Event he has a vulnerable side

"Are you sure you want to visit Silveria now? Will you even be able to make it back in time for the start of the second semester?"

With the reformed bandits gone, Tarkuazi expected her, Lazurii, and Ace to return to the Brylant Academy together, but her green-haired classmate apparently had other plans.

"Wouldn't you say that a King should check up on his country from time to time?"

The green-haired youth smirked cheekily as he winked at the upset, dark-brown-haired girl.

"Yeah, a King, sure. But in the first place, Silveria is a vassal state of the Diamondium kingdom, and as such, besides the consul from Diamondium, their highest title is a Prince, not King, so you can drop the act already before you get in actual trouble because of... Mpfh?!"

Tarkuazi stomped her foot and began to full-on scolding Ace, but when she was really getting into the details, Lazurii stepped behind her and blocked her mouth with his hand.

"..."

"Ace. Bavantirona family isn't involved much in politics. As a classmate, you know that Tarkuazi likes subjects other than politics and current events... She just doesn't know. Her knowledge comes from books that are published within the kingdom. It's my fault for not explaining it to her before...!"

"...mnnfhnh…?"

As Ace froze in place with his eyes closed and a smirk still plastered to his face, Lazurii still holding Tarkuazi lowered his head sounding terribly sorry while the girl mumbled something that got too muffled to be understood. She seemed utterly confused about the situation though.

"No, no. It's understandable. The fault is on our side. We never really introduced ourselves the proper way."

"..."

"?!?!"

Ace's expression changed into an indifferent one as he assured Lazurii, completely changing the way he spoke and making the blue-haired young man flinch, which in turn caused Tarkuazi to tense up and press her back against Lazurii.

"Young lady Bavantirona, it is nice to meet you. We are Ace Adonis, the King of Silveria, crowned under the special permission of the Diamondium Kingdom royal family out of the initiative of the former consul, Paul Klentionna, and with the support of the current consul, Daleric Ontrisanna."

"...!"

Ace put one hand to his heart and lightly nodded his head to Tarkuazi, giving his official name and title which caused the girl's eyes to widen so much they seemed eady to pop out at any time.

Lazurii didn't even had to block her mouth anymore, Tarkuazi ended up completely speechless on her own.

"That said, we do not have much time. As young lady Bavantirona said herself, we will not make it back to the Academy before the start of the second semester if we do not hurry. With that, farewell."

"Ace!"

"...!"

The green-haired monarch nodded without changing his expression and turned around, and the amount ow worry in Lazurii's voice as he called after him made Tarkuazi tear up as she realised she must have done something realy bad.

"I can teleport you if you want."

"Actually, that would be very welcomed, young lord Fenrioette. We will take you up on the offer. Please, do teleport us to the New Wheats village in the northern part of Silveria, the one close to the ruins of the ancient Draconids' city."

Lazurii offered, and after only a moment of hesitation, Ace agreed and told him his preferred destination.

"...wh-what…?"

"New Wheats village in the northern part of Silveria, the one close to the ruins of the ancient Draconids city."

For some reason, Ace's keen agreement caused Lazurii to stutter in disbelief, but the green-haired monarch only repeated the destination.

"Ace, what's wrong? What is going on? You know you can count on me, right?"

"We merely took you on your offer. There is nothing wrong. If it's a bother to you, we apologize. Let's forget about the teleportation spell."

Lazurii almost cried out, actually trembling, but Ace merely shook his head and began walking away after a polite nod.

"ACE!"

"...?"

Lazurii called out, and the next moment, a thin, deep-blue bracelet appeared around the green-haired monarch's wrist in a flash of pale blue light, making him spare a single glance at it.

"I will not ask anymore, but after receiving a fatal blow, that bracelet will keep you alive with 1HP and completely heal you at the end of the encounter."

"We…"

Ace explained in an upset voice, making the green-haired monarch open his mouth.

But then the monarch closed his mouth.

"This King is grateful. Thank you, Laz. I really mean it when I say I am not upset."

And then Ace breathed out and smiled apologetically at his friend.

"You better be!"

Lazurii breathed out too and scoffed, very close to pouting like an upset child - and the next moment, he waved his hand, causing his green-haired friend to disappear in a flash of pale blue light.

"L-Lazurii… I… I'm sorryyyyyy…!"

As Ace was teleported to New Wheats, Lazurii let go of Tarkuazi, and the younger girl immediately burst into tears.

"It's okay. It's really okay. It's a delicate matter for Ace that I should have explained to you on the side."

"..."

Lazurii assured her, even handing her his handkerchief, which she took bashfully.

"...and in the first place…"

"Lazurii!?"

The blue-haired young man breathed out, and when the tension left his body, his legs gave out, and he plopped on the ground, making Tarkuazi gasp in shock.

"It's really not that big of a deal, I just… uhhhh…! Like some brat, I was worried about my best friend being upset with me, and made you cry…! I showed you a shameful display, too…! Haaaaaaaaaa! You're the only person I didn't want to show such a childish side of me…!"

"..."

Lazuri slouched and hid his face, letting an embarrassed groan slip out while Tarkuazi stared at him in disbelief.

"Eh…? Lazurii…?"

"...?"

The girl leaned down towards the sitting young man and grabbed his wrists, moving his arms to the sides so she could see his face.

"Why am I the only person you don't want to show your childish side to…?"

She asked seriously, looking into his dark-gold, almost amber eyes.

"Well, obviously because you are the one I… Hngh?!"

Lazurii opened his mouth and let out a troubled voice before he blushed so hard that his face got increasingly red until his visage was almost glowing…

"!!!"

…and then he bit his lips shut in a blatant refusal to let anything else slip in his moment of weakness.

"...eh…? EEEHHH?!"

"...!"

Lazurii's reaction made Tarkuazi blush, too, and she let out one gasp after the other, which made the blue-haired youngster flinch as he realized the girl must have realized too much.

"...eh…?"

…and the very next moment, the area they were at disappeared in a flash of light-blue light, and Tarkuazi found herself alone in her dormitory room back in the Brylant Academy with all of the belongings she took on the trip.

"Wh-wha…?! N-no! NO! WE ARE NOT LEAVING THINGS AT THAT! LAZURII FENRIOETTE! DON'T YOU DARE!"

The brown-haired girl shook her head, opening and closing her mouth like a fish taken out of the water, before making a fierce expression and rushing out the door while calling out at the top of her lungs. In the range of her voice, all the students who either stayed behind or had already returned from the summer break wondered what Lazurii Fenriotte did or was about to do this time..