Chapter 297: Is it Weird that Sakura and Elara are Getting Along like Sisters?

"Sara... Will you m-m-marry me?!" Damn, suddenly it really was embarrassing to say outright, my voice cracking slightly on the words as heat rushed up my neck and ears. "I want you to be my wife...!"

Sara’s emerald eyes widened for a heartbeat, then squinted warmly with overflowing emotion as fresh tears poured freely down her cheeks.

She pressed my body tightly to hers, her arms wrapping around me with fierce strength, pulling me even closer against her frame so that I could feel the rapid beat of her heart through her chest.

"What are you saying, silly," she giggled softly through her tears, the sound light and teasing even as her voice trembled, "I have always been your wife. No matter what you believe, I was your first, now and forever..."

I smiled at that cheeky way she still spoke and manipulated words so effortlessly, the familiar spark in her tone making my chest feel lighter despite everything.

Then she suddenly remembered something, her body tensing slightly in my arms as her eyes widened again.

"Ah!"

"Is something wrong?" I asked her quickly, my hands still resting on her waist while a small part of me already wanted to go speak with the queens as soon as possible.

Now that I had seen Sara and held her like this, a lot of the heavy burden had been lifted from my shoulders, leaving me feeling steadier and more grounded.

"Yes, there is something I have to tell you," Sara spoke seriously now, her voice dropping into a quieter, more solemn tone as she pulled back just enough to look directly into my eyes, her fingers still clutching the front of my tunic. "Benjamin... I am pregnant." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"...!"

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"So when we say demon, we do not refer specifically to ’devils,’ those are a completely different thing," Sakura explained to me with careful patience, her sharp amber eyes watching my face closely while she held her elegant kiseru pipe gracefully between her pink claws, a thin curl of fragrant smoke rising steadily from the bowl. "Uh, Benjamin, are you sure you are understanding me?"

"Ah, I am, I am!" I quickly pushed the shocking revelation I had just gotten from Sara aside in my head, forcing my focus back to the present moment as I nodded a bit too eagerly, "Demons and devils aren’t the same thing."

Sakura pouted cutely, her lips pushing out in a small frown as she squinted at me with clear skepticism, one pink brow arching slightly.

She lashed, "Not exactly! I said when we are speaking of ’demons,’ it should not be mistaken for devils. Because while they are roughly of the same source and race, a devil has no parent and is essentially a spirit. Whereas, demons are born from parents and are not spirits at all."

"Noted!" I nodded again, this time more firmly, trying to commit the distinction to memory while the weight of Sara’s news still lingered warmly in the back of my mind.

We were currently in one of the small but surprisingly luxurious huts of Verdant Spire, tucked away in a quieter corner of the village.

This one felt intimate and elegant, with walls formed from smooth clay that brimmed with inner warmth.

And it has a high ceiling where clusters of beautiful flowers in vibrant shades of crimson, sapphire, and gold hung down on delicate vines, their petals swaying gently and releasing a soft, sweet fragrance that filled the entire space.

Soft fluffy pillows in rich earth tones and deep forest greens were scattered everywhere across the floor.

Alongside plush cushions and low, inviting couches upholstered in velvety moss-like fabric that seemed to mold perfectly to anyone who sat on them.

The overall look was like a high-grade princess room hidden away in the heart of the wild forest, making me think quietly to myself, "Elara sure is girlie when no one is looking."

The contrast with her usual powerful, battle-ready image brought a small, private smile to my lips.

Marina came in quietly with tea on elegant wooden trays for the four of us there, her movements graceful and efficient as she set everything down on a low central table carved from a single piece of wood.

Grey Ivy had been sent to play with her siblings, who had welcomed themselves suddenly into Verdant Spire because they wanted to drink from me.

Their small but chaotic group causing faint ripples of energy throughout the village as they settled in.

I had heard that Briar had formed some weird bond with Heka, the two of them sticking close together in ways that made me wonder silently... so was she proud and arrogant, or was she actually gullible deep down?

As Marina finished preparing the tea—pouring the steaming liquid into beautifully carved cups with steady hands—and arranged some round snacks prepared here in Verdant Spire, made with dried seaweed and fresh fish that carried a savory, oceanic aroma, she gave a small respectful nod and left us alone, the vine curtain at the doorway swaying gently behind her.

Myself, Titania, Sakura, and Elara sat together in the cozy space...

And... isn’t it weird that Sakura was sitting so close to Elara, when there literally were plenty of seats all over the room.

C’mon, their shoulders were nearly touching on the same low couch?

At one point, she even draped an arm casually over Elara’s broad shoulders, her pink hair brushing against the Amazon queen’s darker strands.

I feared the world might end right after that!! But nothing happened.

"Could you stop leaning too much!" Elara winced a little, her body shifting slightly in discomfort while her strong arms remained relaxed at her sides, though she didn’t push the arm away.

Sakura still persisted with a completely neutral face, her expression calm and unbothered as she took a slow sip from her tea, the steam curling upward past her sharp amber eyes.

Uhm...

See no evil, hear no evil.

Yes. If I acted like everything was normal, I probably wouldn’t be left out of the loop.

So I kept my face carefully neutral and reached for my own cup, the warm ceramic smooth against my fingers.

In the earlier meeting, Renard and the other rulers had discussed the matter concerning the demons at length, their voices overlapping in serious tones while maps and glowing projections hovered faintly above the grand oval table.

Of course, I acted like I knew what I was doing the whole time, nodding at the right moments and keeping my posture steady...

But I actually didn’t know anything about anything when it came to the deeper details... Or any detail at all.

So I had sent quick thought messages to Elara during the discussion, asking her to explain things to me properly afterward.