《The Nerd Turned Out To Be The Tyrant》 Chapter 0 Prologue Bang¡ª! ¡°Open the door, Rev!¡± Even after knocking on the door for a long time, the owner doesn¡¯t seem to have the intention of coming out. Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s concentrating on reading a book again and can¡¯t hear anything? ¡°If a real nuclear bomb blows up, he will surely die reading a book.¡± How silly. After knocking on the door a few more times, I heard footsteps from beyond the door. Soon, the door swung open. A man wearing thin-rimmed glasses was rubbing his half-closed eyes, and it appears to be a little red, maybe¡­ ¡°Luce.¡± ¡°Rev, you didn¡¯t hear my knock because you¡¯re reading a book again?¡± Without even hearing an answer, Luce barged in the open door. A small candle was illuminating the room, and unorganized books were spread out on the table. The man shyly scratched the back of his neck while looking at Luce, who came in confidently as if it was her own house. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s¡­¡± Seeing him smile shyly, I could already understand the situation. ¡°Have you been reading all night again? What do you want to know so much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun no matter how much I read.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a novel or a collection of poems, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s interesting about these hard books¡­¡± Luce immediately put down the book that she¡¯s looking at. ¡°You should get some sunlight. If you rely on candles like this every day to read books, your eyes will get worse.¡± ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°Then aren¡¯t you worried at all? Anyway, have you eaten?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± When Luce, with her hand on her waist approached him, Rev took a step back. ¡®We¡¯ve known each other for years, but what¡¯s the reason why he still can¡¯t look at me in the eye? Is it because he thinks I¡¯m going to scold him? Or does he think that when our eyes meet, I¡¯ll tell him that I want to go to the second floor?¡¯ Even now, Rev¡¯s spacious body seemed to be blocking the stairs to the second floor, although he had already advised me not to go to there before. ¡°Well, maybe you have a collection of precious books there? I¡¯m not interested in those books though.¡± His ears were turned red and his breathing sounds a little stiff. He¡¯s like a child who¡¯s ears easily turns red. It takes a lot of work but, I should comfort him right? Because of her short stature, Luce had a hard time putting her hand on his shoulder. ¡®Huh.¡¯ I was a little surprised that his shoulders were unexpectedly hard, but considering his body type, I think it was understandable. Rather, it would be weirder if his body is soft considering his size and height. Rev really needs to be grateful for his natural body. If he had been thin and fragile, he would be bullied much more with that soft and shy personality of him. Luce whispered. ¡°It¡¯s good to read, and study, but you still need to eat meals and sleep in between, understand?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I brought some leftover bread. You might as well eat this for dinner.¡± His body felt warm with her hand on it. ¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡± ¡°No, I have plans today.¡± Luce, who thought he just simply has a high body temperature, was already about to turn around, but he suddenly grabbed her arm. ¡°¡­with who?¡± Has he ever held me so tightly? As she looked down at his white, strong hand, Rev immediately released her hand. And Luce, who didn¡¯t think much of it, wrapped the shawl around his shoulder and stood by the door. ¡°You don¡¯t have to know. Anyway, eat your meal! I¡¯m leaving!¡± Luce closed the door and left as her light stomping gradually fade away. On the other hand, several footsteps can be heard from behind Rev, who remained standing there. The men in black came down from the second floor and faced him. Whereas the harmless and shy smile he had shown to Luce immediately turned into a hard expression. The tallest of the men who hesitated asked carefully. ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect, you have to decide what to do with Count Ignis on the border¡­¡± ¡°What should we do next?¡± Rev, who took off his glasses, cut them off as if tired of it. ¡°Kill them all and set them to fire. The count should be filial and be hang outside the castle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ ¡± ¡°They¡¯re planning something while I¡¯m not in the Imperial Palace, so I should just cut the buds. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Count Ignis was a distant bloodline of the imperial family. Although distant, harming a blood relative is like an unwritten rule that even the emperor cannot easily do. He, himself, is an emperor who survived because of the taboo, so he knows better than anyone. Even so, the words about Ignis¡¯ death, in which he blows his neck in one swoop, sounds eerie, as if he did not even consider the noisy opinion of the public. The bodyguards trembled in surprise, but they nodded their heads and obeyed his orders. This young and cold-hearted emperor might hang them with the count if they hesitated even a little with his given demands. ¡°You there.¡± As they were about to leave, a voice as cold as ice called the bodyguard. Is there something wrong? Did they do something that was not pleasing to the emperor? One of the bodyguards, suddenly fell to his knees. ¡°Your Majesty, if I have done anything wrong¡­¡± The red eyes narrowed as he looked down on him. ¡°One of you, go to the next village.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the village next to this?¡± Bewilderedly asked by the bodyguard, who made an eye contact, then the emperor nodded his head briefly. After thinking for a moment, the guards seemed to know what the emperor was trying to say. ¡°Report immediately who she meets, what she does, and who she smiles at.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And if there¡¯s anyone rude to Lucette¡­¡± The sharp possessiveness flowed out without being honed. ¡°Put his head along with the report together.¡± ¡°¡­I receive your command.¡± *** ¡°Will Rev like this strawberry jam? I think he liked it the last time I picked strawberries!¡± On the other hand, Luce, who was smiling brightly at the market, has no awareness of it. Chapter 1 [fhvksrhkddls: Writer, I was curious about that ending, so I read the last volume¡­But, is it R-19 because it¡¯s cruel¡­? It¡¯s not right¡­?] (Like 311) ©º Ah, me too, I just opened it without thinking, but the last volume made me feel bad. ? ©º By any chance, if you want to see the R-19 scene, just make sure to buy the 2nd Volume¡­ 1st Volume is a background description, and the 3rd Volume has nothing but the story of the male lead going crazy and killing everyone ??. Whoa. I¡¯ve seen a lot of romance fantasy stories and R-19, this is the first time the rate level is this high and the first time that the violence description level is this high¡ª. ©º I think it¡¯ll come out in my dream when the tyrant male lead does it at the end¡­I want to go back in time to before I saw volume 3 (Comments have been filtered due to spoiler reports) ©º©º Huh, is that the content? Crazy. ©º©º He still looked like a sweet man in the preview, but the back story is like that¡­? It¡¯s probably not my taste¡­ Thank you for saving money. ©º©º Oh, I stepped on a spoiler ?? Of course, people should click the back button if there are a lot of reviews like this when purchasing a book. ¡®¡­I wonder how much?¡¯ But it was curiosity that killed the cat. She impulsively clicked the ¡®pay¡¯ button. Still, she was hesitant to buy the entire volume because many people were trying to stop her. So she buys only the 2nd volume. As the first reviewer said, the R-19 level was so high that it was a ¡°flesh-coloured feast¡± that made you shut your mouth from the first scene on. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s ¡®that¡¯ scene even if you turn it over. Crazy, it¡¯s no joke.¡¯ There were some scenes that made her feel like she had to cover the screen, even though no one was watching. She bought it because she was curious about the scene, but it wasn¡¯t something she could see on her way to work in the morning, so she turned the pages and found some words. Thanks to this, she could get a rough idea. ¡®Uhm, he was abandoned by his parents when he was young. Is he a child of a concubine? The younger brother, who was the right person to inherit the throne, was so kind and gentle that it actually triggered the inferiority complex. The name is Aw¡ª Aw what? Aha, I think it is a love-hate relationship and hateful because the woman who gets married looks so much like her mother who abandoned him.¡¯ Apparently, the process of the content flow just felt like a sad ending. ¡®If I look at the comments in the third book and see that everyone is shocked, is it possible for the male lead to kill the female lead with his own hands? That¡¯s really cruel, too¡ª? Ugh, I can¡¯t watch that kind of thing because it¡¯s sad. I hated that the female lead was suffering. The female lead is in love without knowing anything, and she dies. I feel sorry for her.¡¯ Thank you to those who left anonymous reviews. Thanks to it, she saved 3,000 won. When she looked up while sending a prayer to anonymous commenters in her heart. Bang¨C! ¡°Huh?¡± People say that memories of the past come to them when they are about to die, but before the truck hit her, she could only think of one thing. ¡®Oh, please.¡¯ A phone with a deadly illustration of the R-19 novel {The Cruelty of the Vladin Empire} floating on it. ¡®Please don¡¯t let anyone see my phone.¡¯ ****** ¡°Luce, why are you doing this?¡± She had obviously been struck by a truck, but it seemed that she was uninjured. The clothes she was wearing were also strange. The clothes she was wearing were also strange. Obviously, the clothes she wore to work were black, so why are these clothes yellow? She suddenly saw a tiny hand as she stood up. What is this? However, the collar was grabbed without panicking, and the body stood up. So who¡¯s the woman wiping the dirt off her legs¡ª? ¡°I asked you to dig some mushrooms, but what should I do if you sleep here?¡± ¡°M, mushroom?¡± She was bewildered and asked, but a clear voice came out. Covering her mouth, she fell from the woman who was brushing her legs. ¡°Where are you going, you punk!¡± When she looked into the spring water, she saw a child who looked like she was about thirteen years old. Red hair and green eyes? The shock didn¡¯t last long. It would be more accurate to say that there was no panic when the woman who was chasing her slapped her on the back and said, ¡°Ah, this is it.¡± She slapped her back like she was used to it, so this woman must have been¡ª. ¡°¡­Mother?¡± ¡°Luce, are you still not getting enough sleep? We have to go pick mushrooms for dinner tonight, so hurry and follow me.¡± ¡°Mother? You¡¯re my mother, right?¡± ¡°Holding the basket!¡± Luce rolled her eyes as she picked up the mushroom basket and followed the woman. The question was quickly resolved. Then, when she was picking mushrooms as instructed and asking questions about it, the woman explained with a gaze as if why she was asking such an obvious thing. ¡®So that woman is my mother, Chelsea. She raised Lucette, my father¡¯s only daughter, who died at age 13 from an illness.¡¯ This peaceful village has three rice paddies in a small mountain valley. And that Xenon village¡ª. ¡°Vladin Empire?¡± ¡°Yes, the Vladin Empire. Wait, Luce, why did you pick the moss!¡± A village that exists in the ¡®Vladin Empire¡¯, the background of {The Cruelty of the Vladin Empire}. Ah, it¡¯s like being possessed by an R-19 trash book. She thought she would die, but she¡¯s still alive. However, because she suffered from Chelsea who urge her to pick mushrooms without having any time to sentimentalize, Luce slept soundly from the first day she possessed. ****** Since then, Luce has always been able to sleep. Unlike in the past, when she was always busy, her life in the book was quite comfortable, and she felt that her desire to live in the countryside after retirement was realized strangely. Her mother, who is a bit picky and impatient, made her do this and that, but that¡¯s about it. Isn¡¯t it something she should do as a family member? ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you eat well these days.¡± Most importantly, even though she grumbled and fed her mushroom soup, her mother was a good person. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The new family meant a lot to Luce, who had never felt the affection of a family in her previous life. ¡°Chelsea! My husband picked so many apples. Eat this. Dominic, should we say hi to Aunt Chelsea and Luce?¡± The neighbors were all good people. Not only did they give out food, but the Chelsea family, who live alone, would come out and help if anyone in the family experienced any inconvenience¡ªsuch as a broken roof¡ªas if it was their own business. If she had to choose one neighbor, it would be Dominic because they talked to each other the most. Dominic¡¯s mother, Dahlia, paid a lot of attention to Luce, probably because she had a son the same age as Luce. ¡°¡­Hello.¡± ¡°Ung. Hello.¡± Maybe there is another reason? A little boy full of small scars on his face greeted him with red ears and hid behind his mother¡¯s skirt. Seeing Luce smiling, Dahlia frowned and had something to talk about with Chelsea, so the kids went out in surprise. As soon as they came out together, Dominic, who had followed Luce¡¯s side, mumbled his mouth. ¡°Why? Do you want to tell me something?¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t!¡± ¡®He¡¯s grumpy, but he¡¯s cute because he¡¯s small.¡¯ ¡°I think you have something to say?¡± ¡°I, I told you I didn¡¯t! So why do you keep asking!?¡± He gets angry and hits her on the shoulder, then runs away. A ribbon tied up was dropped where Dominic ran. He wanted to give it to her, but he must have been embarrassed because she kept asking, right? ¡®Oh, but you should know that girl doesn¡¯t like it if you act like that.¡¯ Whether Dominic or not, Luce walked without picking up the ribbon. The sunset sky was beautiful, and the desire to see it from a high hill was even greater. As expected, when she sat on the hill, she could see the sunset scenery of the village at a glance. Smoke rose from the chimney and scattered through the sunset. The pinwheel of the windmill seen in the distance turned, and she could hear the laughter of people preparing dinner. It was a picturesque landscape that was very peaceful. Her heart melted. ¡®Pretty.¡¯ At first, she was scared to be in an R-19 novel famous for its brutality, but there was no need to be intimidated at all. After all, isn¡¯t this a story about dying and killing each other in the imperial family? Here, according to Chelsea, the Xenon town was the farthest border from the capital, where the Imperial Palace was located. It was said that the estate owner was also a musician who had nothing to do with power struggles and only received a low title rank because he was good at composing. In addition, he¡¯s so soft that he hasn¡¯t raised taxes for decades. So, it was safe to say that there was no possibility that Xenon Village would have anything to do with the mad emperor, the main character. ¡®It would have been a disaster if I had been possessed as a member of the imperial family. I¡¯m so glad I¡¯m here.¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know anything about the back and forth, but anyway, this town is probably just an extra in terms of people. It¡¯s such a small town, and it¡¯s not even on the map, so what would the Emperor care about this place? It reminded her that people worried that she was living too well, but this place wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. ¡®I¡¯ll have to tell my mom to plant tomatoes in an empty spot in the paddy field. I want to eat ketchup.¡¯ A place where she can think about what to eat every day, what to play and what to do. She smiled comfortably and looked at the clouds when she suddenly heard a noise. She was on this side of the hill down the city. ¡°Stop it¡ª¡± ¡°Stop it, pft. Hey, glasses. You can¡¯t see anything when you take off your glasses, can you? ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t do that¡ª¡± ¡°Who told you to look at the book while you¡¯re playing?¡± ¡®What the hell?¡¯ Vincent, who was particularly naughty and big among the village children, and some of the children who followed him surrounded a boy. A bewildered Luce stood up, and Dominic appeared out of nowhere and explained with a snarky voice characteristic of a young boy. ¡°He¡¯s been around for a few days. He didn¡¯t answer when I talked to him. He was just reading.¡± Certainly, the boy with black hair and glasses had a face that she had never seen before. However, that fact was not important to Luce. ¡°Why are they bothering him? Did he do something wrong?¡± ¡°Well? I haven¡¯t heard of anything like that. So there must be a reason, maybe Vincent just hated him.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡®I can¡¯t believe they are bothering him for nothing!¡¯ The trapped body may be a child, but Luce was an adult inside. She was always angry when she heard that an easy and quiet child had been caught, bullied, and rejected. She also vowed to never ignore someone who went through something like that around her. But they do this kind of bad thing in this peaceful, happy town? ¡°G, give it back!¡± Vincent eventually took away the boy¡¯s glasses. The boy who was swinging his arms stumbled and tripped over a stone and fell. Then, pointing to the boy who had drowned in a puddle, Vincent laughed aloud. ¡°Look, I told you that he can¡¯t do anything if we take off his glasses, right? So, who¨C¡± ¡°Hey!¡± At that moment, Luce burst into a roar. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The boy¡¯s wet eyes, trembling with shame, turned to Vincent and the little girl running down the hill. ¡°Stop it, you rascal!¡± Luce yelled as she kicked Vincent with all her strength. Chapter 2 ¡°Ugh!¡± Vincent, who was kicked in the back of his knee, rolled up nicely. He squawked while lying on his back. ¡°What is this, Luce?!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Why are you kicking me all of a sudden!¡± ¡°What do you mean all of a sudden! Why are you bothering someone who didn¡¯t do anything wrong?¡± Vincent stood up, snoring like a bull in a bullring, and stepped forward. He was taller than his peers and had a rough appearance, so he was quite frightened when he made such an impression. ¡°What do you mean, nothing wrong? He¡¯s being annoying! That¡¯s wrong too!¡± But Luce was not discouraged at all. ¡°Huh, if that¡¯s wrong, you¡¯re in prison for life, Vincent. Your sneaky steps and ugly face are both annoying to me!¡± ¡°I was just joking! ¡°Then it¡¯s also a joke that I kicked you. Why? How many more times do you want me to kick you? It¡¯s a joke with friends, so what do you think?¡± ¡®You¡¯re making the very typical excuses of a bully, pathetic. Everywhere I go, these guys are a problem!¡¯ Luce snorted back at Vincent, who had a childish argument. When Luce doesn¡¯t lose, Vincent spits on his foot. ¡®Ugh, where did he get such a dirty habit? This little kid is already imitating the neighborhood jerk. Vincent¡¯s uncle was really nice.¡¯ Vincent, who didn¡¯t know what Luce was thinking, reached out with a much more wrinkled face than ever. It was the hand that was holding the glasses that he had taken away. His hand was pointing at the boy who owned the glasses. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t know because you¡¯re dull and blind, but look at his eyes. It¡¯s red.¡± Red? Luce saw a boy with his head down. She couldn¡¯t see the color of his eyes, but it seemed right to see the children around Vincent nodding. So what if his eyes are red? Luce, who was dumbfounded, frowned. ¡°So what about red?¡± Vincent looked rather full of energy at Luce¡¯s answer. ¡°Its blood. It¡¯s an ominous and cursed color. No wonder I don¡¯t like that punk messing around our town. What the hell do you know?¡± ¡®What¡ª¡¯ What the hell is this punk talking about? I heard it from my mother Chelsea. Red, which reminded people of blood, was seen as a bad color in the Vladin Empire a long time ago, when there were a lot of wars. Because of this, neither a nobleman nor a commoner wears red clothes. I could understand it because every society has superstitions and taboos. ¡®It¡¯s a story I¡¯ve seen somewhere.¡¯ But it was annoying that he was bothering him just because he didn¡¯t like it and acted like it was a good reason. Vincent was showing off as if he had given a big lesson. The shameless mouth was very annoying. ¡°Ugh, do you understand now?¡± Luce folded her arms after seeing Vincent once, and seeing the boy standing still as if it was a mistake. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know.¡± The boy looked up at the remark. He stared blankly at Luce¡¯s very determined expression. ¡°What? Luce, you don¡¯t seem to understand¡ª¡± ¡°If blood is an ominous color, what about my hair? My hair is also red. Why don¡¯t you say this is an ominous color, too? It¡¯s a color from my parents, can you say that in front of my mother? Did you think about that when you saw my deceased father? Don¡¯t tell me?¡± Vincent took a step back, feeling embarrassed by how hard Luche was pushing. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like that. Eyes and hair colors are different!¡± He looked at the children around him as if asking. But they were all shaking their heads. They¡¯re going to curse Luce¡¯s dead father, too, aren¡¯t they? Whoa, then they¡¯re a real bad guy. It¡¯s the worst, of all people. The way they looked at Vincent silently seemed to say that. Luce raised her eyebrows, took a step closer to the stuttering Vincent, and shot him. ¡°Well, if red is really an ominous color, would it matter where it is? It¡¯s the same color on the eyes and on the hair, and they¡¯re all cursed. Father, we¡¯re in trouble. Vincent said my hair was cursed.¡± Luce lifted her hair toward the sky and pretended to cry. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡ª!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not, then what? You don¡¯t really care about color, do you?¡± Vincent¡¯s mouth shut tight. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re just trying to find fault with him and say that he¡¯s cursed and is crossing the line? How would you feel if I made a legend from today and spread the rumor that the name Vincent is all ominous?¡± When Luce used her words to beat Vincent, the other kids talked behind their back. Seeing the whispering children, Luce turned his head. ¡°You¡¯re all the same. If Vincent is like this, you should think about stopping him. Is it a friend who leaves the friend alone whether he goes the wrong way or not?¡± ¡°¡­Uh¡­¡± The other kids avoid her eyes as if they were also beaten. Luce walked up to Vincent and hit the target. ¡°Don¡¯t be mean and give me those glasses before I really spread the word.¡± ¡°Hii¡ª¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± Was she this good at talking? With half a heart of resentment and half a mind of bewilderment, Vincent grumbled and threw out his glasses. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Tsk. I¡¯m annoyed. This little kid making a lot of noise¡ª¡± This punk is so proud that he hasn¡¯t reflected on himself yet. Luce, who was thinking hard as she looked at the glasses rolling on the grass, gestured to Vincent. It was a gesture to bow down a little. Normally, he would have ignored it and turned around, but he felt an irresistible power from today¡¯s Luce. Like, for example, his older sister who went to work in the city a long time ago¡ª Luce approached Vincent¡¯s ear, pretending not to win and losing. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you just say¡ª¡± Vincent¡¯s face suddenly turned pale while listening to Luce. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Hiik. I, I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m wrong! Whoa!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ll go soon!¡± The children gave Luce the glasses and stared blankly at Vincent¡¯s back as he ran away ¡°What did you do, Luce? What did you do to Vincent like that?¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s afraid of cursing? I didn¡¯t even swear a word.¡± ¡°Then how did you do it?¡± ¡°Are you curious? Do you want to hear it?¡± Even the children who were frightened by the approaching Luce moved away from each other. Luce laughed bitterly. ¡®Oh, the hard work experience at work is useful at times like this.¡¯ In her previous life, Luce worked for a health food company. Because it was such a small company, she sometimes did customer counseling, and she was proud to have met all kinds of bad consumers, from people who cursed at the manufacturing date as the expiration date to people who said anything about her parents. ¡®I know how to shake people¡¯s minds better than anyone else. Since I heard it a lot. Well, I¡¯ve lowered the level for kids, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯re scared, right?¡¯ He said mean things, left the innocent child out, and instead of reflecting on himself, he even threw the glasses, so he needed to be given a strict lecture. ¡®Vincent is a late child, and he¡¯s the son of a local government, so who¡¯d say anything bad? I should save some energy in advance.¡¯ (T/n : What I mean by late child here is someone born when their parents were a bit older, in their late years.) When Luce said that he should have been stopped, Dominic, who was watching from the sidelines, slowly backed away from the scene and looked around. Everyone who was making noise left, leaving them alone. Luce and an unknown boy. ¡®He¡¯s still like that.¡¯ Luce, who wiped his glasses, approached the boy standing in the water as if he were still stuck. ¡°Okay, here.¡± Even though she reached out her hand, the child was staring blankly at Luce¡¯s face. In the blink of an eye, Luce also faced him. The child¡¯s eyes, barely visible through his wet hair, were as red as Vincent had said. But, far from being ominous, she just thought it was bright and pretty like a ruby. By the way, why does he look at people¡¯s faces so fondly? Luce tilted her head as the silence of the child staring at her as if they were possessed by something grew longer. ¡®Is his eyes very bad? Can¡¯t he see I gave him the glasses?¡¯ Luce shook his glasses in a more friendly tone. ¡°Hey, here are your glasses. I wiped it clean.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The boy looked down as if he had come to his senses. The boy took the glasses from Luce¡¯s hand. The boy¡¯s hands were trembling a little. Luce, who was thinking about the reason for his trembling, made a ¡®huh¡¯ sound. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re cold? You¡¯ve been in the water all the time. Do you have any clothes to change? Where is your house?¡± The child¡¯s thin, bloodless lips trembled as she rolled her eyes. Luce waited patiently for the boy who hesitated to speak. ¡°It¡¯s over¡ª there. Go up the hill to the mountain side.¡± ¡®Wow, his voice is so nice.¡¯ It was a low, watery voice, as if the speaker were underwater. However, there was no time to be immersed in the appreciation. ¡°Up the hill, on the mountain side? Is there a house there¡ª anyways, then get out quickly. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± ¡°¡­Take me home?¡± ¡°Ung.¡± ¡®So how do I leave a child who is wet alone? It¡¯s a big deal if you get hypothermia.¡¯ The boy hesitated whether he knew Luce¡¯s mind or not. It seems that Chelsea¡¯s impatient personality has come to her. Or maybe she¡¯s just worried about this innocent-looking kid. Luce picked up a thick book lying on the grass and gently grabbed the boy¡¯s wrist, the owner of the book. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s cold.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go. You¡¯ll catch a cold if you do this.¡± Luce said so and went ahead. Luce¡¯s warmth spread slowly over the boy¡¯s pale wrist. The boy¡¯s cheek, which saw the caught wrist once and Luce¡¯s small back once, slowly turned red. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only He said it very little, but the girl named Luce seemed to understand everything. A cheerful, pleasant laugh sounded like a song. It was nice to hear, and the boy couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was the first time for the boy. Chapter 3 Luce, who was walking up hills and ridges, asked blankly. ¡°Is that your house over there?¡± She could feel the boy standing behind her, nodding his head slowly at the question. There was one reason why Luce was perplexed. ¡®I think I came here with my mother a week ago to pick raspberries¡ª?¡¯ When did they get a house like this? Of course, due to the nature of the mountainous area, it was not a huge mansion or castle-like size. But what about a prosperous house with two floors in an area where there were only trees and raspberries a week ago? ¡®Aren¡¯t I looking at something in vain?¡¯ Are the people here really good at building? Is it a flying construction? Or did it even leak out? Luce looked once at the house and then once at the boy. As soon as Luce looked at him, the boy looked away. It was as if he had been watching Luce¡¯s back all the time. ¡®Well, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a fairy or a spirit. It¡¯s big for a fairy and touchable for a spirit. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s something like that in this world. Huh, then what? Did I miss this place because I was picking raspberries at my mom¡¯s urging? What¡¯s wrong with my eyesight? Do I have to wear glasses?¡¯ Luce was busy thinking about when this house appeared. But the boy, who had no idea what Luce was thinking and was just quietly looking at him, turned a little red in the ears at the look. With his head down, he was rummaging through his wet pockets. She wondered what he was doing, but he seemed to be looking for the key. As she watched it with a restless mind, she heard a pleasant sound. Clank. Luce was perplexed for one reason. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to have lost the key in the water. ¡®By the way, you just need to carry the key to the front door, but you carry the whole set of keys. Isn¡¯t it heavy?¡¯ There was only one lock on the door, and four or five keys hung from the boy¡¯s key pack. Where does he use all that? She looks at the boy with a mixture of curiosity and worry. They have to open the door, but isn¡¯t he just messing around? ¡®It looks like the key to the front door¡ª¡¯ The biggest silver key, isn¡¯t that normally the front door key? He looks smart by the thickness of the book on his side, but he doesn¡¯t even know his house key. Luce¡¯s eyebrows went down as she thought. ¡®Well, he fell into the water out of the blue while reading a book and was bullied, so he must be not in good condition.¡¯ ¡ªNo way. Is it because his body temperature has dropped that his hands are shaking? Regardless, this is a concerning situation. Luce, who misjudged the reason why the boy was nervous, took a step closer. ¡°Excuse me.¡± When she called carefully, a bundle of keys fell from the boy¡¯s hand. Luce, who picked up the key, tilted her head. ¡°Can I help you?¡± Luce asked with a smile that was as friendly and harmless as it could be. The corners of his eyes that she could see through the glasses were a little reddish. After seeing Luce¡¯s smile for a long time, the boy nodded his head. Very slowly, ¡°Okay. Can you move for a while?¡± As Luce thought, the front door opened easily with the biggest key. Luce, who handed the key again, opened her mouth to the view of the house at first glance. ¡°¡­Whoa.¡± What kind of library is his house? One wall was simply dense with very thick books. While on the other side of the wall, there were a lot of globe-shaped beads and sand clocks. When she turned around, a piece of paper was on the table, and the book smelled like ink and a bit of bitter grass. ¡°Can I take a look around your house?¡± ¡°¡­There won¡¯t be much to see.¡± What followed was the longest word the boy had ever said. ¡°It¡¯s just a lowly place, and it¡¯s not ready to welcome guests¡­.¡± After seeing Luce¡¯s look, the boy who spoke quickly and calmly turned his head and bit his mouth. ¡°What do you mean lowly! It¡¯s so cool!¡± Luce¡¯s green eyes sparkled. The boy thought. If you¡¯re interested in sharing a friendship with me, and if you really mean it. I received a lot of help from you, so I have to tell you that I will make an appointment and formally invite you next time. I shouldn¡¯t be wet and messy like this when I¡¯m greeting guests. No, I don¡¯t want anyone else in this house in the first place. Those were the manners and rules the boy learned. However, the moment he saw Luce¡¯s bright expression, the words that tickled in his throat were swallowed down for some reason. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I won¡¯t touch anything, I¡¯ll be really quiet, I¡¯ll just watch. By any chance, do you hate it? If you don¡¯t like it¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± So, the boy answered quickly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­okay. If you¡¯re okay¡­.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m fine! Then, excuse me!¡± It was also the first time he answered so quickly. The boy looked at Luce, wondering whether the pounding heartbeat was guilt from breaking the rules or some other reason. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from looking at her. As she had promised, Luce sat quietly in the chair, looking around her with shining eyes. ¡°Wow, there are so many books. Have you read all of this? Whoa, what¡¯s that shiny marble-like thing over there? N, no. I¡¯ll ask you later.¡± Luce smiled awkwardly and gestured. A gentle gesture like a fan would mean to come here. It¡¯s not polite to leave a guest alone. He can¡¯t believe he just remembered it. He sat across from her, hoping she would forgive his rudeness, and Luce opened her eyes like a startled rabbit and soon smiled. ¡°Why are you sitting here?¡± The boy was puzzled. ¡°Since a guest has arrived, if I leave the front seat empty¡ª¡± ¡°No, no. You have to change clothes first! You¡¯re all wet right now. Are you doing this because you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll touch things?¡± His face flushed with heat. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°I know. I was joking, too. Hurry up, change your clothes and come out. I¡¯ll sit here without touching anything. All of them must be very precious.¡± It¡¯s not like that, and I wasn¡¯t worried about you breaking it. It¡¯s against etiquette to just leave a guest behind. ¡°It was a real joke. You¡¯re going to catch a cold. Hurry up and change. I have a lot of questions.¡± What joke? A joke is something people say to stab others as if they hid a blade under pretty warm velvet. That¡¯s how he learned it. However, the girl¡¯s jokes sounded as smooth as a knife, and the boy went to his room, feeling a little dazed. ¡°Look at the color of the book. It looks like a very old book, but it is well maintained. So it must be expensive, right?¡± Without seeing the face of the boy who went to change clothes, Luce looked at the bookshelf. The titles of the books cause her a headache, such as some introduction and the development process, but the back of the book is swollen. It means someone read everything. Several times till the bookbinding dulls. No way. Did he read all of this? It¡¯s nice to see someone of the same age, but he looks like a great kid. He took a sneak peek at the papers on the table. Papers with incomprehensible words were she believed to have been printed. There wasn¡¯t a word that went out. Luce admired and thought deeply. ¡®He¡¯s a very smart kid. It¡¯s not that he pretended not to hear Dominic even when he talked to him, it¡¯s not that he was trying to ignore it, I think it was because he was completely absorbed in the book.¡¯ From what she had heard earlier, she knew that when she said something, he responded well, even if it was a bit slow. Luce shrugged her shoulders. Somehow she thought she knew a little bit about the unknown boy. She thought there was a word to describe such a person¡ª. Luce, who was looking back on her memories, clapped. ¡®That¡¯s right. He¡¯s such a nerd type. If he focuses on one thing, he may be unable to pay attention to other things. He¡¯s way more focused on that thing than other people.¡¯ Thinking of the boy¡¯s face that turned red and pale, Luce smiled slightly and opened his book. ¡®Come to think of it, the house is really quiet.¡¯ It¡¯s almost dinner time, and she can¡¯t see anyone. She doesn¡¯t even feel any sign of presence. It didn¡¯t seem like someone was just going out, and the house was empty. That was the field of intuition. It is a house where the warmth of people is hardly felt. And in a normal family, why would someone study in the living room when they should be in their own room or study room? ¡®It¡¯s a two-floor house, but is he living alone? Is there no family?¡¯ But it would be rude to ask that. ¡®In my previous life, I used to get a lot of stress from people who looked down on me when I said I didn¡¯t have a family. At times, the thought of whether or not I was the one to be pitied made me depressed. So I shouldn¡¯t do that.¡¯ There are circumstances that no one can talk about. Luce, who had once again vowed not to ask questions, stopped in one place. ¡®What is that?¡¯ In one corner of the table was a bottle of water with some traces of drinking. Of course, the fact that there was a water bottle was no surprise. ¡®Why is the color like this?¡¯ Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only There was a sticky green liquid that bubbled up in the water bottle. ¡®Does he always drink this?¡¯ In a positive way, it seems to be a bad drink, but in a negative way it looks to be poisonous, so she keeps her eyes fixed on the mysterious liquid. Chapter 4 ¡°W, wait.¡± The boy stopped at Luce¡¯s urgent remark. ¡°Well, look, I don¡¯t mind not eating anything¨C¡± Her stomach is growling. Before she could even finish the words, an overly honest body rhythm interrupted Luce¡¯s words. Huh. She tried to hold her breath, but the rumble sounded louder and longer. It was evening time, so it was unavoidable. ¡®Still, it¡¯s so embarrassing!¡¯ Luce, rolling her eyes, glanced at the boy. The boy stood still and blinked as if he had not heard anything. He must have heard her rumbling stomach. Is he trying to act like he doesn¡¯t know? Or does he do it because he is confused? It was when Luce smiled shyly, thinking she didn¡¯t know whether the boy¡¯s manners were good or bad. ¡°If you¡¯re worried it won¡¯t suit your taste, you can taste a little and leave it all.¡± Ah. ¡®It was good manners!¡¯ He acts like he doesn¡¯t know about this magnificent rumble stomach! In addition to that, he added other reasons to avoid embarrassment and made it justified to satisfy hunger! So you¡¯re a good boy. Luce was moved, and the tip of her nose was tingling. ¡®Yeah, whatever the green liquid is, he was so considerate, so let¡¯s try it. Can he give me something I can¡¯t eat? Even if it looks a little strange and the taste is not good, I should bear the soup and eat it. I can do it!¡¯ So, Luce burns her promise, but the boy seems to be passing by a water bottle. What is it? Didn¡¯t he want to give her that? As she tilted her head, the boy returned with a plate, cutlery, and a small basket. The boy put the dishes on the table neatly and took bread and cookies out of the basket that looked like they would make her hungry. ¡°Whoa!¡± How many are these? It was a snack she had never even seen in a small grocery store in Xenon. Admiring the cookies baked in the shape of lilies and roses, the boy muttered as he put the cookies on the plate. ¡°I wanted to give you something better, but this is all I have now.¡± What does better mean for his standard? Luce, who looked at the snowflake-shaped cookie as if he had spilled it, shrugged. ¡°No, that¡¯s enough! It¡¯s not just good enough, isn¡¯t it too good?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you said that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying this as a greeting! I really like sweet cookies and bread like this. Thank you, I¡¯ll eat well.¡± Luce looked the boy in the eyes and smiled as she looked through his wet hair. Luce, who was about to grab a cookie and eat it without noticing that the boy¡¯s ears turned red, stopped for a moment when she saw the knife and fork set. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, are you cutting the length of this bite?¡¯ She looked ahead and saw the boy slowly cutting the cookie, which was smaller than a span, with a knife, as if he had done it before. ¡®Should I cut it, too?¡¯. Luce¡¯s worries didn¡¯t last long. She was hungry, and he had a comfortable personality. ¡®Well, I guess he doesn¡¯t like to get his hands dirty.¡¯ Luce picked up the cookie with her hand and put it in one bite. She closes her eyes at the sweet taste that spreads in her mouth. It was so beautiful to look at with her eyes, but the taste was even better. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious¡­.¡± It was a cookie that smelled like fresh orange peels and sweet macadamia nuts. It was not overly sweet, so she thought she could eat it endlessly. Luce, who was happily eating the sixth cookie, knew the boy was still eating the first cookie. He¡¯s not even a bird, but it looks like he¡¯s pecking the food. Luce, who had a better mood, felt like it was a little cute. So she smiled and spoke. ¡°When did you move here?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The boy who put down the tableware answered slowly. ¡°I came four days ago.¡± ¡°Four days ago? Wow, there was definitely no house a week ago, so it was built in three days¡ª¡± Luce, who was muttering insignificantly, did not notice the boy whose white skin had already become paler at the words ¡®There was no home.¡¯ There were too many questions to pay attention to the boy¡¯s complexion. ¡°Where are you from?¡± The boy seemed to think about it for a moment at the question. ¡°It¡¯s an easy place to get to¡ª but a long way to get there.¡± It was a rather vague answer, but Luce was talented in convincing. ¡®Oh, he¡¯s talking about the mountain path to get to the nearby cities, right? So when he comes, he can get there quickly because it¡¯s downhill, but when he goes up, he has to work hard.¡¯ ¡°I see.¡± The boy seemed a little surprised by Luce¡¯s cool answer. ¡°But I have a question.¡± ¡°¡­Ung.¡± ¡°Have you read all the books over there?¡± The boy¡¯s face, which had stiffened with a look of nervousness when she said that she had a question, loosened up at the question. When she asked him a question about the book, he smiled at first, not sure if it was a relief or a good thing. ¡°Ung, I read it all.¡± ¡°It looked difficult. Is it fun?¡± ¡°I enjoyed reading it.¡± ¡°Have you always enjoyed reading books since you were young?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°As far as I can remember, it¡¯s been like that.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes sparkled, explaining the contents quietly, saying they were books about philosophy. Luce looked at the dark hair that wasn¡¯t completely dry and arranged the white skin that didn¡¯t get much sun, and the red eyes with a slightly raised eyebrow that she could see through the glasses. She didn¡¯t know it at first because glasses covered it, but when she looked at it, she realized that it was a beautiful face. He looked a little weak, though. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s nice to hear it because he has a good voice. I think it¡¯s good that I ask questions about his interests, and he speaks well.¡¯ The boy, who was in the midst of talking about his favorite philosopher, coughed when his eyes met Luce. ¡°Cough, oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I kept talking to myself. Cough.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s good to hear, but by the way, you should drink something. Do you want me to give you this?¡± He coughed and nodded, pointing to a green liquid. It was a suspicious liquid. It was thick, sticky, and smelled of strange herbs. Luce asked cautiously, waiting for the boy who drank the strange liquid to stop coughing. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been curious. What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­Ah. It¡¯s my medicine.¡± ¡°Medicine?¡± Luce, who had almost reflexively asked whether he was sick, stopped. ¡®Mom said that when she was taking care of dad, the things he hated most were when people asked him where it hurt and if he was getting any treatment.¡¯ Why should they know where it hurts? It¡¯s not like they can fix it. Luce didn¡¯t say anything because she thought that he might just talk about his wounds if she didn¡¯t ask for anything. Instead, Luce thought about what she could do. ¡®No matter what illness he has, he needs to eat well in order to get better.¡¯ When she looked outside, it was already dark. Determined, Luce got up from her seat. ¡°I¡¯m going home for a moment!¡± Luce ran out the door before the boy could stop her. ***** ¡®I wonder if I made a mistake.¡¯ The boy sat quietly in the house where Luce had left. It was familiar to the boy to be left alone. But nevertheless, it was a little difficult for him to see an empty seat today. The boy remembered what had happened earlier as he took turns looking at Luce¡¯s plate of cookies that she hadn¡¯t eaten yet and the seat she was sitting in. ¡®Because I keep telling her boring stories? I coughed while I was eating?¡¯ No matter how much he thought about it, only mistakes came to mind. He lowered his eyebrows. Probably was the one with the most mistakes. ¡®She knows that there was no house in this location a week ago. Could it be the wizard¡¯s magic to manipulate memories didn¡¯t affect that child? Maybe that¡¯s why she left as soon as she realized the truth¡ª. Anyone would think it¡¯s suspicious.¡¯ The villagers of Xenon had doubts about the boy who suddenly appeared, but they didn¡¯t have any doubts about the house that suddenly appeared. It¡¯s because the wizard has manipulated people¡¯s memories. The wizard said that changing people¡¯s memories about a person has a lot of variables and settings, so he only changed people¡¯s memories about the house. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem so strange that someone moves into a house that has been vacant for a long time. However, manipulating their memories of Your Highness Prince, no matter how difficult, will cause Your Highness problems. So you have to pretend to be someone who has been living in the village.¡± The Emperor, who was standing behind the Imperial Wizard, said sharply as if he was annoyed. ¡°Can that kid do it? It¡¯s obvious that he can¡¯t. At least that¡¯s something that can be used to change the memories of the house. Couldn¡¯t it have just been thrown away?¡± The Empress, who was beside the Emperor, answered without looking at the Prince. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty is generous enough to help out.¡± And she added. ¡°Please get rid of Aurelio as soon as possible. Your Majesty, this seat is very uncomfortable for me.¡± So four days ago, the boy came to Xenon Village. He closed his eyes, and when he woke up, he was standing above the magic circle on the second floor of this house. It was easy for him to come here, but he could not return to the Imperial Palace. Being treated coldly was a familiar thing for him, so the bullying of children was tolerable. Because he had red eyes, people always pointed at him, so he was used to hearing people whisper. But it took the boy four days after being left alone to realize that he didn¡¯t know why he was so lonely. It was the first time a boy who usually knew how he felt couldn¡¯t figure out what to do. Bang bang¡ª! A knock broke the silence. ¡°Hey, open the door!¡± It was Luce¡¯s voice. ¡°This is a really good mushroom stew that my mom makes. It¡¯s delicious. It¡¯ll be perfect for dinner. So eat this and take your medicine.¡± His answer was smiling brightly before his eyes. A girl with a bowl of fragrant milk-scented stew stood in front of the table. At that moment, the house, which he didn¡¯t know was empty, felt full. ¡°By the way, I keep calling you ¡®hey.¡¯ What¡¯s your name?¡± The boy had never introduced himself. Everyone knew his name, but no one called him. The boy slowly opened his mouth to Luce, who was smiling because it was awkward to only ask his name now. ¡°¡­Revinas¡­¡± Aurelio Revinas Hadassa. ¡°Revinas? I¡¯m Lucette. You can call me Luce.¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡± The boy decided to throw the abandoned name. ¡°Call me Rev.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Okay, Rev, that¡¯s a pretty name.¡± He really likes the new name that the bright voice says for the first time. Rev thought that maybe he liked the voice that called his name more than his name. Chapter 5 ¡°Chelsea!¡± Chelsea, who was making pies, opened the door with a welcome voice. Dahlia was waving her hand outside the door, showing a lime basket. ¡°Lime?¡± ¡°That kid brought it because you like it. We¡¯re going to talk about it at the same time. Wow, the pie smells so good.¡± ¡°He brought it because you like it. We¡¯re going to talk about it at the same time. Wow, the pie smells so good.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you, I¡¯ll enjoy it. I¡¯ve baked a lot of pies, so take one.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to! By the way, where¡¯s Luce?¡± Chelsea shrugged as she accepted the lime basket. ¡°I sent her to pick some herbs from the mountains, but she¡¯s not coming. It¡¯s been like that all these days. She must be taking another nap somewhere.¡± ¡°Oh my, really? I had a few questions for Luce.¡± ¡°To Luce? What is it?¡± Chelsea, who took out Dahlia¡¯s share of the pie and wrapped it, tilted her head and smiled cheerfully. ¡°Are you going to ask if she¡¯s interested in Dominic?¡± It was an open secret between the two that Dominic had a crush on Luce. Looking at Dominic, who was upset, and Luche, who seemed to look at him as if he were a chicken, they said things like, ¡®Someone else will steal it¡¯ and ¡®Ah, girls don¡¯t like troublemakers like my son,.¡¯ It was a simple joy shared by two friends before either of them became a mother. Dominic seems to finally admit how he feels, doesn¡¯t he? Chelsea, who was tying the ribbon of the pie box with a smile, looked up at Dahlia¡¯s words. ¡°Why would I ask you that? It¡¯s Dominic¡¯s job. Did you hear anything else from Luce?¡± ¡°Hear what?¡± ¡°Well, you know the empty house halfway up the mountain. A wooden mansion near a field of raspberries.¡± Chelsea and Dahlia knew about the long-empty home. The mansion has been empty since they were young. ¡°Luce asked a while ago. Since when has the house been there? I can¡¯t remember, but I said it was there for a long time. But what¡¯s wrong with that house?¡± ¡°Dominic says, there¡¯s a boy who moved into that house¡ª¡± Dahlia whispered as if telling a big secret. Chelsea¡¯s eyebrows, which listened to her, narrowed. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I told you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, Luce hasn¡¯t come back because of this boy¡ª¡± Chelsea¡¯s eyes, looking around, moved to the watch. It was ten in the morning when Luce went out to pick up herbs, and now it was two in the afternoon. It was enough time to pick herbs 20 times from the mountain right in front of them. After thinking for a moment, Chelsea stood up with a firm expression on her face. ****** ¡°How did you do that?¡± At that time, Rev¡¯s house has become Luce¡¯s hideout. Luce looked blankly at Rev¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­How?¡± Rev, who worked at the cube that Luce had been struggling with for two hours, was also blank at the question. Rev seems to have seen Luce¡¯s admiration and surprise as a question about how to do it. He explained slowly, pointing to the cube with his long finger. ¡°Like this¡­ You can start with the middle of the bottom side and then put the colors of the sides next to it. Like this.¡± Of course, Luce wasn¡¯t curious about how to solve the cubes. ¡°Then are you going to keep counting while turning the cube?¡± Originally, the cube was a toy that was just turned around and played with for fun. If one side fits by chance, I will be happy today. Of course, it was just a toy, but that was enough to make her happy. ¡®Cubes, you should have met a smarter owner.¡¯ But when Luce saw Rev quickly put together a 5x5x5 cube, which isn¡¯t like a normal 3x3x3 cube, she felt sad for the cubes she had used. ¡°Ung. But it¡¯s not that great.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing that it¡¯s not great. Aren¡¯t you a genius?¡± When she saw Rev talking or reading a book, he had excellent language skills, and when she saw him putting together puzzles and cubes, he seemed to have a considerable spatial perception, aside from the incredible speed. His memory was good enough to answer everything she asked while snooping around his book. The future of an empire is bright as long as they have this talent! It seemed that she could understand the feelings of a mother who has a gifted son. Rev¡¯s neck turned red when he saw Luce sparkling in his eyes. ¡°No, that¡¯s¡ª I¡¯m still lacking a lot.¡± Of course, Rev was right in a way. He was also a human being, so something was lacking. The first one is sleeping time. ¡°What time do you go to bed?¡± ¡°About four o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Oh, then it¡¯s time to go to bed, right?¡± ¡°Ah, I mean 4 a.m.¡± Unlike Luce, who almost fell over when he said he slept for three hours a day, Rev was blinking as if he was wondering what the problem was. The second is a lie. More precisely, how to hide intentions. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see, Rev, the card you¡¯re holding in your left hand, Joker!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You just answered with your facial expression.¡± ¡°¡ªUhm. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the Joker. So, did you know that this card is also called 7 Hearts?¡± ¡°Why do you tell me¡ª no. Well done, thank you for the good information. I won!¡± He¡¯s bluffing, therefore, he can¡¯t hide or inflate a card. She wondered if his thoughts could be seen so transparently. He even tells her right away. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Thanks to this, Luce won the one-card five times. What¡¯s the third one? ¡®Self-esteem.¡¯ Except for being so bad at one card, why is a kid who is so good at everything so extremely humble? It would have been nice to show off a little bit of pride and be proud of it. But, after thinking for a moment, Luce made a gloomy expression on her face. ¡°If you say you lack a lot, what do people like me do? There are a lot of things I don¡¯t know. It must be hard to play with me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, Luce. I¡¯m just.¡± I know. Of course, I know. Rev, who is now looking embarrassed, doesn¡¯t mean that he is ignoring her. But Luce wanted to slowly build Rev¡¯s self-esteem, even by using little mischievous methods. ¡®Language rules thinking. Even if I stab you in the side, you¡¯re smart, so if I repeat myself, you¡¯ll get better.¡¯ Looking at Luce with his eyebrows lowered, Rev put down the cube. Yeah, I¡¯m smart. Luce, who had expected a decent answer, looked up at Rev¡¯s words that followed. ¡°I¡¯m not used to people giving compliments like that¡ª I didn¡¯t know how to respond.¡± It¡¯s a serious, low voice. When he asked for her honest understanding, Luce was heartbroken and didn¡¯t know how to hide her feelings. ¡°When I¡¯m playing with you, it¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Ung?¡± ¡°I am very grateful and happy that you continue to visit me, spend time with me, and share everyday stories with me. But, I¡¯m a little clumsy and not used to that kind of thing¡­ So, maybe, you might not like it, but if you¡¯re not uncomfortable.¡± His ears were turning red. ¡°Can we¡­ continue like this in the future?¡± Even eating a cookie was a courtesy to Rev, who brought all the tableware. So this subtly pointed question is most likely its own courtesy, as well as what he has been thinking about. Luce smiled slightly as she looked at Rev, who was firmly clutching his hands as if confessing. ¡°Rev too, really.¡± Luce gently grabbed his hand and put her finger on it. ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s have fun like this forever. There¡¯s no need to change words.¡± ¡°Forever?¡± Rev glanced at Luce¡¯s palm, lightly uttering the word ¡°forever.¡± He smiled as he noticed her little finger hanging from it. ¡°Okay then, Luce.¡± Seeing his melting smile, Luce added one to the list of things Rev is good at. ¡®It¡¯s against the law to smile like this.¡¯ This guy uses his face well. He doesn¡¯t seem to be conscious of himself at all. Her heart softens when he smiles like that with a handsome face. ¡®I was afraid it would interfere with his studies, but thank you for assuring me that it does not.¡¯ It was the moment when Luce, who was smiling, was about to let go of his hand. Knock, knock¡ª! ¡°Is anyone coming today?¡± A knock was heard. Luce had guessed about Rev¡¯s attitude, way of speaking, and the identity of his expensive books. She has no idea, but isn¡¯t Rev the Young Master of a wealthy family? She noticed he was a little weak because he was taking medicine, so she wondered whether he was staying quietly studying and healing in Xenon Village, where the air and water were clean. So Luce asked directly, believing that the guy who had unexpectedly knocked on the door might be a servant or a medicine delivery man from his family. ¡°No, nothing but you.¡± However, looking back, Rev¡¯s expression was hardened. However, Rev¡¯s expression when he looked back was very stiff. So who¡¯s the owner of the knock? She doesn¡¯t think Rev knows either. She was about to open the door, but Rev stopped her. ¡°Who is it?¡± He spoke in a cold, sharp tone she had never heard before. Luce, who was rolling her eyes in confusion, heard a gentle voice. ¡°Is Luce there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my mom!¡± Luce nodded her head and opened the door. Despite her relief that it wasn¡¯t an unidentified guest, she opened the door. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s too late since I said I¡¯d be picking herbs for the evening. I should say sorry.¡¯ It was only then that she realized it was late, so she curled her lips and stared at Chelsea in secret. But Chelsea¡¯s eyes were not on Luce. ¡®Are you looking at Rev¡ª?¡¯ Confused, Luce turned around. At first glimpse, his red eyes could be seen through Rev¡¯s glasses as he made eye contact with Chelsea. ¡®No way, did mother believes the nonsense about red eyes being cursed?¡¯ This time, Luce, who suddenly lifted her head, blocked Rev. Luce shook her head, determined, and took the first step. ¡°Mom, I know what you¡¯re thinking, but that¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°You know what I¡¯m thinking?¡± Chelsea put a hand on her forehead and let out a long sigh. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Did I teach you that way?¡± She reached out and pulled Luce¡¯s arm straight out. Chapter 6 Chelsea¡¯s grip was enormous. While being dragged helplessly by the arm, Luce did her best to turn. Mother, please don¡¯t say anything about the eye color! Rev turned his face around and looked calm at first, but Luce was very unhappy with what she saw. ¡®How the heck, how often have you heard something like this, and you¡¯re acting like you¡¯re okay with it all the time?¡¯ Rev was softly nodding his head as if he was used to giving up. As if to listen to her mother no matter what. He must have a reason for being that way since he was so happy at the thought of playing with her for the rest of his life. Either he had a lot of disappointments in his life, or he grew up in a strict place where even begging and pleading weren¡¯t allowed. She doesn¡¯t know if it was a guess or not, but all of a sudden, she had an idea she didn¡¯t understand. Luce bit her lip. ¡®He might be used to that kind of thing, but I¡¯m not. So I will stop it!¡¯ ¡°So he really is!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Luce, who was about to cut Chelsea¡¯s words, stopped. Slap~ When Chelsea¡¯s hand hit her back, it didn¡¯t hurt much. It¡¯s just a way to teach the only troublemaker daughter a lesson. ¡°Luce, how many times have I told you not to go empty-handed when you go to someone¡¯s house?¡± Luce looked up at Chelsea and blinked her eyes. She looked confused. ¡°¡­Empty-handed?¡± ¡°Yeah, I told you that you shouldn¡¯t be living with your bare mouth! Anyway, you don¡¯t really listen to your mother.¡± (t/n: bare mouth here means when you want to receive something in return instead of giving help or goods.) Ah, is that so? Chelsea looked at Rev to see if her daughter¡¯s bad behavior had caused any trouble. Luce put her lips together and smiled as she touched the beaten back. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s what Mom did. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The happiness she felt when she realized her mother didn¡¯t judge people based on their looks came before the embarrassment of being completely mistaken for a long time and the shame that she scolded her. It was a relief. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that kid?¡± The daughter, who was surprised and hardened until just now, smiles and acts cute all of a sudden. Chelsea, who had been dismayed by Luce¡¯s sudden change of expression, paid attention to the boy¡¯s movement a few steps away. ¡°Hello, madam. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yeah.¡± It was Chelsea who was rather embarrassed by the very polite greeting. Calling her ¡°madam¡± instead of ¡°aunt¡± or ¡°Luce¡¯s mom¡± is also embarrassing in many ways. The alert voice she heard before opening the house door must belong to this child. She thought she was in a place she shouldn¡¯t have been or that Luce had caused a lot of trouble, but when she saw his face, he was friendly and polite. A house full of books but somewhat empty. A very polite boy. Chelsea thought for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°Luce, I was wondering why you are so distracted these days that you don¡¯t come home, but you seem to be here all the time with this boy? She¡¯s a tomboy so she only knows what¡¯s good for her, but she doesn¡¯t know how difficult it is. You worked hard to play with her.¡± ¡°Mom too, really, what do you think a five-year-old I am. I¡¯ve never had a hard time with Rev¡ª?¡± Luce then glanced at Rev. Blinking, he nodded immediately. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s never been hard. It was rather enjoyable.¡± It sounded quite sincere. Chelsea looked at the two in turn. ¡°Really? You¡¯re not just pretending?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not like that.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand why she thought so. Rather, he started explaining in a small voice, saying that Luce was playing with him. ¡°¡ªand I know there¡¯s a custom to bring gifts when visiting other people¡¯s homes, but that¡¯s given your daughter¡¯s frequency of visits and the area of my house¡ª.¡± ¡®Rev must have been embarrassed, so I have to end my mother¡¯s investigation at this point.¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re friends, Mom. We decided to hang out together often.¡± With a very proud expression, Luce placed her hand on her waist. ¡°I mean, if I bring a gift to Rev¡¯s house every time, he might run out of room. Right, Rev?¡± Look at this? The boy¡¯s ears turn red at Luce¡¯s words. His lips moved slightly. ¡°¡­Friends.¡± The child, who was reflecting on the word friend, soon smiled happily. ¡°Ung. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Rev is right, Mom.¡± The two little children smiling face to face with proud faces were quite cute. A smile spread across Chelsea¡¯s lips. ¡°Phew, okay. Do whatever you like. By the way, how¡¯s the herb?¡± ¡°Here! I picked everything and played a little bit. Don¡¯t be too harsh on me.¡± ¡°Ugh, this fool.¡± Chelsea, who had received a pile of baskets of herbs, held out a small box that had been hidden behind. ¡°Mom brought it for you, so give it to your friend.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s pie!¡± It was still a hot pumpkin pie. Luce ran up to her with a bitter smile and held out a pie box. ¡°You¡¯re surprised, right? I¡¯m sorry, I should¡¯ve told my mom beforehand.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡ªshe¡¯s a good person.¡± Just like you. Rev, who muttered a little, looked a little tired. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks He seemed quite nervous. Even Rev¡¯s hair, which was slowly taking the pie, was droopy. Luce unconsciously raised her hand because he looked like a sleepy puppy. ¡°Eat a good dinner, and take your medicine.¡± Then she gently brushed his dark glossy hair. Rev¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Soon it was released slowly. It just looks like a cat. A cat that usually stands up but only becomes gentle in front of its owner. ¡°¡­Yes, I will. Please say thank you to your mother too.¡± ¡°I will come again!¡± ¡°Yeah. Come again.¡± The hand that was running through his hair moved away. Rev, who was chasing the warmth with his eyes, made a sad face for a moment. Luce didn¡¯t see it because she worried her mother was waiting. ¡°I heard you had a fight with Vincent because of him¡± She was on her way back home. At Chelsea¡¯s words, Luce shyly scratched the back of her neck. She¡¯s sure she¡¯ll say something when they hear a troublemaker, right? ¡°Oh, well, it wasn¡¯t a big fight, it was just an argument¡­¡± ¡°What did you fight for?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t fight! It was just a little arguing, Mom.¡± ¡°So what were you arguing for?¡± ¡°No, well, it¡¯s just¡­ Vincent looked at Rev and said that red eyes are unlucky¡­.¡± What, who said it?? Vincent, this punk! Did he tell them? The words that followed Luce clenching her fists were quite surprising. ¡°Good job. You have to fight then.¡± Chelsea was smiling pleasantly. She thought she would get in trouble if she argued or ran around. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, Dominic said to Dahlia. He said you¡¯re so brave.¡± ¡°Dominic?¡± ¡°You were so cool. That¡¯s why Dominic was so shy.¡± Chelsea stopped, smiled happily, and then gave her daughter a gentle pinch on the cheek. ¡°When did you grow up like this, my daughter? I thought you were just making trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all grown up now. And I learned it from my mom.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°You asked me when I grew up so much!¡± Chelsea¡¯s voice was heard in Luce¡¯s ear playfully. ¡°If something unfair happens, continue to fight it like that. Don¡¯t be swayed by people¡¯s prejudices, okay?¡± ¡°Ung, mother and daughter fight well.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, don¡¯t be intimidated¡­ I¡¯m always behind you.¡± Luce, who smiled proudly, rolled her lips at Chelsea¡¯s words. ¡®Don¡¯t be swayed by people¡¯s prejudices.¡¯ Raising her daughter alone without her husband, Chelsea must have been very worried. She must be worried that people won¡¯t listen to her because she doesn¡¯t have a father. She thought that the gift she was talking about at Rev¡¯s house might have been an effort to teach her better manners because her daughter might get in trouble. Instead of the countless words that came to mind, Luce hugged Chelsea tightly. And a thirteen-year-old ignorant child spoke brightly like this. ¡°Of course, Mom. I¡¯ll win everything!¡± ¡°Ugh, really.¡± She pats her back when she talks as if she¡¯s had enough. ¡®My mom. Although I got it from a book, my precious family that I had for the first time.¡¯ Even though she was snoring and her nose was wrinkled for no reason, Chelsea said. ¡°Now come down, this is heavy.¡± She doesn¡¯t get moody no matter how much she thinks about her mother¡ª. As she snorted and said it casually. ¡°By the way, Dominic is the only one.¡± ¡°Dominic? Why?¡± Chelsea just shrugged her shoulders when asked what was going on. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a festival in the next town soon.¡± ¡°Festival?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s held once every three years. It¡¯s a festival hosted by the lord himself.¡± She had never heard it before, but Luce seemed to have been looking forward to the festival in the past. There was no way to know, but Luce kept the beat by nodding her head. ¡°Oh, that one! But what¡¯s with that festival?¡± ¡°He has to go in pairs to participate in there.¡± ¡°I, is that so?¡± ¡°I think Dominic was really looking forward to coming with you.¡± Chelsea used her chin to point at something. It was in the direction of Rev¡¯s house. ¡°But don¡¯t you think that if you go with Rev, he has a better chance of winning?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°¡­Better chance of winning?¡± Have a higher chance of going with him? What kind of cube matching contest is held? Luce, who nodded her head in confusion, came to know about the ¡®festival¡¯ properly. Chapter 7 ¡°So, the main event of that ¡®Rodante¡¯ festival is to take a quiz, Mom?¡± Luce, who was looking at the crumpled flyer, muttered quite seriously. Chelsea, who was cutting up the potatoes, responded indifferently. ¡°Yeah, only 13 years old and older can participate, so you waited for this year to come, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Me? Uhm¡ª¡± Luce glanced at her room and thought. ¡®There weren¡¯t many books in my room, so I¡¯m sure Luche wasn¡¯t very enthusiastic about studying. But nevertheless, she wanted to compete in the quiz competition, perhaps?¡¯ ¡°What was the prize, Mom? I think it was incredible.¡± Chelsea thought as she looked at her daughter, who was asking questions. Rev or something, he seemed kind of smart, but the prize will be gone because of Luce. How can a kid who has been waiting for the festival forget the prize? ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s okay to be a little stupid. I hope you just grow up healthy.¡¯ Chelsea, who decided to put importance on gaining experience, answered by throwing potatoes into the stew pot. ¡°It¡¯s about a tourist spot ticket in the capital. The cost is paid by the lord.¡± ¡°¡ªTourist spots ticket in the capital?¡± ¡°Yeah, how many times do the people of this estate go to the capital in their lives? It¡¯s a new way to expand and encourage the children who won the quiz.¡± She thought Luce would always cheer and run around, but the child was surprisingly quiet. Looking at the flyer, Luce was deep in thought. ¡®I think it¡¯s a concept to send language training to excellent children¡ªthat sounds pretty good, but the problem is, I don¡¯t really want to see the capital.¡¯ People who were used to living in a small Xenon village wondered if there was anything special about being the empire¡¯s capital. However, what struck her the most was that the contents of Volume 2 of {The Cruelty of the Vladin Empire}, which she had seen roughly, were all unfolding in the capital. What if, by chance, at least one of them goes to the capital to play and gets caught up in an accident with the royal palace for nothing? She will have trouble if she does something most people don¡¯t do. In a ghost story or horror movie, the first person to die is the first to set foot in a mysterious place. I don¡¯t know where this part of the original story fits in terms of time, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to scrape and crumble. ¡®Wow, I think I¡¯m a little smart.¡¯ Luce used to do the flower pose and look at Chelsea because she was proud of how wise she was. ¡°Then what¡¯s the second prize, Mom?¡± ¡°You usually think of the 1st place, so why do you ask for 2nd place? Is it because you don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get 1st place?¡± ¡°No, I have to go to the capital when I receive the first prize, but I don¡¯t want to be away from my mom even for a day.¡± ¡°¡­Tsh. Where did you learn such cheesy words? Are you taking after your dad?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Chelsea took a spoonful of potato stew and smiled inside. ¡°I think the second prize was the prize money.¡± ¡°Prize money? Wow, that¡¯s much better!¡± ¡°What will you do if you win the prize?¡± ¡°I need to buy my mom some pretty clothes and pretty shoes that go well with her!¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Chelsea looked away as she gave a sneakier answer on purpose. Still, the smiling mother didn¡¯t seem to hate her daughter¡¯s answer. ¡®I think my late father left some legacy, but the more money, the better. Prize money, prize money! If I go with Rev, we¡¯ll be in second place. It¡¯ll be a piece of cake.¡¯ Luce smiled softly and glanced at the clock. It was ten o¡¯clock in the morning. Time to run errands from Chelsea to Rev¡¯s house to get herbs and tomatoes. Chelsea chuckled as if she had noticed Luce¡¯s gaze. ¡°Bring me a basket of berries and bring this stew to your friend. Before it gets cold.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll give him the stew first, and then pick berries, right?¡± ¡°Come before two o¡¯clock.¡± ¡®As expected, my mother is kind.¡± After hugging Chelsea tightly, Luce waved empty hands with a shiny stew bowl. ¡°That stew, call it a bribe. If he turned down the quiz partner application, told him your mother wouldn¡¯t let him go.¡± ¡°Ung!¡± The back of Luce disappeared into the bright light of the sun. It seems like only yesterday that her daughter, whom she thought was immature and cried, stating that first place was great, now knows how to look after her friends, and it feels unusual to show a positive side in her calculations. Maybe if her husband had seen it, he would have loved it. Chelsea closed her eyes for a moment while thinking about her husband Lawrence, who had to leave early because he was sick. Then, when she opened them again, she saw that someone was there. ¡°Aunt.¡± It was Dominic. Dominic was sneaking around with a flyer in his hand as if he was looking for someone. ¡°Is there Luce?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Rodante¡¯s festival is just around the corner¡­ so I was going to ask Luce.¡± Chelsea, who managed to hold back a laugh, answered seriously. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Originally, asking for a date is about timing, Dominic.¡± ¡°Yees¡ª?1¡± What does it mean to ask for a date, nonsense! Chelsea smiled at Dominic as he ran by, wiping away the already faded photo of her husband. ***** ¡°Rev? Rev?¡± She thought she knocked six or seven times on the door, but she didn¡¯t hear Rev¡¯s voice. Is it because he¡¯s reading that he can¡¯t hear her knocking? Or did he go out to buy something? ¡®No, he knows I¡¯ll be here by this time¡ªhe can¡¯t be away.¡¯ Well, he might have been away even though he didn¡¯t make an appointment. She knew that in her head, yet it made her sad. ¡®Really, how often have we played?¡¯ Luce, who was dumbfounded by herself, looked around the house with a big smile. She looked around to see if he was enjoying the sun or picking raspberries, but as expected, Rev was nowhere to be seen. She wondered if Vincent¡¯s group was bothering him, so she looked at it from a distance, step by step, but Rev wasn¡¯t there. After waiting for a long time, Luce stood on her tiptoes and looked inside the house through the window. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The candle was lit. Since it¡¯s dangerous to go outside, he always followed the rules after she kept telling him to put out the candle and get out. Since she kept telling him to turn off the candles before they went outside because it was dangerous, Rev was always the one who followed the rules. ¡®I think he¡¯s at home.¡¯ Is he taking a nap? It was when Luce was sad because the potato stew was cold. Flash¡ª! The blue light gleamed for a moment in the small window on the second floor. ¡®What is that?¡¯ It looked similar to the goblin fire she heard in fairy tales. The blue light was clear even in the sun. She knew instinctively. It¡¯s not like reflected light, it¡¯s an artificial light source. ¡®What is Rev doing on the second floor¡ª? Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him go up to the second floor.¡¯ Rev always went to and from the rooms on the first floor to change his clothes or bring toys like chess and cubes. She was curious about what the second floor was for but didn¡¯t bother to ask. It could be a warehouse, or it could be a space left unattended since the house is too big for a boy alone. Luce, who was thinking for a moment, sneaked a look at the door. The front door was open. Luce, who looked at the cooled potato stew and the quiet house alternately, carefully stepped on. ***** ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°I must tell you not to be so nervous, Your Highness.¡± Rev stared intently at the person standing in front of the magic circle, and gritted his teeth. It was a wizard belonging to the imperial family which had a neutral voice, whether it was a man or a woman. Radanum, the wizard of the North Tower, who leads a comfortable life in exchange for selling out his colleagues. A man who deals with the troublesome affairs of the imperial family and, in return, is guaranteed gold, jewels, and life and lives as the only wizard on the continent. There¡¯s only one reason he¡¯s here. ¡°You don¡¯t feel dizzy just because you have drawn this much blood, do you? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re taking your medications well. Because you know better than anyone what will happen if you don¡¯t drink.¡± It was because of ¡®the troublesome work of the imperial family¡¯. They sent him to the Xenon village to keep an eye on the ruined prince. Blood beads as thin as branches formed on the wizard¡¯s fingertips. It was blood that was drawn from Rev¡¯s forearm. The wizard, who was looking at the marble under the blue light as if to confirm something, nodded his head. ¡°If you¡¯re determined, you can see everything in your blood, you know?¡± With one move, he closed the wound on his forearm, which was dripping with blood. All knowledge is useless in front of his magic powers, which can hurt or heal wounds. The Prince, who didn¡¯t say anything but groan, was well aware of that. The wizard looked at him for a while. ¡°I believe you are a wise person, and you will know.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you have any inconvenience in your stay? People who are annoying or else.¡± ¡°Go back, Radanum.¡± The fear or displeasure of a wizard who drew blood. Or the anger and revenge about why he is doing this to him, even though he hasn¡¯t done anything wrong. The Prince¡¯s answer doesn¡¯t show the feelings that normal people would have. As always, all he sees is a deep feeling of helplessness and a little bit of emptiness. The wizard shrugged his shoulders with an impeccably hard, smooth marble of blood in his pocket. ¡°Yeah, well, then.¡± It was right before when the smiling wizard was about to use the magic circle to return. A faint voice came from the first floor. ¡°¡ªRev? Rev?¡± The wizard¡¯s hand stopped, and Rev¡¯s expression hardened. The wizard, who was looking at Rev, asked. ¡°It sounds like a little girl¡¯s voice, Your Highness. You made friends faster than I thought. It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°I told you to go back.¡± ¡°It is Your Highness¡¯ order, so I should respect it, but.¡± The wizard, who took one step from the shining blue magic circle, tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m a little curious about what kind of friend you met for the first time?¡± ¡°Rada.¡± ¡°You know that every move of Your Highness must be reported.¡± It was the moment when the wizard with the corners of his mouth raised was about to touch the door. ¡°This is the third order, Radanum.¡± Rev, who grabbed the wizard¡¯s wrist, spoke in a low, sharp tone he had never heard before. He never vomited when his blood was drawn out, or even when he was kicked out of the palace. ¡°You disobey my order, which also means for the third time, go back.¡± Rev¡¯s red eyes gleamed. ¡®Is it because the Prince is the Prince?¡¯ It was only for a moment, but there was a sense of intimidation in that cold, unfamiliar way of speaking. Radanum, who had been watching it for a while, gave an exaggerated bow as a greeting. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get out of here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But you know. Your Highness¡­ that no one should ever know anything about Your Highness.¡± The blue magic circle¡¯s light surrounded him. Just before he disappeared, Radanum muttered. ¡°Think about why you were sent to this town. Even if some of the residents of this small town disappear, no one knows.¡± Rev saw where Radanum had disappeared and squeezed his trembling hand. After holding his breath for a while, he opened the door. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Rev?¡± He saw Luce with a narrowed brow. Unable to read emotions, he couldn¡¯t tell what Luce, standing under the stairs, was going to say. Chapter 8 Did she hear him talking on the second floor? What should he do if she heard it? ¡®Luce also knows that the house suddenly appeared, so it¡¯s over. It¡¯s all over now. I must order Radanum to erase Luce¡¯s memory¡ªthe memory of me.¡¯ ¡°But with all due respect, Your Majesty, I have a few questions. I understand that we should send His Highness to Xenon alone. Servants of the exiled royal family and the escort is a luxury, and the more people move, the more lies¡ªHis Highness will tell.¡± He remembered the words that Radanum, who glanced at himself, added. ¡°But what if, despite all this effort, someone finds out a little about His Highness, or if His Highness is exposed because of an accident?¡± The Emperor spoke briefly. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to erase their memory to the fullest so that they can forget even the fact that they forgot. Isn¡¯t that your specialty?¡± ¡®As expected, this was a luxury for someone like me.¡¯ The only thing an imprisoned Prince can anticipate is an order, not a person. The answer is fixed. He knows better than anyone else. But Rev wasn¡¯t willing to substitute Luce for the answer. It was the time when Rev, who had just swallowed a heavy breath in his gloomy feeling, was the first to open his mouth. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your clothes?¡± Clothes? As if surprised, Luce, with round eyes, strode up the stairs and grabbed his hand. Rev, who was being called, blocked the stairs to the second floor without even realizing it. However, Luce didn¡¯t seem to be curious about the second floor. ¡°Ah, you surprised me.¡± Luce, who looked at Rev¡¯s sleeve, sighed in relief. ¡°I thought you were hurt because your sleeves were red! I was so surprised.¡± It was Rev who was rather surprised by Luce¡¯s reaction. His gaze fell. As she said, red blood had seeped at the ends of his sleeves, even though the wounds from Radanum had disappeared. Rev, who was trying to hide his hand in a hurry, stopped at Luce¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s why I thought you were cut somewhere. Are you drawing something? You have to roll up your sleeves like this when you use paint, Rev.¡± Many of Luce¡¯s words as she folds his sleeves were wrong. The red marks were blood, not paint, and they were really cut. But Rev wanted one of her mistakes to be sincere. ¡°Luce.¡± ¡°Ung?¡± The green eyes looking up at him from under the two steps were sweet. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t paint, would you have been more surprised if it was blood?¡± Contrary to Rev¡¯s slow question, Luce¡¯s answer was very quick. ¡°Would I be surprised? How much does it have to hurt to bleed like this?¡± Luce, who hated it and shook his red sleeves, shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Rev. I¡¯m scared just thinking about it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to get hurt?¡± ¡°Ah, really. Of course I am. So don¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°Even if I get better soon?¡± ¡°What do you do when you get better? It hurts until you get better.¡± As if asking such a question, Luce lightly moved on. He didn¡¯t know that those words would weigh heavily on the listener. ¡°Hurry up and come down. My mom cooked something delicious for us today.¡± Rev, who had been standing stunned, went down the stairs one step at a time at Luce¡¯s urging. It was just going down the stairs, but he felt like he was breathing. After talking to Radanum, Rev¡¯s breath, which had been unstable on its own, became steady, as if he had found his way. ¡°I wanted to give it to you when it was warm, but it got cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to be cold.¡± ¡°Ah, right. You don¡¯t like hot food.¡± Is that so? Luce knows himself well. Luce praised him for being smart and wise, but Rev felt her meticulousness was even greater and more special. It¡¯s like figuring out that he can¡¯t eat hot foods and noticing his sleeves are stained red. Because no one knew. ¡®I¡¯m glad you recognized me¡ªbut.¡¯ I hope you don¡¯t know some part of me, for a very long time. Rev asked, knowing the meaning of that words. ¡°Luce.¡± ¡°Ung?¡± ¡°¡­Other places are fine, but please don¡¯t come to the second floor.¡± Somehow, he wondered if Luce would listen to this ridiculous request. ¡°Yes!¡± Where is the spoon? Luce, who was overturning the cupboard, didn¡¯t betray his tender faith. ¡°You don¡¯t ask why?¡± ¡°When did you ever say no to me?¡± Found it! Luce found the large tablespoon and turned around with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s the first rule you made, so I can listen to it.¡± ¡®I guess it¡¯s a place where you live your hobbies, right? I don¡¯t know, but there must be something expensive.¡¯ The blue light that flashed in a strange way must have been a craft or some kind of lighting. Convinced that much, Luce said playfully. ¡°But don¡¯t ignore my knock for too long. I¡¯ll knock on the second-floor door if you don¡¯t come out after knocking for a while.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ignore it¡­ I¡¯ve been waiting. sorry. How many times do you knock for a long time?¡± ¡°Well, since I knocked 8 times today, it¡¯s exactly twice as many as 16 times.¡± ¡°16 times. Okay. I will keep it.¡± Luce thought as she saw Rev, who made a serious promise to a trivial joke today. He¡¯s a friend she can make fun of. Rev was a friend to tease and a friend to feed. She doesn¡¯t know if it tastes good to him or if it¡¯s because Luce is looking at it, but he ate Chelsea¡¯s food well, unlike when he ate a cookie the size of a span. It was a bit slow, though. Luce smiled warmly as she saw her polite friend, who always politely thanked her and returned a cookie in return for the bowl he ate. ¡®That¡¯s why you say that wherever you go, you¡¯ll be able to say hello in between. I feel proud just watching you eat.¡¯ Rev¡¯s eyes, which were drinking green medicine after the meal, remained in Luce¡¯s hands for quite a long time. ¡°Oh, right! I¡¯m here to talk about this.¡± Luche, holding the flyer, coughed. ¡°Rev, the time has come.¡± Rev tilted his head at her serious tone. ¡°What do you mean the time has come?¡± ¡°It means the time has come to show off your coolest side to this Rodante estate.¡± ¡°My coolest side¡ª?¡± Rev, who had an expression that he didn¡¯t understand the situation, was cute. Luce smiled and unfolded the paper. ¡°The Rodante Festival held once every three years! Let¡¯s go to the competition together.¡± Rev took the flyer and started to read it carefully after Luce grabbed it and opened it halfway. Rodante Festival is held on the side of town for two days. Anyone can enjoy the festival, but the main event is from 13 to 17 years old. Reading the flyers, Rev¡¯s eyes stopped at the competition¡¯s theme. ¡°¡­Luce, it¡¯s a great competition for you, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s for me.¡± At this point, being humble seemed to come out of him like an instinct instead of a habit. Luce waved her hand. Who would go out if such a smart kid didn¡¯t participate in a quiz contest?. ¡°You¡¯re not under 12 or over 18 years old, are you?¡± ¡°Of course no.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s enough! I can assure you, there¡¯s no one better than you in this estate.¡± Rev seemed to think for a long time at the firm answer. As Rev¡¯s silence grew longer, Luce fell into thoughts at the same time. Is it because he¡¯s afraid of losing? For smart kids, exams can be burdensome. But my goal is not to be number one. The prize money is also a prize, but she thought it would be fun to watch the festival together. She thinks that if she says she¡¯s going with Rev, Chelsea will let her stay out a little longer. Luce leaned slightly and whispered. ¡°I actually want to watch the festival with you, Rev.¡± She took the flyer that Rev was staring at and saw his expression. Rev¡¯s ears were red as he blinked when she said she wanted to go with him. ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be fun. We¡¯ll buy delicious food, and we¡¯ll see the Rodante estate.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, it would be nice to participate in the contest and win the prize!¡± Rev, who was looking at Luce with a smile, lowered his gaze. ¡°It won¡¯t be difficult for you to win the prize, Luce. But I.¡± ¡°Ey, what do you mean?¡± Rev, who was fiddling with the back of his neck, looked up at Luce¡¯s words. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can say no, I can go with Dominic.¡± Dominic, the boy with the scar on his face. He could tell that Luce was speaking with consideration for him. She said it was okay, but her face was full of disappointment. But somehow, he felt sick when he imagined Luce eating something delicious with the boy and smiling happily while looking around the village. Rev opened his mouth. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ung?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together, Luce.¡± Luce, who was folding the flyer, was delighted. ¡°Really? Will you come with me?¡± ¡°Ung¡­I¡¯ll work hard to prepare.¡± ¡°What are you getting prepared for? You just need to show up!¡± She waved her hand and threw the flyer in the trash, happy that Rev had let her. Luce didn¡¯t know. The letters left on the leaflet, which had been folded and unfolded repeatedly, were {Rodante Lordship ¨C Z Contest} and {Mr & Miss Rodante Contest}. Needless to say, what Rev saw was the latter. ¡®¡­Luce said I was the coolest person. Luce knows me well, but do I have such a thing?¡¯ Rev¡¯s mind was suddenly complicated by the {Mr. & Miss Rodante Contest} but he laughed a little as soon as Luce waved her hand excitedly. Chapter 9 The day of the Rodante Festival. As soon as the sun came up, Luce opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror with excitement. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m cute today, mom?¡± A girl with red hair in a green dress and a little straw hat with a light green ribbon was smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t go around saying such a rude thing. Even though of course that¡¯s the case in my eyes.¡± While saying that, it was clear that the clothes were ones that Chelsea had picked out herself. Chelsea, who was straightening the wrinkles on the skirt, yawned and asked. ¡°But why are you shaking so early in the morning? The festival starts at 2 p.m., but it¡¯s 9 a.m. and it doesn¡¯t take a long time for a kid to walk to the next village, so why go out so early?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to study at Rev¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to trust him anyway? Is it because you can¡¯t trust him?¡± ¡°No, I feel guilty. We¡¯re on the same team, but I can¡¯t just make him suffer. So I¡¯ll do my part.¡± Chelsea muttered as she braided Luce¡¯s hair into a single braid. ¡°Since you¡¯re there, buy delicious food and buy it for your friends. There¡¯s a bookstore on the way, so buy a book for each of you.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if we can eat together because we don¡¯t have enough pocket money?¡± Chelsea, who looked at the insidious smile at Luce¡¯s words, took out a few more silver coins. It was when Luce, who took the silver coin and grabbed it, bowed and was about to leave. Chelsea, who was searching through the locker, took out another small straw hat. It was the same hat that Luce wore but without the ribbon. ¡°Mom made one for him. I don¡¯t know if your friend will use it, but take one. The sun will sting in the daytime.¡± ¡°Wow, how can there¡¯s nothing Mom can¡¯t do? It¡¯s so pretty, he¡¯ll definitely like it.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll like it because you¡¯re giving it to him, of course.¡± ¡°Ung?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. If you have time, say hello to Grandma Marie at the general store. You¡¯ll know it when you see her face.¡± ¡°Yes, I got it!¡± Chelsea saw the back of her daughter running excitedly. It was still a secret from Luce, but Chelsea and her friend Dahlia planned to take over a grocery store in the neighboring town. It was put off until Luce grew up to some extent but now seemed to be the right time. ¡®Now that Luce has grown up to participate in the festival, I can start working soon¡­ The time has already passed.¡¯ So, seeing off her daughter on a leisurely morning like this will be a moment she will miss. Chelsea is full of that look. ¡°Excuse me, Aunt, is Luche there?¡± ¡°How many times have I told you that timing is important when it comes to dating, Dominic?¡± ¡°Hiik, I¡¯m not asking for a date!¡± Chelsea laughed loudly at Dominic, who appeared out of nowhere. ***** Rev might get a gift, and she has been given a lot of money for pocket money. Moreover, the weather was clear. Luce, who was in a great mood today, hummed as she ran up the mountain path and knocked on the door. ¡°I¡¯m here, Rev!¡± She didn¡¯t forget their promise to knock. As soon as she knocked on it, she heard a voice at once. ¡°Luce.¡± It seems that Rev¡¯s statement that he sleeps three hours a day wasn¡¯t a lie. Even though it was morning, Luce opened the door softly at the sound of an unanswered voice. ¡°Please wait¡­¡± It was before Rev¡¯s words were finished. Luce, who had grown accustomed to his house, walked right in and put her straw hat down, but he turned around. ¡°Why are you doing that, Rev?¡± With his hand on the collar of his shirt, Rev was as stiff as a wooden doll. Still asking, Luce burst out laughing at the answer he gave her. ¡°The clothes, uh, I was still wearing them.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you answering too late for that? You¡¯re all dressed up to be in the middle of dressing up. T-shirts and shirts on top.¡± ¡°A button, uhm.¡± Rev¡¯s neck was red as he struggled to finish buttoning up. Smiling and turning around, Luce thought. ¡®Maybe the top button has not been buttoned up yet. Was he trying to say that?¡¯ Looking back, Rev would always have his shirt buttoned all the way up to his neck. She didn¡¯t say anything else because he seemed comfortable with it, but to count one less button as undressed! Luce asked with a smile. ¡°Is that also a courtesy to welcome guests, Rev? Buttoned up all the buttons to greet me?¡± She could feel his head nodding. This kid really, what should she do if he turns around and expresses his mind like this? But, whether it¡¯s because she¡¯s in a good mood or for some other reason, that messy figure just looked pure and cute. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t tease him too much, but even if I want, I¡¯d still want to tease him more. By the way, there is something about this feeling.¡¯ ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°¡­Ung.¡± She saw what he was wearing when he turned around. Today, Rev was not wearing his usual white shirt without any patterns. Instead, he was wearing a black shirt with fine, luxurious embroidery. Luce, who was looking at Rev to find the source of this feeling, naturally looked at his body as well. Until now, there was no reason or need to care about Rev¡¯s body, and it¡¯s not like she became close to seeing her friend¡¯s body. But? ¡®I thought you were skinny because you didn¡¯t eat much, but your shoulders are wider than I thought. Right, he had big hands, right? He¡¯s also not short now, but he¡¯ll grow taller when he grow up.¡¯ However, it seemed that he misunderstood Luce¡¯s gaze at him. Rev, who pulled his sleeve and covered the back of his hand, hesitated and asked. ¡°¡­Does it look strange?¡± ¡°No, it suits you so well! That shirt is pretty, and it matches your hair color. But Rev.¡± ¡°Ung.¡± Luce said this seriously as she looked at Rev, whose lips were slightly raised when she said it looked good on him. ¡°If you wear black today, you will die of heat.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to know that the sunlight outside the window was too hot because he was only in the house. Luce, who was holding Rev¡¯s hand and had an enlightened expression on her face, said firmly. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°To change clothes.¡± ¡°I wondered why you didn¡¯t wear a patterned shirt, but they were all here?¡± ¡°Ung?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Rev.¡± Luce smiled at Rev¡¯s pattern shirts, which took up half of his closet, and took some clothes out. Luce, who had been putting things under Rev¡¯s chin, gave him a piece of clothing, which Rev wore repeatedly. He changed his clothes as instructed, but Rev was tilting his head. Luce asked with a light smile. ¡°You¡¯re all wearing the same white shirts. Are you curious why I keep asking you to change?¡± ¡°I was a little curious.¡± ¡°It has different button details, it has a wide collar, and it looks white but is called ivory and feels different.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± When she explained it, it was fun in its own way to pick out Rev¡¯s clothes because he quickly understood. The second problem was that the shirt looked great with fair skin and a good physical, and she thought I knew why he chose a black shirt that he had never worn in his life. ¡®Rev seems to like going to festivals with me. That¡¯s why he chose black to make me feel good and look pretty!¡¯ Luce couldn¡¯t even dream that Rev had misunderstood the competition¡¯s theme, so she made her own logical decision. But she wasn¡¯t completely wrong in her guess. Because Rev¡¯s standard was Luce. ¡°This is it, Rev! This one suits you best, the color is just right, and the width is pretty and it will be easy to move around. The material is thin, so it will be good for the current weather.¡± Rev smiles because he likes to hear from her that he looks good in it. ¡°Do you want me to touch your hair too?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ if you need it.¡± If she needs it? Even though the words were a little strange, Luce didn¡¯t pay much attention to them. Instead, she brought a mirror and put Rev in front of it. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Luce, whose hands were wet with water, was the first to touch his bangs. Even though there was nothing particularly tiring about touching the good black hair, it made her feel at ease. Rev¡¯s glasses, with his eyes tightly closed, got in the way as she flipped his hair back and forth. Luce gently took off his glasses and whispered ¡°wait¡± to him before looking at him in the mirror. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ She has already seen Rev take off his glasses before. It was on the first day they met when he was wet and drowning in the creek. At that time, she couldn¡¯t see his bare face properly because she thought she had to take him home quickly. She didn¡¯t look at his face on purpose because she knew it hurt him when people made fun of the color of his eyes. Just in case he misunderstands the meaning of the gaze. But now she can see Rev, who is quietly giving his body to her hand. ¡®You¡¯re very handsome¡­¡¯ It was an admirable look. The eyes were dark and deep when they were closed, and the face line was sharp under the shadow that the long eyelashes made. If he had even a tiny smile on his young face along with the boy¡¯s innocence and the young man¡¯s coolness, he would have made a lot of girls cry. The pale lips were slightly open. Recalling that the words that flowed out of those cold, sensitive-looking thin lips were always kind to her, Luce looked at him quietly as if possessed. If she hadn¡¯t felt the warmth of his ears on her fingers, Luce would just be looking at Rev¡¯s face like it was a masterpiece. ¡°Luce.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Luce lifted his hand in surprise and looked into his red eyes. ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Looking at Rev¡¯s smiling face, Luce thought blankly. ¡®Look, even one brat made fun of his eyes.¡¯ This is a national treasure. This face with bright red eyes is a property that the country needs to protect! Still, looking at his pretty eyes, how can they say they hate it? Luce, who didn¡¯t know why she was stomping on her feet, quickly put his glasses on and left the room. His heart was pounding for some reason, and after taking a few deep breaths, Luce suddenly tilted her head. ¡®Oh, come to think of it.¡¯ Is there no prescription on those glasses? Did she see it wrong? Luce, who had been tilting her head until Rev came out, was awakened by the sound of a horse crying from afar. It seemed that the carriage to the neighboring village had arrived. Chapter 10 Not forgetting to take snacks, straw hats, and even small amounts of medicine, the two headed for the empty lot where the carriage was. The two of them stopped walking while talking about hats and the weather. ¡°Luce!¡ªand that boy.¡± ¡°Dominic.¡± It was because Dominic, who was about to get into the carriage that had arrived earlier, found the two of them. Even though Dahlia told him not to, he quickly jumped up and ran toward them quickly. ¡°What? Are you two going together?¡± His face showed that he was a little upset. Unlike Vincent, Dominic was mean, but he wasn¡¯t a bad kid, so Luce didn¡¯t ignore him. ¡°Ung, I¡¯m coming with him.¡± ¡°When did you not go with me?¡± ¡°Well, is that so? I don¡¯t really remember.¡± ¡°Hmph, nevermind. I¡¯m not coming with you either. I¡¯m going with my mom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great if you have someone to go with. I was worried that you were playing alone because I wasn¡¯t there. ¡° ¡°Uh¡ª don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Dominic¡¯s eyes went from Luce, who was shaking, to Rev, who was standing next to her. Unlike himself, who was a little bit tanned from running in the sun, he has white skin and a somewhat intelligent atmosphere. If it were Dominic before, he would have teased him for being a bookworm or a glasses man, but not now. Because he realized something from Luce¡¯s words. Dominic held out his hand. ¡°You know, if Luce bothers you, you can stick to me.¡± It was a request for reconciliation and an apology in its own way. It was a very gentlemanly gesture for Dominic. At least he thought so. Rev, who was looking at Dominic¡¯s hand, thought for a moment and answered briefly. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Unlike Luce, who leaned down due to laughter at Rev¡¯s answer, Dominic¡¯s expression was wrinkled. ¡°You don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to bother him, that¡¯s the point. So it¡¯s an argument that has no basis for Rev, right?¡± ¡°Ung.¡± Since when did they get along well? Dominic¡¯s expression became even more wrinkled. ¡°What are you talking about to make it hard¡ª you guys are annoying.¡± ¡°So you should say it again, Dominic, that¡¯s not how you apologize.¡± Luce, whose face turned red from holding back her laughter, explained. It seemed right to hear that. Dominic, who wiped his hands heavily on the pants, held out his hand again, avoiding his gaze. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry about that time. I made fun of you with the other kids.¡± His self-esteem was hurt a little, but he didn¡¯t feel bad when he spit it out. This time, Rev accepted the handshake. It was a cold hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Dominic.¡± ¡°I know, Dominic. I heard from Luce.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Revinas.¡± ¡°Revinas? But Luce calls you Rev?¡± Rev cut off his words with an expressionless face. ¡°Call me Revinas.¡± ¡°Well. I¡¯m not even thinking about cutting it shorter because it¡¯s itchy.¡± It was a word that felt a strange sense of distance. Anyway, Dominic, who achieved his goal of apologizing, thought that smart kids were a little uncomfortable and moved away. But Luce didn¡¯t think so. ¡°Rev, are you still mad at Dominic?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not mad.¡± He looked at Dominic indifferently, but when he saw her, he smiled. Is it just her? It¡¯s like a cold wind blowing. Besides, why did he act like he didn¡¯t allow the nickname Rev to Dominic? Luce thought about it and shrugged her shoulders. ¡®Ah, it seems like he hasn¡¯t gone through his friend procedure yet, right? Well, once they get to know each other later, they¡¯ll figure out what to do about their names.¡¯ As she tried to think, the hot sun was stinging. The two got on the carriage and shared a cookie with each other. Rev watched Luce eating and carefully grabbed the cookie with his bare hands. ¡°You don¡¯t need a plate today?¡± At Luce¡¯s playful voice, Rev smiled slightly. ¡°Because the way you eat looks good.¡± ¡°Is it comfortable?¡± ¡°Ung. It¡¯s good.¡± Luce almost coughs. ¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s my first time going out of town.¡¯ Luce yawned while looking out the window and waving her legs with a fluttering feeling. It was natural for her to be sleepy because she stayed up late the night before and got up early the next morning. ¡®Oh, I didn¡¯t study at all, but I¡¯m sleepy. It¡¯s a problem.¡¯ She thought she was just yawning a little, but Rev seems to have seen everything. ¡°Get some sleep, Luce.¡± ¡°But¡ª I didn¡¯t study at all.¡± Rev was surprised by the word ¡°study,¡± but he decided to check Luce¡¯s condition first, thinking that there could be a common sense quiz in the beauty contest. ¡°I can help you in any field I know, so why don¡¯t you close your eyes for a while?¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯ll help me, Hoam, but still, I feel sorry to leave it all to you.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you mean, but you don¡¯t have to be sorry, Luce. I¡¯d be glad if I could help you. And if you¡¯re worried about the competition.¡± Rev, who was looking at Luce in outdoor clothes, spoke softly. He seemed convinced. ¡°It¡¯s okay because I have you.¡± ¡°Why are you talking so nicely?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. If my sincerity sounded pretty to you, I¡¯d probably have learned from you.¡± She has to add one more to the {What Rev is good at} list. This little boy has a talent for making a face that says he doesn¡¯t know anything and choosing only words that blow one¡¯s heart. Luce, who was peeking at Rev, rubbed her eyes. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to take care of her condition and keep her eyes closed for a while. ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep for a while¡ª¡± ¡°Ung.¡± Luce, who closed her eyes, quickly fell asleep. Luce¡¯s body shook here and there and leaned heavily somewhere. It was Rev¡¯s shoulder. Rev, who was holding Luce¡¯s head stiffly, gently took off her straw hat. Her curly red hair, round forehead, and cute features on her face made him want to smile without realizing. It was irresistible. ¡°If you want me to be close to a kid named Dominic, I will.¡± The whispered words were out of his will. ¡°If you want me to go to the competition, I¡¯ll do that, too.¡± However there was some anxiety. Like maybe someone will recognize him. However, life in the imperial palace, which put him under a lot of pressure, ironically gave him freedom outside the imperial palace. Because no one other than the people in the imperial palace even knew the existence of the imprisoned prince. It took a full week by carriage from the capital where the imperial palace was located to Rodante¡¯s territory. Even the lord, who could be said to be related, was a low-ranking aristocrat and had not been to the Imperial Palace for a long time, so it was impossible to recognize him. ¡®That¡¯s why they chose this town.¡¯ Rev leaned over and muttered as he slowly ruffled Luce¡¯s hair. ¡°But Luce.¡± ¡°Call me Rev.¡± ¡°I want¡ª only you to call me by that name.¡± Is it the owner of the name, or the one who calls it? Rev thought it was the latter. Just as an apple cannot call itself an apple, just as a carriage cannot call itself a carriage. A name has meaning only when someone calls it. ¡°Because it¡¯s yours.¡± Rev, who was softly babbling, didn¡¯t realize that his words about ownership of the name were, ironically, a sign of the possessiveness he had buried all his life. ****** ¡°Hmm.¡± Although it was a surprise visit, it was the first time the prince was not at home. While looking around the house, the imperial wizard Radanum found a clue in the wardrobe. Looking up at the shirts that were arranged in a different order than usual, he smiled unexpectedly. ¡°Radanum!¡± It was when he returned to the Imperial Palace through the return magic circle. He calmed down after frowning at a familiar voice. He turned back and bowed his head. ¡°Yes, Your Highness Prince Delmar.¡± He was the only remaining prince in the palace without Aurelio, and he was the heir to the current emperor, Delmar. The little Prince¡¯s big blue eyes were on the verge of tears. It was a sign of trouble to come, but the skilled wizard who had lived a long time didn¡¯t show a sign of being sick of it. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Where did Brother Aurelio go? No one¡¯s telling me¡ª¡± The wizard looked at Delmar, who was whimpering. The wizard laughed as he shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that name is taboo?¡± ¡°I know, but¡­ I miss my brother. What should I do?¡± ¡°If Your Highness Delmar goes to see His Highness the 1st Prince, it will be His Highness the 1st Prince who will be punished. If you are truly concerned about your brother, you should hide your feelings, what to do?¡± The wizard, with his arms crossed, imagined the thought of rolling around in his head. The words that came out of Delmar¡¯s mouth when he was biting his nails didn¡¯t escape his mind. ¡°I can watch it secretly. Really.¡± ¡°Even though His Highness the 1st Prince is being punished?¡± ¡°I can use Radanum¡¯s magic circle. I know that if Radanum keeps it a secret, I can see him without getting caught.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more thing. Do you think His Highness the 1st Prince wants to see Your Highness Delmar?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m his younger brother. I¡¯m sure he misses me as much as I miss him.¡± ¡°Is that so¡ª?¡± Ah, what a proud and innocent malice. Radanum beckoned, holding back the laugh that he was about to burst out. Delmar, who was following him, chattered. ¡°The etiquette class was canceled today. So today is my opportunity. I have two hours.¡± ¡°¡±Yeah, because one of the marquis, who contributed to the founding of the country, died, and all the nobles, including the etiquette teachers, must have gone to pay tribute. You call the death of another person an opportunity.¡± ¡°Did I say it wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that Radanum didn¡¯t refuse. I didn¡¯t want to say that Radanum had to obey the imperial family.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to say what you said now.¡± Radanum, who closed the door of the Wizard Tower on one side of the Imperial Palace with a reckless gesture, summoned a cloak. It was a black cloak with a blue luster. ¡°You must wear this all the time. No matter where you are, there is a spell that summons you to the Imperial Palace when it senses danger. Never take it off.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Am I going alone?¡± ¡°I have a cloak, what are you worried about? I don¡¯t think you don¡¯t believe in Radanum¡¯s magic.¡± ¡°I, it¡¯s not like that¡ª¡± ¡°And I.¡± He doesn¡¯t want to punish His Highness Prince Aurelio. Swallowing the back words, he raised an eyebrow. A blue light enveloped the little Prince¡¯s body. Radanum, who was gesturing in the air as if counting the stars, nodded. ¡°You will arrive in the town where the festival is held. It¡¯s expected to be crowded, so be careful.¡± ¡°Huh? Town? Wait, Radanum! Wait a minute¡ª¡± ¡°Then come back safely.¡± The figure of Delmar, who had been struggling as if confused, disappeared in an instant. As if nothing had happened, Radanum, who was holding a teacup, swallowed the black tea. ¡°Poor Prince.¡± He just said that. Chapter 11 ¡°This is so good!¡± Luce rolled her feet after eating a spoonful of strawberry ice cream. The Rodante festival was more than expected. It was a festival held once every three years, so it seemed that everyone had prepared diligently. There were many things to enjoy, including the hot air balloon flying in the sky and the colorful fireworks that erupted anytime she was about to forget. ¡°You¡¯re very good at darts, Rev.¡± Who knew that Rev would pop all the balloons? The store owner said, then handed a small doll to Luce, who was running around excitedly. He said that her boyfriend is really good at it, Luce chuckled at that while Rev¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°Where did you learn it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like shooting arrows to catch the target.¡± ¡°Wow, you know how to use a bow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good at it.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not good at it, I¡¯m like a goldfish¡ª. I didn¡¯t get any darts.¡± Is that all? His luck must be good. In the roulette wheel, he won the first prize in a short time, and in the treasure hunt, he found the snowball without even walking a few steps. ¡®He almost didn¡¯t have to receive the allowance?¡¯ ¡®We did it because of you, so take it all!¡¯ Rev, who refused, agreed to the suggestion that they should buy something delicious with this. She was happy as she sat on the bench with the ice creams she had bought from the stall. Luce, who was looking around at the pretty snowball, asked. ¡°But why don¡¯t you take any prizes? We did it together, but it¡¯d be nice if you took the prize, too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Rev?¡± When she looked back, Rev was squinting his eyes as if something was wrong. Luce, who was looking at Rev, burst into laughter. ¡°Is it because there¡¯s a lot of lemon taste?¡± He nodded. How bad did it have to be for him to look like he was going to cry? It was funny and cute, so Luce stroked Rev¡¯s head without realizing it, and naturally changed the ice cream. Rev, who took Luce¡¯s strawberry ice cream, opened his eyes wide. ¡°Let¡¯s exchange it. I like sour things, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I already eat, Luce.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, we¡¯re friends. Oh, do you hate it? Then a new one¡ª¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, too.¡± Why is Rev¡¯s eye area red while eating cold ice cream? Well, it¡¯s probably because it tastes like lemon. When she took a bite, it tasted refreshing to Luce. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered yet. Why don¡¯t you take the prize?¡± ¡°I think you can use it more preciously.¡± ¡°But I feel sorry if I have them all. We won it together.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine with me as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± It seemed like Rev knew how to say things that made people happy. He seems to be speaking plainly and without self-interest, but she doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of the soft words he uses or his low, friendly voice. He seems to have been born with it, so she thought she had to get used to the way he talked to get closer to him. Luce blinked and held out a snowball. ¡°But I want you to have this.¡± ¡°Snowball? I thought you liked it, did you not?¡± ¡°Well, of course it¡¯s very pretty and I like it! It¡¯s a memory of coming to play together. There will be times when you look at this and think that it was really good. So think of it as a part of that memory and keep it to yourself.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, since I go to your house often, yours is mine and mine is mine, well.¡± Rather than playfully behind the scenes, Rev seemed to be concentrating on the previous words. He smiled and nodded his head, reflecting on the word ¡°part of memory.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take care of this snowball and keep it.¡± ¡°Next time we go somewhere else, let¡¯s buy something like this and keep it. What do you think?¡± ¡°Next time¡ªung. I like it.¡± Anything is fine. She seems to remember hearing something similar before. The crowd was so noisy around the festival crowd that Luce thought she had heard it wrong. It was when she ate half the ice cream. Rev asked. ¡°Why are you participating in today¡¯s competition, Luce?¡± ¡°Why? Did I not fit in with that kind of competition?¡± Rev waved his hand at the joke. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I was just curious. What¡¯s your goal?¡± ¡°I was joking, too.¡± Luce gave a grim look, shrugged her shoulders, and stood up. ¡°Well, my goal is to be second.¡± ¡°Not first place?¡± If it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure you can win.¡± Rev seems to think very well of her. Luce said and giggled. ¡°For some reason, if I win, I feel like I have to win first place again the next time, and I feel like I have to keep my first-place appearance. A crown has weight. But second place feels comfortable. It¡¯s a high ranking, but it¡¯s relatively less burdensome.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Does Rev want to be number one?¡± When asked, he shook his head. ¡°No, from what you said, I think 2nd place is better.¡± A prince who loses his position of power and finds himself imprisoned. To put it bluntly, he would be second place. The second place with no shadows, in contrast to the first place, which is a very high and shiny spot. Ironically, Rev found comfort in Luce¡¯s ignorant words. ¡°And that¡¯s it. The first place reward was a travel ticket to the capital¡­.¡± The prize wasn¡¯t written on the flyer, so it was the first time he had heard of it. Then Luce whispered as if it were a secret. ¡°I¡¯m not curious about the capital at all. I don¡¯t want to go.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too¡­I don¡¯t like the capital very much.¡± ¡°Have you been there? How was it?¡± He feels like his heart will sink when he thinks about the capital. But not now. The medicine seems to be sweet strawberry ice cream. If not, maybe. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a cold and lonely place.¡± ¡°What? As expected, it¡¯s not a good place, right?¡± The sound of a child¡¯s laughter escaping from his ear seems to be medicine. Rev watched Luce for a long time as she ate lemon ice cream and talked about various things. After eating all the ice cream, the two stopped by the bookstore. Since they received the prize and the free gift certificate, they decided to share one book at a time, and Rev chose a book related to technology. He thought it was a good choice. Luce, who was worried at the bookstore, also jumped and picked a book. ¡°I am this!¡± ¡°{Basics of Pharmacology}? It¡¯s a botanical encyclopedia. It looks heavy.¡± Of course, Luce also made her own choice. ¡°Because this seems to be the best.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± ¡°And if I buy it, I can use it anywhere. Because there are many medicinal plants in Xenon Village.¡± Rev smiled, nodded, and held the book up. Luce asked while looking at each other¡¯s books. ¡°What on earth is this painting?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s official. It looked like a painting because it was written in cursive.¡± ¡°Is this a letter¡­?¡± In the presence of street vendors, the two, who had bought several fruit skewers, turned their attention to the sound of unusually loud fireworks. Pollen was flying in the sky. ¡°We are accepting applications to participate in the competition now! All the territory residents who wish to participate in the competition are requested to line up!¡± ¡°Wow, I guess it¡¯s just the beginning!¡± Luce, who had been leading Rev, stopped all of a sudden. ¡®That¡¯s right, my mom asked me to say hello to the general store!¡¯ She thought she should do it in advance because she didn¡¯t know when the competition would end. Wouldn¡¯t it be a big problem if Marie from the general store had to leave work first? ¡°Rev, I forgot something. Would you like to go first and stand in line?¡± ¡°Together¡­ Oh, ung. I will.¡± Rev seemed to think she was going to the bathroom. Before he could ask her where she was going, his ear turned red. He then nodded and walked away. ¡®He¡¯s a very polite friend.¡¯ Luce smiled slightly and turned around to look for a grocery store. So she didn¡¯t see Rev going to the left at the crossroads, that is, to the {Mr & Miss Rodante contest}. ¡°Hello, Grandma Marie!¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Lucete! How about Chelsea?¡± ¡°My friend and I came today without my mother.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness. How old are you this year?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thirteen. My mom asked me to say hello.¡± ¡°Are you that old already? Let¡¯s see, let¡¯s see.¡± Grandma Marie, who was rummaging through the cupboard, seemed to be trying to get something out. Luce looked around and tried to find Rev¡¯s straw hat. But there were so many people and it was hard to see. ¡®Hmm, it would be okay, right?¡¯ She was feeling a bit uneasy. Luce scratched the back of her neck and looked out the window. It was then. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s an amazing cloak.¡¯ In the crowd, a blond boy in a black cloak with bluish colors caught her eye. Luche, who was looking at the cloak unknowingly because of its unique color, was soon distracted by Marie¡¯s chatter. ***** Rev was standing in line. He was wearing the straw hat that Luce had given him. The children participating in the competition were clearly dressed up. There were also children with makeup on and children who smelled strong, like they had put perfume on. A man who seemed to check each other¡¯s faces approached him. ¡°You there. What are you, and what are you wearing?¡± He seemed to be quite confident in himself. The grumpy-looking boy was wearing a jacket with cheap cubicles on it. He seemed to think that Rev, who was wearing a white shirt and glasses, was no match for him. ¡°If you want to look good on girls, you¡¯d better take off those glasses? Who likes a kid with white shirt and glasses¡ª¡± ¡°I want you to go.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You stink. It¡¯s an unpleasant scent.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Rev said exactly what he thought at the boy, whether the boy¡¯s face turned red or not, and then he looked around. Luce, who was supposed to come back soon, was nowhere to be seen. Rev¡¯s wrist, who was looking for Luce¡¯s red hair in the crowd, was caught. ¡°You, it¡¯s not polite to enter the competition in that outfit! And what¡¯s with your eyes!¡± The boy, who had been arguing and then pointing out things as if he was angry, stopped all of a sudden. The red eyes seen through the glasses were cold. Rev muttered as he backed away in shock. ¡°¡­Delmar?¡± Tak¡ª! ¡°Hey, wait, you!¡± Rev quickly left after leaving a word that didn¡¯t make sense and hitting the boy¡¯s hand, while the boy exploded with anger. Chapter 12 ¡®No doubt. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and Radanum¡¯s cloak.¡¯ Even with only a passing glance, he was sure. The boy who was shaking his head around in the middle of the crowd as if looking for someone was definitely Delmar. Rev¡¯s half-brother and ¡®true¡¯ Prince. ¡®Just how on earth, how¡ª¡¯ Why is Delmar in this village, which is far from the Imperial Palace? At the same time, why the hell is Delmar here when he came out with Luce, the person from whom he wanted to hide his identity the most?! He was out of breath. He didn¡¯t know whether it was doubts, confusion, or anger. ¡°Hey, you! Have you not seen a boy with black hair?¡± Rather than trying to understand how he felt, he had to stop Delmar from treating people carelessly. Delmar, who was upset as he gripped his wrist, widened his eyes when he checked the face under the straw hat. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Delmar.¡± ¡°Do you know how much I missed you, brother!¡± Rev, who was pretending to hear, grabbed his wrist and led him to a corner alley. Delmar was babbling a lot as he was being dragged in. ¡°After Brother suddenly disappeared, no one talked about you. I don¡¯t know why you left or where you went, so do you know how upset Delmar was?¡± No matter how upset you are. ¡°You don¡¯t know how angry I was because everyone turned away and shut their mouths as if they heard something that no one could hear, even when I asked.¡± No matter how angry you are. ¡°Then I thought Radanum would know, so I called him. At first, he refused to tell me. He even asked if you wanted to see me. He was arrogant. Because he is a wizard who must obey the imperial family. Why didn¡¯t he send me here at my earnest request!¡± Am I really alone? ¡°I missed you. Brother.¡± As soon as he got to an empty place, Delmar was delighted to meet him. He rubs his cheeks and hugs his waist. It was a movement of those who didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of being rejected. That warmth, that luxurious innocence, suddenly made him uncomfortable. ¡°What about Brother? Did you miss me, too?¡± Rev looked at his younger brother, who was only five years old, with cold eyes. Then Rev, who released his arms without answering, lowered his posture. He took a deep breath and asked, tying the hem of his cloak. ¡°Why are you here, Delmar?¡± ¡°I told you, I came because I missed Brother.¡± His cheeks were red, with curly blonde hair falling. He looked like a baby angel. Anyone who sees Delmar will love this lovely, bright prince. ¡°Why did you miss me?¡± ¡°Of course, my Brother always treats me kindly. Unlike the strict elders of the Imperial family, brother is someone I can rely on. I¡¯m saying this because no one is here, but I don¡¯t understand why the elders are asking to treat Brother disrespectfully like that.¡± ¡°¡­You are the child of an official concubine, and I am not. That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°But I like this, brother Aurelio.¡± Aurelio. Rev¡¯s chin trembled for a moment when he saw his younger brother calling his name casually, but he soon regained his composure. ¡°Delmar, the only reason you can treat me politely is because no one scolds you even if you act like that.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Everyone¡¯s just saying it¡ª¡± People say that. The Prince of Vladin, Delmar Artur Hadsa, is a blessing from God. He was like a jewel of the Vladin imperial family, whose children were precious. Everyone loves him. Everyone praises him. A good prince who can¡¯t kill even a single fly, a prince who is generous despite the mistakes of others, and a good-natured prince who takes care of even his half-brother. ¡°If you break the rules, I¡¯ll be scolded instead of you.¡± But the reason Delmar can¡¯t kill even a single fly is that someone else gets his hands dirty for him. Even if he makes mistakes, they can forgive him because Radanum and others punish the wrongdoers for him. His act of taking care of even his half-brother. ¡°B, brother?¡± In reality, it¡¯s just self-gratification that his brother doesn¡¯t want. ¡°Where will I go when someone finds out you¡¯re here, Delmar? Where is it farther than Xenon Village, the end of the continent?¡± ¡°Brother, what do you mean¡ª¡± ¡°Is it hell?¡± It was a scary word that he had never heard from his brother, who was always gentle. What does he mean hell? Rev was staring at the collar of the cloak under Delmar¡¯s neck. He placed his hand on the string that tightened the hood that covered his head and pulled it slowly. Rev muttered as he saw the string that slowly tightened the thin white neck. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave here, Delmar.¡± ¡°Brother, are you saying that you come to this town because of me¡ªit¡¯s not, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you.¡± That¡¯s all the answers. Delmar¡¯s face had gone from pale to almost white, and that¡¯s when he realized someone was trimming his cloak. Surprised, Delmar backed away from Rev. He was clearly on guard. Rev smiled bitterly. ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t want to leave here. I¡¯ve been pushed to this place, but I like it here. I want to stay here for a long time.¡± ¡°But brother, this is a small, unknown village, and it¡¯s a poor environment that can¡¯t even be compared to the Imperial Palace.¡ª uh, f there was a misunderstanding, I¡¯ll ask father and do something¡ª¡± It¡¯s so easy for him to say that. Well, how can this child with a flower garden in his head know the gutter under the flower garden? Rev said as if he had no more patience left. ¡°Then they¡¯ll find out that you¡¯re here. In your own words, not someone else.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°I will be the one who is punished for your words again.¡± Delmar¡¯s cheeks were red with shame and embarrassment. On the other hand, Rev¡¯s hand cooled down when he saw his brother, who couldn¡¯t tell front from back. ¡°So Delmar.¡± ¡°Yes. Brother.¡± ¡°Go back.¡± He thought it was a pretty direct expression of opinion, but Delmar didn¡¯t seem to think so. He was biting on the soft flesh for a long time before he asked. ¡°Today, I visited suddenly, but next time I will be formal. I will stop by occasionally and even talk to you. I always looked at you and thought you were a wonderful person. It is my brother who I see living alone in this small town. How could I like to see this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°In a country like this, it must be full of people who don¡¯t fit your level¡ª¡± Rev, who was looking at Delmar, grabbed his shoulder. ¡°So you don¡¯t understand, Delmar.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He gave strength to the hand holding his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t come again.¡± ¡°B, brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever come here again.¡± Delmar thought it was strange that his brother, who had always been calm and friendly, sounded angry. The strong hands and the cold air under the red eyes were all unfamiliar. Delmar, who looked around, wondering what to do, fixed his gaze somewhere behind Rev. ¡°Rev! Rev!¡± There¡¯s a girl wearing the same hat as his brother. The girl approaching through the boxes piled up in the alley was daringly calling out the Prince¡¯s middle name. Also, by using a nickname. ¡°How dare you call the name of my brother¡ª¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Delmar¡¯s words to end. Rev¡¯s face softened when he heard the girl call his name. The cold eyes that had been looking at him vanished. Delmar looked up at the face blankly. Then their eyes met. Rev, who had quickly caught his smiling face, whispered in the shape of his mouth. ¡®Go.¡¯ ¡°Rev, I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time! What are you doing here¡ªhuh?¡± The girl looked both Delmar and Rev. Although the two Princes are half-brothers, they have the same father, so there is a certain point of similarity. Delmar noticed that Lev¡¯s hand, which was on his shoulder, was very strong. It was then. ¡°Are you lost, kid?¡± Her bright smile instantly absorbed the precarious air. ¡°Well, you were wandering among people by yourself earlier. I remembered the cape because it was unique. You¡¯re trying to find a way for this kid, Rev?¡± ¡°¡­Uhm, Luce. He was in a place he shouldn¡¯t be.¡± For once, Luce didn¡¯t notice Rev¡¯s lies. At least it was true that Delmar came to a place where he shouldn¡¯t be. Delmar, tired of Rev¡¯s eyes, slowly stepped back There was a gut feeling in Delmar¡¯s little head. ¡°Thank you. From here on¡ªI¡¯ll go back by myself.¡± If he even refutes his brother¡¯s words here, if that girl notices his brother¡¯s lies¡ª. There really is no next time. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Be careful, kid!¡± The girl, who was in a hurry to see if something was happening, and Delmar, who was looking at the back of his brother who never looked back, swallowed his saliva. He suddenly felt dizzy. Dizzy was a sign that the magic of return was about to happen. So now, it means that the cloak has sensed danger. In this alley where there is only a harmless girl, himself, and his brother. ¡®No way. There¡¯s no way¡ª¡¯ Soon a blue light greeted Delmar. A strong wind blew from somewhere. Luce, who grabbed the straw hat in a hurry because it almost flew away, looked back. Only an empty alley was visible. ¡°Huh? The child disappeared quickly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Luce.¡± Rev said with unusual determination. ¡°The child¡¯s destination is a place he can go to in no time.¡± ¡°Ah, really?¡± Did he know that he had said something about helping the child find a way? Luce, who walked ahead of him, said, ¡°I guess so.¡± While Rev¡¯s face looked as cold as ice. Chapter 13 ¡°Luce, I checked the number of people standing, and it¡¯s probably over by now. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s already started.¡± Luce replied lightly as she looked at Rev with his eyebrows lowered. ¡°It¡¯s all right, I¡¯ve signed up for it!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought you went to the bathroom for a while because you weren¡¯t there, so I wrote down our names first. But I couldn¡¯t see you even after waiting for a while, so I went to look for you to see if something was wrong.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry. I couldn¡¯t keep my promise.¡± Luce smiled brightly when she tapped him on the sad shoulder. ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s better to break your promise with me than to leave the child alone.¡± His conscience was stabbed. Luce stood at a crossroads, leading Lev, who could not answer and hesitated. ¡°Besides, I succeeded in applying, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Right?¡± ¡°Next time, I won¡¯t break my promise no matter what.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¡®I guess he was really sorry. It¡¯s really fine, though.¡¯ Luce, who thought it was a normal word for his promise, turned to the right. It was the booth where {Rodante Quiz Contest} was held. However. ¡°Why are you going there, Rev?¡± Rev, who was turning left, asked the same thing. ¡°This is the booth, Luce.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s the ¡´Mr & Ms. Rodante contest) booth, right?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Ung?¡± They both paused for a moment and realized they had misunderstood each other at exactly the same time. Soon she burst into laughter. ¡°What is it, Rev, are you trying to be Mr. Rodante?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I could see on the flyer you gave me.¡± ¡°Even though you are, why am I going to the Ms. Rodante contest~!¡± ¡°I also wondered why you wanted me out here. I think it¡¯s a competition that only suits you.¡± Luce grabbed Rev¡¯s hand while smiling for a long time and wiping her face. ¡°You, you¡¯re really stupid.¡± He didn¡¯t hate affectionate criticism. He didn¡¯t hate being teased as a fool. On the contrary, he liked it. It¡¯s a strange thing. With a clumsy smile, Rev followed Luce¡¯s lead so that her disparaging words would sound good. The competition had already begun when they arrived at the booth. There were 14 teams of kids on the stage above the booth, and one of the seats was empty. She approached the female staff who was checking the list of applicants and made a fuss. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s already started, but what should I do if you just show up now?¡± ¡°Is there no chance?¡± She took a deep breath as she looked up at her with a most pitiful face. ¡°Phew. It¡¯s hard to let you in right now, and there¡¯s a break after they solve three questions later, so go in then. You know you¡¯re late, so there¡¯s nothing you can do about the penalty, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine. Thank you.¡± Luce, who responded warmly, whispered. ¡°I was worried if they didn¡¯t let us in, but I¡¯m glad they did.¡± Rev thought it was all his fault that Luce, who said that getting second place was her goal, missed her chance to answer three questions. It would be natural for her to blame him, but Luce doesn¡¯t even say one word to blame him. Rev, who was still holding her hand, whispered. ¡°If we get all the remaining questions right, we¡¯ll be in second place. So I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t. The goal is to be the second place but the process is also meaningful. Let¡¯s not feel pressured and just enjoy it.¡± Luce, who spoke in a mature tone, released her hands and stretched. It was a shame to let go of her hand, but Rev didn¡¯t show it. Instead, he asked. ¡°What¡¯s the prize for second place?¡± ¡°Prize money.¡± ¡°Is there anything you want for the prize money?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing I want to have, but I¡¯m going to buy my mom¡¯s shoes and clothes, and she¡¯s frugal and easy-going, so she sews all the old clothes until the end. It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have money at home, but I don¡¯t know why she always do that.¡± Luce, who had been grumbling, naturally held his hand again. Rev thought after carefully holding Luce¡¯s warm and soft hand. Luce always seems to think of others first. ¡®Prioritizing the safety of children over competitions, and thinking about what to give to her mothers more than what she want¡­ to be considerate of me.¡¯ A kind and sweet child. She¡¯s not simply being generous; she¡¯s a child who was born with warmth. While reflecting on Luce¡¯s actions, she suddenly talked to him. ¡°By the way. I thought you were getting tired of it because you were always around it, but you mistook it for a different competition!¡± She had a peculiar mischievous expression on her face. ¡°You did that to me, didn¡¯t you? The contest seems to be only suitable for you, and if you go out, you will be able to win 1st place or something like that.¡± ¡°Ung.¡± ¡°Did I look okay today? You thought I was suitable for the Ms. Rodante contest!¡± Luce, who was fluttering in a one-piece skirt, smiled proudly. She¡¯s sure he¡¯ll say something like, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it,¡± and blush in embarrassment, right? She said it to make fun of him because he looked funny when he was shy, but Rev¡¯s answer was really surprising. ¡°¡­You¡¯re always pretty, Luce.¡± ¡°H, huh?¡± ¡°But it looks more like a spring flower today. Spring flowers bloomed beautifully on the bright grass.¡± Then he smiles as if melting. It was Luce, not Rev, whose ears turned red. ¡°W, why are you so serious when saying that! It looks like you¡¯re sincere.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°You need to know how those words will sound to others!¡± ¡°I see.¡± After thinking for a while, he drove a wedge. ¡°Then I wonder how it sounded to you, Luce.¡± This guy, he¡¯s very¡ª. ¡®Isn¡¯t he actually a high-level trickster?¡¯ She didn¡¯t seem to be able to get used to watching him say ticklish things with that innocent face. ¡®No, don¡¯t get excited about this, it¡¯s just his habit.¡¯ Luce suddenly stood up and made a promise to herself. It looked like it was time for a break. The staff beckoned. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rev!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s secret!¡± Luce used her hands and feet to get out, found a seat, and sat down. Not far away sat the Lord of Rodante, who hosted the competition. ¡®He look very tired.¡¯ Since the old Lord, who was looking for talented people, was tired after only three questions, it seemed like no one stood out. There is still hope. Luce clenched her fists and looked around. Then a loud voice was heard. ¡°Isn¡¯t the problem too difficult?¡± ¡°I know. The kid who answered one question will win first place.¡± The girls who looked happy just by looking at her back were shrugging as if excited. The bell rang, and they announced the first of the seven remaining questions. ¡®What is that? Is it a painting or what?¡¯ As soon as she saw the question, Luce put the pen down, but Rev seemed to have a different idea. ¡°It¡¯s a formula. Divide the closed section into three equal parts¡­¡± Win, win, win, a good win. It sounded similar to Luce. The answer provided by Rev, who gave explanations that she listened to but didn¡¯t understand, was clear. ¡°The answer is zero.¡± ¡°It sounds really great, but I can¡¯t praise you because I don¡¯t know what it is. Please understand me.¡± Eventually, Luce gave up and put her face down from exhaustion after hearing the number, and Rev wrote ¡®0¡¯. Surprisingly, there were 4 teams with the correct answer, excluding Rev and Luce. She understood about Rev, but how did everyone know it? Is this basic common sense in this world? Luce was puzzled but realized when she heard whispers around her. ¡°If you don¡¯t know what it is, it¡¯s either 0 or 1.¡± ¡°I thought about it between the two, but you did a good job, Paul!¡± Oh, I know that feeling. Unlike Luce, who nodded to show she understood, Rev wrote down the answers to each of the following questions. ¡°The question gets harder as time goes on.¡± ¡°I was relieved that the first question was easy!¡± Unlike the children who were complaining, the question about the historian¡¯s name was written before the question was over, and the question about when the philosopher¡¯s discourse came out seemed to be wrong, but it gave her goosebumps. In the middle of the journey, they deliberately wrote different answers ¡ª Luce was in charge of the wrong answer ¡ª but the two of them ended up in second place. She stared blankly at Rev, and he smiled slightly. ¡°Because I promise to do my best.¡± This smart guy is my friend, everyone. Luce resisted the urge to brag to her neighbors and listened as the host revealed the last question. ¡°Okay, one last question! Long ago, it is said that there were several wizards in the Vladin Empire.¡± She could feel Rev standing tall next to her and stopping. ¡°However all the wizards were killed when the former Emperor started a huge holy war. His Majesty, who bought the last wizard who fought even though it was a good fit, was merciful and let him keep his name. A monument is also left in honor of him in the park west of the capital. What is the name of this last wizard?¡± Luce looked at Rev. His expression, which blinked slowly, was somehow strange. ¡°Rev?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The noises of the surroundings were mixed. ¡°The Last Wizard? Who is that?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t everyone just dead¡­??¡± ¡°I know right, I knew they were all dead, but I didn¡¯t know there was a wizard who resisted to the end. How do we know his name?¡± ¡°The difficulty level of the question is too high. This is for you to get it wrong!¡± Everyone was grumbling. But Luce was somehow certain. ¡°Do you know the answer, Rev?¡± ¡°¡­Ung. I know.¡± Rev, who had been stiffened, immediately smiled faintly. ¡°But if we get the answer right, we will get the first place. So let¡¯s not get it right.¡± ¡°Others kids might know, right?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t think anyone knows.¡± Then she heard the countdown of the host. Luce, who was looking at the blank sketchbook, asked softly. ¡°What is the answer?¡± ¡°5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The correct answer is!¡± Rev opens his mouth. ¡°Rada.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Radanum! Unfortunately, there are no correct answers.¡± How did Rev know about the last wizard, who no one knew and who only left a tombstone on one side of the capital? No matter how smart is he, is it possible? ¡®What made his expression stiff as soon as he heard the question?¡¯ Luce, who had been thinking about it, was immediately led by the host¡¯s hand and got up. They are ranked 2nd place. Chapter 14 The prize winners were announced with a salute cannon. Luce, who got the 2nd place prize, feels puzzled. She was a little embarrassed that she had received a reward despite doing nothing, and it seemed that the Lord was staring at her with a piercing gaze. Rev, who couldn¡¯t climb with her because the stage was too small, was waiting for her below the stage. ¡°Congratulations. Luce.¡± ¡°Someone would think I did it alone if they heard it.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of coming out, so it¡¯s right that you¡¯re the official one.¡± It seems to be the case just by listening to it. So Luce decided to be pleased. The salute cannon seems to have smeared pollen all over it. ¡®Can I take it off?¡¯ After asking politely and getting permission, Rev¡¯s hand, which removed the pollen one by one, cast a shadow on Luce¡¯s face. ¡°You really have big hands, Rev.¡± Unlike his big hands, Rev smiled with a pure face. It was a face Luce knew. Therefore, his unfamiliar expression, which had hardened by memorizing the wizard¡¯s name a while ago, would be nothing. ¡°Are you going to buy a present for your mother now?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. If it¡¯s 125 gold, I can buy really nice clothes.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the prize money 250 gold? If it was 250 gold, you would be able to buy shoes and accessories that fit the dress.¡± ¡°What do you mean, do you think I should take it all by myself? We should split it in half!¡± Luce, who was tired, shook her head. But before Luce could continue to speak, Rev began to persuade her step by step. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered if there is any way to repay your mother because I¡¯m grateful that she¡¯s been nice to me. It¡¯s the same with the straw hat today, and the usual food for me.¡± It¡¯s the same with allowing him to hang out with her. Rev, who pointed to the hat and said the last word, gently led Luce. It was in the direction of the clothing store. ¡°But I thought that if I buy something myself or give her a return gift, I thought she would refuse for some reason. I don¡¯t have a good eye for things that your mother would like. So I would like to share my share of the prize money with you.¡± How did he talk so well like this? Luce was taken by surprise. ¡°Let¡¯s decide to buy another gift for your mother. What do you think?¡± ¡°Thanks for saying that, but¡­ ¡° Even though that was true, she couldn¡¯t receive 125 gold worth of money. Rev¡¯s sense of economics seems to be a little blurry. He shouldn¡¯t give this to anyone. Luce, who was worried, stuck out her pinky. ¡°Okay! Instead, I should return it. I¡¯ll grant your wish.¡± ¡°Wish?¡± ¡°Yes, one is too little and two are not affectionate, so three! I¡¯ll grant you three wishes. That¡¯s how I feel at ease.¡± What does it mean by wish? Rev, who was thinking, put his finger on it. He always came to a quick conclusion after thinking slowly and deeply. ¡°Okay, I like it, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case, but I can¡¯t do anything too difficult.¡± ¡°For example?¡± ¡°Um, like solving a problem you can¡¯t solve?¡± She heard low, pleasant laughter. ¡°Ung, I won¡¯t ask for that.¡± ¡°It hurts my pride if you accept it so naturally¡­ be a little disappointed.¡± ¡°Ung. I wish you could help me, but that¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°Are you saying it so straightforwardly?¡± The Lord of Rodante beckoned to see the two of them quarreling and moving away. The aide ran quickly and bowed his head. ¡°That, the boy with glasses and a girl with red hair walking.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they get the last question right? I think I heard a muttering voice.¡± The aide shook his head with a puzzled expression on his face. He said he didn¡¯t hear it. The old lord knew that there were times when intuition was important in life, even if it was the old man¡¯s suspicions. ¡°I don¡¯t know which of the two is¡­ But just in case, let¡¯s check which village they come from.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± The Lord watched for a long time the two children until they became dots. **** The clothing store they arrived at was a salon specializing in luxurious women¡¯s wear. Most of them were clothes for adult women, but there were also quite a few children¡¯s clothes and accessories. Luce, who had been looking around with the shiny accessories on, suddenly came to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m going to give my mom a present! Yes, she¡¯s a little taller. About a span taller than Unnie?¡± As expected, shopping is fun. The only shopping she could do in Xenon Village was to buy a few apples at best, so Luce was excited to buy things. The wide blue skirt recommended by the clerk, the white shirt chosen by Luce, and the Mary Jane-style low-heeled shoes chosen by Rev with a face that wonders if this is the right choice. Not only that, she also bought two outing clothes of good quality. She was short on money, so she took her pocket money and gift certificates she received as a gift. Luce, who was drinking the orange juice the clerk brought, smiled as he looked at Rev, who looked a little tired. ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired. But I don¡¯t know which one is pretty.¡± ¡°Hmm, standards may differ from person to person, but I think that the completion of clothes is the body and face. The person who wears it is more important than the clothes.¡± ¡°Body and face.¡± Luce, who was looking at Rev, who was seriously listening to nonsense with a smile, said, ¡°Oops.¡± ¡°Right, did you take your medicine?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to eat now.¡± Rev takes medicine that is hard to get used to just by looking at it. Because he was sick, she decided not to ask where he was taking medicine, but she was still curious. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like there is a set time to eat. Like coffee or a vitamin drink, I think he drink it whenever he feel he need it. So, it¡¯s not exactly a medicine but a nourishing tonic or red ginseng?¡¯ His eyes seemed to show it. Rev, who put down the medicine bottle, looked awkward. ¡°It¡¯s a medicine I¡¯ve been taking since I was little. I¡¯ve been taking it since I was a child with a faint memory, and now it¡¯s become a habit.¡± ¡°Aha¡ª¡± It could be like herbal medicine. Luce, who was now convinced to that point, looked at the time. It was time to take a carriage back to the village soon. Her hands were sticky with a little orange juice. ¡°I¡¯ll wash my hands and come back! Let¡¯s leave as soon as I get back.¡± ¡°Ung, I¡¯ll keep my luggage.¡± As she was about to go to the bathroom, Luce¡¯s gaze stayed on the accessory stand nearby. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s really pretty. It must be expensive, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ The brilliant jewels, which were painted in the shape of flowers on the double leaves, were both white and a light brown color. It was really pretty, but she spent a lot of money buying Chelsea¡¯s gift, so the wallet with only the carriage fee was very loose. It¡¯s unfortunate, but there¡¯s nothing she can do. Rev, who was looking at Luce¡¯s back as she returned with regret, got up as soon as she moved away. ¡°I¡¯d like to see this necklace.¡± ¡°Oh, you want to give it to your friend as a gift? Yes, it¡¯s good to see.¡± The clerk looked at the boy with delighted eyes. He can¡¯t easily buy it because it¡¯s too expensive, but he still wants it for his friend. How nice. ¡°It seems to be a jewel from the Galian region. It¡¯s well cut.¡± ¡°Oh my, how do you know¡ª?¡± ¡°Because the spinel of this color only comes from there.¡± ¡°How about a spinel? Usually it¡¯s mistaken for a crystal¡­¡± ¡°Please wrap it up as a gift. How much is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 200 gold¡­.¡± ¡°Here.¡± The clerk seriously doubted that he was dreaming. The fairy of jewels or something like that? However, there will be no fairy of jewels in this countryside who takes out 200 golds at once. The clerk was tying the ribbon of the box with a blank feeling after receiving the money, and the boy asked as if it were passing by. ¡°It looks like a flower. What flower is it?¡± ¡°Ah, this is a crocus.¡± ¡°Crocus.¡± ¡®What the hell is this kid?¡¯ As soon as the clerk finished packing and handed the box, the girl arrived. The boy, who was polite but had a stiff tone, smiled widely at once when the girl came. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Luce.¡± ¡°Ung!¡± Looking at the boy carrying the luggage and the girl walking hurriedly, the clerk clapped and stopped. ¡®Can I send it without explaining anything like this? I didn¡¯t know much about jewelry, so I didn¡¯t have to explain it, but the language of the crocus flower and the tale¡­ Isn¡¯t it a bit too much to give as a gift to someone, especially a friend?¡¯ The clerk scratched the back of his neck and shrugged his shoulder. ¡®Nevermind, I¡¯ve already sold it, what can I do?¡¯ Even though the unit price is a little high, it¡¯s like a kid¡¯s little joke gift. It would be good if the clerk didn¡¯t know who that kid is. Then the clerk smiles brightly. Chapter 15 The wind was chilly in the evening. Luce stretched out her hand and split the summer night¡¯s wind, watching the wind ruffle Rev¡¯s hair. He was a lot taller than she was, and although he was a bit naive, he was a smart kid, so he seemed to be good at taking care of himself. But why does she suddenly feel lonely looking at him? So Luce talked to him on purpose. ¡°It was fun today, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ung. It was fun.¡± ¡°What was the most fun?¡± The answer came at once. ¡°All of it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I enjoyed playing dart games together, treasure hunting, and eating ice cream together, and I enjoyed going to the competition together and buying gifts for your mother, Luce. It¡¯s all my first time doing it.¡± Luce, who looked at him softly and smiled, answered. ¡°Everything was fun for me, too. It was my first time playing outside the village like this.¡± I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t the only one who had fun. She said it with that in mind, but seeing that Rev nodded, he must have thought so too. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the next festival together. What do you think?¡± ¡°The next festival¡­ I think it¡¯s going to be difficult.¡± Hm? Why? Rev said something a little grumpily to Luce, who was looking confused. ¡°I can¡¯t participate because I¡¯m 18 years old in three years.¡ªIt¡¯s too bad.¡± At the unexpected words, Luce laughed loudly with tears around her eyes. He wondered why Luce was laughing, so Rev looked at her quietly. Luce, who wiped away the tears, answered. ¡°Wow, even if you don¡¯t participate in the competition, you can play at the festival together. Are you not going to hang out with me in three years?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± It seemed like he was going to say something like that. As he spoke Rev¡¯s words at the same time, his ears reddened. ¡°¡­Now I know. You¡¯re making fun of me.¡± ¡°Your reaction is so cute and funny. What can I do? It can¡¯t be helped. As long as you like it. It seems like Rev murmured a little. ¡°If you turn 18 in three years, you¡¯re two years older than me¡­ I didn¡¯t think to ask your age.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah. Rev. Sometimes you look like a younger brother, sometimes you look like a friend of the same age, and sometimes you look much more mature. This isn¡¯t teasing.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°In conclusion, you¡¯re a good friend no matter when and how I met you. It¡¯s a compliment.¡± She thought it was a very friendly relationship before, but she felt like they got closer after playing together all day. There were many new things she learned. Rev doesn¡¯t eat sour things well, has a much better memory than Luce thought, and is good at throwing darts. He learned the bow, too. It was natural for Luce to feel proud. ¡®If we get to know each other a little more, I can learn more about Rev, right?¡¯ Newcomers could be divided into two categories. A person who is worried about the bottom, and a person who is interested and expected to be revealed one by one. Rev was definitely the latter. ¡°Anyway, we must go to the festival together in three years.¡± ¡°Yes. Of course, because we decided to play together for the rest of our lives.¡± She liked the fact that he still remembers the words she just said, and that he cherishes the promise. Rev¡¯s lips twitched as he put his finger on it and made an unknown promise. ¡°Luce.¡± ¡°Ung?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the wish I mentioned earlier.¡± ¡°Ah, ung. I said I would listen to three things other than solving problems.¡± Does he want to ask about the conditions again? While waiting with a smile, Rev¡¯s words were surprising. ¡°Can I use one now?¡± ¡°Already? No, more than that, in this carriage? There isn¡¯t much I can do here right now, but okay. What is it?¡± ¡°Thank you. My wish is.¡± What he took out was a small box. ¡°I want you to accept this.¡± It is surprising that receiving a gift is a wish, but Luce was even more surprised by the contents of the box. Inside the box was a necklace in the shape of a flower that she had seen earlier and thought was pretty. ¡°Rev, this¡­?¡± ¡°You said it while giving me a snowball earlier. Please accept it as a piece of memory.¡± Luce looked at him as if possessed, as he liked to hear his calm voice explaining in a soft voice. ¡°I want you to think of this as a piece of memory today. Like the snowball you gave me.¡± ¡®If I just give it to her, I¡¯m sure Luce won¡¯t accept it.¡¯ Rev remembered that she refused for a long time when he gave her the prize money. A gift is something that the recipient should want. If Luce doesn¡¯t want to, he shouldn¡¯t give it. But nevertheless, Rev wanted Luce to accept my gift. He hopes that by looking at this necklace, known as a piece of memory, she will recall the pleasant moments she shared with him, even if only for a short moment. ¡°Isn¡¯t this really expensive?¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t a burdensome price.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. Even though it was said that he was exiled to the edge of the continent, Rev has the status of a prince. Spending roughly 200 gold was not unreasonable in comparison to the money he had. Even though Luce¡¯s face didn¡¯t change when she heard the words, she seemed to believe them. ¡°Is it a wish that is difficult to grant, Luce?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ Thank you, I¡¯ll take it. It¡¯s so pretty. Rev, how did you know I like this? My eyes went crazy because of the shape of the flower.¡± ¡°It was called Crocus.¡± ¡°Crocus? It¡¯s a pretty name.¡± Luce¡¯s cheeks, which are spreading bossy laughter, turned red. Rev thought the blushing face was prettier than this necklace. Luce was pleasantly surprised as she twirled the beautiful necklace around her slender neck a few times. ¡°What should I do if you use your wish for me to receive your gift? Use it for much bigger things, these opportunities don¡¯t come easily.¡± ¡°There are still two things left, so it¡¯s okay. And it was a big enough thing.¡± Luce, who tilted her head and smiled softly, coughed in vain. ¡°How are you going to use your wish?¡± ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t thought about it yet.¡± ¡°Just think simple. What did you like when I did it?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± It seemed like something come to his mind. Rev opened his mouth slowly. ¡°When you patted my head.¡± ¡°Like this morning?¡± ¡°Like this morning¡­ And when your mother first came, she stroked my hair right before you left.¡± He bowed his head. ¡°It felt good to be praised.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Later, can I make a second wish with that?¡± It is the first time anyone has been granted permission to make a wish like that. And it is also the first time that anyone makes a wish to let someone receive their gift or to have a pat on the head. After thinking for a moment, Luce raised her hand without answering. His eyes trembled as she gently patted his head. It soon closed gently. ¡°Rev.¡± ¡°¡­Ung.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a good boy.¡± Luce was going to give him a proper compliment when he said he liked when someone stroked his head because he felt like he was being praised. ¡°You¡¯re cool, nice, and funny.¡± As she spoke to him, her heart ached a little. Has he ever been praised or had someone stroked his hair affectionately? Probably not. If there was, there would be no reason to wish for something like this. So ¡°My lovely friend.¡± With this word now, may his loneliness blow away a little. Rev, who was flinching, said quietly. ¡°Thank you.¡± For some reason, her nose ached at the answer. Luce, who sniffed a little, said playfully. ¡°This is not included in the wish.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s okay if you ask me to pat your head anytime. Not a wish, but I¡¯ll just do it for you.¡± Luce remained still and stroked his hair until the carriage reached the village of Xenon. Rev said he would see her off to her house. Luce said she would take him to his house. And it didn¡¯t take long for both of them to notice that they didn¡¯t want to part ways. After walking a few rounds of the vacant lot for nothing, they decided to part ways at the halfway point. When he reached the promised point, Luce waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll stop going in. You go in right away, too. See you tomorrow, Rev!¡± ¡°Ung. See you tomorrow.¡± She could hear small footsteps behind her back, so maybe Rev was watching her as she entered the house. Smiling Luce arrived home, however Chelsea wasn¡¯t there. Maybe she was having a beer with Dahlia. Luce, who put the gifts she bought for her and the letters she received from Marie of the general store on the table, even put the book ¡°The Basics of Pharmacology¡± on the bookshelf and lay down on the bed. ¡®It was fun today. It was fun but¡ª¡¯ ¡°Among them, His Majesty, who brought the last wizard who resisted to the end, even though he was an enemy, showed mercy and left his name. There is also a monument to him in the park west of the capital. What is the name of this last wizard? ¡®I don¡¯t know why that last question bothers me so much. Radanum? Radanom? I think I¡¯ve seen Radha blah blah or something.¡¯ In Volume 2 of {The Cruelty of the Vladin Empire}, she couldn¡¯t remember the specifics such as the name of the person or the place because she read it quickly while checking to see if there was a scene. Rather than the main story, she read the comments more often because she was contemplating whether to buy it or not. So this familiarity is probably because people have mentioned it a lot in the comments. ¡®Is he a bad guy? I¡¯m sure a lot of people left comments because he¡¯s a bad guy, right? Ah, yeah. I think it was a villain.¡¯ [Radanum you b*stard please¡­ please go to hell¡­] [Radanum punk ?? Don¡¯t bully our male lead.] ¡®But I think there were people who liked it¡­Were they people who liked the villain character?¡¯ [Radanum punk. Don¡¯t screw it up??? ] [Ha Radanum is really annoying, but why are you so attractive? ??? I hate myself like this] What punk. It¡¯s hurt. Her head throbbed. ¡®And why did the Lord put that up as the last question? No one knew about it because of the discrimination.¡¯ Except for one person. She felt a chill run down her throat all of a sudden. ¡®Maybe the answer is a taboo word, or does it mean something to filter out impurities or something like that? No way, it¡¯s not like that, right? If that was the case, the moderator would not have been able to shout so loudly. Ha, it¡¯s still uncomfortable.¡¯ She didn¡¯t expect this to be put in her life that she thought would be peaceful. There was one more concern. ¡®But how does Rev know the wizard¡¯s name? He knows a lot about this and that, but¡ª¡¯ It was when Luce touch her head. Knock, knock¡ª. ¡®Who is it at this hour? Is it Rev?¡¯ ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Miss Luce?¡± An unfamiliar voice called her name. Luce held her breath. Chapter 16 ¡°W, who is it?¡± Of all things, why was there a guest when her mother wasn¡¯t here! Luce hurriedly recalled her memories. This mysterious voice was obviously not from the villagers. If so, who is it? Not looking for her mom, Chelsea, and who could possibly be looking for a little girl at this midnight? Who could be looking for a little girl in the middle of the night if it¡¯s not looking for her mother? A siren sounded in her head. It was when Luce, who was very nervous, picked up a poker. ¡°You won the Rodante Quiz Contest, right? I came out under the orders of the Lord.¡± The pulse went off. ¡°I came to get your signature because the signing process wasn¡¯t done when you got the prize.. Please come out for a moment.¡± ¡®Why do you take care of things like this?¡¯ While grumbling, Luce put down the poker. Seriously, even when dealing with small documents, you have to get the parties¡¯ signatures, they can¡¯t just throw them 250 gold. Still, isn¡¯t it rude to come straight to someone else¡¯s house late at night? It was when Luce, who was complaining, opened the door. Her hand on the doorknob stopped. ¡®No.¡¯ Something is not right. ¡®How do you know my home address?¡¯ Regardless of courtesy, Luce had never given her address to the organizer. Therefore, it is impossible for the Lord¡¯s servants to come straight to this house. When she realized that, her body trembled as if she had been struck by lightning. ¡°¡­I only filled out my name on the application form. How did you know about this place?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s, well.¡± Unlike Luce, who was shaking, someone outside the door said calmly. ¡°As soon as I knew it was missing, I followed you.¡± What¡¯s that? ¡°I¡¯m sorry I followed you unintentionally. Please open the door.¡± ¡°Unintentionally, what a bullshit.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± At Luce¡¯s cold tone, the people outside the door seemed to be perplexed. ¡°Do you think that if you make a mistake and say ¡®unintentionally¡¯, everything will be forgiven?¡± ¡°Huh, Miss Luce?¡± ¡°And if you¡¯re going to perform official duties, you should have brought proof or a certificate that you were working under the Lord. Do you even reveal your name? I wonder if I should try to open the door first, or if you follow me proudly, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll see all sorts of strange people!¡± ¡°So, can you open the door?¡± ¡°Enough! If that¡¯s really necessary, please come back during the day. But, I¡¯ll be honest, it¡¯s your fault that I didn¡¯t get a signature, so I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m responsible for your mistake in the middle of the night.¡± Ha. The sound of laughter was heard outside the door. It sounded like a laugh, but it was also a feeling of admiration. Luce looked at the door without any hesitation. The person outside the door, who had been laughing for a long time, answered briefly about what was funny. ¡°Yes, I understand. I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Yes, good-bye.¡± The sound of footsteps gets farther away. Was the footstep sound that I thought belonged to Rev on the way home was that guy¡¯s? Only then did Luce realize. ¡®Rev is a kid who will follow me straight, even though it¡¯s a pity if I tell him to go in quickly. So it wasn¡¯t Rev¡¯s footsteps.¡¯ Shaking down her goosebumps arm, Luce rolled her feet. She doesn¡¯t know who it is, but just come tomorrow because she¡¯ll find out his position, name and file a complaint! The man who was watching Luce go up to her room through the window took off his hood. ¡°So she¡¯s not falling for it?¡± Wizard Radanum grinned. ¡°I thought it was easy because she was a little kid, but she¡¯s pretty good.¡± ¡°¡ªThere was someone who dared to call my brother¡¯s middle name by abbreviation. Other than that, there was nothing special.¡± ¡°Yes, is that so? I get a rough idea of what¡¯s going on.¡± It was the carriage that headed straight for the village to the report, not the report of the gloomy Delmar. A girl who calls Prince Aurelio Rev. The Prince, who had never rebelled, stopped him. Radanum¡¯s reddish brown eyes shone in the moonlight. Soon he disappeared with a blue light, as if he had never existed. ***** ¡°Really, Mom? Did you say that the Lord¡¯s person went to the elder?¡± ¡°Yeah. They asked if a red-haired girl and a boy with glasses lived in this town, and when they heard the answer, they said yes and went back.¡± It was a bland job. So, was the man that stopped by last night really from the Lord¡¯s side? Am I being sensitive for nothing? Recalling his unique voice, she was fiddling with her fingernails, and Chelsea said as if passing by. ¡°But you did a good job. No matter how much he came under the orders of the Lord, I can¡¯t believe he stopped by a house where only two women live at night. It¡¯s his fault.¡± ¡°Right? I did a good job, right?¡± ¡°Of course. You learned very well. It¡¯s always better to be careful because there¡¯s only one thing.¡± Luce held her chin with a smile. ¡®By the way, did he just give up on the excuse of signing yesterday?¡ªwell, he may have thought that he could fake a sign as long as he has confirmed our residence. It¡¯s signed by non-adult children anyway, so there won¡¯t be any public credibility.¡¯ She was pouting out of vain, and Chelsea closed the letter from Grandma Marie that she was holding and added. ¡°You have to be careful if that happens in the future. My daughter is good, so I¡¯m not too worried.¡± ¡°¡­In the future?¡± ¡°You know Dahlia and mom are close, right?¡± ¡°Of course I know that.¡± What¡¯s with that all of sudden? Thinking Luce saw the folded letter. Chelsea nodded. ¡°Mom and Dahlia once worked at Grandma Marie¡¯s general store with Dahlia. Grandma was not feeling well and was trying to sell the store, so I decided to save money with Dahlia and take over the general store.¡± ¡°Huh, really? Then this letter¡­¡± ¡¸Acceptance Certificate¡¹ Chelsea laughed, waving a letter with big letters. ¡°We decided to open it in the winter.¡± ¡°Wow, mom, so you¡¯re going to be the owner?¡± ¡°Of course. What¡¯s the point of playing? I have to make money.¡± Rather than the fact that Chelsea was making money, she was more than happy that she was dexterous and resourceful, and that her talent didn¡¯t go to waste. Luce¡¯s face, who had been applauding, turned pale at a glance. ¡°Then, Mom, are we moving to Rodante?¡¯ ¡°You saw it yesterday. Wasn¡¯t it good? It was much bigger and more crowded than Xenon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good, but¡­¡± She¡¯s happy to be moving out, of course. It¡¯s good to say goodbye to the leaking house with a broken roof and to Vincent, who argued that they could fight every time she ran into it. But if she moves to a neighboring town, she probably won¡¯t be able to see Rev as often as she does now. Chelsea, who looked at Luce with drooping eyebrows as if it was funny, replied. ¡°Just kidding. We¡¯re not moving. Mom likes this house.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not hate either, but wouldn¡¯t it be hard for you to commute to work?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that because I can come as early as 30 minutes. There will be a lot of times when mom will be away from now on. I¡¯ve decided to take turns working with Dahlia, so if something happens to you when Mom¡¯s away, go to Dahlia. Or you can stay at the elder¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Ung, mom, I¡¯m rooting for you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do really well.¡± Chelsea, who smiled at her daughter who said admirable things, brought out the shopping bag. ¡°You bought a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my mom¡¯s!¡± ¡®You just robbed the prize money, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s just the prize money, I bought it with a gift certificate I won as a giveaway and all my money. It¡¯s a gift from my daughter, so you should be grateful for it, Boss Chelsea!¡± ¡°This is really.¡± It was a prank she could play because she knew Chelsea would grunt every time, but still would cherish whatever she gave her. This time, Chelsea asked, who had been scouring clothes and shoes with affection, contrary to the words. ¡°This look very expensive? You bought this from Revenue? Did you have any prize money to share with that friend, Rev?¡± ¡°Oh, what happened was.¡± Chelsea tilted their heads when she explained the situation. ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t do much for you. But tell him thank you. By the way, what is that necklace? Is it a treasure hunt?¡± ¡°Oh, this is from Rev. It¡¯s pretty, right?¡± When she explained about the necklace, Chelsea shook her head. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡± Luce didn¡¯t seem to know, but Chelsea, who had an eye for miscellaneous goods, could know right away. ¡®It¡¯s not made of cubics or glass. It¡¯s a real gem. 200 gold at the very least.¡¯ There are some unchanging truths in the world. However, time is gold. And the other thing, the money goes and the heart goes. ¡®I was talking about a date to make fun of Dominic, but¡ª¡¯ Chelsea¡¯s expression became complicated in an instant. ¡°Mom?¡± Luce called her carefully. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Whatever it is, don¡¯t take it for granted. It¡¯s the same even if it¡¯s from a friend, not someone else. How many times do I have to tell you that nothing is free?¡± ¡°O, okay.. I didn¡¯t take it like that. Actually, it wasn¡¯t even free.¡± ¡°If you refuse what you get, you¡¯ll get it!¡± ¡°Hiik, I know!¡± It was a message usually given by a mother who values courtesy. Luce, who jumped over the doorstep, waved her hand as if she would be hit again. ¡°Where are you going, you punk! Mom is not done talking!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to play at Rev¡¯s house today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about causing trouble!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back! I¡¯ll pick mushrooms, too!¡± She responds in advance to what Chelsea might say and then runs away. Chelsea sighed as she watched the back of Luce moving away through the trees. ¡°¡­because they¡¯re still kids.¡± It¡¯s going to be okay, right? Chelsea murmured so much that she hit the forehead. Chapter 17 ¡®Congratulations on the opening of {Dahlia General Store}!¡¯ Chelsea and Dahlia¡¯s general stores have opened. Chelsea¡¯s talent and speaking skills, as well as Dahlia¡¯s eye wit and connection, were the best combination to run a general store. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°I told you to call me boss here.¡± ¡°Yes, boss. I have a question.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Due to the rush of customers from the first day of the opening, Luce, who was suddenly dragged to write a checklist of items, stuck her tongue. ¡°You must be rich.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Does it make sense to sell out all the wooden cubes that were bad stock in one day? I guess it¡¯s business. But how do you get these square pieces of wood to sell like crazy?¡± ¡°I tied it with a carving knife and sold it as a top set. Because it was beautifully packaged and sold, several neighborhood kids who were always thirsty for entertainment were eager to purchase it. They are cutting wood and turning it, so people who saw it asked for one too.¡± ¡°¡­Mom, aren¡¯t you really a business genius?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, I even brought water and sold it to make an ice sheet for the top, and the profit is strong.¡± ¡°How could the God of business be so close?¡± Chelsea¡¯s face was still full of laughter as she glanced at her daughter, who seriously complimented her. ¡°But why did you name the store {Dahlia General Store}, Boss?¡± ¡°Because Dahlia has more stakes.¡± She almost got upset with Aunt Dahlia for no reason. But if that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s acceptable. ¡°I sincerely hope that you will make a lot of money soon and become a {Dahlia & Chelsea General Store}. Be successful!¡± There were some changes in their lives when they opened a general store. The first was a new male employee named Elliot. ¡°Hello, Uncle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Uncle. Call me Elliot.¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle Elliot.¡± ¡°¡­you, I¡¯m gonna tell the boss everything.¡± ¡°Uncle, she¡¯s my mom before a boss.¡± ¡°Do you have time to fool around? Lucette, Elliot?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°No. We¡¯re not.¡± It looked a bit soft, but after a few days of watching it, Chelsea said it was good to hear. Thanks to this, Luce was freed from being forced to work in Chelsea¡¯s store. ¡°Look at this. Isn¡¯t it cool? I made it.¡± ¡°What is it, um¡ªbottle cap?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an arrowhead! I, it¡¯s just a little squashed!¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°Speak with your soul!¡± The second was Dominic. Dahlia, who was worried about leaving the mischievous Dominic to Luce, found a solution in Rodante. There¡¯s a blacksmith who¡¯s looking for a student. As he was still young, he couldn¡¯t do much work, but surprisingly, Dominic seemed fit to make something. Dominic took two or three hours of hobby and vocational education a day, making it a pleasure to brag to Luce. ¡°What are you doing these days?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m exploring my career path.¡± At first, she was definitely going to play and eat. However, as she had a habit of working, she was getting a little tired of just playing, and above all, Chelsea looked very cool working with her eyes shining. It was a new stimulus. ¡®I¡¯ll just have to find what I want to do step by step. In my previous life, I was in a hurry to earn money, so I went to a place that gave me money.¡¯ If there was anything she wanted to learn, there was also an environment where she could study leisurely. It¡¯s not a lot, but Chelsea had saved up all of it for her education and, most of all. ¡®Because the teacher, who knows everything, is right next to me.¡¯ ¡°I saw the arrowhead well. I¡¯m going!¡± ¡°Are you going to play with that Revinas or something? Today, too?¡± ¡°Why? Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Ha, I¡¯m not jealous at all! You take this!¡± She doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with him. Dominic stomped his feet in anger every time, but his face turned red and he went back. Luce smiled, put the arrowhead he threw away in the drawer, and went to Rev¡¯s house, where she could now go with her eyes closed. ¡®It¡¯s cold. The river was also frozen, maybe?¡¯ She liked the sound of stepping on the snow. Luce, who had sneezed, knocked. ¡°It¡¯s me, Luce.¡± She introduces herself when she doesn¡¯t need to. ¡°Ung, Luce. come in.¡± It was because it was nice to hear the welcome words. He opened the door. The smoke hit her. Luce looked at her friend, perhaps the most different in this town. ¡°Would you like me to make cocoa?¡± ¡°Yeah, put some marshmallows too.¡± ¡®He seems to grow every time I see him.¡¯ They said that boys grow up quickly, and they were right. Like a bamboo shoot that grows by a span after being hit by rain, Rev has grown a lot. The shirts that had been cut to fit his body had long since been thrown away. It was because it didn¡¯t fit his shoulders. It seemed like they went shopping for clothes just yesterday, but they would have to visit the clothing store again soon. ¡®We should have bought bigger clothes from the beginning. Well, I didn¡¯t know he would grow up like this.¡¯ Half right and half wrong. Luce didn¡¯t know that Rev liked to go to the clothing store with her, so they bought the clothes just right every time. Rev, who gave her the hot cocoa, smiled softly. Looking at the smile and face, it seemed to be the same. Luce also laughed like a habit. ¡°Have you read all the books?¡± Cough. Luce, who was laughing and drinking cocoa, choked at his words. Luce waved her hand, looking resentfully at Rev, who hurriedly brought the tissue. ¡°Where are you asking, Rev?¡± Luce had asked Rev to do it. Rev gladly agreed to help her study in a way that wouldn¡¯t get in his way, and the first thing he talked about was the math that Luce hated. When asked, ¡°Should I do this?¡± Rev began to persuade her step by step with a polite and friendly tone. ¡°It is the basics of academics, but I think it will also be helpful for the business of the store run by your mother. I¡¯ll try to narrow it down to something that¡¯ll help with the accounting. Let¡¯s do it together.¡± Luce didn¡¯t have the talent to refuse Rev, who smiled beautifully. Luce blamed herself for being weak because of his face, but Rev¡¯s words helped her a lot. It was not because of the exam but because it had been a long since she had studied on her own, so it was interesting in its own way. ¡®But it¡¯s against the law to ask something like this.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to ask you this as soon as you arrive, Luce. You¡¯re drinking cocoa.¡± Ah, she like this kind and good-looking tutor who is surprisingly good at hitting the wall. But Luce knew the weak spot of the tutor who made delicious cocoa. ¡°Of course I read it, I read it¡­ I think it would be a good idea to change the subject a bit today, Teacher Rev.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, you¡¯ve only learned the same thing over and over again.¡± He is weak at Luce¡¯s request. Luce knew that he decided to teach her to study because it was her request anyway so that he would keep it faithfully. But she thinks that hanging out with Rev for a day. Luce, who gently grabbed Rev¡¯s hand, who was seriously considering whether there was a problem with the curriculum, pointed her chin outside. ¡°Did you know it snowed outside?¡± ¡°Did it snow?¡± Rev looked out the window and nodded. Luce remembered that his circle of activity never left his house. ¡°It¡¯s the first winter since you moved into this town, Lev.¡± ¡°Ung, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s worth celebrating, too. That¡¯s why.¡± Luce, who coughed in vain, held out the hidden bag. ¡°How about physical training today?¡± Rev smiled as he looked at the bag containing the scarf, fluffy earplugs, and skates. He won¡¯t refuse a request. As usual. ¡°¡­Ung. That would be nice.¡± Luce, who wrapped a scarf around him who smiled, pointed to his neck. Rev, who was wrapping Luce¡¯s share of the scarf, stared at the necklace that sparkled on her collarbone. Rev waited still, covering the memories of summer with what would be memories of winter. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Luce gives her hand. Now, the hand that reached out felt as warm as it did the first time. ¡°Because my snowman is bigger, Rev?¡± ¡°Are we supposed to compare the size of a snowman side to side?¡± ¡°Your snowman may be higher, but mine is bigger in the concept of size! I won.¡± It¡¯s been a long time since Luce saw snow, so she was excited. The tall Rev built a snowman in three tiers, but Luce¡¯s snowman was chubby. It was well worth the hard work. They had a snowball fight, sledding, and skateboarding¡ªLuce was the one who suggested skating, but after falling over 20 times in total, Luce gave up and decide to make a snowman, and after making the snowman, her body felt heavy as if it were submerged in water. Rev, who was surprised to see Luce lying in the snow, approached. ¡°Can¡¯t you get up, Luce? Are you okay?¡± ¡°This is also a kind of play. You should lie down too.¡± As she pulled the hem of his robe, Rev, lying on snow with a dubious expression on his face, murmured. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s soft.¡± ¡°Right? Lying on clean snow makes me feel good. Like this, when you stir your hands and feet, it looks like a butterfly-shape when viewed from above?¡± ¡°Butterfly-shaped?¡± Rev, who saw Luce wriggling, followed slowly. Then, he wakes up as if to check if it really looks like a butterfly and exclaims a little. His breath, which was scattered through his pale lips, faded, and then he lay down next to her. ¡®It¡¯s worth bringing it out.¡¯ Luce¡¯s friend, who knew everything about science and knowledge, but was unfamiliar with such trivial things, suddenly fell in love with it. ¡°Luce, when I¡¯m with you.¡± It seems that Rev felt the same way. A low voice slowly spread through the winter night air. ¡°I think I always have experiences that I¡¯ve never had before.¡± ¡°Is it your first time doing everything?¡± ¡°Ung.¡± It¡¯s his first snowball fight, first sledding and skating, his first snowman making, and his first snow angel. As he approaches his 16th year, how many things have he not done before? How many things did he want to do? ¡°¡­It¡¯s fun.¡± He must have done things that were right for his age, but if he hadn¡¯t met her, he would have missed out on so much more. ¡®How have you been living all this time?¡¯ Luce muttered, slowly sweeping his hair buried in the snow. ¡°Rev, I ask you to teach me how to study, too.¡± ¡°Ung.¡± ¡°So you can always ask me if you want to do something or if you don¡¯t want to do it alone.¡± Rev, who took off his blurry glasses, was looking at the black night sky. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not going to say no?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll refuse anything difficult.¡± Luce, who had been talking playfully, stopped laughing and spoke briefly. ¡°But if it¡¯s you, I¡¯ll do everything for you.¡± Just like you do to me. ¡°And you have two wishes. If it¡¯s hard to ask, you can write a wish. You still haven¡¯t decided what to wish for? That¡¯s not it, is it?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Because he¡¯s being careful. Luce, who was holding Rev¡¯s cold hand and shaking it around, suddenly raised her head in a sense of difference. What bandage is on his hand? As soon as she was about to ask, Rev¡¯s words followed. ¡°¡­I like being around you, so I don¡¯t feel like asking for anything else.¡± ¡®This doesn¡¯t change.¡¯ To say things that could be misunderstood like that with a simple tone. Rev is guilty of this. You¡¯re in prison for life! However, Luce didn¡¯t know that Rev was also thinking similarly. Chapter 18 ¡°If you go around saying that to anyone, you¡¯ll be misunderstood, Rev?¡± It¡¯s a bit of a disease¡ªa severe illness. Rev, who pulled Luce up, just smiled. As he wiped the snow, he stopped. ¡°You said you would grant any request, Luce.¡± ¡°What are you going to ask for?¡± He smiled quietly again, this time and spoke briefly. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Luce, who was silent, asked cautiously. ¡°Am I the one who cooks? That¡¯s, my mom is good at cooking, but I can only boil eggs.¡± Today, Rev laughs a lot. He must be in a good mood. ¡°No, I practiced. So I want to treat you even a little.¡± ¡°You practiced cooking? You?¡± ¡°Ung.¡± Is Rev cooking? Luce was in a dazed mood. It was because he didn¡¯t eat much at his house either. There were always a few plentiful foods, but they weren¡¯t enough to eat. The first is Luce¡¯s favorite orange cookie. The cookie basket was always full, no matter where it came from. Second, drinks. Coffee, cocoa, and tea leaves were stacked on wall shelves by type. She doesn¡¯t know why Rev lives alone, but there are several bottles of wine. Third, fruits can be eaten whole or with thin skins. That was all. It is a house without the common cereal or oatmeal. ¡®I think it was just yesterday that I teased him because I don¡¯t know if this was a herbivore house or a human house, but Rev is cooking?¡¯ Wasn¡¯t he just consuming the minimum number of calories to survive because he had a short mouth and lacked enthusiasm for food? Luce entered the house with a tilted head and followed him quietly. Luce opened her mouth as she looked in the cupboard while standing on her tiptoes. ¡°Wow. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen anything here, Rev.¡± The empty cupboard was filled with eggs, meat, and vegetables. He turned on the fire and raised his arm. Unexpectedly, before she could be surprised by his muscular arm, he began to cut a little slowly but accurately. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Has he been hiding his cooking skills all this time? The length of the cut asparagus was as if it were measured with a ruler. Luce looked at the cut vegetables¡¯ length and was amazed. Rev, who smiled lightly, beckoned. ¡°Go there and wait for a moment. I want to serve it warmly, so it will take a little while because I don¡¯t cook it beforehand.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s kind of weird to be playing alone. Is there anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°Oh, then can you break the egg?¡± ¡°¡­Are you teasing me because I said I can only boil eggs?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯d be happy if you could help me.¡± Luce, giggling, did as he asked and cracked open the egg before heading into the living room. ¡®I don¡¯t need to interrupt you because you¡¯ve made up your mind a long time ago. By the way, what¡¯s with that all of sudden?¡¯ He was serious. Luce had never seen Rev cook and eat. Not even once. ¡®I always thought it was amazing that he grew up so tall even after eating a little bit. Hmm, did you finally feel the need for nutrients? The nagging is worth it.¡¯ Luce, who was organizing the notebooks and books on the dining table and desk, paid attention to the books with bulging back covers. {Introduction to Basic Cooking}, {Food and Cooking Book}, {Recipe 101}¡­. They were all cooking books. Is Rev interested in cooking this time? Luce stopped looking through some pages of the book. There were notes everywhere. ¡®Luce¡¯s favorite dish.¡¯ What Luce likes to eat, what Luce likes, what Luce said. Luce, who was flipping through the book, knew that all the notes in the book were directed at one person, herself. ¡®Then, don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡¯ Luce shook her head. ¡°Luce.¡± Luce could see Rev smiling brightly through the candlelight. ¡°Happy birthday.¡± His face was the first thing she saw before the sweet and fragrant cakes and delicious-looking food. Rev even learned how to cook so he could celebrate her birthday, which Luce didn¡¯t care about because she had forgotten about it. Luce asked blankly. ¡°How did you know¡­?¡± ¡°There was a time when you said it as if you were passing by, and I remembered it after hearing it.¡± She forgot about it, too. She couldn¡¯t believe he remembered that. ¡°You don¡¯t even eat well¡­.¡± ¡°Because you like it.¡± One side of her heart tickled as if someone was scratching. She felt like she was going to cry because her eyes were burning up. Luce, who was only bowing her head, slowly approached. ¡°Shall we blow out the candles first, Luce?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, do you want to eat the steak first? ¡°No, I.¡± ¡°Ung, tell me.¡± She knows that Rev is not curious enough to learn about something he is not interested in. Clothes did, cards did, cooking did. Nevertheless, it was all for her that he decided to try cooking. Luce, who had been fiddling with his band-aid hand, gently hugged Rev. ¡°I want to say thank you first.¡± ¡°¡­Luce.¡± What¡¯s the point of practicing? It even hurt him. Luce muttered, burying herself in his arms instead of playful finding fault and serious worries. ¡°Thank you, Rev. It¡¯s the best birthday of my life. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± She meant it. In the previous life, she was alone, and in this life, it was someone else¡¯s birthday, so it was something she didn¡¯t expect. Chelsea was also naturally forgetful because they weren¡¯t in the nature to take care of something cute like a birthday celebration. But, to be remembered by someone she never thought of, today is the most perfect birthday of all her life. Luce, who pulled his hand firmly holding the air and put it on her shoulder, hugged Rev and patted him on the back. Rev¡¯s hands are cold, but his arms are warm. A low voice came from his body. ¡°Thank you too, Luce.¡± ¡°What are you thankful for?¡± ¡°Right.¡± The sound of his heart in her ear was very loud. Recalling the story of how people with cold hands have warm hearts, Luce patted him for a while and then swept him away. ***** It was a really good meal, except the cake melted a little by the candles and the steak was a little cold. Even the dessert was perfect. ¡®It¡¯s the lemon sorbet that I like to eat!¡¯ Luce, who emptied the plate with admiration, checked one after another. ¡°Don¡¯t just do this to me, you have to do it to yourself. It¡¯s a promise.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t keep avoiding my eyes.¡± Rev, who didn¡¯t make any silly promises, awkwardly avoided Luce¡¯s gaze. She tried several times, but Rev didn¡¯t even put his finger on it in the end. It was sooner for Luce, who had been exhausted from eating too much, to give up. Putting down her one-card bundle¡ªOf course, Luce won overwhelmingly again¡ªshe leaned back on her chair and asked. ¡°How did you come up with this, Rev?¡± ¡°I also like what you eat.¡± Yes, I tend to eat all the cookies in this house. Luce readily agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever had a proper meal together until now.¡± Is that so? Luce, who was recalling her memory, nodded slowly. What they ate together was snacks like cookies and ice cream. Chelsea¡¯s food brought to Rev was also a bowl of soup or stew. ¡®You were paying attention to that.¡¯ ¡°So I thought it would be good to prepare the first meal together. Because you always take care of me.¡± Luce, who was slowly blinking, smiled. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Rev.¡± ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess I ate too much thanks to you¡ª ah, it smells sweet and sour. What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a non-alcoholic warm wine. They said it¡¯s a drink suitable for winter. Do you want to try it?¡± ¡°Ung.¡± She played in the snow all evening and ate a lot of delicious food, so it was strange if she wasn¡¯t sleepy. Rev, who looked cutely at Luce, who nodded at the word warm wine even with sleepy eyes, stood up. When he returned with two warm wines, Luce had already closed her eyes. ¡°Luce?¡± When he calls her, she opens her eyes a little. ¡°Luce, I¡¯ll take you home. Can you get up? ¡°Rev.¡± As she tried to get up, Luce grabbed his hand. It was a hand with a band-aid. ¡°¡­Thank you so much. Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯m heartbroken that you got hurt. Don¡¯t get hurt.¡± And the hand fell off. Rev, who was watching Luce for a while, lowered his body. He said he didn¡¯t know why he was thankful a while ago, but now he seems to understand why. ¡°Because you¡¯re like this.¡± Because she is in his life where he should have been alone all the time, he likes it. He was grateful for that. Knowing that this is a luxury for an abandoned prince. Rev, who had been looking at Luce, who had been sleeping for a while, moved her carefully. When he laid her down in the bedroom and covered her with a blanket, she opened her eyes, perhaps startled by the sight. ¡°Go sleep. I¡¯ll talk to your mother.¡± ¡°Rev¡­when will your birthday be?¡± He said briefly, covering her toes with the blanket. ¡°I don¡¯t know my birthday, Luce.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So you decide it for me.¡± How about in the middle of summer, the day we first met? Or, the day we went to see the festival together. She thought that if it weren¡¯t that, it would be fine if it was today. If that¡¯s the case, they can spend our birthdays together every year. It was when he left the room, wiping his face, who had been looking at Luce, who had fallen asleep. ¡°Aurelio.¡± Rev took a long breath. He hoped it wasn¡¯t like today. At least as much as today. There was a person in front of him who he never wanted to meet. ¡°I see Your Highness the Empress Consort.¡± In an instant, Rev bowed with a feeling of falling. Chapter 19 ¡°Radanum?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± There were usually three people at the recent Emperor¡¯s luncheon. The Emperor himself, the Empress Consort, and Prince Delmar. There were times when a few more people joined this place. It was a case of having a meeting about close state affairs or discussing the deployment of troops. When some Dukes, Marquis, and Markgraf said meaningless things, the Emperor always gave his opinion and eventually put it through. But sometimes, there were four people. ¡°Is it true that Count Postino has a strange smell in the southwest?¡± A place where the wizard Rathanum observes and cleans up. ¡°Yes. Reliable news says that he¡¯s secretly selecting more soldiers than is allowed. After checking it myself, it is unlikely that it will lead to a rebellion. He seems to be struggling pitifully to counter the power of the Western Markgraf, however.¡± Radanum interrupted for a moment. ¡°The result is always important, not the intention. It¡¯s up to Your Majesty how you use it.¡± ¡°Count Postino has been like a tongue in my mouth for a while¡ª¡± (t/n: Means someone who is always obedient.) ¡°Would you like to take a look?¡± ¡°I meant that it was even more disgusting. Take care of it yourself.¡± The blue-eyed Emperor, who smiled coldly, waved his hand. Radanum also smiled and raised his arms. A bracelet with blue jewels was hung on it. ¡°Even though you refuse every time, I will still make a request. If you could release this restraint, which can only be released by the Emperor¡¯s power, even for a moment, I would be able to process it faster than anyone else and come back. Definitely, I can make sure that no one is left behind in the Postino estate.¡± The last wizard, Radanum, was thought to be dead from the outside, but he managed to stay alive by selling all of his colleagues. However, the treatment of informants is not good as always. He was given restraints that limited his magical power. The Emperor called it to reward, and those who knew the story called it punishment. It was a prize for Radanum. Anyway, he survived. ¡°To tell a bland joke.¡± The Emperor, who casually passed the word, refused as if it were natural, and Radanum also accepted it as if it was natural. During the luncheon that followed, a few more names were mentioned. An accomplished knight, a clerk who wrote offensive words, and a judge who refuted the Emperor¡¯s opinion. The Emperor, who casually spat out the words that half of them would die, chewed the meat and swallowed it. The last topic of conversation was the Prince, who had never sat here. ¡°What about Aurelio?¡± Delmar was startled. After looking at him for a while, Radanum said softly. ¡°He¡¯s still doing well.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± The Emperor, who spoke lightly as if he were talking about others, beckoned. It was a congratulatory message to Delmar. The Emperor, who had put down his fork, watched as Delmar moved away and continued to speak slowly. ¡°You had prophesied.¡± ¡°I offer my prophecy to Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± It was the day the prince with black hair and red eyes was born. The Emperor with golden hair and blue eyes saw the child¡¯s face. All of the few who were present trembled. Neither the midwives, the maids, nor the chief servants dared to open their mouths. It was more correct that they couldn¡¯t open it. A child who doesn¡¯t show any of the characteristics that must be possessed by a direct lineage of the Vladin family undoubtedly seemed to resemble his mother. No way, did the dark-haired mistress, who had passed out after giving birth, do something impure? Did she dare to play with someone else, betraying the Emperor even though she had received the Emperor¡¯s favor? Each question was scattered, but only one thing could be said. ¡°I, I won¡¯t say anything about today until I die¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. If you don¡¯t have a closed mouth, you won¡¯t have anything to say.¡± It was the time when the Emperor, who had thrown away the sword that tore the mouths of all those who witnessed it, was about to grab the wine glass. The wizard, who appeared in the dark as if he had been there from the beginning, knelt down and offered a golden apple. The prophecy of a bitter and sour taste resounded in the Emperor¡¯s ears. ¡°Here comes the man who will kill you¡ª¡± The man who will kill you is here. Every time someone tries to kill him, they fail, and he uses that to make himself stronger. The Emperor grinned as he murmured the prophecy. ¡°As soon as you¡¯re born, you insult your father twice, which makes you very different.¡± There is a child who is blessed just by being born. So, there will also be a child who is cursed just by being born. What was the expression of the wizard, one of the two people who knew the prophecy of the day? ¡°Yes, I see.¡± Just like today. Calm, relaxed, with a strange smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s a headache.¡± ¡°There is no need for Your Majesty Emperor to use your power. Of course, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Because I am monitoring him.¡± The Emperor, who had always looked at the wizard with the same expression, clicked his tongue relentlessly. ¡°Is it my job to get ahead of my judgment in advance, so you¡¯re even thinking about it, Radanum?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re arrogant.¡± Radanum was a sharp and hard-to-control weapon that was passed down from ancestors. He couldn¡¯t throw it away and couldn¡¯t just fully take it. The Emperor, who casually showed hostility, smiled as if he had never done so and looked at the Empress Consort, Diana. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go meet him for a while?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you know, Your Majesty? I¡¯m uncomfortable with that child.¡± Diana was the Emperor¡¯s wife. The Empress died early. Some said she was ill, and some called it poison. Now that everyone who said it was poisoned is dead, her cause of death is written as a disease. After the death of the Empress, the Emperor took over the mistress. The mistress that gave birth to Aurelio disappeared. No one knew what happened after that. Next was Diana. The mother of Delmar and Empress Consort of the Vladin Empire. She was fit for anything. The Empress Consort, who was moderately calculated and moderately benevolent, didn¡¯t offend the Emperor. Even though she gave birth to a Prince, she didn¡¯t complain about her condition of not becoming an Empress, nor did she question the appearance of the 1st prince Aurelio, who was unfamiliar to anyone. That alone was enough to win praise. ¡°But it¡¯s Your Majesty¡¯s command, so I¡¯ll have to follow it.¡± ¡°That would be nice, Diana.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll stop by after dinner tonight. I¡¯ll check his condition and come back. What can I say to him?¡± The Emperor answered briefly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡± Diana nodded. After dinner, she went to Radanum¡¯s room. Standing on top of the magic circle as if she had been swayed, Radanum spoke to her. ¡°Prince Aurelio still has a portrait of his mother.¡± ¡°What is your intention to tell me that, Radanum?¡± ¡°What do you mean by intention? It just means don¡¯t be too surprised. About what¡¯s going on in the house. Oh, I don¡¯t know if you know.¡± Diana looked back. ¡°Prince Aurelio really likes that place.¡± ¡°¡­He seems to have forgotten that this is exile.¡± At first glance, it sounded pathetic. But Radanum saw. A faint smile spread around Diana¡¯s mouth as she disappeared under the blue flame. She arrived on the second floor. As Radanum had said, a faded portrait lay on the other side of the room. Diana looked for a while at the portrait of a woman with black hair, whose outline was now blurred. She went down the stairs with a slight dizziness that the magic circle must have left behind. Aurelio appeared. The son of her husband, her stepson, and the exiled Prince. He was taller than the last time she had seen him. Muscles were attached to his skinny biceps. There was a slight flush on his face as he came out of the room as he wiped his face. It was the opposite of the appearance of the Imperial Palace, which was always pale. Diana thought it was a good look. ¡°Aurelio.¡± But that figure was shattered as soon as he heard her own voice. In an instant, he raised his greeting with a pale face. ¡°I see Your Highness the Empress Consort.¡± A voice of vigilance was heard. ¡°Radanum was right.¡± That you¡¯ve come to like this place more. Contrary to her soft words, the child seemed to have misunderstood her words. In an instant, his sharp red eyes turned to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you heard from him.¡± Aurelio blocked the door. ¡°Today¡­ Not today. Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you have anything to order, please tell me.¡± Diana gave him a dry smile as she slowly looked back and forth between his face and the door, which was obviously meant to end the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m just here to check something, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What do you mean check something?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Turning and climbing the stairs, she left a short message. ¡°Take your medicine well.¡± She knew the trembling eyes were looking at her, but Diana didn¡¯t look back. ***** Luce struggled to open her sleepy eyes. She ate as much as she could and slept well, but she felt like she had forgotten something. ¡®Ah, the warm wine! Rev said he would give me a warm wine, but I couldn¡¯t try it.¡¯ It seems that she fell asleep at the dining table, but Rev moved her here. Luce, who was fiddling with the rough white blanket, saw a watch hanging in the corner of the room. It was eight o¡¯clock. It was time for Rev to wake up. Luce, who was standing up, quickly turned around. ¡°Oh.¡± Rev was holding her wrist as he was about to fall. He was leaning under the bed, looking like he had just put Luce¡¯s hand on it without holding it properly. ¡°Rev. Rev?¡± ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you sleep? What¡¯s wrong with your voice?¡± As Luce said, Rev didn¡¯t sleep a wink today. He didn¡¯t feel this way when he saw Radanum and Delmar. However, looking at Diana, the memories of the palace seemed to come alive. He didn¡¯t know what to do, and the worry of knowing the cause made him stay next to Luce. A few times to catch his breath in line with Luce¡¯s beating pulse. After dawn passed and morning came, Luce spoke to him, and only then did he feel relieved. ¡°Oh my, you couldn¡¯t sleep because I was here! Oh no, I¡¯m sorry!¡± No. Because of you, I was able to breathe. Rev raised his stiff lips and smiled. ¡°Hurry up and come up here. Oh, why are you so tall that I can¡¯t even lift you up easily?¡± As Luce¡¯s hand led him to the bed, Rev thought. ¡®I need countermeasures. Measures to protect me and to protect Luce.¡¯ And the opportunity came sooner than he thought. Chapter 20 ¡°What happened to the kids who won first place? The children who went to the capital.¡± Baron Felice, the Lord of Rodante¡¯s territory and who worked as a court musician 30 years ago, asked. His aide opened his mouth with a troubled face. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Nevermind, I understand without having to say it. They must have decided to settle down in the capital.¡± Baron let out a long sigh. The children who placed first in the Rodante territory¡¯s quiz contest are given a tour ticket to the capital. The word ¡®tourism¡¯ was a concept similar to training. Scholarships are provided to excellent and smart children in the territory to stay in the capital for a while. Then, the children who experienced the developed culture and engineering of the capital will return and contribute to the development of the region. ¡ªThat was the purpose, but there was a problem. The children, who saw the bustling capital in person, didn¡¯t want to return to the small Rodante estate. ¡°So, how about nailing it down to the rules? So that children who receive scholarships are obliged to serve in Rodante.¡± ¡°¡­Even if we force it, will they feel like working passionately in Rodante? It could be breaking the wings of talented children for nothing.¡± The aide with a sullen face thought that even if his boss is soft, he is too soft. He has never raised taxes since he was granted the estate because he was soft-hearted. He is a person of great sensibility and ability who is not affected by profit and loss calculations that fall well short of the mark. The aide sighed and poured another cup of tea. ¡°It would be good if there was someone who was passionate about learning yet didn¡¯t leave this territory and devote themselves to development.¡± ¡°With all due respect,¡± ¡°That must be a bit difficult. I know. People in our territories think that farming is the best. Of course, that¡¯s not wrong. There are many things to learn from the land.¡± The murmuring Lord¡¯s face became darker. ¡°Even if we invite teachers and hold an academic festival, the attendance rate is at a level that is ridiculous. It¡¯s only that time when a quiz contest is held, or is it just about taking answers and guessing all of them? If you¡¯re willing to learn, I¡¯m willing to open up all of my study¡ª¡± The plaints of the Lord continued. The aide, who had memorized all his repertoire, rolled his head and quietly opened his mouth. ¡°Your Excellency, do you remember the children you asked to find out their whereabouts?¡± ¡°Ah, you mean the kids who came in second place? I felt like they knew the last question¡ªbut they didn¡¯t get it right.¡± The Lord was pleased. It was a good opportunity to put an end to his grumbling. The aide whispered, even though no one was listening. ¡°Those children. The bookstore owner said that they had bought books that had not been sold in the past, which were kept for display.¡± ¡°Is that so? What book did they buy?¡± ¡°These are {Fundamentals of Pharmacology} and {Applications and Practices of Engineering}.¡± ¡°Oho¡ª¡± There was hope in the gray eyes of the old Lord while listening to the story. He spoke vigorously, as if he had never been sullen. ¡°It would be nice to talk to them once!¡± The aide prayed to an unknown God. ¡®Please, don¡¯t let the little kids disappoint the Lord.¡¯ It¡¯s really hard to listen to his boss¡¯ lamentations day and night¡ª. He paused when he was about to go out. ¡®Who got the last question right?¡¯ ***** ¡®Oh, my stomach.¡¯ Luce, who held her stomach in pain, squirmed. It hurts this much today, so if it stays like this, she will definitely be sick tomorrow. She was sure. ¡®Kill this menstrual cramps¡­¡¯ Luce, who had been blessed with no premenstrual syndrome or menstrual cramps in her previous life, was distracted by this new and foreign pain. She was about to turn 14, so of course she knew that she would start having periods. But she didn¡¯t expect menstrual cramps to e along with it! It seemed as if someone was poking at her stomach with a sharp awl. In a cold sweat, Luce opened the old door. The old man in the magnifying glass raised his dim eyes. ¡°Grandpa, give me some painkillers.¡± ¡°A medicine for toothache?¡± ¡°No, painkillers! Pain! Killers! It¡¯s a medicine that won¡¯t let you feel the pain!¡± ¡°Did your foot hurt? Well, let¡¯s see. Mix this with the grain¡­¡± ¡°Noo! Not that, ugh.¡± Luce didn¡¯t even have the strength to shout. There was no pharmacy in Xenon Village. She didn¡¯t know that the pharmacist who had one in the next village was so old, deaf, and even handled livestock medicines together. She didn¡¯t want to e again, but she couldn¡¯t help it because there was no substitute. Luce, sitting on a nearby chair, shook her hand and held a pen. ¡®When Mom told me not to visit the pharmacist¡¯s grandpa and just hold it in, I was upset about what was wrong with her, but I¡¯m sure it was because of this.¡¯ ¡°I guess you just went to the pharmacist.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Listen to your mother!¡± Luce had just sneaked in because of Chelsea. As expected, she should have listened to her mom. At this rate, she¡¯ll die of anger disorder before a menstrual pain. ¡¸Please give me some painkillers. Medicine for menstrual pain.¡¹ The old man, who had been staring at the letter the size of a gate, took out the medicine with his slow hand. It was as fast as a turtle or a snail. Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t do that to the elderly, she wanted to say, ¡°Get out of the way, I¡¯d rather find it!¡± Luce, who took the medicine, swallowed the medicine with water while taking it from the hand of a pharmacist who was too slow. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a rest for a while, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Ssh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡ª. Yes, please take care of it.¡± Desperate, Luce leaned back against the chair¡¯s back and thought. ¡®Grandpa didn¡¯t give me any weird medicine, right?¡¯ Luce turned over the empty medicine bottle a few times with suspicious eyes and continued her thoughts. ¡®I will look at some herbs in a pharmacology book and dry them, so I don¡¯t have to e here next month.¡¯ Luce¡¯s thoughts shifted when she glanced at the pharmacist. ¡®At this point, just like Mom bought a general store, someone should open a medicine store, but no one does. Do I need a license? Is it difficult to get it? Of course, it must be difficult, because you can¡¯t leave it to anyone when you¡¯re dealing with medicine.¡¯ However, the pharmacist¡¯s grandfather looked like ¡®anyone¡¯. Luce sighed heavily, wiping her cold sweat. ¡®Rev doesn¡¯t seem to know anything about medicine either.¡¯ Luce found something she didn¡¯t understand while reading {Basics of Pharmacology}, so as usual, she went to see Rev. Rev also knows about areas she hadn¡¯t thought of, so she wondered if he might know this too. But Rev had no knowledge of pharmacology. It was as if he didn¡¯t know at all. Luce felt sorry once again at his troubled reaction with a slight frown on his face. ¡®He¡¯s not an encyclopedia, so he can¡¯t know everything. Still, I¡¯m curious, so from whom should I learn about pharmacology?¡¯ The pany where Luce worked in his previous life handled health functional foods. Of course, health functional foods are different from medicines, and Luce was not an expert. However, since there were some things she heard while planning and launching the product, it was possible that she wasn¡¯t in a pletely no-base state. It seemed that in this world, there was no distinction between the two. Still, she was always interested in knowing even a little bit, and above all, she thought she would need knowledge about medicine to continue living in this town. ¡®Because Rev is sick too, it might be helpful, and above all, I can¡¯t keep visiting that pharmacist grandpa. oh, it still hurts. Is it effective?¡¯ Luce grabbed her stomach and trudged along, narrowing her eyes. The person she encountered also had narrow eyes. He approached. ¡°It¡¯s red hair. Perhaps, are you Miss Lucette?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The man¡¯s face brightened. ¡°My name is John, an assistant working under the Lord. Are you Lucette?¡± John, the aide who showed Rodante¡¯s mark, greeted her. Then, is this the person who knocked on the door of the house and followed her in the past? Luce pouted her lips a little because she was sick and had a bad feeling. ¡°At the time, you didn¡¯t introduce who you were, but now you do.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, I¡¯m Lucette. Is there something wrong, Aide?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you win a prize in the Rodante quiz contest that time?¡± Is there another signature question? Almost half a year later? Is this how you handle things, aide? The words that came to Luce¡¯s ears, who had promised not to file a plaint this time, were truly unexpected. ¡°The Lord wants to see you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± At Luce¡¯s question, John laughed softly. It seemed that the purpose was to relieve one¡¯s vigilance. Although she had a rather tall appearance, Luce, who had already grown accustomed to Rev¡¯s face, was indifferent. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Your friend who participated with you, too. Where is your friend? I¡¯ve been searching through all the village houses listed in the Xenon Village Directory, but I can¡¯t find him.¡± ¡°Excuse me, Aide.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry. Are you friends from other villages? No, there¡¯s no way that¡¯s the case. I checked then.¡± ¡°Aide?¡± ¡°Ha, I have to take you today¡ª¡± Let me talk, you crazy man! Luce made a promise. Even if it¡¯s not about the signature, she will still file a plaint against this person. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m sick.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick? Where is it? Did you fall down?¡± ¡°It¡¯s menstrual cramps.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to die .¡± ¡°Uh, um, ah. I¡¯m sorry.¡± John¡¯s face turned red. What is it? What¡¯s wrong with menstrual cramps? It¡¯s all the same pain. Luce, who crumpled her face, continued clearly. ¡°I¡¯m so honored and grateful that the Lord is looking for me, but can¡¯t I visit you the day after tomorrow because I have an unavoidable situation?¡± ¡°Well, uh, yes. Sure. I hope you get better soon.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your understanding. So can I give your name for the next visitation? And do I have to bring anything when I see you? Something to prove my identity, or a witness.¡± Luce was not familiar with the courtesy of having an audience with a nobleman, so she said this with the courtesy of social life. ¡°¡­Uh, you don¡¯t have anything to bring. Just tell the guard my name.¡± But John, who listened to her, didn¡¯t think so. ¡®This must be the child the Lord wants!¡¯ A child who seems to be only 13 or so at most tries to negotiate, even asking in advance if she needs anything! He asked to confirm. ¡°Have you ever bought a book at a festival?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Do you happen to remember what kind of book you bought?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Basics of Pharmacology.¡± He found it. John had an expression full of joy. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with his expression? Let me go home.¡¯ Whether John misunderstood with joy or not, Luce wanted to quickly put on a coldpack. Chapter 21 It was the morning of the appointment that Luce, who had been half dead for two days, recalled her appointment with the Lord. Why does the Lord want to meet her and Rev? ¡®They¡¯re not asking me to spit out the prize money because there¡¯s a problem with the procedure, right? I already used it to buy Mom¡¯s clothes.¡¯ More than that, didn¡¯t an aide named John ask what kind of book she had bought? Luce, who was pondering, scratched her back neck. ¡®It¡¯s probably not because it¡¯s a forbidden book. It was a book that was on display in the bookstore¡­. So, did they find out that we got second place on purpose? Because there¡¯s too much difference in the level of answers for each question?¡¯ No matter how much she thought about it, that was the only reason she could predict it. Luce recalled Rev¡¯s hard expression as he mentioned the name of the wizard who had fought until the end. ¡¸You know. Rev, how did you know the answer to the last quiz?¡¹ There were no history books among the books in Rev¡¯s living room. Of course, there were no books related to wizards either. She has never been to the second floor, so she doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s there. She was curious. So, when she quietly asked him while playing one card, he answered with his eyes on the card. ¡¸¡­I have seen it.¡¹ This time again, she got an answer from a friend who spoke a few words. Luce, who was thinking hard about it, realized. ¡®Ah, Rev said he¡¯d been to the capital. They said that there was a monument with his name in the capital park, so I wonder if he saw it?¡¯ ¡¸In the capital? Did you see it in the capital?¡¹ ¡¸Ung.¡¹ Rev, who has an extraordinary memory, seems to have remembered everything he saw as if he had crossed the street. It was concluded how he knew. However, it is still unknown why the Lord gave such a quiz. ¡®Why are you asking me to come, just why? Is it intended to weed out people interested in magic? Witch hunt? But all wizards are dead¡­¡¯ She was the one who said she liked the second place, and she was the one who asked to participate in the competition. However, because they participated together, Rev might be in trouble. Luce lowered her eyebrows. ¡°Luce, you look distressed.¡± Hot cocoa with marshmallows was placed in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡­You haven¡¯t been here for two days. Did I, by any chance, do something wrong with you?¡± Luce shook her head as she looked at Rev¡¯s glistening eyes, who spoke carefully. ¡°You¡¯ve never done anything wrong to me. I couldn¡¯t come for two days because of something.¡± Luce didn¡¯t mind saying it was because of her menstrual cramps, but like the aide, Rev might be embarrassed, so she put it aside. Luce briefly explained the situation without seeing Rev¡¯s expression fade for a moment. The Lord wants to see us both. I don¡¯t know why, but I just said yes. And if you are uncomfortable, I will do something alone. ¡®I have to take responsibility. I should have said that I knew the answer, or pretended to have studied later.¡¯ ¡°What do you think, Rev?¡± Rev, who was blinking, answered more readily than she expected. ¡°Let¡¯s go together, Luce.¡± ***** The two of them in the carriage headed for the Lord¡¯s castle were unusually quiet. Luce didn¡¯t say anything about how sorry she was for Rev, and Rev kept his mouth shut for two reasons. The first is to think about the lord, Baron Felice. ¡®This is someone who worked as a court musician more than 30 years ago. He was the one who was given the title before the current Emperor ascended the throne, and since then he has lived in the manor, so he probably doesn¡¯t know about the current situation in the imperial palace.¡¯ His conviction was ironically established by someone he didn¡¯t trust. ¡®If there was even the slightest ties to the Imperial Palace, Radanum wouldn¡¯t have chosen this territory as a place to confine me.¡¯ Even if he¡¯s an abandoned prince, he¡¯s still a prince anyway. If he knew his identity, people everywhere wanted to use him for their own reasons. Someone will try to hurt the current Emperor in order to look good, and someone who doesn¡¯t like the Emperor may try to get himself to use that as a justification. However, Radanum, and the Emperor behind him, weren¡¯t the ones to overlook the matter. ¡®That¡¯s why the Lord doesn¡¯t call me, the Prince, on his own. That¡¯s enough.¡¯ In fact, Rev was focused on the second thought. ¡®There¡¯s something¡­Luce didn¡¯t tell me.¡¯ It was Luce who always told him such a detailed story. From the story of seeing a fish in the stream to the story of Vincent running around all day to what he dreamed, she is a chatterbox and a window where Rev looks at the world. So she made a little secret. Her expression is not good either. ¡®If I put it on the scale, my secret would be much bigger.¡¯ It is something that shouldn¡¯t be regretted or questioned. He has to think logically. If there¡¯s something he didn¡¯t know about Luce, no, isn¡¯t there a secret that one mustn¡¯t know? But even so, it was hot and bitter as if a fever had risen inside. It seemed like something was stuck. ¡®Medicine¡ª¡¯ Rev, who was habitually looking for medicine, paused. Green medicine that he couldn¡¯t bring because he was in a hurry. Rev brushed his face down and bit his lip. It¡¯ll be hours at most. That¡¯ll be fine. It has to be okay. He has to calm down. After getting off the carriage, Rev took a deep breath while looking away from Luce. But it didn¡¯t work out. ¡°Aide John called me. He said if I say Lucette, you¡¯ll know.¡± ¡°Ah, Miss Lucette. I checked the visitor list. Please follow me.¡± How should he behave in front of nobles? Can he think of it as a meeting with the representative of the business? All the way from the carriage to the Lord¡¯s office, Luce looked sideways at Rev. She would ask even simple manners if their eyes met, but he had been walking forward the whole time. Luce also looked forward and whispered while walking. ¡°Rev.¡± ¡°¡­Ung.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling you just in case, but there¡¯s that last problem. About wizard Radanum.¡± Rev¡¯s face, which had lost its color, turned toward her. ¡°If the Lord asks about it, just keep your mouth close, okay? I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Before Rev could ask why the door to the office opened. Luce followed the silent Rev with a bow, then raised her head. ¡°So you¡¯re Lucette!¡± Why is he smiling so brightly? The Lord¡¯s expression of goodwill subsided her worries, but the question was why. Luce, frozen in the Lord¡¯s hands, blinked her eyes. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m¡­Lucette.¡± ¡°You met my aide John first, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯ve heard a lot about it.¡± It was more like a father-in-law rather than a Lord. Like welcoming a very special daughter-in-law? Luce, who still didn¡¯t understand why, saw the aide who was resting his forehead behind the Lord once, then the Lord once, and Rev once. Rev, who was staring at Luce¡¯s caught hand, opened his mouth. ¡°I greet Your Excellency Felice, the Lord and Baron of Rodante. I¡¯d like to ask why you ordered us to come here.¡± It was a quiet voice. She wondered where the original low voice went because the voice was now dry and cold. Luce, who knew the difference, opened her eyes wide, but the Lord seemed to focus on the meaning of the words rather than the voice. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Please call me Revinas.¡± ¡°Yes, Revinas and Lucette. Come and sit down.¡± Luce, who was drawn to a table filled with fragrant tea and luxurious sweets, only rolled her eyes. Rather, she thought Rev would be nervous at a place like this, but he was natural, as if nothing had happened. It would be more accurate to say that he fit in like he was born to do it than to say that he looked arrogant. ¡®Originally, I thought he might be a Young Master, but¡­.it¡¯s a little different from how he usually treats me. I think he was more polite to me than he was to the Baron.¡¯ The sound of applause cut off Luce¡¯s thoughts. Baron Felice asked with a smile as he put his palms together. ¡°Lucette, did you know the answer to the last question?¡± The time has come. Luce pressed Rev¡¯s arm tightly and answered herself. ¡°Yes, I knew.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± The tone of the question was gentle. It seemed like he was asking out of genuine curiosity, not to question why she didn¡¯t get it right even though she knew the question or to figure out how she knew the answer to the question. Luce quickly rolled her head. ¡®What is this?¡¯ ¡°I thought I saw it in a book, but I couldn¡¯t write it down as an answer because I wasn¡¯t sure. And when the answer was announced, I thought that my answer was right and that I should have written it down. I thought it was a shame.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sure that name is listed somewhere in any book.¡¯ It was a vague answer, but it seemed that the reason didn¡¯t matter to the Baron. ¡°You seem to be interested in wizards.¡± ¡°Y, yes it¡¯s something like that.¡± Wizard? Well, if magic really exists, it¡¯s amazing. Luce, who had been moving vaguely as if shaking her head and nodding, stopped. ¡°Then, of course, you¡¯re interested in magic engineering, which is the legacy of wizards, and pharmacology, right?¡± Pharmacology? The study she wanted to learn just came out of his mouth. It seemed like he was asking with an answer in mind. ¡°I¡¯m a bit interested in pharmacology. I want to learn it too.¡± As soon as he saw Luce hesitantly nodding her head, the Baron asked with a smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s such a pleasure!¡± Rev nodded as if he knew what was going on when she looked at him sneakily. At the Baron¡¯s words that followed, Luce seriously suspected that she was dreaming. ¡°Then, Lucete, do you have any intention of receiving sponsorship?¡± ¡°Sponsorship¡­?¡± Luce was sure that her voice sounded very stupid. ***** ¡®Just what¡¯s going on?¡¯ She was nervous because the teacher called her, but she felt as if she had seen candy being offered instead. The Baron, who seemed very excited for some reason, promised to give his full support to anything she wanted to learn, but his expression darkened in an instant. Then suddenly, he asked if she was thinking of leaving Rodante. When Luce and Rev said no, he smiled again and started to talk about how sad his life was. As the sun was setting, he told them that he had sent talented people to the capital with the hope that they would help develop Rodante, but everyone was just trying not to come back. ¡®It¡¯s not a bad suggestion for me.¡¯ Luce, whom they actively support to study pharmacology, secretly saw Lev. He didn¡¯t say anything when they came out of the Lord¡¯s mansion. For some reason, it seemed that his face was a little pale. ¡®Why is Rev¡­¡¯ ¡°I want to learn magic engineering.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see.¡± The Baron, who had been paying attention to Luce throughout the conversation, nodded his head modestly and tilted at Rev¡¯s words. ¡°And, if possible, I would like you to introduce me to someone who can help me learn combat skills.¡± (t/n: They put it as ??(Combat skill (only body without weapon)) ¡°It¡¯s not difficult, but¡­combat skills?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®What do you mean combat skills? Do you want to exercise?¡± Come to think of it, Rev seemed to be quite talented in sports. He said it was his first time skating, but he didn¡¯t fall and was good at snowball fights. Of course, it was the standard of Luce, who was bad at dancing. It would be nice to exercise, but she thought Rev would be more interested in the study behind the Baron¡¯s office because he loves books. She wondered why he made that choice. Luce got off the carriage that took her to the village and started talking. ¡°Hey, Rev.¡± ¡°¡­Ung, Luce.¡± His words trembled a little. Luce, who stood for a while, took a step in that direction. ¡°Rev.¡± She approaches him. ¡°Ung.¡± ¡°Rev, look at me.¡± Rev didn¡¯t raise his head. The white steam from his breath colored his eyelashes as he turned his head down. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go first, Luce.¡± ¡°Rev?¡± ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± He walked away, leaving footprints in the snow. ¡®It¡¯s strange.¡¯ A winter night with only moonlight as the light source. His back figure grew further away from her as he walked slowly through the night air. The shrinking shadow seemed to shake somehow. Luce, who stood firm, slowly moved. ¡®He¡¯s trying to walk straight, but he can¡¯t do that.¡¯ Today, did Rev bring out his medicine? The moment the thought reached her, Luce started running in the snow. Chapter 22 The frozen branches were pointed in the fierce winter wind. The marks on her cheeks and legs tingled. A stone beak hiding under the snow snatched her foot. However, Luce¡¯s gaze was directed to only one place. Even though Rev, who was stumbling, closed the door and went in, the light in the small mansion in the forest didn¡¯t turn on. Knock, knock¡ª. ¡°Rev, open the door.¡± Rev¡¯s voice, which had always greeted her and called her name, didn¡¯t return. Luce knocked repeatedly. Three times, five times, eleven times, and fifteen times. Her hand stopped because they had promised that she would open the door after sixteen knocks if no one answered. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go first, Luce. See you tomorrow.¡± What kind of expression did Rev make when he spoke in an unusually thin voice and didn¡¯t raise his head or look at her at the end? Did he not want to show his face? If he didn¡¯t want to show his face¡ª. Can she forcefully look into the expression he wants to hide? Luce¡¯s hand, which had been stuck on the door because she couldn¡¯t bring herself to touch it, fell down. ¡°Rev.¡± There are two explicit rules between Rev and her. One is 16 knocks that Rev has to protect, and one is ¡®no entry to the second floor¡¯ that she has to protect. They were friends who would have no problem as long as they kept two things, but unfortunately, Luce knew that relationships often go wrong due to implicit rules rather than explicit rules. ¡°I told you, don¡¯t be late today.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, I¡¯m sorry. The bus is a little late.¡± I can forgive this. But. ¡°¡­I heard you told the other kids that I was an orphan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jisoo-ya. I didn¡¯t know I shouldn¡¯t say it. I told them to be careful of what they say, but I didn¡¯t know they were spreading rumors. I said it¡¯s a secret¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Things that are hard to forgive usually happen in not ¡®paying attention¡¯ events. Luce felt an intuition that opening the door would break the implicit rule. Seeing the crescent moon coloring the night sky, the shadow of an oak tree casting over a quiet door, and the crocus necklace sparkling in the moonlight, Luce let out a long sigh. And she raises her hand. ¡®Even if you hate it, even if it bees an opportunity for you to distance yourself from me, but just not today.¡¯ Thinking of his thin voice and strangely red ears, Luce knocked the last sixteenth time. ¡®I can¡¯t pretend I don¡¯t know you¡¯re sick.¡¯ His dimly lit house seemed to be submerged in deep water. The living room without Lev, who always greeted her with a candle and a smile, was terribly cold. The smell of the book, which she thought was good because it was heavy, seemed to weigh down her body with every step. Except for a couple of hours playing with him, Luce¡¯s forehead frowned thinking about Rev, who would have always been with the dark. ¡°Rev. It¡¯s me, Luce.¡± Luce¡¯s eyes were not used to the dark, so it took her a while to figure out how to turn on the lamp. Luce walked past the neatly arranged snowballs and scarves on the shelf and went to his bedroom. She couldn¡¯t see him. Only the clean, white bedding, which was neatly arranged to match his personality, greeted her. ¡°Rev, where are you¡­.¡± Luce looked at the closet, kitchen, and even the bathroom with a puzzled expression. She obviously saw his back going into the house, but where did he go? Luce, who was looking inside the empty house with lowered eyebrows, looked up at the second floor. Luce, who kept her mouth shut, moved slowly. Kiiik¡ª. A loud sound came from the stairs. It was like an alarm that an intruder had entered, and it seemed like a warning to an intruder who wasn¡¯t afraid to climb the stairs. The chilly air was heavy and frightening. I bit my lip so hard that now it tastes fishy. Climbing the stairs carefully, Luce called for Rev with a trembling voice. ¡°Rev, where are you? Huh? Where are you? Am I going up to the second floor now?¡± Still, no answer came back. ¡°This is where you told me not to e. So¡­e quickly and tell me why you did that or don¡¯t do that. Do something whether you get mad at me or scold me. I¡¯m sure I saw you go into the house, but no one¡¯s there, so I¡¯m scared. Ung?¡± Luce stepped on the landing to the second floor. She felt like she was about to cry. Rubbing her eyes, Luce said in a trembling voice. ¡°¡­How can you live alone in a place like this¡­.¡± It was then. ¡°Huh¡­¡± A faint groan was heard mixed with the sound of her stepping on something. Luce¡¯s hand, which was hurriedly stirring the lamp, stopped. ¡°Rev!¡± Rev was lying alone in the stairwell. Luce, who casually put down the lamp, hurriedly headed towards him. His body, illuminated by the dim light, was trembling so violently that it was noticeable even under that hazy light. ¡°Rev! Rev, why are you like this? Rev, wake up!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Rev!¡± ¡°Ugh, ha¡­ you can¡¯t¡­¡± Luce whispered anxiously as she grabbed his shoulders that trembled aimlessly. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m sorry that you told me not to e, but I came up on my own. So, don¡¯t stay here, let¡¯s get down quickly¡­it¡¯s cold here. The wind blows in too. Ugh, what should I do, look at the fever.¡± Luce¡¯s hand, which was trying to lift him up without knowing what he was talking about, touched Rev¡¯s forehead. He looked like he was on fire. Rev¡¯s body temperature, which was usually colder than his own hands, was now unbelievably hot. The panic Luce covered her mouth. ¡°I, I will call someone. You can¡¯t stay here like this!¡± It was just as she was about to stand up. ¡°¡­Rev?¡± He was holding the hem of Luce¡¯s clothes, just like the day after her birthday, when she fell asleep without trying the wine. He couldn¡¯t hold it properly, but he couldn¡¯t let it go, so a bloody vein stood on his hand. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to call someone? You don¡¯t like it? Yeah, all right. But just let me go. I¡¯ll bring a wet towel or a blanket¡ª¡± Luce¡¯s face, which had been speaking as if persuading a child, hardened at his words. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­go¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t¡­go¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t leave me behind, mother¡­.¡± Luce held up the lamp with her trembling hand. Only then did Luce see Rev¡¯s face properly. A painfully contorted forehead drenched in a cold sweat, traces of heat rising like a stigma on the pale skin, and the reddish eyes stained by those traces. He wouldn¡¯t have fallen down if he had been crying like he was letting out something he had been hiding his whole life. ¡°What should I do?¡± Covered in darkness and sick with a fever, he can¡¯t even cry as he searches for his mother. He was crying as if his tears had stopped long ago. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± A drop of tears fell over his breath. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯m not going.¡± It was Luce¡¯s tears. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here¡­that¡¯s why I came.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Everything is fine. Luce, who was barely able to calm her trembling heart and wiped away the tears vigorously, grabbed his hand that was holding the hem of her clothes. Even in the midst of suffering from fever, Rev seemed to hear that voice clearly. His grip on his hand grew stronger, and his breathing, which had been fluttering, became a little calmer. Even the trembling eyes became quiet. Luce, who was looking down at him with a plicated mood, turned her gaze to the lamp. ¡®Oh.¡¯ A familiar bottle of medicine fell beside the lamp. ¡®Is this what was rolling earlier? However, the kick was so light that I couldn¡¯t feel the weight, but now it¡¯s full.¡¯ Did she get confused because it was dark? If so, did Rev e to the second floor to get this medicine and collapse before opening it? Luce picked up the medicine bottle with the hand that Rev wasn¡¯t holding. It should have been cold, but surprisingly, the bottle was lukewarm. After whimpering and pulling the cork off, Luce tilted the bottle and tried to give him the medicine. ¡®The texture is so stick¡­.¡¯ It was a green medicine that was not as watery as juice or water but as sticky as mucus. Even though Luce tilted the bottle¡¯s opening, the liquid couldn¡¯t get to Rev¡¯s mouth and kept flowing in a mess. Luce, who nervously wiped his face with her sleeve, bit her lips. ¡®I think I need a spoon or a cup.¡¯ However, the strength of Rev holding her hand was beyond my imagination, unlike before. She could neither escape nor want to escape from his hand, which was giving her so much strength as if he would never let go. Because she knows why he is doing this. But besides the fact that his trembling had stopped, his fever hadn¡¯t gone down at all. So she needs to give the medicine right away. She can¡¯t give Rev the whole bottle, and she can¡¯t bring a cup or spoon because Rev grabs her and won¡¯t let go. Luce, who was stomping with regret, took a deep breath. ¡®I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ Luce guessed how much he was drinking and took the medicine. The lips that touched the medicine were numb, but it was not a matter to worry about. The medicine that filled her mouth felt really strange. It was slippery and dull like the mucus of seaweed, but it felt somewhat dry like grain powder. Luce frowned because the taste was so bitter and sour, and she carefully turned her face away from Rev. ¡®I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡¯ She will have to say sorry when he wakes up. Luce bent her upper body. The breath that escaped between the bloodless lips was a mess. After looking at him for a moment, Luce kissed him carefully. Rev, who hesitated at the new sensation, quickly opened his mouth as his cold lips contacted hers, which had risen in heat. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± As he breathed and swallowed the medicine, his long eyelashes tickled around his eyes. Listening to his blurry sounds, Luce gave him the medicine right up to the last drop. ¡°Haa.¡± She was out of breath. However, Luce looked at Rev¡¯s face without paying attention to that fact. It was as she thought. After swallowing the medicine, Rev¡¯s face looked a little more fortable than before. When she touched her forehead, the fever seemed to have gone down a little. Luce murmured with half relief and half concern as she brushed his hair. ¡°You know it takes a lot of work, right?¡± (t/n: ?? ?? ?? actually means that you have to put in a lot of effort and care. So the other one needs to help someone.) ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But why do you want to be out of my hands when you really need it? Pretend nothing is wrong.¡± Rev¡¯s forehead slowly relaxed as he listened to Luce whisper. Still, it¡¯s a relief. Her whole body lost all strength. It was when Luce, who had been taking a long deep breath, was about to stand up to close the cover of the medicine bottle. ¡®Huh?¡¯ There was no strength in her hands. No matter how relaxed she is, how can it be like this? Luce¡¯s eyes, which had been staring at her hand that didn¡¯t listen to her from afar, began to blink slowly. ¡®It¡¯s strange¡­.¡¯ Why am I so sleepy? Why do my lips feel so hot much¡­? Before her eyes closed, the last thing Luce saw was Rev¡¯s hand holding her so tight that it turned her hands white. Chapter 23 The vision was red. As soon as Rev realized the touch of the red cloth that covered his eyes, he was horrified. The fact that he had just been at his house in Xenon Village and that he had just said goodbye to Luce didn¡¯t give him a clue as to the situation. Radanum may have summoned him back to the palace at the request of the capricious Emperor. So maybe he¡¯ll be punished again. This punishment of being blocked from sight, having hands and feet tied, and being treated like a beast that has harmed people. What else did I do wrong? Why did I go against the Emperor? What else did I¡ª. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He learned about the fear from it. In a blind situation, all he could lean on was hearing. Rev, who was shaking his body and trying to turn his steady wrist even though he knew it was useless, heard someone¡¯s footsteps. Tak, tak. It was the sound of light, silent footsteps as if they didn¡¯t want to leave a trace. Knights stomp, ladies-in-waiting walk lightly, Delmar clatters, the Emperor doesn¡¯t seek me, and Radanum makes no footsteps. There is only one person in the palace who walks like this. As soon as he realized the owner of the footsteps, Rev could tell. ¡°¡­Mother.¡± That this is an illusion, an hallucination. A warm, long hand ran down his face. Despite seeing nothing, Rev closed his eyes. ¡°Your Highness the Prince.¡± His mother, who was only the Emperor¡¯s mistress and not a member of the imperial family, called her son ¡°His Highness.¡± ¡°Did you grow up like this before¡­¡± She said in a watery voice as if holding back her tears. It was the words and voice that had been buried in Rev¡¯s memory. The words she said to him right before she disappeared somewhere. Then Rev had his mouth shut. He couldn¡¯t say a word while listening to her. ¡°¡­If I continue to stay here, Your Highness will be in danger. A prince born in from a mistress of unknown origin is just good prey for people.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Even though I may not be able to protect you, I have no intention of being your weakness.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Please be happy.¡± Rev called her even though he knew she couldn¡¯t hear him because she was just an illusion. ¡°Is it time to go now?¡± She talked to someone. It was a word to a person who couldn¡¯t feel a trace. Standing without the sound of footsteps, he must be Radanum. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t go¡­ no¡­¡± The sound of footsteps is fading away. ¡°Don¡¯t go. You can¡¯t leave me behind, mother¡­.¡± It¡¯s like a knot has been made in his heart. It was as if a knot that could never be untied was clogging his throat. Rev, who had been calling her with fever and breathlessness, stopped for a second. ¡°¡­Be happy, Rev.¡± His name wasn¡¯t Aurelio, which was just a random name the Emperor gave him. His middle name was Revinas, which she had to ask about for three days and nights before giving it. Even though it was a name that no one would call anyway, after three days of hard work, the Emperor gave permission as if it were a good choice. Only at the last moment could the mother call her son¡¯s name after leaving only the sound of footsteps. ¡®Rev.¡¯ Rev, who had stopped as if he had frozen, knew that the warmth that had long since left him had gripped her hand. I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯m not going.¡± The words flowing with warmth rang in his ears. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here¡­That¡¯s why I came.¡± A sweet and warm voice slowly came to his mind. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rev.¡± He wanted to answer anything. Then he opened his mouth. However, something crossed his lips before he could speak. Something hard but warm carefully melted his words with his breath, and then he swallowed them. You don¡¯t leave. Don¡¯t do that to me. Even if I¡¯m a little more unhappy, I¡¯ll handle it, so stay with me. Please don¡¯t go. Despite passing the bitter words, there was sweetness at the end. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± She smiled as if she knew all the hidden words. The sound of her laughter softened the knots in his tied, frozen heart. ¡®You know everything. So I¡¯m not going. You¡¯ll stay with me. We promised¡­¡¯ Soon, as in his dream, the girl came and hugged him sweetly. Until his melting heart filled all the empty spaces, Rev held her in his arms, fearing she would scatter. ****** ¡°¡­Ha.¡± The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a green bottle of medicine, which was colored by the dawn light of dawn. Last night when he arrived home, he headed to the kitchen without turning on the light. He went to find the medicine, but the bottle was empty. He needed new medicine. He walked to the second floor, filled with portraits of the magic circle and his birth mother, and green medicine, with the heat boiling so badly that he couldn¡¯t even think of putting the empty bottle down. The memory was cut off there. While searching for the right one among the five or six keys he always carries with him to open the locked door on the second floor, he collapsed in sudden pain. He looked like he had fallen down the stairs while clutching his neck and having difficulty breathing. In his memory, he was obviously unable to take medicine, but it was surprising that he woke up in such a normal state. For some reason, as he looked away, he realized that the weight was on his arm. Her bright red hair was tangled in his arms. ¡°Luce?¡± Instead of an answer to the careful question, a choked breathing sound was heard. Rev, who couldn¡¯t bear to touch her and hardened, recalled the occasionally disconnected memories. ¡®Then the voice yesterday wasn¡¯t an hallucination or a dream?¡¯ The evidence was right in front of his eyes. When Luce leaned her back on Rev¡¯s arm, it looked more like she fell behind him than hugged him. ¡®Why are you here¡­.¡¯ Why was she lying down on the stair with him? Before he could grasp the current situation, questions arose. Why is she not going back home and by my side¡­? ¡®Don¡¯t tell me.¡¯ Did he show her all his ugly appearance because he couldn¡¯t take the medicine? Delmar, who always followed him, once avoided him and Rev heard the reason later. Delmar, who secretly hid in Rev¡¯s room to sleep in his brother¡¯s room, ended up seeing him as he missed the time to take medicine because he was being called by the Emperor. Perhaps it was such a terrible situation that Delmar was shocked. Instead of asking further, he just swallowed another glass of medicine. A familiar despair brought him down, but soon a small hope sprang up like a spark. ¡®But¡­Luce didn¡¯t abandon me even after seeing such a terrible me. She didn¡¯t run away.¡¯ Rev gently brushed Luce¡¯s hair. It was smooth and soft to the touch. He was just stroking her hair when he was surprised to hear a dull sound in his ears. Thump, thump. After running through his hair for a while, Rev realized that the mysterious sound was ing from his heart. ¡®I feel strange¡­¡¯ When he was with Luce, he always felt strange, but today a feeling he couldn¡¯t even imagine came to him. All of his nerves went to his arm, which was touching Luce. He didn¡¯t even feel sick, but his whole body was hot, and he was out of breath for no reason. Everything else was blurred, and only Luce was seen in his arms. Why? For what reason? Rev, who unconsciously bit his lips because of the heat, came to his senses with a faint bitterness. ¡®I must have taken medicine.¡¯ Did Luce give him the medicine bottle? Rev pulled Luce¡¯s body carefully. Her small face weled him when he arranged her messy hair. His gaze stopped abruptly as if bewitched by the round forehead, high nose bridge, tightly closed eyelashes, and weakly breathing lips. ¡°Luce.¡± A green stain remained on her lips. ¡°Luce!¡± No, no, it can¡¯t be. Luce to me, no way! There were thoughts that passed through his head like a lightning bolt. ¡°This medicine was prepared only for Your Highness the Prince.¡± Radanum explained slowly. ¡°Because you have a lot of nature symptoms of diseases. If it were not for me, a skillful pharmacist, how could you bear the symptoms? You know this, but I¡¯ll say it one more time. I¡¯ve made this medicine especially for Your Highness the Prince. Therefore, it should only be eaten by Your Highness the Prince.¡± A medicine that shouldn¡¯t be taken by other people. The panic Rev held onto Luce. She was dragged down by the pull. ¡°No, Luce. Luce! Open your eyes, please, Luce¡­¡± ¡®It happened again. Again¡­someone is being sacrificed because of me.¡¯ Perhaps his own existence itself is a disaster. Rev, who was lost in thought, panicked when it hit him like a tsunami. Between his words, in which he was looking at Luce¡¯s face and body without knowing what to do, there was a cry that he didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Luce, please. No, to you¡­ Do I have to lose you, too?¡± No, we¡¯re going to be together forever. You know me well. You don¡¯t do anything I don¡¯t like. That¡¯s why, that¡¯s why¡ª. ¡°Luce¡­¡± There is no bottom to despair. It was a time when Lev¡¯s frustration was heavier than anything else he had ever experienced. ¡°¡­Ugh¡­¡± The sleepy green eyes turned toward him. ¡°Huh?¡± Luce rose up, pressing hard on her eyes. Luce, who had looked first at Lev, who was stiff and pale as plaster without being aware of his condition, let out a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you woke up. I was really surprised yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Why is your expression so bad? Are you still sick? That. Just in case, I didn¡¯t go up to the second floor. But still, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­Luce.¡± ¡°Ung, Rev.¡± As soon as he heard her name, Lev, who was looking blankly at Luce, hugged her. It was such a strong force that she couldn¡¯t even breathe. Even though she was coughing, Luce was still in his arms. It seems to be the first time he hugged her. ¡®Why is he like this?¡¯ Rev locked Luce in his arms as she patted him on the back in bewildered. He thought he knew what this intense feeling that seemed to be eating away at his mind was. Chapter 24 (note: Hello, I will change John to Yohan.) ¡°Lucette.¡± ¡°Yes, Aide Yohan.¡± ¡°What did you do today?¡± ¡°Are you checking my academic achievements? You did that every time, so it always feels like I¡¯m being judged.¡± Luce pretended not to hate his eyes and soon giggled. Yohan, who quickly looked sullen, seemed to have a similar personality after spending a long time with his superior, Baron Felice. It seemed like only yesterday that she thought she would only file a complaint, but Luce wondered if this was a feeling if she had an uncle. ¡°I¡¯m just curious. How much have you learned?¡± ¡°Today, I made a painkiller in short form. I have to wait a little while for the herb to mature, but I¡¯ll give you one when it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°I¡¯m healthy and I¡¯m fine, so I eat a lot, Lucette. That, um, it must be hard every month.¡± ¡°Because of menstrual cramps?¡± ¡°Uh, um, that.¡± He¡¯s definitely fun to tease. Luce smiled and sneaked a look at his checklist. Yohan, who seems to be a Lord¡¯s expert, checked on Luce¡¯s progress twice a week at the end of her medical lessons. Before she knew it, his list had been crossed out quite a bit. ¡®Learning pharmacology is fun.¡¯ Although it is still in the early stages of painkiller production, she has already achieved her goal. No more holding on to her stomach and going to grandfather¡¯s pharmacist anymore! That alone made her proud. ¡®The problem is that the teacher is a bit scary, but that¡¯s all, well.¡¯ The pharmacology teacher teaching Luce was Mrs. Plum, a retired pharmacist who was invited from the neighboring estate. She wore black velvet at all times and was very strict and somewhat cold. But she can¡¯t blame the teacher¡¯s character from the learning standpoint. Since this class deals with human medicine, it seemed natural for her to learn it strictly. While taking painkiller samples, Luce secretly checked Rev¡¯s checklist. ¡®Why are the lines so jagged? Sometimes it¡¯s checked, sometimes it¡¯s not.¡¯ While she was looking at it in deep thought, Yohan grabbed the notebook. Luce grabbed his collar as he tried to go back. ¡°Aide, Rev¡­ No, I mean Revinas, how about Revinas?¡± ¡°Magic engineering? Well, just like that.¡± It was difficult to find a pharmacology teacher, but it was much more difficult to find an expert in Magic Engineering, which Rev had decided to learn. It is said that no one wants to become a teacher by teaching in an apprenticeship program. Rev told Yohan, who was struggling with arranging a teacher that he would teach himself as long as he could find a book for him. ¡®There¡¯s no way Rev just ¡®like that¡¯? I wonder if he doesn¡¯t want to tell me just how far he learned?¡¯ Luce later found out why Baron was only interested in her. Because of the book the two bought. ¡¶Basics of Pharmacology¡·, chosen by Luce, and ¡¶Application and Practice of Engineering¡·, chosen by Rev. Luce, who knew the situation, naturally knew that Rev bought the book sincerely to read it, but it seemed to feel a little different from the adult¡¯s perspective. ¡®There is no way a child who is not an expert would have bought such a difficult book to read¡­ that¡¯s what they think. Rather, they think that I, who is trying to learn from the basics, know my level and study. Actually, that¡¯s not the case.¡¯ She wanted to explain instead, but she thought that there must be a reason for Rev¡¯s actions. ¡®Since the misunderstanding has been cleared, I was going to say that Rev actually the one who knew the answer was Radanum, but Rev just shook his head without saying a word. There must be a reason. He¡¯s used to studying quietly on his own without getting attention, maybe something like that. Considering Rev¡¯s personality.¡¯ Luce, who was thinking, then asked. ¡°Then what about the combat skills?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t check that separately. You can¡¯t count how many scarecrows he slashed or swords he swung each time, can you?¡± Yohan, who had been passing words without hesitation, whispered. ¡°More than that, that kid Revinas, his personality is a bit picky, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ung? No way.¡± Unlike Luce, who laughs loudly, Yohan raises his eyebrows. ¡°I thought it would be difficult to play together. But it¡¯s not?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be, he¡¯s a very polite and kind friend. I¡¯ve never seen such a gentle guy in my 14 years of life.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Yohan¡¯s reaction made Luce puzzled. What does he mean by picky? Simply by appearance, it is a modifier that doesn¡¯t suit Rev. Somehow, she felt responsible for defending her childhood friend. Luce suddenly remembered Rev¡¯s reaction to Dominic. ¡°I think you saw it that way because he is a little shy. He¡¯s actually very nice.¡± ¡°Well, if his close friend says so, it must be like that.¡± ¡°Really. And even if he has a picky personality, it won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°It is, but¡­.¡± ¡°Whatever his personality, Rev is a good friend of mine.¡± Luce, who shook her head, got up with her luggage. To Luce, it was like Yohan¡¯s small joke about Baron Felice. ¡°It¡¯s not? Is the Lord, as a former musician, pointing out that when I hum, the notes don¡¯t match? So you shouldn¡¯t hum, either.¡± ¡°Why are you humming at work in the first place¡ª?¡± Yohan flinched at her very realistic point of view and sent her outside. Luce, who was going down the stairs looking in the direction of the training ground where Rev was supposed to be, stopped her gaze. The sunset was darkening the small training ground and the boy in it. ¡®Rev.¡¯ A few things have changed since the day she found him collapsed in the house. The first is a new rule. Never, ever drink Rev¡¯s medicine. ¡°Please, Luce. You can¡¯t drink this.¡± It was a far stronger tone than when he told her not to go to the second floor. ¡°Promise me that no matter what situation I¡¯m in, you won¡¯t put this medicine in your mouth. Please.¡± Somehow, it even felt desperate. Rev relaxed a little and hugged Luce again, probably relieved that she nodded. She remembered his body temperature holding her was unusually warm. After taking medicine, she became drowsy, but Luce, who had no particular problems, didn¡¯t understand why he was so concerned about it. But his unfamiliar reaction surprised Luce, and she missed the opportunity to ask what the medicine was for because she couldn¡¯t even dig into the awake child. Is it a mixture of sleeping pills for him, who only sleeps three hours a day? ¡®Will I be able to find out when I study pharmacology?¡¯ The second was his attitude. ¡°Rev.¡± ¡°Ung.¡± ¡°My forehead keeps itching.¡± ¡°Your forehead? Why?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because you keep looking at me. Is it just my feeling?¡± Although she said it playfully, Rev¡¯s gaze remained with her all day after that day. When Luce drank water, turned a sheet of paper, and even when she was eating cookies as usual, he looked at her carefully as if there was something on it. Of course, she didn¡¯t hate it because it wasn¡¯t the uncomfortably scrutinizing or penetrating gaze. It¡¯s just a little embarrassing. ¡°Why do you keep looking at me?¡± So she asked. ¡°¡­I miss you.¡± She thought she had gotten used to his habitually caring words, but it seemed she wasn¡¯t. Luce, who coughed, crossed her arms. ¡°You really need to know how such words will sound to others.¡± It¡¯s a warm-hearted disease. Rev, who reveals his true feelings, must have literally watched her because he ¡®miss her¡¯. Luce, grumbling inwardly, thought she should adapt to his gaze. Stepping into the training ground, Rev raised his head. ¡°I¡¯m here, Rev.¡± ¡°Ung, Luce. I miss you.¡± Again and again. Passing it over now, Luce approached him, sitting under the tree. He must have grown taller again. With his long legs draped over the exposed tree roots, he looked at Luce as she walked towards him. Rev¡¯s ears, which were staring at her thick lips, were red as if there was a sunset on them. ¡°What is this?¡­The center of gravity when swinging a sword and the center of gravity when striking down are different¡­there is also an introduction to swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Ung.¡± As expected, Rev studies combat skills with books first. Rev gently grabbed Luce¡¯s hand when she was curiously staring at the book with human body illustrations. It was a familiar contact by now, so Luce willingly give her hand. It was correct that she didn¡¯t even notice him holding her hands. Therefore, Luce didn¡¯t notice Rev¡¯s heart beating so fast with her slightest permission. ¡°My mom said that it would rain today.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± Her friend still has the habit of cutting off the object before asking. ¡°Ung, I like rain. To be precise, I like to hear the sound of rain. You?¡± ¡°¡­I think I¡¯ll like it.¡± He still smiled lightly even when he say meaningless things. ¡°Then, would you like to watch the rain today? While drinking a tea.¡± ¡°Ung. I want.¡± ¡°When Dominic came to my house to play, we did it before and it felt really good. It¡¯s also good to mix the scent of tea and the smell of grass in the rain.¡± Unlike Luce, who spoke lightly, Rev¡¯s face became dark. Dominic. Her friend who was cheerful, talkative, and blushing when he saw Luce. He becomes her friend longer than him. Of course, he knew it in his head. That Luce would mention his name without any hostility. He doesn¡¯t know that drinking tea while watching the rain feels good, so she just said it to explain to him. However, when he thought Dominic would know the side of her that he didn¡¯t, he felt as if his heart was being torn. ¡°Luce.¡± ¡°Ung.¡± ¡°Dominic is your friend.¡± ¡°Well, I guess.¡± ¡°I am your friend too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right?¡± Luce, thinking about his intentions, smiled brightly. He wanted to ask a little childish question ¡®who are you closer to?¡¯, so the answer is, of course, fixed. Luce¡¯s expression, which was looking up at him while holding back the laughter that was about to burst out, hardened for a moment at Rev¡¯s next words. ¡°If one of them disappears.¡± ¡°¡­Rev?¡± ¡°The remaining one, will it become more special to you?¡± Only then did Luce realize that the hand holding her was stronger than usual. Chapter 25 What the hell are you talking about?¡¯ She thought she was used to the way Rev talked, but perhaps she wasn¡¯t. Unexpected words blurred the spring scenery, and only the clear red eyes, which looked like they were burning under the glasses, could be seen. Luce, who was staring blankly into his eyes, realized that Rev was staring at her lips, not her eyes. Is he waiting for an answer? Luce, who alternately saw the hand held by Rev and the one holding the bag, leaned toward him. ¡°I told you.¡± Bump¡ª. Luce pressed their foreheads together so as not to hurt. ¡°You need to know how others will sound when you say that.¡± There were no empty hands, so it was an action to arouse the atmosphere. Luce grinned and walked away, not seeing Rev¡¯s ears burning red. ¡°Did you know that it sounds very harsh at first glance? It¡¯s like you¡¯re determined to get rid of just one person.¡± If he said that to her, Rev would reply as usual. ¡®He didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡¯ Luce added playfully that she knew Rev wasn¡¯t good at talking, so he¡¯d probably answer the same way again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mean that?¡± After speaking at the same time, like a chorus, Rev would laugh in embarrassment, and Luce would laugh right away because Rev¡¯s embarrassed face was funny and cute. ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡°¡­.¡± But why doesn¡¯t he say it this time? Only Luce¡¯s words rang out in the silence. It¡¯s now Luce¡¯s turn to wait for his answer. Her eyes were blinking, but Rev¡¯s head tilted slowly. ¡°So that¡¯s what it sounded like.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah¡­¡± Luce, who stuttered unexpectedly, rose up in the hand leading her. A drop or two of spring rain was falling. Rev, who had been looking at the rain for a while, turned around. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t.¡± Then he smiled as usual. Harmless and affectionately. ¡°Maybe you.¡± After thinking about it for a while, Luce thought she might know where the feeling of difference she had just now came from. ¡°It was a joke, right? Rev says weird things sometimes, so he jokes in an unusual way. Somehow, when she made a joke, he memorized the words in his mouth, so he must have wanted to try it himself. After understanding to that extent, Luce looked up at her friend. He just laughed without saying a word. I was surprised for no reason! Luce, who tapped his arm, made a sullen expression. ¡°¡­If you think of it as a joke, will you answer me? So what do you think?¡± ¡°Well, if either of them disappears, the remaining one will be affectionate and special at first. There¡¯s a saying that if you¡¯re away from the eyes, you¡¯re away from the heart.¡± Luce replied refreshingly. ¡°I see.¡± Which side would Rev, who listened to her seriously, put himself on? Who¡¯s to be left behind, or who¡¯s to disappear? She never knows. Luce, who had been answering lightly, hesitated for a moment, then slowly continued her words. ¡°But later, far later, won¡¯t the person who disappeared become more special?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Yes, because memories are cherished. Even if they were friends who always fought and argued, when they look back in the distant future, they will only have good memories. It was so nice back then, but where did that kid go? That kid is the only one who can share the memories of that time¡­If you think about it, how much you will miss it.¡± ¡°Then disappearing and reappearing would be the most special way.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so? Maybe.¡± Luce laughed lightly and looked at Rev. He took the luggage as if familiar with it and opened the book while holding the bag. ¡°¡­Still, I think it would be better to be left behind.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Rev slowly moved his steps and continued. ¡°Even if it becomes less special.¡± He placed the hardcover book over Luce¡¯s head. ¡°Because I can be by your side.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go Luce.¡± Rev¡¯s book and white shirt were slowly getting wet by the spring rain. ***** ¡°What should I do when it¡¯s all wet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Luce hardly got wet because she had a book over her while walking to and from the carriage, but Rev was in a different situation. Whether his clothes were wet or not, he handed Luce a blanket first and even left the book roughly. It was Luce¡¯s job to get upset. ¡°The book got rained on too!¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine too.¡± Rev didn¡¯t seem worried at all as he pulled at the collar of his shirt that was sticking to him. ¡°Thanks to that, you only got caught in the rain a little bit.¡± ¡°What are you talking about now! I¡¯ll take responsibility for this and dry it, so hurry up and change your clothes.¡± ¡°Why are you responsible? It¡¯s my choice, Luce.¡± ¡°Uh¡­! Hurry up and get in!¡± Rev brushed the rainwater off of Luce¡¯s bag and then stood there as if he didn¡¯t know she was bursting out. Luce put a hand on his back. Through the wet shirts, each other¡¯s body heat was transmitted to the skin. The two suddenly paused. ¡°¡­H, hurry! You¡¯re really going to catch a cold!¡± It was Luce who came to her senses first. Luce sighed as she pushed the hardened Rev into the closet and slammed the door shut. Sitting in the living room, Luce looked at the traces he had left behind. She took the blanket he gave her first, the towel he left behind after wiping off the bag, and the wet book. Luce knew that Rev, who reads books cleanly most of the time, took care of them very well, even if they were old books. Luce¡¯s eyebrows went down while looking at the ink spread and inflated books. ¡®Even though the basic martial arts book is a common book that can be easily obtained, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m using this as an umbrella.¡¯ He easily does things to her that he would never have done in normal times. She touched her forehead as she used a rag to wipe the moisture off the bookshelf. ¡®¡­Since I am Rev¡¯s first and only friend, he must be fond of me just as I am fond of him. He¡¯s a kind and affectionate kid by nature, so he must take good care of me.¡¯ Luce rested her chin on the watery paper. ¡®But I wonder if it¡¯s right to be taken care of like this. No matter what my body is, I am an adult inside.¡¯ Even in terms of physical age, Rev and she are two years apart. Sixteen-year-old Rev is a boy who has grown up early but has not reached adulthood anyway. So, to put it bluntly, isn¡¯t it right that she, an adult on the inside, takes care of him more? ¡°Rather than that, that kid named Revinas has a bit of a picky personality, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Then Yohan¡¯s words suddenly came to mind. ¡®It¡¯s good to have a best friend, but considering the future, it would be good for Rev to learn how to interact with other friends.¡¯ Of course, it was right to have a good friend. It is not necessary to have many friends. But he¡¯s not the same age as her. To put it mildly, he is a friend who grows together and laughs for a long time. Is it really good for Rev to have only me as a friend? If it was for my sake, would it be okay to casually wet the book and leave Rev in the rain instead? ¡°My head hurts¡­.¡± What¡¯s better for Rev? ¡®Is it because it¡¯s raining? I¡¯m just thinking about something useless.¡¯ She was wrapping her head around when she heard a voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Luce?¡± ¡°I, it¡¯s nothing. What do you mean?¡± Rev asked while boiling water. Luce, who smiled awkwardly and raised her head, pushed the book. ¡°This ink is all smudged, Rev. I don¡¯t think I can recover even if I dry it.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t have to worry about it. I did it with the intention of taking that much.¡± He seems like an adult, even if she just listens to what he says. ¡°Let¡¯s drink tea while watching the rain. I told you it was good.¡± He doesn¡¯t even think about drying his wet hair before he takes care of the tea first, so he looks like a boy of that age. ¡°Tea is the second, are you not going to dry your hair, Rev?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Shall I dry it?¡± ¡°¡­Will you?¡± He seems like a younger brother when he can¡¯t hide his happy face when she says she will dry his hair. A very difficult friend. It was only natural that Luce¡¯s screening, gently tossing Rev¡¯s black hair, would become dizzy again. The spring rain gradually increased. It was only when they could see the scenery outside the window that the two emptied the teapot. Rev carefully grabbed Luce as she prepared to go out. ¡°It¡¯s raining a lot. Stay a little longer.¡± Luce, who was staring at him, shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯ll be dark in a little while, so I have to get up now.¡± I know. I wish you could stay a little longer. Looking at Rev¡¯s face, who clearly wanted to say, Luce gently turned her head away. ¡°Then I¡¯ll walk you home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s raining a lot so stay home.¡± ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t it be right for you to stay a little longer? It¡¯s raining a lot.¡± Anyway, he only says the right things. So instead of rebutting, Luce agreed to be escorted by him. The sound of rain falling on the umbrella was loud. Luce was still thinking about why she suddenly wanted to distance herself from him today, but the sound of rain interrupted her thoughts every time. Why does it rain so much? What if there¡¯s a landslide? She looked back a few times to see if Rev¡¯s house, located in the middle of the mountain, would be okay, and a voice caught her eye. ¡°Hey!¡± Dominic? Dominic stood on the way home. What is he doing here? Luce chuckled, wondering if he was trying to show off what he had made in the blacksmith¡¯s shop again. Without knowing that Rev was examining her expression. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°How come you just came back now? I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time!¡± ¡°So why?¡± ¡°The roof of your house is pierced again!¡± ¡°Ack, really?! The roof of this man has no normal day!¡± Villagers used to fix roofs that were often broken. Somehow, she heard it was raining heavily, and the roof broke again! She was grumbling when Dominic approached her and grabbed her wrist. ¡°So my mom told you to sleep at my house tonight. So hurry up¡­¡± It was then. ¡°¡­Are you going to go?¡± Rev¡¯s body temperature overlapped on the other hand. He asked again in a low voice. ¡°Are you going, Luce?¡± Chapter 26 Luce blankly looked down at her hands. Her left hand is held by Dominic, and her right hand is held by Lev. Dominic¡¯s dark hand gripped her wrist in a way that fit his personality, and Rev¡¯s big, white hand tightly gripped her fingertips. ¡®It¡¯s hot.¡¯ What surprised Luce was the body temperature of Rev¡¯s white hand. Why is his hand, which she thought was a little cold, so hot now? ¡°Luce.¡± Even though it was raining heavily, she could clearly hear Rev¡¯s low voice. Luce, who slowly raised her head, suddenly thought that Rev¡¯s eyes under the umbrella were a little strange under the umbrella. The red eyes, which seemed to be longing for something, were intense rather than the usual friendly and kind gaze. Dominic¡¯s urge made Luce, staring at him like she was possessed, come to her senses. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m cold. How long will you be standing here?¡± I turned around to see Dominic sneezing and pulling at his hand. ¡°Even though Mom told you to hurry up?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah¡­¡± It seemed that Rev understood the careless words as an agreement to Dominic¡¯s proposal. His right hand, which was holding her, slowly lost strength and then fell. Rev took his hand and smiled briefly as if he had never done that before. ¡°Hurry up. You must be cold, Luce.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, Lev. You can¡¯t catch a cold either. Hurry up and see you next time!¡± ¡°Yeah. I will miss you.¡± The goodbyes she always heard made her feel strangely strong. Even though Dominic¡¯s torch was leading her, Luce kept looking back. The figure of Rev standing still under the torrential rain was blurry, but there was one thing she could tell from a distance. His shoulders were wet. Not the side that held the umbrella over her, but his opposite shoulder. ***** Coming with Dominic made her look like a rat in the rain, but her right hand was dry. Luce, who was wiping off the water with a face that looked like it had been lost, jumped up when her shoulder was touched. ¡°You surprise me!¡± ¡°What are you doing? Give me a towel too. Why are you using it alone?¡± ¡°You can take out one more and use it.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m in charge of laundry. It¡¯s annoying.¡± Dominic brushed his hair like a dog in the rain as if the laundry was really bothersome. She went to Dominic¡¯s house as often as she went to Rev¡¯s, so Luce casually poured water and asked. ¡°By the way, what about Aunt Dahlia? She said to come quickly.¡± ¡°Mom? She had a regular town meeting, so she was called there for a bit.¡± ¡°What, I thought she was waiting again! That¡¯s why I came in a hurry.¡± ¡°I waited for you, not my mom, that¡¯s why. So you can¡¯t make my mom wait, but you can make me wait?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Anyway, Dominic often says the same thing strangely. Still, it wasn¡¯t totally wrong, so when Luce sat down with her lips covered, Dominic crossed his arms and sat down across from her. ¡°But you know what?¡± As if thinking deeply about something, he said as if letting go. ¡°About Revinas earlier, why is he like that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He asked you, ¡®Are you going?¡¯¡± ¡°Are you going, Luce?¡± ¡°As if our house was somewhere you shouldn¡¯t go.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Well. What made him do that? It was a question that even Luce couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°Because your mom and my mom are close, you used to stay at my house often when your roof was open, right? Doesn¡¯t he know that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever told him.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it anyway. We¡¯re friends. It¡¯s the same as going to his house or going to my house.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t¡­ it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, he¡¯s not asking why you go to my smaller house instead of his, right?!¡± ¡°Rev is not that kind of guy!¡± It was different from Dominic¡¯s guess, but Luce was also curious about his intention. If it were a normal Rev, he would have thought logically. If there is no place to stay, and there is someone who shows a favor just in time, shouldn¡¯t he be grateful? Especially if it is a house where their parents know each other and children know each other. If he thought it was wrong, he would have come up with an alternative. Suggestions like ¡°How about staying at my house?¡± But why did Rev say that? ¡°If one of them disappears, will the remaining one become more special to you?¡± ¡®Maybe I¡¯m paying attention because those words from earlier are strangely memorable.¡¯ Maybe Rev just asked without thinking. Her nerd friend was literally wondering if she was going or not. His eyes were a little different than usual, but Luce decided to stop understanding at that level after thinking about how Rev talked. ¡°And what? I will miss you¡ª?¡± ¡°Rev is a kid who is good at saying things like that!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not like that and he¡¯s like that. Just choose one of the two.¡± ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s like a greeting. He says ¡®I missed you¡¯ as a morning greeting and ¡®I¡¯ll miss you¡¯ as an evening greeting.¡± ¡°Why are you protecting him like that?¡± ¡°Tell me honestly, you want to say that because it looks cool, but you can¡¯t because you¡¯re shy, right?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Luce, who had been arguing with Dominic and laughing, suddenly discovered something strange. It was something she had never seen before, at least not in Dominic¡¯s living room. ¡°What are those books?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my brother¡¯s.¡± Aha, so that¡¯s why there are so many books piled up. ¡°Ah, brother Dietrich? As expected.¡± ¡°Are you trying to tease me again? I was shocked to see this because I didn¡¯t think something like this could be at your house, like that!¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t say a word?¡± Dominic had an older brother, Dietrich. Luce had never seen the face of the man who had been attending the capital¡¯s academy. This is because Dietrich left to study before she was possessed. But Luce had a vague good feeling about him. Passingly, it is said that he treated Luce like his sister and loved her. He was said to be as hardworking and calm as a bee, unlike Dominic, who stung here and there like a wasp. It was said that Luce followed him well before being possessed, so she had no reason to dislike him. ¡°Tsk. Anyway, my brother sent me a book.¡± ¡°Wow, then is your brother returning to Xenon?¡± ¡°He says he¡¯ll coming soon¡­I don¡¯t know what will happen if he get caught by the academy professor again.¡± ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s coming, right?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll have to come. Someday.¡± There was one more reason to like it. ¡®I¡¯ve always been curious about the history of the Vladin Empire, but that¡¯s great.¡¯ Luce, who was flipping through Dietrich¡¯s books, asked. ¡°Did your brother major in the Department of History?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t understand why people study dead people¡¯s stories for fun.¡± It was a voice that he honestly didn¡¯t understand, so Luce laughed at him. ¡°I¡¯d rather study legends and myths rather than those hard history books, then I¡¯d have many stories to tell my friends.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you are secretly timid and superstitious. Like the legend of red eyes?¡± ¡°At that time, I reflected on myself¡­.¡± Luce¡¯s eyes twinkled as he looked at Dominic, who was embarrassed and blurted out. ¡®Yes, If it¡¯s Dominic, he knew a lot about that, right?¡¯ There was one strange thing. Both pharmacology and magic engineering, which Luce and Rev study, are definitely magical legacies. Strangely, however, the book didn¡¯t include an introduction to the magic that should have been there, the reason for the discovery, or the inventor. As if they had only left out that part on purpose. In terms of a movie, it was like there was no prologue or ending credits. Cutting off the side branches and getting right to the point might look nice and comfortable, but she couldn¡¯t get rid of the feeling that something was missing. ¡®I thought it was strange because Lord¡¯s study had no history book about the wizard. With only one-line descriptions like this, the only thing in the series was the name of the last wizard, which was Radanum.¡¯ But even if there is no book, the story continues. ¡°Dominic, do you know any legends about wizards?¡± From mouth to mouth. ¡°Of course, I know that. But you¡¯re going to make fun of me again. Perhaps, did you know. I knew it.¡± ¡°No, this time I¡¯m really curious. Let me know if you know anything.¡± Dominic only opened his mouth with a very doubtful face after hearing the confirmation several times that she wouldn¡¯t make fun of him. ¡°I heard this from my grandmother, too.¡± It is said that a wizard who appeared near Xenon village created a well in the blink of an eye and that he made wings for humans who dared to test the wizard and made them soar endlessly into the sky. They are legends that are inconsistent as they are told from mouth to mouth. It was also confusing whether the existence of wizards did good or bad things. But, just as a gem is hidden in a stone. If she listen to many stories, there will be truth among them. Luce listened carefully as Dominic excitedly told the stories. ¡°They say that wizards can¡¯t be killed with ordinary weapons. It means no sword or bow. So in the old days, it was said that the country with the most cooperative wizards always won. Of course, it¡¯s like having a bunch of weapons that can¡¯t be broken.¡± ¡°Ung. And then?¡± ¡°They say that wizards don¡¯t take money in return. They move around many countries, and among them there are wizards who live very long, so the common people¡¯s currency system seems to be of no use to them.¡± ¡°Well, when the country perishes, all the money before that will be pieces of toilet paper. So it looks like they¡¯re getting something like gold or jewels, right? I think they¡¯re wise? Wizards must be rich.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s the point, they¡¯re all dead. Now, only treasure hunters who found the wizard¡¯s warehouse will be rich.¡± They¡¯re all dead¡ª. How did the wizards who said neither swords nor bows could kill them die? ¡°Among them, His Majesty, who highly valued the last wizard who resisted to the end, even though he was an enemy, showed his mercy and left his name behind.¡± What did the last wizard, Radanum, think when he saw all his colleagues dying? She was lost in thought, but Dominic bent down. It sounded like he was telling a big secret. ¡°And¡­they say wizards always need permission.¡± ¡°Permission? What permission? Can I use magic, or I¡¯m going to hurt you from now on, can I? They have to ask permission?¡± What kind of wizard is that? Dominic whispered to Luce, who was puzzled, lowering his voice as much as possible. ¡°No, they say that wizards can¡¯t go into other people¡¯s houses. That¡¯s the rule. So my grandmother told me not to open it when a stranger knocked. No matter how kind and wonderful a guest they are.¡± What¡¯s that? It¡¯s scary. Looking out the darkened window, it was still raining. Feeling little goosebumps, Luce swept her arm somehow. ¡°To open the door is to give permission to accept the wizard, so if you open the door after being possessed by a wonderful guest, you will see the wizard devouring not only your house, but also you.¡± ¡°E, ey, no way. Still, does it make sense that you can¡¯t enter someone else¡¯s house when you¡¯re a wizard? Didn¡¯t she tell you to be careful because there might be robbers or thieves among the guests?¡± ¡°No, really. Not all guests are wizards, but wizards always come as guests. I mean like this. Knock knock, knock on the door¡­.¡± It was then. Knock knock¡ª. A knock was heard. Chapter 27 ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°What, what!¡± They jumped up and down as they immersed themselves in the conversation. The knock rang again in the ears of Dominic, who screamed and covered his face, and Luce, who shrank. Knock, knock¨C! ¡°W, who is it?¡± ¡°Whoa! I don¡¯t want to! Go away!¡± ¡°Dominic, come out for a minute¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± Luce approached the door slowly, looking resentfully at Dominic hiding under the table. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, it¡¯s not, right? There¡¯s no way a real wizard will come. Besides, didn¡¯t he say that all wizards are dead?¡¯ But somehow, she felt a sense of deja vu. A sudden knocking sound, an unknown guest who didn¡¯t reveal his identity. Luce, biting her lip, shouted more confidently. ¡°Who are you! There¡¯s an adult in the house, if you keep doing that, I¡¯ll report you!¡± The guest who used to knock was now touching the doorknob. Luce grabbed the doorknob¡­ Chapter 28 ¡°Uwbbhh¡ª¡± ¡°Since when have you been awake?¡± She¡¯s my Mom, but she¡¯s so scary when she comes out like this. Luce, who quickly organized her thoughts, drooped her eyebrows. ¡°Hngg. Ung.¡± ¡°Mom, can you let this go?¡± ¡°Hng.¡± Chelsea¡¯s hand, which was making Luce¡¯s lips like a crucian carp, has moved away. How did she understand this? Luce, who moistened her dry lips, hugged Chelsea as she secretly acted cute. The smell of well-dried cloth under the sun and the smell of the apple wine she was drinking. It was cozy. ¡°Noo, honestly.¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± ¡°I fell asleep and woke up when my mom shook me.¡± Luce murmured, with her face buried in Chelsea¡¯s chest. ¡°I stayed still because my Mom loved to hug me like a princess.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Because if you knew I was awake, the two-legged guy would ask why I¡¯m making my Mom suffer.¡± Chelsea is a good mother and a good person, so anything she does is fine. The food she prepares is delicious, she¡¯s grateful that she does everything while pretending she doesn¡¯t like it when she asks for something, and she¡¯s proud that she is busy looking for her own work. So, what Luce said was half true. She was very happy in the short time she went up the stairs hugging her. Slowly, a hand moved up to Luce¡¯s back, where she was hugging her without saying anything. ¡°Sometimes when I listen to what you say, I don¡¯t know if my daughter is four or fourteen or twenty-four. Who taught you this natural attitude?¡± Instead of hitting her on the back, Chelsea seemed to believe what Luce was saying. It was a strangely sharp comment, but it¡¯s fortunate anyway. Luce, who sighed secretly with relief, giggled like a mischievous child. ¡°Of course, I learned it from my Mom because I¡¯m your daughter.¡± ¡°I was a daughter without aegyo even when I was young.¡± (T/n: aegyo is like acting cutely.) ¡°Then I must have learned it from Dad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, was your Dad a cute son¡ª¡± Chelsea¡¯s voice subsided a little as she uttered the word ¡°your Dad.¡± ¡°Well. Your Dad was famous for being a very decent man. When I first saw him, I thought he was just a stone-like person.¡± Luce, who quietly raised her head, looked at Chelsea. She patted Luce on the back and muttered softly. Rather than talking to Luce, she seemed to be recalling the past. Did Dahlia¡¯s words trigger her? Luce lightly put her hand on Chelsea¡¯s waist. ¡°But it turned out that he wasn¡¯t just a decent and quiet man. He was a person who knew how to tell a pretty funny joke, and he had a sneaky side. He looked weak, but he was strong, and he had the guts to cause accidents that other people wouldn¡¯t even imagine.¡± A soft Chelsea voice followed. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about why he¡¯s wearing that kind of mask because it¡¯s so different from my first impression. Perhaps he was used to it because he was weak and his family was strict, so he learned how to endure it first, let alone act cute or grumpy.¡± So Dad was that kind of person. She felt like her father, who had only existed as a person in an old portrait, had somehow become a little closer to her. For some reason, she thought of someone while listening to this story. ¡°From what you¡¯ve said, it¡¯s clear that you resemble Lawrence.¡± After going to the Lord¡¯s castle in the morning and being hit by the heavy rain, her tired body gradually became hazy. Luce muttered as she struggled to keep her eyes open while being held limp like dough. ¡°Because I¡¯m cheerful, cute, and strong?¡± ¡°No, but the troublemaker point.¡± ¡°Whaat?¡± ¡°What? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go somewhere no one knows us.¡± ¡°Anyway Mom, about Dad.¡± ¡°Do you hate it, Chelsea?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t hate it. Do you really mean it?¡± ¡°Have I ever lied to you, Chelsea?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know, but I think he was kind of a cool person¡­ Hoam.¡± ¡°Your Dad is a bit like that.¡± ¡°But, but. I can¡¯t believe it. Mr. Lawrence, oh, I know you hate this title, but I have to tell you. Young Master Lawrence has work to do in Menelik!¡± ¡°Mmhm, I know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to throw it all away because of me? Just because of a maid?¡± ¡°Why would I throw everything away if I left this place with you?¡± ¡°Then I should be a person like my Dad, Hoam. That¡¯s right¡­ then Mom will like it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, of course!¡± ¡°I get you. Chelsea, nothing is more important to me than that.¡± Lawrence¡¯s face, smiling brightly, and the child¡¯s sleeping face, which resembles the two, slowly overlapped. Chelsea closed her eyes slowly. ¡°No.¡± And she murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t be like your Dad.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a person like me, too.¡± Don¡¯t be like me, ruining everything with a half-ripe heart like a green apple that says love will solve everything. Chelsea whispered in prayer in a small voice that she wouldn¡¯t even hear herself. Those were words that the sleeping Luce couldn¡¯t hear. ***** ¡°Like that, they lived happily ever after.¡± Diana, covering the fairy tale book, looked at the bed. The Prince¡¯s golden hair, covered with blankets to the tip of his head, was shaking slightly. Even though she read a total of three children¡¯s books, the child couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She sat by Delmar¡¯s bedside and sighed a little. ¡°Delmar, can¡¯t you sleep?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eleven years old. The age when children¡¯s books in bed are no longer suitable. But there is only one reason for being so childish. ¡°Brother Aurelio¡­ No, I always slept well when Aurelio read it to me. What¡¯s wrong with me, mother?¡± Aurelio. Delmar often disappeared. And he was often in that child¡¯s room. The gray room of the northern tower, without a comfortable bed, a cozy blanket, or colored toys, was said to be good for Delmar. He can sleep well and feel comfortable there. He snores to sleep. When she woke Delmar up, half asleep on a bed no bigger than a straw, she saw the room¡¯s owner far away. A child who had been sitting in a hard chair the whole time because Delmar, who had taken over the bed, asked him to read a book. So what she said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him to go back?¡± She said it without any particular meaning. ¡°I apologize, Your Highness Empress Consort.¡± Nevertheless, it was an apology that came back. The boy, who had a habit of thinking badly, bowed his head, showing his low cheek. Diana thought as she came out with her young son, who didn¡¯t know that his good night¡¯s sleep would affect other people¡¯s sleep. About her stepson. Diana was the right person for anything, so her motherhood isn¡¯t so much directed at the child she didn¡¯t give birth to. But to abuse and treat poorly a child who seems to have lost all emotions due to being quiet? Not even that. It is an aspect of humanity and cognition. Even a person who hates animals feels pity for a moment when a small cat that seems completely unwilling to attack is trembling. Even if she couldn¡¯t take him and raise him, it was just enough to keep him out of the rain for a while. No more, no less, just that much. Diana ordered to change Aurelio¡¯s bed that day. The child and others would think she changed it because it was a bed where Delmar put his head on, and 90% of it was right, but 10% of it, she was a little worried about the gray room. ¡°I miss Aurelio, mother. Can you tell His Majesty for me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity Aurelio is in such a country town. Yes?¡± But it was a different story when there was a child who would touch the cat without knowing it. Diana suddenly pulled back the blanket. The weeping blue eyes turned to him. ¡°M, mother?¡± ¡°What do you mean country town? Delmar, are you¡ª¡± ¡°Hiik.¡± The Emperor, Radanum, and she are the only ones who know where Aurelio is now. Delmar shouldn¡¯t have known. Delmar closed his mouth when he realized what he had said, but it was too late. ¡°Why on earth did you go there? How did you know where Aurelio was?¡± ¡°About that.¡¯ Tears welled up in the eyes of the lovely Prince, who couldn¡¯t be wiped away by everyone. The zipper on his clothes itches, it keeps scratching his back. And at that one word, the maid who was serving clothes disappeared. Isn¡¯t the sunset so pretty? With that one word, the tree that covered one side of the prince¡¯s window was cut down. It was a tree that lived well for a hundred years. That¡¯s why no one questioned the prince when he cried and muttered like this. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, did you meet Aurelio?¡± But his mother was an exception. Her eyes, which always drew lines as if smiling, fiercely urged her son. Delmar wasn¡¯t immune to this sort of thing. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t say it. I heard Brother is going to get punished.¡¯ But the naive child¡¯s thoughts often run their own way. ¡®However, there is no way that Brother will be punished. Brother is a Prince even though he¡¯s somewhere else. So like people are kind to me, they will be kind to Brother. My Brother was trying to scare me. He told me not to come because the country town is dangerous.¡¯ Radanum¡¯s cloak, which said that a return magic circle would be activated when danger was detected, and Aurelio¡¯s eyes, which had been very focused, came to mind, but Delmar shook his head. His weak Brother gets sick sometimes¡ªbecause he used to act like a complete stranger on sick days. He thought that maybe he was sick that day and that¡¯s why he was so sensitive. His self-justification made the way. He opened his mouth with a trembling chin. ¡°I only went to see my brother once.¡± ¡°Delmar!¡± ¡°It was just once. I¡¯m just curious because no one¡¯s telling me¡­ I just had a short conversation. ¡° ¡°How did you know where the child was when no one told you?¡± ¡°¡­Radanum told me¡­.¡± Diana let out a long sigh at the words. Then, Delmar thought hard with his little head. The one who asked and begged for it was himself, but in the end it was Radanum who informed and sent him. There were times when the long-lived wizard¡¯s eyes were frightening, but isn¡¯t he a servant of the imperial family anyway? He must absolutely follow the words of the people of the imperial family, and he would be a chamberlain who could use magic. So, he can tell Radanum who told him. Tell his mother that he sent him. He couldn¡¯t believe there was such a way! ¡°I missed Brother and wanted to talk to him, so I went to Radanum, and wouldn¡¯t he let me go? If it wasn¡¯t for Radanum, how could I have gone all the way to a remote rural village? So¡ª¡± ¡°Delmar.¡± ¡°Yes, mother.¡± Diana¡¯s face showed for a moment that she was tired and exhaustion. ¡°Let¡¯s keep this a secret.¡± Huh. Delmar, who had wiped away tears, asked in a small voice. ¡°Secret? Then¡­¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s keep it a secret. Don¡¯t talk about this.¡± ¡°Yes, I will!¡± As expected, it wasn¡¯t a big deal because his mother covered it up for him. She says it in the same tone as when she told him not to eat too many puddings, right? Leaving Delmar¡¯s eyes sparkling behind, Diana left the room. She got a headache. Chapter 29 Diana staggered after getting all the maids out and went to her room. Some say. ¡®Didn¡¯t His Majesty the Emperor keep anyone by his side except for the Empress, who passed away a long time ago? But as soon as he met Her Highness Diana, he decided to make her Empress Consort?¡¯ ¡®Oh my, he must have fallen in love at first sight.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s a story I¡¯ve heard, that the first meeting couldn¡¯t have been so romantic. I heard that His Majesty the Emperor saved Her Highness Empress Consort Diana, who was in danger?¡¯ ¡®In conclusion, they¡¯re a really good match. She is gentle in character and has the ability to handle the imperial affairs on behalf of the busy Emperor, and above all, she even gave a precious gift Prince Delmar to the precious Emperor. How much does His Majesty love Her Highness the Empress Consort?¡¯ The meeting between the Emperor and Diana was inevitable and fate. Much of what they said was true. Her words of character and ability, as well as the gift of Prince Delmar, are right. It was right that the Emperor saved Diana at the first meeting and that the first meeting was quite romantic. Diana received the proposal the same day she met the Emperor. It was an act of ignoring all the complicated imperial etiquette. The busybody was whispering about what kind of wind it was, but when they saw the Emperor smiling at Diana, they closed their mouths. ¡®But.¡¯ Everything else is wrong. The Emperor had an unknown mistress and the 1st Prince in between. And the Emperor doesn¡¯t love the Empress Consort. The Emperor never looked for the Empress Consort first. Back in her own bedroom, Diana closed the door. Her body slowly collapsed. ¡®The marriage life that I imagined¡­.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like this. The life she dreamed of as a child was definitely not like this, but now her childhood memories were just blurry, as if they overlapped them with something. She tried to recall it, but she couldn¡¯t think of it. Only the reality that ate the dream comes to mind. An emperor who is twisted somewhere. A wizard whose intentions are unknown and whose side he is on is also ambiguous. For some reason, a stepson who is being treated coldly by the Emperor. Such images could not be erased by flashy jewels, the Empress Consort¡¯s crown, or the status of a son. Diana threw away her tiara and bit her lip. Nothing has changed since Aurelio left. The Emperor hates Aurelio. He is close to hating. He always gave Aurelio a sharp look as if he was cautious. The boy who couldn¡¯t put off his gaze and accepted it without saying anything disappeared. Seeing all the hatred from the side, Diana used to think vaguely. Wouldn¡¯t the Emperor¡¯s mind be a little more comfortable if he no longer sees the person he doesn¡¯t like? However, even after Aurelio went to Xenon, the scenery of the palace remained unchanged. The Emperor was still sensitive, still cruel, and still edgy. He¡¯ll find the next target. If it¡¯s her, if it¡¯s Delmar. Can she endure it? ¡®Why, what¡­ What is that prophecy?¡¯ ¡°You prophesied.¡± There is a saying that even if a monarch rules the world, his mate rules the monarch. But at least it doesn¡¯t fit the Vladin Empire. It is not a King who rules this country but wizards. The word of the wizard is to hold the Emperor and shake him. ¡®Let¡¯s say his prediction was not good. That¡¯s why His Majesty hates Aurelio. So¡­ was there no prophecy about Delmar?¡¯ Diana, who washed her face dry, breathed heavily. Why didn¡¯t she think of it until now? He is an Emperor who doesn¡¯t like Radanum but believes in his prophecies. If Radanum whispers bad things about Delmar to him. ¡®It could be dangerous.¡¯ Just like Aurelio did. Diana, who was sitting down and thinking, got up. She can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing. Sitting at her desk, she picked up two sheets of paper. ***** ¡°Hello, Mrs. Plum!¡± Again, again. Mrs. Plum, a pharmacology teacher, doesn¡¯t accept the greetings. Cold expressions, cold eyes, and even tight clothes make her feel excessive this fall. It¡¯s like the epitome of a strict and hard teacher. The mere sight of it makes her gasp. Luce, who sighed inaudibly, nevertheless spoke with a big smile. ¡°It rained a lot. Wasn¡¯t it hard on your way here?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I stepped on the wrong puddle and ruined my shoes. There¡¯s a big puddle in front of the door, so be careful when you go out, Mrs.¡± Mrs. Plum turned over the book without answering. Luce, who looked at her wrinkled side face for a moment, also thought as she turned over the book. ¡®At first, I was very nervous to see if I did anything wrong.¡¯ It¡¯s been a long time since she has seen someone so openly blowing cold wind. Every wriggling muscle of Mrs¡¯ face seems to be talking. I don¡¯t like this position. At first, Luce was worried and nervous, too. Did I make a mistake? Are you trying to read my mind? Or were you the kind of teacher who wanted a bribe? She has been thinking all sorts of things. ¡®But it was like that to Rev. But if it¡¯s about politeness, she said I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡¯ Rev agonized with her, but he couldn¡¯t give her any answer. It was also a problem that no one could give an answer to. Luce clapped before Rev, who began to struggle seriously, covering the engineering textbook he was solving, fell into the swamp of unanswered questions. ¡°Maybe she doesn¡¯t like pharmacology, not me. She¡¯s already retired and living freely, and she has to read again! Oh, I¡¯m sick of it! I mean, it might be this kind of psychology.¡± ¡°Is that so? But you can¡¯t get tired of reading books¡­.¡± ¡°Hmmmm. But I have the homework you gave me. I don¡¯t understand this problem because it¡¯s a bit difficult, Rev. Can you explain it one more time?¡± ¡°Ung. I can.¡± Rev recited the question slowly. ¡°If I give you one apple from an apple in a basket with three apples, how many will it be, Luce?¡± ¡°Oh, it was an additional question? I roughly pointed it out without looking at it with the intention of turning your attention, but damn it.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t understand this?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re being kind or if I¡¯m looking a little stupid.¡± Luce thought while looking at Rev, who solved the problem. There is a saying that those who hate me without reason should make a reason. Of course, it will be possible to do something if she puts her mind to it. She can run to the Lord in tears and whine that the teacher is strange or pretend not to know and put jelly on her chair to make her velvet clothes all sticky. Oh, my gosh, it was a mistake. I¡¯m sorry. Pft. In a few words, there were many people who would still be on the side of Luce, a child. ¡®But I don¡¯t want to do it just to relieve my uneasy feelings right now. That kind of trick suits rude guys like Vincent. Mrs. Plum is also a teacher brought in from the next city with difficulty¡­ For some reason, when I see her, it reminds me of the nurse in the orphanage.¡¯ That¡¯s exactly what the old head nurse of the orphanage, who spent her previous life until she graduated from high school, looked like. Far from being benevolent and kind as one might imagine, it was terrifying and strict. On the day when even one violation was found, everyone hated her because it was as if she was catching a mouse. (T/n: ? ??: as if catching a mouse: The manner of restricting someone from moving and tormenting him/her.) What she was particularly sensitive to was the electric heater. Thanks to this, even though it gets cold in the winter, the kids at the orphanage haven¡¯t been able to use an electric blanket or a curling iron even though they want to look cool. The children all resented the nurse head. Until another nun, who had been listening to the children¡¯s complaints, told her about a big fire that broke out in the dormitory more than ten years ago. ¡®She thought it was all her fault, so she was stricter.¡¯ Once she knows it, she can see it. The burn marks glimpsed through the nurse¡¯s head¡¯s sleeves. She thinks it¡¯s all her fault that she couldn¡¯t save the children and the traces of her past left behind. Luce, who was staring at Mrs. Plum¡¯s velvet dress, which looked really stuffy, opened the {Beginner Antie} part. ¡°This antie is used to neutralize mild poisons from plants or bee stings.¡± Luce often felt out of place when she was learning about pharmacology. ¡°Unspecified amounts of pollen and moldy food are examples of weak plant poisons. Toxicity is also caused by old bedding and unclean environments.¡± From Mrs. Plum¡¯s explanation, it sounds like everything in the world is poisonous. However, Luce, who was a rhinitis patient in her previous life, knew right away. Simply put, it is an allergic reaction. This ¡®primary antie¡¯ must be an antihistamine. Of course, ordinary people can be surprised. There was no problem until yesterday, but why they¡¯re coughing all of a sudden? They were fine until last year, but why did their whole body start to itch when they touched a peach? The causes of allergies are very diverse and complex. It would be almost impossible to explain them one by one. But she never thought it would be written like this even in pharmacology textbooks. Is it because it¡¯s an introductory book? Luce shook her head unconsciously. ¡°It¡¯s too broad.¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Oops. The words seem to come out of her mouth. Mrs. Plum was looking at her. Luce, who was rolling her eyes, said awkwardly. ¡°Ah, um. I think the range of ailments this antie cure is too broad. Even the word plant poison sounds a bit ambiguous. Pollen and tree essence are the same but do old bedding and unclean environments fall into the category of plant poison? ¡°Even if you know this much, it is enough to live selling herbs in this mountain valley.¡± It¡¯s a strangely out-of-focus answer. Let¡¯s say the question of ¡®3-5=?¡¯ is brought to the children. Elementary school students will say, ¡®Teacher, this problem is wrong!¡¯ But a middle school student would say, ¡®It¡¯s a minus 2!¡¯ Luce thought Mrs. Plum¡¯s answer was just a way to avoid teaching a kindergartener negative numbers, which she either couldn¡¯t or didn¡¯t want to do. ¡®But I want to learn more.¡¯ Luce narrowed her brows. Chapter 30 Of course, it is also important to know how to make an antihistamine. It will help cure people with grass poisoning or unexplained sneezing due to seasonal allergies. But I couldn¡¯t be satisfied with this level. Luce pulled up a chair and sat down. And she looked straight at Mrs Plum. ¡°That¡¯s right. Rodante is a mountain territory, and the only pharmacist there is a deaf old man, so that¡¯s true. The goal is for me to sell honey and lemon tea to people who have colds and ointments to people who have itchy skin while claiming it is a side effect of poison.¡± Mrs Plum¡¯s eyebrows went up. ¡°But that¡¯s not my goal, Mrs.¡± ¡°Goal? Then what is your goal?¡± ¡°I.¡± What should I answer? Why do I want to dig deeper into pharmacology, which I started learning with the intention of making menstrual pain relievers? It was a person¡¯s face that passed in front of Luce¡¯s troubled eyes. ¡¸You can¡¯t go¡­ Don¡¯t go¡­¡¹ He just missed the time to take his medicine, but Rev, who had a fever, swallowed his tears. Luce nodded slowly. ¡°I hate it when someone precious to me is sick. If there¡¯s anything I can do, I want to help. So yeah.¡± Upon hearing Luce¡¯s answer, Mrs Plum¡¯s face hardened strangely. Luce continued with a polite yet resolute tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Lord said and why he brought Mrs. Plum. Perhaps he wants me to learn basic knowledge since the pharmacist¡¯s existence in this village is about to be cut off. Is that right?¡± There was neither agreement nor disagreement, but silence is usually an agreement. ¡°A person like that pharmacist grandfather, who just needs to know the names of herbs and give them to people, and who will run a drug store with more animal herbs than people. To put it simply, there should be at least one pharmacist in the territory, someone who fits the assortment.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not. I really want to learn properly, Mrs.¡± Thinking of Rev made me a little more desperate. Mrs Plum seemed to have aged a lot as she listened to Luce. Haa. After her short sigh, Mrs Plum said in a slightly subdued voice. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know what it¡¯s like to live as a pharmacist.¡± ¡°Originally, ignorant kid like me are more braver.¡± Was it a mistake that her wrinkled eyes were slightly bent at her joke? ¡°You are right. I don¡¯t know what life is like as a pharmacist. But, even if I find out.¡± Luce laughed softly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to step down or be scared.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I have a lot of questions. There are reasons to learn. So Mrs., please help me. I am a pretty good student.¡± Mrs Plum seemed to think for a long time. She took a sip of water and lowered her eyes. There was a rustling sound. Luce wasn¡¯t surprised when she pulled back her velvet robe and held out her arm. ¡°There are jobs that society needs, but people don¡¯t really appreciate. Tanners and butchers who are ostracized for smelling of blood, and clowns who make people laugh but are despised for being vulgar. And.¡± Dotted scars remained on her wrists. It looked more like an infection scar than a cut or scratch. ¡°A pharmacist who get stoned if they can¡¯t heal, and who is accused of being a witch if they does.¡± She thought she knew what she meant. ¡°People in the Vladin Empire have always thought that a wizard is the best person in the world to deal with herbs. Anyone can adjust the proportions of herbs and mix medicines, but only wizards can make medicines that work well for humans. That¡¯s right. Pharmacology is a discipline that wizards started studying in the first place. But over time, that truth has changed.¡± Books where the contents of magic had been deleted. An apothecary shop with at most basic painkillers and livestock medicine. Unlike the Lord, who lived in the capital city and had a relatively open mindset, Chelsea¡¯s reaction was somewhat hesitant when she heard that she would be learning pharmacology. ¡°A pharmacist who is good at medicinal herbs is a wizard.¡± Here is one proposition. ¡®An apple is a fruit¡¯ is a correct proposition. However, the inverse of the proposition, ¡®Fruits are apples¡¯, is a false proposition. But people are often mistaken. Since the original proposition is correct, the reordered proposition must also be correct. ¡°Even after the wizards died, people still didn¡¯t like magic.¡± Luce recalled the stories Dominic had told her. Like the goblins in traditional fairy tales, the description of wizards, who did both good and bad things, became more bizarre as the story progressed. From the point of view of the imperial family that kills the wizards, they couldn¡¯t have left any good stories behind. ¡°It seems that the situation in the capital and big cities is a little better, but the people who live in such small estates are still uncomfortable with the word magic. It¡¯s like rejecting the appearance of red eyes, or taking herbs you know from experience as folk remedies without going to the pharmacist.¡± I know. I know it so well. Luce nodded. ¡°People know it in their heads. But the heart can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, it is.¡± ¡°And because people follow the logic of their heart more than the logic of their head¡­ There are many things to rationalize by attaching reasons to what you believe in.¡± Mrs Plum, who had her sleeves down, let out a very deep sigh. ¡°A long time ago, I was asked to heal a noble lady suffering from a skin disease. There was a dedicated pharmacist in that territory, but they couldn¡¯t fix it, so they called me. The treatment took time, but it wasn¡¯t difficult. After about a month of treatment, the Young Lady¡¯s skin disease disappeared as if it had been washed away, and what I saw in my proud eyes, leaving behind a wide smile saying thank you.¡± Something could be seen in her eyes, like regret or disappointment. ¡°The nobles who called me didn¡¯t give me the gift cart they said they would. Instead, they gave me a bucket full of filth, straw, and blades.¡± Luce, who had been biting her lips tightly, quietly lowered her body. ¡°Do you know who was the first to shout that I must have been able to cure the noble Lady¡¯s skin disease because I am a witch?¡­It was the exclusive pharmacist for that aristocratic family.¡± Luce took Mrs Plum¡¯s hand. Mrs Plum stopped talking for a while and looked down at Luce. She was panting with her face filled with tears. ¡°He must have been afraid that I would take his place. He did it with the intention of kicking me out altogether. The day I arrived at my medicine store after walking three days and nights, I put down the sign¡­I can¡¯t¡­I couldn¡¯t continue working after going through something like that.¡± ¡°Everyone agreed with him even though they knew you weren¡¯t a witch.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°How could they have done that if they thought Mrs. Plum was a real witch? They couldn¡¯t even harm your for fear of being cursed. Damn these people.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Please pretend you didn¡¯t hear the swearing.¡± The girl in front of her seemed to have good empathy. It didn¡¯t feel bad to be comforted by a girl who muttered all sorts of curses with her mouth open. ¡°I lived through that era. I lived with people like that. Therefore¡­ I was skeptical about making disciples.¡± ¡°This may sound presumptuous, but I fully understand.¡± It was not presumptuous. The girl seemed to understand the feeling fully. ¡°Do you still want to learn pharmacology after hearing this?¡± Luce, who wiped her eyes, answered clearly. ¡°Yes.¡± And she spoke with a determined face. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what others say, such as being a witch or being a quack. Guys with that kind of personality are the ones who would have beaten and cut down any job that way. If you¡¯re afraid, I tell you to be afraid. If you¡¯re going to cut it down, I¡¯ll cut it down. No matter how much other people talk about it, my essence will not change.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And the person I want to help.¡± Luce laughed lightly. ¡°He¡¯s not the kind of person who would ever say that, so it¡¯s okay.¡± The corners of Mrs Plum¡¯s mouth went up. Luce, who had been patting her own hand, returned her hand to her place, and she cleared her throat. ¡°I am a very strict person. I¡¯ll check it thoroughly every time, and even if it¡¯s difficult, I won¡¯t slow down or postpone the assignment. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my first student, so don¡¯t embarrass me.¡± ¡°Student¡­! Yes I understand!¡± Luce¡¯s eyes burned with enthusiasm as she pretended to clench his fist. Mrs Plum saw her like that and smiled inwardly. Chapter 31 Next year. ¡°It¡¯s annoying. Dad is unnecessarily nosy.¡± Vincent¡¯s father, who witnessed the scene, said, ¡°Oh, we have to help each other in the neighborhood,¡± and took half the mailman¡¯s bag. Vincent, who was rolling on the sofa, came into his father¡¯s eyes, and the subsequent steps were natural. Vincent came out with the mailbag as if he were being kicked out, and he grumbled as he looked back at the house, which was getting smaller and smaller. ¡°If he brought it, why does he turn it around or ask me to do it? I can get hurt in the snow, not the mailman, but what is it? If you¡¯re going to pretend to be nice, do it until the end.¡± Vincent muttered annoyingly as he walked in the snow, even though he knew his father¡¯s joints were weak. Because it is the end of the year, there are many greeting letters. Five postcards in the elder¡¯s house, two in Ronald¡¯s house, and three in Dominic¡¯s house¡ª. Vincent saw the last letter, who had roughly stuffed it into the mailbox, whether or not the letter was familiar in his eyes. There was an unpleasant name written on it. ¡°Dear Miss Chelsea?¡­Hng, it¡¯s Lucette¡¯s house.¡± To think that someone was calling the hot-tempered Aunt Chelsea by the tickling title of ¡®Miss.¡¯ Who could it be? Vincent, who laughed at the envelope a few times, knew that there was no sender. ¡°Is there a letter that doesn¡¯t even have a sender? Is Aunt Chelsea in a relationship?¡± There¡¯s someone who likes that Aunt? Vincent, who has bad feelings for Luce, saw the letter once and Luce¡¯s house far down the hill once. It¡¯s far, it¡¯s annoying, and it¡¯s cold. And he¡¯s curious. A shadowy whisper popped up in Vincent¡¯s mind, who had never won a verbal fight with Luce. ¡®Luce, this is the best thing to make fun of that girl.¡¯ I heard your mom is dating? Do you know who it is? I know. I saw it while passing by. You know, how would you feel to have a stepdad? Vincent, who was already giggling in a sweet dream, looked around. There¡¯s no one here. Strength entered the fingertips of the wax seal. With this, he can see the little thing crying, right? Eyes full of anticipation turned to the letter in the envelope. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± There¡¯s nothing? It was an empty piece of paper. He looked at the envelope again, wondering if he had forgotten anything, but there was nothing. ¡°Ey, that¡¯s not fun.¡± There were only two pieces of information at best. One is a recipient with the name ¡®Miss Chelsea¡¯ written on it. One is a postage stamp from the Menelik region that is barely attached to the outside. Why are you sending a piece of paper? Vincent, who threw the letter without hesitation, stepped on the envelope. He thought he wouldn¡¯t have to bring it because it was an empty letter anyway, so he even pressed it with all his might as if he were venting his anger. He felt better after seeing the letters crumpled here and there and buried in the snow. ¡®I was too lazy to go all the way there, but that¡¯s good. Let¡¯s go home.¡¯ Vincent, who sniffed and turned around, let out a scream. ¡°What is this!¡± There was a long shadow near him. He thought he was sure he didn¡¯t feel any presence? Vincent, who was suddenly surprised and fell in place, closed his eyes without realizing it. He definitely saw it. There was a long black shadow in front of him. Someone with reddish brown eyes! ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so annoying. Why do you scare people? Aren¡¯t you going away? Won¡¯t you turn it off? You glasses guy!¡± He¡¯s the only one in town with red eyes. Revinas or something. A bookworm and four eyes. Did he take off his glasses and come out today? But was that punk that tall? The answer didn¡¯t return. It was when Vincent, who had been swinging his fist menacingly in the air, cautiously opened his eyes in the complete opposite of his gesture. ¡°¡­Crazy, do I see nothing?¡± There was no one. Only the strong winds of winter and the silvery birches split apart. The broken branches of a birch tree are black. It was a scene as if hundreds or thousands of glimmering eyes were staring at him. He got goosebumps. Vincent gulped and walked slowly backward. Making sure again that there was no one around, he started running. ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad.¡± ¡®Arrgh!¡¯ Vincent shouts and falls in place. The wizard, who calmly walked out of the shadow of the birch tree, gestured. An envelope of letters buried in snow flew into his hand. ¡°It saves me the trouble of handling it.¡± The wizard looked down at the letter. Menelik¡¯s seal. The wizard smiled as he alternated between the letter and the girl who had just left the house down the hill. ¡°You¡¯ll be grateful if you find out I intercepted it first, Miss Lucette. It would have been bad news to get as a birthday present.¡± A small black whirlpool rose from his fingertips. ***** At that time, Luche frowned. ¡®What is this? Isn¡¯t that Vincent¡¯s voice? The sound of the pig resonates throughout the mountain village. Thanks to this, she had one more chance to win in the fight over words with Vincent, who was arguing over everything. Do you know the boy who was running with a tremendous scream like he saw a ghost not long ago? Oh, right. I can¡¯t help but know. That¡¯s you. Right? Knock, knock. ¡°Ung, Luce.¡± When sg knocked, the door opened at once. It seems like he has been waiting. Seeing Luce with a giggling smile, Rev¡¯s mouth naturally smiled. ¡°I missed you. Wasn¡¯t it hard to come?¡± ¡°I¡¯m strong, so I can beat this blizzard as much as I want.¡± ¡°There¡¯s luggage. Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re strong?¡± ¡°Ung, I¡¯m strong, so it¡¯s easy! Let¡¯s hurry up and go in!¡± Today is Luce¡¯s birthday. It is also the day when Rev cooks once a year. The food was prepared in the same way as last year. The food looked hearty and delicious enough to be coveted by anyone, but at least Luce¡¯s nerves were elsewhere. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Perhaps knowing that she was trying to hold his hand, Rev quickly held out his hand. But Luce only fidgeted with his hand but didn¡¯t hold it. Why? With a slightly sullen, Rev blinked at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t get hurt today?¡± ¡°Ung?¡± ¡°Last year, there was a bandage attached. Because you¡¯re not good at cutting. I thought what if you get hurt again this year, but it¡¯s a relief.¡± He doesn¡¯t even remember if he was hurt or not. The things that come to mind are Luce enjoying the food, Luce tearing up from being moved, and Luce hugging him. It was all about Luce¡¯s face. But Luce was paying attention enough to check his hand first. As usual, Luce, who poked Rev¡¯s heart, now sits in her designated seat. ¡°Rev! This looks so delicious. Let¡¯s eat quickly, okay?¡± Last year¡¯s Luce is still good in his eyes, but this year¡¯s Luce is also sitting across from him. Rev saw Luce making a wish on the candles on the lemon curd cake. Can a non-birthday person make a wish on a cake? Thinking, Rev raised the corner of his mouth as he saw Luce¡¯s face glowing with lights. ¡®I hope next year you will be here too.¡¯ My wish is for you. You don¡¯t have to tell me, you know. ***** This year, she succeeded in tasting Rev¡¯s warm wine. ¡°It¡¯s really delicious. I¡¯m so upset I didn¡¯t get to try this last year!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to sell this? No, don¡¯t do that if you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s going to eat this.¡± ¡°Ung. Only you can eat it.¡± All the alcohol evaporated, but seeing that the color was different, she was excited because it felt like she was drinking. The food was delicious, the warm wine delicious, she won the card game, and there was Rev! She wishes every day was like today. Luce, who was lying on the table with a happy face, lowered her eyebrows as soon as she looked at the clock. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s already time.¡¯ These days, Chelsea has been asking Luce a lot. Don¡¯t follow strangers, don¡¯t open the door no matter who knocks on the door, and make sure to tell her when she goes somewhere. Maybe her mother thinks she¡¯s about five years old? Chelsea spoke to a troubled Luce in a firm voice. ¡°It¡¯s okay to go to Revinas¡¯ house to play, but don¡¯t stay for more than two hours.¡± ¡°But Mom, sometimes when I study, I pass the time¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to see friends getting along well, but you¡¯re staying at someone else¡¯s house for too long. Moreover, in a house where there are no adults.¡± Chelsea, who was staring at Luce and looking like she wanted to say more, stopped. Luce seemed to know what she was going to say next. She¡¯s worried about her playing alone with a boy or something like that. Of course, Chelsea has a good reason to worry about it. ¡®Boy¡­That¡¯s right, a boy.¡¯ There were times when Luce also thought about keeping a distance from Rev. But it wasn¡¯t because of gender. She was worried that she might be encouraging Rev¡¯s somewhat unsociable personality. It¡¯s fun to play with him, and it¡¯s a good match. ¨C Luce thought, ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who thinks so, right?¡± ¨C she went to the territory castle twice a week, so it¡¯s not like she was trying to distance herself from him because he¡¯s of the opposite sex, although the resolution was broken. Memory often clings to reality. Is it because the image of him looking up at her while being drenched in water at their first meeting is too strong? Unless there was some reason, Rev was a friend Luce wanted to take care of and needed to protect. It will be so in the future. It should be. ¡®Wait, should I?¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know why she keeps thinking about a promise. After she shook her head, he pushed a pretty bottle of warm wine in front of Luce¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡± However, it wasn¡¯t the warm wine that ate so deliciously that it caught Luce¡¯s eye. Large, white hands with prominent veins, and muscles visible through neatly wrapped sleeves. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ When did he grow up like this? Chapter 32 I must be crazy. As he handed over the warm wine, Rev, who was surprised by Luce who suddenly slapped her cheek, approached her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Luce?¡± ¡°I had very impure thoughts for a while.¡± ¡°An impure thought?¡± It is a flow of thought that no one could possibly believe unless there¡¯s alcohol in the warm wine. It¡¯s the hand she has always seen! It¡¯s definitely a hand that she shook here and there to see if there was a band-aid! To tell her childhood friend that he¡¯s all grown up because his muscles and veins stand out, what a sinister thought! If there is a God, it is clear that he will punish her. Mom, you didn¡¯t have to worry about Rev. You should have worried about your daughter. ¡°What are the impure thoughts?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something like that. Kids don¡¯t have to know.¡± Yes, don¡¯t worry about this puppy-like friend who¡¯s upset because she didn¡¯t tell him! She didn¡¯t think to say it, but imagine how shocked this innocent child would be if she did. Fortunately, Luce naturally changed the topic. ¡°I wish we had made a snowman and a snow butterfly today. Right?¡± He nodded quickly when she talked about last year¡¯s memories. ¡°Yeah, it was fun then. Still, I can¡¯t help it because your mother is worried.¡± ¡°Still, there¡¯s still a little bit left before the end of winter, so let¡¯s make it again next time we meet.¡± ¡°Okay. But what were your impure thoughts?¡± Does it not work today? Rev tilted his head as he watched Luce¡¯s embarrassed hands and feet go out together. ¡°It¡¯s just that there is such a thing! I, I will tell you next time!¡± ¡°Next time? When?¡± ¡°When we become an adult! I¡¯m going!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you.¡± A crackling sound was heard from behind, and Rev, who wanted to see her off before asking, hurriedly followed. Then, as if it were natural, he took the bottle of Luce¡¯s warm wine, held it, and held out his hand instead. Unlike the pretty smile, she didn¡¯t have the ingenuity to refuse his big, angular hand. ¡°It¡¯s right in front. I can go alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Today is your birthday.¡± ¡°What do you usually do when you take me there? Do you know what you said the day before yesterday when you took me there? Today is Tuesday, so I¡¯ll take you there, like that.¡± White breath escaped his low laugh. ¡°Does the reason you want to take me every day change?¡± Snow is falling lightly. With a white face just like snow, he spoke quietly. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s Tuesday, sometimes it¡¯s raining, sometimes I want to get some fresh air, and sometimes I like the scent of flowers.¡± Rev, who was listing the reasons as if analyzing variables, clasped his hands. ¡°It changes every time¡­ Actually, it¡¯s all an excuse, Luce.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I just wanted to talk a little bit more.¡± The plain and warm words sounded like a confession. It¡¯s like a confession. What will Rev say if she says that? Didn¡¯t he mean that? Yes, is it a confession in the dictionary sense? Either way, it seemed to be harmful to the heart. This is all because of the warm wine. Maybe Rev didn¡¯t get all the alcohol out of the warm wine. That¡¯s probably why it¡¯s like that today. That¡¯s why she feels weird today. After thinking about how to answer for a while, Luce gave the most acceptable but a little cowardly answer. ¡°Ung. I like talking to you too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you said that.¡± ¡®I¡¯m serious,¡¯ but she didn¡¯t answer it like that. Because that¡¯s not what she really wanted to say. The sound of stepping on the snow filled the surrounding for a while. The whole world is white. ¡°I¡¯m going to go now, Rev.¡± Rev grabbed her and said, ¡°Wait a minute,¡± when she said a quick greeting. ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡± ¡°Huh? A gift? But you have already treated me to a delicious meal.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s your second birthday with me, so I wanted it to be a little more special¡­ Happy birthday, Luce. I miss you.¡± Rev smiled lightly, handed me a bottle of warm wine and a small gift box, and then moved away. What did he want to make it more special? Just being together on her birthday is special. ¡°When is your birthday, Rev?¡± She asked him once because she wanted to take care of him after her birthday last year. But Rev turned around very awkwardly. When she asked why, she got an unexpected answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Rev is not good at lying. So that statement would be sincere. What kind of life did Rev live that he doesn¡¯t even know his birthday? Luce sighed as she thought back on the conversation that ended with regret and sorry when the questions fell apart. The thoughts of when she first got to know Rev came to life again. ¡®Because Rev grew up in a very different environment from others. Let¡¯s not carelessly ask anything.¡¯ Luce, who was trying to turn her head thinking about the luggage she had left at his house, caught something strange in her gaze. Meow. ¡°Cat?¡± Meow. A white lump that she thought was a jar or mailbox is a cat! She hurriedly opened her eyes, and black fur came out. ¡°Oh, my, were you getting hit by the snow until it piled up like this? Are you a fool?¡± The black cat meowed as if in response. It was as if it had caught a cold because its cry was a little cracked. Luce¡¯s troubles were not long. ¡®Let¡¯s put it to sleep, even for today.¡¯ Poor thing¡­ When she opened the door slightly, it seemed that Chelsea hadn¡¯t returned from the store yet. Isn¡¯t it better to put it in first and then tell her later? Just in time, the cat meowed once more. Meow. ¡°Come in, cat.¡± It seemed to ask if it was okay to make a strange sound. Of course, you can fool! As soon as the hesitant cat took a step, she quickly turned on the stove. The cat is wrapped in a blanket and given a clean water and pieces of lightly boiled meat so it can eat well as if it had been hungry for a long time. When I wiped the messy cat¡¯s fur, it wasn¡¯t good to rub it normally. ¡°I heard that black cats have a lot of aegyo¡­.¡± So cute. Luce, who was smiling with satisfaction, hugged the cat that had filled its stomach. ¡°I don¡¯t know what my mom will say, so stay in my room for now. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but since you cry so much, I think I understand. Also, I¡¯ll let you sleep in my room tonight, but I don¡¯t know what will happen tomorrow, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°You are also a precious life, but my mom¡¯s feeling who lives with me is more important¡­ I can still feed you, so don¡¯t go too far.¡± ¡°Meoow.¡± Luce smiled and put the cat on the floor, wondering what all the funny talk was about. The cat rolled up its body on the cushion Luce had prepared as if knowing where it was. Suddenly the house is quiet. As her shop got busier and business got better, Chelsea¡¯s work hours naturally increased. Even when she came back, she was always tired, so she couldn¡¯t chat with her like she used to. Even though her mother doesn¡¯t talk much, she finds it strange when the house is quiet. ¡®I wonder if Rev would say one word on a day without me.¡¯ In a quiet house, he naturally comes to mind. Luce opened the gift box that Rev had given her as she smelled the warm wine. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± It was a blue-tinted pendant the size of a fingernail. It was the perfect size to hang on a necklace, and the shape was pretty. All of the gifts Rev gives her are things she can carry with her. Luce was startled as she swept the pendant with admiration. ¡®Is it light?¡¯ When she touched it with her hand, the pendant glowed softly. What is it? Is it glow in the dark? Luce, who was looking around, was surprised for the second time. ¡¸Luce.¡¹ ¡­Do I hear something wrong? Thinking of Rev, now she can even hear his voice. There must be alcohol in the warm wine. Luce¡¯s hand, which was about to hit the cheek again, stopped. ¡¸Did you see the present? Do you like it?¡¹ Is this hallucination talking to me? With her hands stopped in the air, Luce only blinked. ¡°Uh, uh¡­ Rev? Are you Rev?¡± Then came the soft laugh she knew well. ¡¸Ung. It¡¯s me, Rev.¡¹ ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s made with magic engineering.¡¹ ¡°You made this?!¡± What kind of over-technology is this! Rev had made a type of phone. A wireless product the size of a fingernail! Luce jumped to her feet, surprised almost to the point of shock. It seemed that he heard a sound of a chair rolling. ¡¸Don¡¯t be surprised¡ªI made it for the first time¡ªI wanted to give it to you.¡¹ ¡°Ung? What?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s my first time making it, so it¡¯s a bit lacking, but I wanted to give it to you first.¡¹ There were breaks in between, but it was not something to be humbled by saying that it was lacking. ¡°You¡¯re really amazing¡­ is it okay for me to get this amazing thing?¡± ¡¸¡ªIt was made by me, so if you didn¡¯t use it¡ªI would have lost.¡¹ ¡°Can you say it one more time?¡± As she listened as hard as she could, she heard his voice as if he were whispering right next to her. ¡¸I made it with you in mind, so it would have been thrown away if you didn¡¯t use it, Luce.¡¹ ¡°You made it¡­while thinking of me¡­?¡± ¡¸Ung. I want to talk a little more.¡¹ The sincerity, without exaggeration, reached her ears immediately. For some reason, she felt heat rise in her face. ¡¸You said you had to go back quickly because your mother is worried these days. I was slightly disappointed, so I thought, is there a way?¡¹ He said he only made it because he wanted to talk with her a little more. ¡¸¡ª It¡¯s good.¡¹ ¡°Ung?¡± ¡¸It feels good to hear your voice like this, Luce.¡¹ To be honest, you¡¯re saying this too much. You know? ¡­It wasn¡¯t because of the warm wine. This is because of you. It¡¯s your fault. Luce, whose innocent hair was twisted all over, fell flat on the desk. Chapter 33 Rev looked at the surroundings. This is because of what Luce said just before the communication was cut off. ¡¸Thank you very, very much for this, Rev¡­ Did I say thank you for the fifth time? Oh, that¡¯s how grateful I am! Well, um, anyway, under the table we ate earlier, um. I think there¡¯s something I left behind¡­Oh, no, you don¡¯t have to bring it! You can open it and see it! I¡¯m going to sleep! Bye! How do I turn this off? Oh, I just have to stroke it from top to bottom?! Okay¡ª.¡¹ And the communication was cut off. He laughed for a moment because Luce, who stuttered especially today, was cute. Is it because the magic engineering communicator is so cool that she keeps asking him and stuttering? It was a device that would surprise anyone. At least, as far as Rev knew, there was no such device in the Vladin Empire. It was created with the intention of hearing more of Luce¡¯s voice without any reference. Therefore it can be said that he created it entirely. ¡®The operation period is one year, and the range of operation is within 30 minutes on foot. It¡¯s still a development, so it has some issues, but if it¡¯s improved, the range and duration it can work can be increased.¡¯ Rev, without even realizing that he had done a great job, headed to the living room, saying that it was fortunate that Luce seemed to like it. There was a small box under the table. Rev saw the note attached to the box. ¡ºLuce Emergency Kit¡» Luce Emergency Kit? Rev, who put down Luce¡¯s note carefully and opened the cover, took a deep breath. Ointments, bandages, medicines organized by type, and other notes welcomed him. ¡ºThis is lip balm! Rev, your lips get chapped a lot in winter. At that time, you can dip it on your fingertips and apply it on your lips. It¡¯s made with ingredients that you can eat, so don¡¯t worry, and apply it often!¡» ¡ºThis is ointment! Of course, I hope you never use this, but you can use it in case you cut your hand on paper or burn yourself with something hot. You can put the left one on the wound, and the right one is for scar care!¡» ¡ºThis is eye drops! Since you read a lot of books, I¡¯m giving them to you just in case your eyes hurt. When your eyes are red, add a drop and close them for 10 seconds! By the way, do your eyesight worsen when you read a book in the dark? Sometimes I look out at the mountains in the distance and do eye exercises while looking at the fields.¡» ¡ºIn case you don¡¯t know! These are prescription drugs. It¡¯s a pain reliever, antispasmodic, and antipyretic, but I put only mild ones. It may conflict with the medicine you are originally taking, so you should examine this carefully before taking it!¡» He could tell just by looking at the note. How much Luce thought about him and cared about him. He remembered the sweet impression that they gave each other the things they learned while thinking about each other first. Blood ran through his pale fingertips. His heart tickles. Rev read Luce¡¯s notes over and over again, but he looked at the last one for a long time. ¡ºIt may conflict with the medicine you are originally taking¡ª¡» Come to think of it, Luce never once asked in detail about his illness or medicine. She nodded as if she was satisfied with the very small information he was just giving away. Since she is learning about pharmacology, he is sure she is interested. It must be that she is considerate of him. ¡®Household medicine? Something like this.¡¯ He never received it. Radanum, the best pharmacist in the Empire, said what his medicine was called. ¡°Because you have a lot of the nature symptoms of a disease. If it were not for me, a skillful pharmacist, how could you bear the symptoms? I¡¯m telling you again, as you know. This is a medicine that I made just for Your Highness the Prince. Therefore, it should only be eaten by Your Highness the Prince.¡± There are a lot of the nature symptoms of a disease. So, that green medicine can be used in many ways. However, if he thinks about it, medicines are usually prescribed individually according to symptoms. Just like Luce gave him, painkillers when he feels pain somewhere, antispasmodics when he has tummy pain and cramp, and antipyretics when he has a fever. No matter how good a pharmacist Radanum is, is it possible to cure all diseases with one medicine? What exactly does that medicine do¡ª. ¡°Ugh.¡± Rev touched his head. This is what it looks like if he tries to dig a little deeper into medicine. Luce once showed a herbal encyclopedia and asked if he knew what it was. Even then, his headache came back, and he frowned, but Luce blamed herself by saying, ¡°Sorry, you can¡¯t know everything.¡± Is it a coincidence? Just thinking about the medicine makes his head hurt, as if someone is deliberately giving him pain. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Unfortunately, the pain that had been imprinted on him for years was still able to keep his curious mind quiet. Nightmares, visions, and hallucinations come at the end of a headache. Rev, who shook his hand and took the green medicine, sat down. And he buried his face. **** ¡°It¡¯s late at night, Your Highness the Empress Consort.¡± Cypress Forest, the fifth garden of the Imperial Palace. With the Imperial family¡¯s pride and arrogance, the Empress Consort could hide her nervousness well. But she hardened her face at the strange voice that came from behind her. ¡°You¡¯d better stop talking as if we know each other. What about tailing?¡± ¡°Is there a big guy who dares stick with you? Even if there is.¡± The reddish-brown-eyed wizard who had been there from the start pretended to blow his hands under the shade of a tall tree. ¡°It will be disappears after that.¡± The Empress Consort Diana, who was looking at the last wizard of the Empire with cold eyes, soon turned her head. The way she looks down at the wizard is familiar. He saw a lot of people look down on him, even though they were there to use him. Radanum spoke plainly in his characteristic neutral voice. ¡°Actually, I was a little surprised to see the letter from Your Highness the Empress Consort. You¡¯ve never looking for me before, have you? You usually treated me like a disobedient pet dog.¡± ¡°I am the second highest person in this country, so there is no law that I can¡¯t use you, His Majesty¡¯s watchdog.¡± ¡°You are changing me from a pet dog to a watchdog. Okay. What did Your Highness Empress Consort, the most loved person in this country after His Highness Prince Delmar, call me to ask me at this late hour under the shadow of the Cypress?¡± ¡ºToday at 11 p.m. I¡¯ll see you under Cypress.¡» Radanum, who shook Diana¡¯s letter insincerely, lit a flame from his fingertips and burned the paper before she could say anything. It was a gesture that symbolized that no evidence would be left behind for tonight¡¯s conversation. It was about to come in, but both of them here knew that was not the case. Diana stared at her burnt paper for a while and bit her lip. ¡°¡­I need it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Radanum asked again. Diana knew that the wizard wanted to put shame on her mouth. The Empress Consort, who was shaking her thin neck, said in a voice that seemed like she had given up. ¡°Prophecy about my son. The prophecy about Delmar. Since there was a prophecy about Aurelio, there must have been a prophecy about that child.¡± Prince Aurelio is a thorn in the eye because of his origin. No, he¡¯s more than an eye thorn. She will at least pull out whatever she sees. Aurelio is invisible, like a shadow living in darkness. It is no different from a bomb secretly hidden in a warehouse. There are illegitimate children in every imperial family. She wondered if his appearance, which she couldn¡¯t believe he got from the Emperor, was the reason, but if that was the case, the harsh and cruel Emperor couldn¡¯t have left him in the imperial palace until he turned 15. So why is he particularly hated? ¡°You prophesied the future.¡± It must be because of the prophecy of Radanum, a wizard who sees the future. ¡°At least one¡­Is there any possibility that the future you see will harm Delmar?¡± ¡°There are, of course, prophecies about His Highness. But I won¡¯t tell you about the prophecies that are still developing.¡± Prophecy is in the process of developing. For Diana, who had no knowledge of magic powers, these words seemed like catching a floating cloud. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the big flow?¡± ¡°Unripe prophecies are bitter and dim in light, so they can¡¯t be seen as the true value.¡± It was a statement full of arrogance under a very polite tone. You¡¯re impatient, our Empress Consort. What was it that bothered you so much? What are you so anxious about? Diana¡¯s neck muscles were visibly trembling, but she acted quickly. ¡°Try it and I¡¯ll the one who judge it.¡± Radanum nodded his head refreshingly when he heard it. ¡°You have a determination. Sure.¡± As if all the rejections so far had never happened. The sight somehow aroused anxiety. ¡°However¡­I¡¯d be happy if I could give it to you right away, but I can¡¯t because of my conditions. Unfortunately, there¡¯s something you need to be aware of, Your Highness. My prophecy is very valuable.¡± ¡°How much is it?¡± Radanum smiled. ¡°You can¡¯t pay it with money.¡± ¡°So what? What do you want? Jewel? Gold? Or power?¡± ¡°Once you receive the prophecy, you will know. What the Empress Consort can give me?¡± Huh? She was dumbfounded. How dare he ask someone like the Empress Consort of the Empire to sign a blank contract? It seemed that the patience that had been chewed on seemed suddenly cut off. ¡°Are you saying that you want to negotiate with me with the conditions covered?¡± ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± ¡°What the heck did you do to make you this arrogant¡­!¡± Despite Empress Consort¡¯s anger, Radanum¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to understand why you¡¯re so angry.¡± Rather, he asked. ¡°You seem to have something more important than your son¡¯s safety, Your Highness?¡± Diana¡¯s trembling face disappeared in an instant. Chapter 34 ¡°¡­There¡¯s no such a thing. Delmar is everything to me.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course! ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t there be nothing more to bother about?¡± Indeed, his tongue was like the devil. He was a man who sold out all his colleagues and followed his own glory. Diana thought for a moment that she should use her sword to cut that smiling face to protect herself, which was pretty extreme and dangerous, but she soon gave up. There¡¯s no way that would work for a wizard who can see the future. Diana suddenly swept away the creepy thought that he might have expected even this appearance. ¡°¡­Is it true that His Majesty can¡¯t know the prophecy I received?¡± ¡°Yes. Only me who raised it and the person who swallowed it can know the prophecy.¡± ¡°Is it my guess that I think you might tell His Majesty, Radanum?¡± ¡°No, you can misunderstand. But, Your Highness, you should know that I am not loyal to His Majesty the Emperor.¡± What is this nonsense again? It was not something a wizard who claimed to be the Emperor¡¯s watchdog would say. As she narrowed her eyes and stared at him, Radanum shrugged his shoulders. Then, the restraints hanging from his body swayed as if they had been shaken openly. ¡°As you can see, being loyal to His Majesty and being loyal to Vladin¡¯s Emperor are a bit different issues.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I say it again in the name of the wizard. The prophecy can be known only to me who raised it and to the person who swallowed it. Unless Your Highness speaks, I swear that only two people in Vladin¡¯s land will know the prophecy.¡± There is no choice. Turning around here would be like hinting at him. That there is something more precious to her than Delmar. Diana knew that the best thing to do was to stick to this unfair contract and make him shut up. She agreed with a feeling of vomiting blood. ¡°I can¡¯t give you all the prophecies. As I said a moment ago, it¡¯s a prophecy that¡¯s still in progress. But¡­there is a prophecy in which the strands are visible and the flowers are in bloom.¡± ¡°You mean I have to pay for things that aren¡¯t perfect?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t a gem that hasn¡¯t been worked on still a gem, Your Highness?¡± Radanum tilted his head and smiled at her. ¡°Of course, you won¡¯t pay as much as following the full prophecy. Don¡¯t be too scared.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I fully understand how you feel, but I would like to say that it is time for you to exercise the determination you showed earlier. In fact, I have a lot of respect for Your Highness the Empress Consort. This is sincere.¡± Does that mean everything else is a lie? Is he saying he doesn¡¯t respect others? Her patience had long since run out when it came to trying to understand the ambiguous words. ¡°Okay, then.¡± Radanum pretended to pick something in the air, and surprisingly, a golden apple appeared in his hand where there was nothing before. The wizard held out the apple, which Diana accepted slowly. It¡¯s cold. ¡®A golden apple.¡¯ There is a story left as a myth in the Vladin Empire. A servant who admired the Gods who were always eating golden apples secretly stole them. He gained strength after eating a bite, and after eating two bites, he was able to exercise power, if he ate all of them, he would become young. Now I am also a God. Now that I have the power of God, what is it that I¡¯m not God? Conceitedly, the servant who ran away from the Garden of the Gods was surprised to see himself in the mirror the next day. Because he found himself weak and old beyond compare to what he was before he ate the golden apple. He did not know that if he continued to eat golden apples, he would die rather than become a God. A prophecy in the shape of a golden apple that, once touched, will destroy itself unless it is repeatedly eaten. ¡®The Devil.¡¯ Diana closed her eyes tightly and bit the apple. It was sour and bitter. Swish¨C. The sound of hundreds and thousands of people whispering along with the wind passed her ears. It was something she couldn¡¯t believe even after hearing it with her own ears. Diana paused for a while and said with a white face. ¡°Find your fianc¨¦¡­?¡± ¡°You have succeeded in swallowing the prophecy. Congratulations.¡± ¡°Wait. Does this kind of thing help my son? All I have to do is find a fianc¨¦?¡± ¡°Yes. It will be useful to His Highness the Prince.¡± Stunned, Diana reflected on the golden apple she bit. It was the same. She looked here and there, but nothing changed. Radanum, who was looking at her, smiled and added. ¡°The wind from the west is unusual.¡± **** Fifteen-year-old Luce realized one more truth in her new life. ¡°Marry me!¡± Even if she eats the cream bread that came out as a snack, some kind of lightning strikes. It was a short break after the first class of pharmacology lessons. Mrs Plum left to prepare the ingredients for a while, and the maid gave her a big, plump cream bread as a snack. It was, in a way, one of Luce¡¯s favorite times of the day. It¡¯s peaceful, and quiet, and she¡¯s a little proud that she has learned something new¡ª. But? ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that? I told you to marry me! How can this stupid, eight-year-old kid interfere with my rest! Luce asked, as she was dumbfounded and lowered her head. ¡°You don¡¯t know what marriage is, do you?¡± ¡°I know!¡± The handsomely dressed boy stretched out his chest and spoke proudly. ¡°It¡¯s what pretty and handsome people do together!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So you and I deserve it!¡± ¡°Go eat more snacks, kid.¡± ¡°W, what do you mean snack! That¡¯s a word only for children to use! So it¡¯s a word that doesn¡¯t suit you and me. You need to learn a little more about common sense¡­Ack?!¡± The boy, who couldn¡¯t say anything but scream, was soon caught in the armpit of a man wearing some armor. Luce, who was blinking, thought quickly. What kind of situation is this? She was studying pharmacology when suddenly she got a marriage proposal. From who? From a strange boy. Where does she study pharmacology? In the Baron¡¯s study. How could such a kid end up in the Baron¡¯s study? The guard gave permission, so he must have come in. Getting permission from the guards and wandering around the Lord¡¯s castle at will? ¡°Are you a member of the Baron¡¯s family¡­?¡± Because he¡¯s such a person! Like a direct family! As soon as the calculation was over, Luce jumped up and bent her knees to be polite as she did to Baron Felice. But a man in silver armor waved his hand to stop her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that to me, Lady. Of course, including this cunning fellow.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°So¡­he¡¯s not a nobleman or anything, he¡¯s just the son of a Baron. Do what is comfortable for you.¡± Doesn¡¯t that mean aristocracy? The image of me running to the company director and him telling me to ¡°stay comfortable and relax¡± went by in a flash. What would you say if I really stayed comfortable! You¡¯ll find fault with the way the staples are placed in the report! After saying that anything and everything is fine, you¡¯ll say something meaningful like ¡®Ha, this is a bit much¡¯ to the lunch menu you chose after much thought! There are a lot of things connected with it, so there are many things that come to mind. I want to cry, really. Even for a short moment, Luce¡¯s expression seemed to be all visible, and the man smiled broadly. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t believe it. Do you have any idea where His Excellency is?¡± Why are you asking me that? It seemed that Luce¡¯s expressions were all visible this time as well. ¡°I was going to say hello, but he wasn¡¯t in the office. Then I thought he was in the study, so I came here, but I was surprised because there was a Lady there.¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize. My introduction is late. My name is Lucette and I¡¯m currently studying under the patronage of the Lord.¡± ¡°There is nothing to be sorry for, Miss Lucette. It looks like His Excellency¡¯s wish will finally come true? Are you studying alone?¡± ¡°I have one other friend besides me.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great. The more talented the better. I can see your excitement.¡± The man who laughed cheerfully raised his eyebrows. So where is the Lord? It seemed like he wanted to ask. I can hear you. I can hear the sound of your heart. Quickly, Luce politely gestured with both hands. ¡°I understand that the Lord is in the right tower with Aide Yohan at this time. They are busy these days with new equipment coming in and demonstrating it.¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s go to the top. I¡¯ll ask for your understanding for this little boy¡¯s rudeness.¡± ¡°Oh no! Not at all! What do you mean rude! It can¡¯t be!¡± As she waved her hand loudly, the man laughed as if he was having fun. ¡°It¡¯s a big deal because this guy secretly steals my wife¡¯s popular novels, reads them, and says this to everyone he meets.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t do that to everyone I meet, Father! It¡¯s only for qualified people in Parents Act.¡± ¡°I have to go before he says more nonsense. See you next time, Miss.¡± The man with a big smile and the dangling boy¡¯s hips moved away from each other. Luce, distraught at the two people who had swept away like a storm, turned her head at the sound of footsteps. Before she knew it, Mrs Plum was back full of herbs. That is to say, ¡°Now, let¡¯s start the second class. Should we try medicine for night blindness?¡± My Cream Bread! Luce alternately looked at the cream bread that the maid took back and the door where the two went out. Chapter 35 ¡°Luce, I missed¡­.¡± ¡°Ung, Rev. But can I ask you something first? What do you mean he¡¯s the son of a Baron, but he¡¯s not noble? He was even wearing some really cool, expensive-looking armor. The color of the armor worn by the guards is completely different! Aside from that, he said that I can treat people like that comfortably, but is it really okay to treat them comfortably? I should be able to know!¡± ¡°¡­you.¡± Only when she saw Rev¡¯s blank face did Luce realize that she had said everything all at once, and she smiled awkwardly. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m so confused. I missed you too, Rev. The whole time I was studying, I only thought of you.¡± She¡¯s going to meet Rev and ask him! It was just that thought, but Rev¡¯s ears turned red. Luce thought about whether or not this needed to be corrected, but she decided not to add her words. Well, it¡¯s not a bad word. ¡°Yeah, uhm.¡± After clearing his throat, Rev returned to his usual expression. He began answering Luce¡¯s questions in an orderly manner. ¡°I will summarize the questions you asked. First of all, even if you are the son of a Baron, you may not be noble.¡± ¡°Is that so? If it¡¯s a son, isn¡¯t it normal to inherit the title¡­?¡± ¡°The rule is that the eldest son usually succeeds to the title, so what you know is correct. If there is only one child, that person naturally inherits the title. However, if that son said that he was not a nobleman, then the lord of Rodante would probably be a Life Peer.¡± (t/n: Life peer (????) is a person who is given a title such as ¡®Lord¡¯ or ¡® Lady¡¯ which they can use for the rest of their life but which they cannot pass on when they die.) ¡°Life peer? Are you saying that he¡¯s the only one who is a noble?¡± ¡°Ung. There are cases in which honor and fiefdom are given to commoners who have made contributions to the country or made achievements for one generation. Rodante¡¯s Lord was a court musician, so he must have been praised for his achievements in creating operas and symphonies. Even though he probably didn¡¯t have enough talent to work full-time.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re going to give something, it¡¯s a little stingy.¡± Rev laughed briefly as if it was an unexpected remark and then continued his explanation softly. ¡°Rather, it might be better for the commoner. If a person who is not good at power struggle or conflict suddenly becomes a noble, they will only be subject to check.¡± ¡°Ah, since you¡¯re not a hereditary aristocrat anyway, people around you say, ¡®Yeah, what are you taking away? Don¡¯t put too much effort into it, let¡¯s just let it go¡¯? Then it would be better for the Lord to be a life peer. He is so soft that if he were a real noble he would have been the perfect target to be eaten.¡± ¡°Ung, that¡¯s right. I always feel it, but you have a good understanding, Luce.¡± Luce scratched the back of her neck and thought as she felt embarrassed by the pure compliment. ¡®Anyway, if that¡¯s true, our Lord is a really great person. He¡¯s not handing it down to his own children, but he¡¯s diligently taking care of the territory, right? Because he wants his people to be happy? Wha, isn¡¯t it the best mayor? No, since Rodante is small, is it something like a military governor or a village head? It¡¯s cool anyway.¡¯ Rev, who had seen Luce smiling for a while, continued slowly. ¡°You also mentioned the armor, right? You would be right to say that it looks more expensive than the armor a guard wears. Usually, there are a lot of cases where the son of the life peer lives as a knight. Even though he is a commoner, he belongs to the upper class, so he is suitable for commanding the soldiers under their command, so they are scrambling to recruit him¡ªfrom other nearby territories.¡± ¡®Where did the knight work?¡¯ High-ranking aristocrats collect information through their personal connections. The Emperor and Radanum hid him with all their might, but there are always people who are light-mouthed. And aristocrats have an animal sense to recognize people who are vulnerable to money faster than anyone else. But his thoughts were interrupted. It was because the face of Luce, who was listening with her eyes twinkling, got closer. ¡°¡­Ah, the answer to the last question is difficult for me to answer.¡± ¡°Why? Because you haven¡¯t seen him in person?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s what you do better, Luce.¡± Trust your intuition, he seemed to mean something like that. How could he speak so beautifully? Luce smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Ung, when I look back now, he looks like a very generous person. So, he probably wasn¡¯t the type to gloomy and hide the implications. Troubles solved!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Thanks to you!¡± Then, as she was leaning against the tree, her stomach rumbled. Even though it rang quite loudly, Rev in the seat next to her had a calm face as if he hadn¡¯t heard it this time. Luce, who was a bit embarrassed, grunted a little. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that kid, I could have eaten all of the cream bread!¡± ¡°¡­That kid?¡± Come to think of it, she only talked about the knight man, but she didn¡¯t say anything about the beginning of the incident. ¡°Cream bread was served as a snack. I took a bite and it was delicious! So I was happy and was about to take another bite, but suddenly a round golden hair pops out from the side of the desk. I was looking at him saying, ¡°What is this kid?¡± Well, do you know what he said right away?¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Marry me!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so absurd that a kid who looks only eight years old at most would say such a thing. So I asked him if he knew what marriage was, and he confidently said he knew. It¡¯s what pretty and handsome people do¡­.¡± Thinking about it again is absurd. Luce smiled and looked at Rev. His cool mouth slowly drew an arc. ¡°Ung.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± There was not even a slight movement around the eyes, which should have been bent together. Is it because it¡¯s so absurd? So it¡¯s not surprising that he would do that, is it? Unfortunately, Luce¡¯s question didn¡¯t come out. ¡°Miss Lucette?¡± It¡¯s because of the second knight that popped up today. He seemed to be a different type of person than Luce¡¯s former boss, as he walked away waving his arms as if he was happy to see her face. ¡°Hello, It¡¯s nice to see you again. Was the Lord in the right tower? I was afraid you might have gotten lost.¡± But Luce¡¯s social skills and politeness let the words come out of her mouth without going through her brain. It was too precocious for a 15-year-old to speak, but surprisingly, the knight didn¡¯t seem to doubt it. Rather, a smile appeared on his face as if Luce¡¯s way of speaking was interesting. ¡°Well, I was worried about whether or not we would meet, but luckily, he was there. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± ¡°What about your son?¡± ¡°My son¡­Hahaha. My son is having fun with his grandfather whom he has not seen in a long time. It seems that the etiquette teacher taught him quite strictly, but he told me to do it comfortably. Also, are you older? My son is Angel, and you can call me Franz or Knight Franz like that.¡± Franz, who was patting Luce¡¯s head, hesitated. ¡°Ah, is this the friend Miss Lucette mentioned? Were you learning together?¡± Rev slowly got up. Seeing Luce¡¯s hair messed up by Franz, he moved and stood close to Luce. ¡°Yes, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Revinas.¡± It was a position where Franz had to take his hand off Luce¡¯s head. ¡°Aha, Revinas. But I didn¡¯t see you at the study earlier?¡± ¡°We are learning different things, Knight.¡± Franz naturally withdrew his hand without even noticing it and gave an interesting expression. ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°I am researching magic engineering.¡± ¡°Magic engineering? In here, the training ground?¡± ¡°The place where magic engineering is researched is a separate place. The reason I am at the training ground is that I am also receiving martial arts lessons.¡± ¡°Was His Excellency also interested in developing talented knights?¡± ¡°I asked because I wanted to learn personally.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so? What kind of people are Rodante¡¯s martial arts teachers¡­? I don¡¯t think it was that great in my memory.¡± With his chin on his hand, Franz looked up and down at Rev. ¡°If you are talented and greedy, it would be right to take lessons from someone who is great.¡± ¡°Because good disciples always come out of good teachers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stay at Rodante Estate for a while. Then, during that time, I will be the best swordsman in Rodante.¡± There was a glimpse of mischief in his eyes. ¡°Okay! His Excellency is working so hard, how can I stay still? I¡¯ll give you my special lesson sometime, see you at the training ground. Originally, once you do a good sparring, your skills improve dramatically. If you are a martial artist with passion, you must naturally be greedy for your skills, right?¡± Rev answered with a stiff tone without hesitation. ¡°Yes, it is my lack of competence, but I will be honored to face the knight¡¯s sword.¡± ¡°Yeah. Then see you next time, Rodante¡¯s talented people.¡± Yohan ran to Franz¡¯s side, who was watching as the girl with the curly hair and the tall boy walked away. ¡°Franz! It¡¯s time for the evening banquet to begin soon. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yohan, that boy over there.¡± Revinas? Did he make an accident? No, but he¡¯s a student who doesn¡¯t have anything to complain about except for his attitude of keeping the minimum manners and his cold, hard tone. Yohan¡¯s head, who was tilted thinking whether it was a curse or a compliment, and leaned more heavily on the following words. ¡°Is that kid aristocrat? It is also high.¡± ¡°Yes? No, he¡¯s a commoner.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true. Did you check the directory?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. No matter how much the Lord insists on telling the children, ah, please keep this a secret. nyway, as an aide, I have to check the people who come in and out of the Lord¡¯s castle, even if they are children. He¡¯s a commoner. He¡¯s also an orphan.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He can¡¯t believe it. Yohan got a little frustrated, wondering if his paperwork skills were being questioned. ¡°Really, would you like to check it yourself?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Yohan, then that¡¯s probably the case.¡± His dignified walk and his expressionless face were full of innate mischievousness. It is not something that can be imitated by learning it in a hurry. For a very long time, he have to learn in a place full of people who bite him. Moreover, at the time, he was so natural and clever that he didn¡¯t realize it, and even his attitude and posture made him withdraw from the girl just by standing silently. Franz, who was thinking about everything, immediately nodded his head. ¡°But I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on it.¡± At least, his opinions about Luce weren¡¯t wrong. Franz is not the type of person who hides his intentions and speculates. ¡°Tell the martial arts teacher who teach him to come.¡± He was a very knightly man who couldn¡¯t bear to run straight into questions when in doubt. Chapter 36 ¡°My hair is all tangled. How long did that knight practice so that his hands are so rough?¡± Inside the carriage back to the Xenon town. Luce, who was whining and pulling out a pin between her tangled hair, sighed. At the same time, Rev asked. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°Ung, please. I¡¯m begging you. It stings a lot.¡± It seemed like the timing was just waiting, but Luce didn¡¯t notice because of the pin poking her scalp. The cool hand of Lev carefully passed her hair. As she gave Rev her hair, she kept thinking that people who work hard are good at whatever they do. The whole time he meticulously pulled out the pins and meticulously untangled the tangled hair, it never hurt. ¡®You¡¯re good with your hands, Rev.¡¯ Since it was Luce¡¯s hair and no one else¡¯s, she was completely unaware that he was paying attention to it. ¡®I was always the one who touched my hair, but it feels good to receive it like this.¡¯ Srrk. The usual sound of hair being brushed down calms the mind. ¡®This is why I end up talking about everything at the hair salon without realizing it.¡¯ Luce was no exception. She said the first thing that came to her mind. ¡°Rev, who do you want to marry when you grow up?¡± It seems that the nonsense she heard while eating cream bread is now firmly embedded in her mind. So she asked lightly, and Rev coughed dry as soon as the question was over. ¡°Cough, marriage?¡± ¡°Ung. It¡¯s a bit early to think now, but I mean about later.¡± Isn¡¯t it too early? If she looks around, there are many cases where someone gets married when they become an adult, that is, when they turn 18. As the times were changing, it seemed that starting a family quickly was encouraged. There were many people who were engaged in advance, if not until marriage. So Rev, who turns 17 this year, can get married in a year. ¡­.Huh. ¡®Why does it feel so fast to think that Rev can get married in a year?¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know if that¡¯s it or not, but she¡¯s sad for no reason. Is it because she feels like she¡¯s losing her friend? Or is it because she can¡¯t imagine it? Whatever it was, it was such a childish idea. As a friend, of course, she should wish her friend happy. Luce, who clicked her tongue because she felt very childish, still listened to Rev. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Marriage is done at the coming of age¡ªadult, 18 years old. How will the unqualified Prince be treated when he comes of age? The assumptions led to many conclusions, but all of them were bitter. Rev, who melted the bitter words and swallowed them, gave his best answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± However, looking at the red hair that was scattered from his fingertips, somehow, like the scent of raspberries coming from this hair, a little sweet thought came to his mind. Conclusions that can only be drawn under biased premises are erroneous. However, nonetheless. ¡°But if, if such a thing is possible.¡± If he turns every possibility upside down and survives. ¡°Very brave, wise, friendly¡­ warm.¡± Rev slowly lowered his head as if he was possessed, gently holding the tangled hair. ¡°I wish it was that kind of person.¡± Lucette, my long and only friend. My little light. Between his breaths, as he kissed the tip of her hair, words flowed deep and rich that he would never have been able to say. Do you know that? You might know or not know. How dare I, to you. I to you. ¡°You have very high standards, Rev.¡± A long time later, the answer came back. Rev, who didn¡¯t reply, lowered his eyes. That¡¯s right. Luce is always right. So my assumption is just wrong. But Luce, who laughed as if it were really absurd, continued what she had never thought of as usual. But Luce, who laughed as if it were really funny, said something he hadn¡¯t even thought of, as she always did. ¡°Who else is someone like you?¡± When I hear you say that, when I see your expression, I often mistakenly believe that I really have become that kind of person. Like being a great and wonderful person like you. Like maybe my false assumption can actually come true. ¡°As expected, the ideal type is someone who is similar to you. Why, there is a saying that people who are similar to each other come to like each other. This is a story I¡¯ve seen somewhere¡­.¡± Can I be the correct answer, not the wrong one? It was something he had never thought of. But hasn¡¯t Luce always been right? So, maybe¡ª. ¡°By the way, what did that knight come for? Actually, I didn¡¯t know that the Lord had a son. He said something but I think I didn¡¯t hear it properly?¡ª Hmm. Actually, when I see the Lord, he talks so much that I tend to listen halfway¡ª¡± For the first time, Rev didn¡¯t listen to Luce¡¯s story. His heart was beating so hard that it hurt his hearing. Thump, thump. ***** ¡°Good bye, Luce. I¡¯ll miss you.¡± ¡°Ung, I¡¯ll miss you, too!¡± On the way back after saying a short but heavy goodbye. Rev was still obsessed with the beating of his heart. He¡¯s unfamiliar with the strong beating that lingers like a miracle in the distance, yet tangles him sharply like a siren nearby. The expression of Rev, who had been smiling quietly while sweeping his face, suddenly stopped. ¡®2nd floor.¡¯ It was because there is evidence of space travel magic. A blue light was faintly fading from the second floor. ¡°Your Highness the Prince.¡± As soon as he heard Radanum¡¯s voice, his heart throbbed like a lie. How can the people of the Imperial Palace have such amazing talent? To come to him at the happiest and sweetest time and to pull down his place at once. What he does when he meets Radanum is always the same. ¡°Have you taken your medicine, Your Highness?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t spoken to me as soon as I arrived, I would have been drinking as usual.¡± ¡°Ah, oh my. It¡¯s my fault for arriving a little earlier than usual. How long have you not been drinking?¡± ¡°About five hours. I¡¯ll drink it right after I get back, so don¡¯t bother with it any more.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re asking me to get out of here quickly. Yes, as long as I¡¯m done with my work, I¡¯ll gladly do as you ask.¡± After the monotonous question-and-answer to see if he drank the medicine. ¡°Please give me your hand.¡± He rolls up his sleeves and reaches out. A long finger like a branch grazed the veins. Every drop of blood gathers in Radanum¡¯s hand. When the blood becomes a round bead like a plum, it is reflected on a blue light that can¡¯t even be guessed what it is. When light meets a liquid, it travels even though it is refracted. That is the rule established by engineers and the providence of nature. However, like a blood-colored orb, that blue light ate it, but it did not pass through. As if looking through it and trying to find something hidden, it only reflects itself repeatedly. Radanum¡¯s reddish-brown eyes, staring at the bluish and red beads, shone like glass beads. ¡°If you¡¯re thinking nonsense, you know that everything is reflected in this blood, right?¡± Nonsense. ¡®I can¡¯t even think what I want.¡¯ It is worse than a prison under 24-hour surveillance. A guard who can use location-tracking scrolls, ancient magic to see the past, and complex and tricky mind-reading techniques to read the mind would be the strictest and most terrible even if all the prisons in the world were combined. If so, has he read all of his thoughts today? A miraculous, unusual unpleasant sound appears to warn of something. Then, was this irrational beating to warn him? A warning to him who wants to make an error into the right thing that an error is just an error. Errors must be eliminated. He is an object that deserves to be eliminated. ¡®The archmage who reads my mind will judge me. They would shake their hands off as if it were no big deal as they saw me dying under terrible and excruciating pain.¡¯ Before he met Luce, he was used to the worst kinds of families, and it hurt him to remember them. It¡¯s also strange that they haven¡¯t done it for a while. Rev laughed at himself. ¡°Your Highness the Prince.¡± Is this the end? Normally, he would think of the books he hadn¡¯t read, the magical engineering tools he was making, and his mother who had left him, but not today. The first thing that came to mind was, ¡°Ung, I¡¯ll miss you, too!¡± The child¡¯s smile. Since the blood has already been drawn, it doesn¡¯t matter if he think about it now. It¡¯s not so bad if the last thing that comes to mind is her. Radanum slowly opened his mouth, looking at a smile spreading like a flower on his face. ¡°I¡¯m telling you for your information.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°His Highness Prince Delmar is looking for a marriage partner. I thought it would be good to know this much because you usually cared about him.¡± It is that the procedure is over? Then what? ¡°Please rest comfortably.¡± Left alone, Rev thought. ¡®Why? How come Radanum doesn¡¯t know? Why didn¡¯t you read my mind? For what?¡¯ Rev¡¯s gaze, which was turning his head, caught the bottle. The green bottle was still full because he couldn¡¯t finish the medicine for tonight. ¡°Ah.¡± He seems to have found a weak spot in the subject. Chapter 37 ¡°Lucette!¡± Let¡¯s see. Let¡¯s see. Who is that person who smiles happily and raises himself up instead of chopping firewood as soon as he sees her? ¡®Slightly dark skin, thick and strong face, he looks just like Dominic. Aha!¡¯ ¡°Brother Dietrich?¡± ¡°Oh, did I hear you calling me Dietrich?¡± ¡®Then what do I call it? Dit? Rih? Trich? Hey? Excuse me?¡¯ It is the most difficult situation to be possessed. It doesn¡¯t matter how she treats new people. What matters is how she treats people she knows well but hasn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡®But I have time, and that¡¯s it. Because the other side first jokingly talked to me¡­.¡¯ ¡°Oh, if you¡¯re going to tease me, go away. Because I am not happy at all.¡± That¡¯s what she thought. Dietrich approached her with a big smile, even at the grumbling words. ¡°Originally, you always called me Brother Didi because it¡¯s hard to pronounce. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°Of course I remember! But my tongue has grown enough, and I am now old enough to say brother¡¯s name correctly.¡± ¡°Oh my, how old are you?¡± ¡°Fifteen years old!¡± Dietrich walked up to Luce as he looked at her with a mix of regret and admiration for how quickly other people¡¯s children grow up. ¡°Congratulations that your tongue has grown enough, but it¡¯s still nice to hear Brother Didi.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It reminds me of the old days. The old days when the only task for the day was chopping firewood.¡± ¡°¡­Brother, you must have had a hard time at the academy¡­?¡± ¡°Ehem.¡± Dietrich, who was pretending to wipe away tears with a sad face, blew his nose. ¡°What are you doing today?¡± ¡°I was just going to buy cat food.¡± ¡°Do you have a cat?¡± ¡°Should I say raising them, grazing them, or putting them out as children?¡± ¡°You¡¯re making it difficult to say that you only feed stray cats.¡± Luce couldn¡¯t keep the black cat that stayed at her house for a day. Because Chelsea started sneezing a lot before she could tell if the cat had come in or not. It¡¯s a shame because she had a beginner¡¯s antie, an antihistamine. With a very suspicious face¡ª she doesn¡¯t know why her mothers always doubt what her daughter made even though it¡¯s something to eat¡ªChelsea swallowed the pills and said briefly with her nose flushed. ¡°Let it out.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ That, Mom. Maybe putting the food in front of the door¡­it¡¯s okay, right? ¡°Ahchoo!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep it far away¡­.¡± Even though she couldn¡¯t raise it at home, she gave it the name ¡®Nox.¡¯ It was because his fur was black, resembling a night. Even though Luce almost steps on its tail sometimes because it is so dark, the cat¡¯s cuteness makes up for that. ¡°I was wondering if I should go fishing after a long time, but would you like to go to Luchette?¡± ¡°Did brother always like fishing?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t like it¡ª somehow, I want to have time to think about what life is while watching the river that flows effortlessly today.¡± What did you do when you were at the academy? Even though he talked like an old man, Luce decided to join him when he went fishing and life reflection time. It was because there was still a little food left to give to Nox, and she had her own purpose. ¡®Because I decided to ask Dietrich about the history of the Empire and the situation in the capital when he comes.¡¯ She didn¡¯t forget the small notebook that she always carries with her. The place they decided to go fishing was the stream below the village. It is small to be a river and large to be a stream. However, this place was meaningful to Luce. That¡¯s where she first met Rev. ¡°I¡¯ll take the fishing rod, so go ahead and wait.¡± ¡°Ung, I will.¡± She ran ahead and left Dietrich behind. When she stopped, a shadow was cast on the ground. She seemed to know the owner of this large, wide, angular shadow. Luce raised her face with a frown. ¡°Hey. What are you doing? Are you going to do some fishing? Where are the fish here?¡± ¡°Go away, Vincent.¡± Oh, it was the first place she met this guy too. Damn it. After fighting with Rev about the color of his eyes, Vincent ran away when he heard what Luce said. He fought with her every time he saw her, making it seem like he held a strong grudge. Even though three years have passed! ¡°Do you want me to whisper again? Why do you always crawl up like this when you lose to me every time?¡± ¡°Crawl up? Hey, little thing it¡¯s you who crawl up to me!¡± ¡°Are you interested in me?¡± ¡°What¨C?!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re interested, go away, and if you¡¯re not interested, go away.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡± ¡°What you¡¯re saying is nonsense!¡± Of course, in a few words, ¡®I! you! very just! Ugh, I¡¯m leaving because you¡¯re dirty, go!¡¯ She¡¯ll watch all the funny ones. Dietrich, who ran to stop the two children fighting for a long time, had no time to intervene. He stood idly and said, loosening his fishing rod. ¡°That friend doing something wrong to you, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He made a very big mistake, then.¡± ¡°What mistake? What, did he steal your food?¡± ¡°Is that the biggest mistake that Brother can think¡­?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not. Then what is it?¡± ¡°To walk around this town with an ugly face.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I thought it was the right thing to say, but if it¡¯s against your culture as an adult, you don¡¯t have to say anything. Because there¡¯s a reason.¡± Dietrich shrugged his shoulders as if he really thought so and sat down. Luce also sat down beside him and took off her shoes. When she dipped her foot in it, it was a little cold, so she hit her foot several times for nothing and pulled it back. A real fisherman would not have brought a girl who was playing with water, but Dietrich didn¡¯t care whether the fishing rod moved or not. Life really seemed to have come to consider something. Luce spoke to Dietrich, who sighed deeply while watching the river flow. ¡°I saw Brother send me a book a long time ago. But you¡¯re finally here? You didn¡¯t come all the way just to Xenon, did you? ¡°Yes. The professor is on sabbatical, so I came to take a short break. Whew.¡± ¡°Why are you sighing? Isn¡¯t it good because it¡¯s a vacation? ¡°Vacation is good, but after that is the problem. The professors who came back from the sabbatical were so passionate that they made a fuss! Make me fix it! I got a weird project and told me to meet the deadline! Argh!¡± Dietrich, I thought you were a college student, but you are a graduate student. She understands how he feels. It was a bit sad. She gave Dietrich a pat on the shoulder as he swung his fishing rod around in anger, as if he wanted to catch the professor instead of the fish. ¡°Remember, Lucette. Don¡¯t be fooled by the professor¡¯s prettiness. Don¡¯t be fooled by saying that we should come to the lab and chat for a while.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± ¡°Of course, you shouldn¡¯t be relieved just because you¡¯re being torment. No, just don¡¯t get involved with the professor.¡± ¡°I told you I got it.¡± Dietrich, who had been talking behind the professor for a long time, cleared his throat, perhaps feeling embarrassed. ¡°I heard from your mother that you are being taught at the Lord¡¯s castle?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how it happened.¡± ¡°What is your field?¡± ¡°Pharmacology. There are many herbs in Xenon Village. Besides, the grandfather, a pharmacist nearby, was so untrustworthy that I wanted to make my own medicine.¡± Dietrich¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that she had won second place in a quiz competition and caught the attention of the Lord. ¡°If I had been there, I would have told you not to go.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She thought he¡¯d congratulate her, but she didn¡¯t know what his answer means. Is this also a sense of solidarity as graduate students? Does he mean she has to give back as much money for research as he spends? ¡®The Lord isn¡¯t the kind of person who would save money on education.¡¯ She tilted her head. Dietrich laughed as he scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because studying pharmacology is difficult! Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to learn a field that makes learning a little easier and makes a lot of money?¡± ¡®Looks like he¡¯s hiding something?¡¯ Intuition came. Dietrich was turning around. ¡®He¡¯s just trying to throw ashes on other people¡¯s roads and run away.¡¯ ¡°What is the department of history that makes a lot of money easily?¡± Luce, who was closely watching Dietrich, who had a face that looked like he was beaten to the bone, decided to put his strange attitude aside for now. Most of all, that¡¯s not what¡¯s urgent. ¡°How is it to live in the capital? Are there any interesting things? Have you been to the imperial palace too?¡± ¡°There are many strange things. But it¡¯s so complicated and so much to take care of. I miss Xenon Village more. Imperial Palace? Of course, I couldn¡¯t go to the imperial palace. How can a student like me go? Even if you become a professor or assistant professor and get invited, you won¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then you haven¡¯t seen the people of the Imperial family too?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them, but I¡¯ve heard a lot about them. Books tell a lot of stories.¡± Dietrich seemed to believe that Luce hadn¡¯t noticed. Rather, he was preoccupied with choosing other topics that would interest Luce, and he was caught in Luce¡¯s words that were curious about the Imperial Palace. ¡°Why? Are you curious about the story of the princess and the prince? Or are you curious about proms and jewelry stories?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about that too.¡± Luce whispered softly. ¡°Actually, I prefer blind passion.¡± (t/n: ?? means blind passion. Or various, confusing feelings, caused by the love between a man and a woman.) ¡°¡­Blind passion?¡± ¡°A tangled romance. For example.¡± Something like a horrible story in which an emperor named ¡°A¡± kills everyone, including the female lead, whom he married for political reasons? Chapter 38 ¡°I have nothing to say. Y, you can¡¯t say anything like blind passion!¡± Dietrich, whose face turned red, looked around in embarrassment when no one was watching. Luce spoke more naturally. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with blind passion? Is that a bad word?¡± ¡°O, of course!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a term used to refer to romance novels like burning passion novels?¡± Dietrich¡¯s face, which had been flushed to the fullest, suddenly cooled down. Yeah, what did this kid know to say? She probably said that because she heard someone else say it. Looking at Dietrich¡¯s face as if he had given up, Luce thanked Angel for a moment, who said it was a marriage between pretty and handsome people. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m curious about the sad love story. Even if you reject and hate the person you accidentally married at first, your body¡­ no, it¡¯s because their hearts match so well that they end up falling in love. But because our relationship was so bad, I thought I must really, really hate that girl because every time I saw her, my heart would race!¡± ¡®Can you mistake hating and loving without knowing other things? I think a tyrant was described as a very intelligent person, but isn¡¯t he actually a fool?¡¯ ¡°Then, due to a misunderstanding, the relationship ended in confrontation. Even though we fight each other with sharp blades, somehow my heart hurts when I see the back of the woman crying and walking away!¡± ¡®Don¡¯t you have to know by now? That¡¯s love, Emperor.¡¯ ¡°When misunderstandings pile up and it becomes an irreversible relationship, you only realize it after killing everyone, including the woman, due to unavoidable circumstances. Oh, I mean, that was love. But when you look around, there will be nothing left.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know the contents of Volume 3, so I roughly guessed it through the comments and hit it right, but this must be true, right? There is a shocking ending to such a story.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s so sad and heartbreaking to be a lonely Emperor on a lonely throne.¡± Dietrich, who was stuttering and listening to Luce, said thoughtfully. ¡°I should probably tell Aunt Chelsea that she needs to crack down on the books you read. Where the hell are those dark and sticky novels¡­ Ugh. Do children¡¯s storybooks come out like that these days? Is that fun?¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯m not a kid, and of course it¡¯s fun. It¡¯s fun because adults can¡¯t read it.¡± Luce winked and mouthed, ¡°It¡¯s a secret from mom.¡± ¡°But since novels are also based on true stories, it must be a story based on them. After reading it, I wondered if such an incident actually happened, so I asked. Brother know a little bit about history.¡± She thought it was a pretty good reason. It wasn¡¯t worth talking about romance with a focus on it, so she did a bit of building up with a love story because she didn¡¯t want to ask, ¡®Is there a case where the emperor went crazy and killed everyone?¡¯. Of course, Luce had been looking for history books since she started keeping a diary. ¡®But there¡¯s no way that the Imperial family¡¯s secret story is in the history books that the entire nation can see.¡¯ Moreover, the history books of this country somehow didn¡¯t specify the exact names of the members of the imperial family. It seemed to be because no one would dare say the names of the members of the sacred imperial family. This strange story also seems to depend on something else. ¡®It must mean that history books are subject to prior censorship. Members of the imperial family can change the contents to their liking. So at least, I can¡¯t believe the stories about the people of the imperial family in the history books straight away. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the words of people who studied other than books. Yes, someone like Dietrich.¡¯ The main character¡¯s name was ¡°A,¡± so if she only knew the name, it would narrow the scope, which was unfortunate for Luce. ¡®Thanks to it, I was so confused when I read it. There is no yearbook and no list of characters, so I have no choice but to guess. Ah, if I knew this was going to happen, I would have read the description of what was in front of me instead of just reading the scene.¡¯ But there was Dietrich, who majored in history, so if he answered correctly, she might have had a better helper than books. Luce, who raised her head with a hopeful expression, looked around at the sound of the fishing rod¡¯s reel being wound. What, is he already done fishing? ¡°Ack!¡± Dietrich wrapped Luce¡¯s neck around his forearm. ¡°You, if I tell you, you will try to find another book like that!¡± ¡°No! No! It¡¯s just because I¡¯m so curious!¡± ¡°As the older brother, it¡¯s my obligation to keep my younger sister on the right path!¡± ¡°There is no such duty! Besides, you¡¯re not even my real brother!¡± ¡°¡­I, I¡¯m not your real brother, but.¡± ¡°I told the truth, why are you so sad?!¡± Ah, how is this different from Angel, whom Franz captured? Luce, who was hanging around his side by the back of her neck, had a tearful expression on her face. ***** ¡¾Wizard¡¿ Only when Luce got home was she freed from Dietrich¡¯s belt. Dietrich seemed to think she had read a strange romance novel and asked because she wanted to read more similar novels. In the end, he didn¡¯t tell her at all but instead gave me a clue. ¡°It¡¯s a story that doesn¡¯t make sense in the first place. Murder is not allowed in the imperial palace. It¡¯s because of the ancient magic.¡± ¡°Ah, so the Emperor won¡¯t even punish his vassals?¡± ¡°Ah, of course they can kill a vassal! Even though vassals are fine, they say that people who inherit imperial blood cannot harm each other. There¡¯s ancient magic in it, so you can¡¯t see blood in it. Don¡¯t say anything weird, and go to sleep! If you¡¯re a kid, you should read a fairy tale like a fairy! If you ask me about that one more time, I¡¯ll tell Aunt Chelsea!¡± ¡®It¡¯s such a headache that it¡¯s called ancient magic.¡¯ Luce, who was underlining the last sentence, pressed her temples. ¡®Then how did the Emperor in the novel kill all the people?¡¯ It¡¯s strange, no matter how she thinks about it. Dietrich is a historian. A historian rather than an officer. So he wasn¡¯t the one who saw the imperial family¡¯s every move, he was just a person who studied the stories handed down in the literature. Could there be an error in what he knows? Or maybe Dietrich, who thought that Luce was interested in strange novels, was lying, but she was worried that he was too confident in his tone. Luce nodded her head as she flipped through the notebook where she had written down the clues. ¡®Well, there are many possibilities. Because this is a romance fantasy. It could be that the Emperor has managed to trick the ancient magic through the contract with the Wizard so that it doesn¡¯t only work on him, or it could have been possible because the ancient magic weakened after many Wizards died.¡¯ Radanum was said to be the last wizard. So, it could be a different person than the wizard who cast the ancient magic. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, the Emperor wouldn¡¯t have needed to correct the known facts. They can¡¯t kill him anyway, so he can catch them all at once and kill them.¡¯ He¡¯ll have to pretend he doesn¡¯t have a weapon if he¡¯s going to stab people in the back. ¡®There are still things you can ask Dietrich about. Since he¡¯s a person who studies deeply, he might know the Emperor¡¯s name that starts with ¡®A¡¯ or something¡­ As long as the misunderstanding that I read a dirty novel is cleared up.¡¯ Is it not a misunderstanding? Because {The Cruelty of the Vladin Empire} is an R-19 novel. Luce smiled and covered the notebook. Still, Luce scratched the back of her head as she recalled the conversation with Dietrich, who had scolded her because he was older than her. ¡°So, such novels are not educational at all!¡­ Hey, what kind of house is there? Anyway, it doesn¡¯t even fit your age!¡± To get from the river to their house, they had to pass by the spot where they could see Rev¡¯s house. After hearing Dietrich mutter something, she thought of something as she looked at the two-story house with its lights on. ¡®I thought it was odd at first too. It was definitely a place to go to pick raspberries and mushrooms, but suddenly a house appeared. When I asked my mom, Aunt Dahlia, and other people, they said it had been there for a very long time¡­¡¯ But no matter how long he has been in the capital, how could Dietrich not remember at all? She should ask again when she has a chance next time. Of course, she wasn¡¯t suspicious of Rev, but it was a confirmation to clear her doubts. ¡®I have a lot to ask. About the history and Rev¡¯s house. The same goes for my thoughts on the Lord.¡¯ Whoo¨C. ¡°Ah!¡± They said that if someone talk about a tiger, it will appear, and the pendant Rev gave shone brightly. ¡°Rev! I was just thinking of you.¡± ¡¸Ah¡­ thought of you too, Luce.¡¹ Chapter 39 ¡°Did you eat? Did you take your meds? Why is your voice so low?¡± ¡¸I ate, and the medicine, uhm, I¡¯m going to take it soon. Is my voice different from usual?¡¹ It was definitely different. It was a much lower tone than usual. However, since he said he would take medicine soon, he didn¡¯t seem sick. Perhaps, there is a problem with magic tools? She remembered that she was at a loss for words the first day she received the gift. Since then, the communication has been very smooth, but it may be an unexpected error because it is still test work. Luce gently comforts him. ¡°Yeah, it sounds a little lower. But don¡¯t mind it too much because it could just be my mood.¡± After listening to Luce, Rev was silent for a moment. He gradually reduced how often he took medicines that had become a habit. Rev closed his eyes, thinking of Luce beyond the magical tool that had become aware of his condition at the very least when his voice had lowered a little. As usual, Luce¡¯s chatter was heard. ¡¸I went fishing today? By chance, I ran into Dominic¡¯s older brother, Dietrich, and he asked me to go fishing with him, so I followed him. But I haven¡¯t caught a single fish. Anglers used to say that they caught time instead of fish, but I didn¡¯t think I wouldn¡¯t catch even one. Rev, have you ever been fishing?¡¹ ¡°I don¡¯t, but I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡¸¡±No, I¡¯m not saying let¡¯s do it together¡­ Hahaha. Well, it would be fun to go fishing together. You¡¯re a patient and static person, so the fish won¡¯t be afraid.¡¹ ¡°Ung, it sounds fun.¡± Hearing Luce¡¯s voice, the chills brought on by the absence of the medicine, and the painful dreams at the end of it somehow felt distant. ¡¸Ah, I was the only one talking about it for a while. Sorry. Am I talking too much by myself?¡¹ ¡°No, I like it, Luce.¡± You know that this was made for you. It¡¯s not like that. ¡¸By the way, are the preparations going well for the sparring with Knight Franz? I didn¡¯t know it then, but now that I think about it, I think I was swept away by the atmosphere. Of course, I believe in you, but what if you get hurt while playing with that person?¡¹ I made it because I needed you. Maybe I¡¯m using you. ¡°Ung, I¡¯m fine. I won¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡¸Why did he come in the first place, that person?¡¹ Rev smiled when he heard Luce grumbling. ***** ¡°A harvest festival, an academic festival, and a night of music¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t long before she found out the reason for Franz and Angel¡¯s visit. ¡°What do you do so much at the same time?¡± ¡°As everyone knows, Miss Lucette. There¡¯s no great reason to handle multiple events at once. It¡¯s just¡­.¡± Luce nodded as she saw Yohan blurring the end of his words. It¡¯s a matter of money. ¡°There are some adult circumstances.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on a tight budget.¡± ¡°Cough, don¡¯t go around spreading rumors.¡± The whole time they were dragging, Aide Yohan looked sullen. She was worried that there might be a problem with the new equipment, but it seemed that it was fatigue due to heavy work. As an aide, he must be worried because he has to put on three events with a limited budget and a wide variety of things. She raised his hand to pat him on the back because he had been working hard when Rev suddenly started talking to her. ¡°Then why are you going to the tower? I don¡¯t think the event will be held at the tower.¡± Luce was also curious about that question, so when Yohan turned around, she pulled back her hand. ¡°Ah, there was a new facility brought in a few days ago. It is in the tower.¡± It is the place where Franz and Angel searched for the Lord. She only knew that there was a new facility, but she didn¡¯t know exactly what it was. ¡°I think he wanted to show it to you guys at least once because it was a success on running the test. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s an honor. What kind of machine is it?¡± ¡°It is the Lord¡¯s honor to introduce the equipment, so I can¡¯t take it away¡­ It was my job to find the right equipment, it was my job to beat the unit price and barely fit into a tight budget, and it was my job to assemble technicians while scurrying here and there to meet the test operation schedule¡­.¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯ve work hard.¡± ¡°Ehem.¡± Yohan, who was secretly sad, seemed to be a little comforted by the words. As soon as he felt better, Yohan put his arms around the two children. ¡°If the Lord shows it, pretends to be as surprised as possible. Cheers and applause for it. There is already a lot of that kind of equipment in the capital, but it¡¯s rare to find it in a small territory, so he¡¯s very impressed. Think of your reaction as the reaction of the visitors, you know what I mean?¡± Luce nodded eagerly, and Rev naturally slipped out of his arm and pulled Luce back. Yohan, who was stumbling in the middle of the mess as the two kids he was leaning on slipped out, coughed awkwardly. ¡°It will be a good opportunity for Revinas too. It¡¯s not easy to study Magic Engineering alone, is it? One look at the prototype will help you understand the principles and help you create new engineering products.¡± ¡°Oh, Rev¡­¡± What do you mean it¡¯s not easy? No way. Rev already knows how to make things like this. Rev, who made eye contact as she tried to take out the harness pendant, shook his head gently. And smiled. ¡®Is it because you made it secretly for personal use?¡¯ Okay. This is a secret. Her conscience was pricked a little, but Rev might be in trouble if he was caught. Luce decided to keep a small secret between the two of them. ¡°We have arrived, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°So? Okay. Everyone close your eyes! Can¡¯t you open your eyes until I say 1, 2, 3?¡± The Lord¡¯s voice sounded very excited even after hearing it roughly. Maybe his performer is going up to the chandelier to pierce it. Luce closed her eyes, wondering if it would be difficult to match grandfather¡¯s mood. She was also a little curious about what the magic engineering equipment would be like. ¡®The magic tool communicator that Rev made by himself was so amazing, but if it was brought in from the territory unit, it would be really great, right? Isn¡¯t it like changing the weather or playing a video?¡¯ Luce went down the podium, holding Rev¡¯s hand tightly, and waited for the countdown. ¡°One, two, three!¡± I opened my eyes. ¡°Wow¡­¡± A huge piece of equipment covered in jewels and taking up an entire tower floor was looking down at them. Its majesty was overwhelming. ¡°Let me introduce you. The crystallization of magic engineering that will bring a new wind, no, a new light, to the Rodante estate! A symbol of intensive technology! Everyone said it was inevitable that it would fail, but in the end, it was the ultimate advanced facility that had to succeed!¡± Oh, I don¡¯t know, but it must be great. Luce prepared to clap and waited for the words to fall. ¡°It¡¯s Static!¡± ¡®Static? The static I know?¡­Static electricity?¡¯ **** ¡®Reaction is also a difficult thing. I can see why the part-time job as an audience member pays a lot.¡¯ Luce, whose voice was half hoarse from laughing so much, tried hard to calm her twitching mouth. ¡°With this, we, the people of Rodante, can read books at night and eat cold food even in the summer! Look at this, if you press this button here and this button and this button and pull this lever and that lever! How!¡± ¡°Oh, my. The lights went out all at once! Of course, it¡¯s daytime now, so I can¡¯t feel it!¡± ¡°Hahaha. If you press this button and this button and that button and pull that lever and this lever to connect this line!¡± ¡°Oh my. Can¡¯t you hear the sound of an organ somewhere?!¡± ¡°If I may add one more word, this is the sound of the piano, Miss Lucette!¡± ¡°Ah, the sound quality is so bad¡­ No, the resonance of the sound is too loud!¡± Rev didn¡¯t react much, so the reaction was all up to Luce. Fortunately, the Lord seemed to be proud when he looked at the machine as he ran and danced in place. Because of that, she used up all her stamina today. Rev helped Luce out of the tower, and when she returned to the study, she collapsed on the desk. ¡®I was a bit disappointed at first because the function is small compared to the size, but it¡¯s still great by today¡¯s standards.¡¯ Lighting equipment, sound equipment, and heating/cooling ¡ª of course, I wasn¡¯t sure about this part. It was because the Lord tried to show that he was getting warmer, but failed. Rather, Rev¡¯s hand was warmer¡ª it¡¯s like he can control everything from a single console, even the devices. And after the Lord stumbled through a certain procedure, the machine¡¯s signal could reach most of the Rodante estate. She was less moved because she lived with the benefit of electricity, but the people of Rodante¡¯s territory would surely be thrilled if they saw it. ¡®Everyone will be happy to hear that the equipment will be open to the public on the day of the Harvest Festival, Academic Festival, and Music Event.¡¯ ¡°What do you think, Rev? Isn¡¯t that great?¡± Of course, Rev would be curious too, right? It would be the first time Rev to see such a machine. ¡°Ung. I was surprised, too.¡± But Rev seemed lost in thought. ¡°There weren¡¯t many features compared to the scale.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It would be more efficient to purchase separate magic tools and facilities that perform each function and connect them. If it stays that way, the remaining magic power of the magic stone will be consumed quickly, and above all, it will easily overheat because it is not lightweight and optimized. I don¡¯t think I will be able to use it for long.¡± ¡®What is this kid¡ª-¡¯ How can you talk like an expert after seeing a machine like that? Regardless of what Luce thought or not, Rev continued. ¡°At the time of purchase, it was said that one magic stone would be able to use it for about a year, but since there was no cooling facility in sight, the expected usage time would be around six months at most. The life expectancy of the machine itself is expected to be about five years.¡± ¡°Rev?¡± ¡°¡­Ah. What did I say? I apologize.¡± Judging from what he was saying, he seemed to have just come out of something else. Between Rev, who was only blinking, and Luce, who was staring blankly at him, Luce was the first to come to her senses. If what he said was true, he had one promise. ¡°Rev, you said something.¡± ¡°¡­Ung.¡± Rev, who clumsily hide his nervous expression, smiled at the words that followed. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it a secret from Aide Yohan and the Lord. Both of them¡­ No, it would hurt to find out that the machine isn¡¯t really that great.¡± ¡°Ung. That would be better.¡± The two nodded at the same time. Chapter 40 ¡°It seems like they have high expectations for the harvest festival. Is it a big event? Or do they have difficult guests? Just like high-ranking nobles and high-ranking officials.¡± Luce, who was lost in the thought of why the Baron bought such a large machine, didn¡¯t see Rev startled by what she said. Rev was also thinking about the same thing. ¡°Since they told us in advance that there will be an academic festival, don¡¯t you think we should go there? They will want to see you study hard, and most of all, I don¡¯t think there are many visitors who are interested in the academic festival in the territory. Besides us, is there at least one more person like Brother Dietrich?¡± Has there ever been a time when special seminars or academic events were fun? Recalling her memories, Luce quickly concluded. It never happened. There¡¯s no way an event like that would be fun in the first place! But she has to go. If the students sponsored by the Lord didn¡¯t come, he would lose face, so it¡¯s a must anyway, and Rev, who has a lot of interest in learning, will definitely want to go to whatever field it is. ¡®It¡¯s not bad to go together. If I don¡¯t understand, I¡¯ll sit in the back seat and play with paper indents.¡¯ ¡°If I¡¯m having a hard time listening, can I go to the back seat? Hide me behind your back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Rev?¡± ¡°Oh, Luce.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± When she usually asks, the same answer from him is, ¡®Oh, I was thinking about the academic festival for a moment. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s okay to sit in the back.¡¯ will come back. But? ¡°¡­I need some time to think.¡± At least, it was the first time she heard such an answer from him. ¡®Why does he seem like a different person today?¡¯ Luce thought, nodding her head bewilderedly. ***** ¡°Duke of Ximel, Count of Menelik, Count of Bradbury. I¡¯ve narrowed it down to three families, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the standard?¡± ¡°There are young people who are about the same age as Prince Delmar, but they have never rebelled against the Emperor. Their prestige and legitimacy are also flawless.¡± The Emperor, who slowly moved the stem of his thin wine glass up and down, raised his head at Diana¡¯s last words. Diana stared at him, biting into the soft flesh in her mouth. Their eyes met. ¡°Any part you don¡¯t like?¡± Averting one¡¯s gaze, curling one¡¯s tail, and withdrawing are typical behaviors of prey. The beast is very aware of the weakened prey. ¡°Just your voice like the stem of this wine glass.¡± The fingers that skimmed through the wine glass were long. The sound of fingers rubbing against the glass surface was disturbing and obscene. ¡°I thought it was slender.¡± ¡°Should we be a little bit clearer?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a report worth hearing twice.¡± The neck over the wine rose steeply. The Emperor sighed slowly but didn¡¯t take his blue eyes off her. Diana was suffocated. ¡°I wonder why you are pushing for Delmar¡¯s marriage at this point.¡± ¡°¡­As a mother, I want to find a good spouse for the Prince. You may think it¡¯s urgent, but considering Delmar¡¯s tendency¡­.¡± ¡°A good spouse.¡± The Emperor, who interrupted Diana, raised his lips. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen a lot of people who have been married for political purposes. And yet you believe it will make Delmar happy?¡± Ordinary aristocrats have political marriages. The Imperial Family is no exception. That¡¯s common sense. Is there any mother who wants her child to be unhappy? Of course, she believes he will be happy. ¡­At least more than me. Countless words lingered in her mouth, but all that came out of Diana¡¯s mouth were short and tired words. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The consent has been returned. She succeeded in deceiving that predator. Feeling a little dizzy but quickly straightened up her face, Diana stood up. The wind is unusually strong. She was about to go back as she watched the black curtains shake wildly. ¡°But¡­ What should I do?¡¯ Clank¡ª. What Diana heard as she turned around was the sound of the wine glass breaking, which was like her own voice. ¡°I have a right to question why the three families you have presented are all so close to the western frontier.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°As if you¡¯ve been recommended by someone.¡± Diana turned to him. Then she knelt down. The Emperor sat down and looked down at her face. The hand dripping with bright red wine headed toward her white face. ¡°Will you drink it too?¡± The Emperor laughed. Leaving the black curtain behind, which was no longer shaken, Diana raised the corner of her mouth and smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± She stuck out her tongue. The wine flowing from the fingertips tasted bitter. ***** The wizard in a black robe headed to his lab. There are no people in the hallway. As long as ancient magic was protecting the palace, it was impossible to harm members of the imperial family, so naturally the number of troops was reduced, and the number of people to monitor him also decreased. Radanum strode through the empty hallway. Click. A small glass bottle fell from his sleeve as he locked the door. He easily crushed the bottle with just a little bit of the red drug left in it, which was a color no one would know if it was in wine, and opened the subspace to take a few empty bottles. The long-necked bottle will be used to hold drugs for one person. Radanum, holding bottles full of sticky green medicine as if they were presents, cut through the air. The space is torn apart. What was visible through the swaying gap was the second floor of an old, dark, house with a portrait of a single person. ¡°Your Highness the Prince.¡± ¡°Radanum.¡± ¡°Did you take the medicine?¡± ¡°Four hours ago.¡± ¡°You should take it soon.¡± The exile Prince didn¡¯t answer but rolled up his arms and held out his hand. The marble-white and lifeless forearms were gripped by muscle. The veins, which were so quiet as those of the dead, pulsate finely. The wizard tore off the skin. If there is only one thing that hasn¡¯t changed for the changed Prince, he doesn¡¯t groan even during this extraordinary time of pain that can¡¯t be adapted. He collected the dripping blood and made a bead. The blue light was projected and passed through the beads. The wizard, who glanced at the neck of the prince, who had filled the button to the end, stitched the skin together again. ¡°Then I will leave.¡± He put down the medicine and was about to turn around, but he paused, which is rare. ¡°Wait, Radanum.¡± The Prince spoke to him. It¡¯s the first time. ¡°Yes. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I think you know about my trip abroad.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re on a trip, what would it be?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking me for an answer. You¡¯re asking something you know.¡± Thinking of Diana¡¯s attitude, Radanum smiled. ¡°I knew a lot of things, so if I put it in the wrong mouth, it would make Your Highness angry. Well, I think you might call it a foreign trip to visit Baron Felice¡¯s castle, Lord of Rodante on a regular basis.¡± ¡°The Baron holds the event.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a guy with a temper like a poison bird. He has the ability to mimic, but it doesn¡¯t suit him to hide. He has a desire to show off. That¡¯s not surprising.¡± The red eyes seen over the glasses seemed to be unmoved by words that didn¡¯t know whether they were favorable or unfavorable reviews of the Baron. ¡°So, you probably don¡¯t want to ask things like when the Baron¡¯s event starts.¡± ¡°Are any of the participants likely to know me?¡± ¡°Are you asking me to see the future?¡± Radanum smiled briefly. ¡°My prophecy is very expensive, Prince.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°As you know, I don¡¯t take money. I want something more valuable than money.¡± ¡°So what is it?¡± Radanum wondered whether the Prince¡¯s question, which demanded an immediate answer, was due to his unique way of thinking or because he wanted to go to the event with someone. ¡°Think again and answer what is the most valuable and precious thing to you, Your Highness. Can you give it to me if I ask for it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He can¡¯t give it to him. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t want to have my prophecy. No matter how dangerous it may be, you don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth what¡¯s precious.¡± ¡®Miss Lucette, the girl with red hair?¡¯ The gaze of the Prince, who had been keeping his composure, shook weakly. Radanum laughed again. ¡°One person.¡± The Prince¡¯s gaze rose. ¡°There is one. Someone who knows the face of Your Highness Prince Aurelio at the festival.¡± Chapter 41 ¡°¡­Is that a prophecy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a guess.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯s not certain.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t one guess supported by numerous clues usually called the correct answer, Your Highness?¡± ¡®Why are you telling me this? Didn¡¯t you hate me? What if it¡¯s a clever ploy to take away something precious from me?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s the first time Your Highness the Prince has asked me to do it, so it¡¯s okay to listen to it without any compensation at least once. Since I didn¡¯t use magic and did it sincerely, it doesn¡¯t break the wizard¡¯s rules that we must get compensated. But.¡± Ordinary people will be thrilled to think that the wizard has shown mercy. However, the Prince still had an expression that he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®I like this kind of temper.¡¯ Radanum added briefly. ¡°This is the last time I can help you without a price.¡± Radanum left the word behind and turned around. ¡°Then goodbye.¡± It seems like something interesting is going to happen. ***** ¡°Have you been waiting for a long time? I didn¡¯t know you called because I was washing up.¡± ¡¸Ah, no. It wasn¡¯t long.¡¹ ¡°Tell me honestly. How long have you been waiting?¡± ¡¸About¡­30 minutes.¡¹ ¡°It¡¯s really long time! I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting.¡± She picked up the pendant after washing and coming out because it was shining, but she didn¡¯t expect him to wait 30 minutes! Rev would have looked at the necklace like a puppy as long as he said he waited. He was wondering when Luce would answer. She felt bad for him, so she quickly threw away the towel that she had used to dry her hair and sat down. ¡°Why? Is something wrong?¡± ¡¸I said earlier that I needed time to think.¡¹ ¡°Are you done thinking?¡± ¡¸Ung, I will go, but¡­ I just want to attend the academic festival and go home. Will it be okay?¡¹ Only academic festivals? Since it is a harvest festival, an academic festival, and a music night, the main event is probably the first word, the harvest festival. Maybe it¡¯s only at the Harvest Festival that they can unveil the equipment, taste the delicious banquet food, and have fun with the people enjoying the festival¡ª. ¡°Ung, of course!¡± If my good friend is not comfortable with such a noisy festival, of course, I can be considerate! As if relieved, Rev¡¯s voice brightened a little. ¡¸That¡¯s a relief. Oh, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t answer you earlier. You can sit in the back seat at the academic festival. After washing your hair, dry your hair and go to sleep. I will miss you.¡¹ A farewell message was heard to end communication. Luce hurriedly lifted her necklace and said. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡¸Ung, Luce.¡¹ ¡°Then there¡¯s a place we should go.¡± ¡¸Where?¡¹ What do you mean where? Luce grinned. ***** ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t think this is right.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± ¡°He has fair skin, so a white suit suits me very well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all white, so I think I¡¯ll only see that kid in the banquet hall.¡± ¡°Besides, my friend is seriously embarrassed, so why don¡¯t we dress him up in something else?¡± ¡°That would be nice.¡± Yerena, the owner of Rodante¡¯s salon, The Kingfisher¡¯s House, was in an unusually energetic state. A boy and a girl who occasionally stop by to buy clothes stopped by the store today. As usual, they were going to buy the boy a checked shirt or a white shirt that was a little bigger around the shoulders and chest, but hadn¡¯t they been in the robes section for a long time? ¡®What are you looking at? Where are we going to play?¡¯ He asked, and Luce, who had a good affinity, replied quickly. ¡°Because we¡¯re going to a festival soon!¡± ¡°Ah, harvest festival, academic festival, music night festival?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Isn¡¯t Luce making a sign with her eyes at the same time? There is only one case where men and women come together and wink at her. She has a favor to ask! ¡°Sister, are there any clothes other than the clothes he usually wears that would suit him?¡± ¡°Not a white shirt or a check shirt?¡± ¡°Yes. I came with him because he asked me to help him choose, but he always says he likes similar clothes. So I want to try another style.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put my pride on the line and recommend a good one.¡± After the conversation between the two women, who could communicate only through their eyes, Rev, who was standing far away, was grabbed by Luce and pushed into the changing room. He didn¡¯t even realize what the situation was. He blinked his eyes, but clothes were on top of the dressing room partition. ¡°A white suit?¡± ¡°Try it on. I think it will suit you really well.¡± Then he wore a white suit. Since he has fair skin and good bones, the slightly unusual white suit looks great on him, but there is one problem. The person wearing the clothes has become too stiff. Luce, who was wondering whether this was a wooden doll or a person, shook her head. ¡°Rev, try this on too.¡± So, he wore a navy blue suit with small embroidery as his second outfit. ¡°Why are his pants so short? Is it because the jacket is short that even the pants look short?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the usual length for a jacket. Ah, the pants are short. It¡¯s just that your friend has seriously long legs. His upper body is at a level of courtesy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even if I repair it, I can¡¯t cover it with that design. I don¡¯t have any extra fabric to add to the embroidery. We can¡¯t with this.¡± It was rejected because of the length of his legs. She had never seen someone who couldn¡¯t wear clothes because their legs were too long instead of too short. The third outfit was a dark gray suit. The color was fine, and the length was fine. Yerena cheered, saying she had finally found something nice. ¡°¡­There are no buttons, Luce.¡± This time, a client who couldn¡¯t stand the buttonless type of jacket rejected it. Are there any clothes that fit the taste of a friend who has to wear all the buttons and feel different than usual? Yerena grabbed Luce, who was in trouble. ¡°This is perfect. The length is the same as that gray suit, and the material is pretty good.¡± ¡°There¡¯s even a button!¡± It was as she said. The length was appropriate, and the material was soft and quite luxurious. Above all, it has a lot of buttons. But Luce shook her head. ¡°Ah. This is very pretty, but we can¡¯t, Sister.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Luce, who laughed without answering, left behind the burgundy suit that Yerena was holding. ¡®I¡¯ve already heard this and that because of the color of his eyes, so there¡¯s no need to add controversy.¡¯ There will be a lot of people at harvest festivals and other events. It would be nice if all of them were people with culture and common sense, but Luce knew that they couldn¡¯t. ¡®Even if I don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll be bothered. Is there any way? Is there a good way¡­¡¯ Luce quietly headed for the locker room in a light mood. ¡°Rev, do you have any clothes you want?¡± When Luce told him that their clothes for the festival had to match, he said that he didn¡¯t know much about clothes and would like some help. He wondered if it would be strange to see that he couldn¡¯t tell the difference between ivory and white when he first saw it. She came along to help, but she also wanted to see how Rev, who looks good in anything he wears, would look in other outfits. ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯d like black.¡± ¡°Black?¡± ¡°Ung. Something normal.¡± Finally, her client said his taste! This is the first taste he mentioned, except for ¡°clothes with buttons.¡± All good. If he likes it, it¡¯s good. If he wants it, let¡¯s do it. If her friend, who always said he wanted to be average, wanted to do that, she would let him. With the momentum, Luce rolled up her arms and dug up all the clothes in ¡°Kingfisher¡¯s House.¡± And. ¡°This is it.¡± While wiping the sweat from her brow, Luce sat down in the chair across from the dressing room. Yerena approached and whispered. ¡°Isn¡¯t black too common? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s special and different from the usual style.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time my friend said he liked a certain type of clothes, so I want to listen. And¡­ It¡¯s probably not common.¡± ¡®Because anything Rev wears is pretty good.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m all dressed up, Luce.¡± The tone of his voice brightened a little. Rev seems to like it too. Luce smiled and rested her chin. The door to the dressing room opened. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Yerena involuntarily exclaimed. Even though it wasn¡¯t made just for Rev, the black suit that Luce picked out and matched fit him perfectly. The high-collared shirt, shoulder line that fits his broad shoulders, and jacket that reveals his figure moderately gave off a neat and intelligent feeling. His hair, which always covered his forehead, was a little messy from changing clothes, but it looked great with the clothes he was wearing. ¡®Your body is really pretty¡­ No, what am I thinking?¡¯ ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Ung. I like it. Thank you.¡± ¡®You might like it because you think it¡¯s normal, but that¡¯s not the case. You don¡¯t know how much effort I put into choosing!¡¯ Luce smiled with a proud face. **** Unlike Rev, who successfully finished shopping, Luce couldn¡¯t buy clothes. She couldn¡¯t pick it because Rev, who was supposed to look at her clothes, smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re pretty,¡± ¡°You look good,¡± and ¡°You¡¯re cool, Luce,¡± no matter what she wore. Later, she¡¯ll have to come alone so she can decide with a clear head. Rev, who was waiting for the carriage without knowing what Luce was promising to herself, looked back. He saw Chelsea and Dahlia¡¯s shop. The store was very crowded. ¡°There are many customers at the general store.¡± ¡°Right? They said the business was very good. It looks like we need to hire another employee besides Mr. Elliot.¡± ¡°You mother must be busy.¡± ¡°Ung, Mom says she won¡¯t be able to see the festival either. Apparently, there will be more guests during the festival, so they are preparing very well.¡± The chatter that started with the general store story moved on to talking about other stores. Chapter 42 ¡°Do you see that snack shop over there? They sell toffee and candy and they say it¡¯s really good. Especially milk candy. Let¡¯s buy it over there next time.¡± ¡°Ung. Okay.¡± ¡°If you go down that alley, there¡¯s a shop specializing in combs. I wondered if all the combs were the same, but did you know that the owner makes combs out of shells or animal bones? I think mom liked it a lot when she kept talking about the store, but I don¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t buy it. I¡¯m going to save money and give it to her as a secret gift later. I wonder if it will be very expensive?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s from you, I think your mother will like anything. Let¡¯s go together next time.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to! Hmm, come to think of it, there¡¯s a shop specializing in combs, but I don¡¯t know why there¡¯s no shop specializing in beauty products.¡± ¡°Beauty products?¡± ¡°Ung, a place that sells lotion and scented soap. Here in Rodante, only my mom¡¯s store sells a few items, but they sell pretty well. Seeing things like that, if you open a specialty store, there will be a lot of demand. Speaking of which, if I take over the apothecary, should I try the concept of a shop-in-shop¡­?¡± In Rev¡¯s eyes, Luce, who was seriously thinking about the future, looked cute and cool. He was staring at her mumbling lips, then she said something as if she were passing by. ¡°There¡¯s no optician either. Is it because not many people wear glasses? Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen anyone wear glasses except for Rev. Do people in this neighborhood have good eyesight? Selling lenses or something else would make a good business. It¡¯s also good for recreation.¡± ¡°Lens?¡± Rev asked back because there was something he didn¡¯t understand in Luce¡¯s words. She looked perplexed for a moment. Rev was also a little embarrassed by her reaction. ¡®It¡¯s a household item that people use often, but am I not aware of it?¡¯ Luce cleared her throat and spoke in the most convincing way she could. ¡°Ah¡­ ha. Hmm. I sometimes thought about this when I looked at you, but don¡¯t you feel uncomfortable when you walk into a hot room, your glasses fog up, or raindrops get on your glasses? So I¡¯m going to make these glasses small and put them in your eyes¡­ Oh, does it sound kind of gross? Anyway, it would be nice to be able to put it in your eyes. ¡°Ung.¡± ¡°If you put pigment in the middle of the glass and put it in, you can change the color of your eyes¡­ something like that.¡± ¡®He didn¡¯t know when I said lenses, but when I said glasses, why does it sound so grotesque?¡¯ Dumbfounded, Luce quickly looked back to see if she had made another mistake. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to say anything else. ¡°I was just imagining it.¡± They say that if liberal arts students dream, natural sciences come true. Is that an outrageous thought? Luce climbed onto the carriage as soon as it arrived and was perplexed when she suddenly saw Rev¡¯s bright face. ¡°Why are you laughing, Rev?¡± ¡°I think Luce always solves my problems.¡± ¡°¡­Uhm?¡± What did I do? In the middle of all the talking, Luce thought about what the hell she had done to solve his problem, and Rev started to draw a structure diagram of the thing he was about to make in his head. ***** ¡°Yes?¡± Clank, clank! A long, odd sound came from the direction of the Duke¡¯s dinner table. ¡°You said I was a candidate for the Prince¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Alois.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± The big scarlet eyes quickly filled with tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want to, mother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a position you can refuse just because you don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I don¡¯t want to go to the palace. Do you think I don¡¯t know that all the nobles who had a little conflict with the Emperor have died mysteriously?¡± ¡°Alois! What a careless word! You are Ximel. You, as the Princess of the Duchy, are talking about rumors!¡± ¡°Even mother knows. So as soon as you saw the letter from the Imperial Palace, you made a sad face! I, I can¡¯t go. No, I¡¯m not going. I¡¯ll never go!¡± Alois ran out. The atmosphere at the banquet hall suddenly subsided. The Duke of Ximel, who had been holding his forehead for a while, silently gave an order to the maids. The Duke¡¯s husband, who had a sadder expression than his daughter Alois, approached cautiously. ¡°Wife.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°Does it really have to be our Alois? Is there no other way?¡± ¡°You know, we just have to obey on the surface, no matter how we feel on the inside.¡± ¡°Wife!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send them a reply.¡± ¡°Wife, please¡­.¡± Even the husband¡¯s pleas didn¡¯t break the Duke¡¯s heart. The Duke raised her chin. ¡°Alois doesn¡¯t seem to hear my comforting words. Would you like to go to Alois?¡± The Duke¡¯s husband, who had only moved his lips at the Duke¡¯s words, quickly nodded with a painful expression. After looking back at the Duke, who had been left alone several times, he took a steady step and headed for his daughter¡¯s room. A mournful cry came over the thick wall. ¡°Alois.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one news I want to hear, Father. If that¡¯s not the case, don¡¯t come.¡± ¡°I feel the same way, so will you let me wait together?¡± The crying stopped for a moment, and then it got closer. The door is open. After stroking Alois¡¯s messy hair, her father put her on the bed. People will say. If Alois, the only daughter of the ducal family whom they cherished and nurtured without showing it to people, was to be betrothed to the Imperial family, nothing could be better for Ximel. How is it something they didn¡¯t want? Some will be upset that they finally got a chance after living flat on their stomachs to the Emperor, while others will be envious of how good a couple they would be if she married the lovely Prince Delmar. But these are just the words of people who don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening inside the Imperial family. ¡°Alois, my daughter. I know how you feel.¡± It is not a big problem for the daughter, who has been raised well for 15 years, to marry Prince Delmar. ¡°But¡­¡± It is a problem that a daughter who has been raised beautifully for 15 years will marry the Emperor¡¯s son. ¡°How can we, who live in the Empire¡¯s night, reject the Emperor¡¯s order?¡± The Imperial sun. The Emperor was once called that. Although not as much as Duke Ximel, the Duke¡¯s husband also visited the Imperial palace frequently. The Emperor he met on the way was a person who deserved the title of Emperor. Strict, cruel, clever, merciless, but principled. At least there were principles. It was until seven years ago. ¡°I¡¯m scared, father.¡± However, now that the principle has disappeared, he has nothing to hold on to. A southern Marquis joked about how they only have night now that the sun is gone. Even Duke Ximel¡¯s husband could laugh at the joke until he heard that he had died in an unknown fire not long ago. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go. I really don¡¯t want to go. Hik, hiiks¡­¡± With as much reason as possible, the Duke¡¯s husband comforted his daughter. ¡°For now, it hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet, so don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re just a candidate. There¡¯s still time until His Majesty¡¯s summons. Until then, let¡¯s do something about it. Hmm?¡± ¡°If you mean time to starve myself until I¡¯m just skin and bones or scar my face, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Alois shouted with sad eyes. ¡°Is there any other countermeasures? Both father and mother keep saying that you can¡¯t refuse the Emperor¡¯s order. Then I have to do what I can! Isn¡¯t this the easiest and fastest way?¡± ¡°How do you think the people of the imperial family will judge when they hear that the face of the princess, who was perfectly fine until recently, got scars as soon as the convocation order was issued?¡± ¡°Are you saying that I should just leave my fate to luck?¡± ¡°Alois, this father begs you. Don¡¯t think so negatively¡­.¡± ¡°I know what father is saying. But¡­ not today. I want to be alone.¡± A sense of shame poured into the Duke¡¯s husband when he saw his daughter¡¯s back turned away. The Duke¡¯s husband, who had patted her on the back a few times as if he was silently criticizing his incompetence, slowly stood up. It was just before closing. ¡°¡­If it was the other Prince, I¡¯d rather live with him as if we were dead. Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± What does it mean to be another Prince? He doesn¡¯t know what it means. Is the young daughter dreaming of another Prince in a fairy tale? Returning to the dining room, the Duke¡¯s husband saw the Duke in the top seat. Duke Ximel was still sitting motionless. ¡°Even my comfort didn¡¯t help much.¡± Laughing bitterly, the Duke¡¯s husband washed her face dry. ¡°It would have been helpful.¡± ¡°I wish there was something to relieve my child¡¯s depressed mood.¡± Even though the Duke¡¯s words sounded cold, she was only reading letters from the imperial family. The Duke is thinking. She was thinking ¡°in another way¡± that worked, which is different from him, who could only comfort her. The Duke¡¯s husband, who stood by her side without a word and arranged the letter instead, raised his head at the Duke¡¯s low voice. ¡°The procedure for choosing a princess is too rushed. The usual preparation period for women participating in the election is two months, but the Empress Consort gave half of that, one month. Moreover, unlike before, when we could have refused even formally, now we couldn¡¯t. ¡° ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. Most of the time, it takes a year from the time the selection is made public until the engagement is made. But not this time¡­ Is there a reason they have to make the selection quickly?¡± The Duke, who nodded, continued. ¡°The problem is that the Emperor allowed this selection process. Despite Prince Delmar¡¯s young age. We don¡¯t know what forces, including Empress Consort Diana, will gather if a Princess is elected and Prince Delmar is promoted to Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°There are two possibilities. Either the Emperor is willing to step down and give the throne to Prince Delmar.¡± The Duke¡¯s husband bit his lips because he knew the first possibility led to ¡°0.¡± ¡°Or he is waiting for the Empress Consort to make a mistake while she is rushing through the princess selection.¡± The chances are much higher on this side. The breathtaking words distorted the face of the Duke¡¯s husband. Of course, the damage from that mistake will also be suffered by the princess. He wanted to scream in agony. What drew the attention of the Duke¡¯s husband was the way the Duke spoke, as if she were spitting out each word. ¡°I will not allow Alois to become Delmar¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Wife, but how¡­?¡± ¡°First of all, we need to meet with the Empress Consort for an urgent interview. We need to know why she is in such a hurry to do this. Then, call for the head of group merchant Brut. It¡¯s a place that supplies wine from Ximel¡¯s estate throughout the capital, so we¡¯ll be able to gather more information than a few spies we¡¯ve planted in the capital. Tell them to report as soon as possible if they detect a strange situation.¡± The reason why Duke Ximel survived the bloody purge was not because she was weak or obedient. This is because she is quick to judge the situation. The Duke¡¯s husband, who was nodding his head in awe without a word, tilted his head at the words that didn¡¯t continue further. ¡°And?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you have to do to help me, husband. The rest is my job.¡± ¡°But¡­ I want to help.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do anything to improve Alois¡¯ mood, so I¡¯d like you to do it for me. That¡¯s the best thing you can do to help me.¡± The husband laughed as if he couldn¡¯t help it at the friendly rejection and stopped while organizing the letter habitually. ¡°Invitation letter from Rodante¡¯s estate?¡± It¡¯s a Baron territory not too far from here. If they use a carriage equipped with magic tools that were invented not long ago, they can go there in one day. He had heard that when Ximel¡¯s officials got tired of the hustle and bustle of city life, they would sometimes spend their vacations in these quiet places. Will Alois feel a little better if she listens to music while looking at nature? He glanced at the Duke, and she nodded. It meant that it would be okay for him to leave. The Duke, watching her husband¡¯s back as he left with the invitation, gestured. One of the servants came running fast. ¡°Until this afternoon¡­ Yes. Yes, I understand. I will try to find it quickly.¡± The servant, who had become pale at the Duke¡¯s command, soon bowed his head deeply and disappeared. A shadow fell on the face of the Duke who was left alone. Chapter 43 ¡°What the hell is this¡­!¡± Luce, who was suddenly awakened by the loud voice, flinched before she had time to come to her senses. That¡¯s the voice her mom makes when she¡¯s really angry. She heard it for the first and last time when she almost started a fire in her house because she had forgotten to clean the chimney. ¡°Crazy b*stards.¡± Whoa, it¡¯s scary. How on earth did they touch her mom¡¯s personality? Luce¡¯s hair stood on end as she carefully opened the door without making a sound. Then their gazes met at the bottom of the stairway. ¡°H, hello, Mom?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Mom, since I¡¯m scared, can¡¯t you put down the pitchfork and look at me?¡± Chelsea¡¯s face, which had been angry, began to calm down as she heard those words. She takes a deep breath as she throws the pitchfork down. Maybe she caught a thief trying to sneak in? After a quick look around the first floor, it didn¡¯t look like anything was missing. What¡¯s different from usual is that the portrait of her father, who was always under the sunlight by the window, is upside down. ¡®Well, because of mom¡¯s personality, if she caught the thief, there¡¯s no way she would have released it kindly.¡¯ ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°¡­They try to take what I¡¯ve worked hard to raise. They took it and sold it to someone who liked it, and if I was going to sell it, I would have sold it long ago.¡± When Luce thought about what Chelsea had said, she realized. Work hard to raise it? If she¡¯s going to sell it, she¡¯ll sell it already? No way? ¡°Whoa, who wants to sell the general store? Did they try to rob mom¡¯s store?! What kind of guy is that!¡± She panted and stomped her feet as she came down the stairs. ¡°It seems that the people who weren¡¯t interested when Grandma Marie was just doing business became greedy because Mom raised them all, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What are they doing, ask them to go to court! No, or let¡¯s have a duel! Mom will win everything! Or Mom, should I tell the Lord?¡± Relax, Mom. At the same time, Chelsea paused for a moment and accepted it. It felt like the hand patting her back was shaking a little. ***** While she woke up early, she ate breakfast and washed up leisurely, and before she knew it, the time she had promised with Rev had come. ¡°Why are you leaving so early? The festival starts in the evening.¡± ¡°Um, first of all, I have to take classes in the morning. Today is the day to practice the antie recipe I made. The teacher says that with just that, we can greatly reduce the effects of most poisons.¡± ¡°Why are you so excited about making anties?¡± ¡°There are a lot of snakes in the raspberry field. Every time I went to pick them, I was scared. It could be said that it was the least preparedness to not get scared by the snakes. And Rev was going to fight a certain knight in the afternoon, so I¡¯m going to go watch that too.¡± ¡°I think my daughter is busier than I am.¡± ¡°After the sparring, I should also decorate the Rev. Can I borrow this makeup product? I¡¯ll be on my way, Mom!¡± ¡°Have you forgotten anything?¡± What did she forget? She was wearing a newly bought dress with a fine flower pattern, but because it was windy, she brought along a cardigan and a hat to wear with it. She also put in her bag the face lotion and hair wax she would use to decorate Rev after the sparring. As she was looking around, Chelsea held out a small box. ¡°Sometimes, wherever you go, you sneak around and ask if we have anything to eat because you have to feed your friend.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right!¡± There was a slice of lemon curd pie in the box. Luce gave an awkward smile and answered while tightly holding the pie box. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask my mom every time, and now I¡¯m much more comfortable. And Rev is good at cooking. I think he¡¯s probably better than me? He makes me this and that, but I don¡¯t think he eats it when I¡¯m not around, so that¡¯s the problem.¡± At Rev¡¯s story, Chelsea felt worried for a moment. Then she asked after hesitating for a moment. ¡°To that friend named Rev.¡± ¡°Ung?¡± Chelsea closed her eyes at Luce¡¯s question. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Why, I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll tell you next time. Hurry up and go, you¡¯ll be late.¡± ¡®Are you really not going to tell me?¡¯ Luce shrugged her shoulders and then walked away. Whoa. Chelsea let out a big sigh and rummaged through her apron. Her hands trembled as she held the letter she had hurriedly hidden. It was a letter with the seal of Count ¡¸Menelik¡¹. Chelsea knew about the letter that looked like white paper but had text that showed up when it was burned. ¡¸I will be straightforward. Send your daughter. I¡¯ll pay whatever it costs.¡¹ ¡°Crazy b*stards.¡± How did I escape, and why did Lawrence leave? ¡¸I would like to inform you that this is the last time I request ¡®moderately¡¯ in writing.¡¹ ¡°Send Luce? Pay for it? Crazy people. Damn it!¡± Chelsea tore up the letter she was holding and threw it into the crater. Then Chelsea muttered as she watched the wax on Count Menelik¡¯s seal melt and eventually burned up in the fire. ¡°I have to hide Luce. I can¡¯t ask Dahlia to do it. If they knew the house and sent a letter, they¡¯d know that I¡¯m running a store with Dahlia. What am I supposed to do? What should I do¡ª?¡± Chelsea glanced at the mountain where Rev¡¯s house was located and then grabbed her head. ***** ¡°With me! Marry me!¡± ¡°It looks like you¡¯re forbidden to ask me to marry you, right? Just because you change the order of the sentences doesn¡¯t mean that you can say it, Angel.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± No matter what the young playboy said, Luce was in a good mood as she took the finished antie. ¡®The new recipe was pretty good, right?¡¯ Luce added two things to the existing antie recipe. Mugwort and turmeric. Mugwort is a type of western mugwort and has excellent effects on calming and stabilizing nerves. Turmeric is known to help relieve liver damage. As there is no antie for each poison in this world, a certain part had to wait for the patient to detoxify itself. And the organ that plays a big role in detoxification is none other than the liver. So plants that help with liver function ultimately help detoxify. She also received confirmation from Mrs. Plum that there was nothing wrong with the new recipe. ¡®I¡¯m not afraid of snakes anymore. If I make a few more, I¡¯ll share them with the villagers.¡¯ The bag she brought with her stuff and the medicine she made herself were heavy, but she was very proud of them. This is an antie, this is a sleeping pill, and this is an anti-night blindness potion made from her recipe. ¡®Now that I have my recipe, I guess I¡¯ve become an intermediate pharmacist, right?¡¯ That¡¯s why Angel¡¯s chatter seemed pretty cute too. ¡°Let¡¯s get married! With me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I say we can¡¯t¡­ Why do you keep doing this, Angel?¡± ¡°You look prettier today!¡± Can she call this a fluttering? It¡¯s not wrong to say that she decorated herself more than usual in order to go to the academic festival. It didn¡¯t feel bad. Anyway, Rev also said something different than usual. ¡°How am I today?¡± ¡°¡­It suits you well, Luce. It¡¯s like a soft, warm field.¡± ¡®But Lev always likes everything I do, so strictly speaking, there¡¯s no objectivity. Well, this kid also tells me I¡¯m pretty, so I look pretty good today.¡¯ A friend who always gives compliments that are unique and nice to hear should be at the training ground by now. As she was taking the lotion, wax, and a piece of cream bread she received as a snack, Angel followed her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Training ground. I¡¯m going to watch Franz and my friend practice.¡± ¡°Is your friend good at fighting?¡± She choked on an unexpected question. Then Luce replied with a chuckle. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never seen him fight. He¡¯s not the type to fight someone in the first place.¡± ¡°My father is good.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s great? It¡¯s probably thanks to your father who is good at fighting that Angel isn¡¯t hated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just that he¡¯s good, he¡¯s really good.¡± ¡°Yes, how good must he be to have a fight as a job.¡± ¡°Then your friend will lose.¡± Luce went down the stairs with a soulless answer and stopped. ¡°The knights who lose the fight are very upset. Family or friends? Who visits in person?¡± (t/n : It sounds confusing because Angel keeps mispronouncing the word, please understand:¡±) ) ¡°Visits in person?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s even more upsetting when you are the one who visits. If you lose, you have to give your sword. He¡¯ll return it later, but the sword is very important to a knight.¡± Oh, She hadn¡¯t thought of that. She had only heard that he was learning martial arts, but she had never seen it because the class time overlapped, so she was curious. When she asked if she could go see it, she was given permission, but Rev doesn¡¯t usually answer his questions well. ¡¸If you want.¡¹ That¡¯s all Rev said. ¡°Then is it better not to go? No matter how much training you receive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to see my father lose the fight.¡± ¡°Will your father be upset?¡± Angel nodded softly, leaning against the window frame with a short body. ¡°I¡¯m upset, too. My father will be more upset when he sees me upset, and when he sees me upset, I¡¯m more upset, and if I¡¯m more upset¡ª¡± Yeah, yeah. Luce nodded at Angel, who was now saying ¡®more¡¯ for the seventh time. ¡°Okay, thank you. I didn¡¯t think of that. Then I¡¯ll just wait until it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Luce also sat on the windowsill with her back to the view of where the training ground was. It seemed that the sparring had begun. Luce asked, leaving behind the occasional sound of swords clashing. ¡°Where do you live, Angel?¡± ¡°Me? Originally, I lived in Count Bradbury¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°Looking at how you say originally, I guess it¡¯s not now?¡± ¡°The contract with my father and Lord Bradbury is over. Now rebel, no, lively.¡± ¡°Ugh, if you pronounce it wrong, you¡¯ll be in big trouble. Try following it, wanderer.¡± ¡°Sparkling!¡± ¡°Wanderer.¡± (T/n: so Angel keeps mispronouncing ¡°??¡± and other words.) ¡°Wanderer! My father is a wandering knight. It¡¯s like a free knight.¡± The knights seemed to move around the territory according to the contract. It was interesting to hear that it was a contract job, not a lifetime job. ¡°Where are you going next?¡± ¡°Menerit? Menemic? Anyway, I¡¯m going there. But I¡¯ll go later. I¡¯m staying at my grandfather¡¯s estate.¡± She had never heard of the place name of Menerit or Menemik. It seems to be a little far from Xenon. Chapter 44 ¡°Ah, aren¡¯t you leaving right after the festival?¡± ¡°Ung. My father said he prefers the life of wander knight. A deal to stay for a while.¡± She¡¯ll have to give up correcting Angel¡¯s pronunciation, but talking to this kid was still quite fun. Unexpectedly, she also found out things she didn¡¯t know. ¡°Why do you like Wandering Knight? Boss, no, you need the Lord to get a house and get money, right?¡± ¡°Because knights do a lot of hard work. My father was called out several times, even in the middle of the night. And he didn¡¯t come back for a few days. When he came back, he sometimes came with a full sword and sometimes with bandages wrapped around him, but in either case, he was upset, as if he had lost a fight. So I¡¯m more upset, and my father is more upset¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, you must have been more, more, more upset.¡± ¡®If the boss is to blame, then the thing to do is the same whether over there or here. But as expected, Knight Franz doesn¡¯t seem to be a belligerent person? Seeing that he doesn¡¯t enjoy fighting.¡¯ Hearing the sound of clashing swords, Luce asked. ¡°Then, did people fight a lot in Bradbury County?¡­Was there someone who hated the Count?¡± ¡°My father said that, when you are loved by the person above you, the people below you fight bloodily.¡± ¡°Inevitably.¡± ¡°Ung. Inevitably.¡± ¡®If it¡¯s a superior, it¡¯s an emperor, right? Then the Count Bradbury seems to get along with the Emperor quite well. Bradbury¡ª¡¯ It¡¯s a name she had never seen before, although she recalled her memory. ¡®I don¡¯t think I saw the last name Bradbury in the comments. Well, if he was one of those friendly forces, he wouldn¡¯t have been mentioned in the comments, right?¡¯ It¡¯s because people, whether complaining or praising, have to say something that will get people to click. In the journal, where there was only the ¡¾Wizard¡¿ part, there is a new section to write ¡¾Nobles¡¿. ¡®Why is my memory so bad? I read so many comments on {The Cruelty of the Vladin Empire}, but I can¡¯t even think of the names or important characters. Originally it wasn¡¯t like this¡­I feel like I¡¯m taking a hard way on an easy way. Is it like a penalty for the possessor?¡¯ Luce, who was thinking about Angel¡¯s story, pulled out a notebook from her bag and twisted her body. Only then did the training ground, which had only been visible at the end, come into sight. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Come to think of it, isn¡¯t the sound of the sword constantly being heard? That means. ¡®Isn¡¯t Rev striking the knight¡¯s sword?¡¯ Is Rev talented in martial arts? Luce, who turned around bewildered, followed the sword¡¯s path. Of course, a knight who took up swordsmanship and Rev, who wasn¡¯t even at the level of an apprentice knight, wouldn¡¯t be able to compete with each other. However, Rev was exactly hitting Franz¡¯s sword rather than being pushed out by the reaction. ¡®Come to think of it, he hit the darts thrown at the festival too. When I asked him, he said he had learned how to use a bow.¡¯ She had a vague idea of what sparring was, but this was the first time she had seen it in person. When the strong Franz aimed his sword at Rev, he quickly moved away to avoid it. A sword with a large trajectory is deflected by an appropriate defense as if trying to slash the leg. Even if the Baron¡¯s servants hadn¡¯t been busy getting ready for the festival, it¡¯s clear that there would have been a huge crowd of people there. It was a pretty good game. ¡°Angel, I¡¯m going to go now!¡± ¡°Marry me!¡± ¡°No!¡± She should have come earlier and watched it! Luce, who jumped several steps at once and ran down, arrived at the training ground. It was when she gasped and raised her head, stopping behind a tree because she was out of breath. Rev didn¡¯t see her. It certainly was. However, Rev suddenly hesitated, and the skilled knight¡¯s sword was swung straight into Rev¡¯s right hand. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Rev!¡± Rev lost his sword. Franz, who picked up his wooden sword, grinned. ¡°End of sparring.¡± Rev¡¯s hands were slightly scratched as she ran to see him, both worried and sad. It looked like Franz only let him miss with the sword when he hit him the fewest times. Still, she was worried because he had been beaten with the sword of a knight the size of that bull. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ung. I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you distracted because of me? Sorry.¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t know you were here, Luce.¡± Rev answered with his head down, then turned around so no one could see his face. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for your teaching.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was a fun sparring for me too. What do you think was the reason for your defeat?¡± ¡°I lacked the agility to see the sword through to the end and the endurance due to physical problems.¡± Contrary to the words that he lacks the endurance, Franz smiled at Rev, who was breathing too calmly. ¡°Yeah, well. If you think so. It¡¯s a festival soon, so get ready.¡± ¡°Yes. I will go in. Shall we go, Luce?¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work! You come here, let¡¯s go to my medicine cabinet first before changing clothes. I made a new ointment, and it works very well. I use it myself.¡± ¡°This is fine. I wasn¡¯t seriously hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not okay!¡± When Franz sees the girl walking quickly and dragging the boy away, and the boy faintly smiling, he tosses and catches a wooden sword. He muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t know Miss Lucette was here.¡± The panting girl didn¡¯t know it, but he saw her as he was sparring right in front of her. As soon as the boy noticed the presence behind the tree, he visibly relaxed. Seeing that he was standing at an angle where he gave up his right hand at all, he calculated to end the sparring quickly. ¡°It was not that he lacked agility and endurance.¡± He didn¡¯t even seem to work that hard. Although he used defensive swordsmanship, he was not at the level of barely dodging. There was room. Of course, it was nothing compared to the knight¡¯s swordsmanship. However, considering he was an apprentice who had not learned for less than a year, it was beyond excellent. ¡°It seemed to match the evaluation of the physical education teacher, but it wasn¡¯t. That guy did the math.¡± The boy¡¯s grades on the evaluation sheet the physical education teacher brought were all pointing in the middle. But that made Franz wonder. Students who have just started learning are bound to be concentrated in one field. If he¡¯s good at defense, he won¡¯t be good at attacking, and if he¡¯s good at attacking, he won¡¯t be good at dodging, but that wasn¡¯t the case with the boy. ¡°To look normal.¡± How come all the manipulated scores are in the middle? He doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s conclusive or naive. ¡°What is certain is that he doesn¡¯t want his skills revealed¡­but why? Aren¡¯t you overdoing it because you usually want to look cooler? Because you¡¯re a perfectionist who doesn¡¯t want to show it until it¡¯s completely finished? Or is he a guy with a lot of things to hide that he doesn¡¯t want to give away anything that might lead to a clue?¡± Knights talk with swords. Butting swords sometimes tells them more than discourse. Franz threw and received the sword again, looking up at the castle where the two entered. ***** It was good that she wrapped up the special ointment and the waterproof sheet she had left in the corner. ¡®Somehow, even though he practiced martial arts, he always smelled good.¡¯ Luce, who was waiting for Rev to finish taking a shower in the powder room on the other side of the castle that Baron had given him, raised her head when she heard the door open. Rev¡¯s body stiffened when he felt the presence. It seems he didn¡¯t know she would be waiting all this time. ¡°Hurry up.¡± Luce called to him with a smile, and Rev, who was walking with slightly reddened cheeks, was wearing new clothes. She saw it when they went to buy clothes, and she saw it when they went to a quiz contest, but black suits Rev well. He wore only a shirt and pants, but he looked good. ¡®If you¡¯re wearing only that and it¡¯s pretty, isn¡¯t it just that Rev¡¯s body did it all?¡¯ Luce sat him down, leaving the fundamental question behind. ¡°Can I do your hair?¡± ¡°Ah, ung. Please.¡± Under his soft, dry hair, she could see that his eyes were closed. Luce, who had been trimming his hair to his liking, suddenly spoke to him. ¡°You know, Rev, if you don¡¯t like it, you can say no.¡± It was something she had always thought about and wanted to say. After hearing Angel¡¯s words, today seemed like an opportunity. Rev¡¯s head tilted slightly. Why? I don¡¯t hate it. Everything¡¯s fine. That¡¯s what it seemed to say. ¡°Well, like you said many times, everything I do looks good and feels okay, but¡­originally, human relationships can go wrong with the slightest mistake or conflict.¡± The corners of his eyes looking in the mirror darkened. It¡¯s cute. ¡°It¡¯s very, very good to be considerate of each other or think about the other person¡¯s position first, but you don¡¯t have to do that even while putting yourself down. If you don¡¯t like it, you don¡¯t like it, if you like it, you like it, and if you regret it, I want you to tell me everything. Because I want to be with you for a long time, I¡¯m talking about this. So, if you have any concerns about anything, feel free to tell me. Like I said before, there are no buttons on the jacket. Okay?¡± He wanted to nod, but she was touching his hair, so he looked like he was thinking about what to do. This is cute, too. ¡°Ung. Okay, Luce¡­ But I really like everything you do.¡± ¡°Even if I just touch your hair like this and it¡¯s messy?¡± Pretending to mess up his hair, Rev gave her a short laugh with his eyes closed. ¡°If it looks good to you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just open your eyes and talk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know even if I look at it anyway. You¡¯re the standard for me.¡± She doesn¡¯t know what to do with him. She wondered if she was used to how his words tickled her, but she guessed she still wasn¡¯t. Luce, who sighed, arranged his hair again and muttered with sincerity. ¡°I am really worried about you. Since you are so nice and naive, what if you go somewhere and live at a loss, what should I do?¡± You¡¯re the one who¡¯s naive and nice and thinks I¡¯m just good, Lev thought. ¡°I worry about you sometimes too, Luce. You will be so kind to others.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± It just sounded like a joke. ¡°Then let¡¯s promise each other. I¡¯ll only be nice to you, Rev, and you¡¯ll only be nice to me. Then it will work.¡± ¡°Ung. I only do that to you.¡± ¡°I, too, to you¡­ Wow, your hair is really good. I think I¡¯m talented. Take a look.¡± Half-down and half-up hair looks crazy good on him. When he took off his glasses, his sharp face shape stood out more, but his eyes were deeper than usual and gave off an alluring atmosphere. ¡®Do I touch his hair too well? Isn¡¯t it because he¡¯s handsome?¡¯ Maybe it was because he always wore glasses, but she stopped talking when she saw his bare face, which she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time and thought was pretty cool. ¡°Hurry.¡± Rev opened his eyes and turned his body instead of looking in the mirror. ¡°I, too, to you.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I, too, to you. What is it?¡± Somehow the atmosphere is different from usual. Is it because of the way he looks up at her? Could it be because of the exceptionally neat hair? Is it because of the clothes he doesn¡¯t normally wear? ¡°Rev, your eyes¡­ The eye color is different.¡± He had green eyes that looked just like her eyes. ¡®¡­Do I see nothing now?¡¯