A few moments pass and Tetia regains her composure and picks Jack up in a princess carry. It was pretty weird seeing a middle-aged man in the hands of a young and beautiful girl. She has a calculating and serious personality so it’s even more weird to see a straight-faced person doing it.

Also, I remember how she had asked me to give him a blessing, she did it with teary eyes. I had a suspicion it was forced.

“Youlias, Can we get a bench or something in this room to lay him down?”

“Of course, Souma, will you get someone?” Youlias turned to Souma, standing behind him.

“I’ll go get someone”

After a while, two servants came rushing to our place and set down a comfy sofa. Tetia laid Jack down and sat on the sofa as well with Jack’s head in her lap.

“So? You really need my blessing for something that?”

Tetia turned her face from Jack’s to me. Her face now exhibited a genuinely troubled expression.

“That is not what my original intention is. To be clear, being with someone and looking at them while knowing every single thing they do and their every trait, one can easily discern between a professional attachment and one that is emotional. But I have been practically unattached to anyone in the past, even my parents used to be troubled by that. Until I realized this. Love is beautiful and loving someone can make it very hard to imagine them fading away before you do. Especially for long-lived races. Others would say to cherish the time you spend together but I want it to last forever, until the day I die. I know you can understand that.”

Well, that just sums up everything. She just wants to be with him till the day she dies. It's pretty corny for me to be saying this but I would want something like this too. not that I can do it right now. My gender change trauma won't let me.

“I do. Let’s just wait for him to wake up. I want to talk to him about something else then we can decide what to do.”

“I thank you for your kindness, Great Velkra.”

“Great Velkra, Would you like to take a walk around the castle garden for some time? I believe it’ll take a bit for him to wake up.”

Youlias spoke up from his chair now that we concluded.

“Yeah, why not. I haven’t seen a castle before let alone a garden in it.”

“Okay. Souma let's go. Lady Caryl and everyone else will come, correct?”

“Anikia? Lucy? Do you guys wanna go too?” I turned to both of them, they were really quiet all this time.

“Yes! We’ll play!”

“Yes, Mom.”

They readily agreed and then I turned to Caryl.
“What do you wanna do?”

“If you’d allow me to, I wish to visit Maria. She’s an old friend of mine.”

If I remember correctly, that’s the Queen’s name, right? She’s a friend of hers?

“Yeah, you can do what you want.”

We started to go our ways and soon arrived at the palace’s garden. Honestly, I was surprised. I didn’t know that it could be this good and colorful. The whole Garden was dotted with beautiful flowers. Radiant colors blanket the vibrant green grass below.

“This garden is exclusive for royalty and some close people. Not everyone can see this. Of course, there is no way I wouldn’t show my pride to you. I’m proud of this garden. My whole family is. I have to thank my father for that as well.”

“I see… It really is wonderful.”

In the center of all the flowers and butterflies fluttering around was an area where you could sit and have tea or something else. It was ornamented with a beautiful ceiling with exquisite furniture around a table.

“Do have a seat Great Velkra,” Youlias said that as he slid a chair for me to sit.

“Thanks.”

“Big sis, we’ll go play with some flowers okay?” Lucy poked me from behind.

“Okay, but don’t pluck too many you know? It’s too beautiful.”

“Yeah!”

As we sat down, Youlias picked up the tiny bell that was sitting on the table and rang it several times. Several Castle servants came rushing and placed cups and plates in front of us. Then on a pretty dish, came out a velvet cake.

The butler poured tea into our cups. A delicious fragrance rose from the tea. Even Vejetar looked a bit surprised. The cake was cut and placed on our plates and cutlery was placed.

“This cake is one of my favorites. I arranged this in a hurry. I was wondering if I would have a chance to have you taste it.”

Honestly, this is too much but I won’t complain. No one hates cake after all.

“Well, we might have departed early based on the situation,”

I took the cutlery and took a piece into my mouth. Immediately, I could taste the rich cream and sweet flavor blanketing my senses. It was chilled too.

“Great Velkra? Do you like it? Why did you go silent all of a sudden?”

“Man, I love it… Give me the recipe for this!”

“EH? But! This is the only secret recipe my family has!”

“Oh?”

“Yes…”

“Well, it’s fine then. I’ll drop by from time to time to eat this then.”

“Oh! Yes, anytime!”

I could hear the servants and the cook behind celebrating. They must’ve been nervous If I would like it or not.

“Vejetar? Do you like it?”

“If I must say, It is too sweet for my palate but it sure is amazing. I might want to eat it once in a while.”

“I appreciate that, Lord Vejetar.”

“Oh? Cake? Can we have some too?” Lucy popped up with Anikia in tow. There was something on their heads.

“You guys made this?”
They were wearing ornaments on their heads. Anikia was wearing a crown made from purple flowers that didn’t exist in our world and Lucy was adorned with a crown of white flowers with a red center.

“Yes. The maids taught us.” Anikia spoke up.

“Both of you look beautiful. Would you like some cake?” Asked Youlias.

“Yes!”

They took a seat and sat down in front of their cakes. Then slowly took calculating bites into their mouths.

Suddenly, Lucy’s eyes started to sparkle and Anikia’s cheeks flushed red.

“Yummy!!”

“Sweet… Delicious…”

“Well, seems like they like it,” I said.

“Now, we just have to wait for Jack to wake up.”

“Indeed. I will have some of this packed for them”

Listing again. I need to arrange temporary accommodation here for the demons. For that, I need to go to the Dragon Kingdom to ask for space in the forest and probably make a kingdom there.

I hope everything goes well.