Camille (10)

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment at Camille’s sudden appearance.

What was this feeling, as if I’d been caught in an affair?

I hadn’t done anything to feel guilty about, yet…

“I greet the Saint-nim of the Holy Dominion.”

“Oh my, so you’re the disciple he spoke of. You said you were the Empress-nim of the Empire, right?”

“Yes, I am Vivian. Saint-nim.”

Camille approached Vivian, took both her hands, and smiled brightly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Camille. I’ve heard a lot about you from him.”

What had I said about her?

I hadn’t said anything about Vivian beyond a few basic details.

“Camille, how did you get here?”

“How else? I came to go back with you.”

Only then did I check the time.

She had said she had something to do at the temple today.

It seemed she had finished earlier than expected and returned.

“You should have come with me. Everyone would have loved it just to see your face.”

“Why would I go to a place where they worship me?”

At Camille’s words, I scowled.

I absolutely detested those fanatic gatherings.

There’s a limit to everything.

When they started shedding tears and causing a huge ruckus, people-no, Dragons-would get sick of it.

“Shall we head back soon? It’s the weekend, let’s go out to the city for a date today…”

“The lesson isn’t over yet.”

Camille approached me, linked her arm through mine, and pressed her body close to me.

As if to show off that I was hers…

“Huh? Didn’t it seem like it was pretty much over? It looked like you were just chatting.”

“…”

“Just a moment ago.”

Camille smiled faintly.

But I wasn’t so foolish as to not understand the hidden meaning behind that smile.

Camille was strongly urging me to prioritize her in front of Vivian.

“Let’s go, honey~ It’s the weekend, after all.”

Camille, you have a surprisingly childish side.

From a distance, Vivian seemed to have caught on to the hint as well…

She was glaring at Camille with cold, incredulous eyes.

“I guess there’s no helping it.”

Well, it seemed best to go along with Camille’s wishes here.

Prioritizing a disciple over one’s wife wasn’t logical, after all.

Especially if it was a female disciple, I should be even more careful.

“Vivian.”

“Yes, Helix-nim.”

Of course, I felt a little sorry for Vivian, but…

There would be plenty of opportunities for lessons anyway.

She had already learned quite a bit this morning.

It wouldn’t be bad to take a day off.

“Can we end today’s lesson here and leave first? Camille is being unusually insistent.”

“There’s no helping it. Please do as Helix-nim wishes.”

Vivian nodded reluctantly.

It wasn’t an atmosphere of cheerful dismissal.

“Then, Vivian, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, Helix-nim. Thank you for the lesson today.”

That was how Vivian and I said our goodbyes.

The problem was this side.

“Goodbye, Empress-nim.”

“Yes, Saint-nim, please return safely as well.”

At that moment, Vivian and Camille’s gazes crossed.

Camille smirked, while Vivian merely exchanged a displeased glance as they passed each other.

What was really going on?

Had Camille said something to Vivian behind my back before?

I might have to question Camille on the way back.

*****

Our clasped hands swayed with our steps.

Camille and I were walking through the streets of the Holy Dominion’s capital.

“Wow, Helix. Look over there.”

It seemed her suggestion for a date wasn’t just empty words, as Camille dragged me all over the place.

It had been a really long time since we’d done something like this.

We had been living like strangers due to our strained emotions.

“This is pretty. What do you think?”

“It’s just gaudy.”

“Tsk, you’re so unromantic.”

What caught Camille’s attention was a small doll sold on the street. She kept fiddling with it, seemingly delighted. “Helix, look at this. It looks just like you, doesn’t it?” “Not at all.”

What caught Camille’s attention was a small doll sold on the street.

She kept fiddling with it, seemingly delighted.

“Helix, look at this. It looks just like you, doesn’t it?”

“Not at all.”

This time, what caught her eye was a doll shaped like me.

It seemed to depict me as a young Dragon.

However, the quality… wasn’t good, even as a compliment.

“Buy this for me.”

“Why don’t you ask the Dragon’s Priestesses to make one? They’re good at sewing. They’d make it better than this.”

“No, I like this one better because it’s more crude and silly, so it’s cute.”

“…”

If she wanted it that badly, she should have it.

Helplessly, I handed coins to the merchant.

“What, Helix. You carry small change?”

“I’m more socially adept than you think, you know?”

At least I knew more about the lives of commoners than Camille did.

After all, I needed to carry cash to drink with Derek at the local pub.

“Camille, but why did you really come looking for me?”

“Just because?”

“You never do anything ‘just because.’ Tell me the truth.”

“I was just curious to see what that Empress-nim looked like.”

“Is this the first time you’ve seen her?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t know what kind of rumors would spread if I just went to see her without you.”

So, it was Vivian’s first time seeing Camille too.

But why did she seem so displeased?

Was it because her lesson was interrupted?

“So, what’s your impression?”

“She’s incredibly beautiful, isn’t she? Are all people from the Empire so refined?”

Camille hugged the doll tightly to her chest.

What was she trying to say?

“She’s even prettier than our children. She’s among the top three most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.”

“Why are you specifically emphasizing her beauty?”

“Who knows?”

Camille’s footsteps paused for a moment.

“Helix. The Empire has been acting strangely lately.”

“The Empire? Are they planning to start a war?”

“No, the Emperor is trying to put forward a successor, and a succession struggle for the throne is about to begin.”

“Isn’t that always happening?”

“Yes, but this time, we can’t just ignore it as someone else’s problem. Especially because of that Empress-nim…”

Camille’s smile had vanished from her lips.

In the serious atmosphere, I, too, listened intently.

“Helix, what was the first thing you thought when you saw that Empress-nim?”

“A strange person.”

“Huh? Why strange?”

I hesitated to answer for a moment.

Honestly, it was hard to say.

“Hmm, well, alright.”

“…”

“But for you, Helix, calling someone ‘strange’ is almost a compliment, isn’t it?”

“You know me well.”

“Well, I am your wife, after all. I’ve known you the longest.”

She wasn’t wrong, so I had nothing to say.

If she knew me so well…

Why did she always choose to do things I disliked?

My lips pouted.

“Hehe, you have a lot to say on your face.”

“I don’t intend to fight with you right now. We’re on a date.”

“Thank you. As expected, Helix is kind.”

The conversation paused for a moment.

Vivian silently offered a smile, then…

“Helix, it would be wise to be a little wary of Empress Vivian.”

“What’s that, a warning as a wife?”

“No, it’s a warning as the Saint-nim of this Holy Dominion.”

A warning as the Saint-nim.

That meant it was related to the interests of her homeland, the Holy Dominion.

“Helix, do you think she’s just a pitiful person being dragged into a political marriage without any power?”

“Something like that.”

“Then you should change that thought a little. That Empress-nim is not as easygoing as you think.”

I didn’t understand what Camille meant.

“Is Vivian secretly hiding her power? I didn’t sense anything like that, at least.”

“Of course, as a Dragon, you would be able to gauge a person’s individual power to some extent. What I’m talking about is something else.”

“Are you talking about her faction?”

“Well, that’s not entirely wrong, but…”

Camille’s gaze was more serious than ever.

“Helix, in the current Imperial succession struggle, the most dominant factions are the First Prince and the Third Prince. Both have renowned noble families from the Empire as their maternal relatives. One controls the Imperial army, and the other controls finance.”

“…”

“However, for some reason, both of them have temporarily set aside their animosity towards each other and are keeping Empress Vivian in check. Her coming to this foreign land as a hostage is also because of that.”

I was confused.

Did this mean the Vivian I knew wasn’t her whole self?

“Empress Vivian’s actual faction is insignificant. But do you know why she’s being kept in check?”

“I don’t know. I do think Vivian is intelligent, but…”

“Listen carefully, Helix.”

Camille gripped my shoulder tightly.

“Empress Vivian has Dragon blood mixed in her.”

“What…?”

“This is reliable information. Our Holy Dominion’s intelligence organization thoroughly investigated Empress Vivian’s lineage.”

They investigated Vivian secretly?

At my suspicious gaze, Camille shrugged.

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. This would have been investigated regardless of whether it was Empress Vivian or not. The Empire is our Holy Dominion’s primary hypothetical enemy. This is unavoidable.”

“I hope that’s the truth.”

Whether it was the truth or not, there was a justification, so it was difficult to press her further.

Camille was the Saint-nim who served God, and at the same time, the leader of this Holy Dominion.

It was a matter concerning the fate of the nation.

Imposing my standards on her unconditionally would not be a wise course of action.

“Anyway, Vivian was a Half-Dragon…?”

Did that mean her mother also had Dragon blood?

However, if I hadn’t noticed it…

It must mean the blood had been greatly diluted over several generations.

It was certainly so faint that it was hardly even Half-Dragon.

“Helix, do you know how a Half-Dragon can manifest their power more strongly?”

“By drinking pure Dragon blood.”

“Right, the Elixir you gave her. Didn’t she drink quite a lot of it? And it was made from your blood, wasn’t it?”

“…”

“Perhaps she approached you for her own goals.”

At Vivian’s speculation, I shook my head.

She didn’t know the detailed circumstances.

She might simply think Vivian approached me for her own goals.

But this was merely a series of coincidences.

“No, my meeting with her was truly a coincidence. My second visit was also my own will. And giving her Dragon blood was due to my own desire to make her an excellent Magician.”

“Hmm.”

“There are circumstances that could lead to misunderstanding. But this wasn’t Vivian’s intention.”

At my assertion, Camille made a complex expression, then…

She let out a small sigh.

“Alright. Perhaps it was like that at first. But as a result, Empress Vivian has now become a person of interest not only to the Empire but also to us.

Perhaps she now possesses the power to challenge Imperial authority.”

“But Vivian said she wasn’t interested in power. For her to challenge power again now…”

At that moment, Vivian’s words flashed through my mind.

Although she wasn’t interested, she understood why those in power coveted it.

For what they desired.

Or for what they wished to achieve…

She had said that even knowing it was a painful path, they would choose it.

“You seem to have something nagging at you too, don’t you?”

“I’ll talk to Vivian again later. I can’t be sure.”

“Yes, alright. But the Empress will keep her true feelings hidden. Even you, a Dragon, have managed to hide yours well until now.”

I wouldn’t take Camille’s words at face value.

I would talk deeply with Vivian later and make my own decision.

“Oh, and Helix. There’s something else I haven’t told you yet.”

“What is it?”

“Among Empress Vivian’s ancestors, there was a Magician.”

“I heard that too.”

I had heard it directly from Vivian before.

That one Magician had been produced among her maternal ancestors.

Talent is often inherited.

I didn’t find it particularly strange.

“But that Magician’s history is quite unusual.”

“…”

“A mental Magician. A formidable Magician who actually activated Geas, a practical Magic. Of course, not long after, they went mad and ended their life by suicide.”

“That makes sense. If you handle Geas with insufficient skill, the outcome is tragic. Even I, a Dragon, fear that Magic…”

Geas was as much a curse as it was Magic.

It was no exaggeration to say that no human who dabbled in it had a peaceful end.

“I have one question, Helix. Is there a possibility that Empress-nim can wield Geas?”

“…”

I couldn’t answer readily.

Vivian, Geas?

It wasn’t entirely impossible, but…

Considering the side effects of Geas, the probability of her dabbling in it was low.

Besides, hadn’t I warned her strictly?

‘Vivian, don’t even touch Geas. Just don’t even be interested in it.’

Of course, all mental Magic was dangerous.

But among them, Geas was uniquely perilous.

Since even I, a Dragon, feared it, I had earnestly implored her not to wield it recklessly.

“There’s a little possibility, isn’t there?”

Instead of answering, I just nodded.

“If she casts Geas, is there a chance it could affect you too?”

“If I were prepared to die, it might be possible for a few seconds.”

“A few seconds? Is that all?”

“I am a Dragon. Geas is ultimately Magic, and it’s activated using Magic.”

Camille’s concern was justified, both as a national leader and as my wife.

But there were also clearly excessive parts stemming from ignorance.

“A Magician’s battle is ultimately a battle of Magic differences. That’s no different even for mental Magic.”

“Is that so? Well, I don’t know much about that. However…”

Camille trailed off, subtly glancing at me.

Was this the real point?

“Helix, honestly, I want you to stop teaching that Empress-nim Magic.”

“…”

“Because she might eventually become an enemy of the Holy Dominion.”

I wanted to say that would never happen.

But conversely, Camille would ask what guarantee there was that it wouldn’t.

I sighed in frustration.

I thought everything was finally going back to normal, but…

It seemed it was still far too early to feel relieved.