episode_0044

Where are you trying to steal our Ellen from!

As expected, you can’t fool the evil Berthain’s bloodline!

The reason I didn’t shout that wasn’t because it would have been insulting to Elin.

“… Pretending to take care of it. Yeah. ”

But Leo maintained a dry expression.

“It would seem so.”

Right now, you look like you’ve been stabbed in the back by a thorn.

At least he has more conscience than the other Bertains.

That’s why I thought that way.

“Is it too late to come and take care of it now?”

“It’s too late. You can’t even call us family.”

“… … ”

Leo silently wipes his face.

Whether it is a skilled behavior or not.

The emotions that immediately appeared on his face were erased.

“I’m not taking Elin because she’s useful.”

“That’s an unbelievable story.”

“It’s okay if you don’t believe me.”

“Then I won’t believe it.”

I really decided not to believe you when you said it was okay.

“… … ”

Leo, who was at a loss for words for a moment, finally opened his mouth.

“If it were normal, I wouldn’t have continued to approach Elin… … No, I might have continued to ‘neglect’ her.”

Leo let out a faint sigh as he corrected himself with an appropriate word.

“To join the Secret Service, you must have a minimum level of strength. You must be able to use at least 1st circle magic.”

“You mean you couldn’t bring her because the princess couldn’t even use simple magic until now?”

“I know it sounds like an excuse.”

It’s good to know that.

“But it’s true. If I could have brought you, I would have brought you a long time ago.”

He looked at me with eyes that said, “Where else can I talk?”

“You don’t seem to believe me.”

If that was the case, there’s no way they wouldn’t have taken Elin in the 9th round.

“Now is the time to act. If I leave this alone while knowing that the crisis is coming, it is not neglect, it is no different from killing Elin with my own hands.”

What is this guy who didn’t even show up when Elin was dying?

It seemed like a serious situation to say that.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to approach them while revealing one’s identity.

“The damage doesn’t end with just one princess.”

“… … ”

Hwaruk.

A curse of restraint burned within Leo’s mouth.

That alone was enough of an answer.

This will give Luke some time to think.

Judging by her impatient reaction, it’s clear that Ellin is at the center of some big trend.

“I understand what you want to say. There is a big crisis ahead, and you have to protect the princess. But.”

That wasn’t something only the secret service could do.

“I will figure out what is going on with my own strength.”

Victor has already arrived in the North.

I also built up a lot of strong connections.

“I will protect the princess even at the cost of my life.”

Needless to say, protecting Elin is a must.

“… Don’t die.”

“That’s what I mean.”

Actually, if it’s really urgent, I’m willing to sacrifice.

I didn’t think Elin would react well even if I took it out, so I replaced it with a smile.

“I think you’re done talking. Can I get up?”

Leo wasn’t the one asking for permission, since he was the owner of the room.

Actually, I’ve been looking around here and there in space to open a portal.

There seems to be absolutely no way out.

It looks like it has been specially treated.

I keep secretly leaking mana.

“No, I have more to say, so don’t even think about leaving.”

I was just caught.

Leo closed his eyes tightly.

“I admit I was wrong. I have been indifferent to Elin until now, and it is too late to come to you now.”

Let’s open our closed eyes.

“But no matter what, I can’t let you go.”

Blue eyes burn quietly.

“The idea that you are safest when you are with us remains unchanged.”

“Are you going to imprison the princess?”

“I will protect you.”

Until just a moment ago, you seemed to have shown some remorse.

If it was typical of Bertha to not be able to communicate, then it was typical of Bertha.

“Do you really have the power to protect Elin?”

Kuk.

Leo clenches his fist.

“We have it. Not only can it protect Elin, but it can also help her develop the strength to fight on her own.”

Instead of answering that of course you can.

“Obviously, combat is not my thing.”

I admitted what I had to admit.

If we compete purely with magic, we’ll lose to Lanian.

Anne would be defeated by physical magic.

“Then how are you going to protect it?”

“At least my method suits you well, Your Majesty.”

but.

There’s a reason Luke didn’t let go of the chief despite his lack of combat prowess.

Exactly.

Let’s snap our fingers.

“Ppaat!” and light poured out.

“… Are you trying to block my view?”

Leo woke up with his eyes closed.

Is it possible to feel it with your senses without using sight?

He came straight towards Luke.

but.

“… … Before I knew it.”

Leo, who came closer, was astonished.

Luke wasn’t alone.

“I don’t really like talking, you know.”

Elin, who had been next to Anne just a moment ago, was now clinging tightly to Luke’s back.

It was a portal that was opened in the gap where the light burst and brought them in.

“… This!”

But the secret service agents arrived late.

Cheolkeong-

“읏… ?”

I was held tightly by a chain that jutted out of the air.

Woof-

The mana sphere aimed at Leo had not been taken back yet.

Secret Task Force: Space magic activated without anyone noticing.

Boom.

There, Anne bulged her muscles and prepared for battle.

“Do you need further proof?”

It was already over before the secret task force could do anything.

“… I’ll admit it’s great.”

Leo raised his hand obediently, laughing.

“Then let us go―”

Before the words could even finish.

Fit-

A solid line has been drawn.

Stiff Luke rolled his eyes and looked to the side.

“… Huh.”

A blade that lightly digs into the skin.

Gulp, blood flows out.

I definitely never let my guard down.

He drew his sword without even noticing.

“You should have just thought of killing me.”

“Do you want to show that kind of appearance in front of the princess?”

If I had dug a little further, I would have died without a fight.

“If you are not prepared to kill someone, you cannot protect Elin.”

“So you’re going to blow my neck now?”

“If necessary.”

“Then I guess I have no choice but to resist.”

Kuk.

Leo’s grip is getting stronger and stronger.

Keying-

A mana sphere that begins to overheat and rotate.

In an atmosphere where it seems like someone has to die for it to end.

“… Stop.”

The main reason for the fight.

Ellen came out from behind Luke.

Elin looks back and forth between Luke and Leo without saying anything.

He came in between the two of them.

Talk.

Push the blade with your finger.

“Get away from the teacher.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, her choice was Luke.

* * * * *

Leo was pushed out in vain.

“I’m sorry for coming suddenly and ruining your daily life. But, I’m sure you’ll understand our intentions someday.”

He persuaded Elin without taking his eyes off Luke.

“So for now, with us―”

“Stop it, Leo.”

Titles and honorifics that make you feel so distant.

For a moment, Leo’s words stopped.

Ellen flicked her stupid hair without changing her expression.

“Why?”

“… … ”

“Do you want me to call you oppa?”

“… … I know it’s greedy. I know it, but… .”

“Yeah, that’s greedy.”

The voice without any highs or lows poked at Leo’s sore spot.

“You have no intention of returning to Bertain now.”

“… … ”

“You don’t even think I’d be grateful if you came here and did this to me, even though we’re not even family?”

Even if I get stabbed in the stomach.

Leo is confident that he won’t show it even if his arm is broken.

“Elin, I… .”

But my mind is not that strong.

I couldn’t withstand the ravages of past karma.

“The teacher was there where my brother should have been.”

Unfortunately for Leo.

Elin wasn’t the kind of merciful person who would stop when her brother… no, the person who was her brother couldn’t stand it.

“But why do you suddenly want to act like an older brother?”

The resentment that has been building up over time.

“No need.”

The anger that had been suppressed flows out calmly.

“I’m enough of a teacher.”

“… … ”

Crunch.

Leo put his sword back and quietly listened to Elin’s story.

As if that was the only way he could atone.

Ellen squeezed Luke’s hand tightly.

“No matter what dangerous situation arises, the teacher will protect me, and I will protect the teacher.”

“Your Majesty?”

Luke, who had been listening silently, tilted his head.

“What do you mean?”

Even if Luke is protecting you.

Isn’t that station a bit off?

“I have a goal.”

As if denying that thought, Elin lifted her crow’s feet with a determined look in her eyes.

“The teacher is sick because of me.”

Wipe the blood flowing from Luke’s neck.

“Because I don’t want to get hurt or die.”

Looking at the blood on my palm.

He continued speaking with a determined look in his eyes.

“I will become stronger than anyone else and protect you, teacher.”

Woof-

Mana blooms around Elin.

Ddddd-

The room shakes and decorations fall.

Woodduck-

The furniture is dented.

Clang-

The chandelier is shattered.

The secret task force’s assembly room was turned into a mess in an instant.

Leo opened his mouth blankly as he watched what Elin had done.

“… You’ve grown so much already.”

Even though I acknowledge your abilities.

Actually, I have never actually seen Elin’s magic.

So, I can’t help but be mistaken.

“This is the magic the teacher taught me.”

Ellen was no longer a six-year-old kid who couldn’t do anything.

“I can protect my body well enough. I will continue to get stronger in the future. So… .”

Elin became a wizard.

“Don’t come back again.”

It drove a wedge into Leo’s heart.

“… … ”

“Let’s go, sir, Anne.”

Elin grabs Luke’s hand.

I walked briskly without looking back.

“If you really think of me as your little brother.”

Towering.

Stopped walking.

Elin, who had been fidgeting with her hands, turned around as if she absolutely had to say this.

“Just answer me one thing, bro.”

“… … ”

Leo raised his head at the title he thought he would never hear again.

“At that time… Did you really leave for me?”

The answer came a long time later.

“… … I promised to save you someday.”

“Then you should have taken me out.”

Ellen’s voice was low.

“My brother ran away because he couldn’t stand being the eldest son.”

I still remember.

The sight of my brother, who always seemed to be suffocating from anticipation.

It was natural to spend 16 hours a day just training.

The diet was controlled.

It was also forbidden to receive help from servants.

It wasn’t that I didn’t have talent like Ellen.

Rather, talent was overflowing.

He inherited all of his father’s talent as a sword master.

but.

The next head of the Bertain family.

It was just evaluated that the standard was not high enough to be suitable for such a position.

This is also why Ellen did not realize that she was being abused.

There is a precedent called Leo.

I thought it was natural for me to grow up like this.

I would have felt sorry if he had just left.

“You knew this would happen to me and you ran away. You shouldn’t say that.”

Now, it was unforgivable to come and pretend that it was for Elin’s sake.

“… … ”

The silence continued for a while.

It was as if time had stopped.

When the heavy atmosphere weighs on you and no one can even breathe.

“… … I’m sorry.”

Squeak.

The locked door opened.

Sending Elin away without interfering with her belatedly.

Not coveting the position of an older brother who has already been let go.

That’s Leo’s answer now.

It was the only apple I could give.