20.3 After Story: The Orchard of the Night and the Seasonal Flavor
Immediately after Shante and the other incense rose fairies changed her attire, Dia prepared for her third trip to the desert nation.
Although she liked the purple, light blue, dress she had been wearing for quite some time, it was undeniably exciting to dress up like the people of the foreign kingdoms she had never visited before.
…I can go to the moonlight orchard!
While helping Dia put on a beautiful blessing crystal bracelet, the incense rose fairies smiled at Dia.
The maids, including Shante, were in good moodātheir four orange wings spread wide. They were pleased when Dia was happy.
Back then, they were but some roses. Despite so, they watched the murder of the Gilasfi family during that stormy night.
After coming to that castle, Dia had obtained important family-like maids who loved to tell her old storiesāsuch as the stories about Diaās father which she didnāt know, and also the story of Diaās older sister secretly plucking a rose and getting scolded by the gardener. They were a part of her precious treasures.
āThe King may have returned early because he wanted to go out with Lady Dia.ā
āFufu, if we judge the behavior of Lord Dilvier from before, he might be the one who forced him to do so.ā
āIt canāt be helped. The King will be weakened if he spends less time with Lady Dia. Just before, there was that horrifying purging incident at Thalen where he couldnāt meet with Lady Dia for ten days.ā
āSpirits are troublesome creatures. But, since Lady Dia is cherished, it canāt be helped.ā
From the end of the year to the start of a new year, the King of Evening Meal would be busy.
Although amongst the Midnight Throne, his rank wasnāt the highest, since he was the King of Evening Meal, he was akin to a pillar that governed what many creatures value. Noin was a rare creature whose actual rank was higher than his title.
Seeing the constant arrival of invitations to parties and balls from various parts of the world, Dia became aware of the unreasonable amount of time management and rescheduling Noin had to do for the sake of being with her during that Evemeria back in Fashitar.
…Around the season of Evemeria, he would usually be much busier than now…
During the first year, Noin limited most of his work to what could be done in the castle. He prioritized in reviving Fashitar and also evolving Diaās body.
Not only that, he interacted a lot with Dia. He also took Dia to various places she thought only existed in fairy tales and gave her lots of mysterious and beautiful gifts she shouldāve never be able to receive in the first place.
…How grateful would I be if I could somehow bestow Noin with something of equal value to all his gifts…
Moment by moment, the appointed day approached.
Diaās chest was full of anxiety. Someday, she would need to tell Noin about her concerns.
While holding Dia, who had changed her attire, Noin teleported.
The destination they had reached after a phase of darkness was Calwi, an exotic kingdom with a mellow night breeze and the smell of sand.
When she visited a desert before, the city of Sanaark, an oasis town, she enjoyed skewered meat. She also rode an animal called Kurz and walked through the desert at night.
āSo, the kingdom that has a moonlight orchard is Calwi?ā
When asked so by Dia, Noin nodded.
His light blue hair, which swayed under the wind, appeared slightly silvery due to the big full moon.
He had switched his usual attire to that of a black outfit with an exotic designāhe was as lustrous and beautiful as usual.
Amidst the cool air, she saw a band of people walking under the moonlight.
āYes, but itās also a wild-tempered and brutal human kingdom. Itās a great kingdom, but itās a place where countless civil wars keep occurring regardless of the season and time. Donāt let anyone else invite you here, or attempt to come to this place on your own, okay?ā
āAlright, if itās as scary as you aid, I will be careful. …Mu. Are you perhaps sick of going shopping with Dilvier on the Sabbathās eve? Is that why you asked me to go here?ā
ā…As if.ā
āAt that time, I went to buy a festival gift for my guardian family. Noin, youāve brought an amazing card, right? …Mugu!ā
Dia raged at the spiritās wicked treatmentāwhich was pinching her cheeks.
Grinning at his raging fiancƩe, Noin passed through a mysterious stone gate in the desert.
ā…Wa!ā
Did there used to be an old city there?
The appearance of a crumbling stone gate in the sand was somewhat hazy, but when she passed through said gate, what appeared was a wonderful orchard.
At night, the hue changed in an instant, a seemingly endless orchard spread under the big full moon.
Fine light blue flowers bloomed in the shrubbery while peach and grape trees swayed under the gentle breeze. Splendid orange trees with green leaves also spread.
There was a large crystal fountain at the place Dia entered. There was also a red rose bush around the fountain, giving it a fragrant aroma.
āWell then, what shall we harvest?ā
***T/N: Psst, no manner how exotic the title sounds, these two are just having their honeymoon!!!
Awww, their interactions are still so lovely
Bebe making time aww yeah????
Thank you for the chapter!
Setting aside how utterly Draconian this universe gets, I do enjoy the way the author describes the strange creatures and environments Dia finds herself in.