The Sage Who Drinks 43

“Your Highness- Your Highness-.”

I quickened my pace.

Leaving my companion behind, I strode through the Imperial Palace without hesitation while Adela followed closely behind me.

Her voice had a rather coquettish tone, and the reason was clear.

“Your Highness- I was wrong- Please don’t be angry-.”

As soon as I escaped from her embrace, I left immediately without looking back.

Only then did Adela realize that I was quite uncomfortable, and she was now acting like this belatedly.

She probably thought she could soothe my feelings. That’s why she was using such a cute voice.

‘But if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to be more sincere?’

Couldn’t she acknowledge that her behavior was excessive and offer a more genuine apology?

However, given the clear difference in height, she could easily catch up to my pace, yet she deliberately chased after me.

Since I could tell she was trying to soothe my feelings after all,

I finally sighed and turned around.

“…It’s fine. I was being immature too. The Lady Sage can behave that way.”

“Oh, that sounds like there’s some hidden meaning…”

It’s regrettable that there is indeed hidden meaning.

Adela flinched at my emotionless words and glanced away, then changed the subject.

“By the way, did you say Gaius? He’s probably the Second Prince in reality, that person. Is there something problematic about him?”

Adela was speaking indirectly, but her intention was clear.

-How dare he touch Your Highness?

What her gaze implied was straightforward.

I maintained silence for a moment. I was gauging how much I should tell Adela.

Gaius. It was common knowledge among those in the know that my older brother’s character was not good.

But was it appropriate for me to tell Adela about it with my own mouth?

After contemplating, I made a decision and opened my mouth.

“My older brother has stood out since childhood in reality as well. In a bad way, that is.”

“Hmm.”

“His nature was never good, and he was famous for mistreating servants. He would also treat me and my younger sister carelessly.”

I tried not to add my personal opinions to some extent, but when reciting facts as they are, emotions inevitably get mixed in.

I also had no reason to speak well of someone who treated me harshly.

Perhaps understanding the intention behind my words, Adela drew out a “Hmmmm-” sound.

“I can roughly estimate what kind of person he is.”

“Is that so?”

“Well, either way, he’s touching Your Highness, right?”

-Then, I can’t leave him be.

Adela said that with a sweet smile, but her words had a coldness unique to her.

I also gave a bitter smile.

Then, I placed one arm between my chest and stomach, and the other behind my waist.

I greeted her with a neat imperial etiquette.

“I am grateful that the Lady Sage says so.”

It was a consideration to lighten the mood.

“…”

There was no response from Adela. As I was slightly puzzled since I couldn’t see her expression due to my bowed posture,

“Ah, really. So cute I could die… How can I not take him back to reality?”

“…”

Realizing she was making quite dangerous remarks,

I finally couldn’t help but sigh.

 

“By the way, how can we exit this dream?”

After the ridiculous situation passed,

Several hours after entering the dream, Adela and I were sharing refreshments in a garden at the corner of the Imperial Palace.

Slurp- Adela took a sip of tea and spoke.

“Hmm. You would know that better, Your Highness.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

She put down her teacup.

Adela raised her white index finger. Like an older sister explaining a lesson to her younger sibling.

“I told you that ‘Nostalgic Dream’ shows the happiest times of the subject, right?”

“Yes.”

“But there’s one part I didn’t mention. Namely, that it’s a time that ‘will never return’.”

A time that will never return.

My pupils sank into contemplation at those words. It was a term with many implications.

Adela continued her explanation.

“Immensely happy, yet moments that can never be recreated… That’s the purpose of the magic ‘Nostalgic Dream’, to show those moments again.”

“…Then, why specifically impose such a limitation?”

My mouth harbored an obvious question.

It was as she said. Not just selecting happy times to show, but specifically showing times that will never return.

In some ways, it could be considered a malicious condition.

At my words, Adela rested her chin on her hand. Her obsidian pupils gazed into the distance.

The plants at the edge of the garden. Those trees, neatly managed by the gardener, were quietly situated in their places.

Looking at that scene, Adela murmured absent-mindedly.

“I don’t know either.”

“…?”

“The Tower Master said that this magic itself is difficult to create. So it’s closer to making it work by adding conditions.”

If that’s the case, does it mean it was magic that became possible only with the addition of the ‘will never return’ condition?

“But….”

Adela shrank her body at that point. There was a hint of sadness in those eyes.

“Perhaps the Tower Master deliberately specified the condition as times that ‘will never return’.”

“Why is that?”

“I wonder.”

Adela smiled broadly as she said that, but.

How could I not notice the sorrow contained in that smile?

She simply continued speaking quietly.

“I couldn’t bring myself to ask my mother about that part.”

“…”

The intensity of emotion embedded in her words was thick.

I could sense it intuitively even though nothing was explained.

‘That statement just now.’

It was a statement that implied the relationship between the Tower Master and the Sage.

The wind brushed our cheeks. Although it was a phenomenon occurring in a dream, this dream was also reality itself.

We both simply felt the wind while silently gazing at our teacups.

The atmosphere became slightly awkward. When neither of us was speaking,

What broke it was an intervention from outside.

“Oh my.”

The emotion I felt the moment I heard that voice.

How should I describe it? It was a torrent of emotions that even I, numb to feelings, couldn’t handle.

There was no other way it could be.

‘Mother.’

This voice belonged to a cherished person I would never hear again.

“Loran, Adela. So you were here.”

Feeling slightly choked up at the familiar voice calling my name, I slowly rose to my feet.

At the entrance of the garden. There, a woman was seen gracefully approaching with an open parasol.

A beauty with long golden hair flowing down and blue pupils shining.

Despite having given birth to four children, or perhaps five in this dream, her beauty had not faded.

My mother, Maria von Welert.

“Were you having a tea party in the garden? My, and you didn’t invite mother. I’m disappointed.”

Her face was full of affection as she spoke jokingly.

Seeing that image, I stood up but couldn’t say anything.

‘What a cherished face.’

Since I had never seen her countenance in reality after my mother died,

I was frozen in surprise at meeting her in a dream.

“…”

Adela also had no response.

Perhaps it’s because she’s not her real mother, but she probably guessed from my unfamiliar attitude.

What my ‘time that will never return’ happy era was.

‘How cruel.’

A bitter smile formed inside me.

Showing happiness that will never return. Whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate that it’s not shown to the original person of the dream.

Anyway, mother looked at us carefully with a slightly puzzled expression.

“…What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

At her concerned appearance, I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“…No. I was just momentarily blinded by the sun and couldn’t speak. Don’t worry.”

“I see. I thought…”

I had never been more thankful for being an emotionless person.

I couldn’t be sure if my facial expression was managed well, but I continued speaking with as much composure as I could feign.

“What brings you here, Mother?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Mother clapped her hands lightly.

Then she turned her body to bring someone, bending down which made her look like a child.

Seeing that, I could easily guess who it was.

‘Lorela.’

As I expected, the person mother brought was my younger sister.

Her fidgeting appearance. Her reluctance to meet my gaze was very familiar.

‘It must be from that time.’

Before Lorela and I became close, she always looked at me like that.

Lorela hid behind mother’s back and spoke in a small voice.

“Mom, I said I don’t want to…”

“This child.”

Mother, Maria, lightly scolded Lorela.

“He’s your brother, you shouldn’t act like that.”

“But…”

Lorela didn’t continue her words, but now I could fully guess what came next.

-Brother is somewhat strange.

My young sister couldn’t express it clearly yet. How could I not understand that she was referring to my curse of emotionlessness?

Nevertheless, as a mother who couldn’t stand by and watch, Maria brought Lorela here.

“Haa. I’m sorry, Loran. Lorela seems to be quite shy still.”

“It’s alright. I don’t mind.”

“That’s good then.”

Mother stopped there and turned her head. At the end of her gaze was Adela, who had become my older sister.

Adela, who suddenly received the gaze of her mother-in-law, stood up straight. Her stiff body was rigidly signaling tension.

“And, Adela?”

“Y-Yes!”

She probably understood that she would never see my mother again outside of this place.

Adela listened to mother’s words with a straight posture.

“Our Loran is much more awkward compared to others, so please help him well.”

“Huh…? Does Your High- I mean, Loran have awkward aspects?”

“This child is more emotionally dull than other children.”

Maria spoke with a voice filled with regret.

Adela also seemed to understand something about the words spoken and closed her mouth.

“So he makes mistakes sometimes. Loran is trying to fix it in his own way… but it doesn’t work well many times. Can you help him?”

Mother wouldn’t know the real Adela.

She’s no longer in this world, so it’s just a dream conversation after all.

“Yes!”

Adela.

With firm determination, she declared to her mother-in-law.

“I’ll definitely change Loran. To the extent that he won’t know what to do with feelings of happiness!”

“I’m glad.”

Mother smiled gently and picked up her parasol again.

Before turning her back while holding Lorela’s hand, she gave me one last request.

“Loran.”

“Yes.”

I answered seriously while stiffening my body.

I could sense it. That this dream was ending here.

Because.

“Take care of Lorela.”

This was what mother asked of me shortly before she passed away.

She smiled gently. Within her beauty hidden from the sunlight, there was a wan energy,

Revealing that mother’s life didn’t have much time left.

“You two are siblings. You must get along well. Understand?”

Perhaps, did you already know the day you would die?

Neither the real me nor the dream me knows that.

However.

“Yes.”

The answer was the same then and now.

I greeted mother with the utmost respect I could muster.

“Do not worry.”

That was the end.

Mother left with Lorela.

It was a sight I would never see again. I wouldn’t meet her again even in dreams.

Because now, the dream was ending.

“Ah…”

Adela approached my side. Her mouth opened slightly as she spoke.

“So this was Your Highness’s dream.”

“Yes.”

I calmly replied.

The garden was collapsing from the corners. Plants turning to dust and scattering, the garden breaking into fragments and disappearing.

‘It’s ending now.’

The story in the dream ends here.

Before this world vanished, I showed respect to Adela.

With my own sincerity.

“Thank you, Lady Sage.”

“Yes?”

A tilted head. She didn’t seem to understand the intention of my statement yet.

“Thanks to you, I had a nostalgic dream.”

“Ah.”

Perhaps finally understanding what I meant,

Adela also smiled broadly.

“I’m glad you liked it.”

“Yes. I was happy to see my mother.”

Ending with those words, I relaxed my body.

The cracks were now approaching where we were. It was time to wake from the dream.

However, Adela seemed to have something more to say and raised her voice.

“Well, I also gained something from this.”

“?”

I tilted my head at those words.

‘What did the Sage do here?’

With such doubt, I looked at her.

Adela smiled cheerfully and elaborated.

“I received approval from both father-in-law and mother-in-law, so it’s almost like we’ve had a formal meeting of both families, right?”

“…”

I was about to mention that both sets of parents haven’t actually met each other yet,

“Yes.”

In the end, I also smiled slightly and accepted her words.

“I never imagined that the woman I introduced to my parents would be Miss Adela.”

“Hehe.”

Adela smiled at my words and approached me.

Kook- She embraced me in her arms.

However, it wasn’t as intense as before, but a warm and gentle gesture.

With my face toward her chest, Adela embraced me with both arms and whispered.

“I’ll make sure to make Your Highness happy.”

“…”

“Understand?”

Those words were so sweet.

Even as the dream completely collapsed and my vision sank into darkness, the sweet voice lingering in my ears wouldn’t leave.