Chapter 56: Just in Case

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‘I decided to become Sir Cedric’s disciple.’

‘I’ll… come back.’

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The next morning.

Sugar was playing the piano.

To be precise, she was tapping her fingers on the café table as if playing a piano. Her hand movements were quite fluid, as if she had learned it in a past life.

She was staring blankly into space, occasionally making strange noises like “Ugh…” So, the piano didn’t matter.

She was in shock after hearing that her friend was leaving the holy city.

She had long forgotten his promise to return.

There was only one fact.

Riley was leaving Sugar.

That was all that lingered in her mind.

“…”

Riley had exceptional magical talent.

No matter how much of it was due to the forbidden book, reaching the level he has at such a young age could only be attributed to innate talent. It was the kind of talent that would catch the eye of a Guardian.

Sugar had no right to stop him. No matter how much she claimed to be family, they weren’t truly related, and even if they were shouldn’t she wish for his happiness?

He had always harbored an inferiority complex about not having a proper teacher. While Sugar had resolved his issues with the staff and family, she couldn’t solve the problem of finding him a mentor.

So, she should be happy for this opportunity. She should be grateful that her little brother had the chance to be taught by a great person and become great himself.

She had already considered the possibility that he might leave her side. Again, she had no right to stop him.

And yet.

The shock was indescribable.

“Ah…”

She made a sound that could either be a laugh or a sigh. From a distant table, Cedric asked Riley,

“What’s wrong with her?”

“I… told her that I’m leaving.”

“Did you explain it properly?”

“Yes.”

“It doesn’t look like it…”

Cedric stroked his beard, pondering, then spoke again.

“Didn’t you say anything sweet?”

“Huh?”

“Like, ‘It’s for you,’ or ‘I’ll come back stronger.’ If you say something manly like that, it’ll make her feel better.”

Riley was about to retort that Cedric sounded like an old man, but instead, he said something else.

“It’s obvious she’d worry. She’d start with, ‘Why are you living your life for me…’ and go on about it. It’s fine. She just needs to know I’ll come back.”

He hadn’t told her, ‘I’m leaving to get stronger for you.’

He only said, ‘Sir Cedric accepted me as his disciple, so I’m leaving. I’ll come back around the time I enroll at Steele.’

He didn’t need to go into detail. He thought it would only burden her, so he kept it brief.

If anything, wasn’t this more manly?

“You’ll regret it. Long-distance relationships fall apart if you don’t reassure the other person. You need to make sure she understands why you’re leaving.”

Cedric added, “Not that I’ve experienced it much…” His expression somehow looked pitiful.

Riley let out a deep sigh.

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Ah, right.”

“And she’s a strong girl. She’ll bounce back in less than a week without me.”

Riley didn’t think much of Sugar’s strange behavior.

It was just because her close friend and little brother was leaving her side. The one she always teased and had fun with was leaving. She was just feeling a sense of loneliness.

Who was Sugar? A cheeky girl who made teasing and pranking people her life’s joy.

Her source of amusement was about to disappear, so she was acting like this.

From an outsider’s perspective it might not seem that way, but at least Riley thought so.

She’d probably make new friends and brighten up soon, he thought, though that thought filled him with a sense of unease.

Seeing right through the boy sitting in front of him, Cedric clicked his tongue.

“Sigh. Kid, as an adult, let me give you some advice.”

“…What is it?”

“Girls like her… if you don’t hold onto them properly, they’ll disappear before you know it. If you don’t make sure she understands, just in case…”

She was indeed an unpredictable girl. If something caught her interest, she’d dart off in that direction. She made friends with almost anyone easily.

“Look at her now.”

Following Cedric’s gesture, Riley reluctantly turned his head. She was gone.

Sugar, who had been playing the piano, had disappeared in the meantime.

“Ah!”

“Told you.”

Riley rushed out of the café without looking back. Normally, he wouldn’t care if she wandered off alone, but she was in a strange state right now. Who knew what she might do?

“Those two have it tough.”

Cedric muttered as he sipped his coffee, watching the scene.

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Sugar walked aimlessly.

She walked sluggishly, but her pace was surprisingly fast. Before she knew it, she found herself on the cathedral roof. She had come up here yesterday and found the height and the open view refreshing, so her feet had unconsciously led her here.

From the rooftop she admired the scenery of the holy city.

A blessed land under the blue winter sky, with warm winds blowing. The elegant white buildings scattered harmoniously. A sacred city that anyone who believed in the Saint would want to visit at least once.

Yet being trapped in such a place felt lonely, Sugar crouched down and gazed endlessly at the cityscape.

“I want to go with him…”

The thought she had been harboring spilled out.

She wanted to see the world, learn magic from the guardians, and feel alive by enjoying freedom.

And she wanted to share all of that with him.

Doing something with a friend was truly joyful. But the fact that she couldn’t do that made her gloomy, it felt like being left out.

She clutched her head, frustrated by her own immaturity, but her chest was filled with an inexplicable tightness.

“Ahhh—!!”

As she let out her feelings with a shout, a figure peeked out from behind a pillar.

“You scared me! Be quiet!”

You’ll get caught…! The hooded child scolded, covering their mouth.

It was the boy from yesterday. His Highness, the Prince, a person of high status.

Knowing this, Sugar didn’t make a big deal out of it. She didn’t think he’d appreciate the fuss so she simply addressed him briefly.

“Your Highness.”

“…Right. You saw me yesterday, so you figured it out.”

He gently removed his hood, revealing short ivory hair and purple eyes. He looked pretty, almost like a girl. The boy stood confidently.

“Should I greet you properly?”

“No need. But what’s wrong? You’re completely different from yesterday.”

As he approached, Sugar buried her face in her knees.

“I hate this life so much. I really hate it. I don’t need this kind of constitution…”

“What… what’s wrong…”

“I hate being stuck here because of my unique constitution…”

“Huh? You’re trapped here too?”

“Not exactly trapped… I can leave if I want to.”

The Prince jumped up in surprise.

“Then why don’t you leave? It’s not like the holy knights are stopping you like they do with me!”

“Because it’d be a burden to myself and others. There are people who’d be sad if I got hurt… right…? Maybe…?”

“…Huh?”

At her strange reaction, the Prince slowly backed away, but Sugar continued, unfazed.

“I just don’t get it. He’s leaving me here and going off on his own? Fine, he can go. But to leave so casually, so coolly? Was that all we were to each other? Am I just a burden? He blushes every time he sees me, and now he’s acting all cheeky lately? He’s so annoying. Who does he think he is, acting all high and mighty just because he can use a bit of magic?”

“Hey, calm down… I’m sure he has his reasons.”

“Then why won’t he tell me?”

“How should I know…”

Had she been drinking…? The Prince had never seen someone act like this, knowing they were of the Saint’s bloodline. He rarely interacted with peers, so he wasn’t sure if this was normal. As he pondered, Sugar blurted out,

“You’re His Highness, right?”

“…I’m nothing special except for being born from the same womb as my sister. She’s the one with all the power.”

“Then does the Saintess know?”

“I don’t know either! I can’t figure her out…! She’s like a different person. Always hiding her face behind a veil. She barely speaks to me, it’s so annoying!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! I have no idea what she’s thinking. She’s like a stone!”

In the game, she had only appeared once, and she seemed very rigid. Sugar had thought it was because she was trying to maintain the authority of the Saintess, but her family… Sugar didn’t expect her to be like that with her family as well.

“It must be hard for you too.”

“Exactly!”

Sugar nodded slightly as she watched the Prince shout.

She had thought his immature antics yesterday were just childish behavior, but now she felt a sense of kinship with him. When she agreed with him, he seemed to like it and smiled faintly.

“You. What’s your name?”

“Sugar.”

“I’m Ianne…”

“Huh?”

She asked again because he trailed off.

“Ian. It’s Ian. I’ll allow you to call me by my name.”

“Wow.”

‘I’ve made a connection, I should go and brag to Riley—’

“…”

Sugar shook her head.

“But Ian, is it okay for you to be here? The holy knights will come looking for you.”

“I’m scouting the situation here. I’m looking for a time when the security is a bit looser.”

He really wants to leave the holy city. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t recommend it, but she also couldn’t stop him.

“I’ll cheer you on.”

“What! You’re not going to help?”

“I’d be in big trouble. At the very least, you shouldn’t try and drag others into it”

“…”

She didn’t know what punishment she’d face for being accused of helping the Saint’s descendant escape. As Sugar gently scolded him, Ian hung his head.

“…You’re right. I’m sorry.”

He reflected quickly. Even though he was spoiled, it seemed he had been well-educated.

“It’s just… it’s my first time having a girl my age as a friend. I got too excited.”

“Huh? Are we friends?”

“Uh… no?”

His eyes widened. He looked slightly disappointed, it was a very childlike expression.

“Just kidding. Let’s be friends.”

“What!”

He laughed while pretending to be angry. His smile was as bright as a blooming flower.

‘Ah, this kid…’

Watching him, she felt like she had uncovered a secret.

The younger sister of the Saintess of the game.

And now, the younger brother of the real life Saintess.

She had a slight inkling of the secret behind the gender difference, but since it wasn’t something she should pry into, she decided to let it go.

Sugar simply smiled mysteriously.

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.

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“Huh?”

Amidst all this.

There was a boy hiding and watching them.

A blond boy who had been tracking the girl’s magical energy and eventually climbed onto the cathedral roof.

Just as he was about to call out to Sugar, he saw her smiling brightly—only in Riley’s eyes. Wasn’t she just feeling down earlier? And now?

There was also a boy who looked like a girl standing in front of her. They were laughing together. As if they were the best of friends.

“Huuuh?!”