2

On the day the coup occurred, it seemed that space-time had been swept up by powerful magical power, and people throughout the Royal Capital saw various illusions.

They were all taken favorably as messages from the goddess blessing Eugenia’s succession to the throne.

Some met the dead, while others saw the form of the inhuman Fairy King.

Some met their past selves, and others met children from the past.

After Marquis Saratoga received Noel’s letter of severance, he sent not a document accepting Noel’s severance from the marquis family, but a letter recognizing the independence of a branch family.

The establishment of the Saratoga Magic Count Family, and the recognition of Noel as its first magic count.

As a count’s domain, the divided inheritance of the eastern territory, the richest among the marquis family’s lands.

—The Saratoga Marquis Family shall become the backing of the Saratoga Magic Count Family and pray for its freedom and happiness.

That was written in the official document, together with a magical oath.

The official document sent to Noel had a short personal letter from Marquis Saratoga attached to it.

Rodney told Beth that after reading that letter, Noel had trembled his shoulders and shed tears like a child.

(Their hearts reached each other.)

Beth remembered what had happened in the spirit forest that day.

(If everyone becomes just a little honest with their hearts. If they become just a little honest with the voice of their souls, then a slightly better future will be waiting.)

A package addressed to Beth had arrived from a woman named Nelly, whom she had met at Ezra’s mansion that day.

Inside was a pie made with well-ripened cherries.

It seemed that Nelly had decided to open a sweets shop in the Royal Capital that would serve pies, jellies, cookies, and the like made with fruit grown in her friend’s orchard.

Now that I have graduated from being a wife and mother, I want to become the proprietress of a small sweets shop. That was written on the adorable stationery.

As she enjoyed the sweet, tart, very refined pie with Meg, who had a sweet tooth, Beth thought that Nelly, who had long been in the business of handling beautiful ornaments, would surely soon become the proprietor of a popular sweets shop.

There was a knock on the door of Naranda’s laboratory.

“May Her Majesty the Queen be in good spirits.”

Naranda and Noel bent their knees and welcomed the visit of the most noble person in this country.

“Naranda. Noel. It has been a while.”

Eloise stood behind Eugenia with a composed expression.

Naranda’s name was not listed in the government, but he was an “advisor” who gave counsel in response to Eugenia’s requests.

Sometimes, partly for a change of pace, Eugenia slipped out of the palace and came all the way to this Magic Institute, exchanging documents and opinions with Naranda.

“Noel.”

Noel nodded.

“I have accepted and processed all the documents you submitted.”

Eloise, who had been standing behind her, lined up several dozen documents before Noel.

They were receipts for the various documents Noel had submitted, such as withdrawal notices from committees and resignations from executive posts.

“But this place is still yours.”

Eloise placed a new document at Noel’s hands. It was a renewal document for his contract with the Magic Institute.

“…My name still remains on the register?”

The precious, precious Magic Institute, which could be called Noel’s other self.

Noel had intended to let everything go and withdraw to Beth’s countryside to become a miller, but only this Magic Institute had been impossible for him to relinquish, and he had struggled to submit his resignation.

(I thought I was going to lose this place too.)

An undeniable, weighty emotion of joy welled up within Noel’s heart.

“Of course it does. Who could possibly deal with that monster?”

Eugenia pointed outside with a genuinely fed-up expression that said, ugh.

What could be seen in the direction Eugenia pointed was Beth’s greenhouse in question.

The greenhouse that had become the stage for the Fairy King’s succession was now frequently visited by Oberon and his followers, who had started appearing in the greenhouse without restraint, causing all sorts of lively incidents.

Fairies generally liked sweet things, but Oberon had become very fond of Eloise’s macarons, which Beth had shared with him, and lately he had often been hanging around the greenhouse, noisily demanding macarons.

“O king of humans. I was born here. The spirit forest of my generation shall be this place.”

Oberon had arbitrarily declared that to Eugenia in an arrogant manner, but humans and spirits basically could not share the same world to live in.

Considering that this place was right in the middle of the Royal Capital, Eugenia and Oberon negotiated again and again.

As a result, on the promise that they would not take even one step outside the greenhouse, Oberon and his followers were permitted to freely enter and leave the Royal Capital governed by Eugenia, and a passage was connected between the existing spirit forest and Beth’s greenhouse.

Beth’s greenhouse became a place under the joint rule of Eugenia and Oberon.

It seemed this negotiation had been terribly troublesome, and Eugenia, saying she never wanted to get involved with inhuman beings again, had pushed the troublesome work onto Noel.