Chapter 31

Chapter 31

“But… I can leave room. I don’t have anyone I like yet.”

At those words, Berthas’ expression, which had been collapsing, returned to its original state in an instant. Isilis, who was watching him, smiled.

“I am the Empress, and I cannot be dragged around by you. Still… I will reserve a place for you in the corner of my heart.”

“Really?”

He said as he jumped up.

“Are you really doing that? Isilis?”

“Is this not a play?”

Berthas became gloomy again at her skeptical remarks.

‘How fun.’

It was amusing to see his expression change from moment to moment, though on the other hand, Isilis was also surprised by the sincerity that came out without her knowing.

‘A corner of my heart?’

In the first place, the Empress’ heart was entirely for the Empire. She couldn’t believe that she had mentioned a corner of her heart out of her mouth. At that moment, a faint presence was suddenly heard outside the door, Berthas quickly hid himself in order not to be found out.

“You’re here?”

Someone opened the door and came in.

“Marquis Cyrka.”

“What are you doing here at night? You weren’t in the room, so I went to look for you… were you alone here?”

Marquis Cyrka smiled with a bewildered look when he noticed that there was no one but Isilis, looking around with bright eyes.

Seeing him like that, Isilis gave a slight smile.

“My mind was cluttered, and I was wandering around to organize my thoughts. This room is also a room with memories of my father.”

“Your guest is here too, so I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“It is.”

As he pointed out that Berthas was on the same floor, Isilis nodded her head.

“It’ll be a trouble, so you better be in your room.”

“What about the {rincess?”

“She is sleeping.”

“Did you see her?”

“She is cute.”

“Not that.”

“She had dark hair.”

“What do you think?”

Asking for her aide, Marquis Cyrka’s opinion, he shook his head.

“An imperial family who was not born with magical powers… Wouldn’t it be difficult?”

“Do you think so, too?”

After examining Isilis’ expression for a moment, the Marquis spoke again.

“Still, I will obey Your Majesty’s will.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“I am always on your side.”

Seeing Cyrka bowing down, Isilis smiled with a happy smile. She moved her steps, casting her gaze for a moment to where Berthas was hiding his body as Marquis Cyrka followed behind her.

Berthas, who had been secretly listening to their conversation, appeared in the dark.

“He is the son of the Margrave.”

…Cyrka.

It was a family that guarded the borders of the Larchen Empire. Although they were Marquisate, they were recognized for their ability as a Margrave and had the same status as a Duchy. Even though Berthas had never directly attacked the borders of the Larchen Empire, he was familiar with their prestige—stories of attacks from other empires, particularly the Khalifa, were famous.

“I know they’re a great family, but…”

He didn’t like it.

It was a family necessary for Isilis to lead the country. His eyes were different. Different from the common nobility. The eyes that look at the woman, not the eyes that look at an Empress. Isilis couldn’t feel it, but he knew it.

It was an instinctive sense of a male who preyed on his woman.

“They seemed friendly…”

What kind of relationship did they have? There were other people’s eyes if he was to open the door right away, so Berthas decided to wait.

“Berthas.”

Hearing a voice calling him from behind, he was startled but soon recognized that it was Faylos’ voice. He turned around.

“Huh? How can you—”

“Let’s go.”

Following Faylos, who opened the wall and entered, Berthas followed in his footsteps. After passing through a dark passageway and a winding maze, when he pressed a certain part again, the wall opened, and the place where he was staying was revealed.

“Here…”

“It’s a secret passage.”

“How do you know that?”

Seeing Berthas, who asked sharply, Faylos laughed out loud.

“You, I hope you don’t think Isilis and I have anything to do with each other, do you?”

“Isilis…? Were you close enough to call the Empress by name?”

“Of course!”

“Who are you?”

Berthas asked coldly, raising a sense of frustration towards the twirling Faylos.

“It’s fun, but I’ll stop. I’ll introduce myself again. I am related to Isilis.”

“…What?”

“I am the Grand Duke of the Larchen Empire.”

Faylos and Berthas met on the battlefield. It was the day of the local war between the Hillenton Empire and the Khalifa Empire. While the war continued in a sluggish state, there was a scene that came into his eyes by chance.

It caught his eye as the soldiers of the Khalifa Empire were chasing a person who appeared to be of Larchen. Berthas moved quickly because he had found it in a military camp that had been raided.

“Stay there!”

As he ran his horse, he aimed his sword. While drawing an arc, a sword that was struck down took the life of a soldier, and the remaining soldiers of the Khalifa Empire rushed in a row.

“Are you okay?”

The man didn’t answer his question. His eyes were blurry. From afar, he could see the soldiers of the Khalifa Empire running.

“Hold on!”

Berthas flashed the man’s body and put him on his horse. He leisurely escaped from the battlefield with the man who was speechless, as if he had lost his mind.

“Well? Who is that person?”

Hector, who was excitedly swinging his sword, asked Berthas.

“I saved him because the Khalifa soldiers were going to take him.”

“So who?”

“I’ll find out.”

Berthas returned to the barracks with the man and called the doctor.

“He is a wizard.”

“Wizard?”

“See his wrist here? It is a restraint used in the Desert Empire.”

“Then, is this shape a restraint seal?”

“That’s right.”

“Can’t we just take it off?”

“If it can just be taken off, it’s not a magic weapon… Gasp!”

The doctor got startled by Berthas, who swung his sword before the doctor could even finish speaking. His knife struck the restraint with a ‘bang.’ A bright light burst, and the restraint was cut cleanly.

“Monster…”

Hector shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Berthas with tired eyes.

“Your Excellency, are you a real monster? No, how…”

“Sir Hector.”

The man’s gaze gradually returned. Berthas asked with clear eyes.

“How did you get caught by the soldiers of the Khalifa Empire?”

“I am a wandering wizard who turned down their offer and got restrained.”

Berthas laughed at the man’s cynical words.

“I am Berthas Hillenton.”

“Faylos.”

“No last name?”

“What would you do if you knew?”

Berthas held out his hand.

“You should at least do that to your lifesaver.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Then, fine.”

“…Berthas Hillenton?”

“Respect the Duke!”

With Hector’s outraged cry, Berthas waved his hand. In his view, the man was a nobleman. His courage not to lose to others was proof of that. Those born to be nobles from birth are different. Hector could do harm, so he restrained his movement.

“Duke? Oh, that…”

Berthas smiled skeptically, seeing Faylos’ gaze, who glanced at him up and down.

“You must’ve heard my rumors?”

“It did.”

“Well, you can go now.”

“What?”

“I saved you, so you can go now?”

“Are you just going to let me go?”

“Then?”

He saved a wizard… that wizard was a wizard of the Larchen Empire. According to the Imperial Law, those who rescued a wizard protected by the Larchen Empire could receive help from the Larchen Empire. It was a well-known fact in other countries as well.

“Are you really just letting me go? Without asking anything?”

“I said so.”

“…If you want to see me, come to the Red Moonlight Tavern in Etort Port.”

“Are we going to meet?”

“If it’s meant to be, we may.”

The man, who spoke his last words, disappeared using magic. That was his first memory with Faylos.

“Grand Duke? Her cousin…?”

“Right.”

“Then, you know everything…”

“Yes.”

“That’s why you said you couldn’t say it.”

“Yes.”

Faylos, who was staring at the shocked Berthas, said again.

“What are you going to do now?”

“What?”

“The Princess was not born with magical powers, and her position will be shaken by this incident.”

“Is her position shaken?”

“You’ve seen it firsthand, so I’m sure you understand. You touched Larchen’s barrier, and it was the Empress who stopped it. It is also the Empress who maintains the barriers of each city connected to the capital. However, the next Empress doesn’t have magical powers? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Do you think so, too?”

“It’s not what I think, but that’s what the people of the Empire and the nobles think.”

“….”

“And now, I can’t see it well because she’s young though the Princess looks pretty much like you.”

“Do you see that?”

“Did you not see that?”

“I didn’t know because I was only passing by.”

“Haa. Isilis did that.”

“It’s not that I blame her.”

“I know your true nature, and you won’t do that, but… It is difficult.”

Watching Faylos sigh, Berthas closed his mouth. Seeing his close friend worried about him, his heart got tickled.

‘Friend…’

Even though it was true in words, he didn’t think Faylos was really his friend. Berthas saved his life, but after that, they met, chatted, and had a few drinks. It was a moment in his life when he had nothing, he got a daughter and a close friend…

“What’s wrong?”

Faylos asked, feeling strange as he stared at his face. While smiling brightly at him, Berthas spoke.

“I like her.”

“Hey, are you crazy?”

“You don’t give me time to be serious.”

“If anyone hears such a thing, they will speak like me.”

“Thank you.”

“So suddenly?”

“I’m just saying thank you.”

“Let’s put that gratitude aside for a while, and what will we do now?”

“What?”

“The Princess. Your daughter!”

“All decisions are made by Isilis.”

Faylos was frustrated hearing Berthas uttered that he would follow her.

“The Empress, it’s a given. Nonetheless, it’s not that easy. Shaking the foundations of the Empire would not be easy.”

“I’ll tell her when she’s having a hard time.”

“Isilis? No way.”

—