I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit – Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Tentatively named ‘Isabelic System’.

It was, so to speak, very similar to Earth’s electrical system.

It was a grand plan to establish ‘Mana Power Plants’ throughout the country and supply mana to ordinary households through mana power lines.

“Wouldn’t this allow the common people, who have not benefited from magic civilization so far, to enjoy it?”

Although magic, led by the Magic Federation, has developed for hundreds and thousands of years, it has been a distant story for ordinary people.

The magic towers are lit 24 hours a day, but most ordinary people sleep when the sun goes down.

The benefits of magic civilization were only given to nobles and mages.

“Of course, it will take a tremendous amount of time and an astronomical amount of money.”

“You look annoyed.”

“I am very annoyed. If we try to introduce something new, we will face tremendous opposition. As you saw with the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate and ramen.”

In fact, Narmore wanted to stop now.

He had accumulated enough wealth to live a life of luxury without ever having to work.

Further wealth was meaningless.

“However, I think Her Highness the Princess will be pleased. More than anyone else, she loves the people, and no matter what anyone says, she is the Empire’s First Princess.”

Incidentally, Isabel used to be called the ‘Fifth Princess’.

This is because they were classified as First Prince to Fifth Princess in the order of birth, regardless of gender.

However, a few years ago, the titles were changed by Imperial decree.

Now, Isabel was the Empire’s ‘First Princess’.

“I sometimes reminisce about Her Highness the Princess when she was doing volunteer work in Alphea. I recall Her Highness when she visited the orphanage.”

“……”

“Her Highness at that time was truly like sunshine. She was worthy of being called the Spring of the Imperial Palace.”

Narmore, who had become a respectable young businessman, smiled lightly.

“Her Highness the Princess will surely open her eyes, so I want to make the world a little more beautiful for her to see. If His Majesty permits, I will start building the Isabelic System, starting with Alphea and Jirdel.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

“Oh my, look over there, Sir Arun is coming.”

“He shines even from so far away.”

The maids of Arena Palace were making a fuss.

It wasn’t just the maids of Arena Palace.

Arun had never appeared in society even once, but he was already being called the flower of society.

Countless young ladies kept Arun’s picture and took it out to look at it over and over again, and this has become a social phenomenon.

“Do you also fangirl over Sir Arun?”

“You too?”

“Me too.”

Fangirling.

It was a new word that was born because of Arun.

“He, he’s getting closer. Wh, what should I do?”

“Calm down. Let’s show a demure and polite appearance.”

“Wh, what if he talks to us? What if I have a heart attack?”

“Don’t worry. That won’t happen.”

Arun passed by.

Fortunately（?） nothing like a heart attack happened.

The maids stared blankly at Arun’s back.

“Did you see?”

“See what?”

“I think he smiled at me.”

“Yeah, you’re mistaken.”

“It’s true.”

“You’re still in the early stages of fangirling. Everyone goes through a phase of having such delusions.”

“How can he be so beautiful?”

“I understand that feeling a hundred times over.”

This wasn’t just happening in the Imperial Palace.

Whenever Arun passed by, the strange phenomenon of many young ladies’ conversations changing to Arun occurred.

“Isn’t even that haughty and chic appearance so charming?”

“I heard that not a single young lady has had a proper conversation with Sir Arun. No young lady has received a reply to her love letter either.”

In fact, thousands of love letters pour in for Arun every day.

Recently, the Imperial Palace mail management department even increased its manpower because of Arun.

Meanwhile, Arun was not interested in the strange phenomena surrounding him.

His only interests were swordsmanship and Isabel.

“Isabel.”

Arun held Isabel’s hand as she lay there.

Fortunately, Isabel’s hand was warm today as well.

“I’m here.”

Every day, without fail, he visited Isabel’s room and greeted her.

When his training with the Emperor was over, he would tell her that it was over, and if he ate something delicious, he would tell her that he ate something delicious.

“I tried a new dessert from Yurimore Bakery, and it was really delicious. It’s sweet, so I think you’ll really like it.”

He carefully placed a few financiers, neatly wrapped in wrapping paper, on the nightstand.

“Eat it when you wake up. It’s super delicious.”

Of course, Isabel didn’t answer.

It was a daily routine that had been repeated for seven years, and Isabel showed no sign of movement, but Arun didn’t care.

Because this was the best he could do now.

“Time keeps passing. The time we have isn’t that long either. But I want you to open your eyes. We have a lot to talk about, and we have a lot of memories to make in the future.”

He squeezed Isabel’s hand tighter.

“Don’t give up. You can definitely wake up. You’ve changed the world a lot. You have to see it with your own eyes. How amazing the miracles you’ve created are.”

A few hours passed, and Maria came to visit.

She was a great woman who was recently called the ‘Saint of Miracles’.

She was receiving the respect and admiration of people all over the world, but whenever she entered this place, she always felt like a sinner.

Maria placed her hand on Isabel’s chest and invoked divine power.

Maria’s hand turned white and warmly covered Isabel’s body, but Isabel did not open her eyes.

“I’m sorry, my power is still lacking.”

“It’s not something you should be sorry for.”

Maria carefully got up.

“Will Sir Arun be guarding this place again today?”

“That’s what I have to do.”

Maria nodded.

It wasn’t particularly special because it had been the same for seven years.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Yes, take care.”

After Maria left, Arun held Isabel’s hand again.

‘I miss you.’

Even though he was looking at her right now, he missed her.

It was a strange feeling that was hard to put into words.

‘What is this feeling of mine?’

Longing for a friend who can’t wake up?

Affection for a childhood friend who shared memories with him in his younger days?

A deep bond between Kim Beolkkul and his guardian?

At first, he thought that was all it was.

However, as one month, two months, three months, and then one year, two years passed, he gradually realized that it wasn’t simply all there was to it.

‘I miss you so much.’

It was too intense to be simply longing for a friend.

‘I want to talk to you.’

It was too insufficient to be called friendship.

Before he knew it, only Isabel was left in Arun’s world.

If he had Isabel, he didn’t need anything else.

Isabel was simply his everything.

‘I’m thirsty.’

He was anxious.

No matter how much cold water he drank, his chest felt stuffy and heavy.

It felt like just one word from Isabel, one warm glance, could quench this thirst.

“Isabel. I’m so anxious.”

Only the rain called Isabel could moisten his parched heart.

When three years passed and four years came.

Arun finally realized.

This was not friendship.

This was definitely love.

There was no other word to describe this feeling.

“I need……”

When it became the fifth year.

He, who was called a swordsman comparable to the Emperor and began to be called another absolute being, held Isabel’s hand and prayed earnestly.

He now clearly realized what he longed for.

“I need your love.”

He expressed it as love, but he wasn’t hoping for anything grand.

How have you been?

He needed that one word.

However, Isabel did not say that one word today either.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

I didn’t know how long I had slept.

I just vaguely felt that a very long time must have passed.

But then, from some point, I started hearing voices.

“I bought some delicious desserts. They’re new. I’ll leave them here, so eat them when you wake up.”

It was a kind voice.

However, this voice quickly scattered like an illusion without substance.

‘Sleepy.’

I kept feeling sleepy no matter how much I slept.

Occasionally, I heard various voices like in a dream, but they soon disappeared into the depths of my memory.

“I’m here, Isabel.”

A voice that somehow felt familiar.

I would forget it again after sleeping and waking up, but the moment I heard that voice, I felt good.

I felt like someone was holding my hand.

This also felt very strange.

It felt like touching a rubber arm, not my own.

“It’s your 15th birthday.”

I heard the voices of many people.

I think I probably had a warm birthday.

As time went on, the voices became a little clearer.

I heard a voice that I assumed was probably my dad’s.

He said, ‘Why don’t you make me tired?’, but he might have been crying.

‘It’s a shame.’

Because these warm memories would soon disappear again.

The only consolation was that I kept hearing kind voices.

Those voices kept holding onto my fading consciousness.

“Isabel. I’m waiting for you here.”

A dry voice.

A voice that desperately wanted me.

‘Again.’

That voice kept waking me up.

It kept awakening me as I faded into the depths of my consciousness.

If it weren’t for that voice, I think I would have fallen into the dark abyss.

Whenever I heard that voice and felt the warm touch, my fading consciousness returned to its place.

I felt like I was swimming alone in a very deep and dark tunnel.

“I need your love.”

After that.

A very faint light began to appear in this dark world.

It was like a tiny starlight from the far reaches of the universe, and it felt so distant.

‘But……’

For someone who stood tall in one place, waiting for me every day with the same appearance, I had to find strength.

To not forget that kindness.

For the person who never tired and worked hard for me every single day, I had to find strength too.

‘I see the light.’

It was too far away.

I thought I was hearing hallucinations.

No, just rest. It’s comfortable to just lie down.

You don’t have much life left.

Even if you open your eyes, you’ll only end up hurting people again soon.

Is that what you want?

Whenever I wanted to give up, I heard Arun’s voice.

The voice that became my ally in this dark and lonely darkness.

That unwavering voice supported me so I wouldn’t collapse.

“I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Someone kissed my forehead.

Without that voice, I would fall asleep again.

Without that hand, that light would disappear again.

I think I should rest now too.

I thought so, but the light didn’t disappear.

‘Why isn’t it disappearing?’

For some reason, the light seemed to have grown much larger.

I kept swimming towards that light.

Twitch.

I’m not sure, but I felt like my real fingers moved.