I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit – Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Rahella continued speaking.

“I’ve come to believe that the knowledge and skills possessed by the Princess could become a catalyst for the advancement of humanity in the future. So, I was thinking, what do you think about the Kingdom of Alphea actively promoting and utilizing the ‘TeyIsabel Transfer Gate’ that you proposed? In the current atmosphere, I don’t think there would be much public resistance.”

“Really?”

Isabel blinked her eyes.

“Yes. Right now, the atmosphere is such that people would applaud you even if you pooped your pants, so I judged that this is the opportune moment.”

“That’s quite a politically risky decision.”

The Bilotian Empire is passive in diplomacy and politics.

Until the wise Empress Serna appeared, Bilotian was an empire built solely on military power, revering only swordsmanship.

Therefore, the Magic Federation held the upper hand in political standing. But now, Rahella was saying that she would side with Bilotian, not the Magic Federation.

It was highly likely that she would have to bear the unseen disadvantages.

“There comes a time when everyone has to make a choice.”

Rahella hadn’t forgotten the Royal Assembly.

The strangely early end to the first day of the Royal Assembly at midnight.

‘The upcoming midnight is a day that His Majesty is eagerly awaiting.’

‘And it’s the day he wants to be the most tired.’

‘His Majesty is embarrassed. The upcoming midnight is the Princess’s birthday.’

All of that was surely a test set by the Empress.

The first day of the Royal Assembly.

It showed that the Princess’s birthday was very important to the Emperor.

That day, the seven kings struggled to grasp the true intentions of the Imperial Family, but there were no particular gains.

‘The seven kings were also given a silent order to recognize the Princess’s worth. It was a silent hint to support the Princess. I’m sure.’

That would have been the Imperial Family’s ‘true intention.’

……she judged.

Of course, there was no such thing as the Empress’s true intention, and the Emperor really just wanted to be tired and embarrassed.

The small ball that Isabel had launched began to grow larger and larger.

Rahella rose from her seat.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

Rovena, the Grand Duke of the North, had come to take Isabel’s five years.

Only Rovena and Isabel remained in this place.

“You must keep your promise, Princess.”

“Okay.”

Rovena glanced at Isabel.

Isabel’s legs were trembling. It was clear that she was trying her best not to show it.

‘Seeing her try to face the One-Eyed Giant alone, she’s a child with a very straight and strong heart, but in another way, she’s just a child.’

Even now, her eyes were firm, but her body was trembling.

‘How should I put it, it’s like her body and mind are a bit out of sync?’

Her eyes narrowed.

‘If I had to put it into words, it’s like an adult’s soul has entered a child’s body, and the synchronization is strangely off.’

Isabel stood right in front of Rovena.

Isabel’s body was still trembling.

“Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

Isabel walked as bravely as she could.

Rovena asked.

“Aren’t you afraid of losing five years?”

“I’m afraid. I’m very, very scared.”

“Then why are you making this choice?”

“Because Honey Badger is my precious friend.”

A smile formed on Rovena’s lips as she walked ahead.

‘You’ve made a really good friend, Arun.’

Rovena and Isabel found the nearest temple to the Alphea Royal Palace.

It was common for the temple surroundings to be crowded with people, but strangely, there was no one there today.

There was only one gatekeeper at the large main gate.

“Huh?”

Isabel felt something strange about the gatekeeper.

As soon as she saw the gatekeeper, her trembling strangely stopped.

“What’s wrong?”

“Can I greet the gatekeeper?”

“As you wish.”

Rovena shrugged as if she didn’t care.

Pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat.

‘How cute she runs.’

In Rovena’s eyes, Isabel was still short.

She ran diligently with her very short legs. There was a strange sense of welcome and joy in her steps.

“Hello.”

“……”

The gatekeeper’s body flinched.

A notice had already been sent that Grand Duke Rovena and Princess Isabel would be visiting, and the gatekeeper knew Isabel’s identity.

Nevertheless, the gatekeeper did not answer.

Rovena approached.

“Gatekeeper. Why do you not show proper respect?”

“……”

Rovena swallowed a laugh. Her eyes curved into crescents.

In truth, she was very amused.

『Rovena. Shut up.』

『But it’s fascinating, isn’t it?』

『What do you mean?』

『He changed his body shape and face, but it’s amazing that Isabel seems to recognize her father. Huh? Why do you seem strangely proud?』

『Not at all.』

『Oh, you’re not proud at all.』

Isabel spoke again.

“Hello, Gatekeeper-nim. If you don’t mind, could you please hold my hand for a moment?”

“……”

After a brief silence, Ron, disguised as the gatekeeper, asked.

“Why do you ask?”

“Please. Hold my hand.”

Isabel looked up at the gatekeeper with her bright eyes and held out her small hand.

Although she had the body of a child around 10 years old, Isabel’s hand looked very small in Ron’s eyes.

In her father’s eyes, Isabel was a baby when she was three, a baby when she was five, and still a baby now at seven.

“……”

As Ron extended his hand, Isabel hopped and grabbed it. And she held it tightly with both hands.

“Father.”

“……”

“I can tell when I hold your hand.”

Ron’s body flinched.

“I don’t understand what you mean, Princess.”

“When I hold Father’s hand, I feel very reassured. It’s the most, most reliable hand in the world.”

Isabel in her past life had longed for her mom and dad’s hands.

She had been so envious of children who held their parents’ hands and visited the hospital.

She had thought that if she held those hands and went to the hospital, she wouldn’t be scared at all.

She had held onto that fantasy and longing, and it was true.

‘I’m not scared anymore!’

The fact that five years would disappear was very sad, but she didn’t feel as scared as she had before.

Isabel smiled brightly and said.

“I’m not scared anymore.”

It was a life that should have ended anyway.

It was just that 16 years of gifts had been added to that life.

And it was a gift she had always dreamed of.

Rovena said, as if surprised.

“You really aren’t scared.”

“No.”

“How can you think that way?”

“I’m holding Father’s hand.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s so, so reassuring, and I feel very, very safe.”

“……”

“It was my wish.”

“Just that?”

Just holding her father’s hand once, what’s the big deal?

Isabel, captured in Rovena’s Dragon Eye, was dazzling.

When humans feel truly abundant happiness, they emit such a light.

‘But……’

The one emitting that bright light wasn’t just Isabel.

Of course, with his superhuman mental strength that far surpassed human limitations, he was controlling it, but it was still captured in her Dragon Eye.

‘That human is happy too, isn’t he?’

Faint streaks of light were emanating from Ron’s body.

Rovena finally burst into laughter.

“Your Majesty. Just take off the necklace. Everyone can see through it anyway.”

“……”

Both Isabel and Rovena knew that this gatekeeper was Ron.

However, Ron did not reveal his true form.

Rovena chuckled and said.

“Is it something like, everyone knows but everyone pretends not to know?”

“……I don’t understand what you mean, Grand Duke.”

“Alright, let’s just say that. Although I don’t quite understand why the Princess is clutching your hand as if it’s a treasure.”

Isabel suddenly felt a sense of emptiness.

Because the image of her father, who had been right in front of her and holding her hand, had disappeared.

She felt a little down as the warm feeling that had enveloped her hand vanished.

“Hmph.”

“No need to be disappointed. He’s probably peeking at you from somewhere around here anyway.”

“Father is?”

“If I really tried to take your five years, he’d probably chop off my head.”

“……Huh?”

“That’s why he’s doing that here. No, if that’s the case, he could just stay by your side, but I don’t quite understand why he’s even wearing a magic necklace.”

Rovena walked ahead, and Isabel followed behind.

There were no signs of life inside the temple either. Only the massive marble pillars stood in a row.

“Princess. Want to hear something interesting?”

“What is it?”

“You know your father and I have a very long history, right?”

“I know. The saga of the Northern Grand Duke, owner of Sky Island, and Ron, the Bilotian Emperor, is very famous.”

“You also know that we’ve fought side by side in countless battles, right?”

“Yes, I know.”

“Your father is someone who hates even wearing a single ring. He says it subtly changes the feeling of wielding a sword.”

“……”

“But today, he’s using a magic artifact that changes his entire body shape? Even when I begged him to use artifacts, he was adamant. I’ve gone through so much hardship because of his stubbornness.”

It was something that the Ron Rovena knew would never do.

“He did something he would never do, for his daughter.”

You’ve changed someone who seemed like they would never change.

Rovena smiled gently and said.

“You must be a really good person.”

They arrived at the center of the temple.

There stood a very old high priest.

“Shall we fulfill the promise?”

The high priest opened his mouth.

“Greetings. Let me introduce myself. My name is Kadelinon, the Great Sage of Sharp North Wind and Cold Blood Flow.”

Strangely, the words describing himself were too long.

Just like, something something Black Flame Dragon Kadelina.