A few seconds later, Gollor gave a stiff cough, and only then did Tales let go of Wyatt and rub his eyes.
"Your Highness."
Wyatt steadied Tales by the shoulder and said with emotion:
"It's been half a year, and you... you've grown taller again."
Tales smiled.
"I was going to say the same about you, but..."
Tales patted his shoulder with relief:
"It's good that you're back."
Tales released Wyatt, opened his arms with mixed feelings, and walked toward the next person.
"And you..."
Seeing this, Rolf hurriedly stepped back, waving his hands nonstop:
[No.]
There was a faint trace of alarm in his eyes:
[Don't.]
[Not me.]
Knowing him well, Tales gave a mocking laugh, and his outstretched arms dropped back down:
"Fine, you're excused."
"Not bad. At least this one knows his place." D.D. muttered from the sidelines.
But Tales immediately turned around and hugged the others one by one.
"Jenard, how have you been? And you, Vero with the two guns?"
"Your Highness."
The veteran Jenard was as steady as ever:
"Just transferred to another post."
"Your Highness!" Vero, once a new recruit, looked around excitedly. "So Uncle wasn't lying. We really did make it to the Royal Capital—this place is much better than that giant countryside called Dragoncloud City!"
After Tales finished exchanging greetings with his most familiar old comrades, Kohn finally spotted his chance and hurried over.
"You're back, the real Wyatt, my brother!" The Alert Officer excitedly put an arm around Wyatt and nearly lifted him off the ground.
"Brother? What kind of address is that?" Wyatt looked suspicious, clearly far less receptive to his enthusiasm than he had been to Tales's. "Wait, why did you say 'the real one'?"
But Kohn paid no attention. He hoisted him fully off the ground and