episode_0049

“… Was this what you were planning from the beginning?”

“Isn’t this something you should have been prepared for when you openly revealed your identity?”

Luke smiled leisurely.

How much affection must there be to just let Leo go?

Of course, it was right to take everything that could be taken.

“Please stay still for a moment.”

He placed mana on Leo’s wrist.

“It might be a little hot.”

A mark engraved on Leo’s wrist accompanied by a whoosh sound.

Although I was somewhat excited, Leo’s expression didn’t move at all.

“What is this?”

“Teleport magic. It’s compressed with rune magic.”

“… Is that possible?”

This wasn’t spatial magic, it was the well-known teleportation magic.

I’m talking about the teleporter used when making scrolls.

“Isn’t that why the secret task force wanted to bring him in because he’s a talented person who can do things like this?”

“… … ”

Leo closed his mouth as if he didn’t want to answer.

“Anyway, this is a safety device. A safety device that can bring Leo back to me at any time if he runs away.”

“You’re thorough.”

“Otherwise, even if they run away, there’s no way to catch them.”

Even if we negotiate here.

If you don’t protect Leo after he returns, that’s the end of it.

If the secret task force decides to hide, the negotiations will be a complete failure.

So, I had a teleportation tattooed on my wrist, even though I didn’t use it very often.

So that I can bring it back anytime with just a snap of my fingers.

“It is best not to try to force-delete it, as teleportation will begin the moment you try to do so.”

“… Okay, I see. So what do you want?”

“There are many things I want.”

The question was what the secret service could tell him.

“You know that the princess is under a curse, right?”

The black flames that were about to burst into flames died down.

Could it be because Leo inside the mansion was recognized as Bertha?

The curse of restraint on speech did not work properly.

“Of course I know.”

“Then you also know that you are forcibly driving away the curse by drinking the potion.”

He’s been following me around secretly from behind all the time, so there’s no way he wouldn’t know.

“… Yes.”

Leo nodded his head sheepishly.

“Are you aware that potion ingredients have been in short supply recently?”

“… I didn’t know that.”

So you don’t know that either?

Luke nodded and continued.

“There’s only one thing I want. A supply of potion ingredients.”

“… … I can make such a request because I don’t know the current situation of the imperial family.”

“Please. I am negotiating right now.”

It seemed like he was rubbing his fingers together, almost snapping them.

At the same time, the mark engraved on Leo’s wrist sparkled and shone.

“The secret task force is also full of missions, so it is difficult to help directly.”

“But you could at least bring me the materials. Surely the secret task force doesn’t have that level of capability?”

“You have the ability not to fall for a foolish provocation.”

Even though he said that.

Leo opened his mouth with some hesitation.

“How much of Elin’s potion is left?”

“Less than a week left.”

“Without that, you can’t use magic at all.”

“That’s right.”

“… … ”

Leo biting his lips tightly.

The wrinkles between his eyebrows matched the weight of the guilt he was carrying.

“I don’t know about the supply chain, but… I’ll try to get the materials somehow.”

After much thought, Leo accepted Luke’s offer.

“I was hoping you would help me.”

A smile appeared on Luke’s face as the negotiation went smoothly.

I was about to get up from my seat.

“Wait a minute. Isn’t there a negotiation if there is a back and forth?”

As expected, the leader of the secret task force was not easy.

Luke clicked his tongue and sat back down.

“It doesn’t seem like we’ll even see each other for a moment… Okay. What do you want from me?”

From the moment you obtain Elin’s potion ingredients, the secret task force is no longer an enemy.

Should I say that he is a friendly person who can let go of my hand at any time?

anyway.

Until the supply chain for materials is normalized, we will need the help of the secret task force.

Negotiations will last longer if a fair price is paid.

“The cooperation I mentioned earlier. That sounds good.”

“You didn’t like it, did you?”

“It was a dangerous act rather than something I didn’t like. However, if we were caught providing materials, we would be kicked out.”

So adding a little more risk to risk doesn’t make much of a difference?

“Okay, fine. If it’s not too much to ask, I can help you out a few times.”

Luke was about to accept it readily, though.

“No.”

Elin, who was still sitting on his lap, glared at him with wary eyes.

“You’re going to make the teacher do something dangerous.”

“It’s certainly not safe. But I don’t think Luke is in danger.”

This was not a matter of trust, but rather a result of understanding the behavioral patterns observed so far.

In Leo’s view, Luke was the type of person who would immediately open a portal and escape if there was danger.

“I won’t deny it. Probably no one can run away faster than me.”

“… but.”

“It’s okay, Your Highness. I won’t be away from you for too long.”

If I had the will, I wouldn’t ask Luke to do anything too difficult.

“How much more resentment do you think you’ll get if you take away the princess’s only tutor?”

Luke looks at Leo as if to say, “Isn’t that so?”

Leo nodded obediently.

“Yeah, I’m not asking for a ton of help. I just want to help with transport and storage during missions.”

“You’re going to use it as a convenient means of transportation and as a warehouse.”

“Accurate.”

“Hmm.”

That’s a position that even Luke would be satisfied with.

To be honest, we’re not as good at fighting as special forces.

I’ve said it over and over again.

It’s not for nothing that magic was developed with convenience in mind.

It’s a bit lacking in combat, so I just developed it into something where its abilities are outstanding.

Rather, Elin has a better sense of battle.

“Then I’ll go with you.”

I didn’t mean for it to turn out this way.

“What are you talking about, Your Majesty?”

“Why? You said it wouldn’t be dangerous.”

“It will be a dangerous mission if I have to protect you, Elin.”

At Leo’s words, Elin shook her stupid hair.

“Why are you protecting me? I will protect you, teacher.”

“… Your Majesty?”

“Of course I know it’s still not enough. But… … .”

Ellen tilted her head up and looked at Luke.

“I just need to become that strong.”

“If you really get stronger, that’s okay.”

Being strong here means having fighting power on par with that of the Secret Service Force.

If Elin can do that, it will be good news for the secret task force too.

Because it can enhance both convenience and combat power.

“So does that mean I shouldn’t call you until you get stronger?”

But that was too far in the future.

“Yeah.”

“… … ”

“Don’t worry. It won’t take too long.”

A strong confidence that comes from determination.

Leo closed his eyes tightly.

“Okay, I understand.”

“Are you saying you will cooperate?”

In fact, it was basically just a promise to help for the time being.

It would take time for Elin to become that strong of a wizard.

“… It’s not enough to call it atonement, but I think I should do this much.”

Leo briefly glanced at Elin and then stood up.

Crunch.

Luke unlocked all the locks that were sealing off the room.

“I will make sure that the potion will not run out. So.”

Leo opens the window silently.

I step back, feeling the cold night wind.

“I look forward to the day we can work together.”

I wonder if it was left for Luke.

Ambiguous words that may or may not have been left for Elin.

With those words, Leo left the mansion.

* * * * *

The potion material supply problem has been resolved.

Naturally, I couldn’t make the potion right away.

First of all, it will take time for the secret task force to obtain materials.

It was because Dien was in the north.

The secret task force that procured the materials went north.

Take the potion that Dien makes.

I need to return to the capital and deliver it to Elin.

It was natural that the potion I had would run out.

in other words.

“Teacher, what are you doing?”

This meant that Elin’s magic lessons were forced into a break.

With her class schedule up in the air, Ellen had nothing to do.

He would come over to Luke’s room like this and spend time there (not going back to his own room).

“I was looking for a way to completely remove the princess’s curse.”

It wasn’t that Luke had nothing better to do, so he asked Dianne about her recent activities.

I definitely felt it this time.

Potions are a temporary measure.

I can’t continue to raise Elin as a wizard with such limitations.

It was necessary to perfectly break the curse.

“Can you completely get rid of it?”

“We have to find a way.”

That’s why I had a lot of long-distance communication papers piled up and was sending out contacts here and there.

Boom boom boom.

Ellen came over and sat down on Luke’s lap.

There was only one chair in the room, so I let her sit on my lap a few times.

It’s become a very natural posture now.

“So are you busy now?”

“There are still a few more people I need to contact.”

“Okay… Then I’ll come later.”

Elin, sliding down and turning around with a thud.

The steps he took as he walked back reminded him of a puppy getting wet in the rain.

If we send her back like this, what will Elin do?

Rereading a book you’ve already read?

Training magic images that can’t even be used?

Whatever it was, a sad image naturally came to mind.

“Your Majesty.”

I called out to him without realizing it.

“… Huh?”

He folded the long-distance communication paper and put it in the subspace.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’m that busy.”

You can always return the call later though.

Elin’s present moment can never be returned later.

If you’ve decided to raise your child to be happy, the most important thing is not to neglect them.

“Is there anything you want to do?”

He tapped his knee again.

The withered hairs on my forehead are standing on end.

Ellen ran over and climbed back onto Luke’s lap.

The fluttering hair of the fool was proof that he was in a good mood again.

“Then do that.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sex education.”

Ellen rested the back of her head on Luke’s chest with an innocent expression.

“Nia told me to definitely get it, but it kept getting put off.”

“That’s right.”

Sex education class that was postponed due to being kidnapped.

“Okay. Now that I think about it, let’s do some sex education today.”

When I thought about the obscene words Ellen had seen in the novel, I needed to get my ideas straight.

“Your Highness, listen carefully. The reason why men and women say they make love in bed is… … .”

The moment has come to further expand Elin’s world.