Chapter 374: Year-Old Inglis and Leone’s Homecoming (2)

“Why are there so many people…?” Rafinha wondered, her head tilted to one side in confusion.

“Maybe they’ve realized Leone is back home, so they came to see her?”

“…! Could they be here to bully Leone again…?! And this time in a group?!”

Rafinha wore a clear scowl on her face.

“It might not be that…?”

“But if it is, we have to chase them away before they can hurt Leone! Come on, Glis!”

With urgency, Rafinha tugged firmly on Inglis’ hand.

“Alright, alright. Then, Miss Eris, please land safely.”

“Ah—wait…! There’s no rush; we’ll land soon enough…!”

“I can’t wait! I need to go now!”

Determined, Rafinha clung tightly to Inglis’ back as she spoke.

“I’m the one going, though?”

“Your strength is my strength, Glis!”

“Fufu. That is true!”

Carrying Rafinha on her back, Inglis leaped gracefully from the Star Princess unit, landing firmly right before the group gathered at the Olpha Residence’s gate. The sudden appearance of a little girl with another little girl on her back, descending from the sky, clearly surprised the crowd.

“Ooh…?!! What just happened…?!”

“Did they really just fall from the sky…?!”

Inglis greeted the gathered people warmly, putting on her best smile.

“Good day, everyone. May I ask why you are here?”

“If you’ve come to speak ill of Leone, then speak to us instead! Please, just go home!”

Rafinha spoke assertively, her words prompting a unanimous shake of heads from the crowd. Surveying them closely, they noticed most were adorned in knight attires, with a few being civilians including women and common townsfolk.

“We have no such intention…!”

“Are you two acquaintances of Lady Leone?”

“Yes, so what?”

Rafinha responded with a nod.

“Ooh, really…?! We heard rumors of her return, is it true?”

“Yes, it’s true. May I ask why everyone has gathered here?”

Inglis asked the gathering, prompting one of the knights to respond with a regret-filled expression.

“We… came to apologize for our past actions towards her.”

““…!””

Taken aback, Inglis and Rafinha exchanged surprised looks.

“I fought in the Prisma battle… I saw her fiercely defending the city when Prisma fell and hordes of Magic Stone Beasts flooded in!”

“I-I also witnessed it… She saved me from being devoured by those beasts with her black greatsword…”

“Even though we wronged her, she saved us… We are here carrying our shame, hoping to at least apologize…”

“I see, that’s the reason…”

Hearing their stories, a realization dawned upon them. In the aftermath of her battle against Prisma, Inglis had immediately lost consciousness. When she regained her senses, the dust was settling with only a few sporadic fights lingering. It was only later she learned the battle continued fiercely, with the city under attack from countless Magic Stone Beasts spawned by Prisma.

With Eris and Ripple incapacitated, it was Raphael who led the counteroffensive, displaying a lion’s courage on the battlefield. Leone had reportedly fought valiantly beside him, earning the respect and gratitude of many present. This act of valor also led to Leone and Liselotte receiving invitations to the victory banquet celebrating the defeat of Prisma.

Leone had left Arlman vowing to redeem the Olpha family name by apprehending Leon with her own hands, and now it seemed her bravery on the battlefield had begun to mend the tarnished reputation of the Olpha household.

“You could have said it sooner! Yup, yup! It’s only right to apologize after doing something wrong!”

Rafinha’s face lit up as she energetically nodded her agreement.

“Alright then, everyone! Let’s go and meet Leone! Come in, come in!”

With that, Rafinha beckoned everyone to follow her inside through the gate.

“You can’t, Rani… remember it’s someone else’s house, right?”

“It’s fine, we’re friends! I know Leone will be happy to see us!”

Rafinha said, wearing a bright smile that reflected her happiness for Leone. That smile always had a way of melting Inglis’ resolve. Now that Rafinha bore the added charm of a six-year-old’s cuteness, the persuasive power of her smile had only amplified.

“Umm, it can’t be helped, then.”

“Alright! Let’s go in~♪”

As Rafinha moved to open the gate, some hesitations came from the crowd.

“N-, no, wait, we shouldn’t…”

“Right. If she can’t forgive us, entering her home might just cause more trouble.”

“Would you be able to convey our feelings to her?”

The knights appeared reserved, perhaps feeling uneasy approaching Leone with their apologies while accompanied by children as young as Inglis and Rafinha.

“Eeh~ Don’t worry about it.”

Just as Rafinha tried to reassure them, the gate opened from the other side, revealing Eris. She had evidently landed in the garden and come to open the gate from within.

“Ah, Miss Eris. Thank you.”

Rafinha expressed her gratitude nonchalantly, but the sight of Eris stunned the gathered crowd. They were, after all, face to face with the Hyrule Menace, revered as the guardian deity of the entire kingdom.

“O-, Ooooh….?!”

“L-, Lady Eris…?!”

“See? Even the Hyrule Menace is welcoming us. Come on, everyone!”

Rafinha encouraged them to follow her inside, but Eris wore a serious expression, halting everyone with a stern warning.

“Hold on…! It might be dangerous!”