Chapter 126…………………………………………..
The imperial capital was filled with a shower of pollen.
It was tens of thousands of fake petals created by the researchers of the magic academy.
The citizens of the empire, lined up on both sides, cheered.
They cheered for the imperial knights guarding the city walls.
But in that procession, there were no bloodlines of the Keraice family.
Before reaching the capital, the vanguard coming from the Loudne region had split at a fork in the road.
The commander of the palace knights told Chebert that he should pay his respects to His Majesty the Emperor, but Chebert was not the type to listen.
He went straight back to the Duke of Western Keraice.
“Hey! I’m back!”
At the loud noise, everyone at the Duke’s estate rushed out.
They had assumed he was coming back from the palace, yet he appeared here immediately.
“Chebert.”
“Father, it’s been a while.”
“You didn’t go to the palace and came straight here?”
“Yes. There was something I absolutely had to do.”
The Duke gazed at his son for a moment and sighed, rubbing his forehead.
He then hurriedly called the steward to send a letter to the palace.
Chebert is first and foremost a Keraice by blood, he wrote, so please show leniency for returning home without seeing His Majesty the Emperor.
“Anyway, thanks to Ron and me, we were able to fend off the monsters.”
Since the brothers had done most of the work, the palace wouldn’t make a fuss, but it was better to preemptively silence any complaints.
Only then did the Duke look Chebert squarely in the eyes.
In truth, the Duke had often been to the Loudne region, so he had seen Chebert and Ron many times.
Hence, he wasn’t particularly impressed.
“Chebert-sama!”
At that moment, Maryann, having heard the news late, hurriedly ran out.
The two, being engaged, hadn’t seen each other in a long time.
“…Ann. How long has it been?”
“Indeed. It’s been really, really long!”
“Ann, you said you didn’t go to any social events while waiting for us? That could have been dangerous if you had.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I didn’t expect you’d grow into such a beauty.”
Chebert smiled, but he meant it.
The Maryann before him was no longer the girl from three years ago—she had become a mature woman.
Her soft, red hair had grown longer, her lively eyes and rosy cheeks were undeniably beautiful.
But he had already settled his feelings.
As he had discussed with Ron, this was the right decision.
That was why he skipped the palace banquet and came straight here.
“Chebert-sama, I’m so glad you returned safely.”
“Yes.”
The steward, Dubié, who had been waiting, gestured inside.
“I’ve prepared warm water in the bathtub. After your bath, the chef will present the finest dishes.”
Chebert wanted to immediately speak the words he had held in his heart, but everything had its proper order.
He couldn’t declare his intent to break off the engagement in this state.
Following the steward’s guidance, he moved toward the bath.
After Chebert had bathed and entered his room, suddenly—
“Master! T-This is serious!”
Hearing the servant’s urgent words, he immediately headed to the Duke’s study.
There, the Duke and Maryann were already waiting.
“What’s happened?”
The Duke let out a deep sigh instead of answering.
Maryann, beside him, spoke with tears in her voice.
“A landslide… there’s been a landslide… on Ron’s way here…”
After speaking with the Duke and Chebert, I returned to my room.
‘A landslide…’
My mind was flooded with thoughts of unconfirmed events.
It seemed impossible, but all I could imagine was the worst-case scenario.
‘If something happens to Ron… I could never survive…’
I prayed desperately to all the gods and guardians of this world.
Please, let him live.
Let me bear all the suffering and danger meant for Ron.
Tears streamed down, blurring my vision.
My chest ached as if it were being torn apart.
Only when my eyes stung from crying did I finally realize my true feelings.
‘I really… love him.’
I loved Ron so much that I was willing to take on the pain for him.
Wiping the tears from my hands, I stood up.
It was time to stop the sorrow.
‘I have to save Ron.’
An hour ago, a messenger had come from the Kingdom of Hemel to the imperial palace.
On his way through the Loudne region, a landslide occurred.
The Emperor, annoyed that Chebert hadn’t come to see him, had intended to report this news belatedly.
Thankfully, the Crown Prince knew and immediately informed the Duke of Keraice.
“It’s hot…”
The magic stone in my necklace glowed.
When Ron had gone on the expedition to Loudne, it had never reacted.
As he was still young, I assumed he wouldn’t fight monsters directly, but something felt off, and I later realized—
Ron had kept the necklace aside when drawing his sword, so as not to worry me.
“Please, don’t get hurt, Ron…”
I wanted to teleport there immediately.
But when I saw the Duke earlier in his study, he had firmly said:
‘Ann, you absolutely cannot go to the site of a landslide.’
‘But they still haven’t confirmed the lives of Ron and others. So I should…’
‘Ann, it’s still not allowed.’
The Duke had warned me, leaving me no choice but to return to my room.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
It was Chebert.
His hair was still damp, as if he had come straight after bathing.
“Ann. I hate to say this now, but I have to. I think now is the best time.”
“Huh? But later… right now, I…”
Before I could stop him, Chebert strode in with a resolute expression.
His gaze lingered briefly on my tear-streaked eyes.
Then, as if he had made a decision, he made an unexpected confession.
“Ann, let’s break off our engagement.”
“…B-Break it off?”
I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.
To propose breaking off the engagement at a time like this—classic Chebert.
But the surprises weren’t over.
“I’m really sorry, Ann.”
He apologized while kneeling on one knee.
“Chebert-sama, why are you doing this? Please stand up. I actually wanted to break off the engagement too, so you didn’t have to go this far.”
I accidentally spoke my mind out loud.
Chebert blinked a few times, then shook off his knee and stood resolutely.
“I-I see. Y-You wanted to break off the engagement… I didn’t know that.”
“I only realized your feelings now.”
“But my crime is greater.”
“Why?”
“I… have feelings for another woman.”
“…!”
I was honestly shocked.
Eyes wide, I stared at him.
Another woman? Who could it be?
Seeing my shock, Chebert bowed his head.
“Sorry. I’ll kneel again.”
This time, he tried to kneel on both knees, and I hurriedly stopped him.
“Don’t. If you do it again, I won’t help you up!”
“Understood.”
“But… who is this person? Who is the one that made you break the engagement?”
Chebert, flustered, wet his dry lips.
“Ah, it’s not her fault—it was entirely my decision. She doesn’t even know I like her… uh!”
He covered his mouth, but I had already heard everything.
Ah… it’s unrequited love.
Just like in the original story where Chebert liked Bianca.
Wait… could it be…?
“She isn’t Miss Alter, is she?”
“…!”
Chebert froze, unable to blink.
I too froze, mouth and eyes wide.
Could it really be Bianca?
“But she was in Loudne for three years. She couldn’t have met her then… so… it was before that?”
“…Ann, I’ll kneel.”
Thud. Chebert’s knees hit the floor.
My mind was too muddled to help him up.
“You first met at my tea party, right?”
“…I helped Miss Alter when she was unwell then. But we actually met long before that.”
“Wait, you liked her even before that?”
“…Ann, please kill me.”
Good heavens.
He had been secretly in love with Bianca all that time?
I narrowed my eyes and looked down at him.
Of course, I had hoped for the engagement to be broken off, but I never imagined this reason.
“Chebert-sama, you like Miss Alter? Does she not know? Ah, and why are you confessing this now?”
There was an even more urgent matter.
Ron, at the landslide site.
At this point, with his life unconfirmed, what was Chebert doing?
“Ann, you can go there now.”
“Huh?”
Chebert handed me a note from his chest.
“What’s this?”
“The coordinates of the landslide site. I got it with difficulty. So go quickly.”
“Why are you giving this to me…?”
Chebert smiled faintly.
“Now that I’ve understood my own heart, you and Ron should be certain of your hearts too. Of course, Ron’s feelings have always been consistent.”
“…”
