C 76
"Lucilion must have been stuck by your side at first because he needed time to replenish your sacred power."
"...What on earth did he do?"
"Erno Etham was looking for information about rare dragons based on ancient texts."
My head hung low. I involuntarily swallowed my breath as my eyes felt warm.
"Oh, the Etham family's lord invaded the temple, and Lucilion must have brought all the sacred objects from the temple."
As I clenched my fists, Sharnae and Lillian held my hands, one on each side.
I felt like crying a little.
"So, you'll grow soon."
Enosh said with crossed arms, still arrogant.
"You're just a little bun, so don't get too down. The bun will puff up someday and get bigger."
I chuckled awkwardly at Enosh's blunt words.
"Oh, now that I think about it, there was a time when Duke Collin and Erno Etham had a big fight."
"A fight...?"
"Yes, about adoption rights."
Enosh smiled as I widened my eyes.
"Are you curious?"
"Yes."
"If you're curious..."
Enosh laughed mischievously. I swallowed, fearful of what I would hear.
"Let's have a snack together next time."
"...Oh?"
"I say that because you might not know, but there are not just one or two people in line to see your face right now."
When I made a puzzled face, Enosh smiled and opened his mouth as if he really hadn't realized it.
"I tried to hide it as much as possible, but the fact that you're a dragon must have leaked out somewhere."
"... ..."
"Meanwhile, you haven't woken up, so it has decreased a bit..."
The voice sounded amused for some reason, and he added that by now, it should have been a mess.
Is that why Dad said he would come to get me?
"Why did Duke Collin and Dad fight?"
"Ah... Dad tried to put you on the family register, but Duke Collin stood in the way, saying, 'I can't leave her to a madman like you. It's a matter for Eirin to choose later.'"
Enosh said as he lazily stretched out on the sofa.
When I looked at Lillian in disbelief, Lillian nodded too. The same went for Sharnae.
"What happened then?"
"Mmm... the best customer of the Assassins' Guild for the three years after your fall was probably the former Duke of Etham."
"...Dad?"
"Yes. It's rumored that the Assassins' Guild bought an island solely with the money earned from Etham in the last three years."
What on earth did you do?
If you have the money, give it to me!
When I opened my mouth, Enosh tilted the tea cup slightly.
"But how did Dad succeed?"
"Ah, that..."
When Enosh's head tilted slightly, his hair swayed and swayed.
Even when I looked at him again, I couldn't believe he was the same Enosh who was dying in bed. He looked incomparably healthier than when he was thin.
"The Imperial Father stepped in."
"Your Majesty?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"The assassins also began to approach the Imperial Father."
Isn't that a crime? Isn't it treason?
When I opened my embarrassed mouth, Enosh leaned forward as if telling a secret.
"Of course, they didn't bring a weapon..."
"...Huh?"
Weren't they assassins?
"They approached him at all times with an appeal letter instead of a sword, and suddenly barged in while he slept, woke up, or bathed, pleading for him to save them."
Why did they suddenly plead?
I couldn't follow the story.
"Yes, it seems he vented his anger on Etham's shadows."
"Ah..."
The assassins sent to the emperor were his assassins.
Not only the Assassins' Guild, but also the shadows of the Etham family.
"The Imperial Father had insomnia at that time."
"...I see."
"So, in the end, the Imperial Father gave in."
Enosh's expression brightened as he spoke of his father's story as if he were very happy.
"Well, it's nice to see him smile."
It's better to see him laugh than cry.
When I think of Enosh, who was sharp, this kind of change now seemed like a dream.
"Your Highness, I think we should send her to His Majesty soon."
"Ah, yes. It's time. It was brief, but it was a pleasure to see you again, Bun."
I really don't like the fact that the words aren't nice to the end, but it's always been like that.
I nodded and got up from my seat.
Then, for some reason, the elderly attendant smiled at me and bowed.
When I bowed, the elderly-looking attendant smiled.
"Goodbye, Enosh, Lily!"
"I can't meet His Majesty, so I'll stay here and come back later. Eirin."
At Sharnae's words, I nodded.
It seems the three of them became close while I was away.
"Yes."
When I turned around to follow the attendant.
"Hey... Eirin Etham."
At that moment, I stopped walking and turned my head. I wanted to call him by his full name.
"... ..."
Enosh didn't say anything for a while. I thought it was just a joke, so I tried to continue walking.
"...Thank you for saving me."
I was taken aback and turned around, but he was already looking away, tilting his teacup.
The red lobes of his ears clearly showed his emotions.
"Yes, I'm glad you're safe."
I replied with a bright smile and quickly left the room.
I only heard him say thank you, but somehow my throat felt hot.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt that way, so I followed the attendant with quick steps, but then I stopped.
"Is something wrong, my lady?"
"Ah, no."
I turned my head slightly, and Jill, the knight escort, followed me with a concerned look in his eyes.
When our eyes met, he nodded slightly.
"It seems that His Highness the Second Prince has wanted to say that for a long time."
The old man carefully took me in his arms and said, as if he knew the reason for my flushed face.
"Although he said that, he sent sacred relics every month and constantly asked if the lady was awake."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes, he was very worried that the young lady would be angry with him, about what would happen if her five years were gone, and she said she regretted saving him."
"... ..."
I never even dreamed he could think like that.
Wasn't Prince Enosh a tyrant?
A boy who seemed arrogant and believed in nothing but himself.
A person who almost gave up on continuing his own life because he was already wounded.
"That's why the person who was most looking forward to today's meeting is probably His Highness."
"... ..."
"I've known His Highness the Second Prince since he was young. He's not the type of person who looks like that. He always seemed depressed and somewhat sad. He matured early because people only talked about him dying at a young age."
I nodded.
I still remembered the description of Enosh in the novel.
The boy grew up hearing words related to death wandering everywhere, like he would die early and was born with the curse of the imperial family.
"So, as soon as he heard you had awakened, he contacted you immediately."
"I see."
Hearing this made me feel even more embarrassed.
I didn't know what expression to make, so I just rolled my eyes here and there, and my eyes met Jill's, who was following me.
Jill was looking at me. His gaze embarrassed me, so I looked away.
It seemed that the place we arrived at was the hall where the emperor personally received guests.
It was beautiful from the door. The attendant left me, knocked on the door, and we entered the room together.
When I entered, the emperor was sitting in the high seat. And beside him was a very kind-looking woman.
She smiled at me, but the emperor somehow looked at me as if he were looking at a great annoyance.
"What?"
While I hesitated before the markedly contrasting expressions, the emperor nodded.
"Sit comfortably."
Ah, I forgot to greet him.
"I recognize the sun, the glory of the empire..."
"It's fine, it's fine, sit down."
The emperor moved his hand slightly as if he were annoyed by something.
"Did I hesitate too much?"
In fact, I never learned manners properly.
When I was in class with Hill Rosement, I said that etiquette is something you have to do constantly, so I could do it slowly...
But I fell asleep.
"Yes..."
I walked and sat on the couch higher than expected and turned around. The emperor was looking at me curiously.
"Your Majesty?"
"...I think I know why a guy with no manners or discipline acts like this."
The emperor said something incomprehensible.
"Yes, I finally see that lovely face again."
The emperor said with a tired expression somewhere.
-
