289 So, I resigned

1/3 today, but I'm going out today, so I'll post the other two when I return (They are already done, but need to be edited)

...

"So, what is the meaning of this?"

The next morning, Bloed asked with a speechless look when he saw Prince Calisto, Aya, Eve, and Aya's father plus a team of soldiers waiting outside of his door.

His first reaction was that they were here to bid them farewell, but when he saw Aya and Prince Calisto dressed as though they were going to travel, Bloed understood that they had other plans.

The one to answer his question was Aya's father.

"About that, Mr. Bloed. We heard that you were leaving for Academy City today. Coincidentally, the king decided to send the little prince to Academy City to study. My daughter, Aya, and the soldiers will be sent as his escorts."

Bloed was dumbfounded.

He thought he heard Liu Ying muttering 'that cat sure is sly' under her breath and Regina clicking her tongue irritatedly, but he decided to ignore them for now.

"In other words, you are proposing us to travel together," Bloed said, understanding the meaning behind Aya's father's words.

"Yes. Anyway, your destination is the same and there is no need to travel separately. Besides, Prince Calisto will go to Academy City using one of the airships of the country. I'm sure it will be faster traveling on it than if you travel on foot."

Bloed could not deny Aya's father's words, but when he saw Aya's shy look and the sneaky glances she threw him occasionally, he understood that things were not so simple.

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like Aya's Father was finding an excuse to send his daughter to him.

In fact, Bloed speculation was true. Aya's father had been searching for an excuse to make his daughter travel with him.

After all, his daughter's feelings could not be clearer. Plus, if his daughter and Bloed married one day, it meant the Sharpclaw family would have a demigod (Regina) plus two potential demigods (Bloed and Liu Ying) as relatives.

Coincidentally, Prince Calisto asked the king if he could go to study at Academy City, helping Aya's father to find the perfect excuse.

And when Aya heard about his plan, she did not hesitate to accept it. In fact, she accepted so quickly that her father wondered if she was the same shy and reserved girl he knew.

Bloed did not know it, but the reason the little prince decided to go to study at Academy city was due to Bloed's advice about leaving the country if he was truly not interested in the throne. The little prince thought about it and decided to follow Bloed's advice, moreover, choosing Academy City as his destination due to his admiration for Bloed.

When Bloed learned about it later, he was speechless by the way he shot himself in the foot.

"… Bloed, it doesn't matter if you refuse. I understand."

"Big brother Bloed, could it be you don't want to travel with us?"

Aya and Prince Calisto looked at Bloed as though they were pitiful children about to be abandoned when they saw he was hesitating.

Bloed smiled wryly and looked at Liu Ying at Regina behind him to ask for their opinion.

"I don't mind if Aya travels with us. She is a good girl. Plus, I owe her one from last time."

"… Even though I don't like it, the cat protected you with her life before, master. I can't bring myself to refuse her after knowing it."

Liu Ying shrugged indifferently and Regina spoke up with a bitter expression, but both ended agreeing.

Bloed could not help but smile wryly.

However, he was a little surprised by the fact that the cat girl had already gained the recognition of Regina and Liu Ying.

'… That Aya, she is scarier than I thought.'

"Okay, I understand why Aya and Prince Calisto are here." Bloed nodded with a sigh before looking at the golden-haired fox girl who seemed lost in her own world since she arrived. "But what about Miss Eve?"

"… Huh? Oh, me? I'm sorry, but I'm not here in search of a marriage partner as the cat girl." Eve said dazedly.

Bloed, Aya, Liu Ying, and Regina froze.

Even Aya's father was looking at Eve with a speechless look and the little prince was blushing and looking between Aya and Bloed with an expression of interest.

In seconds, Aya's expression turned completely red. The fact that her ulterior intentions were revealed in public like this made her want to die.

"Mis Eve…" Bloed smiled wryly and looked at Eve with a you-were-not-supposed-to-say-that-out-loud expression.

However, it seemed like Eve understood his gaze differently.

"… I'm sorry, but I can't do it… If you truly want to be my husband, you need to be at least stronger than me."

Bloed held his head exasperatedly. This idiot…

Feeling the sharp gaze of Regina on his back, Bloed did not know whether to laugh or to cry.

Finally, suppressing the urge to pull the saintess's ear, Bloed sighed.

"… Miss Eve, can you explain why are you here then?"

"Huh? Oh… I'm going with you."

"Huh?"

"I'm going with you. I have wanted to visit Academy City for a while. It's a good opportunity."

"… I have the feeling that there is something wrong with it." Bloed said and looked at Aya's father to ask him about what in the hell was happening.

However, Aya's father was just as lost as him.

"… She is the Saintess of Moonlight Glow, right? Can she leave the beastmen countries just like that?" Liu Ying asked with a curious expression.

"Well, I don't think so. After all, as the saintess, Miss Eve has a lot of work to do." Aya's father replied hesitantly.

But–

"You are right. In fact, the old men of the church did not want to let me leave." Eve said with an expressionless voice, as though it was nothing important.

"I see, then, what did you do?" Bloed asked.

"I resigned."

"Oh... I understand."

And one second later–

"THE HELL!!??"