I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit – Chapter 141

Chapter 141

Ah, this is what they call a “futon kick,” huh?

It wasn’t my intention.

It was like the lower half of my body, below my belly button, had a mind of its own.

It flapped like a pigeon’s wings.

“Ah…… I’m screwed.”

I thought only my lower body had a separate will, but my mouth did too.

I must have said “I’m screwed” more than ten times.

“I kept saying I was fine, fine, it’s nothing, I’m happy.”

I couldn’t understand what had gotten into me yesterday.

I just came to my senses and found myself acting like a spoiled child to Mom and Dad.

‘It’s my birthday, please indulge me a little.’

Before I knew it, I was crying in Dad’s arms, and Dad was frozen like a statue.

‘Can I say I want to live? You won’t be angry?’

I also remembered what Dad said.

‘Didn’t you say you were fine?’

‘I’m fine, but I’m not fine, I’m not fine, but I’m fine.’

And I don’t remember much of what we talked about after that.

If you ask me if I’m unhappy, that’s absolutely not true.

I was truly happy, and I enjoyed this health.

I’d never felt that the death that would come when I turned 21, no, 20, was so terrifying.

Because this life was just like a gift given to me.

But what was so scary and frightening yesterday?

Dad seemed angry for some reason.

‘Maybe I looked like a child who was lying.’

At least yesterday’s me didn’t look like a ‘child living a gifted life.’

That much was certain.

Because of what happened yesterday, I felt like I had become a child who lies.

‘Dad hates liars to the extreme.’

Dad did say something, but I don’t remember exactly what it was.

It seems like I was just busy throwing a tantrum yesterday.

Dad left my room, and Mom stayed by my side until the sun rose that day. We had breakfast together.

She said she had a very important meeting in the morning, but she postponed it or something.

I felt sorry for that, but it was also a strange feeling that I didn’t dislike it that much.

‘I heard that the Geomrim Academy is protesting intensely against Mom for unilaterally skipping the morning meeting?’

In many ways, this birthday was complicated.

It was a very joyous event that Karin regained her power, but on the other hand, it also meant that the final boss, set as the final villain in the novel, had regained her power.

She was usually almost expressionless, so I couldn’t really tell what she was thinking.

“I can’t sleep.”

It was past 1 am, but I couldn’t fall asleep.

I got out of bed.

I should drink some warm barley tea and try to sleep again.

Thinking that, I got up, and I saw something on the window frame.

‘A letter?’

There was a letter.

Judging from its appearance, it seemed like it had been shoved in from the outside.

It had a teddy bear drawn on it, and it was a strangely tacky letter for some reason.

Through that strange tackiness, I could tell who sent this letter.

‘It’s Dad!’

Dad covered everything with his natural beauty, but he wasn’t really a person with a good sense of aesthetics.

Well, what does a sense of aesthetics matter to someone so naturally gifted?

I realized it when I tried a short haircut last year.

Whether it’s fashion, hair, or sense, whatever it is, the completion is the face.

Even if he dressed like a mess, if Dad wore it, it was an instant fashion show.

If Dad carried this letter, this tacky letter would magically transform into a vintage, sensual letter, right?

‘But Dad isn’t the type to write letters……’

, the only person who received a proper letter from Dad was Mom.

I opened the letter and looked at the contents.

『It was the first time you said you wanted to live.』

Oh my god.

I don’t know why I feel such strong magical power from each and every letter.

How much magical power did he pour into it for the letters to have such a strong magical scent?

‘He must have really agonized over writing it.’

Like someone who’s never written a letter before.

I could feel a very uncomfortable and stuffy feeling.

But the strange thing was that I could feel a firm love within that uncomfortable feeling.

『That first time was grateful.』

It was difficult to grasp the context because so many words were omitted in between.

What should I say?

Um, yeah. This was closer to stuttering.

It was the first time I’d seen someone stutter in a letter.

『How hard was it for you alone?』

As I read the letter, I felt like I could hear Dad’s voice.

It must have been very hard.

I know how you feel.

It felt like he was saying that.

I hadn’t really thought it was hard, but strangely, tears welled up in my eyes as I read those words.

『Right now, all I can do is indulge your whims.

But things will be different in the future. Many people, including myself, who cherish you are researching Narvidal’s Mark. So please don’t give up.

Whenever you’re not okay, feel free to come to your parents’ room. Your parents’ room is always open to their daughter.』

And the last sentence was a little strange.

『Your father, who loves you more than anyone.』

The handwriting had changed, and it felt like it had been forced somehow.

The magic in the writing told me that.

I let out a hollow laugh.

‘This is Mom’s doing, isn’t it?’

Mom must have forced him（?）.

Or Dad had Mom check the letter.

‘Ah. I guess he had it checked after he finished writing it.’

If Mom had been involved from the beginning, the letter would have been much more sophisticated.

There wouldn’t have been as many omitted parts that seemed like stuttering.

Mom is good at writing eloquently.

I hugged the letter tightly.

It was a pity that the magic contained within the letter was dissipating.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Dailtha rose from her seat.

“Why has Your Majesty come in person?”

“Have I come to a place where I shouldn’t be?”

“It’s my job to go when told and come when called. Next time, just give the order, and I’ll come.”

Dailtha often wore black clothes, and that was the case today as well.

She was dressed entirely in black from head to toe.

“I told you to take some time off.”

“If I leave on vacation in this state, wouldn’t people think it’s strange? Sir Lancer’s death is a secret, isn’t it? I’m enjoying my vacation here.”

“……”

Lancer died while tracking Wilhelm.

He must have been involved with Wilhelm in some way, and there were politically ambiguous aspects to publicly announcing Lancer’s death.

“Are you alright?”

“There’s nothing not to be alright about. I’m used to death.”

Dailtha spoke with Ron without a hint of wavering.

Ron, who had come to visit out of concern for Dailtha, felt awkward as Dailtha seemed perfectly fine.

Neither Ron nor Dailtha were particularly talkative, so there were often silences.

But they were both used to such silences, so it wasn’t awkward for them.

Ron spoke again.

“You’ve become much softer. If it were like the old days, you would have drawn your sword and immediately started tracking him.”

“My skills have deteriorated too much for that.”

The tendons in her wrists and ankles were severely damaged.

Although it didn’t affect her daily life, her body was no longer able to handle swordsmanship.

“But if the opportunity arises in the future to strike down Wilhelm, please grant me that opportunity.”

Ron had spent a long time with Dailtha.

Before they were Emperor and Chief Attendant, they were comrades-in-arms.

Dailtha was like a calm river.

While appearing tranquil on the surface, strong whirlpools raged in its depths.

“I promise.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

“I’ll be going now.”

“Safe travels.”

To others, it was a strange conversation, mostly silence with a bit of dialogue.

Nevertheless, they both felt they had a fulfilling conversation in their own way.

Just before Ron got up and left the room, Dailtha added one more thing.

“It’s not just because of my skills.”

In truth, she also wanted to grab her sword and run out right away.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of finding Wilhelm and taking revenge.

“It’s also because there’s a spring in this Imperial Palace that I must protect.”

She held a bag of dalgona in her hand.

It was the slightly burnt, dark dalgona that Isabel had made herself yesterday.

“It’s a very sweet spring.”

“……”

“Lancer liked that spring very much. They were childhood friends.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Somehow, a few days passed.

I’m on my way to the Bladock Dukedom to keep my promise with older brother Sermon to visit Glass Lake together.

I was touched by Dad’s letter, but it was also embarrassing.

It felt like all the things I had said so far had become lies.

So it felt a little like I was running away using the promise as an excuse.

To be honest, I was also curious about Glass Lake.

Across from me in the carriage, as always, Sir Viaton sat in a neat posture.

I suddenly got curious and asked.

“Teacher, you know.”

“Yes?”

I just said one word, and he showed me that bright smile again.

Being with Sir Viaton always warms my heart.

“Why am I such a little kid?”

“Her Highness? A little kid?”

“I just act so spoiled……”

I looked at my reflection in the carriage window.

I recently turned 9 years old.

The bloodline of the Bilotian Imperial Family matures very quickly.

After the ninth birthday, it’s common to look like a teenager in their mid to late teens by Korean standards.

“I’m past my ninth birthday, but I still feel like a child.”

“Isn’t that the same for Prince Michael?”

I hadn’t really thought much about it, but I suddenly became curious.

Why were Michael and I so slow to mature?

“Why isn’t older brother Michael growing up?”

“Well, that is……”

Sir Viaton adjusted his glasses and paused for a moment.

Sir Viaton had a knack for making even trivial things sound interesting.

“It’s because he doesn’t think about anything.”

“Huh?”

“Scholars have recently discovered this.”

Sir Viaton began an amazing（?） explanation.