***
PLEASE!!
DON'T SHARE OR REPOST!!
***
Translator Note:
This is a long long long chapter.
So...... Bear with me, please (/▿＼ )
Thank You!
***
"I had forgotten
about that too."
Just like me, it
seemed that Claude also thought his (Karax’s) appearance was unexpected.
"It wasn't until
I saw him today that I thought, 'Oh, yeah. Come to think of it, I've met a guy
like that'."
"For some
reason, he has a rather strange aura."
"Indeed, his
aura has changed a bit from a few years ago. Even so, he is still a clown
pretending to be real."
After all, that
person is fake. Like last time, maybe I trusted Claude too much, but if my
father said he was fake, then he was. But, when I thought that the man I saw
earlier had just met Claude, for some reason I felt uncomfortable.
"Did you know
that the Black Tower Mage has reappeared?"
At times like this,
the best person to talk to is Lucas. I told him about the Black Tower Mage when Lucas came to my room at night.
"Is that so?"
But, contrary to my
expectations that he would show interest, Lucas only answered me sarcastically.
I was wondering, 'Huh?'
"You're not
interested?"
"He's fake anyway."
"How do you know
he's fake?"
I was a little
surprised and asked Lucas again. I knew it because Claude said that guy was
fake, but how could Lucas know about that? Didn't everyone in the Imperial
Palace immediately believe that the man was the Black Tower Mage? Even the
servants in the Emerald Palace kept talking about it all day, but Lucas just
sneered at me and pulled up the corners of his mouth.
"Didn't you read
your history books? Don't you know that many people were killed after it was
revealed that they were impostors claiming to be Black Tower Mage?"
My spirit was drained
after hearing his words. Ah, he's talking about history. What more can I say?
"No, it could be
real this time. What makes you believe that guy is fake too?"
"What would you
do if I told you?"
Lucas, this guy,
right now he's talking nonsense to me, right?
"Huh? What am I
going to do?"
At first, I was
speechless from being stunned. But, when I was faced with his playful smiling
face, I strangely started to pause and see things that made sense in a
different way. For example, the adult version of Lucas that I saw in the dark
last time, now those appearances seem to overlap……
"What am I going
to do? Forget it. I'm not that curious about him either."
I snorted and threw
my upper body back, putting some distance between myself and Lucas. As if he
didn't mean it seriously, he shifted the conversation insignificantly.
"So, you met
that Fake One earlier?"
Yes, he is a very
powerful Taoist Priest!
"He asked me if
I believed in Tao."
"Huh!"
Yes, that's
ridiculous, right? I understand. Because that's how I feel!
But, compared to
that, it was the words the man said afterward that bothered me.
"He also asked
me if I believed in reincarnation."
"What?
Reincarnation?"
Lucas narrowed his
eyes when he heard my words.
"He suddenly
said that. Crazy, isn't it? He's a very strange person."
"Yeah, he's a
weird guy."
However, for some
reason, Lucas seemed to think about something for a moment. I studied his face and decided not to tell him that I felt that the fake Black Tower Mage looked a little similar to him.
"I will
go."
"Ehh, go this
fast……"
Syuuuk.
Hey!! You left
without saying goodbye again! It's the same as in the horse-drawn carriage! Like I did the day before, I was
forced to grumble at Lucas who suddenly left me alone in my room. And then,
suddenly, for some reason, I felt very angry. Come to think of it, how many
times has Lucas made me go berserk in the middle of the night like this? Ugh,
the more I think about it the angrier I get! Next time, don't come to my room!
Bam!
"Oh, right.
You……"
"Ugh!"
Pak!
I grabbed the pillow
and swung it wildly in the air, towards the place where Lucas had disappeared,
and I was surprised by the appearance of a figure. Lucas, reappeared like a
ghost in the place where he had just disappeared, his arm was hit by a pillow I
threw.
"Are you doing
gymnastics at night like this?"
I almost fell. But, I
was able to avoid that embarrassing situation because Lucas caught me as I
staggered. Even so, it's still a little embarrassing! I can't believe he caught
me putting on a 'show'! Besides, if you can pretend not to see it, why are you
saying that? I also talked to Lucas as if I was arguing with him, I did it to
hide my embarrassment.
"Why? What? Why?
What!? Why did you suddenly appear again?"
Then Lucas released
his grip on my body, which almost fell and laughed amusedly.
"No, I was going
to tell you to be careful when you meet that Fake, but it seems like that's not
necessary. After I took a look, your combat power is extraordinary."
U-Ugh!! This year
too, my dark history is piling up...
"Then, I'll be
leaving. So, please continue what you're doing."
"Go now!"
I swung the pillow towards
the person in front of me. However, Lucas immediately disappeared from my room
by teleporting just before the pillow could hit him, he left with his face
still smiling slyly.
Ughhh,
at least, let me hit you once and be on your way! I was alone in the room and
had no other choice but to swing the pillow crazily than before.
***
"Hey, Princess.
I heard about that formula last time from those fools."
One sunny day, I was
surprised to see Tower Master Grandpa who suddenly appeared like a ghost in Palace Tower.
"It's a
fantastic modification to the formula."
Ugh, isn't that an
amazing face? You look like an office worker who is tired because you have been
working overtime for a week. Is it because you keep working day and night
because you are tied to the Tower? Hmm, come to think of it, isn't that a
lifetime contract? Haa, Grandpa, you should rest……
"How could you
think of all that? Oh, I'm getting goosebumps."
These days, he's
holed himself up in his room doing research, and he staggers over to me, the dark
circles in his eyes almost reaching the bottom of his chin.
"You are too
flattering. If the Black Tower Mage saw it, he would definitely laugh."
"No. No matter
how great a mage is, magic formulas are not something anyone can handle."
He looked more
exhausted than the last time I saw him, but he still praised and smiled at me.
Ugh, I don't know what to think when I see his face like that……
“I think the research
I'm doing would give better results if I had a strand of your hair……”
Is it true? In that
case, ……Ugh, I almost fell into his trap again!
I glanced at Tower
Master Grandpa for a moment, then I
opened my mouth.
"But, you won't
use it for strange things, right?"
Tower Master Grandpa's eyes widened in shock when he heard my words.
"Are you really
going to give it to me?"
His voice became very
careful. It was amazing because I was fooled by his words which were half
joking as usual.
"It's just a
strand of hair."
After watching him
all this time, it seemed like he wasn't someone who couldn't be trusted. At
first, I was afraid of him asking for a drop of my blood with the same facial
expression as someone on drugs. But then, he could control himself. Even though
he looked young, it was still a bit sad to know that this old man worked all
night like that……
And he also seems to
really care about Obelia and Claude, so I don't think he would do anything
against the national interest, and he also seems to have pretty good ethics as
a mage in general.
"W-Woww. What a beautiful hair!"
Keugh! Don't give me
such pleasantries! When I decided to give him a strand of my hair, Tower
Master Grandpa immediately ran
somewhere and put a strand of my hair on a piece of cloth he was carrying, his
hands shaking with excitement.
"Uwaaaaa. Thank
you very much, Princess! I can't wait to go back and research it!"
Yes, please. Do it
before I regret giving you my hair......
"Ah, Tower
Master! You're finally out! There's one thing I wanted to ask about something I
was researching……"
"Get out of the
way, get out of the way! I'm going back to the laboratory now! Tell everyone
that I will kill anyone who comes to see me before I get out!"
"Huh, you're
coming in again? When are you going to come out?"
I shook my head when
I saw Tower
Master Grandpa running excitedly,
clearly not looking like his usual self. At the same time, I felt very sad when
I saw him holding the cloth wrapped around a strand of my hair as if it were a
newborn baby. Ah, by the way, today I purposely came here to meet the Tower
Master because I wanted to ask about the Black Tower Mage, but instead I missed the opportunity.
"Ah, there is
the Princess! Princess, let's go together to the Discussion
Room. It is said that the other mages have gathered there."
Maybe I should get
some information from other mages?
"It would be
nice if he could visit our Tower!"
"Wow, what an
honor it would be if the Black Tower Mage came to our Palace Tower. It would be like the second coming of mythology,
doesn't it seem like the painting will come to life?"
"But, there's a
hole in our Tower. And we still haven't fixed it because we're lazy, so to do
that……"
"Huh!"
"Hmph!"
At that very moment,
the mages who bit the bait I threw out and were hesitantly
talking about the Black Tower Mage, they took a deep breath as if they had gained
enlightenment. Then, they immediately stood up from their chairs and hurriedly
cleared the table.
"Quickly fix the
roof!"
"Internal
repairs start today!"
"Let's repair
the outer walls first so they look good!"
"Oohhh, what a
cool improvisation!"
"Yeah, that's
how the world works!"
I watched them with
interest, then I quickly left the Discussion Room. Hmm, the Tower Mages were also
the same as the servants, they didn't know much about the Fake Mage who had
reappeared recently. I wonder what they thought about the Black Tower Mage who
they had seen, but never met in person. I ruffled my hair and left the table
with a little regret while looking at the empty chair of Tower
Master Grandpa who
disappeared along with a strand of my hair.
***
"They said the
delegation from Arlanta will be here soon."
"Is that
so?"
I realized that my
hand that was massaging Claude's shoulder had stopped for a while. Was this an
incident that occurred in the novel when Zenith was 17 —no, 18 years old? Then, will Kavell Ernst come here as
an accompanying knight protecting the delegates?
I remembered a
brown-haired boy I had seen at Arlanta School.
'Fairy!'
Oops, I even thought
of something I didn't need to remember!
"Your hands
stopped moving."
Claude said that to
me, and I trembled from the unexpected surprise. I pursed my lips, pouted a
little and started moving my hand which had stopped.
"Okay, okay, I
understand. This humble one will continue with the massage so that Your Majesty can finish the documents at hand."
"A little
deeper."
"Okay."
At his request, I
moved my hands to the inside of his shoulders which were as wide as the Pacific
Ocean and massaged the area near the nape of his neck. Then, Claude tilted his
head slightly forward —in response to my touch. How charming, no, I mean, he
used to be so stiff and not used to it every time I massaged him, and now he's
past the getting used to it and he's even at the enjoying stage? Squeeze here,
massage here and there. If I put effort into this, it will benefit me. I mean,
you'll be tipping me in no time.
I placed my
fingertips on the tense muscles of his shoulders. The longer I do this, the
more sore my hands become.
"Athanasia."
"Yes?"
"I don't think
it's a bad idea to test the magic formula you modified for the Harvest
Festival."
Huh? My ears pricked
up at the unexpected sound, and I averted my gaze —staring far into the air.
However, I couldn't see Claude's face from this angle, all I could see was the
back of his beautiful blonde hair. Now that I see it, Dad, you have such a
beautiful head shape!
"Did you see
what I wrote?"
"Didn't you put
it there so I could see it?"
I shrugged my shoulders
slightly and smiled, ahahaha. As I thought last time, I slipped the document
about the Aeternitas magic formula I compiled and put it on the table in
Claude's office, in that document I expressed my thoughts on using the formula
for widespread plant growth. And luckily, it seemed Claude was taking it well.
"But, it takes a
lot of manpower to do it. You will do it, finish it within this month."
Ugh!! Is this a
mission impossible!?
Tring!
[Suddenly, a quest
appears!]
[Rejection is still
rejection!]
I was devastated
because Claude gave me assignments by force. It was already difficult enough to
modify a magic formula to that level, but now you want me to do something more!
I need energy from the universe to do it. Ugh!!
"Athanasia."
"Yes?"
Oh my, why do you
keep calling my name today? Are you telling me to massage a little harder
because my hands stopped? But, it's your fault! You're not praising a good
daughter who massages her father's shoulders sincerely like this, but instead you're
giving her a lot of work to do. Uhuhuuu. But, that's not the reason Claude
called my name. I fell silent again when I heard his soft voice.
"Do you want to
sit on the throne, where I am now?"
I averted my gaze
reflexively, but I still couldn't see Claude's face who was sitting with his
back to me. He asked me questions about the unknown future.
"No."
After thinking for a
moment, I immediately answered honestly. My simple dream since I was born was
to live a long life, and to be honest, I hoped that Claude could stop being
Emperor and live peacefully with me.
I apologize to Mother
Diana, but I don't think I would mind if Claude looked for a new wife if he
found someone he liked, and of course I would definitely be a little sad, but I
wouldn't be against it if Claude really liked that person.
"Honestly, I've
thought about it, but if Dad asked me if I wanted it, I wouldn't know."
But, I guess maybe
Claude doesn't need something like a new marriage. I'm sure he still thinks
about Diana because sometimes Diana still appears in my dreams.
"Yeah, you're
better off not having a place like this, no matter who gives it to you."
Claude answered my
words calmly.
"It's a place
that gives nothing, but takes a lot."
"Are those the
words spoken by His Majesty the Emperor of Obelia, the one who could have the
entire world if he wanted it?"
I said that while
letting out a small laugh. The important question of whether I would ascend the
throne or not was something that still seemed far away to me, and I don't think
Claude brought this up with the intention of deciding it right away.
But, I am the only
one who can replace Claude. And I know that it is a great honor because I am
the only one who has this privilege. I also know that the question would not
have come up if Claude was not my father, but only the Emperor of Obelia.
"Basically,
nothing in this world can be had without paying something, even if you had this
world, in exchange you would lose something worth it. You have to remember
that."
"Yes, Dad."
Since he asked as a
father, I can express my opinion as a daughter. I smiled a little when I saw
the back of Claude's head which always felt so strong.
***
"Hmmm."
After leaving
Claude's office, I walked into the corridor. Maybe it's just me, but I feel
that the air here always feels heavier and colder than other places. Is it
because this is the place where the painted portraits of the Royal Family in
the past were located? Each person in the portrait seems to look down on the
person in front of them. I continued walking until I finally stopped in front
of a portrait painting.
[Emperor Aevum and
his Crown Prince, Anastasius.]
Beside this portrait
there is also a single portrait of the previous Emperor, Anastasius.
I looked at the 2
figures in the painting and snorted. I always feel that these people are very
unlucky. Right?
They look like people without character! It is said that one can tell what
another person's character is like just by looking at their face! What was my
father's fault that they continued to bother him while they were alive? They're
just painting their own portraits, and they're ostracizing my father, damm!t! But now my father also has a portrait of himself!
Excitedly, I enjoyed
the painted portraits of these people, then stepped aside excitedly. And when I
saw the large painted portrait perched on the best chair in this corridor, I
immediately smiled broadly. Wow, that's beautiful. Who is the beautiful girl
here? And who is the handsome father next to her?
I want to caress our
painted portrait lovingly, but I can't because it might damage the painting.
So, I only let out praise in my heart.
This family portrait
that Claude and I made when I was 14 years old is absolutely perfect. U-Uhmm.
Honestly, I think that this painting is half times cooler and prettier than the
real person, but, hey, spicing it up a bit would go a long way, right? I'm sure
the other portraits hanging here also went through a more extensive process of
combining and refining!
"As expected,
our painted portraits are the best."
The painted portraits
of Claude and I were actually slightly different from the painted portraits of
the other members of the Imperial Family hanging in the corridor. The main
reason is because the atmosphere around our painted portraits feels warmer. If
you look at the other painted portraits in this room, you will see the eyes are
hard and have a defiant impression as if they are saying, "I am the
Emperor! A Nobleman! I am the best!". When painted, maybe they pretend to
be haughty by giving that feeling in their eyes, but Claude and I don't do
that.
Perhaps our painted
portrait is the most unconventional among the painted portraits of other
members of the Imperial Family. Because we were the only ones smiling amidst
everyone's serious expressions. However, this could be the first and last
painted portrait in a person's life, so what's the point of having it painted
with a serious facial expression? I mean, I wanted a friendly family portrait.
Does he know what I
want? To my surprise, Claude who was with me also smiled —although it was a very faint smile. Of course, when
Claude first saw this unfinished painting, he said, "You must be crazy.
Since when did I get such a silly expression?" He said that so calmly that
it sent chills down the Palace Painter's spine, but in the end he agreed
without asking for revision as if he couldn't do anything when I said that I
liked this painting.
And so, this
heartwarming painted portrait of the two of us smiling ended up hanging in the
corridor of the Imperial Gallery. In a way, we are heretics among the members
of the Obelia Imperial Family?
Ah, of course, that
doesn't mean that Claude is portrayed as no better than the previous Emperors.
By nature, my father is a very charismatic person, so even though he seems a
little relaxed, he still looks dignified and cool! It's natural for me to look
beautiful because I received good genes from Mother Diana and Father Claude.
I smiled happily
again while thinking about small things.
After I was satisfied
looking at our portrait, I walked back. I'm sure Felix is waiting for me at the
end of the corridor. But suddenly, my gaze fell on a portrait painting.
[Emperor Aeternitas.]
With long flowing
pure gold hair, he looked dignified befitting his title as the strongest Archmage Emperor of all time and the sage of the century. As both
an Emperor and a mage, he possessed truly extraordinary attainments so the aura
emanating from this painting seemed truly extraordinary.
Hmm, I guess I'll
have to chew, tear, and enjoy some of the magic formulas you created. Please
don't be angry because your descendants are thirsting for your artistic magic
formula, ughhh. I muttered a deep apology to my ancestor, the Archmage Emperor. Then, I went out of the corridor.
***
"Welcome!"
"This pumpkin is
good for the body and tastes great, available at a special price —today
only!"
"We invite you
to Fantasy World! Tonight at 20.00, the continent's most popular circus troupe,
Ashla Circus will perform in Central Square!"
Ah, it's so busy,
being in the middle of human activity is really fun. I got permission from
Claude to leave the Palace. Of course, I didn't just come out right away, but
there was protection magic covering my body and perhaps this magic was more
than enough to strengthen the protection magic that Claude had secretly
engraved in the past.
Actually, Claude also
wanted to give me some bodyguards, but I refused because I thought it would
only make it difficult for me to move around freely. Surprisingly, Claude
agreed easily. I was very suspicious of that, but…… Claude told me not to go if
I still had suspicions, so I put my suspicions aside.
"The menu you
ordered is ready. This is a special sweet and sour parfait with fondant fondue
and sugar syrup that can make the heart beat faster."
I entered a cafe that
sold desserts, which I had stopped by when walking with Lucas. Even today,
waiters still recite the long names of desserts as if they were casting a magic
spell. But, is this just my feeling? For some reason, it seems like the menu
names are a little longer than the last time I came.
Wow, by the way, even
today they showed off their stunning appearance! I immediately felt happy after
seeing the dessert on the table. Ah, at times like these, I need someone to
accompany me so I can order various kinds of food and share. I should have
called Lucas and brought him here.
Even though I was a
little sorry, I had no other choice because the bus had already passed
(it happened). But then, the waiter who had not moved from their place placed a beautifully decorated cake in front of
me. Huh? I didn't order this.
"This is
service."
"Service?"
"Yes, that's
because you are a regular customer."
Oh, my!
I was stunned to hear
that. O-Of course I always visit this dessert cafe every time I
go out, but I never thought they would remember my face. Moreover, I became
even more surprised because I never expected to hear the term 'regular
customer' in a shop outside the Imperial Palace.
Ah, fortunately I
know that my face is known to the people of the Empire because of my debut video
that was circulated 3 years ago, so every time I go out, I will change my face
with magic.
"Then please
enjoy."
"Thank
You."
The waiter left
carrying the tray after giving me a greeting.
Anyway, I'm glad I
got the freebie. Ugh, it says you can go bald if you reveal that it's free.
Still, free food is better, and free dessert is even better!
I started eating the
dessert that was in front of me happily. Ah, how I love relaxing moments like
this. Spending time alone in a place, where no one knows me, I know I need this
sometimes.
I spent my free time
alone while eating delicious desserts, then I looked out the window.
Drakk.
Suddenly, a
horse-drawn carriage stopping on the road caught my attention. Eh? For some
reason, it looks familiar, is that just me? However, as soon as the carriage
door opened and I saw a man step out, I understood why I felt familiar with the
carriage.
A handsome man with
shining silver hair and golden eyes that were like the sun stepped out of the
horse-drawn carriage, immediately the attention of the passers-by was focused
on him. Likewise with me, from the cafe window, my eyes were locked on him.
Then, I saw a beautiful girl getting off the horse-drawn carriage while holding
the man's hand. Seeing that, I put my arm on the table and rested my chin on
it.
Izekiel and Zenith
shone brilliantly, showing off their magnificent presence —as if they had
monopolized all the sunlight on the side of the road. The two of them held
hands and stood side by side as if they were a pair of beautiful dolls
—male and female dolls that had been painstakingly
crafted by someone. Everyone on the street occasionally stole glances at the
two people as they passed them.
Not long after Zenith
actually got off the horse-drawn carriage, Izekiel seemed to say something to
her. Then, Zenith opened her lips to reply to his words. I couldn't hear what
they were talking about, maybe because there was a window between us and the
distance between us wasn't that close.
Of course, like Lucas
did, I could also use magic to eavesdrop on the conversation between them, but
why would I do something like that?
I stared at the two
friendly-looking people with my jaw raised. The two of them started walking
again towards somewhere, but after a while, Zenith's steps suddenly stopped.
She
opened her mouth in confusion to speak to Izekiel. As soon as
Izekiel turned to the side, Izekiel's eyes immediately fell on Zenith's feet.
I saw Zenith lifting
the hem of her dress with a slightly shy face, the heels of her shoes caught
between the floor steps. Oh my, it won't come off easily, of course it can be
removed if her feet are lifted using reaction force, but doing something like
that would seem quite embarrassing for a woman, and the heels might break.
Because I visit this
cafe often enough to the point where I become a regular customer, so I've seen
quite often women who have the same fate as Zenith right now.
Is there anything I
can help you with? Thinking about that, I started to circulate the magic power
in my body.
But in the end, there
was no place for me to help. Izekiel lowered his head, his sparkling silver
hair lost its neat shape for a moment, then Izekiel bent his body. Now, I saw
Izekiel bending down to reach for Zenith's shoes, then Zenith's slender fingers
wearing gloves resting on Izekiel's shoulders.
In reality, the
incident only lasted a few seconds, because the heels of her shoes slipped off
easily as soon as Izekiel touched them. I saw the look in Zenith's eyes when
she looked at Izekiel who had risen to her feet, I immediately closed my slightly parted lips.
What else can I say
about the emotions in those eyes other than the words that are popping up in my
head right now? That gaze was so sweet and warm, like the sunshine in spring,
and the joy and affection in it could be felt just by looking at it. Doesn't
Izekiel know what that look means?
I saw the two people
start to move again with a feeling that I couldn't define.
At that moment, my
eyes seemed to lock for a moment with a pair of bright golden eyes. I blinked,
but I only thought it was an illusion, because Izekiel and Zenith immediately
disappeared from my sight.
"I should have
brought Lucas with me……"
I felt uncomfortable,
I finally spooned the parfait that was almost melted.
"Excuse
me!"
Never mind, let's eat
cake again! How about this time we order grapefruit mousse and chocolate fudge?
I ordered so many cakes that I thought that I would turn into a pig, so I piled
the plates in front of me and continued my happy mukbang.
"I'm sorry for
interrupting your time."
I had just finished
eating and was staring out the window at the yellow sunlight. Suddenly, I heard
a soft and loud voice in my ear, and suddenly felt the presence of someone
sitting in the empty chair opposite me.
I turned my head and
thought, 'What is this?'. I was immediately shocked and almost dropped the
plate in my hand. The person in front of me right now is none other than
Izekiel! He opened his mouth again at me while I was still stuttering in
surprise.
"Didn't we make eye
contact before?"
"I-I don't
remember that."
C-Could
it be that the eye contact we made earlier was real, not just my illusion? No,
even if that's true, why did you come all the way here just to talk to me?!
Hearing me
stammering, Izekiel tilted his head slightly to the side. True to the
handsomeness formula, Izekiel remained handsome no matter if he tilted his head
to any angle. I could feel that the women around me kept glancing at him,
especially at this moment, Izekiel had a faint smile on his face.
"Actually, you
look a lot like someone I know."
"So?"
Could it be that the
people in this cafe think that I'm being seduced by Izekiel?
"I didn't want
to miss this incident, so I thought I would greet you for a moment."
But, now I can see
that he is playing with me. What a shame. I stared at his face for a moment, at
a loss for words, then I finally gave up and snorted.
"How did you
know it was me?"
"How could I not
recognize you."
Right now, Izekiel is
calling me 'You', not 'Princess', as if he is aware that we are currently
outside the Imperial Palace. It seemed like he wasn't too surprised because
this wasn't the first time he saw me outside the Palace.
Goodbye, my face. As
of today, this is the last time I will wear this face. In the future, I will
come out with a new face! I swore to myself to use a new face later, all
because Izekiel could immediately recognize me from a distance —even though I
had changed my face with magic.
"What about Miss
Magritta who came with you?"
"I said that I
went to look at the cuffs while Zenith was adjusting her dress."
"Then you'd
better go back……"
"It's fine, because I won't find anything I like there."
Izekiel's soft
whispering voice. Are you a... Player (Playboy)? Is Izekiel really a player?
How could he say things like that so naturally…… And how could you sit across
from me and emit such an aura of useless prowess, even before I gave you
permission?
"After all, this
is a short time, so please let me be beside you. I just want to be near you for
this short time, I don't mind even if you treat me as if I don't exist."
I could have ignored
Izekiel's whispers and kicked him out. If I wanted to continue doing what I had
done so far, this time I had to do it, and that was the best choice for me. But,
his words that touched my ears this time made it difficult for me to push him
away.
I stared at him for a
moment without a word, then I let out a small breath.
"Your existence
is too strong to be treated as non-existent."
Hearing my words,
Izekiel chuckled.
"You seem hungry, because……"
A moment later, he
scanned the table, and I heard a voice I didn't really like ringing in my ears.
Yes, right. I ordered a lot of cakes. I looked at the yellow plates between me and him, as well as the cake remains
on the plates with a slightly embarrassed feeling.
"Don't you know
that there is a myth that there is a separate stomach to hold dessert?"
"It turns out
there is a myth like that, huh."
Ughhh, don't try to
tease me about this. What's wrong with this? Zenith also eats quite a lot when
she's with me, if she looks like she's eating like a bird when she's with you,
maybe it's because she likes you.
"……"
Suddenly, the scene I
saw outside the window earlier came back to my mind. I quietly focused my gaze
on the person sitting across from me. His neat silver hair, half white in the
afternoon sun, his unwavering golden eyes, now looking at me with a calm gaze,
and his face now looking mature.
Izekiel
Alphaeus.
The man Zenith likes.
Without realizing it,
time continued to pass without stopping as we made eye contact without saying a
word.
After a while, I
opened my mouth slowly. First of all, I broke this silent situation first.
"It is not good
to keep magic items for a long time, so I want you to tell Miss Magritta to keep herself away
from them (magic item), even in the Residence."
I said that while
remembering the ring she wore, even today. It's something she wears all the time, and I suspect
that it's probably a magic item that hides her gem eyes. Of course, not
everyone is affected by magic items, and this is also a rare case where Zenith
is a child born from black magic, but I didn't say anything about it. Hearing
my words, Izekiel's eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked me.
"Are you able to
identify who has the magic item?"
"Very
vague."
After that, Izekiel
was silent for a moment. I looked at the face that also looked into my eyes
quietly quietly.
"Sometimes, I
wonder if you actually know everything?"
Soon after, a faint
smile crossed my mouth and I let out a low voice at him.
"Of course not,
only God knows everything."
At first glance, his
eyes did not move, his gaze moved across this peaceful, silent atmosphere.
After a while, a small voice drifted through the yellow sunlight.
"Well, of course
only God knows, right?"
***
"Oh myyyy."
I rolled my eyes at
the word, 'Oh myyyy'
that passed my ear.
"So, you mean,
the dress you are wearing was chosen directly by Young Master Alphaeus?"
It was a sunny
afternoon without a cloud in the sky. Today everyone looks very cheerful,
unlike usual.
Izekiel was the one
who caused a commotion among the Young Ladies invited to my tea. I shifted my
gaze to Zenith who was the center of their attention.
"Yes that's
correct."
Zenith replied to
them shyly, and the other Young Ladies started making a fuss again.
"Oh my, I feel
jealous of you."
"Young Master
Alphaeus is truly a very considerate person."
"For some
reason, I thought that Miss Magritta's dress was very beautiful."
Wow. Zenith, you look
sexy today. You became the center of attention, and that's because you spilled
the words, 'The dress I'm wearing today is the dress Izekiel chose yesterday'.
"If I ask, we
will go out together, choose a dress, jewelry, and so on."
At this point,
everyone's jealousy towards Zenith was palpable. The other Young Ladies were
jealous because Izekiel spent a lot of time with Zenith, he even chose a dress
for her when they went shopping together, even though it was
very difficult for them to dance together with Izekiel at the party. Besides,
based on the male protagonist formula, wouldn't about 9 out of 10 Young Ladies
from Obelia have an opposite sex attraction towards Izekiel?
If Zenith spoke in a
haughty and arrogant manner, she would immediately become a public enemy to all
the girls, but Zenith only had shyness in her actions, a childish shyness that
made her look so innocent and beautiful.
"Hmm. Miss
Magritta and Young Master Alphaeus are like Brother and Sister, right?"
Even so, it had to be
hard not to feel a little jealous of her hogging Izekiel alone. The other Young Lady pursed her lips and said something unpleasant, and the
others immediately took the bait from those words.
"Come to think
of it, Young Master Alphaeus and Miss Magritta have lived in the same house for
many years."
"Do you still
feel the same way? Because, if I were you, maybe I would develop a crush that
didn't exist before."
"Besides, isn't
Young Master Alphaeus a cool person?"
"And in rare
cases, Obelia allows marriages between cousins."
However, most of them
asked whether there was really no pink air between Izekiel and Zenith, and it
seemed that the question arose purely out of curiosity, not malice.
"That……"
I didn't interfere, I
just kept quiet and sipped my tea quietly. Zenith looked uncomfortable, and I
wondered if I should interrupt to lighten the mood, but it occurred to me that
if I interrupted now, then the question would keep coming up again and again,
so I might as well let her answer it here for now. Besides, to be honest, I
didn't want to be the first person to interfere in Izekiel and Zenith's affairs
in any way.
I saw Zenith's eyes
locked as if she was thinking hard about something.
"Princess, there
is a Mage from the Palace Tower who has come to visit you."
When Zenith finally
opened her lips slowly as if she was about to answer, Seth who was standing on
one side of the garden approached me and spoke in a low voice. A Mage from the Palace Tower? What happened?
"Tell him to
come here."
And with my
permission, a Mage
from the Palace
Tower entered the Flower Garden, and it turned out that the mage in question was......
"May
Obelia's prosperity be with you.
Princess, I apologize for this sudden visit. May you be willing to forgive my
impudence."
Argh, it turns out
it's Lucas! I panicked for a moment when I saw the slightly lowered head in
front of me, but then, I calmly raised my head and looked at him.
"Oh
my!"
"Hah!
He……!"
"Oh my, oh my,
oh my, oh my."
The Young Ladies who
saw Lucas, who appeared in the Flower Garden, immediately blushed and exclaimed.
There were also Young Ladies who pretended not to be interested.
"What
happened?"
"The Tower
Master asked me to give you something. I was told that it is related to a magic
formula and you will understand what he means."
Ah, that's right!
Because Claude asked me to modify the magic formula before the Harvest
Festival, so I asked Tower Master Grandpa for his opinion to experiment with something! It
was really hard to get to him because he wouldn't come out because he kept experimenting
with a strand of my hair for a long time, but I'm glad I was able to get his
help before it was too late.
"Thank you. My maid will guide you to a place, just put it there."
"I will do
it."
But, I didn't know
whether it was just data or an experimental tool, so I decided to put it in the
empty room next to my room, not in my room directly.
Once again Lucas
bowed towards me politely, then turned around and left the Flower Garden. But
Lucas, apparently there are times when you do some work in the Tower, huh? You
did a job! I thought you were just lazing around every day, just playing and
eating, this is quite surprising……
"Aahhh, Lone
Black Wolf……!"
Ugh, come to think of
it, you were here too! I turned my head in surprise towards the faint voice
that came from the side. Then, I saw Lily Girl with sparkling eyes looking at
Lucas who had already left. I was immediately shocked and looked away again.
Oh, thank goodness!
Lucas has really left the Flower Garden! So, he didn't hear who said 'Lone Black
Wolf', right? Huwaaaa, Lily Girl, you have just survived danger!
"Sir
Mage, he's so cool!"
"Maybe his
uniform as the Imperial Mage can make me hold back, but that teardrop (mole)
under his left eye is so sexy and makes my heart beat faster..."
"I think in
another 2 or 3 years, he will be the coolest person in Obelia like Young Master
Alphaeus."
Lu-Lucas, you are
highly valued by the Young Ladies.
"Princess, since
you are both in the Imperial Palace, I'm sure you must have met Sir
Mage often,
right."
"Not really.
Because he's in the Tower more often."
Of course, he showed
up in my room all the time, but it was a secret.
"Emm, I've heard
that the Mages of
the Tower chose to abandon the mortal world and only devote themselves to
studying magic."
"Oh my, what a
shame. Does that mean mages won't get married?"
"Uhmm, not
necessarily, but I think most of them remain single."
The mages were trapped in the Tower every day, so even if they
got married, it wouldn't be a proper marriage. Right?
Then, immediately the
mood among these Young Ladies became a little somber. In an instant, Lucas'
title was lowered from 'Excellent mage that can be expected in the next 2 or 3 years' to
'Excellent mage
that I can't hope for no matter how good he looks'.
"Aah, as I
thought, loneliness is Sir Lucas' fate……!"
Only the Lily Girl
continues to fuel the fire of her unrequited love.
"By the way, why
is Young Master Alphaeus still not engaged?"
"Yeah, I'm
curious about that too."
They changed the
topic again and started talking about Izekiel.
"Does Miss
Magritta know why?"
“Now Izekiel ……”
I felt Zenith's gaze
fall on me for a moment, but it was really only a moment.
"I don't think
he has any intention of getting married yet."
"Doesn't he have
anyone he likes?"
A girl didn't miss
the opportunity, and continued to ask the heroine. I think the other Young
Ladies' ears perked up, and I couldn't help but laugh at their antics.
"There's no way
to know his true intentions."
Unlike before who
hesitated to answer, this time Zenith spoke without stopping.
"Because as far
as I know, I'm the only one closest to Izekiel."
Zenith's voice
drifted through the flowers, sounding so clear that it sounded like a song, but
the words were a bit ambiguous to interpret. I saw the other Young Ladies tilt
their heads and exchange confused looks.
"By the way,
someone said that they saw Young Master Alphaeus and Miss Magritta going
outside together last week."
"Yeah, we went
together."
"Then, did you
know that there were some people who said that they saw Young Master Alphaeus
together with a girl at the Dessert Cafe?"
Right at that moment,
my hand and Zenith's hand, which were moving the tea cup, suddenly became
silent.
"People who saw
the incident said that they didn't know who the girl was, is that just
gossip?"
T-Thank
God. That day, right after Izekiel sat across from me, just in case, I
immediately used perception interference magic. Otherwise, surely the entire
Obelia Capital would be filled with rumors of 'Young Master Alphaeus is dating
a mysterious girl who looks like Princess Athanasia!'.
Seeing the curious
faces of the Young Ladies, Zenith only tilted her head.
"I don't know,
there are rumors like that?"
"Miss Magritta
doesn't know?"
“Yeah…… No matter how
close we are, I still can't know everything about him.”
I glanced at Zenith
who placed her teacup on the table. Instantly, these young ladies immediately
lost the topic of conversation.
Zenith sat with her
back to the bright flowers and listened to what the Young Ladies were saying
for a while, but then she got up from her seat.
"Excuse me for a
moment."
In this case, most of
them said such words to go to the restroom, so I and the other Young Ladies
didn't notice Zenith walking away.
"Because Miss
Magritta is gone, now I can talk about this."
After Zenith
completely disappeared from the Flower Garden, there was a girl who approached
me and asked carefully.
"Princess, could
it be that Young Master Alphaeus has feelings for you?"
“Eh, what do you
mean……?”
I asked back while
tilting my head and smiling when I heard the shy question. Then, for some
reason, the Young
Ladies, who had previously just been silent and watching
us, now started to speak up one by one.
"Actually, I
also have the same thoughts as Miss Barbid."
"Yes. I've felt
the same way for a long time. But, for some reason, I find it difficult to
express it when Miss Magritta is around."
"That's right.
Maybe it's because she's very close to Young Master Alphaeus?"
"By the way, why
do you think that Young Master Alphaeus has feelings for the Princess? Please
tell me more specifically."
"The story isn't
that long, it's just...... Sometimes when I see the Princess and Young Master
Alphaeus at Banquets or Parties, I always feel that Young Master Alphaeus has feelings
for the Princess. The same thing happened at the last picnic."
"Ah, at that
time I couldn't attend the picnic because I had other activities, but I heard
that Young Master Alphaeus visited there that day."
I listened to what
these Young Ladies said with a feeling like there was a thorn stuck in my
throat.
"In my opinion,
the way Young Master Alphaeus views the Princess is very different from the way
he views other people."
They looked at me
curiously. I was a little confused because they talked to me like that, even
though I hadn't done anything that could involve myself with Izekiel. I already
know what I will say in response to them.
"Unfortunately,
nothing like you imagined, has ever happened between Young Master Alphaeus and me."
Since the first time
I heard Miss Barbid's words, I didn't show the slightest bit of anxiety and
continued to speak with a smiling face.
"As you all
know, Young Master Alphaeus is a kind-hearted person, so he only acts kind and
polite to me."
I remembered the hot
gaze that flashed across my vision, which happened 2 years ago among the
blooming white flowers, but it was only for a moment.
"Young Master
Alphaeus would definitely be very embarrassed if he knew that his kindness was
being misunderstood like this."
I closed my eyes and
opened my eyes to get the image out of my mind. These Young Ladies looked a
little disappointed when I smiled, not the least bit uneasy. Even if it was
true that there was an emotional exchange between Izekiel and I, perhaps this
conversation would be a little fun if I blushed.
"By the way, I
really like the dress Miss Magritta is wearing today, I think I'll try going to
Madame Tioren's shop later......"
Once again, the topic
of conversation shifted to something else. I also spent some time taking in
what these Young Ladies had said. The flowers were blooming. Clear voices were
chattering in my ears. The sweet aroma of tea drifted into my nose. The ripples
that had quietly arisen in my heart soon subsided without anyone noticing. Then
suddenly, my gaze shifted to the entrance of the Flower Garden. Zenith had
returned later than I had expected……?
***
"The girl
sitting on your right, right?"
"What?"
"The one who
said that nonsense about black wolves or something."
"Puhwaaa!"
The words Lucas said
suddenly made me spit out the vegetable juice I was drinking. Ah, this is a
healthy juice that Lily made for me so I can maintain my health! I fumbled,
using my magic to clean up the spill on the floor.
"W-What are you
talking about?"
"She's very suspicious."
Argh, this bast#rd. He's so clever! How could you feel that something was
fishy when you only stopped by the Tea Party for a moment? Uwaa, did he hear
that Lily Girl mumble something about black wolves after Lucas left? No…… If he
heard it, then he wouldn't be talking like now.
"What's
suspicious?"
"Of all your
guests, she seems to be the one most interested in me."
Ugh, it really can't
be hidden! Yes, I know that the flame of love from the Lily Girl is already 3
years old! Even at this Tea Party, when she saw Lucas, her face suddenly turned
red. So, maybe it's impossible to hide, but I'll try to protect it.
"She's not like that!"
"With a shy
expression on her face?"
"Her face isn't like that!"
"With sparkling
eyes?"
"Her eyes don't
sparkle!"
Of course, none of
that worked to convince Lucas. He even ridiculed me as if I was spouting
nonsense.
"Helena is not
interested in you, Helena is only interested in magic!"
"Aah,
magic?"
"Yes! She's not interested in you at all! Understand, O
Prince?!"
I felt cornered and
finally I shouted at Lucas while pointing at him. Then, Lucas sat on the
armrest of the sofa and looked at me intently.
"But, why do you
look scared like this?"
"Scared? Me?
When was I like that!?"
"You were scared
to the point that your pupils were shaking like an earthquake."
"When was I like
that!?"
I desperately denied
it.
"Ah, but if you
think about it, that's strange."
Lucas stopped asking
me and continued talking as if he really wanted to know.
"I don't
remember that, but have I ever killed a human in front of you?"
O-Oh, God. Kill? Why
do you say such cruel things so casually?
"Or, have I ever
touched (hurt) another human being beside you?"
Erm, no. I don't
think anything like that ever happened.
"Then why are
you scared?"
Oh, I see……
Suddenly, hearing
what Lucas said made me wonder why I felt more afraid of him than I should have
been?
"Wow, from what
I see now, you're treating me like a criminal even though I didn't do anything.
That's right, isn’t it?"
“N-No……”
"My heart hurts.
Where else could you find a harmless and kind-hearted mage like me? How are you going to take responsibility for
this?"
Well, there's
something strange going on here. Obviously I was just trying to protect Lily
Girl from Lucas, but why am I being questioned by Lucas like this now?
I took a deep breath.
No, I can't be fooled! After all, what's a 'harmless and kind mage'? He was clearly the one who tried to take Blackie away
from me when I first met him at the Ruby Palace. That time, he threatened me
with Blackie, and even after that, he kept saying that he would eat Blackie
whenever he had the chance. As I blurted out all those ramblings in my heart, I
suddenly remembered our brutal first meeting.
"That's right,
soap bubbles were strange when we first met!"
"Soap
bubble?"
"Yeah! The soap
bubbles you blew at me when you came to steal Blackie! Aren't you trying to do
something weird to me using those?"
"Oh, yeah."
Lucas, who had been
frowning and tilting his head, finally reacted after hearing my words, as if he
had just remembered them. He amazed me. Wait a minute…… Ah, huh? Oh, yeah?! Did
you just say, 'Ah, yes'?
"At first it was
just me, but the more I think about it, the weirder it gets! I'm sure when you
blew those soap bubbles at me, I felt like I was suffocating!"
"What are you
talking about? Those are just ordinary soap bubbles."
When I argued about
it, Lucas fell silent for a moment and immediately spoke as if to calm me down.
"I showed it to
you because you were like a country kid —amazed because it was your first time seeing
magic."
Aha, so you're
showing me a soap bubble magic trick for free?
"Don't be
ridiculous. You're not the type to do such a good deed just because a 7 year
old child was excited about seeing magic for the first time."
"……"
However, my rebuttal
was met with a short silence, and then I realized that Lucas had lost his
words, I started to feel embarrassed. Lu-Lucas……? Hey, why didn't you say
anything? There's something very suspicious on your face right now, and I hope
it's not a face that says, 'Ah, I've been found out' or 'I'm in trouble!'.
When I stood up while
rolling my eyes, Lucas, who had been just staring at me, finally started to
lighten the mood and opened his mouth with a smile.
"I'm not lying.
It's really just a regular soap bubble."
"Really?
Really?"
"That's true. Do
you feel like you've been lied to?"
Not really, but right
now you look a little suspicious!
"If those
weren't ordinary soap bubbles, then what? Could it be that I tried to kill you
with just soap bubbles? Are you accusing me of saying such rude things to me
now? Wow, that hurts my heart —really hurts."
But, when I saw the
look on his face that was pretending to be pitiful, I found it a bit difficult
to ask further about it. I have a weakness for beauties, and Lucas is one of
them —whatever
he looks like on the inside, he's a very pretty boy on the outside. Of course,
all those disgusting facial expressions were obviously fake, but it felt like,
if you think about it, right now he was taking advantage of his beauty on me!
"Maybe you don't
remember it correctly because it was years ago, you felt like you were
suffocating because you were out of breath because you kept jumping up and down
to hold onto the soap bubbles."
"I don't think
so……"
It occurred to me that
he might be right, but I still clung to my suspicions. Then Lucas said as if he
had no other choice.
"Okay. Then,
let's check it again now."
He waved his hand in
the air and round soap bubbles appeared before my eyes. It feels like it's been
a long time! I felt a twinge of excitement when I saw soap bubbles that I
hadn't seen in 10 years.
"Wait a minute,
don't point these soap bubbles in front of my face!"
"Shouldn't we
check it out?"
Lucas snorted and
said those words, but it seemed like he did that to shake my doubts. The soap
bubbles kept flying into my face and popping!
"See, there's no
problem, right?"
Yes, I would believe
it if you said that. From the start I never suspected you, besides I can't make
you prove something that happened 10 years ago. Besides, it would be better for
my mental health if I thought that they were just ordinary soap bubbles, ugh.
"This reminds me
of the past."
I immediately had fun
and tried to pop the soap bubbles floating in this room with my fingers.
"You were so cute
back then."
"I'm still
cute."
"Heehh."
I stopped popping the
soap bubbles and turned my head, intending to laugh at Lucas. But, what I saw
there was not Lucas in the form of a teenager!
"Haa, no matter
how cute I am, don't fall for me too much. Being popular is tiring."
Now, Lucas has
transformed into a child around 10 years old, he is looking at me with his
mouth grinning. I stared at him with my mouth agape, but for some reason, the
expression on his face and the way he fluffed his hair in a cocky way that
would normally make him look like a jerk —unlike usual, now that expression
bothered me.
T-This is an awesome
mini Lucas version! The cuteness of little Lucas that I had forgotten about,
this stunned me. Hehehe, what a stupid looking face! 'Cute gesture' that makes
you want to bite him! Mini Lucas really shows off his deadly cuteness. But what
surprised me more was my strong curiosity about this.
"Can I change my
physical age at will like you?"
"You?"
Lucas held his chin
with his hand while looking at my sparkling eyes. Then, his tiny fingers peeked out from under his sleeves. Awwwww, Y-You never moved that cute just to do
that!
“Let me see. As long
as you……”
I looked at him with
anticipation as his eyes roamed over my body, and I felt anxiety wash over me
as I heard his words.
"Maybe you can
only do it after you're around 100 years old."
100 years? You said,
100 years? That's quite an age for a little girl to become a grandmother. It's
the same as I'm at an age where I wonder if I'll die today or tomorrow, I can
only do it when I'm in a situation like that!? Ugh, still, with Lucas'
personality like that, he didn't lie to me. If it was impossible for me to do
it or that I would die if I did, Lucas would definitely say so. So, I guess him
saying that I can only do it when I'm 100 years old, that's proof that I'm
talented in magic. Right? Ughhhh, but still, it makes my eyes produce salty
water……
"When can you do
this?"
"You really want
to know?"
Lucas looked at me
strangely. His eyes seemed to say, 'Do you want to compare yourself with me?'
or 'You'll be frustrated if you find out!'. I threw myself on the sofa. 100
years, 100 years! I'm not senile, hohohooo, when that happens, I'm already a
grandmother, it's not appropriate for me to act like a child. I give up. Oh!
Come to think of it, Lucas was very cute, so were Zenith and Izekiel when they
were little, and of course I was cute too. Hmmmmm.
"Come to think
of it, that's a bit strange."
Suddenly, I
remembered Zenith at the Tea Party earlier. She was gone longer than I expected, when she came back she kept smiling. Maybe it's just me, but I feel
uncomfortable when I see her face like that.
"Strange? What?"
I turned my gaze to
Lucas who questioned my words. He was still in his child form, and he tilted his
head at me.
I looked at Lucas'
face, then I moved my hand at the speed of light. Hap! Since earlier,
your cheeks that are like sticky rice balls have been making me flutter!
"Wow, so
soft!"
I pulled Lucas's
cheek, which I had been targeting for a long time. In my hands, mini Lucas's
cheeks stretched like sticky rice cakes. Lucas didn't expect my sudden attack,
so he frowned and looked at me in surprise.
"Hey, what are
you doing?"
"What have you
eaten that makes your cheeks so soft? This is clearly a scam!"
Of course, I paid him
no mind and continued massaging his cheeks vigorously. When else will I be able
to touch mini Lucas's cheek so passionately like this?
"Cuikely
leto hile I till aying it nisly."
(Quickly let go while I'm still saying it nicely.)
"Oh my gosh, my
hands feel like they're stuck to your buns (cheek)! I can't take them off!"
Your cheeks are
poison! You are such a big scary bast#rd, you got me hooked with just one cheek massage! It
would be an insult to your soft cheeks if I just let it go when told to let it
go, and more importantly than that, mini Lucas who is having difficulty
speaking because his cheeks are being pulled, isn't that quite cute?
"Setop.
Letio now." (Stop. Let go
now.)
"So soft…… Huwaa
!"
Suddenly, mini Lucas turned
into adult Lucas!
"I told you to
let me go while I still said it nicely."
The low-pitched voice
echoed in my ears. My eyes locked with his red eyes, and I immediately withdrew
my hand from Lucas' bun (cheek).
"Why? Why don't
you massage it again like before?"
"I-I don't want
it! Now that's not a sticky rice cake anymore!"
"How can you
know without trying?"
"I can tell just
by looking at it!"
"You
pervert."
What!?
Lucas' babbling made
me angry and I started hitting the adult version of Lucas.
"You... Me!
Suddenly like this! I told you not to change shape at will!"
"Ah, you were
the one who started it."
"Shut up!"
After surprising me,
now you're calling me a heretic?! Aish, let me hit you harder!
Lucas protested that it was ridiculous, but I continued to beat him for a while. Until Lucas finally realized what my weakness was, so he changed back to his mini version.
***
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