Episode 15
Phew. He randomly gave me a ring as a gift.
I guess because of this ring, I didn’t feel the weight. I’m guessing there’s some lightweight magic on it. A magic that makes things I hold lighter…
I glanced at my dad with narrowed eyes and then turned to Reno. Reno was so excited, urging the servant to open the box quickly without thinking much. People around us, curious, started moving closer.
The servant carefully opened the box with gloved hands.
And inside, there was a golden dagger.
“That, that’s…!”
“Could it be the immortal dagger?”
The foreign envoys seemed to have sharp eyes, as they saw what was inside the box right away. They whispered in awe.
Reno’s eyes widened as he recognized the dagger, but after a few minutes, there was still no reaction from him. I, feeling a bit down, asked him.
“Your Highness, don’t you like it…?”
At my question, Reno quickly spat out, almost in disbelief.
“Wh-What are you saying!? How could I not like the immortal dagger?!”
The nobles from the Monmorison Empire, as well as the foreign envoys, whispered in surprise.
“The immortal dagger… isn’t that the dagger that the first Duke Nehiris got from the Red Dragon?”
“I’ve heard the same. Even though they are bound by blood, how could the Duke just give away such a legendary dagger… It seems the Duke really loves his Duchess.”
“Did you not know? The Duke, who was once so feared, changed completely after falling in love!”
“Of course I know! When I met the Duke before his marriage… hmmm.”
I chuckled as I overheard the noblewomen gossiping about my parents’ past. Right, Dad changed a lot after marrying Mom.
Anyway, Reno was still just staring at the dagger with his mouth wide open, not saying anything. Seriton and Dione also came down from the platform to take a look at the dagger with him.
The dagger’s hilt had a shining red jewel embedded in it.
That jewel was part of the Red Dragon’s mana, and a regular person wouldn’t be able to remove it.
Or maybe… if Dad tried really hard, he might be able to force it out?
He’s a sword master and can control some mana, so there might be a chance. After all, the male protagonist can do anything!
By the way, does Slack have its own special dagger, too?
‘Should ask him when I meet him.’
While I was lost in thought, the Emperor and Empress finished looking at the dagger and gave permission for others to come closer and see it. Our family is kind enough for people to gather around.
Mom and Dad seemed busy talking with familiar nobles, and Dennis was ignoring his friends, so I quickly looked around for someone.
He should be here today…
I turned my head back and forth, looking for him. But when I couldn’t find him anywhere, a wave of disappointment washed over me, and Mom spoke up.
“Are you looking for someone?”
“Yeah. But it seems like he’s not here… I thought he would come.”
“Is it that boyfriend of yours?”
“Yeah. A guy friend.”
I emphasized it, and Mom gave a sly smile. Luckily, Dad’s attention was elsewhere.
‘Did he really not come…?’
Just as I was about to give up looking, I saw someone.
It was Leon.
I couldn’t help but smile brightly and wave when Leon, noticing me, looked up.
‘Leon!’
I even mouthed his name, and Leon was surprised, quickly covering his mouth with his hand.
I found a spot on the outdoor terrace where the spring breeze was gently blowing and sipped my chocolate milk. I didn’t even glance at Leon, who was staring at me.
Leon quickly noticed and asked directly.
“…Reza, did you know I’d be here?”
“What?”
“Did you know I’d be attending this banquet…?”
“Yeah, why?”
I acted like it was no big deal, and Leon seemed surprised, biting his lip.
“Leon, if you keep biting your lip, it’ll hurt.”
I tapped Leon on the shoulder, adding some concern.
“Why do you look so miserable? Is it really a big deal that I knew you’d be here?”
“No… It’s not that…”
“But then?”
Leon hesitated for a long time, and just when I was about to ask again, he seemed to make up his mind and looked me in the eyes.
I gave him a soft smile, trying to make the situation more comfortable.
Here, have a ‘sister’ smile.
I could understand why Leon was acting this way. When we exchanged letters, he had sent them without the family crest, likely to hide his noble background.
And considering our first meeting was in an alley, he probably thought I thought he was a commoner.
But Leon… his clothes were way too fancy for a commoner…
“By the way, did you know who I was from the beginning?”
I asked, looking at Leon with a serious expression.
“No. I just thought you were a noble. Well, now that I see the family crest on your left arm, it’s pretty clear.”
It seemed like Leon finally got the answer he was hoping for, and his expression relaxed.
‘Sorry. I know you’re the second villain too.’
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
I gave a short answer and glanced over Leon’s shoulder.
‘I’m trying to calm down, but I’m really angry.’
Normally, high-ranking nobles could add their bodyguards to the guest list if they got approval from the royal family, so my bodyguards were scattered around the area, as expected.
But Leon’s situation was very different.
It seemed like the Duke of Lukharst, who had more power than the Nehiris family, sent Leon to the palace banquet without any bodyguards.
I wasn’t sure why, but I began to sense something strange. As I looked around, I noticed there was no sign of any bodyguards near Leon. Not even a servant who should have been following him.
I even asked Dad about it earlier. The Duke of Lukharst was on the guest list, but no bodyguards were registered, which was odd.
Dad didn’t really give me a clear answer, and I didn’t have the chance to ask more because he started questioning me about why I was asking about the Duke of Lukharst. So, I grabbed Leon’s hand and quickly ran to the terrace. I knew Dad would start suspecting something as soon as we left together.
But how could they send a kid alone? I should be happy he’s at least dressed well, but still, it’s outrageous.
Even though I knew about the story from the original version, seeing Leon in person made me really upset about how badly he was being treated. At least, he would be the one to win in the end, since he’s from the Lukharst family.
For now, it seemed like the Duke of Lukharst hadn’t used violence on him.
I really wanted to help him, but what could a 4-year-old like me do?
I’ve been wondering how I could help him.
‘In the end, I’ll probably need Dad’s help…’
But asking for help from my family was difficult. It could lead to territorial conflicts, and even the Emperor wouldn’t easily act on it. A noble daughter like me stepping in would make things worse.
Anyway, I chatted with Leon for a bit, then suddenly had an idea and clapped my hands.
“Oh! Leon, aren’t you curious about the immortal dagger?”
At my question, Leon’s cheeks turned red.
“Yeah… I like talking to you more than seeing the immortal dagger.”
It was a shy confession, but I didn’t catch on and just became flustered.
“No way…! If you don’t see it now, you might never get to see it again. Reno… I mean, Prince Reno won’t let anyone see it unless he gives permission.”
“I don’t mind…”
Leon’s indifferent attitude made my heart race.
“The immortal dagger is so beautiful…!”
My exaggerated reaction seemed to scare Leon a little, and he nodded reluctantly.
“Alright. I’ll go see it. Will you go with me?”
“Of course. Hold my hand tight. I’ll make sure we get there safely.”
I could tell Leon was shocked to be called ‘little brother,’ but I pretended not to notice and stood up.
Then I grabbed Leon’s hand firmly.
When we walked back into the banquet hall, the adults smiled warmly at us, like we were cute little kids.
“But who’s that child?”
“Hmm, I think the girl is Princess Nehiris, but I’ve never seen that boy before.”
Even as they whispered, I walked confidently to my parents and tapped Mom’s arm.
Mom excused herself from the conversation and turned to look at me.
“Reza, did you have a good talk with your friend?”
“Yeah! Oh, this is Leon.”
Leon let go of my hand and bowed politely.
“Nice to meet you, Duchess. I’m Leon Lukharst, the eldest son of the Lukharst family.”
Mom seemed to already know who he was and received his greeting calmly. But the nobles around us, who had been eavesdropping, stood there with their mouths open. They quickly covered their faces with fans or hands, but I had already seen their surprise.
Most of them were probably nobles from the Empire. Though foreign envoys could have known too.
The Lukharst family was well-known due to their port. A lot of people passed through the port to get to the capital, so it was hard not to remember their family name.
By the way, the port is in the only place in the north that stays warm all year round.
“Ah, nice to meet you. I’m Seria Nehiris.”
Mom smiled and agreed to Leon’s request to speak casually.
“Mother, can I go see the immortal dagger now?”
Mom glanced at Leon for a moment.
“Are you going to show it to Leon?”
“Yeah. Since it’s so crowded right now, I was hoping we could go later when it’s quieter.”
“If Prince Reno gives permission, you can. But I don’t think he’ll say no. Go ahead and check in a bit.”
“Okay…”
I answered and stepped aside to let Mom continue her conversation.
Phew, now I have to go to that kids’ play area I don’t want to visit…
It felt awkward to hang around with the adults.
So, I ended up asking Leon, and we walked to the kids’ play area.
A servant nearby helped guide us, and soon we arrived at a large play area with several rooms combined.
‘Seems like there are more play structures than last time.’
The equipment had definitely grown since a few years ago, and I saw some girls sitting together on the sofa, pretending to be noblewomen, with cookie crumbs on their faces.
Wherever you go, kids always play in groups.
‘That girl in the middle looks like she’s the leader.’
The girl with green hair, reminding me of grass, stood out.
Maybe it was because she was staring at me so intensely, but I really didn’t want to get close to her.
Ugh, her glare could pierce through me.
