Chapter 29
A very long time ago, Viaton and Ron were once isolated together.
The two were surrounded by enemies and fought together, prepared to d*e, and fortunately, they broke through the encirclement and returned to the Empire.
Viaton was seriously injured at the time, and Ron personally nursed him back to health.
On the second day after Viaton lost consciousness and collapsed, Ron said.
“It is the Prince’s order. Get up.”
But Viaton could not get up.
The third day after Viaton collapsed.
“Someday, I will become Emperor. At that time, I will give you the authority to disobey an Imperial order once. So get up.”
“Really?”
Viaton, who was revived thanks to the devoted care of Ron, who was the Prince at the time, gained the right to refuse an Imperial order at that time.
And today, he decided to use it.
“I think I’ll have to disobey an Imperial order, Your Majesty.”
Viaton talked about what happened with Isabel.
“So, for now, instead of me, please assign someone to track down Wilhelm. Preferably someone as competent as Sir Lancer.”
“……”
After a long time, Ron nodded.
“I permit it.”
“You granted permission surprisingly easily? I thought the order to chase Wilhelm would be the top priority.”
It was Viaton who had watched Ron for a long time.
Viaton had expected Ron to naturally get angry, but that expectation was completely off the mark.
“Because there are only fifteen days left to grant Isabel’s requests.”
“……”
Viaton was silent for a moment.
“Anyway, then I’ll move to the Elbe Mountains. Please grant me permission to use the Transfer Gate.”
“I permit it.”
“When I went on a business trip before, you told me to go on foot.”
Viaton let out a deep sigh.
He openly shook his head and provoked Ron’s temper.
“Even though I’m the Emperor’s aide, can’t you help me show off a little usually?”
“……”
Ron’s eyebrows twitched.
Viaton thought it was fortunate.
‘Yes. It’s better to be angry.’
Because there are only fifteen days left to grant Isabel’s requests.
Viaton didn’t want to see Ron’s expression when he said that.
He saw too much sadness in the expression of his lifelong friend.
So he whined on purpose.
“Since you’ve already granted permission, you know, the unlimited Transfer Gate usage right given to the recipient of the Silver Star Medal. Can’t you give me something like that?”
“To you? Why?”
“It’s cute. Wink.”
Viaton poked his cheek with his index finger and winked.
Ron’s patience reached its limit. He was just about to draw his sword.
“If you don’t like that either, why don’t you raise my salary! Argh!”
Viaton hurriedly pulled his body back.
He rolled four times on the floor.
A few strands of his bangs fluttered in the air.
“No, can you just swing your sword like that?!”
“It’s a pity. I was aiming for your neck.”
“What did I do wrong…… Argh!”
Thwack!
Ron’s fist landed on Viaton’s eyelid.
There was no serious injury or pain because it wasn’t imbued with mana, but still, his eyes flashed! did.
Viaton was shocked not because it hurt, but for another reason.
“Wow. The Emperor of the Swordsmanship Empire left his sword over there and swung his fist. If other people see this, they’ll faint.”
“I should have knocked you out.”
Ron rubbed his fist as if relieved.
“This is where Dailtha-nim hit me.”
“……”
“Hitting the same spot again is the worst.”
“Shall I hit you more?”
“I don’t see any reason why I should be hit.”
Come to think of it, there was no reason for Viaton to be hit.
Still, Viaton was the Emperor’s aide and the second-in-command of the Swordsmanship Empire.
He was just a little talkative, but he hadn’t done anything wrong enough to be hit.
Ron found a suitable justification.
“You disobeyed an Imperial order.”
“But Your Majesty told me to disobey it! You said you’d give me a chance!”
Ron chuckled.
“But I didn’t say I wouldn’t hit you.”
✦✦✦✦✦✦
Night had deepened.
“Princess. Have a good night.”
After the nanny tucked me in, she kissed my forehead lightly and moved away.
I wanted to whine and tell her not to go, but I held back.
‘I’m six years old now.’
My body still wanted someone to be by my side today.
I suppressed my body’s instincts and looked towards the dark ceiling.
‘Hmm. I got through today safely.’
I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?
I ruminated on my conversation with Karin today.
‘It was a good thing I asked my nanny to get me books related to Teyselon.’
Karin is a character who creates a big weakness from even the smallest clues of her opponent.
So I always had to be careful.
I put a lot of effort into giving plausibility and justification to my actions, and fortunately, it worked for Karin as well.
‘It’s absolutely impossible for the possession to be known.’
Especially if Karin figures it out, my peaceful life of possession will end that day.
It means that my life, which has only 15 years left, could be fried in p*op water.
To be precise, the Holy Knights will come and drag me away.
“Ugh, no.”
Just imagining it made all the hairs on my body stand on end.
The thought of the Holy Knights coming to catch me suddenly scared me.
But at that moment, I heard the sound of the window opening.
It was too dark to see.
‘The, the window is open? Why?’
My nanny must have locked it from the inside.
‘A, a thief?’
Common sense dictated that there was almost no possibility of a thief breaking into the Imperial Palace.
However, once I was gripped by fear, I fell into extreme terror.
‘I must have heard wrong.’
But it wasn’t.
Wheeing━━━
The wind blew.
‘The window really opened.’
I couldn’t feel any presence at all.
I was so scared that I couldn’t even speak.
‘I, I have to make a sound.’
My throat felt choked.
My body trembled.
Rustle━━━
I heard a very faint sound.
It was like the footsteps of a skilled assassin.
The sound mixed with the wind made my nerves stand on end.
‘P, please!’
I hid under the covers, but I felt like someone was watching me.
My body trembled.
At that moment, I felt the blanket move.
It was as if someone was lifting the blanket.
And I saw a pair of eyes staring at me in the darkness.
The pupils, reflected in the moonlight leaking in from outside, were like obsidian.
‘Huh?’
I could tell the identity of the intruder in my room.
It smelled like honey.
“Is that Honey?”
Honey shook his head vigorously from side to side.
Honey hated the name his brother gave him.
“O, okay. Kim Beolkkul.”
Only then did Honey smile brightly and shake his head up and down vigorously.
“Sigh.”
I let out a deep sigh.
As scared as I was, a great sense of relief washed over me.
“Thank goodness.”
I hugged Honey tightly.
Honey didn’t seem to dislike it, making cute noises like “Boo- Boo-“.
It was a sound he only made in front of me, and I was secretly proud of it.
“Wait a minute. I’ll cast Interpretation Magic.”
I raised my mana and cast the spell.
My heart was still pounding because I hadn’t calmed down yet, but Honey didn’t know how I felt and burrowed into my arms and rubbed his head.
“It tickles.”
Honey’s fur was soft.
I didn’t think too deeply about how the fur of a wild honey badger could be so soft.
Letters appeared above Honey’s head.
『Miss you.』
『So visited.』
Honey’s eyes really seemed to be filled with honey.
Looking at those black eyes with honey dripping down, I felt like my heart was melting.
“Did you come because you wanted to sleep with me?”
『Affirmative.』
『Permission granted?』
I nodded.
I was thinking it would be nice if someone could stay by my side anyway.
“I think I’ll feel at ease sleeping with the brave Honey, no, Kim Beolkkul.”
『Brave Kim Beolkkul.』
Honey thumped his chest as if telling me to trust only him.
I buried my nose in Honey’s body and sniffed.
I really liked Honey’s scent.
How can an animal smell so sweet?
Besides, his body temperature was just right and warm.
“I wish we could sleep together every day.”
『Agree.』
『Strongly agree.』
Perhaps thanks to the brave Honey being by my side, I quickly felt sleepy.
Honey, who was hugging me, also seemed sleepy as his eyes fluttered.
‘Huh?’
Red ‘♡’ shaped magic letters floated above Honey’s head.
As many as three.
‘But the Interpretation Magic is over?’
Small heart.
Medium heart.
Big heart.
Three hearts were floating up.
It felt somehow subtly different from the letters of Interpretation Magic, but I didn’t care much.
‘I guess the aftereffects of Interpretation Magic are still lingering.’
I figured it was something like that.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
A few days later, Sir Viaton returned to the Arena Palace.
“Princess.”
Sir Viaton was smiling brightly as always, but somehow he seemed a little upset.
“You’ve worked hard to become a stylish a*ult.”
I should have just killed him.
I heard a small murmur, but I pretended not to.
I decided to soothe the former Sword Demon’s heart a little.
“Sir Viaton is always cool.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Sir Viaton really smiled.
Seeing that genuine smile made me feel a little relieved.
“As you said, Princess, I did meet that Teyselon.”
Sir Viaton began to speak.
