Chapter 33
Elisha quietly put down her fork.
"...Has this man truly lost his mind?"
Elisha stared intently at Eric before her. Eric was still looking at Elisha with
a gentle smile. The scene was so strange that Elisha frowned without realizing
it.
"...Was he even capable of showing such an expression?"
Not once had Elisha seen such a look on Eric's face. The Eric she remembered was
always either expressionless or his face was full of annoyance.
"...What in the hell is he planning?"
Elisha observed Eric with suspicious eyes. But Eric, indifferent to her gaze,
continued talking.
"I am glad you seem to be enjoying the food."
"......"
"Is there anything else you need?"
"...No, there isn't."
Elisha answered stiffly. At that, Eric's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"...You still feel uncomfortable around me."
"......"
"It must be because I was very rude to you."
Eric said with a self-deprecating smile.
"......"
Elisha said nothing. She simply observed Eric in silence.
"...What is wrong with him, in the hell?"
Elisha was at a loss. This was the first time she had seen Eric act so humble.
"...Don't tell me he found out I'm Elisha?"
The thought flashed through Elisha's mind for a moment. But she quickly shook
her head.
"No, that cannot be."
The spell she cast was perfect. There was no way Eric could have detected it.
"Then why in heaven's name..."
Elisha simply could not understand. At that moment, Eric spoke again.
"I want to apologize to you."
"...Pardon?"
Elisha replied before she could stop herself.
"For being rude to you that day."
Eric said quietly.
"......"
"You were only trying to help me."
"......"
"I overreacted."
A look of sincere regret appeared on Eric's face. Looking at him, Elisha
thought:
"...What a performance."
Elisha clicked her tongue inwardly. Seeing Eric apologize so sincerely, he had
to have a hidden motive.
"...But what could it be?"
Elisha could not let go of her suspicions.
"...It is fine."
Elisha answered reluctantly.
"I understand why Your Majesty acted that way."
"......"
"You were only worried about me, after all."
Elisha said in a soulless voice. At that, a slight smile spread across Eric's
face.
"Thank you for saying that."
"......"
"You seem very kind-hearted."
Eric said calmly. Upon hearing that, Elisha sneered inwardly.
Kind-hearted? Me?
Elisha was stunned. She was by no means a kind-hearted person. In fact, she was
closer to the opposite.
"...This man truly knows nothing about me."
Elisha realized it anew. Then again, it made sense. Eric had never once shown
any interest in her.
"...Right, that is just like you."
Elisha smiled bitterly. At that moment, Eric spoke again.
"I would like to make you an offer."
"...An offer?"
Elisha seemed confused.
"Yes."
Eric nodded.
"I believe it is more than possible with your skills."
"......"
"By any chance, would you consider becoming my personal mage?"
"The Allied Nations Conference is held here this year. That is why everyone is
so busy."
Elisha said as she twisted a lock of her waist-length hair. Eric raised his chin
as if he already knew that.
"It would be improper of me not to know that."
"I suppose so, but I thought you might not know since you spend all your time in
the magic research department lately."
Ah, should I call him the Crown Prince now?
This time, Elisha muttered while leaning her face on the end of her staff. Her
blue eyes remained fixed on the people moving behind the window. Eric closed the
book he was reading and followed her gaze toward the window.
"The conference, attended by the leaders themselves, is held once every five
years, and each country takes turns hosting it."
"Then this must be the first time you are seeing it, Your Highness."
There were three nations allied with Cardion. The fact that it was hosted in
Cardion this time meant the last conference held here was fifteen years ago.
Finally, Elisha turned her gaze to look at the boy standing beside her.
His Highness must be fourteen years old now. Eric was probably eight when she
first came here.
"When I think about it, we have known each other for a very long time."
After a moment, Elisha's blue eyes curved into crescents. It was a natural
smile, one she herself was not aware of. Once again, Eric found himself staring
at her smile before hurriedly turning his gaze away. The reason he couldn't meet
that smile she had been giving him lately was, perhaps...
"At any rate, will you be attending the conference this time, Your Highness?"
At that moment, Elisha asked, her gaze drifting away from Eric again. Eric
caught a glimpse of her immediately and stammered in his response.
"I am not yet at the stage where I can provide my opinion, but he suggested that
I observe."
"Then we will see each other in the conference hall. It has been difficult to
see you lately, so this is wonderful."
Elisha's eyes wrinkled again as she looked out the window. This time, Eric took
in her entire smile and tilted his head. It was true that he hadn't been able to
see Elisha much lately. Although they were in the same Imperial Palace, their
daily routines were different.
After becoming an official mage of the Imperial Palace, Elisha mostly stayed in
the Magic Knight barracks and the main palace—specifically in Emperor Bernard's
office. As for Eric, he only moved between the Crown Prince's palace, which was
a short distance from the main palace, and the magic research department. Along
with Dante Renard, who was temporarily assigned to him.
Had Elisha not come to see him today, they likely would not have met. So, seeing
her in the conference hall would be a very good thing...
Wait.
"See each other in the conference hall?"
Eric turned his head toward Elisha and asked. Without turning her gaze, Elisha
answered.
"Yes. In the conference hall."
"Does that mean you are participating in the Allied Nations Conference as well?"
"Yes. As an assistant to Dante Renard."
Since I will be taking over his position later, you could say I'm only
observing, too.
Finally, Elisha's eyes met Eric's as she replied. Eric did not turn his gaze
away. No, it was more accurate to say he could not turn his gaze away, lost in
other thoughts. For him, the Crown Prince, observation was a necessity, but they
were already making a fourteen-year-old girl observe?
"My father is already asking that of you?"
Eric asked, his voice full of incomprehension. Elisha simply shrugged her
shoulders and opened her mouth.
"His Majesty did not order it. I said I wanted to do it."
"What?"
"In any case, I will succeed Dante as Chief Mage, and I decided there is no harm
in learning these matters beforehand. Besides, I do not go on expeditions or
anything."
I must be useful in some way.
At Elisha's words, Eric's expression crumpled into a fearful scowl.
"Why are you..."
You came here entirely because of my father's will, so there's no need for you
to repay him like this.
In the first place, his father had not brought her here expecting anything in
return.
Yet, you are always trapped in this obsession of having to repay us, taking on
too much work...
"Your Highness, do you hate that I do this?"
At that moment, Elisha fixed her topaz eyes on Eric and asked. Blue waves
shimmered within her eyes, catching the sunlight streaming through the window.
It was a somewhat surreal sight. Eric held his breath unconsciously, then
quickly regained his senses and nodded slowly.
"...Yes."
I hate that you act out of a sense of duty. I hate for it to become a burden on
you.
I hate your obsession with needing to do something for me and my father.
I want the reason for your staying here, by my side, to be something other than
coercion and duty...
"I understand."
But Eric's thoughts were cut short. Because Elisha smiled. Not her usual,
slightly bright smile, but a smile that seemed somewhat bitter.
"I understand."
Once again, Elisha repeated quietly. Without understanding its meaning, Eric
frowned. Why does Elisha show this expression? And why do I find it unbearably
painful to see this expression that...
"I heard that the rookie who joined the First Knight Squad has become the
Captain's assistant in the conference."
"They say that His Majesty appointed her personally."
"And that they had lunch together that day."
His Majesty has never done that before.
Someone's whisper echoed in the quiet corridor. It was exactly when Gabrielle
and Elisha entered it.
"Who in the hell is she to receive such preferential treatment?"
"I heard she is the Captain's ward."
"Then it is connections. The Captain is close to His Majesty, after all..."
It's a hard life for those without connections.
The disembodied voices continued to drift along the corridor walls. At the same
time, Gabrielle began to stride toward the source of the sound. Elisha stopped
her.
"Lucy?"
Gabrielle stopped mid-stride and turned her head in bewilderment, looking at
Elisha's arm blocking her path. Elisha shook her head slowly.
"No need for that."
If they went to confront them now, the reaction would be the same. Either they
would flee before she could say anything, or they would not believe her and
would spread worse rumors. Elisha knew such situations well. And the approach
she always chose was silence. To say nothing at all.
"But Lucy, you must speak up when there is something wrong."
But Gabrielle, who seemed unable to understand Elisha, spoke with a stern
expression. Elisha averted her eyes, avoiding Gabrielle's gaze.
"From my perspective, it is special treatment."
"How is this special treatment! It is only natural for the most competent person
to serve His Majesty!"
Gabrielle's clear voice filled the corridor. Thinking of the voices that had
vanished immediately, Elisha smiled a slight smile.
Even without looking for them, they have certainly been informed of our
presence.
"Perhaps they are people who never saw Lucy at the Shilan Plains. So they must
be from the Second or Third Knight Squads."
"......"
"Our squad members are quiet, so why are they making all this fuss."
All of this is because they haven't seen Lucy's true skills.
Gabrielle grumbled, her cheeks puffed out. Elisha watched her calmly.
I feel like it's the first time since Eric or Bernard that someone has been
angry on my behalf.
No, strictly speaking, those two had not been angry like this. They had only
delivered quiet punishment. At any rate, this reaction was not unpleasant. After
a moment, Elisha's green eyes curved gently as she spoke.
"The rumors will die down soon."
Gabrielle's eyes widened for a moment as she looked at Elisha.
I don't think I've seen Lucy Forte smile like this before.
Usually, her expression was blank, or a blankness that seemed slightly angry, or
she looked truly angry. If not that, it was just an expression of annoyance at
the Captain's jokes.
"It is nice to see you smile like that."
As soon as the thought ended, Gabrielle smiled alongside Elisha and spoke. Then,
she lowered her head to stare at Elisha playfully.
"Nevertheless, wrong is wrong. Even if you do not like it, Lucy, I will find
those people and teach them a lesson."
I remember all their voices, after all.
She continued in a somewhat firm tone. Once again, Elisha avoided Gabrielle's
gaze and blinked slowly. It was a strange feeling. To be in the same Imperial
Palace, yet the lives of 'Elisha' and 'Lucy' were completely different.
"At any rate, trust yourself, Lucy. As I said before, the person who protects
His Majesty should be none other than the most competent person."
"......"
"And this is a secret, but I believe you are the second most skilled magic user
I have ever seen."
Gabrielle's golden eyes curved quietly as she spoke. Elisha could not resist her
sudden curiosity and asked:
"Is the first the Captain?"
"No. It is Lady Elisha."
Perhaps Gabrielle had good insight into knowing people. Elisha nodded silently.
"This is a real secret. There is no telling what the Captain would say if he
heard this."
"He probably won't say anything."
Because it was a fact that even Renard could not deny.
"No, Lucy. It may seem that the Captain is lenient with you for some reason, but
surprisingly, he can hold a grudge for a very long time..."
The fact that Dante Renard could hold a grudge was not a surprising fact at all.
While Elisha and Gabrielle continued their conversation, each lost in different
thoughts—
"Oh my."
When they reached the end of the corridor, a woman who was near the knight squad
barracks turned her head and smiled cheerfully.
"You must be Lucy Forte."
I have been waiting for you.
The woman's eyes curved into a gentle smile as she extended her hand toward
Elisha.
"I am Primavera Nox, the Second Princess of the Kingdom of Nox."
0 Comments