Ch.105104. The First Trial (7)

# 104. The First Trial (7)

Watching Albert pushing himself too hard again today, she said to them.

“Just stand back and watch, as my boyfriend magnificently overcomes this trial.”

In the end, after all that struggle, Albert barely managed to overcome the trial and even achieved the great feat of wounding the Emperor’s body, though he was given some leeway.

Of course, he ultimately collapsed at the very end.

However, the spirit Albert showed throughout the process was enough to satisfy the prickly and demanding Emperor.

***

I opened my eyes in a space different from the dueling arena earlier, yet not unfamiliar at all.

Looking at the white ceiling that immediately came into view, I wondered.

‘Is this… the infirmary? Why am I here… oh….’

Retracing my memories, I could automatically answer that question.

‘I ended up collapsing after all…’

I had endured quite well, but at the end, I was kicked by the Emperor, and from that point on, I had no memory at all.

All I could remember was that I had stabbed my sword into his foot and that it hurt like hell.

‘Still, I’m surprisingly alive..’

Even I was impressed by my cockroach-like survival instinct.

I tried to praise myself for tenaciously surviving through that trial as I attempted to get up.

However.

“Argh!”

The pain I felt in every corner of my body made it impossible to rise, and it was as if my body was screaming at me not to get up.

Warning me that I’d regret it if I tried to get up now.

“It didn’t hurt this much when I was actually getting hit…”

It was a different kind of pain from when I was directly being hit.

If then it felt like being pounded with a huge hammer, now it felt like my entire body was being seared with fire.

The momentary pain was much greater back then, but this was harder to endure.

So I just lay still, waiting for someone to come.

After waiting for about 10 minutes, I heard someone’s voice from the hallway.

“Just a moment, I’ll be right back after checking on him.”

‘Oh… it’s Noona.’

Along with that medicinal voice that made me forget even the pain, I heard the sound of the infirmary door opening.

-Creak!-

Still lying down, I looked at her as she entered the infirmary.

She approached me with a bright smile.

“How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

“Not really, but seeing your face makes me feel a bit better.”

Of course, as she came near me, [Absolute Loyalty] activated, raising my stats and making the pain somewhat less intense, but seeing her face also brought psychological comfort.

She burst into laughter at my words and continued.

“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re really incorrigible.”

“Where are Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress?”

“They’re both reading books in the library.”

Since both of them were in the library, the person she was talking to earlier must have been one of our party members.

And more than that, I found the phrase “both of them” a bit surprising.

“His Majesty too?”

“Yes, Father secretly enjoys books too. More importantly, can you get up? Mother said she has something to tell you.”

“Uh… that’s a bit difficult.”

In truth, it wasn’t just difficult—I couldn’t move even a tiny bit.

My condition was improving rapidly, but it would take some time before my body recovered enough to move normally.

“Then I’ll ask if she can speak to you here. It should be fine.”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

After I said that, she left the infirmary, and soon her place was filled by people who weren’t exactly welcome.

The people who entered the infirmary in her place were Elin, Chris, and Leo.

Among them, Chris asked me in an annoying voice as I lay there powerlessly.

“Does it hurt?”

“Of course it hurts… how could it not?”

“But you endured really well? How did you manage with such low defense?”

“You just do it, that’s how.”

Since I endured purely through mental strength, it didn’t really have much to do with defense, and they adjusted well from their side to keep me from collapsing, so I just needed to stay focused.

Of course, that didn’t mean enduring for an hour was easy.

“Your condition… looks pretty bad just by looking at you.”

“If you know that, could you stop making me talk?”

“Alright, alright. I’m leaving soon anyway.”

“You need to leave, senior.”

“I know that…”

For some reason, Chris was acting submissive toward Elin.

And Leo was looking at me with that expressionless face he always wore.

“Congratulations.”

“What’s this? You’re actually saying something like that?”

“It’s just something I said, don’t read too much into it.”

“Right… I’m sure…”

I thought something might have happened to change him a bit, but apparently not.

Looking at Leo, who was still the same as ever, I thought.

‘He’s more like Noona’s twin… both in appearance and personality…’

The two of them were still strangely similar.

From their looks to their abilities and even their personalities, they were really cut from the same cloth.

“Your personality is just… hopeless.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“But when are you guys leaving anyway?”

Chris had already left the infirmary, but these guys were still hanging around making noise.

I didn’t particularly mind them being here, but the problem was that those people would be coming soon.

“Me? I was told I need to be here too.”

“There’s no particular reason for us to leave.”

“Could you stop saying ‘us’? It makes me uncomfortable.”

“You get bothered by the strangest things…”

As I watched them bickering again, time passed quickly.

The content and level of their conversation was perfect for when you wanted to waste time.

‘Why do they fight like this…? Is there something I don’t know?’

They had been arguing for quite a while, but somehow they seemed to get along well.

The saying about becoming closer through fighting seemed to apply perfectly to these two.

Not long after they started squabbling…

-Click! Click!-

The sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway.

Given that [Absolute Loyalty] had activated, the owner of those footsteps was clearly her, and I could also feel the Emperor’s powerful presence.

Following those footsteps, I heard the infirmary door swing open wide.

We immediately bowed our heads to greet them as they entered the infirmary.

“Hello.”

“Hello!”

The Emperor spoke to Elin, who was greeting him.

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Yes, I’ve been doing great!”

I wasn’t sure why, but Elin’s tension seemed to rise as soon as she saw the Emperor and Empress.

The Emperor left Elin be and asked me as I lay in bed.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Well, more or less… actually no, I’m still in a lot of pain.”

“I’m sorry about that… I got too excited at the end.”

“So… does that mean I passed…?”

In truth, whether I passed was more important to me than the condition of my body.

Of course, judging by her tone and manner of speaking earlier, it seemed I had passed.

Still, I couldn’t help feeling anxious until I heard it directly.

The Emperor looked at his daughter, who was smiling contentedly, and said to me.

“I suppose you could say that… But of course! Don’t get too cocky just because I’ve acknowledged you now.”

“Of course not, I’ll continue to work hard, Father.”

When I called him Father, the Empress smiled and covered her mouth with her hand, while she just stared at me with a blank expression.

“Don’t call me Father yet.”

“‘Yet,’ huh… I understand, Your Majesty.”

“And though you probably already know this, those bastards might invade again around the end of the second semester, so take care of your body and don’t neglect your training.”

She answered for me to that.

“You don’t need to worry about that. Albert has a war-loving constitution just like Father.”

“He certainly looks the part…”

“Yes, he loves it to a concerning degree.”

If she would say something like that… she must have been quite worried about me usually.

‘I don’t push myself that hard, do I?’

Still, it seemed I needed to reflect on my usual behavior.

If I truly hadn’t been pushing myself, she wouldn’t have worried…

“And Ally, I have something to tell you.”

“Something to tell me?”

“Yes.”

The Emperor looked into his daughter’s eyes, which were like stars in the night sky, and continued.

“We’ve thought about this a lot… and indeed, you’re the right person to shoulder this country. Among my children… no, even if I searched every corner of this country, there wouldn’t be anyone with a capacity as broad as yours.”

“That’s too much praise for me…”

“No? You’re the only one who can bear the increasingly heavy weight of the crown. So we’ve decided to appoint you as the Crown Princess who will become the next generation’s Emperor.”

In a way… no.

It was an obvious outcome from any perspective, and she also showed a calm reaction as if she had anticipated this.

“But you don’t need to worry too much. The day you actually ascend to the throne is still far in the future.”

“Yes, I’m still lacking in many ways, but I’ll work hard to become someone worthy of the position of Emperor.”

“That’s a good attitude.”

At least this time, there was plenty of time.

Unlike before, she wouldn’t have to become Emperor without mental preparation, and she wouldn’t have to bear the weight of the crown alone.

‘I’ll help carry it with her.’