***
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DON'T SHARE OR REPOST!!
***
Translator Note:
This is a long long long chapter.
So...... Bear with me, please (/▿＼ )
Thank You!
***
"Father,
what are you worried about?"
With a clear voice
flowing into his ears, Claude came out of his thoughts. As he shifted his gaze,
Zenith who was sitting across from him looked at him, meeting his eyes.
"Father,
your face doesn't look bright, so I'm
worried."
As Zenith said,
currently Claude had a dark facial expression. Hearing that, Claude clicked his
tongue and sank into useless thoughts.
"Father, is
there something wrong?"
"No. Besides,
it's something that doesn't deserve attention."
"In short,
something is bothering you."
Even though Claude
said it in his usual nonchalant manner, Zenith realized it quickly.
Without realizing it,
Claude remembered the face he had just met. Athanasia whom he had met when he
was heading to the Emerald Palace to drink tea with Zenith, the tea time
together that had been promised a long time ago.
'What must I do for
you to love me?'
When Claude thought
of the girl standing in the distance and looking at him with watery eyes, the
pleading voice he heard a while ago came back to his mind.
'Should I be like
Zenith? So, you will call my name affectionately and look at me with eyes full
of warmth, like when you looked at Zenith?'
'That won't happen
until the day I die.'
'Why? Father, I am
also your daughter. I have been by your side longer than Zenith.'
To Athanasia who was
sobbing, for the first time, Claude answered coldly.
'Stupid creature. I
never thought of you as my daughter.'
Considering his
seemingly breathless facial expression at that moment, perhaps Claude's words
were too cruel for her. However, even if Claude turned back time, Claude would definitely say the
same thing without making a mistake.
For the first time,
Claude honestly said the words that were in his heart to the child who came to
face him with all his heart. So, it wasn't Claude's business whether the child
was hurt or not.
Yes, it must be like
that…… But, why are those dim eyes that I saw just now, bothering me to this
extent? Zenith tilted her head at him who was narrowing his eyes in an
uncomfortable mood.
Zenith didn't know
what was bothering her father, but somehow, Zenith wanted to lighten the burden
in her father's heart a little.
"If it's a
problem that makes you uncomfortable, it's best for you to shut it down and
forget about it as if it never happened at all."
Hearing Zenith's
words, Claude's gaze fell on her. Zenith said it with an innocent and beautiful
face, looking like a sinless angel.
"Or just get rid
of the cause of the problem."
Claude's hand that
was on the table twitched for a moment.
"You said a
surprisingly radical solution."
The moment he opened
his mouth, Zenith pursed her lips and pretended to be sulking.
"Whatever it is,
that kind of facial expression doesn't suit you, Father. I hope it will be a
pleasant tea time together after all this time, are you going to continue
showing a stiff face like that? Alright, I'll pour you some tea, Father. Now
I'm quite skilled at making lippe tea."
Zenith took the
teapot and poured the liquid inside into the teacup. Immediately in front of
Claude, there was a cup of tea emitting warm steam.
"Please drink.
Father, this is tea that will make your problems disappear instantly."
Hearing that naughty
whisper, Claude just sighed and laughed lightly. Of course, there could be no
such thing as tea in this world, but he didn't bother saying that because the person
in front of him looked serious. Immediately, Claude's hand lifted the teacup
that was in front of him. Zenith smiled at him.
Strangely, his mind
slowly relaxed. In a way, it was a strange thing, but every time he faced
Zenith like this, he would feel that the worries about what was on his mind
would evaporate. Yes, just pretend that nothing is bothering him and just
forget what happened. Or, it's fine to just get rid of the problem that's
bothering me like she said earlier.
Of course, Zenith
said that without knowing that it was Athanasia who disturbed his thoughts.
"How does the
tea taste? My abilities have improved, right?"
"Not too
bad."
"Tch, Father,
what's wrong with honestly saying that you
like it?"
Claude thought so and
raised his cup again.
- 『 Lovely Princess 』 Chapter 9: The Night Before the Storm丗
***
"Are you really
my dad?"
"Yes."
Claude's memory
returned.
As soon as I realized
that fact, I cried loudly. I myself didn't realize that I would become like
this, but as soon as I looked at Claude who was looking at me with different
eyes than yesterday, tears came out of my eyes as if my eyes had been waiting
for this incident. Claude who let me put my nose on his chest started to stroke
me who was crying. He started to get confused when I cried louder, instead of
stopping crying.
"Stop now."
He said to me that I
was crying as if I were a person who had lost his country. I don't know if it
was because of my mood, but even when he had told me not to cry, the way he
spoke seemed different from Claude who had lost his memory.
“Ah, Aaaaahhh,
huhuuu……!”
"I feel
uncomfortable because your tears made my clothes wet."
As he said, Claude's
clothes were soaked with my tears. I looked at him a little annoyed -even
though I was still crying. Hmph, should you say that in a situation like this?
In touching moments like these!
"Uhuhuu, right
now I'm crying, huhuuu, because of who?"
Claude clicked his
tongue for a moment after hearing my nasal voice that made me stutter.
"That's why I
said to stop."
This crying made my
nose feel sore and tears welled up in my eyes. My hair became messy because he
kept stroking my hair while I jumped onto his chest and cried there. His eyes,
which had just experienced various emotions, were now calm again. However, I
could see small ripples within his eyes and realized that Claude was not as
calm as he seemed. I sobbed when I received his clumsy touch, without realizing
I opened my mouth.
"I miss
you."
Suddenly, Claude's
hand stopped at the sound of my muttering. For a moment, his facial expression
became very strange.
"I missed you,
Dad."
I couldn't help it,
so I said it again. After that, I cried while holding tightly to the part of
his clothes so that the person in front of me wouldn't disappear from before
me. Then, I heard a whispering voice saying, 'Me too' in my ear.
***
Garnet Palace was
once again filled with servants and mages. After the examination, each of them admired and said
that Claude's body, which had not been completely normal, was surprisingly now
in its best condition. His body's abnormality was not life-threatening, but
until yesterday, his unstable magic power had now completely normalized, and
the amount of magic power had suddenly increased. After hearing the news, the
people who knew about Claude's condition —especially the servants of the
Emerald Palace who were worried about me, almost all felt happy with the news.
"Wow, your face
is amazing."
Without further ado,
Lucas laughed when he saw my eyes were swollen like goldfish from crying too
much.
Without realizing it,
he had settled in my room and was eating the snacks on the table. He acted very
naturally as if he was not someone who had traveled a long way and only
returned yesterday. I was wondering where he disappeared to last night and it
turned out he was in my room. Could he have gone for a touching Father-Daughter reunion on purpose?
Because I knew what
my face looked like, so I rubbed my eyes with my hands and glanced at Lucas.
Then, Lucas stared at my face for a while while eating the snack, he pushed
aside the half-empty plate and smiled cruelly.
"You're thanking
me, right?"
I wondered why he
asked that when he already knew, but I still answered meekly.
"Yes, thank you."
Maybe because I've
been crying while hugging Claude for more than 1 hour, so my voice is a little
hoarse. Even though I felt a little embarrassed, in front of Lucas, I thought
it would be better if I appeared as I was.
To be honest, I was
surprised when he thrust that suspicious branch at Claude, but once I saw the
effect, it seemed that the branch was no ordinary elixir. Come to think of it,
Lucas said yesterday that he ate something better than the fruit he wanted,
right? Did he mean it was also a branch of the World Tree? So, that means he
really gave me something very valuable as a birthday present. Besides, he also
gave it to me, not just Claude. Seeing my body has felt light since I woke up, maybe I didn't
realize it, but actually my physical condition has been a little strange since
the explosion of magic power last time.
"If it weren't
for you, I don't know what I would do."
Even though I haven't
said anything all this time, I'm actually continuing to look for ways to
restore Claude's memory. Whenever I have the chance, I always go to Grandpa's place who craves my blood or hair, and ask him if
there is a way. But, all the mages in the Tower just shook their heads and said that
mental type magic was very rare among common magic, and even that could be
dangerous if something went wrong.
I wanted to meet the
Black Tower Mage who Claude previously said was fake, but then I was told that he had
disappeared again. Even in the magic books and books related to the history of
magic that I found in Arlanta, there was no magic to restore lost memories. I
even went so far as to search for forbidden books in the Imperial Palace, but
all the magic that seemed useful was black magic that spread suspicious energy.
But most importantly, I couldn't use such dangerous magic if Claude's safety
wasn't guaranteed.
"So you
owe me?"
So, I really owe Lucas
a lot. Because I couldn't do anything until he finally came back.
"Is there
something you want from me?"
However, when Lucas
smiled and said those words, my guard rose. Because, recovering Claude's memory
was an extraordinary thing for me, so what Lucas wanted in return was something
beyond my imagination.
"From now on, I
will think about it slowly."
But Lucas instead
said that calmly.
"Aren't you
bringing up debt because you want something from me?"
"No, I just
think that it's not a bad thing if you owe me."
Lucas, I…… I thought
about this a long time ago, but it seems like you would be suitable to work as
a loan shark. Ugh, that's right. Whatever it is, one day I will repay him
because I am very grateful to him. I looked at Lucas who was back to eating the
snack Lily made for me, and after a while, I asked him.
"But, who are
you really?"
"Lucas. You know
my name, right?"
"That is not
what I mean."
"You know what
to do."
Lucas ignored my
question casually. It seemed like he didn't mean to hide it, but also he didn't
answer it straight away, so I felt bad. I didn't know whether Lucas was
reluctant to reveal his identity or not, so I decided not to ask about this
further, as I always did.
"Do you want to
say something else?"
"What do you
mean?"
"This is what
happened because you didn't listen to me."
"Ah, yes."
Lucas bit off the
last of his biscuits and chewed, then said sourly,
"Even if it
wasn't for you, I have a feeling that this would have happened
—at least once. Honestly, putting your father aside,
be grateful that you're alive. Didn't you say that,
instead of you, it was your father who almost crossed the Jordan River? Wow, I
was right -really didn't know that there was a truly crazy person, who would
step into the explosion of someone else's magic power. It was the same as being
truly determined to die. It was a miracle that only his memory was lost.
Ugh, Lucas' words
made me prick. However, he just acted rather casually and didn't say anything
else to me. I thought he would make fun of me because I did something stupid,
so I was a little surprised.
"But honestly, I
don't care whether your father dies or not, so there's no particular reason for
me to say anything to me. Now, I already have enough magic power, so I don't
need Blackie."
Gosh, no matter what,
he is my father. Wouldn't it be a bit strange if he said such words? Ah, yeah……
Technically, it was just someone else's business to Lucas, so it didn't matter.
In that case, it would be more appropriate to thank him for being willing to
help.
"And this time,
it's not necessarily your fault."
Was he trying to
cheer me up? Da#n, you did something unnecessary.
“Come to think of it,
didn't you say you would take something from me in exchange for not eating
Blackie?”
I suddenly remembered
an incident from the past, so I opened my mouth. When I first met Lucas at the
Ruby Palace, I was convinced that this was a grace period, so instead of eating
Blackie, he would take something else from me. Right? It was a long time ago, so I don't really remember.
"Ah, that's
right. I've got it."
"What? What did
you get?"
I was surprised by
Lucas's relaxed answer. Meanwhile, instead of the snacks he just ate earlier,
now he wants my chocolates in the box.
"It's not a big
deal. I thought I wouldn't feel bored if I was around you, and it turned out to
be more fun than I thought. So, I guess you've already repaid Blackie with
that."
Lucas' answer was
beyond my imagination. So…… You enjoy being around me? What are you really
talking about?
"What is this?
This chocolate, only this much? Why is it only the size of a newborn
chick?"
What does it mean?
Besides, Blackie wasn't yours in the first place, but you said that I paid for
Blackie! I looked at Lucas who was chewing chocolate while muttering
nonsensical things. It seemed he was dissatisfied after checking the number and
size of the chocolates in the box. Lucas who was already biting the chocolate
looked at me and said,
"Come to think
of it, I don't mind if your father dies. But if you die or get injured, that's
kind of annoying."
Hahaha. So, would you
be upset if suddenly the toy you were supposed to play with disappeared? Should
I say thank you for that? I looked at Lucas with a slightly cold gaze.
"What kind of
chocolate that can't
even make my heart flutter. Is there any more?"
No, you da#n
bast#rd!
***
"Welcome,
Princess. His Majesty is waiting for you."
Purple flowers
blooming in the Backyard. I stepped on the soft grass and walked towards where
Claude was. And finally, after a while, I found Claude's figure colored with
the shadow of purple flowers. He didn't sit on a chair waiting for me, but
stood in the sunlight next to the flower bushes. The sunlight coming down from
above my head wasn't that strong, but I stopped walking because I felt dazzled.
"Why are you standing
there still?"
It seemed Claude
already knew I was coming. He immediately turned his head towards me
—to where I was standing still, then he looked at me.
"Come
closer."
I remained standing
still for a while as Claude said that. And then, I immediately walked towards him and hugged him.
"What are you
doing?"
Even though it was
only for a moment, his body that was in contact with me flinched. This isn't
the first time I've done this, but this situation seems familiar because there
was a blank period when he lost his memory. I was still hugging him, then I
raised my head and smiled broadly at Claude.
"That's a stupid
face."
Then he let out a
thin breath, it seemed like he was exhaling. Then, he flicked his finger at my
nose.
"That's right,
Athi is a fool who really likes her daddy!"
I took a step away
from Claude, give
him a blowing kiss. I am your
sunflower! Come on, accept my aegyo attack after a long time! As
I expected, even though I expected Claude to take damage from my
attack…… It would have been fun to see his reaction, but apparently he didn't
react.
Hwiiingg.
I lowered my hands
sadly, looking at Claude's face which was slowly starting to cool. Uhm, because
this kind of situation hasn't happened for a long time, so I tried to make a
joke, but it seems like it's useless.
"A-Ahem!
Suddenly the wind came. Why is the weather a bit cold today?"
Eyyy. Come on, if you
could match the rhythm, what would happen? I can't believe I embarrassed myself
like this.
"They said the table has been prepared over there, right?
Then, let's go there."
To hide my
embarrassment, I passed Claude and walked first. A few moments later, a warm
feeling fell on my shoulders.
"I feel a little
hot, so put it on."
Claude covered me
with a cloak that draped over his shoulders and said,
“Why do you feel hot,
Dad? As I thought, the kiss I blew to you earlier was too hot……”
"I don't know
why I'm the one who's embarrassed."
Claude spoke in a
slightly skeptical voice, but I just smiled at him. Actually, the words I said
about the weather being a bit cold were just words that came out spontaneously,
the weather wasn't really cold. However, I didn't want to take off the robe that
Claude gave me, so I kept it on my shoulders.
"When you think
about it, it's strange. How could you be in my room that morning, when my
memory came back?"
Cough!
Even though the
atmosphere was good, I was surprised by the muttering that Claude said as if he
had just remembered it.
"Ah, maybe it's
my conscience that's thinking about you making telepathy......"
"Maybe it's just
me, but that night, I think I saw you with someone in my room..."
"Wa-Wahhh. Daddy really misses me, huh? No wonder, that morning, for some
reason when I opened my eyes, I really wanted to see
you, Dad! As I thought, we have
something in common. Isn't that right?"
Ugh, as soon as I
realized it, I suddenly laughed 'Hehehe' and said all those words. However, to
explain what happened the day before, I have to talk about Lucas, but I don't
know how much I can talk about him…… Lucas is my savior, and I can't talk about
him without his permission first.
Claude looked at me
with narrowed eyes as if he sensed something suspicious about me. Wow! I didn't
mean to deceive him, but instead I changed my mind without realizing it, so
cold sweat broke out on my back.
"If that's the
case, so be it."
Soon, he turned his
gaze away from me with an indifferent voice. But for some reason, his tone
showed that he knew that if I just pretended not to know, I would feel
uncomfortable again. What the hell? Isn't it clear that he actually knows
something?
This time, it was my
turn to squint and look at his face. But, his facial expression did not change.
So in the end, I had no choice but to tilt my head and chase after him who
started walking ahead of me.
"So, am I saying
that I will give you all the stars and the moon?"
"Puaahhh!"
After a while, for
the second time, I was hit by the words that Claude said suddenly. Instantly, I
spit out the tea I was drinking from my mouth and coughed. Argh, I'm choking!
Instead of drinking tea, you're talking about something else?!
Regardless of me
feeling embarrassed, Claude continued to talk about it in an indifferent voice.
But, the calm tone of his voice was enough to hit me two or three times over.
"I remember, it
was an interesting story. Did I ever say that I love you so much that I'm
speechless?"
"Cough,
cough!"
That's what I said
when Claude had amnesia! On my birthday, while we were boating together, I
suddenly had a devious thought and tried to make fun of him! I can't believe
you responded like this! As I expected, it was difficult to make the emotional
time between us last long. Well, even so, I didn't expect that he would talk
about the past like this, uhuhuu. Casually, Claude lowered his tea cup in front
of me, who was already very embarrassed in front of him. I tried to calm myself
and opened my mouth.
"Haa, but that's
not a lie, right?"
I decided to be
shameless.
Yes, you love me!
There's no point in pretending.
"Dad, you really
love me."
Hearing my words,
Claude's eyebrows rose asymmetrically. And for some reason, he looked at me
with an annoyed look, but he didn't say anything. What? You don't deny it? Why
is he silent?
Of course, it made
his expression look very pleasant now, but Claude didn't show any reactions
like 'Don't spout nonsense' or 'What a wild imagination' to my words. I thought he would snort, but
apparently not. What is this?
"Athanasia."
After a while, Claude
called my name and now I knew there would be the expected reaction. But, the
words that came out of his mouth were different from what I thought.
"No matter what
anyone says, you are my daughter."
Under the swaying
leaves, where light and shadow coexisted, Claude looked directly at me.
“Until the day I
die…… No, even after I die, the fact that you are my daughter is something that
will not change.”
I think that's the
moment. The cowardly thought inside me that didn't want to get hurt until now,
so I prepared to get hurt, but it was destroyed without leaving even a single
dust.
"So, in any
case, don't forget it."
When Claude looked at
me with an unwavering gaze and whispered in a low voice, leaving behind the
view of the chobok*, I also thought about that without any falsehood.
T/N: Chobok ( 초복 ) is the third day after the summer solstice.
"Yes."
Just like he did in
the past, I also thought that I could —gladly, willingly die for the person in front of me
right now.
"I know
it."
Now it really can't
be changed. I can't go back to my past of truly living alone without relying on
anyone, and I can no longer close my eyes to the overflowing affection I
receive now.
"I know very
well that I am your daughter, Dad."
So, maybe if I lost
this person, right then and there, I wouldn't be able to come back and would be
completely devastated.
"I'll never
forget that."
Then, from now on I
will protect him with all my strength. I would risk everything I have to be by
his side like I am now.
"So, Dad, don't
forget it either."
I smiled at my
father. Secretly in my heart, I hope that this person will be happy by my side
—just like me.
***
"I am very happy
that His Majesty has got his memory back."
On his way out of the
Backyard, Felix said that. He returned to being my knight on orders from Claude, and we walked together towards
the Emerald Palace.
My heart, which had
slowly swelled when I met Claude, had now reached its maximum limit
—as if it would explode in an instant if someone stabbed
it. Maybe this is the feeling that has filled my heart since earlier.
Ah, somehow now it
seems like I can do anything.
Right at that moment,
I seemed to hear something flapping like wings inside my body. I moved my hand
slowly, driven by a force I didn't know about. My sudden action made Felix look
at me curiously. Ignoring Felix's gaze, I waved my hand lightly in the air.
Hwaaak!
At that moment, an
amazing thing happened before my eyes.
"Princess……?"
A voice that tinged
with disbelief echoed in my ears. The knights and maids who followed me along
with Felix took their breaths quickly and they all stopped walking in unison.
Whooaaaa.
In an instant, bright
flowers came into view filled with green. It was amazing to see trees full of
young leaves starting to bloom in unison as if it was mid-season. When I raised
my hand a little higher, the flowers bloomed like it was spring. Soon after,
the place where we were standing had a beautiful view with colorful flowers.
"Oh my……"
"What's
this……"
Birds chirping filled
my ears. In between, the sound of people taking their breath in in surprise was
heard, then they immediately exhaled it back into the air. The delicate floral
scent enveloped my entire body sweetly. This feeling filled my body, as if it
was overflowing from head to toe.
This is the first
magic I have performed perfectly in this world with my own will.
***
"What? Say it
again."
Lucas, who today also
looked relaxed and diligently took the snacks in my room, asked again. He
seemed confused by what he had just heard. But as for me, I was worried that he
would feel it was too sudden if I directly told him what I was thinking as soon
as I met him, so I paid attention to his mood first before speaking. I gave all
the snacks that Lily prepared for me to Lucas! Well, if you're really curious,
I'll say it one more time.
I took a deep breath.
Then, I shouted towards Lucas who was still tilting his head.
"Make me your disciple!"
***
"I want to study
magic more systematically. Can I ask for help from the Tower?"
Right after I changed
my path from the Garnet Palace to the Emerald Palace to the Flower Garden. I
humbly admit that I know very little about magic, so I went to meet my Grandpa, the Tower Master of Obelia’s Black Tower. Eh, of course I still felt uncomfortable with him wanting
my blood every time I saw him, but after a few visits, I got used to it and
everything was fine. So, that's okay. And now, because of Claude, he can't
openly do that to me ……
Wheleee~
I tried hard to
ignore the open ceiling. Obelia's Black Tower was the most free place to use
magic within the Imperial Palace, but apparently Claude forbade the use of
magic to repair the Tower. So, until now, Obelia's Black Tower was in an open
ceiling condition.
I felt guilty every
time I saw it, but strangely the mages didn't seem too concerned about the condition of the Tower.
“Help from the
Tower……”
"I want to learn
magic better."
"So far, no
member of the Imperial Family has received official assistance from the Tower
for magical training."
Tower Master Grandpa
made a strange expression and said vague words, neither
denial nor agreement.
"And, isn't the
Princess able to use magic freely? Rumors that the Princess has made the
flowers bloom by bringing spring to the Imperial Palace Garden have spread
throughout the Palace."
"I have many
shortcomings because I only studied alone. I heard that Obelia's
Black Tower only has great mages who are not only recognized by Obelia, but also
recognized on this continent."
When I praised Obelia’s
Black Tower like that, the
corners of Tower Master Grandpa's mouth twitched involuntarily. As he said, the magical
training of members of the Imperial Family was carried out within the Imperial
Family itself for generations, but from what I heard, from the start Claude was
able to use his magical powers naturally without having to learn from anyone.
So, it seemed like he didn't understand why he had to study such things
separately. Is everyone around me a genius?
"Then…… What
about Lucas?"
"Lucas?"
I strained my ears at
the familiar name that came out of Tower Master Grandpa's mouth.
"Yes, I hate to
say this, but he is one of the most useful in our Tower. Moreover, since he has
spent quite a long time as your friend, so I think you will feel more comfortable studying with
him compared to the other mage.
Ah, I'm not saying this because I want to get rid of him
from our Tower."
E-Excuse
me? Isn't the last sentence of your statement questionable? I feel that this
grandfather is too open towards me. Right? Moreover, after hearing Tower Master
Grandpa's words, I felt deep
worry. Hmm, come to think of it, I never thought of Lucas to help me with this.
After recovering his magic power, he seemed to be idle without doing anything.
How about I talk to him next time we meet?
"Then, in the
near future, I will talk to him about this."
However, hearing my
words, Tower
Master Grandpa jerked his shoulders
so hard that I could see it with my naked eyes for a moment.
"In the near
future…… Princess, I want to ask. Have you met Lucas lately?"
Oops, a strange
darkness flashed across my back. Don't you feel something strange about his
tone? Could it be that while everyone in the Tower was busy, Lucas was just
lazing around after he returned from his long journey?
"Ah, he only met
me briefly, just to say hello."
"Is it
true?"
"Yeah, maybe
because he just came home a while ago, but he looked like he was in a hurry.
Maybe he was really busy, so he just said hello and left……"
Keugh, is this
because Lucas has restored Claude's memory? Without realizing it, I ended up
defending Lucas. After all, Tower Master Grandpa is the Tower Commander while Lucas is just a Tower
Sergeant, so there's no harm in me looking after Lucas! However, the words Tower
Master Grandpa said next made my
smiling face harden.
"Oh, so you're
saying he's gone back to Obelia?"
Ugh!! Turns out it
was a land mine! What's that? Tower Master Grandpa, don't you know that Lucas is back?!
"That guy, he
didn't even report his return, he just appeared to see the Princess's face.
Isn't that right?"
Ke-Keughhh. Lucas, so
all this time you were just rolling around in my room without telling the Tower
that you were back……?
"Haa, he really
is a unique person."
Tower Master Grandpa smiled, but, every time he said a word
—whatever it was, there was an extremely terrifying
energy emitting from his body. When I saw that, my back broke out in cold
sweat. Lu-Lucas, if you are being lazy and absent from your duties, you should
say so!
"Ah, by the way,
Princess. It's a little late, but this is your birthday present. It seems
you're interested in magic items lately, so I was looking for something
similar to what you said before. I'd like to make something even better, but
I'm running out of time."
"Oh, thank you."
If it's something
I've said before, are you talking about items that cancel magic? Kavell Ernst's
ornate sword was quite impressive, so I asked about it the last time I came to
the Tower. According to Tower Master Grandpa, magic items that could truly cancel magic were
extremely valuable items. But, he gave such a valuable item as my
birthday present? It was very touching. I always thought that he was a very
strange grandfather, but it turns out he also has a normal side……
"If you are very
grateful, in return, you can trim the tips of your nails a little."
……What's normal!?
"No, how can you
ask for something in return for a birthday gift?"
"Hehe. Isn't
giving a birthday present, then getting something in return for it a common
thing these days? When I was young……"
Strange remarks from
the strange Grandpa began. This grandfather, he did it again. I'll only lose if I keep
listening to it.
"Oh my, isn't it
about time? I have to go now because there's something urgent. Thank you very
much for the gift."
"Uh, are you
ready to go?"
Hearing my words, the
Tower
Master Grandpa showed a regretful
expression while clicking his tongue. I really understood the meaning of his
attitude, 'Even though I haven't received a single drop of blood...', that must
be what he was thinking.
"If you see
Lucas again, please let me know."
"Y-Yeah, sure."
I rushed out of Obelia's
Black Tower, leaving the
bright-eyed Grandpa alone.
***
"That's what
happened~"
Anyway, that's the
story of how I came to ask Lucas to teach me magic. After hearing Tower
Master Grandpa's words and
reflecting on them, Lucas was a person who was able to use magic as he pleased
even within the Imperial Palace where the use of magic power was restricted.
Uhm, maybe this is rude to the Tower Mages, but honestly Lucas is the strongest mage I've ever seen.
Keugh. Maybe it's
because I've been brainwashed by him since I was little, so I also think that
Lucas is the greatest magician in the world —because he often proclaims himself that way.
"Don't you know
that I don't like teaching?"
As I expected, Lucas
snorted when he heard my words. Yes, that's right…… I, more or less knew that you didn't have that kind of
hobby after hearing the expressions of the Tower Mages that were filled with anger…… But, after hearing those
grand words from him, I had a cold expression on my face.
"Magic isn't
something you learn, it's something you're born with."
Keugh. Lucas is the
same as Claude! That face, that tone of voice! Why are they all so evil? Ugh.
By the way, do Lucas' words make sense? After hearing it from the Tower Mage, I thought it would indeed be difficult to learn from
Lucas. So, if Lucas said he didn't want to, I would just give in without
whining to him.
It was just like the
fact that he never wanted to be my dance practice partner for my debutante, and
I already fully understood his personality because we had been together for so
many years, Lucas wouldn't do anything he didn't like, even if he died. But,
Lucas was half lying on the sofa in a rather impudent manner, he seemed to be
thinking about something for a moment, then he turned his gaze to me with an,
'Uhmm' sound.
"Yes, but if you
ask, there's no reason for me to refuse."
"Uh,
really?"
"But if you
still don't understand even though I've taught you, I'll stop
immediately."
Doesn't that mean
there is a 100% chance for you to quit right away!
"Even so, I feel
annoyed because you keep spilling your magic power everywhere."
"Me?"
I lowered my head and
looked at my body. But, I didn't feel anything strange about me. In fact, Tower
Master Grandpa, who was said to be
able to see people's magic power with the naked eye, had never said anything
like that to me. Lucas seemed to have noticed my thoughts, so he raised the
corners of his mouth and said,
"Hey, I can
figure it out because no one is as good as me."
Hohoho. Oh, yeah. Is
it true? That's nothing new because he is a person who always makes himself
proud every day.
"Since we
already talked about it, so let's try it now. Try to stop your magic power from
leaking out first."
"The
method?"
Hearing my question,
Lucas changed his expression for a moment. Wait! That expression annoyed me. It
hasn't even started yet, but his face already looks so lazy like that.
Moreover, his gaze, he looked at me like he was looking at a fool!
"So, hold your
magic power 'hap' like this! Then, do it like this 'whuushh'! Do
it like that."
Lucas' explanation
was terrible. When I looked at him with a cold gaze, Lucas secretly raised one
eyebrow as if asking. Then, after a while, he sighed as if he realized
something and opened his mouth again.
"Yeah, fine. I don't expect you to succeed in one try. I'll explain
it once again specifically, so listen carefully. Hold on to your magic
power……"
The terrible
explanations continued. Hey…… Hey, are you doing this just to make fun of me? I
was confused, but after I saw Lucas' face, it seemed he wasn't joking. So,
that's really an explanation?
I suddenly remembered
what the Tower Mages I met last time said, they could shout fluently when I talked about
Lucas.
'I asked him to teach
me how to use magic easily. And before my eyes, he showed off his abilities!
Then, he told me that I wouldn't be able to do it, then he ignored me and
looked at me with pity…… Ugh. I'm really sad. Huhuuu.'
T-That's right. This
was one of the reasons why the Tower Mages were offended by Lucas! It's so different experiencing
it in person than hearing it!
"What's wrong?
Do it quickly."
Even Lucas urged me
to do it immediately. I groaned and was forced to move my hands under Lucas'
intense gaze. I don't know what he said because his explanation was as good as
dog sh!t, but anyway, based on what I just heard…… Hmm, I guess
it's like this. With the intention of doing something, I tried to do something
with my magic power.
"Erm, has
anything changed?"
Aish, but for some
reason, I feel like my body has become a little lighter than before. Is this
just my feeling?
"Lucas, take a
look. Has anything changed?"
Uhmm, from what I
see, I don't know. I just raised my hand for no reason and looked at Lucas.
Huh? But why is he looking at me with his eyes wide open like that?
"What's wrong?
Why are you like that?"
"Crazy, you
really did it? Your magic power really isn't leaking out anymore?"
Lucas looked
surprised when I followed his terrible explanation so easily. Well, I was
surprised by that too! As I thought, I have great magical talent…… But then,
Lucas' words penetrated my eardrums, and I had a cold expression on my face
again.
"Wow, I'm
getting goosebumps right now. How can a newbie like you follow my awesome
explanation well enough?"
"……"
"As I thought,
the idiots in the Tower don't understand because they are stupid. I know that.
Haa, I really am a genius."
"……"
"Ah, but would
you, would that be enough? Well, maybe you're good enough to be taught. I don't
teach anyone, so consider it an honor."
Lucas was starting to
go crazy, he was praising himself like a fish in water. I looked at Lucas who
was admiring his extraordinary genius with slightly tired eyes. Isn't this a
bit unfair……? No matter how hard I think about it, it's not because you're a
genius, but rather because I'm smart. I can understand that dog sh!t-like explanation perfectly!
I looked at Lucas
with a snickering face, and I didn't want to see Lucas' smug face anymore, so I
brought up about him neglecting his duties at the Tower.
"Come to think
of it, haven't you reported about your return to the Tower yet?"
"Oh, yeah."
"The Tower
Master already knows that you have returned, will you be scolded later?"
"Even if so,
what would you do?"
However, instead of
panicking, Lucas snorted and laughed. Hey, after all, he is your boss at work,
your attitude is really very bad!
"More
importantly than that, try doing something else. This time, use your magic
power like this……"
"L-Like this?"
"No, not that
far! Pay close attention, do it like this. This time, instead of 'whuussh',
it's like 'hwaak'."
……Isn't there a
button to go back? I want to cancel my decision to learn magic from
Lucas! But, there is no such thing in my life. In the end, I was trapped with
Lucas and had to continue learning magic, it felt like bean flour being grabbed
and shaken.
***
Athanasia's 15th
Birthday Celebration Dance Party at the Emerald Palace attracted a large crowd.
The people who received the invitations were nobles and noble children around
the same age as Princess Athanasia, and the attendance rate for this Masquerade
Ball reached almost 100%. It was no wonder that their curiosity soared
endlessly, as there had once been rumors of a dispute between Emperor Claude
and the Princess.
Even though rumors of
their dispute quickly disappeared because Princess Athanasia and Emperor Claude
showed their closeness again at an official event, there were still some people
who were suspicious of their relationship. And then, Princess Athanasia was
holding her 15th Birthday Celebration at the Emerald Palace, so it was natural
that the guests decided to attend to confirm the truth of the rumors.
"For those who
have not prepared a mask, please let us know before you come in."
In addition, the
party held by Princess Athanasia was unusual, all participants were required to
wear masks.
"For those not
wearing a mask, you cannot enter the Dance Party."
There were several Young Masters and Young Ladies who had prepared masks in advance as instructed in
the invitation. But for those who didn't prepare a mask, there were servants on
duty to go to each horse-drawn carriage and provide masks. Because they were
all noble children who had just debuted in the social world, their experience
in attending the Ball was still very rare. Besides, it was their first time
coming to the Party wearing masks, so they felt embarrassed and curious at the
same time.
As soon as they entered the Palace wearing a mask, they saw the party participants wearing masks in various shapes. Everyone felt unfamiliar with
this situation. Their faces were all covered by masks, so they couldn't move
easily to find someone they knew, so they just stayed in place
—only moving their curious gazes here and there.
At that moment, the
light from the chandelier and all the lights in the Banquet Hall went out.
"Huh?"
"Suddenly, what
happened?"
In an instant,
darkness enveloped the Banquet Hall. And at that very moment, there was a loud
voice that sounded in the ear.
"Thank you for
coming today."
It was clear that it
was the Party Organizer, Princess Athanasia. Everyone listened to the voice
that spread everywhere.
"As explained in
the invitation, today's Masquerade Party is a secret party where you can hide
each other's faces. Depending on your personal preferences, you can change the
masks that have been prepared in the Break Room several times, you can also
freely use pseudonym."
No matter how much they concentrated, they still couldn't figure out where the sound came from.
Just like the fact that the hanging lamp and all the lights in this room
suddenly went out, is that magic? The rumor that Princess Athanasia had
awakened her powerful magic power like Emperor Claude became a very interesting
gossip among the people.
"Removing the
mask at the end of the party is the rule, and forcibly removing the other party's mask or
forcing it in any way is a violation of the rules. In this case, the person who
breaks the rule may be expelled from the party, so please be careful."
However, Princess
Athanasia managed to attract everyone's attention.
"Then, I would
like to thank Father for preparing this place for my 15th birthday."
A light smile mixed
with a clear voice echoed throughout the Banquet Hall.
"Today, I hope
you all have fun."
And then, the
chandelier and all the lights in the Ballroom came back on. The shouts of
people here and there rang in the ears. At the same time, the sound of music
spread throughout the Ballroom, and the waiters began to offer drinks to the
guests.
"Uhm, this is
quite a strange party."
"That's true. But,
umm, I think it's a bit fun……"
"I think I just
saw you for the first time today, would you be willing to go over there and
talk to me for a moment?"
"Of
course."
At first, the Young
Masters and Young Ladies were a bit
hesitant, but as they talked while hiding their identities according to the
rules of the party, they felt a strange sense of freedom and pleasure that they
had never felt before. It's also interesting to infer who the person you're
talking to is through their conversations and actions. Soon enough, they were
immersed in this unusual party.
……That's my scenario.
And it looks like my scenario worked! Alright, this is according to plan!
I was relieved to see
the Young
Masters and Young Ladies who were
gathered happily in groups of 2 or 3 people as if they were embarrassed. I
don't think I need to worry about the possibility that my Birthday Party will
be ruined today. Yes, that's correct. This is the magic of the Masquerade Ball. Do you know what
the freedom of anonymity is? As I walked around the Party Room, I saw several
of them playing a game of guessing each other's identities. I also changed my
voice and slipped into the group.
"Uhm, I'll try
to guess. Looking at your red hair that's like a rose and skin that's white
like a lily……"
Jeng, jeng, jeng! Your name is!
"Young
Miss……"
Lily Girl of the
Marquis Family Elaine!
"I think you are
Miss Lorena, who is called the Rose of Count Florence's family."
But, if it was
revealed now, then it wouldn't be pleasant. So, we have to make it more confusing.
I often see Lily Girl up close, so I can immediately tell her identity, but
perhaps her identity would be difficult for other people to know. Moreover, she
wore a wig on her head as if she had prepared to go to the Masquerade Ball
today. Of course, even on a day like this, the Lily Girl did not give up.
"I-Is that
so?"
"Ah, seeing you
stammering like that, doesn't that mean it's true?"
“Come to think of it,
I've seen Miss Lorena from a distance before, you do look quite similar to
her……”
I also left people
who started making big mistakes, and left their group just like when I first
stepped into their group.
The party went
smoothly. At first, the guys felt uncomfortable because they didn't know each
other's identities, but then as time went by, they started hanging out with
each other. Maybe because this is a place where boys and girls of the same age
gather. After all, we can get along well.
Uhm, this is good. If
we have fun today, the rumors of discord between Claude and I will die down
even more than now. Of course, since the Emperor definitely wouldn't allow a
Birthday Ball for a Princess he hated, I wonder if most of the noise would dissipate after
today's Masquerade Ball?
After a while, I
slipped out among the people enjoying this Masquerade Ball.
"Sigh."
When I got out, I
could breathe a little. To be honest, I didn't feel like socializing with
people today, that's why I purposely had a mask as the theme of the party. If
it weren't for that, then it would be impossible for me —the Main Character of the Party to escape like this.
This morning, a
message came from the Alphaeus Family Residence stating that Izekiel and Zenith
could not attend my Birthday Party for some reason. I'm a little curious about
that 'some reason'. On the last day of the Founding Festival, Zenith's face
that I saw at the Alphaeus Residence disturbed me, and so did Izekiel that I
met in the Banquet Hall that time……
After I thought about
all that, I leaned against the terrace railing. Although there was no reason
for me to feel that way, my feelings became a little complicated.
"Isn't this your
Birthday Party?"
Of course, my time
alone didn't last long because a voice came from beside me.
"Why are you
even going out and contemplating alone like this?"
"Aish, being
alone is your specialty, right?"
Without realizing it,
I teased Lucas who was sitting on the terrace railing. Yes, that's correct. No matter how lonely I think about my
solitude, I still can't defeat him, the Lone Black Wolf! Then, Lucas' face who
heard my words ……
"Hey, your
expression is too much..."
His face seemed to
say, 'What nonsense are you talking about?' U-Ughh. No matter how hard I try, I
can't believe you showed an expression so clearly like that.
"As I thought, I
should have gotten rid of the first person who started that nonsense."
"Aish, Lily Girl
is innocent!"
"Ohh, it turns
out it's Lily Girl?"
Oops! Without
realizing it, I said who was the person who gave Lucas the title of 'Lone Black
Wolf'! T-This is dangerous!
"Wa-Wahh. Lucas, look over there! Stars are flying in the
night sky……!"
Luckily Lucas just
looked at me as if he was annoyed, but he didn't investigate further about Lily
Girl's identity. Maybe it's because today is my Birthday Party, so he just left
it like that! Oh, I hope so. Don't ask me anything else. I have to protect Lily
Girl! Uwaaaa, come to think of it, isn't Lily Girl in the Dance Party Hall? If
I make a mistake, will my Dance Party today become a Blood Dance Party?
"Because today
is your Birthday Party, so I will let it be."
Ah, good to hear……
"Today, I won't
ask. But, I guess I'll bring this up later."
What? Do not like
that!
"Well, because
I'm in a pretty good mood today, I've given you a birthday present, but this is
especially for the Princess."
Without having time
to figure out what the words meant, Lucas swung his arms lightly left and right
in the air. And at that very moment, something truly magical happened before my
eyes.
"Wow!"
In the night sky,
delicate flower petals and twinkling starlight began to flutter and scatter at
the same time. It was as if the flowers and stars that were still in the sky
overflowed onto the ground and formed a waterfall. I heard a loud scream and
turned to see that the same thing was happening inside the Party Hall. I looked
at the people who were mesmerized and hit by the sparkling flower petals
falling from the ceiling, and then I turned back to the front.
"Beautiful."
Lucas put his feet on
the terrace railing nonchalantly, as if he had never used this magic on me.
"Thank
You."
I muttered to myself
as I looked at the beautiful scene before my eyes. The sound that spread
through the air tonight was barely a whisper, but Lucas probably heard it. Even
though it was a little late, my 15th Birthday Party ended like that.
***
The next day, I was
alone in my room and looked out the window. Then, I snapped my fingers.
Ctak.
When I closed and
opened my eyes again, blooming white flowers spread across my field of vision.
Seeing the flowers swaying before my eyes, I felt a little regretful, but I
didn't immediately leave this place. In fact, I don't know whether the reason I
stood there was just a momentary impulse, or a final decision caused by worry
accompanied by a lot of doubt. Maybe both, or maybe neither.
I thought this
wouldn't be a problem, so I wandered around in this Flower Garden for a while.
If I see someone I've met in this place again, then that'll be fine, and if I
don't meet anyone here, then that'll be fine too. Actually, all of this is
misleading. But, I don't know how I feel myself. And after a while, as soon as
I turned around, I could see that what was in front of me was like a lie.
Sraaa.
Because the wind was
blowing low, the neat silver hair was a little tangled. The golden eyes that
seemed to have gathered a handful of bits of sunlight opened slightly wider and
stared at me from a distance.
“……Am I dreaming
right now?”
Now, Izekiel, who was
seeing me here, whispered as if he couldn't believe it. When I went to meet
Zenith at the Alphaeus Residence several times, I saw Izekiel. But, this is the
first time we've met in person like this since Claude's Birthday Party. After
that, he must have only heard that I disappeared and then returned to the
Palace. So, it was understandable that Izekiel looked at me with a doubtful
look in his eyes.
"Or is this an
illusion created by my will?"
Moreover, right now
he and I are standing in the white flower field where Izekiel and I once talked
to avoid other people's eyes when I came to the Alphaeus Residence because of
the joke Lucas made the other day.
I shifted my gaze and
saw the white bandage under his folded sleeve. For some reason, his left arm
was wrapped tightly in white bandages from the elbow to the neck. I suspect
that might be why Izekiel and Zenith couldn't attend my Birthday Party
yesterday.
"Is this a dream
or an illusion?"
I looked at the
person facing me and slowly opened my mouth.
"If it's not
real……"
Now, Izekiel's
expression changed slightly as that low voice left my lips.
"This is
real?"
Did Pygmalion's face
look like that when he saw Galateia, the statue that became human after
receiving the grace of the Goddess*? Izekiel started to move towards me as if
he was finally convinced that I was not a dream or an illusion.
T/N: This is part
of Greek mythology, Pygmalion was a sculptor who made a statue of a beautiful
woman named Galateia. Pygmalion fell in love with the statue and prayed to the
Goddess Aphrodite (Goddess of Love) to make the statue come to life. Aphrodite
granted his prayer, and finally Pygmalion and Galateia lived happily.
"I……"
And finally, I gasped
when I heard a voice coming from a few steps away.
"I want to
contact you."
I couldn't say
anything because the face in front of me somehow looked like he was depressed.
"But I don't
know how to do it."
"……"
“Even now, if I close
my eyes and open them again, I feel that you will immediately disappear……”
His voice blown by the
wind fluttered in my ears before finally disappearing.
"I never thought
that I would have a heart full of sadness like this."
Izekiel
Alphaeus. What did I feel when the male protagonist of the novel whispered in a
very hot voice as if he was confessing his feelings?
"Just think of
this meeting as a midday dream."
I stared at him for a
moment and slowly opened my mouth. Hearing my words, Izekiel's expression
changed —as if he had been stabbed by a sharp dagger.
"Just now, you
said that it’s
was real."
"But from now
on, that's not the case."
"Are you going
to disappear from my sight again?"
Now, Izekiel was
silent for a moment as if he was holding back something unbearable before he
finally let out a low voice.
"Today, why did
you come to see me?"
I didn't answer it.
"Uhm, isn't that
the same reason I came here?"
Snowflake-like flower
petals swayed gently around us. I just stared at the person I met without a
word.
"If yes, then
please allow me to contact you."
After whispering
those words, now Izekiel approached me. The white flower petals and light green
grass were concentrated at Izekiel's feet and they gave off a light fragrance.
Soon, his image appeared before my eyes. Instead of his bandaged left hand, his
right hand was extended towards me. And finally, when Izekiel's fingertips
touched me.
Hwaaak!
"Am I bothering
you?"
Suddenly, there was a
cold voice that penetrated my eardrums. Before I realized it, it turned out I
was back in my room, not in the Flower Garden with the smell of grass and flowers
mixed together.
"I couldn't hold
it in anymore because I felt uncomfortable."
Lucas looked at me
who was already lying on the sofa and said that with his cold red eyes.
"Of course, even
if you say I'm annoying, I won't send you back there."
I spread my hair on
the sofa for a while and lay quietly, then I raised my body and answered him.
"No, good
job."
Honestly, I don't
know if I could have gotten out of that place on my own, so I can say that
Lucas has done a great job bringing me back here at the right time.
"Good job?"
"Yes."
For some reason,
Lucas closed his mouth tightly at my words. It seemed like he didn't like
something, but I couldn't say anything else. I sat on the sofa and ran my hands
through my tangled hair. Then, suddenly I looked at the clock and it was
already 3 in the afternoon.
"Ah, isn't Lily
coming here?"
"Already
gone."
"Surely you know
that I'm not here, right."
What's this? I
thought he had gone to the Palace Tower. I continued having boring thoughts for a while, and
then, I unconsciously muttered under my breath.
"You know, life
is a complicated thing. Isn't that right?"
Of course, Lucas
didn't say anything to me.
I stood up, erasing
the scene of the White Flower Field that had involuntarily appeared in my mind,
along with Izekiel and the warmth that touched me for a moment.
"I have to go
see my father. You can stay here a little longer or go as you please."
Once again, Lucas
didn't say anything behind my back, but this time, I didn't expect an answer
from him either. So, I left the room without waiting for a word from him. It
was the beginning of my summer at the age of 15, a time when I felt as if I had
read the last chapter, even though I had only just begun to turn the first
chapter.
***
Time continues to
flow and I have become a 17 year old flower.
"This formula,
isn't it a little inefficient?"
I placed a thick
magic book in the middle of the table and spoke while receiving a gaze from
him.
"Not only that,
all the formulas in the 'growth' section, it all feels like unnecessary
rhetoric."
"But, this has
been a systematic method since the reign of His Majesty Aeternitas. Since
ancient times, many mages have studied it directly, but they have not been able to find a more
efficient formula."
One of the Mages in the Tower immediately refuted my words. Oh my,
you're here again. 'His Majesty Aeternitas is the best! Our ancestors were the best! The
Aeternitas formula is the best in the universe!'. Apart from that, the other
Mages also nodded in agreement. Ugh, every time I read a
magic book compiled by Emperor Aeternitas, I can immediately recognize it by
looking at the cover. Perhaps, if Emperor Aeternitas were still alive, everyone
present here would be great sasaeng*.
T/N: Fans who have obsession for stalking or
involved in other infringing behavior privacy celebrity.
"That's right.
This formula alone is already a perfect formula!"
"Look at this.
Grace and splendor flowing through every tightly drawn line!"
“With this formula,
the spiral pattern in the middle helps bind the magic power, and the 6
petal-shaped lines spreading upwards smooth the magic power…… Bla, Bla……”
No, the formula you
drew for using magic is indeed cool, then where are you going to use it? With a cold expression on
my face, I looked at the mages who looked like complete fools. I've gotten used to all this over the past 2
years, but when I saw this situation, it really annoyed me. Once again, I was
carried away and listened to the mage who explained the beauty of the formula,
again, and finally, I spoke because I could not stand it any longer.
"Yeah, that's
why I think we can improve the formula to make it more efficient."
"Eh? What kind
of nonsense is that……"
"Look at
this."
When I said,
'improving that perfect formula to make it more efficient', their facial
expressions seemed to say, 'That's not even worth knowing!'. I showed the
papers I wrote earlier to the mages who had that facial expression. As I expected, the
Tower Mages
looked at the paper with a face full of suspicion. And after a while, they widen
their eyes and say, 'Huh!'.
"T-This?"
"Princess, how can you?!"
Their voices and eyes
trembled non-stop. Seeing that appearance, I felt as if my teeth that had been
hurting just now had now disappeared. Ahem, yeah. You must be surprised, right?
Because I had made the formula that was hailed as perfect for 200 years even
more perfect, so there was no way a mage could not be excited about this.
Happily, I told the mages who looked at me with faces asking for an explanation
about the formula I had changed.
"It's said that
it can help magic power cohesion, but if we have concentration, then we don't
need to use so many lines. I've tested it, and I can fulfill the requirements
for creating a formula by drawing only 1 circle in the center. Instead, I changed
This part is a bit, and I applied the formula to prevent unnecessary flow of
magic power. Using the lines here doesn't cause conventional effects and
friction. Moreover, this formula doesn't work because it drains magic power in
a short time……"
These mages watched my hands moving across the paper, they were
almost mesmerized when I explained it.
"This way, the
time required to activate the magic can be shortened and the effect is almost 3
times increased."
Explanation complete!
Ugh, this is quite difficult. But I'm different from Lucas, so hurry up and
understand! I won't give such a bad explanation! And, as expected, the mages who were impressed by my extraordinary explanation
immediately shouted in joy.
"Ohhhhhhh! This
is a great event that will mark a historical milestone! For 200 years, no one
has touched the Emperor Aeternitas formula!"
"Oh my God, what
a wonderful formula! What a perfect method!"
"With this magic
formula, magic activation will be 1.5 seconds faster!"
"Uwooooo! Let's
try it right now!"
I glanced down,
feeling proud as I saw the mages treating the crumpled paper as if it were a treasure as precious
as gold and silver. Ah, every time I look at that formula, I feel stuffy as if
my nose is blocked by a cold, but it seems like my stuffy nose for 10 years has
started to get better. I walked out of the Palace Tower with a sense of
satisfaction as I watched the Mages focus all their energy on using the new
formula without even thinking about me.
***
"Princess, did
you just go to the Tower?"
"Um."
When I returned to
the Emerald Palace, as usual, Lily was the first to greet me. Maybe it's
because I've been to the Palace Tower quite often, so she's used to it now.
"Ohhh. Lily,
that smells so good."
I sniffed and clung
to Lily.
"I just made a
financier. I'll take it to your room."
Lily spread a warm
motherly smile towards me. Keugh, our Lily is really great. How did you know
that I was hungry for a snack, and you immediately prepared the financier just
in time for my arrival?
"Princess, I
have already arranged the invitations on the table."
"Ah. Thanks,
Seth."
As soon as I entered
the room, I started checking the invitations that had been arranged on the
table. Because it was an invitation that had been sorted out by my servants, so
I actually didn't need to worry too much. After all, there are things that must
be accepted and things that must be rejected.
"Hm, hm,
hm."
I hummed while
sitting on the sofa and reading the invitation sent to me. Today, I'm in a very
refreshing and good mood because I can finally say about that magic formula.
Ah, if I knew that it would feel so refreshing like this, then I would have
said it earlier. During this time, the mages in Palace Tower usually worshiped Aeternitas, so I had to restrain myself because
they were quite sensitive people.
Wow, come to think of
it, haven't I improved a lot? I never expected the day would come where I
refined the formula of Aeternitas, the person known as the powerful Archmage Emperor! Uwaaa, now that I think about it, yeah, I hate
to admit it, but Lucas was a big influence in making me this cool. I admit it.
Lucas, you are a genius!
"Princess,
please eat."
While I was having
fun alone, Lily brought snacks to my room.
"Ah, this is
coffee?"
"Yes. I remember
because at that time the Princess seemed to like it. Our Palace got a small shipment of coffee."
Actually, in Obelia
there is no coffee. But, recently Lily got a new tea imported as a trial from
Arlanta, it was also sent to the Emerald Palace. And it turns out, the tea in
question is coffee.
I was immersed in a
sense of nostalgia and I quickly fell in love with the taste. Black tea is
delicious, but sometimes I miss this kind of taste. Of course, this isn't the
instant coffee that suits my taste, but it's good. Even though I'm old, I have
the taste of a child, so I spilled sugar into the coffee that Lily brought.
"Lily, sit down
and let's eat together."
"I'm already
full just watching the Princess eat."
Hmm, but it would be
nice if we ate together. But, I couldn't ask for it anymore because Lily looked
back at me with a motherly smile. She still likes to make snacks for me, comb my hair, make
my bed, and so on. I also didn't stop it until now I'm 17 years old, that's
because I like it.
"The Princess has grown up so beautifully……"
Over the past 2 years,
I've gotten a bit taller, and compared to before, I've gotten rid of the
childishness that permeated my outer appearance. My cheeks have also lost baby
fat and my face has become thinner. So, the face of my fit body has more
obvious curves. Maybe that's why, lately Lily often looks at me and mutters to
herself like that. I smiled broadly and spoke jokingly to Lily.
"I've always
been beautiful."
"Of course.
Since the Princess was born, the Princess has been the most beautiful woman in
the world."
Y-Y-You still take my
jokes seriously. Even though I feel a little embarrassed, Lily's affection is
still one of my favorites —whether it was then or now. Maybe that's also the reason
why I keep acting childish towards Lily. After I ate my snack, I rolled around
while looking at the invitation in my room, and then I went towards the Garnet
Palace.
"Dad, time to
rest!"
Even today, Claude is
still struggling with documents in his office. When I opened the door and went
inside, Claude raised his head and there was a slightly dark area under his
eyes. At first, I was careful because I didn't want to disturb him, but now I
knew that if I didn't disturb him, then Claude wouldn't be out of his office
all day. Seeing me visiting his office again at the same time as yesterday,
Claude closed his eyes for a long time and then opened them.
"Felix."
"Yes, Your
Majesty."
Hearing Claude's calm
call , Felix who was standing behind me immediately lowered his head and
answered.
"At times like
this, I feel like a dog on a leash and being taken for a walk. Is that just
me?"
"This is the
kindness of Princess Athanasia. She is concerned about your health, Your Majesty. Every
day, she always comes to your office at this time, because her heart has
recorded it."
"That's right.
Dad, analogizing this to a dog being walked on a leash is too much."
"Your Majesty,
whether animals or humans, both must get enough sunlight and move their
legs."
Well done, Felix!
Maybe because we've been together for so many years, now I really get along
well with this Oppa, right? It's hard to believe that he is the Felix who hurt my eyes
(annoyed me) in the past. Of course, there are many anecdotes that cannot be
heard without tears.
By the way, I could
see Claude frowning when he heard my and Felix's words. It was easier to just
give up.
"Dad, let's
finish what we usually do and go out together today. As Felix said, humans need
to get enough sunlight and move their legs."
"Haa."
Claude sighed as if
he didn't like it, but he still didn't chase me away.
"Then, I will
wait here quietly."
I smiled and sat on
the soft sofa prepared for me. But, this is strange. 2 years ago, the sofa in
my room was replaced with a sofa of the same brand as this sofa. But, why does
it still feel different? Strangely, the sofa in Claude's office felt softer?
I wanted to test the
softness of this sofa a little more, but I decided to hold back because I was
afraid I would disturb Claude if I kept moving.
"Dad, I'm bored
every day just walking around in the Backyard, so today, let's go to the Flower
Garden."
And after a while, I
took Claude's arm and exited the Garnet Palace. Felix was quite far behind us.
Even Felix, a person who was synonymous with carelessness, now he wasn't around
us whenever Claude and I were together. In the beginning, every time he was
chased away by Claude because he was judged to be too close, Felix always felt
depressed and sullen. But, lately he's not like that, I think he's used to it.
If you think about it from a different perspective, does this mean that he has adapted
because he is used to being scolded by Claude? Keugh. Felix, I suddenly feel
bad……
"Look. Actually,
Dad also likes being outside, right?"
"This is
annoying."
"Even though
it's annoying, if Dad stays indoors all the time, Dad will definitely feel suffocated.
Dad, you should think about your age."
I could see Claude
frowning at the piercing fact I said. Uwehehe, do you feel bad because I talked
about your age? But that's true. Of course, Claude still showed off his beauty
even though it was no longer fair for his age. But, isn't that just skin deep?
Moreover, his face was always covered in fatigue every day.
Of course, if I said
those words, Claude would definitely deny it. However, even so, people who
usually build walls from their usual active routines are more likely to be
cooped up in their offices on fictional days, and their sleep hours are
irregular. So, even if I try not to worry, I still worry.
"And, didn't I
tell you to sleep on the bed? If Dad keeps doing that, I'll remove the sofa
from your room."
Besides, I couldn't
stand his habit of sleeping on the sofa. Even though I've told him to rest well
in bed, he always ends up sleeping on the uncomfortable sofa. Then, Claude
muttered as if he felt a headache at my words.
"I only have one
daughter, and as time goes by, her nagging only increases."
"If not me, who
else would tell you all this, Dad?"
Just because Felix
had said this a hundred times, didn't mean Claude would listen. So, at least I
have to nag like this so he can take care of his body a little. I think I am a
very good daughter and care about her father's health to this extent. Now,
don't you want to praise me? Don't you want to spoil me because I'm all you
have? However, Claude is still Claude. Instead of praising me, he muttered to
himself in a somewhat impassioned voice.
"Haven't I been
treated like a dog by my own daughter? In fact, I always hear this and that
scolding every day. It turns out I've gone this far."
Gosh, why do you keep
saying about dogs! I'm just taking you for a walk, and you think that I'm
treating you like a dog? It's true that I dragged you out half-forcedly and
took you for a walk, but……
"By the way,
aren't you bored with this Flower Garden?"
Claude, who was
looking around for a while, suddenly asked me that. When I heard that, I came
out of my thoughts and looked around —just like Claude. Where we are now is a
flower garden full of
pink roses in bloom. Of course, this is also a place that Claude created for
me.
Hmm, I don't think
it's a problem. But, are you bored with this place yet?
Cough, when you say that, I feel like a dog owner who is
thinking about a walking route for his dog. This is all because Claude was
talking about dogs earlier!
"Felix."
As soon as he opened
his mouth calmly, Felix who was behind him approached as if he had been waiting
to be called.
"Yes, Your
Majesty. Did you summon me?"
"Tell them to
turn this place into a Tropical Arboretum starting tomorrow."
Puhwaa!! Hearing
Claude's words so suddenly, I could only look at him in confusion. What are you
talking about? As soon as he heard Claude's words, Felix, who was approaching,
was immediately shocked by the unexpected words.
“You mean…… Tropical
Botanical Garden?”
"Yes, it seems
Athanasia has had enough of the Rose Garden."
Yes? Me?! Suddenly I opened my mouth in embarrassment.
"Dad, when did I
say that?"
“Last time, I heard
you say that Marquis Elaine's garden was
quite impressive. The name of the flower you said that
time……”
Wow, wait! Why do you
say that now?
"That's right.
Didn't you call it Aristolochia Elegans back then?"
Hu-Huwaakk! I tried
to stop drooling when I heard the fancy name that came out of Claude's mouth.
"What?
Aristo…..."
"Aristolochia
Elegans*."
T/N: Aristolochia
Elegans is another name for Aristolochia Littoralis. That is its botanical
name, the common name it is usually used for is Calico Flower.
"Aristolochia
Elegans…… It turns out there is a flower name like that? I have to remember its name so I don't forget it."
The name spoken by
these two men with serious faces sounded like a very elegant name, it was like
a scientific name, so it seemed a bit funny. But most importantly, it doesn't
suit them! Don't talk with such a serious face and say it with a graceful
accent!
"Dad, when did I
ever say that I liked that flower?"
And most importantly,
I felt embarrassed. I remembered the flowers I had seen in Marquis Elaine's
garden because
they looked so unique. But, you misunderstood and became
like this!
"Didn't you say
that you wanted to visit Marquis Elaine's Residence again? That's why I told
them to build a Tropical Arboretum in the Imperial Palace. What's the big
deal?"
Many! There are many
problems!
"If you didn't
like that flower, then you wouldn't remember all the letters of that long and
unimportant name. Besides, if you didn't like it, then you wouldn't say that
you wanted to go out of the Palace again to see it."
"I think you are
right, Your Majesty."
However, Felix nodded
again seriously. No, that's not what I meant! Actually, Claude still didn't
like me going outside, so he wanted to create a Tropical Arboretum inside the
Imperial Palace. Even so, I mean, Aristolochia Elegans! I don't really like that flower! That's not my taste!
"Dad, I like the
current Flower Garden. Isn't it a nice garden?"
“There's no nonsense
to say. Felix, while I'm talking, now……”
"E- Eyyyy. The
garden I saw at Marquis Elaine's Residence was indeed nice, but the garden my daddy made was much prettier and nicer. Look at this. Aren't
the roses blooming beautifully?"
Now, look at those
roses! Are you going to get rid of those beautiful roses? Really? Is it true?
Would you do something cruel to that beautiful rose? Huh?
"The rose suits
you very well, Princess."
Felix said happily
while looking at me standing with a backdrop of roses at my back. Now, Claude,
look over here too! You would rather have me surrounded by Roses than see me
surrounded by those long-named Tropical Flowers! However, it seems that Claude
has a grudge against me. Perhaps, this is not only because of Marquis Elaine 's
garden,
but also because I always disturb him under the pretext of taking a walk together lately.
“No, I need to know
how beautiful you look with Aristolochia Elegans. Felix, tell them to turn this garden into a Tropical Arboretum right now."
"Yes, Your
Majesty."
"Ah, no! Dad,
wait! Wait a minute, Dad? Felix don't go either! Wait there!"
I must do everything
I can to protect my Rose Garden. I immediately ran after Claude who started
walking ahead while lifting the corners of his mouth evilly. Oh no.
***
Mmm. Secretly, I
looked at the purple flower in front of me.
"Princess, even
today you still see Aristolochia Elegans."
"Hoho, that's
because its
appearance is very unique."
While looking at
these flowers full of white patterns, I naturally took a few steps back with a
smile on my face. If you saw something like this in your house, you would
definitely think that there is someone in your house who likes it, right? No,
of course, I respect other people's tastes. But, please respect mine too. Sob,
every time I see these flowers, I feel little goosebumps. Is it because of the
white patterns on the petals?
"Last time,
because the Princess
liked it, I found out more information about this flower. It seems that this
flower has another name called Calico Flower."
“Aha, Calico Flower
……”
I didn't respond to
Lily Girl well, I just smiled with a stiff face.
Wait, wait……! What do
you mean by I like it? When I saw it last time, I just said, 'Ah…… This flower
looks so powerful and impressive!'. But, this Lily Girl explained it with such
a bright face that I couldn't express the truth that this flower was not my
taste. Yes, actually I'm weak for cute girls. Uhuhuuu.
"I told the
servants earlier to prepare drinks. This way, please."
After a long time, I
finally visited Marquis Elaine's Residence. The person who invited me here was
Helena Elaine, the Lily Girl who I had had a good relationship with since
debutante.
Starting from the
first party at the Emerald Palace when I was 15 years old, I
occasionally visited the Residences of the Young Ladies who sent me
invitations.
I shiver when I think
of Claude recently declaring that he would turn my Rose Garden into a Tropical
Arboretum. Sigh. But, I managed to save it! I managed to stop Claude's demonic hand from trying to
reach my beautiful rose!
"Oh, yes.
Princess, the flower behind you right now, it's the flower you helped to bloom
with magic the last time you were here."
"Oh, yes?"
I opened my eyes a
little wider when I heard those words and looked back. Indeed, there was a
flower bud whose shape was similar to the flower bud I last saw when I visited
Marquis Elaine's Residence.
"The flower
petals are blue."
"It's growing
beautifully, isn't it? It's still a bud —not yet in full bloom, but it will be in about a
week."
Dying flowers can now
form buds again like that. The flower was able to grow thanks to the Aeternitas
formula that I modified. Just when I needed an object to test the formula, Lily
Girl helped me. Therefore, I decided to infuse the plant with magic power. And the
result, success.
"I'm sure the
flower wouldn't be able to bloom that beautifully without your help,
Princess."
Of course, like other
magics, it should not be misused carelessly, but with a little adjustment, I
think it could be used by Obelia to grow grain in the relatively barren land of
the North……
I tilted the cup of
fragrant tea while thinking about that.
"U-Uhm, by the
way Princess……"
Then suddenly, the
Lily Girl hesitated and her cheeks turned red.
"How is Sir Lucas lately……"
Aish, this Lily Girl
is still innocent. Since Lucas first obtained the title of Lone Black Wolf,
hasn't it been 3 years, and she is still consistent with her feelings? Ugh, Lucas, you are such a sinful man!
"Always the
same. It seems he's been very busy at the Tower lately."
"Ah. I see. He really is the best mage in Obelia's Black Tower."
Ke-Keughh. This Lily Girl is really still innocent, really pure innocence.
Externally, Lucas was the youngest Tower Mage, so he was definitely a great person. However, there was
still Tower Master Grandpa and other mages with many years of experience. Even so, Lucas is still
considered the best. Of course, there were times when I also wondered if Lucas
was really Obelia's strongest mage……
"Haa, I happened
to see Sir Lucas on the way to the Tea Party held by the Princess
yesterday, how could he shine so brightly from head to toe? For a moment, I almost fainted after
seeing his charming appearance. But from behind, I feel as if his sad
loneliness is getting thicker year by year, so I feel so sad when I sleep……”
Gosh, it's starting
again! With a dreamy gaze and misty eyes, I clenched my hands as if praying and
sent a faint glance towards the Lily Girl who was starting to fall into her own
world.
“I thought, it would
be great if I could hug him from behind —at least once……”
In this state, I will
become a transparent human who seems not to have been here for some time. Hehe,
now I'm used to this.
"Haa, back when
I was young. If only I had met Sir Lucas a little sooner, I wouldn't have been tempted by
Young Master Xavier —not even for a moment."
I tilted my teacup
again, letting Lily Girl's words flow into my ears.
“Every time I see his
red eyes locked in a deep loneliness, that no one can fill, I……”
Mmm, the aroma of the
tea is quite strong. Should I put it in the Emerald Palace?
***
"What the hell?
Why is it so dark?"
"Just turn on
the lights!"
As soon as I realized
that a guest had suddenly come to my room, I opened my mouth. But it was too
late. Gosh, my eyes! Hey, you're acting too fast! The image of a boy with black
hair and red eyes was reflected in my narrowed eyes. Lucas tilted his head
slightly to the side as I frowned because the room suddenly became bright.
"What are you
doing alone with the lights off?"
He asked quickly.
Couldn't you have asked first before turning on the lights? But I —a
broad-minded person, I decided to understand him. I called Lucas while lying
comfortably on the bed.
"Lucas, come
here."
"Am I a
dog?"
Ah, why is everyone
saying such nonsense about dogs lately? Is considering themselves similar to a
dog something that's popular these days? But, I feel that this is unfair.
Ughhh. However, Lucas grumbled as if he was dissatisfied, even so, he still
moved as I asked. Look at this, even though he's complaining, he's still coming
towards me.
"Come
closer."
Are you playing with
me? Why don't you come closer to me? I was still lying on my bed, I turned my
head and urged Lucas to come closer to me. However, Lucas only frowned once
when responding to my call, and he didn't think about approaching easily.
"What's wrong?
Come closer here."
I got frustrated.
Finally, I extended my hand to Lucas who was standing about 3 or 4 steps from
my bed. After I did that, Lucas resumed his steps which had stopped. I grabbed
his arm and pulled him closer to me. For a moment, Lucas' arm that was touching
mine seemed to twitch, but I didn't pay attention to it and kept pulling. Lucas
didn't stay still like before, so I could easily lay him next to me.
"Look at
this."
I waved my hand and
turned off the light that Lucas had turned on again. As the saying goes, a dog
can recite poetry if it spends 3 years in Seodang*, and maybe because it's been 3 years since I started
using magic, so now I can do it with my eyes closed.
T/N: This
is a Korean
proverb which means practice/study will definitely pay off. And, Seodang (서당) was a village dedicated to being a school during the
Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties.
As soon as I
channeled my magic power, a sparkling magic circle appeared spread across the
ceiling of my room. It was the magic formula I drew in the air before. I did it
yesterday —right before bed while studying about magic formulas because I was
bored. When I drew magic power that was as thin as a thread and pulled it
through the air, the thread became sparkling and looked like a galaxy. Ah, this
calms my mind. It reminds me of the times where I used to lie on my back and
look at the night sky……
"Doesn't the
formula look like a constellation?"
"It seems like
you've been enjoying studying magic formulas lately."
However, even after
seeing that beautiful sight, Lucas only said those words in a lifeless voice. I
couldn't help but be struck by his dry sensibility.
"Isn't it
beautiful? I just discovered it yesterday! You're the first person I've shown
this to."
"That's right,
it's beautiful. Beautiful."
"Aish, you just
sighed, right? You think I look pathetic now?"
"On the
contrary……"
For some reason,
Lucas muttered in a slightly regretful voice as if talking to himself. However,
I was a little surprised to see a faint look of confusion on his face, which
was shaded by the soft light from the ceiling.
"Somehow, now
I'm wondering why I was playing house with you? I suddenly felt
skeptical."
"What? Playing
house?"
"Yeah, playing
house."
It only took 1 second
for me to blink. At the same time, I felt that it was his whisper that said, 'Yeah, playing house.' that flowed into my ears, the tone of
his voice somehow sounded much lower than before —and that's when I realized
that the boy beside me had already grown up. I could see his red eyes looking
at me silently.
Then, I took a deep
breath.
Angry.
As soon as I lost my
composure, my magic power immediately disappeared, and the light shining on the
ceiling of my room also faded in an instant. Gosh! I immediately raised my
upper body.
"You! I told you
before, don't do it... Huh?"
Hu-Huh? why am I speaking formally to him? Seeing Lucas who
looks mature, doesn't it feel strange if I don't treat him like before? The
room suddenly darkened and I couldn't see the person next to me, but I had a
slight advantage because of that. That's because Lucas wouldn't be able to see
my embarrassed face.
A languid voice
drifted through the darkness.
"You look so
helpless."
Suddenly, a warmth touched
my wrist, and I was shocked. Immediately, a force lifted my upper body
awkwardly, and then it made me lie down again.
"You just want
to touch me."
That power wasn't
that strong, but that didn't mean I could escape from that power in an instant.
So in the end, I had no choice but to lie back in bed.
Even though I
couldn't see it because it was dark, I knew that Lucas was very close to me. C-Calm down. He's just Lucas. Yes, his appearance looks a
bit more mature than before, but he is still Lucas! I tried to open my mouth
calmly.
"I don't think
those are appropriate words to be said by someone who casually enters and
leaves my room —whether it's day or night?"
"You only
realized it when I looked more mature like this."
I heard the sound of laughter
crackling in my ears. Ah, but this is strange. Why do I feel nervous? The sound
ringing in my ears made my ears tingle and I went crazy……
"You should know
enough that I'm not a child by now."
Then, suddenly, there
was warmth against my skin, and I was shocked.
W-Wait a minute? Why
are you touching my wrist so strangely like this? Lucas was still holding my
wrist. However, the fingers running along my skin tickled me so much that,
without realizing it, I flinched.
"Or, could it be
that our Princess doesn't have a good memory?"
Lu-Lucas? Don't you
feel that you and I are too close? Can we just continue what we were doing just
now……? Also, do you rub honey on your vocal cords? Your voice whispering in my
ear is so, so……
"Should I remind
you once a day?"
"……"
"You want me to
do that?"
The tips of my toes
curled as I heard the low voice that flowed into my eardrums. A figure that was
familiar yet unfamiliar was reflected in my dark-adapted eyes. I couldn't even
catch my breath and kept looking at Lucas who was looking at me from above.
However, then, this tense atmosphere broke.
"Why aren't you
breathing?"
"Oh, what are
you doing?"
Aish, let go of my
nose right now! Suddenly I had to struggle because Lucas pinched my nose with
his hand. And then, without any sound, my room became bright. Argh, my eyes!
Reflexively, I immediately raised my hand to block my vision. Since earlier,
you should have given advance notice if you wanted to turn on the lights.
Uhuhuuu.
"Next time, be
careful."
Lucas had gotten out
of bed while I was still rubbing my eyes from the sudden attack of light. I was
quite relieved after seeing him return to his childlike appearance. Lucas hasn't changed yet form
body since a year ago, so his appearance is not much
different from his appearance from 2 years ago. But, the thing is, sometimes
Lucas likes to turn into an adult to surprise me because he thinks my reactions
are cute and fun.
"Don't let a guy lie in your bed like this."
"Aren't you a guy?"
Don't you think that
sometimes you say something funny? Do you think you and I have known each other
since how old?
"Of course, I'm
not just any guy."
However, Lucas seemed
to hesitate for a moment at my words, then he said those words in a soft voice.
It was a very ambiguous voice, one that seemed to be satisfied with something,
or was it the opposite, dissatisfied with something?
"But, forget it,
don't be too cautious."
Oh my gosh, Lucas,
who had hesitated to take another step, now he came back to me. I was still
rubbing my sore eyes and looking at him with an annoyed look.
Hm? But, is there a
secret you want to tell? Why are you so close? He came in front of me who was
sitting on the bed, then he leaned towards me with a suspicious look. And after
a while, I was surprised by Lucas' voice that touched my ear and made my
shoulders flinch.
"Even so, don't
let your guard down on me. Understand?"
“……!”
"Seeing you like
that makes me want to bully you."
The low voice of a
mature mature man directly penetrated my ears. Reflexively, I threw my upper
body backwards. However, I could only remain silent while continuing to look at
Lucas who had the appearance of a teenage boy as if nothing had happened.
"You're kidding
me, right?"
I felt annoyed, so I
held my ears which felt hot and vented my frustration. However, Lucas just
smiled sarcastically at me and disappeared from before my eyes like when he
first appeared in this room. So, I could only snort while looking at Lucas who
had disappeared, and I screamed.
***
"Princess,
another gift has arrived. I will move it to the room where gifts are usually
kept."
Today I returned to
the Emerald Palace after enjoying a relaxing and comfortable walk with Claude.
Keughh. Once again, Claude stared at my rose with a dangerous gaze! I thought
the story about the Tropical Arboretum was over because I had persuaded him
well last time.
“Princess, there is
an increase in invitation letters for you from the Young Masters!”
Today, it wasn't
Seth, but Hannah who arranged the invitation letter that came to me. Oh, it
seems there are more invitation letters coming than before, huh?
"Every time I
see the Princess who becomes more beautiful day by day, this Felix can't say
anything because he feels so moved. Of course, it seems that His Majesty is lost in his thoughts."
Felix looked at me
with a faint gaze. His figure is very similar to Lily. And I know who they're thinking about
every time they look at me. In fact, I've heard them say that the older I get,
the more I resemble my mother, Diana.
"Ever since the
Princess started her activities in high society, the Young Masters have been
constantly courting her, so it's only natural that they send letters. Young
Master Xavier and the Young Duke were previously rumored to be handsome, they send love letters
to the Princess every day."
"Hannah, that's
not a love letter."
“Oh my, Princess,
you are so naive. A man
wouldn't write letters like that every day without a black heart (meaning),
right? Actually, I favor Young Master Alphaeus over the other Young Masters……”
Hannah, Izekiel Alphaeus is…… Well, it's natural for her to talk about Izekiel because previously I had received
a gift from him in the form of a Bluie, and that was enough to cause a
commotion. I also remembered that recently the name Izekiel had been coming in
and out of the mouths of the Palace Servants and Young Ladies more frequently.
"Actually, it
seems that His Majesty is not very happy about tomorrow's picnic. But after
all, days like this won't last long. If the Princess marries later, how lonely
His Majesty will be……"
At that moment, Felix
who was beside me spoke in a lonely voice.
Gosh, that kind of
worry comes too fast.
"It's alright, I won't get married."
"What?"
"Yes?!"
For some reason,
everyone was shocked at my words. U-Uhmm, are you surprised that someone who is
a Princess of a country says that she won't get married? But
then, they all immediately calmed their nerves. Maybe she was just thinking, 'I won't get married and stay with
all of you!', those were the words that kids her age usually said. I guess that's what they thought.
Soon, Felix nodded his head and said,
"His Majesty will definitely be very happy to hear
that."
"That's right.
It would be nice if the Princess stayed with me in the Emerald Palace for a
long time."
"Ah,
Princess, I was thinking about
continuing to serve you even though you are married!"
"Hannah, don't
say things that will definitely happen."
Ugh, as I expected,
even today the servants of the Emerald Palace seemed very happy……
When I was in a warm
mood, Seth, who as usual was arguing with Hannah, suddenly said something to
me.
“Princess, if any
strange Young Master comes to you, please notify me immediately. I will take
care of it secretly……”
Sring.
The sharp tip of the
heel of Seth's shoe shines! Seth exuded a frightening aura. Hey, you are an
expert at eliminating insects! Her name is Seth, the Cockroach Hunter! Indeed, this Seth
has killing power comparable to CeXco* who has years of experience, she is strong!
T/N: The
letter X in
the words ' CeXco ' is the censor used by the author. The actual word is
'Cesco', a well-known insect exterminator company in South Korea.
"Sir Robane,
since you are a bodyguard who is always near the Princess, I am sure you will
protect the Princess from dangerous Young Masters at the picnic tomorrow."
"That's right. I
trust you, Sir Robane ."
"Yes, tomorrow I
will carefully escort the Princess."
Fe-Felix, why did you
answer so vehemently like that? Besides, tomorrow's picnic is only for the
Young Ladies. But at least, it was some comfort because Lily sighed and shook
her head as if she couldn't do anything about them.
"Princess, the
silk gloves you ordered yesterday, they said they were finished today. The
embroidery looks good, do you want to see it now?
"Okay. Let's go
and take a look, Lily."
I looked at Felix who
was still on fire, as well as Seth and Hannah who were looking at him in
amazement. I immediately shook my head and left the room with Lily.
"Picnic? Is that
fun?"
Lucas, who still
comes to my room today, snorted. I remembered what happened last time and
glanced at him, but Lucas didn't blink as if that incident had never happened.
Eyyy, stop, stop, I will be the one who loses if I continue to be distracted by
what happened at that time. I lifted my teacup that was on the table and
answered indifferently.
"Whether it's
fun or not, I'll still go because I've been invited by the Alphaeus
Family."
"That
Albie?"
Lucas' eyes widened
when he heard my words. From the look on his face, it was clear who he was
thinking of. I mean, in this case, Lucas remains unchanged. Right?
"That's right,
Zenith sent the invitation."
"Ah, that
Chimera."
"She's not a chimera."
This time, I frowned
at his insensitive words. Lucas continues to call Zenith a chimera. Of course,
Zenith is not a normal child. But, isn't Zenith a very kind and beautiful child
to be called such a word?
"Hmm, is that
so?"
Gosh! But, is this
just my feeling? Why does it feel like there is something extremely disgusting
and evil around me?
"You're not
going to follow me, are you?"
"You think I'm
someone who doesn't have a job?"
Lucas sneered at me
after hearing my words. Yes, that's weird. But, why does this unpleasant
feeling of suspicion persist…… Lucas is a person who wouldn't know where to go
if he was left alone, so I don't feel relieved at all. As I continued to look
at him suspiciously, Lucas opened his eyes wide and he gave me an innocent look
as if he didn't know anything. However, my lingering doubts about his figure
only grew bigger. Hmm, why does Lucas look like a lying wolf trying to trick me
by wearing an innocent sheep mask……
"You can't say
twice with just one bite."
"What's wrong?
Even if you asked me to go take you, I wouldn't want to."
Seeing it like that,
doesn't it mean it's true? I tilted my head when I saw Lucas with a gloomy
expression, and I had no choice but to look suspiciously at him.
***
The next day, I took
a horse-drawn carriage to attend a picnic hosted by the Alphaeus Family.
Actually, teleporting
was faster and more efficient, but if I did that, I couldn't take all the maids
and bodyguards lined up near me. And if I get caught teleporting alone like
that by Claude, then all the maids and bodyguards will cry because they're
afraid they'll be fired, so I can't do that. However, I had learned a lot from
before that my body would shake when riding a horse-drawn carriage for a long
time, so I used anti-shaking and air-purifying magic so that I could spend a
truly comfortable and unwavering time inside the horse-drawn carriage. Ehehe,
bed…… I mean, stagecoach carriages are science*!
T/N: The word 'science' here is a meme from Korea.
The meme is from the character Yasuo from the LoL game. I don't play LoL, so I
don't understand, but obviously, this meme is used as sarcasm.
"Princess, we
have arrived."
After a while, I got
off the horse carriage with Felix's help.
"Princess!"
And as soon as I
grabbed Felix's hand and planted my feet on the ground, a clear voice rang in
my ears as if the person who called me had been waiting. I looked at the girl
who ran towards me without paying attention to her messy hair.
"Hi, Zenith. How
are you?"
When I greeted her first with a smile, Zenith also gave me a bright smile.
"Welcome, Princess. Did you miss me?"
Those blue eyes
bathed in sunlight seemed to shine like glass beads. Aah, doesn't her face look
radiant today? If Zenith 2 years ago was an immature flower bud, then today,
Zenith shows off her beauty like a newly bloomed flower. So, if we have to say
it bluntly, 17 year old Zenith is very beautiful.
I'm weak towards
beauty, just like I did Lily who had extraordinary beauty since I was a baby.
Is it possible that my face, which previously looked sluggish, now immediately
looks fresh and makes me smile broadly?
"Aahh. Zenith,
wait a minute. Your hair is a little messy."
Come to think of it,
this perfect beauty was in a cage! I raised my hand and straightened Zenith's
messy hair. No, of course, Zenith was still beautiful even though her hair was
messy, but she must have styled her hair very carefully for today's picnic, so
it would be better if her hair was as neat as it was the first time.
"Yes, that's
enough."
"Thank you,
Princess."
Even though she was a
bit shy, Zenith didn't refuse to let me touch her hair. Ah, but, Felix! Why are
you looking at us smiling like that —a father's smile?
"The Young Ladies who came first are waiting for you here. Please
come this way, Princess."
Feeling embarrassed,
I turned away from Felix and walked. Just like the Lily Girl, I no longer call
the person in front of me Miss Magritta , but rather Zenith.
Now that I'm used to
it, it seems like I'm getting closer to Zenith over time. Besides, I knew that
I had looked at her with suspicion before, but now I knew that it wasn't Zenith
who was trying to harm me using black magic.
"Oh my, Princess! Welcome."
"It's been a
long time since we met like this."
"Even today you
look very beautiful."
The Young Ladies
invited to today's picnic woke up from their chairs and immediately started
talking as soon as they saw me. I smiled and greeted them.
"Nice to meet
you too. I don't know if I came too late. Miss Magritta, thank you for inviting
me today."
"You're welcome.
It's an honor to be here with you."
Because today's place
is a bit impersonal, so I called her Miss Magritta instead of calling her Zenith.
"So, after that,
he immediately got up from his chair and ran outside."
"Oh my God,
really? What is that,
ahahahaha."
"Miss Valentine
must be very embarrassed."
The conversation
between the Young Ladies lasted quite a long time. I also responded to their
stories on the sidelines so as not to spoil the atmosphere. Ughhh. But this
isn't much fun. This was the first time the Alphaeus Family held a picnic like
this for Zenith, so I visited it.
"Come to think
of it, doesn't Miss Magritta like devinic black tea ?"
I spoke to Zenith who
had been just listening to the conversations of the other Young Ladies with a
smile on her face. Then, Zenith opened her eyes wide for a moment, then
answered while holding her teacup.
"Yes, that's
right. Among the devinic black teas, I like lemon-scented tea."
"Recently I've
been blending coffee with devinic black tea."
"Ah, can that be
done? I want to try it another time."
"Oh my, it seems
that the Princess and Miss Magritta really like devinic black tea ."
"My mother often
drinks it too, it seems that from now on I should enjoy it better."
Secretly, I smiled at
Zenith who started chatting together with the other Young Ladies. Wow,
according to plan! After all, it was her first time hosting an event like this,
it seemed she was worried because she couldn't speak well, but now I could step
back after helping her gain more confidence. Apart from that, Zenith, who
smiled brightly with a slight blush on her white cheeks, actually showed off
her high -level beauty. Keugh, beauty is a very valuable thing. Beauty must be
protected by everyone, am-yo*.
T/N: A word used to agree with something. This is an expression
commonly used by the elderly, however young people also often use this word
when joking.
But actually, not just
Zenith, all the Young Ladies present at this event were all as beautiful as
flowers who had various charms. Yes, beauty is not a matter of rank, but of
taste. In that case, I felt happy because my face quite suited my taste.
Srak!
Huh? Suddenly, the
bushes over there began to shake gently with a rustling sound. Strangely, there
was no wind blowing right now.
"Hm?"
"Those bushes
over there, isn't there something strange?"
After a while, not
only me but the other Young Ladies also realized that there was something
strange about those bushes. Ah, come to think of it, this place borders the
forest, right? Could it be Bambi's lost friend*? Of course, it was impossible for the Alphaeus Family to
use a picnic spot that had wild animals nearby, but I knew that around here
there was a hunting ground licensed by the Imperial Family. I gathered magic
power at my fingertips in preparation for unexpected situations.
T/N: This is the joke took reference from an American animated film produced by Walt Disney
entitled Bambi. The film tells
the story of the friendship between Bambi (a small deer) and Thumper (a
rabbit).
Srakk!
"Whoa!"
Jump, Jump!
Immediately, I
relaxed as the creature emerged from the bushes, and I lowered my hand again.
"Oh my, it's a
baby bunny."
"That's cute."
A little rabbit, it
turns out to be Bambi's lost friend. If I overdo it and channel my magic power,
I'll definitely feel embarrassed……
"Its fur looks
very soft. Princess, would you like to touch it?"
If you just touch it
straight away, the rabbit will be shocked. Moreover, I don't really like
animals……
"I'm fine."
I took a step back
despite the overreaction of these Young Ladies.
Srakkk.
Suddenly, there was
another rustling sound in the forest. Is it a mother rabbit this time?
Srak!
Aish, but that
shadow, somehow it looks like a bear!
"Can you all
step back for a moment?"
The figure
approaching from the forest looked so tall, it couldn't even be compared to a
rabbit. Strange, why is a place with lots of animals like this used as a picnic
spot? I don't know what it is, but at least it doesn't look like Bambi's
friends, so there's no harm in being careful.
"What's
that."
"Well, I'm still
not sure."
Zenith asked in a
voice that was half anxious and half curious, but we couldn't tell the
creature's identity just by looking at its body shape. I pushed these Young
Ladies behind me and I spread my arms. Felix and the other knights
prepared to draw their swords and stared at the forest
warily.
Srakk!
Finally, with that
rustling sound, a giant shadow appeared across the border of the forest and the
creature appeared in the sunlight.
"Oops, looks
like I'm lost."
But, it wasn't a bear
that appeared in front of me. I opened my eyes wide in surprise at the
appearance of an unexpected person.
"Duke Alphaeus?"
I mean, Albie! Why did you appear from there?
What emerged from the
forest was Roger Alphaeus wearing hunting clothes, not the suit he usually
wore. The nervous knights and Young Ladies seemed surprised by the appearance of the
unexpected character. However, the eye-catching Duke Alphaeus, he has a thicker face (shameless) than expected. He smiled and opened his mouth
in a shameless smile.
"Hello,
Princess. May Obelia's prosperity be with you."
Don't greet me calmly
like that! Finally I lowered my hand in an uncertain mood.
"What happened?
Why are you at the picnic?"
Zenith who was next
to me was also surprised and said, "Uncle?" with eyes wide open. From
the fact that he was wearing hunting clothes, he must be at a hunting ground
close to this place…… What I don't understand is why he pretended as if this
was a coincidence and appeared here? When I narrowed my eyes and asked, Duke
Alphaeus opened his mouth.
"That……"
“Father, I want to
continue pretending not to know, but no matter how I think about it, this
direction……”
Srak.
Right at that moment,
another person appeared behind the Duke Alphaeus. Then, a small commotion
erupted behind me as I saw what appeared to be a man emerging from behind the
light.
"Kyaaa!"
"Oh my
gosh!"
"Ah, Young Master
Alphaeus?!"
Ughh, after the Albie, now it's Izekiel's turn to appear! This is a very
different reaction to when the Albie first appeared. It seems Duke Alphaeus also felt a bit
embarrassed because of that, and he started clearing his throat in vain.
Immediately after making eye contact with me, I saw that Izekiel glanced at his
father with slightly narrowed pupils.
"I went hunting
with Izekiel this morning, but unfortunately, we got lost in the forest. After
walking a long way, I found this place."
“No, you've gone way
out of the zone where hunting is allowed. Can't believe you could get lost like
that……”
Hearing Duke
Alphaeus's explanation, Felix
who was beside me muttered in disbelief. Felix looked at him with somewhat
pitiful eyes, as if he was looking at someone who was acutely blind.
"Next time you
should be careful. Hunting outside the permitted area will result in a fine."
“Ahem……”
I could see veins
creeping across the Albie's forehead when he heard Felix's warning. He deserved
it. After all, there was no way he would actually get lost and come here.
After I understood
the general outline, I didn't know whether I should laugh or not, because I
thought, this Albie was really using all kinds of excuses. And Izekiel,
apparently he was just like me —a subtle sense of the Duke Alphaeus's eccentricities. Then, politely, Izekiel apologized to
the people at the picnic site.
"I'm sorry if
you were all surprised by this unexpected visit. I didn't expect us to enter
the picnic area, I did something rude."
"Oh my, no. It's
alright, Young Master!"
"On the
contrary, I am actually very happy to meet you like this!"
"Since you
happen to be here, how about we have a cup of tea together?"
With the unexpected
appearance of Izekiel, the relaxed picnic atmosphere became heated. After all,
Izekiel was the best groom in Obelia.
Moreover, Izekiel is
now 20 years old and has not yet chosen a potential partner, so it is natural
that he is popular among the Young Ladies. Hmm, and like…… The formal clothes he usually
wears already make him look cool, but Izekiel who wears hunting clothes has a
wild beauty that exudes masculine charm. In short, he shines.
"That's right.
After all, this picnic was prepared by the Alphaeus Family."
By the way, Albie, is that what you want? You seem to have planned this
and the Young Ladies also like this, but I don't like it. However, I'm not the
one holding the picnic today. Of course, I am the person with the highest
status here. But still, I can't make decisions just like that. In the end, I
can only allow them, I will only play the role to that extent.
"Then, give the
hunting tools to the knights."
It seemed like Zenith
was also happy about their visit. Does she feel burdened from doing all this herself? Come to think of it, this was the first picnic the
Alphaeus Family had held for Zenith, so why wasn't there the Duchess Alphaeus here? Could it be that Zenith said that she wanted to try it herself? This is very possible because that is Zenith's
character.
"Thank you for
your understanding, Princess. It is difficult for me to find my way around such
a vast hunting ground as I grow older."
"Ah, I see. So,
did you guys hunt a lot of rabbits?"
The Albie looked soaked and embarrassed at my naughty question, he
coughed, "Cough! Cough!". However, it seemed that the Young
Ladies did not care about the reason they appeared. Because Izekiel was here,
these Young Ladies became very happy and continued to make noise.
"I'm not stupid
enough to join a group of young people, so I'll just spend my time here
sparingly. Please tell this to Izekiel too."
Look at this Albie. What kind of Cupid are you? He
looks quite cute when he tries, but that's it. Besides, I somehow feel strange
because this guy has wanted to approach me with his son since 2 years ago. I
stared at Duke Alphaeus who was walking away from me with a slightly cold gaze.
"Sir Robane is
here too."
"Of course, I am
the Princess's shadow. Are there any servants coming with
you?"
"I left them in
the woods, so there's nothing to worry about."
"Oh my God, are
all the servants lost too? How could such an unbelievable thing happen! I have
to gather the Knights and ask them to do a search in the forest."
“No, you don't have
to……”
"Duke,
there's no guarantee that everyone
will be as lucky as you and Young Master Alphaeus to find this place. Gather around for a
moment!"
"Sir Robane,
wait a moment!"
I listened to the
conversation between the Duke Alphaeus and Felix with great interest. It would
be nice if Felix's sharp eyesight was still there.
"Young Master
Alphaeus sure has been through a lot."
I handed the hunting
tools to the servant and said to Izekiel who was approaching me. According to
what he said when he first appeared, it seemed like he was also very upset with
his father's actions.
"I know that the
permitted hunting zone near Tieros is quite far from this location."
"It seems my
father is very worried about Zenith."
Izekiel cited the
most plausible reason for the Duke's eccentricity Alphaeus. Yes, that sounds
like the most reasonable and pleasant story because I also happen to be worried
about Zenith who is the host of this picnic. Of course, it wasn't without
reason at all.
"Actually, I
almost used magic because I thought you guys were bears coming out of the
forest."
"My father and I
almost found ourselves in a dangerous situation."
However, even as he
said that, Izekiel laughed as he imagined what would happen. Ah, now I'm used
to it, but seeing his smile like that makes my heart flutter again…… Calm my heart! Even though
I'm instinctively weak at things like this, uhuhuu.
"Actually, I've
felt this strangeness since this morning when my father suddenly invited me to
hunt in Tieros."
Izekiel's smiling
face was very dangerous for my heart. I had a brief conversation with Duke
Alphaeus, and when I saw Zenith approaching this way, I thought that I should
leave, I finally opened my mouth.
"Since the Young
Ladies are so happy to see you, the picnic will be even more enjoyable. In that case,
I'll go first, you can go there slowly."
"For me, if the
Princess is happy with my existence, that is more than enough."
However, his words
made me stop for a moment. When I turned my head, I saw Izekiel's face looking
at me with a straight gaze. I stared at the person in front of me without
saying anything for a few moments, then I responded with a faint smile and then
I turned to leave.
"If anyone was
unhappy when they met Young Master Alphaeus, then it would be a very surprising
thing."
I don't know what
kind of expression Izekiel made when I took his words as a joke. As I walked
towards where the Young Ladies were gathered, I heard a small voice coming from
behind me.
"Zenith, you
must be surprised by this sudden, unannounced visit."
"No, I'm glad
you came here."
The conversation
between them, which felt as warm as Brother and Sister, made me feel like there
were mosquitoes on my fingertips.
***
"Miss Magritta,
I really enjoyed today. Next time, I want to have a picnic outside like
today."
"I'm sure the
picnic hosted by the Princess will definitely be much cooler."
Suddenly, it was time
to end the picnic. I prepared to return to the Imperial Palace just as the
Young Ladies started to scatter.
"Then, Zenith,
see you later."
When I quietly
whispered something in her ear, Zenith smiled brightly. Luckily, it looked like
she seemed to be having fun at the picnic today.
"May I take
you?"
Before I knew it,
Izekiel had approached me and told me that. I turned my head slightly, glancing
at the Duke Alphaeus who was in the distance, he greeted me from his seat.
Well, I can't refuse it. I grabbed Izekiel's hand that was stretched out in
front of me. For a moment, Zenith's gaze fell on Izekiel's hand that was
touching mine. But after a while, Zenith spoke to me with a smiling face.
"I am happy to
be with you, Princess. Please invite me to your next Tea Party."
"Of
course."
I left Zenith behind,
and now I walk together with Izekiel. As the two of us walked, he asked me to
talk about general topics.
"Princess,
did you enjoy your picnic
today?"
"Of course. This
is a picnic prepared by the Alphaeus Family with great care. How could it not
be fun?"
"Zenith has been
looking forward to this day for a long time. Especially, she seemed very happy that the Princess accepted her invitation."
I turned towards him
because the name Zenith came out of Izekiel's mouth, and I looked at the face
of the person next to me. Now, I don't know what Izekiel was thinking. I looked
straight ahead again and said,
"Because I have
always had a consistent relationship with Miss Magritta since we exchanged
letters."
"That's right.
If it was the Princess's debutante, I also still remember it clearly."
Huwaa, right at that
moment, I unconsciously groaned in my heart. Why are you talking about my dark
history, my debut day? Even though that day is my debut day, please forget it,
uhuhuuu.
"Besides, all
the time I spent with the Princess feels like it happened yesterday, and
everything seems so clear."
Izekiel's voice that
continued to flow into my ears kept me silent.
"Actually, I
also hope that the memory of those memories will fade within me a little."
However, I had no
other choice but to raise my head again to look at him who was letting out bits
of emotion from him. This time, he was looking at me too, so we made eye
contact. Izekiel smiled faintly at me. But, it wasn't a real smile. Having
previously seen him smile sincerely, I could easily see that the smile I saw
was a well-made smile. So, I pulled the corners of my lips towards him and
smiled.
"Really? I'm not
the type to remember the past for a long time."
"Is that
so?"
"It seems that
Young Master Alphaeus has a good memory."
When I finally
reached my horse-drawn carriage, Izekiel held my hand tighter.
"It would be
rude to say that I don't want to let you go like this."
"Young Master
Alphaeus."
"I understand.
Therefore, at the very least, may I greet you?"
It's hard for me to refuse
him if he says that. Finally, I could only stand still and watch his silver eyelashes begin to droop and his golden eyes shine beneath them. Soon, Izekiel's lips
touched the back of my hand. Just at that moment, the vegetation around here
seemed to stop moving all at once, then he whispered to me softly.
"Then, I look
forward to the day we can meet again."
As soon as the warmth
left my hand, I turned away from him and immediately climbed into the
horse-drawn carriage. Not long after the carriage door closed, the horse
carriage started to move. I deliberately didn't look at the window where
Izekiel was standing now. I sat up and turned my head to the other side, and I
could see the scenery passing by into my field of vision.
"……"
My mind kept going
elsewhere, and I was reminded of the Zenith I saw earlier. Even if that wasn't
the case, the fact that Zenith was being a little more passive than before
bothered me the whole time.
Come to think of it,
Zenith had a more confident side when she was little. To the point where she chased me alone to bring my ribbon that fell on the
floor during my debutante, she even greeted Claude by looking straight into Claude's
eyes. She was truly the girl in the novel who possessed both beauty and
courage. Of course, even now Zenith is still a beautiful and brave girl…… And,
the Izekiel I just saw……
I looked out the
window of the moving train carriage feeling a little calm from the thoughts
swirling in my head.
"Even if it's
just a picnic, it's nothing special."
"Whoa!"
And suddenly, I was
startled by a voice from in front of me, and suddenly my hand which was
supporting my chin slipped. As soon as I turned towards the voice, I
immediately screamed.
"Lucas!"
"Why?"
Why? Why ? Why ? You
say, 'why'?
"Why are you
here!? I thought my heart would fall out because of you!"
Hey, you really
surprised me! But, Lucas just looked at me like he was playing with me because
it was funny. Ughh. Yeah, you eat it. You are the best transformation in this
district.
"Wait! Could it
be that you were following me from the start?"
"Huh? I don't
have that much free
time like that."
Lucas sat with his
legs crossed in front of me and made a fuss about it. Hey? I wonder why people
who are busy and have no free time are in my horse-drawn carriage now? And,
once again I was surprised by Lucas' statement.
"The Albie's nest was empty, so I went looking for him."
"What?"
Lo-Looking
for what? If that is the Albie's nest, do you mean the Alphaeus Residence? Did you look for him there?
"I did it
because I had something to look for personally, so you don't need to worry
about it."
How can I not care if
you say something like that so casually! Keugh, but that's nothing new. This
wasn't the first time Lucas had acted like that without notice. I thought like
that with half resignation.
"So, did you
find what you were looking for?"
"Maybe I found
it, maybe not, it's vague. I'll have to look again next time."
I hesitated at his
calm answer. Hey, am I at the crime scene now? That is a home invasion offense!
But, since I had also entered the Alphaeus Residence without anyone knowing, I
wasn't in a position to say so.
"You're stuck
with something dirty again."
Just as I was shaking
my head at that thought, Lucas immediately threw out those words casually. He
was still sitting with his legs crossed in front of me, propping his chin, and
looking at me. I was doubtful about his words. And soon, I said it calmly.
"I was with her just now."
Now, I know what
Lucas means by the word 'dirty'. It was the charm* that Zenith had subconsciously released.
T/N: The word ‘charm’ here refers to magic, namely
charm magic. Magic that can make someone charmed by its user, this magic has
many types but most of this magic is related to attraction and luck.
That happened 2 years
ago. I didn't learn magic from Lucas for a long time, and in that short period
of time, I accidentally told Lucas about the strange feeling of unease I felt
every time I met Zenith, and on that very day, Lucas intruded into the Alphaeus
Residence in the middle of the night and observes
Zenith's magic power while she is asleep. The next day, of course I was shocked
by Lucas' such outrageous actions, but…… Ugh, what can I do? It had already
happened, and even if it hadn't happened, I didn't have the confidence to stop
this person with my own strength.
Whatever it was,
Lucas finally knew who was the person who put dirt on my body without his
permission. No, honestly, after hearing that, I was stunned
—I mean, why would I ask for permission from him if there
was something stuck to my body? Anyway, here's Lucas' explanation. As a child
born artificially with black magic —not a normal method, it is said that the
magic power attached to Zenith's body moves rather unusually.
"Today there are
so many things that stick. However, whether this or that, everything is
annoying."
"Really? I let
it out every now and then in the middle. I mean, you said the intensity changes
depending on the emotional state."
Surprisingly,
Zenith's magic power plays a role in attracting other people's attention
easily. Zenith didn't mean that by using her magic power, Lucas said that Zenith's magic power was
influenced by Zenith's own subconscious and the magic power moved freely.
When Lucas first saw
Zenith at the age of 7, the movement of magic power was weak, so Lucas didn't
notice anything strange. But, now Lucas could see the movement of Zenith's
magic power clearly……
Every time I see
Zenith, for some reason I always lower my guard subconsciously, and I also feel
strange about myself because I can open my heart so easily to her, it doesn't
feel like what I originally wanted to do. And apparently, it was because I was
influenced by her magic.
"Don't overdo it
like that. Besides, it can be purified straight away."
Lucas looked at me
with a frown, as if he didn't like Zenith's magic power in my body. In fact,
one day a year ago, I was so surprised that he said, 'Why don't we just get rid
of the chimera?'. You guys have no idea how scared I was when he said something
scary like that. If I'm not mistaken, that was the day I caught Zenith almost
falling in front of me during the party?
But, he himself said
that Zenith's magic power didn't move with the intention of harming me. Apart
from that, he also said that Zenith's magic power was not so strong that she could attract the attention of many people at once.
The feelings of a lonely child who wants to be loved by others. It was the
thoughts in his subconscious that made Zenith's magic power move freely to
attract the attention of other people.
"Stay
still."
I tried to purify
Zenith's magic power that was stuck in my body before Lucas said anything else
about getting rid of Zenith. But, before I could remove the magic power from my
body, Lucas had already reached out to me first.
"It sticks
really well and evenly."
As soon as Lucas'
hand touched my forehead, a soft white light spread across my vision.
"In here
also."
A hand came down to
my neck as if to touch my neck for a moment, then the hand stopped on my
shoulder. For the past 2 years, I learned purification magic from Lucas and now
I can do it well, but he still reached out his hand and wanted to purify the
Zenith magic in my body.
When we both sat in
the same seat, the distance that was already close now became even closer, especially
when Lucas stretched out his hand to me. Strangely, I felt a little awkward
with my knees slightly touching him.
Then, Lucas' hand
went down my arm and grabbed my wrist.
"And the
dirtiest."
I wondered if there
was a cold smile in Lucas' red eyes that suddenly looked down. Right after
that, a low voice sounded in my ears, and instantly, the area around my wrist
felt empty. The glove that Izekiel previously touched had disappeared along
with the white light that was in my field of vision. I watched in silence for a
few moments, my silk gloves turning white and scattering in the air.
"Ah!"
And I only realized
it after Lucas smiled broadly when he saw my bare hands -without gloves.
"My gloves! What
are you doing!?"
"Throw it away.
It's dirty."
"Those are new
gloves!"
Lucas waved his hand
in the air once. Soon, in his hand, there was something similar to my silk
glove that had just disappeared into ashes.
"Well, there's
no problem now, right?"
Maybe because of my
mood, I hesitated when I saw the new gloves that looked more luxurious than my
previous gloves.
W-What is this? What
kind of fine embroidery is that? For some reason, even those silk gloves looked
shinier than my previous silk gloves! After I accidentally received the gloves
that Lucas gave me, he became even angrier as soon as the soft gloves touched
my hands.
“No matter how hard I
think about it, I don't like it, that bast#rd, that chimera girl, and most of the dirt that stuck to
your body without my permission. As I thought, that Albie's nest has to be turned upside down……”
After that, secretly,
the back of my back broke out in cold sweat when Lucas muttered something scary
like that.
"Excuse me, why
am I considered your property? Am I yours? Do you have ownership of me?"
However, Lucas didn't
listen to my timid rebuttal. Ah, I guess I can't bother him because he looks
really annoyed right now. No, this is my carriage and these gloves are mine,
why should I care about them? I'll throw him out. But in the end, I just stared
at Lucas with a dissatisfied gaze until the horse carriage arrived at the
Imperial Palace.
***
I returned to the
Imperial Palace in the afternoon at sunset. Lucas managed to slip away before
the carriage door opened. I felt tired and wanted to go straight to the Emerald
Palace, but I couldn't. I had to greet Claude after returning from the picnic,
that was the promise we made.
"What's the fuss
at the Palace?"
For some reason, the
atmosphere in the Palace felt a little different from usual. I muttered to
myself, questioning the atmosphere of the Palace which seemed a little
different from usual. Then, a knight who heard something from a servant he met on the way to
the Garnet Palace stepped forward, lowered his head, and opened his mouth to
me.
“Princess, My
apologies, but His Majesty just informed that the Black Tower Mage……”
It was at that
moment, a voice came to my ears from the side. Not long after that, I saw an
unknown man walking in the distance with his back to the setting sun.
Tuduk!
What happen? For some
reason, when I saw him, I felt the reality around me as if it had disappeared from my vision. A
blackbird flapped its wings and flew over the fallen leaves.
Then, the man walking
in the opposite direction from me saw me. I held my breath as his jet black
eyes stared directly into my face. When I realized, the unknown man was only
about 10 steps away from me, then Felix immediately stood in front of me
-showing his back to me.
"Aah, that's
right."
The tall man opened
his mouth slowly and let out a soft voice.
"Surely you are
Princess Athanasia."
I looked up, feeling
a mysterious, inexplicable rejection in those black eyes looking at me.
"It is an honor
to meet you, Princess."
The same thing
happened again when he moved his body as if he were acting out a drama, and he
greeted me.
"Perhaps I
should introduce myself."
His attitude was
polite, not against etiquette. But, there's something about it that feels a
little too liberal.
"My name is
Karax, the
Guardian of the Black Tower. May Obelia continue to be blessed
and prosperous."
The Mage of
the Black Tower. I could hear everyone behind me shocked and taking a deep
breath when they heard this person's introduction. Felix and I are the only
people here who don't show any signs of anxiety.
“You mean you are……
the Mage of the Black Tower?”
"That's what
society calls me."
Karax, who introduced
himself as Black Tower Mage, silently looked at my face after greeting me.
"I see. I heard
you were on your way home after meeting my father. May Obelia's blessings be with you."
For a moment, I
noticed a glint in his eyes as I received his greeting without the slightest
bit of surprise. Of course, the strange aura from this man in front of me made
me startled, but…… Didn't Claude say before that this person was fake? But, why
did he disappear for a while and reappear after 3 years?
"Ohoo."
With doubts in my
mind, I was about to walk past this man who was the Mage of the fake Black Tower. But, as soon as I turned
around, suddenly he started walking again and stepped towards me.
"You are not
allowed to get any closer than this."
But Felix stopped
him. Then, he stopped where he was, his eyes scanning me with interest.
"It seems you
don't know the etiquette of the Imperial Palace."
The look in his eyes
was really sassy, so I snapped back at him.
"Ah, I apologize
for my impudence."
However, after
hearing my words, he laughed once, then changed his expression in an instant
and looked at me with a very serious gaze.
“Princess, I know it
is rude to ask, but I wonder if……”
Then he lowered his
voice and whispered firmly as if he was sharing a secret.
"Do you believe
in Tao (God)*?"
T/N: The Tao here is Taoism, a philosophy from
China that studies natural life.
“……?”
I doubted my ears for
a moment. A million question marks had jumped out of my head like fish out of water
and started dancing hysterically. I turned my head to make sure I heard him
correctly, and I saw Felix who also had a confused expression on his face. So,
not only my ears heard it, but also……
"……"
What are you talking
about, dude? Tao……? What is Tao?
"Are you kidding
me?"
"Oh, does that
sound like a joke?"
I feel very
embarrassed. The people around me seemed calm, it seemed like they were
thinking 'As I thought, he is indeed an eccentric and strange wizard', but
nevertheless, I felt a little uneasy about all this. However, on the other hand
I also wonder, how should I act towards this man who is publicly known as Black
Tower
Mage? Hmm, maybe I should ignore him and not deal with him anymore.
I thought to myself and then a smile appeared on my face as if I had just
remembered something.
"Oh my, I was on
my way to see my father, but I was late, I have to meet him before the sun sets
completely."
I don't believe in
the Tao, I'm not a jade plate*! So, don't bother me!
T/N: A term referring to a person who is easily
fooled by people who are good at talking (usually like strange salesman
offering strange items).
"Then do you
believe in reincarnation?"
The sound blew past
me like wind in my ears, and unconsciously, I moved my fingertips. But I didn't
show it, then I immediately walked past him together with Felix and the other
servants.
What's wrong with
him? Why did he ask me that? I felt goosebumps on my neck because of what I had
just heard. I wanted to turn around and ask what he meant, but I hesitated to
approach him. I feel uncomfortable with this guy who calls himself the Mage of the Black Tower.
Dark green hair and jet black eyes. A foreign face that didn't even resemble anyone I knew. But why? Why would I think that he looks similar to Lucas when I first met him……?
***
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