Chapter 243
Romantica stood still in front of Desir, her face screwed up in concentration for a long time . Eventually, she opened her mouth, gripping her trembling hands together tightly .
“… I’ve been summoned to help Prillecha . ”
One of the Shadow Worlds that appeared in Prillecha was a Level One Shadow World . A Shadow World strong enough to swallow up an entire kingdom . In fact, the last Level One Shadow World did exactly that . It swallowed up the kingdom known as the strongest of that era . No matter how advanced a country’s technology was, this Shadow World had a difficulty that demanded special care .
“Yes . I heard the news . ”
Although the Avalon Army had been mobilized, Prillecha still suffered from insufficient man-power . They had no choice but to call on everyone they could . Prillecha was still a small country after all, and the power they could mobilize was limited .
“Really, I don’t know why so many incidents seem to happen in our country . Once again, my country is in danger of being wiped off the map . ”
Romantica sighed .
“It makes people really tired . I’d like to emigrate if I could . ”
“Are you going to leave for Prillecha?”
As Romantica pouted in annoyance, obviously attempting to lighten the mood, Desir pitched a straight ball . Romantica turned around to look Desir in the eye .
“You already knew what I was going to do . ”
“Your face gives everything away . ”
“How can you always read me so easily!? I look the same as I normally do . ”
“You’re worried . I can tell because you have a habit of biting your lips whenever you’re worried about something . ”
Desir really knew a lot about her . This was a habit even she had not recognized .
“Adjest and Pram will stay, won’t they?”
“Maybe they will . They’re from here after all . ”
“I really envy them . I wish I could stay too . ”
“When will we see each other again if I leave now?”
Romantica stopped talking and looked at Desir . The silence they held seemed to last forever .
Her lips were chapped .
She couldn’t find the words to say anything else .
“I understand, Romantica . You care about your hometown . ”
Desir spoke up, thinking she was simply lost for words and drowning in her own sorrow .
The dazed Romantic stood still as a statue for another moment, before nodding and regaining some semblance of rationality .
“Well, that’s obvious . It’s where my family’s business is . Wouldn’t I have to protect it if I want to inherit it?”
Romantica smiled wistfully . She realized that Desir was simply respecting what he assumed she held dear to her .
After all, it was she who had to make the decision .
However, there was a feeling of squeezing out all other thoughts and sprouting in the mind .
Romantica laughed in an attempt to hide it .
For onlookers, things looked normal . They were laughing and chattering . For Romantica, this was anything but normal .
“I hope things work out well . Come back safely . ”
“Thank you, Desir . ”
This was the natural point in the conversation where they would part ways .
When she looked out the window, she saw the sun beginning its trajectory down through the sky . It had peaked and now all that remained was the inevitable nighttime .
It was noon .
Romantica leaped and embraced Desir in a bear hug .
“Romantica?”
Desir looked embarrassed but soon smiled slightly . As always, he was one that could be depended on . The rock of the Starling Party . He stroked her hair, eventually managing to calm his frightened party member down .
Romantica permitted him touching her hair . It didn’t matter if the hairstyle she worked so hard to maintain was ruined .
“Just because you’re leaving, don’t quit training . ”
“Don’t beat around the bush, Desir . ”
He had spoiled the moment . Romantica backed away in a huff .
“I’ll be back stronger than ever . ”
‘I promised you I’d always be there to support you . ’
Even if you don’t see me as a woman now, I hope you will look back on me fondly someday .
* * *
Shortly after Romantica left, Desir contacted the Side Guard .
[-That’s a very helpful piece of information, Mr . Desir . ]
These were the first words Alfred uttered after hearing Desir out . He was the head of the Side Guard, a group formed to support the Royal Guard, and an important figure close to the Emperor .
Through Alfred, Desir told the Emperor that the outbreak of Shadow Worlds was linked to Skull Mask and what he felt the best move would be to resolve the situation .
“This is the greatest threat to the Empire . We should focus on finding more detailed information by deepening our understanding of the tower . We’d better prepare the relevant measures . ”
“We also need to find out about Divide’s troop formation and strength . We could even up in an all-out war with them . Especially, I want you to find out what you can about the current leader of the Janissaries . ”
“I will convey Mr . Desir’s opinion . Oh, by the way, would you please hold for a moment?”
Alfred stopped Desir before he had a chance to cut off communication .
“Desir Arman . I’m sorry to say this now, but I have orders from the Emperor . ”
“What’s that?”
“… I have a few things to tell you before that . The Imperial Family had a request for one of the Starling Party members . If necessary, unlimited aid will be given to the rest of the party members remaining, including those who have left . ”
This was unusual . The large compensation meant that the request was also difficult .
“… I have a lot of work to do . I hope the request doesn’t take long . ”
“Well, it won’t… take long . ”
He tapped his desk nervously .
“Mr . Desir, one of your party members, Adjest Kingscrown, is the legitimate heir to the House of Rogfelas . ”
He had already heard this from the Adjest and knew it was a fact .
“And when the decision was made to temporarily close the Hebrion Academy, the Alpha Class that the Princess was required to take was in effect, canceled . ”
“I mean, again, the Imperial Family will make up for the loss of man-power, and she’s just going back where she belongs . So please don’t be offended… ”
“What’s the point of doing this?”
Alfred sighed before opening his mouth again .
“The princess will be summoned to the Palace . However, the Emperor seems to have decided that if she has any lingering attachment to the Starling Party, it will only serve as a distraction . Mr . Desir, will you persuade her directly to return to the Palace so that she will no longer have any regrets about the party?”
* * *
The carriage, without stopping, clattered along the uneven cobblestones on the street .
It was not difficult to guess the destination . On the doors and ceiling of the carriage was a picture of the golden lion symbolizing the Imperial Family .
Through the half-open curtains, she could see the Imperial Palace gradually getting closer . The fact that it would happen like this was something she had expected from the start . As for the reason, however, Adjest had no idea how this came to pass .
Was it because she revealed her identity to Desir? Maybe it was because her father thought the situation had become dangerous? These Shadow Worlds were unexpected after all .
Adjest looked up at the ceiling blankly . Either way, the ending she was going to face was simple .
Parting .
It was a very unfamiliar word . Adjest didn’t want to experience such a thing .
So, when she first arrived at the Hebrion Academy, ending up in the Alpha Class for nobles, she did not open up her heart to anyone .
She was surrounded by people, but utterly alone .
She had lived a life without color, utterly dedicated to being strong . She thought such a life would be the best for her .
However, Desir was the turning point for her . Many things changed right after she met him .
‘Many things?’
No, it was everything .
Even Swan managed to pick up on how much she had changed .
Adjest lowered her gaze . Desir was looking out the window with his chin resting in his hand . The desolate appearance of the capital with no one present on what used to be bustling streets passed unceasingly by her glazed over eyes .
Coincidentally, Desir was the one to lead her to the Palace .
It was her father’s decision .
Cruel but reasonable .
Perhaps her father wanted her to express her intention to leave the party in his audience . He might want to see her properly break off all connection to her academy life .
‘When was the last time I talked to Desir? It feels like ages ago, but it has been less than a day . ’
A visit to the hospital to see Swan was the beginning of the end .
Adjest was put on the spot . She never had the intention of making up a story . This was something she wanted Desir to know .
Ever since Adjest informed him that she was a Princess, they had not talked since . Their relationship was now awkward . They couldn’t find a single thing to talk about .
She could understand that . The title of Princess was by no means light . She deliberately didn’t say anything about it earlier knowing this .
“Desir . ”
The first to open their mouth was Adjest . She had spent the entire carriage ride gathering her courage .
Desir, who had been staring outside the entire time, turned his head and stared at Adjest .
Their eyes met for the first time .
But that was all . He simply looked at her .
The strange silence made Adjest feel a tingling sensation in her heart .
“… Are you angry?”
Adjest opened her mouth with difficulty . Desir did not reply .
‘Doesn’t he understand? The end of the Alpha Class meant that she was no longer a student, but a successor, heir to the throne of the Hebrion Empire . ’
It was not something she could abandon for the sake of clearing Shadow Worlds . This was the last time they would sit together as party leader and party member .
Even though she could meet Desir, a member of the Royal Guard, whenever she wanted, when that time came, it would not be as Adjest Kingscrown, but Adjest Zedgar F Rogfelas .
“… I don’t want this . ”
She did not want things to happen this way . She didn't want to go back to the desolate past where she had no ties and had never met Desir . She couldn’t imagine spending the rest of her days like this to the end .
“Please say something… ”
“There is no particular reason for me to be angry with you, Royal Princess . ”
Royal Princess .
As soon as she heard it, Adjest felt something that had kept her sane this long suddenly snap .
She felt her heart ache .
“Desir . ”
It shouldn't end like this . It was a relationship that couldn’t end like this .
“Your Majesty has made a great decision . It’s just a wise move to ensure that the successor is no longer in danger . ”
[-There’s audio surveillance magic in the carriage . ]
On the ceiling .
Blue mana seemed to gather and form letters, soon disappearing without a trace .
Desir nodded so that only Adjest could feel it .
For a moment, the sad feeling had lifted slightly . Her mind cleared up .
Her tone slightly uneven, she replied .
“You think so… ?”
She tried to imitate the method Desir had used .
She tried to gather and concentrate her mana, calculating how to move it to form the letters she so desperately desired to share .
It wasn’t easy, but her will to talk was much stronger .
[-How come?]
Barely after forming, her letters fell apart .
In quick fashion, blue mana converged into letters once again .
[-I’ve been ordered to make sure you don’t have any lingering attachment for the Starling Party . They want to know if this request is going well . ]
Adjest’s prediction was right . But that wasn’t what mattered .
[-Desir, I never meant to deceive you . I just… ]
“Well, it’s over anyway . ”
Desir spoke, but his words were false . Letters appeared on the ceiling .
[-I know . ]
“The only thing that matters is the fact that you’re a Princess . ”
Desir continued to peddle mistruths while the letters of his true thoughts continued to appear on the ceiling .
[-It doesn’t matter that you’re a Princess . You’re just you . Rogfelas or not, you’ve always been Adjest . That doesn’t change . That’s the conclusion I’ve reached . ]
[-Why? How?]
On the contrary, it had now become a situation where Adjest could not help but question him .
[-Because I’m just like you . ]
Their eyes crossed .
[-I think everyone has something they want to hide . I have something I must hide from you too . I haven’t revealed it yet, but you shared your secret . You trust me, so I also trust you . ]
This would be the secret of Desir’s identity .
Desir had never shared a single bit of his past with her, or anyone else for that matter .
[-But you… showed no reaction . ]
[-I didn’t care . ]
This was not just an excuse .
[-I’ve always been like this . I recognized you as a colleague, as a powerful comrade, and I was focused entirely on our future . ]
He was always thinking about the future .
Like a carriage moving forward, looking only at its destination .
Without rest, without end .
Moving with a singular purpose .
It probably had something to do with his past . Adjest could only make such a dim guess .
[-I rather respect you . ]
‘He didn’t feel bad . ’
It was by no means easy to bring up a secret that had been hidden for so long . She was afraid that the truth would change the relationship .
This was the thing that Adjest feared the most .
‘I was such a fool . ’
There was no way Desir would act like that .
She felt happy .
Her eyes shook and turned red .
[-When we meet again, I’ll tell you my story then, Adjest . ]
The years she spent with him passed before her eyes . Mana concentrated on the ceiling several more times, dispersing and reforming .
The carriage came to a stop .
Before she knew it, she had arrived at the Palace .
“… … … ”
Mana rained down inside the carriage like snow .
Adjest put her hand to her hair .
The sharp ice that formed cut off a lock of the silvery hair .
[-I’ll be back as Adjest Kingscrown . ]
As a token of her declaration, Adjest handed it to Desir .
----
Chapter brought to you by The Patrons .
???: …
ED: N/A
TLC: N/A
QC: Dr Lock
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