The Annals of the Flame kingdom (LN) Chapter 19.2

(Young Bride's Marital Vow)

“Perhaps, that is what my father expects me to do…”

‘Come on Kotsama, let us go!', While saying that Sonia dragged Kota to her private room, and inside he saw her expression that didn't match her age.

“… About what, I wonder?”

“He expected me to get information from Kotsama…”

Sonia said that with an innocent smile on her face, then throw her b.u.t.t into the bed. And then she shrugged her shoulders.

“I don't think that is a rare story, no?”

There are several types of political marriages. For alliance, for economic support, or the right to inherit the throne…

“In other words, political marriage is an open act of espionage. It is one of the objectives of the marriage, to gather information on the in-law. Such a thing is not an unusual story…”

And everyone involved knows that… It was something that is often told but, the lady who had political marriages didn't have the life of a celebrity. They were actually the director of information, a diplomat, and of course also a hostage.

“… That sounds harsh…”

“You should have known that as well, no? Sonisama…”

” Please call me, ‘Sonia.' I'm a woman who would become your partner, no?”

“That is wrong, rather than a woman, a girl is more appropriate. And I'm not someone who took a girl as a partner, ‘Sonisama'”

“… Oh my, unexpectedly how thickheaded person… Do you hate me that much?”

“I don't particularly hate you, you know?”

Sonia puffed her cheek. Her appearance right now was actually more appropriate, causing Kota to realize her intelligence.

“What's wrong?”

Noticing Kota's gaze, Sonia asked and tilted her head, causing Kota to clear his throat. It seems she knew how to make herself looked most cute. Even if she was still a girl or rather a little girl…

“… It seems some food still linger on my throat.”

“Oh my, really? Is that something that you should say to a ‘girl'?”

“…”

“… I'm just kidding. I don't want to be disliked by you more than already was…”

She then sighed, which was unsuited for someone around her age.

“… Let me be honest. As a hostage, I will go with Kotsama as a spy of the Kingdom of Sorbania. I will tell my father about your thought, your plan, your move… That is my responsibility as the princess of Sorbania Kingdom.”

“Sure. I expected that indeed…”

“However… That does not mean I would do it ‘indefinitely'…”

“… What do you mean?”

Hearing Kota's words, Sonia gaze was turned to the ground.

“…What's wrong?”

Even being asked, she didn't show any reaction. After a long silence, Sonia finally opened her mouth.

“…Does the fairy-tale story of Catlea had reached Yameto?”

“No, unfortunately, I'm not aware of such fairy-tale story…”

‘Is that so,' she smiled then continue…

“… It is a story that was being told in Sorbania since ancient times. Catlea was someone born in Kato, she was a beautiful and intelligent person, loved by everyone. She was earnest and sincere, and although he didn't have many talents, she married her diligent childhood friend and had a happy family… However, that happy family soon would end.”

“…”

“A G.o.d, who saw Catlea intelligence and beauty, fell in love with her and seduced her… He said ‘Catlea, if you come to my side, I will prepare a seat of G.o.d for you. I will give you all you want, all the wish you want, and all that you desired. That is why won't you come with me?…”

Sonia then took a deep breath…

“… In the end, Catlea chooses the G.o.d. She gives up her happy marriage, the happy home… To become the wife of G.o.d.”

In Sorbania, that story was known as “The Greedy Princess Catlea.” Even her name had the t.i.tle of ‘princess', indicating the sarcasm the public had about her.

“In disappointment, the man Catlea left was angry and shed tears… He went on a long journey to regain his beloved wife… And then, he exhausts all his power during his journey, and pa.s.sed away…”

He was a man who had his beloved wife Catlea being stolen and pa.s.sed away in tragedy. It was said, a certain G.o.ddess, saw his hards.h.i.+p, she made him a star… In midsummer, a small star would s.h.i.+ne on the eastern sky. It was not flashy, but the star was as if to emits a sense of existence as if he was telling that ‘he' was here to Catlea…

“… I see… I learned a lesson…”

A story often time had a good hidden meaning… In this story, it might be about a smart and beautiful girl, because of her intelligence a G.o.d fell in love with her… “But, why did you tell me this?”

That was what Kota didn't understand.

“Honestly, I think the reason why Catlea betrayed that man and married a G.o.d was because she was bored…”

“… Bored?”

“Being faithful? Sure that is a nice word… Being sincere? Indeed that is a beautiful word. Earnest? Indeed, as a woman, all of that was something a woman call a man ‘ideal'… However.”

Faithful, sincere, earnest… He had no particular talents, his only merits were being diligent…

… In Sonia's eyes, he was a man that was too ‘Boring'…

“… For Catlea who was intelligent that even G.o.d fell for her, a man that was only sincere and faithful which the only merit was being diligent, he must be a very boring man for her, you know?”

“… How about the theory that the story was telling about unfaithfulness? I personally didn't like that theory though…”

Betrayed by those who one's loved. When it comes to betrayals, 90% of it was being done out of evil will… In Catlea's case, if she finds her partner to be a boring man, it would be good if she didn't marry him from the start…

“I personally have no desire to defend Catlea. I don't have such desire, but, I do sympathize her…”

“After all, I am ‘Catlea,'” She said…

“…”

“…It might sound presumptuous for me to say this but, I'm smarter than those around me. Forget among the children, even among the adults in Sorbania…”

“I guess so… Let me be honest with you, I'm actually relieved. Since if you're just an ‘ordinary' one, there would be no Tera standing by now…”

“I'm different compared to the others… And perhaps, ‘Catlea' is also different…”

That was why, because Catlea was different, the alien her could not stand the ‘normal' man… And only with the same ‘different' that she could walk together properly…

“… I was honestly shocked when I heard about the deposit certificate that was circulating in Tera. It was a revolutionary trade, replacing gold…”

“Is that so?”

“I never thought of such thing even though it was so simple. The deposit certificate itself was only a piece of paper. However, it was the same value as a gold coin, and everyone traded using it acknowledging that. It was as if…”

Just like ‘Magic,' she said…

“Magic is it?”

“That's right. Isn't that obvious? Who would've thought making a piece of paper has the same value as gold? Oh, don't misunderstand me okay? What I meant as Magic was not the certificate. The one that I called Magic was the ability to make people ‘believe' that ‘the certificate has the same value as a gold' despite the fact that it was just a piece of paper.”

In our world, rather than the ‘banknotes,' the ‘bank system' itself was the Magic.

“And as one knows, Magic, was the method of the Devil. Father who saw Tera development had called Kotsama as the ‘Demon,' but I was different. The counterfeit measures, and other things… You spend a lot of money on something which mainly only a piece of paper with no value… Though it sounds terrible if I say that you have cheated everyone to believe a piece of paper with no value has the same value as a gold coin. But yet, everyone believes in it, no, everyone was made to believe in it… Forget how you did it, I didn't even have the idea to do such a thing…”

It was as if someone makes everyone believe ‘there's something' despite there was nothing in front of them. Other than G.o.d, only the Demon could do that. Therefore, Kota was called the “Demon Lord.”

“… I am the princess of Sorbania. To protect the interest of Sorbania Kingdom, I must marry someone even if it was unwanted married. And that was also something that I had prepared myself with. However…”

If possible, she was still a girl who wants to experience ‘a girl's dream.'

“I do not wish to become ‘Catlea.' I am me. Sonia. But at the same time, I am Sonia, the princess of Sorbania Kingdom. That is why…”

Even if she became Catlea and had to marry a boring man. Of course, Sonia herself didn't also have the freedom like Catlea did. Because of that, Sonia might end up more unhappy than Catlea did. However, no matter how hard and painful the marriage was, no matter how boring the man was, she had to endure it.

“…That was the ‘dream' I saw… Before I met Kotsama…”

If it was under the Demon Lord then…

If she raises to the height where the demon lord stand…

“… I am sure that I would be thrilled.”

Sonia was intelligent.

“You sure are a dreamer indeed…”

The loneliness being intelligent. The ray of light that gives the ‘bored' girl a hope.

“… What would you do if I was actually a boring man like Catlea childhood friend?”

Even if that was not the case. Kota himself thought he was a boring man. Toward Kota's question, Sonia was…

“If that is the case then… Please, do your best…”

If he was a boring man then, what he needed to do was to stop being boring…

“Give me knowledge, shower me with love. Develop Tera and let me burn it with my eyes. Love me pa.s.sionately enough to make me forget Sorbania. Let me love you enough to the point that I would be burning in jealousy just because you talk with other women. You're the Demon Lord, the Devil… The more fascinating the future you draw, the more madly in love I would be, and then—…”

I would even betray Sorbania and devote my entire being to the Devil.

After Sonia said those words, she continued in a hurry as if she realized something.

“N-Not only Kotsama… Of course, I would also make an effort! I will study more to become more intelligent, I will do my best to always stay beautiful in front of you, I will do my best so that you would love me till the end of time… That is why…”

Please, let me stay by your side…

She closes her words with a smile on her face.

Kota who saw such grown-up expression sighed…

“To impose yourself without permission, saying you're my wife without permission, and if I don't want to get betrayed, I should make an effort? Don't you think that is too selfish, princess?”

“Oh my? Don't you know? Being selfish is women's privileges, no? It is the gentleman duty to skillfully deal with it, rather than question it, yes?”

“… Seriously, how selfish you're indeed, princess.”

Well, society was something like that no matter when… –

“Anyway, my father won't change his decision when he already decided. It would be more profitable to give up now instead. What do you think, Kotsama?”

Now, let me stay by your side for a long time to come, she said…

“No, as expected…”

“Why? What part of me are you dissatisfied with?”

“No, I don't have any complains…”

Even if he was called the Devil, the Demon, in the end, Kota was a man of common sense. And when it come to general common sense, for a middle-aged man to marry a teenage girl was a bit questionable…

“Is it about the difference in age? About that, it is normal in political marriage you know?”

“For a commoner such as I, the notion of political marriage itself is already unusual…”

“For Kotsama to think like common people… Don't you think it is already too late?”

“No wait, that is not what I meant…”

“… Or maybe…”

Sonia looked at Kota with upturned eyes. Her moist eyes…

“… You… Don't want me?”

“No, Like I said, I was not dissatisfied about you, see?”

“… Is this about, my breast?”

Having said that, Sonia puts her hand on her small chest as flat as prairie. The eyes that were previously moist now as if a dam was about to break…

“What are you saying?! Of course it was not about your chest, you know?”

“Father said, ‘Listen, Sonia… Breast, is what we call woman attractiveness, the bigger, the better, do you understand?', that is what he said–…”

“Oi, what are you teaching your daughter with?!”

The worst… The evaluation of Sorbania King inside Kota's mind had sunk into h.e.l.l…

“… Then, smaller is alright?”

Once again she looked at him with upturned eyes. Being looked at with such a gaze filled with expectation, Kota could not help it but avert his gaze.

“…”

.. To begin with, Kota could not blame anyone for the situation even if he kept silent. Even Kota was a healthy man. Though he was not someone who thinks ‘Better big than too small,' but it was indeed better small than none at all… Well, to say something like that to Sonia was too harsh but…

“As expected, you like them bigger aren't you?!”

Sonia eyes dam finally burst… Seeing that, Kota immediately tried to put some words in a rush…

“N-No no, that is not it! I'm not especially fond of a woman with big breast!”

“… R-Really?”

“O-Of course! In general, the value of the chest is not about how big it is, isn't it? As expected, I prefer— Wait, what am I saying?!”

He dug himself deeper in more ways than one. No one could guess that he was a man that could over maneuver Carlos.

“E-Emm… E-Even if it is still small, but I'm confident with the shape!”

“Sonisama? What are you talking about?!”

“Eh? Huh? B-But… No, as expected, Kotsama like a voluptuous woman more isn't it?”

“Like I said, that is not it!”