The Book Eating Magician - chapter-185

Theodore’s mind was still blank. The unreal beauty was similar, but it
was very different from when she had been standing at the border between
a male and female. If the previous Ellenoa seemed like a fresh leaf, the
Ellenoa before him now was a blossoming flower. The acacia scent which
tickled his nose seemed to be her body odor.

Despite facing a national VIP, Theodore couldn’t open his mouth.

No, Theodore wasn’t the only one. All the people around Ellenoa held
their breaths, regardless of what sex they were. She had a beauty that
gave off a sharp vitality. Her face shone like soft sunshine and
naturally attracted the attention of the crowd.

If Paragranum hadn’t poked him, Theodore would’ve continued staring
blankly at Ellenoa.

“Ah! It is great to see you after a long time, Ellenoa. I didn’t know
that you would be coming here,” Theodore greeted hurriedly.

“Huhu, I didn’t expect Theodore to come and meet me.” Ellenoa
smiled gently at his embarrassed greeting.

Theodore didn’t know why but there seemed to be something behind her
smile. He couldn’t stop his eyes from moving up and down. Softly curved
lips, the white teeth between them, and the slender fingers near her
lips… It wasn’t just the curves of the body which had changed. There
was also femininity in her behavior.

This was also true for her gaze which stared straight at him. Her eyes
were filled with solid trust and goodwill, which could make the recipient
feel troubled.

Theodore barely managed to escape her gaze as he spoke to Ellenoa and the
other envoys, “…Then we will move from here. Please tell me if you
ever feel uncomfortable.”

“Of course, Benefactor! Please look after us.”

“I will gratefully accept this favour.”

The two guardians bowed and naturally stepped behind Ellenoa. If their
purpose was to escort her, they would stand on the left and right.
However, Theodore didn’t know the meaning of their current positions.

‘Why are both of them standing in the rear?’

It was as if they were obstructions…

While he thought about it, Ellenoa’s face flushed red as she approached
Theodore’s side. She was acting nervously like an adolescent girl. Her
white fingers moved awkwardly before she took a deep breath and held out
her right hand. It was a motion like she wanted to shake hands, but the
meaning was different.

“Please look after me, Theodore.”

“Ah, yes.”

It was an act of courage for Ellenoa, but Theodore grabbed her hand
without much thought. This was before Ellenoa could prepare her mind.
“Ah…!”

Her palm, which had been made smaller by her feminization, was lightly
caught in Theodore’s hands. She felt a rough texture and heat. Ellenoa
felt the warmth being transmitted from her palm to the tip of her head.
It might be different with another man, but Theodore was special.
Ellenoa’s white face flushed completely red.

Theodore saw it and urgently pulled his hand back. “Ellenoa? Are you in
pain somewhere?”

“Ah, it is nothing. I’m okay.”

“Your face is red…”

“T-This isn’t because I’m in pain…!” Ellenoa couldn’t say it
was because he held her hand tightly, so she closed her mouth. However,
Theodore nodded and didn’t ask any more. He thought she was burdened by
the trip from Elvenheim in the heart of the Great Forest to Meltor.

So, he said, “I understand. My thinking was too short-sighted. I will
move as quickly as possible so that Ellenoa can rest.”

“Yes, yes?”

Theodore turned away from Ellenoa and commanded, “Quattro and the
guards! Open the path!”

He was a Prime magician who would become the next tower master, as well
as an honorary marquis. Additionally, Theodore was the hero of the
kingdom, so no one here could disobey his command.

At Theodore’s shout, the guards, William, and the others recovered from
Ellenoa’s dreamy beauty and began moving. They were truly the elites of
Mana-vil.

“Open the path! The direction is the royal palace!”

“Clear the road as quickly as possible!”

“This is the command given by Sir Theodore!”

Spectators gathered again, but Para used the perfect timing to unfold her
architectural magic again.

“Create Wall.”

This was simple 2nd Circle magic which created an impenetrable wall.
However, the magic was different from normal standards when coming from
Paragranum. The range of the magic was from the north gate to the
entrance of the palace. It was 3 meters in height, 0.5 meters in
thickness, and made of granite. If she invested a bit more time and magic
power, she could even build a wall for a small or medium-sized manor.

Kukukung…!

The walls stretched out on the right and left, blocking the gazes of the
spectators and forming a clear path. It was a calculation ability which
took into account the two guardians, Ellenoa and Quattro.

While the guardians admired the feat, Theodore looked at Ellenoa again.
“We will head to the royal palace now. His Majesty doesn’t like any
unnecessary formalities, so Ellenoa can rest soon.”

“T-Thank you…”

“It is nothing. Then let’s go.”

Ellenoa unintentionally deceived him about her condition and followed
behind him with a small smile. Theodore’s hands helped her into the
carriage. While doing so, Theodore could feel Ellenoa’s hand shaking
finely in his.

‘…What?’ Theodore was puzzled.

Where was this ticklish feeling at his neck and wrists coming from?
However, he didn’t notice until he got into the carriage with Ellenoa.
Sylvia had been watching their encounter with deep and cool eyes since
the beginning.

* * *

“I sincerely welcome you to Meltor, Forest Neighbours! I hope you will
have a comfortable stay.” Kurt III raised his body from his throne as
he spoke, revealing his passion.

Like Theodore, he had predicted the arrival of the guardians. However, a
high elf, the pillar of Elvenheim, visiting Meltor personally…?

This was clear proof that Elvenheim had accepted the alliance with Meltor
and was willing to join them against Andras. The people present had
pleased smiles on their faces because they thought the same thing as Kurt.

However, that wasn’t the only reason for their excitement.

‘She has become more beautiful after changing to a woman. Are all high
elves like her?’

It was inevitable that Kurt III’s eyes would be drawn to Ellenoa. The
unfamiliar beauty was no different from the last time he had seen her,
but her charm was incomparable. According to Theodore’s report, Ellenoa
had been neutral a year ago. So, what had caused this feminization?

Kurt’s eyes narrowed for a moment at the thought. He thought the flush
on her face was because of the attention, but what if it wasn’t? What
if her face changed due to the person who accompanied her on the carriage?

Then it wasn’t a matter of the staring eyes. Kurt hid his wily grin and
pretended not to know anything.

“Lady Ellenoa.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You must be tired from coming a long way, so why don’t we start the
discussion tomorrow? I have organized a place where you can relax.”

“Your Majesty, thank you for your concern.”

As the dialogue flowed like water, he struck. “Additionally, you will
be accompanied by Quattro when out in Mana-vil. Are you uncomfortable
with that?”

“Quattro, do you mean…”

“I mean Sir Theodore’s division, who brought you here.”

At that moment, Ellenoa’s eyes returned to Theodore. She stared at his
side profile and briefly bit her lips. Kurt III was closely watching her
reaction, so he didn’t miss it. It was only slight, but it was clear
that Ellenoa favored Theodore.

Unsurprisingly, she accepted the plan. “I am happy to follow Your
Majesty’s will, but what does Benefactor think?”

“I see. What does Sir Theodore think?”

“I will gladly accompany Ellenoa.”

“Ah…”

When Theodore replied without hesitation, a small smile appeared on
Ellenoa’s face. No matter how many years she had lived, she had only
recently become a woman. Only Kurt knew all the circumstances, and this
made him smile.

A key figure in the alliance and the kingdom’s hero… Wasn’t this
relationship a combination of politics and other factors? It was
sufficient to use a slight deception. A young man with a strong heart and
a girl blooming like a flower… It was obvious that a fire would light
up if given a slight chance.

After that, the conversation quickly ended. Ellenoa and the two guardians
were guided to their residence. Only Theodore remained in the room.

“Well done, Quattro’s captain. It is more than my expectations.”

“You’re overpraising me, Your Highness.”

“No, if it wasn’t for you, this situation wouldn’t have happened.
Then I have one more request.” Kurt fiddled with the armrest and spoke
to Theodore whose head was bowed, “This evening, there will be a
banquet announcing the alliance with Elvenheim. I would like you to
recommend the delegates, including Ellenoa, to participate in the ball.”

“This is politics.”

“That’s right. It may be hard for the guests who came from a distant
place, but we have to make the most of this opportunity. I want them to
enjoy the banquet as much as possible.” Then Kurt III’s voice rose as
he ordered Theodore, “You will escort Ellenoa to the banquet. I hope
you don’t refuse. Take care of her so that she has a good time in
Meltor.”

“As Your Majesty commands!”

“Oh, I also have a present for you.”

“……?” Theodore looked puzzled.

Kurt pointed outside the room and whispered with a smile, “Do you
remember the fact that I gave your father, Earl Dennis, an estate near
Mana-vil?”

“Yes, I am thankful for Your Majesty’s generosity.”

“I wasn’t aiming for your thanks. I know you have been busy and
haven’t been able to go home. So, I sent an invitation and carriage so
that your family can attend tonight’s banquet. They arrived an hour ago
and are waiting for you.”

Theodore’s eyes widened at the words. As Kurt said, Theodore had been
busy. In fact, Theodore hadn’t simply been busy. He had gone on a long
journey and struggled with a sword master. Wasn’t it natural to think
about his home while experiencing homesickness for Meltor? The faces of
his mother, father, and little brother entered his mind.

Theodore was touched by the king’s meticulous care and remained silent.
He wanted to speak words of appreciation but was worried an unpleasant
sound would be released if he opened his mouth.

Kurt III rose from the throne like he sensed Theodore’s mood. Then he
said, “Please go back now. I still have a lot of work to do, and there
is nothing left to tell you. Understood?”

“…Yes, Your Majesty,” Theodore replied in a heavily subdued voice
and exited the room at a faster pace than usual.

His father, mother, and brother…

His brother was still young, so he might not be present. However, it was
sufficient to see the faces of his parents. There was only one place
where people would be waiting in Meltor’s palace.

Theodore was accustomed to the layout, so he didn’t get lost on the way
to the waiting room.

Voices could be heard from beyond the door. As Theodore heard his
father’s low-pitched voice and his mother’s cheerful voice mixed with
several others, Theodore unconsciously opened the door.

Clink. The door opened with only a slight noise as it was well oiled. The
faces of his parents he hadn’t seen for ages, the sight which Theodore
looked forward to…

“Eh? You came sooner than I expected, Kid.”

“Theo, you came!”

Red and silver… The two beauties with different shades of hair color
were chatting with his parents.

BEM Artwork Page

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