The embarrassing embrace continued like this.
Dorothy was originally a lively ranger. Once she was in a bad mood, she wouldn't hide it but would express it directly.
Especially after meeting someone she could trust.
"Even if they really were doing it for my own good, why couldn't they have a proper talk with me... Did they really have to use this method to... tie me up in this manner and bring me to the dungeon..."
Dorothy's tearful complaints continued.
Elashia remained silent, just gently holding her.
"Thank you for listening to my unseemly crying."
After crying in Elashia's arms for a long time, Dorothy's emotions finally calmed down.
However, she still didn't want to leave the gentle girl's embrace.
So she continued leaning against Elashia's arms.
Elashia just held her like this, continuing to hold her.
A long time passed.
Until the sound of an iron door came...
"Clang!"
And the surprised voice that followed—"Your Majesty!?"
The familiar voice immediately made Dorothy realize—Cecilia had come!
She immediately alertly separated from Elashia.
It wouldn't be good if Cecilia misunderstood that the girl in front of her was involved with her!
As a ranger, the most important code was not to implicate others!
She was now just a prisoner of Her Majesty Elashia. It wouldn't be good if this gentle pink-haired girl was punished for being too close to her!
Cecilia looked at the scene before her, widening her blue eyes.
Originally, she thought Her Majesty wouldn't come to the dungeon to find Dorothy so quickly, so she went to handle the rangers' military registration first.
After completing the military registration for those rangers, Cecilia immediately prepared to go to the dungeon and explain things clearly to Dorothy.
However... as soon as she entered the dungeon, she saw a scene that made her eyes burn with anger!
Dorothy, this... nearly six-foot-tall guy... was shamelessly burying her head in Her Majesty Elashia's arms?
Her Majesty Elashia's head doesn't even reach your chest!
And Her Majesty Elashia is still a minor!
How can you have no shame?
"Your Majesty... You... came quite early..."
But what else could Cecilia say?
After all, Her Majesty Elashia was right in front of her.
However, Dorothy, whose heart was filled with infinite anger and grievance upon seeing Cecilia, didn't hear what Cecilia said.
She just looked at Cecilia with angry eyes, "hmph"ed, and turned her head away.
Seeing Dorothy show angry eyes as soon as she saw her, some of the dissatisfaction in Cecilia's heart dissipated.
After all, as former best friends, it was indeed she who had brought Dorothy back using that somewhat shameless method.
And her original purpose for coming here was to explain things clearly to Dorothy.
Seeing this scene, the awkward smile on Elashia's face became even more awkward.
Now it seemed quite obvious—Cecilia wanted to explain things clearly, while Dorothy seemed to harbor considerable anger toward Cecilia.
But Elashia really couldn't interfere between them.
After all, this was their business, and she had only known Dorothy for less than an hour.
Looking at Dorothy who had turned away and was ignoring her, Cecilia hesitated and said:
"Dorothy... I..."
Dorothy showed no patience to listen!
"Cecilia! You don't need to explain anything to me!"
When facing Cecilia, Dorothy seemed to immediately transform from the wronged little girl she was when facing Elashia back into the carefree ranger she originally was.
"Since you drew your sword against me for your master, I have nothing to say to you!"
"I have fallen to become a prisoner. You can kill or torture me as you wish!"
Looking at Dorothy with her back to her, saying such words, Cecilia's face became even more troubled.
"No! Dorothy... it's not like that!"
"Her Majesty ordered me to bring you here not to harm you! But to..."
However, before Cecilia could finish, she was interrupted by Dorothy's mocking laughter.
"Hehe... not to harm me? Then why did you tie me up like this and bring me here?"
"Cecilia... I'm no longer that pure and innocent little girl from back then. I won't be deceived by such ridiculous lies!"
In Dorothy's thinking, Elashia's purpose could only be one!
That was to eliminate her, this uncertain factor not under royal jurisdiction!
What was most hateful was—even though Elashia's purpose was already so obvious, Cecilia was still lying to her now!
"Hehe... I really didn't expect... Cecilia, I thought you were still that righteous knight... I didn't expect you to pick up such habits in the capital too?"
"You captured me, I'm not angry. You have your knight's way, I have my ranger's way."
"You used conspiracy to capture me, I'm not angry either. After all, for an old friend's future, what does it matter if this worthless ranger dies!"
"But even now! You're still lying to me!"
"What does Elashia want to do? How could I not know?"
"She just thinks my existence hinders her great cause of Elasian revival. I understand!"
"Although people outside all say Elashia is some [Radiant Emperor as pure and bright as moonlight], don't we who have experienced so much life and death know?"
"As a ruler, to consolidate her position, what wouldn't she do?"
Hearing Dorothy speak about Elashia in front of her, Cecilia couldn't help but say:
"No... it's not like that... Her Majesty Elashia isn't like that..."
Unfortunately, Cecilia wasn't good with words and was even somewhat tongue-tied. She really didn't know what she should say at such times...
Looking at Cecilia who wanted to speak but didn't know what to say, Dorothy coldly laughed again:
"What? Is Elashia your mother or something, defending her like this?"
"Dorothy... you..."
Hearing Dorothy's words, Cecilia's cheeks immediately turned red.
"Her Majesty is not what you say she is!"
Seeing that Dorothy and Cecilia were obviously about to start arguing, Elashia quickly interrupted them:
"Alright, alright, Cecilia, stop talking. Let Miss Dorothy take a breather..."
Cecilia, whose emotions were clearly somewhat out of control, finally calmed down a bit after receiving orders from Elashia as her lord.
She answered Elashia:
"Your command."
Your command?
Cecilia's response left Dorothy somewhat puzzled.
From what she understood, Cecilia, as Knight Commander and Imperial Guard Captain, should now have become Elasia's military leader. Above her, there should only be Imperial Prime Minister Candice and Empress Elashia.
So why would she say "your command" to this girl?