Chapter 12
The man laughed.
“Hehehe.”
He looked to be in his early 30s, but his appearance wasn’t very meaningful.
People with abundant mana don’t age easily.
He was a man with a rather kind impression.
He was smiling with one corner of his mouth curled up.
Isabel wasn’t very flustered.
“Who are you?”
“Someone who’s contemplating whether to adopt you or not.”
“I have a dad.”
“Is that so? Who is he?”
“His Majesty the Emperor.”
“What?”
He couldn’t imagine that Isabel would be a princess.
It was because she was cute and adorable, but she didn’t look like a princess.
The Bilotian princess playing in the flower garden covered in dirt.
“Euahahahaha! What a cheeky child.”
He looked around just in case.
Strangely, there was no one around.
It was the perfect environment for a kidnapping.
“Wait, come to think of it, she might really be the princess.”
The princess of Bilotian.
She would be a headache for the Imperial Family as well.
A member of the Imperial Family of the Sword Empire who couldn’t learn swordsmanship would be Bilotian’s shame.
How desperate must the Emperor, who despises magic, have been to recruit Karin to teach her at least some magic?
“If she really is the princess, it’s an even sadder story.”
He looked around.
“If she’s so unnecessary, there wouldn’t be anyone protecting her.”
“There is……”
He smirked.
“Your esteemed highness. Follow me.”
“Mister, are you a kidnapper? Are you going to take me?”
“I’ll make you a great mage, so don’t be scared.”
Isabel shook her head.
“I thought you were a smart person.”
“You know me?”
“Wilhelm.”
To be able to walk around freely in the Imperial Palace means that he’s a member of an invited delegation.
At the same time, he’s a skilled mage who can make Ruruka disappear with a single gesture.
A man who’s eyes gleam mischievously at the sight of a child with outstanding magical talent.
A bold man who’s planning a kidnapping, even if that child is a princess.
There weren’t many people who satisfied all these conditions.
Even if I roughly thought about it as a reader of this novel, it was Wilhelm, and even if I thought hard about it, it was still Wilhelm.
“Oh, I’ve heard a lot about Sir Wilhelm’s great name too. Thank you for mistaking me for him.”
“It doesn’t matter if you pretend you don’t know me. But I know that you’re not that smart.”
“What are you talking about?”
And a voice was heard.
“This is what I mean, my friend.”
Profanities rose to his throat, but he toned it down to ‘friend’ in case Isabel heard it.
A sharp piece of metal pierced the man’s chest.
It was Viaton.
Viaton pulled Ruruka out by reaching into his shadow.
“Your Highness!”
Ruruka hurriedly hugged the princess tightly, blocking her view.
Viaton dramatically toned down his language in case Isabel heard him.
“I’ll give you a full body massage with dirt.”
He meant he would bury him.
Viaton pulled another sword from subspace and plunged it into the man’s shadow.
He was a magic swordsman who wielded both magic and a sword.
Various magic symbols were engraved on the sword, and a faint greenish light was leaking out from them.
The sword stuck in the ground restricted the man’s movements.
“Don’t you get it yet, my friend?”
“……”
The man didn’t answer.
He seemed afraid that his identity would be revealed if he spoke.
“Why would there be no guards? Is that thing on your shoulder just for decoration?”
There was no need for many guards.
One was enough.
Viaton realized something.
“Wait, this is a magic form, isn’t it?”
He was meticulous.
This body was fake. It didn’t even bleed.
Pssss━━━
The man’s body was gradually disappearing.
Viaton grinned.
Madness was glittering in his eyes.
“My attempted kidnapping friend.”
“……”
“Don’t think you’re safe just because there’s no evidence left.”
The man didn’t open his mouth until the end.
“I’m really good at finding evidence.”
Viaton pulled out the sword that was stuck in the man’s chest and licked it with his tongue.
Lick━━━
The blade shone, reflecting the moonlight.
His fierce eyes stared at the disappearing magic form.
“And I don’t leave evidence either.”
The lower body of the magic form completely disappeared.
Now only the upper body remained.
I’ll find you and kill you.
He was about to say that, but he toned it down again because Isabel was next to him.
“I’ll find you and befriend you. Let’s have a deep exchange.”
Viaton swung his sword.
He cut off the neck area of the magic form, and the magic form scattered in the wind and disappeared.
Meanwhile, Isabel already knew that Viaton was around.
That’s why she could be indifferent.
But Sir Viaton misunderstood a little.
“Your Highness, you’re being indifferent again.”
The princess is terminally ill. That’s why she was indifferent and apathetic about everything.
Viaton felt sad about that.
“What is it?”
“Weren’t you scared? He was a bad man.”
“Why would I be scared when Teacher is here?”
“I showed up late.”
“That’s because you wanted to accurately grasp the bad man’s goal and identity. And I believed in Sir Viaton.”
“Sob, Your Highness……!”
Deeply moved, Viaton hugged Isabel tightly.
Isabel, embraced in Viaton’s arms, tilted her head.
‘Was he this easily moved in the original?’
I don’t think so.
Putting aside a slight doubt, she asked.
“Was it Wilhelm?”
“Well……”
“I’ll find out. I really like making friends.”
Viaton smiled brightly.
That refreshing smile, like the autumn breeze, made Isabel’s heart feel refreshed.
Viaton gently stroked Isabel’s hair with a gentle expression.
Isabel asked with a clear expression.
“But, Sir Viaton.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“What’s the point of speaking so beautifully while wielding your sword so fiercely?”
Viaton felt like he made a mistake.
He was afraid that the princess might be scared of him.
“F-fiercely? That’s the first time I’ve heard that. I’m a very gentle and kind teacher.”
“Liar.”
It felt like he had lost the whole world.
“But it was cool. The best.”
Viaton’s world came back.
* * *
“Wait a minute.”
I held out a yellow flower to Viaton as a thank you gift.
The same flower I gave to Ruruka.
“Are you giving it to me?”
Sir Viaton’s fingertips were trembling slightly.
“S-sob! I’m touched.”
“This is all I can give you. I’ll give you something nice when I grow up.”
“It’s a promise.”
Sir Viaton held out his pinky finger.
“You must give me a nice gift when you grow up.”
“Promise!”
“Then I’ll write it in my diary today. 25 years from today. You’re giving me a precious gift.”
“Well, in 25 years, I won’t be in this world……”
Sir Viaton cut him off.
“Then I’ll make it 20 years, especially for you.”
That’s still 24 years old.
I can only live until I’m 21.
“A child who doesn’t keep a promise is a bad child. You understand, right?”
“I know.”
“Promise. You must keep it. I’ll remember this promise for the rest of my life. You understand, right?”
“Yeah.”
“If you don’t keep it, I’ll hide and cry?”
“I know.”
I understood Sir Viaton’s heart and smiled brightly.
I was truly grateful for his heart.
“Hehehe, then I’ll go on patrol. I’ve called the knights, so this place will be safe.”
Sir Viaton waved and walked away.
It didn’t seem like he had moved more than a few steps, but he was gone.
I completely forgot about meeting Wilhelm.
Having a baby’s body was really convenient.
If playing with dirt in front of me was fun, I quickly forgot about other things.
“I did it!”
“What is that?”
The nanny’s eyes sparkled.
The way her mouth was moving seemed like she had already loaded up on compliments.
I said proudly.
“Flower ring!”
“Oh my, it’s a really pretty flower ring. I’ve never seen such a beautiful ring. How are you so skillful?”
As always, the nanny showered me with compliments, and as always, I was happy with those compliments.
I didn’t wiggle my butt like I used to, but I couldn’t hide my smile.
“Your Highness’s smile makes me breathe.”
“Huh?”
I just heard something really cheesy, right?
The nanny’s face flushed slightly.
“Oh, no. Anyway, it’s time for you to go in now.”
It’s almost time for the 3rd day of the Imperial Palace banquet to end.
The Imperial Palace will become crowded.
“Today’s the day.”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to give this ring to Daddy.”
“To His, His Majesty?”
Daddy is enjoying the banquet in the Grand Ballroom.
It’s called a banquet, but it’s actually politics and diplomacy.
I knew that well too.
“Don’t worry. Today is originally the day to give gifts.”
It’s the time when the event is in full swing.
It was a little delayed because of the villain presumed to be Wilhelm, but there was still time.
“Let’s go!”
I headed towards the Grand Ballroom with the flower ring.
The nanny seemed flustered and tried to stop me a few times.
“It’s okay, Nanny.”
I’m 4 years old.
Now I have 17 years left.
“There are only seventeen times left to give Daddy a present.”
“……Your Highness.”
“Each and every time is a very precious opportunity.”
“……”
The nanny eventually hugged me.
And she subtly touched my armpits and back.
“That’s strange, I can’t feel the wings.”
“Huh?”
“Yes?”
“No, I think I heard Nanny say something.”
“Me?”
It seemed like the nanny definitely muttered something to herself, but she didn’t seem to remember it at all.
The nanny has been acting a little strange lately.
“We’ll be arriving at the Grand Ballroom soon, angel, no, Your Highness.”
The knights guarding the entrance to the Grand Ballroom blocked the nanny.
They didn’t seem to recognize me properly.
I said majestically.
“Silence! Step aside! I am Isabel.”
“……”
Good, that was charismatic.
