“W-why did you just say that so matter-of-factly in front of everyone! A-and besides…”
At this point, Liyakade looked around, left and right.
After confirming no one was looking their way, she stood on her tiptoes and whispered secretly into Field’s ear.
“And besides, aren’t you disguised as someone else right now? Is it really okay to just call me your wife like that?”
As she said this, Liyakade’s little face was already completely flushed with a deep red, looking just like a ripe red apple, making Field want to immediately take a bite.
If they weren’t still outside in a crowded place, Field would have already gently kissed Liyakade’s tender little cheek.
“Why wouldn’t it be okay? Even putting aside the disguise aspect, aren’t you going to become my wife sooner or later anyway? Or… Liyakade, are you actually unwilling?”
Field chuckled softly, leaning down a little to bring her cherry-pink lips close to Liyakade’s ear.
She breathed out a warm, teasing sigh, her tone carrying a hint of amusement as she asked Liyakade.
“H-how could I possibly be unwilling! It’s just…”
The warm breath and soft whisper sent a shiver through half of Liyakade’s body.
She even felt her legs go a little weak, and had the sudden urge to throw herself into Field’s arms.
Even her own response became stammering and fragmented.
“Oh, I get it.”
Field suddenly seemed to remember something.
She snapped her fingers, then revealed an expression of sudden understanding, actively pulling Liyakade into her embrace.
“After all, I’m still in disguise right now. Everyone else in the caravan still thinks I’m a man. And if we don’t count the disguise, back in the Royal City, our relationship couldn’t be openly acknowledged either. You must be dissatisfied with what I just said, right? Don’t worry, Liyakade. After we successfully defeat the Demon King, I will definitely ask Father to publicly acknowledge our relationship, to make you my proper, rightful wife.”
“I-it’s not that I’m dissatisfied!”
Field’s words only made Liyakade more flustered.
She quickly shook her head, indicating Field had misunderstood her meaning, and then continued to explain.
“It’s just… it’s really just that I’m a little shy, that’s all. If it’s with Field, I’m willing no matter what identity you have!”
The sight of the bashful Liyakade being pulled into Field’s embrace was seen by the other travelers who had been watching the scene earlier.
Seeing the two of them flirting, the crowd believed Field’s earlier statement a few degrees more.
However, witnessing the intimate interaction between these two, it was a case of some being happy and some being worried.
Vidar, hidden within the crowd observing everyone, saw this scene and immediately felt a surge of anger.
Back in the forest, Field had said she and Liyakade weren’t that kind of relationship, but now?
Wasn’t she still declaring in front of everyone that Liyakade was her wife?
This kind of person was clearly two-faced, saying one thing and doing another.
Wasn’t Field just like him?
Wasn’t she also using sweet talk to pick up women?
And putting on that holier-than-thou act?
A complete hypocrite!
Watching their interaction, Vidar grew angrier the more he looked.
Unable to bear watching any longer, he turned and left with a dark expression on his face.
Natalia, who was standing a bit closer, pretended to look around while actually straining her ears to eavesdrop on the conversation between Liyakade and Field.
Faintly, Natalia only caught words like “disguise,” “identity,” and “when the time comes, we’ll publicly acknowledge it properly.”
Stringing these key words together made Natalia break out in a cold sweat.
‘[We still need to maintain our disguise while we’re within the Kingdom’s borders. After we leave the Kingdom, I will abandon all my identities, and then we can properly and rightfully acknowledge our relationship.]’
Is that how it is…?
This can’t be allowed!
I absolutely cannot let the three of them elope like this!
Natalia’s heart felt incredibly heavy at this moment.
She felt an invisible weight pressing on her heart, as if the fate of the entire Kingdom rested on her shoulders.
If she could persuade Liyakade and the others, make them willingly stay in the Kingdom, that would naturally be best.
But if that wasn’t possible… then Natalia was prepared to use any means necessary.
“By the way, you two actually went out alone to talk last night? How come I didn’t know anything about it…”
Just then, a sour-sounding voice came from beside Liyakade and Field.
It was Alice.
Watching the scene of Liyakade and Field being all lovey-dovey, a feeling of jealousy welled up from the depths of Alice’s heart.
This time it wasn’t like the playful, joking jealousy from before.
This was a genuine feeling of crisis and betrayal that made Alice feel uneasy.
Earlier, they had been dealing with Walter, so Alice hadn’t immediately pressed for answers upon learning they had secretly left the tent without her last night.
But now, Walter had been chased off with his tail between his legs, so Alice could finally voice her questions here.
To be honest, ever since they emerged from the forest and Field said she wanted to make Liyakade her wife, Alice had felt uncomfortable.
It was different from any previous joke.
Even from Field’s perspective, she might just be teasing Liyakade playfully.
But for Alice now, even that level of stimulation made her feel a sense of crisis.
Ultimately, it was due to Liyakade’s coldness towards Alice over these past few days.
Liyakade’s instinctive fear of the Light Element made her unconsciously want to distance herself from Alice.
And this unconscious distancing made Alice feel a sense of crisis about her relationship with Liyakade.
If it were the two of them before, even if Field made the same joke, Alice wouldn’t have thought anything of it, just seeing it as part of their playful dynamic.
But now, Alice smelled danger in it.
Add to that the fact that Liyakade and Field did leave the tent behind her back last night, and didn’t tell her afterwards.
If Walter hadn’t suddenly jumped out, Alice might never have known Liyakade and Field had sneaked out.
This gave Alice an indescribable feeling of being betrayed.
Alice knew this feeling was probably false, that Liyakade definitely still loved her.
Just like earlier, after the Light Element’s influence on Liyakade briefly faded, they were still as close and intimate as before.
But what if it was true?
What if, because of the Light Element, Liyakade and Field were already planning how to escape from her?
Alice knew Liyakade and Field weren’t that kind of person, that her own thoughts were the darkest ones.
But she just couldn’t stop herself from thinking in that direction.
What if it was like that?
What would she do then?
Therefore, Alice desperately needed the two of them to give her an answer, to put her mind at ease.