gaze is serious. The eyes of someone who knows the responsibility of being entrusted with a choice.

If she enters into a contract with Lars, Elizabeth would have even more responsibility, she not only has to take the responsibility of taking care of Lars, who has become an evil dragon, but also has to make sure he doesn’t turn into a real evil dragon.

But Elizabeth doesn’t seem troubled.

A quiet declaration echoed through the hall.

“I accept Lars-sama as my guardian dragon from now on.”

We all nod with a serious face, trying not to let our hearts outwardly speak, and with a generous nod, we all agree with Elizabeth’s choice.

Lars looks at me with flashing eyes. I don’t know why, but I know he’s proud of himself for doing everything. It’s pissing me off.

I am angry.

“Well then, this dragon is free to go. Serve Miss Elizabeth with sincerity.”

Mother let go of her hand that was holding Lars in a death grip. The moment he is released, he quickly approaches Elizabeth, with his tail wagging, and flies around her. He looks like a puppy that has been separated from its owner for a long time.

But Lars’ joy, which even I envied, was shattered by Elizabeth.

“So, Your Highness, I’d like to ……

Elizabeth hands me a letter in a pale flower-patterned envelope with her cheeks stained red. There is no sealing wax or the family crest of the Duchesse de La Montlivre. It must have been written in her spare time at school.

Lars’ tail stops moving.

By all accounts, I’m more than sure that it’s a love letter.

And it is for me.

****

After Elizabeth returned to the ducal residence with Lars, I returned to my room and read the letter with a sense of excitement.

Please give me time to prepare my heart.

I will see you again at the palace this coming weekend, Liza.

“……Liza”

I am in euphoria as a swell of emotions surges up from deep within me.

Perhaps I am too desperate to notice, but here’s a reply, from Elizabeth.

No, I can tell. I knew it when I saw it the first time. Elizabeth, you like me, don’t you? I had not been aware of it until now, but my appeal had penetrated into Elizabeth’s heart.

It’s okay. Even though she responded to me with a letter, not with her mouth. I’m still quite satisfied.

There is no way that the sincere Elizabeth would have expressed her feelings without me knowing.

She would first tell me with her attitude, then with a letter, and finally with her sweet voice.

With the letter in my heart, I fall into bed. Happiness filling my heart to the brim.

……Ha, I like it…….

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