C36- Brief Calmness (4)

"Kukukuku..."

"Kekekeke..."

In the carriage, Corvin and Amy was giggling at Noah, who just said something he never normally would. Noah was staring at the ground outside in embarrasment. When he first said it, he didn't think much. He was just thinking about it, but somehow found himself shouting those words. And he regretted it so much.

At first he just walked towards the carriage normally, but after they all got in the carriage, the two idiots in front of him started gigling and he realized what he just said. Currently in a state of fight or flight, he chose fight, as the option of flight was impossible while inside the carriage. So he opened his mouth and tried to hit the weak points of his friends.

"I don't understand why you two are laughing at me? At least I can be honest about myself."

"So, you finally admitted being in love?"

"Sigh~, Yes. What about it? I like her, so? I am not indecisive, like someone else..."

Suddenly saying those words with a straight face, the other two suddenly stopped laughing at Noah and came back to themselves, almost as if cold water was poured on their faces.

Neither Amy nor Corvin could muster up the courage to give the gift they bought yet, and they instinctively moved their bags towards the side to hide them from the other person more. Seeing this Noah grinned and thought.

'In sync again, huh? Even thought they are like that already, I wonder what is his problem that stops him...'

"W-who might you be talking about, I wonder?", said Amy while acting like she didn't care much.

"Hm? Oh, just my father. He took his time before proposing to my mother, I am just talking about him.", Noah answered with a fake smile. Hearing this for the first time, Corvin asked.

"Wasn't Master's marriage political?"

"It was, but my father and mother fell in love with each other after a while, and my father decided to propose to her properly. He doesn't talk about that usually because he is embarrassed. He wasted some years unsure if my mother really liked him, so he used to tell me not to make a lady wait much."

Noah emphasised the 'not making a lady wait' part so that Corvin would speed up. He told him he wouldn't act as a matchmaker, but he wasn't planning on stopping completely.

"I-I see... So, did you buy an engagement ring for Clair if you have admitted to liking her then?"

Noah smiled mischievously.

"No~, but I bought a gift..."

As he said gift a bit louder than the rest of his sentence, the two across him gripped their bags slightly harder.

'These two.... So easy to read, haha...'

They continued chit chat while on the way. Of course, Noah brought up the word 'gift' or 'present' from time to time, and the other two would give similar reactions each time. They all enjoyed the ride, mostly because Noah didn't give Corvin time to enter the 'deep philosophy' mode.

*****

"So, they succeeded in stopping that thing?"

"Yes. Great, isn't it?"

"It is but... why am I gaining land out of this?", asked Dion.

"Well, because it was closer to your territory.", said Felyp.

When Felyp came back to Alaturb, after reporting what happened in the north to the emperor, he met with Dion, who was teaching Clair alchemy, to bring him the good news.

"Don't act like that's a great gift! I need money and time for my projects, I don't need new land to rule. And the tax for gaining new land isn't small either! How is this a gift when it takes away from the two things I need right now!?"

"Ahaha! Don't be so upset, why can't you just have your daughter do some of the work?"

"No way, she can't handle that..."

"She is almost an adult now, are you still going to deny her growth?"

"What?"

"They grew up so fast, right? You don't want to acknowledge it."

Dion stared at Felyp's face for a second while in thought. After coming to terms with his thoughts, he admitted.

"... You are right. While I was busy with my stupid experiments, she grew up. Now she does them with me, and next she will do them without me... Ugh, just saying it hurts my heart.", said Dion while clutching his heart while faking a pained expression.

"Don't act like you are dying, I didn't finish the news yet."

"Th-there is more?", said Dion while still acting like dying.

"You never grow up... huh?", muttered Felyp and added.

"I stopped the Emperor from invading the north for a bit, but in exchange you need to develop a new weapon that can compete or win against the current ones."

"WHAT?!"

"You heard me."

"How can you casually say 'Bring a new age to warfare.' with a straight face? Did you ever think how hard it is to come up with a completely new idea? Did you ever think what I think about doing something like that?"

"No, why should I? I am also a military leader after all, so I want to see that new weapon of yours as well."

"There is none! You just told me to make one now!"

"Well, there you go. Make one then."

"You..."

"You also want to make something new, don't you?", said Felyp while grinning.

"Tch... You are right. I like inventing new things. But, weapons? Really? That's hard..."

"Go consult your daughter. She might come up with something. If she does, I will provide funding as well."

"Sigh~, Okay, I get it. We will see what we can do... Is that all?"

"Yup."

"See you later then...", said Dion while getting up.

"I am waiting for your weapon.", said Felyp while Dion was getting out of the room.

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up, slave driver.", said Dion as he walked away without turning back.

*****

"How am I supposed to do that?!", asked Clair.

"Well, just think about the strenghts of your inventions and combine them into a weapon. I need to return home for a while, so I trust you Clair, okay? Don't forget training your magic while I am gone."

"Sigh~, Okay... See you later then, dad."

"Huh?"

"What 'Huh?', aren't you going away?"

"You aren't going to send me off?"

"I don't have time, right? Wasn't this 'urgent business'? Don't I need to-"

"I will give you more money for experiments."

"And?"

"... And let you go with Noah and Corvin if they go somewhere once again."

"And?"

"... Y-You won't have to report me what you do every week and h-how far you have gotten w-with N-Noah anymore."

Clair's face got redder because of what he said but even though the embarrassment, she ran towards her father with a smile and hugged him.

"Goodbye, dad! I love you and thank you!"

"Me too... me too...", said Dion while gritting his teeth. 

'Ggghhh.... That Noah kid! Who do you think you are, taking my daughter away from me! You will defi-'

While he was cursing that boy who stole his daugther and regretting accepting their engagement, Clair reached to his ears and pulled them upwards.

"You are thinking of rude things, aren't you dad?"

"Ouch! E-even if I was, that's not your problem!"

"Mom isn't here, so I need to take over this responsibility while you are here."

"Ouch, I get it. I won't scheme a revenge against that Noah kid okay?"

Clair let go of his ears with a smile and said.

"That's much better. Now, goodbye dad."

As Dion was turning back towards the door, she kissed her father's cheek and added.

"There, I am always your daughter, okay? Don't be jealous of others for no reason."

Dion gave a smile and patted her head.

"Hehe, I see, I won't then. Goodbye Clair."

"Goodbye dad!"