episode_0026

On the way back to the Pervace Imperial Mansion after work.

Inside the carriage, Francia, who took the seat next to Johan, leaned her face against his shoulder and sighed.

“I can’t see John for a week starting tomorrow because of a mission. That’s ridiculous… … .”

The corners of her eyes were drooping, which made her look gloomy. Johan smiled lightly and patted Francia’s head.

“A week is just around the corner.”

“Still.”

Francia puffed out her cheeks and held John’s face with both hands, meeting his gaze.

“I’m not the only one who feels sorry, right?”

“Of course not. I don’t want to be separated from Francia either.”

“Then should I go with you?”

“I don’t think that will work since I’m the only one who’s been designated as a designated mission.”

“Heeeek… … .”

Her shoulders slumped, following the corners of her eyes. But her lips were still pouty, so you could tell what she was thinking just by looking at her appearance.

John spoke in a subdued voice.

“Actually, it could be more dangerous than anything else. I think it would be better for me to go and come back quickly alone. Sanburg is also a hostile country, and the Crown Prince may do something.”

It was widely known in high society that the Crown Prince had his eye on Francia. Francia was also aware of this.

But she has a lover named Johan. It is the perfect situation for the crown prince to feel jealous and do something about it. They are heading to an enemy country across the border.

“But there won’t be any big troubles to worry about. Lady Bismark will be going to Sandburg as the messenger.”

Francia tilted her head.

“If it’s Lady Bismark, is she the Crown Prince’s fiancée? Is she a lion?”

“Yes.”

“Huhhh.”

John looked at Francia, who was caressing his chin and narrowing her eyebrows, and continued speaking.

“Since Lady Bismark is with him, the Crown Prince will not do anything. After all, she is the one who is currently maintaining the Crown Prince’s position.”

The current leader of what could be called the Crown Prince’s faction among the nobles is the Marquis of Bismarck. Her family is very helpful to the Crown Prince, so he will not try to get rid of her.

If the Crown Prince were to strike down Rudela Bismark and Johan at the same time, he would be completely brainless. Or he would be thinking with his lower body.

“You don’t have to worry too much.”

John smiled brightly.

Francia squinted her eyes and poked Johan’s cheek.

“Surely you aren’t trying to seduce Rudella Bismark, are you?”

“… What do you mean by temptation?”

John tilted his head toward her, his eyebrows furrowed. He honestly couldn’t figure out what Francia was talking about.

“You seduced the first-class Ratalen wizard just to look good, right? That woman’s eyes were burning with the intent to devour Johan.”

“That wasn’t my intention… … .”

“I understand laughing because it’s social life, but you have to be careful because Yohan always has a magic spell around him to seduce women.”

“… … .”

“Violet Ratalen, that woman also fell for Johan’s smile and passed away, right? Lady Bismark, be careful not to do the same.”

John laughed awkwardly.

“Surely, someone engaged to the crown prince would have eyes for someone else.”

“You may not know. Even Lady Ratalen fell for Johan, leaving the Prince Lenokhonen she loved so much.”

“Huh? How did you know that Lady Ratalen had feelings for Prince Lenokhonen?”

Francia opened her eyes wide and waved her hand urgently.

“Sa, because you’re famous in social circles!”

“… Was it like that?”

It probably isn’t that widespread yet. John had a fleeting doubt, but his memory was hazy, so he didn’t bother to look into it.

“Anyway, Johan must be careful with women. He has a natural affinity for attracting young ladies. Do you know how hard it was for me to get rid of that Latalen young lady?”

Francia’s serious eyes. It didn’t seem like she was joking.

“… I will be careful.”

“Huh, good.”

Although he judged that it was unlikely, John answered that he understood for now.

Could it be that Rudela Bismark would be as interested in her as Violet Latalene?

It was okay to think that the possibility was zero, because she was single-mindedly devoted to the crown prince.

Of course, that doesn’t mean she truly loved the crown prince.

‘A bad example of gaslighting.’

From a young age, she was chosen as the Crown Prince’s companion and was educated to become the Empress, and was taught that she had to like the Crown Prince.

There’s something twisted in her mind.

“I always like this time.”

Francia leaned her face against John’s shoulder and said with a grin.

“Leisurely, Johan and I get off work together, and when we get to the mansion, we eat meals facing each other. I wish we could always have moments like this.”

“Me too. I like quiet time.”

“That’s right. I want to quickly sort everything out, and once things stabilize, I want to live quietly with Yohan at the Pervace mansion.”

Francia’s red eyes sank low. There was a look of determination in them.

“But good things can’t always happen.”

“… … .”

“I will work hard so that I can be with John.”

I don’t know what he was trying to do, but Johan nodded and put his arm around Francia’s shoulder.

“It’ll work out. Whatever it is.”

When Johan let out a small laugh, Francia raised the corners of her lips and hugged him.

“I need to recharge my batteries since I haven’t seen you for a week.”

“Do as you please.”

The two of them met each other’s eyes and soon smiled faintly.

It was not long before John was to go on his mission.

* * *

the next day.

John entered the palace as an unofficial official.

I had to set out with her, as I had to escort Rudela Bismark from the palace.

“Oh my.”

“Wow… … .”

Upon entering the palace, the servants, who were all nobles, covered their mouths with their hands and could not take their eyes off Johan.

It wasn’t burdensome or annoying, because I was used to it since I always received it.

anyway.

As we crossed the imperial corridors and reached the drawing room where Rudela Bismark was, the knight of the family bowed his head slightly.

“Lady, the Harsen Special Wizard has arrived.”

-okay.

Rudella Bismark came out of the reception room without hesitation.

The black empire dress flowed against her snow-white silver hair.

Even the veil of the black flower hat on her head could not hide Rudel’s beauty.

“Nice to meet you, Harsen Special Wizard.”

Eyes like the clear sky looked up at John.

“It is an honor to meet you. I am Johan Harsen, a special wizard from the Second Civil Service.”

John took Rudella’s hand that she extended to him and kissed the back of it.

“Please take care of me until I return to the palace.”

“Yes.”

Johan naturally followed Rudella, who was leading the way. Several knights followed him, and the auras he felt were all of the same level as first-class knights who could use the Mana Blade.

“Have you heard anything about the mission?”

Chorak. Rudella asked, unfolding the black fan she was holding. Her silver hair sparkled softly in the sunlight.

“I understand that you are escorting Lady Bismark until she returns from Sanbukur.”

“Yes, from now on, you are responsible for my safety.”

Again.

Rudel, who was walking down the stairs of the palace, suddenly stopped walking and turned around to look at Johan. Her sky-blue eyes sparkled. However, it was a look in her eyes that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

“No matter what happens during the mission, can you protect me?”

“Of course. That’s my mission, and that’s what I have to do.”

“… I see.”

There was no change in Rudel’s face as she nodded. The corners of her mouth seemed to go up slightly, but it seemed to be an illusion.

“The road to Sanburg is not paved, so it will be quite rough. I hope you will understand if you are tired.”

“I know that, but is Lady Bismark okay?”

“What does it mean?”

“I said that because I thought you might be tired.”

“Hmm.”

The black fan folded again. Ludella tilted her head subtly, seemed to think for a moment, then took a step forward and opened her mouth.

“This is the role that has been assigned to me, and it is something I must do, so it is something I must take responsibility for. Didn’t you just say that? That is your duty, and what you must do.”

The point was that once you take on a task, you have to take responsibility for it without complaining.

“… I see.”

“That’s it.”

Again.

Her steps stopped. A carriage ornately decorated with imperial emblems was waiting.

Behind them was a wagon loaded with gifts from the Empire to be delivered to Sandburg.

“Let’s go.”

Johan naturally took Rudella’s hand as she walked up to the carriage. Escort. After she safely boarded the carriage, Johan walked up again to get on the horse.

“Where are you going?”

Rudel called out to John.

“I’m going to go horseback riding.”

“Get in the carriage. Your horse is not ready.”

“Was this planned from the beginning?”

“That’s right. You will travel with me in the carriage.”

Although he couldn’t understand English, John nodded and boarded the carriage. It would be okay since there were not only knights but also a detection magician among the escorts.

“Let’s go!”

Clang. The carriage wheels rolled. Rudella, sitting with her legs crossed, raised her head haughtily, revealing her snow-white shins.

“I know this isn’t our first time meeting.”

“Yes, I met you at a social gathering.”

“Yeah.”

The corners of Rudel’s mouth rose subtly.

“Would you like to tell me your story? There are many things I have always wondered about you. What kind of person would dare to go against His Highness the Crown Prince’s will?”

At a social party, John got drunk and offended the Crown Prince. He interrupted him and went in to bring Francia out.

“I don’t have any special story to tell. At the time, I just did it to protect my lover.”

“Weren’t you scared?”

“If I had been afraid of His Highness the Crown Prince’s glory and couldn’t come forward, I wouldn’t have become lovers with Princess Perbache.”

“Hmm.”

Rudel, her mouth covered by a black fan, slowly nodded her head. A faint smile appeared on her lips that could be seen through her.

“I think you graduated from Rosino Academy.”

“Yes, it was social studies.”

“You were my senior.”

Rudela Bismark is twenty years old. She is the same age as Francia and a year younger than Johan.

Although we were alumni of the Academy, we were in different grades, so we had no connection. It wasn’t a special relationship.

“I hope to see you often. If I need your escort or something special in the future, I will call you often.”

“Is it for public or private reasons?”

When John asked, Rudel tilted her head slightly and blinked slowly.

“Hmm. I guess you could say both. I don’t have any special feelings for you, but I feel a strange sense of familiarity and comfort, so I said I would call you anytime, whether it’s public or private.”

“… Is that so?”

Although it wasn’t apparent on the outside, Johan was quite confused, as she was quite different from the Rudela Bismark he knew.

I wasn’t talking about simple things like her personality or her way of speaking.

‘Why are you interested in me?’

She is not interested in anything other than raising the status of her family, other than being the crown prince.

This is the first time we’ve even had a conversation, and the first time we’ve even met face to face.

Did the brief impression you gave at the social party leave a lasting impression?

I don’t know.

“Tell me your story. Little things that happened at the Academy, or stories from when you were young.”

Rudel looked at Johan intently, waiting for an answer.

“… Okay.”

On the way to Sanburg.

John told Rudela about his embarrassing past, something he had not even told Francia.

* * *

The carriage carrying Rudela and Johan had just left the zodiac.

Shadows wearing pitch-black robes followed the carriage without making a sound.

A distance that is not affected by detection magic, and a distance that allows you to follow right away.

The shadow in the lead spoke.

“The opponent is a low-level magician who can also fight in close combat. Avoid conflict and deal with them perfectly, as they might leave evidence behind.”

Shadows nodding their heads in unison.

It was bright daylight, but no one could see them.

“The operation will begin just before the carriage crosses the border and arrives at the Sandburg Estate. Be prepared to blow up the bridge.”

Black figures followed the carriage.