Chapter 168: The Dragon Princess Doesn't Know Love (2)
Despite the sudden order, the shopkeeper's skills must have been top-notch because the coffee parfait I requested arrived in no time.
I still had no idea how a harpy with no hands—just wings—could whip up a parfait so quickly, but she didn't show me the kitchen, so it remained a mystery.
And then, Karmine, who had been staring at the coffee parfait I'd mentioned with sparkling eyes, oohing and aahing, awkwardly gripped a spoon, scooped some up with a plop, and brought it to her mouth.
Her already twinkling eyes lit up even brighter as she wagged her tail furiously behind her, and Karmine exclaimed,
"This... this is so sweet! I've never tasted anything this sweet in my entire life...!"
"Glad you like it... Makes ordering it worth it."
"Thank you for treating me, Yustitia!"
With that, I watched Karmine eagerly devour the massive parfait that had just been served, while Karura—begging her to at least maintain some dignity—ended up trying a bite when Karmine offered, and now both were lost in blissful eating, forgetting everything else.
"By the way, Yustitia. Aren't you going to eat? At this rate, Karura and I will finish it all."
"I'm fine, I..."
Anyway, it was way too sweet for most people.
Even this insanely sweet parfait that would leave Karmine or Karura dazed after one bite didn't taste all that sweet to me. It just registered as sweet, nothing more.
Sure, even I could tell it was sweet—really sweet.
But that was it.
Like always, and probably this time too.
Even if I ate it, I wouldn't make a face as happy as theirs.
And... the sweetness I'd felt back then? Now that I'd tasted it once before, I probably couldn't feel it again.
My innate constitution.
Dull to everything—emotions, sensations—and even more so to anything I'd experienced before...
I'm just endlessly decaying, so I didn't want to eat that now and overwrite the memory of that sweetness I'd once felt.
Because then, one of the few enjoyable memories in this suffocating boredom would vanish forever.
"I've had it before already... So this time, you two enjoy it yourselves."
"Very well, then I shan't hold back!"
With that, Karmine—who'd at least been holding back a bit before—now shoveled the parfait even faster.
I watched her stuff endless spoonfuls into her tiny body, wondering where it all went, then spoke up.
"...After you finish that, any other places you wanna check out?"
Twitch!
Her ears perked straight up at my words.
"Ehehe, haha—mmph!"
She mumbled it with her mouth full of parfait.
"Mmph?!"
Karura, eating her own parfait beside her, widened her eyes in shock at Karmine's shameless antics and stared.
Ignoring Karura, Karmine chewed and swallowed the mouthful, then turned to me.
"Why art thou smiling?"
"...Smiling?"
I tilted my head at her words, then noticed my reflection in the half-empty parfait glass—I was grinning without realizing it.
"Heh..."
How long had it been since I'd smiled like that, unbidden?
Let alone over something so trivial.
"...Is the effect still lingering?"
The medicine made from Hanjo's semen to fix my innate constitution.
I'd tried a new batch recently, so maybe some of its effects remained.
Otherwise, I wouldn't smile over something so small.
I rubbed my slightly upturned lips with a finger, then met Karmine's intense gaze and spoke.
"Sorry, my bad. Seeing you and Karura just made me burst out laughing."
"No need for apologies! I and my adorable Karura are so lovable that merely gazing upon us brings smiles—that much I already know."
"P-Pharaoh..."
I wondered where that confidence came from, letting her declare it so boldly.
She had the qualities for it, objectively speaking, but saying it herself seemed a bit embarrassing.
But whatever.
"Thanks for accepting my apology."
Still, I followed up on what she'd said earlier.
"And that clothing store you mentioned after finishing... Any reason you wanna go? Hanjo already bought you tons of clothes."
When Hanjo brought Karmine and Karura home, they'd been loaded with bags—including heaps of clothes for them.
They didn't seem to need more.
Or...
Those clothes they'd bought? They screamed Hanjo's tastes, so maybe Karmine and Karura didn't like them.
That's why I asked, and Karmine hummed as she replied, spoon still in her parfait.
"Did not Hoaran say yesterday that my Hero loves cute things? My Hero bought clothes for me and Karura, 'tis true... but nothing cute. The shopkeeper recommended ones men like, or ones my Hero picked—we bought plenty, but to me, they weren't all that cute. Moreover... he bought none for my current form."
"Ah..."
That made sense.
I nodded in understanding, and Karmine continued, still scooping parfait.
"But Yustitia. I have a question for thee—may I ask?"
"For me? Sure, go ahead... What is it?"
Scoop, into her mouth.
Chew chew, casually munching parfait, Karmine asked me,
"Dost thou... truly love my Hero? Hanjo?"
Love.
Love, huh...
Propping my chin, I met her steady gaze and replied.
"What's with the sudden question...?"
"Of course there is reason. I love my Hero. Thus, though it pains me, I shan't block sharing the adorableness owed to my Hero with the women he loves, and who love him in return. A strong, great Hero surrounded by fine women, siring many children—'tis a good thing. But."
Chew chew, pausing to scoop another huge bite, mouth full again, Karmine continued.
"That holds only for women my Hero loves, who love him back... Women worthy of sharing my claim on my Hero's adorableness with. I have no intent to share with others unworthy."
That's why she asked.
I smiled faintly at her blunt declaration.
"Karmine, it sounds like... to you, it seems I don't love Hanjo? Or that I lack the right to his love...?"
"Of course thou hast ample qualification in my eyes—beautiful, strong, like me. But."
Staring at me with utter confidence in her judgment, Karmine said,
"To me, thou seem'st not to love my Hero. Thus, no matter thy qualifications, I shan't share his adorableness with thee."
She stated it so boldly.
I felt no need to sugarcoat or argue.
So I said,
"Yeah, actually... you're right. I don't love Hanjo."
No, to begin with.
I didn't even know what love was.
Of course, I knew intellectually what love was.
Hormones, various chemicals...
I knew it was an emotion born from that mix.
But if someone like Karmine asked if knowing that meant I knew love—if she asked if I loved Hanjo?
Then yeah, I'd have to tilt my head.
Because I didn't know what it was.
"But I do like him... Isn't that enough?"
If it was just "like or not," I could say yes, I liked him.
Hanjo always got into trouble, creating endless amusement.
At least so far.
I'd never regretted the enslavement seal that forced me to stay by his side as an excuse.
Moreover...
He was the only clue to fixing my constitution.
So of course I liked him.
Not love, but like.
And in the world, countless couples thrived on just that slight fondness or goodwill.
So when I said that,
"'Tis insufficient."
Karmine replied as if it were obvious.
"Really?"
Insufficient, huh.
Just "like" wasn't enough.
"...I could have sex with Hanjo, you know?"
From my parents, and those above them.
One thing they'd drilled into me—born innately dull to emotions and sensations—was the purity of my body.
I still didn't know if it mattered.
But my father, mother, grandmother, grandfather... great-grandparents and beyond had impressed it on me since childhood.
Father, grandfather.
And among my cousins of similar lineage.
Because of my "thickest blood," twisting me into this alien constitution, they'd worried endlessly and lectured me relentlessly.
"If thou meet'st someone thou truly love, and wishest no regrets—heed this."
"Once realized, too much becomes irreversible. For thy sake, and ours who love thee, treasure thyself more."
If my body's state came from such immense power,
Then weakening it should fix it, right? My great-grandfather said that after I nearly died splitting my dragon heart in half and survived.
I said okay.
After, I stopped experimenting with my body.
I wasn't interested anyway, so I stayed pure by default.
But.
For Hanjo, I could give it.
I was curious how much his Gift would grow.
And...
What else?
Dunno.
Anyway, I asked Karmine, who was watching me.
"Still insufficient?"
"Even so."
Still not enough, huh.
"Ugh, this is tricky..."
If I hadn't been born this way.
Would it feel less difficult?
A meaningless hypothetical since I was born this way, but I spoke anyway.
"Any hints?"
"Hints?"
"Yeah, like... what you feel looking at Hanjo."
Asking Karmine—who already loved him—she answered without hesitation.
"Utterly lovable."
A hint that required knowing love itself to understand—irrational, but.
"I see..."
I turned to Karura.
"What about you, Karura?"
"I..."
She had better hints.
Initially drawn to his strength among outsiders, then after clinging to him for atonement, his presence warmed her heart; after he saved her, she couldn't imagine life without him.
Blushing shyly, but affirming her love for Hanjo clearly, Karura seemed enviably straightforward.
But even those hints left me clueless, so I said,
"Sorry, still don't get it."
"Hm, 'tis fine. Seems not a concern for me after all."
"Huh?"
"'Tis nothing!"
I wasn't sure, but Karmine suddenly dove back into her parfait.
"......"
Love.
What the hell was it that let Karmine and Karura declare their love for Hanjo with such happy faces?
"Kinda... curious now..."