Chapter 10
Time passed quickly, and it was finally the day the Bonia Kingdom delegation was to return home.
I had come out to see the fruit of my patience, having stayed inside the palace all this time, and also to catch another glimpse of the princess’s beauty, which I might never see again.
With His Majesty’s permission, I went out to send off the Bonia Kingdom delegation, only to be met with some very shocking news.
“You misunderstood, Saint. His Majesty Leodius and I are not involved in any kind of relationship.”
Not involved at all?
I thought our emperor must have been seen as having some connection!
‘His Majesty… got rejected?’
The princess’s fresh and radiant smile showed no trace of heartbreak.
“During my stay in Zendal, thanks to you, Saint, I had a truly wonderful time.”
To think that His Majesty’s romance, boosted by his looks, ended in failure.
The princess approached my stunned self and kissed my cheek.
A kiss with a beauty on the cheek. Is this a dream?
What terrifying thoughts… If this is something I’m supposed to just mistake for a dream, it’s exasperating.
“I hope to see you again soon.”
The princess said her farewells.
“Oh… yes. Until next time…”
“You’ll probably only see me next year. Travel safely.”
His Majesty interjected.
So there’s still some lingering attachment. Well, he probably hasn’t fully settled his feelings yet.
Sniff. I almost teared up myself.
“Well, if you really wanted to, couldn’t you see each other again anytime? Bonia Kingdom and Zendal share a border, after all.”
His Majesty and the princess smiled at each other.
The looks… just overwhelming.
They are promising to meet again, yet it didn’t happen. You two.
I wanted to bite a handkerchief out of frustration, but there were too many eyes around, so I restrained myself.
The princess boarded the carriage, and the Bonia Kingdom delegation departed toward Bonia Kingdom.
His Majesty turned away immediately, as if to sever the last thread of attachment, the moment the carriage moved.
Ah… I met His Majesty’s gaze.
“……”
Today, he seemed unusually melancholy.
It even seemed as though, from behind those distant eyes, a tear might fall like a jewel any moment.
Khh… I prioritized my conscience over my curiosity.
It was a rare scene, but it wouldn’t be proper to enjoy the sight of a heartbroken emperor.
I wiped my eyes and turned away, but His Majesty approached and held my shoulder.
Heart, don’t race. This is not the timing.
“I hope there’s no misunderstanding. It’s not what you think, Saint.”
“Yes…”
“You don’t believe me. It’s not so.”
This urgent side of His Majesty was a first for me.
The pain of heartbreak must have been immense…
“Your Majesty.”
“Yes.”
I offered what I could as the best comfort.
“You’ll meet someone wonderful soon.”
“Preposterous.”
Back at his mansion from the palace, Marquis Landet had skipped dinner and shut himself in his room.
He poured red wine labeled from Lentz into his glass.
The red wine from the Lentz region was notorious even as a strong liquor, due to its unique bitterness.
Today, he felt this was the only way to soothe his stifling heart.
“The Saint is letting them enjoy themselves.”
That had been the emperor’s remark during today’s meeting.
“Calling it a dream, you say.”
Marquis Landet downed the wine.
The liquid burned as it went down his throat. The lingering bitterness of the liquor remained on his tongue.
Everyone, including the emperor, was a coward.
“Why fear a curse that hasn’t even happened?”
Barbenon Kingdom.
Their failure had been due to the Saint’s self-restraint.
So all they had to do was soothe and persuade the Saint so she wouldn’t take her own life, and harness her divine power.
“Bonia Kingdom was clever.”
Bonia revered the Saint as equal to a god.
They built temples in her honor and received tributes from neighboring nations.
At that time, Bonia Kingdom had flourished to the point of being the center of the Auditria continent.
Yet the Saint could never leave the temple they built throughout her life.
“Complacent.”
The current emperor was capable but complacent.
Compared to the late emperor, nothing had worsened, but nothing had noticeably improved either.
He concerned himself only with the welfare of those without divine power.
Ebon Hyben.
It grated his teeth just to think that this powerless upstart had become prime minister.
“To let such a high-caliber talent like the Saint idle away.”
Who knew how long the Saint would even remain alive in this world?
Now, Zendal had to grow while the opportunity existed.
They had to break free from the Auditria Alliance that hindered expansion.
They had to become the sole sovereign of the Auditria continent.
“Only then, when that child becomes emperor…”
Knock, knock.
Marquis Landet frowned at the knock on his door.
He had instructed that no one disturb him today.
If it was trivial, he considered cutting off the hand of whoever dared to knock.
It was the marquis’s butler.
“Marquis, you have a visitor.”
“A visitor?”
A visit at this late hour?
It was either an insult or a breach of etiquette.
Either way, he did not like it.
Marquis poured another glass of wine and waved a hand.
“Turn them away. Tell them the marquis is asleep.”
“Bu-but…”
The butler hesitated.
The visitor seemed important to simply dismiss.
“Tch. Who is trembling like a mouse before a snake?”
The marquis clicked his tongue and nodded toward the butler, signaling him to speak.
“It’s a representative of Duke Derarchi.”
“…Duke Derarchi?”
Marquis Landet’s eyes widened.
The tipsy buzz disappeared instantly.
Good thing he hadn’t changed into his dressing gown.
He left the room at once, walking quickly.
“He’s in the reception room.”
“Understood.”
He hurried to the reception room, where a neatly dressed man stood upright, waiting.
“Marquis Landet.”
The man omitted his own introduction.
The marquis nodded, dumbfounded.
The man spoke in a stiff, emotionless tone.
“His Grace the Duke wishes to see you.”
Rustle.
“……”
Again. From the balcony.
‘Should I call Siana?’
It was the middle of the night.
Just as I was drifting off to sleep in bed, a strange sound kept me alert.
I closed my eyes again, trying to sleep, when that rustling noise returned from the balcony.
‘Is it really an intruder?’
I slowly moved my hand under the covers, grabbed the slack of the rope, then let go.
‘No. Even if I pull, Siana would come alone. What if she gets in danger?’
Rustle. Rustle.
‘…This intruder is clumsy.’
Maybe because it was night and quiet.
I didn’t concentrate, yet the sound reached me perfectly.
Even someone with normal hearing could catch it.
‘A rookie, huh.’
An intruder so obvious about being “out there” might be manageable.
I carefully slipped out from under the covers and grabbed a frying pan hidden under the bed.
Made of cast iron, quite heavy—my personal weapon, specially brought from Heli’s kitchen.
Swords might be too dangerous for someone who can’t wield one.
‘This can defend and attack. Even if the enemy grabs it, it’s safer than a sword.’
I gripped the pan with both hands and aimed at the balcony.
If a suspicious person entered, I’d be ready to strike.
Then…
Rustle. Babababam.
‘…What is that?’
The sound I heard later seemed oddly familiar.
It was exactly like the noise my dog used to make at home, pretending to dig the ground.
“Gya-oh.”
And it sounded a bit like a cat.
I eased my tension and walked toward the balcony.
“…Wow.”
Bok. Bok. Bok. Clack. Clack.
“You… who are you?”
A small black creature, about the size of a three-month-old kitten, scratched at the closed balcony window.
“You want to come inside?”
“Gya-oh.”
The sound was pitiful.
I opened the door, and it leapt in, stretching its hips and arching its back.
Moonlight spilled into the room, illuminating the strange animal.
Its shape resembled a cat, but it had bat-like wings on its back.
Even more astonishing…
“Grrr.”
It rubbed its body against my calf!
Wow. Incredible.
In my life, I’d never been loved by an animal like this.
The dog I raised at home growled and bared its gums whenever I approached.
A friend’s cat scratched my hand whenever I offered treats.
A monkey once hit my face with a thrown banana peel.
The list of experiences goes on and on.
“You… what are you?”
It was happiness, yet strange.
I bent down.
I offered my palm gently near its nose. It sniffed.
“Gya-ong!”
Closing its eyes, it pressed its face into my palm and rubbed vigorously.
Is this a selection? Could this be the legendary butler selection?
Khh… It felt like someone had thumped my heart.
The back of my calf tensed.
Awkward though I was, I couldn’t move.
If I moved, this happiness might vanish.
…Its head is ridiculously cute.
“Grrr. Grrr.”
“Do you want to be my master…?”
Well past midnight.
Allend sat on the living room sofa, not yet in bed.
It was dark without the lights, but to Allend, this darkness was just right.
“Lu.”
Muttering, Allend heard the window rattle as it was pushed inward.
He got up, closed the window, and locked it.
“If you had come any later, I would have summoned you.”
Allend sighed and turned around.
“Where have you been?”
On the carpet on the floor, the darkness moved.
Specifically, it was his dark familiar, pretending to scratch its ear with its hind leg, ignoring his question.
“Gya-ong.”
