A Brighter Future (Kuroinu)

Claudia glanced at Rhodes, who had been called away by Celestine. She saw Celestine’s gentle smile, which didn’t seem much different from her usual demeanor, but Claudia could sense a slight difference.

“It’s a shame; it seemed like he was about to agree.”

Grave looked disappointed. He could tell that Rhodes had just been on the verge of agreeing before Celestine’s arrival had ruined the opportunity.

“It doesn’t matter, Father. After all, Rhodes hasn’t fully understood my situation yet. If he still has no issues with it after he does, there’s no rush to make a decision.”

Claudia, too, felt a bit regretful but also relieved. She was nervous about how Rhodes would react when he learned more about her, so this delay allowed her some breathing room.

“All right.”

Grave replied in a deep voice. He watched Rhodes and Celestine walk away, noticing the way Celestine clung to Rhodes’s arm and Rhodes’s slightly blushing face. It was clear that he had special feelings for Celestine, and this made Grave worry that Celestine might become a complication for Claudia.

After all, Celestine’s beauty was beyond question, and it was entirely normal for Rhodes to have feelings for her, especially considering their shared allegiance to the Goddess Leliantia. Such a connection naturally increased their affinity.

“It seems like we’ll need to put in a little more effort. Let’s go back.”

Grave stood up and left with Claudia. Meanwhile, Klaus, who had been observing the situation, breathed a small sigh of relief. He was thankful that things didn’t escalate to that point, but he realized he had no idea how to change this outcome. Should he talk to his father? If he did, he would undoubtedly receive a harsh reprimand. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t see a way to change this situation, and he left feeling dejected.

Later, in Rhodes’s room, after helping him recover from the fatigue of training, Celestine, pretending to be casually inquiring, asked about Claudia.

“I just heard that Grave wants you to marry Claudia, and it seems that Claudia doesn’t object to marrying you. I can’t believe that in less than a day of knowing each other, your relationship seems to be getting so good.”

Though she made an effort to appear unconcerned, there was a subtle hint of unhappiness in Celestine’s tone. Rhodes was enjoying the soothing effects of the magic that relieved his physical fatigue and didn’t immediately realize what was going on. He responded somewhat awkwardly.

“Well, it’s more like they see me as someone who needs to be taken care of because of the abilities granted to me by the Goddess Leliantia. It’s not due to anything about me personally. However, saying it this way seems to make you uncomfortable.”

Rhodes understood that this situation was a result of the abilities granted to him by the Goddess Leliantia and not something about his own character. Nevertheless, this explanation made Celestine even more distressed. She had wanted to take care of Rhodes by herself, and Claudia’s presence threatened to take that away.

Then Celestine asked, “Rhodes, do you really want to be with Claudia?”

Rhodes replied honestly, “It’s impossible to say I don’t want to. After all, it’s difficult for any normal man to refuse someone like her.”

As Rhodes gave his honest answer, Celestine’s expression became even more pained. While she had somewhat anticipated this outcome, learning of it still greatly affected her.

“Among the women I know, there’s no one as good as you in terms of both physique and a gentle, caring personality. In fact, in many aspects, you surpass Claudia.”

Whether in terms of physique or attire, it was clear that Celestine had the upper hand, especially in the aspects where she represented the Elves and the Goddess’s spokesperson.

“Do-do I really surpass her!?”

While her heart had initially been filled with sadness, hearing these words suddenly filled Celestine with joy. She couldn’t control her emotions and immediately embraced Rhodes from behind.

This physical contact surprised Rhodes, and his heart began to race. He wondered why Celestine was suddenly so ecstatic. Was his remark about her surpassing Claudia really worth this much happiness?

“Celestine, you seem a bit too excited.”

“Because of what you just said, it made me so happy that I couldn’t contain myself.”

Rhodes sensed that something was amiss with the situation, but before he could fully grasp what was happening, Celestine asked him a new question.

“Rhodes, if I-if I wished for you not to marry Claudia, would you agree to that?”

“Why-why would you want me to refuse Claudia?”

This question made Rhodes’s heart race with anxiety.

“While I do hope you can have a good relationship with General Grave, just thinking about you being with Claudia and her taking care of your daily life makes me feel a bit sad. It’s just that when I think about not being able to look after you anymore in the future, I feel a bit down.”

“Ha?”

Rhodes’s initial excitement dissipated upon hearing this. This situation was akin to a mother seeing her beloved child being taken away and cared for by another woman, which made her feel sad and unhappy. It was undoubtedly an effect of her ability treating him as a child, showering him with care and reluctance to hand him over to someone else. This… Why did he say such a thing casually in the first place? If he had the chance, he would never say that a woman would love him like a mother!