𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟓
If I hadn’t known, it couldn’t have been helped, but now that I knew, it was difficult to pretend I didn’t.
Hart, unaware of his father’s intentions, responded fragmentarily.
“It would be better to make the fledgling Grand Duke pay a high price when he’s interested.”
“That’s my intention as well, but……”
The Emperor trailed off and changed the subject.
“I’m thinking it’s time to give him a different sword and retrieve ‘Belich’.”
“Yes?”
Hart lowered his voice in surprise.
“Father, ‘Belich’ won’t be happy to be deprived of its host.”
And it’s different from what you promised Mother.
Hart barely swallowed the rest of his words, but the Emperor continued.
“We’ve already achieved several territorial expansions after giving ‘Belich’ to Lurik. It’s greedy to want more.”
The Emperor cut him off firmly and added.
“Lurik has already used ‘Belich’ for over 10 years, violating the restriction of using it only for short-term missions. This victory has been a great strength to me, so……”
Hart couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke sharply.
“So you intend to break your promise to Mother and save that child’s life?”
The Emperor glared at his eldest son.
“If you dare interfere with my decision, show me half the achievements he has.”
The magic sword ‘Belich’ had been considered the Imperial treasure for centuries.
However, the fact that the object, which had only been hung on the wall and boasted about, gained life through a host was something Empress Dorothea had discovered by chance a decade ago.
‘It gives the wielder luck in battle and leads them to victory, but in exchange, it consumes their life force.’
After the Second Imperial Consort’s suspicious and sudden death, Empress Dorothea persuaded the Emperor to use ‘Belich’.
The Emperor’s repeated disregard for her words was due more to distrust of the Empress than love for his second son, but once Lurik, wielding the sword, began to succeed, there was no reason not to believe the legend or superstition.
‘But now you’re trying to give him all the credit?’
Hart clenched his teeth.
The successive victories and territorial expansions could never be attributed to his younger brother, who was only a year younger than him.
It was only thanks to the Brentania Imperial Family’s heirloom, passed down through generations, and his mother who discovered its secret.
‘Then, shouldn’t it naturally belong to me in the future?’
Of course, as his own flesh and blood, it might not be easy for the Emperor to abandon Lurik.
But what if a greater reward followed?
‘Like, the Whitney granary, for example.’
Instead of directly opposing his father, Hart bowed his head, feigning shame.
“……I apologize.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue.
“If you understand, leave. I will order the Tower Master to forge a new magic sword.”
Hart clenched his jaw and bowed his head once more.
The reason he had kept that hulking Sword Master, who wasn’t much younger than him, alive as his supposed brother was because he was the ‘host’ of the magic sword.
‘The Crown Princess only gave birth to two daughters.’
Hart didn’t have a son yet.
If Lurik were to establish himself as a ‘son’ of Brentania now, he wouldn’t just stand by and watch.
🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹
Early the next morning, I found a new diary entry.
Today was the fourth lecture of ‘Basic Arithmetic’, and I learned a truly absurd fact.
The diary, which started like that, went on absurdly, as it said.
From the beginning, there was a student named ‘Ren Dapht’ in the basic arithmetic class, but he was definitely not the Tower Master with the dazzling appearance I had seen in the banquet hall.
Since anyone could see they were different people, everyone assumed they were just namesakes, but it seems the professor thought differently.
The professor told ‘Ren Dapht’ that if he was qualified to lecture in his place, he would give him a truly difficult equation to solve.
However, ‘Ren Dapht’ couldn’t do it, and the professor said this.
“Tell him I’ll let him avoid his second failure if he shows up now.”
As soon as the man, who was not ‘Ren Dapht’, or rather, the man we thought was ‘Ren Dapht’, asked, “Did you hear that?” to someone, there was a bang from the fireplace.
The young Tower Master was so shameless that he said this to the professor.
“Ah, can’t we just gloss over it?”
It doesn’t look like it’ll work, Ren……
I rubbed my forehead and read the next line.
In conclusion, from today onwards, we are in danger of taking classes with the real ‘Ren Dapht’.
In my opinion, he is not only dangerous in practice, but also a dangerous competitor who can get high scores just by attending.
Louise, you were serious about your grades……
The worst part was that the seat he trudged over to and plopped down in was next to mine.
Of all things, Erni isn’t in this class……
Well, everyone avoids me because I’m the black sheep of the Imperial Family, but he’s so scary that I can’t say that……
Pfft.
The youngest princess’s worries about becoming the Tower Master’s partner continued on and on.
But I’ve long since realized how useful that Tower Master is, and how sincere he is to me.
I closed the diary and took out the two small magic spheres Ren had given me.
‘He told me not to use the summoning sphere whenever I wanted……’
As I took out the blue sphere and placed it on my palm, a brilliant light emanated from it.
After waiting for a while, a sleepy voice came through.
―If anyone else woke me up at this hour, I would have wanted to kill them.
I flinched, having just read the scary diary entry, but Ren chuckled softly.
―I like waking up to your voice. Did you sleep well, Lou?
I said with relief.
“Yes, how about you, Ren?”
―I miss you, of course……
I stealthily opened the diary and compared the Ren of the past to the present.
Just that made me laugh, and he was pleased.
―Are you laughing, Lou? You miss me too, don’t you?
How can I choose one out of three……
I inwardly wailed, then barely remembered why I had contacted Ren.
“Yes, I miss you.”
Of course, Ren didn’t fall for it.
“And?”
I smiled sheepishly and revealed the real reason I contacted him.
“I want to know about the magic sword my brother has. The one the first Tower Master dedicated to the Imperial Family.”
🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹
A week later, I entered my fourth month of pregnancy.
According to the physician, I was in a stable period, but it seems he hid something from me.
“Ugh……”
The morning sickness was getting worse.
I took out Ren’s potion for the second time this morning.
Phoebe, who was preparing my accessories, lamented.
“What should we do, Your Highness? It’s fortunate that it doesn’t show yet……”
“It’s a blessing.”
As soon as I swallowed a spoonful of the potion, Phoebe quickly rubbed my back.
“Phew……”
As I was catching my breath, there was a knock.
―Knock, knock.
Phoebe quickly closed the medicine box while I sat down on the vanity chair.
Without waiting, a voice came from outside the door.
“Louise, it’s your brother.”
Phoebe quickly ran towards the door.
Lurik entered the room and sighed when he saw me.
“Are you really alright?”
“Of course, brother.”
I gave him a weak smile, and Phoebe quietly began to fix my hair.
Lurik said with a frown.
“You don’t look well. His Majesty is also aware that you suffered from severe body aches due to travel fatigue……”
Today was the start of the Thanksgiving Festival.
He didn’t seem to like me pushing myself, but I had something to do at the banquet hall.
“I told you before. I can’t be seen as a useless and weak youngest daughter. The Thanksgiving Festival is only once a year.”
Then Lurik suddenly said.
“Then I’ll escort you today.”
I widened my eyes in surprise, and he added as if making an excuse.
“It wouldn’t be good if you collapsed like you did at the monastery.”
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